While London capped off the end of 2012 with fireworks observed by hundreds of thousands along the Thames, in India the celebrations were cancelled following the death of a young woman after a brutal gang rape. In Washington DC, spectators watched the fireworks, legislators haggled over the U.S. budget, and the rest of America happily said goodbye to 2012.
Boris Johnson, the mayor of London told Sky News, "Our New Year's Eve fireworks will cap a triumphant year for London. As we welcomed the world to the magnificent celebrations for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the glorious success of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, London was at its very best."
Hong Kong showered the islands with an eight-minute fireworks show that is the largest since 2006. Hong Kong traditionally reserved its biggest fireworks show for Chinese New Year, which will be February 10, 2013.
In Sydney, the fireworks went off in the usual fashion, over the harbour. Though citizens in Brisbane were not happy about local television station's decision to broadcast the Sydney fireworks an hour after they happened. Twitter was active with comments like "not cool," and calling the networks "tight arses" for not showing the fireworks live.
Not all celebrations were happy. Voice of America (VOA) reported that many cities in India cancelled celebrations out of respect for a young woman who died from injuries after a brutal gang rape. According to VOA, hotels, clubs, India's military and Sonia Gandhi, the head of the ruling Congress Party cancelled parties and joined candlelight vigils in the capital and other major cities.
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