New Year parede marred by accident
HONG KONG (Agencies): A float ploughed into crowds during Hong Kong's major Lunar New Year parade yesterday, killing a bystander and bringing a note of tragedy to celebrations across Asia that took place amidst stricter security.
One woman was killed in the accident and at least 20 other people were injured as tens of thousands looked on in horror.
A government spokesman, said the foreign women was killed after the parade vehicle lost control and crashed into crowds near Hong Kong's world famous Star Ferry pier.
Thousands had lined the streets for the second annual Lunar New Year parade featuring dragon dances and drummers in the Tsim Sha Tsui district close to some of Hong Kong's main tourist hotels.
Hundreds of millions of ethnic Chinese mark the Lunar New Year as their major family event of the year. In many countries though, the Year of the Ox has been welcomed with greater safety restrictions and a wary eye on mounting political considerations.
The Chinese authorities banned fireworks in central Beijing, but put on official displays further out of the capital.
At midnight, the chimes of Beijing's 63-ton Big Bell -- cast in the 15th century but only used for special occasions -- were amplified over a radius of 10 kilometers by four giant speakers.
Tens of thousands of revelers descended on Tiananmen Square in the heart of the capital, which was illuminated by hundreds of colored spotlights and giant lanterns.
In Manila, heavily armed police watched over a dragon dance and wushu exhibition in a public square because of recent kidnappings of Filipino-Chinese.
Two ethnic Chinese traders kidnapped on Wednesday were the latest victims and at the Manila event, the city's vice mayor, Lito Atienza, promised that government would "bring peace back to Chinatown."
In Hanoi, about 400 police were on duty to stop illegal motorcycles races that have marked previous celebrations, especially around the Hoan Kiem Lake where many people traditionally meet.
Firecrackers were also banned and Vietnamese police said it had been one of the quietest New Years in memory.
On top of yesterday's parade accident, Hong Kong people saw growing political overtones in their celebrations because of the handover from British to Chinese rule on July 1.
Many goods sold at traditional New Year markets have an increasing political flavor and political parties have also set up stalls.
Traditional red fai chun posters bearing lucky messages are now almost as likely to say "Long live democracy" as "May every day be happy."