Asia: Police leave nothing to chance
Revellers in Asian cities will be partying tonight under the watchful eyes of their police and military.
Indonesia, which has been on an offensive against suspected terrorists, is leaving nothing to chance after a series of bloody raids around the country in the past month.
Police spokesman Martinus Sitompul said yesterday that security is always stepped up during the festive season. "But this time around, it is special because we have had a record number of terrorist raids during the immediate period leading to the 2017 New Year's Eve celebration," he told reporters at a media briefing.
US: Preventing truck attacks with a cordon of trucks
US police are using a new tactic in the wake of recent terror attacks involving trucks in Nice and Berlin - big trucks in a protective ring.
A cordon of water trucks will be placed around Pasadena's Rose Parade in California. In New York, more than 100 garbage trucks and other vehicles, many filled with sand, will form a protective barrier around Times Square, where well over a million people are expected to gather for a traditional countdown party tonight.
There will be strict controls including personal searches at all entry points, and 7,000 police officers are on standby.
Europe: Armed police, barricades and bans to deter threats
European countries are sending out their police and military forces to make sure that New Year's Day is welcomed without a hitch.
With countries like Britain, France, Belgium and Germany all on high alert for terror threats, security agencies are pulling out all the stops to protect revellers as they count down to the new year.
On Tuesday, French police arrested a man in the south-west of the country who was suspected of planning an attack on New Year's Eve.
Australia: Heightened security after recent anti-terror arrests
The police plan to deploy thousands of extra officers across Sydney and Melbourne for this year's New Year's Eve celebrations as well as water and air patrols, as part of heightened security measures following two recent terrorist threats.
The State Government of New South Wales (NSW) yesterday assured Sydney residents that the city is safe after a 40-year-old man was arrested by counter-terrorism police after he allegedly posted threats of potential attacks on New Year's Eve over social media. The man, from Sydney, is not believed to be linked to terror groups, but was arrested at Sydney airport after flying in from London.
With a record 1.5 million people expected to line Sydney's harbour foreshore for the city's famous fireworks display, police have added a range of security measures. Buses and garbage trucks will be used as barricades to prevent a terrorist driving through crowds.
