New Year celebrations around the world are shaping up to be exuberant, extravagant and often pyrotechnic — but also highly security conscious in some of the major capitals due to persistent fears of terror attacks. With the war in Iraq, the earthquake in Iran and images of various conflicts and political upheavals dominating memories of 2003, traditional end-of-year festivities in many countries are expected to be especially vibrant as collective hopes of a happier and more peaceful 2004 are cast. But authorities are taking no chances. US-occupied Iraq will be under particular scrutiny. The US military and Iraqi police say Baghdad will have stepped-up patrols, checkpoints and reinforcements to curtail the possibility of further attacks by insurgents — especially the coordinated bombings that have taken a heavy toll in the past few months. In a similar vein, cities in North America, Europe and Asia will have tens of thousands of extra police deployed to ward off attacks and control huge crowds that traditionally congregate in central squares and parks. Full Story
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