New Year opens to war plans, political change

01 Jan 2003 20:33

(Updates throughout)

WASHINGTON, Jan 1 (Reuters) - The first day of the new year saw ongoing preparations for a possible war against Iraq, historic political change in Latin America's biggest country and new airline security measures to guard against terror attacks.

Against the backdrop of continuing economic uncertainty, people worldwide welcomed 2003 at scores of celebrations, where tight security prevented serious incidents.

U.S. air authorities marked the new year by screening all checked luggage for explosives in answer to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. Before the hijacked airliner attacks, just 5 percent of the bags were checked.

In New York, up to 1 million people had a night of celebration under tight security, watching the traditional crystal ball drop in Times Square.

As in other cities across the globe, thousands of extra police were on duty. The Coast Guard closed New York harbor to private boats in response to a threat of attack that never materialized.

In London and Paris, tens of thousands celebrated and extra police patrolled after recent arrests of suspects on terror charges. Cars were banned around Paris' famed Champs Elysees.

Violence and accidents claimed some lives, with a grenade attack killing nine and wounding more than 30 in the Philippines and a fireworks explosion in Mexico killing at least 37 and injuring dozens more in the port city of Veracruz.

PROSPECT OF WAR

The U.S. military proceeded with a buildup in the Gulf, moving into position for a possible war with Iraq with the deployment to commence of a full Army combat division, the first to the region since the 1991 Gulf War.

More than 11,000 desert-trained troops were soon to begin heading to the region, where U.S. President George W. Bush has threatened Iraq with attack if President Saddam Hussein does not disarm.

In Baghdad, U.N. weapons inspectors took no break for the holiday, as they searched for evidence of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons programs.

With tensions worsening between the United States and North Korea as well, Pyongyang issued a New Year's message calling on its people to build "a powerful nation" under its "army-based policy." North Korea has started reactivating a complex capable of producing weapons-grade plutonium and has expelled U.N. inspectors monitoring it.

In Vatican City, Pope John Paul II appealed for peace on all fronts in his first message of 2003.

"In the face of today's conflicts and the menacing tensions of the moment, yet again I invited prayer to pursue pacific means for settlement," he said during his homily to celebrate the Roman Catholic Church's World Day of Peace.

POLITICAL CHANGE

In Brazil, throngs were celebrating the start of a new political era as former metalworker Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was sworn in as the first working-class, elected leftist president of Latin America's largest country.

In Venezuela, a 31-day general strike that has choked the country's lifeblood oil business dragged on with a large New Year's street party that organizers said was a show of determination to oust populist President Hugo Chavez.

In the United States, Americans began the year facing the prospects of continuing economic uncertainty, with concern about the consequences of potential war with Iraq casting a pall over 2003 prospects much as the aftershock of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks did last year.

Bad weather also delayed Philadelphia's annual "Mummers Parade," with organizers fearful rain and wind would damage the Mummers' famed fancy costumes and fanciful displays.