Unique Customs Usher in New Year in Latin America

Note: This post was originally published in December 2006 though the link has been updated.

With New Year's just hours away, most of us have our party plans set. Part of those plans include partaking in traditions with roots in our native countries.

Many of us partake of the ritual stemming from madre Spain, eating 12 grapes at the 12 strokes of midnight, making a wish with each uva and ensuring 12 months of good luck. Many South American countries including Ecuador and Colombia burn an effigy of the old year. Others insist in wearing, sometimes inside out, yellow or red underwear. Regardless of how you celebrate the New Year, may all of you have a healthy and happy one.

World Watch: An Early Jump on the New Year

* World: While New Year’s Eve preparations continue in areas like New York City’s Times Square, residents on the Pacific island nation of Samoa were among the first to usher in 2012.

* Syria: Despite the presence of Arab League monitors Syrian forces continued their crackdown on anti-government protesters with security forces reportedly killing over thirty people.

* Spain: The new government announced a series of tax hikes to go along with over $11 billion in planned public spending cuts.

* India: Anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare urged his supporters to march nationwide after legislators in the upper house of parliament ignored voting on a proposal to control graft.

Video Source - YouTube via Euronews

Online Sources- CBS News, ABC News, Christian Science Monitor, BBC News

Daily Headlines: February 23, 2010

* Cuba: Migration talks between the U.S. and Cuba hit a snag after U.S. diplomats met with Cuban dissidents.

* Latin America: Happy New Year to Mayans celebrating the year 5126 under their calendar!

* Chile: Billionaire president-elect Sebastian Pinera is expected to add $498 million to his personal fortune by selling his stake in LAN Chile.

* Brazil: The “beautiful game” was anything but on Sunday when a fan of Brazilian soccer team Palmeiras was killed after a match.

Image – PRESS TV
Online Sources- Vancouver Sun, CNN, Xinhua, MSNBC

Video of the Day: Feliz Ano Novo

We’ll resume regular blogging on Wednesday including the results of our top news stories of 2007 poll.

The following is the New Year’s celebrations on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro. Over 4 million revelers attended the world’s largest New Year’s party this year.

(Video link):

Sources- YouTube, Independent Online