CITY OF NOT SO MANY LIGHTS:

Cars burn in France but police keep riots at bay (EuroNews, 1/01/06)

Less than two months after several suburbs in the capital and other cities saw sustained rioting, cars were again set on fire and youths threw stones at firefighters.

Police say 343 vehicles were burnt before 4am, 20 more than the previous year, and more than 260 people were arrested.

Whereas the Brits are more personable, 35 stabbings mar London revelry (Daily Mail, 1st January 2006)

The London Ambulance Service reported a "horrifying" spate of stabbings across the capital - 35 in all on a night the service dealt with a record number of emergency 999 calls.

Between midnight and 4am the service dealt with 1,444 calls, up four per cent on the same period last year.

Deputy director of operations Russell Smith, who led the service's New Year's Eve response, said: "We are horrified that there have been so many stabbings on what is an evening of celebration for most people.

"The majority of calls that we have responded to this evening have been alcohol-related.

Posted by Orrin Judd at January 1, 2006 10:16 AM