Crowds across the world have been celebrating the start of 1999, although the the festivities were marred in France by the death of one person and the setting on fire of more than fifty cars.

French police say they used tear gas to disperse youths in Strasbourg, where the worst damage took place.

There'dearlier been huge fireworks displays to welcome the new year over Sydney harbour in Australia and over the world's tallest building -- the Petronas Towers in Malaysia.

In Tokyo, thousands thronged the Zojoji temple as a Buddhist monk rang its bell one-hundred-and-eight times to bring good luck for the Year of the Rabbit.

Nearly two-hundred-thousand people in Edinburgh celebrated at a free pop concert, while in New York, several hundred-thousand people packed Times Square.