Revelers set to pack into Times Square for annual New Year’s Eve ball drop

The Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — The confetti has been tested for airiness. The giant numerals – 2 0 2 4 – are in place. And the luminous ball, bedazzled in 2,688 crystal triangles, is fixed to the pole from which it makes its 60-second descent at 11:59 p.m. With throngs of revelers set to usher in the new year under the bright lights of Times Square, officials and organizers say they are prepared to welcome the crowds and ensure their safety. At a security briefing on Dec. 29, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said there were “no specific threats” to the annual New Year’s Eve bash, which is expected to draw tens of thousands of people to the heart of midtown Manhattan on Dec. 31. The celebrity-filled event will include live performances from Flo Rida, Megan Thee Stallion and LL Cool J as well as televised appearances from Cardi B and others. Organizers said in-person attendance is expected to return to pre-COVID levels, even as foot traffic around Times Square remains down slightly since the pandemic. Amid near-daily protests in New York sparked by fighting between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza, police said they would expand...