WATCH ABOVE: New Zealand and Australia ring in the New Year
It’s New Year’s Eve, and celebrations are kicking off to ring in the arrival of 2015.
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Take a look at photos of NYE celebrations from around the world.
Australia
New Year’s Eve fireworks erupt over Sydney’s iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House.
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New Zealand
A glimpse of the fireworks from the top of the Sky Tower in Auckland and the fireworks display in Wellington.
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South Korea
South Koreans gathered during the welcoming ceremony of the New Year at Imjingak Peace Park in the border city of Paju near the demilitarized zone dividing the two Koreas, striking a huge traditional bell to welcome the New Year.
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Japan
Naked men in loincloths pounded steamed rice into a mochi, a rice cake, to celebrate the New Year at the Kanda Shrine in Tokyo and balloons were released beside the Tokyo Tower to celebrate the New Year during an annual countdown ceremony.
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Singapore
Singapore’s skyline glittered with lights as spheres in the waters of Marina Bay form the number “50” to mark the city’s 50th anniversary, ahead of the New Year’s countdown celebration — and later the skyline was lit up with fireworks to mark the New Year.
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Hong Kong
Pro-democracy protesters released over 100 yellow balloons to mark the New Year outside a Hong Kong shopping mall and fireworks exploded over Victoria Harbour to ring in 2015.
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China
A man used his cell phone to take a photo during the New Year’s Eve countdown event outside the Beijing’s National Stadium, known as the Bird’s Nest, while people released a sky lantern to celebrate the New Year in Harbin, where over one million visitors are expected to attend the spectacular Harbin Ice Festival, where buildings of ice are bathed in ethereal lights and international ice sculptors compete for honours.
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Vietnam
The front the opera house in downtown Hanoi, where a large open-air stage was being prepared for a New Year’s Eve concert and later, fireworks were seen displayed from Betexco Tower, the tallest building in the financial district of Ho Chi Minh City from the other bank of Saigon River.
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Philippines
People looked at fireworks during a New Year Celebration in Manila and later, a father comforted his son who was injured by a firecracker at the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center in Manila.
United Arab Emirates
People watched as Dubai celebrated the New Year with a light and sound extravaganza at the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest tower.
Greece
Fireworks exploded above the ancient temple of Parthenon atop the Acropolis hill during the New Year celebrations in Athens.
Germany
Fireworks exploded behind the quadriga of Berlin’s landmark Brandenburg Gate to usher in the New Year.
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