World rings in 2012, bids adieu to a tough year

Revelers cheer behind police barricades in Times Square in anticipation of midnight on New Years Eve, Saturday, Dec. 31, in New York. Some revelers, wearing party hats and "2012" glasses, began camping out Saturday morning, as workers readied bags stuffed with hundreds of balloons and technicians put colored filters on klieg lights

Fireworks explode over the Houses of Parliament, including St Stephen's Tower which holds the bell known as Big Ben as London celebrates the arrival of New Year's Day, Jan. 1, 2012.

The iconic London Eye is illuminated with colored lighting before the fireworks marking the coming of the new year in Central London, England, Dec. 31. Over 250,000 people were expected to take part in the festivities on the bank of the river Thames.

A couple kisses as fireworks explode in the sky over Bucharest, Romania, at midnight, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012, during street celebrations of the new year. Large crowds gathered in downtown Romania's capital taking advantage of the dry weather to attend the celebrations.

People toast as they celebrate the start of the New Year in Lucerne, Switzerland, Jan. 1, 2012.

Thousands of residents view fireworks and see in the New Year early Sunday at Red Square in Moscow, Russia.

Revelers attend New Year's Day celebration on Red Square in Moscow, Russia.

A couple watch a fireworks display light the night sky as they prepare for New Year celebrations in Berlin, Germany, on Saturday.

A man lights an Old Man effigy, which symbolizes burning the past and getting ready to start a happy New Year without bad memories, early Sunday in Mumbai, India.

Visitors are showered by confetti as they celebrate a light show at the Temple of Heaven during the New Year Countdown Ceremony in Beijing, China.

Bangladeshis celebrate the new year in Old Dhaka by sending a sky lantern aloft at the turn of the new year.

Sri Lankan residents light up fireworks during New Year celebrations in Colombo, where festivities are marked with religious ceremonies, dances and parties across the island.

People release balloons as the Tokyo Tower is illuminated to celebrate the New Year at a countdown event at the Zojo-ji Buddhist temple Sunday in Tokyo, Japan.

Rubbish left by the revellers after New Year's celebrations in Hong Kong's Times Square.

A Pakistani barber gives a 2012 hair cut to a man to celebrate the New Year at a barber shop in Rawalpindi, on Dec. 31.

Fireworks explode near Malaysia's landmark Petronas Twin Towers which are reflected in a pool during New Year celebrations in Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysians watch fireworks explode during New Year celebrations at Independence Square in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

A countdown outside the Taipei 101 skyscraper climaxes in a display of fireworks. Hundreds of thousands of people braved cold winds to usher in the new year.

The Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge are seen during New Year's Eve fireworks from Mrs. Macquarie's Chair in Sydney, Australia.

Pakistani Christians hold crosses ahead of the new year as they light candles to pray for peace in 2012, in Lahore, Pakistan, Dec. 31.

Sri Lankan boys play with firecrackers on the eve of the New Year as the sun sets in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Dec. 31.

The top of the Sky Tower is obscured by clouds during New Year's Eve fireworks in Auckland, New Zealand. Just several hundred kilometers from the international date line, New Zealand's cities are among the first in the world to welcome the new year.

Women use sparklers to draw "2012" as they celebrate New Year's Eve in Manila, Philippines, on Dec. 31.

Shinto priests leave the holy worship area following the year-end purification ceremony at Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, Japan, on Dec. 31. About three million people visit the shrine during the New Year's holidays every year to pray for their health and wealth.

People make offerings to Yemanja, the Goddess of the Sea of the Afro-American religion Umbanda, on Dec. 31 at a Paranoa Lake beach in Brasi­lia, Brazil. Hundreds of worshippers gather at the Brazilian capital to make their offerings and pray for the new year.

Musicians wearing Christmas costumes take part a New Year parade in the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek on Dec. 31.

Some of the thousands of performers gather at the start of the Johannesburg Carnival in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Dec. 31. Troops of dancers and performers from various areas of the city parade through downtown Johannesburg on the last day of each year.

Boys dressed as Vikings join the men leading the torchlight procession as it makes its way along Princess Street for the start of the New Year celebrations Friday in Edinburgh, Scotland. Thousands of people joined in the torchlight procession, which is followed by the burning of a Viking long ship, to mark the start of Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations.


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