Happy New Year!

Pope Benedict XVI kisses a child at the end of the New Year's Day Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican Monday, Jan. 1, 2007. The Pontiff called in New Year's appeals Monday for nations to champion world peace, and urged people to repudiate war and violence.

Austria

Indian born Maestro Zubin Mehta welcomes the audience and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra prior to the start of the traditional New Year's concert at Vienna's Musikverein, on Monday, Jan. 1, 2007. Mehta was celebrated as a Kennedy Center honoree in 2006.

Texas

Firework explode around the Tower of the Americas in San Antonio, Monday, Jan. 1, 2007.

Brazil

Fireworks explode over Copacabana beach during the annual party to celebrate the New Year in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, Jan. 1, 2007. Approximately 2 million people celebrate New Year's Eve at Copacabana beach.

New York

People wave balloons as they gather to celebrate the new year in Times Square Sunday, Dec. 31, 2006, in New York.

New York

Revelers celebrate at midnight during New Year's Eve festivities in Times Square in New York on Sunday, Dec. 31, 2006.

India

An Indian Sadhu, Hindu holy man, sports a "tilak" on his forehead with the letters 2007 to mark New Year in Allahabad, India, Monday, Jan. 1, 2007. Tilaks are distinctive marks made on the forehead or the brow with clay, ashes or sandalwood paste as an indication of sectarian affiliation.

Bahamas

A member of the Saxons group dances along Bay Street Monday, Jan. 1, 2007, in the annual New Year's Day Junkanoo parade in Nassau, Bahamas. Tens of thousands of spectators, including many tourists, gather on the streets of downtown Nassau to watch the colorful street festival which runs through the early morning hours.

Las Vegas

Fireworks explode over the Las Vegas Strip as people from around the world celebrate on Las Vegas Boulevard in Las Vegas on Monday, Jan. 1, 2007. An estimated 300,000 people spent New Year's Eve on the Strip.

Dubai

Fireworks explode near the Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to celebrate New Year early Monday, Jan. 1, 2007.

Seattle

Dong Truong, left, and Trinity Doan, of Seattle, wear hats and 2007 glasses as they celebrate the Space Needle fireworks Sunday, Jan. 1, 2007, in Seattle.

Malaysia

An urn reflects an ethnic Chinese as he helps his children put lighted joss sticks on it at a temple in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Monday, Jan. 1, 2007. Malaysian Chinese believes the prayers will bring them peace and bountiful year, especially on the first day of the new year.

Sydney

Fireworks explode over the Sydney Harbor Bridge in the annual display to celebrate the New Year in Sydney, Monday, Jan. 1, 2007. Organizers claimed it to be the largest fireworks display ever seen over the harbor of Australia's largest city in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the bridge's opening on March 2007.

Key West, Fla.

Sushi, as portrayed by female impersonator Gary Marion, is lowered in an eight-foot-long reproduction of a woman's shoe to mark the beginning of 2007 early Monday, Jan. 1, 2007, in Key West, Fla. The drop of Sushi, at the Bourbon St. Pub, is one of the most popular New Year's Eve activities in the subtropical island city.

Tornoto

A young fan watches the celebration at Nathan Phillips Square in front of City Hall in Toronto, Ontario at the City TV Canada's New Year's Eve Bash Sunday, Dec. 31, 2006.

China

People prepare for New Year countdown at the Nanjing Road, Shanghai's main shopping street on Dec. 31, 2006, in Shanghai, China. It is estimated that over 7,000 people celebrated New Year in the Nanjing road and Xintiandi area.

Singapore

Fireworks light-up the Singapore bay during the countdown at midnight in Singapore Jan. 1, 2007.

London

Fireworks explode over the London Eye, on New Year's Day celebrations, by the river Thames in central London, early Monday, Jan. 1, 2007.