New Year Celebrations

Fireworks are seen behind the St. Basil Cathedral during the celebration at the Red Square in Moscow.

Berlin, Germany

Spectators watch fireworks in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.

Athens, Greece

Fireworks illuminate the ancient Parthenon atop the Acropolis Hill in Athens, Greece, host of the 2004 Olympics games.

Madrid, Spain

A couple shares a kiss as Spaniards celebrate New Year's Day on the Puerta del Sol in Madrid, Spain.

London, England

Revelers in Parliament Square, London, watch as fireworks explode over the London Eye, center rear, to mark the arrival of 2004.

London, England

Buckingham Palace seen illuminated by a projection at the start of New Year's Eve celebrations in central London.

Nagoya, Japan

Worshipers read a piece of paper telling their fortune for the New Year at Atsuta Shrine in Nagoya, central Japan early. Over one million worshipers are expected to visit the shrine to pray for happiness and prosperity in the New Year.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Members of an Afro-Brazilian religion hold a ceremony to the goddess of the sea known as Iemanja on Copacabana beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Sydney, Australia

Fireworks explode over the Sydney skyline during the first of two fireworks displays to welcome in the New Year, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2003. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to line the Sydney Harbour waterfronts to watch the midnight fireworks and light show to welcome in the new year.

Sydney, Australia

Fireworks over Sydney harbor bridge during New Year celebrations, Australia, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2003.

Tokyo, Japan

Balloons rise during New Year celebrations, Tokyo, Japan, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2003.

Hong Kong

New Year celebrations in Hong Kong, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2003.

Tokyo, Japan

Japanese pray around "lucky smoke" early Thursday, Jan.1, 2004 during their first visit of the year to the Zojoji temple in Tokyo to celebrate the New Year.

Manila, Philippines

Filipinos look at a fireworks as they welcome the New Year in front of lantern-made palace, downtown Manila on Thursday Jan. 1, 2004.

Tikrit, Iraq

U.S. Army soldiers dance inside one of Saddam Hussein's palaces, now converted into a recreation center, at a military base during a New Year's Eve party, in Tikrit, Iraq, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2003.

Nashua, New Hampshire

Fireworks burst above the Nashua River Wednesday night, Dec. 31, 2003, behind the statue of a woman and child in Le Parc de Notre Renaissance Francaise in Nashua, N.H.

New York, New York

Saki Ohira, center, and Miki Higashi, both of Osaka, Japan, take in the sights during the New Year's Eve party in New York's Times Square Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2003.