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New Year's Eve

Fireworks explode over the Sydney Opera House as Australia ushers in the New Year.

Australia kicks off a global New Year party defying terror threat

Culture

Australia rang in the New Year with a spectacular fireworks display in Sydney, sending rainbow-colored showers into the night sky and defying the global terror attacks that cast a pall over 2016.

Iraqi security forces inspect the site of a bomb attack at a market in central Baghdad, Iraq December 31.

Bombings in a central Baghdad market have killed dozens

Conflict
Caitlin Duncan (right), Hesham Ahmad Mohammad (center) and Caitlin Duncan's boyfriend (left) on New Year's Eve.

This Syrian refugee rescued an American student after she was assaulted in Cologne

Conflict
Turkish Islamist protesters shout slogans against Noel celebrations as they hold an inflatable Santa Claus toy during a demonstration at Beyazit Square in Istanbul December 26, 2013. The sign (front, 2nd) reads: "Christmas is a blow to our Islamism".

Santa has a complicated relationship with his hometown

Culture

The new year means old traditions for many around the world

Arts, Culture & Media

A late bell, silent prayers and the world’s largest fireworks show greet the new year

Arts, Culture & Media

Dubai went for the fireworks record while the Japanese chose to take time to reflect. Meanwhile, for New Year’s, New York is getting a new mayor.

Chinese New Year Earns Stamp of Approval

For the Chinese, this Lunar New Year  marks the Year of the Snake, a creature of the Chinese Zodiac that embodies  gracefulness, materialism, and intelligence. Brooklyn-based illustrator  Kam Mak’s work can be seen in the Postal Service’s commemorative stamp for this Chinese New Year. It’s a beautiful image of fireworks, common to the Lunar New Year celebrations of […]

Happy New Year from Ordinary and Inspiring People in Bangalore, India

Aditya Kumar is a writer in Bangalore. This is his New Year’s Eve message to friends around the world.

New Movies: ‘The Sitter’ and ‘New Year’s Eve’

Every Friday, The Takeaway looks at the weekend’s new releases. Opening this weekend: slacker comedy “The Sitter” with Jonah Hill; and “New Year’s Eve”  starring Sarah Jessica Parker among many others.  Rafer Guzman, film critic for Newsday, and Takeaway producer Kristen Meinzer, co-hosts of  The Takeaway Movie Date podcast, give their recommendations on this weekend’s new movies.

The World

Dead Blackbirds Fall from Sky in Arkansas by the Thousands

Environment

Thousands of blackbirds fell from the sky over the Arkansas town of Beebe just before midnight on New Year’s Eve, leaving people in the area scratching their heads and speculating about the possible cause: a lightning strike? Aliens? A secret government project? We’re joined by Keith Stevens, of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, which […]