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New Year revellers in Paris held fireworks and cheered
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From New York to Baghdad to Sydney, New Year's revelers welcomed 2008 with parties, fireworks and hopes for peace and prosperity.
Baghdad witnessed something Iraq had not seen since the 2003 invasion — people publicly partying to welcome in a new year. The ballrooms of several hotels were full of people for New Year's Eve celebrations.
Several European countries rang in the new year in new ways.
The smoke-filled cafe became a thing of memory in France. Cigarettes were prohibited in all indoor locations such as dance clubs, restaurants, hotels, casinos and cafes from Jan 1, 2008.
President Nicolas Sarkozy gave the first traditional New Year's greeting of his presidency, with a "message of hope, faith in life and in the future."
In Russia, Vladimir Putin delivered the last New Year's Eve address of his eight-year presidency, boasting of economic improvements and claiming to have restored a sense of unity among Russians, who are likely to see him stay in power as prime minister after he steps down in a few months.
In Moscow, thousands gathered in Red Square, watching a concert beneath the onion domes of St. Basil's Cathedral, and fireworks above.
Along with the innovations, old traditions were maintained.
More than a million revelers in New York's Times Square cheered at the 100th drop of a giant ball. A century ago the tradition began with a 700-pound ball of wood and iron, lit with 100 25-watt incandescent bulbs. This year's event featured an energy-efficient sphere clad in Waterford crystals, with 9,576 light-emitting diodes that generated a kaleidoscope of colors.
In London, people gathered in Trafalgar Square and along the banks of the River Thames to watch a fireworks display and hear Big Ben welcome the New Year with 12 resounding bongs.
China started its Olympic year with a New Year party including fireworks, singing and dancing put on by the organizer of the Summer Olympics.
In Sydney — one of the first cities to celebrate the New Year — one million revelers cheered as fireworks sprayed from the iconic Harbor Bridge on the New Year's Eve.
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(Agencies)
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从纽约到巴格达，再到悉尼，世界各地的人们开起了party、燃起了焰火，满怀着和平与繁荣的希望，迎接2008年的到来。
在伊拉克首都巴格达，几家酒店的俱乐部聚满了庆祝新年的人们，这是自2003年美国入侵伊拉克以来巴格达人首次举行公开聚会迎接新年。
欧洲的几个国家则以新的方式迎接新年。
在法国，烟雾缭绕的酒吧已成往事。从今年1月1日起，法国在舞厅俱乐部、餐馆、酒店、赌场和咖啡厅等所有室内场所实行禁烟。
法国总统尼古拉斯•萨科奇发表了就任总统以来的首次新年致辞，表达了“对生活与未来的希望与信念”。总统向全国民众致以新年问候是法国的一大传统。
俄罗斯总统普京则是最后一次以总统的身份向全国发表新年祝词。普京执政八年以来，俄罗斯的经济状况明显改善，民众团结得以恢复。普京将于几个月后卸任总统一职，并可能出任下届国家总理。
在俄罗斯首都莫斯科，数千人聚集在红场，观看在圣华西里大教堂的洋葱式圆顶下举行的新年演唱会，还欣赏了教堂上空的焰火表演。
除了这些新鲜的庆祝方式外，一些旧传统也被沿袭。
在纽约时代广场，一百多万新年狂欢者为水晶球降落仪式举行一百周年而欢呼喝彩。该传统始于一世纪前，当时的大球由木头和铁打造而成，重达700磅，装有100个25瓦的白炽灯泡。而今年的水晶球则采用了节能技术，球体外表覆盖着一层沃特福德水晶，内置9576个发光二极管，发出五彩的光芒。
在英国伦敦，人们聚集在特拉法尔加广场和泰晤士河畔观看焰火表演，聆听“大本钟”敲响新年钟声，“大本钟”那12下浑厚的钟声回荡在夜空。
在中国，2008年夏季奥运会主办城市北京举办了喜迎“奥运年”的大型主题活动，其中包括焰火表演和歌舞类节目。
悉尼是最早迎来新年的城市之一。新年前夜，悉尼的标志性建筑海港大桥上空绽放出美丽的烟花，100多万狂欢者欢呼跃雀。
（英语点津姗姗编辑）
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