Cities across the world have rung in the New Year with fireworks and street celebrations.
In New York, tourists and locals cheered amid confetti and fireworks in Times Square as they counted down the remaining seconds of the old year.
Earlier, in London, spectacular firework displays lit up the skyline, as Big Ben struck midnight to usher in the New Year.
Among the thousands who gathered along the length of the Thames River that runs through London, it seemed everyone had a wish for a better year to come.
"My New Year's wish," one London reveler confided, "if I can win the Euromillions [lottery] tomorrow -- that would be my wish."
But if he was wishing to win the lottery and start 2013 with millions of euros in his pocket, others had more down-to-earth dreams.
"A really good job, a really good husband, and a house, so there!" another Londoner said.
Still earlier, in Moscow, crowds toasted the New Year on Red Square.
In India, residents and tourists joined in the festivities in Mumbai and dozens of other major cities.
One tourist who gave her name as Maria sent her greeting from Mumbai to the rest of the world: "We just wish everybody all around the world a happy new year, a safe new year, and everybody to be happy together."
Not all celebrations around the globe ended happily.
Celebratory gunfire killed a 4-year-old boy, and more than 400 others were injured by powerful firecrackers in typically rowdy New Year's celebrations in the Philippines.
With the dawn of New Year's Day behind much of the world, clean-up crews were hard at work to sweep away the spent fireworks and make room for the rest of 2013 to return to normal.
In New York, tourists and locals cheered amid confetti and fireworks in Times Square as they counted down the remaining seconds of the old year.
Earlier, in London, spectacular firework displays lit up the skyline, as Big Ben struck midnight to usher in the New Year.
Among the thousands who gathered along the length of the Thames River that runs through London, it seemed everyone had a wish for a better year to come.
"My New Year's wish," one London reveler confided, "if I can win the Euromillions [lottery] tomorrow -- that would be my wish."
But if he was wishing to win the lottery and start 2013 with millions of euros in his pocket, others had more down-to-earth dreams.
"A really good job, a really good husband, and a house, so there!" another Londoner said.
Still earlier, in Moscow, crowds toasted the New Year on Red Square.
In India, residents and tourists joined in the festivities in Mumbai and dozens of other major cities.
One tourist who gave her name as Maria sent her greeting from Mumbai to the rest of the world: "We just wish everybody all around the world a happy new year, a safe new year, and everybody to be happy together."
Not all celebrations around the globe ended happily.
Celebratory gunfire killed a 4-year-old boy, and more than 400 others were injured by powerful firecrackers in typically rowdy New Year's celebrations in the Philippines.
With the dawn of New Year's Day behind much of the world, clean-up crews were hard at work to sweep away the spent fireworks and make room for the rest of 2013 to return to normal.