More than a million people in New York's Times Square hailed the arrival of 2016 early Friday with kisses, cheers and a measure of relief as America's biggest New Year's Eve celebration unfolded without a hitch under a blanket of unprecedented security.
The transition to the New Year was marked by the descent of the traditional lighted crystal ball from atop a skyscraper amid fireworks and a blizzard of confetti at the center of the famed Manhattan crossroads, the climax of an annual rite of winter dating back to 1904.
The world welcomed the New Year with celebrations despite security fears that prevailed over several capitals.
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