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In Pictures: World welcomes 2019 with a bang

Countries around the world started 2019 with a bang as firework displays lit up the sky to welcome in the new year.

Here are some of the colourful scenes.

Spectators gather to attend the New Year's Day celebrations on the Champs-Elysees, in Paris
New year celebrations on the Champs-Elysees in Paris (Kamil Zihnioglu/AP)
Filipinos cheer during a New Year countdown at the Eastwood Shopping Mall late Monday, Dec. 31, 2018 in suburban Quezon city northeast of Manila, Philippines. Filipinos welcome the New Year with the loudest noise possible including setting off powerful firecrackers in one of Asia's most violent celebrations
Filipinos cheer during a new year countdown in Quezon city, north east of Manila (Bullit Marquez/AP)
Spectators watch as fireworks explode in front of Malaysia's landmark building, the Petronas Twin Towers, during the New Year's celebration in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Malaysia’s Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur provide the backdrop for a spectacular display (Yam G-Jun/AP)
A woman watches the fireworks exploding over Copacabana Beach during the New Year's celebrations in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
A woman watches the fireworks exploding over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Leo Correa/AP)
Fireworks light the sky above the Quadriga at the Brandenburg Gate shortly after midnight in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2019. Hundred thousands of people celebrated New Year's Eve welcoming the new year 2019 in Germany's capital
Fireworks light up the sky above the Quadriga at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany (Michael Sohn/AP)
Performers take selfies at the end of a countdown to the new year event in Beijing, China
Performers take selfies in Beijing, China (Ng Han Guan/AP)
A New York City police officer is covered with confetti in Times Square
A New York City police officer is covered with confetti in Times Square (Craig Ruttle/AP)
People watch the fireworks during the New Year's Eve celebrations held at Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto
The new year celebrations at Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto (Tijana Martin/The Canadian Press via AP)
A woman prays in front of a wall of lanterns to celebrate the new year at the Jogyesa Buddhist temple in Seoul, South Korea
A woman prays in front of a wall of lanterns to celebrate the new year at the Jogyesa Buddhist temple in Seoul, South Korea (Ahn Young-joon/AP)
Fireworks explode over the Sydney Harbour during the New Year's Eve celebrations in Sydney
Fireworks explode over Sydney Harbour Bridge (Brendan Esposito/AAP Image via AP)
Fireworks explode over the Arc de Triomphe during the New Year's Day celebrations on the Champs Elysees in Paris
The Arc de Triomphe is lit up in Paris (Kamil Zihnioglu/AP)
Fireworks explode in front of Malaysia's landmark building, the Petronas Twin Towers, during the New Year's celebration in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Yam G-Jun/AP)
A Happy New Year hat lies on the wet ground along with other items following the celebration in New York's Times Square
A Happy New Year hat lies on the wet ground along with other items following the celebrations in New York’s Times Square (Tina Fineberg/AP)
Fireworks explode over the Kremlin during New Year's celebrations in Red Square with St. Basil's Cathedral, center, and the Spasskaya Tower, right, in the background in Moscow, Russia
Fireworks explode over Russia’s Kremlin in Red Square, Moscow, with St Basil’s Cathedral, centre, and the Spasskaya Tower, right (Alexander Khitrov/AP)
Revellers dance at Caesars Palace along the Las Vegas Strip during a new year's celebration
Revellers dance at Caesars Palace along the Las Vegas Strip (John Locher/AP)
Fireworks explode in the sky over Rome's Colosseum during New Year's celebrations in Rome
Fireworks explode in the sky over Rome’s Colosseum (Andrew Medichini/AP)
Bosnian people cheer during new year's celebrations in Sarajevo
Bosnians cheer during new year’s celebrations in Sarajevo (Amel Emric/AP)
Fireworks explode over the ancient Parthenon temple at the Acropolis hill for the the New Year's Eve celebrations during a rainfall in Athens
Fireworks explode over the ancient Parthenon temple in Athens (Petros Giannakouris/AP)
Fireworks light the sky above an illuminated Christmas tree at the Cathedral Square in Vilnius, Lithuania, shortly after midnight during the New Year's celebrations
Cathedral Square in Vilnius, Lithuania (Mindaugas Kulbis/AP)
Confetti covers the crowd during the New Year's celebration in Times Square
Confetti covers the crowd during the New Year’s celebration in Times Square (Frank Franklin II/AP)
Fireworks explode from Auckland's Sky Tower as the New Year is welcomed in Auckland, New Zealand
Fireworks explode from Auckland’s Sky Tower in New Zealand (Doug Sherring/New Zealand Herald via AP)