Moscow — A Russian girl walks among snowmen on display in Gorky Central Park of Culture and Leisure downtown. Although temperatures were up to nearly 40 degrees and accompanied by rain, the snowmen -- made of artificial snow -- are expected to 'survive' the New Year holidays.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: SERGEI ILNITSKY / EPA

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Dhampus, Nepal — Nepalese indigenous women from the Gurung community wearing traditional attire dance while taking part in an ethnic New Year's celebration ceremony against the backdrop of Mt. Machapuchre. The majority of young men of this village are currently serving in the British army, so young and elderly women of the community celebrated their New Year without their loved ones.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: NARENDRA SHRESTHA / EPA

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West Des Moines, Iowa — David Lister of Cumming, Ga., stands in the morning cold before a campaign appearance by Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, at a Hy-Vee grocery store.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Charlie Neibergall / Associated Press

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Dusseldorf, Germany — Two fallow deers look for food in a pile of withered leaves at the wildlife park Grafenbergerwald.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: HORST OSSINGER / EPA

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Hanover, Germany — Artist Mansha Friedrich knits the lettering "Happy New Year" in an example of urban knitting, a kind of street art consisting of woolen objects knit around urban street furniture such as dustbins, benches or lampposts.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: JULIAN STRATENSCHULTE / AFP / Getty Images

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Slawatycze, Poland — "Bearded men" interact with children as they parade in the streets. On the last three days of December, citizens of Slawatycze, as part of an old local tradition, dress up in 'bearded men' costumes, say goodbye to the old year and make wishes for the new year.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: WOJCIECH PACEWICZ / EPA

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Amritsar, India — An Indian Sikh youth performs a fire act as he takes part in a procession from the Sri Akal Takhat at the Sikh Shrine, the Golden Temple. The procession took place on the eve of the 346th birthday of Guru Gobind Singh.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: NARINDER NANU / AFP / Getty Images

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Baghdad — An Iraqi woman walks past the national flag during a celebration marking the departure of U.S. troops from Iraq in the Adhamiyah neighborhood.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / AFP / Getty Images

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Cairo — Egyptian protesters chant slogans during a demonstration in Tahrir Square. A major clampdown on human rights groups in Egypt has called into question the ruling military's pledges of reform, drawing a torrent of criticism of its handling of the transition from Hosni Mubarak.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: FILIPPO MONTEFORTE / AFP / Getty Images

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Uludere, Turkey — Kurds carry the coffins of victims of a Turkish air raid, outside Uludere Hospital. Thousands of irate Kurds buried 35 civilians killed in the air raid and branded Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan a murderer.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: BULENT KILIC / AFP / Getty Images

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Damascus, Syria — Supporters of Syrian President Bashar Assad hold a large banner bearing his likeness during a rally. The rebel Free Syrian Army said Friday it has stopped its offensive against government targets during a monthlong mission by Arab League monitors, saying it wants to expose how the regime is killing peaceful protesters.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Muzaffar Salman / Associated Press

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