世界各地歡慶年來臨

Thousands braved a frigid New York night to celebrate the start of 2018 in Times Square, an annual celebration that dates back to 1904.

Tarana Burke, a social activist who started the #MeToo movement to draw attention to sexual abuse, pushed the button that started the famed ball drop, a hallmark of the New York City celebration for 110 years. The year 2017 saw a sea change in attitudes and awareness of sexual assault and sexual harassment, as millions of people used the hashtag to show how pervasive abuse is in the wake of accusations made against dozens of high profile men, including celebrities, members of Congress and business leaders.

"We need to go into the new year as a new beginning, with a new set of commitments to a better world," Burke told the New York Daily News.

As they do each year, the crowd at Times Square counted down as the crystal ball slid down a pole, arriving at the bottom as 2018 began, accompanied by confetti and fireworks.

Hundreds of thousands of people watched over by thousands of police and other security personnel crowded the square, despite temperatures around -12 C (10 degrees Fahrenheit).

The frosty festivities in Times Square included performances by Mariah Carey, Sugarland and Nick Jonas.紐約數以千計的人不畏嚴寒在時報廣場慶祝2018年的來臨。紐約一年一度的迎接新年慶典活動可追溯到1904年。

社會活動人士、旨在喚起人們對性侵犯關注的#MeToo行動的發起人塔拉那·伯克(Tarana Burke)按下了紐約有110年曆史、迎接新年倒計時的水晶球下落的按鈕。2017年，人們對性侵和性騷擾的態度和意識發生了巨大變化，數以百萬計的人在社交媒體上用#MeToo做標籤，顯示性侵犯的廣泛性。在那之前，幾十位男性名人被控性侵或性騷擾，包括名流、國會議員和商界領袖。

伯克對《紐約每日新聞》表示，“我們要以新年爲新起點，對一個更好地世界作出新的承諾。”

就像往年一樣，聚集在時報廣場的人羣在水晶球開始下落時倒計時。在水晶球滑落到底時，2018年來臨，同時伴隨着煙花和綵帶。

成千上萬的人不畏攝氏零下12度的嚴寒觀看了水晶球的下落。負責安保工作的有數千警察和其他安保人員。

瑪利亞·凱莉、甜園合唱團和尼克·喬納斯在時報廣場上的迎新年慶典中登臺獻唱。