North Korea is welcoming the New Year with a message saying the army, ruling party and people will become "human shields" to defend Kim Jong Il's son and successor "unto death." The North also said Sunday in its annual New Year's message that the country must "launch an all-out drive" to achieve prosperity. This year marks the centennial of the birth of new leader Kim Jong Un's grandfather, the revered national founder Kim Il Sung. Read More

Times Square was awash in hopeful sentiments as it began to welcome hordes of New Year's Eve revelers looking to cast off a rough year and cheer their way to something better in 2012. For all of the holiday's bittersweet potential, New York City always treats it like a big party — albeit one that, for a decade now, has taken place under the watchful eye of a massive security force. Read More

With glittering fireworks and star-studded celebrations from New Zealand to Times Square, the world eagerly welcomed a new year and hoped for a better future Saturday, saying goodbye to a year of hurricanes, tsunamis and economic turmoil that many would rather forget. Read More

A man armed with grenades and an assault rifle attacked holiday shoppers Tuesday at a central square in the Belgian city of Liege. Four people died, including the attacker, and 123 others were wounded or injured, officials said. Read More