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Added on the 31/12/2018 15:48:09 - Copyright : AFPTV - First images
People crowd the Champs-Elysees in Paris on another Covid-stricken New Year's Eve, as celebratory fireworks were cancelled due to a surge in Covid cases. IMAGES
New York (US), Dec 28 (EFE), (Camera: Jorge Fuentelsaz).- The Times Square Ball Drop is a News Year’s institution in New York City but in this year of pandemic, people will be more eager than ever to see this huge sphere, which comprises 2,688 crystal triangles, 32,256 LED lights capable of illuminating a palette of over 16 million colors and weighs over five metric tons, come to a rest to mark the start of 2021.The ball will spend the final 60 seconds of 2020 descending a 24 meter pole atop One Times Square tower while the last 10 seconds of the year are traditionally sung out by onlookers, many of whom seal the end of the year with a kiss. “We all want 2020 to pass as fast as possible, five, four, three, two, it’s here, yes!” Jeffrey Straus, who will oversee the drop of the 3.6 meter-wide ball at 11:59pm on 31 December, tells Efe with a smile. Straus adds that six technicians will be in charge of making sure everything goes to plan, as it has done since 1907, save for a two-year break between 1942-43 during World War II. FOOTAGE OF TIMES SQUARE BALL AND NEW YEAR'S EVE PREPARATIONS.SOUNDBITES OF JEFFREY STRAUS, PRESIDENT OF COUNTDOWN ENTERTAINMENT; AND TOM HARRIS, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF THE TIMES SQUARE ALLIANCE.
New York, Dec 28 (EFE), (Camera: Jorge Fuentelsaz).- The Times Square Ball Drop is an annual institution in New York City but in this year of pandemic, people will be more eager than ever to see this huge sphere come to rest to mark the start of 2021.The ball will spend the final 60 seconds of 2020 descending a 24-meter pole atop One Times Square tower while the last 10 seconds of the year are traditionally sung out by onlookers, many of whom seal the end of the year with a kiss.This year, the construction comprises 2,688 crystal triangles, 32,256 LED lights capable of illuminating a palette of over 16 million colors and weighs over five metric tons.“We all want 2020 to pass as fast as possible, five, four, three, two, it’s here, yes!” Jeffrey Straus, the president of Countdown Entertainment and the person who will oversee the drop of the 3.6 meter-wide ball at 11:59 pm on 31 December, tells Efe with a smile.Straus adds that six technicians will be in charge of making sure everything goes to plan, as it has done since 1907, save for a two-year break between 1942-43 during World War II.FOOTAGE OF TIMES SQUARE BALL AND NEW YEAR'S EVE PREPARATIONS.SOUNDBITES OF JEFFREY STRAUS, PRESIDENT OF COUNTDOWN ENTERTAINMENT; AND TOM HARRIS, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF THE TIMES SQUARE ALLIANCE.
Madrid (Spain), Dec 15 (EFE), (Camera: Tato Pérez).- For the first time the Puerta del Sol square in Madrid will be completely empty when the clock of the Casa de Correos announces the arrival of 2021 since authorities have announced they will ban the access in a bid to prevent coronavirus infections.FOOTAGE OF THE CLOCK TOWER OF THE CASA DE CORREOS AT PUERTA DEL SOL AND WATCHMAKER JESÚS LÓPEZ.
After being virtually deserted for 55 days, the Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris sees the gradual return of traffic. It is the first day of deconfinement in France. IMAGES
U.S. President Barack Obama attends an outdoor arrival ceremony in heavy rain, as the first sitting U.S. president to visit Laos. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).
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