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Euronews staff tell us how New Year is celebrated in their countries

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Euronews staff tell us how New Year is celebrated in their countries

From Spain’s grape-eating tradition to Italy’s lucky red underwear, Euronews staff share how they like to see the new year in.

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Every European country has its own way of ringing in the new year, with traditions that overlap and diverge across borders.

If you have ever wondered how each nation celebrates New Year’s Eve, Euronews staff has got you covered. Here are their tales of how the moment is marked in their home countries.

Portugal: Inês Trindade Pereira

We spend New Year’s Eve with either family or friends, celebrating and partying with loved ones. We also wear blue underwear, as it’s supposed to bring good luck for the new year.

At midnight, we eat one raisin for each of the clock’s 12 strikes and wish for nice things like health and happiness. We also drink champagne and make a toast, and then watch the fireworks as the new year begins.

Then we go to our balconies and bang pots and pans really loudly. The noise is supposed to make the bad energies stay behind in the last year.

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Ireland: Meabh McMahon

Irish people often celebrate New Year’s Eve by gathering with friends and family to enjoy a night of food, drink, and good company. The atmosphere is lively, with bars, restaurants, and clubs filled to capacity as people come together to ring in the new year.

While some may choose to go out and party, others prefer to stay in for a more relaxed celebration to avoid expensive nights out and long queues.

Those who stay at home often indulge in a massive feast, complete with delicious food, drinks, and a carefully curated playlist, creating a cosy and enjoyable evening.

In addition to the food and festivities, one of the key traditions in Ireland is watching the fireworks display and the countdown on national TV.

As the clock strikes midnight, people across the country sing “Auld Lang Syne” to mark the transition into the new year.

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France: Romane Armangau

In France, we call New Year’s Eve “Le Réveillon de la Saint-Sylvestre”, and we mark it with a festive and luxurious dinner.

It’s a time for big meals and lots of socialising. We usually celebrate among friends and gather to enjoy gourmet foods like foie gras, oysters and seafood, and champagne flows throughout the evening.

At midnight, we celebrate with a toast of champagne, exchanging wishes for a happy new year with the traditional phrases “Bonne Année” or “Meilleurs Vœux”.

While large cities may have fireworks and public events, many people celebrate quietly at home with loved ones. In Paris, there is a huge fireworks show at the Eiffel Tower. It’s also common to kiss friends and family on the cheek as part of the celebration.

Hungary: Sándor Zsíros

In Hungary, 31 December is an occasion for festivities, parties, and gatherings.

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At midnight, everyone listens to the national anthem on television, standing with a glass of champagne in hand until the end, when we clink glasses and wish each other a happy new year.

Then, after the president makes a televised speech, we watch the beautiful fireworks ring in the new year.

For New Year’s Eve, traditional dishes include salty cakes, roasted pig, lentil soup, and sausage.

On 1 January, we eat lentils to bring money and luck. The one thing we’re not supposed to eat is chicken, which is said to “scratch the good luck”.

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Italy: Alice Carnevali

It’s customary for Italians to enjoy lentils and cotechino, a hearty pork sausage, at midnight on New Year’s Eve.

This tradition dates back to ancient Rome, where people would carry a scarsella — a leather pouch filled with lentils — tied to their belts, symbolising the hope that the beans would magically turn into coins.

The shape of the lentils, round and coin-like, is the inspiration behind the tradition. Additionally, Italians also wear red underwear to attract good fortune in the year ahead.

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Spain: Leticia Batista-Cabanas

In Spain, we call the last night of the year “Nochevieja,” which literally means old night. In our tradition, we eat 12 grapes at midnight, one at each strike of the clock.

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This little ritual, a century-old tradition, is supposed to bring good luck for the next year. Spaniards specifically hoping to find love in the coming year should eat the grapes while crouching under the dining room table. In my experience, this is not an infallible technique.

We also wear red underwear for that extra bit of luck. After midnight, we hug and kiss our loved ones, then watch the fireworks and party until the morning.

The next day, it’s traditional to eat lentils, which are supposed to bring abundance and prosperity.

Greece and Cyprus: Orestes Georgiou

In Cyprus and Greece, a coin is placed inside a traditional New Year’s cake called vasilopita, which is infused with orange and mastic. The cake is baked on 31 December then cut on New Year’s Day, with everyone receiving a piece by order of eldest to youngest.

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The person whose slice has the coin is considered to be blessed with luck for the year, and is expected to keep hold of the coin and not spend it.

Another tradition observed across Greece involves hanging a pomegranate, a symbol of prosperity and good fortune, on the front door of each home.

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At midnight on New Year’s Eve, the lights are turned off, and the pomegranate is smashed against the door. This signifies a blessing for the family home, with the year ahead said to be full of health and happiness.

Germany: Johanna Urbancik

In Germany, New Year’s Eve — or Silvester — is all about fireworks. It’s an old tradition to scare away evil spirits. Everyone fires New Year’s Eve rockets into the air — a gold mine for manufacturers. There are rockets available for €10, but you can easily spend more than €100.

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People also do something called “bleigießen” to predict the future. It’s lead casting, where we place a little spoonful of lead over a flame. Once it’s liquid, you tip it into a bowl of water, and the shape it takes predicts your future. However, it’s illegal now.

Another classic tradition is to watch a British comedy sketch from 1963 called Dinner for One on TV. There’s also a superstition not to hang up laundry.

Poland: Berenika Sorokowska

In Poland, New Year’s Eve, or “Sylwester”, is celebrated with parties, music, dancing, and fireworks. We gather with friends and family to ring in the new year, often celebrating until midnight.

When the clock strikes 12, fireworks light up the sky, marking the start of the new year with hope and joy. On New Year’s Day, families often relax and enjoy a quiet day together.

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Some Poles also take part in making resolutions for the year ahead, focusing on self-improvement. The day is about reflection and celebrating the fresh start that the new year brings.

We also bake something called faworki, traditional Polish pastries also known as “angel wings.” They are thin, crispy strips of dough that are twisted into shapes and deep-fried until golden and crunchy.

After frying, they are dusted with powdered sugar. Faworki are light, airy, and have a delicate texture, making them a popular treat during festive seasons.

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Sporticast 510: The Sordid Saga of a Legends’s Former Mansion

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Sporticast 510: The Sordid Saga of a Legends’s Former Mansion

On the latest Sporticast episode, hosts Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams discuss some of the biggest sports business stories of the week, including the latest in a strange sports real estate story.

In 2012, Michael Jordan listed his Bulls-era mansion outside Chicago for about $29 million, or $41 million in today’s dollars. It took more than a decade and multiple price drops for the home to sell, which it did late last year for $9.5 million. The buyer, a partner in a local real estate firm, has since tried multiple ways to monetize the property. Initially he tried to sell timeshares for $1 million each, but that plan was thwarted by the local town council. He’s back in front of that same council this week, seeking approvals related to his next plan: to build a “multi-sensory experience focused entirely on personal transformation.” The tourist attraction would require the use of a parking lot on an adjacent nature preserve.

Next the hosts discuss major upset in college sports. Nebraska’s women’s volleyball team, the top seed in this year’s NCAA tournament, was upset by Texas A&M in the quarterfinals. Riding a wave of volleyball commercial growth, the Huskers spent more on the sport than any other public school in the country, according to numbers from Sportico‘s college finance database. The team reported $2.57 million in ticket sales during the 2023-24 school year, the third highest total for any women’s team at any public school in the country, trailing only Iowa and UConn women’s basketball.

They close by taking about the Big 12‘s proposed private equity plan. A few days after Big 12 member Utah laid out its own on-campus capital ambitions, Sportico reported that the Big 12 is in talks to set up what essentially amounts to a credit facility for its members via a potential partnership with RedBird Capital-backed Collegiate Athletic Solutions.

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(You can subscribe to Sporticast through Apple, Spotify, or wherever else you get your podcasts.)

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Bystanders seen confronting Australian gunman during ISIS-inspired deadly rampage

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Bystanders seen confronting Australian gunman during ISIS-inspired deadly rampage

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Bystanders were seen on video confronting a gunman before his ISIS-inspired deadly mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, could begin. 

Despite their efforts to disarm him, the gunman eventually overpowered the two bystanders and killed them, according to authorities.

The bystanders were later identified as Boris and Sofia Gurman, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. The outlet reported that the Gurmans were walking by as they saw the assailant exiting a vehicle. Though Boris had the upper hand for a moment after picking up the shooter’s rifle, the attacker allegedly picked up another rifle during the confrontation and fatally shot the couple, making them the first victims of the massacre.

“We are heartbroken by the sudden and senseless loss of our beloved Boris and Sofia Gurman,” the family said in a statement on Tuesday afternoon, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. “While nothing can lessen the pain of losing Boris and Sofia, we feel an overwhelming sense of pride in their bravery and selflessness.”

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RABBI KILLED IN SYDNEY HANUKKAH ATTACK HAD WARNED AUSTRALIAN PM ABOUT RISING ANTISEMITISM

Bystanders were seen confronting one of the gunmen behind the deadly attack on a Hanukkah celebration at Australia’s Bondi Beach. (Jenny/Reuters)

In the video, obtained and verified by Reuters, an eyewitness replaying the dashcam footage recalls how the incident unfolded.

“You see the shooter here — he fired shots from here, shooting from here. And then look, this guy went and tackled him (shooter), knocking him to the ground. At that point, he had already grabbed the gun,” the witness, who was speaking in Mandarin, said in the video, according to a Reuters translation.

Authorities have identified the shooters as a father, 50, and a son, 24. The father was killed at the scene, while the son was shot by police and taken to the hospital in critical condition. Australian authorities also said that the shooters had improvised explosives and homemade ISIS flags in their vehicle.

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On Sunday, the pair opened fire on families celebrating Hanukkah at Bondi Beach, killing 15 people and leaving more than two dozen injured. The Australian government is investigating the incident as a terror attack targeting the Jewish community.

GAL GADOT, ASHTON KUTCHER CONDEMN ANTISEMITIC TERROR ATTACK AT BONDI BEACH HANUKKAH EVENT

Police teams take security measures at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, on Sunday after a terrorist attack targeting the Jewish community during the first night of Hanukkah. ( Claudio Galdames A/Anadolu via Getty Images)

During the deadly rampage, another bystander, Ahmed al Ahmed, an Australian immigrant, wrestled a gun away from one of the shooters. His attorney said that Ahmed does not regret intervening, despite being “riddled with bullets” and in intense pain.

“He doesn’t regret what he did. He said he’d do it again. But the pain has started to take a toll on him,” Ahmed’s attorney, Sam Issa, told The Sydney Morning Herald. “He’s not well at all. He’s riddled with bullets. Our hero is struggling at the moment.”

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The outlet reported that Ahmed has undergone his first round of surgery and that Issa fears the hero bystander may lose his left arm.

“He’s a lot worse than expected. When you think of a bullet in the arm, you don’t think of serious injuries, but he has lost a lot of blood,” Issa said.

President Donald Trump praised Ahmed for his actions, calling him “a very, very brave person” and saying that he has “great respect” for him.

People attend a floral memorial in honor of the victims of a mass shooting that targeted a Hanukkah celebration on Sunday, at Bondi Beach, in Sydney, Australia, Dec. 16, 2025. (Flavio Brancaleone/Reuters)

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The Bondi Beach attack is the worst mass shooting Australia has seen since the country implemented sweeping reforms after a shooter killed 35 people in Port Arthur, Tasmania, in 1996. Following the Bondi Beach attack, Australian leaders have vowed to strengthen the country’s already restrictive gun laws.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced several proposed actions, including limiting the number of guns one can possess.

“The government is prepared to take whatever action is necessary. Included in that is the need for tougher gun laws,” he said after meeting with his National Cabinet.

Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano, Bradford Betz and Alex Nitzberg contributed to this report.

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Venezuelan opposition leader Machado injured on covert Nobel Prize trip

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Venezuelan opposition leader Machado injured on covert Nobel Prize trip

President Maduro’s rival was hurt as she sped on a boat through choppy waters in secret escape from hiding to reach Oslo ceremony.

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Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was injured as she made a clandestine dash to collect her Nobel Peace Prize last week, her spokesperson has said.

Claudia Macero said late on Monday that the right-wing opposition figure fractured a vertebra during a choppy boat ride that had formed part of a risky cloak-and-dagger journey to reach the Norwegian capital, Oslo, for the Nobel award ceremony.

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Machado has been in hiding since she was banned from running in Venezuela’s July 24 presidential election, fearing that her life is under threat from long-time Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

“The vertebra fracture is confirmed,” Macero told the AFP news agency, adding that no further details would be released beyond what had been reported in the Norwegian daily Aftonbladet.

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The newspaper had earlier reported that the 58-year-old Machado sustained the fracture while crossing the sea in a small fishing boat battered by high waves.

The opposition leader was examined by doctors at Oslo University Hospital during her time in the city.

Dangerous dash

Media reports in the United States said Machado’s escape last week involved wearing a disguise, including a wig, and travelling from a small Venezuelan fishing village on a wooden boat to the island of Curacao, before boarding a private plane to Norway.

Machado has said she feared for her life during the voyage, which saw US forces situated in the Caribbean alerted to avoid a strike on the vessel.

Several similar boats have been attacked in recent months in a campaign that the Trump administration asserts is a bid to avert drug smuggling into the US.

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Maduro has accused Washington of seeking to engineer regime change in the hope of seizing Venezuela’s large oil reserves.

The leader of the opposition Vente Venezuela party was attempting to reach the ceremony at which she was due to be presented with the Nobel Peace Prize.

She was announced the winner of the prestigious award in October, with the selection committee praising her role in the country’s opposition movement and her “steadfast” support for democracy.

‘Broken soul’

Despite her speedy trip, Machado failed to reach Oslo in time for the ceremony. Her daughter received the award on her behalf and delivered a speech that slammed Maduro and warned of the need to fight for democracy.

Hours after the ceremony, early on Thursday morning, Machado greeted supporters from an Oslo hotel balcony in what was her first public appearance in a year.

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Despite the fracture, she climbed over a barrier to greet supporters outside the hotel, AFP reported.

Machado said authorities in Venezuela would have attempted everything possible to prevent her journey to Norway.

Appearing set to challenge Maduro in the vote, the opposition leader was barred from running in the country’s presidential election in July last year.

She then announced that she would be going into hiding within Venezuela due to fear for her life while Maduro is in power.

The Venezuelan president commented dismissively on the reports of Machado’s injury on television on Monday.

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Machado “says she has a broken vertebra”, he said. “What’s broken is her brain and her soul because she’s a demon – she hates Venezuela.”

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