Ice and Snow World in Harbin

Photo takes on Dec. 23, 2008 shows night view of Ice and Snow World in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. The annual ice and snow world in Harbin began test run on Tuesday.

Photo taken on Dec. 23, 2008 shows night view of the Ice and Snow World in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. The annual ice and snow world in Harbin began test run on Tuesday.

Photo taken on Dec. 23, 2008 shows the night view of the Ice and Snow World in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. The annual ice and snow world in Harbin began a test run on Tuesday.

Visitors enjoy ice-made sliding board in the Ice and Snow World in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, on Dec. 23, 2008. The annual ice and snow world in Harbin began a test run on Tuesday.

A visitor poses for photos in the Ice and Snow World in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, on Dec. 23, 2008. The annual ice and snow world in Harbin began a test run on Tuesday.

A visitor poses for photos in the Ice and Snow World in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, on Dec. 23, 2008. The annual ice and snow world in Harbin began a test run on Tuesday.

Dog fighting in Afghanistan

Two dogs fight during a match on the outskirts of Kabul Jan. 2, 2009. Dog fighting is a traditional game in Afghanistan.

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Vienna New Year's Concert: A gift to "Haydn Year"

Haydn portrait by Thomas Hardy, 1792. The Vienna Philharmonic's annual New Year's concert on Thursday commemorated the 200th anniversary of the death of Austrian composer Joseph Haydn.

The Vienna Philharmonic's annual New Year's concert on Thursday commemorated the 200th anniversary of the death of Austrian composer Joseph Haydn.

The concert also promoted the Austrian industrial city of Linz as the 2009 "European Cultural City."

Austria designated 2009 as Haydn Year to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the death of the Austrian composer. The country was to hold a series of commemorative activities and included a performance of Haydn's work for the first time at this year's concert.

Austrian Television ORF inserted a music video program introducing Linz during the concert's intermission to promote the city as the 2009 "European Cultural City."

The Vienna Philharmonic, conducted by Daniel Barenboim, ushered in the New Year with music for more than 2,000 spectators and hundreds of millions of television and radio listeners around the world.

Members of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra are conducted by Argentine-born Israeli maestro and concert pianist Daniel Barenboim during a dress rehearsal for the New Year's Concert 2009 in Vienna's "Goldener Musikvereinsaal" Dec. 29, 2008.

The 2009 concert still mainly consisted of works of the Strauss family.

The Vienna New Year's concert tradition began in 1941 and was first broadcast on live television in 1959.

The concert now is not only a tradition for Austrians, but has also become a global cultural event.

This year's concert was broadcast to more than 70 television networks and 300 radio stations around the world.

Argentine-born Israeli conductor and concert pianist Daniel Barenboim conducts the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra during a dress rehearsal for the New Year's Concert 2009 in Vienna's "Goldener Musikvereinsaal" Dec. 29, 2008.

Top 10 world news events in 2008

1. Sharp fluctuation in oil prices had the world in jitters

A petrol station in front of the OPEC headquarters is pictured in Vienna October 24, 2008. An emergency OPEC meeting on Friday reached swift agreement to chop production by 1.5 million barrels oil per day (bpd) as a first step toward halting a deep oil price slide.

On Jan. 2, the price of crude oil futures in New York touched 100 U.S. dollars per barrel for the first time. Oil prices continued to increase to reach a new high of 147.27 dollars per barrel on July 11.

However, influenced by factors such as the world economic slow down, and decline in market speculation, international oil prices dropped significantly thereafter. New York oil prices fell to 33.87 dollars per barrel on Dec. 19, the lowest in five years.

Top 10 world news events in 2008

2. Devastating cyclone ravages Myanmar

Children wait while rice is handed out near Kundangon May 11, 2008.

From May 2-3, tropical storm Nargis ravaged five divisions and states in Myanmar, leaving about 84,500 dead, 19,400 injured and 53,800 missing. The disaster affected some 7.35 million people, while economic losses were put at more than 4 billion U.S. dollars, accounting for about 21 percent of the country's gross domestic product.

In the wake of the disaster, many countries and international organizations helped Myanmar with disaster relief and reconstruction efforts.

Top 10 world news events in 2008

3. Thailand rocked by continued political turmoil

Riot police stand guard outside the parliment building in Bangkok, capital of Thailand, Dec. 15, 2008.

From May 25, the Thai anti-government group, the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), held large gatherings to force Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej to resign, claiming he was just a deputy of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. PAD supporters began a siege of the Government House in Bangkok on Aug. 26. On Sept. 9,the Constitutional Court found Samak in breach of the constitution and disqualified him as prime minister.

On Sept. 17, deputy leader of the People Power Party, Somchai Wongsawat, was elected prime minister. However, his election was opposed by the PAD. Bringing matters to a head in the third week of November, PAD supporters surrounded the Parliament and occupied the capital's airports. On Dec. 2, the Constitutional Court ruled the three ruling parties in the coalition government were guilty of electoral fraud and Somchai stepped down.

On Dec. 15, Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva was elected prime minister.