Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Event/Special

CNN's New Year's Eve Live. Aired 4-5p ET

Aired December 31, 2024 - 16:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[16:00:01]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: It was a challenge. It was a challenge, let's say that.

So we were about 30s out from the fireworks in Doha, Qatar.

Becky, walk us through what were about to see. It is set to be a spectacle. It is something that the folks there I know are eager and eager to catch.

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST: We've got 10,000 fireworks going off on 100 pontoons.

Look, there's a lot of competition around this region for who can do bigger and better. But at the end of the day, it's all pretty friendly stuff. They complement each other, they tell us rather than compete.

But this is Doha's moment. This is dateline Doha. They are counting down as we speak to the fireworks there in Lusail on the Corniche, in the Souq. This is a huge, huge extravaganza for what is, remember, a very small country. There's only 250,000 Qataris. And it's got to be said, lots of expats and people from around the world. But they are all there. It looks as if they're all there out in the streets. And here we go.

(MUSIC)

(FIREWORKS DISPLAY)

[16:05:32]

LAURA COATES, CNN HOST: Wow, that is amazing. Look at the lights. Look at the way they're able to do that. I've never seen these fireworks like this. Is it so cool to see.

Becky, how is this happening? We have a lot of competition to try to make up for here in the State side and of course in London and also in Paris. This has been amazing, Becky.

ANDERSON: Listen, kullu aa'min wa antum bikhair. That is happy New Year in Arabic from us here in Dubai, as we watch these amazing fireworks out of Doha, they really know how to put on a display in this part of the world as 10,000 fireworks of 100 pontoons, all around the small gulf kingdom of Qatar. It's on fire this evening. They'll be enjoying it all over the country as they have been here in

Dubai. We really are kicking the can to you guys. The ball is now in your court. It's a happy New Year from here in the Gulf. Good luck.

SANCHEZ: It is a high standard that they have set. Yeah. This is a mesmerizing light show. The most surprising part to me, though, is that they're playing the Killers and Panic at the Disco.

Lets go ahead and listen in and watch more of the show live from Doha, Qatar.

(MUSIC)

(FIREWORKS DISPLAY)

COATES: Wow, this is so incredible to hear. I love it here in London. We've got Justin Timberlake playing in the background. Everyone wants to dance.

And coming up not too far from me in beautiful Paris, Saskya Vandoorne is cruising along the Seine River, taking in all of the beautiful sights -- Saskya.

SASKYA VANDOORNE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That is exactly right, Laura. We are having such a good time. I've decided there is no better way to see Paris than on this boat. Now, right here we are coming up to the Grand Palais that's been turned into an ice rink during winter.

And then you may be able to see actually, the lights. Those are coming from the Champs Elysee. That will obviously be the amazing fireworks display that you'll see later from there.

But these gorgeous lights and we've been very lucky. We've been trying out some of the food inside. And I can tell you the foie gras melt in the mouth -- Laura.

SANCHEZ: That is fantastic.

Saskya, thank you for the update.

We do want to take you to perhaps a place you didn't expect. We were going on New Year's Eve, and that is Clarksdale, Mississippi, where they are serving up a soulful New Year.

CNN's Omar Jimenez is there.

Omar, what's going on? Are you about to play something for us?

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Look, I don't know what I'm about to do right now, but, see, here's the thing. You didn't expect to come here. But the thing about blues is, if its good music, you will show up. So I found myself some good music with the Malden (ph) brothers and crew up here.

So why don't you guys kick us off? You ready? Let's do it.

(MUSIC)

[16:10:09]

JIMENEZ: Yeah, yeah.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: The clock also just struck midnight in Damascus, Syria. And this is obviously a special moment for that city and for that country after all that they've endured in recent months, as they turn a new chapter.

Huge crowds are out in the streets in Damascus tonight, ringing in 2025. Of course, the celebrations there especially significant just a few weeks after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, a country enjoying a new beginning in so many ways.

[16:15:06]

We wish everyone there a happy New Year and a prosperous future as well.

Now, we do want to get you out to Europe, another part of Europe, Spain, because our own Pau Mosquera is at the Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid.

Pau, what are you seeing there?

PAU MOSQUERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good evening. Boris.

That's it. We are live from the heart of Madrid at the iconic Puerta del Sol, where part of the city, and indeed the country, is counting down the last moments of 2024. Right now, as you can see here, surrounding me, there are the first persons that are getting the best spots of this square here. The authorities estimate that are going to gather around 15,000 people to enjoy this very special day.

And as they did, we decided to be live here. Boris, because of the main character that you can see behind me, that clock tower, that is the one that is going to stroke at midnight. But it's important to say here is that here in Spain, we celebrate things a little bit different.

We ring into next years in fruit style. Let me tell you why. That's it. That's the reason why here Spaniards, we believe that the grapes bring life luck. We actually call it the 12 grapes of luck. Las doce uvas de la suerte.

And actually, what we do, Boris, is when the clock gets to midnight, per each bell chime with one grape. And actually, if you manage to do so, then you're in for a year of prosperity and luck.

Some people believe that this is -- some believe that it is a choking hazard, in my case that I'm a slow eater. Actually, it's a race against time, but I cannot complain because actually the last years have been very good for me. So I think that the point is just the intention on getting to it, all of them -- Boris, Laura.

SANCHEZ: Excellent. Well, we hope for the best for you as you try that attempt. Doce uvas, 12 grapes in a very short amount of time. Pau, happy New Year to you. Keep us posted, live from Madrid.

Things are also getting really exciting here in Paris. We have less than two hours to go before the main event. We're here at the Champs Elysees with Melissa Bell, CNN's Paris correspondent. We're just in front of the Arc de Triomphe, which has been lit up all night. Talk to us about some of what were going to see here.

We also have, I should note, Saskya Vandoorne and another part of Paris ringing in the New Year with us as well. She's cruising down the Seine River.

Melissa, talk to us about what were going to see here first.

MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So, what you have here is you're going to have this extraordinary light and sound show that's going to start on the Arc de Triomphe.

Traditionally, of course, the French tend to stay at home. You have big meals, a feast with your friends and family, lots of champagne, foie gras, everything that Saskya Vandoorne, by the way, is enjoying on our boat. And we don't have it here on our terrace.

But there are a million people down there on the Champs-Elysees waiting to see this show and what you're going to have after that light and sound show on the Arc de Triomphe is a spectacular fireworks display. And of course, if you're not feeling very well, but you do actually have here on the public terrace where we are the best point of view on this, on this fireworks display, it's going to start and it is spectacular every year.

Of course, for a couple of years there was COVID. They didn't have the traditional display. It got it came back and it was amazing last year. Last year was all about the summer Olympics. Paris Olympics, of course, were coming here, so it was all about the sports lit up on the Arc de Triomphe. You had the archers, all the different athletes.

Now we expect to have a sort of remembrance of that, a reminder of what happened here over the summer when Paris hosted the Olympics and it turned so extraordinary. It really was fantastic.

A million people out there braving the elements just to watch this. We may not have chocolate, we may not have a seven course meal, but we do have the best view here on the Arc de Triomphe when things do start.

SANCHEZ: It feels like we are hovering over the Arc de Triomphe right now. And as Melissa was speaking, some wind just blew in and made it extra chilly.

So shout out to all those hearty Parisians and people from around the world that have come to France's capital city to enjoy what is going to be a spectacular show. I want to go to Saskya Vandoorne now. She is on the Seine, some -- a

place that you're familiar with. You actually dipped into the Seine over the summer --

BELL: Precisely because of Saskya Vandoorne, might I add. I was not -- I was not a fan of the idea of going in. It was entirely her fault. And I can say that actually none of us got sick, which was remarkable in itself.

SANCHEZ: That is remarkable. And one of the best parts of 2024 for Melissa came from you, Saskya.

VANDOORNE: Yes, I have been thinking about Melissa a lot. Looking at this and thinking of that time we went in. But I'm sure Melissa will agree, it wasn't as bad as we thought it was going to be.

Now, you guys might have the best view of the fireworks, but I think we've got the best view of Paris and all of its landmarks. Look at the Eiffel Tower. It is so close. I feel like we could touch it.

[16:20:00]

And we have been seeing many other landmarks. We've seen the Musee d'Orsay, we've seen the Louvre, and now were finally coming to the end of our wonderful two-hour dinner cruise.

Now, of course, the cruise has also been about the food that's been served, and I don't want to rub it in, Boris and Melissa, but the foie gras that we got to taste was absolutely delicious. We also got to try the scallops, a French family favorite, during New Year's Eve. It was topped with a little bit of caviar, and we spoke, of course, to the chef who's behind these wonderful dishes. Take a listen to what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEAN-PHILIPPE BERENS, HEAD CHEF, DUCASSE SUR SEINE: We are on the Seine, the most beautiful place since the Olympics. We are lucky enough to work on such an iconic river, in my opinion. We want to represent the five corners of France, not just Paris. We cook with French produce and to put forward the best food that France has to offer, and that is why it is a festive one.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VANDOORNE: And they will finish the meal with a chocolate creation, a signature dessert by Alain Ducasse. I just want to remind everybody that we are on the Ducasse Sur Seine, named after Alain Ducasse, the very famous French chef, 19 Michelin stars to his name -- Boris.

SANCHEZ: That is fantastic. I'm so envious that you got to that. You got to enjoy such lavish cuisine.

I have to tell you, Melissa, Saskya, I think, has a penchant for putting people in precarious situations. You've got to see some of the food that she had me eat recently. We're going to highlight that a little bit later. Things like pig guts and sausage. There was a calf brain. There was a pig's leg.

It is very different from what she's having on the boat.

BELL: But you did it. I -- you could say that. I tried to do it. You'll see what I mean, in just moments.

I want to go back to Laura Coates, who is enjoying herself in London with some chocolate. And I guess a better weather than they anticipated.

COATES: And they've got great music out here as well playing and we've got like Isa -- look at -- look who's here -- Isa. Oh I'm sorry.

ISA SOARES, CNN HOST: I'm introducing you -- hey, this is commitment, okay?

Boris, this is commitment right here. When I found out you were coming to London, I was like, let's do the icons of this country. Who better than Queen Victoria herself?

And from one queen to another, I got you a crown.

COATES: You know what?

SOARES: Put it on. Look at this.

COATES: Oh, you know what? It suits me.

SOARES: Of course.

COATES: This is commitment. You look -- I like this crown. Hold on.

SOARES: I don't think amazing is the right word.

COATES: No, I mean, first of all --

SOARES: It's certainly commitment.

COATES: You guys, I had no warning that she was changing up. Last time I saw her, she was in diamonds. Now she is the queen.

SOARES: Every hour, every hour, I'm going to introduce you and the rest of the world to a great cultural, historical icon.

COATES: Wow.

SOARES: Get yourself ready for the next one.

COATES: What is this? What is this?

SOARES: Oh, this is my beautiful skirt. I'll give you a twirl.

COATES: Oh.

SOARES: I've never had such a tiny waist in my life. I can't breathe.

COATES: My crown fell. Oh, no! Go quickly! Get it, get it, get it, get it, get it!

SOARES: But look, this is what. And I know I've got the eyes of the -- of London staring at me, thinking. What is this woman doing?

But -- and just to give you a sense, it's about 100,000 people expected here today.

COATES: Yes.

SOARES: A hundred thousand people. Parties certainly started at -- are you okay with your crown?

COATES: No, I just want to hold on to. Because I feel like it's an omen if your crown drops again, is it an omen? Okay.

SOARES: Hold on, hold on, hold on for dear life. But this -- this is the first outfit.

COATES: This is the first -- of how many?

SOARES: Out of four. Try and guess which other ones you would like to see.

But let me tell you first about this moment, this iconic moment. I know you've got the Champs-Elysees. We are sitting here surrounded by great icons, not just historical icons, but cultural icons.

To your left, Laura, you have the Big Ben.

COATES: I want to show my crown.

SOARES: Yeah. Turn around, turn around. There you go. There you go. The other side. The other way. That way.

COATES: That way, Isa.

SOARES: That's the Big Ben. And you know what? I've had the chance of going inside of speaking Dr. Andrew, who is inside right now keeping a tab on the clock. And he told us in the last few minutes that's 0.38 milliseconds a bit behind because of the wind. So he's keeping an eye on that.

COATES: OK.

SOARES: But what keeps that icon the most? Oh my god, oh, my god, she's lost the crown. Queen Elizabeth will not be -- not approve of this.

COATES: Okay but you know what? You know what? Hold on. Do you know that?

SOARES: Well, there's always --

COATES: That's -- now it's an accessory.

SOARES: But walked up 300 steps. Have a look. What makes Big Ben tick?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[16:25:03]

SOARES: Let's go up.

Oh.

Finally.

How do you feel when you when you hear that?

MARK COLLINS, ESTATES HISTORIAN, UK PARLIAMENT: It always sounds like a stern friend reminding you not to be late. This is the hour bell here, Big Ben, which is seven foot six high, 13.7 tons. It's the weight of a small elephant.

SOARES: How do you keep it regulated on time?

ANDREW STRANGEWAY, CLOCKMAKER, UK PARLIAMENT: I have a specific app built on my phone specifically for time in the clock. As soon as the hammer hits the bell, I press the button and check the time.

The majority of the time, within a fifth of a second of the correct time.

So the regulations that were making are actually very, very small, and especially for something like New Year, it's really important that the clock is on time.

SOARES: Oh, here we go.

This is amazing.

STRANGEWAY: They're just fabulous, aren't they?

The dials are about 23 foot across and they have 324 individual panes of glass. The minute hand is about 14 foot long and it weighs about 240 pounds, including its counterweight. And the hour hands weigh about 672 pounds.

SOARES: So from both of us here in the south face of Big Ben, a happy New Year.

STRANGEWAY: Happy New Year.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COATES: Thank you so much Queen Elizabeth I. Thank you so much, everyone. I'm keeping the crown on.

Just ahead, Boris, from the anchor desk to the dance floor, you and me ring in the New Year with one last dance for 2024.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Six, seven and basic two basics five, six, seven. One, two, three, side step. Here we go. Shake those booties. Five, six, seven.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:31:49]

COATES: All right, everyone, let's head to Clarksdale, Mississippi, where actor, producer, Oscar winner Morgan Freeman is throwing his own party at his Ground Zero Blues Club.

CNN's Omar Jimenez is partying with him right now -- Omar.

JIMENEZ: Look, Laura, he's been putting me to the test. I came here just to hang out and listen to some blues. And next thing I know, I was on stage. This guy was giving me some critique, some good pointers.

MORGAN FREEMAN, ACTOR/PRODUCER: Not my fault.

JIMENEZ: Yeah, well, I think, you know, I was talking earlier when they came to us. I was trying to explain a little bit about Clarksdale and some of the history behind it and sort of the history with this place. I mean, it's so beautiful.

When you think of a blues club, I think you think of this specific spot. Can you just tell me how you ended up involved with this place and just bring us into the history of blues and Clarksdale, Mississippi?

FREEMAN: I have a partner in business, as it were. He's in a lot of other business, but we were getting ready to open a restaurant just up the street called Madidi. Okay. Madidi is a place in South America, forest.

While were working on Madidi, we look out the window and there's a couple of young people walking up the street. And Bill, a person who will jump into anybody's business.

JIMENEZ: He's the former mayor here.

FREEMAN: Yeah, he was the former mayor. He's a lawyer, and he went across the street and introduced himself.

Who are you? I noticed you were looking for something. What are you looking for? They said were looking for some place to hear some blues.

Well, we don't really have.

JIMENEZ: Didn't exist.

FREEMAN: Right. So the decision was made right then. Not to have a blues club here. We got to do something. There was a little club called Crossroads but no guarantee that it

would be up and running on Friday nights or something. So we built this.

JIMENEZ: And it's beautiful.

And, Laura, you know, just so you know, obviously were in Clarksdale, Mississippi. It's a small town. But the influence of artists that have come out of here has spanned so many people that that, you know, contemporary people like Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and others. So all of that influence and music came from the music of people like Muddy Waters and the spot like this.

FREEMAN: Yeah, it's true.

COATES: Yes.

FREEMAN: What he said is true.

COATES: Well, listen, I mean, first of all --

JIMENEZ: I wouldn't lie.

COATES: Sitting there.

FREEMAN: No, you wouldn't.

COATES: I mean, Morgan Freeman has the voice of god. I can hear you talk all day. So I don't know what you're saying or when you say it, but say it for a long time, Morgan. I love to hear it. I love to hear about your career.

And many people don't know that you actually performed on Broadway. You have art and dance and culture and music in your blood. And tell me what its like to have this club in a place like Clarksdale, that's so part of your world.

[16:35:09]

FREEMAN: I've had trouble expressing exactly how that feels. When we built this place, we didn't really expect much more than locals to come. You know, we had a few musicians, struggling guys, older guys needing some place to work. And then we provided that. And then that grew from there to this.

I wish you could take a look around at the flags that are exposed here, shown here. There are flags from countries all over the place.

COATES: Wow.

FREEMAN: And that's what now -- yeah, that's what our young -- blues men are getting now, ever experiencing now, this incredible crowd that comes to hear them play. Love it a lot.

COATES: Well, there's the food, there's -- music has this food for the soul. But I actually want to know about the food you also have on the menu. Tell me about what you're feeding people. Because I'm out here in London and I kind of want a taste of whatever's happening in Clarksdale.

FREEMAN: Well, here at Ground Zero, our main menu is fried catfish, fried green tomatoes, and, hamburgers. That's for the most part.

Now for lunch, you can have a plate of collard greens and cornbread. All the good stuff.

COATES: Well, tell me, who do you want? If everyone else in the world, who was the one musical artist that you would love to stop by there to perform at your club?

FREEMAN: I ran into Bonnie Raitt in Los Angeles.

Bonnie, I have a blues club in Mississippi, and I really would love for you to come. You ever hear of it? She said, I'm coming. I'm going to come down there and play.

Bonnie Raitt, you owe me if you're watching this. She's it.

COATES: You heard it here. You owe him, Bonnie Raitt. So what are you going to toast?

FREEMAN: Huh?

COATES: I hope she comes. Were so happy to see you. I'm so glad to have Omar next to you. That is a really, really wonderful person next to you. Glad to have both of you with us tonight.

Morgan and Omar, thank you so much.

FREEMAN: Well, thank you so much. It's really wonderful to talk to you and come on down some time. See for yourself.

COATES: You are -- I'm coming for the food and I'll come for the music as well. But I'm also coming to talk to you, so thank you. We'll come back to you tonight. Don't you worry.

But back here in London, we have less than three hours to go until midnight. Can you believe it? What better way to count down than with the sounds of one of the U.K.'s very own, here is Sting performing his 1979 hit with the Police, "Message in a Bottle".

(STING PERFORMING "MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE")

SANCHEZ: Oh, man. Give it up for Sting. That dude is ripped. Look at those arms. Shout out to Sting.

Still ahead, we're going to take you --

COATES: He is. I think the same thing.

SANCHEZ: We're going to take you to Chicago in just a few moments. Because the iconic Wrigley Field is hosting the NHL's winter classic, and it is packed there right now as crowds are filing and a beautiful, chilly day for an outdoor hockey game. We're actually going to speak to the NHL commissioner about the significance of the game.

Plus, we're going to take you back to Coy Wire, who is in Times Square.

Coy, revealing all sorts of personal measures that he's taken to make it through New Year's Eve in Times Square.

Coy, how you holding up?

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Yeah. We've got empty bottles in stock, just in case. We really need to go when this party gets going.

We're in the heart of Times Square right now for one of the greatest celebrations in the world.

We've got L.A. We've got London. We've got Tampa. We've got North Carolina.

Next, we will check in on Chicago, where they are having the first ever New Year's Eve NHL Winter Classic. They'll be celebrating on ice with hockey, baby. And I'm catching up with the Commissioner Gary Bettman, coming up.

How y'all feeling tonight?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:49:25]

SANCHEZ: Welcome back to our special coverage of New Year's Eve around the world.

Let's head to CNN's Larry Madowo in Luanda, Angola, where some of the biggest fireworks displays in that country take place, and people are filing in the streets to ring in the New Year.

Larry, obviously, we're fewer than two hours away. Take us there. What's happening?

LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Some spectacular fireworks here in Angola. We're just on the shores of the South Atlantic Ocean. We're still almost two hours away from midnight. They've just been having a traditional Angolan dance. You just missed it. Literally three seconds away.

[16:50:01]

But one of the traditions here to celebrate the New Year, just at sunset, they have a race. It's called the Sao Silvestre race. It's spectacular because they get to run along the promenade. And as the sun sets on the day and as the sun sets on the New Year, you get to run. I guess if you didn't have that fitness journey the rest of the year, you can start it for the last day of the year.

We got to film that today and show some of that. I didn't participate, I wanted to run, but I'm from Kenya. If we get into a marathon, we win it. I didn't want to come here and disrespect the people like that, but it was a fantastic way. You saw families, kids, older people all coming out to run to end the year and celebrate. And we'll be back throughout this evening as Angola rings in the New Year -- Boris.

COATE: I love it. Yes.

Please don't run and embarrass everybody else, okay? You know, Kenya's got to be number one in all marathon races.

Larry Madowo, thank you so much. We'll be back with you shortly to check back in in a moment.

SANCHEZ: Yeah, yeah.

New Year's Eve obviously has a little something for everybody, right? As you just saw there with Larry and Angola races fireworks, amazing food and sports fans, you're covered as well.

Today, iconic Wrigley Field is going to host the NHL's showcase event, the winter classic. Chicago Blackhawks, Saint Louis Blues squaring off, and this venue just underwent an incredible transformation, a baseball diamond, perhaps one of the most iconic in all of baseball, transformed into a hockey rink.

CNN's Coy Wire just talked to the leagues commissioner, Gary Bettman.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WIRE: As we are getting ready to ring in the New Year here in Times Square, there's another party going on in Chicago at the Chicago Cubs' iconic Wrigley Field. It is about to be home to the first ever New Year's Eve NHL winter classic, featuring the hometown Chicago Blackhawks and the Saint Louis Blues. The NHL has been seeing record attendance and revenues.

I want to bring in none other than commissioner of the NHL, Gary Bettman, leading one of the top pro sports leagues in the world for 30 years.

Gary, thank you so much for joining us here on this New Year's Eve. I want to ask you, how fascinating was it to see that iconic Wrigley Field diamond transformed into a winter wonderland of ice? And how magical is hockey outdoors in general?

GARY BETTMAN, NHL COMMISSIONER: Oh, we love playing hockey outdoors. This is our 42nd outdoor game, and when we go to iconic places like Wrigley Field and we dress them up and turn them into a hockey venue, its really special for us, for the players and most importantly, for the fans.

And by the way, Happy New Year. We're finding unusual ways to celebrate the New Year. You're in Times Square, and I'm here at an outdoor game in the rain at Wrigley. Hopefully, it stops raining.

WIRE: Yes, and maybe if were lucky, well see some snow because that would be quite magical.

What makes the Winter Classic so special for those fans that you mentioned, both those in attendance and those watching from afar?

BETTMAN: Well, initially, when they come in and see what we've done to their football or baseball stadium, it's kind of hard to process because we really turn it into a hockey venue and make the stadium look like nothing that they've ever seen before.

Secondly, you take sports, which is the ultimate reality show and in our case, subjected to the elements since we normally play it indoors and we normally play in much smaller venues, you know, we play in 20, 000 seat venues and we're playing in 40,000, 60,000, 100 000 seat venues, when we take it outdoors.

And finally, just bringing people together in celebration of community, of sport, of just all the good things that make a community, makes this a truly special event for us. And it never gets tiring.

WIRE: And it's just true. Yes, yes, its sport and it's the passion of the athletic competition, but it's also cinema. It's just beautiful scenes from a production, a broadcast standpoint.

Gary, I know you have some -- some things up your sleeve this year. What will make this years broadcast, this game so unique?

BETTMAN: Well, it's again, we start with the venue and how it's dressed up. And when people tune in later today to watch the game itself, they're going to see how wonderful our players are, how great our game is, and what it looks like when we bring this many people together, particularly on a holiday eve.

WIRE: Commissioner Gary Bettman of the NHL, thank you so much for joining us. I know it's about to be a party. Some of the entertainment is Chicago's own Chance the Rapper, Smashing Pumpkins, I'm a little bit jealous I'm not there. Face off set for 5:00 p.m. Eastern on TNT, TruTV and Max.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: A little something for everyone there. Coy Wire, thank you so much for that.

Ahead, much more of CNN's special New Year's Eve coverage. And just moments ago, Nairobi, Kenya, rang in 2025. Let's take a look at those fireworks, some live pictures now from Nairobi in Kenya, again just moments ago. This is just one of so many cities around the world that we are bringing you live, as we ring in the New Year.

Up next, were going to take you live to Athens as they count down, just about six minutes away from 2025.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COATES: Welcome back to CNN's special New Year's Eve coverage. We are following fireworks displays all around the world.

I'm Laura Coates in London. Boris Sanchez is in Paris.

Let's go to Eleni, as Athens is counting down to the New Year.