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Celebrations Underway Around The World As Cities Ring In 2025; Top CFP Bowl Games To Watch On New Years Day. Aired 2:30-2:45p ET
Aired November 05, 2024 - 14:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is the vibrant spectrum --
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PAMELA BROWN, CNN HOST: As well as you see New Years festivities are in full swing around the world.
Here's a live look at Dubai where they are less than 30 minutes out from midnight and welcoming 2025.
CNN's Julia Vargas joins us now from Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, where they still have a few hours to go before midnight.
Oh my gosh, look at you there on the beach with your flowers. Tell us about those flowers, Julia.
JULIA VARGAS JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Pam, look, first of all, yes, I did change. And that's because it's really important. Brazilians take this really seriously. The color that you wear on New Years Eve, that will set the scene for the rest of your year.
So white is for peace. That's my wish for 2025. And that's what the white flower also symbolizes. The yellow one is for good fortune, for money, wealth, and red is for love.
Oh, we're hearing already some fireworks out here.
So one of the traditions -- and this is one that many Brazilians -- we've seen people coming in and throwing their flowers with their wishes into the sea.
Now, I have a couple of helpers here. This is Easy (ph). And this is Kayo (ph), and they're going to help me throw these flowers in the sea for the goddess of the sea.
(SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
OK. (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
You're so good. Great job, great job.
This is what this is all about. You know, Brazil has such rich culture, Pam. Especially from African religions have really just seeped into the culture of this country.
This is just like one little show of what -- how they manifest themselves in this culture. Like, folks are just coming together after, you know, putting all that division aside. Politics has no place here tonight.
This is about experiencing a moment of connectedness together through culture and through this massive party that's happening tonight in iconic Copacabana Beach.
Right behind, me over here, these barges will hold about 15 tons of fireworks. They'll be going off in 10 different locations throughout the city.
I'm going to try and see if I can turn around here.
Can we turn around just so you can see the ocean of people already here, already waiting. Kind of like setting their own spot in the sand to make sure that they have a good seat for the concerts that are happening tonight.
We have icons of Brazilian music. We have Anitta playing here tonight, Caetano Veloso, Maria Bethania. These are just people that Brazilians are just so excited to see. And this show is going to be an unforgettable spectacle -- Pam?
BROWN: I'm sure it will. It's going to be an amazing party.
Julia, thank you so much.
Well, for college football fans, New Years celebrations will continue well into tomorrow with several major playoff bowl games kicking off throughout the day.
CNN's Coy Wire joins us now.
Coy, what are the games to watch?
COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR & CORRESPONDENT: Well, we have the most wonderful time of year for college football fans. The college football playoff. First ever 12 team playoffs. Currently, eight teams remain. But after tomorrows, games are finished. There will only be four that remain.
Take a look at the full screen graphic we have here, showing how the bracket stacks up. A lot of people say that that matchup between number one, Oregon and Ohio State could produce the eventual champion.
That's at the Rose Bowl I've played in that game, Pam. This one is truly set to be special.
Now, there is only one game in the college football playoff being played tonight, and that is six seed Penn State facing off against Boise State.
And we are going to see in Boise State one of the greatest running backs we have ever seen. Their running back, Heisman Trophy runner up, Ashton Jeanty.
Penn State Head Coach James Franklin said, look, you could argue that he should have won the Heisman this year. Penn State is highly favored in this game.
And Ashton Jeanty and the Broncos, they are setting out to prove all the doubters wrong. Listen to this.
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ASHTON JEANTY, BOISE STATE RUNNING BACK: We've already proved people wrong. But you know, we still got to do that. We still got that chip on our shoulder. And we're still fully aware that, you know, people are counting us out.
SPENCER DANIELSON, BOISE STATE HEAD COACH: Please count us out. I mean, that's what Boise State football has been built on is, is people thinking we can't do something and we work our tails off to find a way to prove people wrong.
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WIRE: All right, the kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. Eastern. And that game tonight, Pam, it is about to be on.
[14:40:00]
It's also ought to be about to be on here in Times Square for a New Years Eve celebration, one of the greatest in the world.
The gates are about to open in about 20 minutes, and that's where we're going to see about a million of my newest, closest friends piling in here to see that ball drop. That started back in 1907.
And I say closest friends, Pam, because we're going to be packed in here like sardines.
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WIRE: I just was about 10 years old when I learned that you're supposed to wear a diaper because you can't get to a bathroom, so I am nervous, I am scared, and I am trying --
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BROWN: Isn't it supposed to rain?
WIRE: My -- it is supposed to rain. Supposedly. Allegedly. Apparently. Reportedly.
(CROSSTALK) WIRE: But as you can see, beautiful blue skies and the sun is shining. Hey, best concerts I've been to is when it started pouring out right in the middle of it.
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WIRE: So bring on the rain.
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BROWN: Bring on the celebration. We'll bring in some life to the party. There you go.
Coy Wire, Happy New Year to you.
And thank you so much, everybody, for watching. This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL.
CNN's special New Years Eve coverage continues with Laura Coates and Boris Sanchez after a quick break.
Have a happy and safe New Year.
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