Lunar New Year celebrations come to a close on Monday, the 15th day on the lunar calendar - otherwise known as the Lantern Festival, on February 5, 2012 in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. (lyra444 /Flickr)
Sailors conduct flight operations aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN74) on January 31, 2012 in the South China Sea. (Benjamin Crossley /Flickr)
Australia Day ended up in a showdown between the prime minister and Aboriginal protestors. In India, Republic Day was celebrated with a show of its military might and cultural diversity.