Latvia enters eurozone

Latvia became the 18th country to join the single currency union Wednesday, as New Year's Day fireworks erupted at midnight in Riga, the Latvian capital, Xinhua reported.

As part of celebrations marking Latvia's entry to the eurozone, Valdis Dombrovskis, Latvia's acting head of the government, withdrew an euro bank note from a local bank machine, becoming the first Latvian to do so.