Forced labourers win suit in Japan

Japan's Hiroshima High Court Friday reversed a lower court ruling and ordered Nishimatsu Construction Co Ltd to pay the five plaintiffs a total of 27.5 million yen (US$252,600) in compensation.

World's largest container ship

A ceremony is held for the maiden voyage of liner "CSCL Asia" in east China's Shanghai, July 9, 2004. The liner, which is capable of carrying 8,500 TEU containers and believed to be the largest of its kind in the world, made its maiden voyage here Friday in the Far East and will travel on to America.

Mudflow rescue in Yunnan

People try to dredge the watercourse in Yingjiang County, the Dai-Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture of Dehong of southwest China's Yunnan Province July 9, 2004. Mudflow-ravaged people have remained valiant and persistent before the calamity which occurred on Monday.

Learn science in the summer vacation

Two primary-school students have a physical experiment at Yunnan Provincial Science Museum in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province July 9, 2004. Many middle-school and primary-school students come to the museum in the summer vacation to learn more about the natural world.

China beats Canada 84 to 70

China's Du Feng (C) breaks through during the Four-nation Basketball Tournament in Beijing, July 9, 2004. China beat Canada 84 to 70.

Precious archives opened to public

A staff member of Shanghai Archives displays an original of Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, east China, July 9, 2004. The citizens had access on Friday to the 16th group of precious documents and scripts in Shanghai Archives with their ID cards. Up to now, a total of 800,000 volumes of archives have been opened to the public.

Former air-raid shelters opened to citizens

An elderly man leisurely enjoys his long-stemmed tobacco pipe outside a former air-raid shelter in Chongqin of southwest China, July 7, 2004. The local government has decided to open 19 former air-raid shelters in good condition to citizens in the hot summer. Safety measures have been strengthened one month before the operation to guarantee a sound environment for those seeking the coolness. Chongqing is claimed as one of the "hot stoves" in China owing to the torridity and humidity in summer.

Economic growth in Shanghai

The picture taken on July 9, 2004 shows the skyscrapers in central Shanghai, east China. Shanghai's gross domestic product (GDP) reached 343 billion RMB (41 billion US dollars) in the first half of 2004, up 14.8 percent from the same period last year. The tertiary industry rose by 12 percent and consumption 30 percent.

Jia Qinglin meets with delegates to the Seventh National Session of Chinese Catholicism

Jia Qinglin (R), chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, meets with delegates to the Seventh National Session of Chinese Catholicism at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, July 9, 2004.

Chinese protest Japan's seabed survey

Three natives from East China's Jiangxi Province protest before the Japanese Embassy in Beijing on Friday over Japan's recent seabed exploration for natural resources at a disputed section of the East China Sea. (China Daily/newsphoto)