Hostage taker gets shot

A man armed with two kitchen knives bargains with police after he took two children hostage in a fifth-floor classroom of a children's center in Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province August 17, 2004. Patrol police, SWAT team and firefighters rushed to the site for rescue operations. After a two-hour negotiation, police had to shoot the kidnapper when he was on the verge of hurting the hostage children. The two children were rescued unhurt and the kidnapper, identified as Zhang Kailin and in his 30s, fell to the ground and was rushed to hospital for treatment. It is reported Zhang, from southwest China's Guizhou Province, asked for 2,500 yuan [US$300] as travel expenses to see his relatives in Shandong, and later demanded for a gun and took one of the hostages with him. The case is still under further investigation. (Yanzhao Metropolis Daily)

Athens champion album - Aug. 17

Snapshots of Olympic gold medallists at Athens Olympic Games on Aug. 17.

Chinese shuttlers: Bao ousted, women's duo advance

Chinese badminton player Chen Hong waves to spectators after his victory agains Malaysian player Lee Chong Wei in a men's single game on Aug 17. The victory leads him to the quarterfinals of mens' singles of the Athens Olympic Games.

Athens champion album: Japanese Tanimoto, women's 63kg judo

Japan's Ayumi Tanimoto (L) celebrates victory with her coach after winning the gold medal for the women's 63kg judo final at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Aug. 17, 2004.

Dance to demenstrate Chinese costumes wins applause in HK

Dancers of the Shanghai Song and Dance Ensemble present constumes of Qing Dynasty to audience on Aug 17 in Hk. The large scale dance "golden dance and siveler constume" is to demonstrate costumes of various dyansties in Chinese hitory. A total of 80 dancers will present more than 1, 000 sets of magnificent constumes to audience.

7 dead, 40 wounded in Baghdad explosion

An American soldier guards at the explosion site in Baghdad Aug. 17, 2004. Massive explosions rocked a commercial street in central Baghdad on Tuesday, causing at least seven dead, including two children, and more than 40 others wounded.

Athens champion album: UAE Almaktoum, men's double trap

Gold medallist Almed Almaktoum from the United Arab Emirates (C), silver medallist S. Rathore Rajyavardhan from India(L) and China's bronze medallist Wang Zheng have photos taken during the reward ceremony for the men's double trap shooting event at the Olympic Games in Athens, August 17, 2004.

Chinese winner album: Wang Zheng, men's double trapshooting

Chinese Wang Zheng wins the bronze medal of men's double trap shooting at the Olympic Games in Athens, August 17, 2004. Almed Almaktoum from the United Arab Emirates wins the gold medal.

Canadian navy frigate visits Shanghai

Canadian navy frigate Regina arrives in eastern China's Shanghai Aug. 17, 2004. The warship, headed by Roger Girouard, Canadian Pacific fleet commander, started its four-day visit to Shanghai, the fourth Canadian naval visit to this economic hub.

Chinese fencers make history

Chinese fencers Tan Xue (L) and Wang Lei ended China's 12-year Olympic medal drought when they collected two silver medals of women's sabre and men's epee individual at the Athens Olympic Games on August 16.

President Hu Jintao meets Mexican FM

Chinese President Hu Jintao (R) shakes hands with Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Ernesto Derbez Bautista in Beijing, Aug. 17, 2004.

President Hu Jintao meets Bahamas PM

Chinese President Hu Jintao (R) shakes hands with Bahamas Prime Minister Perry Christie in Beijing, Aug. 17, 2004.