Yushchenko leaves hospital

Ukrainian opposition presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko, who was diagnosed with dioxin poisoning shakes hands with the doctor in Vienna's Rudolfinerhaus clinic before leaving the hospital December 12.

China to crown first Miss Artificial Beauty

Competitors in China's first artificial beauty pageant receive final touches before the opening presentation in Beijing December 12, 2004. The finals for Miss Artificial Beauty are due to be held Saturday December 18, 2004, when contestants ranging from 17 to 62 years-old will parade their surgical nips and tucks-- enhancements once banned in beauty contests. Cosmetic surgery has become popular in China. (Reuters)

67th anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre

Dec 13th, a date that people in Nanjing will never forget. On Dec 13th 1937, the Japanese army occupied Nanjing and brutally massacred more than 300, 000 Chinese.

Chinese paddlers bag all titles at Pro Tour Grand Finals

China's Wang Nan (L)/Zhang Yining won the Women's Doubles final against their compatriots Niu Jianfeng/Guo Yue 4-1 at the Volkswagen Pro Tour Grand Finals in Beijing, Dec.12, 2004.

Direct distribution shops in the US

People shop in Leesburg direct distribution shopping center in Virginia, the United States on Dec. 11, 2004. This kind of direct-distribution shopping centers is very popular in the US at present. They are usually built beside the expressways in the outskirts of cities and every shopping center has hundreds of outlets of name brands. As the products are directly sold to customers from manufacturers, the prices here are usually much lower compared with those in other stores. So lots of customers drive here to purchase cheaper goods.

New Beijing Planetarium opens

Visitors look at placards of various celestial bodies of Milky Way galaxy in the newly constructed compound of Beijing Planetarium opened in Beijing, capital of China, on Dec. 12, 2004.

1st Jeanswest Chinese Model Tournament

Zhang He, contestant No. 9, poses in the awarding ceremony of the final competition of the 1st Jeanswest Chinese Model Tournament in Beijing, capital of China, on Dec.12, 2004. The tournament has attracted over 1,000 participants nationwide. In the final competition of 48 contestants, Zhang He, a 20-year-old girl from Beijing became the winner. Xu Fan, a 20-year-old girl from southwest China's Sichuan Province, and Huang Jieru, a 21-year-old girl from south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, were chosen as the first and second runners-up.

Bridal couples enjoy beautiful scenery at the West Lake

A new couple are rowing in the West Lake , a very famous resort in Hangzhou, capital city of East China's Zhejiang province, Dec. 12, 2004. The beautiful golden leaves in early winter of the West Lake area attract many bridal couples to enjoy their honey days.

Palestinian leader kick off visit to Kuwait

Visiting Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) executive committee Chairman Mahmud Abbas (3rd L) and Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qorei (2nd L) are welcomed by Kuwaiti Information Minister Mohammad Abu al-Hasan (1st R) as a high-level Palestinian delegation led by Abbas arrives at Kuwait international airport, Kuwait, Dec. 12, 2004. It was the first official visit of Abbas since he succeeded the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat as the new leader of PLO. Kuwait is the first stop of Abbas' Gulf tour and he will also visit Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries.

Miss South Africa

Miss South Africa 2004 Claudia Henkel poses during the awarding ceremony of the beauty pageant in the Rainbow Nation, South Africa, Dec. 11, 2004. Henkel is a 21-year-old student of Pretoria Uniersity. Twenty contestants attended the final competition for the title of Miss South Africa in the Rainbow Nation Saturday evening.

Survivors of Nanjing Massacre to enjoy social assistance

20 representatives of a group of 179 survivors of the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese invading troops in 1937, receive the certificates of Survivor of Nanjing Massacre in the ceremony in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province on Dec. 12, 2004. It is said that the owners of the certificates could enjoy public and social assistance. Dec. 13, 2004 is the 67th anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre.

Chinese peacekeeping engineer team in DR Congo

Li Hanhai (R1) and Tu Shanfa (R2), engineers of the Chinese engineer team of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), inspect a bridge on the road linking Bukavu and Goma, under the escort of Pakistani peacekeeping troops, in DR Congo Dec. 11, 2004.