Huge egg unveiled in Jiangxi

Photo taken on Dec. 17, 2004 shows a huge egg weighing heavier than three common-sized eggs in Fenyi County, east China's Jiangxi Province, on Dec. 17, 2004. This huge egg with a length of 7.9 centimeters, a diameter of 6.4 centimeters and a weight of 176 grams broke the world record kept by an egg weighing 148 grams found in Ukraine and listed in the Guinness Book of World Records. (Xinhua photo)

Miss World back home

Miss World Maria Julia Mantilla of Peru poses for the media during a press conference in Lima, December 17, 2004. Mantilla was crowned Miss World 2004 in Sanya, on China's tropical island of Hainan, on December 4.

Culture improves life

Zhang Cunxiu in Ping'an county of Qinghai Province in northwest China sings a folk song in her own tea tower for the audience. In 2004, the province has identified "cultural households" and cultural projects to promote the rural culture. These households offer peasants' painting, Yellow River stones, tourism, sci-tech, Tibetan songs and dances to farmers. This enriches life and help alleviate poverty through culture for local farmers.

Bronze pot donated to Hong Kong museum

Chen Zutao (right), a former CPPCC member, presents a certificate of donation of bronze pot to Joseph Ting Sun-pao, curator of the Hong Kong Museum of History in Hong Kong December 17, 2004. The three-legged vase entitled a Pot of Deng Gong (a particularly respectful form of addresss for the late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping) at the Hong Kong Museum of History on Friday.(News Photo)

Maradona cheers Boca Juniors

Former Argentine soccer star Diego Maradona, cheers his team Boca Juniors during the final of the South American Cup, between Argentina's Boca Juniors and Bolivia's Bolivar played in Buenos Aires, December 17, 2004.

Public service cars: huge financial burden

Shown in the picture is a government parking lot. Statistics show that China had some 3.5 million public-service cars in late 1990s, spending 300 billion yuan (US$36 billion) per annum on using and maintaining these cars as well as employing their drivers. Currently, the public-service-car-linked costs continue to rise, exerting huge financial pressure on the government. (newsphoto)

Cows milk cash

It is a milk production line of Mengniu Dairy Company in Inner Mongolia. Leading dairy companies including Mengniu and Yili boost the milch cow breeding industry in the autonomous region in north China. In 2004 more than 1.8 million cows milked nearly 5 million tons of milk. The production value of dairy is expected to top 20 billion yuan. Dairy has become a main cash cow of farmers in Inner Mongolia.

Outpost attack injures 7 Israeli troops

Wounded Israeli soldiers are brought to a hospital in Beersheba after an attack on an outpost injured 7 troops in the Gaza strip's Gush Katif Jewish settlement bloc of Atzmona December 16, 2004. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Israel was ready to coordinate its Gaza withdrawal plan with a future Palestinian government and said that could open the way for a broader peace agreement. (Reuters Photo)

Annan and EU leaders meet in Brussels

French President Jacques Chirac (L) speaks with UN General Secretary Kofi Annan (R) as Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero stands behind during a family photo at the European Council building during a familly photo session of a European Union heads of state summit in Brussels December 17, 2004.

New material developed

On December 13, two ladies have a look at clothes made from acylchitin fiber in Qingdao. The new textile material is produced by Qingdao Acylchitin Material Center in Shandong Province in eastern China. It is the result of five years efforts by Huang Yuming and his team. It can be applied to textiles, clothes, protection and military fields.

International Skating Union Grand Prix finals in Beijing

Chinese golden duo Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo topped the pairs short program in the opening day of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. The pair, who won the pairs skating titles in Skate Canada and the Cup of China, finished with a perfect performance, and was finally awarded the highest mark of 70.52 points to capture the lead at the short program.

Engineer developes patented welding wire

The picture shows Miu Kai (left), a senior engineer in Wuhan Steel and Iron, is instructing workers to test gas-shield welding with a newly invented welding material. Five patents have been registered for high performance welding wire developed by Miu.

Program to help HK students understand the national situation

On December 17, a 10-day program of national situation class for Hong Kong students is launched in Beijing. The program is organized by Education and Manpower Bureau of HK SAR and hosted by Beijing-based Renmin University. More than 170 HK students will receive education on understanding the national situation. The picture shows the launch ceremony.

Chairmanship meeting of the NPC Standing Committee held in Beijing

The 13th session of the 10th NPC Standing Committee is scheduled on Dec. 25-29 in Beijing. The session agenda was adopted Friday afternoon at a chairmanship meeting of the NPC Standing Committee. The draft laws on anti-secession, civil servants, notary and renewable energy will be deliberated for the first time, together with the law explanation on bank cards.