Women and children lack of protection in undeveloped areas

A woman transports goods while carrying her baby on the back at a country fair in Changshun County, southwest China's Guizhou Province December 17. China has enacted sereral laws to protect breast-feeding women and adolescents, while there are still women and children doing labour in undeveloped areas. (newsphoto)

Discovery astronauts successfully retract solar array

Discovery astronaut Robert Curbeam uses a scraper tool to move solar array panel grommets past a frayed guide wire in this view from Curbeam's helmet camera as he and fellow spacewalker European Space Agency astronaut Christer Fuglesang of Sweden worked to retract the troublesome panel in this view from NASA TV Dec. 18, 2006.

FIFA World Players of the Year for 2006

World Player of the Year 2006 Fabio Cannavaro of Italy shows his trophy during the FIFA World Player Gala in Zurich December 18, 2006. Fabio Cannavaro became the first defender to be named FIFA World Player of the Year after collecting the award at the annual gala ceremony in Zurich on Monday.

Bush signs nuclear deal with India

U.S. President Bush shakes hands with Ambassador Raminder Jassal, Charge D'affaires of India (R) after the signing of the United States-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act in the East Room of the White House, Dec. 18, 2006. U.S. President George W. Bush signed the nuclear cooperation deal with India into law on Monday to allow the United States to provide nuclear reactors and fuel to the ally for the first time in 30 years.

Abbas meets Blair over urgent Palestinian issues

Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair (L) shakes hands with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at a press conference at the Palestinian Authority headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah December 18, 2006.

Cargo truck overturned in SW. China

Police officers and rescuers inspect the site where a cargo truck loaded with 23.6 ton liquefied ammonia overturned on an expressway in Nanchong, Southwest China's Sichuan Province December 18. The truck was out of control as it tried to avoid crashing into pedestrians. The accident didn't cause fatalities and pollution. (newsphoto)

Acrobatic evening party in Beijing

A team of acrobats stages a performance named Cycling Skills during an acrobatic evening party in Beijing December 18, 2006.

China, Pakistan joint military exercise concludes

Military troops take part in the joint anti-terrorism exercise by China and Pakistan, in Abbottabad, Pakistan, Dec. 18, 2006. The code-named "Friendship-2006", the eight-day China-Pakistan joint anti-terrorism exercise ended in Abbottabad on Monday.

Japan launches H-2A rocket

An H-2A rocket carrying Japan's largest satellite lifts off from Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, Monday afternoon, Dec. 18, 2006 after poor weather caused a two-day delay.

U.S. lawmakers visit Cuba

Republican U.S. congressmen and Democrat U.S. congressmen give a joint press conference in Havana December 17, 2006.

Chinese leaders agree in principle to visit Japan next year

Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan (R) meets with Koichi Kato,former Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and a member of the House of Representatives, in Beijing, Dec. 18, 2006. Chinese leaders agree in principle to visit Japan next year, said State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan in Beijing on Monday.