Wall of ancient Chinese poems on campus

Students read ancient Chinese poems on a wall on the Yunyang Normal University Attached Elementary School campus in Chongqing on December 20, 2006. The 450-square-metre wall has 72 classical poems painted on it and was built to help students learn this traditional art form. (newsphoto)

Bush admits U.S. not winning war in Iraq

Combo picture of U.S. President George W. Bush holding his traditional year-end news conference in the Indian Treaty Room of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House complex in Washington Dec. 20, 2006. He acknowledged for the first time on Tuesday that the United States is not winning the war in Iraq, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday.

Sun's corona images returned

NASA's two nearly identical spacecraft have begun returning images of the sun's corona. The two spacecraft are supposed to study the most energetic events on the surface and in the lower atmosphere of the sun, as well as their travel through interplanetary space.

Military training on the sea in south China

Since the beginning of December, the Xisha Public Security Border Detachment Contingent of the Hainan Armed Police Frontier Defense forces of the Public Security Bureau has been training at sea. The month-long training program is designed to prepare them for situations that may arise at sea, such as illegal fishing and sea-rescue.

Iverson joins Anthony with Nuggets

Allen Iverson. The Denver Nuggets dealt for four-time NBA scoring champion Allen Iverson on Tuesday just one day after losing the league's leading scorer to a suspension.

Robert Gates arrives in Iraq for surprising visit

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates (C) arrives in Baghdad on an unannounced visit, Dec. 20, 2006. Robert Gates paid a surprising visit to Iraq on Wednesday morning, just two days after being sworn in as the new U.S. Defense Secretary.

China, Kazakhstan pledge to develop strategic partnership

Chinese President Hu Jintao(R) shakes hands with his visiting Kazakh counterpart Nursultan Nazarbayev in Beijing, Dec. 20, 2006. China and Kazakhstan issued their bilateral cooperation strategy for the 21st century and a blueprint for economic cooperation in Beijing on Wednesday afternoon.

Chinese famous crosstalk artist Ma dies at 72

Ma Ji, right, performs at a show in Tokyo on April 15, 2006. Ma, a roly-poly Chinese comedian best known for his mastery of puns and satirical dialogues with other performers, died Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2006 in Beijing of a heart attack, state media reported. He was 72. The source did not identify the man on left.

U.S. hands over security of Najaf to Iraqis

Iraqi security forces celebrate during a handover ceremony in the Shiite city of Najaf Dec. 20, 2006. Iraqi soldiers and police have taken charge of security in Najaf and its province, at a colourful and optimistic jamboree. U.S.-led coalition forces handed over security control of Najaf province to Iraqi forces on Wednesday in third such transfer of an entire province.