Icehotel in northern Sweden

A bartender mixes a drink in the bar of the Icehotel in Jukkasjarvi, northern Sweden, Dec. 25, 2006. The Icehotel is made of ice and snow, a unique shrine to an Arctic under threat from climate change.

American Santa Claus in China

American citizen Eunice Brock, 89, dresses up as Santa Claus, right with her daughter to deliver presents in Yanggu, east China's Shandong province, December 25, 2006.

Wade scores 40 to lead Heat past Lakers

Guard Dwyane Wade(C) of the Miami Heat goes up for a shot against Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers during their NBA game at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. Wade scored a season-high 40 points and passed out 11 assists in a spectacular one-man Christmas performance to lead the Miami Heat past the Los Angeles Lakers 101-85.

"Godfather of Soul" James Brown dies at 73

Singer James Brown arrives at the 47th annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles in this Feb. 13, 2005 file photo. Brown, the self-proclaimed "Godfather of Soul" who billed himself as the hardest working man in show business, died on Dec. 25, 2006 at age 73, his manager said.

Winter swimming marks Chairman Mao's birth

Winter swimmers carry a head portrait of Chairman Mao as they cross the Yangtze River in the southwestern municipality of Chongqing in a move to mark the 113th anniversary of Chairman Mao's birth December 26, 2006. More the 150 Chongqing citizens, including a 75-year old, arrived at the opposite bank after swimming 1,000 metres in twenty minutes. (newsphoto)

Illegal fireworks exploded in Beijing

Two police officers prepare to explode illegal fireworks confiscated on the outskirts of Beijing December 25, 2006. More than 85 million of fireworks have been confiscated due to its poor quality by unlicensed manufacturers.

Hurdler Liu Xiang donate to cataract elder

Olympic champion 110m hurdler Liu Xiang(C) and his coach (R) Sun Haiping hold a donation tablet for Shanghai-based Huashan Hospital December 25,2006. The champion and his coach are reported to have donated 250,000 yuan to the hospital in his hometown Shanghai to help treat elderly people suffering from cataract, Xinhua New Agency reports.

China's Santa Clauses on stilts

Citizens in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, welcome the Christmas Day by dressing themselves as Santa Clauses on stilts on Dec. 24.

Christmas Eve in Brussels

A Christmas tree is illuminated at the Grand Place in central Brussels, capital of Belgium, Dec. 24, 2006, the Christmas Eve.

Indian cultural relics on display in Beijing

A reporter (not seen) looks at an Indian statue on display during a large-scale Indian cultural relic exhibition to Journalism professionals at National Museum in Beijing December 25, 2006. The exhibition, which depicted iconic statues of Buddhism, Brahmanism, Hinduism and Jainism is part of celebrations for the 2006 China-India Friendly Year and will be open to the public on December 27, 2006.

Paper-cut creations to mark New Year

A student displays two paper-cut Fuwa characters, the official mascot of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in celebration of the imminent New Year during a paper-cut activity themed "Harmonious Campus" at an occupational school in Yuncheng, north China's Shanxi province December 25, 2006.

Catastrophic floods hit Indonesia

Villagers carry a mattress on a makeshift boat through floodwaters in the village of Pelawi in the district of Langkat, North Sumatra province, Dec. 25, 2006. Over 100 lives have been claimed and 110,000 others forced to evacuate by one of the worst floods hitting dozens of districts in Indonesia's North Sumatra and Aceh provinces in the past three days while the Acehnesses were preparing for second anniversary of the Indian Ocean tsunami.

State Councilor calls for better China-Japan ties

Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan (R) meets with Kono Yohei, speaker of the House of Representatives of Japan, in Beijing, capital of China, on Dec. 25, 2006. Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan said on Monday afternoon that the current Sino-Japanese relationship is at a new starting point and the two sides should seize the opportunity to further develop the relationship.

UK force raids police station in Basra

Iraqis walk past the rubble of an Iraqi police unit destroyed by British forces in Basra, Dec. 25, 2006. British and Iraqi forces stormed one of main police stations in the southern Iraqi city of Basra on Monday and transferred dozens of detainees.