Arafat airlifted to Paris for treatment

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat says goodbye to well-wishers as he boards a Jordanian army helicopter at dawn October 29 at the Muqatta compound, his West Bank offices in Ramallah, en route for Amman, from where he will fly to Paris to seek medical treatment. (AFP photo)

Anti-terror maneuver at the Three Gorges Dam

Armed police practice an anti-terror and anti-air-strike drill at the Three Gorges Dam in central China's Hubei Province October 28, 2004. The drill is to improve the emergency management capability of the armed police forces for safeguarding the dam, one of the largest hydropower dams of the world.

Centenary of New York subway

Artie Miller, an old New Yorker, sits in a carriage of an old-style subway train in the New York Subway Museum in New York, the United States, Oct. 27, 2004. The New York subway was put into operation on Oct. 27, 1904. The New York City has held a series of activities to celebrate its centenary.

Chinese Suzhou Embroidery Classics Exhibition opens in Suzhou

Visitors view double-side embroidery "Coloful Butterflies" during the Chinese Suzhou Embroidery Classics Exhibition in Moscow, Russia, Oct. 27, 2004. The exhibition displayed 50 Suzhou embroideries by artists from Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province. The event is part of the Chinese Culture Festival held in five Russian cities.

Forbidden City renovation

Workers renovate palaces in the 600-year-old Forbidden City, once home to Chinese emperors, in Beijing yesterday. China spent nearly 1.05 billion yuan (US$126.5 million), in which the central government invested 680 million yuan (US$82 million) in 2003 for the protection of its cultural relics, numbering almost 400,000 registered unmovable cultural pieces and about 12.6 million movable relics stored in State-owned museums throughout the country.

Sex exhibition opens in Beijing

The stone statue featuring a couple's intercourse on display is a trademake for ancient brothel. A show featuring sexual objects of worship and pleasure opened Thursday in Beijing in honor of men's sexual health day.

Ukrainian army celebrate victory of World War Two

Ukrainian cadets march along the main Khreshchatyk street during a military parade in the capital Kiev, October 28, 2004. The parade was held to mark the 60th anniversary of the Soviet army's liberation of Ukraine from the Nazi occupation during World War Two. [Reuters]

5th China handicraft exhibition in Hangzhou

Artist Si Shusheng (R) introduces his pottery sculptures at the 5th China handicraft exhibition in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, Oct. 28, 2004. Thousands of handicraft treasures are displayed at the exhibition, which was inaugurated Thursday.

UN workers kidnapped in Kabul

A UN security personnel inspects the vehicle the three UN workers took before they were kidnapped in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Oct. 28, 2004. Unknown armed men kidnapped three workers working for the UN-sponsored Joint Electoral Management Body (JEMB) in Kabul in broad daylight Thursday. The three abducted, including two women, according to some officials, are from Britain, Ireland and Kosovo.

EU's first constitution to be signed

This photo taken on Oct. 26, 2004 shows the Campidoglio hill of Rome. The heads of state and government from the European Union (EU)'s 25 member states will sign EU's first constitution at midday of Friday in the historic Campidoglio Complex in the heart of Rome.

Chinese leaders visit 2004 PT/Expo Comm.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (C) visits the 2004 PT/Expo Comm. China in the Beijing International Exhibition Center in Beijing, capital of China, on the night of Oct. 27, 2004.

Chinese Culture Festival kicks off in Moscow

Chinese artists perform Beijing opera during the opening ceremony of the Chinese Culture Festival in Moscow, capital of Russia, Oct. 28, 2004. The two-week festival will be held in five Russian cities including Moscow and St Petersburg.

Chinese premier urges to tighten land management

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao(L) presents at a teleconference on strict land management of the State Council, chaired by Chinese Vice-Premier Zeng Peiyan(R) in Beijing Oct.28, 2004. Wen Jiabao urged local governments and departments concerned to tighten land management and implement the decision of the State Council on in-depth reform concerning the strict land management.

Smiling Arafat agreed to go to Paris

Smiling Yasser Arafat with his doctors from Tunis, Egypt and Jordan, Oct.28. Ailing Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has agreed to be flown to Paris for medical treatment on Friday morning, Palestinian officials said on Thursday.