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Northrop B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber Refuels from a KC-135 Stratotanker

A United States Air Force Northrop B-2 Spirit stealth bomber refuels from a KC-135 Stratotanker on April 6, 1999, during an air strike mission in support of NATO Operation Allied Force. Operation Allied Force is the air operation against targets in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Mandatory Photo by Ken Bergmann / USAF via CNP/ABACAPRESS.COM

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US: North Dakota Sees Powerful Winds Amid Tornado-Producing Storm

Severe weather swept across the upper Midwest on Friday, June 20, bringing powerful winds and leaving at least 3 dead in North Dakota as a tornado ripped through the area.

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ChineseToday | Guardians of endangered trees in SW China

(240811) -- CHONGQING, Aug. 11, 2024 Photo by Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM) -- Staff members of the Thuja sutchuenensis research base of Xuebaoshan national nature reserve discuss the breeding technique with Guo Quanshui (1st R), expert from Chinese Academy of Forestry, at the research base in Kaizhou District of southwest China's Chongqing, April 26, 2024. Wild Thuja sutchuenensis is an endangered species of gymnosperm endemic to China and under national first-class protection. In 1998, the International Union for Conservation of Nature declared Thuja sutchuenensis extinct, but the species was rediscovered in Chengkou County in 1999. At present, the number of wild adult Thuja sutchuenensis plants in the world is less than 10,000, and they are only distributed in the areas of Daba Mountains including Kaizhou District and Chengkou County of Chongqing. In order to protect this endangered species, Yang Quan from Chongqing Xuebaoshan national nature reserve led a team to carry out the investigation and study of wild Thu

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ChineseToday | Guardians of endangered trees in SW China

(240811) -- CHONGQING, Aug. 11, 2024 Photo by Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM) -- A staff member of the Thuja sutchuenensis research base of Xuebaoshan national nature reserve takes a cutting of Thuja sutchuenensis plant at the research base in Kaizhou District of southwest China's Chongqing, April 26, 2024. Wild Thuja sutchuenensis is an endangered species of gymnosperm endemic to China and under national first-class protection. In 1998, the International Union for Conservation of Nature declared Thuja sutchuenensis extinct, but the species was rediscovered in Chengkou County in 1999. At present, the number of wild adult Thuja sutchuenensis plants in the world is less than 10,000, and they are only distributed in the areas of Daba Mountains including Kaizhou District and Chengkou County of Chongqing. In order to protect this endangered species, Yang Quan from Chongqing Xuebaoshan national nature reserve led a team to carry out the investigation and study of wild Thuja sutchuenensis communities, hoping to expand its po

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ChineseToday | Guardians of endangered trees in SW China

(240811) -- CHONGQING, Aug. 11, 2024 Photo by Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM) -- Staff members of the Thuja sutchuenensis research base of Xuebaoshan national nature reserve transplant Thuja sutchuenensis seedlings at the research base in Kaizhou District of southwest China's Chongqing, April 26, 2024. Wild Thuja sutchuenensis is an endangered species of gymnosperm endemic to China and under national first-class protection. In 1998, the International Union for Conservation of Nature declared Thuja sutchuenensis extinct, but the species was rediscovered in Chengkou County in 1999. At present, the number of wild adult Thuja sutchuenensis plants in the world is less than 10,000, and they are only distributed in the areas of Daba Mountains including Kaizhou District and Chengkou County of Chongqing. In order to protect this endangered species, Yang Quan from Chongqing Xuebaoshan national nature reserve led a team to carry out the investigation and study of wild Thuja sutchuenensis communities, hoping to expand its populat

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XINHUA PHOTOS OF THE DAY

(240709) -- BEIJING, July 9, 2024 Photo by Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM) -- This photo shows a buoy to the north of the illegally grounded Philippine military vessel in the waters of China's Ren'ai Jiao. The Philippine military vessel that has been illegally grounded at the lagoon slope of Ren'ai Jiao since 1999 has gravely damaged the diversity, stability and sustainability of the coral reef ecosystem in the area, said a report released Monday. A Survey Report on the Damage to Coral Reef Ecosystem by Illegally Grounded Military Vessel at Ren'ai Jiao is based on a scientific survey conducted on the coral reef ecosystem at Ren'ai Jiao and its adjacent sea areas in April this year by the South China Sea Ecological Center and the South China Sea Development Research Institute of China's Ministry of Natural Resources together with other institutes. (South China Sea Ecological Center and the South China Sea Development Research Institute of China's Ministry of Natural Resources/Handout via Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM

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(FOCUS)CHINA-BEIJING-REN'AI JIAO-ILLEGALLY GROUNDED PHILIPPINE MILITARY VESSEL-DAMAGED ECOSYSTEM-REPORT RELEASE(CN)

(240708) -- BEIJING, July 8, 2024 Photo by Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM) -- This photo taken on July 8, 2024 shows the releasing ceremony of A Survey Report on the Damage to Coral Reef Ecosystem by Illegally Grounded Military Vessel at Ren'ai Jiao in Beijing, capital of China. The Philippine military vessel that has been illegally grounded at the lagoon slope of Ren'ai Jiao since 1999 has gravely damaged the diversity, stability and sustainability of the coral reef ecosystem in the area, said a report released Monday. A Survey Report on the Damage to Coral Reef Ecosystem by Illegally Grounded Military Vessel at Ren'ai Jiao is based on a scientific survey conducted on the coral reef ecosystem at Ren'ai Jiao and its adjacent sea areas in April this year by the South China Sea Ecological Center and the South China Sea Development Research Institute of China's Ministry of Natural Resources together with other institutes. Photo by Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM/Li Xin)

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(FOCUS)CHINA-BEIJING-REN'AI JIAO-ILLEGALLY GROUNDED PHILIPPINE MILITARY VESSEL-DAMAGED ECOSYSTEM-REPORT RELEASE(CN)

(240708) -- BEIJING, July 8, 2024 Photo by Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM) -- This photo taken on July 8, 2024 shows copies of the Chinese and English versions of A Survey Report on the Damage to Coral Reef Ecosystem by Illegally Grounded Military Vessel at Ren'ai Jiao during its releasing ceremony in Beijing, capital of China. The Philippine military vessel that has been illegally grounded at the lagoon slope of Ren'ai Jiao since 1999 has gravely damaged the diversity, stability and sustainability of the coral reef ecosystem in the area, said a report released Monday. A Survey Report on the Damage to Coral Reef Ecosystem by Illegally Grounded Military Vessel at Ren'ai Jiao is based on a scientific survey conducted on the coral reef ecosystem at Ren'ai Jiao and its adjacent sea areas in April this year by the South China Sea Ecological Center and the South China Sea Development Research Institute of China's Ministry of Natural Resources together with other institutes. Photo by Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM/Li Xin)

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(FOCUS)CHINA-BEIJING-REN'AI JIAO-ILLEGALLY GROUNDED PHILIPPINE MILITARY VESSEL-DAMAGED ECOSYSTEM-REPORT RELEASE(CN)

(240708) -- BEIJING, July 8, 2024 Photo by Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM) -- An investigative documentary about the ecosystem of Ren'ai Jiao is played during the releasing ceremony of A Survey Report on the Damage to Coral Reef Ecosystem by Illegally Grounded Military Vessel at Ren'ai Jiao in Beijing, capital of China, July 8, 2024. The Philippine military vessel that has been illegally grounded at the lagoon slope of Ren'ai Jiao since 1999 has gravely damaged the diversity, stability and sustainability of the coral reef ecosystem in the area, said a report released Monday. A Survey Report on the Damage to Coral Reef Ecosystem by Illegally Grounded Military Vessel at Ren'ai Jiao is based on a scientific survey conducted on the coral reef ecosystem at Ren'ai Jiao and its adjacent sea areas in April this year by the South China Sea Ecological Center and the South China Sea Development Research Institute of China's Ministry of Natural Resources together with other institutes. Photo by Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM/Li Xin)

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(FOCUS)CHINA-BEIJING-REN'AI JIAO-ILLEGALLY GROUNDED PHILIPPINE MILITARY VESSEL-DAMAGED ECOSYSTEM-REPORT RELEASE(CN)

(240708) -- BEIJING, July 8, 2024 Photo by Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM) -- This photo shows a buoy to the north of the illegally grounded Philippine military vessel in the waters of China's Ren'ai Jiao. The Philippine military vessel that has been illegally grounded at the lagoon slope of Ren'ai Jiao since 1999 has gravely damaged the diversity, stability and sustainability of the coral reef ecosystem in the area, said a report released Monday. A Survey Report on the Damage to Coral Reef Ecosystem by Illegally Grounded Military Vessel at Ren'ai Jiao is based on a scientific survey conducted on the coral reef ecosystem at Ren'ai Jiao and its adjacent sea areas in April this year by the South China Sea Ecological Center and the South China Sea Development Research Institute of China's Ministry of Natural Resources together with other institutes. (South China Sea Ecological Center and the South China Sea Development Research Institute of China's Ministry of Natural Resources/Handout via Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM

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(FOCUS)CHINA-BEIJING-REN'AI JIAO-ILLEGALLY GROUNDED PHILIPPINE MILITARY VESSEL-DAMAGED ECOSYSTEM-REPORT RELEASE(CN)

(240708) -- BEIJING, July 8, 2024 Photo by Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM) -- An investigative documentary about the ecosystem of Ren'ai Jiao is played during the releasing ceremony of A Survey Report on the Damage to Coral Reef Ecosystem by Illegally Grounded Military Vessel at Ren'ai Jiao in Beijing, capital of China, July 8, 2024. The Philippine military vessel that has been illegally grounded at the lagoon slope of Ren'ai Jiao since 1999 has gravely damaged the diversity, stability and sustainability of the coral reef ecosystem in the area, said a report released Monday. A Survey Report on the Damage to Coral Reef Ecosystem by Illegally Grounded Military Vessel at Ren'ai Jiao is based on a scientific survey conducted on the coral reef ecosystem at Ren'ai Jiao and its adjacent sea areas in April this year by the South China Sea Ecological Center and the South China Sea Development Research Institute of China's Ministry of Natural Resources together with other institutes. Photo by Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM/Li Xin)

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(FOCUS)CHINA-BEIJING-REN'AI JIAO-ILLEGALLY GROUNDED PHILIPPINE MILITARY VESSEL-DAMAGED ECOSYSTEM-REPORT RELEASE(CN)

(240708) -- BEIJING, July 8, 2024 Photo by Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM) -- This photo shows dead corals underneath the illegally grounded Philippine military vessel in the waters of China's Ren'ai Jiao. The Philippine military vessel that has been illegally grounded at the lagoon slope of Ren'ai Jiao since 1999 has gravely damaged the diversity, stability and sustainability of the coral reef ecosystem in the area, said a report released Monday. A Survey Report on the Damage to Coral Reef Ecosystem by Illegally Grounded Military Vessel at Ren'ai Jiao is based on a scientific survey conducted on the coral reef ecosystem at Ren'ai Jiao and its adjacent sea areas in April this year by the South China Sea Ecological Center and the South China Sea Development Research Institute of China's Ministry of Natural Resources together with other institutes. (South China Sea Ecological Center and the South China Sea Development Research Institute of China's Ministry of Natural Resources/Handout via Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM

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(FOCUS)CHINA-BEIJING-REN'AI JIAO-ILLEGALLY GROUNDED PHILIPPINE MILITARY VESSEL-DAMAGED ECOSYSTEM-REPORT RELEASE(CN)

(240708) -- BEIJING, July 8, 2024 Photo by Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM) -- This photo shows the fishing nets on the seabed in the waters of China's Ren'ai Jiao. The Philippine military vessel that has been illegally grounded at the lagoon slope of Ren'ai Jiao since 1999 has gravely damaged the diversity, stability and sustainability of the coral reef ecosystem in the area, said a report released Monday. A Survey Report on the Damage to Coral Reef Ecosystem by Illegally Grounded Military Vessel at Ren'ai Jiao is based on a scientific survey conducted on the coral reef ecosystem at Ren'ai Jiao and its adjacent sea areas in April this year by the South China Sea Ecological Center and the South China Sea Development Research Institute of China's Ministry of Natural Resources together with other institutes. (South China Sea Ecological Center and the South China Sea Development Research Institute of China's Ministry of Natural Resources/Handout via Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM

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(FOCUS)CHINA-BEIJING-REN'AI JIAO-ILLEGALLY GROUNDED PHILIPPINE MILITARY VESSEL-DAMAGED ECOSYSTEM-REPORT RELEASE(CN)

(240708) -- BEIJING, July 8, 2024 Photo by Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM) -- This photo shows the fishing lines on the seabed in the waters of China's Ren'ai Jiao. The Philippine military vessel that has been illegally grounded at the lagoon slope of Ren'ai Jiao since 1999 has gravely damaged the diversity, stability and sustainability of the coral reef ecosystem in the area, said a report released Monday. A Survey Report on the Damage to Coral Reef Ecosystem by Illegally Grounded Military Vessel at Ren'ai Jiao is based on a scientific survey conducted on the coral reef ecosystem at Ren'ai Jiao and its adjacent sea areas in April this year by the South China Sea Ecological Center and the South China Sea Development Research Institute of China's Ministry of Natural Resources together with other institutes. (South China Sea Ecological Center and the South China Sea Development Research Institute of China's Ministry of Natural Resources/Handout via Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM

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(FOCUS)CHINA-BEIJING-REN'AI JIAO-ILLEGALLY GROUNDED PHILIPPINE MILITARY VESSEL-DAMAGED ECOSYSTEM-REPORT RELEASE(CN)

(240708) -- BEIJING, July 8, 2024 Photo by Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM) -- This photo taken on July 8, 2024 shows copies of the Chinese and English versions of A Survey Report on the Damage to Coral Reef Ecosystem by Illegally Grounded Military Vessel at Ren'ai Jiao during its releasing ceremony in Beijing, capital of China. The Philippine military vessel that has been illegally grounded at the lagoon slope of Ren'ai Jiao since 1999 has gravely damaged the diversity, stability and sustainability of the coral reef ecosystem in the area, said a report released Monday. A Survey Report on the Damage to Coral Reef Ecosystem by Illegally Grounded Military Vessel at Ren'ai Jiao is based on a scientific survey conducted on the coral reef ecosystem at Ren'ai Jiao and its adjacent sea areas in April this year by the South China Sea Ecological Center and the South China Sea Development Research Institute of China's Ministry of Natural Resources together with other institutes. Photo by Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM/Li Xin)

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(FOCUS)CHINA-BEIJING-REN'AI JIAO-ILLEGALLY GROUNDED PHILIPPINE MILITARY VESSEL-DAMAGED ECOSYSTEM-REPORT RELEASE(CN)

(240708) -- BEIJING, July 8, 2024 Photo by Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM) -- An investigative documentary about the ecosystem of Ren'ai Jiao is played during the releasing ceremony of A Survey Report on the Damage to Coral Reef Ecosystem by Illegally Grounded Military Vessel at Ren'ai Jiao in Beijing, capital of China, July 8, 2024. The Philippine military vessel that has been illegally grounded at the lagoon slope of Ren'ai Jiao since 1999 has gravely damaged the diversity, stability and sustainability of the coral reef ecosystem in the area, said a report released Monday. A Survey Report on the Damage to Coral Reef Ecosystem by Illegally Grounded Military Vessel at Ren'ai Jiao is based on a scientific survey conducted on the coral reef ecosystem at Ren'ai Jiao and its adjacent sea areas in April this year by the South China Sea Ecological Center and the South China Sea Development Research Institute of China's Ministry of Natural Resources together with other institutes. Photo by Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM/Li Xin)

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Yen briefly drops past 160 level vs USD in volatile trading

STORY: Yen briefly drops past 160 level vs USD in volatile trading SHOOTING TIME: Archives DATELINE: April 30, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:30 LOCATION: Tokyo CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of street view in Tokyo STORYLINE: The Japanese yen briefly dropped to a new 34-year low in the 160 level against the U.S. dollar on foreign exchange markets on Monday morning. It marked the first time since April 1990 that the U.S. dollar has topped the 160 yen line. Monday is a national holiday in Japan, but trading remained very volatile as the Japanese currency began reversing its trajectory in the afternoon, strengthening to the 155 level. Some market participants suspected that Japanese authorities may have stepped into the currency market to stem the yen's dive. A senior Finance Ministry official declined to comment on the yen's sharp rise, Kyodo News reported on Monday. The Japanese currency also fell to around 171 against the euro at one stage, its lowest level since euro was introduced in 1999. Xinhua News

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Malta marks World Tai Chi Day to embrace Chinese culture

STORY: Malta marks World Tai Chi Day to embrace Chinese culture SHOOTING TIME: April 27, 2024 DATELINE: April 28, 2024 LENGTH: 00:03:25 LOCATION: SANTA LUCIJA, Malta CATEGORY: CULTURE SHOTLIST: 1. various of Tai Chi show, performances and activities at the Spring Fair STORYLINE: Clad in white loose fitting suits, members of the Malta Yang Family Tai Chi Association demonstrated the Tai Chi essential form 22 and the Tai Chi sword on Saturday. The Tai Chi show was staged at the Chinese Garden of Serenity in Santa Lucija in southern Malta to celebrate the World Tai Chi and Qinggong Day, which was usually held on the last Saturday of April. Established in 1988, the association, the first Tai Chi club in Malta, has witnessed evolution of the internal Chinese martial art from its nascent stages to its burgeoning popularity in recent years. Glenn Buhagiar, a member of the association, told Xinhua that he began to practice Tai Chi in 1999. "It may appear simple at first glance, but once you begin practicing, yo

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Interest in learning Chinese language grows in Türkiye

STORY: Interest in learning Chinese language grows in Türkiye DATELINE: April 22, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:12 LOCATION: ISTANBUL, Türkiye CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Istanbul city in Türkiye 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Turkish): MUSTAFA KARSLI, Vice president of Turkish-Chinese Cultural Association 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Turkish): YUSA NISAR, Student studying Chinese 4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Turkish): YUAN REN, Chinese Instructor 5. SOUNDBITE 4 (Turkish): MUSTAFA KARSLI, Vice president of Turkish-Chinese Cultural Association STORYLINE: In recent years, a growing number of Turks have become more interested in learning the Chinese language, with many attending classes in Türkiye's financial and cultural hub Istanbul, and the capital city of Ankara. SOUNDBITE 1 (Turkish): MUSTAFA KARSLI, Vice president of Turkish-Chinese Cultural Association "Demand is growing because the value of Chinese, and the value of Chinese trade, has been skyrocketing in Türkiye." The Turkish-Chinese Cultural Association was established in 1999. It off

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Guangzhou is a dynamic city with lots of resources: U.S. vlogger

STORY: Guangzhou is a dynamic city with lots of resources: U.S. vlogger DATELINE: April 14, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:55 LOCATION: GUANGZHOU, China CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. SOUNDBITE (English): ALYSA JOY KEES, U.S. vlogger 2. various of Guangzhou, SE China STORYLINE: SOUNDBITE (English): ALYSA JOY KEES, U.S. vlogger "I would say that Guangzhou is just a constantly evolving city. Yet somehow it can keep the old and the new, like the technology, but also the culture, combined into one. So I find that to be a really fascinating part of this dynamic city. Hi! My name is Alysa. I've been in Guangzhou since 1999. It's been a really long time. I've grown up here, and Guangzhou is the only home that I know. I went to university here in Guangzhou and I studied Chinese language and culture. And then, after graduating from university, I started my own company a few years later. Guangzhou is a very diverse environment, and there are a lot of people here doing business, doing trade. Also because Guangzhou is in the Grea

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Experts from China visit giant panda Mei Xiang's family in U.S.

STORY: Experts from China visit giant panda Mei Xiang's family in U.S. DATELINE: April 8, 2023 LENGTH: 00:00:47 LOCATION: CHENGDU, China CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of experts giving giant panda medical care (courtesy of China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda) STORYLINE: The China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda issued a statement Friday after experts visited the Smithsonian's National Zoo in the U.S. to check on the living and health conditions of Mei Xiang and her family, who currently reside at the zoo. The statement said that the management of the giant pandas' care and disease prevention at the zoo met the standards and requirements for giant panda breeding and health management and that the overall health conditions of "Mei Xiang," "Tian Tian" and their baby "Xiao Qi Ji" were good. China has been working with the U.S. under the "International Long-term Cooperative Project of Giant Panda Breeding" since 1999. The two sides have cooperated in breed

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JAPAN-KANAGAWA-LITTLE PRINCE MUSEUM-CLOSE

(230401) -- HAKONE, April 1, 2023 (Xinhua) -- This photo taken on March 31, 2023 shows a statue of the fox, a character in "The Little Prince", at the Little Prince Museum in Hakone, Kanagawa, Japan. Opened in 1999, the Little Prince Museum in Japan's Hakone is closed down permanently on April 1. The operator made the decision based on decreasing visitor numbers and the deterioration of the building. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)

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JAPAN-KANAGAWA-LITTLE PRINCE MUSEUM-CLOSE

(230401) -- HAKONE, April 1, 2023 (Xinhua) -- People visit the Little Prince Museum in Hakone, Kanagawa, Japan, March 31, 2023. Opened in 1999, the Little Prince Museum in Japan's Hakone is closed down permanently on April 1. The operator made the decision based on decreasing visitor numbers and the deterioration of the building. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)

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JAPAN-KANAGAWA-LITTLE PRINCE MUSEUM-CLOSE

(230401) -- HAKONE, April 1, 2023 (Xinhua) -- This photo taken on March 31, 2023 shows a cafe of the Little Prince Museum in Hakone, Kanagawa, Japan. Opened in 1999, the Little Prince Museum in Japan's Hakone is closed down permanently on April 1. The operator made the decision based on decreasing visitor numbers and the deterioration of the building. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)

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JAPAN-KANAGAWA-LITTLE PRINCE MUSEUM-CLOSE

(230401) -- HAKONE, April 1, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Tourists take pictures at the Little Prince Museum in Hakone, Kanagawa, Japan, March 31, 2023. Opened in 1999, the Little Prince Museum in Japan's Hakone is closed down permanently on April 1. The operator made the decision based on decreasing visitor numbers and the deterioration of the building. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)

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JAPAN-KANAGAWA-LITTLE PRINCE MUSEUM-CLOSE

(230401) -- HAKONE, April 1, 2023 (Xinhua) -- A visitor takes pictures of a doll of the little prince at the Little Prince Museum in Hakone, Kanagawa, Japan, March 31, 2023. Opened in 1999, the Little Prince Museum in Japan's Hakone is closed down permanently on April 1. The operator made the decision based on decreasing visitor numbers and the deterioration of the building. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)

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Panasonic's HIT solar cell has best conversion efficiency

OSAKA, Japan - Panasonic Corp. shows its HIT solar cell, which has recorded the world's highest conversion efficiency, in Osaka, western Japan, on April 10, 2014. The solar cell has a conversion efficiency of 25.6 percent, surpassing the 25.0 percent recorded in 1999 by the University of New South Wales in Australia.

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Former Candies member Tanaka dies

TOKYO, Japan - File photo taken in 1999 shows Yoshiko Tanaka, an actress and former member of 1970s female pop trio the Candies. Tanaka, nicknamed Sue in the Candies, died April 21, 2011, of breast cancer at the age of 55.

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Mubarak steps down

CAIRO, Egypt - File photo shows then Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak (front C) meeting Japanese Emperor Akihito (R) and Empress Michiko (woman in kimono) at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo in April 1999. Mubarak stepped down after about 30 years of rule on Feb. 11, 2011.

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Mubarak not to seek reelection

TOKYO, Japan - In this April 1999 file photo, Japanese Emperor Akihito (R), and his wife, Empress Michiko (2nd from L), welcome Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak (C) and his wife Suzanne (L) at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. Mubarak said Feb. 1, 2011, he will not seek reelection in the next presidential race, currently slated for September, but rejected calls for an immediate resignation.

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Playwright Kohei Tsuka dies

TOKYO, Japan - Photo shows playwright Kohei Tsuka (C) during a rehearsal of a play in Seoul, South Korea, in April 1999. Tsuka died of lung cancer at the age of 62 on July 10, 2010.

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Yomiuri coach Kimura dies at 37

TOKYO, Japan - This May 1999 file photo shows Hiroshima Carp player Takuya Kimura celebrating after hitting a game-winning single against the Yomiuri Giants at the old Hiroshima Stadium. Kimura died April 7, 2010 after collapsing while hitting balls during pre-game fielding practice as a coach for the Giants.

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Japan, Venezuela agree to boost energy cooperation

TOKYO, Japan - Visiting Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez speaks to a group of reporters in Tokyo on April 6. Chavez is on his second visit, following one in 1999.

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Kosei Inoue, ex-judo world champion, retires

TOKYO, Japan - Japanese judoka Kosei Inoue speaks at a news conference in Tokyo May 2 announcing his retirement from the sport. ''I have no regrets,'' said Inoue, 29, who saw his Olympic hopes dashed after losing in the quarterfinals of the national judo championship on April 29. Inoue won the 2000 Sydney Olympic gold and three straight world titles from 1999.

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Man, in retrial, given death for murders committed at age 18

HIROSHIMA, Japan - Crowds line up outside the Hiroshima High Court on April 22 for admission tickets to attend the retrial of a 27-year-old man who was convicted of killing, when he was 18, a 23-year-old woman and her 11-month-old daughter in Hikari, Yamaguchi Prefecture, in 1999 and raping the woman afterward. In a retrial ordered by the Supreme Court, the high court sentenced the defendant to death, reversing an earlier ruling giving him life imprisonment.

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Comedian, singer Hitoshi Ueki dies at 80

TOKYO, Japan - Hitoshi Ueki (in photo taken in April 1999), one of Japan's leading comedians in the 1960s, died of respiratory failure at a Tokyo hospital on March 27. He was 80. A native of Mie Prefecture, Ueki began his career as a member of the Crazy Cats, a comedy band led by Hana Hajime, in 1957. He hit it big in 1961 with ''Sudara Bushi'' a song whose lyrics were written by Yukio Aoshima, another comedian who later turned a governor of Tokyo.

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Tigers' Kanemoto marks record of 903 consecutive games

OSAKA, Japan - Hanshin Tigers' cleanup hitter Tomoaki Kanemoto matched former Baltimore Orioles star Cal Ripken Jr.'s major league record of playing 903 consecutive games without missing an inning in a game against Yokohama BayStars in Osaka on April 8. The 38-year-old has maintained the iron-man streak since July 21, 1999, when he was with the Hiroshima Carp.

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Kanebo in negative net worth at least in past 5 fiscal years

TOKYO, Japan - Kanebo Ltd. Chairman Akiyoshi Nakajima tells a press conference in Tokyo on April 13 that the company had been in negative net worth on a consolidated basis for five years from fiscal 1999 to fiscal 2003 as its former management falsified reports by such accounting fraud as inflating sales and underreporting expenses.

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Classic cars on display in western Japan

KOBE, Japan - About 100 classic cars, including a 1951 Bentley (in photo), leave Kobe on April 24 for a parade through Hyogo, Tokushima, Kagawa and Okayama prefectures. The parade, which began in 1999 to promote the reconstruction of cities damaged by the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake, featured cars manufactured before 1970.

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Ex-Nissan President Ishihara dies at 91

TOKYO, Japan - Takashi Ishihara (in a file photo taken in April 1999), a former president of Nissan Motor Co. who helped chart an aggressive export strategy for the carmaker, died of heart failure at a Tokyo hospital on Dec. 31. He was 91.

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(8)Photos from Baghdad

BAGHDAD, Iraq - A resident of the former ''Saddam City,'' the poorest part of Baghdad, now renamed ''Sadr City'' by its mostly Shiite Muslim residents, keeps watch on April 14 beside the photo of a Shiite leader, Grand Ayatollah Muhammad Sadiq al-Sadr, who was assassinated in February 1999 after defying the government of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

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Veteran actress Hidari dies at 71

TOKYO - Veteran actress Sachiko Hidari (file photo taken April 1999) died Thursday of cancer at the National Cancer Center in Tokyo, members of her family said. She was 71. Hidari received numerous awards both at home and abroad, including the Blue Ribbon Award for best actress and the Best Actress Award at the Berlin International Film Festival.

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Living national treasure, ceramic artist Imaizumi dies

SAGA, Japan - Photo taken in April 1999 shows ceramic artist Imaizumi Imaemon XIII putting color on a piece of pottery at his workroom in Arita, Saga Prefecture. He died Oct. 13 at age 75 of a heart attack at his home in Arita, one of the largest ceramic production centers in Japan. He was awarded the title of Living National Treasure in 1989 for his Nabeshima ware.

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6 JCO officials plead guilty to negligence charges

MITO, Japan - Kenzo Koshijima (R), the former head of JCO Co.'s uranium processing plant in Tokaimura, enters the Mito District Court in Mito, Ibaraki Prefecture, on April 23. Koshijima and five other JCO employees pleaded guilty to charges of negligence resulting in death in Japan's worst nuclear accident in 1999 during the first hearing of their cases. Two of the workers -- Hisashi Ouchi, 35, and Masato Shinohara, 40 -- died from radiation sickness in December 1999 and April last year, respectively.

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Princess Masako shows signs of pregnancy

TOKYO, Japan - Princess Masako (file photo), wife of Crown Prince Naruhito, is showing signs of pregnancy, the Imperial Household Agency said April 16. The 37-year-old princess had a miscarriage in 1999. If she gives birth to a baby boy, he will be second in line to the throne after his father.

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ANA announces next president, chairman

TOKYO, Japan - Yoji Ohashi (L), a vice president of All Nippon Airways (ANA) who will be appointed president of Japan's second-largest airline on April 1, and Kichisaburo Nomura, the current president who is to become chairman, pose for photographers at a Tokyo hotel on Feb. 21. Ohashi, 61, joined the airline in 1964 and has served as vice president since June 1999.

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Suzuki motors Japan past Thailand in Davis Cup tennis

TOKYO, Japan - Takao Suzuki holds Japan's national flag and raises his hand to the cheering crowd at Tokyo's Ariake Colosseum on Feb. 18 after he powered Japan into the next round of the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania zone with a 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (8-6), 6-1 win over Thailand's Paradorn Srichaphan. The win gave the hosts an unassailable 3-1 lead in the first-round tie. Japan, which reached the second round for the first time since 1999, will compete against India at the same venue on April 6-8.

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Tsutomu Hata

Born on Aug. 24, 1935 in Tokyo. Hata was elected to the House of Representatives from Nagano Prefecture in 1969 at the age of 34 after working as a ''salaryman'' for 10 years. Hata held key cabinet portfolios as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party. He and his close ally Ichiro Ozawa formed Shinseito (Japan Renewal Party) with a group of LDP dissidents in 1993. Hata served as prime minister between April 28 and June 30, 1994. Photo was taken Jan. 18, 1999.

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Japanese economy touched bottom in April 1999, EPA says

TOKYO, Japan - Miyohei Shinohara, chairman of an advisory panel to the Economic Planning Agency (EPA), holds a news conference at the agency in Tokyo on June 19, as his panel, the Economic Dates Examination Committee, concluded the same day that Japan's economy hit bottom in April 1999 after more than two years of downturn. Shinohara said, however, the panel judgment should not be seen as a declaration of economic recovery.

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Sogo reports big capital deficit

TOKYO, Japan - The photo shows Kyoichi Yamada (R), president of financially beleaguered department store Sogo Co., announcing at a news conference at the Tokyo Stock Exchange on April 26 that its capital deficit increased sharply to about 580 billion yen at the end of the 1999 business year. Yamada and all other top management will step down when the company's rehabilitation gets fully on track.