SWAKOPMUND, 26 December 2024 - Lusia Kalote holds her baby girl, which was the first Christmas baby delivered in the Swakopmund State Hospital. The baby who weighed 3.38 kg at birth was born at 05h18. (Photo: Contributed)

EPUKIRO, 24 December 2024 - The Murangi Artistry Charity project hosted a Christmas party for the San community in Epukiro. (Photo: Contributed)

WALVIS BAY 23 December 2024 - Chief of the Namibian Defence Force Air Marshall Martin Pihehas frocking newly promoted and appointed Navy Commander Rear Admiral Sacheus Randy !Gonteb, while outgoing Navy Commander Rear Admiral (retired) Alweendo Paulus Amungulu watches on. (Photo by: Isabel Bento) NAMPA

OUTAPI, 23 December 2024 - A three month baby girl that was abandoned by her month at Outapi Town Square.

(241229) -- BEIJING, Dec. 29, 2024 (Xinhua) -- A flag-raising ceremony marking the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China is held at the Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 1, 2024. Top 10 China news events of 2024 9. Celebration of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) Oct. 1 marked the 75th anniversary of the founding of the PRC, with a series of solemn events held for it. On Sept. 29, China held a ceremony to confer national medals and national honorary titles. On Sept. 30, China's Martyrs' Day, a ceremony was held in central Beijing to present flower baskets to fallen heroes. Later on the day, a grand reception to celebrate the 75th founding anniversary of the PRC was held at the Great Hall of the People. With pride and joy, the country's over 1.4 billion people celebrated the anniversary together. Over the past 75 years since the founding of the PRC, the CPC has united people of all ethnic groups to work hard and create the twin miracles of rapid economic growth and long-term social stability. China has undergone tremendous changes, and is now advancing toward the great national rejuvenation. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

(241229) -- BEIJING, Dec. 29, 2024 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a keynote speech titled "Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a Community with a Shared Future" while attending the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. Top 10 China news events of 2024 5. Head-of-state diplomacy ushers in new chapter, high-standard opening-up advances Over the past year, Chinese President Xi Jinping has engaged in intensive head-of-state diplomacy both at home and abroad. He attended major events such as the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation -- the largest China-hosted diplomatic event in recent years, and the Conference Marking the 70th Anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. Xi made four overseas visits in 2024 -- to Europe, to Central Asia, for the BRICS Summit, and to Latin America. He also participated in a series of multilateral summits. China's major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics has fostered a favorable external environment for Chinese modernization. Meanwhile, high-standard opening-up has advanced steadily, and the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation has achieved new progress. Events such as the China International Import Expo and the China International Supply Chain Expo have been held in succession, and policies optimizing foreign entry into China have been widely welcomed. China is advancing the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, promoting an equitable and orderly multipolar world and inclusive economic globalization that is beneficial for all. By implementing the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, China contributes its solutions to addressing global challenges. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

(241229) -- BEIJING, Dec. 29, 2024 (Xinhua) -- Lawmakers vote to adopt a decision on gradually raising the statutory retirement age during the closing meeting of the 11th session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 13, 2024. The Standing Committee of the 14th NPC concluded its 11th session here on Sept. 13. Top 10 China news events of 2024 6. Retirement age reform introduced to better utilize human resources On Sept. 13, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress approved a decision on gradually raising the statutory retirement age. Starting Jan. 1, 2025, China will implement a 15-year phased plan to incrementally increase the retirement age to 63 for male employees and to 55 or 58 for female employees. This marks the first adjustment to the statutory retirement age in over 70 years and represents a major reform aimed at proactively addressing population aging and promoting the full utilization of human resources. (Xinhua/Li Tao)

(241229) -- BEIJING, Dec. 29, 2024 (Xinhua) -- A flag-raising ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland is held at the Golden Lotus Square in Macao, south China, Dec. 20, 2024. Top 10 China news events of 2024 10. Celebration of the 25th anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland Dec. 20 marked the 25th anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland. A meeting to celebrate the anniversary and the inaugural ceremony of the sixth-term government of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) was held on the day. President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attended the meeting and delivered an important speech. Over the past 25 years since Macao's return, enormous success has been achieved in advancing the cause of "one country, two systems" with distinctive Macao features. Macao has undergone a fundamental transformation and its international standing has risen significantly. The great achievements of Macao since its return to the motherland have proven that the "one country, two systems," with its distinctive institutional strengths and strong vitality, is a good system that sustains the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macao. It is also a good system that facilitates endeavors to build China into a great country and achieve national rejuvenation, and a good system for ensuring peaceful coexistence and mutual benefit between different social systems, which must be upheld in the long run. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)