World heritage conference kicks off

The picture taken on June 28, 2004 shows the opening ceremony of the 28th session of the World Heritage Committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province. (Xinhua Photo)

Premier Wen addresses 50th anniversary of Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao delivers a speech during a ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing June 28, 2004. (Reuters photo)

Water crisis for red-crowned cranes

Red-crowned cranes ease their thirst at a dwindling pond on Thursday in Xianghai National Nature Reserve in Jilin Province, Northeast China. Water will be diverted from Inner Mongolia to the drought-hit home of dozens of species under State protection in the coming weeks. (Xinhua photo)

Changhong, Microsoft sign agreement

Blue-collars are working on projection TV wall production line in the 4th Color TV Assembly Plant of Changhong Electric. Changhong Electric, based in Mianyang city of Sichuan Province in SW China, signed an agreement with Microsoft on an all-round cooperation on multi-media.

Baros sends Czechs to semifinals in Euro 2004

A quickfire second-half double from Milan Baros sent the Czech Republic into a Euro 2004 semi-final against Greece as they crushed Denmark 3-0 in the European soccer championship Sunday in Porto, Portugal.

China's Suzhou to host World Heritage Committee (WHC) session

The venue of the 28th session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) to be opened on June 28 in Suzhou, a scenic city in eastern China's Jiangsu Province. With its 29 sites listed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as World Heritages, China ranks the third globally after Italy and Spain in world heritage possession.

Athens torch relayed in London

A man carries the Olympic Torch on the Tower Bridge in London June 26, 2004. The Olympic Flame travels to 34 cities in 27 countries en route to the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.

1st International Conference on Geoparks opens in Beijing

First International Conference on Geoparks opens in Beijing June 27, 2004. More than 500 representatives from 40 countries and regions are attending the three-day conference jointly sponsored by the Land and Resources Ministry of China and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Militants threaten to behead hostages

A television image aired by Al Jazeera June 27, 2004 shows a blindfolded man dressed in camouflage sitting in a chair with a hand holding a sword above his head. A Marine Corps identity card named him as Wassef Ali Hassoun and Jazeera said he was of Pakistani origin. Al Jazeera television said a group calling itself the Islamic Response Movement, the security wing of the "1920 Revolution Brigades", had kidnapped the U.S. Marine after luring him from a U.S. base. Militants have kidnapped a U.S. Marine and a Pakistani driver in Iraq and are threatening to behead them unless Iraqi prisoners are freed, Arab television reported on Sunday. (Reuters)

National popular science day

A local resident observes the heavenly bodies with a telescope during a publicity activity for the national popular science day June 27, 2004. Nearly 100 scientists offered consultation services on health and environment to the local residents at the event.

EU-US summit ends

Romano Prodi (1st R), European Union (EU) Commission President, United States President George W. Bush (1st L) and Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern hold a press conference at Dromoland Castle, Ireland, June 26, 2004. The EU-US summit met its end at Dromoland Castle on Saturday. The US and the EU offered strong support for Iraq's urgent request for NATO military help during the meeting.

Maritime search-and-rescue exercise in S. China

China's maritime safety authorities staged a joint maritime search-and-rescue exercise in water off Sanya, a city in the southernmost island province of Hainan on June 26.