Olympic venues: Sports Complex

An airship over the Olympic Sports Complex against the sunset, Athens, August 10, 2004. The Athens 2004 Olympic Games will open on August 13.

Olympic venues: Schinias Olympic Rowing and Canoeing Center

An overview of the Schinias Olympic Rowing and Canoeing Center, August 10, 2004. The Athens 2004 Olympic Games will open on August 13.

Badge, badge, I want badge!

Leonard Braun (C) from the U.S. dickers with other collectors to trade Olympic badges in Athens, Greece, August 11, 2004. In the past 18 years, Braun has collected over 60,000 Olympic badges.

Night view of Olympic venues in Athens

A picture taken on August 10, 2004, shows the night view of the archway at the Olympic Sports Complex in Athens.

Chinese fencers get ready

Chinese fencer Dong Zhaozhi (L) and Wang Haibin is in a practice session in Athens,Greece, August 10, 2004. Chinese fencing team arrived in Athens August 8.

Earthquake hits Yunnan

A woman takes care of his son who was injured during the earthquake. An earthquake measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale rocks the province Tuesday, killing at least 3 people and injuring hundreds more. (newsphoto)

Women's soccer: Germany, US enjoy opening wins

Qu Feifei (R) of China's women football team fights for the ball at the first match of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games between China and Germany in Patras, Athens, August 11, 2004. Germany took a 2-0 lead and the match is still in progress.

Competition to speak Chinese for foreign students

A French student (L) and a West African student perform comic dislog, a kind of traditional Chinese art, in the awarding ceremony for the Third International Competetion of Foreign College Students Speaking Chinese in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 11, 2004. This year, the theme of the contest is "the splendid Chinese culture". Seventy-five contestants from 39 countries took part in the event.

Rainstorm hit Taiyuan

A woman pushes her bicycle forward in the knee-deep water on a street in Taiyuan, capital of north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 11, 2004. A rainstorm hit the city on Wednesday, bringing coolness to residents but also causing traffic problems.

Samoan PM meets Chinese delegation

Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi (R) shakes hands with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhou Wenzhong (L) as he meets with Chinese delegation headed by Zhou in Apia, capital of Samoa, Aug. 10, 2004. Chinese delegation arrived here to attend the two-day Post Forum Dialogue of 35th Pacific Islands Forum and visit Samoa.

Goss: New CIA Director

Member of the US House of Representatives Porter Goss attends a hearing on the "9-11" report held by the Intelligence Committee of the House of Representatives in Washington Aug. 11, 2004. US President George W. Bush announced on Tuesday that he has selected Goss to become the new director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

Yu Zaiqing elected as member of IOC executive board

Yu Zaiqing, member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from China, meets the press after he was elected into the IOC executive board at the IOC's 116th session in Athens, Greece, Aug.11, 2004.

Chinese delegation holds its first press conference

Chiefs of the Chinese Olympic delegation, answer questions at a press conference held by the delegation at the Main Press Center in Athens, August 10, 2004. The Chinese delegation held the first press conference on that day.

4 killed, 67 injured in Turkish train-collision

Four people were killed and 67 others injured in a train collision in Turkey's northwestern Kocaeli province, Turkish Prime Ministry Emergency Management Directorate General said on Wednesday.