First Foreign Ministry open day in 2005

At 07:00 early in the morning on 15 April, a long queue is seen in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Some 160 persons from all walks of life in the country come to take part in the "Foreign Ministry Public Activity Day" held for the first time by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2005.

Pioneering operation on paralyzed panda

Kang Kang, a paralytic panda, recovers its consciousness after operation at the Xijing Hospital affiliated to the No. 4 Medical University of the Chinese People's Liberation Army in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, on April 14, 2005.

Tomb of 4,000 years ago excavated in Lanzhou

An archaeologist works at the excavated site of an ancient tomb in Lanzhou, capital of northwest China's Gansu Province April 14, 2005. More than 60 pieces of potteries and other cultural relics were unearthed recently from an ancient cemetery which covered an area of 30,000 square meters and may trace back to more than 4,000 years.

Russian spaceship blasted to the ISS

The crew of ISS-11, U.S. astronaut John Phillips (C), Russian cosmonaut Sergei Krikalyov (bottom) and Italian astronaut Roberto Vittori, waves before getting into the spacecraft at Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan April 15, 2005. The crew of Phillips, Krikalyov and Vittori is due to blast off to the International Space Station from Baikonur cosmodrome on Friday. (Reuters)

Over 1,700 companies attend China National Tourism Trade Expo

A girl of Zhuang ethnic minority sings on Guangxi's Lijiang River at the opening ceremony of China National Tourism Trade Expo opened in Guilin, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, April 14, 2005.

Russian veterans to attend celebration for victory of WWII

A Russian World War II veteran (C) poses for a photograph with two boys before boarding a train bound for Berlin at a railway station in Moscow, capital of Russia, on April 14, 2005. Russian World War II veterans took the special train to German capital city of Berlin on Thursday to attend events marking the 60th anniversary of the victory of World War II on April 15.

Bill Clinton appointed UN Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan (R) meets with former US President Bill Clinton at the UN headquarters in New York, April 13, 2005. Clinton was officially announced as the UN Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery on Wednesday. He will be paid one dollar as his symbolic yearly salary for his job.

Historic meeting between mayors of Israel and Palestine

Eli Moyall (L), the mayor of Israeli city Sderot, Palestinian city Jericho mayor Hassan Saleh (C) and Nabulus mayor Mohammad Al-a'lul shake their hands together during a historic meeting between mayors of Israel and Palestine in the West Bank of Palestinian city Jericho, April 13, 2005.

Twin car bombs kill 18 in Baghdad

A wounded Iraqi waits for medical treatment at Yarmouk hospital in Baghdad, Iraq, April 14, 2005. Twin suicide car bombs blew up Thursday near a seven-vehicle police convoy in southern Baghdad, killing 18 Iraqis and wounding three dozen others.

President Hu suggests four-facet strategic partnership with Nigeria

Chinese President Hu Jintao (L) and visiting Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo inspect guard of honor during a welcoming ceremony in Beijing, capital of China, on April 14, 2005. Olusegun Obasanjo arrived here Thursday morning, starting a four-day state visit to China as guest of Chinese President Hu Jintao.