Nearly 90% of track skeletons of Qinghai-Tibet railway produced

On July 25 the newly produced track skeletons were being loaded on the train in Qinghai-Tibet railway's Anduo track-laying base at an altitude of 4704 meters in Tibet Autonomous Region. These tracks were to be delivered to the track-laying construction site in Yangbajing. A total of 521.375 kilometers of track skeletons of Qinghai-Tibet railway have been produced, accounting for 90% of the total amount to be used within Tibet Autonomous Region. This laid the foundation for the track-laying to Lhasa at the end of this October.

First Chinese tourist group sightseeing in London

A member of the Chinese tourist group visits the Victoria & Albert Museum on July 25, 2005 in London. 80 members of the group kick off their 6-day tour in the UK by visiting the London Eye, the British Museum, etc.

NASA begins countdown for launch

The space shuttle Discovery is slowly moved into the launch position at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, the United States July 25, 2005. Launch of Discovery is set at 10:39 a.m. EDT July 26. NASA's "returning to flight" has begun countdown after the sensor problem of Discovery is fixed. This will be the first launch of space shuttle since the 2003 Columbia disaster.

Global Bikini Beauties 2005

The Chinese Contestant performs in Nanning, capital city of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, July 25, 2005. A total of 40 bikini beauties from 40 countries show their glamour.

Manchester United prepares for friendly with Beijing Hyundai

Wayne Rooney of the Manchester United practices free kick during training at the Worker's Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, July 25, 2005. The team will have a match with the Beijing Hyundai football team in Beijing July 26, 2005.

Manchester United stars sightsee in Beijing

Players of the Manchester United Football Club sightsee at Tian'anmen (the Gate of Heavenly Peace) in Beijing on July 25. They pay visit to the Jingshan Park too. Manchester United will play a friendly match with Beijing Hyundai on July 26.

Parties start new round of nuclear talks

Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing (C), Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Wu Dawei (L3), also head of the China delegation, Kim Kye-gwan (L2), head of the delegation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Christopher Hill (L1), head of the United States delegation, Song Min-soon (R2), head of the delegation of the Republic of Korea (ROK), Alexander Alexeyev (3rd, R), head of the Russia delegation and Sasae Kenichiro (R1), head of the Japan delegation, hold hands together at the opening ceremony of the fourth round of the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue in Beijing July 26, 2005.

Fourth round of six-party talks opens in Beijing

Cars carrying delegation members of the Republic of Korea drive into the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, where the fourth round of six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue is to be held, in Beijing, July 26, 2005. The new round of six-party talks, which has become the focus of world attention, opened at 9:00 Tuesday morning here in Beijing. (Xinhua photo)

Chinese FM calls for progress in the six-party talks

Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing speaks during a meeting with the heads of the delegations to the six-party talks at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, capital of China, July 25, 2005. The delegations of China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Japan, Russia, South Korea and the United States will take part in the fourth round of the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, scheduled to be opened on July 26 in Beijing.

ROK, US delegations start biliteral meeting

Christopher Hill (L), head of US delegation, and head of ROK delegation Song Min-soon (R), step out of the meeting hall at China World Hotel in Beijing July 25, 2005. Delegations of the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the United States to the six-party talks started their bilateral meeting at 8:00 a.m. Monday morning in Beijing. The fourth round of six-party talks on the Korean Peninsular nuclear issue is scheduled to open tomorrow in Beijing.

Experts pinpoint virus in unknown disease in SW China

Doctors check a mysterious disease patient in a hospital ward in Ziyang of southwest China's Sichuan Province July 25, 2005. About 20 people affected by the similar virus are under intense supervision in the hospital. Preliminary investigation shows the unknown disease in the province was caused by a kind of a swine virus known as streptococcus II. The province has reported 80 cases of the infection as of Monday, including 67 confirmed cases and 13 suspected. Nineteen people have been reported dead and 17 people are in critical condition. Four have been discharged from hospital, according to the Ministry of Health.

NASA attempts to launch Discovery on July 26

Photo taken on July 24, 2005 shows the space shuttle Discovery sitting on the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, the United States. NASA will attempt to launch space shuttle Discovery on July 26 on the first shuttle mission since the 2003 Columbia disaster. The decision was made after engineers found the most likely causes of the fuel sensor problem that delayed the launch of Discovery on July 13.

Arroyo delivers state of nation address

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (Below) delivers her state of the nation address to the parliament in Manila, capital of the Philippines, July 25, 2005. Arroyo summarized the progress of the economic reforms and urged the congress to amend the constitution and to reform the political system.