Finnair offers direct flight from Helsinki to Guangzhou

Finnair Group's vice president Henrik Arle (2nd from right), Chinese ambassador to Finland Zhang Zhijian (2nd from left) and Finland ambassador to China Benjamin Bassin (1st from right) attend ribbon-cutting ceremony for the maiden flight of the direct air route from Helsinki to Guangzhou Sept 5, 2005 in the Helsinki Airport.

Home to black-necked cranes

Graceful black-necked cranes are seen in the Longbao Nature Reserve. The Longbao National Nature Reserve located at the headstream of Jiequ River has been known as "home to black-necked cranes". The Nature Reserve, 4, 300 meters above sea level on average, is a typical highland wetland, and it is the highest habitat of black-necked cranes in China. There are about 158 black-necked cranes in the reserve at present.

Rescue effort continues in New Orleans

Vehicles searching for the victims march with difficulty along the street in flood ravaged New Orleans, Louisiana Sep 3, 2005. Hurricane Katrina has brought heavy casualty and economic losses to the city of New Orleans so far. President Bush announced on Sep 3 that some 7,000 active-duty army soldiers will be deployed in domestic relief effort.

No survivor in Indonesian air crash: official

A Boeing 737-200 with 117 people onboard crashed into a residential area in the North Sumatra capital in the morning of Sept 5, 2005. The plane belonging to local firm Mandala Airlines took off at 09.40 local time (02:40 GMT) and headed to Jakarta. Indonesian Minister of Transportation estimated that the plane crash in Medan left no survivor, calling it the worst air disaster in five years.

21st Century Forum opens in Beijing

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao delivers a speech on sustainable development in a scientific way during the 21st Century Forum' 2005 in Beijing September 5, 2005. The Forum was opened here on Monday.

Sharapova look-a-likes

A taxi passenger watches as Maria Sharapova look-a-likes sit on a cab in Times Square as part of Canon's US Open promotion September 1. 20 Sharapova look-a-likes were on the streets of Manhattan where they gave out hand fans and subway maps.

Lin, Zhang win China Maters titles

Top seeds Lin Dan wins the men's singls title at the badminton China Masters. The World number one defeated Bao Chunlai 15-6, 15-13 in an all-Chinese men's singles final.

Typhoon Talim inflicts losses in Anhui

A women arranges a tent put up by local government after a flood caused by Typhoon Talim shatters her house in the town of Tiantang in Yuexi County, east China's Anhui Province, September 4, 2005.

Fire kills 14 in Paris

Aerial view of the high-rise apartment building in l'Hay-les-Roses, south of Paris, early Sunday, Sept. 4, 2005. A fire started by a suspected arson attack ripped through the building early Sunday, killing at least 14 people, three of them children, officials said.

Protest in Tokyo demands US withdrawal from Okinawa

Two protestors display a banner demanding the withdrawal of the US military base in Okinawa, outside the headquarters of the Japanese Defense Agency in Tokyo, capital of Japan, September 4, 2005. Over 650 Tokyo residents held the protest to mark the 10th anniversary of the rape of a 12-year-old Japanese schoolgirl by three US Marine Corps soldiers of the Okinawa US military base.

Seminar marking the 60th anniversary of the victory of China's Anti-Japanese War held in Beijing

Jia Qinglin (C), chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, speaks during a seminar in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, September 3, 2005. Patriots from at home and abroad, anti-Japanese generals and their family members attended the seminar held to mark the 60th anniversary of the victory of China's Anti-Japanese War.

NBA star Yao Ming leads the donation

NBA Houston Rockets Chinese centre Yao Ming's looks on, as his blood sample is being taken, during a blood donation drive in Beijing, September 4, 2005. Yao attended the event to promote the awareness of hematopoietic stem cell, or bone marrow, transplantation among college students.

Barroso visits the Wangfujing snack street

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso walks on Wangfujing snack street in Beijing, September 4, 2005. Barroso arrived in Beijing for the eighth EU-China summit on Monday, which will also be attended by British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who currently serves as head of the rotating EU presidency. (newsphoto)

Troops restore order in New Orleans

An armed policeman guards outside a supermarket in New Orleans, Louisiana, September 3, 2005. Some 1,400 members of the US National Guard have arrived in the city to restore order and stop looting, car-jackings and gunfire.

Chinese top legislator starts visit to Morocco

Wu Bangguo (2nd L), chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, the country's top legislature, is warmly greeted at the airport of Casablanca, Morocco, on September 4, 2005. Wu Bangguo arrived at Casablanca on September 4 for an 3-day official goodwill visit to Morocco aimed at boosting bilateral ties.