Birdman competition held in Hangzhou

A student holding a wing takes off at a birdman competition in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang province, September 18, 2005. The flight competition for human powered flying machines organized by the No. 14 Middle School of Hangzhou attracted 16 teams from middle schools in the city.

Humanoid Robot Head shown at robot exhibition

A visitor views Humanoid Robot Head at a robot exhibition held at the National Science Foundation of the United States, September 16, 2005. The robot head, developed by University of Southern California, shares some functions with human heads and is able to conduct some human behaviors. It can use visual attention mechanisms to focus on interesting objects around.

Track laying of the Qinghai-Tibet railway reached Lhasa West Station

Track laying of the Qinghai-Tibet railway arrived at Lhasa West Station on Sept 18, 2005. More than 1,100 km of the Qinghai-Tibet railway (total length of the railway is 1,142 km) was completed at present. By mid-October the track laying of the railway will be completed.

Clearance underway in hurricane-battered New Orleans

Flood water is pumped out of a building in central business district of New Orleans, Louisiana, Sept. 17, 2005. New Orleans is expected to greet more residents returning homes after clearning the dirty streets, damaged buildings and repairing the broken infrastructures since Hurricane Katrina.

Nadal crowned at China Open

Spain's Rafael Nadal holds the China Open trophy during the prize presentation ceremony of the men's single final of the China Open at the Beijing Tennis Centre in Beijing, capital of China Sept. 18, 2005. Nadal defeated Argentina's Guillermo Coria 5-7, 6-1, 6-2.

Chinese celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival

A girl and her parents watch the moon on the bulwark in the coastal city of Lianyuan, east Jiangsu Province. This year's Mid-Autumn Festival falls up September 18. (newsphoto)

Parliamentary election in Afghanistan kicked off

An Afghan woman casts her vote at a polling station in Kabul Sept. 18, 2005. Afghanistan held parliamentary election on Sept. 18.

Rice addresses the 60th UN General Assembly session

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice delivers her remarks to the 60th UN General Assembly session on UN reform in New York, Sept. 17, 2005.

Rockets hit office of UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan

US armored vehicle patrols outside the office of UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in Afghan capital Kabul, Sept. 18, 2005. Two rockets hit the office at about 7 a.m. Sunday morning during the ongoing parliamentary election, Afghan officials said.

German general election begins

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder cast his ballot at a polling station in Hanover on Sept. 18, 2005. German voters on Sunday cast their ballots to elect the members of the parliament's lower chamber, the Bundestag.

Iranian President presents new initiatives to solve the Iranian nuclear issue

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinajed speaks during the general debate at the 60th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York Sept. 17, 2005. Ahmadinajed presented new initiatives to solve the Iranian nuclear issue, announcing that as a new confidence-building measure, Iran is ready to involve foreign companies in its uranium enrichment program.

Chinese President pays visit to Canada

Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao (2nd, L), his wife Liu Yongqing (1st, L) take a group picture with Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin (1st, R) and his wife in Vancouver Sept. 17, 2005. President Hu paid a two-day visit to Canada after attending UN summit on the 60th anniversary of establishment of the world body.

Condoleezza Rice meets Iraqi PM

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (R) meets with Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jafary as she attends the 60th UN General Assembly's general debate at UN headquarters in New York, Sept. 17, 2005.