Auspicious snowfall visits central, eastern China

The first snowfall in the year of dog visits Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province on Feb. 5, creating a cheerful atmosphere in the city. Photo taken on the same day shows local citizens enjoy the auspicious snowfall, which promises a good harvest and a fruitful coming new year in traditional sense.

"Artificial sun" to generate infinite clean energy

Technicians are intalling the full superconducting experimental Tokamak fusion device in Hefei, capital city of east China's Anhui Province on Feb 4, 2006. Most parts of the device have been installed and experiments will start soon. The full superconducting experimental Tokamak fusion device, nicknamed "artificial sun", can generate infinite, clean nuclear-fusion-based energy. It will be built in March or April in Hefei.

Iran ends voluntary cooperation with IAEA

Iranian Foreign Minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, speaks with media during a press conference in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, Feb. 5 2006. Iran has ended all voluntary cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mottaki announced Sunday. The president had ordered the move a day before in response to the IAEA referring Iran to the U.N. Security Council over its nuclear program. The action was required under a law passed last year.

Olympic mascots on overseas tour

The five mascots for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games yesterday appear in a street of the Australian city of Sydney during a Chinese Lunar New Year performance tour. The tour, organized by Beijing Municipal Tourism Bureau, marks the first time the mascots have appeared in a performance tour overseas.

Dementieva crushes Hingis's Tokyo title bid

The second-seeded Dementieva (L) overpowered Hingis in the championship match at Tokyo's Metropolitan Gymnasium to win her first Tier 1 WTA Tour singles title.

Chinese riot police to guard Haiti's ballot counting center

Wang Lei and Tian Lei (L) , members of a Chinese riot police team on a UN peacekeeping mission, stand guard at the ballot counting center in Port-Au-Prince, capital of Haiti Feb. 4, 2006. The Chinese riot police will undertake the task of guarding the ballot counting center for Haiti's presidential and legislature vote to be held on Feb. 7.

Overseas Chinese celebrating Spring Festival

A Chinese model from Beijing performs at a parade held by Sydney government celebrating Chinese lunar New Year, the year of dog, in Sydney, Australia��Feb. 5, 2006. Over 2,000 performers from Beijing and Sydney participated in the parade, which was held as part of the lunar New Year celebrations in Sydney.

Survivors of sunk ferry receiving treatment

A survivor of sinking ferry Al Salam 98 receives treatment at a hospital in Egypt's port city of Safaga Feb. 5, 2006. The port authorities have said that at least 448 passengers of the Al Salam 98 have been rescued till the morning of Feb. 4.

Danish consulate in Beirut burnt

Lebanese demonstrators gather at the Danish consulate after setting fire to it in Beirut, capital city of Lebanon, on Feb. 5, 2006. Demonstrators set fire to the Danish consulate in Beirut on Sunday in a protest against cartoons blaspheming Prophet Mohammad, which were first published on a Danish newspaper.