Chinese, Iranian presidents hold talks

Chinese President Hu Jintao (R) shakes hands with Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad in Shanghai, east China, June 16, 2006. The two president exchange views on bilateral relations and the Iranian nuclear issue.

Study shows aquatic origins of modern birds

Reconstruction of the Early Cretaceous (110-115 million year old) amphibious bird Gansus yumenensis, in a lake in what is now the Changma Basin, northwest China's Gansu Province. A set of 110-million-year-old fossils from China is the earliest example of a modern-looking bird and strongly suggests ancestors of all living birds were waterfowl, researchers said June 15, 2006. (Xinhua/Reuters)

A 92-year British woman slides down from 67-meter building

A 92-year-old Britain woman slides down safely to the ground from the top of a 67-meter building with a rope tying around her waist on 11 June 2006, which makes herself the oldest person in this kind of action. And her sliding height is 15 meters higher than the original world record.

British singer charged for molesting two local children lodges an appeal

British singer Gary Glitter attended his appeal hearing in Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday. The 61-year-old Glitter's real name is Paul Gadd, a famous British rocker in 1970s. He was charged with collecting and transmitting pornographic pictures of children and was jailed for 4 months in 1999. A court of appeal in Vietnam upheld the three-year imprisonment sentence passed by the court of first instance in Match, 2006. Glitter lodged an appeal for the sentence.

Focusing on the Qinghai-Tibet Railway

A passenger train is going through the Lahsa Hete Bridge in the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. The Qinghai-Tibet railway which attracts worldwide attentions will start its whole line pilot operation on July 1. The constructors of the railway is busy

Bill Gates to step back from Microsoft

Microsoft Corp. founder Bill Gates looks on during a news conference at the company headquarters in Redmond, Washington June 15, 2006. Bill Gates said Thursday he would opt out of a daily role in the software giant by July 2008 to spend more time with his foundation.

Pregnant woman carrying quintuplets is a hoax

The recent report about the "super pregnant woman" in Songyuan, northeast China's Jilin Province, who carries quintuplets has been proved to be a hoax. It is reported that the woman put quilts under her clothes so that she looked like "pregnant", but her motives are not known yet.

On the stand of the World Cup

Cheryl Tweedie (L), girlfriend of England's Ashley Cole, sits in the stands with Victoria Beckham, wife of England's David Beckham before Trinidad and Tobago's Group B World Cup 2006 football match against England in Nuremberg June 15, 2006.

Special police force holds drill in Hangzhou

Special police force fires an anti-riot water cannon during a drill on Thursday in Hangzhou, capital city of east China's Zhejiang Province. The special police force in Hangzhou municipality hold the drill to demonstrate the fruits of special police force buildup. Police officers demonstrated capabilities on such subjects as precision shooting and assault on terrorists during the drill.

Chinese snuff bottle painting as birthday gift for Queen Elizabeth II

On June 14, head of UK China Cultural Association Bei Xuexian presented Chinese snuff bottle painting to Peter Field, Vice Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex.

Discovery crew begins launch rehearsal

Astronauts of Space Shuttle Discovery pose for a photo on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 in Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The crew began the launch rehearsal for upcoming mission STS-121on Wednesday. Space Shuttle Discovery's launch is targeted for July 1 in a launch window that extends to July 19.

Evening gala marks 5th founding anniversary of SCO

Photo taken on June 15, 2006 shows the stage performance of Good Luck by Uzbek artists at the evening gala in celebration of the 5th anniversary of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Shanghai, east China on June 15, 2006.

Sand-washing to clean up sediments in Yellow River

Strong tides are seen during the fifth-round sand-washing operation to clear up the sediment-laden Yellow River at the section of the Xiaolangdi Reservoir June 15, 2006. This round of operation is estimated to take more than 20 days with a maximum discharged water flow of 3500 cubic meters per second. Over 300 million tons of sand from the lower Yellow River have been flushed into the sea during the previous four sand-washing operations.

England crashes Trinidad and Tobago 2-0

English midfielder David Beckham (L) jumps for the ball with Trinidad and Tobago's midfielder Aurtis Whitley during the World Cup 2006 Group B Round 2 match at the Frankenstadion in Nuremberg, Germany, June 15, 2006. England won the match 2-0.

Hu proposes convention for neighborly relations

Chinese President Hu Jintao delivers key-note speech at the sixth summit meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) at Shanghai International Convention Center in Shanghai, east China on June 15, 2006. Hu presided over the meeting Thursday.