China opens direct flight to Belgium

A Boeing 767-300 ER passenger plane with flight number HU 491 of China's Hainan Airlines arrives at the Brussels International Airport, making a successful maiden flight linking China's Beijing and Brussels, July 20, 2006. The direct passenger flight linking Belgium and China was opened on Thursday.

Mock aircrash rescue operation in Beijing Capital Airport

Rescuers carry out emergency treatment on injured passengers on stretchers during a mock air crash rescue operation at Beijing Capital Airport in the early morning of July 21, 2006. The exercise is part of an effort to enhance emergency response capabilities and coordination among the airport's various departments.

Drought hits parts of Gansu

A farmer squats on his cracked cropland in Huining County, West China's Gansu Province July 20, 2006. A total of 343, 000 natives are affected by the drought. Some parts of the drought-battered region have not seen a drop of rain for 13 months. The local government has allocated funds for disaster relief.

Indonesia after tsunami

Indonesian refugees rest in a temporary camp in tsunami-hit Pangandaran, Indonesia, July 20, 2006. Refugees are now waiting for further relief distribution in the tsunami-hit Pangandaran and surrounding areas.

Two Israeli combat helicopters collide, then crash

Israeli medics assist an Israeli soldier injured in helicopters crash, near town of Kiryat Shmone near border with Lebanon July 21, 2006. Two Israeli military helicopters have collided near the Lebanese border, causing casualties, the army said on Friday.

Israeli troops move towards Israel-Lebanon border

Israeli soldiers move towards the border between Israel and Lebanon July 20, 2006. Two Israeli soldiers were killed and six others wounded in clashes with Hezbollah guerrillas at the border Thursday afternoon.

Yi ethnic group celebrates Torch Festival

More than a hundred thousand people of Yi ethnic group celebrate the Torch Festival with tourists in Shilin Yi Autonomous County of southwest China's Yunnan Province July 19, 2006. The Torch Festival, which falls on June 24 of Chinese lunar calendar, is the largest festival of the Yi ethnic group. People celebrate the festival by singing, dancing and wrestling nearby torches and bonfires

Chinese President welcomes Swedish King

Chinese President Hu Jintao (L) holds a ceremony to welcome Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf in Beijing, China, on July 20, 2006.

Huizhou people's abacus complex

A woman presents a Bagua (the Eight Diagrams) abacus of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) in Huizhou County, east China's Anhui Province July 17, 2006. This abacus can be used for both calculation and entertainment. A special calculating tool in ancient China, the abacus has gradually faded away from people's life at a time when computers prevailed. In Huizhou, however, abacuses can still be found almost everywhere.

A sea lion lives in "crystal palace"

A young sea lion stands by its new residence at the Donghu Aquarium of Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province on July 20, 2006. A "crystal palace" made up of ice pieces was built for the sea lions to avoid the hot summer.

China's player wins gold medal at FINA

China's Jia Tong dives during the women's 10-meter platform event at the FINA World Cup competition in Changshu, a city in east China's Jiangsu Province, July 20, 2006. Jia took the gold medal with 385.30 points.

Kyrgyzstan costumes show in Urumqi

Kyrgyzstan models present a creation by Kyrgyzstan designer during the 2006 "Silk Road" International Costumes Festival in Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, July 20, 2006.

Erupting volcano forces thousands of Filipinos to evacuate

Lava flows down the slope of Mayon volcano in Legazpi, Manila, Philippines, July 19, 2006. Thousands of villagers from a six-kilometer peripheral danger zone of the restive Mayon volcano were evacuated on Wednesday due to the slowly erupting volcano.

General Guo Boxiong lectures at National Defense University in Washington

General Guo Boxiong, vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission (CMC), delivers a speech at the National Defense University in Washington, the United States, July 19, 2006.

Lebanese and Palestinians protest Israel's terror operations

Protesters wave flags and chant slogans in front of the European Union (EU) headquaters in Brussels, capital of Belgium, July 20, 2006. Many Lebanese and Palestinians gather at the EU headquarters to protest against Israel's attack on Gaza strip and Lebanon.

Tsunami death toll reaches 547

Soldiers pray for the tsunami victims at Astana Buda cemetery in Pangandaran, Indonesia, July 20, 2006. At least 547 people were killed, 465 injured and 323 still missing in the tsunami disaster, triggered by a 6.8 magnitude quake, hitting Indonesia's Java island on Monday.