"Swan Lake"

A flock of white swans are frolicking at the Dalinor Lake, Inner Mongolia on Oct 6th. Tens of thousands of white swans have flown from Sebiria to the Lake recently. Dalinor is a Nationla Natural Reserve comprising grassland, lakes, wetland, sand and woods. It is home to 160 kinds of rare birds.

Hewitt beat host player to advance in Japan Open

Lleyton Hewitt in the third-round match against Takao Suzuki of Japan in Japan Open held in Tokyo, October 7. Hewitt won the game 2-1 (6-7 (3-7), 6-2, 6-4) to advance.

Construction of cross-border railway between DPRK and ROK completed

Soldiers of South Korea (L) and US Forces Korea stand guard in front of a signboard showing the Dorasan railway station, the utmost north railway station at the side of South Korea on Oct. 7, 2004. The reconnection work of two sets of cross-border railways and adjacent roads has been completely finished, and they are to be inaugurated late this month.

US inspector finds Iraq had no WMD before the war

Charles Duelfer (L), United States chief weapons inspector of the Iraq Survey Group, testifies at the Senate Armed Services Committee on the Capitol Hill in Washington Oct. 6, 2004. Duelfer told the committee that Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction before the US-led invasion of the country in March 2003.

Premier Wen meets with leaders of Vietnam

Chinese premier Wen Jiabao (L) shakes hands with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nong Duc Manh in Hanoi, capital of Vietnam, Oct. 7, 2004.

Nepal-China Education Society inaugurated in Kathmandu

Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Sun Heping addresses the inauguration ceremony of Nepal-China Education Society in Kathmandu, capital of Nepal on Oct. 7, 2004. The society, initiated by the Galaxy Public School, has more than 20 members so far, and 300 schools and colleges are applying for its membership now.

German Chancellor kicks off state visit to India

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (R) shakes hands with visiting German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in New Delhi, capital of India on Oct. 7, 2004. Schroeder arrived here Wednesday to kick off his two-day state visit to India.

Aerobatics show by PAF cancelled

The machinists of the Patrouille de France (PAF) of France Air Force maintain the Alphajet at the Nanyuan Airport in Beijing, Oct. 7, 2004. The aerobatics show, scheduled to be staged by the famous aerobatics team PAF, was canceled because of low visibility and heavy fog here Thursday.

King of Cambodia abdicates

The file photo taken on Aug. 18, 2004 shows Cambodia's King Norodom Sihanouk being interviewed by Chinese media. Norodom Sihanouk has abdicated, Norodom Ranarith, president of the Cambodian National Assembly, announced in Phnom Penh on Oct. 7, 2004. The king said in a statement that he decided to retire because of old age and health.