Miss Kentucky crowned Miss USA 2006

Miss Kentucky USA 2006, Tara Elizabeth Conner, reacts after being crowned Miss USA 2006 at the 55th annual Miss USA competition in Baltimore, Maryland April 21. (Photo: dayoo.com)

Buddhist monks enjoy football

A Buddhist monk practises tipping ball at the Huayan Temple in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, April 23, 2006. Huayan Temple, selecting 24 Buddhist students from preparatory course and undergraduate course of Chongqing Buddhist Institute, established the first monk football team in Chongqing recently.

Chinese delegation arrives in Bremen

Wang Hao arrives at the airport of Bremen, Germany, April 23, 2006. Defending Champions China have sent a strong team to Bremen for the upcoming World Championship starting on April 24.

Ambassadors' madams fascinated with cheongsam

Sponsored by The Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the Friendship Competition of Ambassador's Madam on Knowing Chinese Culture was launched on April 22, briefing them with knowledge about cheongsam.

Dam of Three Gorges Project near completion

The concrete pouring for the dam on the right bank of the Three Gorges Project has entered the final phase, and the full completion of the Three Gorges Dam is coming soon. The concrete pouring for the 2309-meter-long dam, with a total concrete amount of 16.1 million cubic meters started in 1998. In 2002, the concrete pouring for the dam on left bank was completed. The workers began to pour concrete for the right dam in July 2003. The concrete gravity dam is 181 meters high, 15 meters wide at the top and 185 meters wide at the bottom. The axis of the dam is 2,309 meters long.

Chinese nationals evacuated from Solomon islands

Chinese children sit on their suitcases as Chinese who fear for their safety are flown out of the troubled Solomon Islands on chartered aircraft provided by Beijing after losing all their possessions in the recent riots, in Honiara, April 23, 2006.

Float pageant held to greet the spring

People view a float on a street in Lisse, the Netherlands, April 22, 2006. Flower farmers of west Netherlands' coastal provinces hold a float pageant in late April annually to greet the spring.

Venezuelans protest against the violent crimes

Two lovers lie on Francisco De Miranda Street in Caracas, capital of Venezuela, April 22, 2006. Tens of thousands of Venezuelans on Saturday lay on the street in chalk outlines representing the 70,000 victims of violent crimes in the past eight years, to protest against the rampant violent crimes and call on the government to take measures to crack down on the crimes.

Hu addresses Shura consultative council in Riyadh

Chinese President Hu Jintao addresses to Saudi Arabia's Shura consultative council in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, April 23, 2006.

Commemoration of Shakespeare's birthday

Girls go to a church with flowers to celebrate William Shakespeare's birthday in Stratford, Warwickshire in Britain on April 22, 2006. Shakespeare was born on April 23, 2006 in Stratford. People here usually hold a parade on the Saturday closest to April 23 to commemorate the great dramatist.

Wedding economy to prosper in May Day holiday

Newlyweds taking part in the First Luzhou Collective Wedding Ceremony pose in front of the Bao'en Tower in Luzhou City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, on April 22, 2006. They will spend China's upcoming seven-day May Day holidays collectively. The May Day holidays are a busy period for wedding ceremony in China, which has promoted the wedding-related consumption across the country.

Top legislator inspects in Shanghai

Wu Bangguo (3rd R), chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, inspects Shanghai Zhenhua Port Machinery (Group) Company Ltd. in Shanghai, east China, April 21, 2006. Wu made an inspection tour in Shanghai on April 18-22.