Foreigners evacuate from Lebanon

A Frenchman evacuated from Lebanon cries as he meets with his relatives, July 18,2006. With the escalation of military conflicts between Lebanon and Israel, foreign people living in Lebanon have begun to withdraw from there.

Israeli raid kills at least 27 in Lebanon

People search in the ruins in Nabatiyeh in southern Lebanon on July 19, 2006. Israel launched air strikes Wednesday on targets in Lebanon, killing at least 27 persons.

He takes men's 1m springboard gold

Chinese diver He Chong took the gold of men's 1-metre springboard event at the 15th edition of FINA Diving World Cup on Wednesday.

Bus rushes out of freeway in Shanghai

Rescue workers use a crane to hoist the bus in the accident scene of China's metropolis of Shanghai, July 19, 2006. The accident occurred Wednesday at about 6:40 p.m. when a 49-seat Benz bus carrying 30 people rushed out of the Hangzhou-Shanghai freeway in Songjiang District, leaving at least seven people dead and 22 others injured. Initial investigation showed that the driver's misoperation was to blame.

Crazy mud players

Students stretch a pose under the blue sky after taking part in a sports meet named "Crazy for Mud" on a beach of Xiushan Island in Daishan County, east China's Zhejiang Pronvince, July 18, 2006. Programs including speed skating, hula hoop, and tug-of-war are all carried out on sea mud, attracting tens of thousands of tourists from home and abroad. The sports meet also marks the opening of the Sea Mud Carnival on the island beach. [newsphoto]

Europe baked in heat wave

A boy cools off in a fountain in downtown Berlin July 19, 2006. Much of western Europe is sweltering under tropical temperatures, as a heatwave claimed seven in a week.

Maserati Quattroporte debuts in Chongqing

A Maserati Quattroporte Executive GT sedan - produced by Italy-based auto giant Fiat - runs on a road in west China's Chongqing municipality July 19, 2006. Fiat's flagship Maserati Quattroporte executive GT and Sports GT sedans will debut in Chongqing.

Children play on tracks

A boy plays on the railway track in Huaibei, East China's Anhui Province, July 19, 2006. Those children, mostly elementary students during the summer vacation, sometimes sit on the tracks or put stones on the tracks, posing a danger to themselves and the passing trains. [newsphoto]

US President Bush vetoes stem cell bill

U.S. President George W. Bush holds a boy following his remarks about stem cell research policy legislation in the White House Wednesday, July 19, 2006. President Bush used his first veto on Wednesday to stop legislation to expand embryonic stem cell research championed by top scientists and desired by most Americans.

CPPCC leader meets Taiwan delegation

Jia Qinglin (1st R), chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), meets with a Taiwan delegation to study economic and trade issues on the mainland in Beijing, China, on July 19, 2006.

Chinese Vice President meets Japanese guest

Chinese Vice President Zeng Qinghong (R) meets with former Secretary-General of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party Makoto Koga in Beijing, China, on July 19, 2006.��

English students learn Chinese Kongfu in Shanghai

A Chinese teacher leads English students to play shadowboxing in a park of Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, July 18, 2006. Dozens of students from the UK came to Suzhou to attend a summer camp, during which they learned Chinese and embroidery and visited Chinese families.

"Weenie Bear" arrives in Shenzhen

The original Disney stage play "Weenie Bear" makes its debut in Shenzhen Grand Theatre of Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, on the evening of July 18, 2006. It will last till July 23.

Chinese Minister of Public Security Visits France

Zhou Yongkang (L), Chinese State Councilor and minister of Public Security, shakes hands with French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris, France, July 18, 2006. A joint statement was signed after their meeting.

Adopted Chinese children in New Zealand

Chinese children play with their New Zealand mothers in a gathering held by Chinese Embassy in New Zealand for families which adopt Chinese children in Wellington, capital of New Zealand, July 19, 2006. More than 60 Chinese children have been adopted by New Zealand families, leading happy lives, since a system of adopting Chinese children was set up in 1999.

Old transportation still exists in Afghanistan

An Afghan cameleer leads a caravan along the road in the suburban area in Balkh Province in northern Afghanistan July 17, 2006. Donkeys and camels are still the main transportation in the suburban areas in the country.

Wild donkey's happy life in Jinan

A 6-day-old wild donkey "Ximeng" runs together with its parents in Paomaling Wildlife World in Jinan on July 18, 2006. Wild donkey is under first-class state protection.

Guo wins 1m springboard gold at World Cup

World and Olympic champion Guo Jingjing of China came from behind to notch up the women's one-metre springboard title at the FINA Diving World Cup on Wednesday.

Death toll of Indonesian tsunami hits 531

A man carries the body of a child died in tsunami in Pangandaran, Indonesia, July 19, 2006. According to the latest official statistics, 531 people were confirmed dead and more than 270 others remained missing after tsunami struck onto southern coastal areas of West Java and Central Java and Yogyakarta provinces on Monday.

Powell dilevers speech in Tsinghua University

Former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell delivers a speech in Tsinghua University in Beijing, July 19, 2006. Powell is visiting China at the invitation of the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs.

Concept cars eye "economy"

A Ford concept car which uses ethanol as fuel is shown on the London International Auto Exhibition in London, July 18, 2006. The exhibition opened on July 18, will end on July 30. With the theme of "environment-friendly" and " economy", the exhibition attracted 40 auto manufacturers from the world.

China's top general on US visit

U.S. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld (L) welcomes Guo Boxiong, visiting vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission (CMC) at the Pentagon, the United States, July 18, 2006.

First direct cargo flight from Taiwan lands in Shanghai

Crew members pose for photographs with the Boeing 747-400 from China Airlines, Taiwan's largest air carrier, which lands in Pudong International Airport of Shanghai, east China, July 20, 2006. The first direct cargo charter flight from Taiwan touched down in Shanghai early Thursday morning, marking a breakthrough since 1949.