Full-scale military training exercises held in Inner Mongolia

In early Autumn the Beijing Military Area Command successfully conducted the "North Sword - 0607 (S)" military exercises at a training base in Inner Mongolia Plateau in early August. Following Central Mission Commission Chairman Hu Jintao's instructions to be attentive in military training, the Beijing Military Area Command organized two full-scale military exercises involving the air force, the second artillery unit and for the first time, armed police. The exercises tested the combat capabilities of the troops with the aid of modern information technology.

Chinese navy fleet sets sail for US, Canada and Philippines

A Chinese navy fleet including the Qingdao Missile Destroyer and the supply ship Hongze Lake, set sail on a diplomatic tour of the US, Canada and Philippines on August 22.

Four mathematicians win maths world's Nobel Prize

The Fields Medals winners French Wendelin Werner, Russian Andrei Okounkov, Australian Terence Tao, Nevanlinna Prize winner Jon Kleinberg and daughter of Gauss Prize winner Japanese Kiyoshi Ito (from left to right) pose for a photo at the International Congress of Mathematicians in Madrid, Aug 22, 2006. Another Fields Medals winner Russian Grigory Perelman refused to receive the award. The Fields medals are the maths world's highest honor and equivalent to a Nobel Prize.

Police officers crack down on illegal firecrackers

Law enforcement officials confiscate firecrackers and fireworks illegally stored in a room in a residential building in Shanghai. A total of 152 boxes of firecrackers and fireworks have been seized and three people invovled detained.

New outfits will grace flights

Air attendants with China Southern Airlines display their new outfits of the fourth generation at the Baiyun Airport, southern China's Guangzhou on August 22, 2006. The new suits will grace the flights formally from August 28. (newsphoto)

Jia Qinglin meets with Taiwan trade delegation

Jia Qinglin (C Front), chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, meets with a trade delegation of the Taiwan Federation of Industries (TFI) headed by Chen Wu-hsiung (R) in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 22, 2006.

Miss Bikini of the Universe to be held in Guangxi

A total of 48 contestants to the finals of the Miss Bikini of the Universe 2006 make public appearance at the Silver Beach of Beihai, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Aug 22, 2006. The finals will take place on Aug 26.

Protection of wild Bactrian camel makes progress

A herd of wild Bactrian camels strolls in Gansu Threatened Species Study Center founded by State Forestry Administration of China in Wuwei, a city of northwest China's Gansu Province, Aug. 22, 2006. With the survival amount of 800, the wild Bactrian camel is a threatened species near extinction. Experts from Gansu Threatened Species Study Center captured 6 wild Bactrian camels to breed and protect them in 1992. Through the efforts of 10 years, the amount of camels has reached 16 by now.

Urban policewomen hit the road in Suzhou

A team of six urban policewomen hit the road on motorcycles for regular patrol in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province Monday, August 21, 2006. The team will is responsible for patrolling the main administrative area in Suzhou Industrial Park.

Tian'anmen Gate to have facelift

Construction workers transport building materials in front of the Tian'anmen Gate tower in Central Beijing, capital of China, August 22, 2006, as a facelift will be carried out on the Tian'anmen Gate to greet the National Day, which falls on Oct 1.

President Hu meets Vietnamese party chief

Hu Jintao (R), general secretary of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and Chinese president, shakes hands with Nong Duc Manh, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Vietnamese Communist Party, during their meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 22, 2006.

Russian plane with 170 aboard crashes

All passengers and crew members are believed to have died after a Russian jet plane crashed near the city of Donetsk in east Ukraine on Tuesday, said an official from the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)