PLA performances celebrate return of Hong Kong

Members of the People's Liberation Army art troupe put on a performance during the evening gala to celebrate the upcoming tenth anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China, in Hong Kong, June 19, 2007. (Xinhua Photo)

Flood water discharged from Three Gorges Dam

Flood water is discharged through the sluice on the Three Gorges Dam on June 19, 2007. Continuous downpour on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River has resulted in this year's heaviest flood, with 3,3000 cubic meters of water flowing into the Three Gorges Reservior every second. The 2007 plan for flood prevention and control has been implemented.

Ceramics artworks attract visitors

A visitor looks at pottery artworks at a ceramics exhibition in Beijing, June 19, 2007. More than 1,000 pieces of pottery creations produced in the eight major ceramics kilns were on display. (newsphoto)

First public appearance of Siberian tiger cubs

A Siberian tiger cub takes a walk in the open during the first public appearance of three two-month-old cubs and their mother Rada in an Almaty Zoo, June 19, 2007. Rada gave birth to three cubs in the zoo named Gaukhar, Zeya and Amur.

China holds anti-terrorist exercise for Olympics

China held a state-level anti-terrorist exercise for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on June 19, 2007. The exercise, dubbed "Great Wall No. 4", focused on security work for the Beijing Olympic Games and tested Chinese police's capacity to handle a hostage-taking incident during the Olympics.

Bull turned over after being pulled during "Coleo"

A bull rolls over on the ground after being pulled by a Colombian cowboy during "Coleo" sport event in Bogota, Colombia June 18, 2007.

Spa explosion kills 3, injures 8 in Tokyo

An aerial view shows rescue workers investigate at an annex to a spa's main building where it exploded in Tokyo June 19, 2007. An explosion ripped through a women's-only hot spring spa in downtown Tokyo on Tuesday, killing at least one woman and injuring at least four other people, police said.

Lavender flowers in full blossom

Farmers harvest lavender on a farm in Yili, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region June 18, 2007. It is high time that local farmers picked lavender from June to August every year and the flowers have become a natural attraction to local residents and tourists. (newsphoto)

Silt flushing of Yellow River in central china

Tourists view water of the Yellow River bursting forth at the Xiaolangdi Reservoir, the largerst in the lower reach of the Yellow River, in central China's Henan Province, June 19, 2007. The annual operation of flushing silt from the Yellow River, China's second longest waterway, into the Bohai Sea, began on Tuesday.

Floods and landslides kill 15 in SW China

The building partly smashed by landslide is seen in the Tongchuan District of Dazhou City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, June 19, 2007. Flash floods and landslides triggered by heavy rainfall have left 15 people dead and two missing in Sichuan Province.

China, Japan younger generations encouraged to pursue China-Japan friendship

Chinese President Hu Jintao (C) meets with the Japanese youth delegation at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, June 19, 2007. Chinese President Hu Jintao on Tuesday hosted a banquet in the Great Hall of the People for a Japanese delegation, urging young people from China and Japan to enrich their friendship.

Occultation of Venus by the moon

A view of planet Venus eclipsed by a thin crescent moon is seen in Srinagar, the summer capital of India controlled Kashmir, June 18, 2007. Countries in West Asia and Europe had a better view of the event on Monday, called Occultation of Venus by the moon, while most places in India saw only the disappearance phase of the event when Venus suddenly vanished behind the bright limb of the moon, local media reported.

Barak sworn in as Israel's defense minister

Israel's new Defense Minister Ehud Barak (L Front) and outgoing Defense Minister Amir Peretz (R Front) attend the handover ceremony at the Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv June 19, 2007. Barak was sworn in as Israeli new Defense Minister on Monday.

Atlantis undocks from ISS

In this image from NASA TV, the shuttle Atlantis is seen from a camera aboard the International Space Station as the orbiter departs the station June 19, 2007. Atlantis undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) at 10:42 a.m. EDT (1442 GMT) Tuesday, wrapping up a 10-day joint operation, according to NASA TV. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)