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Tourists and residents wear masks as they visit Tiananmen gate during a sandstorm in Beijing. Cities across China are being battered by spring sandstorms, forcing residents to cover their faces with masks and scarves to protect against the swirling grit. -- PHOTO: AP




Indian men wash themselves in the River Ganges as a British-built bridge looms in the background in Kolkata. Millions of Hindu devotees across India worship the river as a goddess, washing and drinking its water in religious rituals in spite of the high pollution levels. UN agencies report that across the globe, over 900 million people do not have access to enough water and 2.5 million - the majority of which live in rural zones - live without adequate sanitation services. March 22 marks World Water Day. -- PHOTO: AFP




Tibetan mastiff puppies are seen atop a car on a red cloth for sale out side a convention centre at Changping, northern suburb of Beijing. -- PHOTO: AP