in Tibetan capital Lhasa

Tibetan monks take part in religious exercises at a monastery near Tongren, Qinghai province February 24, 2009.

Almost a year after deadly riots erupted in Tibetan capital Lhasa that triggered unrest in neighbouring provinces, Chinese security forces remain on high alert a day before the ethnic Tibetan traditional new year, which varies from year to year and this year begins on Wednesday.

REUTERS/Reinhard Krause