Xinhua News Agency back issues from Friday, March 5:
ASEAN Ministerial Meeting Retreat ends in Vietnam
Mar 05, 2004 ... ASEAN Ministerial Meeting Retreat ends in VietnamHALONG (Vietnam), March 4 (Xinhua) -- The ASEAN MinisterialMeeting Retreat ended here Thursday. Delegates focused their discussions in the retreat on the threepillars, namely security, economy and socio-culture of ...
News items from Asia-Pacific Desk of Xinhua (Part 2)
Mar 05, 2004 ... News items from Asia-Pacific Desk of Xinhua (Part 2)HONG KONG, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Following are news items from theAsia-Pacific Desk of Xinhua in Hong Kong on Thursday: hka -- HK unveils cyber city strategy Indonesia urges US to deport leader of separatist Maluku ...
Opener, Advisory
Mar 05, 2004 ... Xinhua News Agency closes its cycle of English service forThursday, March 04, 2004, and begins ...
Straw discusses counter terrorism, proliferation with Musharraf
Mar 05, 2004 ... Straw discusses counter terrorism, proliferation with MusharrafISLAMABAD, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Visiting British Foreign SecretaryJack Straw had separate talks with Pakistani President PervezMusharraf and Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali hereThursday. Jack Straw ...
Chinese women first into final, other ticket up for grabs
Mar 05, 2004 ... Chinese women first into final, other ticket up for grabsDOHA, Qatar, March 4 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese women's team had thetoughest day in a week at the world table tennis championships as thedefending champions beat Japan 3-2 with Olympic champion Wang Nanstruggling and world ...
China's top legislative body to begin annual session
Mar 05, 2004 ... China's top legislative body to begin annual sessionBEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The Second Session of the 10thNational People's Congress (NPC), China's top ...
Shares close up in Mexico; down in Argentina, Brazil
Mar 05, 2004 ... Shares close up in Mexico; down in Argentina, BrazilMEXICO CITY, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Latin America's three major stockmarkets -- Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires and Mexico -- closed mixed onThursday. In Sao Paulo, Latin America's biggest bourse, the leading Bovespaindex closed at ...
Results from Qatar Open WTA tournament
Mar 05, 2004 ... Results from Qatar Open WTA tournamentDOHA, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Following are the results of quarter-final matches at the 600,000 US dollars Qatar Open WTA tennistournament on Thursday (prefix number denotes seeding): 3-Anastasia Myskina, Russia, bt Zheng ...
Results from Dubai Open ATP tournament
Mar 05, 2004 ... Results from Dubai Open ATP tournamentABU DHABI, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Following are the results from theone million US dollars Dubai Open ATP tennis tournament in Dubai onThursday (prefix number denotes seeding): Second round Andrei Pavel, Romania, bt ...
Market exchange rates -- March 5
Mar 05, 2004 ... Market exchange rates -- March 5BEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Market exchange rates of four majorcurrencies against RMB yuan for Friday, announced by the People'sBank of China:Currency Unit Middle Price (in RMB yuan) US Dollar 100 827.70 ...
Xinhua world news summary at 0030 GMT, March 4
Mar 05, 2004 ... Xinhua world news summary at 0030 GMT, March 4BRUSSELS -- Over 3,300 aerial bombs designed to carry mortalchemicals have been destroyed in Libya between Feb. 27 and March 3,ending the first phase of chemical weapons destruction in thecountry. This was announced by The ...
List of FIFA 100 footballers
Mar 05, 2004 ... List of FIFA 100 footballersLONDON, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Following is the list of the "FIFA100" greatest living footballers as nominated by Pele. The list wascompiled to mark the 100th anniversary of the foundation of FIFA andactually contains 125 names: ARGENTINA ...
China to continue independent foreign policy of peace: premier
Mar 05, 2004 ... China to continue independent foreign policy of peace: premierBEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- China will continue to hold high thebanner of peace, development and cooperation, unswervingly pursue anindependent foreign policy of peace, adhere to the Five Principles ofPeaceful ...
Russia urges to transfer sovereignty to Iraqis
Mar 05, 2004 ... Russia urges to transfer sovereignty to IraqisMADRID, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Russian Foreign Minister IgorIvanov declared here on Thursday in a meeting with his Spanishcounterpart Ana Palacio that the only solution to the Iraq issue isto transfer the "complete sovereignty" ...
Federer one step closer to retaining Dubai Open title
Mar 05, 2004 ... Federer one step closer to retaining Dubai Open titleABU DHABI, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Defending champion Roger Federereased into the quarter-finals of the Dubai Open on Thursday with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Spain's Tommy Robredo. Paradorn Srichaphan became the latest seeded ...
Wall Street stocks close mixed prior to key job report
Mar 05, 2004 ... Wall Street stocks close mixed prior to key job reportNEW YORK, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Wall Street stocks finished mixedThursday as investors made few major commitments ahead of theFebruary employment report. The Dow Jones industrial average was down 5.11 points, nearly ...
China to improve defense capability: premier
Mar 05, 2004 ... China to improve defense capability: premierBEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Stepping up efforts to modernizeChina's national defense and armed forces is an important guaranteefor safeguarding national security and building a moderatelyprosperous society in all respects, Premier Wen ...
FLASH: CHINESE PREMIER EXPECTS SEVEN PERCENT ECONOMIC GROWTH IN 2004
Mar 05, 2004 ... FLASH: CHINESE PREMIER EXPECTS ...
Henin-Hardenne, Capriati romp into Qatar Open
Mar 05, 2004 ... Henin-Hardenne, Capriati romp into Qatar OpenDOHA, March 4 (Xinhua) -- World number one and top-seeded BelgianJustine Henin-Hardenne disposed of Nathalie Dechy 6-1, 7-5 at theQatar Open on Thursday to set up a semi-final clash with her DubaiOpen final opponent Svetlana ...
France calls on Brazil to take leading role in Haiti
Mar 05, 2004 ... France calls on Brazil to take leading role in HaitiBRASILIA, March 4 (Xinhua) -- French President Jacques Chirac saidThursday that it would be of "great importance" if Brazil could takecontrol of the peacekeeping forces to be deployed in Haiti in thesecond phase, presidential ...
Nine killed in clashes in Venezuela
Mar 05, 2004 ... Nine killed in clashes in VenezuelaCARACAS, March 4 (Xinhua) -- A total of nine people have beenkilled in the clashes between the opposition and the National Guardfrom Feb. 27 to March 3, local daily El Nacional reported Thursday. In the past few days, opponents to ...
Pakistan, Iran sign multiple cooperation agreements
Mar 05, 2004 ... Pakistan, Iran sign multiple cooperation agreementsISLAMABAD, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan and Iran Thursday signedseveral agreements and memoranda of understanding to bolster economicand political cooperation, the official Associated Press of Pakistanreported. The ...
URGENT: China's top legislative body begins annual session
Mar 05, 2004 ... URGENT: China's top legislative body begins annual sessionBEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The Second Session of the 10thNational People's Congress opened in the Great Hall of the People at9. a.m. Friday, and Premier ...
Chinese mainland will never allow anyone to split Taiwan from China, premier
Mar 05, 2004 ... Chinese mainland will never allow anyone to split Taiwan fromChina, premierBEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- "We stand firmly opposed to any formof separatist activities aimed at 'Taiwan independence' and willnever allow anyone to split Taiwan from China by any means," PremierWen ...
Russia rules out objection to EU enlargement
Mar 05, 2004 ... Russia rules out objection to EU enlargementMADRID, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Russian Foreign Minister IgorIvanov on Thursday rejected allegations that his country was opposedto the upcoming European Union (EU) enlargement. After a meeting with his Spanish counterpart ...
China boosts economy by appropriate macro-control: premier
Mar 05, 2004 ... China boosts economy by appropriate macro-control: premierBEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government exercisedtimely and appropriate control to promote stable and rapid economicdevelopment and took measures to exercise macro-control over newdevelopments as soon as they ...
Universal Studio Hollywood starts countdown to fastest rollercoaster
Mar 05, 2004 ... Universal Studio Hollywood starts countdown to fastest rollercoasterLOS ANGELES, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Universal Studios Hollywoodinitiated a dramatic countdown Thursday to the June opening of itstheme parks' first-ever roller coaster, "Revenge of the Mummy -- TheRide," with a ...
US to exempt certain Mexicans from fingerprinting, photographing
Mar 05, 2004 ... US to exempt certain Mexicans from fingerprinting, photographingWASHINGTON, March 4 (Xinhua) -- The United States is set to relaxstrict entry-control measures for certain Mexicans with a bordercrossing card, a senior government official said Thursday. Asa Hutchinson, ...
Major news items in leading Japanese newspapers
Mar 05, 2004 ... Major news items in leading Japanese newspapersTOKYO, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The following are major news items inleading Japanese newspapers on Friday: Mainichi: -- Japanese government urged local authorities to sanitize chickenhouses following outbreaks of bird flu ....
US warns of insecurity to visit Colombia
Mar 05, 2004 ... US warns of insecurity to visit ColombiaBOGOTA, March 4 (Xinhua) -- The US State Department reminded itscitizens on Thursday that it is insecure to visit Colombia which isravaged by narco-terror groups and other criminal associations, theUS Embassy in Bogota said. A ...
Peace process in Colombia irreversible: OAS
Mar 05, 2004 ... Peace process in Colombia irreversible: OASBOGOTA, March 4 (Xinhua) -- The peace process between Colombianauthorities and anti-government paramilitary forces is irreversibledespite the current obstacles to their peace negotiations, anOrganization of American States (OAS) ...
China makes remarkable achievements in 2003: premier
Mar 05, 2004 ... China makes remarkable achievements in 2003: premierBEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao Fridaydescribed the year 2003 as a significant and unusual year for China,in which the country made remarkable achievements in reform andopening up and in the ...
Latest UEFA Cup odds
Mar 05, 2004 ... Latest UEFA Cup oddsLONDON, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Following is the latest UEFA Cup oddsissued by British bookmaker William Hill after Thursday's fourthround draw: 9-2 Valencia (Spain) 11-2 AS Roma (Italy) 6-1 Barcelona (Spain), Liverpool (England) ...
China's investment in social fields up 12.4 percent in 2003: premier
Mar 05, 2004 ... China's investment in social fields up 12.4 percent in 2003:premierBEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- China accelerated the development ofsocial undertakings on the basis of an overall consideration of allissues last year, Premier Wen Jiabao said here Friday in a governmentwork ...
Premier hails victory in fight against SARS
Mar 05, 2004 ... Premier hails victory in fight against SARSBEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao Fridayhailed the country's "great victory" in the fight against severeacute respiratory syndrome (SARS) last year, when he delivered theReport on the Work of the Government at the ...
URGENT: Chinese premier expects 7 percent economic growth in 2004
Mar 05, 2004 ... URGENT: Chinese premier expects 7 percent economic growth in 2004 BEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said hereFriday that his government wants a seven percent economic growth for2004. The target is set for a "stable and rapid economic ...
Heavy snow causes traffic jam in Seoul
Mar 05, 2004 ... Heavy snow causes traffic jam in SeoulSEOUL, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Sudden heavy snow started Thursdayafternoon caused severe traffic jams in Seoul on Thursday night. About 18.5 cm of snow fell in the South Korean capital, thelargest amount in March since weather records began ...
World Cup biathlon results
Mar 05, 2004 ... World Cup biathlon resultsWASHINGTON, March 4 -- Following are the results Thursday in aWorld Cup biathlon event in Fort Kent, the United States (missedtargets in parentheses): Men's 10 kilometers sprint 1. Raphael Poiree, France, 23 minutes, 0.6 seconds (0) ...
Results from Tour of Murcia
Mar 05, 2004 ... Results from Tour of MurciaMADRID, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Following are the results from thesecond stage of the Tour of Murcia on Thursday: Stage 1. Jose Ivan Gutierrez, Spain, Illes Balears-Banesto, 25 minutes39 seconds 2. Michael Rich, Germany, 3 seconds ...
Premier sees progress in SOE reform
Mar 05, 2004 ... Premier sees progress in SOE reformBEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao saidFriday that fresh progress was made last year in transforming state-owned enterprises (SOE) into stock companies, and reforms of theelectricity, telecommunications and civil aviation ...
Government tries to ensure adequate disaster relief: premier
Mar 05, 2004 ... Government tries to ensure adequate disaster relief: premierBEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Premier Wen Jiabao disclosed Fridaythat in 2003 central budget funds totaling 8.03 billion yuan werespent on relief for people affected by floods, droughts, earthquakesor other disasters, up ...
China increases efforts to improve legal system: premier
Mar 05, 2004 ... China increases efforts to improve legal system: premierBEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- China increased its efforts tomaintain law and order by taking comprehensive measures last year,focusing on high-crime areas, Premier Wen Jiabao said Friday. "We further improved public ...
Results of men's Olympic qualifying field hockey tournament
Mar 05, 2004 ... Results of men's Olympic qualifying field hockey tournamentMADRID, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Following are the results from themen's Olympic qualifying field hockey tournament on Thursday: Belgium lost to Pakistan 0-2 Scorers: Pakistan -- Abbas 50, Saqlain 61 ...
Chilean troops arrive in Haiti
Mar 05, 2004 ... Chilean troops arrive in HaitiHAVANA, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Chilean troops arrived in HaitiThursday to contribute to the multinational force for Haiti, reportsreaching here said. They were received by Marcel Young, Chilean Ambassador to Haiti,who said the troops included ...
China works hard to fulfill WTO commitments: premier
Mar 05, 2004 ... China works hard to fulfill WTO commitments: premierBEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- China worked conscientiously lastyear to fulfill the commitments it made for accession to the WorldTrade Organization (WTO), and continued to lower tariff rates andopened the service sector wider to ...
EU, Central America may reach FTA by 2005: Guatemalan president
Mar 05, 2004 ... EU, Central America may reach FTA by 2005: Guatemalan presidentMADRID, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Guatemalan President OscarBerger affirmed Thursday that a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) betweenthe European Union (EU) and Central America might be signed by 2005. The ...
Chinese premier on institutional reforms
Mar 05, 2004 ... Chinese premier on institutional reformsBEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government pressedforward with institutional innovation and made significant progressin reform and opening up last year, Premier Wen Jiabao said Friday inhis report on government work at the opening ...
Government works hard to create jobs in 2003: premier
Mar 05, 2004 ... Government works hard to create jobs in 2003: premierBEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government has workedhard to care for people's well-being, create more jobs and administersocial security work well, Premier Wen Jiabao said Friday in a reporton the government work ...
Premier on principal domestic tasks for 2004
Mar 05, 2004 ... Premier on principal domestic tasks for 2004BEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- "The year 2004 is a crucial year forChina's reform and development," said Premier Wen Jiabao Friday, whenhe delivered a report on the work of the government at the opening ofthe Second Session of the Tenth ...
Retrial ordered for Sept. 11 suspect once sentenced to 15 years
Mar 05, 2004 ... Retrial ordered for Sept. 11 suspect once sentenced to 15 yearsBERLIN, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Germany's Federal Court of JusticeThursday revoked the decision by a German court in Hamburg thatsentenced a Sept. 11 suspect 15 years in prison and brought the caseto the Hamburg Supreme ...
Needles removed from man's brain after 29 years
Mar 05, 2004 ... Needles removed from man's brain after 29 years by Yang Xia andZhou Yan GUANGZHOU, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Doctors in south China's GuangdongProvince have removed three sewing needles that had been embedded ina young man's brain for nearly 29 years. The patient, surnamed Guo, ...
China to maintain stable, rapid growth thru macro-control: premier
Mar 05, 2004 ... China to maintain stable, rapid growth thru macro-control: premier BEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The basic focus of this year'seconomic work is to safeguard, guide and utilize the enthusiasm ofall sides for accelerating development in order to achieve stable andrapid economic growth ...
Gov't to reduce issuance of treasury bonds gradually: premier
Mar 05, 2004 ... Gov't to reduce issuance of treasury bonds gradually: premierBEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The issuance of construction treasurybonds is an interim policy adopted during a period of insufficientdemand and their scale should be reduced gradually as the increase innongovernmental ...
Institutional innovation vital to fighting against corruptionBy Xinhua writer Zhou Fang
Mar 05, 2004 ... Institutional innovation vital to fighting against corruption ByXinhua writer Zhou FangBEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- A number of major corruption caseswere uncovered before the NPC and CPPCC sessions, netting quite anumber of corrupted officials to the satisfaction of the people ....
Major news items in Philippine leading newspapers
Mar 05, 2004 ... Major news items in Philippine leading newspapersMANILA, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The following are major news items inleading Philippine newspapers on Friday.Philippine Daily Inquirer: -- The Philippine Transportation department Thursday ruled outterrorism or ...
Highlights of major Beijing-based newspapers -- March 5
Mar 05, 2004 ... Highlights of major Beijing-based newspapers -- March 5BEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Following are highlights of majorBeijing-based newspapers on Friday: All major Beijing-based newspapers frontpaged the story that HuJintao, Wu Bangguo, Wen Jiabao and other members of the ...
Standings of men's Olympic qualifying field hockey tournament
Mar 05, 2004 ... Standings of men's Olympic qualifying field hockey tournamentMADRID, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Following are the standings of themen's Olympic qualifying field hockey tournament after Thursday'smatches (tabulated under games played, won, drawn, lost, goals ...
Chinese premier expects 7 percent economic growth in 2004
Mar 05, 2004 ... Chinese premier expects 7 percent economic growth in 2004BEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said hereFriday that his government wants a seven percent economic growth for2004, expecting to keep the economic speed train running stable whilepreventing the ...
China to appropriately control scale of investment: premier
Mar 05, 2004 ... China to appropriately control scale of investment: premierBEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The government will appropriatelycontrol the scale of investment in fixed assets and firmly halthaphazard investment and low-level, redundant construction in someindustries and regions, ...
1,200-year-old scholar tree discovered in north China
Mar 05, 2004 ... 1,200-year-old scholar tree discovered in north ChinaTIANJIN, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese archeologists have confirmeda 1,200-year-old scholar tree in the northern port city of Tianjin isprobably the oldest in the entire north China region. The ancient tree is growing in a ...
Premier focuses on people's well-being in policy briefing to parliament
Mar 05, 2004 ... Premier focuses on people's well-being in policy briefing toparliamentby Xinhua writer Zhou Xiaozheng BEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Briefing the national legislatureFriday on government policies for 2004, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabaolaid stress on issues relating directly to ...
US deems Romania as key partner in Iraq's reconstruction
Mar 05, 2004 ... US deems Romania as key partner in Iraq's reconstructionBUCHAREST, March 4 (Xinhua) -- The United States considers Romaniaas one of the important partners in Iraq's reconstruction, deputy USTrade Secretary William Lash said Thursday. Iraq's reconstruction projects would be ...
South China to build world communications exposition park
Mar 05, 2004 ... South China to build world communications exposition parkNANNING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- China's first world communicationsexposition park will be established in the city of Guilin, southChina's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. An official with the municipal communications ...
China to set up first farming insurance company, pledginggovernment aid
Mar 05, 2004 ... China to set up first farming insurance company, pledginggovernment aidBEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- China's first special agriculturalinsurance company is expected to start operation soon after obtainingofficial approval earlier this week from the Chinese InsuranceRegulatory ...
China to coordinate economic development in different regions: premier
Mar 05, 2004 ... China to coordinate economic development in different regions:premierBEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Premier Wen Jiabao called forcoordinating economic development in different regions and promotingthe development of the western region and the revitalization ofnortheast China and ...