Xinhua News Agency back issues from Friday, February 8:
Opener, Advisory
Feb 08, 2008 ... Xinhua News Agency closes its cycle of English serviceforThursday, february 07, 2008, and begins ...
Hong Kong Disneyland records double-digit growth in attendance in pre-year quarter
Feb 08, 2008 ... Hong Kong Disneyland records double-digit growth in attendance inpre-year quarter HONG KONG, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong Disneyland recordeddouble-digit growth in attendance in the fiscal quarter ending lateDecember, contributing part of the Walt Disney Company's ...
Tibetans celebrate Tibetan New Year, Spring Festival on same day
Feb 08, 2008 ... Tibetans celebrate Tibetan New Year, Spring Festival on same day LHASA, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- More than five million Tibetans acrossthe country celebrated the Tibetan New Year and the Spring Festivalon Thursday. The New Year under the Tibetan calendar coincides with the ...
Insurers pay 128 mln USD to China's snow-hit regions
Feb 08, 2008 ... Insurers pay 128 mln USD to China's snow-hit regions BEIJING, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Insurance companies in China havepaid a total 917 million yuan (128 million U.S. dollars) to meetclaims from snow-stricken victims by Wednesday, the disaster reliefand emergency command center under ...
Domestic news items from Xinhua -- Feb. 7
Feb 08, 2008 ... Domestic news items from Xinhua -- Feb. 7 BEIJING, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Following are domestic news itemsreleased by Xinhua on Thursday: Insurers pay 128 mln USD to China's snow-hit regions Hong Kong Disneyland records double-digit growth in attendanceinpre-year ...
News items from Asia-Pacific Desk of Xinhua
Feb 08, 2008 ... News items from Asia-Pacific Desk of Xinhua HONG KONG, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Following are news items fromtheAsia-Pacific Desk of Xinhua in Hong Kong on Thursday: Vietnam strives to be wealthier, active UNSC member: president Major news items in leading Australian ...
Xinhua Middle East news summary at 2200 GMT, Feb. 7
Feb 08, 2008 ... Xinhua Middle East news summary at 2200 GMT, Feb. 7 GAZA -- Seven Palestinians were killed and 15 others woundedonThursday in a series of Israeli airstrikes on militants innorthern Gaza Strip, medics, witnesses and Hamas security sourcessaid. Mo'aweya Hassanein, chief of ...
U.S. official says Washington committed to pushing forward Mideastpeace process
Feb 08, 2008 ... U.S. official says Washington committed to pushing forwardMideastpeace process CAIRO, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Visiting U.S. Assistant SecretaryforNear Eastern Affairs David Welch on Thursday reiterated hiscountry's commitment to exerting more efforts in cooperation withregional allies ...
Pilots stabbed, bomb threat on Air New Zealand flight
Feb 08, 2008 ... Pilots stabbed, bomb threat on Air New Zealand flight WELLINGTON, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Passengers on a flight from theNew Zealand cities of Blenheim to Christchurch spent a nerve-wracking 20 minutes in the air on Friday after a woman stabbedthepilots and threatened to blow up the ...
2007, Shanghai's hottest year in 135 years
Feb 08, 2008 ... 2007, Shanghai's hottest year in 135 years SHANGHAI, Feb. 8 (Xinhua)-- Although Shanghai has just beenbattered by snow and is still wrapped in cold, it has justexperienced its hottest year in 2007 since the city began to recordweather in 1873, with an average temperature of 17.8 ...
Cameroon reaches final of Africa Nations Cup with 1-0 over Ghana
Feb 08, 2008 ... Cameroon reaches final of Africa Nations Cup with 1-0 over Ghana ACCRA, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Cameroon marched into the final of the26th Africa Nations Cup by beating Ghana 1-0 here on Thursday. In the first half, the 19-year-old striker Anede Ayew, son offormer Ghanaian top ...
Markov wins first match as Bulgaria coach
Feb 08, 2008 ... Markov wins first match as Bulgaria coach SOFIA, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Bulgarian national soccer team recordeda minimal 1-0 victory over Northern Ireland in Belfast onWednesdaynight, local press reported Thursday. This was the first victory for the new coach Plamen Markov, ...
Donors pledge 650 mln USD for flood and cyclone rehabilitation in Bangladesh
Feb 08, 2008 ... Donors pledge 650 mln USD for flood and cyclone rehabilitation inBangladesh DHAKA, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Foreign donors have so far pledged 650million U.S. dollars for the reconstruction and rehabilitationworksof recurrent floods and the cyclone Sidr affected areas ofBangladesh, out ...
USOC welcomes Bush's support for anti-doping efforts
Feb 08, 2008 ... USOC welcomes Bush's support for anti-doping efforts LOS ANGELES, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- United States OlympicCommittee(USOC) Chief Executive Officer Jim Scherr on Thursdaywelcomed President George W. Bush's support for anti-doping efforts. "We appreciate the action taken today by ...
Xinhua international news advisory -- Feb. 8
Feb 08, 2008 ... Xinhua international news advisory -- Feb. 8 BEIJING, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- The following are some of themajorinternational news stories scheduled to be covered or pursuedby Xinhua ...
Egypt to defend title of Africa soccer king
Feb 08, 2008 ... Egypt to defend title of Africa soccer king ACCRA, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Defending champion Egypt spankedCoted'Ivoire 4-1 on Thursday and progressed into the final of the26thAfrica Nations Cup. Cote d'Ivoire appeared to become a king of Africa soccer initsprevious matches. The ...
Leading positions of Swedish Rally
Feb 08, 2008 ... Leading positions of Swedish Rally STOCKHOLM, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Following are the leading positionsin the Swedish Rally in Karlstad, Sweden after one leg on Thursday: 1. Petter Solberg, Norway, Subaru, one minute 28.9 seconds 2. Jari-Matti Latvala, Finland, Ford, 0.5 ...
Xinhua home news advisory--Jan. 8
Feb 08, 2008 ... Xinhua home news advisory--Jan. 8 BEIJING, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- Major home news items to be coveredorpursued by Xinhua on Friday: 1. News Feature: From red lanterns to KTV: Spring Festival folk-customs in the change 2. Chinese expect to send 17 billion text messages ...
Fluminense beats America 6-1 in Rio state championship
Feb 08, 2008 ... Fluminense beats America 6-1 in Rio state championship RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Fluminense had nodifficultydefeating America 6-1 on Wednesday evening, in the seventhround of the Rio state championship preliminaries. Defender Roger opened the score to Fluminense in the ...
G7 financial leaders to ease market fears: Japanese minister
Feb 08, 2008 ... G7 financial leaders to ease market fears: Japanese minister TOKYO, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Financial leaders from the UnitedStates and other Group of Seven (G7) nations will find ways onSaturday to ease market fears over a credit crunch from the U.S.subprime crisis, Japanese Finance ...
Increase output or lose oil fields, Ecuador warns foreign firms
Feb 08, 2008 ... Increase output or lose oil fields, Ecuador warns foreign firms QUITO, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Ecuadorian President Rafael CorreaThursday threatened to take back oil fields from foreign companiesifthey failed to increase crude production. The Ecuadorian government will hand ...
Malta Cup snooker results
Feb 08, 2008 ... Malta Cup snooker results LONDON, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Following are the Malta Cup snookerresults on Thursday: Group 1: Joe Perry, England, bt Ali Carter, England, 4-2 Ryan Day, Wales, drew Alex Borg, Malta, 3-3 Group 2: Marco Fu, Hong Kong, China, ...
WHO chief sends sympathies to China on snow disaster
Feb 08, 2008 ... WHO chief sends sympathies to China on snow disaster GENEVA, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO)has sent a message of sympathy to Chinese leaders on the worstweather disaster the country has experienced in decades. In her message to Chinese President Hu ...
Over 100 listed firms lower FY07 profit forecasts in Japan
Feb 08, 2008 ... Over 100 listed firms lower FY07 profit forecasts in Japan TOKYO, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- More than 100 listed companies ontheFirst Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange revised down theirearnings forecast for fiscal 2007 ending March this year, due toU.S. economic slowdown, the yen's ...
Ecuador's Tungurahua volcano becomes active again
Feb 08, 2008 ... Ecuador's Tungurahua volcano becomes active again QUITO, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Around 1,400 people have been evacuatedfrom their homes following fresh activity at Tungurahua volcano inEcuador Thursday. The country's Geophysical Institute (GI) said an eruption wasextremely ...
Chinese volleyballers to play friendly games in Cuba
Feb 08, 2008 ... Chinese volleyballers to play friendly games in Cuba HAVANA, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- China's men's volleyball team willtravel to Cuba in March to play friendly games against itscounterpart in this Caribbean country, said Cuba's volleyballteamcoach Orlando Samuels on Thursday. The ...
News Feature: From red lanterns to KTV, China marks changing SpringFestival
Feb 08, 2008 ... News Feature: From red lanterns to KTV, China marks changingSpringFestival BEIJING, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- At the mention of Spring Festival,older Chinese may think of red lanterns, long clusters offirecrackers, freshly steamed dumplings and long-anticipated newclothes. But to ...
China's natural gas output accelerates, grows 23.1 pct in 2007
Feb 08, 2008 ... China's natural gas output accelerates, grows 23.1 pct in 2007 BEIJING, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- China's production of natural gasrose 23.1 percent last year, faster than in 2006, to 69.31billioncubic meters as the country used more "clean" energy, anindustry association said. In ...
Major news items in leading Japanese newspapers
Feb 08, 2008 ... Major news items in leading Japanese newspapers TOKYO, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- The following are major news itemsinleading Japanese newspapers on Friday: Asahi: -- The Aichi prefectural police on Thursday arrested former sumostable master Tokitsukaze and three apprentices on ...
China issues draft standards on plastic shopping bags
Feb 08, 2008 ... China issues draft standards on plastic shopping bags BEIJING, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- China's standardization office hasissued draft regulations covering plastic shopping bags, solicitingpublic opinions on the subject. Plastic bags will cost shoppers money as of June 1, and the ...
New Zealand population grows to 4.25 million
Feb 08, 2008 ... New Zealand population grows to 4.25 million WELLINGTON, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- The estimated resident populationof New Zealand stood at 4,252,000 by the end of 2007, Statistics NewZealand said on Friday. The population increased by 40,600 or 1.0 percent in 2007,compared with ...
Dollar trades at lower 107 yen in Tokyo
Feb 08, 2008 ... Dollar trades at lower 107 yen in Tokyo TOKYO, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. dollar was quoted at the lower107 yen range early Friday in Tokyo. At 9:00 a.m., the dollar traded at 107.30-35 yen against 107.44-54 yen in New York and 106.52-54 yen in Tokyo at 5 p.m ....
Stocks end mixed in Argentina, Brazil, Mexico
Feb 08, 2008 ... Stocks end mixed in Argentina, Brazil, Mexico MEXICO CITY, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Latin America's three major stockmarkets closed mixed Thursday. The Buenos Aires stock market closed with the Merval indexdown1.29 percent to 2.013,02 points. The trade volume was 45.246million U.S ....
Tokyo shares open marginally lower
Feb 08, 2008 ... Tokyo shares open marginally lower TOKYO, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks opened marginally lowerFriday after the release of core Japanese private-sectormachineryorders, which declined more than market expectation. In the first 15 minutes of trading, the ...
Xinhua world news summary at 0030 GMT, Feb. 8
Feb 08, 2008 ... Xinhua world news summary at 0030 GMT, Feb. 8 WASHINGTON -- After a two-month delay, U.S. space shuttleAtlantis finally blasted off on Thursday from the Kennedy SpaceCenter, Florida, on a mission to deliver the European Space Agency'sColumbus Laboratory to the International Space ...
Tokyo shares fall in morning
Feb 08, 2008 ... Tokyo shares fall in morning TOKYO, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks went lower on Fridaymorning after the release of core Japanese private-sector machineryorders, which declined more than market expectation. The ...
Brazilian soccer standings
Feb 08, 2008 ... Brazilian soccer standings RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Following are the standings inBrazil's Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro state soccer championshipsafter Thursday's games: Sao Paulo championship (Paulista) Team GP W D L GF GA ...
Brazilian divers travel to Beijing in hopes of securing an Olympic spot
Feb 08, 2008 ... Brazilian divers travel to Beijing in hopes of securing anOlympic spot BRASILIA, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Brazilian diving team willtravel to Beijing on Sunday to compete in a World Cup event. The competition will take place between February 19-25 andwilldefine who will take ...
One more Brazilian tennis player invitated to play in Sauipe Cost
Feb 08, 2008 ... One more Brazilian tennis player invitated to play in Sauipe Cost BRASILIA, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- The organizers of the Sauipe Costtournament confirmed on Thursday the invitation of the Brazilian,Marcos Daniel, in this year's competition. Daniel currently owns the 110th position ...
Chinese community in Panama celebrates Spring Festival
Feb 08, 2008 ... Chinese community in Panama celebrates Spring Festival PANAMA CITY, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese community inPanama,one of the largest in the Central American region, beganThursday its celebrations to mark the Year of the Rat, with highhopes of prosperity in the following 12 ...
Argentina clamps down on diplomats over sale of tax-free cars
Feb 08, 2008 ... Argentina clamps down on diplomats over sale of tax-free cars BUENOS AIRES, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Argentina is tightening itsrules on imports of cars by diplomats following widespread abuse oftax exemptions by officials. An investigation has revealed that up to 81 diplomats ...
Death toll falls in Brazil's 2008 Carnival
Feb 08, 2008 ... Death toll falls in Brazil's 2008 Carnival RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Deaths during the BrazilCarnival fell 11.7 percent this year, Federal Road Police saidThursday. A total of 128 people died as a result of traffic accidentsduring the festival, down from 145 in 2007, ...
Chinese expected to send 17 bln text messages during Spring Festival
Feb 08, 2008 ... Chinese expected to send 17 bln text messages during SpringFestival BEIJING, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese mobile phone operators willbenefit from the country's tradition of exchanging greetings duringLunar New Year as more than 17 billion text messages are expected tobe sent during ...
1st LD: U.S. Congress passes economic stimulus package to fend off recession
Feb 08, 2008 ... 1st LD: U.S. Congress passes economic stimulus package to fendoff recession WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Congress Thursdayoverwhelmingly passed an economic stimulus package which had beensought by President George W. Bush to fend off a possible recession. The House ...
U.S. telecommunications firm to expand into Cambodia
Feb 08, 2008 ... U.S. telecommunications firm to expand into Cambodia PHNOM PENH, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- U.S. telecoms firm 3P Networks hasnegotiated with the Cambodian government to buy up the rights tofrequencies, enabling it to offer cutting-edge multimedia servicesfor the country, said a press ...
Major news items in leading finance newspapers in India
Feb 08, 2008 ... Major news items in leading finance newspapers in India MUMBAI, Feb. 8 (Xinhua -- The following are major news itemsinIndia's leading finance and economics newspapers on Friday. Business Standard: -- Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced on Thursday ...
Man suspected of contracting bird flu in Thai north
Feb 08, 2008 ... Man suspected of contracting bird flu in Thai north BANGKOK, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- A man in Thailand's northern provincePhichit was suspected of contracting bird flu as he was found withhigh fever for two days after contact with dead chickens, media herereported Friday. Khanueng ...
Israeli PM to visit Japan in February
Feb 08, 2008 ... Israeli PM to visit Japan in February TOKYO, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert willvisit Japan later this month and hold talks with hisJapanesecounterpart Yasuo Fukuda, Japanese foreign ministry saidFriday. The premier's trip, scheduled for Feb. 25-28, is ...
Xinhua world economic news summary at 0430 GMT, Feb. 8
Feb 08, 2008 ... Xinhua world economic news summary at 0430 GMT, Feb. 8 DAMASCUS -- Syria and Greece signed on Thursday a protocol of theseventh session of the joint committee for economic, scientific andtechnical cooperation, the official SANA news agency reported. A cooperation agreement in ...
Chinese state councilor to visit Britain, Japan, ROK
Feb 08, 2008 ... Chinese state councilor to visit Britain, Japan, ROK BEIJING, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuanwill pay official visits to Britain and Japan from Feb. 16at theinvitation of the governments of the two countries, announcedForeign ...
Alleged kidney transplant racket Indian kingpin nabbed in Nepal
Feb 08, 2008 ... Alleged kidney transplant racket Indian kingpin nabbed in Nepal KATHMANDU, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- A special team of the Kathmandupolice Thursday arrested Indian national Dr. Amit Kumar, the allegedkingpin in the kidney transplant racket, local newspaper TheHimalayan Times reported on ...
Brazil to boost agribusiness exports to Arab countries
Feb 08, 2008 ... Brazil to boost agribusiness exports to Arab countries RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian Minister ofAgriculture Reinhold Stephanes signed Thursday an agreement with theBrazilian-Arab Chamber of Commerce aimed at boosting commercialpartnerships with 22 Arabic-speaking ...
EU delegation lauds economic progress of Cambodia
Feb 08, 2008 ... EU delegation lauds economic progress of Cambodia PHNOM PENH, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- An European Union (EU) delegationhere on Friday highlighted Cambodia's economic progressand labeledthe country as a place of peace, security and stability. "We are very impressed with the progress ...
Empire State Building lit up in red, yellow for Lunar New Year
Feb 08, 2008 ... Empire State Building lit up in red, yellow for Lunar New Year NEW YORK, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Empire State Building (ESB)inNew York lit its world-famous tower red and yellow Thursdayevening to ring in Lunar New Year, a joyous occasion celebrating thebeginning of the calendar year ...
Single Visa to be achieved for Cambodia and 5 neighbors by 2015
Feb 08, 2008 ... Single Visa to be achieved for Cambodia and 5 neighbors by 2015 PHNOM PENH, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Tourism experts have announcedthat visitors to the Mekong Sub-region may be able to buy asinglevisa for visiting Cambodia and five of its neighbors by 2015,saidnational web magazine ...
Dollar hovers at lower 107 yen at noon
Feb 08, 2008 ... Dollar hovers at lower 107 yen at noon TOKYO, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. dollar stayed firm against theJapanese yen on Friday morning, changing hands at lower 107 yenrange. At noon, the dollar traded at 107.35-38 yen against 107.44-54 yenin New ...
Indian stock market opens up 83.14 points
Feb 08, 2008 ... Indian stock market opens up 83.14 points MUMBAI, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Indian shares opened higher on Friday,with the key Sensex index up 047 percent shortly after opening. Sensex rose 83.14 points, or 047 percent to 17,610.07 ...
Thaksin may return before May: Thai FM
Feb 08, 2008 ... Thaksin may return before May: Thai FM BANGKOK, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- There is a possibility that oustedpremier Thaksin Shinawatra may return to Thailand before May,Foreign Minister Noppadol Pattama said Friday. Noppadol said that he would suggest the deposed premier tocomeback ...
EU delegation doubts land concession policy of Cambodia
Feb 08, 2008 ... EU delegation doubts land concession policy of Cambodia PHNOM PENH, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- A European Union (EU)delegationhere on Friday expressed doubt about the land concessionpolicy ofthe Cambodian government and also provided ways to addressits negative effect. Some companies ...
Indonesia to limit sales of subsidized fuels in May
Feb 08, 2008 ... Indonesia to limit sales of subsidized fuels in May JAKARTA, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian government willproceed with its plan to limit the sales of subsidized fuels,withsome part of the savings to go to subsidizing food staples,local press said Friday. The move would go ...
Shenhua insider confirms Chinese firms to invest in Australian minecompany
Feb 08, 2008 ... Shenhua insider confirms Chinese firms to invest in Australianminecompany BEIJING, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- China Shenhua Energy and ChinaInvestment Corp have talked with Australia's third largest iron oremine company to buy its stake worth 2 billion U.S. dollars,aninsider with China ...
ADB and other donors to proceed water supply project for Nepal
Feb 08, 2008 ... ADB and other donors to proceed water supply project for Nepal MANILA, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) saidon Friday a water-supply project in Nepal that includes tunneling26 kilometers through a mountain to ease chronic water shortages inKathmandu looks set to ...
Indonesia threatens to drop soccer final after fan killed
Feb 08, 2008 ... Indonesia threatens to drop soccer final after fan killed JAKARTA, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian government wouldpossibly drop the final match of the Indonesian Premier Leaguefollowing the death of a supporter during the semifinals, localpress said Friday. "There will be ...
PetroChina service stations' non-oil sales were 665 mln yuan in 2007
Feb 08, 2008 ... PetroChina service stations' non-oil sales were 665 mln yuan in2007 BEIJING, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- China's largest oil producer,PetroChina, has reported sales of 655 million yuan (91 million U.S.dollars) in non-oil business at its filling stations last year. The state-owned ...
Germany remains top source of China's sedan imports
Feb 08, 2008 ... Germany remains top source of China's sedan imports BEIJING,Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- China imported 139,900 sedans in 2007, up 25.13percent over the previous year, with the largest share of 46percent, or 63,800 units, coming from Germany, China Customs figuresrevealed. The sedan imports ...