Xinhua News Agency back issues from Thursday, February 14:
Opener, Advisory
Feb 14, 2008 ... Xinhua News Agency closes its cycle of English serviceforWednesday, february 13, 2008, and begins ...
Fires during Spring Festival claim 59 in China
Feb 14, 2008 ... Fires during Spring Festival claim 59 in China BEIJING, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Fifty-nine people lost their livesin10,360 fires during the Spring Festival holiday in China, accordingto the fire control bureau of the Ministry of Public Security onWednesday. Another 19 people ...
Chinese railways carry 24 mln passengers during Spring Festival holiday
Feb 14, 2008 ... Chinese railways carry 24 mln passengers during Spring Festivalholiday BEIJING, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese railways had carried24.47million passengers during the weeklong Spring Festival holiday,the Ministry of Railways said on Wednesday. The figure was a bit smaller than 26 ...
NATO summit to focus on enlargement, operations in Afghanistan, Kosovo: Scheffer
Feb 14, 2008 ... NATO summit to focus on enlargement, operations in Afghanistan,Kosovo: Scheffer BUCHAREST, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- The NATO summit in Bucharest willprove that the member states are dedicated to the NATO enlargementas well as Afghanistan and Kosovo, NATO Secretary General Jaap deHoop ...
ArcelorMittal sees profit up in 2007
Feb 14, 2008 ... ArcelorMittal sees profit up in 2007 MUMBAI, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- ArcelorMittal, the world's largeststeel company, reported on Wednesday an annual net profit of10.36billion U.S. dollars in 2007. The results represented a 30 percent increase from 2006 when thesteelmaker posted ...
Domestic news items from Xinhua -- Feb. 13
Feb 14, 2008 ... Domestic news items from Xinhua -- Feb. 13 BEIJING, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Following are Domestic newsitemsreleased by Xinhua on Wednesday: 2nd Ld-Writethru: China vows to normalize life, production insnow-hit areas as early as possible Two teenage skaters drowned in SW ...
News items from Asia-Pacific Desk of Xinhua (Part 2)
Feb 14, 2008 ... News items from Asia-Pacific Desk of Xinhua (Part 2) HONG KONG, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- The following are news items fromthe Asia-Pacific Desk of Xinhua in Hong Kong Wednesday: Taiwan stocks end down -- Feb. 13 Foreign exchange rates in Hong Kong -- Feb. 13 Cathay ...
Short track champion Radanova tops January sport media rankings
Feb 14, 2008 ... Short track champion Radanova tops January sport media rankings SOFIA, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- The short track champion EvgeniiaRadanova took the first place in the January rankings of Bulgaria'ssport media and was awarded a gold badge at a ceremony,local pressreported on ...
Exhausted Gustavo Kuerten leaves tennis court with pains in Brazil Open
Feb 14, 2008 ... Exhausted Gustavo Kuerten leaves tennis court with pains inBrazil Open BRASILIA, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- In the late hours of Tuesday night,leading into Wednesday morning, the Brazilian tennis sensation,Gustavo "Guga" Kuerten lost to Carlos Berlocq in BrazilOpen. The loss means ...
Xinhua Middle East news summary at 2200 GMT, Feb. 13
Feb 14, 2008 ... Xinhua Middle East news summary at 2200 GMT, Feb. 13 BAGHDAD -- An abducted interpreter working with U.S. CBS TVhasbeen released, but a foreign journalist remains in captivity,Iraqi media report Wednesday. The interpreter has been released and moved to the Qasr al-Sultan ...
Corinthians soccer team hopes to sign Diogo Rincon for the 2008 season
Feb 14, 2008 ... Corinthians soccer team hopes to sign Diogo Rincon for the 2008season BRASILIA, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Diogo Rincon is close to being the15th addition to the soccer club of Corinthians this year, since theplayer from Dynamo Kiev of Ukraine, is expected to arrive to theCorinthians ...
U.S. Senate endorses waterboarding ban
Feb 14, 2008 ... U.S. Senate endorses waterboarding ban WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Senate endorsed a billWednesday that bars the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from usingwaterboarding on terror suspects. It passed the Senate on a 51-45 vote. The bill, previously ...
Seven crime syndicate suspects arrested in Mexico City
Feb 14, 2008 ... Seven crime syndicate suspects arrested in Mexico City MEXICO CITY, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Seven people allegedlyworkingfor the notorious Sinaloa organized crime syndicate werearrested here Wednesday, the Public Security Ministry announced. The detainees aroused police suspicion ...
Market exchange rates -- Feb. 14
Feb 14, 2008 ... Market exchange rates -- Feb. 14 BEIJING, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- The central parity rate of theRMBagainst five major currencies announced on Feb. 14 by the ChinaForeign Exchange Trading System: Currency Unit Middle Price (in RMB yuan) U.S. Dollar ...
Ecuador negotiating release of FARC hostages
Feb 14, 2008 ... Ecuador negotiating release of FARC hostages QUITO, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Ecuadorian President Rafael Correasaid Wednesday he is negotiating with his French and Venezuelancounterparts the release of hostages held by Colombia'sRevolutionary Armed Forces (FARC). Correa Wednesday ...
Singapore lowers 2008 growth forecast to 4-6 percent
Feb 14, 2008 ... Singapore lowers 2008 growth forecast to 4-6 percent SINGAPORE, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- Singapore lowered its 2008economic growth forecast to 4-6 percent from the previous 4.5-6.6percent amid concerns that the United States will enter a recessionin the first half of the year, the Trade ...
Protesting workers clash with police in Panama
Feb 14, 2008 ... Protesting workers clash with police in Panama PANAMA CITY, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Construction workers protestingagainst the killing of one of their colleagues clashed with policein Panama City Wednesday. According to Construction Workers Labour Union leader SaulMendez, a ...
GOP House leaders endorse McCain
Feb 14, 2008 ... GOP House leaders endorse McCain WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.),whoswept three Feb. 12 Republican nomination contests, wonendorsement from the House Republican leadership Wednesday. McCain met the GOP House leadership behind closed doors in ...
Xinhua international news advisory -- Feb. 14
Feb 14, 2008 ... Xinhua international news advisory -- Feb. 14 BEIJING, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- The following are some of the majorinternational news stories scheduled to be covered or pursued ...
Uruguay reaffirms one China policy
Feb 14, 2008 ... Uruguay reaffirms one China policy MONTEVIDEO, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- The Uruguayan government willstick to the one China policy, Foreign Minister Reinaldo Gargano hasreaffirmed. Gargano made the remarks Tuesday when attending a ceremony at theChinese embassy to celebrate the ...
Chinese share prices open slightly higher
Feb 14, 2008 ... Chinese share prices open slightly higher BEIJING, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese shares opened slightlyhigher Thursday, with market mood buoyed up partly by overnightannouncement of financial boost to the U.S. economy. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index opened at 4,527.05 ...
Death toll from bus plunge in southwest China rises to 23
Feb 14, 2008 ... Death toll from bus plunge in southwest China rises to 23 GUIYANG, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from a bus crashinsouthwest China's Guizhou Province on Tuesday has risen to 23after rescuers recovered another body and a seriously injured persondied in hospital, the provincial ...
1st Ld-Writethru: Vietnamese man dies from bird flu
Feb 14, 2008 ... 1st Ld-Writethru: Vietnamese man dies from bird flu HANOI, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's Health Ministry confirmedthat a 40-year-old man from northern Hai Duong province died on Feb.13 after four days of treatment in Hanoi, local newspaper YoungPeople reported Thursday. The ...
Major news items in leading Japanese newspapers
Feb 14, 2008 ... Major news items in leading Japanese newspapers TOKYO, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- The following are major news items inleading Japanese newspapers on Thursday: Japan Times: -- As anger spreads throughout Okinawa over the allegedweekendrape by a U.S. Marine of a 14-year-old ...
Urgent: Vietnamese man dies of bird flu
Feb 14, 2008 ... Urgent: Vietnamese man dies of bird flu HANOI, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's Health Ministryconfirmedthat the country's latest human case of bird flu infectionwas a 40-year-old man from northern Hai Duong ...
Brazil arrests 31 for social security fraud
Feb 14, 2008 ... Brazil arrests 31 for social security fraud RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's Federal PoliceWednesday arrested 31 people for alleged social security fraud inthe states of Para and Maranhao in northern Brazil. The detainees, including seven administrative public ...
Brazil admits exports of uninspected beef to EU
Feb 14, 2008 ... Brazil admits exports of uninspected beef to EU RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's Minister ofAgriculture Reinhold Stephanes admitted Wednesday that Brazilianexporters had sold beef that had not undergone proper sanitaryinspections, contributing to the embargo on the ...
Tokyo stocks soar in the morning session
Feb 14, 2008 ... Tokyo stocks soar in the morning session TOKYO, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks surged more than 2percent Thursday morning. The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average gained 364.74 ...
Three arrested in counterfeit train ticket scam in southern China
Feb 14, 2008 ... Three arrested in counterfeit train ticket scam in southern China GUANGZHOU, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- Police in southern Guangzhou cityhave arrested three people suspected of making more than 50,000 faketrain tickets worth 4 million yuan during the Spring Festival travelpeak. The ...
Panic in Paraguay over urbanization of yellow fever
Feb 14, 2008 ... Panic in Paraguay over urbanization of yellow fever BUENOS AIRES, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Panic hit the outskirts ofParaguay's capital Asuncion Wednesday as thousands of people racedtoget yellow fever vaccinations after two cases, one of them fatal,were uncovered in the city. At ...
Strike hits life in Nepal
Feb 14, 2008 ... Strike hits life in Nepal KATHMANDU, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- Normal life in some Nepalidistricts, especially those in the south, has come to astandstillfollowing the indefinite strike called by variousagitating Madhesi and ethnic groups from Wednesday, local newspaperThe Kathmandu ...
Bangkok Rice F.O.B. Prices
Feb 14, 2008 ... Bangkok Rice F.O.B. Prices BANGKOK, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- The following are offered Bangkokrice f.o.b. prices, as set by the Rice Committee Board of TradeofThailand, for the week starting Thursday: U.S. Dollar/Metric Ton Last week This week Jasmine ...
Brazil industrial employment up 2.2 percent last year
Feb 14, 2008 ... Brazil industrial employment up 2.2 percent last year RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian industry employedin2007 2.2 percent more workers than in 2006, Brazil's Geography andStatistics Institute (IBGE) said Wednesday. According to the institute, it was the biggest ...
Bulgaria to set up giant energy company
Feb 14, 2008 ... Bulgaria to set up giant energy company SOFIA, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Bulgaria is to merge five powercompanies into one of the largest energy entities in the region, thegovernment's information service said Wednesday. Bulgarian Energy Holding will be composed of gas ...
Dollar trades at lower 108 yen in Tokyo
Feb 14, 2008 ... Dollar trades at lower 108 yen in Tokyo TOKYO, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. dollar traded at the lower108 yen level early Thursday in Tokyo. At 9 a.m., the dollar was quoted at 108.24-29 yen against 108.29-39 yen in New York and ...
U.S. tightens sanctions against Syria
Feb 14, 2008 ... U.S. tightens sanctions against Syria WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President George W. Bushannounced here Wednesday that his country is beefing up sanctionsagainst Syria amid accusations that it is destabilizing Iraq andLebanon. "I wish to emphasize, as well, my ...
Brazil's inflation rate stands at 0.54 percent in January
Feb 14, 2008 ... Brazil's inflation rate stands at 0.54 percent in January RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Inflation in Brazilreached0.54 percent in January, down from 0.74 percent in Decemberlast year, the Brazilian Geography and Statistics Institute (IBGE)saidWednesday. The result was ...
Trapattoni confirmed as Ireland manager
Feb 14, 2008 ... Trapattoni confirmed as Ireland manager LONDON, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Irish Football Association hasconfirmed the appointment of Giovanni Trapattoni as the new managerof the national soccer team. The former Italy coach, who has agreed a two-year deal, willleave Austrian ...
Xinhua home news advisory -- Feb. 14
Feb 14, 2008 ... Xinhua home news advisory -- Feb. 14 BEIJING, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- Major home news items to be coveredor pursued by Xinhua on Thursday: 1. China not to levy property tax within two years: official 2. Grain, oil prices stable in disaster-hit areas 3. Profit to ...
Thai badminton stars start training for Beijing 2008
Feb 14, 2008 ... Thai badminton stars start training for Beijing 2008 BANGKOK, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Thai badminton team will havespecial training for this year's Olympic Games in Beijing, saidpresident of the Badminton Association of Thailand (BAT) CharoenWattanasin. The president said ...
Tokyo stocks open higher
Feb 14, 2008 ... Tokyo stocks open higher TOKYO, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks rose over 2.5 percent atthe outset of trading Thursday. In the first 15 minutes of trading, the 225-issue Nikkei StockAverage gained 351.98 ...
Xinhua world news summary at 0030 GMT, Feb. 14
Feb 14, 2008 ... Xinhua world news summary at 0030 GMT, Feb. 14 WASHINGTON -- The United States said on Wednesday peoples ofKosovo should "move forward" towards independence amid Russia'swarning that a unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovowould violate international law and damage ...
Major news items in leading Australian newspapers
Feb 14, 2008 ... Major news items in leading Australian newspapers CANBERRA, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- The following are major news itemsin leading Australian newspapers on Thursday. The Australian: -- Kevin Rudd has enshrined the national apology as a "newbeginning" and seeks a bipartisan ...
Stocks end higher in Argentina, Brazil, Mexico
Feb 14, 2008 ... Stocks end higher in Argentina, Brazil, Mexico MEXICO CITY, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Latin America's three majorstock markets closed higher Wednesday. The Buenos Aires stock market closed with the Merval index up0.45 percent to 2,043.43 points. The trade volume was 24.1millionU.S ....
Brazil reports new yellow fever death
Feb 14, 2008 ... Brazil reports new yellow fever death BRASILIA, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's Health Ministry Wednesdayconfirmed a new death from yellow fever in the state of Mato Grosso,bringing the total number of victims to 15 in the country. A worker in the town of Novo Sao Joaquim, in the ...
Brazilian couple accused of murdering private eye hired by wife to probe husband's fidelity
Feb 14, 2008 ... Brazilian couple accused of murdering private eye hired by wifeto probe husband's fidelity RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- A Brazilian couple areaccused of murdering a private detective who had been hired bythewife to investigate her husband's fidelity, Brazilian ...
Argentina's hockey coach resigns
Feb 14, 2008 ... Argentina's hockey coach resigns BUENOS AIRES, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Argentina's men's field hockeycoach Sergio Vigil resigned on Wednesday after returning from NewZealand, where his team was eliminated from the Beijing 2008 OlympicGames in China. "It is a indeclinable ...
Casino industry to provide 20 mln USD of tax for Cambodia in 2008
Feb 14, 2008 ... Casino industry to provide 20 mln USD of tax for Cambodia in 2008PHNOM PENH, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- The burgeoning casino industry isexpected to provide 20 million U.S. dollars of tax revenues fortheCambodian government in 2008, said national English-Khmer newspaperthe Cambodian Daily on ...
Indonesia to import oil from Libya
Feb 14, 2008 ... Indonesia to import oil from Libya JAKARTA, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia will import 150,000barrels of crude oil daily from Libya for 20 years to meet thedemand from an oil refinery plant in the Banten province, IndonesianMinister of Energy Purnomo Yusgiantoro said here. The ...
Japanese financial firms' losses due to U.S. subprime crisis double previous estimate
Feb 14, 2008 ... Japanese financial firms' losses due to U.S. subprime crisisdouble previous estimate TOKYO, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. subprime mortgages crisiscost Japanese financial firms and institutions about 600 billion yen(about 5.58 billion U.S. dollars) over related investment ...
Developed countries urged to lead emissions cuts efforts at UN debate
Feb 14, 2008 ... Developed countries urged to lead emissions cuts efforts at UNdebate UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Delegates at a UN high-leveldebate on climate change Wednesday urged developed countries to takethe lead in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the major contributorto global ...
1st CPN-M poll mass meeting held in Nepali capital
Feb 14, 2008 ... 1st CPN-M poll mass meeting held in Nepali capital KATHMANDU, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Communist Party of Nepal(Maoist) (CPN-M) Wednesday issued a strong worded warning that itwould be forced to join a decisive movement if there were attemptstodisrupt the upcoming elections thereby ...
1st Ld: Malaysia to hold general election on March 8, Election Commission
Feb 14, 2008 ... 1st Ld: Malaysia to hold general election on March 8, ElectionCommission KUALA LUMPUR, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia will hold its generalelection on March 8, said the country's Election Commission onThursday. ...
2nd Ld: Malaysia to hold general election on March 8, Election Commission
Feb 14, 2008 ... 2nd Ld: Malaysia to hold general election on March 8, ElectionCommission KUALA LUMPUR, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia will hold its generalelection on March 8, said the country's Election Commission onThursday. Candidates will be nominated on Feb. 24, said Election ...
Urgent: Malaysia to hold geneeral election in March, Election Commission
Feb 14, 2008 ... Urgent: Malaysia to hold geneeral election in March, ElectionCommission KUALA LUMPUR, Feb. 14 ...
Hun Sen declares Cambodia as terrorism-free
Feb 14, 2008 ... Hun Sen declares Cambodia as terrorism-free PHNOM PENH, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia is terrorism-free andmust stay this way if the tourism industry is to continuegrowing,national English-Khmer newspaper the Cambodian Daily quotedPrime Minister Hun Sen as saying Thursday. Hun ...
Titan's surface organics surpass oil reserves on Earth
Feb 14, 2008 ... Titan's surface organics surpass oil reserves on Earth WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- According to new data from NASA'sCassini spacecraft, Saturn's orange moon Titan has hundredsof timesmore liquid hydrocarbons than all the known oil and natural gasreserves on Earth, NASA ...
China to spend more on severe winter weather relief
Feb 14, 2008 ... China to spend more on severe winter weather relief BEIJING, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Finance hasspent 2.7 billion yuan (375 million U.S. dollars) over the pastmonth on relief for areas affected by the severe winter weather andhas allocated another 6.3 billion yuan ...
No divorce on Valentine's Day in Thailand's provincial capital
Feb 14, 2008 ... No divorce on Valentine's Day in Thailand's provincial capital BANGKOK, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- Any couple who file for divorceinthe provincial seat of Thailand's northeastern province of Roi Etwill be turned down on Thursday, the St. Valentine's day, newspaperThe Nation reported ...
Meat leading Brazil's exports in January
Feb 14, 2008 ... Meat leading Brazil's exports in January RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's exports of beef,pork and poultry exceeded the country's exports of soybeans inJanuary, the Brazilian government said Wednesday. The meat sales abroad amounted to 898 million U.S. dollars ...
Major news items in leading finance newspapers in India
Feb 14, 2008 ... Major news items in leading finance newspapers in India MUMBAI, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- The following are major news items inleading Indian finance and economics newspapers on Thursday. Business Standard: -- The Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Act of 2005, whichcompletedtwo ...
Xinhua world economic news summary at 0430 GMT, Feb. 14
Feb 14, 2008 ... Xinhua world economic news summary at 0430 GMT, Feb. 14 NAIROBI -- Kenya's flower council announced here Wednesdaythatits earnings from the commodity rose by 87 percent to 43 billionshillings (about 616 million U.S. dollars) in 2007 from 23billionshillings (about 328 million ...
Major news items in leading Indian newspapers
Feb 14, 2008 ... Major news items in leading Indian newspapers NEW DELHI, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- Following are major news items inleading Indian newspapers on Thursday. The Hindu: -- Emerging economies like India are not insulated from theimpact of a slowdown in the United States and ...
Dollar reaches 1-month high in Tokyo
Feb 14, 2008 ... Dollar reaches 1-month high in Tokyo TOKYO, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. dollar traded at the lower108 yen level, a one-month high, Thursday morning in Tokyo. At noon, the dollar was quoted at 108.08-13 yen against 108.29-39 yen in New ...
Vietnam's first satellite ready for launch
Feb 14, 2008 ... Vietnam's first satellite ready for launch HANOI, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's first satellite, slated forbeing launched in French Guyana in South America, is scheduledto gointo orbit on April 10, a week later than planned, local newspaperVietnam News reported Thursday. The ...