Xinhua News Agency back issues from Wednesday, August 20:
Danish artist voices doubts on "fair trial" in Jordan
Aug 20, 2008 ... Danish artist voices doubts on "fair trial" in Jordan AMMAN, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Kurt Westergaard, the Danish artist inthe Islamic Prophet cartoon dispute, voiced concerns about whetherhe could receive a "fair trial" in Jordan, local daily The JordanTimes reported on Wednesday ....
Xinhua Middle East news advisory -- Aug. 20
Aug 20, 2008 ... Xinhua Middle East news advisory -- Aug. 20 CAIRO, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The following are some of major MiddleEast news stories due to be covered or pursued by Xinhua News Agencyon Wednesday. -- The 13th session of the Yemeni-Jordanian Higher Committeekicks off in Amman ...
Major progress reported in building Jordan's Baptism Site: official
Aug 20, 2008 ... Major progress reported in building Jordan's Baptism Site:official AMMAN, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Jordan's tourist authorities has mademajor headway in efforts to build the Baptism Site, where Jesus wassaid to be baptized, into a global pilgrimage destination, localdaily The Jordan ...
Amman mulls to build metro rail
Aug 20, 2008 ... Amman mulls to build metro rail AMMAN, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Jordan is considering to build a metrorail in capital of Amman, as an alternative to a light rail systemin the city, local daily The Jordan Times reported on Wednesday. The metro plans in the first stage to link ...
Major news items in leading Israeli newspapers
Aug 20, 2008 ... Major news items in leading Israeli newspapers JERUSALEM, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The following are major news itemsin leading Israeli newspapers on Wednesday. Ha'aretz: -- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will be questioned undercaution for the sixth time this Friday ....
Major news items in leading Turkish newspapers
Aug 20, 2008 ... Major news items in leading Turkish newspapers ANKARA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The following are major news items inleading Turkish newspapers on Wednesday.MILLIYET (National): -- A suicide bomber detonated a bomb Tuesday on the highway inAdana-Mersin provinces in ...
Int'l campaigners' vessels arrive in Cyprus, last stop before sailing to Gaza
Aug 20, 2008 ... Int'l campaigners' vessels arrive in Cyprus, last stop beforesailing to Gaza GAZA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Boats carrying internationalcampaigners arrived Tuesday to Cyprus, their last stop beforesailing to Gaza Strip to challenge the Israeli blockade on thePalestinian territory, an ...
Urgent: Lebanese PM arrives in Baghdad
Aug 20, 2008 ... Urgent: Lebanese PM arrives in Baghdad BAGHDAD, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad al-Sanyoura ...
Major news items in leading Iranian newspapers
Aug 20, 2008 ... Major news items in leading Iranian newspapers TEHRAN, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The following are major news items inleading Iranian newspapers on Wednesday. Tehran Times: -- Iran's state-owned nuclear production company has signed anagreement with six local companies to ...
Israel closes Gaza border crossings over rocket fire
Aug 20, 2008 ... Israel closes Gaza border crossings over rocket fire JERUSALEM, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Defense Minister EhudBarak ordered the border crossings with the Gaza Strip to be closedbetween Wednesday morning and Thursday afternoon in response to aQassam rocket attack from the ...
1st LD: Lebanese PM arrives in Baghdad
Aug 20, 2008 ... 1st LD: Lebanese PM arrives in Baghdad BAGHDAD, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad al-Sanyoura arrived in Baghdad on Wednesday and was received by hiscounterpart Nuri al-Maliki, Iraqi official television reported. The Iraqia channel aired footage showing Maliki ...
Twin bombs kill 11, wound 31 in Algeria
Aug 20, 2008 ... Twin bombs kill 11, wound 31 in Algeria ALGIERS, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Two car bombs hit the town of Bouirasoutheast of the Algerian capital, killing 11 people and wounding 31others on Wednesday, the official APS news agency reported ....
Hamas: captive soldier's fate to be similar to Ron Arad's
Aug 20, 2008 ... Hamas: captive soldier's fate to be similar to Ron Arad's GAZA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) on Wednesday said the Israeli soldier it holds in Gaza willbe considered missing if Israel kept delaying prisoner exchange. "The fate of the captive ...
Turkey strongly condemns attack in Algeria
Aug 20, 2008 ... Turkey strongly condemns attack in Algeria ANKARA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Turkey on Wednesday stronglycondemned the abhorrent terrorist attack in Algeria which took placeon Tuesday and claimed more than 40 lives and left many otherswounded. Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a ...
Major news items in leading Egyptian newspapers
Aug 20, 2008 ... Major news items in leading Egyptian newspapers CAIRO, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The following are major news items inleading Egyptian newspapers on Wednesday. Al Ahram: -- A terrible fire broke out at the Egyptian Shura Council (upper house of the parliament) Tuesday ...
Hamas denies factions to head for talks in Cairo
Aug 20, 2008 ... Hamas denies factions to head for talks in Cairo GAZA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Hamas on Wednesday denied reports thatthe Palestinian factions will head for Cairo next week to meetEgyptian officials and discuss the resumption of inter- Palestiniandialogue. Ismail al-Ashqar, a ...
Iraqi security forces detain son of Sunni leader
Aug 20, 2008 ... Iraqi security forces detain son of Sunni leader BAGHDAD, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi security forces detained theson of a key Sunni leader for accusations of displacing Shiitefamilies, a security spokesman said on Wednesday. "Iraqi security forces arrested the defendant ...
Palestinian reconciliation on agenda of Hamas-Jordan talks
Aug 20, 2008 ... Palestinian reconciliation on agenda of Hamas-Jordan talks GAZA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- A Hamas official on Wednesday saidinternal Palestinian reconciliation were the main subject of the newtalks between his movement and Jordan. Any tie between Hamas and Arab countries "should ...
Jordan frees prisoners who kill Israeli soldiers
Aug 20, 2008 ... Jordan frees prisoners who kill Israeli soldiers AMMAN, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Jordan has released four prisoners,who killed Israelis and were transferred from Israeli prisons tocontinue their terms back home, official news agency Petra reportedon Wednesday. Public Security ...
Olmert cheers for Israel's first Beijing Olympics medal
Aug 20, 2008 ... Olmert cheers for Israel's first Beijing Olympics medal JERUSALEM, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmertcalled Wednesday to congratulate Shahar Zubari, an Israeliwindsurfer who won the Jewish state's first medal - a bronze medal -at the 2008 Beijing Olympics ....
Iraq, Lebanon to sign agreements soon
Aug 20, 2008 ... Iraq, Lebanon to sign agreements soon BAGHDAD, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Iraq and Lebanon agreed to signagreements soon in different fields during the visit of LebanesePrime Minister to Baghdad on Wednesday. In a televised news conference, the Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki ...
Fayyad: Ending split between Palestinian territories possible
Aug 20, 2008 ... Fayyad: Ending split between Palestinian territories possible RAMALLAH, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Salam Fayyad, Prime Minister of thecaretaker Palestinian government on Wednesday said restoringpolitical unity between Palestinian territories was possible. "This is possible by ...
Jordan's stock market index closes lower
Aug 20, 2008 ... Jordan's stock market index closes lower AMMAN, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The shares price index of Jordan'sAmman stock market closed at 4,100 points on Wednesday, down ...
Roundup: Appointing new Lebanese army commander, launching national dialogue call for consensus
Aug 20, 2008 ... Roundup: Appointing new Lebanese army commander, launchingnational dialogue call for consensus By Suzan Haidamous BEIRUT, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese political leaders have beencarrying intensive contacts to reach consensus regarding theappointment of a new army commander ...
New terminal of Dubai int'l airport to open from October
Aug 20, 2008 ... New terminal of Dubai int'l airport to open from October ABU DHABI, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Dubai International Airport's 4. 5-billion-U.S.-dollar new terminal, or Terminal 3, will come intooperation from Oct. 14 this year, the airport's operator DubaiAirports announced on Wednesday ....
Sudanese president denies genocide charges in Turkey
Aug 20, 2008 ... Sudanese president denies genocide charges in Turkey ANKARA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, who was charged with genocide in Darfur by InternationalCriminal Court (ICC) last month, denied the charges in Turkey onWednesday, the semi-official Anatolia ...
Arab League condemns terrorist attack in Algeria
Aug 20, 2008 ... Arab League condemns terrorist attack in Algeria CAIRO, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Cairo-based Arab League (AL)Wednesday strongly condemned a suicide bombing attack that killedsome 43 people and wounded 45 others in eastern Algeria on Tuesday. In a statement issued Wednesday, ...
Tel Aviv stock exchange index closes higher
Aug 20, 2008 ... Tel Aviv stock exchange index closes higher JERUSALEM, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Tel Aviv Stock Exchangegeneral share index closed at ...
Iran to send first astronaut to space in ten years: report
Aug 20, 2008 ... Iran to send first astronaut to space in ten years: report TEHRAN, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Space Organization chief RezaTaghipour Wednesday said Iran will send its first astronaut to spacewithin the following decade, the semi-official Fars news agencyreported. The exact ...
Iran, IAEA positive talks to continue
Aug 20, 2008 ... Iran, IAEA positive talks to continue TEHRAN, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Deputy chief of Iran's Atomic EnergyOrganization Mohammad Saeedi Wednesday said positive talks betweenInternational Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Iran will continue inthe future, the official IRNA news agency ...
Israelis abroad warned of abduction by Hezbollah
Aug 20, 2008 ... Israelis abroad warned of abduction by Hezbollah JERUSALEM, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister's Office(PMO) Wednesday issued a renewed warning to Israelis abroadregarding Hezbollah's intent to abduct or attack Israeli citizensaround the world, local daily Jerusalem Post ...
Egypt condemns bomb attacks in Algeria
Aug 20, 2008 ... Egypt condemns bomb attacks in Algeria CAIRO, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed AliAbul Gheit on Wednesday strongly condemned the terrorist attacksthat killed more than 50 people and injured scores of others inAlgeria in the past two days. In a message ...
Two civilians injured in PKK attack in southeastern Turkey
Aug 20, 2008 ... Two civilians injured in PKK attack in southeastern Turkey ANKARA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Two Turkish civilians were injuredwhen members of the outlawed Kurdish Worker's Party (PKK) openedfire on four vehicles in southeastern Turkey, the semi-officialAnatolia news agency reported on ...
Xinhua Middle East news summary at 2100 GMT, Aug. 20
Aug 20, 2008 ... Xinhua Middle East news summary at 2100 GMT, Aug. 20 ALGIERS -- Two car bombs hit the town of Bouira southeast of theAlgerian capital on Wednesday, killing 11 people and wounding 31others, the official APS news agency reported. One car bomb hit a hotel in the town and another ...
Egypt launches investigation into parliament building fire
Aug 20, 2008 ... Egypt launches investigation into parliament building fire CAIRO, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Egyptian government on Wednesdaylaunched an investigation into the cause of a fire, which broke outTuesday afternoon in the parliament building, and is ruling out thepossibility of arson or ...
Roundup: Pro-Palestinian activists set sail to challenge Gaza blockade amid Israeli warning
Aug 20, 2008 ... Roundup: Pro-Palestinian activists set sail to challenge Gazablockade amid Israeli warning by Deng Yushan, Huang Heng JERUSALEM, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- A group of pro-Palestinianactivists are determined to embark Thursday on an unpredictablevoyage for the Gaza Strip, in a bid ...
Tokyo stocks open lower
Aug 20, 2008 ... Tokyo stocks open lower TOKYO, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks opened lower Thursday. In the first 15 minutes of trading, the 225-issue Nikkei StockAverage lost 23.33 points, or 0.18 ...
Dollar trades in upper 109 yen in Tokyo
Aug 20, 2008 ... Dollar trades in upper 109 yen in Tokyo TOKYO, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. dollar traded in the upper109 yen range early Thursday in Tokyo. At 9 a.m., the dollar was quoted at 109.70-75 yen against 109. 81-91 yen in New York ...
Pacific Islands leaders express concerns over Fiji situation
Aug 20, 2008 ... Pacific Islands leaders express concerns over Fiji situation ALOFI, Niue, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of the Pacific IslandsForum (PIF) on Wednesday expressed "serious" concerns at Fiji'sabsence to this year's PIF summit, urging the country's interimgovernment to honor its ...
Major news items in leading Japanese newspapers
Aug 20, 2008 ... Major news items in leading Japanese newspapers TOKYO, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- The following are major news items inleading Japanese newspapers on Thursday: Yomiuri: -- Tuesday's decision to start the next extraordinary Dietsession in the middle of September was a result ...
Cambodian government mulls foreign ownership of buildings, offices: media
Aug 20, 2008 ... Cambodian government mulls foreign ownership of buildings,offices: media PHNOM PENH, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Cambodian government ismulling to allow foreigners to own condominiums and office buildingsin order to prevent a possible downturn in property values and boostlong-term ...
1st Ld Writethru: Pacific Islands leaders express concerns over Fiji situation
Aug 20, 2008 ... 1st Ld Writethru: Pacific Islands leaders express concerns overFiji situation ALOFI, Niue, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of the Pacific IslandsForum (PIF) on Wednesday expressed "serious" concerns at Fiji'sabsence to this year's PIF summit, urging the country's interimgovernment ...
Philippines shifts peace talks focus: report
Aug 20, 2008 ... Philippines shifts peace talks focus: report MANILA, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Thursday said that the government would no longernegotiate with armed groups until they give up their arms, on-linenews network INQUIRER.NET reported ....
Nepali PM instructs bureaucrats to serve people
Aug 20, 2008 ... Nepali PM instructs bureaucrats to serve people KATHMANDU, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- One day after taking the oath ofoffice and secrecy, Nepali Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal "Prachanda" Tuesday instructed the government secretaries to keep inmind the problems and interests of the ...
Vietnam raises mineral exploitation taxes
Aug 20, 2008 ... Vietnam raises mineral exploitation taxes HANOI, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's Finance Ministry has decidedto raise natural resource taxes on tapping minerals to curb rampantexploitation and fatten local budgets, according to Vietnamesenewspaper Labor on Wednesday. Taxes on ...
Tongan PM calls for decisive action on climate change, oil price hike
Aug 20, 2008 ... Tongan PM calls for decisive action on climate change, oil pricehike ALOFI, Niue, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Tonga Prime Minister FeletiWaka'uta Sevele called on the Pacific Island Forum (PIF) leaders onTuesday to make concerted effort to bring about a resolution tocounter the effects ...
2nd Ld: Pacific Islands Forum summit opens in Niue
Aug 20, 2008 ... 2nd Ld: Pacific Islands Forum summit opens in Niue ALOFI, Niue, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- The 39th Pacific Islands Forum(PIF) Leaders Summit officially opened here Tuesday, as thechairmanship was handed over from Tongan Prime Minister FeletiSevele to his Niuean counterpart Toke Talagi ...
Vietnam's economic hub ceases licensing golf projects
Aug 20, 2008 ... Vietnam's economic hub ceases licensing golf projects HANOI, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's economic hub, southern HoChi Minh City, has decided to cease licensing new golf projects toreview socioeconomic effects of already licensed ones, according tolocal newspaper Pioneer on ...
Thai RSS3 rubber price
Aug 20, 2008 ... Thai RSS3 rubber price BANGKOK, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The following are the official noonFOB prices of Ribbed Smoked Sheets Grade 3 (RSS3) rubber atThailand's southern central market in Songkhla ...
Indian stock market opens up 0.46 pct
Aug 20, 2008 ... Indian stock market opens up 0.46 pct MUMBAI, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Indian shares opened higher onWednesday, with the key index Sensex up 0.46 percent shortly afteropening. Sensex rose 66.84 points, or 0.46 percent, to 14,610.57 ....
Tribal clash claims 21 more lives in Pakistan's tribal region
Aug 20, 2008 ... Tribal clash claims 21 more lives in Pakistan's tribal region ISLAMABAD, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- At least 21 more people werekilled and 35 others injured as tribal clashes continued innorthwestern Pakistan's Kurram tribal agency on Wednesday. The clashes between Bangash and Turi ...
3rd Ld Writethru: Pacific Islands Forum summit opens in Niue
Aug 20, 2008 ... 3rd Ld Writethru: Pacific Islands Forum summit opens in Niue ALOFI, Niue, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- The 39th Pacific Islands Forum(PIF) Leaders Summit officially opened here Tuesday, as thechairmanship was handed over from Tongan Prime Minister FeletiSevele to his Niuean counterpart ...
Vietnam's rural area promising for investors: report
Aug 20, 2008 ... Vietnam's rural area promising for investors: report HANOI, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's rural area has highdevelopment potential, especially in the fields of food processing,and handicraft and salt production, despite some existing obstacles,Young People quoted Vietnamese ...
ASEAN's parliamentarians urged to support closer regional integration
Aug 20, 2008 ... ASEAN's parliamentarians urged to support closer regionalintegration SINGAPORE, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Singapore's Prime Minister LeeHsien Loong Wednesday urged parliamentarians from Southeast Asiannations to support ASEAN integration policies, in particular theimplementation of ...
Pakistan party chief proposes Zardari as presidential candidate
Aug 20, 2008 ... Pakistan party chief proposes Zardari as presidential candidate ISLAMABAD, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- A chief of former Pakistan'sruling party on Wednesday proposed that Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari be the presidential candidate. Altaf Hussain, leader ...
Indonesia launches online book program
Aug 20, 2008 ... Indonesia launches online book program JAKARTA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian President Susilo BambangYudhoyono launched on Wednesday an electronic book program thatwould provide free online school books for teachers and studentsacross the country. During the launching ...
Urgent: Moderate quake hits Japan's Kanto region
Aug 20, 2008 ... Urgent: Moderate quake hits Japan's Kanto region TOKYO, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) ...
Separatist leader calls for stop to hostilities in Philippines
Aug 20, 2008 ... Separatist leader calls for stop to hostilities in Philippines MANILA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The chairman of the separatist MoroIslamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Wednesday called for a stop tohostilities between the military and the rebels in the Philippines 'southern region of ...
Air strikes kill 9 insurgents in E. Afghanistan
Aug 20, 2008 ... Air strikes kill 9 insurgents in E. Afghanistan KABUL, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Nine insurgents were killed Wednesdayas they came under air attacks in Afghanistan's eastern Khostprovince, provincial police spokesman Wazir Badshah said. "A group of insurgents attempted to target ...
Sri Lanka calls for international pressure on Tamil rebels
Aug 20, 2008 ... Sri Lanka calls for international pressure on Tamil rebels COLOMBO, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan government saidWednesday it was urging international community to put pressure onthe Tamil Tiger rebels to allow civilians to leave the conflictzones for safety. A ...
1st Ld: Moderate quake shakes Japan's Kanto region
Aug 20, 2008 ... 1st Ld: Moderate quake shakes Japan's Kanto region TOKYO, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- An earthquake with a preliminarymagnitude of 4.5 hit Japan's Kanto region Wednesday, the JapanMeteorological Agency said. The focus of the quake, which occurred ...
Urgent: Philippine government to re-negotiate with separatists: official
Aug 20, 2008 ... Urgent: Philippine government to re-negotiate with separatists:official MANILA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Philippine government will notsign the territorial pact ...
Tokyo stocks close slightly lower
Aug 20, 2008 ... Tokyo stocks close slightly lower TOKYO, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks closed slightly lowerWednesday. The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average edged down 13.36 points, ...
Dollar stays at upper 109 yen level in Tokyo
Aug 20, 2008 ... Dollar stays at upper 109 yen level in Tokyo TOKYO, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. dollar traded in the upper109 yen range Wednesday morning in Tokyo. The dollar traded at 109.84-89 yen at midday, compared with 109.67-77 yen in New ...
1st Ld Writethru: Tokyo stocks close slightly lower
Aug 20, 2008 ... 1st Ld Writethru: Tokyo stocks close slightly lower TOKYO, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks closed lower Wednesday. The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average edged down 13.36 points, or0.10 percent, to 12,851.69 from Tuesday. The broader Topix index of all First Section ...