Xinhua News Agency back issues from Thursday, December 25:
UAE Central Bank to provide currencies swap facilities to local banks
Dec 25, 2008 ... UAE Central Bank to provide currencies swap facilities to localbanks UAE Central Bank to provide currencies swap facilities tolocal banks ABU DHABI, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Central Bank of the UnitedArab Emirates (UAE) has decided to provide currencies swapfacilities of the UAE ...
China, Egypt vow to jointly overcome global financial crisis
Dec 25, 2008 ... China, Egypt vow to jointly overcome global financial crisis CAIRO, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese Vice Premier LiKeqiang and Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Nazef on Thursday vowed toovercome the impacts of the global financial crisis. During talks with Nazef, Li urged ...
Car bomb kills two people near Baghdad restaurant
Dec 25, 2008 ... Car bomb kills two people near Baghdad restaurant BAGHDAD, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- A car bomb explosion outside arestaurant in northern Baghdad killed two people and wounded sixothers on Thursday, an Interior Ministry source said. "A car bomb parking outside a popular restaurant ...
Xinhua Middle East news advisory -- Dec. 25
Dec 25, 2008 ... Xinhua Middle East news advisory -- Dec. 25 CAIRO, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- The following are some of major MiddleEast news stories due to be covered or pursued by Xinhua News Agencyon Thursday. -- Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Prime Minister AhmedNazif meet with visiting ...
Major news items in leading Israeli newspapers
Dec 25, 2008 ... Major news items in leading Israeli newspapers JERUSALEM, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- The following are major news itemsin leading Israeli newspapers on Thursday. Ha'aretz: -- Southern Israel was pounded on Wednesday by some 70 rocketsfired by Palestinian militants in the ...
Major news items in leading Turkish newspapers
Dec 25, 2008 ... Major news items in leading Turkish newspapers ANKARA, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- The following are major news items inleading Turkish newspapers on Thursday. VATAN (Motherland): -- Three Turkish troops have been killed and 12 others injured inan armed attack carried out by ...
Egypt's Mubarak meets with Israeli FM on Palestinian-Israeli calm
Dec 25, 2008 ... Egypt's Mubarak meets with Israeli FM on Palestinian-Israeli calm CAIRO, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak methere Thursday with visiting Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni onPalestinian-Israeli calm. Livni arrived in Cairo earlier in the day on a brief ...
Major news items in leading Iranian newspapers
Dec 25, 2008 ... Major news items in leading Iranian newspapers TEHRAN, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- The following are major news items inleading Iranian newspapers on Thursday. Tehran Times: -- Iranian Majlis (Parliament) Economic Committee ChairmanGholamreza Mesbahi-Moqaddam said on ...
Feature: World Christians pray for peace as Christmas bells resound over Bethlehem
Dec 25, 2008 ... Feature: World Christians pray for peace as Christmas bellsresound over Bethlehem Feature: World Christians pray for peace asChristmas bells resound over Bethlehem by Hua Chunyu, Qi Xianghui BETHLEHEM, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Christmas bells resounded over theWest Bank city of ...
Turkey's Manufacturing industry shrinks
Dec 25, 2008 ... Turkey's Manufacturing industry shrinks ANKARA, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Turkey's manufacturing industry isshrinking amid the ongoing global financial crisis, local newspaperToday's Zaman reported on Thursday. The manufacturing industry is losing ground due to economiccrisis, ...
Death toll rises to four in Baghdad car bombing
Dec 25, 2008 ... Death toll rises to four in Baghdad car bombing BAGHDAD, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- The death toll of a car bombexplosion outside a restaurant in northern Baghdad on Thursday roseto four killed and 25 others injured, an Interior Ministry sourcesaid. "Our latest reports said that ...
Hamas, Fatah welcome renewed Egyptian efforts to end their feud
Dec 25, 2008 ... Hamas, Fatah welcome renewed Egyptian efforts to end their feud GAZA, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian factions on Thursdaywelcomed news that Egypt has resumed its efforts to broker anational reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah. An official from Palestinian President ...
Turkey, Iraq ready to open second border gate
Dec 25, 2008 ... Turkey, Iraq ready to open second border gate ANKARA, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Turkey and Iraq are getting ready toopen a second border gate in order to meet the growing demand oftransportation between the two countries, the semi-official Anatolianews agency reported on Thursday ....
Tunisian woman gives birth to four babies
Dec 25, 2008 ... Tunisian woman gives birth to four babies TUNIS, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- A Tunisian woman gave birth to fourbabies, a rare case in the North African country, local Essabehnewspaper said on Thursday. The 30-year-old ...
Israel warns to destroy Gaza smuggling tunnels
Dec 25, 2008 ... Israel warns to destroy Gaza smuggling tunnels GAZA, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian witnesses said Thursdaythat Israeli aircraft had dropped leaflets on southern Gaza Strip,warning to destroy underground smuggling tunnels that extend out toEgypt. More than 400 tunnels have ...
Mubarak calls for self-restraint between Israel, Gaza militants
Dec 25, 2008 ... Mubarak calls for self-restraint between Israel, Gaza militants CAIRO, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak onThursday called on Israel and Gaza militants to show self- restraintand avoid any further military escalations, the MENA news agencyreported ....
Israeli PM urges Gazans to stop Hamas from firing rockets
Dec 25, 2008 ... Israeli PM urges Gazans to stop Hamas from firing rockets JERUSALEM, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmerton Thursday called directly on Gaza Strip residents to stop what hedubbed the common enemy of both them and Israelis from firingrockets at Israel, local ...
Tunisia's Sahara international festival kicks off
Dec 25, 2008 ... Tunisia's Sahara international festival kicks off TUNIS, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of Tunisian visitors andforeign tourists from the United States, Europe, Asia and the MiddleEast flocked to the southern town of Douz, Tunisia's Sahara gate, toattend the festivities on desert ...
PRC claims responsibility for rockets, mortar attacks on Israel
Dec 25, 2008 ... PRC claims responsibility for rockets, mortar attacks on Israel GAZA, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Pro-Hamas Popular Resistance Committees(PRC) claimed responsibility on Thursday for firing seven homemaderockets and three mortar shells at towns in southern Israel. The PRC military ...
Iran, Bahrain extend security pact on terrorism, drug trafficking
Dec 25, 2008 ... Iran, Bahrain extend security pact on terrorism, drug trafficking TEHRAN, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Iran and Bahrain extended a securityagreement on Thursday to increase bilateral cooperation in combatingterrorism and drug trafficking, the official IRNA news agencyreported ....
Feature: Israeli siege takes toll on Gaza Christians
Dec 25, 2008 ... Feature: Israeli siege takes toll on Gaza Christians by Saud Abu Ramadan GAZA, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- When Christians all over the worldrushed to churches for Christmas midnight mass, some 300 followersof the small Roman Catholic community in the Gaza Strip gathered atthe Holy ...
Heavy snowfall hits transport, schools in Turkey
Dec 25, 2008 ... Heavy snowfall hits transport, schools in Turkey ANKARA, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Cold weather and heavy snow keephindering daily life across Turkey, leading to the shutdown ofvillage roads and inter-city routes in the eastern and centralregion, the semi-official Anatolia news agency ...
Turkey becomes 3rd largest overseas project contractor
Dec 25, 2008 ... Turkey becomes 3rd largest overseas project contractor ANKARA, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Turkey became the third largestoverseas project contractor with the value of projects undertaken byTurkish contractors abroad reaching 81.7 billion U.S. dollars in thelast five years, the ...
Roundup: Israel gearing up for Gaza offensive to end rocket rain
Dec 25, 2008 ... Roundup: Israel gearing up for Gaza offensive to end rocket rain by Deng Yushan JERUSALEM, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Israel is preparing for a sizablemilitary operation in the Gaza Strip, Israeli officials warnedThursday as rockets and mortar shells from the Hamas-ruled ...
China willing to further strategic cooperative ties with Egypt: vice premier
Dec 25, 2008 ... China willing to further strategic cooperative ties with Egypt:vice premier China willing to further strategic cooperative tieswith Egypt: vice premier CAIRO, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese Vice Premier LiKeqiang said on Thursday that China is willing to further ...
Israel mulling nationwide emergency drill in July
Dec 25, 2008 ... Israel mulling nationwide emergency drill in July JERUSALEM, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Israel's Defense Ministry isplanning to stage next year an emergency exercise which will for thefirst time involve the entire population, local daily The JerusalemPost reported Thursday. The ...
PFLP condemns Israeli verdict of its chief to 30 years imprisonment
Dec 25, 2008 ... PFLP condemns Israeli verdict of its chief to 30 yearsimprisonment RAMALLAH, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Popular Front to LiberatePalestine (PFLP) on Thursday condemned an Israeli court decision tosend its chief Ahmed Sa'adat to 30 years imprisonment in Israelijail. A PFLP ...
Abbas to deliver "important" speech on peace talks, internal split
Dec 25, 2008 ... Abbas to deliver "important" speech on peace talks, internalsplit RAMALLAH, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbasis to deliver a historic speech on Jan. 1 on the occasion ofcelebrating the 43rd anniversary of the establishment of Fatahmovement, a Palestinian ...
Abbas opposes clashes with Hamas in settling internal split
Dec 25, 2008 ... Abbas opposes clashes with Hamas in settling internal split RAMALLAH, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbasreiterated on Thursday that he opposes to resort to arms in solvinginternal Palestinian disputes. "We don't want more internal fighting and we refuse ...
Tel Aviv stock exchange index closes lower
Dec 25, 2008 ... Tel Aviv stock exchange index closes lower JERUSALEM, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Tel Aviv Stock Exchangegeneral share index closed at ...
Lebanese army defuses seven rockets near Israeli border
Dec 25, 2008 ... Lebanese army defuses seven rockets near Israeli border BEIRUT, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese army on Thursday defusedseven Katyusha rockets directed at Israel in southern Lebanon, localNaharnet website reported. Speaking on condition of anonymity, an officer said the ...
Israeli army chief says troops ready to strike Gaza
Dec 25, 2008 ... Israeli army chief says troops ready to strike Gaza JERUSALEM, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) isprepared to take actions to restore security to the southern landbordering the Gaza Strip, said IDF Chief of General Staff GabiAshkenazi on Thursday. "The ...
Jordan sends medical aids to Sudan
Dec 25, 2008 ... Jordan sends medical aids to Sudan AMMAN, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Jordan on Thursday sent a plane ofmedical equipment and supplies to Sudan to help build a medicalcenter, according to the Jordanian Hashemite Charity Organization(JHCO). The medical center, worth about 400,000 ...
Iraq appreciates Syria for hosting refugees
Dec 25, 2008 ... Iraq appreciates Syria for hosting refugees DAMASCUS, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Iraqi Vice President Tareqal-Hashemi expressed on Thursday appreciation over Syria's hostingIraqi refugees and caring for them, the official SANA news agencyreported. Hashemi made the remarks ...
Iraq to purchase 50 train sets from Turkey
Dec 25, 2008 ... Iraq to purchase 50 train sets from Turkey ANKARA, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Iraq's transportation minister saidon Thursday that Iraq was willing to purchase 50 train sets fromTurkey, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported. "Iraq is willing to purchase 50 new train sets ...
Israel to open Gaza crossings for humanitarian supplies
Dec 25, 2008 ... Israel to open Gaza crossings for humanitarian supplies JERUSALEM, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Defense Minister EhudBarak has decided to open the border crossings with the Gaza Stripon Friday morning for delivery of humanitarian aid, reported localdaily The Jerusalem Post on ...
Xinhua Middle East news summary at 2200 GMT, Dec. 25
Dec 25, 2008 ... Xinhua Middle East news summary at 2200 GMT, Dec. 25 CAIRO -- Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak met here Thursday withvisiting Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on Palestinian-Israeli calm. The two sides discussed efforts for renewing an Egyptian-brokered ...
Major news items in leading Australian newspapers
Dec 25, 2008 ... Major news items in leading Australian newspapers CANBERRA, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- The following are major news itemsin leading Australian newspapers on Friday. The Australian: -- The Royal Australian Navy has ordered sweeping new emergencyprocedures to avoid a ...
Dollar at mid-90 yen in Tokyo
Dec 25, 2008 ... Dollar at mid-90 yen in Tokyo TOKYO, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. dollar stood at the mid-90yen level early Friday in Tokyo. The dollar traded at 90.49-54 ...
Nikkei opens slightly higer
Dec 25, 2008 ... Nikkei opens slightly higer TOKYO, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks opened slightly higherFriday with the key Nikkei index up 0.38 percent. At 9:15 a.m., the ...
S. Korean consumers to suffer from price hikes next year
Dec 25, 2008 ... S. Korean consumers to suffer from price hikes next year SEOUL, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- South Korean consumers are likely tosuffer from price hikes amid shrinking disposable income next year,Korea Herald reported Friday. The Finance Ministry said gasoline, diesel and LPG prices ...
Budget for Cambodian Agriculture Ministry far from enough: Experts
Dec 25, 2008 ... Budget for Cambodian Agriculture Ministry far from enough:Experts PHNOM PENH, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Ministry of Agriculture,Forests and Fisheries must receive far more than the current 1percent of the 2009 budget, if the country's agriculture sector isto meet its growth ...
Major news items in leading Japanese newspapers
Dec 25, 2008 ... Major news items in leading Japanese newspapers TOKYO, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- The following are the major news itemsin leading Japanese newspapers on Friday: The Daily Yomiuri -- The pension program for assembly members of Japan's cities andTokyo's 23 wards is likely to ...
Japan's household spending down for 9th month in November
Dec 25, 2008 ... Japan's household spending down for 9th month in November TOKYO, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- Japan's average monthly householdspending declined for the nine straight month in November, down by0.5 percent year-on-year to 284,762 yen (3164 U.S. dollars) in realterms, said a government ...
S. Korean top 500 firms to cut new hiring by 15 pct
Dec 25, 2008 ... S. Korean top 500 firms to cut new hiring by 15 pct SEOUL, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- South Korean job seekers are to facegreater trouble as the country's top 500 firms plan to reduce newemployment by more than 15 percent, the Korea Times reported Friday. According to the survey by ...
S. Korea's export sentiment for first quarter of 2009 hits record low
Dec 25, 2008 ... S. Korea's export sentiment for first quarter of 2009 hits recordlow SEOUL, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's export sentiment for thefirst quarter of next year dropped to a record low amid deepeningglobal downturn, showed a survey released by Korea InternationalTrade ...
Interview: Sino-Australian trade ties can be stronger: Australian minister
Dec 25, 2008 ... Interview: Sino-Australian trade ties can be stronger: Australianminister By Jiang Yaping CANBERRA, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- Australian Trade Minister SimonCrean said that trade relations with China has been strong and canbe even stronger in the future. "Australia's ...
Tokyo stocks up 1.12 pct in morning trading
Dec 25, 2008 ... Tokyo stocks up 1.12 pct in morning trading TOKYO, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks gained ground Fridaymorning with the key Nikkie index up 1.12 ...
Japan's jobless rate rises to 3.9 pct in November
Dec 25, 2008 ... Japan's jobless rate rises to 3.9 pct in November TOKYO, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- Japan's jobless rate saw the firstrise in three months in November, up by 0.2 percentage point fromOctober to 3.9 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis, according toofficial figures released Friday ....
Myanmar introduces new policy of timber sale to mitigate impact of global financial crisis
Dec 25, 2008 ... Myanmar introduces new policy of timber sale to mitigate impactof global financial crisis YANGON, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar has introduced a new policyof selling timber by the state-run Myanmar Timber Enterprise (MTE)to local and foreign timber exporters as part of its bid to ...
Thai RSS3 rubber price
Dec 25, 2008 ... Thai RSS3 rubber price BANGKOK, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- The following are the official noonFOB prices of Ribbed Smoked Sheets Grade 3 (RSS3) rubber atThailand's southern central market in Songkhla ...
Japan mulls sending SDF ships on antipiracy mission near Somalia
Dec 25, 2008 ... Japan mulls sending SDF ships on antipiracy mission near Somalia TOKYO, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso onFriday instructed Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada to explore thepossibility of dispatching Self-Defense Forces (SDF) vessels on anantipiracy mission to ...
1st LD Writethru: Magnitude 6.2 quake jolts S. Philippines
Dec 25, 2008 ... 1st LD Writethru: Magnitude 6.2 quake jolts S. Philippines MANILA, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- A Magnitude 6.2 earthquake jolted thesouthern Philippine region of Mindanao on Thursday, with no casualtyor damage to property reported yet. The quake was recorded at 11:20 a.m. local time ...
Vietnam's FDI forecast to drop 50 pct next year
Dec 25, 2008 ... Vietnam's FDI forecast to drop 50 pct next year HANOI, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Vietnamese Ministry of Planningand Investment forecasted foreign direct investment (FDI) in Vietnamwill drop by about 50 percent in 2009 to 30 billion U.S. dollars asa result of global economic ...
2 militants killed, 2 more detained in E. Afghanistan
Dec 25, 2008 ... 2 militants killed, 2 more detained in E. Afghanistan KABUL, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- The U.S.-led Coalition forces killedtwo armed militants and detained two more during operationstargeting the Taliban network in eastern Afghan province of Kapisaon Wednesday, said a Coalition ...
Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 0600 GMT, Dec. 25
Dec 25, 2008 ... Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 0600 GMT, Dec. 25 HANOI -- A senior Vietnamese economic official said on Wednesdaythat Vietnam is likely to post an economic growth rate of 6.23percent this year despite the global economic crisis, localnewspaper The Youth reported on Thursday ....
Dollar at mid-90 yen in Tokyo
Dec 25, 2008 ... Dollar at mid-90 yen in Tokyo TOKYO, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. dollar stood at the mid-90yen level Friday morning. The dollar was quoted at 90.45-50 yen at midday, ...
Bangladesh's expense for parliamentary elections to hit record high
Dec 25, 2008 ... Bangladesh's expense for parliamentary elections to hit recordhigh DHAKA, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Bangladesh government will spend arecord of nearly 3 billion taka (about 42.9 million U.S. dollars)for holding the upcoming ninth parliamentary elections on Dec. 29,leading English ...
Interview: Australian minister says China's reform significant event of 20th century
Dec 25, 2008 ... Interview: Australian minister says China's reform significantevent of 20th century By Jiang Yaping CANBERRA, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Australian Trade Minister SimonCrean highly praised the reform and opening up undertaken by theCommunist Party of China 30 years ago, saying it ...
Australian national holiday road death toll rise to 26
Dec 25, 2008 ... Australian national holiday road death toll rise to 26 CANBERRA, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Road accidents have so far claimed26 lives in Australia during Christmas holidays, AustralianAssociated Press reported on Thursday. The latest fatality was in Western Australia, where a ...
Vietnamese PM calls for efforts against economic slowdown
Dec 25, 2008 ... Vietnamese PM calls for efforts against economic slowdown HANOI, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen TanDung Thursday called for the national efforts to combat currentnational economic slowdown and try the best to realize the target of6.5 percent economic growth ...
Tokyo stock rebound 0.97 pct
Dec 25, 2008 ... Tokyo stock rebound 0.97 pct TOKYO, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks rebounded moderatelyThursday on bargain hunting. The benchmark 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average gained 82.40 points,or 0.97 percent, from Wednesday to 8,599.50. The ...
Indian stock market opens up 70.11 points
Dec 25, 2008 ... Indian stock market opens up 70.11 points MUMBAI, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- Indian shares opened higher onFriday, with the key index Sensex up 0.73 percent shortly afteropening. Sensex rose 70.11 points, or 0.73 percent, to 9,638.83 ....
1st LD Writethru: Tokyo stock rebound 0.97 pct
Dec 25, 2008 ... 1st LD Writethru: Tokyo stock rebound 0.97 pct TOKYO, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks rebounded moderatelyThursday on bargain hunting. The benchmark 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average gained 82.40 points,or 0.97 percent, from Wednesday to 8,599.50. The broader Topix ...
China, S.Korea, Japan vow to cement cultural ties
Dec 25, 2008 ... China, S.Korea, Japan vow to cement cultural ties SEOGYUPO, South Korea, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Senior Officials fromChina, South Korea and Japan signed on a joint declaration oncultural cooperation during a trilateral ministerial meeting here onThursday. Chinese Cultural ...