Xinhua News Agency back issues from Wednesday, March 18:
Palestinians need more talks on future gov't: Hamas leader
Mar 18, 2009 ... Palestinians need more talks on future gov't: Hamas leader CAIRO, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian factions still need tohave more talks to narrow their differences on the formation of afuture government, a senior leader of the Islamic Hamas movementsaid Wednesday ....
Urgent: Suicide bomber hits S. Korean convoy in Yemen
Mar 18, 2009 ... Urgent: Suicide bomber hits S. Korean convoy in Yemen SANAA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A suicide bomber hit a ...
1st LD: Suicide bomber hits S. Korean convoy in Yemen
Mar 18, 2009 ... 1st LD: Suicide bomber hits S. Korean convoy in Yemen SANAA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A suicide bomber hit a convoycarrying the South Korean ambassador on its way to the Sanaa airporton Wednesday, a Yemeni security official said. The convoy was carrying a team sent to investigate ...
Major news items in leading Israeli newspapers
Mar 18, 2009 ... Major news items in leading Israeli newspapers JERUSALEM, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The following are major newsitems in leading Israeli newspapers on Wednesday. Ha'aretz: -- Israel will continue its efforts to negotiate a deal to freecaptive soldier Gilad Shalit, but ...
Major news items in leading Turkish newspapers
Mar 18, 2009 ... Major news items in leading Turkish newspapers ISTANBUL, Turkey, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The following are majornews items in leading Turkish newspapers on Wednesday. YENI SAFAK (New Dawn): -- Turkish President Abdullah Gul met with Iraq's President JalalTalabani ...
Xinhua Middle East news advisory -- March 18
Mar 18, 2009 ... Xinhua Middle East news advisory -- March 18 CAIRO, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The following are some of majorMiddle East news stories due to be covered or pursued by Xinhua NewsAgency on Wednesday. -- Watching developments in the Fifth World Water Forum currentlyunder way in ...
2nd LD Writethru: Suicide bomber hits S. Korean convoy in Yemen, no casualties
Mar 18, 2009 ... 2nd LD Writethru: Suicide bomber hits S. Korean convoy in Yemen,no casualties 2nd LD Writethru: Suicide bomber hits S. Korean convoyin Yemen, no casualties SANAA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A suicide bomber hit a convoycarrying the South Korean ambassador on its way to the Sanaa ...
Major news items in leading Iranian newspapers
Mar 18, 2009 ... Major news items in leading Iranian newspapers TEHRAN, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The following are major news itemsin leading Iranian newspapers on Wednesday. Tehran Times: -- In a statement issued late on Monday, Iran's former presidentMohammad khatami officially ...
Hamas prevents Gazans from traveling through Rafah crossing
Mar 18, 2009 ... Hamas prevents Gazans from traveling through Rafah crossing GAZA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Hamas interior ministry on Wednesdayturned people away from Rafah crossing point between the Gaza Stripand Egypt, denying their travel. The ministry said the measure was aimed at protesting ...
Water projects oppotunity to stimulate growth: experts
Mar 18, 2009 ... Water projects oppotunity to stimulate growth: experts ISTANBUL, Turkey, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Water projects are anopportunity to stimulate growth, generate jobs and yield highreturns against relatively low risk, experts said at the fifth WorldWater Forum in Turkey, according to a ...
Hamas: reported progress on Shalit was maneuver by Olmert
Mar 18, 2009 ... Hamas: reported progress on Shalit was maneuver by Olmert GAZA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The armed wing of Islamic Hamasmovement on Wednesday said the recent motion on captive Israelisoldier's case was only an internal Israeli maneuver to calm downthe public. Israel says the ...
Suicide car bombing kills policeman in northern Iraq
Mar 18, 2009 ... Suicide car bombing kills policeman in northern Iraq MOSUL, Iraq, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A suicide car bombing killed apoliceman and wounded three others in the northern Iraqi city ofMosul on Wednesday, a local police source said. "A suicide bomber rammed his explosive-laden ...
Israeli army arrests 18 Palestinians in West Bank
Mar 18, 2009 ... Israeli army arrests 18 Palestinians in West Bank RAMALLAH, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Israeli troops arrested onWednesday 18 Palestinians during raids in various parts of theoccupied West Bank, Palestinian security sources and Israeli Radioreported. The sources said that Israeli ...
Hamas lawmaker: six obstacles delayed Palestinian unity agreement
Mar 18, 2009 ... Hamas lawmaker: six obstacles delayed Palestinian unity agreement GAZA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A Hamas lawmaker on Wednesday revealedthat six obstacles have prevented the Palestinian negotiators fromdeclaring a reconciliation agreement in the first round of talksthat ended this week ....
Jordan's stock market index closes lower
Mar 18, 2009 ... Jordan's stock market index closes lower AMMAN, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The shares price index of Jordan'sAmman stock market closed at 2,623 points on Wednesday, down ...
Chinese city Guangzhou honored first-class Mexico Water Prize
Mar 18, 2009 ... Chinese city Guangzhou honored first-class Mexico Water Prize ISTANBUL, Turkey, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese city of Guangzhouwas honored on Wednesday the first-class Mexico Water Prize at the5th World Water Forum being held in Turkey, for the municipalgovernment's excellent ...
Hamas allows Gazans to travel to Egypt through Rafah
Mar 18, 2009 ... Hamas allows Gazans to travel to Egypt through Rafah GAZA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian Islamic Hamasmovement's interior ministry announced on Wednesday that it agreedto allow Gazans to travel to Egypt through Rafah border crossingafter resolving differences with the ...
Iran's presidential candidate calls for unity of reformists
Mar 18, 2009 ... Iran's presidential candidate calls for unity of reformists TEHRAN, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Iran's presidential hopeful MehdiKarroubi called for the unity of reformists in the upcomingpresidential election, the satellite Press TV reported on Wednesday. Karroubi, regarded as a ...
Hamas official: Indirect prisoners' swap talks with Israel stopped
Mar 18, 2009 ... Hamas official: Indirect prisoners' swap talks with Israelstopped GAZA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A senior Islamic Hamas movementannounced on Wednesday that the indirect talks, mediated by Egypt,with Israel on the release of captive Israeli corporal Gilad Shalithas stopped ....
Iran's presidential candidate vows to follow Khatami's reformist path
Mar 18, 2009 ... Iran's presidential candidate vows to follow Khatami's reformistpath Iran's presidential candidate vows to follow Khatami'sreformist path TEHRAN, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian presidential hopeful Mir-Hossein Mousavi has vowed to follow the reformist path of formerPresident ...
Civilian killed, three wounded in northern Iraq
Mar 18, 2009 ... Civilian killed, three wounded in northern Iraq KIRKUK, Iraq, March 18 (Xinhua) -- An Iraqi civilian was killedand three were wounded in two attacks in the city of Kirkuk onWednesday, a local police source said. Unknown gunmen shot dead a man guarding a store in ...
World Water Youth Forum calls for collective action on water crisis
Mar 18, 2009 ... World Water Youth Forum calls for collective action on watercrisis ISTANBUL, Turkey, March 18 (Xinhua)-- The World Water Youth Forumon Wednesday called for collective action on water-related issues inthe world. The youth forum, held in the biggest Turkish city of Istanbul ...
Egypt opens Rafah crossing for humanitarian cases
Mar 18, 2009 ... Egypt opens Rafah crossing for humanitarian cases CAIRO, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Egypt has opened the Rafah crossingat the border with the Palestinian territory of Gaza Strip forhumanitarian cases for two days, security sources said on Wednesday. A number of trucks carrying ...
Tel Aviv stock exchange index closes lower
Mar 18, 2009 ... Tel Aviv stock exchange index closes lower JERUSALEM, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The Tel Aviv Stock Exchangegeneral share index closed at ...
Better cooperation over int'l rivers help avoid conflicts: IUCN report
Mar 18, 2009 ... Better cooperation over int'l rivers help avoid conflicts: IUCNreport Better cooperation over int'l rivers help avoid conflicts:IUCN report ISTANBUL, Turkey, March 18 (Xinhua)-- Better cooperation overshared rivers can help governments avoid water conflicts, said thelatest ...
Sudanese president affirms to realizing stability, development in Darfur
Mar 18, 2009 ... Sudanese president affirms to realizing stability, development inDarfur Sudanese president affirms to realizing stability,development in Darfur NYALA, Sudan, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir stressed on Wednesday his full commitment to realizingsecurity, ...
Palestinian committee agrees on "transitional" unity gov't: faction leader
Mar 18, 2009 ... Palestinian committee agrees on "transitional" unity gov't:faction leader Palestinian committee agrees on "transitional" unitygov't: faction leader CAIRO, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A guidance committee of thePalestinian national unity dialogue has agreed on the nature of ...
UNIFIL asks Israel to stop channeling rainwater into Lebanon
Mar 18, 2009 ... UNIFIL asks Israel to stop channeling rainwater into Lebanon BEIRUT, march 18 (Xinhua) -- Yasmina Bouziane, a spokesman of theUN Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) on Wednesday urged Israel tostop channeling rainwater into Lebanese territories, Lebanon'sNaharnet website reported ....
1st LD: Kuwait dissolves parliament
Mar 18, 2009 ... 1st LD: Kuwait dissolves parliament KUWAIT CITY, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The ruler of Kuwait Wednesdayevening announced that the country's parliament was dissolved andthe fresh elections would be held within 60 days. Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah made the announcement in ...
Urgent: Kuwait dissolves parliament
Mar 18, 2009 ... Urgent: Kuwait dissolves parliament KUWAIT CITY, March 18(Xinhua)-- The ruler of Kuwait Wednesday evening announced that thecountry's parliament was ...
Russia ready for security, military support to Lebanon
Mar 18, 2009 ... Russia ready for security, military support to Lebanon BEIRUT, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A visiting senior Russian officialsaid here Wednesday that Moscow is ready to give Lebanon securityand military support, local Elnashra website reported. Mikhail Margelov, chairman of the ...
Urgent: Hamas confirms agreement on forming interim unity government reached in Cairo
Mar 18, 2009 ... Urgent: Hamas confirms agreement on forming interim unitygovernment reached in Cairo Urgent: Hamas confirms agreement onforming interim unity government reached in Cairo GAZA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Islamic Hamas movement's spokesmanFawzi Barhoum confirmed Wednesday evening that the ...
Barak says his Labor party still considers Netanyahu's offer
Mar 18, 2009 ... Barak says his Labor party still considers Netanyahu's offer JERUSALEM, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Defense Minister EhudBarak said Wednesday evening that his Labor party would weigh theoffer of joining a coalition led by Likud. "Most citizens and most Labor voters want to ...
Feature: Iraqis in Saddam hometown long for new page after six years of turbulence
Mar 18, 2009 ... Feature: Iraqis in Saddam hometown long for new page after sixyears of turbulence Feature: Iraqis in Saddam hometown long for newpage after six years of turbulence by Xinhua writer Fu Yiming, Mohammad Hussein TIKRIT, Iraq, March 18 (Xinhua) --Tikrit, hometown of formerIraqi ...
1st LD: Hamas confirms agreement on forming interim unity government reached in Cairo
Mar 18, 2009 ... 1st LD: Hamas confirms agreement on forming interim unitygovernment reached in Cairo 1st LD: Hamas confirms agreement onforming interim unity government reached in Cairo GAZA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Islamic Hamas movement's spokesmanFawzi Barhoum confirmed Wednesday evening that the ...
Israeli committee recommends to increase pressure on Hamas
Mar 18, 2009 ... Israeli committee recommends to increase pressure on Hamas JERUSALEM, March 18 (Xinhua) -- An Israeli special ministerialcommittee recommended Wednesday the government to tighten thecontrol of Gaza Strip crossings to add pressure on Hamas, Ha'aretzdaily reported on its website ....
Turkey strongly condemns terrorist attack in Pakistan
Mar 18, 2009 ... Turkey strongly condemns terrorist attack in Pakistan ISTANBUL, Turkey, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Turkey on Wednesdaystrongly condemned the terrorist attack that took place on March 16in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi. In a statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said "the ...
Turkey detains 76 illegal immigrants in central Turkey
Mar 18, 2009 ... Turkey detains 76 illegal immigrants in central Turkey ISTANBUL, Turkey, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Turkish security forces onWednesday detained a group of illegal immigrants in central Turkey,the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported. Acting on a tip-off, the security forces ...
Xinhua Middle East news summary at 2200 GMT, March 18
Mar 18, 2009 ... Xinhua Middle East news summary at 2200 GMT, March 18 SANAA -- A suicide bomber hit a convoy carrying the South Koreanambassador on its way to the Sanaa airport on Wednesday, a Yemenisecurity official said. The convoy was carrying a team sent to investigate a bombing ...
Dollar at lower 96 yen level in Tokyo
Mar 18, 2009 ... Dollar at lower 96 yen level in Tokyo TOKYO, March 19 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. dollar stood at the lower 96yen level early Thursday in Tokyo. The dollar bought 96.37-42 yen at 9 a.m., against 96.15-25 yen inNew York and ...
Major news items in leading Japanese newspapers
Mar 18, 2009 ... Major news items in leading Japanese newspapers TOKYO, March 19 (Xinhua) -- The following are the major newsitems in leading Japanese newspapers on Thursday: The Daily Yomiuri -- The defense ministry will likely decide not to revise its planfor the relocation of an ...
Nikkei opens slightly higher
Mar 18, 2009 ... Nikkei opens slightly higher TOKYO, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks opened slightly higherThursday with the key Nikkei index up 0.21 ...
Nikkei edges down 0.6 pct in morning trading
Mar 18, 2009 ... Nikkei edges down 0.6 pct in morning trading TOKYO, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks edged down Thursdaymorning with the key Nikkei ...
Earthquake jolts Manado, Indonesia
Mar 18, 2009 ... Earthquake jolts Manado, Indonesia JAKARTA, March 19 (Xinhua) -- An earthquake measuring 5.1 on theRichter scale jolted Manado, capital of Indonesia's North Sulawesiprovince, on Thursday, but there was no reports of casualties andmaterial losses. The epicenter of the quake, ...
Vietnamese legislature chairman calls for stronger cooperation with Austria
Mar 18, 2009 ... Vietnamese legislature chairman calls for stronger cooperationwith Austria HANOI, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's National Assembly ChairmanNguyen Phu Trong expressed his hope that Austria would enhanceeconomic, investment and commercial cooperation with Vietnam, thelocal ...
Quake hits eastern Indonesia
Mar 18, 2009 ... Quake hits eastern Indonesia JAKARTA, March 19 (Xinhua) -- An earthquake measuring 5.3 onRitcher Scale rocked eastern parts of Indonesia on Thursday morning,but damage or casualty was ...
Vietnam to allocate bond proceeds to five sectors, majority goes to transportation
Mar 18, 2009 ... Vietnam to allocate bond proceeds to five sectors, majority goesto transportation HANOI, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen TanDung decided to allocate the government bond proceeds of 36 trillionVietnamese dong (two billion U.S. dollars) this year to ...
Blue-ear pig epidemic spreads wide in central Quang Nam of Vietnam
Mar 18, 2009 ... Blue-ear pig epidemic spreads wide in central Quang Nam ofVietnam HANOI, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Blue-ear pig disease has spread tonew areas of the central Quang Nam province of Vietnam, said theAnimal Health Department of Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture andRural Development on ...
Australia says NATO wants more troops for Afghanistan
Mar 18, 2009 ... Australia says NATO wants more troops for Afghanistan CANBERRA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- North Atlantic Treaty Organization(NATO) asked Australia to commit more troops to the conflict inAfghanistan, Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said onWednesday. "We haven't ...
Japan's central bank keeps key rate unchanged at 0.1 pct
Mar 18, 2009 ... Japan's central bank keeps key rate unchanged at 0.1 pct TOKYO, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The Bank of Japan (BOJ), or thecentral bank, left its key interest rate unchanged at 0.1 percentWednesday. It is the third consecutive month that the BOJ kept the rate thesame. The ...
Dollar slips to mid-98 yen level
Mar 18, 2009 ... Dollar slips to mid-98 yen level TOKYO, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. dollar slipped to the mid-98 yen level Wednesday morning in Tokyo. At noon, the dollar fetched 98.45-50 yen against 98.55-65 yen inNew York and ...
U.S. CIA chief to be in India to discuss terrorism, Taliban: report
Mar 18, 2009 ... U.S. CIA chief to be in India to discuss terrorism, Taliban:report NEW DELHI, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The United States CentralIntelligence Agency (CIA) Director Leon Panetta will arrive hereWednesday to meet with his Indian counterpart to discuss a series ofissues ranging from ...
Australian gov't shifts to remove immigration detention debts
Mar 18, 2009 ... Australian gov't shifts to remove immigration detention debts CANBERRA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Australian government announced onWednesday immigration detainees who are given asylum will no longerbe billed for the cost of their detention under the new lawsintroduced into parliament ....
Indonesian mud volcano victims rally for payment
Mar 18, 2009 ... Indonesian mud volcano victims rally for payment JAKARTA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Over 200 victims of Indonesia's mudvolcano staged a rally outside of the state palace on Wednesday,demanding the payment of compensation at once by a politicallyconnected energy firm blamed for the ...
Joint operation eliminates 29 militants in E. Afghanistan
Mar 18, 2009 ... Joint operation eliminates 29 militants in E. Afghanistan KABUL, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Afghan National Army (ANA) and theNATO-led International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) in a jointmission launched on March 14 have killed 29 insurgents in Kapisaprovince of eastern ...
Philippine leftist rebels torch construction site
Mar 18, 2009 ... Philippine leftist rebels torch construction site COTABATO, the Philippines, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Leftist rebelsstormed a construction site in the south Philippines and burnt heavyequipment worth more than 400,000 U.S. dollars, a local militaryofficial said Wednesday ....
Singapore's Merlion statue reopens
Mar 18, 2009 ... Singapore's Merlion statue reopens SINGAPORE, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Singapore's symbolic Merlionstatue started spouting water again on Wednesday noon. The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said in a statement that therepair work on the wave form will continue until the end of ...
Four killed in landslide in Indonesia
Mar 18, 2009 ... Four killed in landslide in Indonesia JAKARTA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- At least four people were killed ina landslide in Jayapura of Papua province in easternmost ofIndonesia on Wednesday morning, Health Ministry said here. Head ofthe crisis center of the ministry Rustam Pakaya said ...
Bangladesh beefs up security at important government establishments
Mar 18, 2009 ... Bangladesh beefs up security at important governmentestablishments Bangladesh beefs up security at important governmentestablishments DHAKA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The Bangladeshi government has beefedup security across the country, putting reinforcement at importantestablishments ...
Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 0600 GMT, March 18
Mar 18, 2009 ... Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 0600 GMT, March 18 SEOUL -- South Korean Unification Minister Hyun In-teak onWednesday said his government would not consider closure of theinter-Korean industrial complex in DPRK's border city of Kaesong. "We are not considering shutting ...
Australia's national park reopens after bushfires
Mar 18, 2009 ... Australia's national park reopens after bushfires CANBERRA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Australian government announced onWednesday a national park will reopen to the public this weekendafter the affection of Victoria's bushfires. "The fire is under control so the park is safe for ...
3rd LD-Writethru: Abducted Red Cross workers unharmed despite fatal clashes
Mar 18, 2009 ... 3rd LD-Writethru: Abducted Red Cross workers unharmed despitefatal clashes MANILA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The three kidnapped employees of theInternational Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) were unharmed as themilitary clashed violently with Abu Sayyaf militants who are ...
Iran to produce automobile in Afghanistan
Mar 18, 2009 ... Iran to produce automobile in Afghanistan KABUL, March 18 (Xinhua) -- An Iranian automobile producingcompany Iran Khudro has decided to produce vehicle in Afghanistanand an agreement in this regard was inked here on Tuesday, a localnewspaper reported Wednesday. "Engineer ...
Indonesia's car sales up in February
Mar 18, 2009 ... Indonesia's car sales up in February JAKARTA, March 18 (Xinhua)-- The number of car sales rose to 34, 363 units in Februarycompared with that of 31,567 units in January, Chairman theIndonesian Automotive Industry Association Bambang Trisulo said hereWednesday. The rise indicated that ...
1st LD Writethru: Toshiba to have new president in June amid crisis
Mar 18, 2009 ... 1st LD Writethru: Toshiba to have new president in June amidcrisis TOKYO, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Toshiba Corp. said Wednesday it willpromote Norio Sasaki, corporate senior executive vice president, topresident and CEO in late June, replacing Atsutoshi Nishida in a bidto better ...