Saturday, January 24, 2004

• Chinese celebrate Year of Monkey with fun, travel, confidence
• Sino-African economic, trade relations to be promoted: official
• No new SARS case reported on Chinese mainland: health ministry
• WHO praises China over SARS, adds word of caution
• Reservoir dike breach under control in northwest China
• France says Hu's visit marks momentum of ties with China

• Overseas financial institutions allowed to register directly in Shanghai
• UK's steel giant eyes China market
• Short phone message revenue hits 11 billion yuan in first ten months of 2003
• Shenzhen continues to lead nation in foreign trade
• Tianjin chosen as venue to produce famous-brand watch movements
• HK to host forum to tap reform ideas on service delivery

• Libya hands UN inspectors drawings of nuclear weapons
• Russian, Ukrainian presidents meet over economic ties
• Bush to request 7 percent increase in 2005 defense budget
• Sharon pledges to stay in office until 2007
• Brazilian president reshuffles cabinet
• 53 parties in Uganda want talks with government
• Rwanda to stick to One-China stance: Makuza
• S.Korean air jet bogs down after landing at Japanese airport
• M5.4 earthquake hits northeastern Japan
• Japan's main ASDF unit arrives in Kuwait on Iraq mission
• Cambodia, Thailand confirm bird flu
• Indonesia reaffirms criticism on Australia's missile program

• US Mars rover re-establishes contact with Earth
• European spacecraft finds water on Mars

• China announces provisional roster for Table Tennis Worlds

• Some 26,800 Shanghai residents to tour overseas during Lunar New Year
• Road accident in S. China kills 7, injures 7
• Electricity consumption surges in China during Spring Festival