KIEV, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine accused Russia on Sunday of deliberately reducing gas flows to customers in Europe. "We consider the actions of Gazprom as threatening the energy security of Ukraine and Europe, which could bring unpredictable consequences for the entire gas transit system of Europe," Ukraine's state energy company Naftogaz said in a statement. Naftogaz urges Gazprom to stop technical manipulation of volumes and gas supply r... Read more »
GAZA, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Israel on Sunday intensified strikes on the Gaza Strip for the ninth consecutive day, a day after its army carried out a large-scale ground operation into the enclave, leaving 514 people killed since Dec. 27Israeli warplanes struck by missiles dozens of targets into Gaza on Sunday as columns of tanks rolled deep into the enclave on Saturday night, cutting it into two separate areas, Hamas local Radio Station al-Aqsa Radio said... Read more »
WASHINGTON, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- U.S. New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson has withdrawn as President-elect Barack Obama's nominee for commerce secretary, NBC reported on Sunday.Obama has accepted Richardson's decision, according to the report, and a federal grand jury is investigating how a California company that contributed to Richardson's political activities won a lucrative New Mexico state contract. Richardson becomes the first nominee of Obam... Read more »
BEIJING, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Major Chinese lenders are expanding a preferential policy on house loan interests to cut the burden of the country's home buyers hit by the spreading financial crisis. For individuals who bought houses on mortgage lending before Oct. 27, 2008 and have not paid off the loans, their credit interest rates could be reduced to 70 percent of the benchmark rate from the previous 85 percent, customer service staff of several b... Read more »
BEIJING, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao on Sunday spoke over telephone with his U.S. counterpart George W. Bush about bilateral relations and major international issues of common concern. The two leaders exchanged congratulations on achievements that have been made in the development of bilateral relations since the forging of diplomatic ties between Chin... Read more »
