Syria, Iran and Venezuela have signed a preliminary agreement to establish a petroleum refinery in Syria, with a capacity to process 140,000 barrels per day, the official SANA news agency reported on Wednesday.

The number of people killed in work accidents in oil and gas exploitation in the first nine months has already exceeded the total for last year, said a report by the State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS) on Wednesday.

U.S. stocks ended lower Wednesday on sluggish housing and manufacturing report.

Oil prices fell slightly Wednesday as U.S. crude oil supplies rose but refined fuel stocks fell.

U.S. commercial crude oil inventories rose last week but supplies of refined products fell, the Energy Department reported Wednesday in its weekly survey.

The franchising industry in Asia is taking off, with the annual revenue growing by more than 50 billion U.S. dollars annually, a Singaporean senior official said here Wednesday.

The People's Bank of China (PBOC), the central bank, said on Wednesday it would draw up regulations to strictly enforce the country's anti-money laundering law "as soon as possible".

The Beijing base of China Southern Airlines (CSA) opened for business on Wednesday, marking a "breakthrough" in the firm's bid to build the base into a major aerial hub in the Chinese capital.

Kenya is set to launch a major tourism promotion drive to target Chinese tourists as well as leaders attending the China-Africa summit opening in Beijing later this week, tourism officials have said.

Kenya is set to launch a major tourism promotion drive to target Chinese tourists as well as leaders attending the China-Africa summit opening in Beijing later this week, tourism officials have said.