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Couche-Tard drops $47 bil. bid to buy Seven-Eleven parent company

Photo taken on Nov. 21, 2024, shows the headquarters of Canadian retailer Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. near Montreal. The retailer said on July 16, 2025, that it has withdrawn its $47 billion buyout proposal for Japanese rival Seven & i Holdings Co., the operator of the Seven-Eleven convenience store chain, following a year of talks.

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Couche-Tard drops $47 bil. bid to buy Seven-Eleven parent company

Photo taken on July 17, 2025, shows the headquarters of Seven & i Holdings Co., the Japanese operator of the Seven-Eleven convenience store chain. Canadian retailer Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. said on July 16, 2025, that it has withdrawn its $47 billion buyout proposal for Seven & i, following a year of talks.

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Couche-Tard drops $47 bil. bid to buy Seven-Eleven parent company

Photo taken on July 17, 2025, shows a Seven-Eleven convenience store in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward. Canadian retailer Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. said on July 16 that it has withdrawn its $47 billion buyout proposal for Japanese rival Seven & i Holdings Co., the operator of the convenience store chain, following a year of talks.

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Couche-Tard drops $47 bil. bid to buy Seven-Eleven parent company

Photo taken on Nov. 21, 2024, shows a convenience store operated by Canadian retailer Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. in Montreal. The retailer said on July 16, 2025, that it has withdrawn its $47 billion buyout proposal for Japanese rival Seven & i Holdings Co., the operator of the Seven-Eleven convenience store chain, following a year of talks.

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Couche-Tard drops bid to buy Seven-Eleven parent company

Combined file photo shows the logos of Seven & i Holdings Co. (L) and Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. Canadian retailer Alimentation Couche-Tard withdrew its $47 billion buyout proposal for Japanese rival Seven & i Holdings, ending nearly a year of talks.

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Egypt reports growth in electronic payment gateway operations

STORY: Egypt reports growth in electronic payment gateway operations SHOOTING TIME: June 23, 2024 DATELINE: June 24, 2024 LENGTH: 00:00:47 LOCATION: Cairo CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Ministry of Finance 2. various of Egypt's Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait speaking STORYLINE: Egypt's Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait said on Sunday that the Government Electronic Payment Gateway (GePG) has experienced growth in its operations from July 2023 to May 2024, referring the total value of services processed through GePG reached 2.5 trillion Egyptian pound (EGP) (about 51.9 billion USD) during this period, compared to 2.1 trillion EGP (43.6 billion USD) in the previous fiscal year. The electronic payment service for workers' salaries in the country saw a growth rate of 24 percent, amounting to 299.4 billion EGP (6.21 billion USD), versus 242.2 billion EGP (5.03 billion USD) in the same period of the last fiscal year. The minister further highlighted that the value of the electronic payment service

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Chinese, Turkish businesspeople seek more collaboration

STORY: Chinese, Turkish businesspeople seek more collaboration SHOOTING TIME: April 30, 2024 DATELINE: May 1, 2024 LENGTH: 00:00:47 LOCATION: ISTANBUL, Türkiye CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the event STORYLINE: Chinese and Turkish business delegates, along with media representatives, on Tuesday gathered in Istanbul, Türkiye's financial and cultural hub, to explore business opportunities and strengthen collaboration. The event, themed "China, an opportunity," took place at the Turkish branch headquarters of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC). Addressing the gathering, Wei Xiaodong, China's consul general in Istanbul, emphasized the commitment of both nations to forge stronger economic bonds and build a community with a shared future for mankind. "Over 1,300 Chinese companies are doing business here in Türkiye, with a total investment exceeding 3 billion U.S. dollars. At the same time, many Turkish companies have successful stories in China," Wei noted. The consul ge

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British Petroleum to invest 1.5 bln USD in Egypt for development, exploration activities

STORY: British Petroleum to invest 1.5 bln USD in Egypt for development, exploration activities SHOOTING TIME: Feb. 19, 2024 DATELINE: Feb. 20, 2024 LENGTH: 0:00:47 LOCATION: Cairo CATEGORY: POLITICS/ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi meeting with BP Chief Executive Officer Murray Auchincloss (courtesy of the Egyptian Presidency) STORYLINE: Energy giant British Petroleum (BP) planned 1.5-billion-U.S. dollar new investments for development and exploration activities in Egypt, the Egyptian presidency said on Monday. The announcement was made after a meeting in Cairo between Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and BP Chief Executive Officer Murray Auchincloss in Cairo, said the statement. During the meeting, Auchincloss announced that there is a potential for an additional 5 billion U.S. dollars in investments over the coming years, according to the statement. He affirmed BP's keenness on further boosting its investment in the field of oil and gas exploration in Egypt

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China's digitally deliverable trade in services up 10.4 pct in first 8 months

STORY: China's digitally deliverable trade in services up 10.4 pct in first 8 months DATELINE: Oct. 24, 2023 LENGTH: 00:00:47 LOCATION: Beijing CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): WANG SHOUWEN, Chinese Vice Commerce Minister 2. various of digitally deliverable trade in services STORYLINE: In the first eight months of this year, China's digitally deliverable trade in services stood at 1.81 trillion yuan (about 247.6 billion U.S. dollars), an increase of 10.4 percent year on year, according to Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen on Tuesday. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): WANG SHOUWEN, Chinese Vice Commerce Minister "The overall scale of China's digital trade is steadily expanding. In 2022, China's digitally deliverable trade in services reached 2.51 trillion yuan (about 343.4 billion U.S. dollars), up 7.8 percent year on year, ranking fifth in the world. In the first eight months of this year, China's digitally deliverable trade in services stood at 1.81 trillion yuan (about 247.6 billion U.S. dollars

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Egypt, UAE sign currency swap agreement

STORY: Egypt, UAE sign currency swap agreement DATELINE: Sept. 29, 2023 LENGTH: 00:00:47 LOCATION: Cairo CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various shots of the Central Bank of Egypt 2. various shots of an accountant counting banknotes 3. various exterior shots of Misr Banque 4. various exterior shots of the National Bank of Egypt STORYLINE: The central banks of Egypt and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed on Thursday a currency swap deal, agreeing to exchange up to 42 billion Egyptian pounds (about 1.36 billion U.S. dollars) and 5 billion UAE dirhams at nominal value. The agreement comes within the framework of strengthening relations between Egypt and the UAE at all levels and contributes to increasing their trade volume, a statement from the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) quoted the bank's governor Hassan Abdallah as saying. He noted that the deal also serves as a cornerstone for joint financial cooperation between the two sides. UAE Central Bank Governor Khaled Mohamed Balama said the agreement

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Huawei Apple Smart Phone

SHANGHAI, CHINA - AUGUST 24, 2023 - The Huwei and Apple flagship stores are seen in Shanghai, China, August 24, 2023. On September 12, 2023, after the release of Apple's IPHONE 15 smartphone, the stock price fell 1.71% at the close of the US stock market, and the market value disappeared by more than 47 billion US dollars. Hedge Fund Satori Fund has published a paper arguing that Apple's high stock valuation is not recommended for long-term investors, and that the company will face increased competition given Huawei's breakthrough in its new Mate60 Pro smartphone technology.

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Huawei Apple Smart Phone

SHANGHAI, CHINA - AUGUST 24, 2023 - Customers shop at Huawei's flagship store in Shanghai, China, August 24, 2023. On September 12, 2023, after the release of Apple's IPHONE 15 smartphone, the stock price fell 1.71% at the close of the US stock market, and the market value disappeared by more than 47 billion US dollars. Hedge Fund Satori Fund has published a paper arguing that Apple's high stock valuation is not recommended for long-term investors, and that the company will face increased competition given Huawei's breakthrough in its new Mate60 Pro smartphone technology.

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Huawei Apple Smart Phone

SHANGHAI, CHINA - AUGUST 24, 2023 - The Huawei flagship store in Shanghai, China, August 24, 2023. On September 12, 2023, after the release of Apple's IPHONE 15 smartphone, the stock price fell 1.71% at the close of the US stock market, and the market value disappeared by more than 47 billion US dollars. Hedge Fund Satori Fund has published a paper arguing that Apple's high stock valuation is not recommended for long-term investors, and that the company will face increased competition given Huawei's breakthrough in its new Mate60 Pro smartphone technology.

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Huawei Apple Smart Phone

SHANGHAI, CHINA - AUGUST 24, 2023 - The Huawei flagship store in Shanghai, China, August 24, 2023. On September 12, 2023, after the release of Apple's IPHONE 15 smartphone, the stock price fell 1.71% at the close of the US stock market, and the market value disappeared by more than 47 billion US dollars. Hedge Fund Satori Fund has published a paper arguing that Apple's high stock valuation is not recommended for long-term investors, and that the company will face increased competition given Huawei's breakthrough in its new Mate60 Pro smartphone technology.

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Huawei Apple Smart Phone

SHANGHAI, CHINA - AUGUST 24, 2023 - Customers shop at Huawei's flagship store in Shanghai, China, August 24, 2023. On September 12, 2023, after the release of Apple's IPHONE 15 smartphone, the stock price fell 1.71% at the close of the US stock market, and the market value disappeared by more than 47 billion US dollars. Hedge Fund Satori Fund has published a paper arguing that Apple's high stock valuation is not recommended for long-term investors, and that the company will face increased competition given Huawei's breakthrough in its new Mate60 Pro smartphone technology.

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Huawei Apple Smart Phone

SHANGHAI, CHINA - AUGUST 24, 2023 - Customers shop at the Apple flagship store in Shanghai, China, August 24, 2023. On September 12, 2023, after the release of Apple's IPHONE 15 smartphone, the stock price fell 1.71% at the close of the US stock market, and the market value disappeared by more than 47 billion US dollars. Hedge Fund Satori Fund has published a paper arguing that Apple's high stock valuation is not recommended for long-term investors, and that the company will face increased competition given Huawei's breakthrough in its new Mate60 Pro smartphone technology.

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Huawei Apple Smart Phone

SHANGHAI, CHINA - AUGUST 24, 2023 - The Apple flagship store in Shanghai, China, August 24, 2023. On September 12, 2023, after the release of Apple's IPHONE 15 smartphone, the stock price fell 1.71% at the close of the US stock market, and the market value disappeared by more than 47 billion US dollars. Hedge Fund Satori Fund has published a paper arguing that Apple's high stock valuation is not recommended for long-term investors, and that the company will face increased competition given Huawei's breakthrough in its new Mate60 Pro smartphone technology.

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Huawei Apple Smart Phone

SHANGHAI, CHINA - AUGUST 24, 2023 - Customers shop at the Apple flagship store in Shanghai, China, August 24, 2023. On September 12, 2023, after the release of Apple's IPHONE 15 smartphone, the stock price fell 1.71% at the close of the US stock market, and the market value disappeared by more than 47 billion US dollars. Hedge Fund Satori Fund has published a paper arguing that Apple's high stock valuation is not recommended for long-term investors, and that the company will face increased competition given Huawei's breakthrough in its new Mate60 Pro smartphone technology.

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Huawei Apple Smart Phone

SHANGHAI, CHINA - AUGUST 24, 2023 - Customers shop at the Apple flagship store in Shanghai, China, August 24, 2023. On September 12, 2023, after the release of Apple's IPHONE 15 smartphone, the stock price fell 1.71% at the close of the US stock market, and the market value disappeared by more than 47 billion US dollars. Hedge Fund Satori Fund has published a paper arguing that Apple's high stock valuation is not recommended for long-term investors, and that the company will face increased competition given Huawei's breakthrough in its new Mate60 Pro smartphone technology.

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Huawei Apple Smart Phone

SHANGHAI, CHINA - AUGUST 24, 2023 - The Apple flagship store in Shanghai, China, August 24, 2023. On September 12, 2023, after the release of Apple's IPHONE 15 smartphone, the stock price fell 1.71% at the close of the US stock market, and the market value disappeared by more than 47 billion US dollars. Hedge Fund Satori Fund has published a paper arguing that Apple's high stock valuation is not recommended for long-term investors, and that the company will face increased competition given Huawei's breakthrough in its new Mate60 Pro smartphone technology.

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Israel requests U.S. approval to purchase more F-35 aircraft

STORY: Israel requests U.S. approval to purchase more F-35 aircraft DATELINE: Sept. 4, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:47 LOCATION: Jerusalem CATEGORY: MILITARY SHOTLIST: 1. footage of F-35 (file) 2. various of F-35 in the air (courtesy of Israel Defense Forces) STORYLINE: Israel has submitted an official request to the United States to purchase a third squadron of F-35 stealth combat aircraft, the Israeli Defense Ministry said on Sunday. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant submitted a Letter of Request to the U.S. Department of Defense in order to sign the deal "in the next few months," according to a statement released by the Israeli Defense Ministry. The request follows a previous agreement, in which Israel agreed to buy from the United States 25 F-35 aircraft, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, in a deal that includes support and maintenance. The ministry estimates that the value of the deal is about 3 billion U.S. dollars, which would be financed by U.S. security aid funds to Israel. The first three jets of

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Malaysia's wholesale, retail trade grows 6.6 pct in May

STORY: Malaysia's wholesale, retail trade grows 6.6 pct in May DATELINE: July 14, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:47 LOCATION: Kuala Lumpur CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Malaysia's national flag and Kuala Lumpur City view 2. various of customers spending at retails and exhibitions 3. various of crowds on streets and shopping at a mall 4. various of foods and customers doing their grocery shopping at a supermarket STORYLINE: Malaysia's wholesale and retail trade recorded monthly sales value of 138 billion ringgit (29.68 billion U.S. dollars) in May, up 6.6 percent year-on-year, official data showed Wednesday. The Department of Statistics of Malaysia (DOSM) said in a statement that the growth was attributed to the motor vehicles sub-sector, which surged 22 percent to 17 billion ringgit. Meanwhile, retail trade expanded 5 percent to 58.8 billion ringgit and wholesale trade increased 4.4 percent to 62.2 billion ringgit. For month-on-month comparison, sales value of wholesale and retail trade rebounded 1.5 pe

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Malaysia witnesses more domestic visitors in Q1

STORY: Malaysia witnesses more domestic visitors in Q1 DATELINE: June 28, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:54 LOCATION: Kuala Lumpur CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of tourists at the Porta De Santiago in Malacca 2. various of tourists visiting the Stadthuys in the heart of Malacca City 3. various of the Malacca River and tourists enjoying a cruise ride in Malacca 4. various of Pulau Lang Tengah, Terengganu 5. various of Langkawi, Kedah STORYLINE: The number of Malaysia's domestic tourists rose 33.7 percent year-on-year to 48.6 million in the first quarter of 2023, official data showed Monday. The Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) said in a statement that for quarter-on-quarter comparison, the number of domestic visitors increased by 3.9 percent as compared to the fourth quarter of 2022. Meanwhile, domestic tourism expenditure for the first quarter stood at 19.2 billion ringgit (4.1 billion U.S. dollars), jumped 47 percent year-on-year, and rose 4.6 percent quarter-on-quarter. DOSM data also showed that

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Japan books 16.6 bln USD current account surplus in February

STORY: Japan books 16.6 bln USD current account surplus in February DATELINE: April 10, 2023 LENGTH: 0:00:47 LOCATION: Tokyo CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of street views of Tokyo 2. various of port STORYLINE: Japan logged a current account surplus of 2.2 trillion yen (16.6 billion U.S. dollars) in February, the government said in a report on Monday, back to the black following a deficit in January. According to the Finance Ministry's preliminary information, the figure was 2.3 percent lower than in the same period last year. According to the ministry, the country had a goods trade deficit of 604.1 billion yen (4.56 billion U.S. dollars) and a services trade deficit of 220.4 billion yen (1.66 million U.S. dollars), among key components in the recording period. Imports and exports expanded 9.8 percent and 4.5 percent year on year, respectively, the preliminary data showed. The report also showed that the primary income, which reflects returns on overseas investments, booked a surplus o

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Chinese modernization constitutes hope, happiness and opportunities for humanity: Ghanaian expert

STORY: Chinese modernization constitutes hope, happiness and opportunities for humanity: Ghanaian expert DATELINE: March 14, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:47 LOCATION: Accra CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of aerial view of China 2. SOUNDBITE (English): BENJAMIN ANYAGRE, General Secretary, Ghana-China Friendship Association STORYLINE: An African expert says China's modernization drive seeks to meet people's needs for a better life, noting that it constitutes hope, happiness and opportunities for humanity. SOUNDBITE (English): BENJAMIN ANYAGRE, General Secretary, Ghana-China Friendship Association "China, with a population of 1.4 billion people, the leadership indeed has continued to rely on scientific means to satisfy the needs of the people. I was once in China and I went to a place called the Hunan Province. I was sent to a modern village. When we got there, you see the people, they look like farmers. But when you see their houses, my goodness, very beautiful, excellent standard. Within the environment, th

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U.S. House passes 1.7 trillion-USD gov't funding package

STORY: U.S. House passes 1.7 trillion-USD gov't funding package DATELINE: Dec. 24, 2022 LENGTH: 0:00:47 LOCATION: Washington D.C. CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of U.S. House of Representatives voting on the bill 2. various of exterior of the U.S. Capitol STORYLINE: The U.S. House of Representatives passed a massive package on Friday to fund the federal government. The omnibus bill -- worth 1.7 trillion U.S. dollars -- cleared the Senate on Thursday and is being sent to the White House. U.S. President Joe Biden said on Friday that he "will sign it into law as soon as it reaches my desk." Biden later signed a short-term funding bill into law to avert a partial government shutdown ahead of the midnight deadline. The one-week continuing resolution has given more time for the spending bill, which runs more than 4,000 pages, to be processed for Biden's signature. The massive spending legislation for fiscal year 2023 includes 772.5 billion dollars for non-defense, domestic programs, and 858 billion

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Fukushima Daiichi plant

TOKYO, Japan - An Aug. 31, 2013, photo from a Kyodo News helicopter shows the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station in Fukushima Prefecture. The Japanese government announced a plan on Sept. 3, 2013, to use 47 billion yen to tackle a massive buildup of radioactive water at the plant crippled since the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami.

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Fukushima Daiichi plant

TOKYO, Japan - An Aug. 31, 2013, photo from a Kyodo News helicopter shows the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station in Fukushima Prefecture. The Japanese government announced a plan on Sept. 3, 2013, to use 47 billion yen to tackle a massive buildup of radioactive water at the plant crippled since the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami.

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Akai Electric files for court protection

TOKYO, Japan - Koichi Enomoto (L), president of Akai Electric Co., a leading producer of audio equipment and videocassette recorders, speaks at a news conference at the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Nov. 2 after the company filed for court protection from creditors, with 47 billion yen in debt.

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Industrial and energy internet expo kicks off in east China

STORY: Industrial and energy internet expo kicks off in east China DATELINE: Nov. 12, 2022 LENGTH: 00:02:21 LOCATION: NANJING, China CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the expo 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): LI GUANHUA, Vice president of Li Auto 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): ZHENG JUNYI, Co-founder of Star Charge STORYLINE: The 2022 World Industrial and Energy Internet Expo kicked off Friday in Changzhou City of east China's Jiangsu Province. Agreements on 21 key projects have been signed at the expo with a total investment of 47 billion yuan (about 6.6 billion U.S. dollars), mostly covering new energy, industrial and energy internet, and digitalization. A series of summits focusing on digital transformation, the new energy industry, and innovation and start-ups will be held during this expo which will conclude on Sunday. Two hundred products from 161 enterprises in numerous fields including new energy vehicles (NEVs) and intelligent manufacturing will also be virtually exhibited until Dec. 10 at

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Pilot FTZs gear up China's high-quality opening up

STORY: Pilot FTZs gear up China's high-quality opening up DATELINE: Oct. 29, 2022 LENGTH: 00:02:47 LOCATION: HEFEI, China CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of general views in China 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): GRACE TAO, Global Vice President of Tesla 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): DAVID SANCHEZ CASTANEDA, Sales Manager of Fujian Black Bean Technology Co., Ltd. 4. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): FAHEEM SARDAR, Senior policy specialist at Pakistan's national security division 5. SOUNDBITE 4 (English): OH EI SUN, Principal adviser for Malaysia's Pacific Research Center STORYLINE: In the Hefei area of the pilot free trade zone (FTZ) in China's Anhui, the construction of Volkswagen Anhui MEB (Modular Electric Drive Matrix) plant is in full swing, with mass production scheduled for 2023. Last month marked the second anniversary of the inauguration of the Anhui pilot FTZ. According to official data, in the first half of this year, the FTZ generated foreign trade of 95.93 billion yuan (about 13.38 billion U.S. dollars)

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Kenya expands tea export to West and Central Africa

STORY: Kenya expands tea export to West and Central Africa DATELINE: Oct. 6, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:47 LOCATION: Nairobi CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the ceremony 2. SOUNDBITE (English): WILLIAM RUTO, Kenyan President STORYLINE: Kenya has expanded its tea export to West and Central African countries as it seeks to cash in on tea demand in the region. Kenyan President William Ruto on Wednesday flagged off the first consignment to Accra, Ghana under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Guided Trade Initiative. Ruto urged the government to increase Kenya's value-added tea products to 50 percent from five percent in the next five years. Ruto announced that Kenya will also have the same conversations with Tunisia, Morocco and all other tea importing countries. SOUNDBITE (English): WILLIAM RUTO, Kenyan President "We can now harvest the returns of the huge market of 1 billion people in our continent. The infrastructure provided by the African Continental Free Trade Area of making it easie

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Death toll from Hurricane Ian exceeds 110 in U.S.

STORY: Death toll from Hurricane Ian exceeds 110 in U.S. DATELINE: Oct. 6, 2022 LENGTH: 00:00:54 LOCATION: Washington, D.C. CATEGORY: OTHERS SHOTLIST: 1. various of the hurricane-hit areas in the United States STORYLINE: The death toll from Hurricane Ian in the United States has exceeded 110, while hundreds of thousands remain without power. A CNN tally on Wednesday showed that at least 110 people, including 105 in Florida and five in North Carolina, have died in the hurricane. U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday traveled to Fort Myers, Florida, to survey storm-ravaged areas. According to power outage tracking site PowerOutage.us., nearly 300,000 customers in Florida remained without power as of Wednesday afternoon. Ian made landfall in southwestern Florida last week as a Category 4 hurricane, bringing catastrophic storm surges, heavy rains, destructive winds, and dangerous flooding. According to U.S. research firm CoreLogic, estimated losses from Ian are between 28 billion and 47 billion U.S. dolla

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High oil prices put Tunisia under huge financial pressure: minister

STORY: High oil prices put Tunisia under huge financial pressure: minister DATELINE: Aug. 4, 2022 LENGTH: 00:00:47 LOCATION: Tunis CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of gas station in Tunis STORYLINE: Tunisian Minister of Industry, Mines and Energy Naila Nouira Kanji said on Tuesday that high oil prices have brought huge financial pressure on the Tunisian government. The minister said that the Tunisian government has formulated a budget for 2022 with an international oil price of 75 U.S. dollars per barrel, and planned to provide energy subsidies of 2.9 billion Tunisian dinars (about 960 million U.S. dollars) for its citizens. However, the current international oil price remains high and the subsidy will exceed 8 billion dinars (about 2.96 billion U.S. dollars), which greatly exceeds the budgeted amount and the government cannot afford it. She added that the government will guarantee energy subsidies for low-income people, and speed up the development of public transport while raising refined oil pr

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Algeria inks 4-bln-USD gas deal with 3 int'l energy groups

STORY: Algeria inks 4-bln-USD gas deal with 3 int'l energy groups DATELINE: July 20, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:47 LOCATION: Algiers CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the signing ceremony 2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): MOHAMED ARKAB, Algeria's Minister of Energy and Mines STORYLINE: Algeria's state-owned oil company Sonatrach inked on Tuesday in Algiers a deal worth 4 billion U.S. dollars with three energy companies from Europe and the United States. The agreement reached between Sonatrach and U.S. company Occidental, Italy's Eni, and France's Total Energy, will supply Italy with natural gas amid a likely cut of Russian gas to Europe. Under the contract, Sonatrach and the three Western oil companies will develop the Berkin gas field, located 300 km southeast of Hassi Messaoud, in the south of Algeria. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): MOHAMED ARKAB, Algeria's Minister of Energy and Mines "This four-billion-U.S. dollar-worth deal will allow for an additional one billion barrels of oil equivalent to be extracted, and the

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Ukraine to receive 1.7 bln USD from int'l donors: PM

STORY: Ukraine to receive 1.7 bln USD from int'l donors: PM DATELINE: July 10, 2022 LENGTH: 00:00:47 LOCATION: Kiev CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: various of Kiev STORYLINE: Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Saturday on Telegram that Ukraine will receive 1.7 billion U.S. dollars in grant aid from international donors. The money will be channeled to Ukraine through a single-donor trust fund set up by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Development Association and the U.S. Agency for International Development. The funds will be used to cover Ukraine's budget expenditures on medical services under a medical guarantee program. Ukrainian Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko said at a public event last month that Kiev plans to raise 20 billion dollars in international aid from its Western partners by the end of 2022. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Kiev. (XHTV)

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Cambodia approves 87 investment projects worth 2.7 bln USD in first 6 months

STORY: Cambodia approves 87 investment projects worth 2.7 bln USD in first 6 months DATELINE: July 9, 2022 LENGTH: 00:05:47 LOCATION: Phnom Penh CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the Council of the Development of Cambodia in Phnom Penh 2. file of Chinese-invested Lower Sesan II hydropower station in Stung Treng province 3. file of Chinese-built Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville expressway 4. file of Cambodia-China Friendship Bridge in Kampong Cham province 5. file of Chinese-built international airport in Siem Reap province 6. file of Chinese-aided main stadium in Phnom Penh 7. file of Chinese-invested Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone 8. file of Sihanoukville Autonomous Port 9. file of high-rise buildings in Phnom Penh STORYLINE: Cambodia has approved 87 fixed-asset investment projects worth about 2.7 billion U.S. dollars in the first half of 2022, according to the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC)'s report on Friday. The approved projects included garment, footwear and travel goods facto

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GLOBALink | BMW opens new factory in NE China

STORY: BMW opens new factory in NE China DATELINE: June 24, 2022 LENGTH: 0:00:47 LOCATION: SHENYANG, China CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Plant Lydia of BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd. STORYLINE: A new factory of BMW Group's joint venture in China opened Thursday in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, with an investment totaling 15 billion yuan (about 2.2 billion U.S. dollars). Plant Lydia of BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd. (BBA), a joint venture between BMW and Chinese carmaker Brilliance China Automotive Holdings Ltd., will boost BMW's annual output in China to 830,000 vehicles, the automaker said. It is the biggest single investment of the German automaker in China. Located in the Tiexi District of Shenyang, Plant Lydia covers a total area of 2.9 million square meters. It has ancillary facilities like a body shop, paint shop, final assembly lines, and a large data center. The plant is covered with a gigabit 5G network to meet the bandwidth requirements for technologies li

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Turkey, Kazakhstan aim to reach 10 bln USD in bilateral trade: Turkish president

STORY: Turkey, Kazakhstan aim to reach 10 bln USD in bilateral trade: Turkish president DATELINE: May 11, 2022 LENGTH: 00:00:47 LOCATION: Ankara CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a joint press conference held with visiting Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in the capital Ankara STORYLINE: Turkey and Kazakhstan aim to reach the target of 10 billion U.S. dollars in bilateral trade, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday. "We evaluated the possibilities of further development and deepening of our cooperation," Erdogan said at a joint press conference held with visiting Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in the capital Ankara. "The trade volume between Turkey and Kazakhstan exceeded 5.3 billion dollars last year. Thus, we have surpassed our target of 5 billion U.S. dollars in a short time. We will reach our target of 10 billion with speedy steps," Erdogan said. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the diplomatic relation

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Indonesia, Canada agree to boost economic cooperation

STORY: Indonesia, Canada agree to boost economic cooperation DATELINE: April 12, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:47 LOCATION: Jakarta CATEGORY: POLITICS/ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the FMs signing 2. various of the press conference 3. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): RETNO MARSUDI, Indonesian Foreign Minister 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): MELANIE JOLY, Canadian Foreign Minister STORYLINE: Indonesia and Canada agreed on Monday to boost economic cooperation during the visit of Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly to Jakarta where she met her Indonesian counterpart, Retno Marsudi. Official data show that trade volume between Indonesia and Canada increased by almost 30 percent in 2021, reaching 3.12 billion U.S. dollars. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): RETNO MARSUDI, Indonesian Foreign Minister "I am also very glad both of us just signed the Indonesia-Canada Plan of Action for the period of 2022-2025, a guidance on how we will navigate our cooperation in the next four years." The Canadian Foreign Minister said besides Indonesia, Cana

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Exports of Peruvian fresh grapes reach 1.26 bln USD in 2021

STORY: Exports of Peruvian fresh grapes reach 1.26 bln USD in 2021 DATELINE: March 3, 2022 LENGTH: 00:03:47 LOCATION: Lima CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: various of grapevinesSOUNDBITE (Spanish): AMORA CARVAJAL, Executive President of Peru Export and Tourism Promotion Board STORYLINE: Peru's Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism has announced that the export value of Peruvian fresh grapes reached 1.26 billion U.S. dollars in 2021, increasing by 22 percent compared with 2020. Peruvian grapes are sold to 62 countries and regions around the world, with the United States, the European Union, China, the United Kingdom, Mexico and South Korea being its major export markets. SOUNDBITE (Spanish): AMORA CARVAJAL, Executive President of Peru Export and Tourism Promotion Board "Peruvian grapes are abundant, high quality and unique in flavor, and can be accepted by customers with different tastes in different regions, which is the main reason why Peruvian grapes have risen to prominence in the international market." C

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Zuckerberg tops list of America's richest entrepreneurs under 40

Undated photo shows Facebook Inc. Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg. American business magazine Forbes released the nation's richest entrepreneurs aged under 40 for the first time on Nov. 18, 2015. The 31-year-old Zuckerberg topped the list with a net worth of $47 billion. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Parties to nuke disaster compensation pact shake hands

Mitsuru Kitano (2nd from R), Japanese ambassador to international organizations in Vienna, joins the representatives of five other contracting parties to the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage on the occasion of a ceremony to mark the entry into effect of the pact in Vienna on April 15, 2015. The treaty obliges each country to cover at least 47 billion yen in compensation in connection with nuclear disasters within their borders. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Ex-Daio chairman released on bail

TOKYO, Japan - Former Daio Paper Corp. Chairman Mototaka Ikawa is released on bail from the Tokyo Detention House in the Japanese capital's Kosuge area on Dec. 22, 2011. Tokyo prosecutors brought additional charges against Ikawa the same day for causing 2.33 billion yen in damage to three of the company's subsidiaries. The 47-year-old grandson of the papermaking company's founder was already indicted on another charge of aggravated breach of trust over loans from four group companies totaling 3.2 billion yen. (Kyodo)

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Akai Electric files for court protection

TOKYO, Japan - Koichi Enomoto (L), president of Akai Electric Co., a leading producer of audio equipment and videocassette recorders, speaks at a news conference at the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Nov. 2 after the company filed for court protection from creditors, with 47 billion yen in debt.