31 dead after barbecue restaurant explosion in northwest China

STORY: 31 dead after barbecue restaurant explosion in northwest ChinaDATELINE: June 22, 2023LENGTH: 00:00:35LOCATION: YINCHUAN, ChinaCATEGORY: OTHERSSHOTLIST:1. various of the explosion sceneSTORYLINE:The death toll from an explosion which ripped through a barbecue restaurant in China's Yinchuan on Wednesday night has risen to 31, local authorities said Thursday.The blast happened at around 8:40 p.m. on a busy street in Xingqing District of Yinchuan, due to a leakage of liquefied petroleum gas from the operating area of a barbecue restaurant.The explosion resulted in 38 casualties, with 31 people confirmed dead despite rescue efforts, while seven individuals, including one in critical condition, are currently receiving medical treatment, according to Ningxia Hui Autonomous Regional Committee of the Communist Party of China.Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Yinchuan, China.(XHTV)

Germany shuts down last three nuclear power reactors

STORY: Germany shuts down last three nuclear power reactorsDATELINE: April 16, 2023LENGTH: 00:00:45LOCATION: BerlinCATEGORY: SOCIETYSHOTLIST:1. various of the Neckarwestheim nuclear power plant in Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany2. various of the Isar nuclear power plant in Bavaria, Germany3. various of the Emsland nuclear power plant in Lower Saxony, GermanySTORYLINE:Germany shut down its last three operating nuclear power reactors Saturday night, putting an end to more than half a century of nuclear power usage in the country.The shutdown of Emsland, Neckarwestheim II and Isar II came shortly before midnight.After the 2011 nuclear accident in Fukushima, Japan, Germany's nuclear phase-out was scheduled to be completed by the end of 2022 under the leadership of former Chancellor Angela Merkel.However, due to the energy crisis, operations at the plants have been extended until April 2023.Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Berlin.(XHTV)

Japan's population drops below 125 mln, down for 12th year

STORY: Japan's population drops below 125 mln, down for 12th yearDATELINE: April 14, 2023LENGTH: 00:00:53LOCATION: TokyoCATEGORY: SOCIETYSHOTLIST:1. various of street scenes in Japan2. various of Japanese peopleSTORYLINE:The population in Japan declined to 124.95 million in 2022, marking the 12th consecutive year of decline, government data showed Wednesday. As of Oct. 1 last year, the total population, including foreign residents, saw a decrease of 556,000, or 0.44 percent from the previous year, according to the latest population estimates released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. The number of Japanese nationals, which came in at 122 million, plunged by 750,000, the decline of which has been expanding since 2011, the ministry said in an online report. The figure represented the largest comparable decline since comparable data became available in 1950, Kyodo News reported. The government will address the country's falling birthrate "with the highest priorit

Track laying of Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway completed

STORY: Track laying of Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway completedDATELINE: April 1, 2023LENGTH: 00:02:00LOCATION: JakartaCATEGORY: SOCIETYSHOTLIST:1. various of Halim Station2. various of speech and watching video3. various of ceremony4. various of track laying5. various of photo session6. SOUNDBITE 1 (Bahasa Indonesia): DWIYANA SLAMET RIYADI, President Director of PT Kereta Cepat Jakarta Bandung7. SOUNDBITE 2 (Bahasa Indonesia): LUHUT BINSAR PANDJAITAN, Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs and InvestmentSTORYLINE:The track laying of the whole line of the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway (HSR) was completed on Friday. The track laying task was undertaken by the Chinese construction consortium led by China Railway International Co., Ltd.This railway has a total length of 142 kilometers, and the total track laying length reaches 308 kilometers, using 500-meter-long steel rails produced in China.SOUNDBITE 1 (Bahasa Indonesia): DWIYANA SLAMET RIYADI, President Director of PT Kere

Turkish president sets elections date for May 14

STORY: Turkish president sets elections date for May 14DATELINE: March 11, 2023LENGTH: 00:01:46LOCATION: AnkaraCATEGORY: POLITICSSHOTLIST:1. various of the press conference of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (Courtesy of Ihlas News Agency)2. SOUNDBITE (Turkish): RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, Turkish President (Courtesy of Ihlas News Agency)3. various of Turkish President signing a presidential decree (Courtesy of Ihlas News Agency)4. various of the Supreme Election Board (YSK) and previous elections in Türkiye5. various of headquarters of AKP-MHP and previous elections in Türkiye6. various of the chair of the Republican People's Party (CHP) Kemal Kilicdaroglu (Courtesy of CHP)STORYLINE:Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday officially sets the country's presidential and parliamentary elections for May 14, a month earlier than scheduled.Signing a presidential decree at a press conference, the president cited the Article 116 of the Turkish Constitution as his mandate to renew the elec

French unions call for further strikes over pension reform

STORY: French unions call for further strikes over pension reformDATELINE: Feb. 1, 2023LENGTH: 00:03:55LOCATION: ParisCATEGORY: ECONOMYSHOTLIST:1. various of people on streets2. SOUNDBITE 1 (French): KATELL, Student3. SOUNDBITE 2 (French): FREDERIC, Frederic, Teacher4. SOUNDBITE 3 (French): PIERRE, Chemist5. various of people on streetsSTORYLINE:French unions on Tuesday called for two more days of strike action on Feb. 7 and 11, to try to force the government to retract its pension reform plan announced earlier this month. The French Interior Ministry said that more than 1.2 million people took to the streets across France on Tuesday, to express their anger against the controversial reform that will force employees to work until they are 64.However, the CGT, France's largest union, said that 2.8 million people marched on Tuesday during the second day of general mobilization. In the country's major cities, local authorities also registered more demonstrators than on Jan. 19. In Marseil