Bangladesh swelters in scorching heat, 4 deaths reported

STORY: Bangladesh swelters in scorching heat, 4 deaths reported SHOOTING TIME: April 23, 2024 DATELINE: April 24, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:09 LOCATION: Dhaka CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Dhaka street STORYLINE: Streets in Dhaka, Bangladesh's capital, Sunday had fewer pedestrians than usual. Also, work had stopped in some open-air construction sites in view of the deadly heat scorching in Dhaka where bitumen on several roads had melted in the midday heat, further evidence of the blistering temperature. Millions of people are at risk of heat-related impacts in the country, experts have warned, linking the early onset of an intense summer to climate change. To cope with the unbearable heat, the government has decided to keep all schools, colleges, madrasas, and technical education institutions across the country closed from April 21 to 27. The Bangladeshi government urged the relevant authorities to take precautionary measures to manage blistering summer heat, which touched highs of 42

China develops cutting-edge observatory on "roof of the world"

STORY: China develops cutting-edge observatory on "roof of the world" DATELINE: May 10, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:42 LOCATION: XINING, China CATEGORY: SCIENCE SHOTLIST: 1. various of the Lenghu site 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): DENG LICAI, Researcher, National Astronomical Observatories under the Chinese Academy of Sciences 3. various of AIMS 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): WANG DONGGUANG, Chief engineer, CAS's Huairou Solar Observing Station of National Astronomical Observatories STORYLINE: Lenghu, on the north side of China's Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, enjoys the advantages of clear night skies, stable atmospheric conditions, and a dry climate, making it one of the world's best astronomical observatory sites. Construction of the Lenghu site started in 2018. Upon its completion, it will house at least nine optical astronomical telescope projects including some 30 telescopes, with an investment of nearly 2 billion yuan (about 289 million U.S. dollars). SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): DENG LICAI, Researcher, National Astronomical Ob

Quake death toll hits 3,480 in Syria: monitor

STORY: Quake death toll hits 3,480 in Syria: monitor DATELINE: Feb. 9, 2023 LENGTH: 00:00:42 LOCATION: ERBIL, Iraq CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of rescue operations at earthquake sites STORYLINE: The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Wednesday that 3,480 people have been killed and about 3,000 injured in Monday's massive earthquakes in Syria. According to the war monitor, the fatalities include 1,570 in government-controlled cities and 1,910 in rebel-held areas. Meanwhile, the Syrian Health Ministry said the death toll has hit 1,260, with 2,285 injured. According to the Syrian government, rescue missions are still underway in the Syrian provinces of Aleppo, Latakia and Tartous. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from ERBIL, Iraq. (XHTV)

Rescue efforts underway after powerful earthquakes jolt Türkiye, Syria

STORY: Rescue efforts underway after powerful earthquakes jolt Türkiye, Syria DATELINE: Feb. 7, 2023 LENGTH: 00:04:42 LOCATION: Istanbul/Ankara/Damascus CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the quake sites 2. STANDUP 1 (English): WANG FENG, Xinhua correspondent 3. STANDUP 2 (English): WANG TENGFEI, Xinhua correspondent 4. STANDUP 3 (English): MONSEF MEMARI, Xinhua reporter STORYLINE: Around 5,000 people have been killed and tens of thousands injured as of Tuesday noon after strong earthquakes jolted parts of Türkiye and neighboring Syria early Monday. Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay said that the death toll has risen to 3,419 in Türkiye, adding that at least 20,534 people were injured. According to the Syrian health ministry and local authorities, more than 1,500 people died, and some 3,500 were injured in the country. Xinhua reporters from Istanbul, Ankara and Damascus have arrived at quake-hit areas to bring details. STANDUP 1 (English): WANG FENG, Xinhua correspondent "After nearly 20 hours o

Toll rises to 20 in bus-truck collision in northern Senegal

STORY: Toll rises to 20 in bus-truck collision in northern Senegal DATELINE: Jan. 17, 2023 LENGTH: 0:01:23 LOCATION: Dakar CATEGORY: OTHERS SHOTLIST: 1. various of traffic accident sites STORYLINE: Twenty people were killed and 24 others injured, 19 of them seriously, in a collision between a bus and a truck in northern Senegal on Monday, government spokesperson Abdou Karim Fofana said. Local media earlier put the number of dead at 19 in the crash that occurred in the town of Ngueune Sarr, in the department of Louga. Fofana said all the victims have been brought to hospitals in Louga and Saint-Louis. "All arrangements have been made to take care of the injured." Monday's collision came about a week after another major accident in Senegal's central Kaffrine region, where 42 died after two buses collided on Jan. 8. In response to that tragedy, the government convened an interministerial meeting and announced a number of measures to combat road accidents. "The Senegalese government is continuing to impl

Archeological site to be inspected for signs of forgery

Archeological site to be inspected for signs of forgery

SENDAI, Japan - A Japan Archaeology Association team starts investigating on Oct. 29 the Kamitakamori site in the town of Tsukidate in Miyagi Prefecture, where archaeologist Shinichi Fujimura has confessed to fabricating archaeological findings. Fujimura has admitted to faking discoveries at 42 sites including Kamitakamori.

11 killed, several injured in road accidents in Pakistan

STORY: 11 killed, several injured in road accidents in Pakistan DATELINE: Nov. 29, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:42 LOCATION: Islamabad CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the two separate road accidents sites STORYLINE: At least 11 people were killed and several others injured on Sunday in two separate road accidents in Pakistan, local media reported. Local media said that five people were killed and two others injured in a collision between a car and a tractor in Larkana District of Pakistan's southern Sindh Province. The accident took place on the underpass highway near Khairpur Juso area due to fog resulting in the casualties. All the deceased were from the same family and the victims were the residents of Larkana, the reports said. Separately, six people were killed and six others injured after a van plunged into a ravine in Sharda area of Neelum Valley district in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, police told media. All the victims were shifted to a local hospital, police said, adding that some of th

China's coal-rich Shanxi strives for greener development

STORY: China's coal-rich Shanxi strives for greener development DATELINE: Aug. 18, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:42 LOCATION: TAIYUAN, China CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT/ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Shanxi and the mining sites 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): JI JIE, Lu'an Chemical Group Co., Ltd. 3. various of the power plant 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): FENG ZHIHUI, Engineer of the panda-shaped photovoltaic power station STORYLINE: Shanxi, a major coal-producing province in north China, has been making its development "greener" by improving its mining technology and pushing forward the transition of its energy supply structure. Shanxi's accumulated coal output over the past 10 years reached nearly 10 billion tonnes, accounting for about a quarter of China's total. While ensuring China's energy supply, Shanxi has strived to push forward the transition of its energy supply structure by adopting measures such as accelerating the coordinated development of new energy and digitalization of its coal sector, among other efforts. Now

Archeological site to be inspected for signs of forgery

Archeological site to be inspected for signs of forgery

SENDAI, Japan - A Japan Archaeology Association team starts investigating on Oct. 29 the Kamitakamori site in the town of Tsukidate in Miyagi Prefecture, where archaeologist Shinichi Fujimura has confessed to fabricating archaeological findings. Fujimura has admitted to faking discoveries at 42 sites including Kamitakamori.