Italy hosts record-breaking number of tourists in 2023

STORY: Italy hosts record-breaking number of tourists in 2023 SHOOTING TIME: June 4, 2024 DATELINE: June 5, 2024 LENGTH: 00:00:47 LOCATION: Rome CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of tourists in Rome STORYLINE: Italy set an all-time record for tourist arrivals last year, with numbers surpassing pre-pandemic levels for the first time, the government's statistics entity reported Tuesday. ISTAT, the Italian Statistics Institute, said the country hosted more than 134 million tourists in 2023, amounting to a total of more than 450 million overnight stays. This represents 3 million more arrivals and 14.5 million more overnight stays than in 2019, the last year before the COVID-19 pandemic, accounting for increases of 2.3 percent and 3.3 percent, respectively. Compared to 2022, the tourism figures rose by 13.4 percent and 9.5 percent, respectively. According to the data, the most popular Italian region for tourism last year was Veneto, famous for the canal city of Venice. Veneto attracted 21.1 mil

NEV makers move fast in China leveraging innovation, cooperation

STORY: NEV makers move fast in China leveraging innovation, cooperation SHOOTING TIME: recent footage DATELINE: May 12, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:20 LOCATION: HEFEI/GUANGZHOU, China CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the NEV sector STORYLINE: Fierce competition has driven up technological innovation and industrial upgrading in China's new energy vehicle (NEV) sector, with auto brands revving up investment and seeking cooperation. In the first quarter of this year, China's NEV sales climbed 31.8 percent year on year to 2.09 million units, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. Data from the association also showed that the country's NEV sales surged 37.9 percent year on year to about 9.5 million last year, compared with just 75,000 a decade ago. However, last year saw a survival battle among Chinese NEV makers, after the withdrawal of financial subsidies for NEVs that had been in place for 13 years. While traditional automakers from home and abroad are accelerating the electrifi

India's GDP grows 8.4 pct in Oct.-Dec.

STORY: India's GDP grows 8.4 pct in Oct.-Dec. SHOOTING TIME: March 1, 2024 DATELINE: March 2, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:26 LOCATION: New Delhi CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of India gate 2. various of building construction 3. various of manufacturing unit STORYLINE: India's economic growth rate grew to 8.4 percent during the period from October to December, government data released on Thursday showed. The figure was 8.1 percent in July-September period. The ministry of statistics and program implementation said double-digit growth rate of the construction sector (10.7 percent), followed by a good growth rate of the manufacturing sector (8.5 percent), has boosted the GDP growth in FY 2023-24. On the back of double-digit growth in the manufacturing sector (11.6 percent), followed by a good growth rate of the construction sector (9.5 percent), the real GDP grew by 8.4 percent in Q3 of FY 2023-24, the ministry said. Meanwhile, Indian economy remained resilient with 7.6 percent growth rate of

Tunisia sees increase in tourist arrivals in 2022

STORY: Tunisia sees increase in tourist arrivals in 2022 DATELINE: Dec. 26, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:07 LOCATION: Tunis CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of ruins of the ancient city of Carthage 2. various of tourists in the town of Sidi Bou Said in Tunis STORYLINE: The number of inbound tourists to Tunisia will increase notably this year compared with last year, according to the latest data released by the Tunisian Ministry of Tourism. The ministry said that this year's tourist number will reach about 60 percent of that in 2019, which stood at 9.5 million. In order to attract more tourists, Tunisian tourism practitioners participated in more than 40 international tourism exhibitions this year to promote local cuisine, culture and natural resources. The ministry added that Tunisia's tourists come from surrounding countries like Algeria and Libya, as well as European countries such as France, Spain and the United Kingdom. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Tunis. (XHTV)

Snow crab fishermen head out to sea as fishing season starts

Snow crab fishermen head out to sea as fishing season starts

YONAGO, Japan - Sent off by family members and other well-wishers, a Japanese snow crab boat heads out to sea from Sakaiminato, Tottori Prefecture on Aug. 31 as the fishing season for snow crab in the Sea of Japan starts on Sept. 1. According to the fishermen's cooperative in Sakaiminato, Japan's largest crab fishing port, the volume of snow crabs caught in the Sea of Japan has been declining gradually partly due to over-trapping. To conserve the snow crab population, snow crab fishermen in Japan have imposed a ceiling on the volume of snow crabs to be caught starting this year. Fishermen are also required to use trapping baskets with 9.5-centimeter rings to enable smaller crabs to escape when trapped. Japanese fishermen caught 10,952 tons of crabs in the Sea of Japan last year, 60 percent of them snow crab.

China's economy grows 9.1% in July-Sept.

China's economy grows 9.1% in July-Sept.

BEIJING, China - Sheng Laiyun, spokesman of China's National Bureau of Statistics, announces on Oct. 18, 2011, in Beijing that the Chinese economy grew 9.1 percent in the July-September quarter from a year earlier, down from 9.5 percent growth the preceding quarter. The growth rate has slowed for three consecutive quarters.

China's economy grows 9.5% in April-June qtr

China's economy grows 9.5% in April-June qtr

BEIJING, China - Sheng Laiyun, a spokesman for China's National Bureau of Statistics, speaks in a press conference in Beijing on July 13, 2011. China said its economy grew 9.5 percent in the April-June quarter from a year earlier, down from a 9.7 percent expansion in the preceding quarter.

India's trade deficit almost triples in one year

STORY: India's trade deficit almost triples in one year DATELINE: Aug. 14, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:35 LOCATION: New Delhi CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of India gate 2. various of market 3. various of fuel station 4. various of coal mine area 5. various of traffic STORYLINE: India's trade deficit almost tripled to a record 30 billion U.S. dollars in July compared to a year ago, said official data released by the country's Commerce and Industry Ministry. The rise in trade deficit has been attributed to a surge in imports driven by elevated global commodity prices. According to the data, merchandise exports rose by 2.1 percent in July to 36.3 billion dollars compared to the previous year, while imports jumped by 43.6 percent to 66.3 billion dollars. Overall exports fell 9.5 percent in July as compared to June, said the data. The data further showed that during the first four months of this financial year, exports grew 20.1 percent to 157.4 billion dollars, while imports jumped 48.1 percen

IMF cuts 2022 global growth forecast to 3.2 pct, warns of downside risks

STORY: IMF cuts 2022 global growth forecast to 3.2 pct, warns of downside risks DATELINE: July 27, 2022 LENGTH: 00:00:42 LOCATION: Washington D.C. CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the press conference 2. exterior view of the IMF headquarters in Washington D.C. STORYLINE: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday slashed the global growth forecast for 2022 to 3.2 percent, down by 0.4 percentage point from the April projection, according to its newly released update to the World Economic Outlook (WEO). Several shocks have hit the world economy already weakened by the COVID-19 pandemic, including higher-than-expected inflation worldwide -- especially in the United States and major European economies -- triggering tighter financial conditions, and further negative spillovers from the Ukrainian crisis, the WEO update said. According to the WEO update, global inflation has been revised up due to food and energy prices, and is anticipated to reach 6.6 percent in advanced economies and 9.5 per

Rising fuel prices push people in Cambodian capital to use public transport

STORY: Rising fuel prices push people in Cambodian capital to use public transport DATELINE: April 29, 2022 LENGTH: 00:06:07 LOCATION: Phnom Penh CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of city bus station in Phnom Penh 2. various of passengers waiting for city bus at a bus stop 3. SOUNDBITE 1 (Khmer): SUON SAM ATH, bus driver 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Khmer): EAM SAVUTH, passenger 5. SOUNDBITE 3 (Khmer): SOK SAVOEUN, passenger STORYLINE: Many people in the capital city of Cambodia have shifted to using public transport as oil prices have soared since the Russia-Ukraine conflict burst out. Regular gasoline cost 5,150 riel (1.27 U.S. dollars) per liter on Thursday, while diesel cost 5,500 riel (1.36 dollars), according to the Ministry of Commerce's oil price list. The figures indicated that the prices of regular petrol and diesel rose 9.5 percent and 23.5 percent respectively compared to the prices dated in mid-February. Suon Sam Ath, a 49-year-old driver for the Phnom Penh City Bus Authority, said man

Moody's slashes India's 2022 growth estimate to 9.1 pct

STORY: Moody's slashes India's 2022 growth estimate to 9.1 pct DATELINE: March 18, 2022 LENGTH: 00:02:01 LOCATION: New Delhi CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of India gate 2. various of government buildings 3. various of crop harvesting and grain 4. various of fuel station 5. various of traffic STORYLINE: Global rating agency Moody's Thursday slashed India's growth estimate for the current year to 9.1 percent, down from 9.5 percent earlier, saying high fuel and fertilizer import bill could limit the government's capital expenditure. According to the rating agency, India is particularly vulnerable to high oil prices, given that it is a large importer of crude oil. However, it said that as India is a surplus producer of grain, the country's agricultural exports will benefit in the short-term from high prevailing prices. "High fuel and potentially fertilizer costs would weigh on government finances down the road, potentially limiting planned capital spending," Moody's said. "For all of these reasons

SINGAPORE-NODX-FEBRUARY-GROWTH

SINGAPORE-NODX-FEBRUARY-GROWTH

(220317) -- SINGAPORE, March 17, 2022 (Xinhua) -- Photo taken on March 17, 2022 shows a container terminal in Singapore. Singapore's non-oil domestic exports (NODX) grew by 9.5 percent year on year in February following the 17.6 percent growth in January, Enterprise Singapore, a government agency, announced on Thursday. (Photo by Then Chih Wey/Xinhua)

SINGAPORE-NODX-FEBRUARY-GROWTH

SINGAPORE-NODX-FEBRUARY-GROWTH

(220317) -- SINGAPORE, March 17, 2022 (Xinhua) -- Photo taken on March 17, 2022 shows a container terminal in Singapore. Singapore's non-oil domestic exports (NODX) grew by 9.5 percent year on year in February following the 17.6 percent growth in January, Enterprise Singapore, a government agency, announced on Thursday. (Photo by Then Chih Wey/Xinhua)

SINGAPORE-NODX-FEBRUARY-GROWTH

SINGAPORE-NODX-FEBRUARY-GROWTH

(220317) -- SINGAPORE, March 17, 2022 (Xinhua) -- Photo taken on March 17, 2022 shows a container terminal in Singapore. Singapore's non-oil domestic exports (NODX) grew by 9.5 percent year on year in February following the 17.6 percent growth in January, Enterprise Singapore, a government agency, announced on Thursday. (Photo by Then Chih Wey/Xinhua)

Snow crab fishermen head out to sea as fishing season starts

Snow crab fishermen head out to sea as fishing season starts

YONAGO, Japan - Sent off by family members and other well-wishers, a Japanese snow crab boat heads out to sea from Sakaiminato, Tottori Prefecture on Aug. 31 as the fishing season for snow crab in the Sea of Japan starts on Sept. 1. According to the fishermen's cooperative in Sakaiminato, Japan's largest crab fishing port, the volume of snow crabs caught in the Sea of Japan has been declining gradually partly due to over-trapping. To conserve the snow crab population, snow crab fishermen in Japan have imposed a ceiling on the volume of snow crabs to be caught starting this year. Fishermen are also required to use trapping baskets with 9.5-centimeter rings to enable smaller crabs to escape when trapped. Japanese fishermen caught 10,952 tons of crabs in the Sea of Japan last year, 60 percent of them snow crab. (Kyodo)

China's economy grows 9.1% in July-Sept.

China's economy grows 9.1% in July-Sept.

BEIJING, China - Sheng Laiyun, spokesman of China's National Bureau of Statistics, announces on Oct. 18, 2011, in Beijing that the Chinese economy grew 9.1 percent in the July-September quarter from a year earlier, down from 9.5 percent growth the preceding quarter. The growth rate has slowed for three consecutive quarters. (Kyodo)

China's economy grows 9.5% in April-June qtr

China's economy grows 9.5% in April-June qtr

BEIJING, China - Sheng Laiyun, a spokesman for China's National Bureau of Statistics, speaks in a press conference in Beijing on July 13, 2011. China said its economy grew 9.5 percent in the April-June quarter from a year earlier, down from a 9.7 percent expansion in the preceding quarter. (Kyodo)

China's exports grow further in Sept.

China's exports grow further in Sept.

China's General Administration of Customs holds a press conference in Beijing on Oct. 13, 2020, listing the country's dollar-based exports in September as scoring a larger 9.9 percent year-to-year increase compared with the previous month's 9.5 percent rise due to a post-coronavirus demand pickup in some overseas markets.