Search｜Photos & Images & Videos｜KYODO NEWS IMAGES INC

Taiwan: Typhoon Danas Topples Archway of Tainan’s Nankunshen Daitian Temple

Typhoon Danas made landfall near Budai Township, Chiayi County around 11:40 p.m. on Sunday, July 6, bringing gusty winds and heavy rainfall. Typhoon Danas weakened to a tropical storm after its eye departed Taiwan early Monday. The storm toppled Tainan's iconic archway of Nankunshen Daitian Temple, causing widespread flooding across the neighborhood.

E

US: North Dakota Sees Powerful Winds Amid Tornado-Producing Storm

Severe weather swept across the upper Midwest on Friday, June 20, bringing powerful winds and leaving at least 3 dead in North Dakota as a tornado ripped through the area.

E

File - Gaetane Thiney Announces Her Retirement at The End of The Season

File Photo - Gaetane Thiney arrives at the Centre National d'Entrainement (National training center) at Clairefontaine on April 1, 2019 near Paris, France. After a career spanning more than 20 years, Gaëtane Thiney has announced the end of her career as a professional footballer. The iconic 39-year-old captain of Paris FC will call time on her career in 2025, although she will still be playing in the final major matches for her club, including the league play-offs and the Coupe de France final against PSG. Voted best D1 player in 2012 and 2014, Thiney also made her mark on the history of the French national team, with 163 caps and 58 goals scored. Her last match in a blue shirt was in November 2019. Photo by Laurent Zabulon/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

File - Gaetane Thiney Announces Her Retirement at The End of The Season

File Photo - Gaetane Thiney arrives at the Centre National d'Entrainement (National training center) at Clairefontaine on April 1, 2019 near Paris, France. After a career spanning more than 20 years, Gaëtane Thiney has announced the end of her career as a professional footballer. The iconic 39-year-old captain of Paris FC will call time on her career in 2025, although she will still be playing in the final major matches for her club, including the league play-offs and the Coupe de France final against PSG. Voted best D1 player in 2012 and 2014, Thiney also made her mark on the history of the French national team, with 163 caps and 58 goals scored. Her last match in a blue shirt was in November 2019. Photo by Laurent Zabulon/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Hungarian works to foster cultural understanding in China

STORY: Hungarian works to foster cultural understanding in China SHOOTING TIME: April 23, 2024 DATELINE: May 2, 2024 LENGTH: 00:02:10 LOCATION: SHANGHAI, China CATEGORY: SOCIETY/CULTURE SHOTLIST: 1. various of people interacting with the "magic wall" 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): STEVEN BACK, Representative of the Hungarian National Museum in China and the CEO of Back & Rosta 3. various of Steven Back working 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): STEVEN BACK, Representative of the Hungarian National Museum in China and the CEO of Back & Rosta STORYLINE: At the Shanghai Museum, a "magic wall" has attracted many audiences. With just a gentle touch on the screen, the details, stories, and translations of Chinese cultural relics in different languages have been displayed. The developer of this "magic wall" is Steven Back, a Hungarian who has launched "Magic Wall" technology with his team since 2014. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): STEVEN BACK, Representative of the Hungarian National Museum in China and the CEO of Back & Rosta "Th

E

Architect from China's Taiwan helps revitalize ancient town in Fujian

STORY: Architect from China's Taiwan helps revitalize ancient town in Fujian SHOOTING TIME: April 25, 2024 DATELINE: April 30, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:49 LOCATION: FUZHOU, China CATEGORY: CULTURE/SOCIETY SHORTLIST: 1. various of the town 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): DENG HAI, Architect from China's Taiwan 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): DENG HAI, Architect from China's Taiwan STORYLINE: Songkou Town in east China's Fujian Province was once a thriving ancient ferry port. In 2014, Deng Hai, an architect from China's Taiwan arrived in this town, starting a revitalization effort that embraces both tradition and modernity. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): DENG HAI, Architect from China's Taiwan "Because Songkou Town has such a long history, the first thing we need to think about is how to develop it now and in the future. Then, we've got to figure out how to handle the development and management of modern areas. And, from our professional perspective, there's a lot of potential for cross-Strait cooperation here. We've got experienc

E

China is playing increasingly important role in mathematics: Artur Avila

STORY: China is playing increasingly important role in mathematics: Artur Avila SHOOTING TIME: April 3, 2024 DATELINE: April 6, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:07 LOCATION: TIANJIN, China CATEGORY: EDUCATION SHOTLIST: 1. various of mathematician Artur Avila giving a lecture at Nankai University in China's Tianjin 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ARTUR AVILA, Mathematician 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): ARTUR AVILA, Mathematician STORYLINE: World-renowned mathematician Artur Avila was officially appointed as a visiting professor at Nankai University in China's Tianjin on Wednesday and gave a lecture on the same day. Artur Avila has made significant contributions to dynamical systems theory and the development of Schrödinger operators. In 2014, he was awarded the Fields Medal, one of the highest honors a mathematician can receive. Avila has maintained long-term exchanges with professors You Jiangong and Zhou Qi from the Chern Institute of Mathematics of Nankai University. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ARTUR AVILA, Mathematician "I'm hap

E

The Riaumont Children's Village - Lievin

Illustrations of the entrance to the children's village of the fundamentalist Catholic community of Riaumont. Four judicial investigations conducted since 2014 and still ongoing have so far resulted in eleven men being indicted: one for sexual assault of a minor, one for possessing and consulting child pornography files, and the others for minor violence and ill-treatment. Philippe V., the grandfather of little Emile, whose bones were found near the hamlet of Haut-Vernet, stayed in the community from 1991 to 1994, where he was responsible for maintaining order and discipline in the boarding school. Lievin, France on April 1, 2024. Photo by Blanquart C/ANDBZ/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

The Riaumont Children's Village - Lievin

Illustrations of the entrance to the children's village of the fundamentalist Catholic community of Riaumont. Four judicial investigations conducted since 2014 and still ongoing have so far resulted in eleven men being indicted: one for sexual assault of a minor, one for possessing and consulting child pornography files, and the others for minor violence and ill-treatment. Philippe V., the grandfather of little Emile, whose bones were found near the hamlet of Haut-Vernet, stayed in the community from 1991 to 1994, where he was responsible for maintaining order and discipline in the boarding school. Lievin, France on April 1, 2024. Photo by Blanquart C/ANDBZ/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

The Riaumont Children's Village - Lievin

Illustrations of the entrance to the children's village of the fundamentalist Catholic community of Riaumont. Four judicial investigations conducted since 2014 and still ongoing have so far resulted in eleven men being indicted: one for sexual assault of a minor, one for possessing and consulting child pornography files, and the others for minor violence and ill-treatment. Philippe V., the grandfather of little Emile, whose bones were found near the hamlet of Haut-Vernet, stayed in the community from 1991 to 1994, where he was responsible for maintaining order and discipline in the boarding school. Lievin, France on April 1, 2024. Photo by Blanquart C/ANDBZ/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

The Riaumont Children's Village - Lievin

Illustrations of the entrance to the children's village of the fundamentalist Catholic community of Riaumont. Four judicial investigations conducted since 2014 and still ongoing have so far resulted in eleven men being indicted: one for sexual assault of a minor, one for possessing and consulting child pornography files, and the others for minor violence and ill-treatment. Philippe V., the grandfather of little Emile, whose bones were found near the hamlet of Haut-Vernet, stayed in the community from 1991 to 1994, where he was responsible for maintaining order and discipline in the boarding school. Lievin, France on April 1, 2024. Photo by Blanquart C/ANDBZ/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

The Riaumont Children's Village - Lievin

Illustrations of the entrance to the children's village of the fundamentalist Catholic community of Riaumont. Four judicial investigations conducted since 2014 and still ongoing have so far resulted in eleven men being indicted: one for sexual assault of a minor, one for possessing and consulting child pornography files, and the others for minor violence and ill-treatment. Philippe V., the grandfather of little Emile, whose bones were found near the hamlet of Haut-Vernet, stayed in the community from 1991 to 1994, where he was responsible for maintaining order and discipline in the boarding school. Lievin, France on April 1, 2024. Photo by Blanquart C/ANDBZ/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

The Riaumont Children's Village - Lievin

Illustrations of the entrance to the children's village of the fundamentalist Catholic community of Riaumont. Four judicial investigations conducted since 2014 and still ongoing have so far resulted in eleven men being indicted: one for sexual assault of a minor, one for possessing and consulting child pornography files, and the others for minor violence and ill-treatment. Philippe V., the grandfather of little Emile, whose bones were found near the hamlet of Haut-Vernet, stayed in the community from 1991 to 1994, where he was responsible for maintaining order and discipline in the boarding school. Lievin, France on April 1, 2024. Photo by Blanquart C/ANDBZ/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Turning snow into "gold": former forest worker's new role

STORY: Turning snow into "gold": former forest worker's new role SHOOTING TIME: March 13, 2024 DATELINE: April 2, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:45 LOCATION: HARBIN, China CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT/SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the Weixing Forest Farm 2. various of the Da Pan inn 3. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): HU XIUYING, Owner of Da Pan Inn, Weixing Forest Farm 4. various of Hu Xiuying cleaning the inn STORYLINE: This year marks the 10th anniversary of a logging ban in forests of the Khingan Mountains, home to northern China's largest natural forest barrier. Following the ban, many state-owned forest workers transitioned from logging to alternative livelihoods. In Heilongjiang Province, Weixing Forest Farm, dubbed "Snow Village" by locals, opened to tourists in 2014. Thanks to the thriving forest environment, Hu Xiuying has witnessed real changes in her life after running a bed-and-breakfast (B&B) business here. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): HU XIUYING, Owner of Da Pan Inn, Weixing Forest Farm "My name is Hu Xiuying, and I run a

E

B-1s Part Of Airstrikes In Iraq And Syria

Handout file photo dated April 1, 2014 shhows an Edwards B-1B Lancer takes off Runway 22L to begin testing its new Sustainment Block 16A (SB 16A) software upgrades. B-1B Lancers from the 28th Bomb Wing launched early February 1, 2024, from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, as part of airstrikes in Iraq and Syria against Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force and affiliated militia groups. U.S. military forces struck more than 85 targets, with numerous aircraft to include long-range bombers flown from the United States. According to U.S. Central Command officials, the airstrikes employed more than 125 precision munitions. The facilities that were struck included command and control operations centers, intelligence centers, rockets, and missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicle storages, and logistics and munition supply chain facilities of militia groups and their IRGC sponsors who facilitated attacks against U.S. and Coalition forces. U.S. Air Force photo by Ethan Wagner via ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Alstom To Cut 1500 Jobs

File photo dated April 28, 2014 shows French engineering group Alstom's headquarters in Levallois-Perret, near Paris, France. On Wednesday, November 15, the Group announced a net income of just € 1 million for the first half of its new financial year (April 2023 to March 2024). Management has announced two major changes. First, at the close of the Annual General Meeting in July 2024, former Safran CEO Philippe Petitcolin will become Chairman and current CEO Henri Poupart-Lafarge will become Managing Director. The second change is a cost-cutting strategy to turn around the balance sheet that will see the elimination of 1,500 full-time equivalent jobs "or 10 % of sales and administrative functions." Photo by Thierry Orban/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Alstom To Cut 1500 Jobs

File photo dated April 28, 2014 shows French engineering group Alstom's headquarters in Levallois-Perret, near Paris, France. On Wednesday, November 15, the Group announced a net income of just € 1 million for the first half of its new financial year (April 2023 to March 2024). Management has announced two major changes. First, at the close of the Annual General Meeting in July 2024, former Safran CEO Philippe Petitcolin will become Chairman and current CEO Henri Poupart-Lafarge will become Managing Director. The second change is a cost-cutting strategy to turn around the balance sheet that will see the elimination of 1,500 full-time equivalent jobs "or 10 % of sales and administrative functions." Photo by Thierry Orban/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Alstom To Cut 1500 Jobs

File photo dated April 28, 2014 shows French engineering group Alstom's headquarters in Levallois-Perret, near Paris, France. On Wednesday, November 15, the Group announced a net income of just € 1 million for the first half of its new financial year (April 2023 to March 2024). Management has announced two major changes. First, at the close of the Annual General Meeting in July 2024, former Safran CEO Philippe Petitcolin will become Chairman and current CEO Henri Poupart-Lafarge will become Managing Director. The second change is a cost-cutting strategy to turn around the balance sheet that will see the elimination of 1,500 full-time equivalent jobs "or 10 % of sales and administrative functions." Photo by Thierry Orban/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Alstom To Cut 1500 Jobs

File photo dated April 28, 2014 shows French engineering group Alstom's headquarters in Levallois-Perret, near Paris, France. On Wednesday, November 15, the Group announced a net income of just € 1 million for the first half of its new financial year (April 2023 to March 2024). Management has announced two major changes. First, at the close of the Annual General Meeting in July 2024, former Safran CEO Philippe Petitcolin will become Chairman and current CEO Henri Poupart-Lafarge will become Managing Director. The second change is a cost-cutting strategy to turn around the balance sheet that will see the elimination of 1,500 full-time equivalent jobs "or 10 % of sales and administrative functions." Photo by Thierry Orban/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Japan's real wages slump most in nearly decade

STORY: Japan's real wages slump most in nearly decade DATELINE: May 24, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:46 LOCATION: Tokyo CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of street views in Tokyo STORYLINE: Japan's real wages in the fiscal year 2022 registered the steepest decline since 2014 as price increases outpaced the growth in nominal wages, official data showed Tuesday. In the fiscal year from April 2022 to March 2023, inflation-adjusted real wages fell by 1.8 percent from the previous year, according to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. This marked the sharpest decline since a 2.9-percent drop in the fiscal year 2014 when an increase in consumption tax led to higher prices. Nominal monthly wages rose by 1.9 percent in the last fiscal year to an average of 326,308 yen, the fastest growth in over 30 years. However, inflation outpaced such gains by experiencing a climb of 3.8 percent due to surging prices in food, electricity, and gas. During the period, regular salary, including base pay, rose 1.1 percent, wh

E

Japan's current account surplus plunges in FY 2022

STORY: Japan's current account surplus plunges in FY 2022 DATELINE: May 12, 2023 LENGTH: 00:00:54 LOCATION: Tokyo CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of street views in Tokyo 2. various of ports 3. various of street views in Tokyo STORYLINE: Japan's current account surplus in fiscal year 2022 dived 54 percent from the previous period, owing to a record trade deficit due to price surges in imports and a weaker yen, official data showed on Thursday. According to the finance ministry's preliminary report, the current account surplus in the fiscal period from April 2022 to March 2023 stood at 9.23 trillion yen (68.85 billion U.S. dollars), hitting the lowest level since fiscal 2014. Imports were up 35 percent to 117.68 trillion yen while exports rose 16.3 percent to 99.62 trillion yen, the data showed. The deficit in goods trade widened to 18.06 trillion for the fiscal year, which is regarded by market watchers as the main reason for the country's bleaker balance of payments. As the deficit

E

Croatia-China business forum held in Zagreb

STORY: Croatia-China business forum held in Zagreb DATELINE: April 26, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:19 LOCATION: Zagreb CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of participants at the forum 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): Silva Stipic Kobali, director of Business Internationalization Centre at Croatian Chamber of Economy 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): QI QIANJIN, Chinese Ambassador to Croatia 4. various of participants at the forum STORYLINE: A business forum co-organized by the Croatian Economic Chamber and the visiting economic and trade delegation from northwest China's Shaanxi Province was held at the Croatian Chamber of Economy in Zagreb on Monday. Representatives of over 10 Chinese companies and nearly 20 Croatian companies held business-to-business meetings after the forum. In 2014, the Croatian Chamber of Economy started to strengthen economic relations with several Chinese provinces. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): SILVA STIPIC KOBALI, Director of Business Internationalization Centre at Croatian Chamber of Economy "Delegation

E

Two organizations provide relief to displaced people in Iraqi Kurdistan

STORY: Two organizations provide relief to displaced people in Iraqi Kurdistan DATELINE: April 21, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:03 LOCATION: ERBIL, Iraq CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the distribution STORYLINE: The Iraqi International Bring Hope Organization, in cooperation with the Maldivian International Aid Campaign, distributed on Wednesday 285 food parcels to the displaced in Harsham camp, in the capital of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The distribution process included 285 families, which is the total number of families in the Harsham camp. The camp opened in Erbil during the Islamic State (IS) control of some provinces, such as Nineveh, and parts of Diyala and Kirkuk in 2014. The food basket, prepared by the two organizations, consisted of 14 basic foodstuffs. The two organizations aim to fill the needs of the displaced in the camp after the decline of international humanitarian aid to the camps in the Kurdistan region. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Erbil, Iraq. (XHTV)

E

Former King Juan Carlos returns to Spain for 2nd visit since self-imposed exile

STORY: Former King Juan Carlos returns to Spain for 2nd visit since self-imposed exile DATELINE: April 20, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:28 LOCATION: Madrid CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of the arrival of Spain's former King Juan Carlos I STORYLINE: Spain's former King Juan Carlos I returned to his homeland on Wednesday for his second visit in three years following his move to Abu Dhabi in August 2020 in the wake of a series of scandals. The 85-year-old king emeritus, who abdicated in favor of his son, Felipe VI, in June 2014, is attending a sailing regatta in the resort of Sanxenxo in the north-western region of Galicia. Juan Carlos flew to Spain from London in a private jet. On Tuesday, he watched Real Madrid's 2-0 win against Chelsea in the Champions League in London, and he was also pictured leaving an exclusive club there on Monday night. Juan Carlos is not expected to travel to the capital Madrid or meet his son during what was described as a "private visit" and a "personal decision" b

E

Latest census reveals India is home to over 3,000 tigers

STORY: Latest census reveals India is home to over 3,000 tigers DATELINE: April 10, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:30 LOCATION: New Delhi CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT SHOTLIST: 1. various of India gate 2. various of tigers STORYLINE: The latest tiger census data released by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday revealed India is home to 3,167 tigers. The figures were released by Modi in Mysuru of Karnataka on the occasion of 50 years of India's Project Tiger. According to data presented on the occasion, there were 1,411 tigers in 2006. The number grew to 1,706 in 2010. In 2014, the population went to 2,226. "With only 2.4 percent of the world's land area, India contributes to about 8 percent of the known global diversity," Modi said. Project Tiger was launched in 1973 to protect the big cat and ensure its long-term survival. At present, India has 51 tiger reserves spread across 18 states. Xinhua News Agency correspondent reporting from New Delhi. (XHTV)

E

Life gradually returns to Yemeni beach amid hopes for end of civil war

STORY: Life gradually returns to Yemeni beach amid hopes for end of civil war DATELINE: Feb. 7, 2023 LENGTH: 00:06:14 LOCATION: HAJJAH, Yemen CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of students and their teachers playing on a beach in Midi District, Hajjah Province, northern Yemen 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): ABDULLAH AL-MUTANBEK, Teacher 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): YAHYA MUSA, Student STORYLINE: Almost four years after the Yemeni government forces recaptured the Red Sea coastal city of Midi in the northwestern province of Hajjah from the Houthi rebels in April 2018, local visitors began to return to the city's beach. Local authorities allowed visits to the beach in December of last year, after spending nearly four years to remove the landmines that had been planted in the beach and some parts of the city, which is a few miles to the east of the beach and has become an abandoned site as a result of the Yemeni civil war that broke out in 2014. The war has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced 4 mi

E

Mitsubishi Motors new president

TOKYO, Japan - Photo shows Mitsubishi Motors Corp. Managing Director Tetsuro Aikawa. The automaker plans to promote Aikawa to president on April 1, 2014, replacing Osamu Masuko, company sources said Jan. 31.

E

Cabinet OKs 3.12 tril. yen extra budget for stimulus steps

TOKYO, Japan - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (2nd from R) and his ministers attend an extraordinary Cabinet meeting on Jan. 9, 2015, in Tokyo to endorse a 3.12 trillion yen supplementary budget for fiscal 2014 to fund an economic stimulus package aimed at bolstering domestic demand curtailed by the April 1 consumption tax hike and weaker yen.

E

Cabinet OKs stimulus package to rev up regional economies

TOKYO, Japan - Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (C) addresses a government panel meeting on Dec. 27, 2014, in Tokyo. His Cabinet endorsed a 3.5 trillion yen emergency economic stimulus package intended to rev up regional economies beset by higher prices following the April 1 consumption tax hike and the yen's plunge.

E

'Yokai Watch' train starts running in Fukuoka

FUKUOKA, Japan - Nishi-Nippon Railroad Co.'s train featuring images of characters of "Yokai Watch," a popular game animation for children, leaves Nishitetsu Fukuoka Station in Fukuoka, southwestern Japan, on Dec. 1, 2014. The train continues running until April 2015.

E

U.S. Treasury Secretary asks Japan to promote "Abenomics"

BRISBANE, Australia - Japan's Finance Minister Taro Aso meets the press after talks with U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew in Brisbane, Australia, on Nov. 15, 2014, on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit. Lew urged Japan to promote the "Abenomics" policy mix to prop up domestic demand that has remained sluggish following the April 1 consumption tax hike.

E

People gather to remember S. Korean ferry accident

SEOUL, South Korea - People, including the bereaved families of people killed in the sinking of the South Korean ferry Sewol in April 2014 in southwestern waters, hold yellow balloons, a symbol of mourning for the victims, and gather in central Seoul on Nov. 1, 2014, the 200th day since the tragedy that left more than 300 people, mostly students on a school excursion, dead or missing.

E

Launch ceremony for electric boat for tours off Sasebo

SASEBO, Japan - A launch ceremony is held for a new electric excursion boat, the Mirai, in Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture, on Sept. 26, 2014. The boat will be used to carry tourists around the Kujukushima Islands off the Japanese city, starting on April 1, 2015.

E

Japan's GDP shrinks annual 6.8% in April-June

TOKYO, Japan - Japan's economic and fiscal policy minister Akira Amari attends a press conference on Aug. 13, 2014, at the Cabinet Office in Tokyo, after the government announced that the economy shrank an annualized real 6.8 percent in the April to June quarter, apparently due to the consumption tax hike on April 1.

E

Toyota posts record high operating profit for April-June

TOKYO, Japan - Toyota Motor Corp. Managing Officer Takuo Sasaki briefs the press Aug. 5, 2014, on the automaker's financial results for the April-June quarter. Toyota group operating profit grew 4.4 percent from a year earlier to an all-time high of 692.73 billion yen for the quarter as brisk sales in North America more than offset a lackluster performance in Japan, where a sales tax hike April 1 triggered a sales decline.

E

Sharp remains in red in April-June

TOKYO, Japan - Sharp Corp. President Kozo Takahashi announces the company's earnings report for the April-June quarter on Aug. 1, 2014, in Tokyo, Japan. The company remained in the red in the reporting quarter for the fourth year, due to costs related to withdrawal from the solar battery business in Europe.

E

Mobile ticketing services in U.S.

NEW YORK, United States - New Jersey Transit's mobile ticketing program is shown on a smartphone in New Jersey on June 1, 2014. Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York announced its plan to provide mobile ticketing for the Metro-North Railroad and Long Island Rail Road on April 28, 2014.

E

Look-alike of Funassyi mascot acts out in Hyogo Pref.

TOKYO, Japan - Photo shows Funassyi's authorized version receiving a certificate as a special recruiter of police officers in Chiba in April 2014. A mimic version of the popular mascot character Funassyi, unofficially promoting Funabashi, Chiba Prefecture, made an appearance at an event in Takasago, Hyogo Prefecture, on June 1.

E

Staff fired up for summer gift-giving time

TOKYO, Japan - Staff at Sogo and Seibu Co. department store in Tokyo fire themselves up on May 20, 2014 to spearhead the summer gift-giving season, the first such season since the consumer taxes were raised on April 1.

E

Japan's GDP surges

TOKYO, Japan - Economic and fiscal policy minister Akira Amari holds a press conference at the Cabinet Office in Tokyo after the country's gross domestic product data for the opening quarter of 2014 was released May 15, 2014. Japan's economy grew in the January-March quarter at its fastest pace since the recovery period from the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, buoyed by a rush in demand ahead of the first consumption tax hike in 17 years on April 1, the government said.

E

Japanese disaster response robot climbs stairs

TOKYO, Japan - The "Sakura No. 1" disaster response robot, developed by the Chiba Institute of Technology and other entities concerned, climbs stairs in a demonstration opened to the press in Tokyo in April 2014.

E

Ford names Fields new president

NEW YORK, United States - Photo taken in New York on April 16, 2014 shows Mark Fields, a former president of Japanese automaker Mazda Motor Corp. Ford Motor Co. said May 1 that President and CEO Alan Mulally will step down and the 68-year-old will be succeeded by Fields, effective July 1.

E

Sharara to assume ITTF's first chairmanship

TOKYO, Japan - International Table Tennis Federation President Adham Sharara (L) and Deputy President Thomas Weikert hold a press conference at Tokyo's Yoyogi National Gymnasium on April 30, 2014, announcing Sharara's appointment as the ITTF's first ever chairman and Weikert's succession to the ITTF presidency, effective Sept. 1, 2014.

E

Darvish suffers defeat

ARLINGTON, United States - Texas Rangers pitcher Yu Darvish answers a question at a press conference after a game against the Oakland Athletics in Arlington, Texas, on April 28, 2014. Darvish started to yield four runs in 3-1/3 innings, which was his career shortest outing in the major leagues. The Rangers were shut out 4-0 by the A's.

E

Darvish suffers defeat

ARLINGTON, United States - Photo shows Texas Rangers pitcher Yu Darvish in the dugout after leaving the mound in a game against the Oakland Athletics at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas, on April 28, 2014. Darvish yielded four runs in 3-1/3 innings, which was his career shortest outing in the major leagues. The Rangers were shut out 4-0 by the A's.

E

Darvish suffers defeat

ARLINGTON, United States - Texas Rangers starter Yu Darvish pitches against the Oakland Athletics at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas, on April 28, 2014. Darvish left the mound after yielding four runs in 3-1/3 innings, which was his career shortest outing in the major leagues. The Rangers were shut out 4-0 by the A's.

E

Darvish suffers defeat

ARLINGTON, United States - Texas Rangers starter Yu Darvish pitches against the Oakland Athletics at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas, on April 28, 2014. Darvish left the mound after yielding four runs in 3-1/3 innings, which was his career shortest outing in the major leagues. The Rangers were shut out 4-0 by the A's.

E

Yankees' Tanaka against Angels

NEW YORK, United States - New York Yankees pitcher Masahiro Tanaka starts a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels at Yankee Stadium in New York on April 27, 2014. Tanaka allowed two runs in 6-1/3 innings. The Yankees won 3-2.

E

Yankees' Tanaka against Angels

NEW YORK, United States - New York Yankees starter Masahiro Tanaka is pictured after striking out Albert Pujols of the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning of a baseball game at Yankee Stadium in New York on April 27, 2014. Tanaka allowed two runs in 6-1/3 innings. The Yankees won 3-2.

E

Yankees' Tanaka against Angels

NEW YORK, United States - New York Yankees pitcher Masahiro Tanaka starts a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels at Yankee Stadium in New York on April 27, 2014. Tanaka allowed two runs in 6-1/3 innings. The Yankees won 3-2.