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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.

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Chinese company lights up hope for Surinamese villages

STORY: Chinese company lights up hope for Surinamese villages SHOOTING TIME: March 31, 2024 DATELINE: April 11, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:10 LOCATION: Paramaribo CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Botopasi village in Suriname 2. various of solar panels installed by the Power Construction Corporation of China in Botopasi village 3. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): POTTER, Botopasi villager 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): XIONG ZEKUN, Project Manager, Power China's American branch STORYLINE: Botopasi village in Suriname, deep in the Amazon rainforest, faced a population decline due to challenges like lack of electricity, prompting many residents to move to the capital. A rural microgrid project by the Power Construction Corporation of China (Power China) is bringing change. With authorization from the Surinamese government, Power China completed the first phase of the project in Goejaba village in 2020. Phase 2, currently under construction, aims to extend benefits to several villages, including Botopasi, delivering cle

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Innovation helps China's laser TVs stay popular overseas

STORY: Innovation helps China's laser TVs stay popular overseas SHOOTING TIME: March 26, 2024 DATELINE: April 2, 2024 LENGTH: 00:00:43 LOCATION: QINGDAO, China CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Hisense 2. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): ZHONG QIANG, General manager with Hisense Laser Display Research & Development Center STORYLINE: Laser TVs made by the leading Chinese electronics manufacturer Hisense are popular in the overseas market. From 2020 to 2023, the overseas sales volume of Hisense's laser TVs grew at a compound annual growth rate of 101 percent. In 2023, the sales volume of laser TVs worth 5,000 U.S. dollars each in Germany, Italy and some other European countries grew 70 percent year on year. Hisense keeps innovating its technologies and has unveiled its rollable laser TV recently. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): ZHONG QIANG, General manager with Hisense Laser Display Research & Development Center "The new rollable laser TV is high-definition, eye-friendly and energy conserving, giving full play to t

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Australians losing billions to rising credit card fraud

STORY: Australians losing billions to rising credit card fraud SHOOTING TIME: March 21, 2024 DATELINE: March 22, 2024 LENGTH: 00:00:33 LOCATION: Canberra CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the ANZ Bank and the Commonwealth Bank 3. various of a mall in Australia STORYLINE: Credit card fraud is on the rise in Australia, with victims losing billions of dollars in 2022-2023, official data has revealed. According to figures released on Wednesday by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), 1.8 million Australians aged 15 and over were victims of card fraud in the 12 months to the end of June 2023. That figure represented 8.7 percent of the over-15 population, up from 8.1 percent in 2021-22 and 6.9 percent in 2020-21. In total, Australians who experienced card fraud lost 2.2 billion Australian dollars (1.4 billion U.S. dollars) in 2022-23. One-third of victims lost less than 100 Australian dollars, the ABS said, and 17.8 percent lost over 1,000 Australian dollars. The median amount withdr

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Skyfire 2024 lights up skies in Canberra

STORY: Skyfire 2024 lights up skies in Canberra SHOOTING TIME: March 16, 2024 DATELINE: March 17, 2024 LENGTH: 00:03:27 LOCATION: Canberra CATEGORY: CULTURE/SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the show STORYLINE: Skyfire was back on Saturday night for the first time in five years at Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra. The 2020 event was canceled the day before the fireworks were scheduled to go off due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since its debut in 1989, Skyfire has grown to become an iconic Canberra event with tens of thousands gathering around Lake Burley Griffin to watch the sky filled with color choreographed to music on Canberra's radio stations, Hit 104.7 and Mix 106.3. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Canberra. (XHTV)

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Senate Supports Bilateral Security Deal With Ukraine - Paris

Philippe Folliot, Senator for Tarn since 2020 and member of the Union Centrist Group, during a government statement, followed by a debate and vote on the statement, pursuant to Article 50-1 of the Constitution, on the debate on the Franco-Ukrainian security agreement and the situation in Ukraine at the Senate on March 13, 2024 in Paris, France. France's upper house of parliament voted Wednesday in favor of President Emmanuel Macron's strategy to support Ukraine. Senators held a debate and voting session on a bilateral security agreement signed between France and Ukraine on Feb. 16 and 293 members voted in support of the deal while 22 voted against it. Photo by Tomas Stevens/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Senate Supports Bilateral Security Deal With Ukraine - Paris

Philippe Folliot, Senator for Tarn since 2020 and member of the Union Centrist Group, during a government statement, followed by a debate and vote on the statement, pursuant to Article 50-1 of the Constitution, on the debate on the Franco-Ukrainian security agreement and the situation in Ukraine at the Senate on March 13, 2024 in Paris, France. France's upper house of parliament voted Wednesday in favor of President Emmanuel Macron's strategy to support Ukraine. Senators held a debate and voting session on a bilateral security agreement signed between France and Ukraine on Feb. 16 and 293 members voted in support of the deal while 22 voted against it. Photo by Tomas Stevens/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Senate Supports Bilateral Security Deal With Ukraine - Paris

Philippe Folliot, Senator for Tarn since 2020 and member of the Union Centrist Group, during a government statement, followed by a debate and vote on the statement, pursuant to Article 50-1 of the Constitution, on the debate on the Franco-Ukrainian security agreement and the situation in Ukraine at the Senate on March 13, 2024 in Paris, France. France's upper house of parliament voted Wednesday in favor of President Emmanuel Macron's strategy to support Ukraine. Senators held a debate and voting session on a bilateral security agreement signed between France and Ukraine on Feb. 16 and 293 members voted in support of the deal while 22 voted against it. Photo by Tomas Stevens/ABACAPRESS.COM

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NIGERIA-LAGOS-LEKKI PORT

(240312) -- LAGOS, March 12, 2024 (Xinhua) -- This photo taken on March 1, 2024 shows a view of the Lekki port in Lagos, Nigeria. The Lekki port is a commercial cooperation project between China, France and Nigeria. Constructed by the China Harbor Engineering Company Ltd (CHEC), it stands as Nigeria's first deep seaport and one of the largest in West Africa. The construction, initiated in June 2020, was completed in October 2022. The port began commercial operations in April 2023, with a design capacity to handle 1.2 million standard containers annually. (Xinhua/Han Xu)

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NIGERIA-LAGOS-LEKKI PORT

(240312) -- LAGOS, March 12, 2024 (Xinhua) -- A drone photo taken on March 1, 2024 shows a view of the Lekki port in Lagos, Nigeria. The Lekki port is a commercial cooperation project between China, France and Nigeria. Constructed by the China Harbor Engineering Company Ltd (CHEC), it stands as Nigeria's first deep seaport and one of the largest in West Africa. The construction, initiated in June 2020, was completed in October 2022. The port began commercial operations in April 2023, with a design capacity to handle 1.2 million standard containers annually. (Xinhua/Han Xu)

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NIGERIA-LAGOS-LEKKI PORT

(240312) -- LAGOS, March 12, 2024 (Xinhua) -- An aerial drone photo taken on March 1, 2024 shows a view of the Lekki port in Lagos, Nigeria. The Lekki port is a commercial cooperation project between China, France and Nigeria. Constructed by the China Harbor Engineering Company Ltd (CHEC), it stands as Nigeria's first deep seaport and one of the largest in West Africa. The construction, initiated in June 2020, was completed in October 2022. The port began commercial operations in April 2023, with a design capacity to handle 1.2 million standard containers annually. (Xinhua/Han Xu)

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NIGERIA-LAGOS-LEKKI PORT

(240312) -- LAGOS, March 12, 2024 (Xinhua) -- A container truck waits to be loaded at the Lekki port in Lagos, Nigeria, March 1, 2024. The Lekki port is a commercial cooperation project between China, France and Nigeria. Constructed by the China Harbor Engineering Company Ltd (CHEC), it stands as Nigeria's first deep seaport and one of the largest in West Africa. The construction, initiated in June 2020, was completed in October 2022. The port began commercial operations in April 2023, with a design capacity to handle 1.2 million standard containers annually. (Xinhua/Han Xu)

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Farmer lawmaker committed to solving problems facing local people

STORY: Farmer lawmaker committed to solving problems facing local people SHOOTING DATE: Feb. 25, 2024 DATELINE: March 4, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:14 LOCATION: ZHANGJIAJIE, China CATEGORY: POLITICS/SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Ning Fenfang working 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): NING FENFANG, Deputy to 14th National People's Congress 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): NING FENFANG, Deputy to 14th National People's Congress STORYLINE: Ning Fenfang, a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), China's national legislature, is a farmer from central China's Hunan Province. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): NING FENFANG, Deputy to 14th National People's Congress "My name is Ning Fenfang, a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress. I'm a post-90s deputy from Cili County of Zhangjiajie City, Hunan Province. I served as a village cadre in 2018. At that time, we faced a big challenge to restore abandoned land. In 2020, during the village election, I expressed my intention to resign from my position and become a full-time farmer.

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Grassroots NPC deputy sows seeds of hope for modern farming

STORY: Grassroots NPC deputy sows seeds of hope for modern farming SHOOTING TIME: Feb. 28, 2024 DATELINE: March 4, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:48 LOCATION: GUANGZHOU, China CATEGORY: POLITICS/SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Shen Yanfen 2. various of people farming and agricultural machinery 3. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): SHEN YANFEN, National lawmaker 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): SHEN YANFEN, National lawmaker 5. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): SHEN YANFEN, National lawmaker STORYLINE: SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): SHEN YANFEN, National lawmaker "My name is Shen Yanfen, and I am a post-90s 'new farmer.' Before returning to my hometown, I was a white-collar worker in Shenzhen (in China's Guangdong Province), where I worked for six or seven years. In February 2020, I returned to my hometown and took over the management of an agricultural machinery cooperative from my father. Our cooperative mainly provides full-process mechanized services for farmers during the planting process." SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): SHEN YANFEN, National lawmaker "Now,

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Devastating Flooding in East Africa

Handout photo - Heavy rainfall led to extensive flooding in Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya in October and November 2023. The floods came in the wake of the most prolonged drought on record, which left millions of people food insecure between 2020 and 2023. Since October 1, flooding has killed more than 100 people and displaced more than 700,000, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Countries within the Horn of Africa tend to have two rainy seasons: the October, November, and December (OND) “short rains” and the March, April, and May (MAM) “long rains.” Rainfall in the OND season through mid-November has been much heavier than usual. Since October 1, precipitation totals have been double to quadruple the average for southern and western Ethiopia, Somalia, and Kenya, according to the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET). Excessive rainfall in the highlands of Ethiopia and Somalia in late October and early November raised the levels of the Shebelle River u

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Devastating Flooding in East Africa

Handout photo - Heavy rainfall led to extensive flooding in Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya in October and November 2023. The floods came in the wake of the most prolonged drought on record, which left millions of people food insecure between 2020 and 2023. Since October 1, flooding has killed more than 100 people and displaced more than 700,000, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Countries within the Horn of Africa tend to have two rainy seasons: the October, November, and December (OND) “short rains” and the March, April, and May (MAM) “long rains.” Rainfall in the OND season through mid-November has been much heavier than usual. Since October 1, precipitation totals have been double to quadruple the average for southern and western Ethiopia, Somalia, and Kenya, according to the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET). Excessive rainfall in the highlands of Ethiopia and Somalia in late October and early November raised the levels of the Shebelle River u

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Devastating Flooding in East Africa

Handout photo - Heavy rainfall led to extensive flooding in Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya in October and November 2023. The floods came in the wake of the most prolonged drought on record, which left millions of people food insecure between 2020 and 2023. Since October 1, flooding has killed more than 100 people and displaced more than 700,000, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Countries within the Horn of Africa tend to have two rainy seasons: the October, November, and December (OND) “short rains” and the March, April, and May (MAM) “long rains.” Rainfall in the OND season through mid-November has been much heavier than usual. Since October 1, precipitation totals have been double to quadruple the average for southern and western Ethiopia, Somalia, and Kenya, according to the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET). Excessive rainfall in the highlands of Ethiopia and Somalia in late October and early November raised the levels of the Shebelle River u

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Devastating Flooding in East Africa

Handout photo - Heavy rainfall led to extensive flooding in Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya in October and November 2023. The floods came in the wake of the most prolonged drought on record, which left millions of people food insecure between 2020 and 2023. Since October 1, flooding has killed more than 100 people and displaced more than 700,000, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Countries within the Horn of Africa tend to have two rainy seasons: the October, November, and December (OND) “short rains” and the March, April, and May (MAM) “long rains.” Rainfall in the OND season through mid-November has been much heavier than usual. Since October 1, precipitation totals have been double to quadruple the average for southern and western Ethiopia, Somalia, and Kenya, according to the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET). Excessive rainfall in the highlands of Ethiopia and Somalia in late October and early November raised the levels of the Shebelle River u

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Alstom To Cut 1500 Jobs

File photo dated April 30, 2020 shows a general view of Alstom building in Saint-Ouen, 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 David Niviere/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Alstom To Cut 1500 Jobs

File photo dated June 18, 2020 shows Alstom's Regiolis Lio electric or dual-mode train. 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 Patrick Batard/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Alstom To Cut 1500 Jobs

File photo dated June 18, 2020 of Alstom's logo. 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 Patrick Batard/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Delta to expand U.S.-China flights later this year

STORY: Delta to expand U.S.-China flights later this year DATELINE: Aug. 17, 2023 LENGTH: 00:00:32 LOCATION: Washington D.C. CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Delta flights STORYLINE: U.S. Delta Air Lines said on Wednesday that it will expand its flight schedule between the United States and China later this year. Beginning Oct. 29, the airline will operate daily flights to Shanghai-Pudong International Airport (PVG) from Seattle and three-times-weekly service from Detroit, Delta said in a statement. Next March, Delta will resume four-times-weekly PVG service from its Los Angeles hub, a route last operated in February 2020. "As demand continues to increase and the busy travel season to the Asia-Pacific region commences, the Delta team is ready to welcome even more travelers to the region this winter, providing our award-winning customer service on every journey," said Jeff Moomaw, Delta Asia Pacific vice president. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Washington D.C. (XHTV)

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Lebanese commemorate Beirut port blasts, call for justice for victims

STORY: Lebanese commemorate Beirut port blasts, call for justice for victims DATELINE: Aug. 5, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:51 LOCATION: Beirut CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the march 5. SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): ZEINA KHOURY, Family of the victim 6. various of families of the victims 7. SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): LAMA HAIDAR, Participant 8. various of families of the victims marching and asking for justice for their loved ones 9. various of the march STORYLINE: Thousands of Lebanese took to the streets on Friday to mark the third anniversary of the Beirut port blasts, which killed over 220 people and injured thousands of others. Families of the victims who died in the blasts urged authorities to accelerate investigations into the incident to bring justice to their loved ones. SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): ZEINA KHOURY, Family of the victim "We came here because, after three years, we still have hope; we are still asking for justice for all the victims who died on Aug. 4, 2020, including my sister Diana Khoury. We came

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Malaysia's manufacturing sales value falls 2 pct in April

STORY: Malaysia's manufacturing sales value falls 2 pct in April DATELINE: June 12, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:15 LOCATION: Kuala Lumpur CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Malaysia's national flag and Kuala Lumpur street views 2. various of Kuantan Port 3. various of new cars at the car yard and trucks passing by 4. various of rubber glove manufacturing 5. various of green paddy field STORYLINE: The sales value of the manufacturing sector in Malaysia declined by 2 percent to 145 billion ringgit (31.44 billion U.S. dollars) in April, after registering a positive growth of 8 percent in March, the lowest since May 2020, official data showed Friday. The Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) said in a statement that the fall came largely as a result of the bad performance in the sub-sectors of food, beverages and tobacco (-12.7 percent), transport equipment and other manufactures (-4.9 percent), and petroleum, chemical, rubber and plastics (-3.1 percent). In comparison with the previous month, the sal

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Xi meets Russian PM

STORY: Xi meets Russian PM DATELINE: May 25, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:14 LOCATION: Beijing CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. SOUNDBITE (English): ZHENG MINGDA, Xinhua correspondent 2. shot of national flags 3. various of the Russian capital Moscow 4. various of pics of Chinese President Xi Jinping meeting with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin 5. various of Moscow STORYLINE: SOUNDBITE (English): ZHENG MINGDA, Xinhua correspondent "Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday met with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin in Beijing. Mishustin paid an official visit to China from Tuesday to Wednesday. This is Mishustin's first visit to China since he took office in January 2020." Xi asked Mishustin to convey his sincere greetings to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Xi said that during his successful state visit to Russia in March, he and Putin drew a blueprint for the future development of China-Russia relations and cooperation in various fields. Xi said that it is the aspiration of the people and the t

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Direct flights between Taiwan, Fuzhou resume

STORY: Direct flights between Taiwan, Fuzhou resume DATELINE: May 23, 2023 LENGTH: 0:00:50 LOCATION: FUZHOU, China CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the airport 2. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): LAI SE CHEN, Director General of Taiwan Tourism Exchange Association STORYLINE: Direct flights between Taiwan and Fuzhou resumed on Monday with Xiamen Airlines providing the first direct flight between Fuzhou, capital of southeast China's Fujian Province, and Taipei. The route was suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since direct air routes across the Taiwan Strait started in 2008, a total of 31,000 flights have been operated between Taiwan and Fuzhou, with more than 3.41 million passenger trips made. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): LAI SE CHEN, Director General of Taiwan Tourism Exchange Association "Fuzhou is a place that many people from Taiwan like traveling to. I hope the flight resumption by Xiamen Airlines would be good news for the tourism industry and for people on both sides (of the Taiwan Strai

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Italy's public debt tops 3 trillion USD for 1st time

STORY: Italy's public debt tops 3 trillion USD for 1st time DATELINE: May 16, 2023 LENGTH: 0:00:55 LOCATION: Rome CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of monuments in Rome 2. various of banks in Rome 3. various of shops in Rome STORYLINE: Italy's public debt climbed above 3 trillion U.S. dollars in the latest reporting period, according to data released Monday. The Bank of Italy said that the government's debt was 2.790 trillion euros (3.022 trillion dollars) in March, up from 2.762 trillion euros (2.992 trillion dollars) in the previous month. It was the third consecutive month that the country's public debt went up and it is the first time that the figure crossed the 3 trillion dollars level. Despite the increase in public debt, Italy's ratio of debt to gross domestic product (GDP) has fallen since reaching an all-time high of around 155 percent of GDP during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. The Italian economy afterwards has grown, and the debt-to-GDP ratio has declined to 144

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COVID-19 no longer int'l health emergency: WHO

STORY: COVID-19 no longer int'l health emergency: WHO DATELINE: May 5, 2023 LENGTH: 00:00:45 LOCATION: GENEVA, Switzerland CATEGORY: HEALTH SHOTLIST: 1. various of the headquarters of the World Health Organization (WHO) STORYLINE: The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday that the COVID-19 pandemic no longer constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), the WHO's highest alert level. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of WHO, made the announcement at a virtual press conference from Geneva. The WHO first gave COVID-19 its highest level of alert on Jan. 30, 2020, and a panel of global health experts has continued to apply the label ever since, at meetings held every three months. In March 2020, WHO characterized COVID-19 as a pandemic while the novel coronavirus continued to spread worldwide. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Geneva, Switzerland. (XHTV)

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Indonesia marks 35th trade surplus in March

STORY: Indonesia marks 35th trade surplus in March DATELINE: April 18, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:02 LOCATION: Jakarta CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of BPS building 2. various of BPS press conference 3. various of port activities STORYLINE: Indonesia posted a trade balance surplus of 2.91 billion U.S. dollars in March, marking the 35th surplus since May 2020, according to Statistics Indonesia (BPS) on Monday. "The surplus mainly came from the non-oil and gas sector of 4.58 billion dollars, but reduced by a deficit in the oil and gas sector of 1.67 billion dollars," said BPS Deputy for Statistical Methodology and Information, Imam Machdi, in a press conference. The value of exports in March was 23.50 billion dollars, down by 11.33 percent from the same month last year, while the value of imports was 20.59 billion dollars, down by 6.26 percent. The highest non-oil and gas exports in the first quarter of 2023 went to the United States at 5.83 billion dollars, and Japan at 5.41 billion dollars, wi

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Spain experiences 2nd hottest, driest March in century

STORY: Spain experiences 2nd hottest, driest March in century DATELINE: April 12, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:44 LOCATION: MADRID CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT SHOTLIST: 1. various of different effects of drought in Spain STORYLINE: March 2023 was the second hottest and driest recorded in Spain this century and the third warmest since records began, according to data published by the Spanish Meteorological Agency (AEMET) on Tuesday. AEMET reports that despite a spell of freezing weather earlier this month, the average temperature for March was 11.6 degrees Celsius for mainland Spain, which is 1.8 degrees above the average for the period 1991-2020. A record high of 33 degrees Celsius was recorded in the southeast Spanish city of Murcia while in the Canary Islands (off the west coast of Africa) average temperatures were 3 percent above the norm. The above-average temperature was accompanied by weather much drier than usual, with the average rainfall over the country reaching just 21.2 millimeters, down 64 percent compared

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CHINA-HEBEI-XIONG'AN-DEVELOPMENT (CN)

(230401) -- XIONG'AN, April 1, 2023 (Xinhua) -- This combo photo shows the aerial view of the Rongdong area on March 24, 2023 (up) and the construction site of it on Aug. 11, 2020 in Xiong'an New Area, north China's Hebei Province. China announced plans to establish Xiong'an New Area on April 1, 2017, to relieve Beijing of functions non-essential to its role as the national capital and advance the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. (Xinhua/Mu Yu)

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CHINA-HEBEI-XIONG'AN-DEVELOPMENT (CN)

(230401) -- XIONG'AN, April 1, 2023 (Xinhua) -- This combo photo shows the aerial view of the business service center on March 31, 2023 (up) and the construction site of it on Aug. 13, 2020 in Xiong'an New Area, north China's Hebei Province. China announced plans to establish Xiong'an New Area on April 1, 2017, to relieve Beijing of functions non-essential to its role as the national capital and advance the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. (Xinhua/Mu Yu)

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CHINA-HEBEI-XIONG'AN-DEVELOPMENT (CN)

(230401) -- XIONG'AN, April 1, 2023 (Xinhua) -- This combo photo shows the aerial view of the Rongdong area on March 24, 2023 (up) and the construction site of it on Nov. 6, 2020 in Xiong'an New Area, north China's Hebei Province. China announced plans to establish Xiong'an New Area on April 1, 2017, to relieve Beijing of functions non-essential to its role as the national capital and advance the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. (Xinhua/Mu Yu)

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India's annual exports cross 750 bln USD: minister

STORY: India's annual exports cross 750 bln USD: minister DATELINE: March 30, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:24 LOCATION: New Delhi CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. shots of India gate 2. shots of government buildings 3. shots of the wholesale market area 4. shots of export containers STORYLINE: India's overall exports crossed an all-time high of 750 billion U.S. dollars in the current financial year 2022-23, said the Federal Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday. According to the minister, India's overall exports have grown by nearly 250 billion dollars during the past three years. "The exports have risen from 500 billion dollars in 2020-2021 to this figure in extremely challenging times," Goyal said at the annual session of the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India. India aims to become a self-reliant nation, and "making India self-reliant is not about closing doors but about opening them wider," he added. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from New Delhi. (XHTV)

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1st Israel-UAE free trade deal takes effect

STORY: 1st Israel-UAE free trade deal takes effect DATELINE: March 27, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:08 LOCATION: Jerusalem CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and UAE Ambassador to Israel Mohamed Al Khaja signing the agreement 2. various of UAE airplane landing at Israel's Ben-Gurion Airport 3. various of Israel and UAE signing an agreement to establish diplomatic relations in 2020 (file) 4. various of UAE opening its embassy in Israel's Tel Aviv (file) 5. various of Israeli President Isaac Herzog meeting with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (file) 6. various of Israel and UAE signing an FTA in May 2022 (file) 7. various of skyscrapers in Israel's economic center Tel Aviv STORYLINE: A free trade agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) came into effect on Sunday, the first such economic deal Israel reached with an Arab country. Officials from both countries signed a customs agreement on Sunday, enabling the free trade agreemen

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Cherry blossoms reach full bloom in Tokyo

STORY: Cherry blossoms reach full bloom in Tokyo DATELINE: March 23, 2023 LENGTH: 0:01:57 LOCATION: Tokyo CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT SHOTLIST: 1 various of cherry blossoms in Tokyo STORYLINE: The Japan Meteorological Agency announced on Wednesday that cherry blossoms in Tokyo are in full bloom, which came nine days earlier than average and five days earlier than in 2022. A cherry tree monitored in Tokyo has reached full bloom when about 80 percent or more of its buds are open, becoming this year's first sample cherry tree to do so in Japan. The Somei-Yoshino cherry tree, used by the agency as a yardstick to measure the annual event, started blooming on March 14, also the earliest in the country this year. According to the agency, the full bloom matched 2013, 2020, and 2021 to become the second-earliest day in the year for the seasonal phenomena to occur since records began. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Tokyo. (XHTV)

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Over 1.7 mln electric vehicles registered in India since 2020

STORY: Over 1.7 mln electric vehicles registered in India since 2020 DATELINE: March 22, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:26 LOCATION: New Delhi CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of New Delhi traffic STORYLINE: The Indian government Tuesday said that more than 1.7 million electric vehicles (EVs) were registered in the country since 2020. The information was given by the junior federal minister of heavy industries Krishan Pal Gurjar in the lower house of the Indian parliament. According to the minister, last year alone, 1,015,196 EVs were registered in the country. Prior to that in 2021 and 2020, the country registered 327,976 and 123,092 EVs respectively. Gurjar said this year until March 15, the number of EVs registered stands at 256,980. The minister said incentives were being provided to buyers of EVs in the form of upfront reduction in the purchase price of EVs under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles in India (FAME-India) scheme. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporti

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Int'l tourist arrivals to Myanmar hike in January

STORY: Int'l tourist arrivals to Myanmar hike in January DATELINE: March 16, 2023 LENGTH: 00:03:24 LOCATION: YANGON, Myanmar CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the downtown Yangon 2. various of the Shwedagon pagoda and the Yangon airport STORYLINE: International tourist arrivals to Myanmar surged by about 214 percent in January year on year, according to the country's Ministry of Hotels and Tourism on Tuesday. The country welcomed 35,722 tourists in January this year, as compared to 11,372 visitors registered in the same period last year, the ministry's figures showed. In January this year, 17,884 tourists visited Myanmar by air, 89 travelers arrived in the country by cruise and 17,421 entered the country through land border gates, its data showed. Last year, the Southeast Asian country welcomed a total of 233,487 international tourists. Myanmar received more than 4.36 million tourists in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic. Tourist arrivals in the country sharply dropped to 900,000 in 2020 and 13

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Gas field project in China's Bohai Sea makes breakthrough

STORY: Gas field project in China's Bohai Sea makes breakthrough DATELINE: March 14, 2023 LENGTH: 00:00:29 LOCATION: TIANJIN, China CATEGORY: TECHNOLOGY SHOTLIST: 1. various of gas field in China's Bohai Sea STORYLINE: The China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) announced on Monday that the installation of the BOP (blowout preventer) group of Bozhong 19-6, a massive gas field in China's Bohai Sea on the east coast, has been completed. The BOP group is an important safety device for offshore drilling. First discovered in 2019 in the central Bohai Sea, Bozhong 19-6 has proven reserves of over 150 million cubic meters of oil and nearly 200 billion cubic meters of natural gas. Construction for the first phase of the gas field project started in March 2022. The pilot-area development project of the gas field went into operation in October 2020, with peak production of 1 million cubic meters of natural gas and 950 cubic meters of condensate oil per day. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting fro

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COVID-19 origins tracing should be science-based, not politicized by U.S.: experts

STORY: COVID-19 origins tracing should be science-based, not politicized by U.S.: experts DATELINE: March 10, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:28 LOCATION: Beijing CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ALEX OWITI, Professor formerly working at Aga Khan University, Kenya 2. SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): MUSTAFA AMIN, Researcher on Arab and international affairs, Egypt 3. SOUNDBITE 3 (Arabic): WALID MAHMOUD, Director of Irfan Hospital, Lebanon 4. SOUNDBITE 4 (English): BIKILA HURISA, Head of Ethiopia's Ruling Prosperity Party's public and international relations STORYLINE: Experts around the world have said that COVID-19 origins tracing should be science-based and not be politicized by the United States. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, the U.S. has been pursuing the most convenient and economical way in finding the origins of the novel coronavirus -- fabricating groundless allegations against China. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ALEX OWITI, Professor formerly working at Aga Khan University,

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Traditional fabric empowers women in Cameroon

STORY: Traditional fabric empowers women in Cameroon DATELINE: March 8, 2023 LENGTH: 0:02:16 LOCATION: Yaounde CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Cameroon 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (French): ROSTANIE DJIFACK, Ndop retailer 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (French): THERESE YOMMO, Ndop shop owner 4. SOUNDBITE 3 (French): PHILIPPE GUY KAMMOGNE, Ndop tailor STORYLINE: Ndop is a traditional fabric from west Cameroon. It was once only for elites but now belongs to everyone. Clothes made from it are mostly worn on ceremonial occasions such as weddings and funerals. In February 2020, it was listed as a Cameroonian national heritage by the Ministry of Arts and Culture. Making Ndop clothing and accessories empowers local women who could earn a living through it. SOUNDBITE 1 (French): ROSTANIE DJIFACK, Ndop retailer "There are many young people interested in it now. If I keep doing this, with the little money I can save, I can open such a shop in the future. Because with it and the art, you can make a living easily. You know how to

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Experts speak highly of Chinese modernization of material, cultural and ethical progress

STORY: Experts speak highly of Chinese modernization of material, cultural and ethical progress DATELINE: March 6, 2023 LENGTH: 0:02:16 LOCATION: Beijing CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of streets in China 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Turkish): BARIS DOSTER, Academic at Istanbul-based Marmara University 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): ANNA MALINDOG-UG, Vice president, Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute 4. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): KLAUS HEINRICH RADITIO, Indonesia-based researcher on International relations and Chinese politics 5. SOUNDBITE 4 (English): BENJAMIN ANYAGRE, General Secretary, Ghana-China Friendship Association STORYLINE: Some experts have spoken positively of China's efforts to achieve a modernization of material and cultural-ethical advancement. According to China's two-step strategic plan, the country aims to "basically realize socialist modernization from 2020 through 2035." Chinese modernization is the modernization of a huge population, of common prosperity for all, of material an

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Xinhua Headlines: Xi Jinping's economic thought steers China toward modernity

(230301) -- BEIJING, March 1, 2023 (Xinhua) -- This aerial photo taken on March 31, 2020 shows a view of Yucun Village in Tianhuangping Township, Anji County, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Xinhua/Xu Yu)

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Beijing further opens air travel

STORY: Beijing further opens air travel DATELINE: Jan. 18, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:18 LOCATION: Beijing CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the airport 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): Traveler 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): Traveler 4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): Traveler 5. SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): WANG HUI, Business manager, Beijing Daxing International Airport 6. various of the airport STORYLINE: The Beijing Daxing International Airport resumed the operation of international passenger flights on Tuesday after China continuously optimized its COVID-19 response. From March 14, 2020, the airport's international flights had been transferred to the Beijing Capital International Airport amid the COVID-19 epidemic. Also on Tuesday, the Daxing airport resumed the international flight transit service and the 144-hour transit visa-free policy in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): Traveler "I'm really thrilled at this moment since I haven't been back to Hong Kong for nearly three years." SOUNDBITE 2 (Chines

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Over 37.67 mln people vaccinated against COVID-19 in Myanmar

STORY: Over 37.67 mln people vaccinated against COVID-19 in Myanmar DATELINE: Jan. 17, 2023 LENGTH: 00:00:44 LOCATION: YANGON, Myanmar CATEGORY: HEALTH SHOTLIST: 1. various of children getting vaccinated 2. various of distributing face masks to students STORYLINE: Myanmar had vaccinated more than 37.67 million people against COVID-19 as of Saturday. According to figures of the Ministry of Health, over 30.86 million people aged 18 and above and more than 6.8 million under 18 years old had been inoculated. The health ministry confirmed three new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the tally to 633,753 on Monday. Myanmar recorded a total of 19,490 deaths from COVID-19 and 614,221 recoveries as of Monday. The Southeast Asian country reported its first COVID-19 cases in March 2020. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Yangon, Myanmar. (XHTV)

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Beijing Daxing airport to resume int'l passenger flights

STORY: Beijing Daxing airport to resume int'l passenger flights DATELINE: Jan. 12, 2023 LENGTH: 00:00:35 LOCATION: Beijing CATEGORY: TRANSPORTATION SHOTLIST: 1. various of the Beijing Daxing International Airport STORYLINE: Beijing Daxing International Airport is to resume the operation of international passenger flights from Jan. 17. The airport suspended international passenger flights in March 2020. International passenger transfers at the airport will also be resumed, with the adoption of a 144-hour visa-free policy for the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Rehearsals have been carried out at the airport in preparation for the resumption of flights. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Beijing. (XHTV)

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Horse racing: Takamatsunomiya Kinen G1 race

TOYOAKE, Japan, March 29 Kyodo - Mozu Superflare (far R), ridden by Fuma Matsuwaka, wins the Takamatsunomiya Kinen, a Grade 1 race, at Chukyo Racecourse in Toyoake in Aichi Prefecture, central Japan, on March 29, 2020. The race was held without fans in attendance amid concerns over the new coronavirus.

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New coronavirus

NAGASAKI, Japan, March 1 Kyodo - Few people are seen in the historic Dejima district of Nagasaki in southwestern Japan on Feb. 29, 2020, amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

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S. Korea marks 101st anniversary of independence movement

SEOUL, South Korea, March 1 Kyodo - South Korean President Moon Jae In (bottom L) attends a ceremony in Seoul on March 1, 2020, marking the 101st anniversary of the founding of a Korean independence movement against Japanese colonial rule.

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Cargo ship collision with trawler

HACHINOHE, Japan, March 1 Kyodo - Photo taken on March 1, 2020, from a Kyodo News plane shows a Japan Coast Guard patrol boat conducting a search and rescue operation after a Japanese trawler collided with a Belize-flagged cargo ship in the Pacific the previous day. The cargo ship with 14 crew aboard sank shortly after the collision, leaving 13 of them missing.