Voting ends in Iran's parliament, Assembly of Experts elections after 16 hours

STORY: Voting ends in Iran's parliament, Assembly of Experts elections after 16 hours SHOOTING TIME: March 1, 2024 DATELINE: March 2, 2024 LENGTH: 00:02:52 LOCATION: Tehran CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of the polling stations STORYLINE: Voting for Iran's 12th parliament and sixth Assembly of Experts ended at 12:00 a.m. Saturday local time after 16 straight hours, the official news agency IRNA reported. The voting began at 8:00 a.m. Friday local time at 59,000 polling stations across the country, with more than 15,000 candidates competing for 290 seats in the Iranian parliament, and 144 candidates vying for positions at the eight-year-term Assembly of Experts, an 88-member body that oversees the activities of Iran's supreme leader, and is empowered to designate and dismiss the supreme leader. A total of 61.17 million people, comprising 30.94 million men and 30.22 million women, were eligible to vote in the two elections, according to the Iranian Election Office affiliated to the Interior Minist

Calls for peace intensify as Israel-Hamas conflict drags on

STORY: Calls for peace intensify as Israel-Hamas conflict drags on SHOOTING TIME: Recent footage DATELINE: Jan. 3, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:34 LOCATION: Beijing CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of the views in Gaza 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): AYMAN SAFADI, Jordanian Foreign Minister 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): TANJA FAJON, Slovenian Foreign Minister 4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Spanish): PEDRO SANCHEZ, Spanish Prime Minister STORYLINE: As the world celebrates the new year, there is no sign of easing regarding the current conflict between Israel and Hamas, and its spillover effect has extended. On Oct. 7, a large-scale armed conflict broke out between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, so far causing the deaths of more than 22,000 Palestinians and about 1,200 Israelis. The Palestinian-Israeli issue has, for months, become the focus of attention of the international community. Political leaders have repeatedly called for a ceasefire and peace. Nov. 2023 SOUNDBITE 1 (English): AYMAN SAFADI, Jordanian Foreign Minist

Over 67 pct of students pass university entrance exam in Myanmar

STORY: Over 67 pct of students pass university entrance exam in Myanmar DATELINE: June 10, 2023 LENGTH: 00:03:47 LOCATION: YANGON, Myanmar CATEGORY: EDUCATION SHOTLIST: 1. various of people checking exam results STORYLINE: Myanmar's Ministry of Education said on Friday that 67.87 percent of students have passed their high school graduation exam for the 2022-2023 academic year. A total of 161,850 students sat for the university entrance exam for the academic year. Of them, 109,851 students passed the exam, the education ministry said. This year's pass rate was up, as compared to 46.88 percentage points from the 2021-2022 academic year, official data showed. Myanmar held the nationwide matriculation exam for the 2022-2023 academic year in March this year with 863 exam centers, including five overseas exam centers. From the overseas exam centers, 10 students passed the matriculation exam, with a passing rate of 90.91 percent, the ministry's figures showed. According to the education minist

Cuba assesses environmental impact of fuel farm fire

STORY: Cuba assesses environmental impact of fuel farm fire DATELINE: Aug. 10, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:27 LOCATION: Havana CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT/SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the fuel farm explosion 2. various of Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel meeting the people 3. various of the injured STORYLINE: Cuban scientists and experts are studying the environmental impact of the fire at a fuel storage facility in Matanzas Province, according to the country's scientific authority. With vital measures being carried out in Matanzas, different work teams are monitoring air quality in the provinces of Mayabeque and Havana, Minister of Science, Technology and Environment Elba Rosa Perez said on Monday. "The main task is to take care of people's health and minimize the impact as much as possible," the official told Cuban state television. The fire in Cuba's largest fuel storage facility, some 100 km east of the capital Havana, was triggered by a lightning strike on one of the tanks on Friday. Oscar Garcia, the minist

Russia continues to expel European diplomats

STORY: Russia continues to expel European diplomats DATELINE: May 20, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:12 LOCATION: Moscow CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of Portuguese Embassy in Moscow 2. various of Slovenian Embassy in Moscow 3. various of Moscow STORYLINE: Russia said Thursday that it is expelling five diplomats of the Portuguese Embassy in Moscow in a retaliatory move. The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the Portuguese ambassador to Russia and protested against the expulsion of 10 Russian diplomats from Portugal. The five Portuguese diplomats were declared "personae non gratae" and must leave Russia within 14 days. On the same day, Russia also demanded the Slovenian embassy in Moscow reduce its diplomatic staff by four people, about 40 percent of the total number, within 10 days. The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the decision was taken in response to Ljubljana's move last month to reduce the size of the Russian embassy and the deterioration of its working conditions. The minist

Outgoing Koike defends self in personnel feuds at Defense Minist

Outgoing Koike defends self in personnel feuds at Defense Minist

TOKYO, Japan - Outgoing Defense Minister Yuriko Koike listens to a media question at a press conference at the Defense Ministry on Aug. 27. ''Case closed,'' Koike said, referring to a recent intra-government argument about the appointment of the vice defense minister. (Kyodo)

Japan-Iraq relations more business-oriented: Iraqi foreign minist

Japan-Iraq relations more business-oriented: Iraqi foreign minist

TOKYO, Japan - Visiting Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari speaks during a press conference at the Japan National press Club in Tokyo on June 19. Zebari said he believes Japan-Iraq relations have ''entered a new era'' with more focus on economic cooperation rather than security. (Kyodo)