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

Addition of Kanbula National Geopark to UNESCO Global Geoparks - China

An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 1, 2022 shows a view of the Kanbula National Geopark in Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province. The National Forestry and Grassland Administration announced on Friday that two geoparks in China, one in northwest China's Qinghai Province and another in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, have been granted the title of UNESCO Global Geopark. With these new additions, China now boasts 49 UNESCO Global Geoparks, more than any other countries in the world. Located in northwest China's Qinghai, the Kanbula National Geopark spans roughly 3,149 square kilometers. Its striking Danxia landforms, towering peaks, hidden caves, and emerald lakes make it a prime location for geoscientific research and public science education. Photo by Yangel Dongrub/Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Tunisia's Jan.-Sept. tourism revenues grow 41.7 pct y-o-y

STORY: Tunisia's Jan.-Sept. tourism revenues grow 41.7 pct y-o-y DATELINE: Oct. 14, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:25 LOCATION: Tunis CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Bardo National Musuem in Tunisia STORYLINE: Tunisia's tourism revenues in the first nine months of 2023 reached 1.82 billion U.S. dollars, local Echorouk newspaper quoted the Tourism Minister Mohamed Belhassine as saying on Friday. Revenues from the tourism sector amounted to 5.8 billion dinars (1.82 billion U.S. dollars) by September, he told a hearing at the Assembly of People's Representatives on Thursday. He said the Central Bank of Tunisia had confirmed that the tourism revenues recorded an increase of 41.7 percent compared to the same period in 2022. He added that the Tunisian tourism sector was able to help cover most of the trade deficit of the country at the end of September. The minister said that Tunisian government was working to develop tourism sector at various levels and attract investments in the sector, given that t

E

(SKYEYE) CHINA-SHANGHAI-PILOT FREE TRADE ZONE (CN)

(230929) -- SHANGHAI, Sept. 29, 2023 (Xinhua) -- This aerial photo taken on Aug. 1, 2023 shows a view of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone in east China's Shanghai. Friday marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of China's first pilot free trade zone in Shanghai's Pudong New Area. Since its inauguration, the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone (hereafter shortened to Shanghai FTZ) has achieved innumerous firsts and opened a new chapter in China's reform and opening-up. Over the past decade, Shanghai FTZ has grown over threefold to 120.72 square km from its original 28.78-square-km plot, attracting 84,000 new enterprises by the end of 2022, 2.35 times the number of enterprises established in the 20 years before the zone's establishment, according to a white paper released last week. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe)

E

(SKYEYE) CHINA-SHANGHAI-PILOT FREE TRADE ZONE (CN)

(230929) -- SHANGHAI, Sept. 29, 2023 (Xinhua) -- This aerial photo taken on Aug. 1, 2023 shows a view of the Lingang new area of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone in east China's Shanghai. Friday marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of China's first pilot free trade zone in Shanghai's Pudong New Area. Since its inauguration, the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone (hereafter shortened to Shanghai FTZ) has achieved innumerous firsts and opened a new chapter in China's reform and opening-up. Over the past decade, Shanghai FTZ has grown over threefold to 120.72 square km from its original 28.78-square-km plot, attracting 84,000 new enterprises by the end of 2022, 2.35 times the number of enterprises established in the 20 years before the zone's establishment, according to a white paper released last week. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe)

E

(SKYEYE) CHINA-SHANGHAI-PILOT FREE TRADE ZONE (CN)

(230929) -- SHANGHAI, Sept. 29, 2023 (Xinhua) -- This aerial photo taken on Aug. 1, 2023 shows a view of the Lingang new area of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone in east China's Shanghai. Friday marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of China's first pilot free trade zone in Shanghai's Pudong New Area. Since its inauguration, the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone (hereafter shortened to Shanghai FTZ) has achieved innumerous firsts and opened a new chapter in China's reform and opening-up. Over the past decade, Shanghai FTZ has grown over threefold to 120.72 square km from its original 28.78-square-km plot, attracting 84,000 new enterprises by the end of 2022, 2.35 times the number of enterprises established in the 20 years before the zone's establishment, according to a white paper released last week. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe)

E

Anti-polio campaign launched in Afghanistan

STORY: Anti-polio campaign launched in Afghanistan DATELINE: Sept. 27, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:08 LOCATION: Kabul CATEGORY: HEALTH SHOTLIST: 1. various of an anti-polio campaign in Kabul, Afghanistan STORYLINE: Afghanistan's Ministry of Public Health on Monday launched a nationwide anti-polio campaign in the war-ravaged country. During the four-day campaign, 11 million children under five will receive doses of the anti-polio vaccine for immunization as part of the country's efforts to eradicate the crippling disease among children, it said in a press release. In addition to administering anti-polio vaccines, the children will also take vitamin A supplements during the campaign, said the ministry. The campaign was initiated after five polio cases have been reported so far this year in Afghanistan. In 2022, two polio cases were reported. According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Afghanistan and Pakistan are the only two remaining polio-endemic countries in the world. Xinhua News Agency corres

E

HK Palace Museum unveils special exhibition on cultural treasures from Sanxingdui Ruins

STORY: HK Palace Museum unveils special exhibition on cultural treasures from Sanxingdui Ruins DATELINE: Sept. 27, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:03 LOCATION: HONG KONG, China CATEGORY: CULTURE SHOTLIST: 1. various of the exhibition 2. SOUNDBITE (English): SHENGYU WANG, Assistant curator of Hong Kong Palace Museum STORYLINE: The Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) unveiled Tuesday a special exhibition featuring new archaeological discoveries at world-renowned Sanxingdui Ruins. Fifty-five important items, including bronzeware, jade and goldware, unearthed in the most recent excavations at the Sanxingdui Ruins between 2020 and 2022, are among the 120 artifacts on display. SOUNDBITE (English): SHENGYU WANG, Assistant curator of Hong Kong Palace Museum "So I think the most fascinating part of our show is that we really want to give you a sense of interdisciplinary and inviting feeling. We also have a lot of multimedia items which help you to see the details of the objects. So some of the objects which are 3D printed now in

E

IOC president hails China's contribution to global Olympic movement

STORY: IOC president hails China's contribution to global Olympic movement DATELINE: Sept. 23, 2023 LENGTH: 0:01:53 LOCATION: HANGZHOU, China CATEGORY: SPORT SHOTLIST: 1. various of Xinhua's exclusive interview with IOC president Thomas Bach 2. SOUNDBITE (English): THOMAS BACH, International Olympic Committee President STORYLINE: International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach has hailed China's contribution to global Olympic movement. SOUNDBITE (English): THOMAS BACH, International Olympic Committee President "China has tremendous importance in the Olympic movement. And we have seen there is an ever-growing commitment of China and the Chinese people to the Olympic Games and the Olympic movement. We could see this, the full scale, the first time, with the unforgettable Olympic Games Beijing 2008. The Asian Games in Guangzhou was a great success and many other events. And now there was a truly exceptional Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, bringing the Olympic Winter Games to new heights, with regard

E

Egypt's central bank keeps interest rates unchanged

STORY: Egypt's central bank keeps interest rates unchanged DATELINE: Sept. 22, 2023 LENGTH: 00:00:57 LOCATION: Cairo CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the Central Bank of Egypt 2. various of an accountant counting banknotes 3. various of the National Bank of Egypt 4. various of Banque Misr STORYLINE: The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) decided Thursday to maintain interest rates at current levels. During its meeting, the CBE's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) kept the overnight deposit rate, overnight lending rate and the rate of the main operation at 19.25 percent, 20.25 percent and 19.75 percent, respectively. The discount rate remained at 19.75 percent. According to Egypt's Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics, the country's year-on-year headline inflation hit a record high of 39.7 percent in August, compared to 38.2 percent in July and 15.3 percent in August 2022. In early August, the CBE raised the interest rates by 100 basis points, or 1 percent, in a bid to contain high inflat

E

Ship with Ukrainian grain arrives off Türkiye's Bosphorus Strait via "humanitarian corridor"

STORY: Ship with Ukrainian grain arrives off Türkiye's Bosphorus Strait via "humanitarian corridor" DATELINE: Sept. 22, 2023 LENGTH: 00:00:22 LOCATION: ISTANBUL, Turkiye CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Istanbul 2. various of a cargo ship STORYLINE: The first cargo ship carrying Ukrainian grain arrived off Türkiye's Bosphorus Strait on Thursday using a temporary "humanitarian corridor." The Ihlas news agency said the ship "Resilient Africa" anchored off the Sariyer district at the Black Sea entrance of the Bosphorus Strait. The vessel will later pass through the strait, heading to Israel, according to the agency. Ukraine announced in August a "humanitarian corridor" to allow grain shipment after Russia withdrew from a UN-brokered grain agreement. Russia and Ukraine separately signed the Black Sea Grain Initiative in Istanbul in July 2022, allowing Ukraine to export its grain and other agricultural products from its Black Sea ports. Renewed twice, the agreement collapsed on July 17

E

Dutch king calls for action on poverty

STORY: Dutch king calls for action on poverty DATELINE: Sept. 20, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:15 LOCATION: THE HAGUE, the Netherlands CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of the royal family's coach ride on the streets of The Hague on the Prince's Day STORYLINE: Dutch King Willem-Alexander on Tuesday drew attention to the need to prevent a rise in poverty in the country, around two months before the next general parliamentary elections. "The first thing that someone looking at Dutch society from the outside will see is an attractive country with good public services and a strong economy," the king said in his annual speech in The Hague. "But beyond that rosy picture lies an enduring task: to continue working to ensure equal opportunities, socioeconomic security and future prospects." The message of the king came one week after the Dutch Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) said that as a result of rising inflation, the purchasing power of the Dutch population fell by 1.2 percent in 2022, compared to th

E

U.S. unabated cyberespionage activities highlight unbridled hegemony

STORY: U.S. unabated cyberespionage activities highlight unbridled hegemony DATELINE: Sept. 19, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:09 LOCATION: Beijing CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of U.S.-related footage 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): TUNC AKKOC, Head of Harici Media, Türkiye 3. various of U.S.-related footage 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): SHAKEEL AHMAD RAMAY, CEO, Islamabad-based Asian Institute of Eco-civilization Research & Development 5. SOUNDBITE 3 (Arabic): MAGDY AMER, Former ambassador of Egypt to China 6. various of U.S.-related footage 7. SOUNDBITE 4 (English): TUGHRAL YAMIN, Senior research fellow at Institute of Policy Studies, Islamabad STORYLINE: The latest investigation into the 2022 cyberattack on China's Northwestern Polytechnical University (NPU) has unequivocally pinpointed personnel from the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) as the hand behind it. In 2022, the NPU fell victim to a cyberattack involving the utilization of 41 specialized cyber weapons to launch cyber theft operations over 1,000 time

E

How China-ASEAN synergy contributes to global economic growth

STORY: How China-ASEAN synergy contributes to global economic growth DATELINE: Sept. 18, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:03 LOCATION: NANNING, China CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of China-ASEAN Expo 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): KAO KIM HOURN, Secretary-general of ASEAN 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): ZHU SHENGHUI, Agent, Vietnam Trung Nguyen coffee 4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): LI ZHUHUAN, Deputy general manager, Marketing Department of Guangxi Beibu Gulf Logistics Co., LTD STORYLINE: The 20th China-ASEAN Expo is being held in China's Nanning, with nearly 2,000 enterprises attending. The participation figure marks an 18.2-percent rise from last year's expo. Connected by both land and sea, China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have enjoyed ever-growing trade ties over the years. Official data show that the bilateral trade volume between China and ASEAN had increased from about 100 billion U.S. dollars in 2004 to more than 975 billion U.S. dollars in 2022. China has been ASEAN's largest trading par

E

Indonesian men's volleyball team expresses high hopes for Asian Games

STORY: Indonesian men's volleyball team expresses high hopes for Asian Games DATELINE: Sept. 18, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:30 LOCATION: Jakarta CATEGORY: SPORTS SHOTLIST: 1. various of the training 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): JIANG JIE, Head coach of Indonesian men's volleyball team 3. various of the training 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Indonesian): HERNANDA ZULFI, Indonesian men's volleyball team player 5. SOUNDBITE 3 (Indonesian): FAHRI SEPTIAN PUTRATAMA, Indonesian men's volleyball team player 6. SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): JIANG JIE, Head coach of Indonesian men's volleyball team STORYLINE: The Indonesian men's volleyball team has expressed high hopes for the upcoming Hangzhou Asian Games. The team is led by Jiang Jie, a former Chinese national volleyball team player. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): JIANG JIE, Head coach of Indonesian men's volleyball team "I started to lead the Indonesian national team in March 2022. I led the team to participate in the Southeast Asian Games twice and each time we won the championship. Through the (

E

Foreign tourist arrivals in Tunisia increase significantly in 2023

STORY: Foreign tourist arrivals in Tunisia increase significantly in 2023 DATELINE: Sept. 17, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:06 LOCATION: Tunis CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of tourists in Sidi Bou Said, Tunisia STORYLINE: Tunisia's tourism sector is booming with a remarkable 62.4 percent surge in foreign tourist arrivals during the first eight months of this year, the Ministry of Tourism said on Friday. According to the ministry, in the period of January to August this year, the total number of tourists reached 6.23 million. This remarkable growth can be attributed to a substantial increase in French tourists (up 23 percent), German tourists (up 66.3 percent), Italian tourists (up 25.9 percent), and Swiss tourists (up 23.7 percent) compared to the same period in 2022. Furthermore, there has been a significant rise in Libyan tourists (up 26.5 percent) and a staggering 410.2 percent increase in Algerian tourists compared to the previous year, according to the ministry. Tunisia's tourism revenues recorded a

E

China's computing industry scale hit 2.6 tln yuan in 2022

STORY: China's computing industry scale hit 2.6 tln yuan in 2022 DATELINE: Sept. 16, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:48 LOCATION: CHANGSHA, China CATEGORY: TECHNOLOGY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the conference 2. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): XUE QIKUN, Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences, President of Southern University of Science and Technology STORYLINE: The scale of China's computing industry hit 2.6 trillion yuan (about 362.2 billion dollars) in 2022, according to the 2023 World Computing Conference, which is held in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province from Sept. 14-16. Over the last six years, China has shipped over 20.91 million general servers and 820,000 artificial intelligence (AI) servers, according to a white paper released at the conference by the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): XUE QIKUN, Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences, President of Southern University of Science and Technology "Now we are facing the second quantum revolution. On the foundatio

E

Türkiye experiences driest August in 33 years: report

STORY: Türkiye experiences driest August in 33 years: report DATELINE: Sept. 15, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:03 LOCATION: ISTANBUL, Türkiye CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT SHOTLIST: 1. aerial view of Istanbul City 2. various of dams in Istanbul and dry land STORYLINE: Türkiye has experienced the driest August in the last 33 years, the country's meteorological authority said on Thursday. In a report, the General Directorate of Meteorology noted a 57-percent decrease in precipitation in August compared to the 1991-2021 averages and a 60-percent drop from last August. The report highlights the meteorological drought as a widespread concern, which impacted nearly the entire Marmara and Black Sea regions in August. In the month, the northwestern region of Marmara, known as the country's granary, saw a 74-percent decrease in precipitation compared to the 1991-2021 averages and a 90-percent decline from August 2022. The region is also home to Türkiye's largest city, Istanbul, where the water levels in its ten dams dropped to 26

E

Chinese aircraft maker receives over 1,000 C919 jet orders

STORY: Chinese aircraft maker receives over 1,000 C919 jet orders DATELINE: Sept. 13, 2023 LENGTH: 00:00:46 LOCATION: SHANGHAI, China CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of C919 jet STORYLINE: The order quantity for China's homegrown C919 jet has reached 1,061, according to Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd. According to the aircraft maker, which developed the C919 and ARJ21 jetliners, China's domestically-produced passenger aircraft sector has initially formed a product lineup ranging from regional aircraft, short- to medium-haul narrow-body aircraft, to long-haul wide-body aircraft. In December 2022, China Eastern Airlines, the inaugural customer of C919, received deliveries, with commercial operations beginning in May 2023. Two C919 aircraft are actively serving on the air route between Shanghai and Chengdu operated by the airlines. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Shanghai, China. (XHTV)

E

ISRAEL-PETAH TIKVA-CHINESE UNIVERSITY-UIBE

(230913) -- PETAH TIKVA, Sept. 13, 2023 (Xinhua) -- This file photo taken on Feb. 1, 2022 shows students from China and Israel communicating on the Israeli campus of China's University of International Business and Economics (UIBE) in Petah Tikva, Israel. TO GO WITH "Feature: Israeli branch of Chinese university fosters closer cultural, educational ties" (Xinhua)

E

Spanish imports of Russian natural gas double in a year despite Ukraine conflict

STORY: Spanish imports of Russian natural gas double in a year despite Ukraine conflict DATELINE: Sept. 13, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:28 LOCATION: BARCELONA, Spain CATEGORY: ENERGY SHOTLIST: 1. various of gas vessels and gas installations in Spanish ports (courtesy of Enagas company) STORYLINE: Spanish imports of natural gas from Russia have doubled so far this year compared to the same eight-month period in 2022 that began with the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Enagas, a leading natural gas transmission company in Spain, said in its latest bulletin on Sept. 8 that Russian gas accounted for 19.7 percent of all gas imports in the country, compared to 10.9 percent the previous year. Earlier this summer, Russian gas imports hit a peak of 27.6 percent, almost five times the 5.8 percent registered in January 2022 before the start of the conflict. The sharp rise in the gas imports is due to Spanish operators fulfilling contracts signed with Russia before the start of the conflict, as well as the fact that th

E

Exhibition goods from Vanuatu being shipped to China for CIIE

STORY: Exhibition goods from Vanuatu being shipped to China for CIIE DATELINE: Sept. 13, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:05 LOCATION: CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Vanuatu 2. SOUNDBITE (English): JOE PACOA, Director of Vanuatu's Department of External Trade 3. various of Vanuatu STORYLINE: Products to be exhibited at the 6th China International Import Expo (CIIE) from Vanuatu embarked on a local transport flight to transit through New Zealand on Monday. The Vanuatu products will join the New Zealand exhibition products and set to sail from New Zealand to east China's Shanghai in mid-September, which marks the first shipment of exhibition products for this year's CIIE, undertaken by COSCO SHIPPING. Vanuatu is an island nation located in the southwestern Pacific, with its economy primarily based on agriculture, fisheries and livestock. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1982, China and Vanuatu have maintained stable and positive economic and trade ties. In 2022, th

E

China's FDI into Kenya expected to grow 10 pct in 2023: official

STORY: China's FDI into Kenya expected to grow 10 pct in 2023: official DATELINE: Sept. 12, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:04 LOCATION: Nairobi CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the press conference 2. SOUNDBITE (English): JUNE CHEPKEMEI, Acting managing director of KenInvest STORYLINE: China's foreign direct investment (FDI) into Kenya is projected to grow 10 percent this year, a government official said Monday. June Chepkemei, acting managing director of state-owned Kenya Investment Authority (KenInvest), made the remarks during a media briefing on the upcoming sixth Kenya International Industrial Expo and the Kenya Import and Export Fair in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. The event is scheduled to take place from Sept. 21 to 23. SOUNDBITE (English): JUNE CHEPKEMEI, Acting managing director of KenInvest "Foreign direct inflows from China stood at 348 million U.S. dollars (in 2022). Going forward, we hope to see that grow by at least 10 percent, going by the incentives and the programs that the government h

E

Egypt's inflation hits record 39.7 pct

STORY: Egypt's inflation hits record 39.7 pct DATELINE: Sept. 11, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:20 LOCATION: Cairo CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of markets and customers in Cairo 2. various of restaurants in Cairo 3. various of goods in store 4. various of streets in Cairo STORYLINE: Egypt's year-on-year headline inflation hit a record high of 39.7 percent in August, compared to 38.2 percent in July and 15.3 percent in August 2022, data from the country's official statistics authority showed on Sunday. According to Egypt's Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics, the prices of food and beverages surged by 71.9 percent, alcoholics and tobacco by 57.6 percent, restaurant and hotel services by 49.5 percent, and furniture and household appliances by 42 percent in the past 12 months. Egypt has been struggling to curb the inflation rates that have been rising over the past few years, amid local currency depreciation and foreign currency shortage. In early August, the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE)

E

Türkiye revises medium-term inflation, growth forecasts

STORY: Türkiye revises medium-term inflation, growth forecasts DATELINE: Sept. 7, 2023 LENGTH: 0:01:08 LOCATION: Ankara CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the press conference (courtesy of ihlas news agency) 2. various of the speech of Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz at the press conference (courtesy of Justice and Development Party) 3. various of the press conference (courtesy of ihlas news agency) 4. SOUNDBITE (Turkish): RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, Turkish President (courtesy of ihlas news agency) STORYLINE: The Turkish government on Wednesday lowered its economic growth forecasts while raising its expected inflation rate for the upcoming three years in its annual Medium-Term Program. The country's economy is projected to grow 4 percent in 2024, 4.5 percent in 2025, and 5 percent in 2026, said Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz at a press conference during which he unveiled the program. The previous program announced in 2022 had set growth targets of 5 percent in 2023 and 5.5 percent in

E

Football World Cup in Qatar

DOHA, Qatar, Sept. 6 Kyodo - Shogo Taniguchi of Japan celebrates after Japan's 2-1 win over Spain in a World Cup Group E football match at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, in the early hours of Dec. 2, 2022. (Kyodo)

E

RCEP boosts cooperation between China, ASEAN

STORY: RCEP boosts cooperation between China, ASEAN DATELINE: Sept. 6, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:10 LOCATION: Jakarta CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. STANDUP (English): SUN LEI, Xinhua correspondent 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): DR. MOHAMMAD FAISAL, Executive director of Center of Reform on Economics Indonesia 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): LI JIFENG, Deputy Director of China-Indonesia Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone 4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): LIU YAN, Marketing operation director of Wuling Indonesia STORYLINE: STANDUP (English): SUN LEI, Xinhua correspondent "China and ASEAN share deep and close cooperation in trade and economy. And RCEP brings them even closer. The RCEP, the world's largest free trade deal, comprises 15 members: the 10 ASEAN member states, plus China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The pact entered into force on Jan. 1, 2022, with the goal of gradually eliminating tariffs on more than 90 percent of goods traded among its members." SOUNDBITE 1 (English): MOHAMMAD FAISAL, Exec

E

Iran blames West's "miscalculations" for failure to conclude nuclear talks

STORY: Iran blames West's "miscalculations" for failure to conclude nuclear talks DATELINE: Sept. 5, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:00 LOCATION: Tehran CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani addressing the weekly press conference STORYLINE: Iran on Monday blamed Western states' "miscalculations about the riots in Iran" for the failure to conclude talks on the revival of a 2015 nuclear deal in September last year. At a weekly press conference in the Iranian capital Tehran, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani said the final draft resolution of the talks was ready to be concluded in September 2022 to prepare the ground for all sides' return to the deal, the Iranian Students' News Agency reported. However, the United States and its European partners "had miscalculations after the unrest in Iran and invested in the riots ... and lost the opportunity (to reach an agreement) by foot-dragging and refraining from concluding the negotiations," he said. In response to a questi

E

Türkiye's inflation climbs to 58.94 pct in Aug.

STORY: Türkiye's inflation climbs to 58.94 pct in Aug. DATELINE: Sept. 5, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:17 LOCATION: Ankara CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Turkish shopping in a bazaar, stationery and fish shop (courtesy of ihlas news agency) 2. various of Turkish central bank 3. various of Hafize Gaye Erkan, governor of the Turkish Central Bank 4. various of Mehmet Simsek, Turkish Treasury and Finance Minister 5. various of Turkish shopping in a bazaar STORYLINE: Türkiye's annual inflation rose to 58.94 percent in August, marking the second consecutive month of increase since October last year due to the declining value of Turkish Lira and recent tax hikes, according to official figures on Monday. The figures from the Turkish Statistic Institute showed the consumer price index (CPI) in August rose by 9.09 percent monthly. The CPI experienced a consecutive decline from a peak of 85.51 percent in October 2022 to 38.21 percent in June 2023. The annual inflation rose to 47.83 percent in July, marking the fir

E

Normalization of Türkiye-Syria ties in limbo, says expert

STORY: Normalization of Türkiye-Syria ties in limbo, says expert DATELINE: Sept. 2, 2023 LENGTH: 00:03:30 LOCATION: Ankara CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of a patrol of Turkish and Russian troops in Northern Syria 2. various of the four-way meeting of Türkiye-Syria-Russia-Iran in May 2023 in Moscow 3. various of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan 4. various of Syrian President Bashar Al Assad 5. various of Turkish Lira 6. various of the militants of YPG in Northern Syria 7. various of Syrian refugees at one of the Türkiye-Syria border gates 8. SOUNDBITE (Turkish): SERKAN DEMIRTAS, Foreign policy analyst, Ankara Bureau Chief Of Hurriyet Daily News STORYLINE: The future of relations between Türkiye and Syria remains uncertain as little progress has been made in normalization talks revolving around Turkish military presence in northern Syria, said experts. Since the end of 2022, Turkish and Syrian officials have met several times to restore ties. Moscow has tried to mediate talks between Damasc

E

Dutch industry insider confident in Chinese NEVs

STORY: Dutch industry insider confident in Chinese NEVs DATELINE: Sept. 1, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:05 LOCATION: ROTTERDAM, the Netherlands CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the new-energy vehicle (NEV) 2. SOUNDBITE (English): ERIC LOUWMAN, President of Louwman group STORYLINE: Eric Louwman, president of Dutch car dealer Louwman Group, said that China is at the forefront of "all the technological developments around electrification." Since October 2022, Louwman has been collaborating with China's leading new-energy vehicle (NEV) manufacturer BYD to open BYD dealerships in the Netherlands. So far, they have sold over 700 BYD EVs. SOUNDBITE (English): ERIC LOUWMAN, President of Louwman group "We have been active in automotive for 100 years, and we've always been at the forefront of new developments, but we have never experienced something like what we're experiencing at this moment. There's a huge change, transformation going into the car business at the moment, especially with electrification, but also

E

UN chief cautions military coups only worsen crises, urges democratic governance

STORY: UN chief cautions military coups only worsen crises, urges democratic governance DATELINE: Sept. 1, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:29 LOCATION: UN Headquarters CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrives 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ANTONIO GUTERRES, UN Secretary-General 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): ANTONIO GUTERRES, UN Secretary-General STORYLINE: Addressing the recent series of military coups predominantly in Africa, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday underscored the importance of establishing lasting democratic governance backed by the rule of law. Wednesday's military takeover in Gabon came on the heels of Niger last month, Burkina Faso in 2022, and Chad, Guinea, Sudan and Mali in the years prior to that. The Gabonese military takeover was announced not long after the electoral authorities declared that President Ali Bongo had secured another term, even though there were allegations of electoral irregularities. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ANTONIO GUTERRES, UN Secreta

E

Spain welcomes record 10.1 mln tourists in July

STORY: Spain welcomes record 10.1 mln tourists in July DATELINE: Sept. 2, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:48 LOCATION: Madrid CATEGORY: ECONOMY/SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of tourists in Spain STORYLINE: For the first time ever, Spain welcomed over 10 million foreign tourists in July as the tourism sector completed its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Spanish Statistical Office (INE) said on Friday. The INE's "Tourist Movements at Borders" (Frontur) study shows that 10.1 million foreign tourists visited Spain during the month, 11.4 percent more than in July 2022 and 2.6 percent more than in 2019, the year that saw the previous record for visitor numbers. In the first seven months of 2023, 47.6 million foreigners visited Spain, almost 21 percent more than in 2022 but 0.8 percent fewer than in 2019. Tourist spending between January and July was up 14.7 percent. The United Kingdom continues to be Spain's biggest source market, with 9.8 million Britons visiting the country in the first seven months of the year,

E

Groundbreaking ceremony for chip factory in Hokkaido

Atsuyoshi Koike, president of semiconductor venture Rapidus Corp., breaks ground during a ceremony in Chitose in Hokkaido, northern Japan, on Sept. 1, 2023. The Japanese government-subsidized chip venture was set up by Toyota Motor Corp. and seven other Japanese companies in 2022.

E

Groundbreaking ceremony for chip factory in Hokkaido

Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura (front, L) attends a groundbreaking ceremony in Chitose in Hokkaido, northern Japan, on Sept. 1, 2023, for a semiconductor factory to be operated by Rapidus Corp., a Japanese government-subsidized chip venture set up by Toyota Motor Corp. and seven other Japanese companies in 2022.

E

French government to pay back-to-school allowances to 3 mln families

STORY: French government to pay back-to-school allowances to 3 mln families DATELINE: Aug. 12, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:12 LOCATION: LYON, France CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of school supplies in a store 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (French): CELINE, Parent 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (French): GERALDINE, Parent 4. various of school supplies STORYLINE: While the start of the school year will take place on Sept. 4 in France, the government will pay back-to-school allowances (ARS) on Aug. 16 to help low-income families buy school supplies. It will be paid on August 16 to 3 million families. To benefit from the ARS, the child must be between six and 18 years old on Dec. 31 of the school year and be enrolled in a public or private establishment. This financial aid of around 400 euros depending on the age of the child has been increased by 5.6 percent compared to 2022. Granted subject to resources, this back-to-school financial aid amounts this year to 398.09 euros for children aged 6 to 10, 420.05 euros for children aged 11 to

E

CHINA-HUBEI-WUHAN-ECO-CITY (CN)

(230616) -- WUHAN, June 16, 2023 (Xinhua) -- This photo taken on Sept. 14, 2022 shows a view of the No. 1 blast furnace of Wuhan Iron and Steel (Group) Corp. in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province. TO GO WITH "Across China: Riverfront industrial town transformed into eco-city" (Xinhua/Wu Zhizun)

E

Lebanon launches "Capital of Arab Media 2023" celebration

STORY: Lebanon launches "Capital of Arab Media 2023" celebration DATELINE: May 25, 2023 LENGTH: 0:01:28 LOCATION: Beirut CATEGORY: CULTURE SHOTLIST: 1. various of the launch ceremony 2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): ZIAD MAKARY, Lebanese caretaker Information Minister STORYLINE: Lebanese caretaker Information Minister Ziad Makary on Tuesday launched the "Beirut, Capital of Arab Media 2023" activities, in a bid to reinforce Lebanon's Arab identity. Hundreds of politicians, diplomats and media representatives attended a ceremony held in Lebanon's capital Beirut under the auspices of Prime Minister Najib Mikati, the National News Agency reported. "We want the celebration to be an energy of relief, hope, and a gateway to the return of the Lebanese-Arab relations to their natural course," Makary said at the ceremony. The Arab Information Ministers Council decided on Sept. 22, 2022 to name Beirut as the "Capital of Arab Media 2023," which aims to consolidate the ties between Lebanese and Arab media. SOUNDBITE (Arabic)

E

Hangzhou Asian Games Fun Run held in Tehran

STORY: Hangzhou Asian Games Fun Run held in Tehran DATELINE: May 12, 2023 LENGTH: 00:00:43 LOCATION: Tehran CATEGORY: SPORTS SHOTLIST: 1. various of the Hangzhou Asian Games Fun Run in Tehran STORYLINE: The Iranian capital Tehran on Thursday hosted the Hangzhou Asian Games Fun Run. The event was held in the presence of Chinese Ambassador to Iran Chang Hua, officials of the Iranian Ministry of Sport and Youth, Secretary-General of Iran's National Olympic Committee (NOC) Manaf Hashemi, and representatives of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee (HAGOC). A total of 200 children took part in the event, during which they performed kata movements and ran a short distance together. Following the run, all the participants received medals and certificates for having taken part in the event, which was held to mark the upcoming Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games from Sept. 23 to Oct. 8. Chinese Ambassador Chang Hua said the fun run event, which has been held in many Asian cou

E

Lebanon approves wage increase for public sector employees

STORY: Lebanon approves wage increase for public sector employees DATELINE: April 19, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:14 LOCATION: Beirut CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of ministers in cabinet meeting 2. various of Information Minister ZIAD AL-MAKARI speaking to reporters 3. SOUNDBITE (French): Information Minister ZIAD AL-MAKARI, Beirut 4. various of demonstrators in Beirut Downtown 5. various of riot police 6. various of a soldier STORYLINE: The Lebanese government on Tuesday approved four additional monthly salaries for public sector employees, in addition to the two previous rises approved in Sept. 2022, the National News Agency reported. Public sector employees will start receiving seven salaries per month two months later. They are requested to complete a minimum of 14 working days per month to be eligible for the wage increase. They are only requested to attend 14 working days as the government cannot afford to pay the high cost of their daily transport to work. Meanwhile, the transportation allowanc

E

Xinhua Headlines: Futuristic city a microcosm for China's high-quality urban development

(230401) -- SHIJIAZHUANG, April 1, 2023 (Xinhua) -- This aerial photo taken on Sept. 7, 2022 shows the tourist dock of Baiyangdian Lake in Xiong'an New Area, north China's Hebei Province. (Xinhua/Yang Shiyao)

E

Xinhua Headlines: Futuristic city a microcosm for China's high-quality urban development

(230401) -- SHIJIAZHUANG, April 1, 2023 (Xinhua) -- This aerial photo taken on Sept. 6, 2022 shows a forest in Xiong'an New Area, north China's Hebei Province. (Xinhua)

E

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

(230301) -- BEIJING, March 1, 2023 (Xinhua) -- People visit the 2022 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2022. (Xinhua/Hao Zhao)

E

RUSSIA-MOSCOW ZOO-POLAR BEAR

(230301) -- MOSCOW, March 1, 2023 (Xinhua) -- This video clip issued by Moscow Zoo on Sept. 6, 2022 shows a staff member dealing with wounds of Dikson upon its arrival at the zoo in Moscow, Russia. TO GO WITH "Feature: Paralyzed polar bear striving for recovery in Moscow Zoo" (Xinhua)

E

Europeans raise questions on alleged U.S. involvement in Nord Stream blasts

STORY: Europeans raise questions on alleged U.S. involvement in Nord Stream blasts DATELINE: Feb. 24, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:26 LOCATION: Copenhagen CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of Europe 2. Photo released by the Danish Ministry of Defense on Sept. 27, 2022 that shows the Nord Stream gas pipeline leak site (Danish Defense Ministry, Handout via Xinhua) 3. SOUNDBITE 1 (French): FABIEN BOUGLE, French energy policy expert 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): EMILE KOKHOLM, Musician in Copenhagen 5. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): NIELS GARDE, Danish entrepreneur 6. various aerial shots of Copenhagen STORYLINE: Europeans have raised questions about the U.S. role in the Russia-Ukraine conflicts in a recent article by the U.S. investigative journalist Seymour Hersh. Hersh revealed that the United States partnered with Norway in a secret operation in June 2022 to plant remotely triggered explosives that destruct the Nord Stream pipelines three months later. SOUNDBITE 1 (French): FABIEN BOUGLE, French energy policy expert "It

E

UN Security Council probe into Nord Stream explosions is global priority: U.S. scholar

STORY: UN Security Council probe into Nord Stream explosions is global priority: U.S. scholar DATELINE: Feb. 23, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:06 LOCATION: UN Headquarters CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of Security Council Chamber 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): JEFFREY SACHS, Director, Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): JEFFREY SACHS, Director, Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University STORYLINE: A world-renowned economist said that an investigation by the UN Security Council into the explosions that blew up the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines in September 2022 is a high global priority. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): JEFFREY SACHS, Director, Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University "The destruction of the Nord Stream pipelines on Sept. 26, 2022, constitutes an act of international terrorism and represents a threat to the peace. It is the responsibility of the UN Security Council to take up the question of who might have carried out the

E

U.S. foreign arms sales increase significantly in fiscal 2022

STORY: U.S. foreign arms sales increase significantly in fiscal 2022 DATELINE: Jan. 28, 2023 LENGTH: 0:02:16 LOCATION: Washington D.C. CATEGORY: MILITARY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the U.S. Air Force loading cargo bound for Ukraine (January 13, 2023) 2. various of the U.S. Air Force loading explosives bound for Ukraine (August 9, 2022) STORYLINE: U.S. foreign arms sales grew significantly in fiscal year 2022, according to data released by the Department of State, which attributed the increase mainly to U.S. military support for Ukraine during the latter's conflict with Russia. The total value of State Department-authorized government-to-government foreign military sales was 51.9 billion U.S. dollars in fiscal 2022, the 12-month period ending Sept. 30, 2022, up 49.1 percent from the previous fiscal year's 34.8 billion dollars, the data showed. The so-called direct commercial sales, or sales of weapons and military equipment to foreign governments by U.S. defense contractors, also ticked up in fiscal 20

E

XINHUA-PICTURES OF THE YEAR 2022-WORLD NEWS

(230110) -- BEIJING, Jan. 10, 2023 (Xinhua) -- This photo taken on Sept. 1, 2022 shows the sunset behind Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, Myanmar. (Photo by Myo Kyaw Soe/Xinhua)

E

XINHUA-PICTURES OF THE YEAR 2022-AERIAL PHOTO

(230110) -- BEIJING, Jan. 10, 2023 (Xinhua) -- This aerial photo taken on Sept. 1, 2022 shows a path in the middle of the Wuhan section of the Yangtze River, central China's Hubei Province. The water level here was far below the average of previous historic record by Sept. 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Wu Zhizun)

E

Xinhua Headlines: One year on, RCEP bears fruit for trade, industrial integration

(230101) -- BEIJING, Jan. 1, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Participants walk outside the Nanning International Convention and Exhibition Center, the venue of the 19th China-ASEAN Expo and the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit, in Nanning, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Sept. 16, 2022. (Xinhua/Lu Boan)