Hungary's PM Orban: 2023 year of "great struggles"

STORY: Hungary's PM Orban: 2023 year of "great struggles" SHOOTING TIME: Dec. 21, 2023 DATELINE: Dec. 22, 2023 LENGTH: 0:02:04 LOCATION: Budapest CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of Hungarian PM's office 2. various of the press conference STORYLINE: The year 2023 was one of "great struggles," Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in Budapest on Thursday, marking the close of the year and setting sights on 2024. At an international press conference, Orban listed the complex adversities faced during the year, including the armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the escalating terrorism threats, migration issues, inflation and "the influence of Brussels." He said that his government has achieved its goals in several areas: remained uninvolved in the conflicts, warded off potential terrorism threats, kept migration under control and curbed inflation. It even established an accord with Brussels despite persistent antagonism. However, he acknowledged the significant struggle Hungarian families

Carnival revelers return to Greece's streets after 3 years

STORY: Carnival revelers return to Greece's streets after 3 years DATELINE: Feb. 28, 2023 LENGTH: 0:01:06 LOCATION: Athens CATEGORY: CULTURE SHOTLIST: 1. various of the carnival and crowds 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Greek): IOANNA, Masquerader 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Greek): THANASSIS, Masquerader 4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Greek): GIOTA, Masquerader 5. SOUNDBITE 4 (Greek): ANDRIANNA, Masquerader 6. various of the carnival and crowds STORYLINE: Thousands of revelers and spectators flooded the streets of Nikaia-Rentis municipality, near Piraeus port, on Sunday for a parade marking the end of Greece's three-week carnival season. After three years of absence due to restrictive measures to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, Attica region's largest carnival returned to spread joy. Some 7,000 revelers participated in the event, singing and dancing around 16 colorful floats satirizing social trends, according to a press release. Their main message was that people can overcome all adversities with a smile. SOUNDBITE 1 (Greek): IOANNA, Masque

Syrian construction firms manage to overcome Western sanctions via self-sufficiency

STORY: Syrian construction firms manage to overcome Western sanctions via self-sufficiency DATELINE: June 17, 2022 LENGTH: 00:02:41 LOCATION: Damascus CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: various of the expoSOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): MOAYAD DABBAS, CEO of Contracting CompanySOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): JEAN KASABIAN, Executive Director of Concrete and Building MaterialsSOUNDBITE 3 (Arabic): SOHAIL ABDEL LATIF, Syrian Minister of Works and Housing STORYLINE: Syrian construction companies have managed to stay afloat using homemade tools and equipment despite the heavy economic sanctions imposed by the United States and its Western allies, said local chief executives and directors. Heads of local companies seeking business opportunities have flocked to the five-day Buildex construction fair, which runs until Saturday at the Damascus Fairground outside the capital city, where attendees told Xinhua how they have joined hands to tide through the adversities. SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): MOAYAD DABBAS, CEO of Contracting Company "Of co