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China: Qingdao Cat Goes Viral for Adorable “Beckoning” at Café Counter

On November 21, 2025, in Qingdao, Shandong, a tabby cat at the “One Tree Cat Life” café stood on the counter and rhythmically moved its front paws, as if politely bowing. Glancing at the camera with wide, pleading eyes, the gesture was irresistibly cute. Chinese netizens joked, “The owner couldn’t afford a Maneki-neko, so the real cat took over!” The video quickly went viral as a symbol of good luck.

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Chile: Man Destroys American Airlines Counter At Santiago Airport With Hammer

At Santiago airport in Chile, a furious man who realized a scammer sold him a fake plane ticket and couldn't get on the flight smashed displays and other equipment with a hammer at the American Airlines check-in counter late on Monday, August 26.

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Israeli Women Protest for Hostage Deal - Jerusalem

A poster of four abductees who were murdered by Hamas with a caption saying "Sorry we couldn't save you", in a camp set up by the families of the abductees, near Benjamin Netanyahu's house, on August 13, 2024, in Jerusalem, Israel. Photo by Yahel Gazit/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Vintage bookstore owner in Syria encourages readers to keep passion alive

STORY: Vintage bookstore owner in Syria encourages readers to keep passion alive SHOOTING TIME: April 21, 2024 DATELINE: April 23, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:15 LOCATION: Damascus CATEGORY: CULTURE SHOTLIST: 1. various of the Modern Library bookstore 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): BASHIR JARKAS, Owner of Modern Library bookstore in Damascus 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): BASHIR JARKAS, Owner of the Modern Library in Damascus 4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Arabic): BASHIR JARKAS, Grandson of owner of Modern Library STORYLINE: In the ancient al-Halbouni area of Syria's capital, Damascus, stands the Modern Library bookstore. It is owned by Bashir Jarkas and boasts a collection of over 100,000 books. It has been a local landmark for nearly six decades. The 80-year-old Jarkas has dedicated his life to sharing his love for reading with the community. SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): BASHIR JARKAS, Owner of Modern Library bookstore in Damascus "Books are my life, I cannot live without them. Once, I broke my foot and couldn't sit at home, so I preferred to

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China: Sunrise Breaks Through Clouds On Mount Tai Peak To The Delight Of Climbers

A huge crowd of climbers braved the cold wind on April 13 to watch the famous sunrise from the peak of Mount Tai in Taian, Shandong. The filmer said,"I was still very excited at that time. Despite the cold weather, people's longing for Mount Tai couldn't be deterred. Perhaps due to the weather, the sun only appeared twice. But when the Ode to the Motherland song played, the clouds dispersed, the sun rose, and I suddenly felt that all the hardships along the way were worth it. I felt that the efforts and anticipation of this moment were meaningful." Mount Tai is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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American entrepreneur embraces career success in Hainan FTP

STORY: American entrepreneur embraces career success in Hainan FTP SHOOTING TIME: March 12, 2024 DATELINE: April 10, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:59 LOCATION: HAIKOU, China CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the American entrepreneur working at his company 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): RANDY FLOYD, American entrepreneur 3. various of the Hainan Free Trade Port 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): RANDY FLOYD, American entrepreneur STORYLINE: American entrepreneur Randy Floyd first came to China's Hainan in 2018. The favorable business environment injected confidence into his aspiration to start a company and settle down. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): RANDY FLOYD, American entrepreneur "I came here basically just to work as a teacher and a foreign manager. But then I found out about the advantageous policies for small businesses like myself for foreigners to open a business. So I inquired about it and I couldn't believe how easy it was and how quick it was and the government was really supportive and got behind foreigners and entr

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XINHUA PHOTOS OF THE DAY

(240401) -- BEIJING, April 1, 2024 (Xinhua) -- Namgyal plays the accordion with his granddaughter aside at his home in Doilungdeqen District of Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, March 13, 2024. Born in 1945, Namgyal grew up in what is now Doilungdeqen District in Lhasa. Namgyal recalled that his worst memory was the rain, which would seep through the leaky roof and wet his only suit of clothing, leaving him to continue working for the serf owner the next day in soaked clothes. After the democratic reform in 1959, life of Namgyal and his family totally changed. The family of four received dwellings, livestock and farmland. Namgyal learned to play the accordion and became a member of the Doilungdeqen art troupe. He later had the opportunities to perform in Beijing and many other cities in China. The four children of Namgyal earned successful careers and all of his eight grandchildren received good education and made their ways into universities. "I couldn't imagine a better life,

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(InXizang)CHINA-XIZANG-FORMER SERF-NEW LIFE-NAMGYAL (CN)

(240331) -- LHASA, March 31, 2024 (Xinhua) -- A granddaughter of Namgyal offers him a bowl of nuts at his home in Doilungdeqen District of Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, March 13, 2024. Born in 1945, Namgyal grew up in what is now Doilungdeqen District in Lhasa. Namgyal recalled that his worst memory was the rain, which would seep through the leaky roof and wet his only suit of clothing, leaving him to continue working for the serf owner the next day in soaked clothes. After the democratic reform in 1959, life of Namgyal and his family totally changed. The family of four received dwellings, livestock and farmland. Namgyal learned to play the accordion and became a member of the Doilungdeqen art troupe. He later had the opportunities to perform in Beijing and many other cities in China. The four children of Namgyal earned successful careers and all of his eight grandchildren received good education and made their ways into universities. "I couldn't imagine a better life," Nam

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(InXizang)CHINA-XIZANG-FORMER SERF-NEW LIFE-NAMGYAL (CN)

(240331) -- LHASA, March 31, 2024 (Xinhua) -- Namgyal (2nd L) and family members pose for a photo at his home in Doilungdeqen District of Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, March 13, 2024. Born in 1945, Namgyal grew up in what is now Doilungdeqen District in Lhasa. Namgyal recalled that his worst memory was the rain, which would seep through the leaky roof and wet his only suit of clothing, leaving him to continue working for the serf owner the next day in soaked clothes. After the democratic reform in 1959, life of Namgyal and his family totally changed. The family of four received dwellings, livestock and farmland. Namgyal learned to play the accordion and became a member of the Doilungdeqen art troupe. He later had the opportunities to perform in Beijing and many other cities in China. The four children of Namgyal earned successful careers and all of his eight grandchildren received good education and made their ways into universities. "I couldn't imagine a better life," Namg

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(InXizang)CHINA-XIZANG-FORMER SERF-NEW LIFE-NAMGYAL (CN)

(240331) -- LHASA, March 31, 2024 (Xinhua) -- This photo taken on March 13, 2024 shows a portrait of Namgyal. Born in 1945, Namgyal grew up in what is now Doilungdeqen District in Lhasa. Namgyal recalled that his worst memory was the rain, which would seep through the leaky roof and wet his only suit of clothing, leaving him to continue working for the serf owner the next day in soaked clothes. After the democratic reform in 1959, life of Namgyal and his family totally changed. The family of four received dwellings, livestock and farmland. Namgyal learned to play the accordion and became a member of the Doilungdeqen art troupe. He later had the opportunities to perform in Beijing and many other cities in China. The four children of Namgyal earned successful careers and all of his eight grandchildren received good education and made their ways into universities. "I couldn't imagine a better life," Namgyal said. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje)

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(InXizang)CHINA-XIZANG-FORMER SERF-NEW LIFE-NAMGYAL (CN)

(240331) -- LHASA, March 31, 2024 (Xinhua) -- Namgyal waters plants at his home in Doilungdeqen District of Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, March 13, 2024. Born in 1945, Namgyal grew up in what is now Doilungdeqen District in Lhasa. Namgyal recalled that his worst memory was the rain, which would seep through the leaky roof and wet his only suit of clothing, leaving him to continue working for the serf owner the next day in soaked clothes. After the democratic reform in 1959, life of Namgyal and his family totally changed. The family of four received dwellings, livestock and farmland. Namgyal learned to play the accordion and became a member of the Doilungdeqen art troupe. He later had the opportunities to perform in Beijing and many other cities in China. The four children of Namgyal earned successful careers and all of his eight grandchildren received good education and made their ways into universities. "I couldn't imagine a better life," Namgyal said. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje)

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(InXizang)CHINA-XIZANG-FORMER SERF-NEW LIFE-NAMGYAL (CN)

(240331) -- LHASA, March 31, 2024 (Xinhua) -- Namgyal waters plants at his home in Doilungdeqen District of Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, March 13, 2024. Born in 1945, Namgyal grew up in what is now Doilungdeqen District in Lhasa. Namgyal recalled that his worst memory was the rain, which would seep through the leaky roof and wet his only suit of clothing, leaving him to continue working for the serf owner the next day in soaked clothes. After the democratic reform in 1959, life of Namgyal and his family totally changed. The family of four received dwellings, livestock and farmland. Namgyal learned to play the accordion and became a member of the Doilungdeqen art troupe. He later had the opportunities to perform in Beijing and many other cities in China. The four children of Namgyal earned successful careers and all of his eight grandchildren received good education and made their ways into universities. "I couldn't imagine a better life," Namgyal said. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje)

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(InXizang)CHINA-XIZANG-FORMER SERF-NEW LIFE-NAMGYAL (CN)

(240331) -- LHASA, March 31, 2024 (Xinhua) -- This photo taken on March 13, 2024 shows the ID card of Namgyal. Born in 1945, Namgyal grew up in what is now Doilungdeqen District in Lhasa. Namgyal recalled that his worst memory was the rain, which would seep through the leaky roof and wet his only suit of clothing, leaving him to continue working for the serf owner the next day in soaked clothes. After the democratic reform in 1959, life of Namgyal and his family totally changed. The family of four received dwellings, livestock and farmland. Namgyal learned to play the accordion and became a member of the Doilungdeqen art troupe. He later had the opportunities to perform in Beijing and many other cities in China. The four children of Namgyal earned successful careers and all of his eight grandchildren received good education and made their ways into universities. "I couldn't imagine a better life," Namgyal said. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje)

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(InXizang)CHINA-XIZANG-FORMER SERF-NEW LIFE-NAMGYAL (CN)

(240331) -- LHASA, March 31, 2024 (Xinhua) -- Namgyal plays the accordion with his granddaughter aside at his home in Doilungdeqen District of Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, March 13, 2024. Born in 1945, Namgyal grew up in what is now Doilungdeqen District in Lhasa. Namgyal recalled that his worst memory was the rain, which would seep through the leaky roof and wet his only suit of clothing, leaving him to continue working for the serf owner the next day in soaked clothes. After the democratic reform in 1959, life of Namgyal and his family totally changed. The family of four received dwellings, livestock and farmland. Namgyal learned to play the accordion and became a member of the Doilungdeqen art troupe. He later had the opportunities to perform in Beijing and many other cities in China. The four children of Namgyal earned successful careers and all of his eight grandchildren received good education and made their ways into universities. "I couldn't imagine a better life,"

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Sudan war leaves 700,000 children facing life-threatening malnutrition

STORY: Sudan war leaves 700,000 children facing life-threatening malnutrition SHOOTING TIME: Feb. 10, 2024 DATELINE: Feb. 11, 2024 LENGTH: 0:01:50 LOCATION: DARFUR, Sudan CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Hamadia Internally Displaced Person's Camp 2. SOUNDBITE (English): MALAZ AHMED, Displaced child STORYLINE: UN humanitarians on Friday highlighted a harrowing statistic: 700,000 children in Sudan are now facing the most severe form of malnutrition due to the ongoing conflict. James Elder, a spokesperson for the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), described the situation in Sudan as "the world's largest displacement of children," with 4 million children displaced. "That's 13,000 children every single day for 300 days," Elder said. SOUNDBITE (English): MALAZ AHMED, Displaced child "The war began in our area. Big sounds of shots, and then, they have more people. They were killed there (Genenia), and my neighbor was there. I couldn't go to my home, to (meet) with my grandmother and my aunt (who were) there

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A Brighter Summer Day

Tang Tang and Ryan's wedding rings, New Taipei City, Taiwan, 2019. These rings have been given by Tang Tang’s family to bless their union. Ryan : 'This year, we couldn’t wait anymore so we got married in Las Vegas. I was already out with my siblings but I called my extended family to tell them the news. But the aunt I’m the closest with and who helped raising me, my god mother, said 'This does not align with our traditions. How? How could I accept it?' I was really sad because all the other aunts were supportive, even my uncles, but not her. Maybe because I wasn’t expecting it, thinking that she would support me no matter what. But we got married nonetheless, just without her blessing. Later on Tang Tang came back first and brought something to her. When he did that, she congratulated us. So eventually, everyone accepted. And I am like, hey, I’m actually really lucky.' Ryan Photo by Su Cassiano/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Cold weather, rainfall exacerbate humanitarian crisis in Gaza

STORY: Cold weather, rainfall exacerbate humanitarian crisis in Gaza SHOOTING TIME: Nov. 15, 2023 DATELINE: Nov. 16, 2023 LENGTH: 0:01:48 LOCATION: GAZA, Palestine CATEGORY: OTHERS SHOTLIST: 1. various of displaced Gazans living in tents in Khan Yunis, Gaza Strip 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): ISMAIL HAMODA, Displaced resident in Gaza 3. various of displaced Gazans living in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): KHALED NAGI, Displaced resident in Gaza 5. SOUNDBITE 3 (Arabic): Displaced woman in Gaza 6. SOUNDBITE 4 (Arabic): KHALED NAGI, Displaced resident in Gaza STORYLINE: As the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict lasts over 40 days, many Gazans have lost their family members and homes. Some displaced people have to live in temporary shelters. However, harsh weather has made their lives more miserable. SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): ISMAIL HAMODA, Displaced resident in Gaza "These tents cannot protect us from the rain. There is water in our tent. We couldn't stay in our tents anymore. We left our tent be

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A Shared Path | A "city on the sea" bears aspirations of Sri Lankans

STORY: A Shared Path | A "city on the sea" bears aspirations of Sri Lankans DATELINE: Oct. 18, 2023 LENGTH: 00:08:11 LOCATION: Beijing CATEGORY: ECONOMY STORYLINE: Sri Lanka, a "gem in the Indian Ocean." The vast expanse of the sea has always been a blessing for locals. However, it also limits the island country's potential for development. Puttalam Village Sri Lanka SOUNDBITE (Sinhalese): SANJEEWA FERNANDO, Local resident, and his son Son: "Dad, I don't want to be a fisherman when I grow up." Father: "Then, what do you want to do?" Son: "I'd like to do something that no one in our village has ever done before." Father: "Son, what's that indeed?" Son: Dad, do you think a city can grow from the sea? Sanjeewa Fernando couldn't answer his son's question. But maybe he could give him an answer the second day. SOUNDBITE (Sinhalese): SANJEEWA FERNANDO, Local resident "Son, tomorrow I'm going to the port city for a job interview. Wanna come along?" Explorers are bound to succeed. -- A Sri Lankan proverb Ferna

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Rare oriental white stork gets beak transplant in NE China

STORY: Rare oriental white stork gets beak transplant in NE China DATELINE: Aug. 31, 2023 LENGTH: 0:00:58 LOCATION: HARBIN, China CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT SHOTLIST: 1. various of the injured oriental white stork under medical treatment 2. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): ZHU BAOGUANG, Staff member of Honghe National Nature Reserve 3. various of the oriental white stork being sent to the wild STORYLINE: An injured oriental white stork with a broken beak was brought to the Honghe National Nature Reserve in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province for surgery recently. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): ZHU BAOGUANG, Staff member of Honghe National Nature Reserve "To rescue this oriental stork, we considered multiple options, and the best one was to provide it with an artificial beak as soon as possible. Thus, we reached out to a company specializing in simulated specimens and customized a lifelike beak for it. Without a lower beak, it couldn't peck food properly, making it unable to survive in the wild." The bird was sent back to the

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Captive pig-tailed macaque released to wild in SW China

STORY: Captive pig-tailed macaque released to wild in SW China DATELINE: June 27, 2023 LENGTH: 00:00:47 LOCATION: KUNMING, China CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT SHOTLIST: 1. various of the monkey making troubles in the building 2. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): CHEN CHAOXIA, Firefighter STORYLINE: A firefighter who was resting at home in Lancang County, Yunnan Province, had an unexpected visitor: a pig-tailed macaque that broke into his home and caused some trouble. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): CHEN CHAOXIA, Firefighter "When I went upstairs, I saw the monkey jumping around, maybe trying to escape. But the windows were all closed, so it couldn't get out. It looked very anxious and fierce." The firefighter examined the macaque for any injuries and then released it to a forest far from the village. The pig-tailed macaque is a national first-class protected wild animal. It lives mostly in high-altitude rainforests, and is common in the southern half of Malay Peninsula, Borneo, Sumatra and Bangka Island. Xinhua News Agency correspond

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Chinese company provides assistance for flood-stricken Ghanaian school

STORY: Chinese company provides assistance for flood-stricken Ghanaian school DATELINE: June 4, 2023 LENGTH: 00:03:53 LOCATION: Accra CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of reconstructions of a Ghanaian school hit by floods 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): PAUL BOATENG, Headmaster of the school 3. various of the rescue 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): JIN XIAODONG, General manager of the fishing port project 5. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): PAUL BOATENG, Headmaster of the school STORYLINE: A Chinese company on Thursday came to the rescue of a Ghanaian school hit by floods, enabling it to resume classes soon. The Christ the King of Kings preparatory school, located in Jamestown, a fishing community in Ghana's capital, has recently been plagued by flooding caused by constant downpours. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): PAUL BOATENG, Headmaster of the school "When it's break time, the children couldn't come out because the place is full of dust and full of water, but we thank them for what they are doing now. After this work has been d

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Two Yangtze finless porpoises relocated to safer home in China's Jiangxi

STORY: Two Yangtze finless porpoises relocated to safer home in China's Jiangxi DATELINE: Feb. 17, 2023 LENGTH: 0:00:37 LOCATION: NANCHANG, China CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Yangtze finless porpoises STORYLINE: Two Yangtze finless porpoises were relocated to a safer home in China's Jiangxi Province on Wednesday. The two mammals had been stuck in a shallow water area in Poyang Lake due to drought last year, and couldn't swim back to the deep water area by themselves. The Yangtze finless porpoise is an iconic species in the Yangtze River, the country's longest river. It's under top-level state protection. The species, known as the "giant panda of the water," is a barometer of the ecological environment in the Yangtze River basin. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Nanchang, China. (XHTV)

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China-Vietnam friendly football match back after 3-year suspension

STORY: China-Vietnam friendly football match back after 3-year suspension DATELINE: Feb. 6, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:39 LOCATION: NANNING, China CATEGORY: SPORTS SHOTLIST: 1. various of a friendly football match between China and Vietnam 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): BUI TIEN HA, Assistant coach of Vietnam's Mong Cai football team 3. various of the competition 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Vietnamese): NGUYEN VAN HIEU, Player of Vietnam's Mong Cai football team 5. various of the competition 6. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): BUI TIEN HA, Assistant coach of Vietnam's Mong Cai football team 7. various of the audience 8. SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): LI JIAN, Mayor of Dongxing City 9. various of the competition STORYLINE: A friendly football match between China and Vietnam kicked off on Sunday at the Dongxing Stadium in Dongxing City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): BUI TIEN HA, Assistant coach of Vietnam's Mong Cai football team "We are so grateful. It's very special as we couldn't make it for 3 years. So I'

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Palestinian farmer makes profit in growing saffron in West Bank

STORY: Palestinian farmer makes profit in growing saffron in West Bank DATELINE: Feb. 3, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:32 LOCATION: Gaza CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Jaber Bani Taha at his farm 2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): JABER BANI TAHA, Nablus-based Palestinian farmer STORYLINE: Jaber Bani Taha, a Palestinian farmer living in Nablus, has earned himself good money by planting saffron in the West Bank. "I came up with the idea to grow saffron in 2012 when I watched a number of documentary films that showed its benefits for people's health," the 46-year-old farmer told Xinhua. As the first person to grow the plant on the West Bank, Taha came across many challenges. He had little money and couldn't afford to buy the bulbs from overseas. A project funded by the non-government Agricultural Relief helped him to import 17,000 bulbs from the Netherlands. Taha said he kept cultivating the bulbs for three years to harvest more saffron that would be enough to sell them. "Every year the number of bulbs increa

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Myanmar holds 1st travel fair since COVID-19 outbreak

STORY: Myanmar holds 1st travel fair since COVID-19 outbreak DATELINE: Jan. 28, 2023 LENGTH: 0:01:54 LOCATION: YANGON, Myanmar CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the travel fair STORYLINE: Myanmar kicked off a three-day travel fair in its commercial city of Yangon on Friday for the first time since the outbreak of COVID-19. "We are re-organizing the travel fair in January 2023 after we couldn't hold any event like this in 2020, 2021 and 2022," Naung Naung Han, president of the Union of Myanmar Travel Association, told Xinhua. The travel association has also tried to organize a travel exhibition in September last year, but it was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other reasons, he added. The tourism exhibition is aimed at benefiting both travel companies and travelers as the country's tourism industry was gradually recovering, he said. "At the event, travelers can inquire about various travel plans and can get discounts, while travel companies can directly sell their tourism products

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Timing of China's optimization of COVID-19 response couldn't be better: British expat

STORY: Timing of China's optimization of COVID-19 response couldn't be better: British expat DATELINE: Jan. 5, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:17 LOCATION: WUHAN, China CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): NIGEL DIXON, British actor living in China's Wuhan 2. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): NIGEL DIXON, British actor living in China's Wuhan 3. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): NIGEL DIXON, British actor living in China's Wuhan STORYLINE: Nigel Dixon, a British actor known as Mr. Pea, says the timing of China's optimization of its COVID-19 response couldn't be better. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): NIGEL DIXON, British actor living in China's Wuhan "Just through being here when COVID first showed itself here, to living through the moment with the restricted living that we've all experienced to minimize the risks of us getting COVID, I think it's important to say that back then, COVID, the strain of it was, from my experience, more severe than it is now. Now we have much safer time, place and strain of COVID, so people don't need

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Abe says he 'respects' Kyuma's decision to quit

TOKYO, Japan - Embattled Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks to reporters at his official residence on July 3 after he accepted the resignation of Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma just weeks before the House of Councillors election and quickly named Yuriko Koide, his national security adviser, to the job. Abe says he ''respect(s)'' Kyuma's decision to quit. Kyuma was forced to resign following intense protests from opposition parties and atomic-bomb victims who were angered by his comments on the U.S. atomic bombing in Nagasaki in World War II. ''I understand the bombing brought the war to its end. I think it was something that couldn't be helped,'' he told a gathering on June 30.

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Nagasaki mayor lodges protest with Kyuma over A-bomb remarks

TOKYO, Japan - Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue (C) hands a protest note to Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma (R) at the Defense Ministry in Tokyo on July 3 over Kyuma's comments on June 30 that the atomic bombing of Nagasaki was ''something that couldn't be helped.'

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Nagasaki protests Kyuma's remarks on WWII A-bombing

NAGASAKI, Japan - Peace activists hold a sit-in rally at the Peace Memorial Park in Nagasaki on July 2 in protest against remarks Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma made over the weekend that appear to justify the U.S. use of atomic bombs against Japan in World War II. ''I understand the bombing (of Nagasaki) brought the war to its end. I think it was something that couldn't be helped,'' Kyuma said in a speech on June 30. A similar sit-in rally was held in Hiroshima on July 2.

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Hiroshima protests Kyuma's remarks on WWII A-bombing

HIROSHIMA, Japan - Peace activists hold a sit-in rally in front of the cenotaph for victims of the atomic bombing in Hiroshima on July 2 in protest against Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma who said in a speech on June 30, ''I understand the bombing (of Nagasaki) brought the war to its end. I think it was something that couldn't be helped.'' A similar sit-in rally was held in Nagasaki.

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U.S. A-bomb dropping 'couldn't be helped': Japan's defense minister

TOKYO, Japan - Japan's Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma (in file photo) said on June 30 that he thinks the dropping of atomic bombs by the United States in the closing days of World War II ''could not be helped'' as it was aimed at preventing the Soviet Union from entering the war against Japan. ''I understand the bombings brought the war to its end. I think it was something that couldn't be helped,'' he said in a speech at a university in Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture.

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Japan's farm minister disappointed by failed WTO talks

GENEVA, Switzerland - Japan's Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shoichi Nakagawa (L) expresses disappointment at the failure to break a deadlock in global free trade negotiations under the World Trade Organization at a press conference he gave in Geneva on July 1 with Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Toshihiro Nikai (R). ''It is regrettable that our discussions couldn't get to the point where we play our aces. I have to admit I'm returning to Japan without a sense of satisfaction,'' he said after a ministerial meeting.

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Miyazato struggles in Evian Masters 2nd round

EVIAN, France - Japan's Ai Miyazato listens to a reporter at a press conference after suffering a second-round slump and dropping into a six-way tie for 42nd after a 4-over-par-76 at the Evian Masters on July 21. 'My tee shots were good but the pin position is difficult and I couldn't set myself up with chances from my second shots,'' she said.

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(1)Sumo elder Futagoyama's death leaves 2 sons stunned

TOKYO, Japan - Former grand champion Takanohana, the younger son of sumo elder Futagoyama who died of mouth cancer May 30, speaks to reporters about memories of his father at his stable in Nakano, Tokyo on May 31. ''Last night I was still not able to accept his death and couldn't cry,'' Takanohana said.

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Inamoto no supersub as Fulham's European run over

LONDON, England - Japan midfielder Junichi Inamoto responds to supporters as Fulham's European adventure ends with a 0-0 draw at home to German side Hertha Berlin in the third round of the UEFA Cup on Dec. 12. ''We deserved to win the game, but just couldn't score,'' Inamoto said.

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Peace of World storms to victory at Hanshin Juvenile Fillies

TAKARAZUKA, Japan - Yuichi Fukunaga waves at fans after steering top favorite Peace of World to victory in the 54th Hanshin Juvenile Fillies at Hanshin Racecourse on Dec. 1. ''It was a very tough race. We got off to a bad start but she is a strong horse and I couldn't have asked for any more from her,'' Fukunaga said after the race.

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Afghan boy flees to Pakistan, recounts air strikes

PESHAWAR, Pakistan - Faridullah Saharjan, a 14-year-old Afghan boy, speaks Oct. 12 of his two-night trek to Peshawar, Pakistan from his war-torn homeland. He told Kyodo News, ''I couldn't sleep the first night of the bombing, because I was so scared. I was told by my father to run away, so I finally reached here after (endlessly) walking through for two nights.''

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Sugiyama forced to withdraw from U.S. Open women's doubles

NEW YORK, United States - Ai Sugiyama speaks to reporters as her hopes of winning back-to-back women's doubles titles at the U.S. Open was dashed Aug. 30 after her partner, Kim Clijsters of Belgium, pulled out of the doubles event because of muscle strain in her right leg. A dejected Sugiyama said, ''I'm really disappointed that we couldn't play, but at the same time I knew that Kim has an injury.''

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Japanese abbot donates historical materials of Nanjing Massacre

STORY: Japanese abbot donates historical materials of Nanjing Massacre DATELINE: Dec. 13, 2022 LENGTH: 00:02:50 LOCATION: KYOTO, Japan CATEGORY: POLITICS/SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Enkoji Temple 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Japanese): DAITO SATOSHI, Abbot, Enkoji Temple 3. various of Satoshi doing research 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Japanese): DAITO SATOSHI, Abbot, Enkoji Temple 5. SOUNDBITE 3 (Japanese): DAITO SATOSHI, Abbot, Enkoji Temple STORYLINE: Daito Satoshi is the abbot of Enkoji Temple in Kyoto, Japan. He majored in modern Japanese history in college. In his junior year, he traveled to northeast China, where he visited places such as the site of Unit 731, a covert biological and chemical warfare research and development unit of the Japanese Imperial Army, and learned about the atrocities committed by Japanese invaders. SOUNDBITE 1 (Japanese): DAITO SATOSHI, Abbot, Enkoji Temple "I was horrified. I couldn't believe that human beings were capable of such horrible things. I was thinking about what I could do about th

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Gazan fruit farmers losing out amid competition from Israeli produce

STORY: Gazan fruit farmers losing out amid competition from Israeli produce DATELINE: Nov. 24, 2022 LENGTH: 00:02:30 LOCATION: Gaza CATEGORY: AGRICULTURE/ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of local farmers harvesting strawberries 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): ABDULLAH ABU KHOUSA, Strawberry farmer 3. various of a citrus fruit farm in Gaza 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): TAISEER AL-DAHDOUH, Citrus fruits farmer 5. various of a citrus fruit farm in Gaza STORYLINE: Despite having a bumper harvest, Gazan fruit farmers, facing competition from cheaper Israeli produce, see only a bleak picture for their business this year. Abdullah Abu Khousa, a strawberry grower, told Xinhua that in the past, 80 percent of his produce was sold in Europe, Israel, and the West Bank, which earned him good money. SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): ABDULLAH ABU KHOUSA, Strawberry farmer "Strawberry prices were very high, and the local market did not meet the needs, especially since we couldn't cover operating expenses. Therefore, selling strawberries to other p

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Solar eclipse observed in Middle East

STORY: Solar eclipse observed in Middle East DATELINE: Oct. 26, 2022 LENGTH: 0:00:29 LOCATION: Damascus/Amman CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT SHOTLIST: 1. various of solar eclipse STORYLINE: People in the Syrian capital of Damascus and the Jordanian capital of Amman observed a partial solar eclipse on Tuesday. The partial solar eclipse was visible from parts of Europe, northern Africa, the Middle East and many parts of western and central Asia. In Syria, people watched the eclipse with a special telescope or through the black polymer. But the sky above Damascus was cloudy and the eclipse couldn't be observed clearly. Meanwhile in Amman, Jordanian astronomy enthusiasts gathered at the Citadel archaeological site of Amman and across the kingdom to observe the partial solar eclipse. The Jordanian Astronomical Society organized the event to raise public interest in astronomy. A solar eclipse occurs on a new moon day when the moon comes in between the earth and the sun, and when all three heavenly bodies are aligned

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Energy crisis looms in Europe, energy-saving measures rolled out

STORY: Energy crisis looms in Europe, energy-saving measures rolled out DATELINE: Sept. 3, 2022 LENGTH: 0:02:51 LOCATION: BRUSSELS CATEGORY: ECONOMY/SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Europe 2. STANDUP 1 (English): ZHU SHENG, Xinhua correspondent in Germany 3. SOUNDBITE 1 (French): RACHEL, Customer in France 4. STANDUP 2 (English): JIANG XUELAN, Xinhua correspondent in Switzerland 5. SOUNDBITE 2 (French): ROLAND MAYERL, French citizen in Geneva 6. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): BENTE HALLSTEIN, Resident in Copenhagen, Denmark STORYLINE: Europe's energy crisis loomed larger on Friday after Russia kept a major gas pipeline to Germany switched off. Russian energy giant Gazprom shut down the Nord Stream 1 pipeline on Wednesday for three days of maintenance. On Friday, Gazprom said it couldn't resume the gas deliveries for now, as it had found problems in a key piece of equipment. A day earlier, Germany already imposed energy saving measures for individuals, companies and the public sector, in response to the soaring g

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Life in China is like a dream come true: Mexican businessman

STORY: Life in China is like a dream come true: Mexican businessman DATELINE: Aug. 31, 2022 LENGTH: 00:05:54 LOCATION: FOSHAN, China CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of general views in Foshan 2. SOUNDBITE (English): HUMBERTO VALLES, General Manager of Interceramic in China (ICC) STORYLINE: SOUNDBITE (English): HUMBERTO VALLES, General Manager of Interceramic in China (ICC) "My name is Humberto Valles. I am from Mexico. I'm an industrial engineer. I have worked for the past 35 years from the same company. In 2002, I made my first trip to China. Coming to China, for all us Westerners, it's like a mystery. So my first impression was completely different. From the moment I touched the airport, I just couldn't believe my eyes. The country was very modern, very different than all the stories they told me about. That's how everything started. Now I was impressed from the very beginning. The more I knew the country, the more impressed I was with it." "Take it easy, take it easy. We play sometimes. Just war

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People band together to put out wildfires in Chongqing, China

STORY: People band together to put out wildfires in Chongqing, China DATELINE: Aug. 28, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:04 LOCATION: CHONGQING, China CATEGORY:SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of people work jointly fighting against wildfire in Chongqing STORYLINE: Wildfires broke out recently in mountains in Chongqing, China. Firefighters raced against time to contain the blaze. The steep mountain roads increased the difficulty of fighting fires. Volunteers transported rescuers and delivered rescue supplies by motorcycle. In places where motorcycles couldn't go, people lined up to deliver supplies. All open flames of the wildfires had been put out as of Friday. Local people prepared gifts and specialities to thank firefighters when they left. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Chongqing, China. (XHTV)

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23 killed, 140 injured in Libya's Tripoli clashes: ministry

STORY: 23 killed, 140 injured in Libya's Tripoli clashes: ministry DATELINE: Aug. 28, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:11 LOCATION: Tripoli CATEGORY: OTHERS SHOTLIST: 1. various of the street view after the clash 2. various of a firing car 3. various of damaged cars STORYLINE: At least 23 were killed and 140 were injured in the clashes in the Libyan capital Tripoli, the Health Ministry said Saturday. Eighty-three people were discharged from hospitals after receiving medical care, the Ministry said. The Ministry also confirmed that a number of hospitals and medical centers in the city have been damaged by the clashes, demanding to avoid attacking hospitals and medical centers. The ministry said that medical teams couldn't access some areas in Tripoli to help civilians in need due to the clashes. Heavy clashes erupted later on Friday in different areas of central Tripoli between armed groups affiliated to the two rival governments. The Tripoli-based Government of National Unity condemned the clashes and accused the P

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Smart technologies aid agricultural production in China's Henan

STORY: Smart technologies aid agricultural production in China's Henan DATELINE: Aug. 12, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:38 LOCATION: ZHENGZHOU, China CATEGORY: TECHNOLOGY/AGRICULTURE SHOTLIST: 1. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): ZOU HUIYI, Farmer of Zouzhuang Village 2. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): LI TONGGUO, Agricultural technician 3. various of the farmland in Xichuan County 3. various of the smart equipment STORYLINE: As a major grain-producing area in China, Henan Province has actively explored the construction of smart farmlands. Zou Huiyi, who has planted more than 100 mu (about 16.5 acres) of farmland, showed a smart irrigation system at his farmland in Zouzhuang Village of Xichuan County. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): ZOU HUIYI, Farmer of Zouzhuang Village "Irrigation is convenient now by using my phone. After downloading the app, I just need to speak to my phone to start or stop the irrigation. In the past, if you couldn't irrigate the farmlands properly, the yields were merely about 300 kg per mu (about 0.16 acres), or 400 kg

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A decade-long transformation of remote ethnic village

STORY: A decade-long transformation of remote ethnic village DATELINE: July 22, 2022 LENGTH: 00:02:34 LOCATION: CHANGSHA, China CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Shibadong village 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): SHI KANG, Local video maker 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): LONG XIANLAN, Local beekeeper 4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): YANG ZHENGBANG, Guesthouse owner STORYLINE: Shibadong is a mountainous village in central China's Hunan Province. Meaning "18 caves" in Chinese, the ethnic Miao village had a long history of poverty. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): SHI KANG, Local video maker "We didn't have a decent road in our village in the past. Cars couldn't reach our village until I was five years old. It was very inconvenient for us to get water as well. When I was little, we needed to get water from a well far away from our village no matter how bad the weather was as we couldn't cook without water." The situation started to change in 2013 when the concept of "targeted poverty alleviation" was introduced in Shib

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GLOBALink | "Chinese Bridge" language contest promotes China-Egypt friendship

STORY: Chinese Bridge language contest promotes China-Egypt friendship DATELINE: May 26, 2022 LENGTH: 00:02:22 LOCATION: Cairo CATEGORY: CULTURE SHOTLIST: 1. various of winners of the 21st Chinese Bridge competition in Cairo meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang 2. various of winners sharing their stories of learning Chinese 3. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): AYA MAGDY, Top prize winner 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): AYA IBRABIM, Top prize winner 5. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): SANDRA GATTAS, Second-prize winner 6. SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): LIAO LIQIANG, Chinese Ambassador to Egypt STORYLINE: Eight winners who won the recently-concluded the 21st Chinese Bridge competition in Cairo met with Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang on Tuesday and shared their stories of learning Chinese. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): AYA MAGDY, Top prize winner "I remember how hard it was when I couldn't understand it at all. I thought Chinese was difficult to learn. I couldn't do it. However, I later found out that it's just difficult t

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Vlog: Altitude sickness on Mt. Qomolangma

STORY: Vlog: Altitude sickness on Mt. Qomolangma DATELINE: May 18, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:38 LOCATION: LHASA, China CATEGORY: SCIENCE SHOTLIST: 1. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): Voice of XU MIN, Researcher of the Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences STORYLINE: SOUNDBITE (Chinese): Voice of XU MIN, Researcher of the Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences "It's the 20th day of the scientific expedition on Mount Qomolangma. I suffered last night, because of the altitude sickness. I had a headache and couldn't sleep. It snowed overnight. It's all white outside, but Mount Qomolangma looks very clear. These are the team members who are suffering from altitude sickness. Some of our team members are flying drones at the camp at an altitude of 6,350 meters. This is our expedition squad. They are going to explore a path in the ice towers. They're back. We're going up there to fly a drone. This is the second point that we fly a drone today. Mou

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DPRK leader calls for quick action to contain COVID-19

STORY: DPRK leader calls for quick action to contain COVID-19 DATELINE: May 13, 2022 LENGTH: 00:00:48 LOCATION: Pyongyang CATEGORY: HEALTH SHOTLIST: 1. STANDUP (Chinese): JIANG YAPING, Xinhua correspondent 2. various of Pyongyang STORYLINE: STANDUP (Chinese): JIANG YAPING, Xinhua correspondent in Pyongyang "According to the Korean Central News Agency, Kim Jong Un, the top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), on Thursday visited the state emergency epidemic prevention headquarters. He called for quick action to contain the spread of COVID-19." A fever whose cause couldn't be identified explosively spread nationwide from late April, and more than 350,000 people got fever "in a short span of time" and at least 162,200 of them recovered completely. The Korean Central News Agency reported Thursday that samples taken from patients with fever in Pyongyang on Sunday were "consistent with" the virus' highly transmissible Omicron variant. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from