UN chief urges global push for peace

STORY: UN chief urges global push for peace DATELINE: Sept. 14, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:12 LOCATION: UN Headquarters CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of the event 2. SOUNDBITE (English): ANTONIO GUTERRES, UN Secretary-General STORYLINE: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday called on the international community to rally together to ramp up the push for peace. "Peace is a job that belongs to each and every one of us. But as we gather today, peace is under assault across communities, countries and regions," Guterres told a traditional UN peace bell ceremony. The ceremony is part of the UN observance of the International Day of Peace, which falls on Sept. 21. SOUNDBITE (English): ANTONIO GUTERRES, UN Secretary-General "For people and planet alike, we can - and we must - push for peace. Pushing for peace means focusing on prevention, dialogue and mediation to heal divisions, defuse conflicts and ensure every community has a stake in a shared future. Pushing for peace means rallying around

Growing fallout from U.S. bank failures sparks worries across banking sector

STORY: Growing fallout from U.S. bank failures sparks worries across banking sector DATELINE: March 17, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:48 LOCATION: Beijing CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): GIORGIO DI GIORGIO, Professor of macroeconomics and monetary policy at Rome's LUISS University 2. SOUNDBITE 2 (Turkish): MURAT TUFAN, Analyst with Turkish broadcaster Ekoturk 3. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): XN IRAKI, Kenyan economist STORYLINE: Growing fallout from the collapse of two U.S. banks -- Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) from California and New York's Signature Bank has sent jitters across the banking sector. Many experts have expressed their concerns over the failures of the two U.S. banks. Worries about its impact on European financial institutions began to push share prices downward. Led by banking shares, most European stock exchanges suffered significant losses on Monday and Wednesday, each time followed by only modest rebounds. An Italian expert has said a major factor contributing to the troubles was ris

Construction of Mekong bridge begins in Cambodia

Construction of Mekong bridge begins in Cambodia

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen (C) and Japanese Ambassador to Cambodia Masaki Saito (L) each push a button to commence construction of a bridge over the Mekong River in a ceremony held in Kompong Cham on Feb. 3. The 1,360 meter-long bridge, to be financed by Japanese aid, will be the first to span the Mekong in Cambodia when it is completed in 2002.

Kenya wildlife rangers participate in continental challenge

STORY: Kenya wildlife rangers participate in continental challenge DATELINE: Sept. 18, 2022 LENGTH: 0:02:30 LOCATION: Nairobi CATEGORY: SPORTS SHOTLIST: 1. various of the marathon 2. SOUNDBITE (English): SAMWEL LEKIMARORO, Head Ranger, LEWA conservancy 3. various of the marathon STORYLINE: Over 100 ranger teams across Africa have participated in 2022 Wildlife Ranger Challenge, a multi-million dollar fundraising initiative, culminating in a 21-km half marathon on Saturday. In Kenya, the event took place at the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in the northern part of the country with two teams, each having 4 participants. The rangers did the 21-kilometer run carrying a weight of 22 kilograms each across the rough terrain. Other major challenges included sit-ups, push-ups and quizzes. The main purpose of the challenge is to showcase the different challenges rangers go through as they carry out their daily duties and also to raise money for conservation. SOUNDBITE (English): SAMWEL LEKIMARORO, Head Ranger, LEWA

A tug-of-war-like traditional ethnic sport in China's Guangxi

STORY: A tug-of-war-like traditional ethnic sport in China's Guangxi DATELINE: Sept. 11, 2022 LENGTH: 00:00:48 LOCATION: GUILIN, China CATEGORY: SPORTS SHOTLIST: 1. various of the Zhoujia village of Longsheng County 2. various of Red Yao people joining Dingzhugang game 3. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): WANG YANJU, Villager, Longsheng County, Guangxi STORYLINE: Some Red Yao ethnic women from Guilin, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, recently joined a traditional ethnic sport of "Dingzhugang," or pushing bamboo pole, in a local village. 　　 Like tug of war, it is a one-on-one strength competition, using a two-meter-long bamboo pole. 　　 SOUNDBITE (Chinese): WANG YANJU, Villager, Longsheng County, Guangxi "Dingzhugang is a traditional sport for our Red Yao people. During the competition, two people hold a bamboo pole and push forward against each other at their abdomens. Whoever is pushed out of line first will lose. Those who defeat five people or more will be titled 'one with unusual strength.' Through th

Slovenians vote to elect new parliament

STORY: Slovenians vote to elect new parliament DATELINE: April 25, 2022 LENGTH: 0:03:00 LOCATION: Ljubljana CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of polling stations 2. SOUNDBITE (English): Voter STORYLINE: About 1.7 million eligible Slovenian voters went to polling stations on Sunday to choose a new 90-seat parliament among a total of 1,476 candidates from 20 parties or party alliances. SOUNDBITE (English): Voter "I hope that a lot of people will participate, especially young people. And they will get really informed, and choose what they think is right. Because there are many issues we have to resolve. And I especially hope that we could really connect this country, because I think it's divided, and push it forward." Most polls predicted a close race between Prime Minister Janez Jansa's Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) and the center-left Freedom Movement (FM), a new party headed by manager Robert Golob. According to polls, each of the two parties could get about 25 percent of the votes while

Construction of Mekong bridge begins in Cambodia

Construction of Mekong bridge begins in Cambodia

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen (C) and Japanese Ambassador to Cambodia Masaki Saito (L) each push a button to commence construction of a bridge over the Mekong River in a ceremony held in Kompong Cham on Feb. 3. The 1,360 meter-long bridge, to be financed by Japanese aid, will be the first to span the Mekong in Cambodia when it is completed in 2002.