Asma Al-Assad Said To Have ’50/50′ Chance Of Survival As Leukemia Returns

Asma Al-Assad Said To Have ’50/50′ Chance Of Survival As Leukemia Returns

File photo dated October 20, 2003 of Syrian president Bashar Al Assad and his wife Asma at the People's Palace, official ceremony to receive the King and the Queen of Spain in Damascus, Syria. Asma al-Assad, the wife of ousted Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, is said to have a 50% chance of survival after an aggressive form of blood cancer is believed to have returned following treatment for the disease earlier this year, the UK’s Telegraph newspaper reports. According to the report, the exiled former first lady, who was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in May of this year, is completely isolated in Moscow as she undergoes treatment for the aggressive cancer. Photo by Balkis Press/ABACAPRESS.COM

BELARUS-MINSK-UZBEKISTAN FM-VISIT

BELARUS-MINSK-UZBEKISTAN FM-VISIT

(240412) -- MINSK, April 12, 2024 (Xinhua) -- Belarusian Foreign Minister Sergei Aleinik (R) shakes hands with Uzbekistan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Bakhtiyor Saidov in Minsk, Belarus, April 11, 2024. Uzbekistan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Bakhtiyor Saidov is paying an official visit to Belarus, BelTA news agency reported Thursday. This is for the first time in the history of relations between the two countries that the Uzbek foreign minister pays an official visit to Belarus, according to the report. During the visit, the two sides signed a program of ministerial consultations for 2024-2025. (Photo by Henadz Zhikov/Xinhua)

BELARUS-MINSK-UZBEKISTAN FM-VISIT

BELARUS-MINSK-UZBEKISTAN FM-VISIT

(240412) -- MINSK, April 12, 2024 (Xinhua) -- Belarusian Foreign Minister Sergei Aleinik (R) shakes hands with Uzbekistan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Bakhtiyor Saidov after signing a document in Minsk, Belarus, April 11, 2024. Uzbekistan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Bakhtiyor Saidov is paying an official visit to Belarus, BelTA news agency reported Thursday. This is for the first time in the history of relations between the two countries that the Uzbek foreign minister pays an official visit to Belarus, according to the report. During the visit, the two sides signed a program of ministerial consultations for 2024-2025. (Photo by Henadz Zhikov/Xinhua)

BELARUS-MINSK-UZBEKISTAN FM-VISIT

BELARUS-MINSK-UZBEKISTAN FM-VISIT

(240412) -- MINSK, April 12, 2024 (Xinhua) -- Belarusian Foreign Minister Sergei Aleinik (2nd R) and Uzbekistan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Bakhtiyor Saidov (2nd L) sign a document in Minsk, Belarus, April 11, 2024. Uzbekistan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Bakhtiyor Saidov is paying an official visit to Belarus, BelTA news agency reported Thursday. This is for the first time in the history of relations between the two countries that the Uzbek foreign minister pays an official visit to Belarus, according to the report. During the visit, the two sides signed a program of ministerial consultations for 2024-2025. (Photo by Henadz Zhikov/Xinhua)

BELARUS-MINSK-UZBEKISTAN FM-VISIT

BELARUS-MINSK-UZBEKISTAN FM-VISIT

(240412) -- MINSK, April 12, 2024 (Xinhua) -- Belarusian Foreign Minister Sergei Aleinik (1st R) meets with Uzbekistan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Bakhtiyor Saidov (2nd L) in Minsk, Belarus, April 11, 2024. Uzbekistan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Bakhtiyor Saidov is paying an official visit to Belarus, BelTA news agency reported Thursday. This is for the first time in the history of relations between the two countries that the Uzbek foreign minister pays an official visit to Belarus, according to the report. During the visit, the two sides signed a program of ministerial consultations for 2024-2025. (Photo by Henadz Zhikov/Xinhua)

Uzbek FM pays first official visit to Belarus

STORY: Uzbek FM pays first official visit to Belarus SHOOTING TIME: April 11, 2024 DATELINE: April 12, 2024 LENGTH: 00:00:23 LOCATION: Minsk CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of Uzbekistan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Bakhtiyor Saidov meeting with Belarus' officials 2. various of the signing ceremony for a program of ministerial consultations for 2024-2025 STORYLINE: Uzbekistan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Bakhtiyor Saidov met with Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko in Minsk during his official visit to Belarus, BelTA news agency reported Thursday. This is the first time in the history of relations between the two countries that the Uzbek foreign minister pays an official visit to Belarus, according to the report. During the visit, the two sides signed a program of ministerial consultations for 2024-2025. At a meeting with Saidov, Lukashenko expressed gratitude to Uzbekistan for supporting Belarus on its path to membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the news agency re

Over 120,000 students sit for matriculation exam in Myanmar

STORY: Over 120,000 students sit for matriculation exam in Myanmar SHOOTING TIME: March 11, 2024 DATELINE: March 12, 2024 LENGTH: 00:03:36 LOCATION: YANGON, Myanmar CATEGORY: EDUCATION SHOTLIST: 1. various of Yangon's exam centers for the exam 2. various of students preparing for the matriculation exam STORYLINE: A total of 128,801 students sat for the nationwide matriculation examination of Myanmar on Monday, the first day of the exam for the academic year 2023-24, the official television channel MRTV reported on Monday. The figure represents 87.9 percent of the students who had registered for the nationwide matric exam, the media report said, adding that 146,523 students had registered for the exam. Of them, 8,428 students sat at 47 exam centers in the Nay Pyi Taw Council Area, the media report said. The exam was held at a total of 841 exam centers, including 830 exam centers across the country and 11 overseas exam centers, it said. The total number of students who sat for the exam this year

1st UAE ambassador to Syria in 13 years takes post

STORY: 1st UAE ambassador to Syria in 13 years takes post SHOOTING TIME: Jan. 30, 2024 DATELINE: Jan. 31, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:23 LOCATION: Damascus CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of meeting between UAE ambassador and Syrian foreign ministry 2. various of Syrian foreign ministry 3. various of UAE embassy in Damascus STORYLINE: Hassan Ahmad al-Shihi on Tuesday officially presented his credentials to Syria's Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad, becoming the first ambassador of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Syria in 13 years. At his meeting with Mekdad in the Syrian capital Damascus, al-Shihi conveyed to the Syrian side his commitment to enhancing bilateral relations between the two countries, the official Syrian news agency SANA reported. The UAE envoy also pledged to work to strengthen cooperation and achieve mutual progress between the two Arab states, the report said. For his part, Mekdad expressed Syria's deep appreciation for the UAE's solidarity with and support for Syria during chall

Iran showcases Fattah hypersonic ballistic missiles for first time

STORY: Iran showcases Fattah hypersonic ballistic missiles for first time DATELINE: Sept. 23, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:31 LOCATION: Tehran CATEGORY: MILITARY SHOTLIST: 1. various of a parade staged by the Iranian armed forces STORYLINE: The Aerospace Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on Friday displayed for the first time four of its domestically-developed Fattah hypersonic ballistic missiles, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency. The missiles were showcased in the presence of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and senior military officials in a parade staged by the Iranian armed forces in the capital Tehran on the occasion of the Sacred Defense Week, which marks the anniversary of the Iran-Iraq war during 1980-88, the report said. According to Tasnim, Fattah, a precision-guided two-stage missile, can hit targets within a range of 1,400 km, with a velocity of Mach 13 (about 16,000 km/h). It is equipped with a warhead that has a spherical engine running on solid fuel and movable

Baseball: Angels spring training

Baseball: Angels spring training

Los Angeles Angels' Shohei Ohtani runs sprints at the team's spring training facility in Tempe, Arizona, on Feb. 13, 2023, the first official report day for pitchers and catchers participating in the World Baseball Classic.

Baseball: Angels spring training

Baseball: Angels spring training

Los Angeles Angels' Shohei Ohtani bats at the team's spring training facility in Tempe, Arizona, on Feb. 13, 2023, the first official report day for pitchers and catchers participating in the World Baseball Classic.

Baseball: Angels spring training

Baseball: Angels spring training

Los Angeles Angels' Shohei Ohtani plays catch at the team's spring training facility in Tempe, Arizona, on Feb. 13, 2023, the first official report day for pitchers and catchers participating in the World Baseball Classic.

Baseball: Angels spring training

Baseball: Angels spring training

Los Angeles Angels' Shohei Ohtani bats at the team's spring training facility in Tempe, Arizona, on Feb. 13, 2023, the first official report day for pitchers and catchers participating in the World Baseball Classic.

Baseball: Angels spring training

Baseball: Angels spring training

Los Angeles Angels' Shohei Ohtani enters the team's training facility in Tempe, Arizona, on Feb. 13, 2023, the first official report day for pitchers and catchers participating in the World Baseball Classic.

Gov't panel formulates draft report on revitalizing education

Gov't panel formulates draft report on revitalizing education

TOKYO, Japan - Nobel Chemistry Prize laureate Ryoji Noyori (2nd L) addresses a governmental panel tasked with revitalizing education at a meeting at the Prime Minister's Official Residence on Jan. 19. The panel formulated its draft first report featuring four emergency measures and seven proposals, including a review of education with a so-called latitude policy, to boost the declining academic performance of Japanese students.

Panel formulates draft 1st report on revitalizing education

Panel formulates draft 1st report on revitalizing education

TOKYO, Japan - The Education Rebuilding Council under Nobel Chemistry Prize laureate Ryoji Noyori meets at the Prime Minister's Official Residence on Jan. 19. The panel formulated its draft first report featuring four emergency measures and seven proposals, including a review of education with a so-called latitude policy, to boost the declining academic performance of Japanese students.

Crown Princess Masako resumes official duties

Crown Princess Masako resumes official duties

TOKYO, Japan - Crown Prince Naruhito (L) and Crown Princess Masako wave on arrival at a hall in Tokyo's Marunouchi district on Feb. 8 to attend an award ceremony for a youth book-report contest. It was the crown princess' first official engagement following the birth of her daughter Princess Aiko last December. The photo was taken by a media representative.

Kenya's tourist arrivals up 91 pct amid global travel recovery

STORY: Kenya's tourist arrivals up 91 pct amid global travel recovery DATELINE: Sept. 11, 2022 LENGTH: 00:02:32 LOCATION: Nairobi CATEGORY: SOCIETY/ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of tourism sector performance report launch 2. SOUNDBITE (English): NAJIB BALALA, Kenya's cabinet secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife 3. various of promo video in multiple languages 4. various of the report launch STORYLINE: Kenya's tourist arrivals surged 91 percent between January and August compared to a similar period last year, a senior government official said Friday. Najib Balala, the cabinet secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, told journalists in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, that the country received 924,812 international visitors in the first eight months compared to 483,240 arrivals in the same period in 2021. "Kenya's tourism sector is experiencing a recovery as the COVID-19 pandemic has been contained in most of our key source markets and international travelers are now fully confident to

Myanmar's Yangon int'l airport reopens after 2-year suspension

STORY: Myanmar's Yangon int'l airport reopens after 2-year suspension DATELINE: April 17, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:36 LOCATION: YANGON, Myanmar CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the Yangon International Airport STORYLINE: Myanmar reopened the Yangon International Airport on Sunday, more than two years after the country suspended all commercial flights due to the COVID-19 pandemic. An airport official told Xinhua that a flight of Singapore Airlines that arrived at around 9 a.m. (0230 GMT) on Sunday was the first flight touching down at the airport after reopening. The Southeast Asian country suspended the operation of commercial flights in March 2020 at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in an attempt to contain the virus. The inbound passengers need to present proof of vaccination with a Ministry of Health-approved vaccine and a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR report, as part of the health protocol against COVID-19. Meanwhile, all foreign travelers shall submit the COVID-19 medical insurance

Gov't panel formulates draft report on revitalizing education

Gov't panel formulates draft report on revitalizing education

TOKYO, Japan - Nobel Chemistry Prize laureate Ryoji Noyori (2nd L) addresses a governmental panel tasked with revitalizing education at a meeting at the Prime Minister's Official Residence on Jan. 19. The panel formulated its draft first report featuring four emergency measures and seven proposals, including a review of education with a so-called latitude policy, to boost the declining academic performance of Japanese students. (Kyodo)

Panel formulates draft 1st report on revitalizing education

Panel formulates draft 1st report on revitalizing education

TOKYO, Japan - The Education Rebuilding Council under Nobel Chemistry Prize laureate Ryoji Noyori meets at the Prime Minister's Official Residence on Jan. 19. The panel formulated its draft first report featuring four emergency measures and seven proposals, including a review of education with a so-called latitude policy, to boost the declining academic performance of Japanese students. (Kyodo)

Obuchi resolved to review postwar education

Obuchi resolved to review postwar education

TOKYO, Japan - Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi (standing) speaks at the first meeting of his advisory panel on education reform at the premier's official residence in Tokyo on March 27. He expressed his resolve to review the country's postwar education model. The 26-member panel, headed by Nobel Physics Prize laureate and former Tsukuba University President Reona (Leo) Esaki (front R), is expected to meet twice a month and compile a final report a year later.

(CORRECTED) Crown Princess Masako resumes official duties

(CORRECTED) Crown Princess Masako resumes official duties

TOKYO, Japan - Crown Prince Naruhito (L) and Crown Princess Masako wave on arrival at a hall in Tokyo's Marunouchi district on Feb. 8 to attend an award ceremony for a youth book-report contest. It was the crown princess' first official engagement following the birth of her daughter Princess Aiko last December. The photo was taken by a media representative.

Senior N. Korea official to visit China

Senior N. Korea official to visit China

BEIJING, China - An undated file photo provided by Korea News Service shows Jo Myong Rok, the first vice chairman of North Korea's National Defense Commission, who will visit China from April 21 to 23, according to a report by the official (North) Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on April 19. (Kyodo)

Gov't report says economy has bottomed out

Gov't report says economy has bottomed out

TOKYO, Japan - Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi (C) presides over a meeting of his economic ministers at his official residence May 17. A monthly report released after the meeting said, ''While the economy continues to be in a difficult situation, it has bottomed out.'' It was the first time since June 1999 that the Japanese government has acknowledged the economy stopped deteriorating.