Fireworks show held in Thailand's beach resort Pattaya to promote tourism

STORY: Fireworks show held in Thailand's beach resort Pattaya to promote tourism SHOOTING TIME: Nov. 24, 25, 2023 DATELINE: Nov. 26, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:30 LOCATION: PATTAYA, Thailand CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of fireworks show in Thailand's beach resort Pattaya STORYLINE: With tens of thousands of tourists and local residents gathering on the beach and enjoying the festive vibes, a spectacular fireworks display lit up the night sky in Pattaya on Friday. Located in Thailand's Chonburi province, about 150 kilometers from Bangkok, Pattaya is well known for its beach resort and vibrant atmosphere. As one of the most anticipated events, the Pattaya International Fireworks Festival is held at the end of November every year, setting the stage for an exciting year-end season. This year's festival was held from Friday to Saturday at Pattaya Beach, with five pyrotechnic shows from Malaysia, Singapore, Serbia, China, and the Philippines on display. The five rounds of stunning fireworks incorporated wit

U.S. House Republicans drop Jim Jordan as House speaker nominee after three failed votes

STORY: U.S. House Republicans drop Jim Jordan as House speaker nominee after three failed votes DATELINE: Oct. 21, 2023 LENGTH: 0:02:10 LOCATION: Washington D.C. CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of the U.S. House of Representatives voting to elect new speaker STORYLINE: U.S. House Republicans on Friday dropped right-wing figure Jim Jordan, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, as the Republican nominee for House speaker, after he failed to garner enough support from his own party in three rounds of full-chamber voting. In a closed-door session Friday afternoon, House Republicans voted in a secret ballot against Jordan continuing as their party's nominee for speaker, roughly a week after he was nominated. Earlier in the day, Jordan lost the third vote in his bid for House speaker, as Republican opposition grows amid continuing chaos. The Ohio Republican, 59, lost 25 votes from fellow Republicans, three more than in the second round of voting and five more than in the first round, ind

No speaker in U.S. House elected as voting drama drags on

STORY: No speaker in U.S. House elected as voting drama drags on DATELINE: Jan. 6, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:20 LOCATION: NEW YORK, U.S. CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. STANDUP (English): XIA LIN, Xinhua correspondent STORYLINE: STANDUP (English): XIA LIN, Xinhua correspondent "The U.S. House of Representatives hasn't elected a new speaker as the election entered the third day on Jan. 5, 2023. U.S. Congressman Kevin McCarthy from California, the House Republican leader, fell short of the necessary votes to take the gavel in five more rounds of voting. The 435-seat lower chamber, where Republicans have a slim majority over Democrats, is unable to conduct any legislative business until a speaker is elected. The 118th Congress convened on Jan. 3, while the House has been holding the speaker election for three days. McCarthy has the support of most House Republicans and former U.S. President Donald Trump, but a handful of hardliners have pressured him to decentralize the speaker's power. It was the first time a Hou

U.S. House stalemate coincides with Capitol riot two-year mark

STORY: U.S. House stalemate coincides with Capitol riot two-year mark DATELINE: Jan. 6, 2023 LENGTH: 0:03:20 LOCATION: Washington CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of U.S. House of Representatives voting 2. various of the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021 3. STANDUP (English): SUN DING, Xinhua correspondent 4. various of Capitol 5. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): CHEN WENXIN, Deputy director of Institute of American Studies, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations 6. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): CHEN WENXIN, Deputy director of Institute of American Studies, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations STORYLINE: The U.S. House of Representatives voted to adjourn until noon on Friday with no speaker elected on Thursday after 11 rounds of voting. U.S. Congressman Kevin McCarthy from California, the House Republican leader, fell short of the necessary votes to take the gavel in five more rounds of voting on Thursday. The House has voted 11 times since the 118th Congress convened on Tuesday,

Residents evacuated after discovery of weapons cache

Residents evacuated after discovery of weapons cache

KITAKYUSHU, Japan - Photo taken June 28, 2012, shows an area in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, where a rocket launcher, five handguns and tens of rounds of ammunition were found in an apartment during a police investigation into gangster activity. Nearly 200 residents were temporarily evacuated after police found the firearms and ammunition when they visited the apartment in a residential area.

Residents evacuated after discovery of weapons cache

Residents evacuated after discovery of weapons cache

KITAKYUSHU, Japan - Photo taken June 28, 2012, shows an area in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, where a rocket launcher, five handguns and tens of rounds of ammunition were found in an apartment during a police investigation into gangster activity. Nearly 200 residents were temporarily evacuated after police found the firearms and ammunition when they visited the apartment in a residential area.

Residents evacuated after discovery of weapons cache

Residents evacuated after discovery of weapons cache

KITAKYUSHU, Japan - Photo taken June 28, 2012, shows an area in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, where a rocket launcher, five handguns and tens of rounds of ammunition were found in an apartment during a police investigation into gangster activity. Nearly 200 residents were temporarily evacuated after police found the firearms and ammunition when they visited the apartment in a residential area.

Woods tied for 3rd after 3 rounds at Masters

Woods tied for 3rd after 3 rounds at Masters

AUGUSTA, United States - Tiger Woods putts for a birdie on the 18th hole during the third round of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, on April 10, 2010. Woods, in contention for a triumphant return after a five-month absence due to a sex scandal, stood in a tie for third with K.J. Choi of South Korea after both carded 70s and a 4-under 212.

Woods ties for 3rd after 3 rounds at Masters

Woods ties for 3rd after 3 rounds at Masters

AUGUSTA, United States - Tiger Woods makes a birdie putt in the first hole during the third round of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, on April 10, 2010. Woods, in contention for a triumphant return after a five-month absence due to a sex scandal, stood in a tie for third with K.J. Choi of South Korea after both carded 70s and a 4-under 212.

Yokomine one shot clear at Tour C'ship after two rounds

Yokomine one shot clear at Tour C'ship after two rounds

MIYAZAKI, Japan - Sakura Yokomine prepares for putting during the second round of the Japan LPGA Tour Championship at Miyazaki Country Club on Nov. 24. Yokomine made four birdies in a five-hole stretch on the back nine as she shot a second-round 67 that put her in front by one shot. at the Japan LPGA Tour Championship.

Katayama in joint lead after 3 rounds at Asahi Ryokuken

Katayama in joint lead after 3 rounds at Asahi Ryokuken

KEISEN, Japan - Shingo Katayama watches his approach shot during the third round of the Asahi Ryokuken Yomiuri Memorial Open at Iizuka Golf Club in Fukuoka Prefecture on Nov. 5. Katayama, the current money rankings leader and Japan Open champion, carded five birdies against a lone bogey to place him in a share of the lead with Satoru Hirota and Nozomi Kawahara on 14-under 202.

Kawagishi charges into Japan Open lead with birdie spree

Kawagishi charges into Japan Open lead with birdie spree

MIKI, Japan - Tour veteran Ryoken Kawagishi birdied five straight holes in shooting the day's low of 5-under-par 66 that gave him a two-shot lead after two rounds of the Japan Open at Hirono Golf Club in Hyogo Prefecture on Oct. 14.

Kelly stops Kiksis streak with win in int'l keirin

Kelly stops Kiksis streak with win in int'l keirin

KUMAMOTO, Japan - Latvia's Ainars Kiksis offers a handshake to Australia's Shane Kelly (C) who halted his five-race winning streak to clinch his first win in the international keirin series on Kumamoto velodrome track May 8. Shaking hands with Kelly is runner-up Pavel Buran (R) of the Czech Republic. Kelly, the 1-km time-trial bronze medalist at the Sydney Olympics last September, had finished third, second, second, sixth and second in the previous five rounds. Kiksis saw his perfect streak come to an end, settling for third place.

Taiwan's Lin takes 5-shot lead in Fujisankei golf

Taiwan's Lin takes 5-shot lead in Fujisankei golf

KAWANA, Japan - Taiwan's Lin Keng-chi shot a 4-under-par 67 to open up a five-stroke lead at the Fujisankei Classic golf tournament on May 5., stepping closer to an elusive title in Japan. Lin, who began the day tied with Japan's Tsuyoshi Yoneyama, carded five birdies and a bogey to take a comfortable lead with a 10-under 203 total after three rounds on the par-71 Kawana Hotel Golf Course in Shizuoka Prefecture.

1st round of France's legislative elections underway

STORY: 1st round of France's legislative elections underway DATELINE: June 12, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:20 LOCATION: Paris CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of posters 2. various of polling stations 3. various of voters voting STORYLINE: France has started its legislative elections on Sunday in which voters are expected to elect the National Assembly's 577 members after two rounds of voting. The first election round is underway on Sunday and the second round is slated to be held on June 19. Each deputy is elected in a constituency, of which Metropolitan France (the area of the country that is geographically in Europe) has 539 and the overseas territories 27. A further 11 deputies will represent the French nationals living abroad. The deputies are directly elected for a term of five years. For this year's election, the French Interior Ministry has published a list of 6,293 candidates, which the local news channel BFMTV said was 20 percent less than in 2017. According to the Interior Ministry, 20 p

Beijing expands nucleic acid testing to more areas

STORY: Beijing expands nucleic acid testing to more areas DATELINE: April 27, 2022 LENGTH: 0:00:45 LOCATION: Beijing CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. residents doing nucleic acid testing STORYLINE: Beijing is conducting three rounds of nucleic acid testing in 11 areas from Tuesday to Saturday in efforts to curb the risk of COVID-19. On Wednesday, three communities in Beijing were classified as high-risk areas for COVID-19, as more locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported. Five other communities were designated as medium-risk areas. Beijing has suspended events with large gatherings, such as theatrical performances, sports games as well as commodities exhibitions and sales promotions, and halted offline courses and activities of after-school training institutions, as well as home renovation and construction projects. Officials have said that the supply of daily necessities in Beijing are now sufficient and stable. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Beijing. (XHTV)

Sanctions not solution to end Ukraine crisis, says Hungarian expert

STORY: Sanctions not solution to end Ukraine crisis, says Hungarian expert DATELINE: April 24, 2022 LENGTH: 00:02:09 LOCATION: Budapest CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: various of street view in Budapestvarious of street view in IndiaSOUNDBITE 1 (English): CSABA MOLDICZ, Research director at the Eurasian Center of the John Neumann University in BudapestSOUNDBITE 2 (English): CSABA MOLDICZ, Research director at the Eurasian Center of the John Neumann University in BudapestSOUNDBITE 3 (English): CSABA MOLDICZ, Research director at the Eurasian Center of the John Neumann University in Budapestvarious of street view in Russia STORYLINE: The European Union (EU) has already announced five rounds of sanctions against Russia, including an import ban on Russian coal. But according to Hungarian political scientist Csaba Moldicz, the sanctions will most likely not reach the desired effect of ending the current conflict in Ukraine. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): CSABA MOLDICZ, Research director at the Eurasian Center o

GLOBALink | China guards against strong rebound of COVID-19

China is taking strict and rapid measures to address the new wave of COVID-19 infections, as multiple regions have seen cases rising. The National Health Commission said Monday that the Chinese mainland on Sunday reported 1,337 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases. The government has vowed to prevent a large-scale coronavirus outbreak by expanding the scope of tests, speeding up the screening process, and more. Northeast China's Jilin Province is among the hardest-hit regions as Omicron spreads. Its capital city Changchun and second largest city Jilin city were placed under closed management. Residents were asked not to leave home unless necessary. The city of Jilin has conducted 7 rounds of COVID-19 tests for the entire population over the past 11 days. As of March 14, five makeshift hospitals have been put into use in Jilin City, which can offer over 9,000 beds. The sixth one with nearly 2,000 beds is under construction. In Laixi City, east China's Shandong Province, the local autho

Kawagishi charges into Japan Open lead with birdie spree

Kawagishi charges into Japan Open lead with birdie spree

MIKI, Japan - Tour veteran Ryoken Kawagishi birdied five straight holes in shooting the day's low of 5-under-par 66 that gave him a two-shot lead after two rounds of the Japan Open at Hirono Golf Club in Hyogo Prefecture on Oct. 14. (Kyodo)

Taiwan's Lin takes 5-shot lead in Fujisankei golf

Taiwan's Lin takes 5-shot lead in Fujisankei golf

KAWANA, Japan - Taiwan's Lin Keng-chi shot a 4-under-par 67 to open up a five-stroke lead at the Fujisankei Classic golf tournament on May 5., stepping closer to an elusive title in Japan. Lin, who began the day tied with Japan's Tsuyoshi Yoneyama, carded five birdies and a bogey to take a comfortable lead with a 10-under 203 total after three rounds on the par-71 Kawana Hotel Golf Course in Shizuoka Prefecture.

Kelly stops Kiksis streak with win in int'l keirin

Kelly stops Kiksis streak with win in int'l keirin

KUMAMOTO, Japan - Latvia's Ainars Kiksis offers a handshake to Australia's Shane Kelly (C) who halted his five-race winning streak to clinch his first win in the international keirin series on Kumamoto velodrome track May 8. Shaking hands with Kelly is runner-up Pavel Buran (R) of the Czech Republic. Kelly, the 1-km time-trial bronze medalist at the Sydney Olympics last September, had finished third, second, second, sixth and second in the previous five rounds. Kiksis saw his perfect streak come to an end, settling for third place.

Marlins extends winning streak to 5

Marlins extends winning streak to 5

Miami Marlins outfielder Ichiro Suzuki rounds third base following a clutch hit by infielder Adeiny Hechavarria in the fourth inning in a 6-2 win over the Washington Nationals in Miami, the United States, on April 26, 2015. The Marlins extended their winning streak to five. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Marlins extends winning streak to 5

Marlins extends winning streak to 5

Miami Marlins outfielder Ichiro Suzuki rounds third base following a clutch hit by infielder Adeiny Hechavarria in the fourth inning in a 6-2 win over the Washington Nationals in Miami, the United States, on April 26, 2015. The Marlins extended their winning streak to five. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Matsuyama T21 after 2nd round at Torrey Pines

Matsuyama T21 after 2nd round at Torrey Pines

Hideki Matsuyama of Japan acknowledges the crowd after making a birdie putt on the seventh hole during the second round of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, California, on Jan. 27, 2017. After two rounds, Matsuyama sits 3-under and in a tie for 21st, five shots off the lead. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Matsuyama T21 after 2nd round at Torrey Pines

Matsuyama T21 after 2nd round at Torrey Pines

Hideki Matsuyama of Japan chips towards the 11th green during his second round at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, California, on Jan. 27, 2017. After two rounds, Matsuyama sits 3-under and in a tie for 21st, five shots off the lead. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Matsuyama T21 after 2nd round at Torrey Pines

Matsuyama T21 after 2nd round at Torrey Pines

Hideki Matsuyama of Japan hits out of a bunker on the eighth hole during his second round at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, California, on Jan. 27, 2017. After two rounds, Matsuyama sits 3-under and in a tie for 21st, five shots off the lead. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Matsuyama T21 after 2nd round at Torrey Pines

Matsuyama T21 after 2nd round at Torrey Pines

Hideki Matsuyama of Japan hits off from the 10th tee during his second round at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, California, on Jan. 27, 2017. After two rounds, Matsuyama sits 3-under and in a tie for 21st, five shots off the lead. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Baseball: Suzuki gets 2 hits as Marlins end 5-game skid

Baseball: Suzuki gets 2 hits as Marlins end 5-game skid

Ichiro Suzuki rounds second base for a triple in the first inning of the Miami Marlins' 6-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies at Marlins Park on Sept. 7, 2016. Suzuki added a base hit in the fifth as the Marlins snapped a five-game losing streak. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo