Xinhua president meets UN global communications chief, UNICEF deputy executive director

STORY: Xinhua president meets UN global communications chief, UNICEF deputy executive director SHOOTING TIME: June 13, 2024 DATELINE: June 15, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:16 LOCATION: UN Headquarters CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of views of UN Headquarters 2. various of meetings STORYLINE: On Thursday, President of Xinhua News Agency Fu Hua met in New York with Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, and Kitty van der Heijden, deputy executive director for partnerships of UNICEF. Fu signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with each of them. During the meeting with Fleming, Fu emphasized Xinhua's commitment to focusing on the UN themes of peace and development, saying that Xinhua strives to spread the voice of the UN across the globe through Xinhua's global network. While meeting with van der Heijden, Fu said that Xinhua has maintained long-standing friendly cooperation with UNICEF, and he hoped that the two sides will continue to strengthen cooperation in news reporti

8 killed, 5 missing in boat accident in E. Afghanistan

STORY: 8 killed, 5 missing in boat accident in E. Afghanistan SHOOTING TIME: June 1, 2024 DATELINE: June 2, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:21 LOCATION: Kabul CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of people searching for the bodies or survivors in a river following a boat accident in Momand Dara district, east Afghanistan's Nangarhar Province STORYLINE: At least eight people were killed and five others missing after a boat carrying 26 people capsized in a river in eastern Afghanistan's Nangarhar province, a local official confirmed to Xinhua on Saturday. The accident occurred on Saturday morning when the boat sank during a river crossing in Basol area of Momand Dara district, said Quraishi Badloon, head of the provincial information department. Thirteen people were rescued, while five others remained missing. The passengers were mostly women and children. According to Badloon, eight bodies have been recovered so far, and efforts were ongoing to retrieve the missing people. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporti

Myanmar swimmers vie for spots in Paris 2024 Olympics

STORY: Myanmar swimmers vie for spots in Paris 2024 Olympics SHOOTING TIME: May 25, 2024 DATELINE: May 25, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:54 LOCATION: YANGON, Myanmar CATEGORY: SPORTS SHOTLIST: 1. various of the competition STORYLINE: Twenty-five swimmers from Myanmar gathered at the National Swimming Pool in Yangon on Saturday to compete for spots in the upcoming 2024 Summer Olympics. Organized by the Myanmar Swimming Federation, the contest included 12 male and 13 female athletes in eight swimming events - four for men and four for women. U Myint Lwin, joint secretary of the Myanmar Swimming Federation, disclosed that one male athlete and one female athlete were chosen to represent Myanmar at the Olympics. "We will send the records of the two selected athletes to the Olympic scrutinizing committee. If their records meet the requirements, they will participate in the 2024 Summer Olympics," U Myint Lwin said. The Paris 2024 Olympics will be held from July 26 to August 11. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporti

7.1-magnitude quake hits northwest China's Xinjiang

STORY: 7.1-magnitude quake hits northwest China's Xinjiang SHOOTING TIME: Jan. 23, 2024 DATELINE: Jan. 23, 2024 LENGTH: 00:00:28 LOCATION: URUMQI, China CATEGORY: OTHERS SHOTLIST: 1. various of rescue efforts STORYLINE: A 7.1-magnitude earthquake jolted Wushi County in Aksu Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at 2:09 a.m. Tuesday (Beijing Time), according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC). The epicenter, with a depth of 22 km, was monitored at 41.26 degrees north latitude and 78.63 degrees east longitude, said the CENC. The main quake was followed by a succession of aftershocks as strong as 5.3 in magnitude, according to the CENC. Several residential houses and livestock sheds collapsed in the epicenter, with some herdsmen suffering minor injuries, according to local sources. Parts of the area had experienced temporary disruption of electricity supply shortly after the quake. But the supply had been gradually restored. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporti

Türkiye to start domestic production of Hepatitis A vaccine: president

STORY: Türkiye to start domestic production of Hepatitis A vaccine: president SHOOTING TIME:Oct. 31, 2023 DATELINE: Nov. 1, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:23 LOCATION: Ankara CATEGORY: HEALTH SHOTLIST: 1. various of the inauguration ceremony of the KeyVac Vaccine Production Center in Ankara 2. various of Erdogan visiting the vaccine production center STORYLINE: Hepatitis A vaccine, of which Türkiye gets mostly supplies from abroad, will be produced domestically, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday. Erdogan made the remarks at the inauguration ceremony of the KeyVac Vaccine Production Center in the Turkish capital of Ankara, a joint venture of Türkiye's Alagoz Holding and China's Sinovac Biotech, with a total factory area of 29,500 square meters. Türkiye will be the fourth country to produce this vaccine at the highest standard, Erdogan said. "Our dependence on foreign supplies will decrease. We will also have advanced and trained human resources," he added. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporti

Türkiye detains 17 in operation against IS financing network

STORY: Türkiye detains 17 in operation against IS financing network DATELINE: Sept. 23, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:00 LOCATION: ISTANBUL, Türkiye CATEGORY: MILITARY SHOTLIST: 1. various of special operations police raiding the house in Türkiye (file) 2. various of Tekirdag Palace of Justice in Türkiye 3. various of suspects arrested in the operations STORYLINE: Turkish police have detained at least 17 people for their suspected links to the Islamic State (IS) in a massive operation against the terrorist group's financing network launched on Friday, local media reported. The operation centers in the northwestern province of Tekirdag and covers nine provinces, the state-run TRT broadcaster said. According to TRT, one of the suspects was believed to be the "treasurer" of the IS. The IS has carried out a series of deadly attacks in Türkiye since 2015, while the country's counter-terrorism forces have been carrying out operations against members of the group in the country. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporti

Italy marks traditional Ferragosto holiday amid record numbers of tourists

STORY: Italy marks traditional Ferragosto holiday amid record numbers of tourists DATELINE: Aug. 16, 2023 LENGTH: 00:00:47 LOCATION: Rome CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of tourists in Rome STORYLINE: Italy's traditional Ferragosto holiday, the official peak of the summer holiday season, kicked off Tuesday amid record numbers of tourists. The Italian tourism sector is recovering from its low point during the COVID-19 pandemic. Media reports said that international tourist arrivals this year are expected to surpass an all-time record of around 96 million in 2019. In addition, statistics showed that due to the slow economic growth and high inflation, more Italians are choosing to stay in Italy for their holidays rather than traveling abroad. The most recent data from Italy's National Institute of Statistics showed the Italian economy contracted by 0.3 percent in the second quarter, while prices were 5.9 percent higher in July than they were a year earlier. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporti

New Zealand 2023 Rotorua Marathon held in rain

STORY: New Zealand 2023 Rotorua Marathon held in rain DATELINE: May 6, 2023 LENGTH: 00:03:02 LOCATION: ROTORUA, New Zealand CATEGORY: SPORTS SHOTLIST: 1. various of New Zealand's 2023 Rotorua Marathon STORYLINE: More than 4,000 runners pounded the picturesque tracks around Rotorua Lake in rain on Saturday in the 59th edition of Rotorua Marathon, one of the oldest sporting events in New Zealand. Tokyo Olympian Auckland-based Malcolm Hicks won the men's full marathon in two hours 21 minutes and 49 seconds. Tauranga-based Alice Mason earned a record-equalling fourth victory in the women's race in 2:54:30, just nine months after giving birth to her baby. Earlier in the day, around 4,000 participants set out in a light drizzle to take on either the full marathon, half-marathon, 10km or 5.5km distances. Rotorua, one of North Island's top visitor destinations, is well-known for its fascinating geothermal activity, Maori culture, hot springs and mud pools. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporti

Over 1.7 mln electric vehicles registered in India since 2020

STORY: Over 1.7 mln electric vehicles registered in India since 2020 DATELINE: March 22, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:26 LOCATION: New Delhi CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of New Delhi traffic STORYLINE: The Indian government Tuesday said that more than 1.7 million electric vehicles (EVs) were registered in the country since 2020. The information was given by the junior federal minister of heavy industries Krishan Pal Gurjar in the lower house of the Indian parliament. According to the minister, last year alone, 1,015,196 EVs were registered in the country. Prior to that in 2021 and 2020, the country registered 327,976 and 123,092 EVs respectively. Gurjar said this year until March 15, the number of EVs registered stands at 256,980. The minister said incentives were being provided to buyers of EVs in the form of upfront reduction in the purchase price of EVs under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles in India (FAME-India) scheme. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporti

China's homegrown passenger jetliner enters overseas market

STORY: China's homegrown passenger jetliner enters overseas market DATELINE: Dec. 19, 2022 LENGTH: 00:00:28 LOCATION: SHANGHAI, China CATEGORY: ECONOMY/TECHNOLOGY SHOTLIST: 1. various of ARJ21 STORYLINE: China's homegrown regional jetliner, the ARJ21, was Sunday delivered to its first overseas client TransNusa, an Indonesian airline, marking China's first indigenously developed passenger jetliner to enter foreign markets. The delivered aircraft is designed with 95 seats, all economy class. Its outer appearance is painted blue, yellow, and green, said Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd. (COMAC). China's domestically-developed ARJ21 regional aircraft has a range of up to 3,700 km. It can fly in alpine and plateau regions and is adaptive to various airport conditions. So far, nearly 100 ARJ21 planes have been delivered to its clients, operating on over 300 air routes to more than 100 cities and transporting over 5.6 million passengers, said COMAC. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporti

U.S. Supreme Court allows congressional panel to obtain Trump's tax returns

STORY: U.S. Supreme Court allows congressional panel to obtain Trump's tax returns DATELINE: Nov. 23, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:33 LOCATION: Washington D.C. CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of U.S. Supreme Court 2. various archived shots of Trump arriving at the White House on Nov. 3, 2019(file) STORYLINE: The U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal on Tuesday from former President Donald Trump seeking to shield his tax returns from a congressional panel. The order was in response to an appeal Trump's attorneys filed with the high court last month after a lower court declined to reverse its ruling requesting that he turn over his tax records to the House Ways and Means Committee led by Democrats. House Democrats have been seeking access to Trump's tax returns for years for one of their probes related to Trump. Trump, who recently launched a third bid for the White House, has lashed out at investigations involving him, alleging that they are politically motivated. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporti

Yemen's capital holds ceremony to mark 60th anniversary of revolution

STORY: Yemen's capital holds ceremony to mark 60th anniversary of revolution DATELINE: Sept. 27, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:01 LOCATION: Sanna CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of Yemenis attending a torch lighting ceremony in Sanaa, Yemen's capital, to celebrate September Revolution Day STORYLINE: Hundreds of Yemenis gathered at a plaza in Sanaa, Yemen's capital, on Sunday night to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Yemeni revolution. Yemen marks the September Revolution Day on Sept. 26 each year to commemorate the overthrow of the Imam Muhammad al-Badr on this day in 1962, which led to the establishment of the Yemen Arab Republic. Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi militia seized control of several northern provinces and forced the Saudi-backed Yemeni government out of the capital Sanaa. The war has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced 4 million, and pushed the country to the brink of starvation. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporti

2nd batch of China-donated quake relief supplies arrives in Afghansitan

STORY: 2nd batch of China-donated quake relief supplies arrives in Afghansitan DATELINE: June 29, 2022 LENGTH: 00:00:42 LOCATION: Kabul CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the Chinese cargo planes and shipment of earthquake relief supplies 2. various of the quake site STORYLINE: The second shipment of earthquake relief supplies donated by the Chinese government arrived at Afghanistan's Kabul International Airport on Tuesday and was then handed over to the Afghan side. A strong earthquake rocked southeastern Afghanistan on June 22, killing more than 1,000 people and injuring nearly 2,000 others while destroying tens of thousands of houses. The 5.9-magnitude earthquake is the deadliest in more than 20 years in the Asian country. The Chinese government has decided to provide 50 million yuan (7.5 million U.S. dollars) in emergency humanitarian assistance supplies to Afghanistan. The first batch of China-donated quake relief supplies arrived on Monday night. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporti

Tunisia opens expat voting registration for constitutional referendum

STORY: Tunisia opens expat voting registration for constitutional referendum DATELINE: June 1, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:14 LOCATION: Tunis CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of registration station in center Tunis 2. various of ISIE staff explaining constitutional referendum to public STORYLINE: Tunisia has opened the online voter registration to expatriates for the constitutional referendum scheduled for July 25, the Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE) said Monday. According to ISIE, the voting registration should be done on its official website, and access to the registration will be limited to overseas Tunisians. The voters can check their registration status and identify their polling stations online to prepare for the vote on July 23-25, said the ISIE. Tunisian President Kais Saied declared last December that the referendum for a new constitution would be held in July 2022, followed by the parliamentary elections at the end of the year. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporti