China: Black Swan Seen Scooping Leaves in Reverse at Zhaotong University

On November 15, 2025, in Zhaotong, Yunnan, a video captured the unusual sight of a black swan at Zhaotong University moving backward across a pond while repeatedly scooping leaves toward the shore.

Japan's new farm minister Koizumi

TOKYO, Japan, May 26 Kyodo - Japan's new Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shinjiro Koizumi holds a press conference at his ministry on May 26, 2025, as Japan began sales of government rice stockpiles via direct contracts, aiming to slash soaring prices after he pledged to bring them down to about 2,000 yen ($14) per 5 kilograms by early June. (Kyodo)

Japan's new farm minister

TOKYO, Japan, May 22 Kyodo - Japan's new Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shinjiro Koizumi attends his first press conference at his ministry in Tokyo on May 21, 2025. (Kyodo)

Farm minister Eto resigns over rice comments

Farm minister Eto resigns over rice comments

Japanese farm minister Taku Eto meets the press at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on May 21, 2025, after offering his resignation to Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba over his comments on rice gifts. Eto said during a fundraising party earlier that he does not need to buy rice as his supporters give him plenty, angering consumers amid a rice shortage and surging prices.

Farm minister Eto resigns over rice comments

Farm minister Eto resigns over rice comments

Japanese farm minister Taku Eto meets the press at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on May 21, 2025, after offering his resignation to Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba over his comments on rice gifts. Eto said during a fundraising party earlier that he does not need to buy rice as his supporters give him plenty, angering consumers amid a rice shortage and surging prices.

Farm minister hold press confab on rice comments

Farm minister hold press confab on rice comments

Agriculture minister Taku Eto holds a press conference at his ministry on May 20, 2025, to apologize for his controversial comments about receiving rice from supporters. Eto said in a speech two days earlier that he does not need to buy rice because his supporters provide him with plenty, amid a rice shortage and surging prices in the country.

Farm minister hold press confab on rice comments

Farm minister hold press confab on rice comments

Agriculture minister Taku Eto holds a press conference at his ministry on May 20, 2025, to apologize for his controversial comments about receiving rice from supporters. Eto said in a speech two days earlier that he does not need to buy rice because his supporters provide him with plenty, amid a rice shortage and surging prices in the country.

Prime Minister Ishiba meets media

Prime Minister Ishiba meets media

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba tells the press at the premier's office in Tokyo on May 20, 2025, that he will retain agriculture minister Taku Eto despite his controversial comments about receiving rice from supporters. Eto said in a speech two days earlier that he does not need to buy rice because his supporters provide him with plenty, amid a rice shortage and surging prices in the country.

Prime Minister Ishiba meets media

Prime Minister Ishiba meets media

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba tells the press at the premier's office in Tokyo on May 20, 2025, that he will retain agriculture minister Taku Eto despite his controversial comments about receiving rice from supporters. Eto said in a speech two days earlier that he does not need to buy rice because his supporters provide him with plenty, amid a rice shortage and surging prices in the country.

Japan farm minister's controversial comments on rice

Japan farm minister's controversial comments on rice

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba meets the press at the premier's office in Tokyo on May 19, 2025, following a meeting with agriculture minister Taku Eto over controversial comments about receiving rice from supporters. Eto said in a speech the previous day that he does not need to buy rice because his supporters provide him with plenty, amid a rice shortage and surging prices in the country.

Japan farm minister's controversial comments on rice

Japan farm minister's controversial comments on rice

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba meets the press at the premier's office in Tokyo on May 19, 2025, following a meeting with agriculture minister Taku Eto over controversial comments about receiving rice from supporters. Eto said in a speech the previous day that he does not need to buy rice because his supporters provide him with plenty, amid a rice shortage and surging prices in the country.

Japan farm minister meets media after rice comments

Japan farm minister meets media after rice comments

Japanese agriculture minister Taku Eto meets the press in Tokyo on May 19, 2025, following a meeting with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba over his controversial comments about receiving rice from supporters. Eto said in a speech the previous day that he does not need to buy rice because his supporters provide him with plenty, amid a rice shortage and surging prices in the country.

Japan farm minister meets media after rice comments

Japan farm minister meets media after rice comments

Japanese agriculture minister Taku Eto meets the press in Tokyo on May 19, 2025, following a meeting with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba over his controversial comments about receiving rice from supporters. Eto said in a speech the previous day that he does not need to buy rice because his supporters provide him with plenty, amid a rice shortage and surging prices in the country.

Japan farm minister meets media after rice comments

Japan farm minister meets media after rice comments

Japanese agriculture minister Taku Eto meets the press in Tokyo on May 19, 2025, following a meeting with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba over his controversial comments about receiving rice from supporters. Eto said in a speech the previous day that he does not need to buy rice because his supporters provide him with plenty, amid a rice shortage and surging prices in the country.

China's agricultural expertise fuels prospects for rice self-sufficiency in Fiji

STORY: China's agricultural expertise fuels prospects for rice self-sufficiency in Fiji SHOOTING TIME: March 13, 2024 DATELINE: March 19, 2024 LENGTH: 00:02:06 LOCATION: Suva CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Fijian farmers working with experts of China-Aid Agricultural Development Project in Fiji 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): CHEN HUAZAO, Team leader of China-Aid Agricultural Development Project in Fiji 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): WU MINGKUI, Seed breeding expert of China-Aid Agricultural Development Project in Fiji 4. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): TEKINI NAKIDAKIDA, Deputy secretary for Agriculture Development, Fijian Ministry of Agriculture and Waterways STORYLINE: Rice has been cultivated for many decades in Fiji, serving as a major source of food for its population. However, the country's rice industry has faced challenges in recent years, marked by a decline in both lands and production, mainly due to traditional farming practices, labor shortage and the impacts of climate change. Fiji produces less tha

CHINA-GUANGXI-DAHUA-WATER SUPPLY-DEVELOPMENT (CN)

CHINA-GUANGXI-DAHUA-WATER SUPPLY-DEVELOPMENT (CN)

(230321) --DAHUA, March 21, 2023 (Xinhua) -- This photo taken on Nov. 24, 2014 shows pupils washing and cooking rice with rainwater stored in plastic buckets at Bahao elementary school in Bansheng Township, Dahua Yao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Situated at the center of the Karst landforms in west Guangxi, Dahua Yao Autonomous County had suffered from severe water deficit for ages. Since 2012, local government has been managing the water deficit through various measures like building water tanks or reservoirs to collect water or constructing water supply projects which could divert river water onto mountain areas to ease water shortage and provide safe drinking water for local people. Afters years of efforts, safe and convenient water supply is no longer a problem for the over 200,000 rural population in Dahua. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang)

China-donated aid distributed among 400 Afghan families

STORY: China-donated aid distributed among 400 Afghan families DATELINE: March 4, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:39 LOCATION: Kabul CATEGORY: OTHERS SHOTLIST: 1. various of China-donated humanitarian aid in the western Herat province, Afghanistan 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Dari): SAYED ABDUL BAQI, Resident of Herat city 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Dari): ABDUL RAHMAN, Resident of Herat city 4. various of the China-donated humanitarian aid in the western Herat province, Afghanistan STORYLINE: Afghan authorities have distributed China-donated humanitarian aid to 400 needy families in the western Herat province, provincial deputy director for Natural Disaster Management and Humanitarian Affairs Mawlawi Inayatullah Saber said Thursday. Each aid package includes a 50 kg bag of rice, Saber told Xinhua. SOUNDBITE 1 (Dari): SAYED ABDUL BAQI, Resident of Herat city "Receiving China's assistance at this stage would solve a major part of our problems." SOUNDBITE 2 (Dari): ABDUL RAHMAN, Resident of Herat city "We were facing a food shortage and r

U.N. holds rice-tasting party for high-yield strain

U.N. holds rice-tasting party for high-yield strain

NEW YORK, United States - A diplomat is served newly developed high-yield rice at a rice-tasting party at the United Nations headquarters in New York on July 22. The rice, called Nerica, standing for ''New Rice for Africa,'' has been developed with Japanese aid to fight perennial food shortage in Africa.

LDP panel approves 500,000 tons of rice for N. Korea

LDP panel approves 500,000 tons of rice for N. Korea

TOKYO, Japan - Members of the Foreign Affairs Division of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), in a meeting Oct. 4, endorse a government plan to send 500,000 tons of rice to North Korea to alleviate the country's food shortage. Seated 2nd from right is Foreign Minister Yohei Kono.

India lifts ban on rice exports after 3 months

STORY: India lifts ban on rice exports after 3 months DATELINE: Dec. 1, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:38 LOCATION: New Delhi CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. shot of India gate 2. shot of government buildings 3. various of rice cultivation fields 4. various of wholesale rice market 5. various of export containers on highway STORYLINE: The Indian government has lifted the ban imposed nearly three months ago on exports of organic non-basmati rice, including broken rice, said an official notification by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) issued late on Tuesday. A part of the Federal Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the DGFT is essentially involved in regulating and promoting foreign trade through regulation. The ban on rice exports was imposed to ensure adequate domestic supplies amid fears of a rice shortage after apprehensions were cast over its lesser yield during the winter crop season. To boost domestic supplies, the federal government had also imposed a 20-percent export duty on non-basmati varieti

France sees rice shortage as rice-producing countries in Asia experience bad harvest

STORY: France sees rice shortage as rice-producing countries in Asia experience bad harvest DATELINE: Oct. 24, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:47 LOCATION: LYON, France CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of rice in supermarkets 2. various of rice-cooking 3. various of cooked rice STORYLINE: After shortages of mustard oil and sunflower oil, France is facing a new wave of shortage in rice as some Asian countries are experiencing a bad year for the rice harvest. Unfavorable climate conditions have destroyed some 250,000 tons of rice in India and Pakistan. To ensure sufficient supply in the domestic market, India, the source of 40 percent of rice on the world market, has implemented a 20 percent tax on the export of rice. As a result, the price of rice, which has already increased by more than 10 percent in one year in France, may still climb. In France, nearly 200,000 tons of rice are imported each year. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Lyon, France. (XHTV)

Afghanistan bans wheat export to meet local needs

STORY: Afghanistan bans wheat export to meet local needs DATELINE: May 21, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:35 LOCATION: Kabul CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of street views 2. various of a wheat market STORYLINE: The Afghan caretaker government has banned wheat exports with immediate effect in a move to meet local needs, the government confirmed on Friday. "Acting Finance Minister Mullah Hidayatullah Badri has directed all customs offices in the country to stop exporting wheat," it said in a statement, adding that the decision was made to prevent a shortage of wheat in the country. More than 22 million out of the 35 million population in Afghanistan face acute food shortages. However, the Taliban-run administration has speeded up its efforts to help Afghan farmers by introducing advanced technologies in farming, according to agriculture officials. Rice and wheat flour are two main food sources in Afghanistan. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Kabul. (XHTV)

U.N. holds rice-tasting party for high-yield strain

U.N. holds rice-tasting party for high-yield strain

NEW YORK, United States - A diplomat is served newly developed high-yield rice at a rice-tasting party at the United Nations headquarters in New York on July 22. The rice, called Nerica, standing for ''New Rice for Africa,'' has been developed with Japanese aid to fight perennial food shortage in Africa.

LDP panel approves 500,000 tons of rice for N. Korea

LDP panel approves 500,000 tons of rice for N. Korea

TOKYO, Japan - Members of the Foreign Affairs Division of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), in a meeting Oct. 4, endorse a government plan to send 500,000 tons of rice to North Korea to alleviate the country's food shortage. Seated 2nd from right is Foreign Minister Yohei Kono.