Chinese Language Day celebrations kick off at UN Vienna

STORY: Chinese Language Day celebrations kick off at UN Vienna SHOOTING TIME: May 6, 2024 DATELINE: May 7, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:11 LOCATION: Vienna CATEGORY: CULTURE SHOTLIST: 1. various of the opening ceremony of Chinese Language Day celebrations 2. various of the Chinese Language Day celebrations STORYLINE: A series of celebratory events marking the United Nations (UN) Chinese Language Day kicked off at the UN family in Vienna on Monday. More than 700 people, including representatives of Vienna-based international organizations, diplomats and UN employees, attended the grand opening ceremony at the Vienna International Center. This year's Chinese Language Day celebration, themed "Diverse Cultures and Romantic Scenery," features a spate of exhibitions on south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, a border region often dubbed as China's gateway to ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries. The exhibits include the region's traditional cultural products, ethnic costumes and pho

Australian scientists make breakthrough in understanding love

STORY: Australian scientists make breakthrough in understanding love SHOOTING DATE: Jan. 9, 2024 DATELINE: Jan. 11, 2024 LENGTH: 00:00:37 LOCATION: Canberra CATEGORY: SCIENCE SHOTLIST: 1. various of people in a relationship STORYLINE: Australian researchers have for the first time measured how the human brain makes loved ones the center of a person's attention. In a world-first study published on Tuesday, a team from the Australian National University (ANU), University of Canberra (UC) and University of South Australia (UniSA) explored the link between the brain's behavioral action system (BAS) and romantic love. The team of researchers surveyed 1,556 young adults who identified as being "in love" on the emotional reaction to their partner, their behavior around them and the focus they placed on their loved one above all others in an attempt to better understand the process of falling in love. They found that the brain reacts differently when a person is in love, making the loved one the center

Malta welcomes romantic Valentine's Day

STORY: Malta welcomes romantic Valentine's Day DATELINE: Feb. 15, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:02 LOCATION: Valletta CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of street view 2. various of shops selling roses STORYLINE: Love was in the air on the streets in Malta as lovers marked Valentine's Day on Tuesday with roses, soft toys, and lots of love. Valentine's Day-themed light decorations were seen on the streets. Red balloons were used to adorn the arches. Florists were busy packing roses for sale on this romantic day. Florists and restaurant owners hoped the "romance economy" could bring more income for them. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Valletta. (XHTV)

Parisians celebrate Valentine's Day despite severe inflation

STORY: Parisians celebrate Valentine's Day despite severe inflation DATELINE: Feb. 14, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:15 LOCATION: Paris CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of a mall in Paris 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (French): EMILY MIGDAL, Sales associate 3. various of street views in Paris 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (French): JAC (L), SYLIA (R), Local residents 4. various of the Seine River 5. SOUNDBITE 3 (French): BETTY (L), MICHAEL (R), Local residents 6. various of the Seine River 7. SOUNDBITE 4 (French): STEPHANIE, Local resident STORYLINE: Despite severe inflation and rising costs of living, Parisians celebrate Valentine's Day as usual, with stores holding special events to attract customers. SOUNDBITE 1 (French): EMILY MIGDAL, Sales associate "There is a special Valentine's Day program where we have prepared small gifts for loved ones, such as small coffee cups and jams to create a romantic breakfast." SOUNDBITE 2 (French): JAC (L) and SYLIA (R), Local residents "Yes, we will be celebrating Valentine's Day, but I can't give to

Tea time around stove: new lifestyle to celebrate Chinese New Year

STORY: Tea time around stove: new lifestyle to celebrate Chinese New Year DATELINE: Jan. 26, 2023 LENGTH: 00:00:52 LOCATION: CHONGQING, China CATEGORY: CULTURE SHOTLIST: 1. various of tea party in Chongqing 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): TOURIST 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): SHU RONG, Teahouse owner STORYLINE: Enjoying tea time around a stove has become a trending lifestyle in southwest China's Sichuan Province and Chongqing Municipality during this Spring Festival. In Mountain City Lane, a historical and cultural site in Chongqing, many teahouses have provided stove-boiled tea and traditional performances to entertain tourists. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): Tourist "I think it's very romantic. The atmosphere is great." Teahouses have also provided tea with red dates, cranberries and other fruits to make it sweeter and tastier. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): SHU RONG, Teahouse owner "Boiling tea on the stove is becoming more and more popular. People love to have tea and watch performances here as a way to relax. They put dow

Fresh-cut flowers a flourishing business in China's Wuhan ahead of Spring Festival

STORY: Fresh-cut flowers a flourishing business in China's Wuhan ahead of Spring Festival DATELINE: Jan. 18, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:10 LOCATION: WUHAN, China CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of fresh-cut flowers 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): ZUO WEI, Local resident 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): SU LIN, Manager of a bouquet store STORYLINE: Fresh-cut flowers have become a booming business in China's Wuhan, as the Chinese Lunar New Year is just around the corner. Home to over 30,000 wholesale companies, Wuhan Hankoubei International Commodity Trade Center is a major shopping area where citizens go for new year specialties. Flowers of more than 500 categories are sold here. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): ZUO WEI, Local resident "I bought three kinds of flowers today. With this brightly-colored baby's breath, I hope my life in the coming year can be more exuberant. And these red roses carry the wishes for a flourishing life. They are also quite romantic. The colorful bouquets also carry my good wishes for my family, an

Resort at NE China's Changbai Mountains launches exotic snow huts

STORY: Resort at NE China's Changbai Mountains launches exotic snow huts DATELINE: Dec. 29, 2022 LENGTH: 00:00:26 LOCATION: CHANGCHUN, China CATEGORY: CULTURE SHOTLIST: 1. various of the snow huts 2. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): TONG ZHIQIANG, Senior product manager, Changbai Mountain Wanda International Resort STORYLINE: Tourists are flocking to Changbai Mountains in northeast China as the snow season starts. A resort in the scenic area has launched a series of snow huts with exotic features. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): TONG ZHIQIANG, Senior product manager, Changbai Mountain Wanda International Resort "Our global snow hut cultural exploration tour has four themes. The biggest highlight is our east Asian romantic igloo, which features rabbit reliefs and other cultural elements about rabbits, for 2023 is the Year of the Rabbit." Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Changchun, China. (XHTV)

Israel removes controversial rules for West Bank's foreign visitors to report relationships with Palestinians: report

STORY: Israel removes controversial rules for West Bank's foreign visitors to report relationships with Palestinians: report DATELINE: Sept. 6, 2022 LENGTH: 00:02:03 LOCATION: Jerusalem CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. shots of Palestinians and tourists walking in Jerusalem Old City 2. shots of Qalandiya checkpoint between Israel and the West Bank 3. shots of Separation Wall between Israel and the West Bank with homes behind 4. shots of Israel's largest Ben-Gurion International airport STORYLINE: Israel issued revised guidelines on foreigners' entry into the occupied West Bank on Sunday, after removing controversial clauses that require foreign visitors to the territory to notify Israeli authorities if they have a romantic relationship with a Palestinian. The updated guidelines will take effect on Oct. 20, the Times of Israel reported on Sunday. The latest guidelines dropped a requirement stipulating that a foreigner who starts a relationship with a West Bank resident after entering the territory must noti

Italy's Far East Film Festival kicks off with Italian-Chinese romantic comedy

STORY: Italy's Far East Film Festival kicks off with Italian-Chinese romantic comedy DATELINE: April 23, 2022 LENGTH: 00:00:43 LOCATION: Rome CATEGORY: CULTURE/ENTERTAINMENT SHOTLIST: 1. various of the opening ceremony of the film festival 2. various of trailer of Chinese romantic comedy "The Italian Recipe" STORYLINE: The 2022 edition of Italy's Far East Film Festival kicked off Friday with the new romantic comedy "The Italian Recipe," an Italy-China co-production with a mostly Chinese cast. The film, which is loosely based on the 1953 classic film "Roman Holiday," tells the story of a Chinese reality television star visiting Rome who falls in love with a Chinese woman already living in Rome. "The Italian Recipe," jointly produced in Italy and China, is the first feature-length film from Beijing-born director Hou Zuxin. Most of the film's dialogue is in Mandarin. The 24th edition of the festival is taking place in the northern Italian city of Udine on April 22-30. Xinhua News Agency correspondents rep