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Village cafe in NW China becomes hub for aspiring entrepreneurs

STORY: Village cafe in NW China becomes hub for aspiring entrepreneurs SHOOTING TIME: recent footage DATELINE: April 29, 2024 LENGTH: 0:01:43 LOCATION: XI'AN, China CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of village cafe in NW China 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): WANG HUITING, Head of Two Tree Coffee in Liyukou Village, Xi'an 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): WANG YU, Person-in-charge, Shaanxi Quancunren Cultural Tourism Development Co., Ltd. STORYLINE: Xi'an Shaanxi, China Nestled in the picturesque landscapes of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Two Tree Coffee is more than just an average cafe. Founded by Wang Huiting, a doctoral graduate from Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, the cafe has evolved into a bustling hub for local entrepreneurship. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): WANG HUITING, Founder of Two Tree Coffee in Liyukou Village, Xi'an "This space is multi-functional. It's a screening room during weekdays. On holidays, it lights up as a performance stage. Yet, what really sets it apart is its role as

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CHINA-INNER MONGOLIA-HULUN BUIR-SNOWBOARDING LOVER (CN)

(230117) -- HULUN BUIR, Jan. 17, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Buhk Bayard practices snowboarding in Hulun Buir, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Jan. 14, 2023. Living in New Barag Left Banner of Hulun Buir, Buhk Bayard, 39, a man of the Mongolian ethnic group, is a snowboarding lover. Every snow season, he practices two hours daily on weekdays and attends intensive training on weekends at a ski slope in forest dozens of kilometers away. Five years of painstaking workout has seen his steady improvement of professional skills and turned him into a finalist at a number of snow events in the country. He is now a solid top player of snowboarding among his neighbors on the grassland. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua)

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CHINA-INNER MONGOLIA-HULUN BUIR-SNOWBOARDING LOVER (CN)

(230117) -- HULUN BUIR, Jan. 17, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Buhk Bayard enjoys snowboarding in Hulun Buir, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Jan. 15, 2023. Living in New Barag Left Banner of Hulun Buir, Buhk Bayard, 39, a man of the Mongolian ethnic group, is a snowboarding lover. Every snow season, he practices two hours daily on weekdays and attends intensive training on weekends at a ski slope in forest dozens of kilometers away. Five years of painstaking workout has seen his steady improvement of professional skills and turned him into a finalist at a number of snow events in the country. He is now a solid top player of snowboarding among his neighbors on the grassland. (Xinhua/Peng Yuan)

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CHINA-INNER MONGOLIA-HULUN BUIR-SNOWBOARDING LOVER (CN)

(230117) -- HULUN BUIR, Jan. 17, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Buhk Bayard cleans his snowboard after a training in Hulun Buir, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Jan. 14, 2023. Living in New Barag Left Banner of Hulun Buir, Buhk Bayard, 39, a man of the Mongolian ethnic group, is a snowboarding lover. Every snow season, he practices two hours daily on weekdays and attends intensive training on weekends at a ski slope in forest dozens of kilometers away. Five years of painstaking workout has seen his steady improvement of professional skills and turned him into a finalist at a number of snow events in the country. He is now a solid top player of snowboarding among his neighbors on the grassland. (Xinhua/Peng Yuan)

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CHINA-INNER MONGOLIA-HULUN BUIR-SNOWBOARDING LOVER (CN)

(230117) -- HULUN BUIR, Jan. 17, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Buhk Bayard takes a break during a training in Hulun Buir, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Jan. 14, 2023. Living in New Barag Left Banner of Hulun Buir, Buhk Bayard, 39, a man of the Mongolian ethnic group, is a snowboarding lover. Every snow season, he practices two hours daily on weekdays and attends intensive training on weekends at a ski slope in forest dozens of kilometers away. Five years of painstaking workout has seen his steady improvement of professional skills and turned him into a finalist at a number of snow events in the country. He is now a solid top player of snowboarding among his neighbors on the grassland. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua)

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CHINA-INNER MONGOLIA-HULUN BUIR-SNOWBOARDING LOVER (CN)

(230117) -- HULUN BUIR, Jan. 17, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Buhk Bayard practices snowboarding in Hulun Buir, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Jan. 14, 2023. Living in New Barag Left Banner of Hulun Buir, Buhk Bayard, 39, a man of the Mongolian ethnic group, is a snowboarding lover. Every snow season, he practices two hours daily on weekdays and attends intensive training on weekends at a ski slope in forest dozens of kilometers away. Five years of painstaking workout has seen his steady improvement of professional skills and turned him into a finalist at a number of snow events in the country. He is now a solid top player of snowboarding among his neighbors on the grassland. (Xinhua/Ren Junchuan)

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CHINA-INNER MONGOLIA-HULUN BUIR-SNOWBOARDING LOVER (CN)

(230117) -- HULUN BUIR, Jan. 17, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Buhk Bayard practices snowboarding in Hulun Buir, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Jan. 14, 2023. Living in New Barag Left Banner of Hulun Buir, Buhk Bayard, 39, a man of the Mongolian ethnic group, is a snowboarding lover. Every snow season, he practices two hours daily on weekdays and attends intensive training on weekends at a ski slope in forest dozens of kilometers away. Five years of painstaking workout has seen his steady improvement of professional skills and turned him into a finalist at a number of snow events in the country. He is now a solid top player of snowboarding among his neighbors on the grassland. (Xinhua/Peng Yuan)

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CHINA-INNER MONGOLIA-HULUN BUIR-SNOWBOARDING LOVER (CN)

(230117) -- HULUN BUIR, Jan. 17, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Buhk Bayard takes a break during a training in Hulun Buir, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Jan. 14, 2023. Living in New Barag Left Banner of Hulun Buir, Buhk Bayard, 39, a man of the Mongolian ethnic group, is a snowboarding lover. Every snow season, he practices two hours daily on weekdays and attends intensive training on weekends at a ski slope in forest dozens of kilometers away. Five years of painstaking workout has seen his steady improvement of professional skills and turned him into a finalist at a number of snow events in the country. He is now a solid top player of snowboarding among his neighbors on the grassland. (Xinhua/Peng Yuan)

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CHINA-INNER MONGOLIA-HULUN BUIR-SNOWBOARDING LOVER (CN)

(230117) -- HULUN BUIR, Jan. 17, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Buhk Bayard practices snowboarding in Hulun Buir, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Jan. 14, 2023. Living in New Barag Left Banner of Hulun Buir, Buhk Bayard, 39, a man of the Mongolian ethnic group, is a snowboarding lover. Every snow season, he practices two hours daily on weekdays and attends intensive training on weekends at a ski slope in forest dozens of kilometers away. Five years of painstaking workout has seen his steady improvement of professional skills and turned him into a finalist at a number of snow events in the country. He is now a solid top player of snowboarding among his neighbors on the grassland. (Xinhua/Peng Yuan)

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CHINA-INNER MONGOLIA-HULUN BUIR-SNOWBOARDING LOVER (CN)

(230117) -- HULUN BUIR, Jan. 17, 2023 (Xinhua) -- This aerial photo taken on Jan. 15, 2023 shows Buhk Bayard walking with his snowboard in Hulun Buir, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Living in New Barag Left Banner of Hulun Buir, Buhk Bayard, 39, a man of the Mongolian ethnic group, is a snowboarding lover. Every snow season, he practices two hours daily on weekdays and attends intensive training on weekends at a ski slope in forest dozens of kilometers away. Five years of painstaking workout has seen his steady improvement of professional skills and turned him into a finalist at a number of snow events in the country. He is now a solid top player of snowboarding among his neighbors on the grassland. (Xinhua/Peng Yuan)

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CHINA-INNER MONGOLIA-HULUN BUIR-SNOWBOARDING LOVER (CN)

(230117) -- HULUN BUIR, Jan. 17, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Buhk Bayard prepares to practice snowboarding in Hulun Buir, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Jan. 15, 2023. Living in New Barag Left Banner of Hulun Buir, Buhk Bayard, 39, a man of the Mongolian ethnic group, is a snowboarding lover. Every snow season, he practices two hours daily on weekdays and attends intensive training on weekends at a ski slope in forest dozens of kilometers away. Five years of painstaking workout has seen his steady improvement of professional skills and turned him into a finalist at a number of snow events in the country. He is now a solid top player of snowboarding among his neighbors on the grassland. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua)

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CHINA-INNER MONGOLIA-HULUN BUIR-SNOWBOARDING LOVER (CN)

(230117) -- HULUN BUIR, Jan. 17, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Buhk Bayard practices snowboarding in Hulun Buir, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Jan. 15, 2023. Living in New Barag Left Banner of Hulun Buir, Buhk Bayard, 39, a man of the Mongolian ethnic group, is a snowboarding lover. Every snow season, he practices two hours daily on weekdays and attends intensive training on weekends at a ski slope in forest dozens of kilometers away. Five years of painstaking workout has seen his steady improvement of professional skills and turned him into a finalist at a number of snow events in the country. He is now a solid top player of snowboarding among his neighbors on the grassland. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua)

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CHINA-INNER MONGOLIA-HULUN BUIR-SNOWBOARDING LOVER (CN)

(230117) -- HULUN BUIR, Jan. 17, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Buhk Bayard keeps himself warm in his car on a break when snowboarding in Hulun Buir, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Jan. 15, 2023. Living in New Barag Left Banner of Hulun Buir, Buhk Bayard, 39, a man of the Mongolian ethnic group, is a snowboarding lover. Every snow season, he practices two hours daily on weekdays and attends intensive training on weekends at a ski slope in forest dozens of kilometers away. Five years of painstaking workout has seen his steady improvement of professional skills and turned him into a finalist at a number of snow events in the country. He is now a solid top player of snowboarding among his neighbors on the grassland. (Xinhua/Peng Yuan)

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CHINA-INNER MONGOLIA-HULUN BUIR-SNOWBOARDING LOVER (CN)

(230117) -- HULUN BUIR, Jan. 17, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Buhk Bayard walks with his snowboard in Hulun Buir, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Jan. 15, 2023. Living in New Barag Left Banner of Hulun Buir, Buhk Bayard, 39, a man of the Mongolian ethnic group, is a snowboarding lover. Every snow season, he practices two hours daily on weekdays and attends intensive training on weekends at a ski slope in forest dozens of kilometers away. Five years of painstaking workout has seen his steady improvement of professional skills and turned him into a finalist at a number of snow events in the country. He is now a solid top player of snowboarding among his neighbors on the grassland. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua)

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CHINA-INNER MONGOLIA-HULUN BUIR-SNOWBOARDING LOVER (CN)

(230117) -- HULUN BUIR, Jan. 17, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Buhk Bayard practices snowboarding in Hulun Buir, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Jan. 15, 2023. Living in New Barag Left Banner of Hulun Buir, Buhk Bayard, 39, a man of the Mongolian ethnic group, is a snowboarding lover. Every snow season, he practices two hours daily on weekdays and attends intensive training on weekends at a ski slope in forest dozens of kilometers away. Five years of painstaking workout has seen his steady improvement of professional skills and turned him into a finalist at a number of snow events in the country. He is now a solid top player of snowboarding among his neighbors on the grassland. (Xinhua/Peng Yuan)

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Autumn sumo tourney draws low attendance

TOKYO, Japan - Australian travelers (front) watch sumo bouts in scarcely-occupied box seats at Ryogoku Kokugikan hall in Tokyo on Sept. 14, 2011. Attendance at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament sank to record low levels on weekdays, reflecting a dearth of foreign tourists in the wake of Japan's earthquake-tsunami disaster and fan disappointment at a match-fixing scandal.

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Japan major firms begin operating on weekends

HIROSHIMA, Japan - A nursery at Mazda Motor Corp.'s head office in Hiroshima opens for workers' children on July 2, 2011, despite being a Saturday. Major companies in Japan began weekend operations to avoid the concentration of electricity use on weekdays amid power shortfalls in the summer.

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Japan major firms begin operating on weekends

TOKYO, Japan - A Honda Motor Co. plant in Sayama, Saitama Prefecture, begins weekend operations on July 2, 2011. Major companies in Japan began weekend operations to avoid the concentration of electricity use on weekdays amid power shortfalls in the summer.

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Tokyo taxi operator adds electric vehicles to fleet

TOKYO, Japan - Two Mitsubishi Motors Corp. i-MiEV electric cars introduced by Hinomaru Limousine Co. as taxis are seen in Tokyo on March 25, 2010, as the company added two vehicles to its fleet for use primarily in the central business district in the capital on weekdays. The fare for the initial 2 kilometers of travel will be identical to that of gasoline-powered taxis at 710 yen.

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1st commuter rush seen after deadly derailment

AMAGASAKI, Japan - A commuter train on the JR West Fukuchiyama Line runs at the site in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture, on June 20, where a train derailed on April 25 and killed 107 people. The first commuter rush in 56 days took place on the line, which some 100,000 people used on weekdays before the accident.

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SMBC adds extra consulting hours for individual customers

OSAKA, Japan - Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. (SMBC) on March 15 began consulting services for individual customers who find it difficult to visit the bank's outlets during regular business hours on weekdays, at six of its main outlets. Photo shows a booth for the new services at Osaka's Umeda branch, where the services will be available from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends and holidays.

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UFJ Bank opens staffed branch operating on holidays

OSAKA, Japan - UFJ Bank opens a branch in Osaka on Nov. 13 featuring teller operations until 8 p.m. on weekdays and 5 p.m. on weekends and national holidays.

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Free electric bus to run in central Tokyo

TOKYO, Japan - An electric bus (in photo) will run free of charge from Aug. 22 in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward. The 61-seat environmentally-friendly bus will stop at 11 places in Otemachi, Marunouchi, Yurakucho and Hibiya districts and run between 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends and holidays.

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Japan gov't starts consultation service for Unification Church woes

The government started Monday a telephone consultation service for people experiencing trouble with the Unification Church, a religious group that has stirred controversy since former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was killed over alleged links to the group in July. Officials from government offices, including the Justice Ministry and the police and consumer affairs agencies, have gathered in Tokyo to offer the service. They will mainly introduce professional consultation entities including those offering legal help to resolve troubles with the group. The service is set to run through Sept. 30. As troubles related to the Unification Church are expected to be widespread, the government has also assigned officials from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Foreign Ministry, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare to the consultation service. The consultation window is open on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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Shanghai's first self-driving test lane put into use

STORY: Shanghai's first self-driving test lane put into use DATELINE: July 19, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:16 LOCATION: SHANGHAI, China CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Shanghai's first self-driving test lane 2. various of smart heavy-duty trucks 3. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): LI ZHONGXIN, General manager of smart heavy-duty truck assembly line, Shanghai Utopilot Technology Co., Ltd. 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): ZHANG XIANHONG, Deputy general manager of Intelligent Driving Center, Shanghai Utopilot Technology Co., Ltd. STORYLINE: Shanghai's first self-driving test lane was put into use on a cross-sea bridge on Monday. Test run of smart heavy-duty trucks in highway scenario started on the Donghai Bridge. The 30-kilometer bridge has six lanes in total. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on weekdays, the outermost lanes in both directions are designated as ones for the test. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): LI ZHONGXIN, General manager of smart heavy-duty truck assembly line, Shanghai Utopilot Technology Co., Ltd. "This is the stress t

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Moss Food Service's experiment to introduce "Slow Cash Register" using Orihime

On April 21, Moss Food Service disclosed to the press an experiment to introduce a "slow cash register" using Orihime (photo), an alter ego robot from ORIY Laboratory (Minato-ku, Tokyo), at the Moss Burger Osaki store (Shinagawa-ku) from April 27. While conversing with customers, the operators move Orihime with their personal computers or smart phones and also input orders. The order is transferred to the store via the Internet and the order is completed. The operator, Hiroto Takehisa, 19, a resident of Osaka Prefecture, said, "The operation is not difficult. I will have fun while doing it. The experiment will run from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays until the end of August. Based on the results of this experiment, Moss Food Service plans to conduct other experiments within fiscal 2020, including drive-through order handling and meal delivery operations using self-propelled robots. Mos Burger Osaki store in Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo on July 21, 2020 (Credit: Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun / Kyodo News Images)

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Moss Food Service's experiment to introduce "Slow Cash Register" using Orihime

On April 21, Moss Food Service disclosed to the press an experiment to introduce a "slow cash register" using Orihime (photo), an alter ego robot from ORIY Laboratory (Minato-ku, Tokyo), at the Moss Burger Osaki store (Shinagawa-ku) from April 27. In the experiment, two physically challenged people living in the Kansai region will operate and handle the robot. While conversing with customers, the operators move Orihime with their personal computers or smart phones and also input orders. The experiment will run from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays until the end of August. Based on the results of this experiment, Moss Food Service plans to conduct other experiments within fiscal 2020, including drive-through order handling and meal delivery operations using self-propelled robots. Mos Burger Osaki store in Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo on July 21, 2020 (Credit: Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun / Kyodo News Images)

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Massive supermarket queues before Easter lockdown - Italy

Corigliano Rossano, supermarkets stormed and crowded after the order of the mayor Flavio Stasi who orders their closure on Saturday afternoon and Sunday. The ordinance limits the opening hours until 7 pm on weekdays for 10 days in a row, until after the Easter holidays . Calabria, Italy, on March 26, 2021. Photo by Alfonso Di Vincenzo/IPA/ABACAPRESS.COM (Credit:Di Vincenzo Alfonso/IPA/ABACAPRESS.COM/Kyodo News Images)

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Massive supermarket queues before Easter lockdown - Italy

Corigliano Rossano, supermarkets stormed and crowded after the order of the mayor Flavio Stasi who orders their closure on Saturday afternoon and Sunday. The ordinance limits the opening hours until 7 pm on weekdays for 10 days in a row, until after the Easter holidays . Calabria, Italy, on March 26, 2021. Photo by Alfonso Di Vincenzo/IPA/ABACAPRESS.COM (Credit:Di Vincenzo Alfonso/IPA/ABACAPRESS.COM/Kyodo News Images)

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Massive supermarket queues before Easter lockdown - Italy

Corigliano Rossano, supermarkets stormed and crowded after the order of the mayor Flavio Stasi who orders their closure on Saturday afternoon and Sunday. The ordinance limits the opening hours until 7 pm on weekdays for 10 days in a row, until after the Easter holidays . Calabria, Italy, on March 26, 2021. Photo by Alfonso Di Vincenzo/IPA/ABACAPRESS.COM (Credit:Di Vincenzo Alfonso/IPA/ABACAPRESS.COM/Kyodo News Images)

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Massive supermarket queues before Easter lockdown - Italy

Corigliano Rossano, supermarkets stormed and crowded after the order of the mayor Flavio Stasi who orders their closure on Saturday afternoon and Sunday. The ordinance limits the opening hours until 7 pm on weekdays for 10 days in a row, until after the Easter holidays . Calabria, Italy, on March 26, 2021. Photo by Alfonso Di Vincenzo/IPA/ABACAPRESS.COM (Credit:Di Vincenzo Alfonso/IPA/ABACAPRESS.COM/Kyodo News Images)

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Massive supermarket queues before Easter lockdown - Italy

Corigliano Rossano, supermarkets stormed and crowded after the order of the mayor Flavio Stasi who orders their closure on Saturday afternoon and Sunday. The ordinance limits the opening hours until 7 pm on weekdays for 10 days in a row, until after the Easter holidays . Calabria, Italy, on March 26, 2021. Photo by Alfonso Di Vincenzo/IPA/ABACAPRESS.COM (Credit:Di Vincenzo Alfonso/IPA/ABACAPRESS.COM/Kyodo News Images)

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Massive supermarket queues before Easter lockdown - Italy

Corigliano Rossano, supermarkets stormed and crowded after the order of the mayor Flavio Stasi who orders their closure on Saturday afternoon and Sunday. The ordinance limits the opening hours until 7 pm on weekdays for 10 days in a row, until after the Easter holidays . Calabria, Italy, on March 26, 2021. Photo by Alfonso Di Vincenzo/IPA/ABACAPRESS.COM (Credit:Di Vincenzo Alfonso/IPA/ABACAPRESS.COM/Kyodo News Images)

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"Tetsuko's Room," talk show already in Guinness, hits another milestone

Tetsuko Kuroyanagi, veteran actress and host of "Tetsuko's Room," a talk show broadcast daily on weekdays by TV Asahi, is interviewed by Kyodo News on the set of the show in Tokyo on Feb. 24, 2015. The show, recognized by Guinness World Records in 2011 for achieving the most TV talk show episodes hosted by the same presenter, achieved another milestone on May 27, 2015, as it reached its 10,000th episode in its 40th year. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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"Tetsuko's Room," talk show already in Guinness, hits another milestone

Tetsuko Kuroyanagi, veteran actress and host of "Tetsuko's Room," a talk show broadcast daily on weekdays by TV Asahi, poses for a photo on the set of the show in Tokyo on Feb. 24, 2015. The show, recognized by Guinness World Records in 2011 for achieving the most TV talk show episodes hosted by the same presenter, achieved another milestone on May 27, 2015, as it reached its 10,000th episode in its 40th year. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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"Tetsuko's Room," talk show already in Guinness, hits another milestone

Tetsuko Kuroyanagi, veteran actress and host of "Tetsuko's Room," a talk show broadcast daily on weekdays by TV Asahi, is interviewed by Kyodo News on the set of the show in Tokyo on Feb. 24, 2015. The show, recognized by Guinness World Records in 2011 for achieving the most TV talk show episodes hosted by the same presenter, achieved another milestone on May 27, 2015, as it reached its 10,000th episode in its 40th year. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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"Tetsuko's Room," talk show already in Guinness, hits another milestone

Tetsuko Kuroyanagi, veteran actress and host of "Tetsuko's Room," a talk show broadcast daily on weekdays by TV Asahi, is interviewed by Kyodo News on the set of the show in Tokyo on Feb. 24, 2015. The show, recognized by Guinness World Records in 2011 for achieving the most TV talk show episodes hosted by the same presenter, achieved another milestone on May 27, 2015, as it reached its 10,000th episode in its 40th year. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Tokyo taxi operator adds electric vehicles to fleet

TOKYO, Japan - Two Mitsubishi Motors Corp. i-MiEV electric cars introduced by Hinomaru Limousine Co. as taxis are seen in Tokyo on March 25, 2010, as the company added two vehicles to its fleet for use primarily in the central business district in the capital on weekdays. The fare for the initial 2 kilometers of travel will be identical to that of gasoline-powered taxis at 710 yen. (Kyodo)

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Autumn sumo tourney draws low attendance

TOKYO, Japan - Australian travelers (front) watch sumo bouts in scarcely-occupied box seats at Ryogoku Kokugikan hall in Tokyo on Sept. 14, 2011. Attendance at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament sank to record low levels on weekdays, reflecting a dearth of foreign tourists in the wake of Japan's earthquake-tsunami disaster and fan disappointment at a match-fixing scandal. (Kyodo)

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Japan major firms begin operating on weekends

HIROSHIMA, Japan - A nursery at Mazda Motor Corp.'s head office in Hiroshima opens for workers' children on July 2, 2011, despite being a Saturday. Major companies in Japan began weekend operations to avoid the concentration of electricity use on weekdays amid power shortfalls in the summer. (Kyodo)

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Japan major firms begin operating on weekends

TOKYO, Japan - A Honda Motor Co. plant in Sayama, Saitama Prefecture, begins weekend operations on July 2, 2011. Major companies in Japan began weekend operations to avoid the concentration of electricity use on weekdays amid power shortfalls in the summer. (Kyodo)

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Shinano Railway's new train

Photo taken July 4, 2020, shows an inauguration ceremony for Shinano Railway's new SR1 train in Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, central Japan. The train targets commuters on weekdays and tourists on weekends.

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SMBC adds extra consulting hours for individual customers

OSAKA, Japan - Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. (SMBC) on March 15 began consulting services for individual customers who find it difficult to visit the bank's outlets during regular business hours on weekdays, at six of its main outlets. Photo shows a booth for the new services at Osaka's Umeda branch, where the services will be available from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends and holidays. (Kyodo)

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UFJ Bank opens staffed branch operating on holidays

OSAKA, Japan - UFJ Bank opens a branch in Osaka on Nov. 13 featuring teller operations until 8 p.m. on weekdays and 5 p.m. on weekends and national holidays. (Kyodo)

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Free electric bus to run in central Tokyo

TOKYO, Japan - An electric bus (in photo) will run free of charge from Aug. 22 in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward. The 61-seat environmentally-friendly bus will stop at 11 places in Otemachi, Marunouchi, Yurakucho and Hibiya districts and run between 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends and holidays. (Kyodo)