Key words : airdrop first
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240303_03/
US conducts first airdrop of food aid into Gaza
The US military has carried out its first airdrop of food aid into Gaza in a bid to alleviate a worsening food shortage.
US Central Command and senior officials of the Biden administration say the militaries of the US and Jordan airdropped cargo containing food into Gaza on Saturday.
They say the combined operation involved C-130 transport aircraft dropping over 38,000 meals along the Mediterranean coastline.
This is the first airdrop of relief supplies by the US government since the conflict began between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas.
Central Command says it is planning potential follow-up delivery missions. The Biden administration is reportedly also considering shipping aid by sea.
Truck convoys carrying aid supplies are only allowed to pass through two checkpoints in southern Gaza. That makes it difficult for goods to reach the northern areas which are said to be on the verge of famine.
President Joe Biden announced on Friday the plan to airdrop aid into Gaza in coming days.
"People are so desperate that innocent people got caught in a terrible war, unable to feed their families," he said.
The Biden administration has been under fire for its continued military assistance of Israel amid the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The first airdrop is viewed as an attempt to respond to this criticism.
Footage taken by a camera crew from NHK's Gaza office shows a number of large transport planes dropping what appear to be aid supplies by parachute over coastal areas. The crew filmed the video in the southern city of Rafah at around 4 p.m. on Saturday, local time.
Residents of Gaza say they appreciate the airdropped supplies, but many are also calling for an increase in truck deliveries which would ensure a stable supply of goods.
Key words : unnamed senior
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240303_10/
US official: Israel near agreement on framework for ceasefire, hostage deal
An unnamed senior Biden administration official says that Israel is close to accepting a framework for a proposed ceasefire and hostage release deal, and it is now up to Hamas to agree it.
The official made the remarks on Saturday. Reuters news agency, citing sources in Egypt, says negotiations between Israel and Hamas will likely resume in Egypt as early as Sunday.
The official said there is a framework deal the "Israelis have more or less accepted," and "there will be a six-week ceasefire in Gaza starting today" if Hamas agrees to release hostages defined as vulnerable.
They are the sick, wounded, elderly and women.
The official said, "And the onus right now is on Hamas" and talks are underway with the aim of seeing an agreement before the start of Ramadan.
But the official avoided mentioning any outlook for the conclusion of an agreement, adding, "I don't want to create expectations one way or other."
Key words : yemen
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240303_09/
Cargo ship hit by Houthi rebels sinks
Yemen's interim government says a cargo ship that had been attacked by the Houthi rebel group has sunk.
Local media and others say it is the first case of a vessel sinking after being hit by the Houthis. They say the ship had been struck by missiles last month in the Gulf of Aden, which is connected to the Red Sea.
The media report that the ship was Belize-flagged and carrying fertilizer when it was hit. They say all crew had evacuated to safety, but oil is leaking from the vessel into the ocean. The interim government says Houthi's attacks are leading to environmental contamination.
The Iran-backed Houthis claim solidarity with Hamas in Gaza, and have repeatedly struck vessels in and around the Red Sea since last November.
The area is a vital shipping lane and the attacks are forcing the rerouting of many ships, disrupting global supply chains.
Key words : iranian court
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240303_11/
Grammy-winning Iranian singer sentenced to 3 years and 8 months in prison
Grammy-winning pop singer Shervin Hajipour says an Iranian court has sentenced him to three years and eight months in prison on charges of "propaganda against the regime" and "inciting people to riot."
The Iranian singer wrote a song that showed unity with the nationwide protests that followed the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini in September 2022. The 22-year-old woman had been arrested for allegedly wearing her hijab headscarf improperly.
Hajipour said on social media on Friday that the court had also ordered him to collect achievements of the Islamic Revolution and publish them online under his name, and to produce music against "America's crimes against humanity."
At the 2023 Grammys, Hajipour received the Special Merit Award for Best Song For Social Change for "Baraye," which was inspired by the death of Amini and its aftermath.
Key words : russian attacks
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240303_05/
Russian attacks on southern Ukraine kill 7, including baby
A 4-month-old baby and a 3-year-old child were among seven people who died from Russian attacks in the southern Ukraine city of Odesa. Eight others were injured.
The Ukrainian military said that Russia attacked eastern and southern Ukraine with missiles and drones between Friday and Saturday.
Ukraine's State Emergency Service said that an apartment building in Odesa was hit. Search and rescue operations are underway.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the attacks "terror to make people afraid" in a video message on Saturday.
He pleaded with the West for prompt military assistance saying delay in supplying weapons such as air defense systems leads to the loss of lives.
The Ukrainian air force announced that a Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber was shot down on Friday over the eastern skies of Ukraine.
They said the military downed 13 Russian aircraft in February, including A-50 early warning and control aircraft and fighter jets such as Su-34s.
Zelenskyy praised the achievement and stressed the importance of air defense.
He said control over the skies will save thousands of civilian lives and assist Ukrainian troops on the ground.
Key words : germany says
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240303_08/
German military aid plan for Ukraine leaked to Russia
Germany says it is investigating how a recording of a conference on military assistance to Ukraine was leaked to Russia.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who was on a visit to the Vatican on Saturday, called it very serious.
The 38-minute audio of the conference was posted to social media by the editor-in-chief of the Russian state-run television RT on Friday.
The conference was said to be about a potential supply of long-range missiles which Ukraine hopes to receive.
It is said that participants including Chief of the German Air Force Ingo Gerhartz discussed if Ukrainians can operate them without help from the German military.
A spokesperson of the German defense ministry admitted to media on Saturday that such a conference had taken place and it is possible that the conversation had been recorded.
The spokesperson did not comment on the authenticity of the audio.
News media reported that the conference took place online in February but did not say who might have been involved in the eavesdropping or anything about Russian involvement.
Key words : football ukraine
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240303_06/
Ukraine soccer fans enjoy match at stadium for first time in two years
Football fans in Ukraine have watched Ukrainian Premier League clubs play live in the capital Kyiv for the first time in two years.
Fans have not been allowed to watch matches for safety reasons since Russia's invasion in February, 2022.
But authorities gave permission to have spectators in a stadium at the end of February. The number was limited to the capacity of a nearby shelter.
On Saturday a local team "Dynamo Kyiv" hosted "Chornomorets Odesa" at the Dynamo Stadium.
All of the 1,800 tickets were sold out. Families and soldiers on leave from the battle fields came to enjoy the game.
Players, some draped in Ukrainian flags, entered the field and observed a moment of silence for those who fell in the war before the match.
Dynamo Kyiv won the game 1-0.
An 8-year-old boy said that it was great that Dynamo players did well.
His mother said that she was awed and the match was a good distraction from the war.
She added that on occasions like this it is very important for people to be positive.
Key words : ogose
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240303_01/
Holidaymakers in Japan enjoy plum blossom viewing, plum wine tasting
This weekend, holidaymakers in Japan are enjoying plum blossom viewing in Ogose Town, northwest of Tokyo, where about 1,000 plum trees are in full bloom.
The two-hector plum grove in Ogose is one of the largest in the region, and is home to 40 varieties of plum trees, which are called ume in Japanese.
A local tourism association says the trees began to bloom in early February, about one week earlier than usual. Late-blooming varieties are now coming into full bloom.
Visitors enjoyed viewing red and white plum flowers above yellow Adonis blossoms, which are still blooming, unlike in usual years.
Tourism association official Osawa Masafumi said the history of Ogose plum grove is unique as 90 of the trees are more than 250 years old.
He said that he wants many people to enjoy viewing white flowers of the Shirakaga variety, which is expected to come into full bloom soon.
Visitors can enjoy viewing the plum blossoms for another week.
In Mito City, north of Tokyo, people enjoyed tasting more than 150 kinds of plum wine, called umeshu, from across the country.
The event was held on Saturday at a shrine beside Kairakuen park, a popular viewing spot for plum blossoms.
Visitors pay about 9 dollars for 30 minutes of tasting a variety of plum wine.
The umeshu wine is made from green plums and sugar that is fermented in a base of shochu liqueur, sake, or brandy as each produces different flavors and tastes.
Visitors were seen purchasing umeshu bottles after enjoying their tasting sessions.
The event runs through Sunday.
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