Shinkansen passengers had to make a sudden stop in Tokyo after two bullet trains that were joined together became decoupled while in motion. Earlier, NHK World's Ono Momo gave us details near the station where they came to a halt.
The trains were disconnected along a railway behind me at around 11:30 a.m. The Shinkansen was running between Ueno Station in Tokyo and Omiya in Saitama. Officials resumed operations about half an hour ago, but people were still impacted by the delay. There were about 640 passengers on board.
No injuries have been reported. The Tohoku, Akita, Yamagata, Joetsu, and Hokuriku Shinkansen lines were also suspended, but resumed around 2:30 p.m. Tohoku Shinkansen experienced something similar for the first time last summer while running in Miyagi Prefecture. Officials say that had to do with the terminal switchboard functions. They're still trying to determine the cause of today's incident. Ono Momo NHK World.
Residents in north-eastern Japan who had to flee their homes from wildfires are breathing a sigh of relief. Rain has helped crews get the flames under control. Local officials say they may soon lift some evacuation orders.
Thursday marks 8 days since fires began sweeping through parts of Ofunato, fuelled by dry conditions. But on Wednesday, rainfall began turning the tables.
I'm relieved I don't see any smoke.
I was waiting for this rain. I'm really glad.
More wet weather is forecast into Thursday evening in the form of rain or snow. Officials say the fires no longer seem to be spreading, but smoke is still rising at some locations. They say they're monitoring the situation and carefully considering when they can tell locals it's safe to go back. These wildfires are some of the biggest to hit Japan in three decades, burning through about 2,900 hectares, or roughly 9% of the Ofunato area.
The South Korean military says an Air Force fighter jet accidentally dropped 8 bombs outside a training range, damaging buildings and injuring civilians.
The incident happened in Pocheon, about 40 kilometres northeast of the capital Seoul, shortly after 10:00 AM on Thursday. Firefighters say two homes and a church were damaged and seven people were injured, two of them seriously. The KF16 fighter jet was reportedly taking part in a joint drill with the Army and US Forces Korea. The South Korean military is investigating to determine the exact cause.
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Please do access the NHK World Japan website for more details.
The European Union is set to discuss a plan to build up its defences at a Thursday summit in Brussels. It's a response to pressure from US President Donald Trump to shoulder more of the costs of their own defence.
EU leaders are expected to talk about increasing defence budgets and what kind of security commitments might be possible following a ceasefire in Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to attend. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled a plan on Tuesday for greater armed readiness. It aims to secure up to 800 billion euros, or around $860 billion, to make Europe safe and resilient. Von der Leyen said a new instrument will provide 150 billion euros in loans to member states for defence investments. She also said there'll be a proposal to allow EU members to significantly raise defence spending without triggering a procedure meant to rein in excessive deficits.
EU leaders will discuss the proposal and explore how it can help boost support for Ukraine.
French President Emmanuel Macron says he's prepared to discuss the possibility of using France's nuclear deterrent to protect European partners.
In a televised speech on Wednesday, Macron indicated that Russia is a threat not only to Ukraine but also to countries in Europe. He said the request for the discussion came from Friedrich Merz, who's likely to be Germany's next chancellor. But Macron stressed that decisions about the use of France's nuclear weapons will always remain in the hands of the French President.
I want to believe that the United States will stand by us, but we need to be ready if that is not the case.
Macron added that chiefs of staff of European countries will be gathering in Paris next week to discuss various issues, including deploying European peacekeeping forces to Ukraine after a ceasefire deal is reached.
Leaders in the United States are driving a hard bargain with Ukraine. They've cut off more than just military aid following incendiary talks between Presidents Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
They've also stopped sharing crucial intelligence.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe was speaking on Wednesday to Fox Business Network. He also suggested the measure may be short-lived if the Ukrainians can convince Trump they're serious about peace with Russia.
President Zelensky put out a statement saying I'm ready for peace and I want Donald Trump's leadership to bring about that peace. And so I think on the military front and the intelligence front, the pause that that allowed that to happen, I think will go away.
Trump and Zelensky met on Friday in the White House. They were expected to sign an agreement that would give the US access to Ukraine's mineral resources, but the mood turned angry and the talks broke down. White House National Security Adviser Mike Waltz also suggested to Fox News the halt in US support is only temporary.
China's policymakers have gathered in Beijing for the National People's Congress. The economy has taken center stage as many, especially migrant workers, struggle to make ends meet.
It's just after 4 a.m. in Zhengzhou, the capital of China's Hunan Province.
Despite the bitter cold, people are gathering here on the main road. There are day laborers looking for work. Many come to the city from rural areas and farms. Workers like these have long been the backbone of China's economic development. But today, 30% are over 50 years old.
The jobs range from construction to janitorial work. and pay anywhere from $13 to $53 a day. The jobs are quickly taken.
(Chinese)
As China's economy slows down, it's becoming increasingly hard for them to find work. That's especially true for 60-year-old Yao Jianxi.
He was out in the cord at 4:30 am, hoping someone would hire him.
I told them I would do anything, but I still can't find work.
Yao lives in a small flat with two other men. The rent is just over $45 a month.
He's a military veteran and has worked many jobs over the years. but still can't make ends meet. Between the money he gets renting out his farm and his military allowance, he makes about $815 a year. But with no savings, he must keep working to survive. Yao called his wife to give her another bleak update.
(chinese)
We lower-class people can't just retire, even when we've already worked so hard.
Older workers aren't the only ones feeling the pinch. 36-year-old Wen Liubo moved to the city at 14 to find work. His rent is about $33 a month. For three months, he worked at a smartphone factory. Right now, he's living off those savings. He said he can't afford to do anything other than survive.
In China, a man is expected to buy a house before getting married. With no financial prospects, he said he's given up on finding a wife.
Even people with degrees can't find work, so someone like me who didn't even graduate middle school can't get a job.
Most who are childless and unmarried like me have given up on life.
Wen plans to start working soon since his savings are running low. But since he can't even afford to pay into public health insurance, he says he's not optimistic about his future.
There's nothing I can do to change my life. Even if I worked hard all year, my situation would be the same. There's nothing I can do to improve anything.
An expert researching China's labor issues says it can have a negative impact on society as a whole.
That psychological state could lead to some extreme cases. For example, since last year, we've seen several attacks and murders. There's a growing sense of social unrest.
Specifically, there have been several indiscriminate attacks on civilians, including mass stabbings. Xu says economic hardship can push some people to extremes. As China's leaders gather in Beijing, the economy is one of the major issues they are working to address.
It's time now for a check on the weather. Several areas in northern Japan are experiencing disruptions due to snow. Our meteorologist Yumi Hirano has the details.
Moving to Australia, a cyclone is the biggest concern between Queensland and New South Wales. People are now preparing for its impact.
Millions of people along the east coast of the country are dealing with the intense and rare cyclone, which is the first in the last 50 years making landfall. The tropical storm has brought strong winds and very high waves.
Weather officials say the storm is expected to have damaging winds of more than 150 kilometers per hour.
It's expected to bring downpours of about 800 millimeters in total.
The system is moving slowly so the impact will last longer. It already started bringing thundershowers along the coast and is expected to make landfall from Friday to Saturday. A combination of heavy rain and high tides could lead to severe flash flooding. On top of that, there are risks of power outages and structural damage due to strong winds.
Brisbane will see stormy conditions on Friday. Showers are also possible in Sydney. But heat is an issue in Port Headland with a high of 41.
That's it for the weather. Stay safe.
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That wraps up this edition of NHK Newsline. I'm Kanako Sachno in Tokyo.
Thanks very much for joining us.
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