at 18:00 (JST), November 06 (AI-CC by Clipchamp)

 

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20241106180000_english_1.mp3

Welcome to a special edition of NHK Newsline. I'm Yamamoto Miki in Tokyo.

Republican candidate Donald Trump appears to be on the cusp of winning the U.S.
presidential election. The contest with Democrat Kamala Harris was expected to be close, but Trump is projected to be closing in on the 270 electoral votes he needs. And speaking earlier, he declared victory.

It's a political victory that our country has never seen before, nothing like this. I want to thank the American people for the extraordinary honor of being elected your 47th President and your 45th President. And every citizen, I will fight for you, for your family and your future. Every single day, I will be fighting for you and with every breath in my body. I will not rest until we have delivered the strong, safe, and prosperous America that our children deserve and that you deserve. This will truly be the golden age of America. That's what we have to have. This is a magnificent victory for the American people that will allow us to make America great again. Ohh

 ABC News, our U.S. partner projects that Trump will win the key battleground states of Pennsylvania, Georgia and North Carolina. They are among seven key states that have been hotly contested by Democrats and Republicans. This map shows a breakdown of all the states. Those which have been called for Harris are in blue, those for Trump are in red. Right now, Harris has 219 electoral votes and Trump has 266. Remember, to become president, a candidate has to win at least 270. With the current projections, Harris has only a narrow path to victory as we await results from the remaining battleground states. They are Arizona, Nevada, Michigan, and Wisconsin. The co-chair of the Harris campaign says the Democratic candidate does not plan to address her supporters just yet.

We will continue overnight. to fight to make sure that every vote is counted, that every voice has spoken. So you won't hear from the vice president tonight, but you will hear from her tomorrow.

While much attention is fixed on Harris' narrowing path to become president, her Democrats have suffered a major setback in Congress. ABC News is now projecting Republicans will regain control of the Senate. 34 Senate seats were being contested.
Under Biden, Republicans regained control of the House while Democrats held on to the Senate. The split made it difficult to pass legislation that could mean tough times for Harris, even if she does clinch the White House.
Now, the 2024 election campaign played out in unusual and dramatic ways.

81-year-old Joe Biden and 78-year-old Donald Trump. Initially, it was assumed that the two men would lock horns in the presidential race. 

And meet Iran from Germany, I mean from France.

Concerns about Biden's age spread. Then in July, Biden abandoned his plan to seek re-election and announced his withdrawal from the battle. 

I've decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation. That's the best way to unite our nation.

Biden became the first president in 56 years to choose not to seek re-election.

Kamala Harris.

Vice President Kamala Harris was officially nominated as the Democratic candidate.

Our campaign is not just a fight against Donald Trump. Our campaign, this campaign, is a fight for the future.

Her ascent came a little under three months before Election Day. Unprecedented events occurred during Trump's campaign.

Take a look at what happened.

An assassination attempt on the Republican candidate sent shockwaves across America and beyond.

The assassin's bullet came within a quarter of an inch of taking my life. Despite such a heinous attack, we unite this evening more determined than ever.

A series of suspected assassination plots were detected. The head-to-head contest between the two candidates continued until the very last days of the unusually short competition.

This election is a choice between whether we will have a four, I think of this, four more years. Could you stand it? 

We will win. Yes, we will.
We will win. We will win.

Joining us once more in the studio is Professor Fujiwara Kichi, an international politics expert at Juntendo University in Tokyo. So Professor, it was certainly an unusual election in many ways. How would you characterize this election?

It all started with the election between two very old white men, same old, same old, but President Biden was unsuccessful. And bringing out support from the public. And well, because of his age, perhaps, he had to step down. Kamala Harris was somebody who was quite different, with her background as African-American and Indian background. And being a woman, she represented diversity in U.S. society. And it gave a limited hope about a new integration of American society. It's a people power of sort. But having said that, Harris was unsuccessful in bringing back sufficient supporters for the Democratic Party, and she failed in phase of Mr. Trump, who kept on repeating extremely angry language filled with hatred, but somehow that rage and fear seemed to have. worked in in attracting a sufficient number of voters at this moment. 

Earlier, you mentioned how divisive American politics has begun. And while we officially don't know the winner yet, what do you predict will happen to those divisions, whether it be Trump or Harris? Either way, it would be very disruptive. If Trump lost the election, we can expect that he would not accept the result, and there would be violent attacks, such as the previous attack on on the Congress in January 6th.
And if Harris loses, this shows that a legal way to integration of American society regardless of differences in gender or ethnicity or religion did not work, which means that minority population will have to defend themselves. And that defense could become very violent. Remember, please, that that injustice in face of discrimination is the easiest pathtoward a more violent reaction. And we saw such division and violence during the previous Trump administration.
And I really hope that such violence would not take place. And furthermore, this is another election where a woman lost in the presidential election, and that speaks a lot. About the lingering discrimination against women.
So, well, that is the more polarized and more divided consequence that we can anticipate from this election. 

Right. So much concern there. But how is that division in an influential, powerful country like the United States going to impact the rest of the world?

Ohh This is This is going to be very strong. Let us remember that what started with the rise of populist right in Europe led to, well, UK referendum. leaving the European Union, and then there was a selection that chose Mr. Trump as the president, and and the last time in 2016. And there was a storm of populist right, nationalist, nativist, and divisive nationalism that spread in many parts of the world, not only in New York, but also Hindutva and India, among others. And that is something that has to be prevented, otherwise we are leading into a further division, conflict in the world. Now, we cannot expect the United States, if Mr. Trump becomes the president, to support a legal integration at home and abroad, and if the United States work on well, making America great again, this nativist slogan, then other powers will also follow such nationalist, nativist rhetoric. And that doesn't help us at all in the face of the conflicts that we already have. 

So how does this huge nation, this powerful nation, have to overcome these divisions in the years ahead. What What Vice President Harris proposed was, I think, was the right way. Although she is a woman, she didn't really proclaim about her agenda. Although she has African-American blood, she did not put it forward.
in the in the discussion simply because her aim was a local integration that that includes diverse population. And that is the goal, and that is the hope. This time, it is not easy to realize, but, well, there will be other chances in the future. 

All right. Thank you, Professor, for your insights. 

Thank you.

As we heard, Donald Trump has spoken to supporters, he declared victory and thanked them for the honor of being elected the 47th president. 

USA! USA! USA! 

Well, I want to thank you all very much. This is great. These are our friends. We have thousands of friends in this incredible movement. This was a movement like nobody's ever seen before. And frankly, this was, I believe, the greatest political movement of all time. There's ever been anything like this in this country and maybe the other. And now it's going to reach a new level of importance because we're going to Help our country heal. Help our country heal. We have a country that needs help, and it needs help very badly. We're going to fix our borders. We're going to fix everything about our country. We made history for a reason tonight, and the reason is going to be just that. We overcame obstacles that nobody thought possible, and it is now clear that we've achieved the most incredible. Political thing. Look what happened. Is this crazy?  But it's a political victory that our country has never seen before. Nothing like this. I want to thank the American people for the extraordinary honor of being elected your 47th president and your 45th president. And to every citizen, I will fight for you, for your family and your future. Every single day, I will be fighting for you and with every breath in my body. I will not rest until we have delivered the strong, safe, and prosperous America that our children deserve and that you deserve. This will truly be the golden age of America. That's what we have to have. This is a magnificent victory for the American people.

at 18:00 (JST), November 05 (AI-CC by Clipchamp)

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20241105180000_english_1.mp3

Thanks for joining us on NHK Newsline. I'm Yamaguchi Hiroaki in Tokyo.

The main candidates in the U.S. presidential election make their final pitches in Rust Belt states Monday night. Polls show a neck-and-neck race as tens of millions prepare to head to the polls in just hours.
Democratic nominee Kamala Harris held a rally at a former steel facility in Pittsburgh, the second largest city in the key battleground state of Pennsylvania. 

We are not going back because America is ready for a fresh start.

She said, Americans are ready for a president who understands that a true leader does not beat people down, but lifts them up.

♪There's no need to feel down. ♪

Her Republican rival, Donald Trump, also spoke at an indoor arena in Pittsburgh.

Kamala Harris has delivered soaring prices and economic anguish at home, war and chaos abroad.

He added that he would launch what he called the most extraordinary economic boom the world has ever seen. Harris held another rally in the state's largest city, Philadelphia. Trump wound up his campaign in Michigan, another battleground state.

Political scientists have been looking at the trends and trying to get a sense of where the election is headed. NA Scare Roll's Catherine Kobayashi spoke with Professor Paul Czarasyk from Youngstown State University.

Professor, Americans have had an eventful few months. How do you look back at the campaign?

Well, it certainly has been an unusual political season in the United States. Begins in some ways with an attempted assassination attempt against former President Trump, now candidate Trump, something we hadn't seen in more than 40 years. And then pretty soon after that, you had President Biden withdrawing from the race after having run in all the primaries, something that has never happened actually in recent, at least American political history, replaced by Kamala Harris, who ran in no political primaries. So these are a lot of things we hadn't ever seen before in American politics. 

We've certainly seen a lot of twists and turns. How would you? Explain the appeal of each of the candidates.

Well, first for Kamala Harris, it's about firsts, right? She would be the first female president of the United States should she be elected. Also the first Asian-American president in U.S. history. So a lot of firsts. And that's part of her appeal. People want to break the glass ceiling. Also, you have the issue of abortion in the United States and reproductive rights. And she is the candidate that appeals to voters who think that is a very important issue, femaleVoters. Women voters. We see a real gender gap this year with women supporting Kamala Harris. Finally, she's not Donald Trump, and that's part of her appeal. There are voters out there who absolutely do not want Donald Trump to return to the White House, and they're drawn towards Kamala Harris. For Donald Trump, on the other hand, part of his appeal is that he's not Kamala Harris because there's a lot of people that think that she is not qualified to be president and that she shouldn't even be the candidate because she didn't run in any primaries. Trump is also seen as a disrupter, and that's appealing the United States right now because so many people think the United States is on the wrong track when it comes to the economy or immigration, and he represents a change from that. 

And what trends will you be looking out for, Professor, on Election Day?

Well, historically what we look for is a blue shift, meaning Democrats who are the blue party in the United States symbolized by the color blue. They tend to vote absentee and early and by mail. And those votes don't get counted first. They get counted later on. Sometimes they don't arrive until very late or even in some states allowed later the next day if they're postmarked in time. So you had a shift where it looked like the Republican candidate, the red candidate was doing well and overtime that shifted towards. Democrats. Well, this year we might not see that blue shift because Republicans have not decided to vote early.

NHK News Line will bring you special coverage of the US presidential election. Join us as it starts from 6:00 PM Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday.

♪

Japan has launched a protest after North Korea fired at least seven ballistic missiles Tuesday morning. All are believed to have fallen into waters outside Japan's exclusive economic zone. There are no reports of damage or injuries.
Japan's defense ministry says the launch happened around 7:30 a.m. The missiles appear to reach a maximum altitude of around 100 kilometers. They're believed to have splashed down around 400 kilometers away in the Sea of Japan, near the Korean Peninsula.
South Korea's military says the missiles were fired from around Sariwon.
Japan has strongly condemned North Korea for the launch. And the prime minister says the government is monitoring the situation.

North Korea launched multiple ballistic missiles this morning following last week's launch. In response to the situation, I've instructed officials to provide information to the public and thoroughly confirm safety.

Tuesday marks the 13th time this year Pyongyang fired ballistic missiles, or projectiles believed to be ballistic missiles. Ahead of the latest launch, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un issued a statement. Kim Yo-jong condemned the recent joint aerial drills conducted by Japan, the United States, and South Korea.
Her remarks were published by the state-run Korean Central News Agency.
She described the joint exercises as the most hostile and aggressive acts against North Korea. Kim said her country is behaving in direct proportion to what she called the ever-escalating military threats. She also said Pyongyang will continue moving its nuclear and missile programs forward and maintain a hard-line stance.
Japanese, U.S. and South Korean aircraft carried out drills east of the South Korean island of Jeju on Sunday. That was after Pyongyang fired what it claims is its latest model of intercontinental ballistic missile Thursday. That launch led to some tense exchanges at the United Nations in New York.

The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting Monday to discuss North Korea's claimed test-firing of the latest ICBM model, the Hwasen-19. Japan's ambassador to the UN, Yamazaki Kazuyuki, said the regional and global security situation has deteriorated even further because of the launch. U.S. Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood criticized North Korea, as well as China and Russia.

This council has a responsibility to hold the DPRK accountable. Yet, we are here again today because two members of this council, China and Russia, have repeatedly shielded the DPRK.

North Korean Ambassador Kim Sung argued the launch was a part of an exercise in self-defense. 

We will accelerate and will not let up on build up our nuclear force that can counter any threatPresented by hostile nuclear weapon states.

Shifting now to Russia, NHK has learned details about the deployment of North Korean troops there amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. A Russian military commander has apparently been placed in charge of those forces as part of something called Project Vustok.
Mostok is the Russian word for east, and it's the name, sources say, Moscow has given for its acceptance of the North Korean soldiers. Those troops will reportedly be looked after by a major general who has commanded Russia's 76th Airborne Assault Division since 2020, and also served in Syria.
The appointment suggests Russia intends to work closely with the North Koreans during the deployment. The delivery of North Korean troops to Russia has been criticized by South Korea and some of Ukraine's Western allies, who've called for an immediate withdrawal.

♪

Now Japan's traditional alcoholic drinks, including sake and shochu, have been gaining popularity around the world. Now the know how of making them is about to be honored by UNESCO. Japan's Cultural Affairs Agency says the UN advisory panel has recommended the method of making the drinks be added to the world body's intangible cultural heritage list. The original method of producing the beverages, which is still used, was established more than 500 years ago. It involves steaming rice or barley, creating koji mold, and then fermenting the drinks.
The craftsmanship has evolved according to the natural characteristics of individual regionsand has been passed down through generations. The fermented drinks have long been used in traditional rituals and festivals, and have served an essential role in Japanese culture. The cultural agency says the UNESCO committee is expected to make the listing official at a meeting in December in Paraguay.

Japan already has 22 items on the list, including nogaku theater, washoku cuisine, and local folk dances. It is also seeking to have traditional shoto calligraphy listed.

It's time for a check on the world weather with our meteorologist Jonathan Oh. People in the United States are heading to the polls Tuesday. Jonathan, how is the weather looking across the country?

Hello, it looks as we're going to be talking about a couple of different things. Warm weather for the East Coast with some stronger storms located along a cold front from the Great Lakes down toward Southern Plains and another low that's moving across the Upper Rockies. And so we're going to be seeing an interesting pattern here where ahead of a cold front, the eastern seaboard will be seeing temperatures that are quite warm and dry. But then the cold front will be moving through as we go through Tuesday and that's going to bring some thunderstorms along with us, some stronger storms possible to the Ohio River Valley down to portions of the southeast. And I mentioned that other cold front moving through the Upper Rockies that could bring some rain, even some snow possibilities as we go through the day on Tuesday. So be on the lookout for that. Southern Plains look at the possibility of seeing some relatively warm weather, mid 20s in Houston, some thunderstorms. And again along the front we're seeing some storms. So to the east temperatures relatively warm here with highs up into the mid 20s in place like New York and some snow and rain into the Upper Rockies as we go through Tuesday.

Meanwhile, we are keeping an eye out on this pesky low pressure that's caused some real big problems into the Iberian Peninsula, and it looks like the more rain will be a part of the story, and that's just going to compound the problems that has impacted the region. 

Meanwhile, the central portions of the continent looking at relatively dry weather as high pressure controls it with highs anywhere from 10 in Berlin to 20 in Rome as we go through the day.
Quick note in East Asia, we have a tropical system that's going to be moving its way across the northern portion of the Philippines. Once again, we're talking about another tropical system nearby. In Japan, we have a low nearby that's going to bring some unstable weather. So looking at some rain, possibly some of that colder weather pattern as you go through day on Wednesday. So be on the lookout for that.
In Beijing, sunny skies, the high of 14, nice decent fall foliage there. Take a look at some video that's coming from the city as the fall foliage is at its peak in Beijing, attracting residents and visitors alike. The recent cooler weather has helped the leaves turn bright shades of yellow and red. Let's look at your forecast. Hope you have a good day wherever you are.

♫

And that wraps up this edition of NHK Newsline, but there is much more to come on NHK World Japan, so do stay with us.

at 18:00 (JST), November 04 (AI-CC by Clipchamp)

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20241104180000_english_1.mp3

Welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Gene Otani in Tokyo. 

A group of major oil producing countries says it will delay an output increase planned for next month. The move is apparently intended to shore up oil prices. OPEC Plus made the announcement Sunday. The group comprises the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other major producers, including Russia. It said it has agreed to extend voluntary production cuts until the end of December. Eight of its members have reduced their output by 2.2 million barrels per day. The latest delay follows one the group announced in September. OPEC Plus had planned to start increasing supply in October, but postponed it by two months. There is concern global oil demand may be affected as China's economy slows and Middle East tensions rise over tit for tat strikes between Israel and Iran. OPEC plus is apparently watching market moves going forward while propping oil prices with the delay in expanding supply. 

With Election Day and the U.S. approaching on Tuesday, candidates in the presidential race are making their closing pitches. Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican candidate former President Donald Trump are trying to gain a final edge in battleground states. Harris visited a church in the Midwestern state of Michigan on Sunday.

Kamala Harris, come on, let's receive.

She spoke to black voters who have traditionally shown strong support for the Democratic Party. 

What kind of country do we want for our children and our grandchildren? A country of chaos, fear, and hate, or a country of freedom, justice, and compassion?Let us answer then, not just with our words, but with our works. 

Donald J.

Trump held a rally in the eastern state of Pennsylvania, which has a larger number of electors than other battleground states. 

You like it better now or four years ago? And I've come today with a message of hope for all Americans. With your vote on Tuesday, I will end inflation.

People in the US are feeling the pressure of higher prices, even though the pace of inflation has slowed. Trump appears to be trying to tie the issue to the Biden-Harris administration. US political news website RealClearPolitics shows the race is neck and neck. The average for opinion polls in seven battleground states stands at 48.5% supporting Trump and 47.6% for Harris.

Senior military officers of Israel and the United States have held talks after Iran's Supreme Leader hinted at another retaliatory attack against Israel.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday warned of a crushing response to last month's Israeli airstrike on Iranian military targets. He did not elaborate on the timing or method of a possible strike.

But U.S. media are reporting that Iran could be preparing an attack in the coming days. The Israeli military announced on Sunday that the Chief of the General Staff, Hertzi Halevi, met with U.S. Central Command's General Michael Kurilla last Thursday to discuss responses to Iran. The US Central Command says additional B52 bombers have been deployed to the Middle East. U.S. news site Axios quoted sources as saying the Biden administration recently warned Tehran against launching another attack. Israel attacked Iran on October 26th in response to Tehran's missile strikes. There are concerns that if Iran strikes again, the cycle of retaliatory attacks between the two major powers in the Middle East could spiral out of control.

Pro-EU incumbent Maya Sandu has claimed victory in Moldova's presidential runoff over a candidate seeking closer ties with Russia. The focus of the election was on whether people in the former Soviet Republic would seek the continuation of Sandu's pro-EU policies.

Moldova's election board says, with most ballots counted Sunday, Sandu had garnered nearly 55% of the vote. She bested acts Senator Stoyanaglo, a former prosecutor general.

Moldova is still being at war. As grudge, Moldovan, as a ferry to elects the democracy, them the office, Chris Manuel de Historia, as boy at Salvat Moldova. 

Sandu also promised she would be a president for all of her people.Iin her second term Sandu is expected to continue pushing for Moldova's participation in the European Union. The country's EU membership bid accelerated after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. In June this year, Moldova formally started membership talks with the EU. Its government is criticizing Russia, which has been accused of meddling in the election to prevent Moldova from joining the EU.

♪

The king and queen of Spain were hit by mud thrown by flood survivors during their visit to the eastern region of Valencia on Sunday.
Record-breaking downpours from Tuesday through Wednesday flooded the region and elsewhere in the country. Vehicles and bridges were swept away. Local media report 217 peopleHave been confirmed dead. More than 60 people died in Pai Porta, some residents through some residents there through mud and shouted at King Felipe and Queen Letizia out of frustration over relief assistance delays. The royal couple were couple were protected by bodyguards. They continue to talk to the locals, but this caused a commotion. The AP News Agency called the incident unprecedented for a royal house that takes great care of crafting an image its monarch is liked by the nation. The Spanish military and police are stepping up search and rescue efforts for those who remain unaccounted for and to clear mud and rubble. Residents in some disaster-hit areas are increasingly frustrated with transportation disruptions, as well as insufficient supply of food and water.

A Zen Buddhist temple south of Tokyo has given visitors a glimpse of some of its most sacred cultural assets. They were brought into the open to air out as part of an annual tradition.

The exhibition at Engakuji Temple in Kamakura City. Displayed about 30 items, including calligraphy and paintings. The event coincides with Culture Day in Japan. One of the relics is a letter written by Hojo Tokimune, the patron of the temple. He was a Regent of the Kamakura Shogunate that lasted from the late 12th century to the 14th century. The document is nationally designated. as an important cultural property. In the letter, Hojo asked Chinese monks to come to Japan to help popularize Zen in the country.

Visitors were also let in to the temple's Sheridan Hall. It contains a collection of relics of Buddha and is designated as a national treasure.

I had a good experience that was just wonderful. 

Those were the main stories for this hour.

♫

And that's the news this hour. I'm Gino Tani. From all of us here at NHK Newsline to all around the world, thanks very much for joining us.

at 18:00 (JST), November 03 (AI-CC by Clipchamp)

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20241103180000_english_1.mp3

Welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Ramin Mellegard in Tokyo. 

Now, with the US presidential election approaching, Republican candidate Donald Trump has brought his campaign to Virginia, where his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris, is leading the polls. Just three days ahead of the vote, Trump supporters packed the venue with a capacity of 7,000 in Salem. 

Are you better off now than you were four years ago? It's going to be one of the most interesting days in the history of our country, and it's going to be the most important election in the history of our country. 

Now, Virginia is seen as a blue state where Democratic presidential candidates have won since 2008. In the final stretch of the 2016 race, Trump held rallies in Michigan and other states where his contender, Hillary Clinton, was ahead. That likely helped him win. Trump appears to be aiming to repeat that tactic.
Meanwhile, Vice President Harris on Saturday called for support in the battleground states of Georgia and North Carolina. Her campaign says her rally in North Carolina's largest city of Charlotte drew over 10,000 people. 

I pledge to you to listen to experts, to listen to people who disagree with me. 'Cause you see, unlike Donald Trump, I don't believe that people who disagree with me are the enemy. That's what real leadership looks like. That's what strong leadership looks like. 

And rock star Jon Bon Jovi urged people to cast their votes, saying now we can move forward together, embracing what makes us different. 

And Britain's Conservative Party has chosen Kemi Beynock as leader. She's the first black woman to lead a major British political party. The party on Saturday announced the results of a vote to pick the successor to former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Bednock is the former Secretary of Business and Trade. She defeated former Immigration Minister Robert Genrick. 

The time has come to tell the truth, to stand up for our principles, to plan for our future, to reset our politics and our thinking, and to give our party and our country the new start that they deserve. It is time to get down to business. It is time to renew.

The Conservative Party suffered a heavy defeat in the general election in July following a series of scandals and mishaps. It found itself out of power for the first time in 14 years, but remains the largest opposition party.
Now the 44 year old Badenoch was born in Britain to Nigerian parents. She grew up in Nigeria before returning to the UK at age 16. She's known for her cautious stance toward accepting immigrants and expanding the rights of sexual minorities. Her victory is seen as shifting the party more to the right.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer congratulated Bednock, saying the first black leader of a Westminster party is a proud moment for our country. He added that he looks forward to working with her and her party in the interests of the British people.

Ukraine's Defense Intelligence Agency says Russia has transferred more than 7000 North Korean soldiers from Russia's Far East to areas close to Ukraine. The agency says on social media that the transfer took place in the final week of October. It said the North Koreans have been provided with machine guns, night vision devices and other equipment.

Footage released by Ukrainian authorities in mid-October appears to show North Korean troops lining up to receive supplies and other items at a training facility in the Far East.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says that of the 10,000 North Koreans sent to Russia, 8,000 have been positioned in the western region of Kursk.

We've not yet seen these troops deploy into combat against Ukrainian forces. But we would expect that to happen in the coming days. 

The US-based Institute for the Study of War says that Pyongyang is hoping that the deployment will give its troops vital combat experience and skills to operate drones. But the think tank notes that any battlefield lessons would be undermined if Russia uses North Korean troops as cannon fodder.

And Iran's supreme leader is warning of a crushing response to Israel's recent airstrike on Iranian military targets. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei did not elaborate. on the timing or method of a possible strike.
Khamenei was speaking to students in Tehran on Saturday ahead of the 45th anniversary of the seizure of the U.S. Embassy by Iranian students in 1979 that led to a long-lasting hostage crisis. Khamenei hinted that Iran would carry out another retaliatory attack on Israel. He said enemies, whether Israel or the United States, should know that they will definitely receive a crushing response for what they are doing against Iran.

Now U.S. media reporting that Iran might be preparing an attack on Israel that would happen in the coming days. The Israeli airstrike on October 26 was in response to a massive Iranian missile attack on Israel earlier in the month. 

Spain's Prime Minister says at least 211 people have died in devastating floods in the east of the country. Authorities are continuing their search and rescue efforts.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in a televised address on Saturday he wants to speed up the search for those still missing. He said he had ordered another 10,000 people from the military, the police and elsewhere to join the search. More than 60 people have died in the town of Paiporta in Valencia. Residents were seen carrying their belongings out from houses and shops and clearing away mud. Volunteers came on foot, carrying shovels and buckets to help with the cleanup. Food and water are being provided to disaster victims in various places.

This is really great. I hope there will be more support places like this.

Some areas remain without power. Road and rail networks have been cut in many locations.

♪

OK, you're going to enjoy this. Visitors enjoyed a hot bath with floating apples in the northern Japanese prefecture of Akita on Sunday.

The hot spring at an inn in Yokota City was filled with 160 apples to promote locally grown fruit. Yokota is known for having the largest apple production in the prefecture. People began taking dips in the apple scented water from 6:00 AM. 

It's a strange and striking sight to see so many apples potting in the bath.

It feels like my body absorbed the apple extract. It's so warming.

I hope visitors can experience the rare apple bath and enjoy the warmth of the hot spring. 

The apple baths will also be available on Sundays and national holidays in December and January, as well as the first three days of the New Year.

Got to try that. Those are the top stories for this hour.

♪♪♪

That's a wrap for this edition of NHK News Line. I'm Ramin Mellegard. Thank you very much for joining us.

 

at 18:00 (JST), November 02 (AI-CC by Clipchamp)

 

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20241102180000_english_1.mp3

Welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Ramin Mellegard in Tokyo. 

A United Nations committee has adopted a Japan-sponsored draft resolution that calls for action to realize a world without nuclear weapons. Similar resolution submitted by Japan, the only country to have suffered atomic bombings have been adopted every year since 1994. 
On Friday, 145 countries voted in favor, including the United States. Six nations, including Russia, China and North Korea, voted against it. This year's document expresses deep concern over what it calls irresponsible nuclear rhetoric. An apparent reference to remarks by individuals, including Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The document urges all nations, especially those possessing nuclear weapons, to refrain from inflammatory rhetoric concerning the use of such arms. It also refers to the atomic bomb survivors group Nihon Hidankyo, which won this year's Nobel Peace Prize. The draft resolution says world leaders, young people and others who visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki will be welcomed so they can increase their awareness of the consequences of the use of nuclear weapons.

U.S. forces dropped atomic bombs on both cities. In 1945, during World War 2, Japan's foreign minister says in a statement, it is significant that the draft resolution was adopted with the broad support of many countries, including nuclear powers, the US and Britain. He also pledged Japan's continued commitment to enhancing the international community's momentum to achieve a world without nuclear weapons. 

And North Korea's top diplomat has expressed strong support for Russia and Moscow. She vowed the North will stand alongside Russia in the war against Ukraine until the day of victory. Chae Son-hee met for talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Our comrade and Chairman of the State Affairs Commission, Kim Jong-un, issued direction from the very beginning of the special military operation against Ukraine. That we should consistently and strongly declare our support for the just fight of Russia's military and a people to defend their country's sovereign rights and security interests. The two sides are relieved to have discussed deepening ties under the terms of a treaty signed in June. That agreement includes mutual military assistance. 

Very close contacts have been established between the military of our two countries and along the lines of security services. This also allows us to practically solve significant and important tasks for the security of our citizens and yours.

Officials in the US have warned that North Korean troops deployed in Russia could enter the battlefield in the coming days. They've called on China to use this influence to prevent an escalation.

A spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry commented on the issue in a news conference. The DPRK and Russia are two independent sovereign states, and how to develop bilateral relations is a matter for themselves. Lin says China is not aware of the specifics of exchanges and cooperation between the two countries.

Now, residents of the Gaza Strip are voicing concerns after Israel's parliament passed legislation on Monday banning the UN agency for Palestinian refugees from operating in the country. Now, the move could seriously hinder UNRWA's humanitarian aid activities in the enclave.
NHK footage shows many residents lining up on Thursday for checkups and prescriptions at one of the agency's health centers in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza. The facility was built with support from Japan. UNRWA officials say many people have contracted infectious diseases due to worsening hygiene. They said demand for medicine is growing, but deliveries have been delayed. The officials also said they could run out of more than 50 types of medication as early as this month.

My one-year-old son is suffering from malnutrition. UNRWA is so important and irreplaceable to us.

Currently, the average medical consultation per day is around 16,000 medical consultations.

We request some donors to continue supporting UNRWA to ensure the delivery of the health services to the needy people in Gaza.

Israel's military offensive in Gaza has internally displaced at least 1.9 million people. Israel claims there are possible links between Andhra and Hamas. It's called for the agency to be disbanded and its responsibilities transferred to other UN bodies.

Firefighters and military personnel are still searching for survivors of eastern Spain's devastating floods. More than 200 people have now been confirmed dead. Record-breaking downpours from Tuesday through Wednesday flooded the region of Valencia and elsewhere. Vehicles and bridges were swept away.

Local media say 205 people have been confirmed dead in what is being described as the worst disaster of its kind in Spain in five decades. Military units joined firefighters to search inside flooded cars and remove mud from roads. Some people are criticizing authorities for responding too slowly. Local media cites residents as saying that by the time an alert was issued, damage had already occurred. Roads have been cut off in many places, hampering rescue efforts.

An international research team that analyzes extreme weather events says the downpours may have been worsened by the effects of global warming.

A Major League Baseball World Series winner, the Los Angeles Dodgers, celebrated their championship on Friday with a victory parade. City officials estimate more than 200,000 people gathered in downtown Los Angeles.

Dodgers players, their families and others related to the team boarded 7 double-decker buses. They traveled about 1.6 kilometers for the parade. Japanese major leaguer Otani Shohei was joined by his wife and their pet dog. Yamamoto Yoshinobu was on the same bus. He's the second Japanese pitcher to win a World Series game. The celebration later moved to the Dodgers home stadium.

I'm so honored to be here and to be part of his team. Congratulations. Thank you, fans. Thank you, fans.

The Dodgers won the World Series for the eighth time after beating the New York Yankees four games to one. It is their first championship in four years, but the team did not hold a victory parade in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. So Friday's parade was its first in 36 years.

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And those are the top stories for this hour. 

♪♪♪

That's a wrap for this edition of NHK Newsline. I'm Ramin Mellegard. Thank you very much for joining us.

at 18:00 (JST), November 01 (AI-CC by Clipchamp)

 

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20241101180000_english_1.mp3

Thanks for joining us on NHK Newsline. I'm Yamaguchi Hiroaki in Tokyo.

Executives from two major opposition parties in Japan have decided to discuss cooperating on policies and bills.
The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and the Democratic Party for the People officials met on Friday. The talks come after the CDP increased its seat count by 50 to 148 in Sunday's lower house election. The DPFP quadrupled its support to 28 seats as the number three opposition group. CDP is also considering working with other parties outside the ruling coalition.

Parties are looking to form alliances after the Liberal Democratic Party's ruling coalition failed to secure a majority. CDP Secretary-General Ogawa Ajunya met his counterpart at the DPFP, Shimba Kazuya, on Friday. Ogawa called on Shimba to cooperate with each party in the Diet in light of the election's results. Shimba answered that his party will stay equally distant from the other parties. The two parties agreed that further political and diet reforms are needed. They also agreed to hold a meeting of their leaders next week. 

New footage shows what it's like trying to remove fuel debris from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. The operator released a video Thursday of a retrieval device inside the plant's number two reactor. Tokyo Electric Power Company needs to remove the nuclear fuel debris. to eventually decommission the plant. It resumed its trial run Monday after a six-week delay. A grabbing tool managed to grasp a small sample Wednesday.
TEPCO says the debris will be removed by Friday at the earliest. If the radiation levels are low enough, it will be placed in a dedicated container to be analyzed. The government commented on TEPCO's efforts Friday.

It's technically challenging. I am aware it is entering the most difficult phase of decommissioning the plant. We hope that TEPCO will take every possible measure to secure safety and work hard.

If the current attempt succeeds, it will mark the first time debris has been retrieved from the plant since the meltdowns in 2011.

North Korea has released a video of what it says was an intercontinental ballistic missile it launched Thursday. The test is being condemned by Japan and others.
State-run TV on Friday broadcast a video showing the Hwasin-19. This is the first time the broadcaster has ever reported on a launch of this missile. It stayed airborne for nearly an hour and a half and reached an altitude of more than 7,000 kilometers. The broadcaster described it as being the final version of the missile.

Photos show the country's leader, Kim Jong-un, overseeing the launch with his daughter. Japan's top government spokesperson says the missile may have been a new type of ICBM.

North Korea's nuclear and missile development poses a threat to the peace and security of Japan, the region, and the international community. That is totally unacceptable.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also criticized the North, and he reaffirmed what he called an ironclad commitment to South Korea's security.
South Korea and the U.S. conducted a joint military exercise in response to the launch. They released footage showing a target portraying a North Korean mobile launcher getting blown up by airstrikes.

Ito Toshiyuki is a retired vice admiral of Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force. He says the North's launch is notable because of the altitude reached by the missile and the amount of time it stayed airborne.

There is a strong possibility Pyongyang has incorporated some new Russian technology into the second and third stages of the missile.

This was the 12th time this year the North has fired ballistic missiles, or projectiles believed to be ballistic missiles. With voting for the U.S. presidential election several days away, the two main candidates visited battleground states in the Southwest on Thursday.
Vice President Kamala Harris held a rally in Phoenix, Arizona. She said her top job as president will be bringing down the cost of living, while her rival, Donald Trump, has other priorities.

He is not someone who is thinking about how to make your life better. This is someone who is unstable, obsessed with revenge, consumed with grievance.

Harris also touted her economic policies. That included tax cuts for the middle class and banning unreasonable price hikes by food suppliers and retailers.
Trump was in Nevada. The former president kept up his criticism of the current president. 

Two days ago, Joe Biden called our supporters, garbage, garbage. That's nasty. My response to Joe and Kamala is very simple. You can't lead America if you don't love Americans.

Biden's comment was in response to a joke by a comedian, a comedian at a Trump rally who called Puerto Rico garbage. On Thursday, Trump told the crowd that Americans are going to bring their country back. Polls show the racists neck and neck. US website RealClearPolitics indicates Trump leads Harris by an average of almost one percentage point in seven battleground states.

A special train car built for a former president is running in Taiwan for the first time in 33 years. It had only been used once before, but it's returning for a limited time to spotlight a disaster-stricken region. NHK world's Patricia Liu reports.

This is Taiwan's so-called Presidential Train arriving at Hualien Station. Railway fans have gathered to see it for the first time.
The train carriesThis is the only carriage dedicated to the president, the top officials of Taiwan. It had been stored at a rail yard, unseen for decades. In 1967, the carriage was made for then-President Chiang Kai-shek in order to travel across the country by train. It includes a bedroom for Chan and for his wife, which is decorated in a luxurious European style.

But when the project was completed, John was too old to actually use the train.

The first and last ride by the president was in 1991. That year, a railway line running around Taiwan was connected and President Li Deng-hui used the carriage on his travels. Now the Presidential Train is being used to bring attention to an area recovering from a major disaster. A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck the eastern province of Tualien in April this year. Entry to many parts of its most famous scenic spot, Taroko Gorge, continues to be restricted.

About 14.7 million tourists visited Hualien last year, but the number has been more than halved since the disaster.

Hualien depends on tourists, so it is affecting the economy in various areas. I really want tourists to come back. 

Taiwan Railway decided to revive the Presidential Train carriage. As the main attractions of a Hualien tour, the company hopes it will boost the province tourism. But it was the difficult task to get it running again.

Production of all the parts used at that time has been suspended. We had to use parts from the same type of vehicle and spare parts.

The company secured components from all of Taiwan and managed to get the train running. On its first date of operations, the Presidential Train was fully booked, with people visiting from across Taiwan. It takes about 3.5 hours to stop at six stations across Hua Dian. Passengers can also enjoy retro style lunch boxes designed to evoke the 1960s.

It has a lot of ingredients and is delicious.

Riders can explore the presidential carriage, but must cover their shoes to avoid any damage. They can take as many photos and videos as they like of this little scene site of Taiwan's history.

Everybody looks very happy. We'd like to attract more tourists to Hua Lian to enjoy traveling safely.

While the presidential train campaign is off to a rolling start, the challenge of bringing back tourism to pre-earthquake levels remains in the area. Patricia Liu, NHK World.

Now let's check out the world weather. People in East China and some parts in Japan are bracing for severe weather. Our meteorologist Yumi Hirano has the details.

Kong-rey made landfall in eastern Taiwan on Thursday, becoming one of the strongest typhoons of October. Total rainfall has exceeded 1,200 millimeters since Wednesday, causing severe floods. We have some video.
Kong-rey struck Taiwan on Thursday as its largest storm in nearly 30 years. The storm caused severe flooding and matslides, down to trees and damaged homes and vehicles. Fire officials reported at least two people were killed and more than 500 were injured.

After a day off, officials and schools reopened on Friday and the people began cleaning up in earnest.

Now the storm is impacting eastern China, including Shanghai. More rain and stronger winds are possible until late Friday night. And then, as a low-pressure system, it will bring heavy downpours to Japan,into Saturday, up to 250 millimeters of rain is possible in northern Kyushu during a short period of time with risks of flash floods and landslides. Tokyo will also have intense rain with a high of only 19, but Shanghai and Taipei will see drier conditions on Saturday. 

Moving to Europe, a low-pressure system wringling west of the Iberian peninsula brought severe floods in eastern Spain this week. It's gradually weakening, but there is still a possibility of intense rain, thundershowers and stronger winds.

Meanwhile, in the north, another storm system is moving across the southern parts of the Scandinavian peninsula. Potential floods and landslides are a concern. But minor and calm conditions are dominating Central Europe, so Polish will have sunny skies with a high of 14. That's all for me. Have a nice weekend.

♪♪♪

And that's it for this edition of NHK News Line. I'm Yamaguchi Hiroaki in Tokyo. Thank you very much for staying with us.

at 18:00 (JST), October 31 (AI-CC by Clipchamp)

 

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20241031180000_english_1.mp3

Here in Japan, it's a Thursday evening. I'm James Tengah in Tokyo. Welcome to NHK Newsline. 

North Korea has now confirmed it did test fire an intercontinental ballistic missile Thursday morning. Japan's defense ministry says it flew a record amount of time for the North and may have been a new type of ICBM.
An NHK camera on Hokkaido Prefecture's Okushiri Island captured this footage at about 8:30 AM. It shows white objects appearing to fall over the Sea of Japan. The ministry says the North fired at least one missile at 7:11 AM from an area believed to be close to Pyongyang. It likely landed in the sea outside Japan's exclusive economic zone west of Okushiri.

Defense Minister Nakatani Gen. spoke with reporters shortly after attending a National Security Council meeting.

The missile launch this time is believed to be an intercontinental ballistic missile, but the ministry is continuing to analyze details, including whether it was a new type of ballistic missile. 

He added the missile flew about 1,000 kilometers and stayed airborne for one hour and 26 minutes. It appears to have reached a maximum altitude of over 7,000 kilometers, another record for the country. The Japanese government has lodged a protest strongly condemning the test. The U.S. National Security Council also condemned it, calling the launch a flagrant violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions.
North Korean media reports leader Kim Jong-un oversaw the test. And he said his country will never stop strengthening its nuclear weapons capability.

This is the 12th time this year the North has fired ballistic missiles or projectiles believed to be ballistic missiles. Earlier, I discussed the matter with NHK World's Tokuda Ryosuke. He's our former Seoul correspondent and has been covering the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

Yosuke, what have you learned about the missile launch?

South Korea's defense ministry says it may have been a new type of solid-fuel, long-range biotic missile, and the North may have used a mobile launcher to fire it. The ruling Workers' Party newspaper carried a photo of it last month. The launcher has 12 foils on each side. There has been speculation that it might carry a new type of an ICBM cross missile.

What's behind the timing of this latest launch?Why now?

There is no doubt Pyongyang did a death with the United States in mind ahead of the presidential election next week. Onodera Itsunori chairs the Policy Research Council of Japan's main ruling liberal Democratic Party. He told reporters that, given the wrong flight time, the missile may have been capable of reaching the east coast of the U.S.
Onodera says the North sent a very strong message. Also, take a look at these photos recently released by Pyongyang. They show Kim Jong-un visiting some notable locations, including a Ranium enrichment facility and a strategic missile base. He's showing off the North's nuclear and missile development.

I think Pyongyang wants to signal it, signal it remains a nuclear power and that it will continue to strengthen deterrence against the U.S. no matter who becomes the next president. 

Finally, what do you think North Korea will do next? 

Well, James, it's hard to predict. Japan's chief cabinet secretary saysThere could be more missile launches and also possibly a nuclear test. We do know Pyongyang plans to launch three military reconnaissance satellites by the end of the year. The Japanese government says it will work with the U.S. and South Korea to monitor the situation.
It will also coordinate with the international community, including the UN Security Council. But there's key relationship to factor in. Russia is one of the council's parliament members and has been rapidly getting closer to the north. That makes it difficult for the international community to take a united response.

Tyongyang may further advance its military development if the international community does not find a way to stop it.

Members of the UN Security Council held a heated debate Wednesday over reports North Korean troops have been sent to Russia. The council convened an emergency meeting at Ukraine's request. The country's UN Ambassador, Sergei Kisiltya, said up to 12,000 North Koreans are being trained in Russia's Eastern Military District.
He also said up to 2,100 soldiers flew to Russia's border with Ukraine in late October.

It is also expected that in November 2024, DPRK military personnel will begin directly participating in combat operations against Ukraine's defense forces. 

Council members expressed concern over these developments. Japan's UN Ambassador Yamazaki Kazuyuki said North Korea's involvement will worsen the situation in Ukraine. But Russian Ambassador Vatsile Nabiensia said, his country's interaction with North Korea on military matters is in line with international law, and that no one can forbid it.
North Korean Ambassador Kim Song did not refer directly to reports on his country's troops, but had this to say: 

If Russia's sovereignty and security interests are exposed to and threatened by continued dangerous attempts of the United States and the West, and if it is charged that we should respond to them with something, we will make unnecessary decision.

U.S. Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood called these developments a major threat to peace and security in Europe and the Indo-Pacific.

Should DPRK's troops enter Ukraine in support of Russia, they will surely return in body bags.

Wood also said he would advise the North's leader to think twice about engaging in such reckless and dangerous behavior.

A Ukrainian government official has told NHK that Kiev will urge North Korean soldiers in Russia to surrender if they're sent to the front line to fight against Ukraine.

Russia is running out of its mobilization resources. They are trying to involve other countries in order to reduce tensions within the country. We said it's a small threat, but we are all well aware that they will not succeed.

Vitaly Matvienko is involved in the project, which aims at encouraging North Korean soldiers to surrender. Ukrainian authorities recently released a video targeting North Koreans. It says Ukraine will offer prisoners of war three meals a day. Matvienko said that if North Korean soldiers are sent to the front line, Ukraine will drop leaflets in the Korean language, urging them to lay down their arms.

Our address to the North Korean military. Do you want to live? Surrender.

He also said if North Koreans become prisoners of war, Ukraine would use them as a bargaining chip for exchanges with captured Ukrainian soldiers.

Japan's political sphere is still reeling from the results of last week's lower House election. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party will need support from the opposition to stay in power. Today, it met with the Democratic Party for the People to discuss policy.
LDP Secretary General Moriyama Hiroshi and his DPFP counterpart Shimba Kazuya held talks Thursday. Each party's diet affairs chiefs also attended. The LDP and its junior coalition partner Komeito failed to secure a majority in the election. Moriyama asked for the DPFP's cooperation on 2 upcoming budget bills. The 1st is a supplementary budget bill for the current fiscal year. The second would be a new budget plan for April onwards.

The LDP also sought support in Diet deliberations, but Shimba said his party won't get too close to the LDP.

The DPFP will stay equally distant from the other parties. If the LDP or other parties want our cooperation to implement policies, we will decide on an issue-by-issue basis.

We have agreed to discuss specific issues, including taxation. Democratic Party For the People has agreed to our request for a meeting between the leaders. I hope to settle on a date soon.

The party's leaders are Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru from the LDP and DPFP President Tamaki Yuichiro. They're set to meet before a special diet session to vote on the next prime minister. That's currently scheduled for November 11th. Meanwhile, Komeito's leader says he's stepping down. Chief Representative Ishi Keichi made the announcement Thursday. His party lost eight seats, including his own. He said he's taking responsibility for the set back.

An Indian media outlet says India and China have completed withdrawing their troops in a part of disputed border areas. The outlet reported the news Wednesday, citing Indian militarysources.
China's foreign ministry did not mention the withdrawal at a news conference on the same day, but it said both countries had reached resolutions on border-related issues, and their frontier troops are implementing them. The two countries had been at odds over a tentative demarcation line in the contested border. Both sides suffered casualties there during fighting in 2020. Last week, Beijing and New Delhi reached an agreement on patrolling arrangements. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met in Russia last Wednesday. During their first formal talks in five years, the two leaders agreed to seek ways to resolve the border issue.

♪

Now let's turn to world weather. People in Taiwan are bracing for powerful typhoon Kong Rei. Our meteorologist Yumi Hirano has the details.

The storm is one of the strongest typhoons hitting Taiwan in October. It has already brought over 1,000 millimeters of rainfall since Wednesday, People in the east also experienced gusts of over 280 kilometers per hour. We have some video.
Kumrei has brought heavy rain and strong winds to Taiwan, reportedly injuring dozens of people. The storm has triggered mud slides in mountainous areas and massive waves along the coast. All cities and counties have declared Thursday a day off, with schools and businesses closed. Hundreds of flights and ferry services have been canceled. 

Due to the developed typhoon, gusty winds and high waves of up to 12 millimeters are expected along the coast. In addition, up to 700 millimeters of rainfall is possible by Friday afternoon. Even Taipei may receive heavy downpours of up to 300 millimeters. 

The storm is also expected to impact eastern China, including Shanghai, into Friday, and then it will bring heavy downpours to Japan as a low-pressure system into Saturday. 

The wane will start from Friday and be heavier on Saturday, so if you are traveling over the holiday weekend, please keep an eye out on traffic information.

Moving to Europe, a low-pressure system lingering over the Iberian peninsula brought severe floods in eastern Spain this week. Rain is expected to move west on Thursday with risks of thundershowers, lightning and strong winds. 

Another storm in the north is impacting southern parts of the Scandinavian peninsula. Potential floods and landslides are a concern in southern Norway into Friday. 

That's it for me. Stay safe.

♪♪♪

Do visit our website for more news and information. You can also follow us on X and Facebook as well. I'm James Tangan. Thanks for watching.