Key words : russia attack infrastructure
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20221231_16/
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has vowed to strengthen his country's air defenses, as Russia keeps up its attacks on many parts of the country.
Russia continued to strike with drones and missiles on Thursday and Friday, targeting infrastructure in Kyiv and elsewhere.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko said drones had been shot down, but falling debris had damaged buildings.
Russia's defense ministry said on Friday its forces conducted large-scale assaults on electricity facilities supporting Ukraine's military command and defense industry.
Meanwhile, fierce fighting is raging in the eastern province of Donetsk.
News footage taken on Friday at a field hospital in the province showed injured troops being carried on stretchers while being treated by medical workers.
Zelenskyy referred to the situation in eastern parts of Ukraine in a video address released on Friday. He said Ukrainians are "slowly advancing" in some frontline areas.
He said, "This year, we not only maintained our air defenses, but we made them stronger than ever. But in the New Year Ukrainian air defense will become even stronger, even more effective."
He reiterated his resolve to counter Russian attacks, as his country continues to receive military supplies from Western countries.
Key words : international atomic
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20221231_17/
The International Atomic Energy Agency says a back-up power line to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine has been disconnected due to damage caused by shelling.
The IAEA said in a statement on Friday that the connection to the plant's last functioning back-up line was lost on Thursday as a result of damage on the other side of the Dnipro River, some distance away from the plant itself.
The statement did not blame either Russia or Ukraine for the shelling.
The nuclear watchdog said work to repair the line is already underway.
It added that the Zaporizhzhia plant continues to receive the electricity it needs for reactor cooling and other essential functions from the facility's only remaining operational external power line.
The site of one of Europe's largest nuclear power stations has been occupied by Russian forces since the early stages of the invasion of Ukraine.
Workers have had to restore external power to the plant every time shelling cut the supply line.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said all military action potentially threatening the nuclear safety and security of Ukraine's nuclear power plants must stop immediately.
He stressed the need to implement a nuclear safety and security protection zone around the Zaporizhzhia plant as soon as possible.
Key words : putin skipped
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20221231_04/
Russian President Vladimir Putin has skipped his custom of sending season's greetings to countries opposed to his country's military actions in Ukraine, highlighting the confrontation with Western nations.
Russia's presidential office on Friday revealed Putin's Christmas and New Year greetings to foreign heads of state and government.
The heads of countries that received his greetings included former Soviet republics, Middle Eastern and Latin American nations, as well as China and India.
The United States and European countries did not receive his messages this year, except for Hungary and Serbia, as they handle relations with Russia independently.
The Russian government said that last year Putin sent season's greetings to US President Joe Biden, heads of Britain, France and Germany, and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov made it clear that Putin would not send congratulatory messages to countries not amicable to Russia.
Meanwhile, Russia continued to bomb Ukraine with drones and missiles, targeting its infrastructure in the capital Kyiv and elsewhere on Thursday and Friday.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said although drones were shot down, the falling debris damaged buildings.
The Russian defense ministry said on Friday that its troops conducted large-scale assaults on electricity facilities supporting Ukraine's military command systems and defense industry.
Key words : defense ministry north 350
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20221231_15/
Japan's Defense Ministry officials say North Korea launched three ballistic missiles on Saturday morning. They say the missiles appear to have fallen into the Sea of Japan outside the country's exclusive economic zone.
The officials say the missiles were launched from around 8:01 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. on Saturday from near the capital Pyongyang.
They say the missiles were fired in a northeastern direction and flew for about 350 kilometers before dropping in the sea off the Korean Peninsula's east coast. Their maximum altitude is estimated to have been about 100 kilometers.
There have been no reports of damage to Japanese vessels and aircraft so far.
Saturday's launch is the 37th firing of ballistic missiles by North Korea this year and the first since December 23.
Ministry sources say the latest launch is possibly a reaction to South Korea's testing of a solid-fuel rocket on Friday.
Key words : standing committee
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20221231_01/
China has appointed Qin Gang, who currently serves as the Chinese ambassador to the United States, as its new foreign minister.
The state-run China Central Television reported that the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress made the appointment on Friday.
Qin is 56 years old. He had served as a ministry spokesperson for more than eight years before being promoted to vice foreign minister in 2018. He was chosen to be China's ambassador to the US in 2021.
Meanwhile, Wang Yi, the current foreign minister who held the job for nine years, will take over from Yang Jiechi as China's top diplomat at the party's decision-making body, the 24-member Politburo.
Wang had been promoted to join the Politburo in October at the age of 69. Under the party's unwritten rule, top officials are supposed to retire at the age of 68.
Key words : european nation tighter
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20221231_13/
European nations are moving to impose tighter COVID-19 measures for arrivals from China amid the reported surge in the number of new coronavirus cases in the country.
The British government announced new measures on Friday for people traveling from mainland China on direct flights to England. Starting from January 5, these arrivals will need to show a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than two days before departure.
British officials cited a lack of comprehensive health information shared by China.
They also said that from January 8, a sample of arrivals will be tested to monitor for potential new variants of the coronavirus.
The French government announced on Friday that it will require air travelers from China to provide a negative test result obtained within two days of departure.
The rule is expected to take effect as early as January 1. Officials said the test will be required on all flights from China, including those with stopovers. Passengers on those flights will have to wear masks on board.
The officials cited an expected spike in arrivals from China around next month's Lunar New Year holidays. They also pointed to a possible emergence of new variants as more people travel.
Spain's government announced on Friday that it will require arrivals from China to provide negative test results or proof of vaccination.
Italy is also mandating coronavirus tests for passengers from China.
Key words : japanese government border control
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20221230_02/
The Japanese government on Friday imposed emergency border controls on travelers from China, due to a surge in the number of coronavirus cases there.
All travelers on direct flights from mainland China and people who have been there within seven days prior to entry to Japan will be tested for the virus upon arrival.
If they test positive, those with symptoms will be required to stay at quarantine facilities for seven days. Those with no symptoms will be required to do so for five days.
Samples of all positive cases will be sent for genomic analysis to check for any possible new variants.
Direct flights from China will be limited to four airports: Narita and Haneda serving Tokyo, and Kansai and Chubu. Airlines have been asked not to increase the number of flights between Japan and China.
Direct flights from Hong Kong and Macao will be allowed to fly to Shin-Chitose, Fukuoka and Naha in addition to the four airports if they do not carry anyone who has been in mainland China within seven days prior to entry.
The government plans to monitor the infection situation in China to determine how long the measures should stay in place.
Key words : south korean government similar measure
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Key words : rescue operation 10 structures
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20221231_09/
A search-and-rescue operation is underway after a landslide hit a cluster of buildings in northeastern Japan. Authorities say two people have been pulled from the rubble, but a couple in their 70s and 80s remain unaccounted for.
Police say they were alerted to the disaster early on Saturday in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture. The collapsed slope engulfed more than 10 structures, including houses.
Police say a man in his 70s and a woman in her 60s have been rescued and taken to a hospital.
One man who lives nearby told NHK some local residents have been told to evacuate. Police believe the landslide is more than 100 meters wide.
Key words : two people stranded
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20221231_05/
Two people were left stranded on a freefall ride at an amusement park in Osaka, western Japan. They spent about four hours dangling at a height of around 50 meters.
The ride stopped moving at nearly the top of the tower structure at the Hirakata Park at around 7 p.m. on Friday.
Park employees said emergency measures were in place to lower some of the seats to the ground. But the two people were at a height that was beyond the ladder truck's reach.
Rescuers were able to lower a man and a woman in their 20s to the ground just after 11 p.m. The two were said to have suffered from exhaustion and were taken to a hospital.
The rescued woman told NHK that she thought she would not be able to survive after seeing rescuers and their ladder truck leaving the site shortly after arriving.
She said she lost consciousness a number of times in the cold weather, and felt pains all over her body.
The head of the amusement park apologized for the trouble, citing a failure in emergency measures.
Officials decided to close the park on Saturday to look into the cause of the problem, as well as to conduct safety checks throughout the facility.
