Key words : students arrested
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240430_16/
US campus tensions grow as protesters denounce Israeli attacks on Gaza
Hundreds of demonstrators at about 20 universities across the United States have reportedly been arrested as protests against Israeli attacks on Gaza expand.
Columbia University in New York had warned students who had pitched tents on campus that they would be suspended if they did not disperse by 2 p.m. Monday.
The move drew more students who marched and chanted that they would not stop.
A student organizer said the university had not made significant concessions to their demand of divestment from companies with links to Israel. She said they will stand in solidarity with other student movements across the country.
The New York Times reports that more than 800 students at roughly 20 universities in 16 states have been arrested.
Demonstrators were also arrested at the University of Texas at Austin on Monday after a scuffle between police and students.
People other than students have been joining demonstrations at campuses across the country, and discrimination against Jewish students is being reported.
US media reports say the situation could swiftly become more tense if universities respond forcefully.
Key words : state department violation
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240430_07/
US confirms 5 Israeli units committed human rights violations before Oct. 7
The US State Department says it has confirmed that five Israeli security force units committed gross human rights violations before last October, when the conflict with Hamas began.
The State Department's deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters on Monday that none of the individual incidents took place in Gaza. He added that four of the "units have effectively remediated" the violations.
Patel did not provide any specifics regarding the cases. But US media outlets have reported that the Israeli units tortured and abused Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
US law prohibits the country from giving foreign security force units military assistance, when there is credible information implicating them in gross human rights violations.
Ahead of Patel's news conference, US media outlets reported that Washington could suspend military aid to an Israel Defense Forces unit. The reports drew a sharp response from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The US law does allow for exceptions. Military aid can be provided, if the secretary of state determines that the implicated security force's government is taking effective steps to bring those responsible to justice.
Key words : blinken negotiating
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240430_N02/
US Secretary of State urges Israel, Hamas to accept truce
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has tried again to bring delegates from Israel and Hamas to the negotiating table. He met with members of the Gulf Cooperation Council on Monday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Blinken told leaders of Gulf nations and the Palestinian Authority that he has seen "measurable progress" in the humanitarian situation in Gaza. However, he said a "more just" solution would be to reach a ceasefire and bring the hostages held by Hamas home.
Blinken wants the Israelis to take concrete steps to protect civilians in Gaza. He wants the leaders of Hamas to accept what he calls an "extraordinarily generous" proposal. Negotiators have not made the terms of Israel's latest truce proposal public, but media reports suggest the Israelis are open to discussing an end to the conflict in exchange for the hostages' release. "The only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire is Hamas," Blinken said.
The reports also say Hamas negotiators are in Cairo to meet with mediators from Egypt and Qatar. The reports quote Israeli sources as saying their delegates will head there on Tuesday.
Blinken said US diplomats are not "waiting on a ceasefire" to push for more aid and to protect aid workers.
Key words : nato secretary
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240430_03/
NATO chief calls for prompt deliveries of military assistance to Ukraine
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says the United States and European countries bear the responsibility of promptly delivering military assistance they have promised to Ukraine.
Stoltenberg and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke to reporters after holding talks in Kyiv on Monday.
Zelenskyy referred to additional military support announced by the United States and other countries. He said he doesn't see any positive developments regarding timely support for his country's armed forces. He said limited supplies have begun, but that the process needs to be sped up.
Citing stalled military aid for Ukraine, Stoltenberg said the lack of ammunition has enabled Russia to push forward along the frontline.
But the NATO chief said it's not too late for Ukraine to prevail as more support is on the way.
He said that "our responsibility is to ensure these announcements are turned into real deliveries" of weapons and ammunition as soon as possible.
Ukraine faces serious shortages of ammunition and air defense missiles, resulting in Russian forces' advance on the frontlines in eastern Ukraine.
Key words : Kishida no plan
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240430_17/
Kishida 'no intention' of dissolving Lower House
Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio says he has no plans for a snap election after the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party took all seats in three by-elections on the weekend.
The main ruling Liberal Democratic Party did not field a candidate in two of those constituencies, but lost the other in Shimane Prefecture.
Kishida said on Tuesday that a simmering money scandal is taking its toll. He said: "The LDP's political fundraising issue proved to be a major factor during the Shimane election campaign. I am very sorry for the defeat -- both to the candidate and to all of the local people who gave him their support."
The prime minister vows to fulfill his duties, including as LDP president. Kishida says he will work to restore public trust through political and party reforms, as well as by tackling rising prices.
Lawmakers in the CDP will now be heaping pressure on Kishida in the Diet. But he says he has no intention of dissolving the Lower House.
Key words : chatgpt
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240430_13/
Financial Times, OpenAI ink deal to use FT archives in ChatGPT
The Financial Times and OpenAI, the US developer of artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT, have signed a partnership and licensing agreement.
The two companies announced the deal on Monday.
The deal allows ChatGPT to tap into the newspaper's archives to learn to generate output.
The Financial Times says, "Through the partnership, ChatGPT users will be able to see select attributed summaries, quotes and rich links" to the paper's journalism in response to relevant queries.
The Financial Times operates under the umbrella of Japan's Nikkei.
The move followed similar deals made with OpenAI by the Associated Press and Germany's Axel Springer, both major Western media companies.
On the other hand, the New York Times sued OpenAI and Microsoft last December for the unauthorized use of its articles to train their artificial intelligence programs. Microsoft is OpenAI's business partner.
Key words : xi first visit
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240429_14/
Xi to visit France, Serbia and Hungary next week
Chinese President Xi Jinping is to visit France, Serbia and Hungary next week.
China's Foreign Ministry announced on Monday that Xi will make a trip from May 5 to 10.
It will be Xi's first visit to France in five years. He is scheduled to meet French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss topics including China-EU relations.
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said the visit will coincide with the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and France.
The spokesperson also said that the time has come to take the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership to a new level.
Xi is also scheduled to hold summit talks with the leaders of Serbia and Hungary. The foreign ministry said they will reaffirm the results of cooperation through the Belt and Road initiative and strengthen partnerships.
Beijing has stepped up its diplomatic offensive recently.
Earlier this month, Xi agreed with visiting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz that their countries will boost economic cooperation.
Hungary is a member of the European Union, but sometimes refuses to follow the regional bloc's policies.
China is believed to be trying to counter efforts by the United States to curb Beijing's global influence, and to drive a wedge between EU members that are working to reduce their dependence on China.
Key words : united nations north
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240430_01/
Mandate of UN panel monitoring N.Korea sanctions to expire following Russia veto
The mandate of a United Nations panel to monitor the implementation of sanctions against North Korea will expire on Tuesday, following Russia's veto of its continuation.
Last month, Russia vetoed a resolution at the UN Security Council that would have extended the panel's mandate.
Launched in 2009, the panel has looked into how Pyongyang has evaded sanctions and continued its nuclear and missile development programs. The group has issued reports twice every year.
The latest document said 40 percent of North Korea's weapons of mass destruction programs are funded by "illicit cybermeans," citing a report by a UN member state.
It also said the panel is looking into North Korea's alleged arms supply to Russia. Such transfers would violate UN Security Council resolutions.
The US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield has indicated that the US would work with Japan, South Korea and others to create a new mechanism for checking evasions of sanctions.
Takeuchi Maiko, a former member of the panel, told NHK that she believes Russia vetoed the resolution in order to make it easier for the country to evade sanctions to import ammunition from North Korea and do other things.
She indicated that her view is that North Korea has become a country necessary for Russia, as Pyongyang provides ballistic missiles and ammunition to the country amid Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
Takeuchi said Russia may also have wanted to create an obligation of gratitude from Pyongyang, so that it will continue supplying missiles and munitions.
She also talked about the possible impact of the expiration of the panel's mandate.
She said Pyongyang could take advantage of the situation to send laborers to other countries and export minerals.
Key words : japanese authorities key technologies
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240430_11/
Japan to introduce new rules on overseas transfers of key technologies
Japanese authorities plan to introduce new rules on the international transfer of technologies from the country's key industries to prevent them being used for military purposes.
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is expected to oblige private companies to report to the ministry in advance when they plan to transfer technologies from competitive Japanese products, such as semiconductors, aircraft and related products, outside of the country.
Currently, the ministry requires private firms to obtain government permission to transfer technologies related to nuclear power and chemical weapons overseas.
It also requires them to get such permission for the overseas transfer of other technologies that have potential military applications. But prior reporting is not an obligation.
The ministry says it faces the need to strengthen measures to respond to an increase in dual-use technologies that can be used in both the military and civilian sectors.
Under the new scheme, which targets industries where Japan has an edge, private firms are obliged to report to the government in advance if they plan to conduct a joint study or build a plant overseas.
If the government decides that there is a risk of anything being diverted to military use, it will ask the company to get permission in advance. Companies will be punished if they make false statements.
The ministry plans to discuss with the relevant industries what technologies should be subject to the new rules, and to take the procedures necessary to revise relevant ordinances as early as this summer.
Key words : new school year uniform solution
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/videos/20240430161527813/
Giving pre-loved uniforms a second life
A dry cleaner near Nagasaki, Kyushu, is giving a new life to used school uniforms, which are donated by clients, restored and then given away for free which is eco and wallet friendly.
