Welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Morishita Erika in Tokyo.
Confusion is spreading in the Gaza Strip after Israeli troops reportedly opened fire on people heading to a food distribution point set up by a US-backed aid foundation.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation started its work on Tuesday. Since then, Israeli soldiers have reportedly killed several residents trying to get food.
Authorities in Gaza said three people were shot dead as they gathered to get food on Tuesday. Multiple Arab news outlets reported on Wednesday that six people had been killed by Israeli gunfire as they tried to reach a food distribution point.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian representative delivered an emotional address to the UN Security Council, which met on Wednesday to discuss the food crisis in Gaza.
A dozen of children are dying of starvation. The images of mothers embracing their motionless bodies, caressing their hair,Talking to them, apologizing to them.
Some countries said that priorities should be given to conventional aid cooperation delivered by the UN instead of the private foundation backed by the US.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation lost control of its distribution center. With multiple casualties reported and great distress for those desperately seeking aid.
In contrast, the UN has a clear plan to deliver life-saving aid at scale.
In response, the acting US representative called on the UN to work with the foundation, saying that their system could provide the opportunity to deliver aid directly to civilians without being diverted by Hamas.
Now the latest on Ukraine. US President Donald Trump says he'll know soon whether Russia is serious about peace. It comes as Moscow says it's ready to sit down again with Kiev.
Trump was asked Wednesday if he still thinks Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to end the war.
I can't tell you that, but I'll let you know in about two weeks. Within two weeks, we're going to find out very soon. We're going to find out whether or not he's tapping us along or not. And if he is, we'll respond a little bit differently.
When asked why he doesn't impose new sanctions on Moscow, Trump said if he thinks he's close to a deal, then he doesn't want to screw it up. Moscow and Kyiv may be meeting again soon.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Wednesday they're ready for more talks. He said they could brief Ukraine on a peace memorandum in Turkey next Monday. The two sides last held direct talks in Istanbul about two weeks ago, but they made no progress on ceasefire negotiations.
Days later, Putin said Russia would work with the Ukrainians on a memorandum on a potential peace treaty. Lavlov said the document outlines Russia's position on overcoming what he calls the root causes of the crisis.
Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustam Umelov responded on social media Wednesday. He said they're not opposed to meeting again and are awaiting the memorandum.
Germany, Ukraine to jointly produce long-range weapons
The leaders of Germany and Ukraine have reached an agreement to jointly work on the production of long range weapons.German Chancellor Friedrich Meltz met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Berlin on Wednesday. They discussed ways to deal with Russia, which has been stepping up attacks on Ukraine while rejecting Western requests for ceasefire.
After their meeting, the two leaders spoke to the media.
Moscow is playing for time. The massive airstrikes, especially on Kiev over the weekend, do not speak the language of peace.
Zelenskyy said, every possible pressure needs to be put on Russia. A key question has been whether Germany would supply its Taurus missiles, which have a range of 500 kilometers. Mels made no mention of that.
But he did say on Monday that Germany will allow its weapons to be used for long-range attacks into Russian territory. Russian spokesperson Dmitry Peskov hit back at the agreement between the two countries. He said on state television on Wednesday that it's a hindrance to efforts for peace.
Hardship continues 2 months after Myanmar quake
Two months after a major earthquake hit Myanmar, the suffering continues. NHK World's Yamaka Michitaka went to the country recently.He shows us how one man is taking care of some of the most vulnerable people affected by the disaster, children.
It's almost like time has stood still since March 28. The magnitude 7.7 earthquake devastated this northwestern town.
My two-story building collapsed. I was trapped under debris and rescued, but I lost four members of my family.
Just hearing a car door slam makes me worry another quake will hit.
U Wi Lar Tha is a monk. His temple has been taking in children who lost their homes and those who lost their parents due to the ongoing fighting between the junta and pro-democracy forces. They number about 150 and are between 2 and 16 years of age. Many of them are traumatized.
The most important things for kids now are medical care and education. During the rainy season, illnesses such as influenza increase.
May Yoon Lae Maung is 13. She lives here with her family. U Wi Lar Tha has been especially worried about her. Living through the fighting and the earthquake has made it difficult for her to speak. But U Wi Lar Tha hangs on her every word.
There is still a long road ahead for May Yoon Lae Maung and many of the other kids. But she has started opening up and fighting her way to cope.
Now I help my mother with the housework and at her work. I also tell myself that such a devastating quake will not happen again. That gives me peace.
I would appreciate it. if more people were helping children learn how to cope with life after an earthquake. I only hope that more support will reach many children and that they will be able to live life happy and healthy.
Earlier, I spoke with Michitaka from our Bangkok bureau to learn more about the challenges and the needs in Myanmar.
Michitaka, it's so heartbreaking to see so many children suffering.
One of the ways to help them is by rebuilding their communities. How is that going?
Infrastructure such as electricity and water is coming back, but slowly, many challenges remain. First, people have to actually get rid of all the debris. Authorities say that will take several months and rebuilding will be a lengthy, difficult process that's due to rising costs of housing materials and the labor shortage.
It's worth mentioning that food supplies are getting to the affected areas quicker compared to a month ago, though it's still not fast enough.
The military and pro-democracy forces declared a temporary ceasefire to prioritize the relief efforts. Is that still holding?
The military has extended it until Saturday, but the real question is, has there really been a ceasefire to begin with?Local media report this is the aftermath of an airstrike on a school earlier this month. It killed more than 20 children.
Another airstrike the following day reportedly killed or injured dozens.
Pro-democracy forces blame the military.
They claim that the military has conducted hundreds of airstrikes since the quake, killing more than 400 people. The military denies this. Meantime, the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are urging all parties to extend the ceasefire.
Umm It's a very complicated situation. What kind of support do the people in Myanmar need?
There are the obvious ones, of course, food and water, supplies, housing. But as was the case following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, there is a big need for privacy.
Many women and children tell me they are suffering mental health problems due to the lack of privacy. Some women also say they are worried about being abused by their partners due to all the stress caused by the disaster. And the situation may soon get worse. Schools and public facilities are set to reopen next month.
Authorities are asking people living there to leave.
Something that stuck out to me during my trip to the country was what one woman told me. She said she knows her life would continue to be difficult, but she wants to cherish that life and remain positive about the future.
We turn now to space research. A probe is on its way from China to collect samples from an asteroid orbiting the sun and bring them to Earth.
The state-run Xinhua News Agency says the mission is called Tianwen 2. It's heading for an asteroid called Kamo Oalewa. A Chinese team plans for it to collect rocks and bring them to Earth by late 2027.
When the asteroid is closest to Earth, it's about 40 times as far away as the moon. A Xinha report says the immense distance imposes tough requirements on the probe. This mission is the first of its kind for China. Asteroid samples have already been retrieved by probes from Japan and the United States.
Now let's see what's happening in the world of business. Here's Ramin Mellegard from our business desk.
US court rules global tariffs exceed Trump's authority
Now, a US federal court on Wednesday blocked President Donald Trump's sweeping global tariffs. The ruling struck at the basis for the levies that have rattled global markets. The court ordered an injunction on tariffs that were based on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEPA. It said that the levies exceed any authorities granted, any authority granted by the law to the president. The court order covers what Trump calls reciprocal tariffs on countries and regions that have large trade surpluses. With the US, it also applies to a 10% universal levy.Tariffs on China and Mexico over an influx of drugs such as fentanyl are also affected by the. ruling. The court said that the IEPA does not authorize any of the worldwide retaliatory or trafficking tariff orders.
The White House has notified the court of its intention to appeal the ruling. A spokesperson told NHK that it is not for unelected judges to decide how to address a national emergency. He added that the administration is committed to using every lever of executive power to address the crisis.
G7 preparing summit statements on key issues
And NHK has learned that the Group of Seven leaders are preparing to adopt statements at next month's summit on cooperating on AI and other issues. The themes for so-called outcome documents include fighting wildfires and immigration issues. G7 leaders are scheduled to meet in Canada in mid-June.
They reportedly intend to release at least seven outcome documents at the upcoming meeting. Statements that appear to relate to China include one on establishing critical mineral supply chains. The documents also expressed concern about attacks on human rights activists and journalists outside national borders. G7 leaders are expected to continue working on the wording of outcome documents.
Nvidia Feb.-Apr. revenue surges, but chip controls dent profit
Strong demand for semiconductors used in data centers lifted the results, but chips that NVIDIA developedfor China and elsewhere became subject to US export controls last month. This weighed on results and led the company to incur a four and a half billion dollar charge. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang reiterated his opposition to export limits. He said that China is one of the biggest AI markets in the world and half of global researchers in the field are based in the country.
Government-stockpiled rice starts reaching retailers
On Thursday, a shipment of the grain arrived at a polishing plant in the northeastern prefecture of Miyagi. The facility belongs to a retailer affiliated with household goods maker Iris Ohyama.
The affiliate has signed a contract to buy 10,000 tons through the program. Iris Oyama says it started accepting orders on its website at 1:00 PM on Thursday, but it sold out the amount allocated for the day in about 45 minutes. The firm says it will accept orders again on Friday, starting from 1:00 PM.
We will work speedily to hand the rice to consumers as early as possible.
Now the grain is expected to hit store shelves on Monday with the price of 2,160 yen or approximately $15 for a 5 kilogram bag. Internet retail giant Rakuten Group also started selling the released rice on Thursday through a dedicated web page. The firm is allotting rice for sale by the day. The first batch sold out quickly.
Agriculture Minister Koizumi Shinjiro says that his ministry is working to set separate slots for local rice shops and smaller supermarkets. The ministry is aiming to sell the reserved rice to a wide variety of retailers so that the crop will reach a wider population.
Now, Tokyo's benchmark stock index rose sharply on Thursday.
Investors were encouraged by reports that the US Federal Trade Court has blocked President Trump from imposing sweeping tariffs on imports.
The Nikkei 225 closed the day at 38,432, up nearly 1.9 percent. It recovered the 38,000 mark for the first time in about two weeks. Analysts say some investors bought export related shares and that robust earnings of US chip giant Nvidia also helped push up the benchmark. The US course decision triggered dollar buying against the Japanese currency in Tokyo. The yen briefly weakened to the 146 level.
OK, let's get a check on the markets.
♪
And that's it for Business News. I'm going to hand it back to you.
Thank you, Ramin.
Next, Tokyo police have arrested a man on suspicion of betting huge sums of money in online casino gambling and illegal activity in Japan. He's also believed to have been earning money by promoting an online casino site through social media.
38-year-old Chomabayashi Makoto allegedly bet 92-million yen, or about $630,000, on a casino site starting in 2022. Chomabayashi is a company worker in Fukushima Prefecture. He also posted images on social media of winning at online casino. He allegedly earned 2 percent of the money wagered by users of the site who had visited his social media account. Chomabayashi is said to have netted around $48,000 from this scam.
Police believed he bet a total of 28 billion yen himself, or about 192 million dollars. That would be the largest amount ever wagered by an individual in a gambling case handled by Japanese police. The suspect is believed to have lost over $270,000 in all. Police say he has admitted to the allegations and said he knew what he was doing was illegal, but thought he wouldn't get caught.
A growing number of people in Japan are fighting back against online slander by taking legal action. The country's top court says there was a 70% rise in digital defamation filings last year.
Slanderous posts are often made anonymously. But a system launched in 2022 has made it easier for victims to identify the perpetrators. People can now seek a court order against social media platforms and Internet service providers to disclose the identities of users. It's made seeking compensation or filing criminal complaints for Internet rival quicker and cheaper.
Japan's Supreme Court says preliminary data found there were over 6,700 filings in 2024. Yamaguchi Shinichi, an expert on social media slander, says a growing number of Japanese celebrities are considering using the system against their hate posters. That's helping more and more people realize they have the power to fight back.
Authorities in Cambodia have detained dozens of foreigners, including around 30 people believed to be Japanese. Sources say local investigators searched a building in the northwestern city of Poipette on Tuesday, acting on information that Japanese nationals were involved in fraud. They reportedly have been transferred to Phnom Penh. The sources say guards protected the walled compound, which is suspected to have been used as a scam base. The heavy security appeared designed to block investigations and stop anyone inside from escaping. A series of cases have been uncovered in Southeast Asia, involving Japanese criminal groups. In eastern Myanmar, Japanese and many other foreigners were found to have been forced to carry out fraudulent activities for scam groups in several places. Japanese police are investigating.
♪
Time now for a check on the weather. Torrential rain could reach warning levels in Japan's Kanto region on Friday. Our meteorologist Yumi Hirano has the details.
Up to 140 millimeters of heavy rain is possible in Kanto, leading to flash flooding. There are risks of gusty winds and lightning as well. Heavy rain is also likely in Tokyo. The high will drop to only 16, so please prepare for downpours and unusually low temperatures. Meanwhile, Sapporo will see sunny skies and midsummer-like conditions. The temperature will reach 29, the highest of the year so far. This warming trend is also expected in other parts of Asia. The highs will be 28 in Seoul and 33 in Beijing.
Moving to the United States, back-to-back storms have been impacting the southern plains. People in Oklahoma have experienced severe weather.
Massive storm clouds were captured on local TV in Oklahoma on Wednesday with lightning and heavy rain. In the southern plains on Wednesday, gusts of up to 140 kilometers per hour and hail, nearly the size of softballs, were reported, causing widespread power outages that are still ongoing.
As of early Thursday morning, over 50,000 customers are without power. Due to low pressure and frontal systems, severe weather is likely to continue in Oklahoma and Texas on Thursday.
Severe weather are also expected to move towards the deep south on Friday.
Thunder showers are possible in Houston, Atlanta and Miami. But dry and hot conditions are an issue in the southwest. The high in Las Vegas will be 38.
That's it for now. Have a nice day.
♫~
That's all for this edition of NHK Newsline. I'm Morishita Erika in Tokyo.
Thank you for watching.
0 件のコメント:
コメントを投稿