Hello. Welcome back to NHK Newsline. I'm Maria Sato in Tokyo.
MORE THAN 200 DEAD IN MINE COLLAPSE IN DR CONGO
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a rebel group says a mine collapse has killed more than 200 people.
Reuters news agency reported the dust toll, citing a spokesperson for the rebel group M23, which controls the site in Rubaiya in the country's east.
The mine produces the metallic ore coltan.
It's the source of tantalum, which is used in electronic parts for smartphones and other products.
The Associated Press says over 15 percent of the world's tantalum comes from mines in Rubaiya.
There were concerns before the collapse on Wednesday as tunnels are dug by hand and there are insufficient safety measures.
The UN points out that the mines are a funding source for M23's offensive.
The rebel group is backed by neighboring Rwanda and has repeatedly clashed with DRC government forces.
Prompted by a strong interest in critical minerals, the US-Trump administration has stepped in to mediate peace.
GAZA DEATH TOLL OVER 500 FROM ISRAELI STRIKES SINCE OCT.
Authorities in the Gaza Strip say more than 500 people have died in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire began.
The truce between Israel and Hamas went into effect since October as the first phase of a peace plan.
Israel has carried out strikes intermittently, accusing Hamas of violating the agreement.
On Saturday, the Israeli military said it had struck a weapons storage facility and other Hamas targets across Gaza.
Palestinian media say 31 people were killed in northern and southern parts of the enclave when buildings and tents sheltering residents came under attack.
Health authorities in Gaza said on Saturday that the death toll since the start of the ceasefire had reached 509.
Hamas released a statement condemning Israel for a brutal crime and a flagrant violation of the ceasefire agreement.
The United States last month announced the transition to the second phase of the peace plan, which aims to move toward demilitarization and reconstruction.
EXPLOSIONS AT RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS IN IRAN, ATTACK DENIED
In Iran, a media outlet says an explosion at a residential building killed one person and injured 14. The blast occurred in the southern city of Bandar Abbas on Saturday.
The Tasnim News Agency quotes fire authorities as saying it was caused by a gas leak.
The news agency is linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and denies claims that a Navy commander was targeted.
It says the rumors are completely false and are part of psychological operations by anti-Iranian groups.
In a separate incident, there was a gas explosion at a residential building in the southwestern city of Ahvaz, which reportedly killed four people.
Large-scale anti-government protests have caused many casualties in Iran.
US President Donald Trump has been stepping up military pressure on the country to enter negotiations concerning its nuclear program.
MEXICO PRESIDENT WARNS OF HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN CUBA
Mexico's president is warning that US tariffs on countries supplying oil to Cuba could trigger a humanitarian crisis in the Caribbean nation.
Claudia Schoenbaum is instead calling for a diplomatic solution.
US President Trump signed an executive order on Thursday imposing additional tariffs on any country selling or supplying oil to Cuba.
As Mexico sends oil to Cuba as humanitarian aid, Trump's order prompted a swift reaction from Schoenbaum.
00:04:25 (Claudia Sheinbaum /Mexican President)
The application of tariffs on countries that supply oil to Cuba could trigger a far-reaching humanitarian crisis, directly affecting hospitals, food supplies, and other basic services for the Cuban people.
00:04:42 (Maria Sato)
The Mexican president said she would seek ways to show solidarity with Cuba while avoiding putting her country at risk.
NHK, RESEARCHERS MAKE POWER-GENERATING DISPLAY
Japanese researchers from NHK and two universities have developed an organic LED display that can also generate power from light.
They hope that it will allow smartphones to be charged during natural disasters.
Researchers from NHK Science and Technology Research Laboratories, Shiba University and Kyoto University announced their development in the British science journal Nature Communications.
They say the glass display has special semiconductor elements that emit red, green, or blue light, and it also converts surrounding light into electricity.
They say they succeeded making elements that alternate between creating light and generating power.
The team says similar devices are in development, but this is the first that can create blue light.
They say that this increases the efficiency of both functions, paving the way for low-power displays and other practical applications.
00:06:10 (Shimizu Takahisa /Researcher, NHK Science & Technology Research Lab.)
At disaster sites and other situations where devices cannot be charged, it's important to have devices that can charge themselves, so people can receive important information.
00:06:22 (Maria Sato)
The researcher adds that the team will continue working toward putting the development into practical use.
TASTY OYSTER FESTIVAL IN HIROSHIMA PREF.
A city in Hiroshima Prefecture, western Japan, has held a food festival to promote the deliciousness of its oysters.
Officials are hoping to dispel concerns about a massive die-off of farmed shellfish in the area.
Hatsukai-ichi city officials said about 50 to 90 percent of locally farmed oysters died, but the remaining ones grew up to be healthy.
A fisheries cooperative and other groups aimed to showcase the safety of the surviving farmed oysters in the settle inland sea.
The festival used about half the usual quantity of shellfish.
Vendors offered a variety of dishes, including fried oysters and rice porridge.
Many people began visiting the venue from early Sunday morning.
00:07:27 (visitor 1)
Everything tasted great.
00:07:30 (visitor 2)
We want people to know about the safety of our oysters to protect the brand.
♫
COLD SNAP CREATES HUGE ICICLES IN GORGE NEAR TOKYO
00:08:02 (Maria Sato)
Sightseers at a gorge in Saitama Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo, are enjoying a spectacular view of massive icicles along a mountainside.
Residents of Ogano Town pour mountain runoff water on Onouchi Gorge every winter to create large icicles.
A recent cold snap has helped the display grow into what looks like a giant wall of ice 250 meters long and 50 meters high.
On Saturday, visitors were seen taking pictures of the ice pillars from a nearby suspension bridge.
A man who visits every year says that this year's icicles look better than usual.
00:08:46 （visitor 1)
It makes me feel refreshed because the air is different.
00:08:51 (Maria Sato)
A woman says it's her first visit.
00:08:55 話(visitor 2)
It was freezing, but I was impressed by the beauty of the icicles.
00:09:01 (Maria Sato)
The wintry display is expected to remain visible until late February.
Those were the headlines for this hour.
WEATHER
♫～ 3-DAY FORECAST ～♫
And that's all for this hour on NHK Newsline. I'm Maria Sato in Tokyo.
Do stay with us on NHK World Japan.
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