Hello, welcome back to NHK News Line. I'm Maria Sato in Tokyo.
MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT CONTINUES AMID MIXED MESSAGES
It's now about three weeks since the US and Israel began military operations against Iran, and US President Donald Trump has said he's considering winding down the Middle East campaign. But the situation remains unclear as attacks continue.
The Israeli military released this video on Thursday, saying it attacked Iranian naval vessels in a port on the Caspian Sea.
Iran is also continuing to strike back with missiles.
Israeli media reported on Friday that fragments of an intercepted missile fell near Jewish and Muslim holy sites in the old city of Jerusalem.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Arachi said on social media that he has information on Israeli plans to strike infrastructure.
He vowed zero restraint if such attacks are carried out.
Trump said on Friday that he will continue military operations.
00:01:11 話者 2/Donald Trump
We can have dialogue, but I don't want to do a ceasefire.
You know, you don't do a ceasefire when you're literally obliterating the other side.
00:01:21 (Maria Sato)
But he wrote on social media on the same day that the objectives in the military operation against Iran are close to being met, and he's considering winding it down.
AP noted his statement is at odds with his administration's move to send more troops and warships to the region.
Earlier, Reuters quoted US officials as saying the Pentagon is deploying thousands of additional Marines and sailors to the Middle East.
It states that the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer and its Marine Expeditionary Unit were departing from the US west coast.
The officials say no decision has been made to send troops into Iran, but they will build up capacity for potential future operations in the region.
One official says the deployment is three weeks ahead of schedule.
Iran's effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz is raising crude oil prices.
The US Treasury Department announced on Friday it will temporarily allow trading of sanctioned Iranian crude oil and oil products until April 19.
Treasury Chief Scott Bessent says this short-term authorization is strictly limited to oil that's already in transit.
IEA PROPOSES MEASURES TO REDUCE OIL CONSUMPTION
As the conflict in Iran drives up energy prices, member nations of the International Energy Agency last week agreed to release a record amount of crude oil reserves.
The agency is now proposing measures to curb oil consumption.
The IEA on Friday released a report outlining 10 proposals for households, businesses and governments.
Several are related to road transport, which the IEA says accounts for about 45 percent of global oil demand.
They include reducing speed limits on highways by at least 10 kilometers per hour, encouraging the use of public transport, and working from home.
The agency also recommends avoiding business-purpose air travel if other options exist.
IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol says the fallout from the energy crisis will worsen without a swift resolution.
He adds that the proposals are aimed at sheltering consumers from the impacts.
IRANIAN CULTURAL FESTIVAL OPENS IN MOSCOW
Meanwhile, in Russia, an exhibition of Iranian culture has opened.
The two countries have traditionally maintained friendly ties.
The cultural festival began at a museum in Moscow on Friday to mark the Nowruz, or Persian New Year's Day.
The event includes landscape and figure paintings by Iranian artists, as well as seventh-century coins unearthed in the country.
Organizers and participants expressed solidarity with Iranian people facing ongoing US-Israeli attacks.
00:04:22 話者 3
This event represents our wishes for peace, prosperity and happiness for our friends in Iran.
I sincerely hope Iran will be a country where people can live peacefully in the near future.
00:04:35 話者 4
It's very important to show there are people living their lives in Iran.
They are good, sophisticated and educated people.
They will not be daunted by any terror, invasions and attacks.
00:04:47 (Maria Sato)
The event schedule was decided before the attacks. Organizers have scaled down the folk dance and music performances as Iran suffers extensive damage.
TAKAICHI WRAPS UP US TRIP
Japan's Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae has wrapped up a visit to the United States.
Xi and President Trump held a wide-ranging summit covering Iran, China, economic security, and investment into American industries.
This was Takaichi's first stateside trip since taking office in October.
Before heading home on Friday, she laid flowers at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, where hundreds of thousands of US military veterans have been laid to rest.
Takaichi met Trump on Thursday. She conveyed Japan's views about the situation in Iran and stressed the need for early de-escalation.
She also said Japan opposes Iran's attacks on countries in the region and its effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump reportedly asked Japan to help ensure that ships can navigate safely in the key waterway.
Takaichi says she responded by pointing out there are actions that Japan can and cannot take within the framework of domestic laws.
Takaichi said the two countries will advance cooperation in a wide range of areas.
She also said she will work with Trump to elevate the Japan-US alliance.
Japanese officials say the summit is widely seen as a success.
One source says the talks transpired within the range of what Japan was anticipating.
The source suggested Japan got off to a good start by offering to help tackle rising crude oil prices.
But observers say Japan will likely be required to make more decisions about the unpredictable situation in Iran in the future.
S.KOREAN MEDIA: 10 PEOPLE FOUND DEAD AFTER FACTORY FIRE
South Korean media reports say at least 10 people have died in a fire at an auto parts factory in the central city of Daejeon.
Some people are unaccounted for as of Saturday morning.
Fire department authorities say about 170 workers were inside the plant when the blaze started on Friday afternoon.
They say 59 people were injured from smoke inhalation, jumping from the building to escape, and other causes. The fire was extinguished late at night.
Most of the bodies were reportedly found on the building's third floor.
Police and fire officials are trying to confirm their identities.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SUES HARVARD UNIVERSITY
The US Justice Department has sued Harvard University over allegations the Ivy League school failed to protect Jewish students.
The Trump administration has been pressuring US universities by freezing funds.
This follows widespread anti-Israel protests on campuses over the conflict in Gaza.
The authorities claim the schools did not do enough to rein in the rallies, exposing Jewish students to danger.
Some universities have bowed to the pressure and reached deals with the government.
The lawsuit was filed in a federal district court in the state of Massachusetts.
It argues that Harvard violated the civil rights of Jewish students and calls for a return of federal grants, among other demands.
In a statement, Harvard said the lawsuit represents another pretextual and retaliatory action by the administration and that it would continue to defend itself.
A federal district court ruled last September that the administration's partial freeze on research funding for Harvard was illegal.
The administration appealed the ruling.
More recently, some US media outlets reported that the dispute will likely be settled with Harvard making concessions.
But the latest development indicates that the dialogue is deadlocked.
Those were the headlines for this hour.
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