Hello, welcome back to NHK NewsLine. I'm Maria Sato in Tokyo.
War In Ukraine: Ukraine Says Drone Attack Halted Moscow Oil Refinery
Ukraine's military says a Moscow oil refinery it struck on Thursday has suspended operations indefinitely.
Drones flown by Ukraine have been escalating attacks inside Russia.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said on social media that the strike destroyed four oil tanks and a related facility. The attack triggered a massive fire.
Russia's presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday that the current course Kyiv is taking is not a path toward negotiations.
He warned that the situation on the front lines will soon become catastrophic for Ukraine.
The Moscow attack comes as Ukraine has been escalating its strikes on Russia's oil infrastructure.
In a social media post on Friday, the mayor of Moscow announced another major attack.
He said 76 Ukrainian drones were shot down.
He also said there were no reports of damage or injuries.
Train Collision In Britain Leaves One Dead, Nearly 90 Injured
Emergency authorities in Britain say one person has been killed and nearly 90 others injured after two trains collided in the southeast of the country.
Police say the collision occurred on Friday evening in the Bedford area, about 70 kilometers north of London.
The BBC quoted a passenger as saying that people were thrown from their seats, including someone who crashed into her husband. She added that many suffered facial injuries.
Police are investigating the cause of the accident.
Iran Conflict Reports: US Envoy Headed To Switzerland For Talks
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is reportedly on his way to Switzerland for talks with Iran.
Qatar's prime minister, who is serving as mediator, arrived on Friday.
These developments come after a ceasefire agreement was reached between Israel and the Iran-backed Shia Muslim group Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding to end the Iran conflict states the two sides will hold negotiations to reach a final agreement within 60 days.
But the first round of talks scheduled for Friday were postponed.
US media outlets report that Witkoff is expected to be joined by Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, in Switzerland.
The US news outlet Axios reports that Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araji, is also planning to travel to Switzerland on Saturday.
But Axios quotes its source as saying that could still change.
Ongoing fighting in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah has been a stumbling block in the lead up to negotiations.
But on Friday, US government officials said a ceasefire had been reached between the two sides.
President Trump said in a phone interview with NBC News that he had asked Israel to agree to the deal.
The US-Iran memorandum calls for an end to fighting on all fronts, including Lebanon.
Any flare-up in the conflict could hinder progress toward a final agreement.
UN Artwork Features Footballers With Refugee Roots
The UN has unveiled a piece of art to mark World Refugee Day on June 20 and the Men's Soccer World Cup.
It features 11 soccer players with a refugee or displacement background.
The artwork is on display at the UN headquarters in New York.
It shows the 11 athletes who were who are among the world's top footballers standing with their younger selves against a war ravaged backdrop.
All of the athletes grew up as refugees or as internally displaced people affected by conflict.
They went on to become soccer players and members of their national teams.
Alphonso Davies, who leads Canada's national squad as captain, was born in a refugee camp in Ghana. His family resettled in Canada when he was five years old.
00:04:10 話者 2/Alphonso Davies
I hope my story brings people joy, brings people belief that anything is possible and
You know, no matter how hard the road is, you always overcome it.
00:04:21 (Maria Sato)
The UN Refugee Agency says at the end of last year, the global number of refugees and internally displaced people who fled war or persecution stood at about 120 million.
Emperor, Empress Visit 2011 Tsunami Memorial In Netherlands
Japan's Emperor Narushito and Empress Masako have visited a park in the Netherlands where a monument honors the victims of the 2011 Great East Japan earthquake.
The imperial couple went to the park outside Amsterdam on Friday during their official visit to the country.
Four hundred cherry trees were planted there 26 years ago to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the start of ties between the two countries.
The memorial of the 2011 disaster was installed by the local municipality.
The emperor and empress observed a monument of silence after being guided by the mayor. They then took part in a ceremony to plant a cherry tree.
The emperor and empress will travel to Belgium on Saturday.
Sources Shed More Light On Tokyo School Fire
Investigative sources are providing more details about a fire at an elementary school in Tokyo. They say 11 people were taken to hospital, including eight pupils.
Sources say three rooms on the fourth floor were severely damaged in Friday's blaze.
A teacher is said to have seen flames and smoke coming from a room containing a stove.
Three people reportedly suffered broken bones.
The school is located in Tokyo's Kita Ward.
Police say the fire broke out shortly before 11 a.m.
It was extinguished about three hours later.
Emergency services dispatched 75 vehicles.
The fire burned an area of about 200 square meters.
Investigators are looking for the cause.
Aung San Suu Kyi Turns 81 Under House Arrest
Myanmar's pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, turned 81 on Friday.
The military backed government says that she is under house arrest, but her location has not been disclosed and calls for unconditional release are growing.
And calls for her unconditional release are growing.
Aung San Suu Kyi has been under detention since a coup in 2021.
She was convicted on corruption and other charges in a trial held under military rule.
There are growing concerns about her health. Her second son, Kim Aris, lives in Britain.
He said in a video message that he doesn't know where his mother is, nor if she is well.
00:07:00 話者 3/Kim Aris
If you could see us today, I know you would be deeply humbled by the immense global support, the flood of well-wishes for your 81st birthday, and the echoing calls for your unconditional release.
00:07:16 (Maria Sato)
Ahn San Suu Kyi's transition to house arrest was announced in April by the military-backed government.
It was inaugurated after an election between December and January.
Western countries and the United Nations have cast doubt on the vote's legitimacy as they excluded pro-democracy candidates.
Indonesia Central Bank Raises Rate Again To Prop Up Currency
Indonesia's central bank has hiked its key interest rate again in a bid to deal with the depreciating rupiah. The currency has plunged amid the situation in the Middle East.
The Bank of Indonesia made the decision on Thursday.
It raised the policy rate by a quarter of a percentage point to 5.75 percent.
In May, the bank sharply increased the rate by zero-point-five points.
It hiked it an additional 0.25 points earlier this month.
Policymakers said the latest hike is meant to strengthen the rupiah amid global uncertainty.
They also said it's a preemptive measure to maintain target inflation.
The rupiah fell to its lowest level against the dollar earlier this month at the 18,000 level.
The second rate hike boosted the currency, but it remains weak.
Investors point the finger at surging crude oil prices due to the situation in the Middle East.
They also cite President Prabowo Subianto's economic policy, which has spending levels that have strained the country's finances.
The Prabowo administration decided on Thursday to reduce the budget for its landmark free meal program to cut government spending.
It says the move can save more than 3 trillion rupiahs, or over 168 million dollars.
Those were the headlines for this hour. This is NHK Newsline.
♫～ 3-DAY FORECAST ～♫
And that's the latest we have for you at this hour on NHK Newsline.
I'm Maria Sato in Tokyo. Thank you for watching.
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