>>> welcome to "newsline." i'm keiko kitagawa in tokyo. rescue workers in the central philippines say they've saved 600 people from a ferry that hit a cargo ship and sank. they say they're still searching for 100. officials say at least 17 people died. the thomas aquinas hit a ship off the island of cebu. they say the vessel sank in about ten minutes. coast guard officials say the ferry was on its way into port after a voyage from the island of mindanao. they say it was carrying 723 people. most were reportedly philippine oes. survivors are getting a medical treatment. searchers are looking for the missing people. coast guard officials are trying to figure out exactly how the disaster happened. >>> supporters of egypt's ousted president mohamed morsi are back on the streets three days after a crackdown by authorities left more than 640 dead. security forces are again confronting the demonstrators. at least 27 people have died in ten cities including the capital cairo. members of mohamed morsi's base, the muslim brotherhood, called for rallies after friday prayers. security forces

you can follow me on twitter. we will see you back here at 8 p.m. >>> welcome to "newsline." i'm keiko kitagawa in tokyo. workers at japan's crippled nuclear plant are getting ready to dig deeper into a worrying mystery. radioactive water has leaked from at least one storage tank on the fukushima daiichi site. crews are preparing to investigate how it got out and how far it spread. officials with the tokyo electric power company said earlier this week that about 300 tons of highly radioactive water had leaked from a tank. they fear the water flowed through a ditch and into the ocean. the tank is made of steel plates bolted together rather than welded. workers checked the joints and surfaces vigily and found no abnormalities. they don't know how the water got out. company officials suggest the water leaked from the bottom of the tank, soaked into the soil and mixed with ground water. crews plan to dig holes next week around the tank and in a nearby ditch, then they'll analyze the soil and ground water. they hope to trace the path the water took and figure out how far it spread. co

>>> welcome to "newsline." i'm keiko kitagawa in tokyo. u.s. governmen officials are warning al qaeda may soon launch terror attacks in the middle east and north africa. they're taking defensive measures to protect american facilities and citizens. state department officials say they'll temporarily close embassies on sunday in 17 muslim countries including iraq, libya, egypt and afghanistan. they issued a global travel alert based on information suggesting al qaeda members are planning attacks. they say they see a threat between now and the end of this month. >>> u.s. officials stepped up their security at diplomatic facility last year. militants in libya killed four americans including the u.s. ambassador in september. a man lit up a bomb this february at the u.s. embassy in turkey. >>> the latest u.s. jobs data are presenting a mixed picture. fewer americans were out of work, but job growth fell short of economists' expectations. analysts are trying to figure out whether the numbers will prompt fed policymakers to scale down their economic stimulus measures. officials at the u

>>> welcome to "newsline." i'm keiko kitagawa in tokyo. u.s. president barack obama says he's reassessing relations with russia. he says american and russian leaders differ on a growing number of issues. obama spoke two days after canceling a summit with russian president vladimir putin. he says the u.s. relationship with russia changed after putin took over from dmitry medvedev. >> when president putin, who was prime minister when medvedev was president, came back into power, i think we saw more rhetoric on the russian side that was anti-american that played into some of the old stereotypes about the cold war contest between the united states and russia. >> u.s. and russian officials have been at loggerheads over the russian decision to grant temporary asylum to the american fugitive edward snowden. obama said the snowden episode reflects one of many emerging differences. >> it is probably appropriate for us to take a pause, reassess where it is that russia's going, what our core interests are, and cal ib rate the relationships. >> obama said that the russian position on the

-- >>> welcome to "newsline." i'm keiko kitagawa in tokyo. u.n. inspectors are packing up their equipment and preparing to fly out of syria. they've finished gathering evidence on the use of chemical weapons. the experts have spent four days collecting samples and interviewing hospital staff. they were looking into allegations president bashar al assad's troops used chemical weapons last week. several hundred people are believed dead from the attack. the inspectors will now send material for laboratory analysis, then they'll report to u.n. secretary general ban ki-moon. syrian state tv has reported foreign minister walid al-moallem spoke over the phone with tun chief. he said syrian leaders would reject the report if they judge it incomplete. u.s. president barack obama says he has not made a final decision on how to respond to the chemical attack. obama said the syrian military's use of chemical weapons poses a security threat to the united states. he said he's considering a limited narrow military action but will not send ground forces. >> part of our obligation as a leader in

>>> hello and welcome to "newsline." it's monday, august 12th. i'm catherine kobayashi. >>> more than 30 people were killed. at least 13 civilians, including 7 children, were killed in an air raid on friday in the northern city of racka, where rebels are mostly in control. an intense battle followed the air raid as rebel forces responded with mortar shells. government warplanes have also been bombing areas in latackia. the activists say more than 20 people, including ten civilians were killed. government troops have stepped up their offensive around the country, including latakia and suburbs of damascus while they try to retake rebel regions. more than 100,000 people have died over the past two and a half years. >>> two japanese journalists who lost a colleague in syria are trying to get as close as they can to report on the country's civil war. free lance journalist yamamoto is reporting from aleppo on august 20th last year. she was killed when opposition forces came under fire. these two men left japan for turkey on sunday. they worked with her for the japan press. they will be

>>> welcome to nhk world newsline. i'm gene otani. egyptian authorities crack down on supporters of the country's ousted president leaving a number of people dead and injured. >>> japan's prime minister says he'll stay away from a controversial shrine in tokyo to avoid provoking the leaders of neighboring countries. >>> and u.n. experts are examining a cacheof arms that authorities found on a north korean ship. >>> egyptian security forces are coming down hard on supporters of ousted president mohammed morsi and using force to clear two sit-in camps. spokesperson for the muslim brotherhood say more than 100 protesters have died. state run television says at least 20 people are dead. security forces moved in and fired tear gas into the crowds. then they started to clear out the protest camps. local tv broadcast show many wounded people being carried on stretchers. >> translator: security forces have used tear gas as well as live ammunition. that is not dealing with peaceful demonstration. >> interior ministry officials are stressing they use tear gas but not firearms. they say 200 de

>>> hello there. welcome to "newsline." it's thursday, august 15th. i'm kathericatherine kobayashi tokyo. >>> the leaders of egypt's interim government have declared a nationwide state of emergency. they're trying to restore order after bloody crackdowns on protesters claimed more than 235 lives. authorities on wednesday began to force ishly remove supporters of the deposed president mohamed morsi. the protesters had been staging sit-ins at two squares in kir pope security forces bulldozed through barricades set up around the camps and fired teargas into the crowds. more than 30 people died. the bloodshed set off protests in other parts of the capital as well as the central city of faiyum. protesters also attacked government facilities. the interim government replied by declaring a month-long state of emergency, and it imposed a nighttime curfew in 14 provinces. the emergency measure gives security forces the power to detain people without arrest warrants. authorities appear set to launch further crackdowns on members of morsi's support base, the muslim brotherhood. the brotherhood

>>> welcome to nhk world "newsline." i'm gene otani in tokyo. here's a look at some of the stories we're following this hour. >> japan's prime minister is offering to help the administrator of the fukushima nuclear plant as it tries to stop radioactive water from seeping into the sea every day. >>> north korea says it will reopen the jointly run kaesong complex after south korea says the patience of its people was running out. >>> some important papers of human rights icon nelson mandela are the highlight of an art exhibition in tokyo. >>> japan's prime minister is taking action to stop radioactive groundwater at the fukushima daiichi from flowing into the pacific ocean. shinzo abe is considering a plan to give the operator funding to deal with the problem. tepco managers are considering building a large underground wall to dam the ground water. prime minister abe spoke about his decision during a meeting with government officials. >> translator: people are extremely concerned about these leaks. they must be dealt with. the government cannot leave the issue entirely up to the plant

>>> welcome to nhk world "newsline." a u.s. military helicopter has crashed in japan's southernmost prefecture of okinawa. police say some of the crew members sustained injuries in the incident. american officials have confirmed that the aircraft went down during an exercise. the crash occurred shortly after 4:00 p.m. within the perimeter of camp hansen, a u.s. military base in the northern part of the main island. u.s. officials have confirmed at least four crew members were on board. they say they don't have any details about injuries. there are no reports of casualties on the ground. local officials say they've been barred from accessing the crash site. the accident involved a u.s. air force hh-60 based in kaneda. it's a type of helicopter used in rescue operations. >> translator: this accident is an extremely regrettable manner. we've asked u.s. authorities to disclose information quickly to investigate the cause of the crash and to take measures to prevent a recurrence. >> residents near camp hansen have expressed their concerns over safety. >> translator: it would be a disaste

>>> welcome to nhk world "newsline." i'm gene otani in tokyo. here is a look at some of the stories we're following this hour. >> the operator of japan's damaged nuclear facility plans to pump up radiation-contaminated ground water to stop it from seeping into the ocean. >>> japan's prime minister has the latest measure of how the economy is doing and it could influence his decision to raise the consumption tax. >>> the operator of the damaged nuclear facility says it will start pumping up underground water at the site. 300 tons of radiation contaminated water there is leaking into the ocean every day. tokyo electric power company proposed the plan on monday to a panel of the nuclear regulation authority. workers at the plant created an underground wall to stop tainted ground water from leaking into the sea. but the water level continues to rise. the firm says it will start pumping out 60 tons of ground water per day near an embankment between the plant's number one and two reactors and 80 more tons per day at another site in september. the authority told the company to step it up a

>>> hello there. welcome to "newsline." it's friday, august 23rd. i'm catherine kobayashi in tokyo. >>> authorities in egypt have released former president hosni mubarak from prison, but he's not free. the authorities moved him to a military hospital and put him under house arrest. a helicopter believed to be carrying mubarak left the jail in cairo then flew to the hospital. he's 85 years old and has spent the last two behind bars. but a court rule head could no longer legally be held. mubarak still faces charges of suppressing anti-government rallies and ordering the killing of demonstrators during the arab spring protests. those demonstrations led to his removal after 30 years in power. mubarak is also charged with receiving jewelry and other gifts from state-owned media. >>> militants in lebanon have fired four rockets into israel. the attack set off air raid sirens and startled residents but no ones with hurt. two of the rockets struck communities in northern israel, damaging buildings and vehicles. an anti-missile defense system destroyed another rocket. the fourth fell outsid

>>> hello and welcome to nhk "newsline." it's now 8 clock a.m. on thursday august 8th. i'm raja pradhan in tokyo. the operator of the fukushima nuclear power plant is about to make another attempt to try to get leaking ground water at the crippled facility under control. officials with tokyo electric power company say they'll start pumping out contaminated groundwater on friday to stop it from spilling into the ocean. workers have been solidifying an embankment to prevent ground water from leaking from the plant into the ocean, but there are concerns that the tainted ground water has already overflowed the barrier. tepco officials say they'll bore a small-scale well nearby and pump out contaminated water. they say workers will then sink about 35-meet are-long pipes into the ground along the embankment and pump out ground water from them as well starting next week. they hope to drain 100 tons of water per day. industry ministry officials estimate that 300 tons of tainted water is leaking into the ocean daily. tepco management admits that it still does not know the exact amount of

hello, and welcome to nhk "newsline." it's now 8:00 a.m. on august 7th a wednesday. i'm ross mihara in tokyo. >>> iran's new president hassan rowhani opened the door to negotiations. at his first news conference as president. he says he's determined to resolve a dispute over the country's nuclear development. rowhani says work has begun to build relations with iran's neighbors and international community. his stance is in stark contrast to his predecessor, mahmoud ahmadinejad. he said he is ready to hold talks on the nation's nuclear development. he said concerns will be removed through negotiations. >> translator: i'm optimistic about the prospects of holding mutually beneficial negotiations. i believe it's possible. >> but he said iran will not abandon its nuclear program of enriching uranium for peaceful purposes. he urged western leaders to lift economic sanctions against his country. rowhani also hinted at the possibility of district talks with the united states after years of stalemate. >> translator: if the united states shows goodwill toward iran, the door to talks is open.

>>> hello there. welcome to "newsline." it's friday, august 16th. i'm catherine kobayashi in tokyo. egyptians are seeing things many have seen before. the leaders of the interim government launched a crackdown after more than a month of unrest. they say at least 578 people have been killed, more than 4,000 injured. and they say their forces will continue to use real bullets on groups that threaten peace. supporters of ousted president mohamed morsi have been demanding that he be reinstated. on wednesday security forces stormed two sit-ins in cairo and removed them. protesters elsewhere responded by taking to the streets themselves. they, too, have run into security forces. the state-run news agency says some demonstrators set fire to a government building in giza near the capital. armed protesters in the southern city of beni suef occupied a government building and a police station. >> you have to impose order on the ground, public order is very, very important. >> morsi supporters in the muslim brotherhood are not backing down. they're calling for demonstrations across the country

>>> welcome to nhk world "newsline." i'm gene otani in tokyo. here's a look at some of the stories we're following this hour. >>> forecasters in japan have issued an extreme weather warning as unprecedented rainfall swamps northern areas, causing flooding and landslides. >>> engineers at the fukushima daiichi nuclear plant are struggling to reduce the amount of contaminated water flowing into the ocean. >>> and documenting the remarkable story of a nagasaki survivor, a woman who stayed silent about her experience for nearly seven decades. >>> the japan meteorological agency has issued an extreme warning to people living in northern parts of the country, telling them to watch out for flooding and landslides. the forecasters say two times the monthly average of rain fell in just 12 hours on friday in the city of kazuno. in the town of shizwiki, authorities say the water has flooded dozens of residences. landslides have blocked roads and damaged houses. one person is dead and at least three injured. rescue crews are searching for five missing people who may have been swept away. >> tr

to "newsline." i'm catherine kobayashi in tokyo. the alleged chemical weapons aattack in syria last week could result in military action by the united states and some european nations. some u.s. media report u.s. forces could strike syria within a couple of days. nbc news says senior u.s. officials told them missile strikes against syria could be launched as early as thursday. the sources say three-day strikes are planned and would be limited in scope. they would be aimed at sending a message to syrian president bashar al assad. white house spokesman says the u.s. response to syria has not yet been decided. >> the president continues to work with his national security team reviewing the options available to him. when he has made a decision he will make the announcement. he said the u.s. has a firm assessment that the assad regime has maintained control of the chemical weapons stock pile. carney also said the u.s. officials will release the findings of the probe within a week. >> translator: the chemical massacre of damascus cannot go without a response and france is ready to punish

>>> welcome to nhk world "newsline," i'm gene otani in tokyo, here's a look at some stories we're following this hour. workers at fukushima daiichi are trying to find out how highly radioactive water leaked from a storage tank at the nuclear plant and possibly made it into the ocean. >>> a disgraced communist party leader is on trial for corruption in one of the most closely watched cases in years. >>> and japanese player ichiro suzuki has reached a milestone in baseball history. 4,000 hits in his career. >>> workers at japan's damaged nuclear plant are hurrying to make sure a leak of highly radioactive water is under control. the contaminated water escaped from a storage tank at fukushima daiichi. inspectors are checking for leaks from other tanks of the same design. they detected spots of high radiation on the surfaces of two. crews with plant operator tokyo electric power company found more than 300 tons of tainted water had already escaped from one tank. they fear it may be making its way into the pacific ocean through a drainage system. >> translator: we cannot deny the possi

>>> hello, and welcome back to nhk "newsline." it's wednesday, august 14th. i'm catherine kobayashi in tokyo. japanese prime minister shinzo abe has skirted controversy. he's decided not to go to a shrine in tokyo on thursday to observe the anniversary of the end of world war ii. the shrine honors japan's war dead including leaders convicted of crimes after the war. abe himself has not disclosed whether he'll visit the shrine, but government sources say he'll stay away. they say instead he'll pay for a custom honored at the shrine and make an offering of the branch of the sacred tree. chinese and south korean leaders condemned visits to a place that honors war criminals. and the government sources say abe wants to avoid any further strains in foreign relations. but he says the 18 other members of his cabinet are free to visit the shrine. deputy prime minister aso, foreign minister and 12 others say they won't go on the anniversary. the other four members of the cabinet have not said what they'll do. >>> students and staff at a university in okinawa, southern japan are remembering a

>>> hello there. welcome to "newsline." it's friday, august 2nd. i'm catherine kobayashi in tokyo. >>> u.s. fugitive edward snowden has walked out of an airport in moscow after more than five weeks inside. russian immigration officials have fwrabted him a one-year asylum. the decision h angered u.s. leaders and left relations up in the air. snowden arrived from hong kong in late june. he has been holed up in the airport's transit zone ever since. his lawyer says now he's free to go. >> translator: snowden has just left airport and has headed for a safer place. >> snowden says eventually he wants to move on to latin america. some countries there have offered him permanent asylum. snowden worked on contract as an intelligence analyst for the national security agency. he told "the guardian" newspaper and other media that agents collect private internet and phone data. u.s. authorities have defended the surveillance programs saying they prevented terrorist attacks. spokespersons for the russian presidential office say the decision to grant snowden asylum will not affect relations with

>>> welcome to nhk world "newsline." i'm gene otani in tokyo. here's a look at some of the stories we're following this hour. >>> u.s. leaders are pointing allies weigh possible military action. >>> there's progress in a humanitarian issue between north korea and japan. experts have arrived in the north to search for remains. >>> and some women in china are finding new ways to cover up during their day at the beach. >>> united nations officials investigating alleged chemical weapons attack in syria say they have postponed a second day of inspections. the united states and some european nations are putting pressure on the syrian government with the possibility of military operations. the u.n. experts left a damascus hotel on tuesday, but they later said they put off their inspections for a day due to security reasons. they called on all parties to cooperate so they can conduct inspections safely. the alleged use of chemical weapons that killed hundreds of people including children happened last wednesday in a suburb of the capital damascus. the opposition forces and the government b

>>> welcome to nhk world "newsline." i'm gene otani in tokyo. here's a look at some of the stories we're following this hour. >> officials who inspected fukushima's damaged nuclear plant say tepco's efforts to solve the crisis there are not good enough. >>> tens of thousands of people have gathered in hiroshima to mark the 68th anniversary of the atomic bombing. >>> and a u.s. air force helicopter crash in okinawa deepens concerns among residents who worry about the american military aircraft that crisscross their skies. >>> officials appointed by the fukushima government have made an emergency visit to the damaged nuclear plant. they're investigating whether the operator of fukushima daiichi are doing enough to stop leaks of contaminated water, and they're unimpressed by what they found. the 22 officials are part of a council that's overseeing the decommissioning of the plant including municipal government staff and nuclear industry experts. the team inspected areas of the compound where contaminated ground water has been seeping into the sea. they assessed an underground tunnel t

>>> welcome to "newsline." i'm keiko kitagawa in tokyo. people from across japan and around the world will soon fill a park in nagasaki to remember the city's darkest day. 68 years ago the u.s. military dropped an atomic bomb there three days after it attacked hiroshima. the mayor of nagasakiy is expected to urge the japanese government to do more to rid the world of nuclear weapons. survivors and rel toivs the victims arrived at peace park near ground zero ahead of the memorial ceremony to offer prayers. >> translator: an atomic bombing should never happen again. i hope there will be no more victims. >> the memorial ceremony will begin at 10:35 a.m. japan time. about representatives from 44 countries will attend along with prime minister shinzo abe. the park will fall silent at 11:02, the moment the bomb was dropped. nagasaki mayor tomihisa taue is expected to read a peace declaration. he's expected to criticize the abe administration for refusing in april to sign a statement by the nuclear nonproliferation treaty. the statement called for nuclear weapons never to be used under

>>> welcome to nhk world "newsline." i'm gene otani in tokyo. here are some of the stories we are following at this hour. >>> a lawyer for edward snowden says the u.s. intelligence leaker has left an airport in moscow and entered russia after being granted temporary asylum. >>> japan's deputy prime minister is eating his words. he's under fire for suggesting his country could learn from the nazis. >>> and fushl officials estimate 500,000 japanese students are addicted to online games and messaging. >>> edward snowden has walked out of an airport in moscow that has been his home for more than five weeks. the lawyer representing the national security agency contractor says russian immigration officials have granted him temporary asylum for one year. american authorities want snowden on charges of espionage for leaking details of the nsa surveillance programs. snowden has been holed up in the transit zone at moscow's airport since he arrived from hong kong on june 23rd. his lawyer gave an update on his status. >> translator: snowden has just left airport and has headed for a safer pl

>>> welcome to nhk world "newsline." i'm gene otani in tokyo. here is a look at some of the stories we're following this hour. >>> people across japan are gathering to observe the 68th anniversary of the end of world war ii and share their hopes for peace. >>> supporters of egypt's ousted islamist president are calling for more demonstrations, a day after a government crackdown that killed hundreds of protesters. >>> and india's prime minister wants pakistan to put words into action to stop terrorists making attacks across the disputed cashmere border. >>> people across japan paused to reflect on their history and their future. they mark 68 years since the end of world war ii. they're holding ceremonies and symposiums across the country to mourn those who died in the war and talk about peace. about 6,000 people attended a memorial service in tokyo. among them, those who lost family members during the war. >> translator: japan's peace and prosperity today are founded on the sacrifices of those who gave their precious lives in the war. we will humbly face that history, learn lessons f

>>> welcome to nhk world "newsline." i'm gene otani in tokyo. here is a look at some of the stories we are following this hour. >>> an official with japan's nuclear watchdog says the operator of fukushima daiichi was ill prepared for a leak of highly radioactive water from a storage tank. >>> the head of the united nations is calling on the syrian government to allow inspectors to fully investigate the latest allegation of chemical weapons use. >>> the former rising star of the communist party bo xailai fights back on the second day of his trial denying all charges against him. >>> an official with japan's nuclear -- told them to ask for help if needed. workers scramble to deal with leaks of highly radioactive water. 300 tons of water seeped from the storage plant. workers detected the leak on monday. they've been checking about 350 tanks of the same design to make sure no other water is getting out. he criticized tepco for not considering the possibility of a leak. he said the utility was ill-prepared and said the company should have been keeping records of radiation levels near th

>>> welcome to nhk world "newsline." i'm gene otani in tokyo. here's a look at some of the stories we're following this hour. >> egyptians fear they may see more bloodshed on their streets as supporters of the country's ousted isz lammist president call for nationwide protests after friday prayers. >> south korea proposes working level talks to reunite families separated by the war. a sign that tensions are easing between the two countries. >>> american film director oliver stone visited japan to offer his perspective on world war ii and the importance of history. >>> egyptians are wrestling with range of emotions as they head into the weekend. some are angry two days after authorities came down hard on supporters of ousted president mohamed morsi leaving more than 600 dead. others are fearful because the same supporters are calling for more demonstrations across the country. new video gives another perspective on the security crackdown. it shows authorities moving in in one of two protest camps in cairo. sky news cameraman michael dean shot the video, he was later killed that day.

>>> hello there. welcome to "newsline." it's thursday, august 22nd, i'm catherine kobayashi in tokyo. the people who operate the fukushima daiichi nuclear plant are wrestling with yet another challenge. they'd already confirmed that more than 300 tons of highly radioactive waste water has leaked from a storage tank. and now they say it may have flowed into the pacific ocean. workers with tokyo electric power company detected high levels of radiation inside a ditch. the ditch is about 50 meters from the leaking tank. and it runs into the ocean. workers have set up hundreds of tanks on a hillside near the reactors. they erected a low wall around the tanks, still the water seeped out. officials at japan's nuclear regulation authority said they're considering raising the severity rating of the leak. they rated it as a level one incident on the international scale that runs from zero to seven. they're considering raising their assessment to level three for serious incidents. previously tepco officials had said it was unlikely that contaminated water was reaching the shore. they said

>>> welcome to nhk world "newsline," i'm gene otani in tokyo. here's a look at some of the stories we're following this hour. >>> russia's decision to grant edward snowden temporary asylum is causing tensions that may derail a meeting between president obama and vladimir putin. >>> more protests are planned by the military backed plan to leave the streets. ♪ and a traditional singer in china is drawing attention by drawing on our roots and competing in a talent contest on tv. >>> the obama administration and some u.s. lawmakers are criticizing russian leaders for giving an american fugitive safe harbor. they call it a disappointment and a disgrace. u.s. authorities want the former intelligence contractor because he leaked details of top secret government surveillance programs. snowden walked out of an airport in moscow after spending five weeks inside. he's facing charges of espionage and theft after revealing the national security agency collects private phone and internet data. spokespersons say the edition will ndecision will not affect relations with the u.s. >> we are extrem

>>> welcome to "newsline." it's august 19th. >>> egypt's defense minister said the interim government will severely crack down on what it sees as any terrorist activities. more than 800 people have died in egypt since last wednesday. that's when troops forcibly removed pro-morsi protesters from the encampments in two cairo squares. he addressed senior military and security officials. he indicated the government will specifically target the muslim brotherhood. he said the government cannot overlook the group's terrorist attacks on government buildings. the government said it has begun an investigation into 240 detained muslim brotherhood members on suspicion of terrorist activities and murder. the group is a support base of ousted president mohamed morsi. on sunday, muslim brotherhood members tried to hold demonstrations in the suburbs of cairo and elsewhere. the state news agency says the demonstrations they were dispersed to avoid clashing with security forces. >>> ejigses living in japan have hold a protest in tokyo against their interim government's violent crackdown on

. >>> glad to have you with us on "newsline." >>> the new president of i ran reached out to the world with words. leaders in other nations are waiting to see if he will follow through with actions especially when it comes to his nation's nuclear program. he called for transparency and trust in his inaugural speech. he took the oath of office and became the first iranian president to invite foreign dignitaries to a swearing in ceremony. >> translator: we seek respect. we want to establish constructive relationships with nations of the world. but any dialogue with iran must be conducted respectively. >> transparency is the key to the door of trust. his country does not desire war with other nations. authorities say that the afghan president was among the representatives of at least 50 nations who attended the ceremony. after his speech rowhani submitted a list of nominees for the new cabinet and picked the united nations ambassador to the united nations. he looked to improve ties with the u.s. analysts show that he wants better relations with western nations. >>> many iranians hav

>>> welcome to "newsline." it's thursday, august 1st. i'm catherine kobayashi in tokyo. >>> the two remaining nuclear reactors still in operation in japan will be shut down for regular inspections in mid-september. the move will bring all reactors in japan offline for the first time in 15 months. kansai electric power company is set to submit an application to the nuclear regulation authority to shut down the number 3 reactors at the ohi plant in fukui prefecture on september 2nd. the number 4 reactor will be halted two weeks later. the nra implemented stricter safety checks in response to the 2011 accident at the fukushima daiichi nuclear plant. but it allowed the two reactors at the ohi plant to stay online because they did not pose a serious safety threat. nra experts are currently screening six nuclear plants after utilities filed applications to restart reactors. but no clear prospects for restarting any of the reactors have emerged. >>> the operator of the fukushima daiichi nuclear plant is still struggling to stop radioactive water from reaching the sea. tokyo electric power

>>> hello there. welcome to "newsline." it's friday, august 30th. i'm catherine kobayashi in tokyo. residents of syria are shuttering themselves inside their homes. they're stocking up on food and water. they're waiting to find out whether u.s. forces and their allies will attack their country. western leaders believe last week syrian troops attacked civilians in the suburbs of damascus with chemical weapons. opposition activists say hundreds of people were killed. u.s. president barack obama and other leaders believe such action can't go unpunished. state-run tv quoted president bashar al assad as saying syria will defend itself against any aggression. he said an assault will only strengthen national unity. prime minister called a meeting of cabinet ministers. he said authorities need to prevent their enemies from disrupting state services such as electricity, drinking water, communications, food and oil. many residents are trying to flee into neighboring lebanon. those who have chosen to stay are doing whatever they can to prepare for a siege. the possibility of an attack from ab

>>> welcome to nhk world "newsline." i'm gene otani in tokyo. here's a look at some of the stories we're following this hour. >>> snipers opened fire on an envoy headed to the alleged chemical weapon attack. >> japan's industry leader says the government is committed to stopping leakage of radio active water from the fukushima nuclear plant. >>> the trial of a once rising star in china's communist party has ended after drawing worldwide attention. bo xilai denied all charges against him. >>> the dangerous situation in syria has forced united nations inspectors to delay their investigation into a possible chemical weapons attack. unidentified snipers opened fire on their convoy near the capital damascus. a spokesperson for the u.n. secretary general says snipers shot multiple times at the first vehicle in the convoy. inspectors were on their way to the sites of the alleged attack. the spokesperson says no one was hurt. the inspectors returned to a syrian government checkpoint. they will continue this trip after they replace the damaged vehicle. the shooting raises concerns about whe

>>> welcome to "newsline." it's monday august 26th. i'm catherine toeb yashy in tokyo. >>> united nations inspectors will visit alleged sites for chemical weapons attacks. they say hundreds of people were killed. the u.n.'s high representative for disarmament affairs traveled to the syrian capital to press for an investigation. officials with the syrian foreign ministry announced the government would grant the inspectors access. u.s. secretary-general ban ki-moon said they will visit the government officials agreed to a cease-fire in the area to ensure the safety of the investigators. spokespersons for doctors without borders sd three hospitals received about 3,600 people in the hours after the alleged attacks. they say 355 of those patients died. government officials have denied using chemical weapons. state-run tv reported such weapons were found in an armory belonging to opposition forces. u.s. president barack obama discussed the situation with david cameron on saturday. they expressed grave concern over the use of chemical weapons. they also agreed to consult closely about po

>>> welcome to nhk world "newsline." i'm gene otani in tokyo. here is a look at some of the stories we're following this hour. iraquis are caught up in the worst wave of violence in years as bombers target cafes and restaurants. >>> astronaut offers an inside look at his training for the international space station where he'll become the first japanese to take command. >> people have gathered at an okinawa university to highlight risks they continue to face. >>> people in iraq are nervous after a series of bombings at cafes and restaurants. 30 people were killed in the latest round of sectarian violence. security officials say a suicide bomber detonated explosives in a cafe in the city of balad, about 80 kilometers north of baghdad. 23 people were killed in that attack. two hours later, bombs went off near a restaurant in the town of baqubah and near a soccer field, both in central iraq. several people killed in those bombings. sunni muslims have grown frustrated with the shia-dominated administration of nuri al maliki. members of the two sects have launched a series of retaliatory

>>> welcome to nhk "newsline." i'm gene otani in tokyo. here is a look at some of the stories we are following at this hour. >>> workers at the fukushima daiichi nuclear plant are trying to find out how hundreds of tons of radioactive water leaked from a storage tank. ncht. >>> supporters of the ousted egyptian president continue their protest after the group's spiritual leader was detained. pakistan's former president indicted on murder charges related to the assassination of benazir bhutto. >>> workers at the fukushima daiichi nuclear plant face another challenge. a storage tank has lost 300 tons of highly radioactive water. the plant's operator says it's the worst leak they've had since the nuclear accident two years ago. a low wall surrounds tanks near reactor number four. workers found a puddle forming outside of it. officials from the tokyo electric power company say one tank lost 300 tons of water. they're trying to find out how. tepco officials say the water inside the tank was treated to reduce radioactive cesium, but they found that the leaked water still had high level

>>> welcome to nhk world "newsline," i'm gene otani in tokyo. here's a look at some of the stories we are following this hour. >>> the world braces for a possible military strike by the u.s. and allies against the forces of syrian president al assad. >>> nuclear regulators in japan officially raise the level of the leak of radio active water in fukushima and now consider it a serious incident. >>> and 50 years after his "i have a dream" speech, martin luther king jr. continues to inspire people in the u.s. and around the world with his message of equal rights for all. >>> britain is working to lay the groundwork for international action against syria over allegations the military there is behind a deadly chemical weapons attack. david cameron says his country will draft a resolution to the u.n. security council to protect civilians from this type of attack. cameron says the resolution is based on chapter 7 of the u.n. charter which stipulates how to deal with threats against peace. he will condemn the regime of president bashar al assad for an attack that happened last week. it wil

>>> welcome to nhk world "newsline," i'm gene otani in tokyo, here's a look at some stories we're following this hour. >>> a syrian opposition leader urges western powers to quickly carry out a military strike in response to the alleged chemical attack on civilians. >>> community leaders in fukushima are starting a fight to get rid of all nuclear reactors in their prefecture not just those damaged in the tsunami two years ago. >>> and japan's bullet trains made high-speed railway travel a reality. engineers are now testing a next-generation train that sets a new standard for speed. >>> world leaders are considering all options for dealing with the crisis in syria. u.s. president barack obama says he believes syrian government forces used chemical weapons on civilians. obama and his allies are considering military action. the leader of syria's main opposition alliance is urging a swift strike against the regime of president bashar al assad. syrian national coalition chief made the appeal during talks with french president francois hollande. he stressed the need to seek a political

. captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- >>> hello there. welcome to "newsline." it's thursday, august 29dth. i'm catherine kobayashi in tokyo. >>> u.s. president barack obama said u.s. officials have concluded that syrian forces used chemical weapons on civilians. in an interview on public television, he said members of his administration do not believe the opposition could have carried out such a attacks. handy said there needs to be international consequences. obama back upped syrian opposition leaders who say last week government forces attacked their neighborhoods in the suburbs of damascus. they say hundreds of people were killed. u.s. commanders say they're ready to launch strikes if president obama orders an attack. syria's prime minister took to state tv to warn them not to. he told them and their allies that syria would become their graveyard. he said the world still remembers how the west started the war in iraq ten years ago. he said u.s. officials falsely claimed the iraqis possessed weapons of mass destruction, then guided international opinion in

>>> welcome to nhk world "newsline," i'm gene otani in tokyo, here's a look at some of the stories we're following at this hour. >>> supporters of ousted egyptian president morsi are promising more protest as the number of dead from six days of violence tops 850. >>> senior diplomats from japan and russia are meeting to discuss the future of territory claimed by both sides. >>> and scientists studying radioactive water leaks at fukushima daiichi warn there could be several sources of contamination other than groundwater. >>> day after day, egyptians are seeing the very real consequences of the political turmoil that's left their country in crisis, clashes between supporters of ousted president mohammed morsi and security forces have killed more than 850 people in six days, some of the latest deaths are only deepening the divisions. interior ministry officials say security forces were transporting 600 supporters of morsi's power base, the muslim brotherhood, to a detention facility. they say some tried to escape and the security forces used tear gas, some died of suffocation in a va

>>> welcome to nhk world "newsline." i'm gene otani in tokyo. here's a look at some of the stories we are following this hour. >>> u.s. leaders say they're mulling over military action against syria, but that option has drawn a lukewarm response from other allied countries. >>> workers at japan's crippled nuclear plant are failing to stop leaks of radioactive water. nuclear watch explores a crisis that's pushed government officials to take control. >>> u.n. inspectors investigating alleged use of chemical weapons are scheduled to leave syria on saturday. western leaders believe syrian government forces were behind last week's attack that killed hundreds of civilians in the suburbs of damascus. u.s. president barack obama and his allies are considering military action, but they're facing strong opposition. british prime minister david cameron's coalition government proposed a motion that would have authorized british forces to join a strike, but a majority of lawmakers, including members of his own party, rejected the motion. >> the is to the right, 272. the nos to the left 285. so

>>> welcome to nhk world "newsline." i'm gene otani. here is a look at some of the stories we're following this hour. >>> engineers at the fukushima nuclear plant are working on new measures to stop radioactive groundwater from leaking into the ocean as they map out a costly and complicated long-term plan. >>> north korean authorities may be doubling their uranium enrichment capability allowing them to build two nuclear weapons a year. >>> and crowd sourcing inventions. an american company is tapping a growing online community to revolutionize how products are made. >>> concerns about the situation at japan's damaged nuclear plant is growing. government officials say 300 tons of radioactive groundwater could be seeping into the pacific ocean every day. plant operator tokyo electric power company, or tepco, is about to make another attempt to contain the leak. but without accurate information on what's happening below fukushima daiichi, determining the effectiveness of the work will be a challenge. government officials say about 1,000 tons of groundwater may flow from a hillside i

>>> welcome to nhk world "newsline." i'm gene otani in tokyo. here's a look at some of the stories we are following this hour. >> japan's nuclear regulators urged fukushima daiichi to check the water tanks after hundreds of tons of water leaked out. >>> al jazeera america has kicked off in new york. some welcome a different angle on the news while others say it's biased against the u.s. >>> and the friends and family of a japanese war correspondent are remembering her one year after her death and trying to spread her message. >>> workers at the damaged fukushima daiichi plant say a leakage of contaminated water may have gone undetected for some time. they say the storage tank doesn't have a water level gauge and their monitoring may not have been adequate. workers found a puddle forming just outside a low wall surrounding tanks near reactor number four. they confirmed one of the tanks lost more than 300 tons of water. the water contains high levels of radioactive substances. officials of the tokyo electric power company says the tank has no water gauge. they say the workers didn't

and welcome back to nhk world "newsline." i'm raja pradhan with the news from tokyo. britain is working to lay the ground work for international action against syria over allegations that government forces carried out a chemical weapons attack. prime minister david cameron says his country is submitting a draft resolution to the u.n. security council authorizing all necessary measures to protect civilians.

--www.ncicap.org-- >>> hello and welcome to nhk "newsline". i'm keikichi hanada in tokyo with the latest at this hour. officials in charge of the fukushima daiichi power plant say they ran into another problem. a wall they built to stop contaminated ground water from seeping from to the sea has failed. the industry ministry estimates 300

," this is the moment of >> welcome to "newsline." >>> the disgrasd chinese politician bo xilai continues to deny charges against him in court, but he has admitted some responsibility in connection with an abuse of power charge in the investigation into his wife's murder of a british

welcome to nhk "newsline." i'm ross mihara in tokyo. >>> workers at the damaged fukushima daiichi plant say a leakage of contaminated water may have gone undetected for some time. they say the storage tank doesn't have a water level gauge and their monitoring may not have been adequate. workers found a puddle forming just outside a low wall surrounding tanks near reactor number four. they confirmed one of the tanks

tradition. >>> hello and welcome to nhk "newsline." i'm keikichi haneda with the latest at this hour. egyptians surround a cairo mosque where mohamed morsi is apparently holed up. the protesters took refuge in the mosque

." goodbye.  >>> hello and welcome to nhk "newsline." i'm ross mihara in tokyo. >>> russia's decision to grant temporary asylum to a former u.s. national security agency contractor has produced deeper fallout. u.s. president barack obama has postponed a meeting with his russian counterpart vladimir putin. obama and putin were planning to meet one on one next month ahead of the g-20 summit in st. petersburg.