welcome to nhk world "newsline." i'm shery ahn. in libya anti-government forces appear to have toppled moammar gadhafi's regime and they are endeavoring to form a transitional government despite continued pockets of resistance from gadhafi loyalists. the national transitional council of anti-government forces began sending senior members to the capital tripoli from its base in benghazi in the east on wednesday. it aims to launch a transitional government there by the end of next week. the forces are still searching for gadhafi amid severe

resistance from gadhafi loyalists in many regions. fierce fighting broke out on wednesday in tripolin u salin in the southern strict of tripoli near an international air important after loyalists seized those areas. they're retaliating against the anti-government force business means of snipers and rocket fire. gadhafi loyalists also appear to be launching an offensive near ras lanuf, a key oil city. north korea media reported thursday the country's leader's talks with russian president dmitriev medvedev. there was no mention of kim's remark that he is ready to halt the testing and production of missiles and nuclear weapons. > ay hd talks in east siberia. north korea media, including the , thunien koanenalews did nuy lk helehe

rean peninsula. north korea's media didn't touch on kim's remarks on the country's readiness for a nuclear and missile moratorium which was reported by the russian side on wednesday. in 2006 north korea tested a nuclear weapon for the first time and in 2009 it carried out an underground nuclear test. in june 2009 the u.n. security unl teto impe ugr sanctions on the north and the sanctions banned financial transactions that could support the nuclear arms and missile development. north korea media not mentioning kim's remark has caused skepticism about the north's mmme tnuea saamt. > anil u. at department spokesperson victoria newman made a comment on the issue on wednesday. >> obviously if, in fact, they are now willing to refrain from nuclear test and missile launches, this would be welcomed

but it would be insufficient. >> the u.s. rules out the resumption of the six-party talkunss north korea takes specific stepsowards nuearization. >> theapaneseovnmt has lifted all bans on shipment of beef cattle. >> translator: we decided to lift the bans as measures have been taken to ensure the safety of cattle rearing and shipping. radiation tests are also being carried out on all cattle. >> they said on thursday that the government instructed the prefectural governors to lift bans on the transfer and shipment of beef cattle to other prefectures. the bans have been in place in the three prefectures since july 19th. they were placed after rad

radioactive cesium was detected in beef of cattle defected by straw. >> translator: since the prices have slumped, i'm worried about whether they will return to the predisaster level. >> translator: my daughter is still young. i want to give her safe food. a japanese court dismissed a suit by former factory workers who claim they have health proble because the government was slow to act against asbestos exposure. the decision reversed an earlier district court ruling. the 32 plaintiffs say they suffer from asbestos and lung cancer despite the fact that the state knew the dangers of the substance. in may last year, the district court issued a landmark ruling the government had failed to force factories to fit exhausters in 1960.

on thursday, the high court overturned the district court's ruling that had made the government responsible. the presiding judge said that the government waited until 1971 to order the exhausters fitted because until then the technology was underdeveloped and costliness meant factories were reluctant to introduce them. he added that since 1947, the government has improved laws and issued administrative instructions to take appropriate measures against asbestos. the judge ruled that japan's ban on asbestos did not come particularly late compared to other countries. the plaintiffs' lawyer protested the ruling and expressed intention to appeal. a group of japanese researchers discovered a unique antibody that can be effective against various strains of the influenza virus. the research at fujita

university tested a host of samples. it was examined against 12 different strains of hong kong a-type influenza. one antibody was found to have destroyed all the flu strains. detailed analysis showed this antibody makes a pinpoint attack on a specific part of the virus surface that does not change through the mutation process. the group says the newly-found antibody was effective against the h1n1 bird flu. >> if this type of antibody vaccine isdelod, it was calm the fears of influenza. japan's smart phone market is saido heat upore aer microsoft launched a new operating system windows phone

7.5. wws pho 5 alls t usef document-creating plications tailored for personal computers. it allows easy access t facebook and other social miosoftasnhein market share inpeti sts for personalmper t google and apple dominate in smart phone operating systems. microsoft japan president expressed hope that the new model will win over a wide range of users and microsoft can expand its market share. leading electronics maker sharp showcased a new line of wireless televisions aled of their release. they can be hung on the wall like pictures. sharp said on thursday that it had used fewer parts to make the eight new models 30 to 50% more light weight. their splay screens are

thinner and consumers will have more freedom about where to watch tv due to the wireless technology. the maker sees a large potential for wall-mounted tvs and the company needs to continue innovating to create demand. japanese electronics firms are struggling due to intense competition overseas. this year they enjoyed a temporary boost in sales of digital tvs. just before the end of analog broadcasting in july here in japan. tokyo stock prices ended higher thursday as advances in new york and other asian markets prom prompted investors to buy at declined prices. nikkei up 132 points or 1.5% from wednesday's close. persistent concerns over the strong yen capped the upside. investors are keeping their eyes on the u.s. economic outlook. here is a look at the latest

long-term interest rates. this is a yield on the benchmark 10 year japanese government bond. other asian markets all ended higher. hang seng was higher by about 1.5%. shanghai rose 3.5% and shenzhen the s&p composite was almost up 2% there. a senior u.s. defense department official says the united states will step up its military ties with india to secure freedom of navigation in the indian ocean. the remarks come as china builds up its naval forces and appears poised to deploy fleets in those waters. nhk world has more. >> military engagements allows us to make progress on shared interest such as maritime security. united states india share a clear desire for freedom of

navigation. >> reporter: deputy assistant secretary of japan robert scherr touched upon the u.s. strategy addressing china's fast modernization of its military, in a speech in washington on wednesday. china is building its first aircraft carrier. it is also assisting in the construction of four facilities in pakistan and sri lanka and providing economic aid to myanmar. this reflects china's ambition to exert influence over the region. the united states is moving to protect its vital interest of securing freedom of navigation in the sea lane connecting middle east, asia and north korea. india and the united states will continue holding joint military drills and the u.s. will increase export of arms, including cargo planes to india. his remarks suggest that the united states is reenforcing ties with india in hopes of keeping china in check as it accelerates its naval activity into southern waters.

nhk world, washington. the vietnam war ended decades ago, but many vietnamese still suffer from the harsh legacy of chemicals used in the conflict. this month marks 50 years since the u.s. military is first believed to have used the agent orange, but as nhk world report toxic chemical continues to cause problems even among the young. >> reporter: 1961, theay whe vietnam ysspad agent orange. a family was in hanoi to mar the anvear >>ranslar:he pn of people afftedygerange is a painhared not only by the vietnamese but by the whole world.

>> reporter: this is a 56-year-old worker from northern vietnam. he fought for about seven years in areas of the country where agent orange was used. his son who is now 31 was born and developed physical problems when he was as young as 5. >> translator: warts started to spread all over my body. even now i still go to the hospital t be treated for pain and itchiness. >> reporter: he also lost the vision in his lef eye and has to depend on his wife to support the family.

he has been labeled a victim of agent orange. he receives about $20 a month in government ai b th'ses than t area's monthly income. evenhe grand chish of people .xse tohe chemical are than's 10-year-old son is ginninto show sympto. >> reporter: he also has a speech impediment and is mentally disabled to the extent that he can't go to school. >> translator: i can't do anything for my son because of my own problems. if he could grow up half as much

as other children, i'd be happy. >> reporter: at this hospital in ho chi minh about 50 new patients, including babies, are being treated for disabilities thought to be caused by agent orange. this is a hospital clerk. he was born with his lower body conjoined to his twin brother, an effect from agent orange. they were separated by doctors when they were young. he is married and has two children. he is able to raise awareness of the damage caused by agent orange and to support those affected. >> translator: 50 years is a

good opportunity to raise international awareness about the damage agent orange has caused. >> reporter: it's half a century since agent orange was used in vietnam, its legacy is a heavy burden. in a sign of the warming ties between former enemies, the u.s. in june began to help vietnam remove toxins left in the soil, but it has not recognized a direct link between people with disabilities and agent orange. we check our stories sent

from around asia. malaysia and indonesia agreed to hold joint marine patrols to combat international crimes such as human trafficking. under the deal, regional marine forces of malaysian's southern state will conduct joint patrols from their counterpart. the forces will assist each other in dealing with natural disasters and other accidents. he added that senior officers from both sides will hold monthly meetings to exchange information. in thailand, the death toll from floods late last month has risen to 46. the flooding affected almost a million households in 32 provinces. on thursday, authorities issued flash flood and mudslide warnings for residents in low-lying areas including those along the maycong river.

in may they triggered flash floods causing many schools to close. thousands of people have been suffering from the flooding. the highways in the province are still inundated. despite the pricef gd staging s bigst weekly gain 2/2 years, people in china haven't stopped buying the precious metal. more and more investors feel it's safer to put their money in gold. jewelry is a favorite as a family gift. statics show retail sales of gold jewelry in china have shown the biggest increase among consumer goods. s bers must be cautious when they put their money in gold since the metal has seen many ups and downs in the past. next we meet a young student who went through some dark days after he was forced out of his home town. he and his family lived near the fukushima nuclear plant. when radiation began pouring out, they fled.

the boy fell into a deep depression, but he returned to his passion playing the trumpet his days grew brighter. >> reporter: 15-year-old lives in tokyo with his parents and two younger brothers. the whole family loves to make music. he plays trumpet, but ever since march 11th, he's looked upon the trumpet as more than just a musical instrument. it was on march 11th that the apth his momenttown in fukushima prefecture was among the devastated community. on the following day, he heard about the nuclear accident at fukushima nuclear plant. he lived less than 15 kilometers away. his parents decided to get out right away. now the family lives in an

evacuation apartment in tokyo. >> translator: i saw lots of armored cars coming into my town carrying people in white nuclear suits. >> translator: they had all put gas masks on. i thought something big had happened. >> translator: i broke into tears at that moment. i thought i might not be able to go back there ever again. >> reporter: the stress of the massive earthquake and tsunami and the fear of radiation made kto dispond event. he didn't speak and somof his avg fen f ghi >> reporter: in hisome town he , silve tet in a bss

vaatiot them scattered all over japan. the band members have never been together again. a few months after the disaster, kyo returned to playing his trumpet. his mother says music might have been the only way he could express his feelings. >> translator: i hoped one day the trumpet would help him somehow as he began to practice it. now it has actually become his support. >> reporter: about that time, kyo received some good news. one of japan's best-known jazz clarinettists decided to hold a charity event in tokyo. he asked members of kyo's band

to accompany him. >> reporter: five members of kyo's band were able to make it to the event. for the first time since the disaster, they were able to confirm each other had survived. ky and over 600 musicians gathered for the charity concert. >> one, two, three, four -- ♪ >> reporter: together, they got the joint jumping. ♪

[ applause ] >> translator: whatever happens, i hope they keep playing their instruments and enjoy music. i'm so glad to see them fine after all.

>> translator: i had a great time playing with the others. i'll never forget this. kyo is studying hard in tokyo for high school exams, but he also harvests dreams, to perform again hometown. hi there. welcome back here's our weather update. we've got a few storms in the pacific. let's start off talking about this typhoon. this is a strong typhoon heading towards the okinawa islands of japan. it looks like it will be intensi intensifying. by friday evening, it looks like it will become a very strong typhoon. this is an upgraded typhoon. it will be affected taiwan with severe weather, but in towards okinawa into the weekend.

we'll keep a very close eye out for this system. just east is this tropical storm talas. talas is moving in a northwest direction at 15 kilometers per hour at the moment towards the islands. this one will be intensifying also. friday morning, it will become a severe tropical storm. saturday afternoon it may become a strong typhoon. people should vb precautious for severe weather to come into your weekend. this active front line is being energized by all the moisture from the pacific. so lots of rain to come into western and eastern japan. we've already seen 250 millimeters of rainfall accumulates just since yesterday. additional of 100 millimeters will up the risk of flooding landslides and mudslides. these arell whatoueehe. ntegnil expectp to

10 mlite i t nt 2 ur inensula is afct b ofeara. wee en f siatn aind is aa b l a veeaaioco stle cdiononnu into the weekend. chongqing at 36. tokyo in the same digits 32 for your friday high. here in north amera, let's start off talking about this dangerous hurricane irene. this is a major hurricane and category 3 at the moment. it looks like it will be strengthening little bit as it pass through offshore of the florida peninsula. then weakening again whe it reaches north carolina. maybe even making landfall there it will become a hurricane then towards northeast. it may eveaknoer landfall there, as well. o iovgn northwest direction at the sed of 20 kilometers perur.

it wil b bringing lots of rain isone, as well. 300 mrs ihe next 36 hours in bahamas. this is what we are lki. heavy rain will up the risk of flooding here, as. swellsould beenat y away froen. coastal side, if possible. temperatures are shaping u like this, still ver hot in phoenix at 44 degrees. here in europe, we're got very active low preur system here in the british isles. it looks very unstable. in france, germany and southern norway with is where we'll be seeing lots of unstable conditions. dry and hot out in eastern portions and central, as well. vina a35 at 37. at is building uthere her o extended re.

that's all for this edition of "newsline." i'm shery ahn. thank you for watching.

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