struggling to hang on. voters in russia send a message to vladamir putin. welcome to news lin. i'm catheriayashi in toke i don't know. prime minister vladamir putin's party has suffered a big drop in support. organizers are still counting the votes. still, voters wonder whether putin's united russia party can hold on to majority in the lower

house. spokespersons for the central election commission say united russia leads with 50% of the vote. the largest opposition communist peat has known.4%. organizers have counted about three-quarters of the ballots. the leftist fair russia has 12.9% of the vote. the liberal democratic party is last with 11.8%. putin visited his party's campaign headquarters along with president dmitry medvedev. >> translator: the election results reflect russia's status quo. >> translator: united russia needs to cooperate with other parties on complicated issues. >> united russia held a two-thirds majority of the 450 seats in the lower house before the election. this allowed it to change the constitution unchallenged. the results are widely seen as a precursor to the presidential

election scheduled for next march. voters took their dissatisfaction to the streets. russian security forces arrested at least 170 opposition protesters. police arrested demonstrators in st. petersburg and in moscow. police had warned protesters about holding unsanctioned rallies. police moved in just as opposition supporters were about to start demonstrating. the protesters held placards criticizing the election as a farce. they want prime minister putin out. some opposition forces claim the election results are being manipulated. they say the ruling party's actual share should be much lower. several russian media outlets say their websites were shut down by signer attacks as russians cast their ballots. these media sites have been critical of putin's party. reporting on its alleged

violations of electoral regulations. the editor in chief of the moscow-based radio station echo of moscow said on his twitter account it's obvious the attack is part of an attempt to prevent information about the violations from being publicized. >> translator: i was warned many times that i was too active. the website was too active in such reporting and that we were violating the registration and we got parties from supervising authorities. and this morning our website was attacked. >> putin's party came under intense criticism in the campaign over corruption and the widening gap between rich and poor regions. in other news we're covering here on "newsline," leaders from around the world are gathering in bonn, germany, to try to figure out a better way forward for afghanistan. they're discussing ways to shore up the security there before the withdrawal of foreign troops is completed by the end of 2014.

in sbshl leaders met at the first bonn conference ten years ago shortly after the collapse of the taliban regime. afghan president hamid karzai, u.s. secretary of state hillary clinton, and u.n. secretary-general ban ki-moon are among the representatives. the focus on how to restore order in afghanistan as the taliban increase their influence nationwide. western leaders invited taliban chiefs to the talks. they hope to promote a dialogue. the tall bab refused. pakistani leaders are also refusing to take part. they're protesting the cross-border air skriks last month by nato-led forces. the multi-national forces based in afghanistan killed 24 pakistani soldiers. >> australia's prime minister told the conference of her party exporting uranium to india is in

her country's interests. >> -- strong relationships in this the asian century is good for trade, it's good for jobs, it's good for our nation, and that's why today we should determine to change our platform and enable us under safeguards to sell uranium to india. thank you, delegates. >> however, some cabinet members expressed concern uranium may be used to develop nuclear weapons. the previous administration did not allow exports to india, which possesses nuclear weapons. >> today we occupy the national conference. we occupy the national conference in opposition to this sale of uranium to india, a nonsignatory to the nonproliferation treaty. it's a [ bleep ]ing disgrace.

>> 206 votes in favor of the proposition. 185 against. >> the plan to lift the export ban was approved with majority support from party members. gillard said she would secure votes indicating her intention to have india sign a bilateral agreement to force india on to use it for peaceful purposes. nuclear power generation and is playing an increasingly important role in asian security. now traders on the tokyo stock exchange had quite a week last week. ai has more on what's happening in business. >> good morning to you, catherine. it was a good week for tokyo and new york, although wall street did end flat on friday despite better than expected jobs data out from the u.s. while it is a brand-new trading week, let's see how things are kicking off this monday in japan. we go to the tokyo stock

exchange. >> very good morning to you. as you mentioned, the stock markets in the u.s. ending friday pretty much unchanged or flat. but up 7% on the week. and also the u.s. markets took some cheer out of the drop in the unemployment rate we saw on friday. then with leaders meeting this week there's concern about shy bond yields and banking issues in the eurozone economy. let's have a look at the opening levels here this monday morning. and both indexes slightly higher. not a major move. let's not forget the nikkei last week had one of the strongest weeks in two years, up almost 6%. a lot of that was on the back of 15s in the banking sector and also key blue chip exporters which gained on the back of the slightly weaker yen last week. the eurozone remains a primary focus for many investors despite economic indicators out of the u.s. which has shown slight improvements for the world's biggest economy. with the big focus on the eu

summit this week, a lot of focus may also be on the euro. let's have a look at the currency levels this monday morning. you can see there the dollar/yen and the euro/yen. levels ow see on the screen there. the euro may be vulnerable to increasing worries this week about high bond yields which does make it more expensive for countries like italy and spain and weaker eurozone economies to finance their debt. there's worries about the imf, whether it can commit enough money whether it can ease those problems. concerns for investors this week about eu leaders being able to resolve these issues when they meet on friday. data this week in china will include consumer price index as well as industrial output and trade balance figures for the u.s. on friday. a lot of imports from china actually creating a deficit for the u.s. economy. but also domestically here, a third-party panel may come out

with its final report recording pill husband and the cover-up of investment losses. that could be crucial to see whether olympus stays listed on the tokyo stock exchange. all of that and a lot more for involvers too take in. back to you, ai. >> thanks a lot from the tokyo stock exchange. in other news, more japanese manufacturers are stepping up production overseas to meet growing demand in fast-growing economies. the japan bank for international cooperation surveyed nearly 1,000 makers from july to september. the results show more than 30% engage in production abroad. that is the highest level since 19 i don't know when statistics began on overseas manufacturing. the trend is attributed to a sluggish domestic market due to a declining population. a strong yen is also eroding the makers' competitiveness abroad.

the ratio is forecast to reach 40% in three years. by region, china and india constitute the most popular production bases. but many firms are also eyeing thailand, indonesia, and brazil. once again, let's see where markets are this hour. that's all for now in business news, back to catherine. the operator of the fukushima daiichi nuclear power

plant says about 45 tons of strontium-tainted water may have leaked out of a water treatment device with a portion of it spilling out of the facility. tokyo electric power company says the water may contain high levels of radioactive strontium. strontium causes internal radiation exposure. the company is trying to determine whether the water reached the sea. the utility said at about 11:30 a.m. sunday a water leak was spotted in a device to remove salt from contaminated water from which some radioactive material had already been removed. tepco said the leak was stopped after the device was turned off, but at least 45 tons of water containing radioactive materials may have leaked out with some portion possibly reaching a ditch outside the facility. the level of radioactive cesium had been reduced to 45 becquerels per cubic centimeter after the treatment. but the water is believed to have contained 130,000 becquerels per cubic centimeter of radioactive strontium. the ditch connects to the sea

about 600 meters away. the power company is piling up sandbags in the ditch to prevent the water from flowing into the ocean. the water is used to cool down the reactors in the power plant. the utility says the leak does not pose any problems for the process. workers carried out a test case for removing radioactive materials from the fukushima daiichi now clear plant in the evacuation zone around the facility. specialists commissioned by the central government have spent the past week cleaning 4.5 hectares of land around the okuma town hall. the town is inside the 20 kilometer no-entry zone around the fukushima plant. before they started the task, they had been monitoring the radiation levels of the area for over two weeks. the workers used a high-pressure water spray to wash radioactive substances off the roof of the town hall. they also collected fallen leaves and moss which are believed to contain high concentrations of these materials.

they tested different water temperatures and lengths of shifts to find the most efficient way to remove the substances. the used water was stored in tanks to be tested for recycling as the local sewage system has not been restored yet. the project succeeded in reducing radiation levels in the area from about 20 microsieverts per hour to 6 microsieverts. >> translator: in some cases radiation levels will not fall as expected, but we want to speed up this decontamination effort so residents can return home as soon as possible. >> evacuees offered their opinions of the work. >> translator: i appreciate the efforts. i want to return home when it's complete and proved safe to do so. >> translator: i doubt all the radioactive materials can be removed. it would be better for us to move to a different place and

start a new community. >> the government will conduct similar test cases in 11 cities and municipalities and begin full-fledged operations early next year. prime minister yoshihiko noda says he wants to set up a sustainable social security system to benefit the middle class. he was speaking at a meeting of the international labor organization which opened in kyoto on sunday. noda gave the keynote speech at the ilo's asia pacific regional gathering. >> translator: in ten years, nations in the asia pacific nations in the asia pacific region will face a super aging society like that of japan. we would like to establish a social security system that is sustainable for japan's aging society where birth rates are low.

i would like japan to be a role model for other countries in the region. >> about 40 member states meet every four years to discuss employment issues and economic policies. noda also said japan's economic policies in the last decade have focused too much on the market with little regard to their impact on employment. he added the current government led by the democratic party wants to create jobs to counter people's concerns and promote economic growth. christmas season's in full swing in japan and the stars are glittering with festive decorations. these hand-sewn snowmen, hearts and christmas stockings are simple designs but they come with an inspirational story. all the decorations are made by a group of women who lost their jobs to the march 11th earthquake and tsunami. on "the road ahead" we look at

how these ornaments helped the women overcome their loss and despair. >> reporter: this city was devastated by the march tsunami. in the ozashi district, 80% of fishing bodies were swept away. the local agriculture industry was wiped out. yoko takayama survived the tragedy. but everything she owned was gone. her home, two boats, and the small processing plant for seaweed and scallops that she owned with her husband. after the disaster, yoko and her husband moved into temporary housing. yoko's husband volunteered to give out supplies but she was left with nothing to do.

>> translator: one day i was standing on a clifftop looking down. i thought, if i take one step forward all the pain and worry will disappear. >> reporter: insecurity and despair kept yoko awake at night. unable to picture any kind of positive future. things first began to turn around when a support group arrived to help people that had lost their jobs. the group had an idea. it suggested that the women take up sewing, using off cuts of material from a clothing factory. yoko had her doubts. what did sewing have in common with aquaculture?

>> translator: at first i just couldn't stop crying. i kept telling myself, why do i have to do this kind of thing? >> reporter: one month later the group received its first order. 3,000 sets of tree decorations to be delivered by christmas. >> translator: your stitches should be bigger. >> translator: well, it's far from easy. >> reporter: yoko and her new colleagues gradually started to enjoy their work. now, their christmas decorations are on display and on sale in department stores across japan. yoko and her colleagues have received lots of encouraging messages from their customers. >> translator: your ornaments are so cute and convey a warm

feeling. i really respect you for making a new step forward after suffering such a disaster. >> reporter: eight months after the tsunami, yoko has turned her life around and is back where she belongs. >> translator: these clothes are my uniform. they suit me better than any stylish outfit. >> reporter: for the first time since the disaster, yoko sails out to the ocean. >> translator: if i hadn't done the sewing job i wouldn't think to go back to the water. the ocean has given me life

again. >> the ornaments which yoko and her colleagues made will decorate many japanese living rooms this festive season. "newsline" is the place to turn to post march-11th. we have two segments offering two unique segments. "nuclear watch" brings you insight and information on the impact of the fukushima daiichi crisis. and "the road ahead" examines japan's efforts to recover and rebuild. don't miss "nuclear watch" and "the road ahead" on "newsline." it's a warm and pleasant morning here in tokyo. let's go to sauk ski open chee who has the big weather picture for us. >> and welcome back to your weather update. getting a look at weather conditions across east asia, first off. for japan we're talking about a

typical winter weather pattern going on today. really clear skies for tokyo as well as much of the pacific side of the country. southern japan too enjoying nice sunshine. it is pretty wet and chilly for this northwestern flank here. we've got a lot more moisture coming in off the sea of japan. it is producing quite a bit of snow as well as some gusty conditions. looks like that's going so continue throughout the day before easing off in the evening hours. instead from evening into tuesday morning we'll start seeing moisture coming in from the south. southern japan may feel a couple of showers. pulling back we see a high pressure area over northeastern china at the moment. there is going to be wetter weather coming in for the korean peninsula as well as sections of northern china tonight into tuesday. scattered showers across taiwan as well as for the philippines. then in towards the indochina peninsula. it's vietnam that's looking particularly wet in central

sections will be at risk for some locally heavy downpours. as for highs on monday, really starting to look seasonal. 3 for your high in beijing. remaining at 6 in seoul. 14 for tokyo, though, with some nice sunshine during the daytime. 15 in shanghai and expecting 21 for taipei. north america, it is the eastern side of the u.s. and canada will be looking at wet weather. long frontal system in here right in towards eastern canada. along it we will be talking about ample amounts of moisture, especially for this southern-central sections, talking about especially heavy rainfall. downpours could trigger flash flooding so risks will be high tonight. keep an eye on local watches and warnings. behind this rain band we're looking at snow falling over the rockies and that could get heavy at times. west coast here fine and dr although california, especially

southern california, will need to watch out for dry conditions and strong winds once again. we could be talking about a pretty severe wind event going on here. you do want to watch out for gusty conditions. highs on monday, minus 10, cold in condition denver with snow. 3 in chicago. east coast, not too bad statement. 16 in d.c. 14 expected in new york. finally, a look at europe here. windy weather has been impacting much of northern europe. that continues with us today. as well as this long frontal system that will bring in snow as well as strong winds to areas like southern germany and eastern europe. we could be spauk hurricane-enforce winds today so you want to watch out for potential damage here. in the central mediterranean, things are looking wet here too and there is a risk of heavier rain here. you do want to watch out for that, as well as thunderstorms for those highs on monday. looking at zero for stockholm.

5 in moscow. 6 in berlin. 9 in vienna. that's a look at your weather conditions for you. here sa look at your three-day outlook.

our lead stories this hour. prime minister vladamir putin

has suffer eded a from support. united russia leads with 50% of the vote. the largest opposition communist party has 19.4%. organizers have counted about three-quarters of the ballots. the leftest fair russia has 12.9% of the vote. the far right liberal democratic party is last with 11.8%. putin visited his party's campaign headquarters along with president dim admit tree medvedev. >> translator: the election results reflect russia's status quo. >> translator: united russia needs to cooperate with other parties on complicated issues.

>> united russia held a two-thirds majority of the 450 seats in the lower house before the election. this allowed it to change the constitution unchallenged. the results are widely seen as a precursor to the presidential election scheduled for next march. voters took their dissatisfaction to the streets. russian security forces arrested at least 170 opposition protesters. police arrested demonstrators in st. petersburg and in moscow. police had warned protesters about holding unsanctioned rallies. police moved in just as opposition supporters were about to start demonstrating. the protesters held placards criticizing the election as a farce. they want prime minister putin out. some opposition forces claim the election results are being manipulated. they say the ruling party's actual share should be much lower. that wraps up this edition of "newsline" reserve. i'm catherine kobayashi in tokyo. do stay with us.