climate talks countdown. delegates at a u.n. conference in south africa try to walk away with some sort of agreement on controlling greenhouse gas emissions. welcome to "newsline." i'm michio kijima in tokyo. delegates at the climate change meeting in durban have a lot to do and not much time left to do it. they have to agree on whether to extend the kyoto protocol on cut cutting co 2 emissions. if so, for how long? then, they have to drop a road map to formulate a pact that will include all countries, especially major co2 emitters

such as the u.s. and china. nhk world susumu kojima is in durban. earlier he updated us on the focus of negotiations. >> reporter: the talks are on based on the presumption that the kyoto protocol will be extended. they are now trying to figure out a framework for extending kyoto. the focus is on how initial redactions can be imposed on developed countries from 2013. they are working out the details of the ruse including how many years they are to be committed to the carbon cuts. many of the developing countries have been concerned that without the kyoto protocol, the efforts to reduce greenhouse gases will be slowed. they have also been stressing that the developed nations are the ones who are responsible for climate change. so their government should do something to reduce their impact on the environment. even before this conference

started, the european union said it would approve extending kyoto with conditions. if it came from that position, it would face a strong backlash from developing nations. with that in mind, the protocol will most likely be extended. japan has expressed its intention to diffuse any obligations to cut emissions even if kyoto continues. if that happens, it will face international scrutiny regarding how it plans to help combat global climate change in the future. >> now, this conference is almost over, but at this point, what can we say about the outcome of the climate change conference? >> reporter: well, i first covered the climate change conference four years ago. since then, japan and other developing countries have been aiming to launch a new legal framework that includes china and the united states, the two

biggest co2 emitters in the world, but there is no prospect of that to happen yet. what china has indicated for the first time, the possibility of joining a new framework after 2020. but it hasn't said how far it is willing to go on obligations to curb emissions. the united states has been insisting china be a part of the global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but its representative denies the u.s. is being an obstacle to launching a new framework as some delegates have argued. >> now, it's also not accurate to say, to describe the u.s. as blocking a legally binding agreement. >> reporter: ministers held negotiations until 4:00 a.m. this morning, but they could not agree on a new framework.

the european union has once again asked the u.s. and china to make concessions saying there should be an agreement on a mandate for a legally binding pact. >> if there is no further movement from what i have seen until 4:00 this morning, then i must think i don't think there will be a deal in durban. >> reporter: last night negotiations are still continuing. the focus is on new framework that will kick in after 2020. but that's eight years from now. if delegates cannot come up with a concrete road map to order new legal framework that includes the united states and china, the germans, the u.n. conference to discuss climate change itself will surely be called into question. >> all right. that was susumu kojima reporting from durban. european union leaders are meeting for the second day of this summit in brussels to try to figure out how to deal with

the region's debt crisis. they met into early morning hours today but failed to gain unanimous a for the for a revision imposing tougher budgetary rules on themselves. britain and other countries are refusing to join. germany and france initially proposed revises the eu treaties but failed to bring all the eu members onboard. now the eu will aim to conclude a new accord by 23 nations, including all the 17 eurozone nations that are playing their central part. >> translator: prime minister cameron asked for something we all considered as unacceptable in order to change the eu treaties. >> the european union nations have also agreed to extend up to 200 billion euros in the international monetary fund trying to beef up the rescue fund to help debt strapped countries ride out the fiscal crisis. by providing loans to imf, they're hoping to get returns

from countries such as emerging economies. this eurozone crisis is having a spillover effect across the eu. members that don't use the eu are struggling because foreign investment drying up. japan says it could ease restrictions on u.s. beef imposed eight years ago due to mad cow disease. the mood prompted by a worldwide cases including in the united states. japan banned imports of all u.s. beef in 2003 after a case of mad cow disease was detected in the united states. since 2005, imports are limited to meat from cattle aged 20 months or younger after complete removal of the brain and spinal cords. pathogens that cause this are known to accumulate in these body parts. on friday the health ministry asked a flu safety commission to say how far restrictions can be eased without compromising safety. the focus of discussions aimed at raising the upper age of cattle from 20 to 30 months in line with international standards. the move is prompting mixed reactions in japan. a restaurant owner welcomed the initiative saying the meat will taste a lot better if the age limit is raised.

the picture is quite different twinge the japanese beef industry. producers are worried it will make it more difficult to compete on the domestic market. the food safety commission will produce a report by mid-2012. japanese whalers have filed a lawsuit in the united states to stop anti-whaling activists from obstructing their ships. the whaling season is set to begin in the antarctic in the next few weeks. >> translator: we filed a lawsuit in the u.s. against the sea shepherd and its leader. >> japan institute cetacean

research filed in washington state, where the headquarters of the sea shepherd conservation society are located. sea shepherd activists began obstructing whalers in 2005. their activities have steadily increased. last february, japanese whalers were forced to call off their hunt. the plaintiffs saying they stay away from the japanese fleet. paul watson told us that the complaint is groundless. he hopes the u.s. court will give the appropriate judgment. he also said the group will continue to block the whalers. sea shepherd is preparing to depart from the antarctic ocean later this month. interpol placed watson on a wanted list. last year a suspended sentence to a former sea shepherd captain, convicted from operations in the antarctic ocean.

next, we shift gears and go to our bureau in bangkok. patchari raksawong joins us with the latest on what's going on. good evening. >> hello, michio. a pakistani investigative panel says it will complete a report by the end of the year on the time osama bin laden spent in pakistan. the al qaeda leader was killed by the u.s. military in the country earlier this year. there is keene interest in what the investigation will reveal. nhk world reports from islamabad. >> reporter: the investigative panel held a news conference in islamabad on thursday. it said it will complete all the interviews by the end of the month. >> the commission has examined more than 100 witnesses, including arabian air force officials, police and intelligence officials, the surviving members of the family of osama bin laden. >> reporter: osama bin laden was killed by u.s. forces near islam in may. his hideout was only 50 kill

meters from the pakistani capital. the near military facility with tight security. suspicions were raised in the u.s. about the possible connections between bin laden, the pakistani military and the intelligence services. the u.s. mistrust had soured the relationship with islamabad, a key ally in the war on terrorism. the panel will investigate whether the pakistani government knew that bin laden was hiding in the country. it will also try to find out if he was receiving any support there. the members insist they will maintain their independence. some key questions need to be answered. it is not clear if the panel has access to official information and can include it in the report. the u.s. and other members of

the international community are eagerly waiting for the outcome of the investigation. hideki yui, nhk world, islamabad. floodwaters from thailand's worst flooding in decades are slowly beginning to retreat. the flooding caused countless numbers of businesses and caused billions of dollars worth of damage. nhk world visited one school where classes have resumed against all odds. >> reporter: classes in this province have finally restarted but the opening comes one month later than scheduled. the flooding forced thousands of schools in flooded provinces to delay the beginning of the new semester in november. the first week back at class has been a bit quiet as only 40% of

the students have returned. >> translator: i feel very happy to be back at school but for my friends who are not back in class yet, i am worried for them. >> translator: my house was seriously damaged by the flooding. the first floor is gone and even my school uniforms were all washed away. >> reporter: the school was submerged for nearly 50 days. the water was removed but the classrooms were still a mess. at the peak of the crisis, the floodwater had been this high.

inside the classroom, as you can see now, the inundation had ruined almost everything. the white boards and walls have been seriously damaged while the playground is covered in thick mud. the school's multipurpose hall which usually serves as a canteen remains under water. >> translator: i believe all the restoration work will be completed before the new school year begins next may. >> reporter: the classrooms and buildings are still waiting to be renovated. the students don't have the luxury of waiting. to make up for lost time, their school days now run an hour longer and they must attend classes on saturdays. while the sounds of schoolchildren are returning to the school throughout thailand,

all-out efforts are being made to get some 200 other schools that remain closed back in operation. let's hope history won't repeat itself again. that's going to wrap up our bull ten. i'm patchari raksawong in bangkok. china is the world's top emitter of greenhouse gas. in its measures to address global warning are attracting a lot of attention from the international community. kango otomoto has looked at way they are trying to reduce emissions. -- we seem to have a little technical problem here. all right.

nine months after the earthquake and tsunami in japan, victims are trying to get their lives back to normal. a lot of rebuilding has to be done. many people need to regain a well-being. in this week's road ahead, with he show how a photographer has drawn on his craft to help children keep their outlook positive. nhk world's masami yukon reports. >> reporter: children in the disaster zone show how well their project is working. they are taking pictures of life after the disaster. it is part of a project called "i see." it is organized by unicef who wants to give the children a worldwide stage to express their views and feelings about the disaster. the unicef people chose the ayukawa district of miyagi prefecture. besides being a poor district, it was one of the areas closest

to the earthquake's epicenter. tsunami waves higher than 10 meters hit the main street bustling with souvenir shops. many residents lost their homes and family members. a clock that stopped when the tsunami hit. a parking lot that sunk beneath sea level during the quake. some children take pictures to show how they view living with the disaster and its aftermaths. they also picture locals keene to get on with their lives despite the circumstances. some children expressed their joy that everyday life is gradually getting back to normal. italian photographer worked with the kids. he has been taking pictures of youngsters for more than 20 years. he has also conducted workshop

in countries all over the world. some work for people that had gone through conflicts on natural disasters. in the photos, he could sense the same message of hope expressed by people in similar >> of course, a calamity is a calamity. there is nothing we can do about it. what children want as always is to find the energy to continue their life as a normal life. >> reporter: the reconstruction efforts have began. and signs of progress can be seen. some children face an internal struggle with the harrowing experience of the march disaster. one of these children is

9-year-old asashi shumori. the tsunami washed away his house. now, he lives with his grandparents. born into a fisherman's family, he had to dream of making a living from the sea. ever since the disaster, he hasn't gone near the ocean. >> reporter: overcoming his aversion to the sea, asashi decided to take pictures of it. he took this photo and calls it the boats that work hard. he is expressing thanks to the ship that is once helped locals make a living from the sea. struggling to cope with his trauma, asashi has a message that needs getting out. he has been observing children

over the years. he hopes that by putting a camera in their hands, he can help them ease their trauma. >> behind the smiles and the play, there could be something hidden. the camera helps them to reflect about what's happened to them and to kind of externalize as much as they can. the fact they have to tell the story to other children in other parts of the world encourage them to express themselves as much as possible. >> reporter: the children of the project took about 8,000 pictures.

each one reflects the children's courage and the desire for their home town to be revealed soon. masami yukon, nhk world. unicef officials plan to display the photos with captions written by the children. when they have around the world. among the locations, japan and the unicef headquarters, new york. they plan to time the event to coincide with the first anniversary of the disaster, march 11th, 2012. rachel ferguson is up next with weather. since the march 11th accident at the fukushima daiichi nuclear power plant, people in northeastern japan and elsewhere have grown increasingly pore worried about radiation. no a radiation sector that speaks has been developed, aimed at helping people who are visually impaired. >> hello. [ speaking in foreign language ]. >> if you push a button on the 12x5 meter, the woman's voice

announce the airborne radiation per hour pap prototype of the speaking device was shown friday. jointly developed by an association for the visuality impaired at a local company. >> translator: the machine will be handy for the visually impaired. we hope people will find it useful. >> while visually impaired curbs were evacuated from a town, they were worried about radioactive contamination. >> translator: we already feel safer with this device. japan's health ministry decided to begin radiation checks on all food products for infants every three months.

this comes after a leading fool company announced earlier in the week it found radioactive cesium in its powdered milk. the level of contamination found by meiji corporation was beyond safety limits, still the company decided to recall the product. the health ministry says it checks over baby food and formula chosen randomly from store shelves. >> translator: the health ministry asked manufacturers to disclose information on their products. we'll also monitor the products

to ensure they're safe. now let's turn brief news from japan starting with the situation at the fukushima daiichi nuclear plant. wire contaminated with radioactive materials is building up inside the fukushima daiichi plant. underground water seeming into basements. storage tanks will be full by march. the utility considered treating the water and then releasing it into the sea. strong opposition by the fishing industry forced it to postpone its decision. a former scientist of the fukushima daiichi has been diagnosed with cancer. doctors say it's unlikely his disease was caused by radiation exposure. he led the efforts to stabilize the plant after the nuclear accident in march. the company relieved him from his post last week. farmer in a coastal area hit by the march tsunami will build one of japan's largest facilities for growing vegetables without soil. the seawater, one-third of farmland where about 1,800 sectors in the region. farmers in the area plan to build a facility that uses liquid nutrients and water instead of soil. they hope to start operations in 2013. rachel ferguson is up next with weather.

hi there. time for the weekend's forecast. we start in eastern asia where things are once again going to be dry and cold across much of the east asian continent. a few snow showers down towards the southwest of china and then further south we will find continuing rain showers over eastern indochina. mostly vietnam getting hit with those, and the then the philippines continuing to see heavy rain, particularly up here for northern luzon. as for japan, well, wintry precipitation coming to northern portions then actually quite far down the sea of japan side of the country. meanwhile, it will be nice and dry and sunny also for the pacific edge. temperaturewise, 9 forecast for tokyo on saturday. 2 in seoul with 5 in beijing. now, 5 is also forecast in shanghai. temperatures are really dipping down here in eastern china. also seeing a chilly day comparatively. hong kong at 16 degrees. a little cooler than usually seen this time of year. all right. into north america we go.

another reach than is going to be pretty much calm and sunny. not necessarily warm, though. i'll show you what's happening. especially towards the north. we're going to see the northern plains as well as upper midwest really getting swept by a large area, massive cold air coming down from the arctic. this is the purple. focus on that. this is your friday into saturday. it's going to dip down a little further south, and push east. now, by saturday, coming right into the northeast. do brace yourself for those dropping temperatures over the weekend. let's go now to europe. of course, we've been reporting that severe storm that swept through the british isle yesterday, and is now focusing on the scandinavian peninsula. go first to some video to show what you was happening yesterday. this is scotland. you can see just how intense those waves are. rough seas weren't the only problem. these winds took down trees, power lines as well leaving thousands of people without

power. and also, of course, just brought the main areas to standstill, closing schools that day. i'm sure a few people were happy about that, but generally a very severe situation altogether. if we pull back i can show you what's happening now, as that system pushes to the east it is to be bringing similar positions across the scandinavian peninsula and further into northeastern europe. you will see showers coming into the iberian peninsula, however. some of the reports for the last 24 hours. you can see 94 kilometer mile-an-hour winds hitting parts of denmark there. the winds continue to be very strong as we head into the next 24 hours. watch across the north. northern germany as well as poland, too, and the low countries right here are your temperatures as we head into saturday. for stockholm, 0, moscow. 3 in kiev.

athens, warmer day, 19. we're just into double features at 11 degrees. here's your extended forecast.

that's our broadcast for this hour on "newsline." i'm michio kijima in tokyo. thank you for watching. bye-bye.