health authorities in taiwan say they've detected a case of a new strain of bird flu. it's the first time the h7n9 virus has been found in people outside mainland china. firefighters, soldiers and residents are searching for survivors of a building collapse in bangladesh. more than 70 people are dead. and u.s. aviation authorities discuss problems with the boeing 787 at hearings in washington.

they say they understand why the plane's batteries failed, but they don't know the exact cause. welcome to nhk world "newsline." health authorities across asia have been on guard against the aggressive strain of the bird flu that's spreading in china. now those in taiwan say they've detected the first human infection involving the deadly h7n9 virus. taiwanese public health officials say a 53-year-old man developed the flu after returning from eastern chinese province of jiangsu. he stayed there from march 28 to april 9. officials say after the man returned home he complained of fever and fatigue and was hospitalized a week later. tests showed he had been infected with the h7n9 strain. the man reportedly had no contact with live poultry in china. so far 109 cases of the bird flu have been reported mainly in the eastern part of china, including shanghai and beijing. of them, 22 people have died.

rescuers in bangladesh are digging through debris to find survivors of a deadly building collapse. an eight-story structure on the outskirts of the capital dhaka crumbled to the ground. local media say more than 70 people died. the upper part of the commercial building suddenly collapsed during the busy morning period. the structure housed a clothing factory, a bank and a shopping center. many people are feared trapped inside. workers at the factory were starting their shifts, and some shops were already open. more than 600 people are reportedly hurt. soldiers and citizens are helping with the rescue operations. local media say a crack was detected in the wall of the building on tuesday, but people were still allowed to go inside. the u.s. national transportation safety board has opened a two-day hearing to discuss the problems that grounded the 787 dreamliner. at the same time, boeing crews are repairing aircraft around the world.

the 787 could be flying again by june, even though investigators admit they don't have answers to all of their questions. nhk world's susumu kijima reports. >> reporter: the ntsb hearings are going on in washington. >> we are looking for lessons learned, not just for design and certification of the failed battery, but for knowledge that can be applied to emerging technologies going forward. >> reporter: officials from boeing and the japanese company who manufacture the batteries participated. along with those from the u.s. aviation administration. the airline started using the 787 in november 2011. the dreamliner is the first commercial aircraft of its kind to rely intensely on lithium ion batteries making it lighter and more fuel efficient than

previous models. but the series of troubles involving the battery system led to a worldwide grounding in january. a battery in japan airlines 787 caught fire when the plane was packed at an airport in boston. the crew on an all nippon airways 787 made an emergency landing in japan because the battery system emitted smoke. investigators say excess current caused the chemical phenomenon. heightened pressure triggered an uncontrollable chemical reaction. they haven't said what caused the excess current. boeing's chief engineer for the 787 admits the battery could have been tested more rigorously. >> in retrospect, i believe we

don't feel it was conservative enough and so now we're using the overly conservative method rather than what we thought was appropriate at the time. >> reporter: it's still too early to decide whether the battery failure occurred because of a design error or a production problem. boeing engineers have developed and tested the revamped battery of the 787's battery system. they better insulated the eight lithium ion cells. they also put them in a steel box and they attached a vent so that smoke could be emitted outside aircraft in case of fire. the federal aviation administration approved the modifications. boeing crews are now fixing aircraft around the world. much of the work is happening in japan. 24 of the 50 dreamliners that were in service are here.

the ntsb chair says they are still uncertain what caused the problems. but she promised the investigation isn't over. >> i think we heard from the witnesses a number of things today that helped confirm some of the findings in our interim factual report and also helped to point us in the direction as we continue our investigation. >> reporter: aviation regulators say the revamped batteries will ensure the safety of passengers. the 787s are expected to be back in the air by june. susumu kojim world. investigators are learning more about what possibly motivated the men accused of carrying out the boston marathon bombings. an american newspaper revealed details of the interrogation of the surviving suspect.

"the washington post" reports dzhokhar tsarnaev said he and his deceased brother had hard-line islamist views and were angry about the u.s. wars in iraq and afghanistan. the newspaper quoted officials familiar with interviews that investigators have had with the 19-year-old. the official said the suspect and his older brother do not appear to have been directed by an international terrorist organization. they say evidence suggests they were self-radicalized and that tsarnaev specifically cited the wars in iraq and afghanistan as motivating factors. the suspect is now being treated in the hospital for his injuries. staff say he is recuperating and communicating through writing. authorities charged him with using a weapon of mass destruction resulting in death. he could face the death penalty if convicted. boston police say the street where the bombing took place is now open. in the. the attack killed three and wounded more than 170 others.

prime minister shinzo abe has rejected criticism from japan's asian neighbors over visits by his cabinet ministers to a war-related shrine. he says they should not bow to threats. three ministers visited yasukuni shrine over the weekend. the shrine in tokyo honors japan's war dead, including some convicted of war crimes. the visits triggered protests from chinese and south korean officials. speaking in the diet abe questioned the timing of those countries' complaints. he said china did not object to japanese leaders' visits to yasukuni when those convicted of war crimes were enshrined there in 1978. he said the protests began only later. he added south korean officials began to strongly oeb only during president yong's

admission in the mid 2000s. >> translator: it is natural for us to pay our respects to the people who sacrificed their precious lives for the state. it is also only natural for the ministers in my government to act freely without giving in to any threat. >> abe said his responsibilities include defending japan's interests and the nation's pride based on history and tradition. he said it's wrong to think that if japan makes concessions on these matters it will help improve diplomatic relations. a senior u.s. official has urged japan and china to act calmly and constructively concerning their dispute over the senkaku islands in the east china sea. u.s. deputy secretary of state william byrnes is now visiting japan and spoke exclusively to nhk in tokyo. the islands are owned by japan by claimed by both china and taiwan. byrnes said the u.s. does not take a position on the

sovereignty issue but acknowledged that the islands are administered by japan. >> we would call upon all parties to deal with this issue in an exclusively peaceful mann manner, to avoid actions which might risk miscalculations or risk rising tensions. it is very important to deal with this issue in a calm and constructive manner. >> burns also mentioned a recent series of talks between u.s. senior officials and china's leaders. he said his country will strengthen ties with china through diplomatic and military routes and that u.s.-china relations are very important for global peace and stability amid increasing provocation by north korea. chinese authorities have revealed a plan to expand their navy. they deployed their first aircraft carrier last september, raising concerns among neighboring nations about a military buildup. now, a senior naval officer says another carrier is coming. the state-run xinhua news agency

quotes the deputy chief of staff of the navy as saying the next carrier will be larger and accommodate more fighter jets. he said the navy will also acquire more j-15 jets. he said one carrier would be able to support at least two aviation regiments. song did not say when the new carrier will be built. he denied media reports that it's already under construction in shanghai. china has been reinforcing its navy to back up its territorial claims in the east and south china seas. violence has erupted in western china between authorities and civilians. chinese state run media say the incident in the uighur autonomous region has left 21 people dead. a clash broke out on tuesday in kashgar. fighting began after local government officials reportedly discovered a suspicious group carrying knives. police rushed to the scene only

from -- only for some to be taken hostage. police then reportedly shot six members of the group and arrested others. o total of 21 people, including 15 policemen, were killed. chinese authorities say the group was plotting a terror attack. there have been increasing outbursts of violence amid raising tensions with ethnic uighurs. they complain of a widening wealth gap. a riot broke out in the regional capital in 2009 claiming 200 lives. the security situation in pakistan continues to be volatile ahead of next month's general election. police in islamabad say they found a car bomb near the home of the former president, pervez musharraf. he's currently under house arrest on a range of charges including abuse of power when in office. the discovery came as multiple deadly attacks against election rallies took place across the

country. pakistani police diffused explosives hidden in a car parked near musharraf's residence on tuesday. several remote-controlled detonators were rigged to the device. no one has claimed responsibility but the pakistani taliban threatened to killed musharraf shortly before he returned from self-imposed exile last year. in the southwestern city of quetta, a suicide bomb attack killed at least four people on same day. the blast occurred shortly after a prominent ethnic minority leader finished his campaign arrest. attack injured dozens. >> translator: make them stop these terrorists. young people have died in this attack. >> reuters says a spokesperson for a militant group dedicated to attacking pakistan's shiite muslim minority has claimed responsibility. meanwhile, the ap reports that

two people were killed and several others wounded in a blast in karachi. an explosive device hidden in a motorcycle is to blame. so far this year, at least 200 have died in attack in pakistan mainly targeting shiite muslims. the government is now under pressure to ensure public safety during the campaign season and the upcoming elections on may 11th. a weaker yen is making japanese firms more optimistic about their earnings. canon is projecting a sharp rise from annual profit this year. aenen executives say the yen's decline alone is expected to push up sales by $4.7 billion for the january to december period. they say operating profit will likely increase by $2.4 billion. as a result they revised upward

their estimate of the annual operating profit to $4.5 billion. it is up by about $400 million from the previous projection given in january. >> translator: the strong yen has been corrected as a result of the bank of japan's drastic monetary easing. but, uncertain factors remain such as the u.s. fiscal issue and the eurozone debt problems. >> the chief financial officer tanaka say executives will keep a close watch on foreign exchange rates. mitsubishi motors says the yen's decline is expected to help post record profits for the year that ended in march. executives revised upwards their estimates. they say the pre-tax profit for fiscal 2012 likely exceeded $940 million. that's over 50% more than the previous forecast in yen terms.

they estimate that the net profit was over $380 million, both figures will be records for the company. mitsubishi officials say the yen's recent weakness raised the value of for reign currencies ty bought when the yen was stronger. they say funds loaned to overseas subsidiaries did well. they are expected to announce stronger earnings reports in the coming weeks. japan's finance ministry has upgraded the country's economic assessment for the first time in three quarters. ministry officials say the japanese economy has begun a moderate recovery. the chiefs of the ministries 11 regional bureaus reported local economic trends for the january to march period. eight bureaus upgraded their local economic assessments. officials from most regions reported increases in production in sectors such as autos, steels and electronics. they cited strong exports to the united states. officials also reported a rise

in job offers in non-manufacturing industries, including medical and welfare sectors. on personal consumption they noted strong sales of expensive items at department stores. in looking ahead, many officials said hopes are groeing that the weaker again will boost corporate exports and the government's economic measures will help to boost domestic demand. a historical buddhist ruin in afghanistan is on the verge of disappearing to make way for a mine. a senior afghan officials says the government will demolish the remains of an ancient settlement to extract copper at the site. he says mining will begin late next year or early 2015. the area will be developed by a chinese state-owned company. >> translator: this will increase investment from overseas. >> he is the department director

at ministry of mines. he told nhk that archaeologists have to finish their excavations by june to vacate the site for drilling equipment. the ruins sit on one of the largest deposits of copper in the world. experts have unearthed well preserved statues, paintings and other artifacts. the settle many has historical significance as it dates from a period when afghanistan was a major cultural crossroads between east and west. >> translator: managers from the afghan government and the chinese firm want to start mining as soon as possible. we've been losing profit. behind the face-off between history and commerce is a fascinating archaeological site that's dividing opinions sharply while no one knows what will happen to the ruins, all eyes are on developments. nhk world has been there to see.

>> reporter: a 1 1/2 hour drive from the capital kabul takes us to logar province. the military and police are on high alert for armed militants who remain active in this part of the country. a buddhist ruin is situated here. 2,500 meters above sea level. the site is believed to stretch 12 kilometers from east to west and eight kilometers from north to south. it prospered as a buddhist city between the sixth and seventh centuries. a number of ruins were found 500 meters below ground. researchers have identified eight statues so far in

incredibly good condition. this statue is a buddha delivering his teaching. the color of his robe has been preserved for more than 1,000 years. detail of the material is clearly visible, too. human bones were also unearthed near the stupor. they are believed to belong to a priest who lived in the temple. it is not just temples that have been discovered here. >> there's a small room. we have this strong entrance to an underground room. so my interpretation of this is it is a bank. surrounding this area we have discovered hundreds of coins. >> reporter: but this extraordinary ruin is on the verge of being torn down.

buildings have been erected near the ruins. they belong to a chinese state run resource mining company. it plans to begin developing in the year. the exploration covers an area of four kilometers in each direction. the red line indicates a copper mining area. most of the ruins will be cleared for the mine. a local expert at the excavation site cannot hide his disappointment with the plan. >> translator: we were pressured to finish the excavation in three or four years. we had to complete what usually takes 30 to 40 years in only four years. >> reporter: after the collapse of the taliban regime in 2001, afghanistan is trying to rebuild itself with the assistance of the international community, but

the nation is still without any major industry, and rebuilding efforts are slow going. the country cannot but help tap its natural resources underground if it wants to stand on its own two feet. >> we're trying to preserve the site. at the same time, and to profit from the copper mine for the economic stability of afghanistan. that's something which is required for our people. we need the money. we need the economic resource to stabilize the afghan society. >> reporter: afghanistan is starting to emerge from the legacy of decades of war, but the nation is yet to begin on the path toward reconstruction, and is putting cultural assets in the country, many of them riches belonging to all mankind, at the risk of demolition.

it's getting warmer in tokyo but with rain. meteorologist robert speta is here with the forecast. robert? that's right. we are watching this big band of cloud cover across much of japan today, not only tokyo. even off toward the west in the tokai region. we saw the large landslide yet. still expecting 80 millimeters of additional rain through the overnight hours here so definitely want to continue to watch that. still the risk of landslides out here with risk of localized flooding. good news is going into your thursday we'll be seeing some clearing up for a short time across most of japan. temperatures still in the 20s. farther towards the west we are watching a new lb area. that's going to move across the sea of japan, move into the northern portions of japan, even isolated shower or two expected into tokyo on thursday. good news is that going into friday and eventually saturday, things are going to be improving after those showers push by by the end of your work week and

really just much of the weekend looking much sunnier here. follow the front back towards the west. southeastern china, including hong kong, expect some thunderstorm activity here. temperatures in hong kong even reaching up near 30 degrees today. that's much the case across southeastern and central and eastern china. temperatures warming up. southerly winds and high pressure overhead here into the center of the country. chongqing at 26. going into friday and saturday that's going to be into 30s for you. shanghai even getting up near 30 degrees as well going through the weekend. enjoy these balmy temperatures out here. if you're north of the frontal area, you will see some sunny skies. south of it though is going to be rather rainy for you. let's look at the americas though. a frontal area stretching from quebec, ontario, down to the great lakes. see the pig band of cloud cover. this is bringing widespread rainfall, maybe even snow towards the north, little mix of rain and snow into quebec extending over towards new england. ontario, have you flood watches and warnings in effect extending down through illinois and indiana. all this heavy rainfall is

following behind some snow you've been seeing recently last couple weeks. that snow is melting with these warmer temperatures. plus this rain even another shot of rain coming across the great lakes here on your thursday going into your friday. that is going to be causing the risk of some river flooding. all that water's get to go somewhere. here in the north it all flows downstream. actually you have flood watches in effect across the entire of the mississippi river. even extending all the way down toward new orleans. so really that's going to continue to rise throughout the next several days, even if not the next several weeks as these temperatures start to cool down. chicago, 11 for your high. new york city, washington, d.c., you're getting into the 20s here on your wednesday. let's look at europe. off towards the north we have a few low pressure areas. couple disturbances affecting you up here bringing some gusty wind. warming up the temperatures though but it is going to be cooling off going into your friday. we'll see a dip in the jet stream that will push all the way down here near this cut-off low that's been spinning over algeria, bringing some rough weather for you. that will cool these

temperatures off. balmy weather we've been seeing. london, 18 for your high. paris was getting up to 25. this is following behind the very late season winter that we've been watching. really finally some warmer weather but it has had an effect. actually i want to show you video coming out of belgium and netherlands here where this cold and dry spring has had a negative impact on the flower harvest in the netherlands. netherlands actually export about 70% of its annual flowers a year but this year they actually had to import thousands of cases of flowers from france for their annual flower parade. it did go ahead as planned but it does show that colder temperatures, very late season winter to have an effect. that's your world weather. here's your extended forecast.

that's "newsline" for this hour. i'm gene otani in tokyo.