struggling with democracy. more than 3,000 candidates across iran kick off their campaigns for parliamentary elections. iranians are taking part in a test of popularity for president mahmoud ahmadinejad. they vote next week in parliamentary elections. conservatives are fighting for support. many of the nation's pro-reform figures have been forced out of the campaign. nhk world reports from tehran. >> reporter: campaigning is officially under way for the iranian parliamentary election. with many experts and analysts predicting ahmadinejad's

economic policies to be the main focus of debate among candidates. elections are scheduled for march 2nd. and 290 parliamentary seats are up for grabs. more than 5,400 people had filed candidacies. however, many of them were disqualified by conservative betting body known as the guardian council. as a result, 3,444 candidates are running for parliament. the re-election of president mahmoud ahmadinejad in -- tough regulations by the authorities have dealt a blow to pro-reform activists and discouraged many of them from taking part in the elections. this makes the parliamentary election a fierce contest

between conservatives. amid reports of a rift between iran's supreme leader ayatollah khomeini and president ahmadinejad. iran's domestic economy is being squeezed under tougher economic sanctions by the west, resulting in accelerating inflation. >> translator: i will vote for candidates who focus on economic policies. >> reporter: conservatives critical of ahmadinejad are gaining ground by attacking the president's austerity measure of cutting government subsidies for daily necessities. mojitab saniti, nhk world, tehran. a united nations report claims the syrian government is committing serious human rights violations. it estimates that over 8,000 people have been killed since last march when anti-government protests began. the u.n. human rights council

released its report based on interviews by phone or directly with about 370 people in syria and neighboring countries. the report says government troops have been firing at crowds of protesters in various locations in the country. it also says that syrian security officers interrogated demonstrators using electric shock at a hospital in the central city of homs. the report also says a list of senior government and military crackdown was submitted to the u.n. human rights chief. a series of bombings and gun attacks has killed at least 39 people and wounded more than 230 others in and around the iraqi capital of baghdad. a car bomb exploded in central baghdad near a police checkpoint on thursday morning followed by a second car bombing a few hundred meters away. another checkpoint was attacked by a group of armed men. iraqi authorities say the terrorist attacks occurred at 16

locations within a few hours. the casualties include many civilians. police believe the incidents to be coordinated and have put central baghdad and other areas under heavy security. the latest attacks have raised doubts about iraq's ability to host a summit meeting of arab nations next month. it will be the first such summit in iraq in 22 years. defectors from north korea are wondering what will happen to them. chinese authorities caught 31 north koreans this month and are threatening to send them back. diplomats in seoul say the refugees could be executed upon their return. south korean delegates plan to raise the issue at a meeting next week in geneva of the u.n. human rights council. >> translator: we will step up diplomatic pressure on china, promote measures to attract international attention, and focus on the reoperateeration

issue. >> south koreans have staged rallies and organized petitions calling on china not to send the defectors back. more than 100,000 people have rallied in moscow in a show of support for prime minister vladimir putin. the rally comes just over a week before the march 4th presidential race. putin wants to retake the office he held for eight years. an estimated 130,000 people attended the rally on thursday which was defender of the fatherland day. putin played on themes of patriotism in his speech, and he spoke of major campaigns in russia's past. >> translator: the battle to defend russia goes on, and we are sure to win. >> supporters of opposition parties continue to stage mass protests across russia.

over alleged fraud in december's lower house elections. recent opinion polls put putin far ahead of four other candidates in the presidential race. political analysts wonder whether he can win a majority to secure re-election without a run-off vote. well, tokyo's nikkei index is having a good run this month. ai uchida with a check on the current >> catherine, it's on track to having a great february. despite the recent gains, tokyo share prices are holding steady this friday morning hovering right around the 9,600 level. the nikkei index is now at 9613, up 0.2% on the day so far. the broader topix is up 0.4% at 832. sources say that some investors are placing buy orders following an overnight gain in new york. however, others are selling to lock in profits.

market players are cautious as they think the stock market has advanced too quickly recently. the dollar has retreated against the yen in tokyo trading as some participants move to take profits from the yen's recent gains. the dollar/yen is changing at 80.02-04 yen currently whereas the euro/yen is at 107.01-06 yen. observers say the fall in long-term interest rates in the united states has prompted some dollar selling. here's a look at the latest long-term interest rates. the yield on the benchmark ten-year japanese government bond down nearly one basis point. greek lawmakers passed a bill on debt reduction on thursday. this was the deal they made with private sector investors and paves the way for more debt restructuring in greece. earlier in the week, eurozone finance ministers decided to -- decided on an extra bailout of

130 billion euros for the country. they also agreed to ask private sector investors for a voluntary writedown on their greek debt holdings. the request will mean a loss of 53.5% on the amounts they invested. the bill was passed soon after the deliberations and includes a bond swap with bond holders. the greek government will get the formalities under way on friday and hopes to complete the swap by mid-march. now the focus is how many private sector investors will cooperate in the debt reduction because it's on a voluntary basis. meanwhile, eurozone finance ministers are making arrangements to hold talks just before a summit meeting scheduled for thursday next week. they plan to assess how far greece has progressed in implementing belt-tightening measures. these were conditions to receive the additional bailout. the measures include reforming the labor market and health insurance system. apple has won the latest chapter in a long legal battle

over who owns the name ipad. a court in shanghai ruled apple can continue to sell its tablet glurt. chinese i.t. equipmentmaker provu filed the lawsuit. the owners claim the trademark for ipad belongs to them. but the court dismissed the request. a lawyer for the plaintiff says they'll appeal the decision. the court will postpone legal preedings while a higher court decides on an appeal in another trademark case over the ipad. that ruling is due as early as next wednesday. pro view technology is asking courts around the country to ban all sales of the ipad. a court ruled in its favor just a week ago. japanese department stores are entering emerging asian economies. that's because they struggle with weak sales in their home market. takashimaya will be the first to open a store in vietnam. the department store plans to

open its outlet in 2015. it will be located in a large commercial and office complex to be built in ho chi minh city. it will offer western luxury brands as well as clothes and food made by japanese companies. takashimaya is expecting personal spending to grow in vietnam due to a rise in its affluent population. another japanese department store is also considering setting up in the vietnamese market. south korean and singaporean markets are also open this hour. let's take a look at those levels.

>> that's the latest in business. back to catherine. >> thanks very much, ai. next we continue our series of special reports from vietnam. patchari raksawong is in the capital of hanoi. >> this week we're reporting on the challenges and opportunities facing central vietnam. we'll have a report on the burgeoning tourism market in just a moment, but first some other news from the region. the trial has begun in manila of the former president of the philippines, gloria arroyo. she appeared in court on thursday and pleaded not guilty to charges of electoral fraud. arroyo was indicted in november on suspicion of ordering the manipulation of vote counts during a senate election in 2007. the case is viewed as a key test for the government of president aquino who's made eliminating corruption a priority.

and next we continue our special report on central vietnam. boosting tourist arrivals is a key goal for the central region to catch up with economic development in the rest of vietnam. its world heritage sites and ocean views have the potential to attract visitors from all over the world. and here in hanoi the tourist infrastructure is better established. as i found out, even here, the tourism experience isn't always entirely smooth. hanoi is an historic city with plenty of things to see and do. more than 6 million foreigners visited vietnam last year, a threefold increase from 15 years ago. sophisticated cafes, restaurants

and souvenir shops offer visitors plenty too. whenever one goes abroad enjoying the local cuisine is a definite highlight. buying souvenirs and handicrafts is also popular among tourists here in hanoi. in fact, there are plenty of good shops to choose from. how much is it in the local currency? in the local currency. vietnamese -- >> 3 -- oh, 612. >> 360 -- >> 612. >> are these for locals or -- >> but even in the capital, finding people with the right skills to work in the tourism sector is a major challenge.

central vietnam has a lofty goal of becoming a destination like bali or phuket, so the challenge for tourism officials is even bigger when it comes to finding staff with the right skills to work in hospitality. but we found one innovative solution. nhk world's noriko nakamura has the report. >> it was the capital of the last dynasty, the city is home to the splendid citadel, a unesco world heritage site. attractions like this helped draw 2 million visitors last year. >> it was fantastic. we have just visited the pagoda. very, very nice, peaceful and calm place. >> central vietnam is home to four of the country's six world heritage sites. this year is designated the year

of international tourism. >> translator: they have a lot of traditional culture, traditional festivals and a variety of food. they all attract tourists from around the world. >> the archaeological sites are the main attraction. but a dramatic change is currently taking place. just 25 minutes' drive from the airport, a five-star hotel opened last year. it features 25 water billows nestled around the shore of a lagoon. the hotel is especially designed to attract women and couples. not only elderly visitors who have until now made up the majority of sightseers. vietnam's economic boom grew out of the -- so the concept of the

customer service will recognize in capitalist is still near here. vietnamese economy was closed off to the rest of the world during the vietnam war and subsequent years of communist rule. >> it takes a long time to teach english, then to serve it. it's going to take about six months but english will be more than two years. >> reporter: the shortage of skilled workers is getting more serious as the tourism industry grows. that's why this restaurant is attracting attention. the restaurant is run by an ngo. it provides on-the-job training for local youth. it teaches cooking, baking bread, and manners needed to serve customers. >> they're very professional. they always come back and check and see how you are, if you want anything else. >> reporter: another

distinguishing feature is that all the young people working here are from poor families. revenues from the restaurant are used in part for scholarships. 23-year-old lei yen started as a local culinary school with one of those scholarships. she lives on the outskirts with her family. they are thankful for the training program which has made their dreams come true. >> translator: i am so grateful the scholarship has given my daughter a promising future. we didn't have money to send her to school. >> translator: i'm determined to work hard to please my customers. my goal is to be a successful chef. >> reporter: tour simp now a highly coveted industry for vietnamese workers. it goes beyond fostering talent.

it also offers underprivileged but motivated young people the chance to start a career and realize a dream. noriko, nakamura, nhk world, korea. >> let's hope those young people will go on to have successful careers in vietnam's new tourism industry. and tomorrow, we'll focus on efforts people in central vietnam are making to heal the lingering scars of the vietnam war. and we'll look at new industries emerging from that tragic past. so do join us tomorrow. and with that we'll wrap up our bulletin. i'm patchari raksawong reporting from hanoi. a world famous singer has made a bumpy transition into politics. he wanted to become the next president of senegal.

but the high court in the west african country barred him from running in sunday's elections. still, he's determined to change the way things are done. nhk world reports from dakar. ♪ >> reporter: he's a superstar in his homeland, senegal, and is well known around the world. many of his songs call for action on issues such as poverty and the environment. his blend of traditional senegalese rhythms is western musical styles has won him many international fans. and in 2005, he won a grammy award. ♪ his music is rooted in the tradition of the griots whose songs keep alive the history of the ancient culture.

griots are cherish inside senegal, performing at weddings and other events. he's descended from the griot through his mother and grandmother. his connection underlines his focus on social issues. >> translator: in the old days, nobody had televisions or radios. the stories were transmitted by the grios who memorized everything. i was born into this tradition, and so i became a gr of the modern world. >> now he's back in the international spotlight after declaring his candidacy in senegal's presidential election. youssou n'dour felt the need to enter politics so he could help bring about social changes.

>> translator: a great majority of the senegalese have said, yes, we would like you to defend our cause. >> reporter: but his election bid has hit a major hurdle. incumbent president is running for a third term, despite the constitutional two-term limit. this was approved by the nation's highest court. the court also banned youso yousou ndo because he was about 1,000 signatures short of the supporters needed to run. the court's ruling triggered widespread anger. many senegalese see president wad's move as a threat to democracy. there have been violent protests in dakar and other parts of

senegal. meanwhile, youssou n'dour defied the court's decision and continued his campaign along with the other opposition candidates. >> translator: my music comes from senegal and senegal is more important than my music. now i'm focusinging on the issues facing senegal. even if i am not yet president, i'm working for senegal. >> reporter: with the arab spring upheavals of last year, still fresh in people's minds, the world will be watching closely as senegalese head to the polls on sunday. jean baptiste, nhk world, dakar. i felt i should have worn my lighter coat today. things are warming up here in tokyo. we're joined now with the world weather forecast. will this pleasant weather continue? >> i want to say yes, but, no,

chilly and wet weather is expected from tomorrow. but for today, dry conditions will continue as we've got a high pressure system moving in to our area bringing sunny and warm conditions. the expected high here in tokyo is 14 degrees. so feel like spring today. but showers in the southern islands will expand much of the nation tomorrow and will start to see cold precipitation in tokyo on saturday. as for the korean peninsula, staying dry at this moment but a wintry mix will develop from tonight. and as for china, showers along the southern coast are gradually diminishing, but another round of rainy weather is headed your way. down towards the philippines, thundershowers in mendenao will be moving towards the weekend. looking at 21 degrees in hong kong with some light showers. 25 in taipei. seoul, still warmer than average with 9 degrees. tokyo, again, 14 degrees with plenty of sunshine today.

heading over to the americas, a pacific storm will be moving into british columbia and the pacific northwest. that will bring heavy coastal rain, mountain snow and gusty winds. and over the weekend, it will move further inland. and then we've got more potent storm over the central mississippi valley bringing blizzard conditions to the south of the great lakes region. and on friday, the area of heavy snow will expand from the eastern great lakes into new england. and to the south of it, rain and particularly severe along the coast of the southeastern corner of the u.s. we are talking about severe thunderstorms, large hail, damaging winds and even isolated tornadoes. and those conditions will continue into your friday evening. still warmer than average along the eastern seaboard. looking at 19 degrees in d.c. and 15 degrees in atlanta. but across the west, cold air is sweeping in pushing down temperatures.

only 4 in denver. 2 in chicago. and returning to more seasonal level in torto with 1 degree. now moving on to europe, still windy in northern europe. wind gusts exceeded 120 kilometers per hour in scotland. in terms of precipitation, particularly wet along the west coast of norway. over the next 24 hours, a wintry mix will be moving into eastern europe. down towards the south, thundershowers are easing in the central mediterranean after a long period of stormy weather here so that's good news. temperatures are as follows. getting up to 20 degrees in lisbon and 16 in madrid. up to 12 in berlin with some light showers. and out towards the east, right at the freezing point in moscow. and 4 degrees in kiev with a mix of rain and snow. all right. that's it for me now. and here's your extended forecast.

some primary schoolchildren in london got a little taste of

japan as part of the city's preparations for this summer's olympic games. about 100 children were invited to lessons on japanese culture at imperial college london on thursday. >> konichiwa! >> the children learned to count and exchange simple greetings in japanese. they also participated in a powerful drum performance emphasizing the beats with their voices. the event apparently won some new fans for japan. >> i'm supporting the british, but i have a feeling inside that i got high hopes for the japanese. >> the college plans to rent out part of its facilities to japanese athletes. the london olympic games open on july 27th. all right. and that wraps up this edition of "newsline." i'm catherine kobayashi in tokyo. thanks for joining us.