hello. glad to have you with us on this edition of "newsline." it's wednesday march 13th. i'm klatt r catherine kobayashi. trying to choose a new pope, they were unable to make a

decision on their first day. they took a vow of secrecy and filed into the sistine chapel. black smoke emerged from the chimney about three hours later saying no cardinal had captured the two-thirds majority needed to win. catholics from around the world have gathered in st. peter's square, waiting for white smoke the signal the cardinals have agreed on a new pope. >> i'm so happy to be here because it's such a rare opportunity. >> exciting and yet it is disappointing. we know we're going to have to come back tomorrow again to see the white smoke. >> the cardinals will vote four times a day until they reach a decision. a chinese official says his country plans to survey the senkaku islands controlled by japan but claimed by china. the deputy head of the national administration of surveying,

mapping and geoinformation made the remark on tuesday in an interview with china national radio. the accuracy of the current maps of the islands is below standard and says china has never surveyed the islands from the ground and said they will send surveyors if their safety is guaranteed and china plans to strengthen the national administration oceanic administration. people in japan who are opposed to atomic weapons say u.s. leaders are sending the wrong message to north korea. they're angry the american government has been conducting nuclear arms tests even as it condemns authorities in pyongyang for carrying out their own nuclear tests. scientists in the u.s. use technology that enables them to check the weapons without creating an explosion. officials at the national

nuclear security administration, or nnsa, say the scientists do simulations using something called a z-machine. it emits the world's most powerful x-rays, and recreates conditions similar to a nuclear explosion without an actual detonation. the test examined the reaction of plutonium inside the weapons. scientists in the u.s. have been carrying them out since 2010. the most recent ones happened between last october and december. that's raised concern here in japan among survivors of the 1945 atomic bombings and their supporters. >> translator: america secretly carried out these tests, and they announced it a few months later. the united states is looking down on us. i wonder if they have a conscience.

>> translator: i regret united states' action. nuclear armed nations should not only say they want a world free of nuclear weapons, but work toward it, as well. an atomic bomb survivor from hiroshima expressed concern that the u.s. action may prompt north korea to hold another nuclear test out of a sense of rivalry. nnsa representatives argue that it's safe, while maintaining a moratorium on nuclear explosive testing. the head of the u.s. nuclear regulatory commission has offered to help with the clean up accident. people will have to clear up a lot of hurdles before they can clean up the plant. visiting the site in december,

expressing respect for 2,000 workers who are remove iing deb and spent fuel. >> that was impressive. at the same time, there's a huge amount of work that needs to be done there. they have four reactors damaged. >> macfarlane has offered to work with her counterpart at the agency's regulation authority and like to meet twice a year to share ideas. stock markets in tokyo may want to take a breather and wednesday they snapped eight days of gains. good morning. >> good morning, catherine. indeed they do seem to be losing steam even looking at the dow jones that managed to end in the positive for eight days in a row and traded in slightly negative territory. the dow jones closed at 14,450,

a record closing high for a sixth straight day. to see how stocks are performing this wednesday morning, let's go to the tokyo stock exchange. the dow just barely in the positive after having been down most of tuesday. the nasdaq ending lower. could we see stocks pairibarin baring -- pearing back a touch here? >> good morning. seeing the highs on the nikkei as well, i'm not surprised we're seeing paring back and the yen has strengthened against the dollar and euro and could see exporters and financials trade lower. let's have a look at the opening levels and we can see exactly where we stand. that's what i'm talking about, a little bit of mixed picture. nikkei just a touch lower from the close we saw yesterday but topix just barely in the

positive and we'll see how that progresses during the day. the rise of the nikkei recently has been due to the weakening yen and monitoring measures set by the prime minister abe. not a surprise the focus is on the next governor nominee of japan. a lot of focus on that individual and the governor of the bank of japan and other nominees really set to be approved by both chambers of parliament, also expected the names will be confirmed by the end of this week and the individuals will be installed by the middle of next week. a lot of focus there op the bank of japan. >> yes. all eyes on the bank of japan and the yen. you say it's gained a bit. where do we stand this wednesday morning? >> it's gained a bit between the dollar and the euro. let's bring up those currencies

in the dollar and yen. 95.88-92. we've broken below the 96 level and compares to upper 96 this time yesterday. almost one yen lower or yen is one yen stronger against the dollar. look at the euro, 1.3026-3030. compared up toer 125 this time yesterday. concerns of debt and budget issues of weaker eurozone economies linger in the background there. a lot of focus how the yen is trading. a little bit of mixed or lackluster trading as we saw in the u.s. markets with dow in positive and nasdaq in the negative. here, we're seeing topics slightly in the positive and nikkei slightly in the negative. >> i know you will keep us on track of gains and loss. thanks so much, as always, from the tokyo stock exchange.

japanese workers have something to look forward to this year. likely to lift bonuses as the stock market raises. and a request for higher wages to help bring deflation to an end. executives at autos and electronics makers are bowing to labor union demands. this comes as part of the annual wage negotiations. toyota managers say they'll meet the union requirements offering bonuses worth five months salary plus $3,000, the highest since the 2008 financial crisis and maintain regular wage hikes based on seniority and age. and hitachi and toshiba will also likely keep seniority based raises. some retailers will increase wages with the consumption but

it is uncertain. saying they may sell chips for mobile phones, chipmakers are looking for ways to revive the company and could include spinning off renesas mobile. they are in the red. officials have announced two rounds of job cuts. they decided in january to let go of 3,000 workers. another 7400 left last year under an early retirement program. executives also plan to sell four domestic factories. they have been battling a slump in micro-chip sales and streamlining plants took time to work and sales aggravated the companies troubles. that's it for business and i'll leave you with a check on

business. people in central myanmar have been protesting the development of a copper mine. that released a report recommending that construction continue despite opposition. is a joint venture between a government related firm. residents staged a sit in in november, calling for construction to stop. they said it was damaging their health and the environment. police were called in to break up the protest. more than 100 people were injured. the report found that police

used excessive force. it said they used more than 50 smoke bombs against the protesters. but the commission said the mine was being developed with careful consideration for the environment. it said the project did not cause the health problems claimed by the residents. aung san suu kyi denied allegations that the report was written as a favor to china. >> i did not base the conclusions on my relationships with the military and with china. i based them on what's best for the future of our country with a view to supporting development and ensuring prosperity. >> she said she will visit the area on wednesday to brief residents. observers are concerned they may face sharp criticism. it's been two years since myanmar moved towards democracy under the leadership. aung san suu kyi used to harshly criticize the rulers. she's showing a different side as a politician negotiating with the military. here's more.

>> reporter: aung san suu kyi has been a lawmaker in parliament for nearly a year. she's recently begun talking about repairing her ties with the general. >> translator: i don't hesitate to build a good relationship with the military. >> reporter: she drops hints about her change of heart last year. video showed them protesting development of a copper mine. people in the country were eager to see how aung san suu kyi will react. >> translator: i'll do all i can to resolve the issue, but i can't guarantee i'll achieve what you all expect. >> reporter: her neutral remarks

indicated she's trying to avoid conflict with the military. she's recently been seen conversing with high-ranking officers in parliament. and reports surfaced last month that she received a large donation from a businessman with close ties to the military. some people are voicing concerns. >> translator: aung san suu kyi should be more careful about her relations with military officials. >> reporter: but a close aide says she has a larger goal in mind. >> our concern is that in 2015, she will be 70, quite old. she can become a president, so we are making a lot of gamble. >> reporter: but getting elected as leader may be difficult. she will face many challenges under the constitution created

by the generals. it bars aung san suu kyi from becoming president on the ground that she married a foreign national. it allots one quarter of seats in parliament to the military. revising the constitution would require support from more than three-quarter of lawmakers. that means any change is effectively impossible without the cooperation of the military. aung san suu kyi may think that improving relations with the general is essential to becoming leader. analysts say military officials want to improve relations with the popular figure as a way of maintaining influence. >> translator: we're looking in the same direction as aung san suu kyi. we want to work with her for the betterment of the country. >> reporter: aung san suu kyi

and military officials are making peace offerings to one another. they're maneuvering in the run-up to the election in 2015 may decide members' future. jun kobayashi, nhk world, naypyidaw. gy japan has taken a proactive role in providing for those in need. now an infectious fund fighting diseases wants them to help again and a chance to highlight efforts to protect the people there. >> it's actually the countries in africa and asia and latin america that are increasingly paying for their own programs. they can't do it all on their own so we need to stay with them a little bit longer to accept this challenge. >> dybul says he hopes to support japan at the conference. it's known as tcat and it will be held in june. >> we hope japan will play a

leadership role in financing, in terms of leadership and technical relationships and in terms of the private sector contribution. >> the global fund is fighting aids, tuberculosis, and malaria. they claim the lives of 4 million people every year. the european debt crisis is causing financial problems for the fund. people from around the world travel to hiroshima to reflect on the bombing that affected the city nearly 70 years ago. these days people are seeing a new exhibit honoring a jewish journalist. the late robert mong explained the dangers of radiation and spread the story of the survivors of the world war ii atomic bombings and inspired one now 75 years told take up his caus

cause. >> we will never forget hiroshima what the late robert jgunk vowed. this year marks the 100th anniversary of his birth. visitors to the peace memorial museum can commemorate his exhibit. he made his first visit in 1957. he was to make four more visits. his book on hiroshima, children of the ashes is being translated into 14 languages. it tells how survivors struggled to survive in the aftermath. many suffered from physical and mental illnesses. through this book, he also introduced a young victim, a girl who became the model for this statute. her name is sara. 10 years after exposure to the atomic bomb, she developed leukemia. the japanese have a saying. if you fold 1,000 paper cranes

your wishes come true. she started folding cranes hoping to recover but she died at the age of 12. the story, told by him, was illustrated and published in books. >> translator: i was amazed and impressed by the fact that someone who did not live in japan became so involved in the issues of hiroshima. >> she feels a special attach document the young exhibit. she was 8 years old when the bomb exploded 2.4 kilometers away from her home. jungk later interviewed her. >> i first met mr. jungk when i was 20. so that's quite a long time ago, more than 50 years. >> later, she married and he

interpreted for jungk and helped gather information. jungk had a strong incentive to report on hiroshima. he was born a jew in berlin and had to flee nazi germany and more than 40 friends and relatives were killed. >> jurks ungk a group of photographers jungk said he more than other people could sympathize with the sadness. >> reporter: when her husband died unexpectedly 34 years ago, jungk stood by her. >> jungk told me people who experience sadness can become stronger. he said, this is not the time to cry. you have things to do. only you can tell the story of hiroshima to the world. >> reporter: with that encouragement, she started to

tell her story to people from overseas. she's been doing it for more than 30 years. >> so many rushed to my house and assumed my house was full of dying people. >> reporter: she launched the volunteer group and they conduct tours in english at memorials and other landmarks in the peace park. >> jungk made me promise to pass on this history of hiroshima and i must continue my activities. i wonder if he is here watching over me. >> reporter: she hopes to continue telling the world about hiroshima and wants more people to know the role played by her mentor, robert jungk. a drive-by shooter has

wounded 13 people in washington d.c. the incident was captured by surveillance camera. the shooting took place in a residential area around 2:00 a.m. investiga investigators believe someone opened fire from a speeding vehicle. the 13 people were struck in their arms or legs. police say the wounded include a 17-year-old boy. witnesses say a quarrel broke out at a nearby nightclub 30 minutes before the shooting. police are investigating a possible connection. gun related crimes continue in the u.s. despite a growing debate on tighter gun control after says's mass shooting at a connect elementary school. hev snow has cso canceled flights across germany and western france and plunging temperatures to sub-freezing. 12 days of snow shut down germany's largest international airport in frankfurt for two

hours. 700 flights were canceled. over half the flights scheduled that day. rods around brussels, belgium, are buried under 10 centimeters of snow and meetings postponed around eu headquarters affecting eu operations. high speed rail service between paris and london have been suspended and flights delayed outside the airport. alerts have been made fore area. our meteorologist joins us now with more in weather conditions in europe and elsewhere. >> i'm afraid the extreme cold is not going anywhere. and in western europe starting friday and areas like the northern part of portugal could see some rain changing over to snow today.

heavy snow could linger for central and western europe into wednesday afternoon. temperatures are not too bad across the eastern half of the mediterranean but thunderstorms and hail and damaging wind, all the threats will likely linger the next few days here. here's your highs still very chilly toward the north, minus 2 degrees in berlin and madrid 8 degrees, 8 degrees colder than seasonal and the extreme cold will likely linger to friday here. now at asia, we can see a long cloud mass from china to northern japan. underneath rain showers to the north and thunder showers to the south. ahead of the system unseasonably warm air and behind it frigid air. we're seeing rain at this moment but could change to snow this afternoon after 30 centimeters

likely tomorrow morning. temperatures about 22 degrees in tokyo, 10 degrees higher than we should be this time of year. as the system moves through tomorrow, temperatures should go down sharply. it will reach from the north affecting southeastern china. down towards the eastern side of the indochina peninsula, we will see thunderstorms due to daytime heating and scattered shoer e e for the philippines and in he highs of 30 in the tropics and bangkok and warmer side with a high of 24 degrees here and single digits in seoul and 22 in tokyo. finally, in north america, heavy rain is still affecting the eastern part of canada as well as the northeastern u.s. new england states will continue to see heavy rain into tonight.

the risk of flooding is in canada to thursday. behind it, lake-effect snow affecting the great lakes region and dry weather the central part of the u.s. as well as canada. plenty of sunshine for you and temperatures on the warming trend. towards the west, another hot dry day and from the pacific, dumping heavy rain for the coast and heavy snow showers for the mountains, after 50 centimeters of fresh snow likely for mountainous areas. and temperatures for north america, double dij egypts for the northwest and very hot to the southwest. trading degrees in los angeles. oklahoma city, 16 degrees today, and it will jump up to 24 degrees on thursday and still on the warmer side in new york, 11 degrees in double digits in washington d.c. here's your extended forecast.

that concludes this edition of "newsline."