welcome to "newsline." the death toll from tuesday's powerful earthquake in pakistan has risen to more than 350. but the full impact of the magnitude 7.7 quake remains unclear. rescue teams are struggling to reach remote villages. nhk world has more. >> reporter: two days after the earthquake, people in need of

medical attention were still being brought to a hospital in karachi. >> translator: the house collapsed when the earthquake struck. i was in my room. my children were in another room. now i do not know where my wife and children are, whether they are alive or dead. >> reporter: this is the largest province in pakistan, but it has the smallest number of people. villages are populated across wide areas. they're sending in troops and medical teams, but the red crescent society said difficult terrain and broken roads are preventing them from reaching much areas. with the full extent of damage still unclear, the final death toll may rise. the quake caused mud brick houses to collapse.

residents were crushed to death by falling debris. many survivors have lost their homes and are forced to sleep outdoors. images delivered by a.p. showed 174 people made homeless by the quake. rescued by the military, and now staying in shelters. even before the earthquake, the area was short of doctors and medical facilities. survivors now urgently need medical stuff, food, tents and other supplies. but relief workers face another potential threat. security officials say they received reports that medical teams have been attacked apparently by militants. an armed group demanding independence is known to operate in the province. it's feared they may disrupt efforts to provide relief to survivors.

masaki sado, nhk world, islamabad. an armed group has attacked a police station and military facility in indian-controlled kashmir. at least nine people were killed. both india and pakistan claim sovereignty over kashmir. the attack happened before leaders of the two countries were scheduled to meet for talks in new york. the assault happened on thursday morning on the indian side of the line of control. >> translator: three to four militants approached in a vehicle, and shot dead a policeman outside. then they barged inside and killed more people. >> the armed men stole a truck from the police station and drove towards a nearby military facility. it protracted fire fight erupted inside the facility. indian forces deployed tanks to resist the attack. the militants killed at least seven soldiers and policemen as well as two civilians.

many people were injured. indian prime minister and pakistani counterpart are to meet in monday while they attend the united nations general assembly. the leaders were expected to discuss ways to ease tensions on issues such as kashmir. the latest attack may influence the progress of their meeting. emerging economic powers, still struggling with poverty. emboldened citizens still demanding democracy. the threat of violence, the push for peace, the shadow of conflict. get news and insight on south and southeast asia, every weekend day, live from bangkok, only on nhk world "newsline." the president of iran says he's determined to address a long-running source of tension. hassan rowhani wants to resolve a standoff over tehran's nuclear program. rowhani is in new york to attend

the united nations general assembly, and wants to strike a deal with the u.s. in the next three to six months, and offer reassurances that the iranians don't intend to build a bomb. he's insistent they're using their nuclear program for peaceful purposes. they're set to discuss the issue from six major powers. they're scheduled to meet later in the day. every year in september representatives of all member countries of the united nations gather in new york to discuss the challenges the world faces and discuss ways to tackle them. the 68th session is now under way. one of this year's themes is cooperation between the u.n. and the business world. earlier i spoke with mittsko in new york. she has more on what's going on there. >> gene, the general assembly's meeting on wednesday was to discuss the development of goals established in the year 2000.

these included reusing extreme poverty by half and achieving universal primary education by 2015. now the deadline is approaching, world leaders must decide to do what to do after 2015. the new trend is toward not only governments being involved, but the business world as well. private companies are increasingly taking part in development projects. for example, in the wednesday session, former microsoft ceo bill gates and his wife melinda addressed the assembly. >> we'll achieve a world in which a child from a poor country, is as likely to survive and thrive as a child in a rich country. we could drive poverty to extremely low levels. >> why are corporations interested in cooperating with the u.n.? >> well, it's because today's private sector places more importance on social

responsibility. a company that exercises good governance, treats and pays its local employees fairly, or pro moits sustainability, is considered a better company than those who do not. a good corporate image is essential. japanese corporations are no exception. last week, the united nations development program held a major conference with selected international companies to discuss the contributions they have been making. i followed one of the two japanese companies that participate in the events. >> all of us always wants to make our daily business good for the society. >> japanese retailer mushi is one of 68 firms to join a global initiative named business called to action. their goal is to harness the power of business to cut poverty and improve the lives of millions of people in developing countries.

>> translator: we can't talk about business if the society is unstable. so it's very important for us to think about how to quit ourselves in social harmony. >> muji started its own project three years ago. these season stone trays were produced in a village of western kenya. and these felt phone cases are from the republic, all of them individually hand-crafted. these products are sold at muji stores worldwide. and they're proving to be popular. last year, sales reached $230,000. >> translator: i like these kinds of handycrafts from around the world. they're so natural.

>> translator: it's nice if we can contribute to people in other countries by buying these pretty objects. ♪ >> muji officials say the initiative has created much-needed jobs. and the skill gives the community 300 women are engaged in production. they're turning their traditional craft into a global brand. muji product developer says the company wants to create a win-win relationship. she says other-wise these people's ancient skills will remain obscure. >> translator: if there's a place where we can find new materials, techniques, and possibilities, we would like to share a manufacturing spirit

together so that we both can keep growing. >> the u.n. development program is a partner in the initiative. it says 330,000 jobs have been created thanks to the business call to action. and it's calling on more companies to join the movement. >> in the mix of news in late, and on thursday, prime minister abe will be speaking before the general assembly. are you finding a lot of interest there in what he has to say? >> yes. prime minister abe is addressing the assembly this afternoon. this will be his first time to do so since taking office. some delegates from other countries i've spoken to are mostly interested in what he has to say about the state of japan's economy. and others were curious to see what new relationships he hopes

to develop with the international community. we'll see how he performs in the speech. >> that was the united nations headquarters in new york. crews at fukushima's damaged plant work to keep contaminated water from seeping into the sea. they say an underwater barrier to prevent the radioactive materials from fukushima daiichi has developed a tear. nhk world takes a closer look at the damage. >> reporter: prime minister shinzo abe visited fukushima daiichi last week to see firsthand how crews are trying to contain contaminated water. unofficial with operator, tokyo electric power company, offered assurances.

>> translator: the orange barrier over there is called a silt fence. we think it is effective in containing radioactive water. >> reporter: this is what tepco says now. >> translator: damage was found in the silt fence near reactors 5 and 6. >> reporter: the silt fences are made of polyester. they're installed near intake panels and other areas in the plant's port. there suspended like curtains and held down with weights at the bottom of the sea. tepco officials say the barriers are effective to a certain extent in preventing radioactive water from escaping the port. the fences also keep silt from clogging water intake systems. in all, crews have installed seven of them.

>> translator: the fence is taut, but we don't think the situation will have any immediate effect on the contamination within the port. >> reporter: the same barrier ripped in april. engineers blamed high waves. they haven't said what caused this recent tear. but this week, a severe tropical storm has been picking up waves along the coast. tepco officials say workers found no abnormalities in other silt fences. but this latest development shows that the barriers are vulnerable and require constant monitoring. nhk world, tokyo. tepco officials are set to apply for inspections so they can fire up two reactors on the sea of japan coast. they've been updating safety features at another plant.

they've given the application the green light. tepco president met on wednesday with the governor. he explained plans to install additional safety equipment for the reactors. filter vents are designed to release pressure in containment vessels while limiting massive emissions of radioactive substances if an accident occurs. now, while the officials have approved tepco's application, they've added a condition. they want managers to consult with local officials on how the fence will be used to prevent residents from being exposed to radiation. they need to pass safety checks before they restart reactors. the regulators introduced tougher rules in july. all 50 reactors in japan are offline now. four utilities have applied for inspections to restart 12 units. tepco officials haven't submitted any applications until now. they found it difficult to file

for safety checks because of opposition by the governor. he expressed concern that filter vents could be vulnerable to earthquakes. tepco is facing growing fuel costs for nonnuclear thermal power generation. the head of japan's national police agency has instructed police headquarters around the country to tighten anti-terrorist security at nuclear power plants. >> translator: the vulnerability of nuclear plants has been exposed. we're concerned about the possibility of terrorists targeting them. >> npa chief was speaking at a meeting of about 200 senior officers in charge of anti-terrorism measures. he stressed the need for drills to prepare for such attacks. he said improving the capabilities of firearms units is essential for ensuring the safety of the facilities. japanese police have beefed up security at nuclear facilities since the fukushima crisis.

measures include arming firearms units with machine guns, and the introduction of radiation-proof vehicles. the growth of the u.s. economy is falling short of market expectations. government analysts have left their final reading of gdp for the second quarter unchanged from the previous report. economists had expected a bounce. commerce department officials say gross domestic product grew an annualized 2.5% from the previous quarter. investment in residential real tate is helping to drive gdp. it increased 14.2%. growth in exports played a role, too. it was up 8%. personal consumption grew by 1.8%. let's see how the markets are reacting to the release of the latest gdp figures. first, currencies. the u.s. dollar is trading like

this, against the yen, right now at 98.90 to .92. in london, the ftse, down a fraction. in fact, the dax down by .21%. the new york stock exchange will start trading in a while. researchers with the united nations say more than 6,000 languages are spoken around the world, but they warn half are in danger of disappearing by the end of the century. one of those is the language of japan's indigenous inu. they're originally from the northern island of hokkaido. the japanese government took over their land in the late 19th century. it banned them from practicing traditional rituals and speaking

their language. but they've fought to keep their heritage alive. they had to work especially hard to preserve their language. it has no written form and only a handful of people speak it. some in the community have turned to indigenous people overseas for help. >> reporter: this is an ethnic ainu. she feels she's not doing enough to preserve her culture. >> translator: when i was a little girl, my grandmother would speak to me in ainu. she took me to traditional ceremonies and taught me songs and dances. i realize now she wanted to pass on those things to me. i was so stupid not to have

realized it at the time. >> reporter: p she and other ainu visited new zealand earlier this year to learn from the malorie people, an ethnic minority with a similar history. british colonizers in new zealand in the 19th century. it forced them to live like the rest of us. their language almost disappeared. but indigenous leaders came up with a method of preserving it. like ainu, malorie has now written form. it immerses students in the language. instead of books or papers or pens, teachers use colored rods. students learn words by forming shapes with the rods, or describing their properties.

>> translator: the method was really a break-through for me. i realized i have to do everything i can to keep the ainu language alive. >> reporter: back in japan, she's host iing an expert in th preservation of the malorie language. two members of the two ethnic minorities learn each other's words as a show of respect. >> we need to work to help each other. what else can we do in this world. >> reporter: they decided to set up a series of workshops.

students listen to and speak words over and over until they can form simple phrases. on this day, scholars and researchers join in. >> translator: it's an easy way to remember. >> translator: i tried studying ainu before but didn't quite get it. this method helped me finally enjoy learning. >> reporter: participants also join a class. she talks about the times shared by the ainu in malorie. she said it's important to keep the language alive within a community, to pass it on to future generations. >> we understand what it is to be a priest. we understand what it is not to be able to speak one's own

language. it's so important to be able to name one's words. >> translator: we must take the lead in restoring our language so one day when my daughter becomes a mother, she can speak it to her children, and then her children to their children, and on and on. >> reporter: she said she's committed to protecting her language. she considers it her purpose in life. nhk world, hokkaido. there's a severe tropical storm near japan. meteorologist robert speta is covering this story for us. robert, what's the latest? >> a severe tropical storm, the good news is that now it is starting to pull off to the northeast. you can see it here in the satellite picture, moving off there into the northern pacific,

about 35 kilometers per hour at this time. behind it, though, we are going to be seeing much fairer weather. really the end result of this storm system at this time is still going to be seeing three to six-meter high waves. but that's going to be tapering off through the day on friday. behind it, like i said, look at the clear skies. those are going to be moving in from the northwest, bringing sunnier and drier conditions, not only to japan, but northeastern china. more autumn-like here as the high pressure continues to dominate. into the tropics, not so much the case, though. we have another tropical system. it's september out here in the pacific. this isn't quite uncommon to see one system move out and another one starting to develop up. this one could become wootip going into friday. not moving very fast. that is the problem with it, because it's going to be enhancing the monsoon al flow once again bringing in a tremendous amount of rainfall

towards the western coast of the philippines. already in the past 24 hours, some reports of about 36 millimeters has been reported. the ground is already saturated, so risk of flooding and even landslides with this. this will move off to the west going into next week. if you're in vietnam, you want to keep a close eye on it. in the tropics, high 20s, low 30s. tokyo, just at 24 here on friday. let's take a look at the americas. actually snowfall in the higher elevations. photos coming out of portions of montana, toward idaho, you saw some aaccumulations up to 10 centimeters there. the storm system is moving to the east. rain in portions of central canada as it lifts off to the northeast. but still snowfall very well could occur here in the higher elevations through friday. as far as the northeast, high pressure dominating at this time. beautiful weather. if you have any plans this weekend in much of the northeast, it's going to be just right for that. down to the south, on the other

hand, we've been seeing the rain showers over the florida peninsula. those will taper off as well. next week, we want to watch because there's a potential of a new storm system forming along the eastern seaboard. it may start to sour up your plans here. right now, though, it is quite beautiful out there. new york with a high of 22. partly cloudy skies. toronto getting up to 22 as well. you can see the sunny weather in place. now, as far as europe is concerned, right now, the big topic has been that area of low pressure over western russia and eastern europe. you can still see it swirling in the satellite picture. that is tapering off. you are still seeing cloudy skies, though, across much of central europe, into the low country here. those showers aren't going to be too intense. drizzle on and off. this is the system to watch going into the weekend. you'll have an atlantic low coming in off the coastline here. that's going to be bringing heavy rain showers across the liberian peninsula. but the big thing with this is

that it is going to be cooling off. madrid with a high of 27. but by sunday, the high is just going to be around 20. it will feel much, much more autumn-like. that's the world weather. here's the extended forecast.

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

from all of us here at nhk world, thanks very much for joining us. until next time, good-bye.

♪ japanese architect jun aoki. in july 2013, a major shopping mall he designed opened in shanghai, china. the unique skirt-like form of the building drew lots of attention. for many years, one of the world's leading luxury brands has called on aoki to design its stores in cities ranging from hong kong to new york. in september 2013, a new design by aoki debuted on ginza's japan's busiest shopping