hello, and welcome to nk "newsline." i'm raja pradhan in tokyo. rescuers report hundreds of casualties after a series of explosions ripped through taiwan's second largest city. the powerful blast in kaohsiung took place in the early hours of friday. at least 26 people were killed and 280 others were injured. nhk world's noriyuki tajima has more from the site of the explosion. >> reporter: a large part of the street has caved in. this shows how intense the explosions were. cars have been flipped over. and there is rubble everywhere.

an unknown number of firefighters are said to be among the injured. >> translator: suddenly i heard an explosion, and the ground split open. i hurt my arm and knee. >> translator: i've never seen anything like this before. it looks like the street was bombed. >> reporter: residents say the blasts were loud. they say the ground shook like an earthquake. noriyuki tajima, nhk world. >> taiwanese authorities are investigating the cause of the blast. they suspect that a leak from a gas pipe caused the series of deadly explosions. the explosions were felt over a three square kilometer area. the district consists of commercial and residential buildings. kaohsiung officials say shortly before the incident residents reported smelling what they thought was gas.

firefighters were checking for a possible leak when the blasts occurred. there are many petrochemical plants operating in kaohsiung and surrounding areas. gas pipes for these plants lie under the roads where the explosions occurred. taiwan's economic affairs minister says a propalene leak from the pipes may have caused the explosions. the gas is used in the production of plastics. the explosions have left people in many parts of the city without water or electricity. hopes of getting through a day without any violence in gaza have been shattered. a 72-hour cease-fire between israel and the islamic militant group hamas took effect at 8:00 a.m. on friday. there was a brief period of calm, but soon the sound of bullets and artillery once again filled the air. the violence broke out two hours after the truce took effect. shootouts took place in southern gaza. the israeli military started heavy shelling. a number of casualties have been reported.

about 1,500 people have been killed since israel began its military operations on july 8th. the international community is calling for an end to the fighting as soon as possible. israeli and palestinian representatives are due to meet in cairo to hammer out a long-term truce. an official tells nhk they did not meet on friday. explosives were thrown in the hotan region. 30,000 locals helped police track them down. shin wau did not report the ethnicity of group members or their numbers or what incidents they were involved in.

fighting between police and is killing and wounding more and more people. analysts say the security authorities are highlighting stew port from locals to justify tough measures. chinese authorities are on high alert in the region after a deadly attack on local government buildings. officials are calling it a criminal act of terrorism and tightening control of information. nhk world's takeshi togawa reports from kashgar. >> reporter: i entered the city of kashgar on wednesday, two days after the incident. police officers armed with automatic rifles were deployed throughout the city. the state-run xinhua news agency reports that dozens of people were killed or injured in the south. it said a gang armed with knives attacked government buildings and police stations in kashgar on monday. security authorities shot and killed a number of people who had allegedly carried out the assault.

the attack occurred 200 kilometers from the center of kashgar in yarkand county. we tried to approach the area where the attack occurred. however -- >> reporter: our cameras and cell phones were temporarily taken away. most of the footage we had shot up until then was erased. police officers were stationed at the highway exit near the scene of the attack, preventing vehicles from entering the area. foreign media and even some uyghur residents were forbidden to enter. internet service remained cut off. until this incident, the chinese version of twitter had provided photos and videos of such

assaults, but no such images have been posted this time around. due to the heightened control of the media, information about the incident has been difficult to obtain. since the attack was aimed at the government, it may have been an act of protest by uyghurs. many have expressed frustration with the economic and political gap between their group and the han chinese, as well as the government's control over their religious activities. by clamping down on the flow of information, the government appears to be trying to hide the spread of social unrest. deadly attacks have occurred repeatedly across the region. a bomb attack at the train station killed three people and injured 79 this year. the blast took place soon after

chinese president xi jinping visited the region. another explosion occurred the following month. the attackers drove vehicles into a market and threw explosive devices. 39 people were killed. the government's increasing control over the uyghurs continues to provoke deadly attacks. the cycle of repression and violence continues. takeshi togawa, nhk world, kashgar. thousands of chinese fishermen are once again able to cast their lines and nets in the south china sea. their boats have been tied up for more than two months because of an annual fishing ban. government leaders introduced the measure in 1999 on the pretext of protecting the region's fish stock. at a port in guangdong province,

local officials held a ceremony to mark the end of the ban. over 10,000 vessels are registered in the province to fish in areas north of the 12th parallel in the south china sea. the region includes disputed territories such as the paracel islands and the scarborough shoal. chinese officials say their ban applies to foreign ships as well, but leaders from neighboring countries have objected. they say the rule is one-sided. japanese leaders are trying to win support overseas for their new national security policy. foreign minister fumio kishida met the vietnamese prime minister. kishida explained why his government decided to allow japan to exercise its right to collective self-defense. kishida described prime minister's shinzo abe's policy of playing a more active role in achieving peace. he express support. he hopes japan will make a big contribution to peace and stability in east asia.

kishida said japan will continue to help the vietnamese improve their maritime security. >> translator: the south china sea is an important maritime traffic area. securing safe passage in those waters is crucial for japan and the international community. >> kishida said japan will give vietnam six patrol vessels. meanwhile, the japanese government has announced the official names of 158 uninhabited remote islands to govern them more adequately. they include five of the senkaku islands in the east china sea. there are about 500 remote islands and islets that serve as the basis for setting the boundaries of japan's territorial waters. 158 of them have been unnamed until now. the government decided to call two of the senkaku islands in okinawa prefecture nantokojima

and three others -- japan controls the senkaku islands. china and taiwan claim them. the government chose the official names partly with an eye on china's growing maritime presence including in the east china sea. officials on friday posted the names on the website of the headquarters for ocean policy. the foreign ministry spokesperson claims the japanese naming undermines china's territorial sovereignty. he said the islands had already been named by the chinese government. he called japan's action illegal and invalid. in 2012, government officially named four of the senkaku islands that serve as the basis for setting the boundaries for japan's exclusive economic zone. china sharply criticized the move.

u.s. secretary of state john kerry has met india's prime minister with hopes that the u.s. can forge better ties with the new government. modi scored a landslide victory in the may election with a promise to push ahead with reforms. >> reporter: kerry met modi for the first time since he became prime minister. his trip is viewed as an important step in laying the groundwork for modi's expected visit to the u.s. in september. on thursday, kerry met his indian counterpart sushma swaraj. they agreed to enhance bilateral dialogue in the economic field. >> we underlined our interest in seeing a much more robust american presence in the indian economy, as investors, as trade partners, in skill development,

in defense and in science and technology. >> and i feel today, particularly after these two days of in-depth discussions, that the moment has never been more ripe to deliver on the incredible possibilities of the relationship between our nations. >> reporter: bilateral relations rapidly soured when the u.s. indicted an indian diplomat last december. she was charged with making false statements about a housekeeper's salary in a visa application. modi also had a rocky relationship with washington in the past. human right groups allege that modi failed to prevent the mass killings and religious riots in gujarat state in 2002. most of the victims were muslims. modi was the state's chief minister at the time. he was denied a u.s. visa in 2005.

india is one of the brics countries. along with russia and china, it is trying to come up with an alternate system in the west. u.s. president barack obama's government is apparently keen to benefit from india's economic growth. the u.s. is also hoping to strengthen bilateral ties on the security front and draw india to the western side. 0 but relations are not always harmonious. on thursday, india's foreign minister criticized the alleged u.s. surveillance of the party that now rules the country. >> this is unacceptable to us.

>> reporter: the obama administration has described india-u.s. ties as one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century, but greater efforts will be needed by both sides to remove obstacles that are holding them from developing closer ties. abhishek dhulia, nhk world, new delhi. rescue workers are trying to reach people trapped under mud after a massive landslide buried a village in western india earlier this week. the death toll has exceeded 50. continuous rain and poor communications are hampering efforts to transport equipment to the remote area. the teams are plowing through heavy mud and debris more than two days after the landslide engulfed a village of about 700 people in maharashtra state. ten more bodies were dug out of the mud overnight, but rescuers say about 100 people are still missing.

ap says at least 51 have died. the chances of rescuing anyone are becoming increasingly slim, but this 3-month-old baby boy and his mother managed to survive. they had been buried in the mud for six hours. >> translator: i was feeding my baby when i heard the sound of stones falling. i started running with my child, but the mud quickly overtook me. i found a safe place where i managed to stay close to my baby. >> a doctor says the baby only suffered small scratches. >> translator: at 2:00 p.m., we heard the sound of a child crying near a house where the rescue operation was going on. i soon saw the child. we rescued and stabilized him. and we saw the mother moving, and we rescued her too. >> floods and landslides are common in india, especially

during the monsoon season. in june last year, more than 6,000 people died or went missing in the heaviest rainfall on record in the himalayan state people in the united states are seeing more job opportunities. employers added over 200,000 positions for the sixth month in a row. the labor department says nonfarm payrolls grew last month by 209,000. analysts had been expecting more. employers created jobs across a range of industries, including manufacturing, retail, and construction. the unemployment rate grew a tenth of a point to 6.2%. policymakers at the federal reserve are expressing concern. they say the number of people out of work for at least six months is growing. and they say wages are not rising enough. now economists are figuring out what the data say about the job

market and what they mean for fed policy. here's a view from ethan harris at bank of america merrill lynch global research. >> well, the july data was a bit disappointing. we had only a 209,000 payroll gain compared to 230,000 consensus. we also saw the unemployment rate pick up a bit and wages growth was weak. wages were actually flat on the month. however, if we step away from the july data and kind of think about the labor market over the longer term, in the last six months, we have had six months in a row of 200,000-plus job gains. we have seen the unemployment rate dip a bit. the only thing really missing in terms of the trend in the labor market is we just aren't getting better wage growth. so i view this report today as a slight disappointment but not a major disappointment.

on the fed, the fed i believe is going to remain extremely patient. the payroll data confirmed that, yes, there's a recovery going on, but it still has a long way to go. we still have a 6.2% unemployment rate. we still don't have a normal wage growth. so i think the employment report leaves the fed in a very patient, kind of market-friendly mode. we don't see rate hikes until late next year. so it's still a patient, quiet picture from the fed. >> next let's take a brief look at the market figures.

operators of nursing care and hospitals in japan are looking for help in the philippines. philippine government officials say 650 people applied. around 40 japanese organizations were looking for staff. they're suffering a severe labor shortage and see filipinos as a solution. >> translator: workers from the philippines are a great asset. they're cheerful so patients enjoy having them around. >> japan began letting filipinos taking jobs as nurses or caregivers in 2009. the workers have to earn a japanese government license in order to stay. some struggle to learn the language and have to go home. japan's economy appears to be picking up, but one portion of the population that's not enjoying the benefits is part-time workers. especially college students.

a group of university students and members of a nonprofit organization have launched a labor unit to help those students. the union members say an increasing number of them are falling victim to employers who set unreasonable work hours and do not pay for overtime. this student used to work in a restaurant. she says she was forced to take a 10% cut in wages because of poor sales. >> translator: i worked without complaining. there were only four people working at the restaurant, and the thought of quitting wasn't an option. >> the union representative says students are working to pay their tuition and living expenses and are more tolerant. he says the harsh labor conditions are hurting their studies. the union plans to begin collective bargaining with these employers and offer consultations.

0. this week, "newsline" has been presenting a three-part series called "testing japan's english." in our final installment, we'll show you an example of how a small elementary school is transforming itself since teachers took on the challenge of introducing new ways to teach english. the school is in a remote village in a mountainous area near mt. fuji. ♪ >> reporter: children at this elementary school begin their day by singing an english song together. it's a small school with only 1 children from age 6 to 12. english phrases and signs are

posted everywhere here, from the stairs to hallways. teachers have created an environment where children are exposed to more english than in ordinary schools. >> how many red balls? >> zero! >> reporter: foreign educators come to teach at the school regularly. even the first graders learn english through playing games and inningi isinging songs. children here say learning the language this way is fun. >> translator: i can learn english by playing a game so it's fun. >> translator: it's fun to speak english with my friends, and i'm so happy that i can speak it now. >> reporter: one thriving was a copper mine, this community has been shrinking for decades. the industry is long gone. at its peak, the school had

around 200 students, but the numbers have dropped significantly over time. if they lost any more children, the school ran the risk of closing down. so teachers decided three years ago to make their school unique by teaching english from an early age. >> translator: it's an age of globalization so even at a tiny school like ours, we should equip our children with the ability to communicate with others. >> reporter: if then, more children from outside the district have started to enroll in the school. these two are among them. every morning, their mother drives them to school. they both don't seem to mind a half hour journey by car. it gives them time to practice more. >> a pig has a pink piano.

>> reporter: 8-year-old isn't shy so share what he's learned so far. >> let's play quiz! >> very good. yes. how big? big? >> red and yellow and green or blue. >> i don't know. what is it? >> it's a signal. >> ah, a signal. >> reporter: he he shared with me a reason why he wants to improve his english. he says his father has been living in thailand for work, and he wants to help his mother get by when they visit there. >> translator: my mother cannot speak english very well. that's why i am studying, so i can talk to people for her.

english is a universal language. hironari is still very young. so his way of expressing himself and communicating is premature. but i see the progress that he's making. >> reporter: now almost half of the students come from outside the area. the school has an open class twice a year for parent whoz are interested in sending their children here. >> translator: it's great for kids to be educated in this kind of environment. >> reporter: the principal says that the students are expressing themselves and communicating better with others. >> translator: the base of communication is to be considerate to other people. so we would like to cultivate the students' sensibility in this environment. i'll be happy if they're

communicative abilities improve every day. >> reporter: the trial at this small school is changing the way students study english. it's also attracting more children to come here. and it might have saved the school from closing its doors, at least for now. next here's the three-day outlook on the world's weather.

and that's all for now on this edition of "newsline." i'm raja pradhan in tokyo. and from all of us on nhk world, and from all of us on nhk world, thanks for joining us.

steves: for a more lively way to enjoy paris and cap an exciting day, steve and i have hired a car and a driver for a blitz of the city's best nighttime views. and this isn't just any car and driver. this company employs a fleet of historic deux chevaux cars, and they're driven by local students. man: the different districts are like a snail, going around the island, the city. steves: the french raise flood lighting to an art form. and with a city as beautiful as paris, it's no wonder. les invalides, with its golden dome marking napoleon's tomb,

is magnifique. the naughty blades of the moulin rouge keep turning, and its red lights tempt lost souls in pigalle. just to be out and about at this hour, the energy of the city is palpable. notre dame is particularly stately after dark. sightseeing boats enliven the river and its sparkling bridges. the pyramid at the louvre glows from within. and the eiffel tower provides a fitting finale for this victory lap through the city of light.

this week on moyers and company. >> you can't look at the roberts court. workers rights, environmental progress. >> i think it's hard for anybody looking at this court objectively to come away not thinking that it's a court of an agenda. >> funding is provided by ann gumowitz, carnegie corporation, the ford foundation, working with visionaries on the front lines of social change worldwide, the