>> welcome to "newsline." i'm catherine kobayashi in tokyo. syrian opposition leaders are calling for prompt action into what they say was a chemical weapons attack. they say on wednesday government forces targeted towns with

poison gas. humans of people were reportedly killed. u.s. government officials are urging syrian authorities to grant access to the sites. >> if the regime has nothing to do with these attacks, if there was not a use of chemical weapons here, there is no reason they wouldn't let the un team on the ground, available, happy to investigate in to do just that. >> she said the secretary of state john kerry spoke on the phone with secretary general moon and with french foreign minster. syrian opposition leaders claim that government forces fired rocks loaded with chemical weapons in i suburb of damascus. they demanded the allegations and say the claims are absolutely baseless. the authorities in egypt have released former president mubarak from prison, but he is not free.

they went to the military hospital and put him under house arrest. they are believed to be carrying mubarak left the jail in cairo and flees to the hospital. he is 85 and spent the last two years behind bars. a court ruled he could no longer legally be held. he faces charges of is you pressing anti-government rallies and ordering the release of demonstrators. that led to his removal after 30 years in power. mubarak is charged with receiving jewelry and other gifts from state-owned media. militants in lebanon fired four rockets into israel. the attacks set off air raid sirens and startled residents. no one was hurt. two of the rockets struck communities in northern israel damaging buildings on vehicles and anti-missile defense systems destroyed another rocket. the fourth fell outside israeli territory. there was no immediate claim of

responsibility. officials said the attack was probably carried out by the islamist extremist group and not hezbollah. benjamin netanyahu said in a statement anyone who tried to attack his people know israelis will hurt them. southern lebanon is a stronghold and there have been tensions along the border. more soldiers were wounded in an explosion in the area. the operator of a power plant is struggling from releasing radioactive water from leaking into the sea. they are pumping out highly contaminated water built in an underground tunnel. it's about 60 meters from the sea near a building housing the number two reactor turbine. tepco estimates the tunnel contains 210 tons of contaminated water. after the water is pumped out, it will be filtered to lower

levels and be stored inside steel tanks. tepco has known about the tunnel water since immediately after the nuclear next march of 2011. representatives say they only recently realized the water is leaking. they must pump out an estimated 15,000 tons of highly radioactive wastewater from all underground tunnels. the utility doesn't know when the work can be completed. now let's take a look at the latest in business news with ai. what's going on? >> let's start with overnight on wall street. a technical glitch highlighted the pitfalls of computer-driven trading. a malfunction shut down the nasdaq stock market for three hours. the people at nasdaq group announced that all traffic stopped after midday and they blamed it on problems with the system used to distribute trading information.

the details are not clear. the leading u.s. companies are apple, google and facebook. they experienced a systems problem in may of last year. all that seemed to have little impact on investors overnight. prices ended higher after they took a chance to snap up bargains following recent losses. the nasdaq rose 1.1% to 3,638 while the dow jones was up more than .44%. let's go to the tokyo stock exchange. good morning. how are stocks trading at the open? >> let's have a look at the opening levels. both indeces in at this time positive, up 1.8, almost 2% for

the nikkei. it just changed. the nikkei is still in the negative for the week unless we gain over 300 points today. we will keep monitoring that. yesterday it closed at the lowest point in almost two months on concerns about the fed's monitoring policy. however we do get a boost from china's preliminary purchasing index. we are keeping track of the shares as well today. the high tech sector also may get a bit of a focus. the kiocera is about to launch a market. the tokyo electric power as well for the utility sector especially following this week's issues will also be a focus and the energy and utility sector has been hampered by rising fuel

costs due to the weaker yen, making imports a little bit more expensive. the dollar jumped quite a bit following the minutes. exporters may see a bit of a gain as well. >> the dollar is gaping ground against the yen as u.s. long-term interest rates are climbing. with central bankers meeting in jackson hole, wyoming, there is a focus on policy and currency markets, especially calling up volati volatility. how are currencies trading this morning? >> a lot of focus on the jackson hole, wyoming central bank. 98.91-96. let's not forget the dollar yen has been trading mostly in the 97 levels, most of this week. that's quite a bit of a jump there for the dollar. that is also higher.

131.96-03. it's higher following positive sentiment for the eurozone economies and focus on the data for germany and the uk and also european consumer confidence. it's all from currencies as well as stocks. a positive day. we will see if the nikkei can end the week in the positive. back to you. >> thanks for that update. from the tokyo stock exchange. minsters from 12 nations are preparing to wind up two days of discussions over the transpacific partnership free trade agreement. japan is pushing if are a joint statement saying members will try to strike a deal by new year. minsters put their heads together for the tpp talks. they have a trade

representative, michael froman and he said u.s. president barack obama wants a tpp deal struck by year end. froman said members need to reach a basic agreement in october at a regional forum in indonesia. he welcomed members to a reception after the talks. he said the people at the talks should do their best to get things moving. >> translator: it's the minster's responsibility to pave the way for achieving a definitive result at the apec summit. >> he answered a u.s. argument that government fishing subsidies resulted in overfishing. he said government participation is key to safeguarding marine stocks. more headlines for you in business next hour. i will leave you with a check on the markets.

>> japan's fisheries agency proposed reducing catches of pacific blue fin tuna from 2015 to control tuna resources. the agency presented the plans to about 350 fishermen from across japan. the agency's director general said an international survey shows the pacific blue fin catch fell to a record low in the 1980s. it rose dramatically in the mid-1990s, but has fallen again and now close to the record low of 18,000 tons. he warned the catch could decline further if fishi t curr.

he said the agency will spend a year studying ways to reduce the catch before implementing the plan. >> translator: i'm very worried how it will affect our business. >> translator: i support the fishery's agency's plan to establish stricter control. >> the initiative comes with growing international calls if are stricter control of blue fin tuna resources. they present the plan at the international conference next month. tokyo is hosting an international conference on intellectual and developmental disabilities. people with these conditions require various types of special report. the participants are discussing the challenges in providing such assistance. we have more.

>> he was born with downs syndrome. he opened the conference of the international association for the scientific study of intellectual and developmental disabilities. the meeting is held every four years. 500 people from 30 countries and regions are attending the biggest conference so far. the president of the association is stressing the need to share information among researchers, scientists, and care givers. >> may we all through our relationships and encounters at all levels be generous as we share our wisdom, skills and hope. let us continue to work together with wisdom and intelligence. let us continue to come back and all of that prevents people from realizing their potential. >> economic levels as well as cultural and historical backgrounds often affect each

country's support measures. the participants are here to share their own experiences to come up with diverse ways and ideas to solve problems. to better assist individuals and their families and communities. the professor from south korea said it's for special education for children with intellectual disorders. they are encouraged to study in other classes. he thinks this approach should be applied to higher levels of education as well. . >> they pointed out the lack of opportunities if are students with special needs reserved in a small percentage of students continuing their education past elementary school. >> education is not the only field to face challenges. high on the agenda is the need

for new therapies for specific disorders like autism and downs syndrome. people also need to think about how to structure a community that has suitable care and support systems. researchers also make presentations using posters. they explain their various efforts to better deal with chronic disorders to give effective education and training and to improve quality of life. >> the disorder is a very important progressive disorder. it has very significant influence to children. if we could find it as early as possible, that will give a better future to the children. >> an expert from croatia explained how it can play a

better in society. >> in my country like in europe i see also the presence of institutionalization. it means we want people who spend their in an institution integrate into the community. >> the representatives agreed that the conference can help to change the status quo for the better. different nations adopt their approaches for people with intellectual disabilities, but no country has a sufficient support system. japan is no exception. the people continue to hear reports of bullying or abus of challenged children. the organizers with three days of questions that all participants will take what they learned back home to protect life and rights of people with mental disabilities.

nhk world, tokyo. >> a court inland has convicted two iranian men in connection with the failed bomb plot in february of last year. fiduciaries from thailand and israel say the men intended to attack israeli diplomats although iran denied that. a court on thursday sentenced 39-year-old to in prison. he was charged with attempting to murder a police officer and possessing explosives that damaged property and injured several civilians. the court sentenced the 43-year-old to 15 years of possessing explosives. the men were detained sortly after homemade explosives blew apart their vehicle. they denied knowing there were explosives in the house. one detonated in the street near

police officers who were chasing him. they were similar to sticky bombs used in similar attacks with india and georgia one day earlier. authorities have been investigating whether the incidents are connected. a un envoy said the government needs to do more to tackle sectarian violence. they commented after the car was attacked in a visit to a troubled area to the country. the human rights envoy spent days in myanmar and said the government must protect minor y minoriti minorities. >> the police are not taking charge of security. although they are legitimate security persons that the police and army are working on, i must highlight the obligation of the government of myanmar to act

immediately to control violence and not running wild in the community and protect all people regardless of religion or ethnicity. >> quintana visited a camp last week to investigate clashes between buddhists and muslims. it killed at least 192 people and displaced 140,000. mostly were muslims. he visited a town, the site of more violence in march. he said his car was surrounded by an ingery mob of around 200 people banging and kicking the vehicle. security forces failed to step in, adding that the incident helped him understand the fear felt by victims of the violence. the government rejected the allegations, saying he was well-protected. >> e merginging economic powers struggling with poverty. emboldened citizens demanding democracy and the threat of

violence and the push for peace. the shadow of conflict. get mus and insight on south and southeast asia every weekday live from bangkok, only on nhk world "newsline." >> dancers push theirs to the limit twirling and leaping. the physical demands force most to retire in their 30s. this japanese ballerina is still at it at the age of 64. nhk world's keiko kitagawa has her story. >> yoko is the driving force of japanese ballet. more than decades after becoming the first japanese to perform at the paris opera house, she continues dancing as prima ballerina more than 30 times a year. her entire life is centered on

ballet and her daily five-hour class. >> when you are practicing, is there something you keep in mind like a motto? >> translator: if there is something i am not satisfied with, the next day i try to approach it differently. i take each day with a fresh start like a first grader in elementary school. >> she was born in 1948. she was a sickly child. her doctor recommended exercise at the age of 3. she began studying ballet. her decision to be a professional dancer came when she was 12. she moved to tokyo and enrolled at a famous ballet school. day in and day out, she underwent rigorous training. the big turning point was at the age of 25. she became the first japanese to win the top prize and the

international competition in bulgaria. this, maed the beginning of her international career. she shared the stage with some of the best known dancers. a great part of the motivation came from her family's experience of the atomic bombing of hiroshima three years before she was born. her mother and grandmother were both exposed to radiation when the bomb was dropped over the city. earlier this month, she participated, maing the 68th anniversary of the atomic bombing. she spoke about her grandmother's experience. >> translator: it was terrible.

her face and 457everything was burned by the explosion. she could only use her thumb, but she was able to do the washing and everything. she was a bright and cheerful person and we, her grandchildren never heard her complain once about what the did to her body. she said her grandmother's positive attitude had a strong influence on her career. >> i felt i should continue dancing with a prayer for peace in my heart. i learned this from my grandmother and mother and the horror of the atomic bomb. >> the same spirit let her to perform again after the earthquake of 2011. >> she invited them to come to

the performances and hoped to contribute to the recovery effort. >> don't you think we should join hands and move towards the renal yon? the important thing is to move and not separately. it's important to share the goal and move forward together. >> she said she hopes to continue dancing and bringing joy into people's lives. keiko kitagawa, in, hk world, tokyo. >> time for a check on the weather. people are dealing with severe heat in spain. we have that and more in world weather. >> extreme heat still continues across most of the iberian peninsula due to the high

pressure system sitting over northern africa and pumping the hot air. let me show you a picture from yesterday. residents and tourists in spain are warning to take care in the intense heat. hot air continues to flow in the peninsula and authorities have issued heat alerts for 19 provinces in central and southern spain this week. temperatures soared over 40 degrees in some places on thursday. people are making good use of water fountains to cool off. the hot weather with the peak today, however it looks like this condition will be preva prevailing. this is from thursday. 36 degrees, but you can see how the humidity is low. in fes it's 40 degrees, but humidity is below 10%. this is great recipes for wildfires & they have parts of the iberian peninsula.

the heat is not going anywhere. they are soring into the mid 30s. sunday dropping down to the high 20s. however lisbon will look at 32 degrees again on your sunday. that's the-day forecast. the heat will be moving towards france into the british isles into the weekend. across the continent, we will be looking at dry and pleasant conditions. temperatures are seasonal in most areas. wet weather will be falling into the system of the british aisles. you will start to see the heavy rain on saturday. for now, you are looking at 27 degrees. moving over to continental asia, a frontal system forming for china over to the korean peninsula and eastern japan. now, this system is surging with

copious moisture from the western ridge of the high pressure system. what it's doing is bringing heavy downpours. for example, the rainfall fell in an hour in japan. thunderstorms will continue for the day across the region. talking about the tropical depression that used to be a severe tropical storm status. and enhancing the monsoonal flow. in taiwan, we have more than 700 millimeters that fell over the course of a few days. on top of that, 300 millimeters for localized areas. certainly enough to trigger further flooding. this is surging water bringing the moisture as well as heavy

downpours to the area where it's needed in extreme drought conditions. at 37 degrees, beijing at 33 and kyoto to 35. and i will leave you now for the extended forecast.

>> that wraps up this edition of "newsline." i'm catherine kobayashi from tokyo. do join us again.

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> woodruff: president obama announced sweeping changes which could make college more affordable and accountable. good evening, i'm judy woodruff. >> suarez: and i'm ray suarez. on the "newshour" tonight, at the core of the president's plan-- a rating system to see which colleges teach well while holding down costs. we get the details and ask if it is the right way to go. >> woodruff: then, u.s. intelligence weighs evidence of a possible poison gas attack that may have killed hundreds outside damascus. margaret warner looks at outrage