hello and welcome back to "newsline" i'm shery ahn. let's get started with a look at the head lines. police in south korea are questioning an elderly man after a fire kills 21 people at a hospital. japanese ship builders hope to catch up to their rivals by designing a new generation of energy saving vessels. and only two weeks to go until the world cup kicks off in brazil. people are still wondering how

ready the country is to host the games. south korean police are questioning a male patient of a hospital for the elderly. they suspect he may have deliberately set fire to the facility, killing 21 people. investigators are also looking into safety measures at the hospital. now the fire in south jeolla province also injured eight people. many of the victims were overcome by smoke. >> translator: all of the victims were the bedridden patients, who were unable to escape by themselves. and so despite the rescue efforts, many people perished. >> police have detained a man in his 80s who they say has dementia. they're now questioning him for suspected arson based on surveillance camera footage. local government officials conducted safety checks at the hospital just last week. part of the response to last

month's fatal ferry accident in which more than 280 people died. officials checked fire extinguishing equipment, and whether evacuation routes were properly secured. they say they found no abnormalities. the yonhap news agency is reporting the hospital only had 16 staff working at the time of the fire. the facility's own guidelines require 24 people on duty at night and on holidays. and there was also a fire on a subway train in seoul. a man set fire to his back pack on a train approaching a station. the flames were quickly put out, and passengers were evacuated from the train. one passenger was injured while trying to escape. the man fled from the scene, but police later detained him for questioning. officials in vietnam have reacted angrily to news that china plans to start its oil drilling operation again in disputed waters. chinese authorities announced on tuesday that the equipment is in

place. vietnamese foreign ministry officials say the new site sits on vietnam's continental shelf and violates its sovereignty. china launched the first stage of the drilling operation in may. a state-owned energy company deployed a rig near the paracel islands in the south china sea. china and vietnam both claim the islands. the project sparked anti-china protests in vietnam. vietnam's officials say the new site is even closer to the islands. a chinese foreign ministry spokesperson shrugged off the protest. he said vietnam was obstructing chinese operations. >> translator: the drilling is being conducted in undisputed waters close to china. it is a legal and normal operation. >> chinese officials say the operation will continue until

mid august as scheduled. a move that has triggered criticism from washington. >> china continues to maintain the rig, and escalate tensions in the disputed waters. our position will remain the same, which is these are provocative actions that continue to raise tensions. >> psaki added that her country does not take a position on the area's sovereignty. she says the united states encourages both sides to maintain dialogue. let's now get the latest business stories from ron madison. >> thanks, shery. straight to the markets. asian equities moved higher as investor sentiment was encouraged by positive data out of the u.s. indicators for durable goods orders as well as home prices came in better than expected. here's how major indexes finished out the day. tokyo's nikkei notched a fifth straight day of gains staying at its highest level in nearly two months. the shanghai composite advanced to a level that we have not seen in two weeks. tokyo's nikkei up today a

quarter percent. it finished out at 14,670. the recent market strength invited more buying from some investors. meanwhile, profit taking was evident after the index had jumped more than 4% in the recent four sessions. and in seoul the kospi seeing gains of just about a percent, 2,017 for the close there. foreign investors continue to put money into the market. heavyweights like samsung electronics pushed the index higher today. and in shanghai the composite index with an advance of nearly 0.8%, 2,050. computer related stocks were lifted by speculation that the government may put more pressure on local companies to use domestic brands of hardware and software products. well japanese workers have gained a reputation for putting in long hours, but members of a government panel say some employees should be rewarded based on their performance. some say that could lead to exploitation. members of the panel suggested last month that skilled, high earners should be paid according to their merit, rather than

hours worked. they're drawing up a list of professions that would be subject to their rules, and those that would be exempt. they suggest some managers, consultants, and other professionals should be paid in line with their results. they say construction workers, sales staff, and other service personnel, should be paid hourly. opposition critics fear the plan could lead to unpaid overtime and excessive working hours. and union leaders organized protests in a number of cities. >> translator: suicides and death from overwork are at an historic high. this has to stop. >> union leaders have complained that they do not have a representative on the government panel. well, drivers in japan will have to continue paying highway tolls for years and years to come. the japanese government was planning to abolish the tolls by the year 2050, but lawmakers have passed a bill that postpones the step.

they say the government needs money to repair aging expressways, tunnels and bridges. the diet enacted the bill on wednesday extending the toll collection period by up to 15 years through 2065. back in 2005 when japan highway public corporation was privatized the government decided to make all expressways toll free by 2050. that was when it expected to finish repaying all the highway-related debts total being more than $390 billion. but government officials now say they need an estimated $39 billion more to cover the cost of maintaining and repairings transportation infrastructure. the new law also makes it easier for private companies to rent areas underneath elevated expressways. the rent revenue will be used for fixing the infrastructure. prime minister shinzo abe has been backing a plan to lower the corporate tax rate. critics say that would also lower government revenue. those in favor have shot back. they suggest the government should force companies that don't pay taxes now to pay up. some members of the liberal democratic party research

commission argue the tax should be lowered in the next business year to help economic growth. others say first government leaders need to demonstrate how they plan to bring in more revenue. they're planning -- and they're calling for restrictions on spending to reduce the deficit. members are studying a plan to lower the tax rate gradually. some say even companies that don't earn a profit should be forced to pay to make up for any loss in revenue. critics say it's still not clear how much this would bring in. and they say it would have a major impact on small and medium-sized businesses. well, not that long ago ship builders in japan could boast that they made more vessels than anyone else in the world. but they've fallen behind their competitors in china and south korea. they're hoping that a new class of eco-friendly ships will help them to catch up. >> reporter: despite its old-fashioned look, this is the ultimate ecoship. its extra-large sail has been designed to harness maximum power from wind.

the sailing rig takes hints from traditional designs and employs the latest technology. it is made with aluminum alloy and can be stowed away in minutes during bad weather or when there is no wind. the rig is much shorter than traditional masts and sails. and its angle can be adjusted. the builder of this rig used a design concept that is disarmingly simple. unlike large sails that generate great propulsive force, the rig uses easily adjustable smaller sails. the ship builder repeatedly tested the maximum wind efficiency of these smaller sails. the result was this symmetrically shaped sail with few curves. unlike traditional sailing vessels, the sail makes much greater use of the lift force of crosswinds.

that gives it added propulsive force. >> translator: the sailing rig can be installed in existing vessels with other power saving devices. >> reporter: this new coal carrier is equipped with a technology that reduces resistance when moving through the water. the ship blows air bubbles from its bottom to reduce the friction between the ship and the water. cameras set up at the sea bottom have shot this footage of the carrier passing above. the tip of the ship is entering the screen. bubbles can be seen blowing out of its bottom. the flow of bubbles runs smoothly along the ship's bottom. this system saves up to 8% in energy costs. the company that helped develop

this technology is installing it on giant transport ships. the key technological challenge was the shape of the air outlets for producing the bubbles. engineers tested seven different shapes. this is a test for a round air outlet. you can see the bubbles crashing into each other, winding upward and downward. but using an oval air outlet produced a different effect. the bubbles flow smoothly, covering the entire bottom of the ship, and reducing resistance. engineers also cut electricity consumption to a blower that supplies air to the vessel's bottom. a turbo charger improves the engine's combustion efficiency. the device delivers compressed air to the engine. and it saves on fuel by sending some of the air to the ship's bottom.

>> translator: the new technology is still costly. we're trying to lower the cost while maintaining the same performance. >> reporter: competition for energy saving technology is intensifying worldwide. japanese ship builders have shown at least some ways that ultramodern technology can boost performance and save energy. >> okay. that is going to do it for biz this hour. here's a check of the markets.

japanese and north korean authorities have agreed to more high-level talks. representatives from both nations have wrapped up three days of meetings. they discussed several issues, including pyongyang's nuclear program and japanese citizens abducted by north korean agents. the talks followed up on a meeting they held in march in beijing. after wednesday's one-hour discussion, junichi ihara the head of the foreign ministry's oceanic affairs bureau says solving the abduction issue is a top priority. he asked north korean officials to refrain from provocative actions against the south. ihara also said any further nuclear and missile development should stop. he said song il ho the north korean envoy showed serious concern over a japanese court's approval for the sale of the headquarters of the general

association of korean residents in japan. the building is in the process of being sold to a japanese firm at auction. the north korean envoy didn't rule out future talks on the abduction issue. european union leaders say they'll rethink their policies after the results of parliamentary elections. parties skeptical about eu integration made significant gains over the weekend. leaders gathered in brussels to discuss a way forward for the eu. pro-euro parties secured an overall majority in the vote but anti-euro blocs surprised many with a strong shows. the uk independence party was among those that fared well. it won the most ballots in britain. france saw the far right national front storm to victory. leaders of the two nations are now calling for a fresh approach. >> it's a very clear message which is the european union cannot just shrug off these results and carry on as before. we need change.

>> translator: the union must reorganize its working methods, and its approach. this is what i want. this is what everybody wants. >> analysts say eu members all agree it's necessary to revise policies. but they differ on which direction they should take. a key challenge will be the selection of the next european commission president to replace jose manuel barroso. the world cup's opening match is now just two weeks away. people in brazil are making their final preparations to host the event. but as the deadline draws near, there are more concerns whether they can pull off the games smoothly and securely. nhk world's takafumi terui reports. >> brazil, brazil!

>> reporter: a throng of excited soccer fans gathered near the training site where brazil's national team practices. the devotees were there to show their support as their players arrived. excitement is building in the country, known as the soccer kingdom. but not everyone shares the happy sentiment. those opposed to having the games are making sure their voices are heard. protesters even yelled at the players, saying, the money should be spent on education or medicine, rather than soccer. >> translator: we are not against the national team. we just want to oppose to how the government operates the games. >> reporter: rallies have been held across the nation. about 1,000 protesters took part in one on tuesday in the capital brasilia. police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd and

organizers had to cancel an event exhibiting the trophy. and there are other concerns. construction is taking longer than expected on infrastructure for the games. the stadium in sao paulo that's scheduled to host the first match doesn't have all the seats yet. brazilian officials are renovating 13 airports to accommodate an influx of visitors. but they estimate they won't complete them all. delays, like this roof collapse in the northern city of manau, are slowing work. low economic growth and high inflation have left many brazilians dissatisfied with living conditions. bus drivers in sao paulo went on strike last week demanding higher wages. the walkouts nearly halted public transit. and in the northeastern city of recipe police officers walked a

picket line while security deteriorated. a spate of looting and murders was reported during their strike. brazilian president rousseff has promised more social welfare to pacify demonstrators. and the government is also sending them a warning, saying it will call in troops if protests disrupt the games. takafumi terui, nhk world. a young woman in northeastern japan is bucking tradition in taking up a centuries old craft. the disaster three years ago destroyed countless homes. people rebuilding can't find enough skilled artisans to make the flooring for traditional rooms. so the woman has taken over the family business making tatami mats. >> reporter: a training school

for would-be tatami makers. in september 2012 this school enrolled its first-ever female student. her aim, to follow in her father's footsteps. six months in, and she is learning how to replace the smooth top surface mat of the tatami. this is the most demanding job. >> translator: it's much harder than i expected. i don't wear makeup now. and i've stopped thinking about fashion anymore. >> reporter: hayashi was studying in tokyo when the tsunami struck her home town. she had planned a career in advertising. as local people began refurbishing their homes after the quake, there was big demand for new tatami mats. hayashi's father received a rush of orders. her father was running the family business all alone. she decided to train as a tatami

maker so she could work alongside him. >> translator: it came as a surprise. but a happy one. at first i was worried she wouldn't be able to do it. >> reporter: in her second year hayashi began actual on-the-job training making and installing new tatami mats. >> translator: i keep on cutting my fingers. the more i do it, the more i cut them. as a girl, that makes me sad. but as a tatami maker i'm kind of proud of it. >> reporter: slowly hayashi was mastering her craft, and beginning to realize what her father's job entailed. however, things did not work out quite as she expected. one day her father collapsed. he had suffered a stroke due to overwork. he was hospitalized, and couldn't speak. or work.

now hayashi was even more focused on returning home to keep the family business going. >> translator: i didn't panic when it happened. but now, i'm doing everything possible to learn all i can about this work. >> reporter: in april, she graduated from her course. >> translator: now i intend to go home and do all i can to repay my parents for all they have done for me. >> reporter: the morning after coming home to minimum ma soma and already there's a job waiting for hayashi. she's been asked to replace the tatami in this house. this man has returned to his home after living in a temporary shelter. this is his ancestral abode so he wants to keep it in good condition.

having fresh tatami mats is important for him. these are the first tatami that hayashi installs after returning to her hometown. >> translator: this is wonderful. >> translator: the place where people can really relax best is their home. that's why i want to make the best tatami mats i can. >> reporter: for 30 years hayashi's father worked as a tatami maker. now it's her turn to carry on the business. to maintain the traditional homes of her area. north dakota seeing some unusual weather. our meteorologist jonathan oh joins us now. jonathan, we had that rare tornado sighting earlier this week. can residents expect more of those in the coming days? >> hello, shery. it does look like we will be monitoring for some more severe weather into north dakota, yes, because of a system that is

moving over montana and into the dakotas. in fact i have some video to show you coming out of watford city. let's take a look where this very strong twister, a huge twister, was captured on video by dan ferguson on monday afternoon. now this tornado injured nine people, a 15-year-old girl is in critical condition. it also damaged or destroyed 15 trailer homes at the camp. now tornadoes are rare in the county as only 14 have been reported since 1950. now that's not the only wild weather scenario taking place in the united states. let's take a look at the board here and show you what's happening down further south into houston. where a lot of rainfall has been taking place. now back in april, much, much below the average rainfall of around 40 millimeters, as opposed to the average of 84 millimeters. and then in may, in the past few days, we jumped up to 216 millimeters of rain. and so, way above the average so far for this year. and it looks like more rain is

coming for parts of the deep south. here's that low pressure system responsible for causing some of the strong weather into parts of texas. that is moving forward the east. so louisiana you're looking out for the possibility of some severe weather. earlier i just mentioned about the low pressure system into montana. that is moving toward the east bringing some possibilities of more severe weather for parts of montana and into the dakotas, and yes, isolated tornadoes are part of the threat as we go through your wednesday. and so a very active weather scenario for the eastern half of the united states. and some rain expected for parts of southwest canada, and for those of you in quebec and parts of nova scotia, you're looking at the possibility of seeing some frost as you wake up wednesday morning. because of the weather setup. and so be prepared for some colder temperatures for you. but look at this. most of the united states dealing with some thunderstorms and a chance for some rain. denver high of 30 with some precipitation all the way into houston and all along the eastern seaboard into new york, you'll be looking at a chance

for some rain with a high in new york, 29 in atlanta to 19 degrees in new york. here's a look at east asia. we have a tale of two very different weather scenarios. we have a very wet system down toward southern china. continuing the rainy season. meanwhile dust storms limiting visibility and breathing problems for many residents in the northern portion of china, and moving into the korean peninsula, because of the yellow sand. the winds are kicking up, and that is going to continue to become an issue as we go through the next few days. more rain, some heavy rain advisories, even as far south as the philippines and indochina peninsula because of the precipitation. but yes, dry conditions, and very windy conditions, causing the yellow sand to be a problem. now affecting a good portion of the korean peninsula, and moving into japan, as well. also, very warm conditions expected as you go through the next few days. highs will be above average for many parts of east asia. finally, let's take a look at europe. low pressure is continuing to cause a lot of problems, a lot

of heavy rain in many parts of the continent, stretching from the british isles all the way back into the balkan peninsula, and it looks like more rain is on the way, as we go through your wednesday. take a look at this. precipitation moving in to warsaw, kiev, more rain for you. highs will be anywhere from 19 in paris to 21 in warsaw. hope you have a good day wherever you are. here's a look at your extended outlook.

and that's all for this hour on "newsline." i'm shery ahn. thank you for watching.

>> this is "france vingt-quatre" and peggy for joining us, the headlines this hour. egypt pushes its election to a third day of boating after low turnout. that vote is expected to usher in a former army chief of ousted the country's first full -- freely elected president last year. brussels,pen heads to after her party came in first place here in the parliamentary vote. including some sort of european far right coalition there -- could be a bigger challenge. and french police begin expelling hundreds of migrants from camps in the rt