. here in japan it's a thursday evening. i'm james tengan in tokyo. welcome to "newsline." here are some of the stories we're following this hour. swiss authorities are scouring fifa computer files for the truth about the world cup bids for 2018 and 2022. we'll take you to the front lines in iraq where kurdish troops are dealing with suicide attacks in their fight to push back islamic state militants. the mers outbreak is spreading concerns about a

slowdown in the south korean economy. policy makers have cut the central bank's key interest rate to a record low. and some children moving to japan are running into barriers in learning the japanese language. fifa authorities are analyze analyzing computer files from the bids for 2018 and 2022. officials after fifa say they're cooperating. the bbc says some of the data come from the offices of sepp blatter and secretary general jerome valcke. prosecutors are thinking of questioning blatter. fifa officials awarded the right to host the world cup to russia for 2018 and qatar for 2022. swiss authorities suspect wrong doing. fifa representatives say they're postponing the bidding process for 2026. they have planned to do that

work in 2017. >> due to the situation, i think it's a nonsense to start any bidding process for the time being and we will postpone this bidding process for the time being. >> u.s. authorities are conducting separate investigations into alleged fifa corruption. they've indicted 14 people including 9 current and former executives. brazilian soccer legend zico says he plans to run for fifa's presidency. he's been criticizing a system that's allowed people to stay in power a long time. >> translator: the long reigns of fifa presidents have kept away people who want to contribute. my candidacy is an extension of my history. >> zico said he'll only run if fifa changes one of its election regulations. he says requiring any candidate to have backing from five

national football associations breeds corruption. zico is one of the most acclaimed footballers in history. he played in three world cup finals. he went on to coach the national teams of japan and iraq and clubs in several other countries. coalition forces in iraq are vowing to surge ahead in their fight against islamic state militants but they're facing danger with every step they take forward. they're seeing intensified suicide attacks in their path. nhk accompanied a kurdish troop facing off with extremists on the front line. nhk world's tomoko kamata reports. >> reporter: islamic state militants seized the strategic city a year ago. kurdish troops far outnumber the militants. but they've been dealing with another challenge. suicide bombers. a video by the militants shows

how they conduct the attacks. they load a car with explosives. then they barrel into an enemy stronghold. the militants have been devising ways to give the attacks even more impact. they've been armoring their vehicles with thick iron plates. kurdish commanders say the militants used nearly 30 suicide trucks when they launched an assault on ramadi. then they stormed into the heart of the city. >> translator: it's really tough battling islamic state militants who are ready to die. we've never experienced fighting like this. >> reporter: kurdish military leaders say many of the people staging suicide attacks are

foreigners. this chechen man tried and failed to blow up a car outside before he was captured. >> translator: i was told to bomb pagans. they taught me dying by suicide bomb has greater spiritual value than just dying in battle. >> reporter: kurdish troops trying to retake mosul say another major problem is the rez sents having helping militants. many are sunni muslims like islamic state members. the kurdish commanders say many locals welcomed the islamic state group and the leaders have been persuading them to take up arms. this man said he teamed up with the militants soon after they seized the city. >> translator: i fought because the shia government forces would do us harm in our assumed territory.

>> reporter: the kurdish commanders a long struggle ahead to take up mosul. not to mention the rest of iraq. tomoko kamata, nhk world. >> thanks for that update. an international conference on ways to influence extremism has opened in sydney australia. cabinet members and researchers are taking part in the two-day conference. australian prime minister tony abbott referred to the islamic state group in his opening speech. authorities have foiled several terrorist plots by youths influenced by the group. >> the tentacles of the death cult have extended even here. >> abbott urged participants to share their experiences so they can better deal with what he called an international security challenge. on friday participants will analyze how extremist groups

spread their ideologies through social media networks. south korean officials are working to contain the spread of the deadly mers virus. they've put thousands of people under quarantine closed schools, and have disinfected subway trains in seoul. they're also feeling the effects the disease is having on the economy. officials have confirmed 14 new mers cases bringing the new total to 122. a pregnant woman is among those newly infected. nine people have died. all the patients have been infected at hospitals. officials are providing names of the facilities. they're urging people to check the list and to report to authorities if they start showing symptoms. president park geun-hye has postponed a visit to the u.s. next week to deal with the outbreak. experts with the w.h.o. are working with south korea. they're recommending schools be reopened as they have not been linked to the transmission of the virus.

and policy makers are racing to limit the economic damage from the outbreak. gene otani from the business desk joins us now with more details. >> james, they're obviously wanting to do everything possible. central bank officials are worried the outbreak could hammer the economy. they fear it will keep anxious consumers at home so they've cut the benchmark interest rate to an all-time low. bank of korea policy makers knocked a quarter of a percentage point off the key rate taking it down 1.5%. they've already cut the rate three times in the past year. the bank governor yi juoy is worried the outbreak will make things worse with economic sentiment. they expect inflation to remain low due mainly to the effect of low oil prices. government officials say business sentiment at large companies april to june took a dive into negative territory.

that's the first drop in four quarters. they blamed the weakening yen and high crude oil prices. the officials surveyed about 16,000 companies across japan. they came up with an index that shows how executives are feeling. it measures the businesses on the up and those who are getting worse. the latest index fell to minus 1.2. people at manufacturing firms had the gloomiest outlook. they had an index of minus 6 mainly due to the automobile and steel sectors. but officials say many executives are confident the situation is about to improve. respondents gave their views on the next quarter. they the index for manufacturers climbing to 13.2. checking the markets, the nikkei average rose 1.7% closing at 20,382.

investors went bargain hunting. analysts say some market players were relieved that the dollar rebounded against the yen. the u.s. currency plunged more than 1% wednesday following comments by the bank of japan governor. in china the shanghai composite closed at 5,121 following the release of economic indicators. figures showed industrial production in may rose 6.1% a year earlier. both results were in line with analysts' expectations. sydney ended up 1.4% for its biggest one-day jump since late april. boosted market sentiment and higher commodity prices lifted energy and resource related shares. in other markets in the asia pacific region seoul was upup .25 percentage point. sheered by a rate cut. the philippines extended gains

ending up 1.62%. brewers of japanese sake are enjoying growing demand overseas. but foreign versions flood the market. now authorities in tokyo are stepping in to protect the brand. officials at the national tax agency briefed lawmakers on a plan to introduce strict labeling standards. the officials say only drinks made in japan with domestic rice would be able to carry the label japanese sake. clearly differentiating between the two will boost exports. they say they'll ask authorities overseas to crack down on violations. they plan to have a similar labeling system for japanese wine. they hope to get the rules this year. japanese food and beverage makers are competing to produce bottles and containers.

they believe innovation in this area will help them differentiate their products from the competition and increase market share. here's a report on the fore front of the developments. >> reporter: water from mt. fuji runs abundantly beneath gotenba city in japan. one of japan's major soft drink companies uses this underground water to produce 180 million two liter bottles annually. this year the company changed its plastic bottle for the first time in five years. it cut the weight by 20%. now at 28.9 grams, it's the lightest of its kind in japan. this will eliminate the need for over a thousand tons of oil-based materials a year. saving the firm an estimated $1 million or more. the thickness of the bottle was reduced to just .15 millimeters.

crushing it is the work of a moment. the bottle is reduced to 1/12 of its original volume cutting waste. but thinner bottles are weaker. stacking could result in those at the bottom being crushed. an improved design makes them stronger. the solution came from the morning glory. threads extending from the center support the fragile petals. the flower served as the model for the base of the bottle where the load is heaviest. there are 16 indentations.

the downward force splits at the peak of each indentation and runs down the sides. it then encounters an opposing force from its neighbor thus counteracting the downward force. and the body of the bottle has 16 grooves. with these modifications, it can support a load of more than 20 kilograms. food container technology is also making strides. plastic containers have some advantages over cans. they're less than half the weight by volume and microwavable. but they can't keep food fresh for so long. this firm is developing a container that can preserve food at room temperature for three years. this month researchers checked tuna put into the container two years ago.

the tuna flakes looked and smelled normal. they tried them. >> translator: tastes good. same taste as canned tuna flakes. >> reporter: the key to long-term preservation is the structure. a .02 millimeter barrier layer is inserted into the plastic. it's designed to keep the contents fresh by blocking oxygen. but the layer occasionally lets oxygen pass. the company mixed in a special ab absorbent resin.

>> translator: you can eat the food as it is in an emergency and the tray container serves as a dish. i think the application of this container for emergency provisions is very promising. >> reporter: flavor is not people's sole criterion when choosing food or drink. consumers also judge the container and so competition to develop innovative containers is heating up. >> that's it for business news. i'll leave you with the markets. a japanese district court has awarded millions of dollars

in damages to people living around a u.s. air base in okinawa. the plaintiffs claim noise from futenma's aircraft disrupted their sleep and severely affected their lives. the japanese government has been ordered to pay about $6 million to some 2200 residents. it argued that steps were being taken to alleviate the noise by helping to make homes soundproof. the presiding judge said many of the plaintiffs are frequently exposed to noise exceeding government standards. he said he understands the operation of the base relates to national security but he said residents endured more than what they should have. >> translator: we hope this ruling will make the central government think more deeply about the futenma air station. we also want to use this opportunity to strongly call for the relocation of the facility. >> translator: i don't think the court fully understood our claim. we will respond appropriately

after consultations with relevant ministries and agencies. >> futenma air base is located in densely populated area. nearly 50 ospreys were there. military personnel routinely conduct drills. a survey of the nearby area showed there were 174 days in fiscal 2013 when the noise exceeded government standards. with the japanese population shrinking, workers from abroad are poised to play a more prominent role in the labor force. however, many foreign families are finding a lack of opportunities for their children. what they need and want is instruction in the japanese language but they're having a hard time getting it. nhk world's az is a ma maria reports. >> reporter: rabina entered a high school in tokyo this spring. she's 14.

she arrived in the country just six months ago. the rest of her life had been spent in nepal where she was born. her mother has been working in japan for ten years but could not bring rabina to live with her until recently. >> translator: positive numbers and negative numbers. do you understand? >> translator: i don't understand what they're saying. i try to keep up but i can't do it very well. in class i just turn the pages. it's no fun. i'm lonely and i don't know what to do. >> reporter: rabina did get a bit of instruction from an npo when she first arrived. her school received national government funding and about 80 students raised overseas were given lessons in japanese. the courses provided free of charge.

but the government stopped supporting the project in february. it shifted responsibility to municipalities. under a previous program, about 30 language schools had been receiving aid from the national government. the government not only provides partial support to requested. the national government's position is communities will have to come up with substantial funds of their own. w the changing policy has complicated rabina's studies. it's not eligible to receive a national subsidy. instead the school now has to ask students for more than $300 a month in tuition.

her family is struggling to meet the extra expense. money isn't the only problem. nhk conducted a survey in tokyo to find out about japanese language education for children who lived overseas. 40% of local authorities said they're short of qualified instructors. among rabina's neighbors are other young students who need to learn japanese. the city is trying to recruit more japanese teachers. >> translator: finding a japanese teacher takes time and sometimes we can't find anyone. at the moment we're hard pressed to deal with this situation as a local authority. >> reporter: the difficulties haven't deterred rabina from looking ahead. she hopes to become an artist in japan. but her mother is concerned about taking care of basics.

>> translator: i'm scared. it feels like a dark path right now. if we can't find support or any access to support, rabina will be in a really tough situation. >> reporter: one specialist says local governments cannot be expected to handle everything. >> translator: children from a wide range of backgrounds have important roles to play in japanese society. it is the duty of adults and of the nation to provide an education that enables children from diverse backgrounds to dream and hope. >> reporter: the number of people from other countries living in japan is increasing year by year. opportunities to learn the language may determine whether their children thrive or just survive. szusa maryuyama, nhk world.

>> thanks for that report. some people in southern japan were advised to evacuate their homes due to heavy downpour. jonathan oh is here with the details. >> hello. we have been monitoring the rainy season continuing to expand its influence over japan. we're going to see this continue as we progress through the next few weeks every time around this time of year we usually see these heavy rainfall. but it does cause a bit of a problem in the process. i want to take you over into kyushu to give you an idea where it looks on the ground level, lots of rainfall to talk about. these are causing numerous problems. this is unsen city in nagasaki pre prefecture. warnings for heavier rain floods and landslides all in place because of this. and on top of that another 180 millimeters expected into friday at noontime. so authorities are telling

people look out for these heavy rainfall. the thunderstorms and also the possibility for tornadoes. we have enough instability and enough of a rotation to where we'll see the possibility of the unstable weather. so look at this. the rain will continue to spread toward the north and east. the central portions of japan remain dry, but we will see the rain increasing its influence as we go into the overnight period. and yes i mentioned the heavy rainfall possible. portions of kyushu and down to the southernmost islands of japan we'll see close to 100 millimeters of rainfall over the next 48 hours. japan's not the only place being affected by the front. way back toward the south and eastern portions of china, still seeing a lot of rainfall. flooding is definitely an issue in the region and we're going to keep an eye on this because it looks like it's going to be still quite wet as we go into friday. taipei looking at wet weather, into hong kong and tokyo. now, as we go further toward the west into the arabian sea we're keeping an eye on cyclonic storm

ashobaa. this system is slowly moving and so it's nearly stationary. winds of 74. but we are expecting this to be a big rainstorm. look at this. we calibrated the colors to where the red indicates 300 millimeters in 72 hours. that's a lot of rain. and we're going to see that in the eastern tip of the arabian peninsula through the next three days. flooding will definitely be an issue as we go forward in forecast time period. thankfully the winds may not be quite as big of a deal compared to the rainfall. looking at the forecast for europe, we still have the stationary frontal boundary over to a low pressure head located north of the iberian peninsula. this will keep the western side of europe wet through thursday. you'll need your umbrellas all seeing wet weather. and down toward the south and to athens in the balkan peninsula, you'll see the unstable weather. elsewhere looking at dry and

sunny conditions from vienna and kiev. sunny skies with a few clouds. now, wrapping things up with a look at north america. we're keeping an eye on a line of strong storms that have popped up along a cold front that extends all the way to canada. this is an area we've also seen hail in the upper plains. and heavy rainfall. and so we're going to keep an eye on this. we're looking at more thunderstorms possible throughout the day. 23 in denver. and wet to the deep south as well. hope you have a good day wherever you are. here's your extended outlook.

thanks for watching "newsline." more to come here on nhk world so stay with us.

the majority in parliament. he says all parties should leave egos aside and form a new government assume as possible. -- as soon as possible. the u.s. is sending hundreds of troops to iraq to train and advise iraqi troops, not fight themselves. a symbol of hope for greece in the face of austerity. the country's public broadcaster is back on the air two years after it was