yo with the latest at this hour. we have some breaking news from france. local media reporting that an explosion at a factory in the nation's southeast has killed one person and injured several others. they say the blast occurred after an automobile smashed into the premises. they say a flag was found bearing islam inscriptions.

something islamic state militants often use. french interior minister is heading to the site. we'll keep you updated on this breaking story as it develops. in other news it's crunch time for the greek debt. european leaders are saying they want the region's finance ministers to reach an agreement on how to resolve the issue on how they meet on saturday. an eu summit was held in brussels after ministers failed to find a solution. but this time the finance ministers must strike a deal. >> the leaders had a long discussion and are fully aware of the potential consequences. >> angela merkel said time is running out. >> translator: we have made the point that the meeting of the euro group on saturday will have decisive importance.

>> the ministerial talks on thursday failed to close the gap between greece and its creditors. the participants discussed released bailout funds if greece refused certain reforms. these included increasing the value at a tax. over the past five years greece has received bailouts from international creditors amounting to roughly $270 billion. it now has to make massive monthly payments on that debt. >> translator: we the people of greece are totally exhausted. we can't accept any more demands. >> translator: we might be forced to leave here if more problems emerge. >> if greece receives another bailout, loans exceeding that amount will come due this

summer. its creditors insist they will not hold negotiations on additional aid until an agreement is reached. eu leaders have also made a plan to deal with an influx of migrants from across the mediterranean. they will relocate thousands of arrivals from syria. >> translator: we have agreed that the european union must ensure that the 40,000 people be relocated. >> they'll introduce a provisional measure to have the member countries accept the migrant who is arrived in italy and greece. the step is designed to ease the burden on coastal nations. under eu rules, countries where migrants land are responsible for them. an original plan to impose quarters for each faced strong opposition where political parties are gaining momentum.

eastern european countries say they lack the economic capacity to accept migrants. the plan was drastically revised to let each country decide whether they will accept migrants. they will make a decision by the end of july on how many migrants to take. the united nations is cutting its budget for peace keeping missions. the general assembly has unanimously approved a plan which also covers misconduct by participating troops. one calls for the record budget of $8.5 billion for the current fiscal year to be trimmed down to $8.3 billion for the next term that begins in july. this will be done by streamlining assistance to contingents and personnel and conserving fuel for vehicles. another resolution addresses recent allegations that u.n.

peace keepers sexually exploited and abused women and children. they plan investigation and measures to prevent further abuses. it also calls for support for the victims. the united nations currently deploys around 100,000 soldiers and police officers from over 120 countries. they're involved in peace keeping missions in 16 different regions. due to the scope of operations, the u.n. is faced with the challenges of operating more efficiently and maintaining discipline among personnel. the u.s. supreme court has upheld the government's ability to provide subsidies under president barack obama's health care program known as obamacare. the subsidies are designed to make health insurance affordable for low income people. >> today is a victory for hard working americans all across this country whose lives will

continue to become more secure in a changing economy because of this law. >> people apply for coverage through exchanges. some states operate their own exchanges as does the federal government. the supreme court confirms the people who have applied for coverage through the federal exchange will remain eligible for subsidies. the plaintiffs have argued that paying subsidies to such people violates the law. >> i'm extremely excited. i think this ruling is a really great step in the history of progress for the court. >> it's a violation, what they did is a violation of the rule of law. they need to look at the words on the page and rule according. >> republicans who opposed the law say they will continue to fight it. members of the japanese government are divided over

whether the cabinet needs to approve prime minister abe's statement to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of world war ii. shinzo abe plans to issue the statement this summer. it is expected to refer to japan's remorse over the war and the peaceful path the country has taken since. observers say it will likely also mention abe's hope to contribute to the asia pacific region and the world. some lawmakers say the statements should be approved by the cabinet to make it clear it represents the views of the entire government. statements issued on the 50th and 60th anniversaries of the end of the war were endorsed by the cabinet. however, some say the statement should be issued as representing abe's personal views. they're worried that it could have a grave impact on japan's relations with its neighbors. chairs an expert panel advising

abe on the statement. he says he hopes to complete the panel's report as early as next month. abe is expected to take the report into account along with the opinions of government officials and ruling coalition members before finalizing the statement. abe says he's determined to have national security legislation enacted during the current diet session. the prime minister spoke at a meeting of a lower house committee debating bills that would allow japan to exercise its right to collective self-defense under certain conditions. abe said it's more important than ever for japan to contribute to peace and stability on the wider international community. he said the proposed legislation is designed to ensure the peace and welfare of the japanese public. opposition democratic party leader kada said opinion polls indicate that about 80% of the

public thinks the government has failed to fully explain the bills. he said more than half oppose them. >> translator: there have been cases in which the public understanding of laws after they were enacted. we will make our own judgments when the legislature or its committees conclude that the issue has been thoroughly debated. >> lawmakers from the ruling parties want to ensure the security bills are passed. the current diet session has been extended to a record-long length until late september. and now to what's happening in the world of business. gene otani has the latest. gene? >> kenichi, thanks. officials at japanese automaker honda say a large scale recall has forced them to revise their profits downward for the last business year. the recall covers vehicles

equipped with potentially defective air bags made by takata. the executives say group operating profit for the year ended in march was adjusted down by about $360 million to $4.9 billion from figures released in april. this means the operating profit was down 19% from a year earlier. and net profit was 14% lower at around $4 billion. it's a busy day for corporate japan. nearly 1,000 officials are having their shareholder meetings. many are giving back to their investors due to improved profitability and calls for higher returns from their stockholders overseas. mitsubishi electric officials have hiked dividends. its shareholder meeting approved a 60% rise for the fiscal year. a growing number of outside directors are sitting in company boardrooms. they follow a code created by the tokyo stock exchange. it requires listed companies to

improve management transparency and profitability. it's believed that a record 84% of the firms on the first section have introduced outside directors or will do so this month. checking the markets, growing concerns over the greek debt talks are weighing on global markets. here in tokyo the nikkei average extended losses ending 0.3% lower at 20,706. over the week the index is up 2.6%. on wednesday it hit its highest point in more than 18 years. in china, the shanghai composite plunged again ending down more than 7% at 4,192. that's the biggest one-day fall in five months. the index also fell more than 6% on the week. analysts say investors are backing off as hopes fade for more government easing. seoul's kospi inched up by 0.25% ending at 2,090. south korean stocks have been

hit by the mers outbreak. in other markets in the asia pacific region, hong kong slid nearly 1.8% following a sharp decline in shanghai. in the philippines, up by little more than .5%. the central bank kept its interest rate unchanged on thursday. officials of japan's health ministry have come up with a strategy aimed at increasing sales of japanese medical products in asia. >> translator: we hope to revitalize the pharmaceutical and medical device industries. >> the plan calls for sending experts to asian countries to give training on drug and inspection of medical equipment. the officials hope the effort will help speed up approval processes. the plan also proposes helping japanese pharmaceutical firms to carry out large scale clinical

trials. the health ministry will set up a counsel of officials. the largest u.s. miner of rare earths has filed for bankruptcy protection. molycorp. its dead totaled $1.7 billion. it produces neodymium. shot up after china replaced restrictions on their exports in 2010. prices later plunged after beijing eased the measures and researchers came out with alternative technologies. china is the world's biggest producer of the minerals. molycorp made large investments but its strategy backfired draining the company of cash. people in tokyo are feeling the heat and not just because mid-summer is approaching. the city's average temperature

has risen three degrees celsius over the past 100 years. businesses are coming up with new products and technologies to offer some relief. jonathan oh has been trying out some of the solutions at a trade fair. >> reporter: about 50 companies came out to this event to showcase all sorts of different products. some are tailored to the individual so they can help protect themselves for example, against heatstroke. this backpack attached to a special undergarment is designed for people working outdoors in high temperatures. a two liter bottle filled with frozen water fits inside the back. as the ice melts the cold water circulates next to the wearer's skin. a motor in the backpack provides the power. the icy water cools down the head and upper body in 15 seconds. the maker says keeping the head cool prevents heatstroke. other technologies focus on the

temperature outdoors. this is a road building material. the maker says it can lower the temperature of a road surface under the scorching sun. the block is made of ceramic peppered with microscopic holes. the hole allows it to absorb and maintain large pamtamounts of water. as moisture evaporates it takes the heat from the air above. compared to conventional asphalt, it lowers the temperature on the road surface by as much as 15 degrees celsius. sunlight reflected from windows is another source of higher ground temperatures. a new kind of window film aims to tackle this problem. sandwiched in the film are layers of metal and ceramic folded like an accordion. this structure reflects heat rays upward back into the

atmosphere. a spinning gauge shows heat radiation levels reflected from glass. the slower spin of the new film means there's less heat at the ground level. >> translator: each company is busy making its own products but now would be a good time for them to all come together. they can collaborate on development to help us fight the heat. >> reporter: a property developer is trying out new technologies and heat reduction methods similar to those seen at the fair. this residential community opened last october in kumigaya city, one of the hottest areas of japan. keeping residents cool was a key objective of the builders. they built a park on the east side of the district.

they wanted to make use of the easterly winds that blow in the summer. they installed mist sprinklers that draw on well water. jets of mist lower the air temperature as the wind blows through them. the ground is paved with water retentive blocks. another way to reduce ground heat. the streets radiate out from the park. the cool air is channelled throughout the neighborhood. the builders also installed water retentive screens in front of the houses. water trapped in the screens keeps heat away from the windows. >> translator: we hope to provide various measures to help residents spend the summer comfortably without using air conditioners too much. >> reporter: these experiments in climate control are about to face the big test.

mid-summer. if they do the trick, more people could soon be enjoying the benefits of heat-beating technology. jonathan oh, nhk world. and that's it for business news. i'll leave you with the markets. myanmar is due to go to the polls in november. it'll be e the first general election in the transition from military to civilian rule. resolving the international armed conflicts is a vital step in the democratic process.

nhk's aiko doe da has more. >> reporter: advises the minister in charge of peace talks with ethnic groups. he attended a conference held by the japanese government on peace building and democratizization in asia. experts came from 12 nations in the region. the audience paid close attention to what was said in the panel discussion. >> we know deep within our heart that it is a rare opportunity for our country to make peace with one for all. failure is not an option for us. >> reporter: 51 million people live in myanmar. in 2011 it went from military rule to a civilian government. since then natural resources and the labor force have attracted foreign investment.

but there have been conflicts between government forces and ethnic armed groups wanting greater autonomy. in march myanmar's government and 16 ethnic groups signed a draft cease-fire accord. it calls for the introduction of a federal system to give the groups relative autonomy. >> translator: everyone here will go down in myanmar's history for helping bring peace to our country. >> reporter: however, a nationwide cease-fire remains uncertain as some ethnic minorities haven't taken part in the peace process. in march you have reached an agreement with 16 ethnic minorities. would that lead to signing a full agreement, the nationwide cease-fire agreement? >> translator: some minority leaders were not present at the

talks told us they wanted to have some of their demands included in the agreement. we're still looking for a way to address the problem. the election must be held. we need it for our country to change. it's also important that the cease-fire accord be signed before the election. because if we can build a foundation here and now, the next generation should be able to continue on with the peace process in myanmar no matter who heads the next administration. >> reporter: are there any specific dates or month we should keep our eyes on with regards to ethnic minority sues? >> translator: i hope the chairman of the election administration commission will announce the date of the poll in

the last week of july or the first week of august. so the best thing for us is to sign the agreement by that time. but as of now i cannot say for sure if we can really do that. >> reporter: myanmar is no longer a reclusive state. unless peace is achieved the economy of the entire region could be impacted. aiko doden, nhk world. it's time now to check out the world weather. heavy rainfall caused serious problems thursday in the site of last year's olympics in russia. we go again to meteorologist jonathan oh for the details. jonathan jonathan? >> hello. we've been watching a low pressure system that was rolling through the eastern portions of europe and it was bringing a lot of rainfall. you can see here on the satellite perspective, the clouds associated with the low pressure system that's picking

up some moisture and ended up creating downpours in the region of sochi. this is very dramatic in terms of the water here. look at this. it looks like a river flowing through and these are actually streets. up to 60 centimeters of water was flowing through. homes were inundated. cars are being swept away like boats on a river. and in the process, not only were we seeing cars being stopped, we also had problems at the airport in sochi. it was flooded. so it forced flights to be diverted to other locations. and some are blaming the problem from the infrastructure because of the building of and preparation from olympics last year causing drainage issues from that. and so it looks like that that's something that the officials had to deal with. but this low pressure system is expected to bring even more rain into the region. light rain but when you already have flooding problems and drainage issues this is going to be something that you'll have to contend with for awhile. now, looking back toward the

west, high pressure is controlling the weather over into france and also into the iberian peninsula. so mainly dry and sunny conditions. very warm in paris. high of 31 degrees coming up on friday. meanwhile, we do have another low that will be sweeping through the northern portions of the continent. that will bring rain into stockholm and warsaw. but check out the forecast here. 25 in sochi. 26 in moscow and we're looking at rain through friday. as we look at the forecast for north america, we are still contending with these strong storms popping up because of the instability. we have a stationary front with consistent warm air coming in from the south, cold air wrapping around from a couple of low pressure systems. this interaction is producing these thunderstorms. we're looking out for some active weather again for friday. wet weather from denver into oklahoma city into chicago, washington, d.c. dealing with thunderstorms. even into new york city now looking at wet weather coming up on friday. now, also on friday we have a couple of matches for the quarter finals of the fifa women's world cup. temperatures in the low 20s,

sunny skies. meanwhile, coming up on saturday for the rest of the quarter final matches, look at this. because of the warm air taking place for the western side of north america, we're looking at temperatures near 30 degrees during the afternoon hours. players are going to have to take some precautions with the warm temperatures on saturday. now, looking at the forecast for east asia specifically for japan, we're keeping an eye on a low pressure. this has enhanced in japan to where we had a landslide reported. so this is an issue. and look at this. saturday morning, kumam o rks to may see up to 200 millimeters of rainfall. nagasaki up to 100 millimeters. we're looking at heavy rain into western portions of japan. as the low tracks towards the east, we're looking at rain for sendai tokyo, and also osaka. but naha staying dry.

highs will be in the low 30s. hope you have a good day wherever you are. here's your extended outlook.

and there are more details coming in about the possible terror attack in france. local media are reporting one person has been beheaded in the nation's southeast. and the explosion at the factory where the body was found has injured several others. they say authorities have arrested one person at the site. they say the blast occurred after a car was crushed into the entrance. and a flag bearing islamic inscriptions was found similar to the ones group islamic state uses. french interior minister is inspecting the site. reuters news agency says the factory belongs to a u.s.-based company called air products. french government officials have raised the country's terror alert level in the region. and that's it for this hour on "newsline."

i'm keikichi hanada. on behalf of our team, thank you for staying with us.

paper legality so that the things they need to do in order to do their jobs effectively they are legally able to do, not that they were not doing all this, but operating at times this is what they like about the job, they were forced to operate in a legal no man's land where it was not quite illegal, was not quite legal. once again the french intelligence services have grown by leaps and bounds and have a lot of sophisticated capabilities. clearly, as we have