hello and thank you for joining us on this edition of nhk "newsline." i'm raja with pradhan with the latest at this hour. we start with north korea's latest move to ramp up tension on the korean peninsula. pyongyang says it will deploy two military units in two areas near the border with the south. this comes one day after the north blew up an inter-korean liaison office in kaesong.

north kokorea's state run mea a aired video o of the explolosio wednesday. it c came with a wararning to t south saysing the destruction is only the first step. and the next step will be decided based on how seoul responds. state media also says that the north military plans to mobilize near the border. the units will be deployed to two areas where interkorean joint projects are located. the tourist area and the kaesong industrial area. the north unveililed plans for exercises that will l be conducd near the m military y demarcati line. one of south korean's top military officials is expressing deep concern over pyongyang's announcement he's warning against further provocations. >> translator: the north will be sure to pay if these measures are put in place. >> meanwhile, south korean's unification minister has offered to resign over the worsening

relationship. seoul had proposed dispatching its director of national security as a special envoy, but it said leader kim jong-un's younger sister kim yo-jong turned down the offer. the e presidentialal office in l says the proposal had been confidential. it said the north showed a lack of common sense by leaking it and intentionally distorted its purpose. earlier ai uchida spoke for more analysis of the north's actions. >> pyongyang is putting its money where its mouth is. so doing exactly what it said it was going to do. the north is, of course, serious about taking a touough stance. but i think we can also say it is desperate. let's consider the current administration. like just about everywhere, north korea hasn't been immune to the coronavirus. it closed ththe border to chinao prevent the spread.

some experts say perhaps kim is using these actions to tighten his grip on economic affairs. i also think pyongyang has been irritated by seoul for not doing enough to implement korean summits. and of course it's sent anti-defector leaflets. >> so kim yo-jong does seem to be a figure head when it comes to dealing with the south. tell us what this means. >> i think we're seeing a beefed up role for kim yo-jong. she not only leads the policy on the south, but also she instructs the military. it is unprecedented in the north and previously instrucuctions we only shooud by kim jong-un who is also suprereme commander. i think her brother is going to forge a new leadership style with her by entrusting some of his roles to her. and she's facing a more public

role w when she led a delegatio to the seoul olympic games. she was seenn s smiling when sh met with president moo jae-in as we see. but she's no fan of moon. >> how do you think the south korean government is going to respond to this? >> i think it's whehether the governme c can block leaftting by the defectors grp. e pn says ty plan t send them get next ek. but authories in th border ar say thewill tak song action torevent them such mov cou be agast freem ofexpreson. sohere's no doubt that sel's optis are becominore and more difficult as pyongyang continues its provocations. authorities in the chinese capital are stepping up measures against the coronavirus.

the move comes as 100 new cases have been reported since last week. beijing raised its alert to the second highest level on tuesday. health officials have reported 106 people with symptoms since last thursday. the cases have been linked to a largrge wholesalele food market. officials had been taking steps to gradually bring life in the city back to normal since lowering the emergency r respon level on junune 6th. they say elementarary and junio high schooools that had d been reopened will be shut again starting wednesday with students taking classes online. municipal authorities have closed the food market. they're testing about 200,000 peopople who have visited since may 30th. they have also tightly restricted the movement of people and vehicles in residential areas where infections have been confirmed. the president of honduras has tested positive for covid-19. the central american nation has reporteded over 9,000 caseses oe

virus and more e than 300 death. the p president said in a televised speech he starteded t feel unwell over the weekend. he said his symptoms are mild and he'll continue to work remotely. the president's wife also tested positive. she'll self-quarantine at home. now, a tally from johns hopkins university shows the number of confirms infections worldwide surpassed 8 million on tuesday. the global death toll now stands at more than 440,000. now, researchers in britain say a cheap and widely available steroid could save the lives of patients infected with the virus. >> it's really showing quite a significant effect, and it's really important because the drug itself is very widely available. it's on almost every pharmacy shelf in every hospital. >> the team from the university of oxford released the preliminary results of a clinical trial of the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone.

they compared the outcomes of about 2,000 patients who were randomly chosen to receive the drug with about 4,000 patients treated withthout it. the researchers say they found that dexamethasone cut the mortality rate by around one-ththird among patients o on ventilators s to help them breathe. mortalitity was reduced by abou one-fifth for patients who only needed oxygen support. britain'n's health ministry has approved the immediate use of dexamethasone to treat covid-19 patients. >> this drug, dexamethasone, can now be made available across the nhs. and we've taken steps to ensure we have enough supplies even in the event of a second peak. >> the world health organization also welcomed the news, calling it a life saving scientific breakthrough. now here in japan, chubu

airport near nagoya has resumed international flights. they've been suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. they started flights on wednesday to and from manila. the a airport had forced airlin to cancel flights since late january. flights from chubu had been suspended since april 1st. >> i'd rather stay here while there's a virus, because i feel much safer here. but i have no choice. i have to go home. >> 90% of the seats on his manila flight were booked. now finland's finn air plans to resume flights to helsinki next month. the number of domestic flights is likely to pick up soon as well. the government is expected to ease its request that people hold off from traveling to other prefectures on friday. japan airlines has rolled out new measures to prevent infection. at haneda airport in tokyo, more

checkout machines are being installed to route human-to-human contact. everyone is required to wear a face mask. cabin attendants will hand out drink packs instead of pouring them. >> translator: if there are vacant seats, it must be bad for profits. i appreciate the effort to prevent the spread of infection. >> it's impossible to know how long it'll take for domestic and international travel to recover to the levels before the coronavirus outbreak. there are only 1700 foreign visitors in may. a record low. it was also a drop of 99.9% from the same month last year when nearly 2.8 million foreign people visited. japan currently bans entry from more than 100 countries and territories. it plans to ease the ban for business people from thailand, vietnam, austria, and new zealand soon. but not for tourists.

the european union has started investigating u.s. tech giant apple on suspicion of hinder fair competition. the european commission says apple charges a 30% commission on app developers for using its app store. the commission alleges apple prevents consumers from getting information on other ways to buy e-books and music. regulators suspect the company restricts products from r rival companies on its apple pay mobile payment system. they say apple may be distorting market competition and its business practices may go against eu rules. apple could face a hefty fine if the allegations are proven. the company released a statement saying it's disappoint they're looking at this from a small group of companies.

a survey of hong kong residents found more than 80% of young people see themselves as hong kongers rather than chinese. the hong kong public opinion research institute conducted the survey earlier this month. about a thousand people responded. half of them identified as hong kongers. but among those aged 1 18 to 29 the figure was 81%. just over 12% of all respondents identified as chinese, but only 3.7% of those aged 18 to 29 did. an expert has told local media the results shows beijing's intent to instillll nationalismn hong kong has been ineffective. the survey was conducted after the chinese government decided to introduce legislation for semiautonomous territory. some worry the move will allow beijing to crack down on anti-government protests.

it's time now for a check on world weather with our meteorologist jonathan oh. jonathan, what's the latest? >> hello. we have been dealing with some hot weather across the central portions of the country and because of those warm air patterns in place, a cold front's coming in behind it and that's going to trigger off some thunderstorms wednesday into thursday. some of these storms can be quite strong especially as we go into thursday. we want to keep that in mind. yeah. this is the cold front pushing through. notice the isobars are tightly packed here. that also indicates to us there's going to be thunderstorms in this front. and it's not moving that quickly. it's just kind of slowly pushing to the east. that's the reason why wednesday and thursday we're looking at the same general region being battered by these storms.

this low pressure system over to the carolinas, this has been here for the past few days. and it's going to stay there for the next couple of days. as this is going to just spin around the area. and it's really messed up the weather pattern because it's been bringing all this cooler air. you've been stuck under clouds and rain from d.c. down to north carolina. places like raleigh. we will be seeing things trying to clear up as we head toward the end of the week. again, next couple days looking at rain and thunderstorms. wednesday a high of 32 in winnipeg. highs from the low 30s in denver and oklahoma city. that's going to be the case as we go throughout wednesday. we are seeing a change in the pattern across japan. we've been dealing with relatively dry weather the past few days, more like mid-july temperatures. but we have this system pushing up into japan. look out for heavy rain. possibly some landslide

concerns. by friday the front will also lift into tokyo. that means we'll see rain coming into the picture going through the day on friday. hope you have a good day wherever you are. and that concludes this edition of nhk "newsline." i'm raja pradhan in tokyo.

there's much more to come here on nhk world japan, so please do stay with us. welcome to "newsline in-depth." i'm yanaka marie. the coronavirus has brought anxiety and fear into our daily lives. but while most of us are concerned about protecting ourselves from infection, the outbreak has also caused issues that may not have gotten attention. today we shed light on some of those problems japan is facing and how people are trying to help. our first report delves into

something japan has handled relatively well until recently. the country prides itself on having one of the smallest homeless populations among advanced nations. the majority are over 60 years old. but under the impact of the coronavirus, younger people who have lost their jobs have started appearing on the streets. >> sendai is the largest city in the tohoku region. this evening, several people gather in front of the train station. they're members of a nonprofit organization that supports the homeless. the members of the group walk through the city center handing out rice balls and miso soup to people sitting in parks, on streets, and in underground passageways. this 39-year-old is among those the group is helping. he used to work part-time at a food company making about $1,400

a m month untilil he was sudden let go. his companyny told him they wereren't able to kekeep him ona result of declining business amid the spread of the pandemic. he couldn't continue paying his $280 monthly rent anand ended u on the street. >> translator: i just want to live a regular life to able to work and have a home. >> yamada's situation is not unique. in fact, when the group was handing out meals recently, some of the homeless people they helped were even youngnger than him. according to the support group, a third of the people who asask for help are in their 20s and 30s. another factor in this situation is the closure of internet cafes. these cafes are usually open 24 hours a day and many young people struggling to survive

would stay overnight as the cost is low. but many of these cafes were shut down to conontain the spre of the coronavirus. >> translator: now we are visited by many young, non-regular workers who used to sleep in internet cafes. they run a real risk of having to live on the streets. >> yamada has been to the employment office looking for work, but there has been a dramatic fall in job opopportunities and he has not been able to find a job. now the best he can do is collecect garbage for a few dollars once a week. >> translator: i don't want to do this for long. i want to work. i want to eat a warm meal. >> as more young people fall on hard times, there are concerns that not only part-time or non-regular workers but even regular employees may start

losing their jobs. so japanese society may face a growing homeless problem. >> to help with the economic burdens caused by the epidemic, the japanese government is handing out 100,000 yen or more than $900 to every resident. homeless people, though, often have trouble receiving this money. due to lack of information or home address. the support group in our report is trying to help them by explaining how to fill in and submit the application form. they want to ensure the people who need financial aid the most can actually receive it. next we look at a field that has plunged into disarray since the outbreak. home medical care. we've heard reports about hospitals struggling to deal with the influx of covid-19 patients and how people with pre-existing conditions are more at risk. some patients in this

predicament decide to receive treatment at home. but that option is adding to the burden of medical work who are care for them. takayama has stage 4 pancreatic cancer. in may the 74-year-old moved back homome t to livee out her remaining d days srorounded by loved oneses. reiko's family wanteted her i ie hospital where she could get faster emergency t treatmentnt. then the coronavirus forced the hospital to stop allowing more than one visitor a day. >> translator: there was no problem as long as we could visit her and hold her hands, but with the coronavirus we couldn't do that which was frustrating. >> tanaka is reiko'ss home care

doctor. since japan's coronavirus outbreak began, he said many families have made a similar decision. more seriously ill patients means more consultations. usually he would see each patient for 30 minutes. but fearing close contact with so manyy people could spread th virus, he shorted each session to five to ten minutes. last month he visited up to 17 places in a single day. >> translator: we have more terminal cancer patients where we need to check on them frequently like two or three times a week because their condition can change suddenly. >> for more than a month,h, man rehabilitation programs and nursing services were canceled. now they are slowly resuming. but tanaka's patients will need

more help from these services to improve their overall health and lives. >> translator: the longer they stay in their beds, the more they're likely to aspirate and get pneumonia or fall and break their limbs. anand they'll end up needing mo support to maintain their daily lives. it's like a domino effect. >> tanaka says there needs to be a balance between providing medical care and protecting patients from the virus. home care doctors don't have access to the same protective equipment they would receive in hospitals, so they've had to improvise. if a patient gets a sudden fever, he pulls out gear he himself made out of a raincoat. a group that represents home care professionals says doctors shouldn't have to come up with their o own solututions.

>> translator: i think it is the role of the government and the administratition to come up wit standardrds for how to deal wita virus we've never encounteredd beforere and presesent that to care doctors. >> as the virus continues to pose new challenges, doctors like tanaka hope they'll have the tools they need to keep themselveses and their patients safe. nhk world, tokyo. >> as front line workers in home care do their best to adapt to the turmoil, hospitals are also doing what they can to keep patients and loved ones in contact such as via video calls. providing more options is not only beneficial for the patients, it also helps medical workers. creating a good balance between hospitalization and home care may be key for the health care

system if it is to deal with changes in the coronavirus situation. now, it's not just patient who is worry about isolation, of course. the epidemic has left many healthy people cut off from friends and family. especially high-risk groups like the elderly who are encouraged to stay home and keep a safe distance with others. to help senior citizens stay healthy both physically and mentally, a non-profit group is changing the way it operates. >> three years ago, a non-profit organization run by young people was set up in tochigi prefecture. it was started to provide support for elderly people in the area. these days the impact of the coronavirus is a major source of concern for him. >> translator: there's a real risk that we might carry the virus with us into the homes of the elderly people we support.

that's something i'm very afraid of. >> the group has been helping elderly people with their house work doing small jobs such as cleaning or shopping. they charge a bit over $5 for each 30-minute visit. >> translator: even using the steps, you couldn't reach this high, could you? >> the group's aim is not just to provide a service, but to give elderly people living alone a chance to have regular contact with others especially younger people. word about this initiative has spread and last year the group received some 550 requests for help. hamano is concerned the coronavirus outbreak could deepen the sense of isolation for those living on their n. >> translator: they don't u use the internet, so i'm wondering what we can do to prevent older people from feeling cut off.

>> translalator: we needd to co up with something whether we're working remotely or actually visiting. >> they decide they should carry on with their visits while taking extra steps to minimize risk of infection such as wearing gloves as well as masks. for the past three years the group has been helping this 83-year-old woman by cleaning and shopping for her. to reduce the risk of infection, the staff member doesn't talk with her this time. he has another idea. to make use of his smartphone. he connects her with another staff member who she knows well using a video hookup..

chatting with the staff member, the time passes quickly. at this time when social distancing is so essential, hamano believes it's even more important to come up with ways to give people a strong sense of connection with others. >> the group is also setting up opportunities for the elderly to chat with young people. several precautions are taken. everyone wears face masks and the room is well ventilated. achieving a good balance between lending a hand face-to-face and keeping social distance is no doubt a very difficult challenge. the three stories we shared today show how people are coming to the aid of some of those suffering in the shadows of the pandemic. it's easy to feel helpless in the face of a virus. but if we look out for each other, there's always something we can do and someone we can help. that's all for today's "newsline

in-depth." thanks for tuning in and make sure to do so next time too.

>> india and china want to avoid violence after a clash at the border. 20 indian troops killed in a disputed area. sanctions onu.s. syria take effect, targeting individuals and businesses supporting or trading