the highest rating was more than 70 times the maximum permitted level. tepco officials said the pumps were unable to keep up as the rains poured down. workers will add 19 more pumps. and they plan to use larger draining hoses that will make it possible to transfer water more quickly. a tepco spokesperson says the company may add more workers if necessary. forecasters in australia are predicting more high temperatures and strong winds in the days ahead. and they say those conditions will only help the spread of wildfires. firefighters are struggling to put out more than 60 fires in the eastern part of the country. the fires started last week in the state of new south wales. the flames have burned down more than 200 homes. police arrested two boys they

suspect started some of the fires. defense ministry officials are looking into whether explosives at a military training site ignited another at a national park. the strong winds have brought down power lines in some areas, and some ex-pers say that, too, could have parted some of the flames. now, our meteorologist sayaka mori gives us the latest on the situation there. >> hello there. the worst brush fires in decades are happening in new south wales. smoke and ash are affecting many areas including sydney this month. now, temperatures have been extremely high and also precipitation has been small since winter, and also this is the time of year when a series of lows moves through. resulting in high winds. so high winds, high temperatures and low humidity are resulting in really favorable conditions for fires to spread. now, today, we have a system that is producing some rainfall in the sydney area. but the rainfall is not enough to make a dent.

and also after the system moves through, winds will be picking up, so conditions will return on the severe side. and as we go into the next three days, although temperatures may drop to the mid 20s on thursday, winds will be on the high side and humidity will remain on the low side. so unfortunately, conditions will not improve any time soon. syria's leader has suggested he may seek re-election. president bashar al assad made the remarks in an interview with a lebanese television station. assad said he doesn't see any obstacles to being nominated to run. the presidential election is scheduled for next year. assad also lashed out at

opposition forces saying a growing number of islamist extremists are joining them. he said these extremists have nothing to do with the syrian people. diplomats are making arrangements for a peace conference in geneva next month. they want to bring representatives of syria's government and the opposition together to end the civil war. but opposition leaders are not budging from their demand that assad step down. that could make it difficult to reach a peace deal. u.s. secretary of state john kerry said any attempt by assad to remain in power would only prolong the conflict. kerry said opposition leaders would never agree to assad being part of a new government. international experts examining syria's arsenal of chemical weapons say they're making good progress. inspectors from the organization for the prohibition of chemical weapons have visited 17 of more than 20 sites. spokes persons for the organization issued a statement

explaining how the mission is going. it says inspectors have destroyed equipment used to produce chemical agents and make chemical parts for rockets. they were forced to postpone some checks last week for security reasons, but the experts say they're confident they'll be to visit all of the facilities as planned by the end of the month. forecasters in northeastern china are urging residents to stay inside. they say they expect more smog to cover the city of harbin. fine particles in air have left residents in a haze. the density in some locations was 38 times the level considered safe by the world health organization. poor visibility on monday shut down the international airport and kept buses off the road. in harbin, city officials closed most schools. the weather in the region has turned colder. some experts blame the pollution on an increase in the burning of coal to heat homes and other

buildings. the heating system kicked in on sunday. the forecasters predict light winds during the day will not be strong enough to clear the smog away. a suicide bomber has blown up a bus in southern russia. the explosion killed six university students and hurt at least 30 other people. the attack occurred on a bus. witnesses said a female passenger detonated the bomb then flames engulfed the vehicle. authorities are investigating whether islamic extremists might be involved. militants in southern russia have said they want to disrupt the 2014 winter olympics. the games will be held in the city of sochi. it is several hundred kilometers north of the olympic venues. japanese and u.s. trade officials have entered a third round of negotiations.

this time they're focusing on regulations and systems in the automobile and insurance sectors. the talks are running b ning pa to the trans-pacific free trade negotiations. he leads japan's delegation. he began the three-day talks in washington with the u.s. officials led by acting deputy u.s. trade representative wendy cutler. analysts expect the u.s. to keep pushing for more open auto market in japan. they're asking for a review of japan's regulations on fuel efficiency. they also want to unify safety standards to make it easier for u.s. carmakers to export to japan. the japanese government has increased the number of foreign cars that can be sold in japan with simple document-only inspection. but the u.s. negotiators are likely to urge for a further easing of the process. japanese officials have so far maintained that the current standards are needed to ensure safety. analysts are focused on whether

the teams will be able to find some common ground. u.s. president barack obama is facing more criticism over a technical problems with the government's new health care website. users have reported errors and slow response times when trying to sign up for insurance on the website that launched on october 1st. >> and there's no excuse for the problems. and it's -- these problems are getting fixed. >> obama spoke at the white house saying the health care law as a whole was working as planned. republicans say the president had more than three years to build the framework for the reforms and produced a nonfunctioning website. they say the bill, known as obama care, is collapsing under its own weight. they've called on health and human services secretary kathleen sebelius to resign. the health care law was a key issue in the congression budget that led to a partial government shutdown earlier this

month. the shutdown, meanwhile, has led to the delay of key economic data releases. the commerce department bureau said the preliminary gross domestic product for the july to september period will be released on november the 7th. it was supposed to be issued at the end of this month. retail sales for september, a key indicator for personal spending, will be announced next tuesday. it's more than two weeks behind schedule. housing starts data for september will be out on november 26th, together with the figure for october. few people had heard of ipf cell technology a year ago when a japanese scientist won a nobel prize for his research in the field. now the work pioneered by the professor is helping a key industry regenerative medicine. the japanese government is getting involved and so are many private firms. we look at how companies are building their businesses by helping people rebuild their bodies.

>> reporter: this woman damaged cartilage in her knee playing volleyball. she lived with knee pain for more than five years. but after an artificially cultivated replacement was transplanted -- >> translator: i'm amazed. it's really incredible. >> reporter: the clinical use of regenerative medicine is taking off in japan. analysts say the market will grow rapidly. they forecast global sales of $450 billion a year in 2050. a regenerative medicine laboratory operates inside the university of tokyo. the lab is also the headquarters of a medical venture firm. >> translator: we want to grow these ips cells into platelets.

>> reporter: ips cells are able to grow into any type of tissue or organ. researchers are making platelets, one of the main components of blood. platelets' key role is as a coagulant. if you cut yourself, they help stop you bleeding. this is a capillary vessel. the red part is platelets grown from ips cells. we can see how the ips cells work to restrict blood seepage. platelets are indispensable in surgery. the annual market in developed countries alone is estimated at around $2.8 billion. the national government is an investor and will help them upgrade their equipment. >> translator: i believe we're at the halfway point of turning ips techniques into a full-fledged business. >> reporter: it's not only

venture firms getting into regenerative medicine. major corporations such as fuji film have entered the business. fuji thinks its skill at making photographic film which was ins principle product can help with regenerative medicine. >> translator: you can see the whole thing is beating. >> reporter: these mouse heart cells were created using a material developed by the firm. the substance is made from collagen, a type of protein. collagen is also used in making photographic film. >> translator: we have the world's top collagen technology for the manufacture of film. we can now adapt it to this new business. >> reporter: a business group has been formed to pool different companies' skills and spread technology.

in the two years since the group's formation, membership has grown fourfold to nearly 60 companies. some firms want support to build infrastructure such as facilities to culture cells. others want to offer insurance for regenerative medicine therapies. >> translator: each company has its own strengths. but together we can form a strong team japan. we want to complement each other. we'll work together to grow the market, which i believe is our first mission. >> reporter: from the laboratory to real life. as experimental techniques find practical uses, regenerative medicine is growing. many people in japan hope it becomes an engine of economic revival. city leaders in bangkok are grappling with the challenges of rapid urban station and looking abroad for inspiration. they asked officials in a city

in japan to help them build ecofriendly infrastructure. officials say they'll provide technical assistance for the thai capital's transportation, garbage and sewage systems and encourage japanese companies to participate. yokohama firms are already working with sebu city in philippines. three companies are prepares to launch ventures that will recycle the city's waste. elderly people make up a growing portion of the population across east asia. now volunteers in taiwan are helping them get the most out of their retirement years. and for many seniors, the results have been liberating.

>> reporter: modeling swimsuits at a beach in taiwan. most mothers are in their 70s. 500 people take part. more than the organizers had hoped for. >> translator: i've never had so much fun. i feel like i'm 50 years younger, like i'm 25. >> reporter: volunteers organized the show. >> translator: if society ages at this pace, we won't be able to take care of all our seniors. we think it's important to help them lead independent lives. >> reporter: the volunteer group has produced a documentary. it follows a group of senior

citizens driving their scooters around taiwan. one of the main characters is a widower. >> translator: on a sunny day, the view along the coastal expressway is fantastic. i used to tell my wife i would take her for a ride. in the end, i couldn't keep my promise. and to this day, i regret it. >> reporter: each person has had to confront illness, solitude, and other drawbacks of old age, but it doesn't hold them back. the documentary broke taiwan's box office record for a documentary feature. and it has inspired other seniors.

he is 79. he's been living a lonely life since his wife died 12 years ago. but some volunteers recommended that he take a road trip with other seniors. >> translator: if i manage to make some new friends, i'll have more fun with my life. >> reporter: it's the day, and chen is ready to saddle up. the average age of the drivers is 78. chen joins them for 70 kilometers. they stop at a nursing home for the elderly. >> translator: so you're 70? well, this guy's 80.

and this one, too. >> reporter: drivers showed how they are still living the dreams. chen tells a female patient about his late wife. >> translator: she passed away at the age of 79. >> reporter: after four hours of road, chen reaches his goal. he receives a warm greeting. >> translator: i'm so happy that i could reach the destination with so much company. i'll certainly do that again. >> reporter: chen and his new friends prove the value of that old saying. "live each day like it's the last day of your life." nhk world. hey, sayaka mori again this

time with the details on who storms heading their way to japan. >> hello, there. it's in the middle of autumn, but will still have a couple of tropical systems to talk about. one here is a very strong typhoon named francisco. and it's starting to affect the minami daido island with stormy conditions. waves could be as high adds 7 meters with gusts nearly 110 kilometers per hour today. and the system could affect the southwestern islands of japan including okinawa by your thursday. and then starting friday, fr francisco will veer to the northeast, aiming for japan. even before the arrival of a storm, a new system will form south of japan and that will produce heavy rain at times for the pacific side of the country including tokyo starting on your wednesday. and back behind it, another system. this is severe tropical system lakima and could approach the ogisawa islands and produce stormy conditions on your friday

as a very strong typhoon. so lots of things are happening in and around japan. now out toward the continent, this low-pressure system is causing some precipitation, cold precipitation across the eastern mongolia. and that's set to move into eastern, northeastern part of china. and this area has been dealing with dangerous hazy conditions. visibility is near zero over the past 16 hours. but because the arrival of the system, conditions could improve starting on your wednesday. so that's good news. across mexico, the major hurricane is now affecting the southern parts of mexico. this is a category 3 hurricane. kilometers per hour. we have hurricane warnings and watches posted across the southwest coast. now, winds are going to be very strong. on top of that high surf, dangerous waves, as well as storm surges could cause some coastal flooding. but instead of making landfall, the system could move away from mexico starting your tuesday night.

but heavy rain will continue for the next several days. up to 300 millimeters are likely. now, finally across europe, getting stormier across the west. lots of clouds can be found. we have a well-developed low-pressure system affecting the southern parts of the scandinavian peninsula through the british isles, down toward the iberian peninsula. flooding rain is likely across the western parts of the iberian peninsula, and a mixture of snow across southern norway. on the flip side of the continent, looking dry and really calm. temperatures are going to be really low in moscow, only 2 degrees for you. here's the extended forecast.

paul mccartney is still setting records. the new album from the former beatle has entered japanese music charts in the number two position. it's the first time a musician over 70 has cracked japan's top ten. ♪ don't look at me ♪ it's way too soon to see what's going to be ♪ ♪ don't look at me >> mccartney is 71. last week, h he released his first album in six years. it's called "new." it's already sold about 20,000 -- 23,000 copies in japan. it's the first time since 1982 that one of mccartney's records has made it into the top three in the country. he'll perform songs from the album next month on a tour of japan. mccartney last performed before japanese audiences in 2002.

that's all for this hour on "newsline." i'm keiko kitagawa in tokyo. thank you for joining us. tavis: good evening.

from los angeles, i am tavis smiley. tonight conversation with dr. henry louis "skip" gates, jr. "the african-, americans: many rivers to cross." blackse first time arrived on this continent to the second inauguration of president barack obama. a conversation with dr. henry louis "skip" gates, jr. coming up right now.

>> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. "the african americans: many rivers to cross" is the latest contribution from dr. henry louis "skip" gates, jr. airingies begins

torrow night on these pbs stations and there is a companion text of the same name. we will start our conversation by taking a look at a clip fro "the african americans: many rivers to cross." >> i asked been much of my life searching for the stories of the african-american people. our first notation of anthony them as antonio the negro. i have always wanted to tell their history. five centuries in the making. history and i have traveled around the country and across the globe to chronicle it. receive wealth inherited from the slave trade question mark but people changed american society. >> i will start in a moment by talking about what happens tomorrow night here in pbs and

the series premieres. let me go back to what happened this past weekend. alreadys a slave," there is oscar buzz. >> it was great. it had a $50,000 esa and grossed art,000 and started an seeders and black theaters. it started extra very well. -- extraordinarily very well. the movie will be in wide release in a couple of weeks. it did extremely well on opening weekend. the dates to be considered for an academy award. it did extremely well this weekend. i want to ask about that because there are so many movies and documentaries and

books about the african-american experience in america. to what extent and we will get to president obama on the last part of the series but to what extent does his presence in the white house, and african-american first family in the white house, what is the link between that reality and all of these various films and books and documentaries that are getting airings now ? about howthink affirmative action affected our generation, affirmative action starts in 1968, 1969. what we're seeing is or decades later. people who were able to go to historically white colleges and and whoties like i was are now in positions of authority and positions in which they can make things happen, we were becoming of age. so you're seeing this whole group of people who have mo