kieran watson, nhk world, sydney. >>> the u.n. is preparing to draw up a treaty to ban nuclear weapons. the general assembly is expected to begin negotiations next month. the first preparatory session was attended by representatives from the nuclear powers china and india. there was also a delegation from austria, which led talks in december. paving the way for the treaty. not attended were the two largest nuclear powersrs, rusus and the u.u.s., as well as japa which relies on u.s. nuclear deterrence. costa ricann disarmament envoy elaine white was elected as president of the conference. >> we're going to work in an open mooner in order to to achieve results everyone can accept. >> rules were drafted, including nongovernmental associations to join the party. white will draw up a framework for negotiations beginning in march. >>> nhk "newsline" comes to you from our studios here in tokyo. let's start off with the world weather. >> we are looking at rainfall to be a big part of the story, for north island and northern portions of so

kieran watson, nhk world, sydney. >>> in pakistan people mourn the victims of a massive bombing in a crowded shrine a day earlier. patchari raksawong has the details on that and other stories. >> 72 people were killed and more than 150 others wounded. the prime minister condemned the attack which was claimed by the islamic state militant group. the militants said they were targeting shiites. the sindh government has announced a three-day mourning period in the province after the blast which was the country's deadliest terrorist incident in two years. >> translator: all eyes are weeping. there wasn't proper security there. we have been telling the endowment department and the other officials that there was no security and that anything could happen at any time but nobody listened. and the perpetrators were able to take lives. >> on thursday a suicide bomber walked into the same sufi shrine and detonated the device amid dozens of worshippers. at least 20 women and 9 children were reportedly among the dead as the attack was carried out in the women's wing of the shrine. >> translator: h