i'm patchari raksawong reporting from bali. >> thanks, patchari. sure we will check with you on that. >> former philippine president has been arrested on electoral fraud charges. arroyo was arrested for results in an election in 2007. the president then also accuses her of corruption during her two terms in office. the former president denies wrongdoing and instead accuses the government of political persecution. on tuesday authorities prevented arroyo from leaving the country to seek medical treatment in singapore. she was arrested and friday while recovering at a hospital in manila. fraud charges carry a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. >>> a new survey shows the number of births in fukushima prefecture in the three months following the nuclear power accident fell by 25%. it looks like many expectant mothers have chose to move away from the prefecture to give birth over concerns of radioactive contamination. the japan association of obstetricians and gynecologists surveyed more than 700 medical institutions handling deliveries between april

i'm patchari raksawong reporting from bali. >> thanks, patchari. sure we will check with you on that. >> former philippine president has been arrested on electoral fraud charges. arroyo was arrested for results in an election in 2007. the president then also accuses her of corruption during her two terms in office. the former president denies wrongdoing and instead accuses the government of political persecution. on tuesday authorities prevented arroyo from leaving the country to seek medical treatment in singapore. she was arrested and friday while recovering at a hospital in manila. fraud charges carry a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. >>> a new survey shows the number of births in fukushima prefecture in the three months following the nuclear power accident fell by 25%. it looks like many expectant mothers have chose to move away from the prefecture to give birth over concerns of radioactive contamination. the japan association of obstetricians and gynecologists surveyed more than 700 medical institutions handling deliveries between april

patchari raksawong is in the thai capital with the latest on the crisis. >>> two more important economic zones have been advised to prepare for possible flooding. water continues to descend on the capital from the north. many residents are beginning to feel like they're fighting a losing battle. flood waters came within ten kilometers of central bangkok on wednesday. people living in the affected areas are doing everything they can to cope. some even poured garbage out of clogged drains to let the water flow. >> translator: our life has been seriously floodwater. we're in trouble. but i have no choice but wait until the water recedes. everybody has to just put up with the situation. >> two more major industrial zones have been placed on alert. they include the estate in eastern bangkok. the threat woes after they decided to open a critical new gate. they say their homes have been sacrificed to save the city center. the number of people killed nationwide jumped to 427 on wednesday. and with every passing day, the toll on thailand's people and economy is mounting. as the flood crisis in ba

i'm patchari raksawong in bangkok. >> patchari, thanks. the king and queen of bhutan have expressed their condolences. in a message read by the crown prince the emperor said that it was a pleasure to welcome them so soon after their marriage. the emperor also expressed gratitude for the aid extended to victims in northeastern swra p pan. >> to pray for those affected by the earthquake and tsunami. >> the royal couple will visit a disaster hit city on friday to encourage children there. a persistent fever kept japan's emperor from hosting the king. the king is expected to remain in the hospital for a while yet. doctors said the emperor had a mild fever when he entered the hospital on november 6. they say his temperature remains high and has lost his appetite and he may be developing bronchitis again or a new res prior tory infection. the doctors will not say how long he needs to stay in the hospital. they want him to rest until the end of the month. >>> russ mihara is up next with sumo. >>> at the kyushu grand sumo tournament, the nearly pr

. >>> next we go to patchari raksawong in bangkok to find out what's going on in the region. >>> the battle to contain thailand's record floods continued on wednesday. the prime minister has insisted her government is making progress in efforts to handle the crisis. but the situation for residents of bangkok remain severe with still no end in sight. nhk observed the depth of floodwaters in the capital had increased again on wednesday. but the water flow appeared to have weakened and the flood remained about five kilometers from the city center. even so, people's daily lives are severely disrupted. inundated roads forced many residents to get around by boat instead of by car or motorcycle. people are anxious for the floodwaters to recede. >> translator: i'm concerned about more water reaching bangkok. i just want to know when the water level will go down. the floods keep rising. >> the prime minister visited a water treatment plan on wednesday. the floods had polluted the capital's tap water supply with mud and trash. but japanese experts dispatched there say chemical sanitizers have

. >>> now we go to patchari raksawong in bangkok for the latest from the region. >> india and pakistan have agreed to accelerate efforts to improve relations. indian prime minister manmohan singh met pakistani prime minister yousuf raza gilani in the maldives thursday. they exchanged views on the territorial issue of kashmir as well as how to expand trade. nhk world's fumio sugaya reports. >> reporter: in a joint news conference both sides expressed strong willingness to improve bilateral ties. >> we have wasted a lot of time in the past in acry moanious debates. the time has come to write a new chapter in this relationship. >> i think that the next round of the talks would be more constructive, more positive, and it will open a new chapter in the history of border countries. >> reporter: the issue of control of kashmir has clouded relations between india and pakistan for decades. the two sides resumed stalled dialogue in july. they agreed to simplify visa procedures. this month the pakistani cabinet decided to provide india with most favored nation status. india has been a target for

necks we go to patchari raksawong in bangkok to find out what's making headlines in the region. >>> the china sea issue is back on the regional agenda this week as a series of important meetings take place on the indonesian island of bali. in remarks apparently directed at china the united states has called for restraint over the territorial dispute. u.s. secretary of state hillary clinton on wednesday urged countries that lay claim to disputed islands not to resort to intimidation. clinton made the remark during a visit to manila, where she met with philippine president benigno aquino. >> the united states does not take a position on any territorial claim because any nation with a claim has a right to assert it, but they do not have a right to pursue it through intimidation or coercion. >> clinton expressed the u.s. intention to further strengthen its alliance with the philippines and support its maritime defense. the south china sea issue will be high up on the agenda at the east asia summit on saturday. chinese premier wen jiabao will attend that meeting as well as u.s. president bar

i'm patchari raksawong in bangkok. >> we have two segments offering two unique perspectives. yuk lar watch brings you insight and information and the road ahead examines japan's efforts to recover and rebuild. don't miss nuclear watch and the road ahead on "newsline." >> right now about 3,000 people are working to contain the crisis at the nuclear power plant. >> the firm's building was destroyed by the tsunami and now have to work out of an office 40 kilometers away. they have had to abandon their homes and now commute to work for temporary housing. >> translator: today we are starting a new project so i want you to take extra care. >> he has been working at the plant for over 20 years. since the disaster he has been in charge of rebuilding structures damaged in the explosions as well as cleaning up the rubble that is scattered all around. the work seems endless and overwhelming. he has noticed a change in his workers. these days they are finding it harder to concentrate on their jobs. in august for the first time, one of the employees injured himself. the man had not notice

i'm patchari raksawong in bangkok. >> "newsline" is the place to turn to for the latest on japan post march 11. we have two segments offering two unique perspectives. yuk lar watch brings you insight and information and the road ahead examines japan's efforts to recover and rebuild. don't miss nuclear watch and the road ahead on "newsline." >> right now about 3,000 people are working to contain the crisis at the nuclear power plant. >> tokyo electric power company has commissionered workers to clean up the power plant. the firm's building was destroyed by the tsunami and now have to work out of an office 40 kilometers away. they have had to abandon their homes and now commute to work for temporary housing. >> translator: today we are starting a new project so i want you to take extra care. >> he has been working at the plant for over 20 years. since the disaster he has been in charge of rebuilding structures damaged in the explosions as well as cleaning up the rubble that is scattered all around. the work seems endless and overwhelming. he has noticed a change in his workers. these da

i'm patchari raksawong in bangkok. >>> in other news, lawmakers and farmers have come together to adopt resolution to oppose japan rushing into talks on the trans-pacific partnership free trade agreement. >> reporter: the tpp would affect all aspects of people's lives. but that information hasn't been disclosed. and that's prevented the issue from being debated nationally. we feel strong resentment. >> on friday, about 50 diet members from the ruling democratic party held a rally with some 1,000 farmers and others in tokyo. they called on the government to not make hasty decisions. then they adopted a resolution saying japan should not rush into talks on to joining the tpp. prime minister yoshihiko noda said the government will soon decide whether to join talks on the trans-pacific partnership. japan is expected to announce its decision at the asia pacific economic cooperation forum later this month. >>> a multimillion dollar scandal involving a machine maker turned the spotlight on corporate governance in japan. the former british president of olympus corporation told nhk about his bri

i'm patchari raksawong in bangkok. >>> the floods in thailand have been adversely impacting industryorldwide. japan's honda motor is being forced to adjust production at facilities around the world as deliverez of auto parts from thailand have been severely disrupted. honda suspended operations in thailand and malaysia last month. it plans to reduce production in japan, north america, india and vietnam due to the parts shortage. the automaker says it will halt production in turkey later this month and reduce output in britain and brazil as well. the flooding will affect honda's production bases throughout the world, excludeing china. a downturn in the company's business appears inevitable. >>> france and germany will try to persuade greece to accept the rescue package that eu leaders proposed last week. the greek government is saying it will hold a referendum on the debt issues. french president nak las sarkozy and german chancellor angela merkel tor have an emergency meeting on wednesday with greek prime minister george papandreou in france. papandreou suddenly announced on monday t

i'm patchari raksawong in bangkok. >>> lawmakers and farmers have come together to adopt a resolutiono oppose japan rushing into talks on the trans-pacific partnership free trade agreement. >> reporter: the tpp would affect all aspects of people's lives. but that information hasn't been disclosed. and that's prevented the issue from being debated nationally. we feel strong resentment. >> on friday, about 50 diet members, mainly from the main ruling democratic party held a rally with some 1,000 farmers and others in tokyo. they called on the government to not make hasty decisions. then they adopted a resolution saying japan should not rush into talks on joining the tpp. prime minister yoshihiko noda said the government will soon decide whether to join talks on the trans-pacific partnership. japan is expected to announce its decision at the asia pacific economic cooperation forum later this month. >>> a multimillion dollar m&a scandal involving a major panese optical machinery maker has turned the spotlight on corporate governance in japan. the former british president of olympus corpor