From our studios in Tokyo, this is NHK Newsline. I'm Ross Mihara. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky says Russia has continued to attack his country despite Russian President Vladimir Putin's declaration of an Easter ceasefire through the end of Sunday. Ukrainians visited a monastery in central Kiev to celebrate Easter on Sunday. We don't believe Russia. We have never trusted Russia because it always lies. What we want most is peace for Ukraine.
Putin also attended an Easter service in Moscow. The Russian leader announced the 30-hour ceasefire from 6 p.m. on Saturday, Moscow time through Sunday. He said he had ordered Russian troops to stop all hostility. Zelenskyy wrote on social media on Sunday that the Russian military is attempting to create the general impression of a ceasefire, but he said Russian forces have continued isolated attempts in some areas to advance and inflict losses on Ukraine.
Zelensky cited instances of shelling and assaults in the eastern region of Donetsk and elsewhere. He urged Moscow to accept Ukraine's proposal to extend the ceasefire for 30 days after Easter. The UN Children's Agency says 6.3 million people are estimated to be in urgent need of assistance more than three weeks after a powerful earthquake struck central Myanmar. The country's military says the disaster has left more than 3,700 people dead and over 120 unaccounted for.
The UN Children's Fund, or UNICEF, says children and women in particular are facing significant health risks due to extreme heat. limited access to safe water, and other conditions. UNICEF adds malnutrition remains an ongoing concern, especially for children under five, as well as pregnant and breastfeeding women. The March 28 earthquake severely affected the Sagaing region near the epicenter, Myanmar's second-largest city of Mandalay and other locations.
U.N. agencies and volunteer groups are continuing their relief efforts in the affected areas. UNICEF is calling for continued support from the international community. Many people are still living outdoors. could deteriorate in a prolonged evacuation. A communal facility has been opened in central Japan to support people affected by last year's devastating earthquake. Fifteen months have passed since the temblor struck the region, but many are still living in temporary housing.
The facility was opened on Sunday. It was built inside a temporary housing unit in Ishikawa Prefecture's Wajima City. The area was among the hardest hit by the quake. The establishment has a dining room with about 40 seats and a bathhouse. Social welfare workers and other staff members are on hand to provide various services. Survivors can receive advice on nursing care and other issues. The facility will also enable the staff members to keep an eye on residents.
It's wonderful to have a facility like this because I need to be able to chat with someone, otherwise I will get senile. This place will be really helpful. A social welfare corporation is among the entities that help build the facility in hopes the establishment will make residents in the city feel less anxious. We can immediately provide social welfare services and medical support. We could also sort out many issues. That's what this place will be used for in the future.
The corporation plans to open similar facilities in other parts of the city. Eighty years have passed since atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Survivors of the bombings are now facing a new challenge. They want to pass on their experiences to the next generation, but many people are uneager to listen. Ida Kunihiko was exposed to radiation in Hiroshima in 1945. He was three years old at the time.
ピカッと閃光のあと爆風で畳と一緒に高く吹き上げられました母は25歳僕は3歳髪は 全部抜けた皮膚が剥がれた An 82-year-old survivor shared his experiences with junior high school students. His terrible story really touched my heart. It left a strong impression on me. Increasing numbers of second-generation atomic bomb survivors are trying to pass on their family's stories, but some people tune out before the stories even begin.
It has been shocking to hear people say that they don't want to listen because they are scared. But one participant listened to me attentively. Sasaki Sakuko tries to avoid using photos that show vivid scars. Instead, she uses illustrations and the words of survivors. I tried to use drawings instead of photos. Photos are more real and they will remain in people's minds. We are trying to focus on the words. I hope they will understand by listening to the words we use.
Taniguchi Toshifumi was unwilling to listen to his parents' experiences when he was a child. He speaks honestly about what he went through when he gives lectures. He tells his audiences the following in the end. 戻られましたらご家族やご友人に話をしてみてくださいぜひ皆さんの力を貸してください A sightseeing railway that runs through a scenic gorge in Toyama Prefecture's central Japan has partially reopened for the peak travel season.
The first train-carrying tourists left Unazuki Station after a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The Kurobe Gorge Railway suspends services during winter as the tracks are buried under snow. views of fresh green leaves and cherry blossoms in full bloom. The weather's been great and the view is incredible. It's beautiful, riding on the first day feels special.
Services on the line are limited to certain sections. A powerful earthquake in January 2024 damaged one of the bridges and repairs are still being carried out. Spring has officially arrived in a park in Japan's northern island of Hokkaido where the Somei Yoshino variety of cherry trees have blossomed. 開花を宣言いたします Matsumae Park has roughly 10,000 cherry trees comprising about 250 varieties.
Officials confirm more than five blossoms have opened on the park's benchmark tree. They say blooms appeared seven days earlier than usual and four days later than last year. The combination of cherry blossoms and the castle is impressive to see. Officials say visitors can enjoy the cherry blossoms for about a month since different varieties will bloom after others. Those were the stories for this hour. I'm Ross Mihara in Tokyo. We thank you for joining us on NHK News Live.