Hello and welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Yoshio Gaswara. The Israeli military announced on Sunday it has launched extensive ground operations in the northern and southern parts of the Gaza Strip. This comes as negotiations for a ceasefire continue in Qatar. The expansion of Israel's military operation follows Friday's announcement that it had conducted intensive airstrikes and deployed troops across Gaza.
The military claims it has struck more than 670 Hamas targets, including weapons storage facilities. The number of casualties is growing in the enclave. Qatar-based broadcaster Al Jazeera quoted health officials in the territory as saying 500 people had been killed during the previous three days. Meanwhile, media outlets say Hamas and mediators have been discussing a deal that calls for the group to release some hostages in return for a two-month ceasefire.
but Israel has apparently been ratcheting up pressure on Hamas to draw concessions from the group. Israel also declared on Sunday it will allow what it calls a basic amount of food to enter the enclave. The country has been blocking deliveries of relief supplies for more than two months, saying it wants to prevent them from falling into Hamas's hands. This has caused a serious shortage of food and medical supplies.
The international community has been warning that Palestinians living there face the risk of famine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has met with top US officials one day before planned telephone talks between the US and Russian leaders. Zelensky had talks with Vice President J.D. Vance and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the inaugural mass of the new pope. They met for the first time since events sparked publicly with Zelensky at the White House in February.
Zansky wrote on social media that they discussed the direct talks between Ukraine and Russia held last week in Istanbul. He added that the meeting also covered the need for sanctions against Russia and the battlefield situation. The Ukrainian president also emphasized the importance of a full and unconditional ceasefire as soon as possible. Ukraine has expressed its intention to accept an unconditional 30-day pause proposed by US President Donald Trump, but Russia has not agreed to that.
Zansky also met Pope Leo XIV. He says the new pontiff is a symbol of hope for peace and the Vatican can play an important role in ending the war. Meanwhile, Ukraine says Moscow will carry out a training launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile as a tactic to intimidate Kyiv. Ukraine's military intelligence agency said in a social media post that the launch is set for Monday night local time. That's the same day as the U.S. and Russian presidents are due to talk.
Inside the missile, which has a range of more than 10,000 kilometers, will be launched from a complex in the central region of Sverdlovsk. The agency added that the launch is intended to pressure and intimidate Ukraine as well as EU and NATO member states. Separately, Ukraine has shown off its latest naval drone, dubbed the Magura B7, to the media. The domestically developed model can carry two anti-aircraft missiles and operate continuously for up to seven days.
The Defense Ministry started to deploy the Magura V-7 in combat situations late last year. The intelligence agency said it had shot down two Russian fighter jets over the Black Sea earlier this month. The agency said various Magura drone models deployed in the Black Sea have destroyed 15 Russian military targets, including several major ships and aircraft, over two years.
Russia has retreated. They have hidden their fleet. They are afraid of approaching the Ukrainian coast or entering the temporarily occupied region of Crimea. All of this is thanks to our unmanned boats. The intelligence agency's spokesperson added that the Magura drone platform may also be developed for underwater use. Now let's see what's happening in the world of business. Here's Gene Otani from the BizDesk.
Yoshi thinks in her top business story this hour, analysis of earnings projections by listed Japanese firms shows their combined net profit could slump by nearly 6% this fiscal year. Many businesses are anticipating higher costs and less trade due to looming U.S. tariffs. Most listed firms have released earnings results for the year that ended in March. The reports include outlooks for this fiscal year. SMBC NICO Securities analyzed figures from 1,142 firms. That's 99% of the names
on Tokyo's broad-based topics index. Combined profit for the last fiscal year was up more than 8% from the one before. The yen figure was likely a record, extending the run of fresh highs to a fourth consecutive year. It's a different story for this fiscal year. Combined net profit is expected to drop 5.7%. That figure is based on a slightly smaller number of firms. 60 companies have not provided an outlook yet. 664 firms are expecting a bigger profit that's 58% but
407 firms or 35% predict declines. Automobiles, steel and shipping are the most bearish sectors. Nissan, Mazda and Subaru are yet to report their projections for this fiscal year. Automakers, which have released forecasts, expect net profit to plummet by 27.6%. That amounts to almost 2 trillion yen, or about 13.8 billion dollars. The projected drop is the largest among all industries in yen terms.
China says it is imposing anti-dumping duties on a type of synthetic resin. A country imports the material from the United States, Japan, the European Union and Taiwan. China's commerce ministry said on Sunday those economies have been dumping polyformaldehyde copolymer. It noted the practice has been harming the nation's domestic industry. The ministry said imports would be subject to anti-dumping levies of up to 74.9% for five years starting on Monday.
The material is used in automobile parts, electronic devices, and a wide range of other products Beijing opened an anti-dumping probe in May of last year, The U.S. and China lowered their additional tariffs against each other by 115 percentage points on Wednesday. Some of the reductions have been suspended for 90 days. may affect negotiations between the two countries. U.S. President Donald Trump has criticized Walmart for its plan to raise prices as a result of his administration's new tariffs.
The major retailer announced its price hike plan on Thursday, saying it would be too difficult to absorb higher costs caused by the tariffs. Walmart imports products from China, Vietnam and other exporting countries facing additional U.S. levies. Trump urged Walmart not to pass the higher costs on to its customers. His post on social media says Walmart should stop trying to blame tariffs as the reason for raising prices.
He noted that the retailer made billions of dollars last year, far more than expected. Trump went on to say that Walmart and China should quote eat the tariffs and not hit shoppers with extra charges. He added that he and Walmart customers will be watching. Many Americans are worried that Trump's additional tariffs will re-accelerate inflation. Some wonder if other retailers will follow Walmart's lead. The president is apparently prepared to issue warnings to others through his social media.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessett says the Trump administration is focusing on 18 important trading relationships in its tariff negotiations. Japan is believed to be among that group. The administration has put trading partners on notice worldwide and says it wants to get deals done during the 90-day pause on what Washington has called reciprocal tariffs.
Besant told CNN there are a lot of smaller trading relationships where the administration can just come up with a number. He also said the U.S. will sign a lot of deals with regions such as Central America and parts of Africa. Japan is currently preparing for its third round of tariff talks with Besset and other senior officials. It's considering sending its chief negotiator, Economic Revitalization Minister Akaza Wadiouse, to Washington later this week.
Akazawa has said Japan will continue pushing for a review of all US tariff measures. We'll tackle this issue as our top priority and do our best while carefully considering what will contribute to Japan's national interests and what will be the most effective out of all the options. Akazawa said he is also willing to cooperate with other countries that are negotiating with the U.S.
7-Eleven Japan says it has launched a trial using delivery robots on public roads. The convenience store operator believes such a service could eventually help it deal with a worsening labor shortage. Two 7-11 stores in Tokyo's Hachioji area are taking part. Customers use an app to send their orders. Unmanned robots then head to the destinations. Sensors and other features detect road bumps and respond to traffic lights.
The trial is reportedly the first by a major convenience store operator in Japan in which robots run on public roads. Permission to do that was granted by the local police. The company hopes that in the future, robots rather than humans can make more customer deliveries amid the shortage of workers. In either urban or rural areas, we would like this service to be a means of reaching customers who have difficulty shopping.
The company plans to call on nearby residents to participate. The firm plans to consider expanding the trial to other areas after examining the results. Convenience stores are not the only businesses facing serious labor shortages in Japan. A wide range of service industry operators are feeling the crunch. They are desperate for solutions in.
Some are offering discounts to customers willing to help out on the shop floor. We report on a surprising number of these standing workers eager to pitch in. A busy Tokyo restaurant facing a common problem. Plenty of eager diners, but not enough wait staff to serve them. Then management had an idea. Perhaps they could persuade customers to help out. They just had to find the right incentive. And they did. A 35 cent discount if... You pour your own drink.
Pouring a second drink using the same glass and the discount is even bigger. Around 70 cents. Filling my own glass is no problem. I'm happy to get a discount for that. After the meal, stacking tableware will also lower the final bill. A 35 cent reduction. The operator says their discount system has paid off. Time serving drinks is down and sales are up.
We do this because of the labor shortage, but from a different perspective, we are creating a restaurant together with our customers, and we think it can add value to our brand. Restaurants are not the only businesses putting customers to work. This company operates over 1,800 gyms across Japan open 24-7 But labor shortages have created a problem for this business too. In this case, keeping the gyms clean. In February, the operator launched a discount scheme to enlist the help of members.
Managers use a smartphone app to notify them which outlets need cleaning. Gym goers can accept a job at a convenient location dusting and polishing over they are free to start exercising if they still have the energy the incentives seem to be working some members are coming in just to clean up Those who clean four times a month earn a discount of around $7 on their monthly fee. That's a 30% saving. The reduction doubles with eight clean-ups a month.
Some of the tasks are more specialized. This customer is helping to maintain the machines. The reward? A gift certificate. Worth up to $14. We want to make this system a success and keep it going. We believe this model could be applied in different types of business. Most people enjoy a discount, and if it helps Japan deal with a labour shortage, even in a small way, expect to see more customers roll up their sleeves and get to work.
alright let's have a look at the markets And that's business news. U.S. news outlets report former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer. The 82-year-old's office has released a statement. Outlets quoted as saying the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management. The statement also says Biden and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.
As mentioned earlier, Pope Leo XIV has celebrated his inaugural Mass at the Vatican. Officials say more than 150,000 Catholics and other people from around the world gathered over the weekend at St. Peter's Square. They cheered the newly elected pontiff as he rode in on his popemobile. The Vatican says delegations from more than 150 nations and territories and international organizations were at the mass. Pope Leo received the fisherman's ring that symbolizes his papal authority.
Vengo a voi come un fratello che vuole farsi servo della vostra fede e della vostra gioia. The U.S.-born Pope lived in Chiclayo in northern Peru from 2014 until 2023. He devoted himself to helping people affected by a natural disaster. He personally distributed food and relief supplies in an area where about 3,400 homes were flooded. He also launched support initiatives for people who had fled Venezuela because of economic turmoil.
I hope the Pope will encourage the world to love and welcome migrants. Pope Leo has been calling for the peaceful resolution of conflicts in Ukraine, the Gaza Strip and other regions. Vediamo ancora troppa discordia, troppe ferite causate dall'odio, dalla violenza, dai pregiudizi, dalla paura del diverso. da un paradigma economico che sfrutta le risorse della terra ed è margina i più poveri. E noi vogliamo essere dentro questa pasta un piccolo lievito di unità. di comunione, di fraternità.
The Pope has also indicated his willingness to mediate negotiations between warring parties. The Children's Peace Monument in Hiroshima commemorates the young victims of the city's atomic bombing. It was modeled on a girl named Sasaki Sadako, who was exposed to the bomb's radiation and died at the age of 12.
A statue modeled on Sadako used to stand in the U.S. city of Seattle until it was stolen last summer. That led a student in Hiroshima to start a fundraising campaign to have the symbol of peace rebuilt. Hinano Smith is a student at an international high school in Hiroshima. She raised funds at a school festival to help rebuild the statue in Seattle. Last July, the statue was cut above the ankles and taken away. It had been erected by local people in 1990 as an anti-war statement.
Smith decided to raise as much money as possible for a new Sadako statue. One way to do that was to sell postcards she designed herself. They're based on a photo I took two weeks before the statue was stolen. Smith has an American father and a Japanese mother. When she was 8 years old, she moved from Seattle to Hiroshima and first saw the Children's Peace Monument.
The two statues symbolize the desire for peace and connect my two hometowns. They mean a lot to me. So I was shocked when I heard one of them had been lost. I really want it rebuilt. Smith got a powerful supporter. Kawano Tomiko was a primary school classmate of Sadako. Kamano and her classmates led a campaign to have the Hiroshima Monument created. ご視聴ありがとうございました
We collected a lot of money from children all over the country. The monument was built using only donations. She has high hopes that Smith's generation can do something similar. We want to pass the button to young people quickly. rather than rely on the older generation. But making progress hasn't been easy. I'm so happy and grateful that younger people are taking part in new fundraising activities for Sadako. On this day alone,
Smith was able to raise over 1,200 US dollars. But for her, it's not just about monetary support. I think support also means understanding each other. and saying thank you. That helps create peace between people. It may be a small step, but I'm glad. Smith sent the money she raised to a group in Seattle that plans to rebuild the statue in hopes of restoring its message of peace.
Midsummer-like heat is expected in parts of Northeast Asia this week. Our meteorologist Tsietsi Monade has the details. Hello there. For the next couple of days, we are going to be experiencing extremely hot weather across many parts of Northeast Asia. I've got some big cities picked up for you where the temperatures are really turning up. Xi'an in China, 40 on Tuesday.
Wednesday, 39 degrees. And then the bit of cooling weather. The break comes in later on into the week. Tokyo will jump to 29 on Tuesday as well. you remember much of monday was around 19 20 degrees so this is a big jump it's gonna get much warmer until about friday or so when we'll start to seeing a bit of a cooling pattern across much of northeastern asia so please
Do take all necessary precautions. Avoid extreme heat and take breaks when you're working outdoors. If you're in India, your situation is slightly different. Looking at some severe flooding across the south. Let us take a look at this following video. You can see how people are affected by the extreme rains in that region as intense rain. triggered the flash flooding in India's tech capital Bengaluru on Sunday. Both streets and low-lying
floors of buildings were flooded and inundated with muddy water. People carried their belongings on their heads as they made their way out of their homes. Many have complained that these issues have actually been around for the last 20 years or so and there hasn't been much improvement coming from government support in terms of fixing drainage systems there.
There will be a lot more rainfall to come, especially across this southwestern part of the country. And there's also intense showers moving in across the Bay of Bengal, moving along towards the Indochina Peninsula there. So we are urging you to just be on the lookout for...
These low-lying paths can be inundated very quickly. Across Europe, some strong gusts have been seen in certain places, especially towards Slovakia. And on top of that, there's been some lightning strikes in certain places as well. So a lot of unstable weather. across much of Europe and then war when it comes to those in
The northern part of Europe in towards Scandinavia as well as part of the British Isles. So a bit of heat coming your way. And speaking of we hit a lot of it in Africa and the Middle East. Naomi 41 degrees. that's about where i leave it for the weather please do take care That wraps up this edition of NHK Newsline. I'm Yoshua Goswara in Tokyo. Thanks for tuning in.