NHK World News - June 12, 2011

Karzai, Gilani agree to pursue talks with Taliban

Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani have agreed that their countries will continue to pursue peace talks with the Taliban. (NHK World Daily News, 12 Jun 5:07 JST).

TEPCO forced to review reactor 4 cooling plan

The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has been forced to reconsider its plan to cool the spent fuel storage pool of the No.4 reactor. (NHK World Daily News, 12 Jun 5:07 JST).

Candles lit for disaster victims

Hundreds of candles were lit at a school playground in Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan, on Saturday night, in memory of the victims of the March earthquake and tsunami. (NHK World Daily News, 12 Jun 5:07 JST).

Parliamentary election in Turkey

Voters go to the polls in Turkey on Sunday. (NHK World Daily News, 12 Jun 5:07 JST).

Syrian security force members defect

NHK has learned that dozens of Syrian security force personnel have defected and are fighting to protect citizens from the government crackdown. (NHK World Daily News, 12 Jun 9:06 JST).

Al-Qaeda leader killed in Somalia

The suspected mastermind of the American embassy bombings in Africa in 1998 has been killed in Somalia. (NHK World Daily News, 12 Jun 9:06 JST).

Measures to prevent heatstroke to be added

The operator of the troubled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant says it will implement measures to prevent workers from being hit by heatstroke. (NHK World Daily News, 12 Jun 11:00 JST).

Explosions kill at least 34 in Pakistan

34 people are reported dead in at least two explosions in the northwestern city of Peshawar in Pakistan. One of the blasts is believed to have been a suicide bombing. (NHK World Daily News, 12 Jun 11:00 JST).

Radioactive water treatment likely to be delayed

Treatment of highly radioactive water at the troubled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is likely to be delayed by a problem with the flow of water. (NHK World Daily News, 12 Jun 15:08 JST).

IMF targeted by cyber attackers

The International Monetary Fund says its computer system has been attacked by intruders. (NHK World Daily News, 12 Jun 15:08 JST).

Second anti-China protests in Vietnam

Rallies against China were again held across Vietnam on Sunday over disputed islands in the South China Sea. (NHK World Daily News, 12 Jun 16:23 JST).

Voting under way in Turkey

The people of Turkey are voting in a general election on Sunday. (NHK World Daily News, 12 Jun 16:53 JST).

Italy's nuclear referendum

Italians are voting on Sunday and Monday on a referendum on domestic nuclear power generation. (NHK World Daily News, 12 Jun 23:11 JST).

Bottled water boom

Japanese retailers are stocking up on imported bottled water as summer approaches. Demand for emergency water supplies has been on the rise since the March 11th earthquake and tsunami. (NHK World Daily News, 12 Jun 23:11 JST).

Kan to work to pass bill for debt-covering bonds

Prime Minister Naoto Kan has agreed with the Secretary General of his ruling Democratic Party, Katsuya Okada, that the budget bill for debt-covering bonds should be passed under his administration. (NHK World Daily News, 12 Jun 23:11 JST).

China, Taiwan arrest 600 for fraud

Chinese and Taiwanese authorities, with the cooperation of 4 Southeast Asian countries, have arrested nearly 600 members of a Taiwan-based cross-border criminal group on fraud charges. (NHK World Daily News, 12 Jun 23:11 JST).

Arizona fire rages on

A wildfire in Arizona has been burning for almost 2 weeks, forcing about 10,000 people to evacuate. (NHK World Daily News, 12 Jun 23:11 JST).

Off-site centers unprepared

An NHK survey has found that most of the emergency response centers built near nuclear power plants are not properly equipped to take measures against nuclear contamination. (NHK World Daily News, 12 Jun 23:11 JST).

Water treatment device fixed

The equipment failure that has delayed the test of a system to treat highly radioactive water at the troubled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has apparently been resolved. (NHK World Daily News, 12 Jun 23:11 JST).

Protest against Futenma-Kadena integration

Residents of Kadena Town, Okinawa Prefecture, staged a rally on Sunday to protest the integration of the US Marine Corps Futenma Air Station with the US Air Force base in the town. (NHK World Daily News, 12 Jun 23:11 JST).