Top Asian News 4:31 a.m. GMT

Rescuers dig for survivors of Vanuatu earthquake that killed 14 people and injured more than 200

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — A magnitude 7.3 earthquake that struck off Vanuatu killed at least 14 people, injured hundreds more and caused widespread damage across the South Pacific island nation, officials said Wednesday, with the figure expected to rise. Frantic rescue efforts began after the quake hit early on Tuesday afternoon, and rescuers worked through the night to reach people yelling for help from under the rubble, with some dramatically rescued and others still trapped. A near total telecommunications collapse meant little was known about conditions outside the largest city and people struggled to contact the missing. Some providers began to reestablish phone service on Wednesday.

Japanese space startup aborts 2nd satellite launch attempt minutes after liftoff

TOKYO (AP) — A Japanese space startup said its second attempt to launch a rocket carrying satellites into orbit had been aborted minutes after liftoff Wednesday, nine months after the company’s first launch attempt ended in an explosion. Space One’s Kairos No. 2 rocket lifted off from a site in the mountainous prefecture of Wakayama in central Japan. The company said it had aborted the flight after concluding that it was unlikely to complete its mission. The cause of the flight failure was not immediately known. Space One is expected to give further details at a news conference later Wednesday. Space One aims to be Japan’s first company to put a satellite into orbit, hoping to boost to Japan’s lagging space industry with a small rocket for an affordable space transport business.

Roadside bomb kills 3 police officers escorting polio workers in northwest Pakistan

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — A powerful roadside bomb exploded near a vehicle carrying police officers assigned to protect polio workers in restive northwest Pakistan on Tuesday, killing three officers and wounding two others, police said. The attack occurred in Dera Ismail Khan district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, as officers were returning to their stations, local police officer Nasir Khan said. No one has so far claimed responsibility for the attack, which came a day after unidentified gunmen opened fire on police escorting polio workers in Karak, a city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, killing one police officer and wounding a health worker. The latest violence comes a day after Pakistan launched its final nationwide polio vaccination campaign for the year, aiming to protect 45 million children.

Former radio broadcaster and Australian rugby coach Alan Jones denies indecent assault charges

SYDNEY (AP) — Retired Sydney radio broadcaster and former Australian national rugby coach Alan Jones denied all allegations after he appeared in court on Wednesday charged with multiple sex crimes against 10 males over two decades. The 83-year-old made his first court appearance in Sydney’s Downing Center Local Court following his arrest last month. Jones was not asked to enter pleas to the 34 charges of aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault, sexually touching without consent and common assault. But he told media outside the court he would fight all charges in a jury trial. “I am certainly not guilty and I’ll be presenting my account to a jury,” Jones said.

Battle erupts over South Korean court that will determine the fate of impeached Yoon

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s acting leader vowed Tuesday to convey to the world that things are back to normal following parliament’s impeachment of conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol, as rival parties squabble the appointments of court justices who will determine whether to unseat or reinstate Yoon. The country’s liberal opposition-controlled parliament voted to impeach Yoon last Saturday over his short-lived Dec. 3 martial law imposition, suspending Yoon’s presidential powers until the Constitutional Court determines whether he can stay in office. If Yoon is dismissed, a national election to choose his successor must be held within two months.

An underground detector in China will sniff out mysterious ghost particles called neutrinos

KAIPING, China (AP) — Underneath a granite hill in southern China, a massive detector is nearly complete that will sniff out the mysterious ghost particles lurking around us. The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory will soon begin the difficult task of spotting neutrinos: tiny cosmic particles with a mind-bogglingly small mass. The detector is one of three being built across the globe to study these elusive ghost particles in the finest detail yet. The other two, based in the United States and Japan, are still under construction. Spying neutrinos is no small feat in the quest to understand how the universe came to be.

Nissan, Honda confirm talks on closer collaboration but say there’s been no decision on a merger

BANGKOK (AP) — Japanese automakers Nissan Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. confirmed Wednesday that they are discussing closer collaboration but denied reports they have decided on a merger. Nissan’s share price soared more than 22% in Tokyo after reports citing unnamed sources said it might merge with Honda to form the world’s third-largest automaking group. Honda’s share price fell as much as 3%. The reports said that Nissan alliance member Mitsubishi Motors Corp. was included in the talks. All three Japanese automakers announced in August that they planned to share components for electric vehicles like batteries and jointly research software for autonomous driving to adapt better to dramatic changes in the auto industry centered around electrification.

Filipina who won a last-minute reprieve from an Indonesian firing squad returns home

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — A Filipina woman who had been on death row in Indonesia, and who was nearly executed by firing squad in 2015, arrived home early Wednesday after longstanding requests from her home country. Mary Jane Fiesta Veloso had spent almost 15 years in prison for drug trafficking but won a last-minute reprieve that will lead to her testimony exposing how a criminal syndicate duped her into being an unwitting accomplice and drug courier. Relatives and a small group of supporters, including Veloso’s two sons who were 1- and 6-year old when she was arrested in 2010, welcome her with cheers and tears when she arriving at Manila’s airport.

Father and stepmother sentenced to life in prison for the murder of a 10-year-old girl in England

LONDON (AP) — The father and stepmother of a severely abused 10-year-old girl found dead in her home in England were sentenced Tuesday to life in prison for murder. Urfan Sharif, 42, and Beinash Batool, 30, were convicted of murder last week in her death in what prosecutors called a “campaign of abuse.” The girl’s uncle, Faisal Malik, 29, was found guilty of causing or allowing the girl’s death. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison. After the girl died, the three fled to Pakistan, where Urfan Sharif phoned U.K. police to say he “legally punished her, and she died,” prosecutors said.

Proposal to change India’s voting system to allow simultaneous polls fails to pass lower Parliament

NEW DELHI (AP) — A controversial legislation submitted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government to change India’s voting system failed to pass Tuesday in the country’s lower house of Parliament. Law minister, Arjun Ram Meghwal, presented the legislation which proposed allowing elections for state assemblies and the national parliament to be held simultaneously. However, it was not approved as the vote fell short of the required two-thirds majority; only 269 lawmakers voted in favor of the proposal while 198 were against it. The government says simultaneous polls will result in higher economic growth and pave the way for better governance as they will reduce the frequency of election campaigns and expenses and allow politicians to focus on their work.