Top Asian News 3:50 a.m. GMT

Biden opposes plan to sell US Steel to a Japanese firm, citing the need for ‘American steel workers’

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden came out in opposition to the planned sale of U.S. Steel to Nippon Steel of Japan, saying on Thursday that the U.S. needs to “maintain strong American steel companies powered by American steel workers.” In a statement, Biden added: “U.S. Steel has been an iconic American steel company for more than a century, and it is vital for it to remain an American steel company that is domestically owned and operated.” By opposing the merger, Biden has chosen to support unionized workers in a critical election year at the risk of upsetting the business community and an essential ally in Japan.

Thousands of Indian farmers protest in New Delhi demanding a law guaranteeing minimum crop prices

NEW DELHI (AP) — Thousands of farmers protested in India’s capital on Thursday to press their demand for a new law that would guarantee minimum crop prices, after weeks of being blocked from entering the city. They rode crowded buses and trains instead of their tractors to New Delhi after authorities barricaded highways into the capital with cement blocks and barbed wire. Police also banned use of farm vehicles as a condition for granting permission for the rally in the city. Participants were also barred from carrying sticks or swords to avoid clashes with police. The protesters held placards demanding free electricity for farming.

UK high court rules Australian computer scientist is not mysterious bitcoin founder as he claims

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s high court ruled Thursday that an Australian computer scientist is not, as he claimed, the mysterious creator of the bitcoin cryptocurrency. Craig Wright has for eight years claimed that he was the man behind “Satoshi Nakamoto,” the pseudonym that masked the identity of the creator of bitcoin. His claim was rejected by the Crypto Open Patent Alliance, or Copa, a non-profit group of technology and cryptocurrency firms, who brought the case to court. In his ruling, Justice James Mellor said Wright did not invent bitcoin, was not the man behind Satoshi, or the author of the initial versions of the bitcoin software.

A Japanese court says denying same-sex marriage is unconstitutional and calls for urgent change

TOKYO (AP) — A Japanese high court ruled Thursday that denying same-sex marriage is unconstitutional and called for urgent government action to address the lack of any law allowing for such unions. Plaintiffs and the LGBTQ+ community in Japan cheered it as giving them hope for change toward equality. The court does not have the power to overturn the current marriage law, which has been interpreted to restrict marriage as between a man and a woman. Government offices may continue to deny marriage status to same-sex couples unless the existing law is revised to include LGBTQ+ couples or a new law is enacted that allows for other types of unions.

US lawmakers see TikTok as China’s tool, even as it distances itself from Beijing

WASHINGTON (AP) — If some U.S. lawmakers have their way, the United States and China could end up with something in common: TikTok might not be available in either country. The House on Wednesday approved a bill requiring the Beijing-based company ByteDance to sell its subsidiary TikTok or face a nationwide ban. It’s unclear if the bill will ever become law, but it reflects lawmakers’ fears that the social media platform could expose Americans to Beijing’s malign influences and data security risks. But while U.S. lawmakers associate TikTok with China, the company, headquartered outside China, has strategically kept its distance from its homeland.

Australia resumes funding for UNRWA and pledges more Gaza aid

SYDNEY (AP) — Australia will restore funding to the United Nations relief agency for Palestinians, weeks after the agency lost hundreds of millions of dollars in support following Israeli allegations that some of its Gaza-based staff participated in the Oct. 7 attack. The Australian government also pledged Friday to increase aid for the besieged enclave, with Foreign Minister Penny Wong expressing horror at the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza. Australia’s move follows Sweden, the European Commission and Canada in reinstating funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, which had seen its international funding frozen while the allegations were investigated.

Indonesian presidential rivals plan to contest official election results with allegations of fraud

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — The camps of the two Indonesian presidential candidates who appear to have lost in an election last month said Thursday they plan to challenge the official results in the Constitutional Court with allegations of widespread fraud. Indonesians voted on Feb. 14 for a successor to popular President Joko Widodo, who is serving his second and final term. The election is a three-way race among current Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto and two former provincial governors, Anies Baswedan and Ganjar Pranowo. Subianto is a former general linked to past human rights abuses who had the incumbent president’s tacit backing because Widodo’s son is Subianto’s vice-presidential running mate.

AP Week in Pictures: Asia

March 8-14, 2024 Muslims in Indonesia and Indian-controlled Kashmir prayed at mosques to mark the holy month of Ramadan. China’s annual political meetings closed at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Philippine activists marched on International Women’s Day. This photo gallery highlights some of the most compelling images in the Asia-Pacific region made or published by The Associated Press in the past week. The selection was curated by AP photo editor Masayo Yoshida in Tokyo. ___ Follow AP visual journalism: AP Images blog: http://apimagesblog.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apnews AP Images on X: http://twitter.com/AP_Images

Chinese city officials issue a rare apology after authorities harass journalists on live TV

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — City officials in eastern China apologized to local journalists after authorities were shown pushing them and trying to obstruct reporting from the site of a deadly explosion, in a rare acknowledgment of state aggression against journalists. The city of Sanhe, near Beijing, issued a public apology Thursday after authorities were shown harassing reporters from state broadcaster CCTV during a live broadcast near the site of a suspected gas leak explosion that killed seven and injured 27 on Wednesday. Harassment of journalists — including foreign reporters — is common in China but almost never acknowledged by the state.

North Korea’s Kim test drives a new tank and orders troops to prepare for war

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un joined troops training on a new tank model and drove one himself, state media reported Thursday, as his rivals South Korea and the U.S. wrapped up their annual military exercises. It’s the third time Kim was reported to have observed military exercises since the start of the 11-day South Korean-U.S. drills, which he views as rehearsals for an invasion. That’s a less provocative option than missile tests. North Korea has intensified launches since 2022 and ramped up belligerent rhetoric this year. At the tank drills Wednesday, Kim praised the country’s latest tank as “the world’s most powerful” and told his troops to bolster their “fighting spirits” and complete “preparations for war,” according to the official Korean Central News Agency.