Top Asian News 2:40 a.m. GMT

EXPLAINER: How dangerous is the Fukushima nuke plant today?

OKUMA, Japan (AP) — A decade ago, a massive tsunami crashed into the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Three of its reactors melted down, leaving it looking like a bombed-out factory. Emergency workers risked their lives trying to keep one of history's worst nuclear crises from spiraling out of control. Proper equipment has now replaced ragged plastic hoses held together with tape and an outdoor power switchboard infested by rats, which caused blackouts. Radiation levels have declined, allowing workers and visitors to wear regular clothes and surgical masks in most areas. But deep inside the plant, danger still lurks. Officials don't know exactly how long the cleanup will take, whether it will be successful and what might become of the land where the plant sits.

Timeline of Japan's 2011 quake, tsunami and nuclear disaster

TOKYO (AP) — Thursday marks the 10th anniversary of a massive earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster that struck Japan's northeastern coast. Here is a timeline of events: ___ — March 11, 2011: A magnitude 9.0 earthquake strikes off the coast at 2:46 p.m., triggering a towering tsunami that reaches land within half an hour. The tsunami smashes into the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, destroying its power and cooling systems and triggering meltdowns at three reactors. — March 12: A hydrogen explosion occurs at the plant’s No. 1 reactor, sending radiation into the air. Residents within a 20-kilometer (12-mile) radius are ordered to evacuate.

Indonesia bus plunges into a ravine, killing 27 pilgrims

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — A tourist bus plunged into a ravine on Indonesia’s main island of Java after its brakes apparently malfunctioned, killing at least 27 people and injuring 39 others, police and rescuers said Thursday. The bus was carrying a group of Islamic junior high school students, teachers and parents from the West Java province town of Subang when the accident happened late Wednesday on a winding road, said local police chief Eko Prasetyo Robbyanto. He said the bus was on its way back to Subang from a pilgrimage site in the province’s Tasikmalaya district when it plunged into the 20-meter (65-foot) -deep ravine after the driver lost control of the vehicle in an area with a number of sharp declines in Sumedang district.

UN calls for reversal of Myanmar coup and condemns violence

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. Security Council unanimously called for a reversal of the military coup in Myanmar on Wednesday, strongly condemning the violence against peaceful protesters and calling for “utmost restraint” by the military. A presidential statement approved by all 15 council members including Myanmar’s neighbor and friend China was formally adopted at a very brief virtual meeting where U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the current council president, announced that the statement had been agreed. A presidential statement is a step below a resolution but becomes part of the official record of the U.N.’s most powerful body. The British-drafted statement calls for the immediate release of government leaders including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint who have been detained since their ouster in the Feb.

Myanmar police raid housing for striking railway workers

MANDALAY, Myanmar (AP) — Myanmar security forces on Wednesday raided a neighborhood in the country’s largest city that houses state railway workers who have gone on strike to protest last month’s military coup. Police sealed off the Mingalar Taung Nyunt neighborhood in Yangon where the Ma Hlwa Kone train station and housing for railway workers are located. Photos and video on social media showed officers blocking streets and what was said to be people escaping. At least three arrests were reported, but couldn't immediately be confirmed. There was no apparent resistance to the raid, and local media reported that the authorities forced at least some residents from their homes.

Seoul agrees to pay more for hosting American troops in 2021

WASHINGTON (AP) — Striking a delicate balance, the United States and South Korea have agreed Seoul will pay 13.9% more this year for hosting American troops as part of a multiyear deal crafted to keep Seoul's share of the overall cost within historical norms, officials said Wednesday. The deal, which had been announced earlier this week but without financial details, ends a long stalemate that had strained relations between allies after the Trump administration demanded a five-fold increase in Seoul's contributions. President Joe Biden's willingness to quickly accept smaller increases is cast by the State Department as evidence that the Biden administration wants to repair relations with key allies in East Asia as it focuses on regional unity in confronting China and North Korea.

Expert says origins of pandemic could be known in few years

LONDON (AP) — The global community will find out “fairly soon, within the next few years” what started the coronavirus pandemic, a key member of a World Health Organization-led investigation into the pandemic's origins said on Wednesday. In a press briefing organized by the think tank Chatham House in London, Peter Daszak estimated that collective scientific research might be able to pin down how animals carrying COVID-19 infected the first people in Wuhan identified last December. “There was a conduit from Wuhan to the provinces in South China, where the closest relative viruses to (the coronavirus) are found in bats,” said Daszak, the president of the New York based group, EcoHealth Alliance.

ANALYSIS: Communist Party seeking China's 'rejuvenation'

BEIJING (AP) — The catchword “rejuvenation” has been tucked into the major speeches at China's biggest political event of the year, the meeting of its 3,000-member legislature. It encapsulates the ruling Communist Party's overriding long-term objective: To build the nation into a truly global power, one that commands respect from the rest of the world. That goal is intertwined with another one: retaining a hold on power. The party keeps a tight grip by censoring the digital space, controlling the news media and locking up those who publicly challenge its line. But it also tries to woo the public by stoking national pride in the country’s growing global clout to justify its continued rule after more than 70 years at the helm.

Taiwan bursts with creative pineapple dishes after China ban

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan's classic beef noodle soup has taken on a sweet and sour twist. Taipei chef Hung Ching Lung created a pineapple beef noodle soup at his eponymous restaurant Chef Hung, in what he says is a modest attempt to support Taiwanese pineapple farmers. The spiky fruit became a politically charged symbol after China banned the import of Taiwan's pineapples on March 1, citing pests. In response, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen kicked off a social media challenge called “Eat Taiwan's pineapples until you burst," calling on people to support the island's farmers. The campaign has kicked off a pineapple media frenzy, as Taiwanese politicians sought to demonstrate their support for farmers as well as Taiwanese agriculture.

Thailand seeks more prison space for new political prisoners

BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand is considering an expansion of prison space as it arrests more political prisoners, the justice minister said Wednesday. Somsak Thepsuthin said Bangkok Remand Prison and Klong Prem Central Prison, where most recently detained political prisoners are held, become congested when families and supporters come to visit. “Therefore, we are discussing finding a larger area that can accommodate more people for everyone’s convenience,” he told reporters. He denied speculation that a separate new prison would be built for political prisoners. “Everyone should be treated equally,” Somsak said. The legal aid group Thai Lawyers for Human Rights recently said at least 382 people, including 13 minors, are facing charges related to political demonstrations and expressing political views from July 2020 through the end of last month.