Xinhua Asia-Pacific News Summary at 1000GMT, Jan. 22

Former Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Thursday gave her closing statement for an impeachment trial over a rice-pledging scheme, calling for a fair verdict.

The impeachment against her is illegal as it has no constitutional basis and violates her fundamental rights, Yingluck told the National Legislative Assembly (NLA), which is set to vote on Friday.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) filed the case with the NLA, accusing Yingluck of dereliction of duty in overseeing a controversial rice-pledging scheme and thus incurring great losses.(Thailand-Yingluck-Trial)

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OSAKA -- Bullet train operations were suspended for about three hours early Thursday morning on the Japanese Tokaido Shinkansen Line between Tokyo and Osaka due to a warehouse fire in Kyoto prefecture, local media reported.

The fire happened at 4:30 a.m. local time Thursday morning in a warehouse storing construction materials in Nagaokakyo city, Kyoto prefecture, and was put out an hour later. (Japan-Shinkansen-Delay)

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MANILA -- The United States government has lifted the financial cap on military aid to the Philippines which was imposed five years ago, a senior Philippine official said on Thursday.

The Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario told a media lunch reception that the U.S. lifted the cap sometime last year but the amount deducted in the past five years cannot be recovered. (Philippines-U.S.-Military Aid)

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DAVAO CITY, Philippines -- One person was killed and five others were injured in a grenade explosion in southern Philippines on Thursday, said local police.

The incident happened at noon at Sta. Cruz police station in Poblacion village, Sta. Cruz town, in Mindanao's Davao Occidental province when a 56-year-old man was arrested for allegedly carrying a firearm and four hand grenades, said Antonio Rivera, spokesperson of the Southern Mindanao regional police.(Philippines- Explosion-Casualties) Endi