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Xinhua Asia-Pacific News Summary at 1000GMT, Feb. 26

Xinhua, February 26, 2015 Adjust font size:

Some sporadic armed clashes continued in Kokang region, northeastern Shan state of Myanmar, over the last two days, according to the military-run media, Myawaddy, on Thursday.

The government's local battalion and the Kokang ethnic army -- the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, exchanged fire in Kongyan and near Laukkai.(Myanmar-Kokang-Clashes)

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ZAMBOANGA, Philippines -- At least 14 Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) members were killed and 19 injured in firefight with the Philippine military that started Wednesday morning in south Philippine province of Sulu, said military officers on Thursday.

Earlier, the military said two government soldiers were killed and 16 others injured in a battle involving a combined force of Philippine Army Scout Rangers and Special Forces versus some 300 ASG members that continued into Thursday morning in the mountainous areas of Patikul town in Sulu.(Philippines-Abu Sayyaf- Death)

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SINGAPORE -- Former prime minister of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew, is still in the intensive care unit (ICU) for severe pneumonia, the Prime Minister's Office said on Thursday.

"Lee remains sedated and on mechanical ventilation. His doctors have restarted him on antibiotics, and are continuing to monitor him closely," the office said in a statement.(Singapore-Lee Kuan Yew-ICU)

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SEOUL -- South Korea's constitutional court said on Thursday that the criminal punishment for adultery is unconstitutional, abolishing the adultery law in 62 years since it was enacted.

Seven out of nine constitutional judges ruled in favor of repealing the law, saying punishing those who have affairs while being married equals to infringement on people's basic rights. (S. Korea-Adultery-Unconstitutional)

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SEOUL -- At least 1,000 South Koreans who were forced to work for Japanese companies during World War Two plan to file the largest class-action suit of its kind for damages from their former employers.

More than 1,000 victims and bereaved families submitted applications to join class-action suit.(S.Korea-WWII-Damages)

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SEOUL -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) notified South Korea of its unilateral decision to raise minimum wage for DPRK workers employed by South Korean companies at the joint factory park in the DPRK border city of Kaesong, Seoul's unification ministry said Thursday.

Unification Ministry spokesman Lim Byeong-cheol told reporters that the DPRK sent a notice in the afternoon to the Kaesong industrial complex management committee saying that it unilaterally decided to raise monthly minimum wage for workers from March 1. (S.Korea-DPRK-Minimum Wages) Endi