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Xinhua Asia-Pacific News Summary at 1000GMT, March 4

Xinhua, March 4, 2015 Adjust font size:

Japanese dailies carrying stories that run contrary to proven and incontrovertible historical occurrences such as Nanjing Massacre committed by Japan's Imperial Army during World War II, have simply confirmed their role as ultra-conservative mouthpieces, experts believe.

The Sankei Shimbun, for example, has sought to whitewash Japan' s brutal colonial occupation and atrocities during the war at a time when Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, himself a rightwing politician with a penchant for recasting Japan's history, is setting about preparing an official statement for the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.(Japan-Experts-Nanjing Massacre)

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KABUL -- Some 121 Taliban militants have been killed while nine others detained in fresh military operations across Afghanistan, the country's Interior Ministry said on Wednesday.

"In past 24 hours, the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) conducted several operations in Nangarhar, Takhar, Kunduz, Sari Pul, Kandahar, Zabul, Uruzgan, Ghazni, Herat, Farah and Helmand provinces. As a result 121 armed Taliban members were killed, one wounded and nine others arrested by the ANSF," the ministry said in a statement providing daily operational updates.(Afghanistan- Operations-Militants)

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NEW DELHI -- The controversial documentary made by the BBC which included an interview with one of the 2012 Delhi gang rape convicts has spiraled into a national scandal in India, with the opposition Wednesday demanding government to explain who allowed the interview to be conducted inside a death row cell in a Delhi jail.

India's Upper House of Parliament, or Rajya Sabha, adjourned briefly Wednesday following uproar with opposition parties demanding for action against Tihar Jail authorities for allowing interview by the BBC.

Meanwhile, police have secured a court injunction blocking the broadcast of the interview. The Delhi court order also prevents publication of the interview, which has triggered outrage in India. (India-BBC-Interview)

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SYDNEY -- The Australian government's decision to force a Chinese investor to sell its Sydney Harbor mansion could spark anti-Australian sentiment among high-level Chinese property investors, according to a top real estate expert specializing in foreign investors.

Under Australian laws, foreigners are only allowed to buy new houses or apartments and not second-hand properties, such as the Sydney Harbor mansion. (Australia-Chinese-Property) Endi