Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 1600 GMT, Jan. 13

SIEM REAP, Cambodia — The 2024 Cambodia-China People-to-People Exchange Year was officially launched here on Saturday, aiming at further deepening the bonds of friendship between the two countries’ peoples. Held at the Terrace of the Elephants in the UNESCO-listed Angkor Archaeological Park and live broadcast on the state-run TVK, the two-and-a-half hour launching ceremony started with speeches, a video clip featuring Cambodia-China relations, and a glittering arts performance. (Cambodia-China-People to people exchange) – – – –

TOKYO — A recent research found the series of strong quakes of up to 7.6 magnitude that rocked central Japan on New Year’s Day has caused ground upheavals as high as about 4 meters, local media said Saturday. A group of researchers made the announcement after surveying areas around Kaiso Port in the hardest-hit city of Wajima, which lies in the northern part of the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa prefecture, public broadcaster NHK reported. (Japan-Noto Earthquake-Ground Upheaval) – – – –

SYDNEY — Eight vehicles crashed at Five Dock in Sydney on Friday afternoon with six people injured, said the Police Force in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) on Saturday morning. A NSW Police Force report said that emergency services were called to Parramatta Road at about 4:30 p.m. local time on Friday afternoon following reports of a multi-vehicle crash. (Australia-Car Crash-Injury) – – – –

COLOMBO — Sri Lanka’s Defense Ministry on Saturday denied reports that several Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) personnel were captured by militants in Somalia.

In a statement, the ministry said a helicopter of SLAF, carrying out UN peacekeeping duties in the Central African Republic, crash-landed on Friday due to rotor brownout resulting from extreme dusty and sand conditions. (Sri Lanka-Air force-Somalia) Enditem