Rescue teams are working against the clock to find trapped survivors from Monday's earthquakes that hit Turkey and neighboring Syria as the crucial 72-hour window passes, with the combined death toll having risen past 17,000. Meanwhile, in Taiwan, some 98,000 buildings in the capital Taipei are considered structurally vulnerable in the event of a major earthquake, prompting questions about how they could be reinforced. And the ruling Democratic Progressive Party says it will vet the academic credentials of the party's future candidates after revelations of plagiarism threw up a number of scandals in the last election cycle. Also:
- Taiwan will relax its mask mandate for the majority of indoor venues from February 20.
- Restaurant chains in Taiwan facing post-pandemic staffing shortages are raising wages and offering other benefits to attract more workers.
- An Indian man who has been on a round-the-world cycling tour for almost 20 years spreading a message of peace has arrived in Taiwan.
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