Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s government adopted an interim plan Tuesday that it hopes will win support from fishermen and other concerned groups for a planned release into the sea of treated but still radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant.

The government decided in April to start discharging the water into the Pacific Ocean in the spring of 2023 after building a facility and compiling release plans under safety requirements set by regulators. The idea has been fiercely opposed by fishermen, residents and Japan’s neighbors including China and South Korea.

TOKYO (AP) — Global shares mostly gained Tuesday, boosted by a near-record rise on Wall Street, although the momentum began to fizzle over worries about the economic fallout from surging coronavirus infections in Asia.

France’s CAC 40 was little changed, inching down less than 0.1% to 6,682.28 in early trading, while Germany’s DAX added 0.2% to 15,884.33. Britain’s FTSE 100 slid 0.1% to 7,103.75. U.S. shares were set to drift higher with Dow futures gaining nearly 0.2% to 35,334.00. S&P 500 futures were up 0.2% at 4,485.75.

SINGAPORE (AP) — U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris delivered a sharp rebuke to China for its incursions in the South China Sea, warning its actions there amount to “coercion” and “intimidation” and affirming that the U.S. will support its allies in the region against Beijing’s advances.

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 23 (NNN-Bernama) — The number of COVID-19 daily cases in Malaysia continues to drop, with 17,672 cases reported in the last 24 hours.

Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said on Sunday, Malaysia recorded 19,807 new cases and on Saturday, 22,262 cases.

Sharing the latest data on COVID-19 infections via his Facebook page, Dr Noor Hisham said the additional cases today brought the cumulative number of cases in the country to 1,572,765.

Bangkok, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's tourism hotspot Pattaya may delay its planned reopening to vaccinated travelers on Sept. 1, as the city is dealing with insufficient vaccinations among locals and a spike in new infections.

Local media on Monday quoted Apichai Chatchalermkit, deputy governor of digitalization research and development at the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) as saying, the authorities are still committed to reopening the resort city within October, in line with the government's plan to fully reopen the country in near future.

TOKYO, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) -- Japan will send three Self-Defense Forces planes to Afghanistan to evacuate Japanese nationals and local staff who worked for the Japanese embassy and other organizations, the top government spokesperson said on Monday.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said the government will first send one C-2 transport aircraft on Monday and two C-130s on Tuesday to Afghanistan for the evacuation mission.

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party had criticized the decision to evacuate Japanese embassy staff via a British military airplane last week.

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen received her first dose of the island’s domestically developed coronavirus vaccine on Monday, launching its rollout to the public.

The vaccine, made by Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corp., was given emergency approval by regulators in July using a shortcut that prompted fierce opposition from parts of Taiwan’s medical and scientific community.

TOKYO (AP) — A close ally of Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga was defeated in a high-profile mayoral election in Yokohama, Suga’s home turf, in a sharp setback for the already unpopular leader ahead of general elections later this year.

Opposition-backed scientist Takeharu Yamanaka comfortably beat Suga confidante Hachiro Okonogi in an eight-candidate race with support from voters critical of the governing party’s pandemic response and its backing of plans for a waterfront casino in the city.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — U.S. President Joe Biden’s special envoy for North Korea said Monday he’s ready to meet his North Korean counterparts “anywhere and at any time” as he held discussions with South Korean officials over stalled nuclear talks with the North.

TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares rose Monday as investor sentiment received a big boost from the rally last week on Wall Street, despite worries about the more contagious coronavirus delta variant not only in the region but across the world.

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 1.9% to 27,520.54 in afternoon trading. South Korea’s Kospi jumped 1.7% to 3,111.46. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 edged up 0.3% to 7,483.70. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng surged 1.7% to 25,264.00, while the Shanghai Composite added 1.4% to 3,476.23.