Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

HONG KONG, Aug 21 (Reuters) - A council member of a professional group of solicitors in Hong Kong on Saturday dropped his bid to seek re-election next week, citing fears for his safety and that of his family.

Tuesday's elections to the Law Society, a professional body and regulator for 12,000 solicitors, come as critics say the legal system in the global financial hub faces pressure from a China-imposed national security law.

TAIPEI, Aug 21 (Reuters) - Taiwan's foreign minister accused China on Saturday of wanting to "emulate" the Taliban, saying the island that Beijing claims as sovereign Chinese territory did not wish to be subject to communism or crimes against humanity.

The rapid fall of the U.S.-backed Afghan government has sparked heated debate in Taiwan about whether they could suffer the same fate to a Chinese invasion, while state media in China has said Kabul's fate showed Taiwan it cannot trust Washington.

PHNOM PENH, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's Anti-Drug Department police have arrested two men for allegedly trafficking over 28 kilograms of illicit drugs, the National Police reported on Saturday.

The suspects, a 38-year-old Cambodian and a 54-year-old Thai, were caught during a simultaneous raid at two locations in capital Phnom Penh on Wednesday.

"More than 24 kg of crystal methamphetamine and 4 kg of ecstasy as well as four cars, one pistol and six phones were seized from the duo," the National Police said on its website.

Hanoi, Aug 21 (AP-PTI) Vietnam's government said it is sending troops to Ho Chi Minh City to help deliver food and aid to households as it further tightens restrictions on people's movements amid a worsening surge of the coronavirus.

The army personnel will be deployed to help with logistics as the city of 10 million people asks residents to stay put for two weeks starting from Monday, a report on the government website said Friday.

BANGKOK, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The cumulative COVID-19 cases in Thailand surpassed 1 million on Friday, driven by a continued surge in infections, primarily attributed to the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant.

On Friday, the number of daily cases dipped below 20,000 for the first time in 10 days. With 19,851 new cases reported, and the country's total tally now stands at 1,009,710, according to the data released by the Ministry of Public Health.

BEIJING, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- As the situation in Afghanistan remains uncertain following the Taliban's swift takeover of most parts of the country on Sunday, the international community has warned against potential humanitarian challenges and expressed a willingness to help the country establish peace and stability.

BEIJING (AP) — China’s Zhurong Mars rover is soldiering on after completing its initial program to explore the red planet and search for frozen water that could provide clues as to whether it once supported life.

China’s National Space Administration said on its website Friday that Zhurong completed its 90-day program on Aug. 15 and was in excellent technical condition and fully charged.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysia’s new Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob was sworn in Saturday, bringing back the rule of the country’s longest-governing political party, but he faces a tall task in uniting a polarized society and reviving a slumping economy amid a worsening pandemic.

Ismail was the deputy prime minister under the government of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who resigned Monday after less than 18 months in office as infighting in his coalition cost him majority support.

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Vietnam’s government said it is sending troops to Ho Chi Minh City to help deliver food and aid to households as it further tightens restrictions on people’s movements amid a worsening surge of the coronavirus.

The army personnel will be deployed to help with logistics as the city of 10 million people asks residents to “stay put” for two weeks starting from Monday, a report on the government website said Friday.

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 20 (NNN-Bernama) — The APEC Committee on Trade and Investment (CTI) chair calls on member economies to step up cooperation in a bid to support the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the upcoming 12th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC12), to be held from Nov 30-Dec 3 this year.\

The call comes ahead of the committee’s third meeting of the year from Aug 24-26, 2021, where trade and investment officials will meet as part of the current APEC meeting cluster.