Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

HONG KONG, Aug 5 (Reuters) - A Hong Kong judge cleared on Thursday singer and pro-democracy activist Anthony Wong of a charge of "corrupt conduct" filed this week by the city's anti-corruption watchdog over an appearance at an opposition election rally in 2018.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption said on Monday that Wong had provided "entertainment to induce others to vote" for pro-democracy activist Au Nok-hin in a 2018 legislative by-election.

Wong, 59, performed two songs then appealed to the audience to vote for Au, it said. 

TOKYO, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Japanese government decided Thursday to expand the COVID-19 quasi-state of emergency to eight more prefectures, with alcohol serving banned in principle, as the highly contagious Delta COVID-19 variant is spreading rapidly in these areas, local media reported Thursday.

GUANGZHOU, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- More than 33,000 residents have been evacuated to safe places as of 4:00 p.m. Wednesday as Typhoon Lupit, the ninth one this year, made landfall on Thursday morning in coastal areas of south China's Guangdong Province.

The typhoon landed at around 11:20 a.m. in the coastal waters off Nan'ao County, Shantou City, packing winds of up to 24 meters per second at its center, according to the meteorological observatory of Guangdong Province.

BEIJING, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday sternly refuted remarks made by the United States and Japan on issues related to Xinjiang and Hong Kong and their attacks on China on grounds of human rights.

That came as Wang asked for the floor for the second time in response to the above-mentioned accusations, after he had delivered a speech concerning East Asia cooperation via video link at the 11th East Asia Summit (EAS) Foreign Ministers' Meeting.

TOKYO (AP) — Amid the stress of postponing and finally staging the Tokyo Olympics, the next Summer Games host has moved in relative calm with steady leadership.

The 2024 Paris Olympics emerges fully on Sunday from its unexpected extra year in the shadows with a formal handover from Tokyo.

French President Emmanuel Macron will link up remotely from home with the Paris organizing team in Tokyo led by its president, three-time Olympic champion Tony Estanguet.

TOKYO (AP) — Tokyo reported 5,042 new daily coronavirus cases on Thursday, hitting a record since the pandemic began as the infections surge in the Japanese capital hosting the Olympics.

The additional cases brought the total for Tokyo to 236,138, about a quarter of the national total. Japan reported more than 14,000 cases on Wednesday for a total of 970,000.

BEIJING (AP) — The delta variant is challenging China’s costly strategy of isolating cities, prompting warnings that Chinese leaders who were confident they could keep the coronavirus out of the country need a less disruptive approach.

SINGAPORE (AP) — Asian stocks were mixed Thursday as traders awaited more guidance on the U.S. economic recovery.

The Nikkei 225 in Tokyo rose 0.3% to 27,678.79 while the Kospi in South Korea lost 0.1% to 3,278.13. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong added 0.2% to 26,466.58.

The Shanghai Composite index fell 0.1% to 3,472.87. Sydney’s S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.2% to 7,516.30. Shares tumbled in Singapore but rose in Malaysia and Indonesia.

HANOI, August 4. /TASS/: Vietnam attaches great importance to military cooperation with Russia and wants to develop it further, Defense Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Army General Phan Van Giang said while receiving newly appointed Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Gennady Bezdetko on Wednesday.

"The Vietnamese people and the People’s Army of Vietnam always value the long-standing traditional friendship, big and effective aid, which the people of Russia has provided to Vietnam," the defense chief said.

PYONGYANG, August 4. /TASS/: Russia and North Korea will make efforts for the soonest possible resumption of trade when the pandemic situation will make it possible to open borders between the two nations, the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang said on Wednesday.