Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

TOKYO (AP) — Tokyo reported 3,177 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, setting an all-time high and exceeding 3,000 for the first time days after the start of the Olympics.

The new cases exceeded the earlier record of 2,848 set the previous day and brought the total for the Japanese capital to 206,745 since the pandemic began early last year.

Tokyo has been under a fourth state of emergency since July 12 ahead of the Olympics, which began last Friday despite widespread public opposition and concern that they could further worsen the outbreak.

TIANJIN, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday met with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, urging the United States to drop arrogance and prejudice and steer back to a rational and pragmatic China policy.

In face of severe difficulties and challenges in China-U.S. relations, Wang said it requires serious consideration for the U.S. side to make correct choices as to whether the bilateral ties will head to confrontation or improvement.

ICHINOMIYA, Japan (AP) — An offshore tropical storm brought wind and rain to the Tokyo region and affected some Olympic events Tuesday as it headed toward northeastern Japan, where stormier conditions were forecast.

The Japan Meteorological Agency predicted Nepartak would bring heavy rains, strong winds and high waves to northeastern Japan in advance of its landfall around midday Wednesday north of the capital region.

BEIJING (AP) — Global stock markets declined Tuesday as investors looked ahead to a Federal Reserve report for an update on when U.S. stimulus might start winding down.

London and Frankfurt opened lower while Shanghai and Hong Kong declined. Tokyo advanced.

On Monday, Wall Street’s benchmark S&P 500 index rose to a new record, shrugging off worries about the spread of the more contagious delta variant of the coronavirus.

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Thousands of foreigners have left Indonesia in recent weeks, airport records released Tuesday showed, apparently spurred by a brutal pandemic wave and a general shortage of vaccines, which have gone to high-priority groups first.

Indonesia now has the most confirmed daily cases in Asia, as infections and deaths have surged over the past month and India’s massive outbreak has waned. Infections peaked in mid-July, with the highest daily average reported at more than 50,000 new cases each day. Until mid-June, daily cases had been running at about 8,000.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North and South Korea exchanged messages Tuesday in communication channels that have been dormant for more than a year and agreed to improve ties — positive steps but ones that still leave any resumption of stalled negotiations to rid the North of its nuclear weapons a long way off.

HONG KONG (AP) — The first person to be tried under Hong Kong’s sweeping national security law was found guilty of secessionism and terrorism on Tuesday in a ruling closely watched for indications of how the law will be applied as China tightens its grip on the city long known for its freedoms.

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s capital, Tokyo, reported its highest number of new coronavirus infections on Tuesday, days after the Olympics began. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga urged people to avoid non-essential outings, but said there was no need to consider a suspension of the Games.

Tokyo reported 2,848 new COVID-19 cases, exceeding its earlier record of 2,520 daily cases on Jan. 7. That brings its total to more than 200,000 since the pandemic began last year.

26 July 2021; MEMO: Sudanese judoka Mohamed Abdalrasool has withdrawn from the Olympics Games in Tokyo after being absent from a scheduled fight against an Israeli opponent.

Abdalrasool was set to face Israel's Tohar Butbul in the men's 73kg division today, but did not show up in the round of 32 despite weighing in for the bout earlier.

26 July 2021; MEMO: An embrace by two Syrian brothers on different Olympic teams in Tokyo has misled social media users into believing that they were reunited after years of separation. Alaa Maso is on the international refugee team, while his brother Mohammed is part of the official Syrian team.