Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — An influential firebrand cleric was sentenced to another four years in prison in Indonesia on Thursday for concealing information about his coronavirus test result.

The three-judge panel at East Jakarta District Court, which was under heavy police and military guard, ruled that Rizieq Shihab had lied about his COVID-19 test result, which made contact tracing more difficult.

Shihab has been detained since Dec. 13. The judges ordered the time he has already served to be deducted from his sentence.

TOKYO (AP) — A more than 40-year-old nuclear reactor in central Japan which suffered a deadly accident has resumed operation after being taken offline for a decade after the March 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, as Japan pushes to meet its carbon emissions reduction goal.

Kansai Electric Power Co. said the Mihama No. 3 reactor in Fukui prefecture went back online Wednesday after workers removed control rods inside the reactor.

BANGKOK (AP) — Pro-democracy protesters took to the streets of Thailand’s capital on Thursday, marking the anniversary of the overthrow of the country’s absolute monarchy by renewing their demands that the government step down, the constitution be amended and the monarchy become more accountable.

SEOUL, June 23 (Reuters) - North Korea is not considering any contact with the United States, Foreign Minister Ri Son Gwon said on Wednesday.

"We are not considering even the possibility of any contact with the U.S., let alone having it, which would get us nowhere, only taking up precious time," Ri said in a statement carried on state media KCNA.

His comments were made after the new U.S. envoy for North Korea said in Seoul on Monday that he looked forward to a "positive response soon" on dialogue from Pyongyang. 

JAKARTA, June 23 (Xinhua) -- A landslide killed two illegal miners and injured four others in a former mining site early Wednesday in the Indonesian province of Bangka Belitung Islands, local police said.

The accident occurred at about 3:00 a.m. local time in Pemali village in Bangka district.

"Two of the six miners buried by the landslide died," Pemali police chief Reza Irawan was quoted by Antara news agency as saying after the rescue operation.

Irawan said the miners were searching for tin sand in an abandoned mining site with a depth of 20 meters.

BEIJING, June 23 (Xinhua) -- As more scientists are speaking out against politicizing the origin of COVID-19, it dawns on many that the "lab-leak hypothesis" is not only flawed but typical of U.S. hypocrisy over human rights.

The World Health Organization (WHO) released in March an origin-tracing study report of the China-WHO joint mission, drawing a clear conclusion that lab leak is extremely unlikely. The report, co-authored by more than 30 top global experts in various fields, is widely representative and highly professional.

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese authorities have closed Beijing’s central Tiananmen Square to the public, eight days ahead of a major celebration being planned to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Communist Party.

The square, which normally attracts tourists from around the country, was barricaded Wednesday and will remain closed until July 2. Rows of yellow seats and heavy machinery could be seen on the open plaza that also houses the mausoleum of Mao Zedong, the founding leader of communist China.

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong’s pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper will close by this weekend, its parent company said Wednesday, following last week’s arrest of five editors and executives and the freezing of $2.3 million in assets under the city’s national security law.

The board of directors of Next Media said in a statement that Apple Daily’s print edition and online edition will cease no later than Saturday due to “the current circumstances prevailing in Hong Kong.”

BEIJING (AP) — Asian stock markets followed Wall Street higher on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve chairman said a U.S. inflation spike probably is temporary, helping to calm fears central bankers might feel pressure to roll back economic stimulus.

Market benchmarks in Shanghai, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Seoul advanced. Sydney declined.

HONG KONG (AP) — The first person to stand trial under Hong Kong’s national security law pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges of terrorism and inciting secession by driving a motorcycle into police officers while carrying a protest flag.

Tong Ying-kit was arrested on July 1, 2020, a day after the sweeping national security law took effect in response to massive pro-democracy protests that challenged Beijing’s rule.