Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

TOKYO, Sept 7 (NNN-NHK) – Tropical Storm Yun-yeung, formed over the seas south of Japan, is likely to hit eastern Japan’s Pacific Ocean side and make landfall tomorrow, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).

The weather agency said, Yun-yeung was travelling north-northeast over the sea south of Japan, at about 25 km per hour, as of 9.00 a.m. local time today, adding that, extremely heavy rain accompanied by thunder is expected in eastern and northern Japan through Saturday.

SINGAPORE, Sept 7 (NNN-XINHUA) – The bilateral training exercise between the Chinese People’s Liberation Army and the Singapore Armed Forces, kicked off at the Jurong Camp here yesterday, focusing on urban counter-terrorism operations.

Over 280 elite military personnel from both armies will perform equipment operations, small-arms live firing, real force counter-terrorism drills and command post exercise, during the event.

Commanders from both task forces agreed that the joint exercise would improve mutual trust and enhance friendship.

BEIJING, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Proposed changes to a Chinese public security law to criminalise comments, clothing or symbols that "undermine the spirit" or "harm the feelings" of the country have triggered the concern of legal experts, who say the amendments could be used arbitrarily.

The changes were first made public last week as part of a mandatory "soliciting opinion" process, as concerns mount about the increasingly authoritarian and nationalistic rule of President Xi Jinping.

MANILA, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Philippine troops killed at least six suspected rebels in a series of clashes in the central Philippines on Thursday morning, a military commander said.

Army Major General Marion Sison said the initial fighting broke out at around 7:35 a.m. local time, followed by five other clashes in three hours as the military pursued the New People's Army (NPA) insurgents in Bohol province.

Sison said troops swooped into the area after residents tipped off the presence of the insurgents.

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Australia and China opened their first high-level dialogue in three years Thursday in a sign of a slight thaw to relations between countries that have clashed on everything from human rights to COVID-19 origins to trade.

“I welcome the recent positive developments in the bilateral relationship, but we know that there is more work to do,” said Craig Emerson, the head of the Australian delegation and a former trade minister.

The dialogue being held in Beijing will focus on trade, people-to-people links and security.

HONG KONG (AP) — China’s exports and imports both fell in August from a year earlier, reflecting tepid global demand that is adding to pressures on its slowing economy.

Customs data released Thursday showed exports for August slumped 8.8% to $284.87 billion in the fourth straight month of decline. Imports slid 7.3% to $216.51 billion.

The total trade surplus fell to $68.36 billion from $80.6 billion in July.

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — The United Nations chief renewed an urgent call to the international community Thursday to seek a unified strategy to end the worsening crisis in Myanmar.

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — It took more than a day of flying, including two refueling stops, for Vice President Kamala Harris to reach this year’s summit of Southeast Asian countries. And once she arrived, she had less than eight minutes of public speaking time during two meetings.

But in Jakarta’s cavernous convention center, adorned with billowing flowers and tropical plants for the occasion, Harris saw an opportunity to shape the future of United States foreign policy.

BEIJING, Sept 6 (APP): A joint statement has been issued at the 10th Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Ministers of Justice, which was held in Shanghai, China on September 5-6.

The ministers of justice of member states agreed that ensuring the rule of law, on the basis of the principle of respecting and safeguarding human rights in all fields of social, political and economic life, is an important factor for the stable, sustainable and successful development of SCO member states, CGTN reported.

TOKYO, Sept 6 (NNN-NHK) — Japanese prosecutors today indicted a man over an explosives attack on Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, during an election event in western Japan in Apr, after concluding that the suspect is mentally fit to be held criminally responsible.

Ryuji Kimura, 24, faces charges including attempted murder, with investigative authorities determining through tests that the homemade pipe bomb used in the attack was lethal.

The indictment of Kimura followed a three-month psychiatric evaluation by prosecutors that ended on Friday.