Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

BEIJING, Aug 24 (APP): Against the backdrop of China-India border tensions, and days after the first anniversary of India’s revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, India may see the dialogue between China and Pakistan as a strategic alliance.

Based on its current stance in South Asia, China hopes to deal with its frictions with India bilaterally. There is no need for China to build such an “alliance.” China has sufficient capability, and leverage to deal with India on its own.

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 (NNN-BERNAMA) — India achieved a significant milestone in its fight against COVID-19 pandemic by conducting over one million tests in a day.

According to a statement from the Indian High Commission in Malaysia sent to Bernama on Monday, with coordinated and consistent efforts by the central, state and the Union Territory (UT) governments, a total of 1,023,836 tests had been conducted last Saturday.

BEIJING, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) -- ByteDance, owner of the popular video platform TikTok, announced Sunday that it will file a lawsuit against the U.S. government Tuesday, Beijing time, to protect its rights and interests while beginning to prepare a shutdown plan for its business in the United States.

TOKYO (AP) — Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday became Japan’s longest-serving leader in terms of consecutive days in office, but there was little fanfare, as he visited a hospital for another checkup amid concerns about his health.

Abe marked his 2,799th consecutive day in office since bouncing back to leadership in late 2012 for a second term, surpassing the previous record set by Eisaku Sato, his great-uncle, who served 2,798 straight days from 1964 to 1972.

Beijing, Aug 23 (PTI) China successfully launched a new optical remote-sensing satellite from its Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China on Sunday.

The satellite, Gaofen-9 05, was sent into orbit by a Long March-2D carrier rocket.

A multifunctional test satellite and another satellite named Tiantuo-5 were also launched via the rocket.

Sunday's launch was the 343rd mission of the Long March rocket series, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

MEDAN, Indonesia (AP) — A rumbling volcano in western Indonesia on Sunday unleashed an avalanche of scorching clouds down its slopes.

Authorities are closely monitoring Mount Sinabung on Sumatra, one of Indonesia’s main islands, after sensors picked up increasing activity in past weeks.

The volcano in North Sumatra province was shooting smoke and ash more than 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) into the air on Sunday morning, and hot ash clouds traveled 1 kilometer (0.6 mile) southeast, Indonesia’s Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Center said.

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea said on Saturday it held talks with China’s top diplomat over trade, denuclearisation and the coronavirus response, in the first visit by a high-level Beijing official since the COVID-19 pandemic erupted late last year.

Yang Jiechi, a member of the Communist Party Politburo, met with South Korea’s new national security adviser, Suh Hoon, in the southern port city of Busan, the South Korean government said.

BISHKEK, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- Kyrgyzstan has allowed citizens from 31 countries, including China, to enter, the republican headquarters on COVID-19 said on Friday.

There is a decrease in COVID-19 cases and a stabilization of the epidemiological situation in these countries, the headquarters said.

BEIJING, Aug 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Hong Kong will suspend an agreement on mutual legal assistance with the United States, China’s foreign ministry said, in a tit-for-tat response to Washington ending some agreements with Hong Kong.

The US State Department notified Hong Kong on Wednesday that Washington had suspended or terminated three bilateral agreements with the semi-autonomous city following China’s imposition of a sweeping national security law.

Seoul, Aug 21(AP/PTI) South Korea has reported 324 new cases of the coronavirus, its highest single day total since early March as the recent surge of COVID-19 in the greater capital area now appears to be spreading nationwide.

Friday was the eighth consecutive day that South Korea has reported a triple-digit daily increase, for an eight-day total of 1,900 infections.