Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

TOKYO, July 3 (Reuters) - An explosion tore through a building in downtown Tokyo on Monday, scattering debris across a busy intersection and sending smoke into the air, but the fire was soon contained, Japanese media said.

Four people were injured, three seriously, but all were conscious, said public broadcaster NHK, which aired video images of flames through the windows of the shattered second floor of the building in the Shinbashi area of the Japanese capital.

The cause of the blast was not immediately clear but witnesses said they had smelled gas before the explosion.

KUALA LUMPUR, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Japan's plan to discharge radioactive wastewater from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the ocean poses unacceptable risks, according to an observer from the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA).

The release of contaminated water will severely impact various parts of the Pacific, including countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) which depend on fisheries, both for domestic consumption and export, MCA International Communication and Diplomacy Bureau Deputy Chairman Neow Choo Seong said.

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — An earthquake shook Indonesia’s easternmost province Monday, but there were no immediate reports of serious damage or casualties.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude 5.4 quake was centered 135 kilometers (83 miles) southwest of Abepura, a subdistrict in Jayapura, the capital of Papua province. It occurred at a depth of 13 kilometers (8 miles).

BEIJING (AP) — Heavy flooding has displaced thousands of people around China as the capital had a relative respite from sweltering heat.

Beijing reported 9.8 straight days when the temperature exceeded 35 C (95 F), the National Climate Center said Monday.

Such a streak was last recorded in 1961 — decades before most Beijing residents had air conditioning or even fans. A lack of rainfall may be contributing to the heat, with the typically dry capital receiving even less than usual this year.

BEIJING (AP) — The U.S. is recommending Americans reconsider traveling to China because of arbitrary law enforcement, exit bans and the risk of wrongful detentions.

No specific cases were cited, but the advisory comes after a 78-year-old U.S. citizen was sentenced to life in prison on spying charges in May.

It also follows the passage last week of a sweeping Foreign Relations Law that threatens countermeasures against those seen as harming China interests.

PUTRAJAYA (Malaysia), July 2 (NNN-Bernama) — Malaysian Foreign Minister Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir will pay an official visit to Kyrgyzstan and a working visit to Uzbekistan for two days starting Monday.

Zambry in a statement on Sunday said he will next go to Baku, Azerbaijan to participate in the Meeting of the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement (CoB-NAM) at the Foreign Ministers level from July 5 to 6.

BEIJING, July 2 (Reuters) - China's Consulate General in Marseille complained to France after a bus carrying a Chinese tour group in the southern city had its windows smashed leading to minor injuries, China's Consular Affairs Office said in a statement on Sunday.

The Consulate General's formal complaint called for France to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens and their property, the statement said.

TOKYO, July 2 (Xinhua) -- Temperatures climbed in many places from western to northern Japan on Sunday, with the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) warning scorching heat is expected to continue in the regions on Monday.

Daytime highs on Sunday hit 35.3 degrees Celsius in Toyota City in Aichi prefecture, 35.1 degrees in Shimanto City in Kochi prefecture, and 31.7 degrees in central Tokyo, according to the JMA.

Weather officials said temperatures are expected to reach 35 degrees in cities of Nara, Gifu, Nagoya and Kofu, and 32 degrees in central Tokyo on Monday.

BEIJING, July 2 (Xinhua) -- The United States has become the most profound source of instability worldwide, Richard Haass, who is stepping down as president of the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations, said Friday.

After running the organization for two decades, Haass said he has come to a disturbing conclusion that the most serious danger to the world's security right now is the United States itself, he told The New York Times in an interview.

SHANGHAI, Jul 01 (APP): China Unicom Beijing and Huawei at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) Shanghai 2023, have presented their remarkable achievements from the 5G Capital innovation project during the first half of 2023, following the fourth anniversary of the successful commercial launch of 5G.

The collaborative effort between the two partners has led to significant advancements in the range, coverage and overall user experience of 5G networks.