From around Asia, here are a few stories that you may have missed this week.

India celebrated its 75th year of independence from the British colonial rule on August 15. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during his address from Delhi's Red Fort that India will aim to become a developed nation within 25 years, with policies to support domestic production in power, defense and digital technology.

In Sri Lanka, Chinese space-tracking ship Yuanwang-5 arrived at the country's Hambantota port on August 16. The ship was welcomed by the Chinese ambassador to Sri Lanka and local dignitaries. Neighboring India and the U.S. had raised security concerns over the presence of the ship close to the Indian coast. However, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said, "I want to stress again that the marine scientific research activities of the Yuanwang-5 ship are consistent with international law and international common practices. They do not affect the security and the economic interests of any country and should not be obstructed by any third party."

It has been one year since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan. However, little has been done to improve people's safety and health, with a harsh drought, the COVID-19 pandemic and a volatile security situation wreaking havoc on people's lives. When the United States exited, international aid was cut and the new rulers were sanctioned, crippling the country's finances and its citizens' lifeline. Seventy-five percent of the public expenditure for Afghanistan came from foreign aid. 

In Japan, toxic waste stored near the Fukushima nuclear power plant was transferred on Tuesday to a city in Hokkaido for detoxification. This has caused concerns among local residents.

The Japan Times reported that, "The waste, mostly consisting of condensers and lighting ballasts, contains high concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls that are harmful to humans, and was disposed of in municipalities surrounding the plant before the 2011 nuclear disaster. The waste had been set for detoxification at a treatment facility in Muroran operated by the government-sponsored Japan Environmental Storage & Safety, but the plan was postponed due to the nuclear crisis."

And, in China, A COVID-19 mRNA vaccine developed by a company in Shanghai was approved for clinical trials by China's Center for Drug Evaluation on Monday. With volunteers for the first phase of trials now selected, the company is preparing for the manufacture of the vaccine. 

Established in 2016, Stemirna Therapeutics is the first company in Shanghai to get approval for clinical trials of its experimental COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. Phase-I clinical trials are being carried out among 120 healthy volunteers to evaluate the safety and tolerability of the vaccine, as well as how it will react to the subjects. Volunteers will receive two shots with a 21-day interval in between.