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Every Saturday, Asia Pacific Daily will provide you with a run-down of the latest hot news.
This week, the following hot news you should know:
Top 1 | US President Trump says he will meet Kim Jong Un by May
U.S. President Donald Trump has agreed to meet Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), by May at the invitation of Kim, a visiting South Korean envoy said here on Thursday.
Kim has said the DPRK "will refrain from any further nuclear or missile test," Chung Eui-yong, South Korea's top national security adviser, told reporters at the White House.
Kim was also committed to the denuclearization of the DPRK, said Chung, who arrived in Washington Thursday to brief Trump on the outcome of a South Korean delegation's meeting with Kim earlier this week.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said the United States looks forward to the denuclearization of the DPRK but will retain all sanctions and maximum pressure against Pyongyang.
**Top 2 | Trump sets steel and aluminum tariffs; Mexico, Canada exempted **
U.S. President Trump has signed controversial orders imposing heavy tariffs on steel and aluminum - but some countries will be spared.
The tariffs will go into effect in 15 days and include exemptions for Canada and Mexico.
Tariffs of 25% are to be placed on steel and 10% on aluminium imported into the US.
Top 3 | 'Shape of Water' takes home Best Picture at history-making Oscars
The long wait is over. In a tight competition that is not seen in years, "The Shape of Water" took home the Best Picture award at the 90th Academy Awards in Hollywood's Dolby Theater, California, Sunday night local time.
The Shape of Water cast and crew accepting the award for best picture
Guillermo del Toro won the Best Director award, beating Christopher Nolan, Jordan Peele, Greta Gerwig, and Paul Thomas Anderson. The Best Actress Oscar went to Frances McDormand for playing a revenging mother in "Three Billboards" while Gary Oldman was crowned the Best Actor for portraying Winston Churchill in "Darkest Hour".
Guillermo del Toro, winner of the award for best director for “The Shape of Water” celebrates in the audience at the Oscars on Sunday, March 4, 2018.
Allison Janney was named the Best Supporting Actress for her role as an abusive mother in "I, Tonya" while Sam Rockwell snatched the Best Supporting Actor award for his role in "Three Billboards". Jordan Peele won the Best Original Screenplay for "Get Out". It marks the first time ever that a black man won in the category in the Oscars history.
Top 4 | China sets 2018 GDP growth target at around 6.5 pct
China has set its GDP growth target at around 6.5 percent for 2018, unchanged from that for 2017, according to a government work report released Monday.
Given China's economic fundamentals and capacity for job creation, GDP growth of around 6.5 percent will enable China to achieve relatively full employment, according to the report delivered by Premier Li Keqiang Monday morning at the first session of the 13th National People's Congress, China's top legislature.
China aims to maintain inflation level at around 3 percent and create over 11 million new urban jobs. The surveyed urban unemployment rate is projected to stay within 5.5 percent, the registered urban jobless rate within 4.5 percent, the report showed.
Top5 | Pakistani court orders former President Musharraf's arrest, property confiscation
A court in Pakistan on Thursday ordered the government to arrest and confiscate the property of former President Pervez Musharraf as it resumed the high treason case against him after nine months of his absence.
Musharraf, who is presently living in self-exile in the United Arab Emirate, was accused of suspending the constitution when he imposed the emergency rule in 2007. He dismissed the government of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in 1999 and later sent him into exile.
Musharraf's defense counsel Akhtar Shah opposed the court's order to seize Musharraf's properties and said his client is abroad for treatment and he also faces security issues in the country. He also said Musharraf respects the courts and would appear on his return.
The court adjourned the hearing until March 21.
Top 6 | DPRK killed Kim Jong Un's brother with VX agent, says US
The half-brother of Kim Jong-un was killed by a chemical attack in Malaysia on the orders of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) government, the US has concluded.
Kim Jong-nam died after a bizarre encounter at Kuala Lumpur airport in 2017, when two women smeared his face with VX nerve agent.
The US said it would impose new sanctions on DPRK in response.
DPRK denies any involvement.
Top 7 | Top Trump economic aide Cohn resigns
Donald Trump's White House was rocked by another high-profile resignation Tuesday, as top economic advisor Gary Cohn quit in protest at the president's decision to levy global steel tariffs.
"It has been an honor to serve my country and enact pro-growth economic policies to benefit the American people," Cohn said in a terse statement that belied fierce infighting in Trump's tumultuous White House.
Cohn is just the latest in a long string of senior Trump advisors to resign or be fired, a virtually unprecedented turnover of administration staff. The 57-year-old had strongly opposed Trump's decision to levy tariffs on steel and aluminum, which has sparked fears of a trade war.
Top 8 | Indian Supreme Court legalises passive euthanasia
India's Supreme Court Friday legalised passive euthanasia in a landmark judgment that places the power of choice to live in the hands of an individual.
Passive euthanasia is stopping all kinds of medical treatment to hasten the death of a terminally ill person in order to relieve them of their suffering. Previously all forms of euthanasia were illegal in India.
A "living will" is made by a person in his normal state of mind, seeking voluntary mercy killing in case of terminal illness, if he or she reaches an irreversible vegetative state.
Top 9 | MH370: Search crew 'optimistic' of finding missing plane
The crew searching for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 have said they “remain optimistic” of finding the missing plane in their first statement to media.
The renewed search for MH370 began in January this year after the US-based company Ocean Infinity was hired by the Malaysian government. A previous three-year search coordinated by Australia was called off in 2017 after it failed to find the plane.
Top 10 | Amazon's Jeff Bezos tops Forbes world's rich list as Trump wealth drops
Amazon chief Jeff Bezos is now the world's richest person, having snatched the top spot from Microsoft founder Bill Gates who slips to second place, according to Forbes magazine's annual billionaires list published Tuesday. Bezos' fortune shot up to $112 billion, Forbes said, after a 59-percent rise in Amazon shares over the past 12 months that put him way ahead of the $90 billion listed for Gates.
US President Donald Trump's ranking on the list fell to 766th place from 544th in the last edition, his wealth now being estimated at $3.1 billion, $400 million less than a year ago. Legendary investor Warren Buffett held on to his number-three ranking, followed by French industrialist Bernard Arnault. Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg was fifth on the list.
There are now a record 2,208 billionaires in the world, Forbes counted, and their combined worth is $9.1 trillion, up 18 percent from last year. The US has the most billionaires (585), followed by mainland China (373).
Related:
APD Review | Trump and his dangerous illusion of U.S. hegemony
APD Review | Can senior Chinese official visit to US avoid economic Thucydides’ trap?
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
