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Every weekend, 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 | UK overtakes Italy as worst-hit country in Europe by coronavirus
Britain has overtaken Italy as the worst-hit country in Europe by the novel coronavirus, according to the latest official figures released Tuesday.
Chairing Tuesday's Downing Street press briefing, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said another 693 COVID-19 patients have died, bringing the total coronavirus-related death toll in Britain to 29,427.
The figures include deaths in all settings, including hospitals, care homes and the wider community.
Top 2 | Putin, Trump discuss COVID-19, V-Day anniversary over phone
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump discussed issues related to the coronavirus pandemic and exchanged congratulations on the 75th anniversary of the World War II victory during a telephone conversation on Thursday, the Kremlin said in a statement.
"In discussing the coronavirus situation, a positive assessment was given to bilateral cooperation. It was agreed to further promote coordination in this direction," the statement said.
"In particular, the United States offered to send Russia medical equipment," it added.
Top 3 | Israel’s high court hears petitions against Netanyahu rule
Israel’s high court began hearing petitions on Sunday against Benjamin Netanyahu forming a government while facing criminal indictments.
The proceedings, held by an exceptionally large panel of 11 justices and in a rare instance also broadcast live, are focusing on the issue of whether a politician can form a government while under indictment — something the Israeli legal code does not explicitly prohibit.
If the court voids Netanyahu’s ability to serve as prime minister, Israel could be plunged into political chaos, and it would likely trigger the country’s fourth consecutive election in just over 12 months.
Top 4 | Long March-5B rocket enables China to construct space station
Construction of China's space station moves a step closer with the successful maiden flight of its new large carrier rocket, the Long March-5B, on Tuesday.
The Long March-5B was specially developed to launch the space station modules, said Wang Jue, chief director of the rocket development team at the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.
The new rocket, a variant of China's largest carrier rocket, the Long March-5, will help expand China's aerospace activities, said Wang Xiaojun, head of CALT.
Top 5 | Venezuela arrests two Americans for failed 'invasion'
Two Americans were detained in Venezuela on Monday on suspicion of plotting to topple President Nicolas Maduro's government, which has accused US-backed opposition leader Juan Guaido of bankrolling the scheme.
The arrests came a day after the government said it foiled an "invasion" from the sea, killing eight assailants and capturing two others.
Maduro appeared on state television to show the passports of Luke Denman, 34, and Airan Berry, 41, and told the Venezuelan military high command that the pair were members of the US security forces.
Top 6 | Former Iraqi intelligence chief approved as new premier
Iraq’s former spy chief was sworn in as prime minister by lawmakers early Thursday after weeks of tense political negotiations as the country faces a severe economic crisis spurred by plummeting oil prices and thecoronaviruspandemic.
The majority of 255 legislators attending the session approved the government plan and the majority of Cabinet ministers proposed by Mustafa al-Kadhimi, officially inaugurating him asIraq’s sixth premier since 2003 and ending five months of a leadership void.
Legislators accepted 15 ministers and rejected five, among them the ministries of trade, justice, culture, agriculture and migration. The ministries of oil and foreign affairs also remain vacant pending further political negotiations. According toIraq's constitution, a government can pass if over half of a proposed Cabinet is approved.
Top 7 | Iran's Rouhani pledges "crushing response" if U.S. extends arms embargo
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani threatened a “crushing response” on Wednesday if the United States goes ahead with plans to extend an embargo on Iranian trade of conventional arms, which the United Nations is set to lift later this year.
Under Iran’s deal with world powers to accept limits to its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of sanctions, a U.N. weapons embargo is due to expire in October. The United States, which exited the deal in 2018, says it wants to extend the embargo.
In a speech on Wednesday, Rouhani repeated Iran’s longstanding criticism of Washington’s decision to exit the nuclear deal, which he called a “stupid mistake”.
Top 8 | Russia overtakes Germany, France after record rise in coronavirus cases
Russia’s coronavirus cases overtook France and Germany on Thursday to become the fifth highest number in the world after a record daily rise, and Moscow’s mayor said the real figure, not captured by official statistics, was much higher.
The official tally surged to 177,160, meaning Russia now has more registered cases than Germany or France, as the number of new cases of the novel coronavirus jumped by 11,231 in the past 24 hours.
More than half of all cases and deaths are in Moscow, the epicentre of Russia’s outbreak, which on Thursday reported a record overnight increase of 6,703 new cases, bringing its official total to 92,676.
Top 9 | Indian troops kill top Kashmir rebel leader
Government forces killed a top rebel commander and his aide in Indian-controlled Kashmir on Wednesday and shut down cellphone and mobile internet services during subsequent anti-India protests, officials and residents said.
The dead commander, Riyaz Naikoo, was the chief of operations of the disputed region's largest indigenous rebel group, Hizbul Mujahideen, which has spearheaded an armed rebellion against Indian rule.
Top 10 | Trump administration shelves CDC guide to reopening country: report
A set of detailed documents created by the nation's top disease investigators meant to give step-by-step advice to local leaders deciding when and how to reopen public places such as mass transit, day care centers and restaurants during the still-raging pandemic has been shelved by the Trump administration.
The 17-page report by a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) team, titled "Guidance for Implementing the Opening Up America Again Framework," was researched and written to help faith leaders, business owners, educators and state and local officials as they begin to reopen.
Related news:
Australia central bank sees worst recession on record
Senate fails to override Trump's Iran war powers veto
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
