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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 | Putin, Erdogan agree Idlib ceasefire deal
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Thursday agreed to implement a ceasefire in in Idlib, Syria, which has lately been dogged by heightened violence.
The two leaders struck a deal to end hostilities with the creation of a 6-kiloeter safe-zone around M4 highway in a week.
The deal comes after the two leaders held a meeting in Moscow amid increased fighting between Turkish and Syrian government forces in Idlib.
Top 2 | Historic peace deal in Afghanistan reached with Taliban, allowing withdrawal of US troops
U.S. and Taliban negotiators signed a historic agreement Saturday in Qatar that could end 19 years of war in Afghanistan and allow President Donald Trump to begin the promised withdrawal of American troops.
The four-page pact spells out a timetable for the United States to withdraw its 13,000 troops from Afghanistan; in exchange, the Taliban agreed to sever its ties with al-Qaida, the terrorist group that launched the 9/11 attacks against the U.S.
Top 3 | COVID-19 confirmed cases exceed 100,000 globally
Up till 8 a.m. Eastern Time Friday (1300 GMT), the number of confirmed coronavirus cases has exceeded 100,000 globally to reach 100,113, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Top 4 | Clashes along Turkish-Greek border as refugees try to cross
Clashes intensified at the Turkish - Greek border on Wednesday where thousands of refugees are hopeful of reaching European land after Turkey opened its border for those who wanted to leave.
They stressed the country had to shift its resources from "prevention of migration to Europe toward focusing on IDPs and refugees coming from Idlib" according to the country's Chief of Communications.
Top 5 | Mahathir seeks Parliament vote as new Malaysian PM sworn in
Mahathir Mohamad called Sunday for an urgent sitting of Malaysia’s Parliament to contest the appointment of a former ally as prime minister under a Malay-majority coalition that could further split the nation following the collapse of Mahathir’s multiracial reformist alliance.
Muhyiddin Yassin, a seasoned politician who once famously quipped that he is Malay first and Malaysian second, was sworn in as the new leader at the palace Sunday after getting the support of several opposition parties. Among the supporters was the corruption-tainted United Malays National Organization, which was ousted by Mahathir’s Alliance of Hope in a historic vote in 2018.
Top 6 | Netanyahu secures solid victory in third Israeli elections in one year: exit polls
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secured a solid victory in the parliamentary elections held on Monday.
"Thank you," he tweeted minutes after the exit polls were published.
With 37 seats in the exit polls, the Likud took the lead against its main rival Blue and White party led by political new-comer Benny Gantz. However, in order to form a government, Netanyahu needs a 61-seat majority of the 120 seats in the parliament.
Top 7 | Japan Olympic Minister: Games could be held any time in 2020
Japan’s Olympic minister said Tuesday the contract to hold the Tokyo Games only specifies the event has to be held during 2020.
Seiko Hashimoto’s response to a question in the upper house of parliament implies the Olympics could be held later in the year and would not have to start on July 24 as planned. The Paralympics open on Aug. 25.
The Tokyo Olympics are being threatened by a fast-spreading virus that has been blamed for 12 deaths in Japan and has shut down most schools, sports competitions and Olympic-related events in the country. The virus that started in China has been detected in at least 70 countries, with 90,000 cases and 3,100 deaths reported.
Top 8 | Former UN chief Javier Perez de Cuellar dies at age 100, says son
Former UN chief Javier Perez de Cuellar died Wednesday at age 100, according to AFP citing his son.
Perez De Cuellar, a Peruvian, was the fifth secretary-general of the world organisation, serving from 1982 to 1991.
Top 9 | South Korea suspends visas for Japanese amid tit-for-tat coronavirus curbs
South Korea said on Friday it would suspend visas and visa waivers for Japan in response to Tokyo’s own travel restrictions on Koreans, as fears over the spreading coronavirus rekindled a feud between the neighbors dating back to before World War Two.
South Korea’s curbs, which will take effect on Monday, also include special entry procedures for non-Japanese foreigners arriving from Japan, Vice Foreign Minister Cho Sei-young told a briefing.
At present, Japanese can visit South Korea for 90 days without a visa and those already in the country will be allowed to stay for that period.
Top 10 | Biden surges on Super Tuesday; California looms as big prize
A resurgent Joe Biden swept to victory across the country on Tuesday, scoring primary wins in the upper Midwest and African American strongholds in the South, in a dramatic offensive against progressive rival Bernie Sanders, who was hoping to tap into delegate-rich Western states to maintain his lead in the Democratic presidential contest.
The two Democrats, lifelong politicians with starkly different visions for America’s future, were battling for delegates as 14 states and one U.S. territory held a series of high-stakes elections that marked the most significant day of voting in the party’s 2020 nomination fight. California, the crown jewel of Super Tuesday, was not expected to report final results until early Wednesday, though Sanders appeared to have an advantage there.
Related news:
Bloomberg suspends presidential campaign, endorses Biden
Warren ends 2020 presidential bid - all eyes on who she'll endorse
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
