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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 | China stresses Asia's role in promoting global peace, growth and cooperation
How can we build a better post-pandemic world? What can we do to boost the steady recovery and sustainable development of the global economy? And how can we seek win-win cooperation?
With the three critical questions atop the agenda, this year's Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference held in the town of Boao, south China's Hainan Province, has drawn worldwide attention.
The Global Security Initiative to promote security for all in the world proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the forum on Thursday has given an Asian perspective on addressing the challenges of the times.
Top 2 | Russian forces start battle for Donbas: Zelenskyy
Russian forces have begun the battle for Donbas region, but Ukraine will defend itself, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video address on Monday.
"Now we can say that Russian troops have started the battle for Donbas, for which they have been preparing for a long time. A very large part of the entire Russian army is now focused on this offensive," Zelenskyy was quoted as saying by the state-run Ukrinform news agency.
"No matter how many Russian troops are driven there, we will fight," he added.
Top 3 | Russia bans British top officials from entry
The Russian Foreign Ministry announced on Saturday that 13 top officials of Britain, including Prime Minister Boris Johnson, have been barred from entering Russia.
"This step was taken as a response to London's unbridled information and political campaign aimed at isolating Russia internationally, creating conditions for containing our country and strangling the domestic economy," the ministry said in a statement.
British Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary Dominic Raab, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, and Defense Secretary Ben Wallace are also blacklisted among others.
The ministry said the entry ban will be expanded in the near future to more British politicians and parliamentarians who pursue an anti-Russian policy.
Top 4 | Kiev gov't asks residents to postpone returning home
The Kiev City administration on Saturday asked residents to delay their return to the capital city over security and humanitarian issues.
Russian forces have renewed bombardment of Kiev, the city administration said in a statement on Telegram, urging people not to ignore the air raid sirens.
Besides, the traffic jams caused by the increased number of people, who return to Kiev, disrupt the deliveries of humanitarian aid and the work of emergency and communal services, the statement said.
Earlier in the day, Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko said that one person was killed and several people were injured in a rocket strike on the city.
Top 5 | Pakistani PM Sharif's new cabinet takes oath
Pakistan's new cabinet took their oaths in a ceremony on Tuesday, state television reported.
The new cabinet, made up of allied political parties, was sworn in over a week after Pakistan's parliament elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to replace ousted premier Imran Khan. 31 federal ministers and three ministers of state took the oath.
The portfolios for the cabinet members have not yet been announced.
Top 6 | British PM Johnson says he will seek re-election
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday that he will seek re-election and cannot think of any circumstances under which he would resign.
Johnson flew to India on Wednesday for a two-day visit. When asked by reporters on the plane whether he will fight the next election, Johnson replied, "Of course."
Asked if he saw any circumstances under which he might resign, he declared: "Not a lot springs to mind at the moment."
Top 7 | Afghanistan receives $32 million in humanitarian cash aid
Afghanistan received a batch of 32 million U.S. dollars in humanitarian cash assistance on Sunday as the international community continued to provide humanitarian support to the post-war country, according to the country's central bank.
Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB) said on Twitter that "following a series of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, 32 million USD in cash reached Afghanistan on Sunday, April 17, 2022."
The DAB also announced the auctioning of 13 million U.S. dollars on Monday to inject foreign currency into the local market and stabilize afghani, the country's national currency.
The DAB has been continuously trying to maintain the value of afghani at a fixed and desirable level against the foreign currency, it said.
Top 8 | Sudan's Burhan gestures towards steps to ease tensions
Sudan's military leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan gestured in comments on Friday toward steps to ease tensions in the country six months after a military takeover.
"We are embarking on a difficult period and we must all present concessions for the sake of our country," he said, noting the deteriorating economic and security situation in the country in comments at a Ramadan gathering.
"We are prepared to put forward what we can to create the atmosphere for a dialogue that leads to solutions," he added.
Top 9 | Second round of presidential election starts in East Timor
East Timor on Tuesday holds the second and final round of its presidential election as voters choose between Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jose Ramos-Horta and incumbent president Francisco Guterres, also known as Lu-Olo.
The Southeast Asian nation held its first round of presidential election on March 19 and none of the 16 candidates in the political contest secured over 50 percent of votes.
As the two leading candidates, Ramos-Horta received 46.6 percent of votes in the first round and Lu-Olo 22.1 percent.
Top 10 | Death toll from tropical storm Megi rises to 224 in Philippines
The death toll from tropical storm Megi that battered the Philippines has risen to 224, authorities said Thursday.
Eight others are injured, and 147 people remain unaccounted for.
The storm made landfall on April 10 in a central Philippine province and brought heavy rainfall and landslides in the central and southern parts of the country.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
