Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 1600 GMT, May 18

By Xinhua News Agency On May 18, 2023

HIROSHIMA, Japan– Japanese and U.S. top leaders on Thursday met in Hiroshima prior to the larger gathering of Group of Seven nations, overshadowed by protests and a tense atmosphere. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who holds the G7’s rotating presidency and is hosting the three-day G7 summit which starts Friday, held talks with U.S. President Joe Biden on…

HIROSHIMA, Japan — Japanese and U.S. top leaders on Thursday met in Hiroshima prior to the larger gathering of Group of Seven (G7) nations, overshadowed by protests and a tense atmosphere.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who holds the G7’s rotating presidency and is hosting the three-day G7 summit which starts Friday, held talks with U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday evening in the western Japanese city. (Japan-U.S.-G7)

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MANILA — The Philippine central bank on Thursday decided to keep the interest rate on the overnight reverse repurchase facility at 6.25 percent, and the interest rate on the overnight deposit and lending facilities at 5.75 percent and 6.75 percent, respectively.

“Based on the sum of new information and its assessment of the impact of previous monetary policy actions, the Monetary Board decided that a pause in monetary policy tightening was appropriate,” Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Felipe Medalla told a news inference. (Philippines-Interest Rate)

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YANGON — The death toll from Cyclone Mocha in Myanmar has reached 48 as of Wednesday afternoon, state media reported on Thursday.

According to The Mirror Daily, Cyclone Mocha damaged 44,928 houses, 376 religious buildings, 59 monasteries, 439 schools, 59 hospitals or clinics, 11 telecom towers, 119 lamp posts, two airports, and 158 departmental buildings. (Myanmar-Mocha-Death)

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KABUL — The Afghan caretaker government’s supreme leader Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada has appointed Deputy Prime Minister Mawlawi Abdul Kabir as the acting prime minister, chief government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said.

“Since esteemed acting Prime Minister Mullah Hassan Akhund is sick and needs treatment and rest in Kandahar for some time, esteemed Mawlawi Abdul Kadir has been appointed to take charge of the Premier Office affairs,” Mujahid said on his Twitter account on Wednesday. (Afghanistan-Acting PM) Enditem

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