Top Asia Pacific Breaking News: Latest Updates

ISLAMABAD (AP) - Pakistan and Afghanistan held the first round of peace talks on Wednesday, with China mediating to broker a durable ceasefire after weeks of fighting, two Pakistani officials said. But even as the talks were held, Afghanistan accused Pakistan of firing mortars into its territory. Representatives from the two countries were meeting in Urumqi, in northern China, the officials told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media. The first round of talks concluded on Wednesday afternoon and were expected to continue on Thursday, they said. China has not commented.

TOKYO (AP) - French President Emmanuel Macron called for a ceasefire in the Middle East during a visit to Japan on Wednesday. Macron, who held talks with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, said they both believe in international law, the international order and the democratic values, adding: "This is why ... we both advocate for a return to peace, a ceasefire, calm, and free passage through the Strait of Hormuz." Takaichi said the two leaders agreed on the importance of quickly de-escalating the conflict and to secure the safety of the vital waterway and the stable supply of goods. "With the international environment increasingly severe, I believe it is especially meaningful for the Japanese and French leaders to deepen our friendship and cooperation," Takaichi said at a joint news conference at the Akasaka Palace in Tokyo.

NEW DELHI (AP) - India has begun the world's largest national population count, which could reshape welfare programs and political representation across the country. The previous census in 2011 recorded a population of 1.21 billion. It's now estimated to be more than 1.4 billion, making India the most populous nation. The new census had been planned for 2021 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and logistical challenges. Here's how India's census works and why it is significant: The first phase of the count started Wednesday and will roll out around the country through September. The workers will spend about a month in each area collecting information on homes and available facilities and will document housing stock and living conditions.

SYDNEY (AP) - Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees struggling to survive in Bangladesh's overcrowded camps will see their food assistance slashed starting on Wednesday, raising alarm throughout the increasingly desperate community. Currently, the 1.2 million Rohingya trapped in the squalid camps receive $12 a month per person, an amount the persecuted minority from Myanmar has long warned is barely sustainable. Most of the Rohingya in the camps fled brutal attacks by Myanmar's military in 2017 and they are legally barred from working in Bangladesh, leaving them largely reliant upon humanitarian aid to survive. Under the United Nations' World Food Program's new tiered system, the amount each person receives will vary based on the severity of their family's needs, with around 17% of the population getting as little as $7 per month.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - Chang Ung, a former North Korean member of the International Olympic Committee who once led sports exchanges with rival South Korea, including joint marches of their athletes at the Olympics, has died, the IOC announced Wednesday. He was 87. The IOC said on its website that it had learned with "extreme sadness" of Chang's death on Sunday. It said the Olympic flag will be flown at half-mast for three days at the Olympic House in Lausanne, Switzerland. The IOC statement didn't describe the cause of Chang's death. North Korea's state media has not reported on his death.

BEIJING (AP) - Some robotaxi passengers were left stranded in the middle of fast-moving traffic in a major Chinese city after their driverless vehicles stopped running, according to police and media reports on Wednesday. A preliminary investigation indicates more than 100 robotaxis came to a halt because of a "system malfunction," police in the city of Wuhan said in a statement, without elaborating. No injuries were reported. One passenger told Chinese media that their robotaxi stopped after turning a corner. An instruction on a screen read: "Driving system malfunction. Staff are expected to arrive in 5 minutes." After no one showed up, the passenger pushed an SOS button and was told that staff were on their way.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) - When a hiker fell from a 55-meter (180-foot) waterfall in wild New Zealand bush, rescuers were forced to evacuate the badly hurt woman without her dog, which couldn't be found. After strangers raised thousands of dollars for a search, border collie Molly was flown to safety by a helicopter pilot who was determined to reunite pet and owner. A week earlier, an emergency rescue helicopter found the woman with bruises and lacerations after a fall at a rocky spot at the waterfall on the South Island's West Coast. She was airlifted on March 24 but they were forced to leave without her pet.

DENPASAR, Indonesia (AP) - Indonesia delayed on Wednesday the deportation of a Scottish crime boss arrested on the resort island of Bali in connection with large-scale drug trafficking and money laundering. Steven Lyons, a senior figure in an international crime syndicate who had spent months on the run, would now be deported on Thursday, according to Husnan Handano, a spokesperson for Bali's immigration office, without giving a reason for the delay. Lyons, 45, was originally to be sent to Spain via Doha by Qatar Airways on Wednesday evening. Lyons was detained on Saturday on arrival at Bali's Ngurah Rai international airport from Singapore, after the immigration system flagged him based on an Interpol Red Notice issued at Spain's request.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - South Korea and Indonesia agreed Wednesday to expand cooperation in defense industries, technology and supply chains as their leaders pledged to upgrade their strategic partnership in face of uncertainties stemming from the war in the Middle East, Seoul's presidential office said. After a summit in Seoul between President Lee Jae Myung and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, the two governments issued a joint statement pledging deeper economic ties and continued cooperation on joint defense projects, including fighter jets, trainer aircraft and anti-tank missile systems. The two countries agreed to deepen cooperation on supply chains for energy, critical minerals and other resources.

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) - A businessman with alleged links to a multi-billion dollar online scam operation has been extradited from Cambodia to China, according to state agencies. Li Xiong, a Chinese-Cambodian citizen who is a former chairman of the Huione Group, was arrested in Cambodia by a joint task force following an investigation over several months, according to the Interior Ministry. Li is suspected of involvement in offenses including operating gambling dens, fraud, unlawful business operations and concealing and disguising the proceeds of crime, China's state news agency Xinhua reported, citing Beijing's Ministry of Public Security. He is believed to be a high-ranking member of a criminal syndicate led by Chen Zhi, the founder of business and banking conglomerate Prince Holding Group, who is accused of running an online scam operation.