Leaders of Japan, India, Australia and the United States (US) warned Tuesday against attempts to "change the status quo by force" as concerns grow about whether China could invade self-ruled Taiwan.A joint statement by the so-called Quad bloc avoided any direct mention of China's growing military power in the region, but left little doubt about where its concerns lie.The carefully worded document also made reference to the conflict in Ukraine, but without offering any joint pos

Malaysia says it will cut the export of chickens from the start of June because of shortages in the country.Elsewhere in Asia, India has banned wheat exports, while Indonesia blocked overseas sales of palm oil.It comes as the world faces the worst food crisis in decades following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.One agriculture expert has highlighted concerns about the potential rise of so-called "food nationalism" by governments in the region.Malaysian shoppers have seen chicken p

The Davos summit of global political and business elites returns Monday after a COVID-induced two-year break to face another momentous crisis: Russia's invasion of Ukraine.The theme of the World Economic Forum (WEF), "History at a Turning Point", sets the tone for the four-day meeting in the glitzy Swiss mountain resort that will be dominated by the political and economic fallout from the conflict.When the WEF last took place in Davos in January 2020, the coronavirus was just b

Here are the latest developments in the war in Ukraine:Russia Homes In On Lugansk Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu says Moscow is nearing full control of the separatist region of Lugansk in eastern Ukraine."The liberation of the Lugansk People's Republic is nearing completion," Shoigu says.After some 2,000 Ukrainian soldiers surrendered at the besieged Azovstal steel plant in the port city of Mariupol, now under Moscow's control, Kyiv orders its remaining tr

Russia's invasion of Ukraine could cause global food shortages in the coming months, the United Nations (UN) has warned.Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the war had worsened food insecurity in poorer nations due to rising prices.The world could face famines that last for years if Ukrainian exports are not restored to pre-war levels, he added.The conflict has cut-off supplies from Ukraine's ports, which once exported vast amounts of sunflower oil as well as cereals such as mai

For a long time, the Nordic countries saw themselves as sleekly humanitarian, peace-keeping powers.

The European Union (EU) has resolved to step up its defence strategy in the Indo-Pacific region in light of fears about China’s growing presence and concerns for the international order sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.“Our motto is always to cooperate whenever possible, but to defend whenever necessary as well,” said Gabriele Visentin, the EU’s special envoy to the Indo-Pacific.

Here are the latest developments in the war in Ukraine:Intense Battles In The East Intense fighting rages in eastern Ukraine's Donbas region, where Russia has been concentrating its forces without making significant progress.Ukrainian forces repulsed Russian attempts to cross a river and encircle the city of Severodonetsk, says Serhiy Gaidai, governor of the eastern Luhansk region."There's heavy fighting on the border with Donetsk region, from the side of Popasna,&quot

Russia faced mounting accusations of war crimes in Ukraine Friday including forcing thousands of people into interrogation camps, as the number of refugees reported to have fled the conflict surpassed six million.The Russian invasion has also led to a seismic policy change by Finland, whose leaders said Thursday the previously neutral nation must apply to join NATO "without delay" – triggering a blunt warning of retaliation from the Kremlin.Throughout the 11-week conflict, Russian f

The European Union (EU), the United States (US) and more than two dozen other countries vowed Friday to shore up global food security in a joint statement to the World Trade Organization (WTO).Voicing alarm at the "global effects on food security" triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, they stressed "the urgency and importance of maintaining open and predictable agricultural markets and trade".That would "ensure the continued flow of food, as well as products