Asia

By Zubaidah Abdul Jalil & Tessa Wong Published 1 day ago Share close Share page Copy link About sharing Related Topics Russia-Ukraine war The world is "navigating a dark hour in our shared history" with Russia's invasion of Ukraine, US President Joe Biden told key Asian allies. The war has now become a "global issue" underscoring the importance of defending international order, he said. Japanese PM Fumio Kishida echoed his comments, saying that a similar invasion should not happen in Asia. Mr Biden was meeting the leaders of Japan, Australia and India in Tokyo in his first visit to Asia as president. The four countries known collectively as the Quad discussed security and economic concerns including China's growing influence in the region - and differences over the Russian invasion. Mr Biden's comments came a day after he warned China that it was "flirting … [Read more...] about Ukraine war: World faces ‘dark hour’, Biden tells Quad summit

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday criticized China for continuing its close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin while his war in Ukraine rages on, saying the two countries' diplomatic ties "should raise alarm bells for all of us who call the Indo-Pacific region home." Blinken made the comments during a speech hosted by the Asia Society Policy Institute at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. He outlined President Joe Biden 's policy with China during the speech while also touching on issues related to the war in Ukraine. America's top diplomat said Russia's invasion has backfired, adding that "Putin has failed to achieve a single one of his strategic games. Instead of erasing Ukraine's independence, he strengthened it. Instead of dividing NATO , he's united it. Instead of asserting Russia's strength, he's undermined it. And instead of weakening the international order, he has brought countries together to defend it." Blinken … [Read more...] about U.S. alarmed by China’s support of Putin’s war in Ukraine

By Tessa Wong Published 3 days ago Share close Share page Copy link About sharing Related Topics Russia-Ukraine war US President Joe Biden has warned China is "flirting with danger" over Taiwan, and vowed to intervene militarily to protect the island if it is attacked. Speaking in Japan, he appeared to contradict long-standing US policy in the region, although the White House insisted there had been no departure. Mr Biden drew a parallel between Taiwan and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, prompting an angry rebuke from Beijing. He is on his first tour of Asia as US president, visiting regional allies. Mr Biden prefaced his remarks saying US policy toward Taiwan "has not changed". But his comments in Tokyo are the second time in recent months he has unequivocally stated the US would defend Taiwan if China attacked, in what has been seen as a change in tone. The US … [Read more...] about Biden vows to defend Taiwan in apparent US policy shift

By Vikas Pandey Published 2 days ago Share close Share page Copy link About sharing Related Topics Russia-Ukraine war Leaders of the Quad nations are meeting in Tokyo on Tuesday in what can be described as one of the most important meetings in recent years that will affect the geopolitics and security of the Indo-Pacific region. The group - composed of Japan, the US, Australia and India - seems to be emerging from the shadows of the Covid-19 pandemic and, to some degree, from Russia's invasion of Ukraine as well. The top leaders are gathering for the fourth time - they have already met once in Washington last September and twice virtually - in less than two years. That underscores the importance of the Quad, which was largely just a concept until 2017. That year, then-US President Donald Trump revived the group in a bid to take on China in its own backyard. But … [Read more...] about Quad: The China factor at the heart of the summit

Soutik Biswas Published 25 March Share close Share page Copy link About sharing Related Topics Russia-Ukraine war On Monday, US President Joe Biden told a meeting of business leaders in Washington that among the so-called Quad group of nations, India was being "somewhat shaky" in its response to Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. The US, Japan and Australia - the three other members of this coalition formed to counter China's influence - have been "extremely strong in terms of dealing with Putin's aggression", he said. India, however, has doggedly pursued a non-aligned foreign policy since independence, where, according to the first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, "we will stay away from the big blocs…to be friendly to all countries…not join any alliance." But will the war in Ukraine now put India's fabled neutrality under strain? 'Uncharted territory' … [Read more...] about Ukraine: India ‘feeling the heat’ over neutrality

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa asked for urgent international help on Thursday as his country suffers from a financial crisis. “We are presently undergoing a severe economic crisis that has profoundly impacted the lives of all Sri Lankans, resulting in social unrest,” Rajapaksa said in a video message to an international conference in Tokyo . “We urgently require the assistance of our friends in the international community" to ensure that our immediate needs such as medicine and food supply are met, he said. For months, Sri Lankans have been enduring shortages of necessities because of the country's lack of foreign currency to pay for imports. The government has halted repayments of its foreign debt. The economic crisis has fueled political turmoil, with protesters demanding Rajapaksa’s resignation. Recommended What Rishi Sunak announced to tackle the cost of living crisis More Tory MPs withdraw support from PM over ‘shameful’ … [Read more...] about Sri Lankan leader seeks world’s help during financial crisis

Britains biggest microchip factory plans to cash in on a global semiconductor shortage by raising more than £50m in an effort to nearly double production. Newport Wafer Fab, in South Wales, said it would use the investment to raise production levels to 14,000 wafers a week, up from 8,000 today. It follows record orders for the company’s power supply chips, which are in demand from the car industry amid an intense supply shortage that has seen several car companies suspend production. The company, which has around 450 employees, is the biggest of a cluster of chip makers around Cardiff.  It was rescued from Infineon, the German manufacturing giant that had planned to close the plant, in a management buyout four years ago. Drew Nelson, Newport’s chairman, said demand had “absolutely skyrocketed” in the last three months, fuelled by both the global shortage and the rise of electric cars. The company’s compound semiconductors, made of multiple chemical elements, are seen as … [Read more...] about Britain’s biggest microchip factory plots £50m expansion amid global shortage

Queen of the Palace Fallon Sherrock will take her first bite of the Big Apple next week – and has vowed it will be a giant hot dog with all the works. The first lady of arrows is preparing to follow in Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier and Frank Sinatra's footsteps in the Professional Darts Corporation's World Series by performing at New York's iconic Madison Square Garden. Sherrock, 27, has never been to the United States before, and she has been forced to wait two years to rock the city that never sleeps because the tournament was twice postponed because of restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic. But the former Milton Keynes hairdresser, who shot to fame at the PDC World Championship at Alexandra Palace in December 2019, wants to prove she is still worth a billboard in Times Square. Sherrock will be going toe-to-toe on the oche in a field containing big guns Michael van Gerwen, Peter Wright and Gerwyn Price – but first she wants to sample Manhattan's famous rocket fuel. … [Read more...] about Fallon Sherrock hoping hot dogs and McDonald’s can fuel New York darts glory

A bunch of digital PS4 and PS5 games are included in Sony ’s big sale, as well as a small selection of physical games and accessories. Sony’s two week-long Days of Play sale has already kicked off and is offering a swathe of PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 games at a discount. It includes first and third party games, some going for as much as 80% off. Sony already confirmed over 100 of them yesterday, but the full list is much longer. A quick glance at the deals section on the PlayStation Store webpage reveals nearly 300 games are on sale, some of which only released this year. Highlights include Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga for £39.99 (20% off), The King Of Fighters 15 for £34.99 (30% off), and Ghostwire: Tokyo for £29.99 (50% off). The sale also covers DLC and other add-ons, such as Destiny 2’s Witch Queen expansion (£23.44), the Dawn Of Ragnarök DLC for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (£21.44), and the season pass bundle for Borderlands 3 (£30.99). … [Read more...] about PlayStation Days of Play sale now live – nearly 300 PS4 & PS5 games discounted

The Wednesday letters page celebrates 50 years of the modern games industry, as another reader hopes for more Lego Star Wars DLC. To join in with the discussions yourself email [email protected] Time and money live in Asia the general lack of games is very disappointing, as is the apparent lack of care over the versions they’re using. The thing that immediately struck me is that it all seems very rushed. I don’t know how, considering Sony has had years to plan this and there’s nothing technically complicated about any of it, but I can only assume that the whole thing has been underfunded for some reason. That’s probably another reason why Sony hasn’t talked about it much pre-launch but it also underlines just how rich Microsoft is as a company and how it can make very time consuming things seem simple and straightforward. I’m still surprised Sony has sleepwalked into such obvious problems though. Why talk about hundreds of games and then not deliver? Why make … [Read more...] about Games Inbox: PS Plus Premium disaster, Battlefield Portal suggestions, and PSVR recommendations