The World Blog by humble servant.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida in New Delhi on Saturday, where the two leaders discussed bilateral affairs and international security. India continues to resist pressure to openly condemn Russia for its military actions in Ukraine. “We exchanged views at length in a small group today in an in-depth manner on the situation in Ukraine,” Kishida said at a joint press conference with Modi. “The Russian invasion of Ukraine is a grave incident shaking the very essence of the international order. We must respond in a firm and resolute manner. “We confirmed any unilateral change to the status quo by force cannot be forgiven in any region, and it is necessary to seek peaceful resolutions of disputes based on international law,” Kishida added, as he stood beside Modi. However, the Indian prime minister refrained from addressing the Ukraine crisis directly, only saying that “geopolitical events are posing new challenges.” He instead spoke abou...

Prime Minister Imran Khan has again blasted foreign powers, who tried to pressure Pakistan to sever ties with Russia over its military operation in Ukraine, vowing to continue making sovereign policy decisions that are in the best interests of his nation and people. “For these 3.5 years we have only tried to help Pakistan prosper,” PM Khan said about his ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, addressing a public gathering in the town of Dargai on Sunday. The PM explained why he refused to join the international chorus condemning Russia for its attack on Ukraine, saying that Pakistan would have gained nothing by complying with the demand. The diplomats representing nearly two dozen missions, including EU countries along with Japan, Switzerland, Canada, the UK and Australia, “broke protocol by making the request” in a March 1 letter, he added. I haven’t bowed before anyone and will not let my nation bow either. Imran Khan faces a no-confidence vote this week, after he lost his parlia...

Europe’s largest auto producers, BMW and Volkswagen, have halted manufacturing at some of their plants as the supply of critical low-cost parts from Ukraine is drying up, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday. According to the media, citing AutoAnalysis estimates, Ukraine produces about a fifth of Europe’s supply of harnesses. There are around 40 parts factories in Ukraine, but carmakers are now racing to relocate or duplicate the equipment needed to make the components. Wire harnesses typically bundle up to 5km (3.1 miles) of cables in the average car. Vehicles cannot be built without them because they are unique to each model. “The problem with wire harnesses is that they are fundamental,” Alexandre Marian, managing director at consultancy AlixPartners in Paris, told the FT. “You cannot start assembling even an incomplete car without wire harnesses.” Russia-Ukraine crisis puts pressure on microchip supply chainREAD MORE: Russia-Ukraine crisis puts pressure on microchip suppl...

Auto market data provider S&P Global Mobility said on Wednesday that the shortages hampering global vehicle production are expected to persist into 2022 before supply catches up with demand in early 2023. The agency has downgraded its outlook for world light-vehicle output by 2.6 million units for both years, to 81.6 million for 2022 and 88.5 million units for 2023. S&P experts cited issues relating to the supply of Ukrainian neon gas, a key ingredient for chip making, and to the loss of Ukraine-sourced wiring harnesses. “In addition, the complete loss of Russian palladium is a tail risk with the potential to become the industry’s biggest supply constraint,” the report said. “Our worst-case contingency shows possible reductions up to four million units for this and next year,” S&P Global Mobility’s executive director for global production forecasting Mark Fulthorpe said. The Ukraine crisis has added to the pains suffered by automakers, who had been grappling with high ...

kraine has moved to suspend the activities of almost a dozen opposition parties, including the parliament’s second-largest group, Opposition Platform – For Life, for as long as the conflict with Russia continues. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the decision of the country’s National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) on Sunday. It was made “given the full-scale war and the ties of some political structures with this state,” he said, apparently referring to Russia. According to Zelensky, the activities of the opposition parties will be put on hold “for the period of martial law.” “Any activity of politicians aimed at division and collaboration won’t be successful, but will instead be faced with a harsh response,” the president warned. A total of 11 parties were blacklisted, including Opposition Platform – For Life, which is the second-biggest in the Verkhovna Rada with 39 seats; Party of Shariy, founded by harsh critic of the Kiev authorities, blogger Anatoly Shar...