The latest developments in the Middle East war:
- Growing hunger fears -
The conflict in the Middle East could push millions more toward hunger as its economic fallout reverberates around the globe, the World Bank's chief economist told AFP.
"You have about 300 million people who suffer from acute food insecurity already," Indermit Gill said. "That'll go up by about 20 percent very, very quickly" as knock-on effects grow.
- Wall Street records -
By Sergio Goncalves
LISBON, April 15 (Reuters) - Portugal is against the creation of a separate European army and instead backs strengthening and modernising its armed forces within the U.S.-led NATO alliance, the country's defence minister said, contrasting with neighbouring Spain's position.
Nuno Melo said late on Tuesday that Portugal was a founding NATO member which valued the United States, describing Washington as a fundamental transatlantic partner.
April 15 (Reuters) - Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha held a call with his Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa'ar to discuss a Russian vessel carrying what he described as grain stolen from Ukraine that was allowed to dock in an Israeli port.
Kyiv considers all grain produced in the four regions Russia claimed as its own since invading Ukraine in 2022, and Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, to have been stolen by Moscow.
MOSCOW, April 15 (Reuters) - Russia is ready to increase energy supplies to China ahead of an expected visit by President Vladimir Putin, Russian news agencies quoted Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as saying on Wednesday at a news conference in Beijing.
The agencies quoted Lavrov as saying that the visit would take place in the first half of the year, while the Vedomosti newspaper cited sources as saying it would be during the week beginning May 18.
MANILA, April 15 (Reuters) - Philippine National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano has resigned, a Palace official said on Wednesday, and will be replaced by former military chief Eduardo Oban.
"The President has accepted the resignation of National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano. Secretary Ano has decided to retire from public service after decades of continuous service in government and the military," communications undersecretary Claire Castro told a briefing.
(Reporting by Nestor Corrales and Mikhail Flores; Editing by David Stanway)
COLOMBO, April 15 (Reuters) - Over 200 Iranian crew members from two warships who were rescued by Sri Lanka have been sent back to their homeland, a top official said on Wednesday.
Sri Lanka rescued 32 Iranian crew from the warship IRIS Dena on March 4 after it was hit by a torpedo from a U.S. submarine.
The ship was returning from a naval exercise organised by India, amid the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
Sri Lanka also rescued 208 crew from a second vessel, IRIS Booshehr on March 5 that had also requested assistance from Colombo after it ran into engine trouble.
China's President Xi Jinping met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday as a string of leaders of countries affected by the Middle East war flock to Beijing.
Lavrov joins Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Vietnamese leader To Lam in meeting Xi this week.
The top Russian diplomat told a news conference after meeting Xi that Moscow could "compensate" for China's energy shortages as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains choked by the Iran war.
ISLAMABAD, April 15 (Reuters) - Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey from April 15 to 18, Islamabad said on Wednesday.
(Reporting by Mubasher Bukhari; Editing by Sonali Paul)
DUBAI/WASHINGTON, April 15 (Reuters) - The United States said on Wednesday its military had completely halted trade going in and out of Iran by sea, even though President Donald Trump said talks with Tehran on ending the war could resume this week.
Trump said negotiations between U.S. and Iranian officials could resume in Pakistan in the next two days and Vice President JD Vance, who led weekend talks that ended without a breakthrough, said he felt positive about where things stood.
By Ruth Chai and Florence Tan
April 15 (Reuters) - The U.S. blockade on vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports adds to uncertainty over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been all-but-shut since the start of the Iran war.
Ordinarily, roughly one fifth of global oil and gas exports transit the Strait of Hormuz.
Here's a look at some of the non-Iranian oil tankers that have passed the strait since the start of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran on February 28, listed by cargo destination.
