VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Japan scrambled jets after Russian and Chinese warplanes neared its airspace on Tuesday, when Tokyo was hosting the leaders of the Quad grouping of countries that includes the United States, Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi said.

Tokyo conveyed "grave concerns" to both Russia and China through diplomatic channels, Kishi said at a news conference that was broadcast online.

He characterised the incident as a likely provocation by both Beijing and Moscow on a day when U.S. President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australia's newly elected leader, Anthony Albanese, were meeting in Tokyo.

"We believe the fact that this action was taken during the Quad summit makes it more provocative than in the past," he said, adding it was the fourth such incident since November.

Two Chinese warplanes flew over the Sea of Japan from the East China Sea and were then joined by two Russian warplanes for a flight together toward the East China Sea, Kishi said.

Later, the two Chinese warplanes were replaced by another pair believed to be Chinese, which then flew with the Russians on a long flight toward the Pacific Ocean, he said.

A Russian reconnaissance plane also flew over the open sea from the northern island of Hokkaido to the Noto peninsula on Japan's main island, he said.

None of the aircraft entered into Japan's airspace, he said.

Russia and China both confirmed they conducted a joint patrol. Russia's defence ministry said the patrol lasted 13 hours over the Japanese and East China seas.

The exercise was part of an "annual military cooperation plan", China's defence ministry said.

Separately, South Korea's military said it scrambled fighters after at least four Chinese and four Russian warplanes entered its air defence zone on Tuesday.

It was not immediately clear if the two events were related or if any of the same warplanes were involved.

The four leaders of the Quad - an informal grouping led by Washington - on Tuesday stressed their determination to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific region in the face of an increasingly assertive China. (Reuters)

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Joe Biden reached "substantive outcomes" on Tuesday in talks to strengthen their trade and defence ties, India said, though Modi refrained from condemning Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

The leaders were in Tokyo for a meeting of the Quad group of countries - the United States, India, Japan and Australia. Of the four, only India has not condemned Russia's invasion despite pressure from the United States for it to do so.

"Discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in trade, investment, technology, defence, P2P ties between the two countries," Indian foreign ministry spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi, said on Twitter, referring to people-to-people ties.

"Concluded with substantive outcomes adding depth and momentum to the bilateral partnership."

Biden told Modi he was committed to make the U.S.-India partnership "among the closest we have on earth".

The White House said in a statement that Biden, in the meeting with Modi, had condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine but there was no mention of Modi doing so. Modi had agreed on humanitarian help for Ukraine, it said.

In a news conference in Tokyo, India's foreign secretary said the leaders of the other Quad countries understood its position on Ukraine in calling for an end to hostilities and resolving issues through dialogue.

"There was a general and good appreciation of the position that India has taken with regard to Ukraine," Vinay Mohan Kwatra said.

Russia has been India's biggest arms supplier for decades and India is wary of seeing Russia pushed even closer to China, with which India has serious border disagreements.

The United States has in recent months offered to sell more defence equipment and oil to India to pry it away from Russia. India has also joined a U.S.-led trade partnership that Biden launched this week, called the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity. 

The White House said India would be joining the U.S.-backed Combined Military Forces-Bahrain as an associate member. The maritime partnership has 34 members from around the world but does not include China.

Kwatra said Modi urged Biden to get more U.S. companies to make defence equipment in India.(Reuters)

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu started a two-day trip to the Palestinian territories and Israel on Tuesday, the first such visit by a senior Turkish official in more than a decade.

Speaking after meeting his Palestinian counterpart Riyad al-Maliki in the West Bank city Ramallah, Cavusoglu said Turkish support for Palestine would not diminish even as once frozen relations with Israel thawed.

"Our support for the Palestinian cause is completely independent from the course of our relations with Israel," he told reporters.

Cavusoglu is due to see Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas later on Tuesday, followed by talks on Wednesday with Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and Tourism Minister Yoel Razvozov.

He was also expected to visit Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

Recent confrontations between Palestinians and Israeli police at the flashpoint site, sacred to both Muslims and Jews, have raised tensions in the region. 

Cavusoglu said reports of the clashes had upset Turkey. "It is important for all Muslims that the sanctity and status of the Al-Aqsa is protected," he said.

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki hailed Cavusoglu's visit as "historical", with Turkey and the Palestinians signing nine cooperation agreements on Tuesday.

"What we heard has reinforced our position and what we do to achieve freedom and independence," Maliki said after the meeting.

U.S.-brokered peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians aimed at establishing an independent Palestinian state in East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza, collapsed in 2014 and the two sides have not held serious talks since then.

Israel and Turkey have been working to mend their long-strained ties with energy emerging as a key area for potential cooperation. The two countries expelled ambassadors in 2018 and have often traded barbs over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.(Reuters)

Pakistan's government on Tuesday banned a planned protest march by ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is demanding fresh elections as a political and economic crises deepens in the South Asian nation, officials said.

The ban was announced by Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah at a news briefing hours after a policeman was shot and killed during a crackdown on Khan's supporters across the country.

An official of Khan's party had shot and killed the policeman when police visited his house, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb told a news briefing, adding that the accused and his father had been arrested.

"No one would be allowed to siege the capital and dictate his demands," the interior minister said, adding that cabinet had approved the ban.

He said Khan and his aides had termed it a bloody march, which could not be allowed following a sit-in that Khan held in 2014 for over four months that paralysed the country. At the time, Khan had rallied thousands to protest alleged rigging of an election in 2013, and his supporters had attacked police and threatened to storm the parliament and prime minister's house.

"They're coming to Islamabad with evil designs," the interior minister said, citing intelligence reports about the march.

Authorities in Islamabad had started putting up blockades at roads leading to important installations, police said, and heavy contingents from police and paramilitary troops have also been deployed.

Khan had urged his supporters to march on Islamabad on Wednesday.

"You try to stop us if you could," he told reporters, saying a peaceful protest was his right that could not be denied.

Khan, who didn't condemn the policeman's killing, defended the shooting by his party official, a retired army officer, asking what should someone do if police barged into their home.

With foreign reserves falling to $10.3 billion - lower than two months of import bills - a fast-crashing Pakistani rupee and a double-digit inflation, the political turmoil has compounded economic volatility in the country. L3N2X12L5

Shehbaz Sharif, who replaced Khan last month, has yet to take bold steps towards putting the economy back on track.

Talks are ongoing in Doha between the government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to resume a $6 billion rescue package agreed in 2019, and are due to conclude on Wednesday.(Reuters)