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Three billion Asians face an impending food crisis, according to research carried out by the University of Manchester. Academics say the escalating cost of rice across Asia is slowing economic growth and increasing income inequality, which could lead to social unrest. "Food price inflation is the most regressive of all taxes and is causing devastation across the whole continent of Asia," said Katsushi Imai of the university's Brooks World Poverty Institute. "This has important effects on people's lives, and it's the poorest, the landless and women who suffer most."