Asia-Pacific

Strong quakes spark tsunami alert  2009-10-08 08:27:18

Two powerful earthquakes rocked the South Pacific near the Vanuatu archipelago Thursday morning, the US Geological Survey reported, triggering a regional tsunami alert.



Big in Japan, but could the US love Moomin?  2009-10-07 14:03:27

In one of the quirkiest book cults America has never heard of, a round-snouted troll is hauling consumers' wallets from their pockets despite the worst recession in decades.



Obama mum on adding more troops in Afghanistan  2009-10-07 13:53:54

President Barack Obama on Tuesday ruled out shrinking the Afghanistan war to a counterterrorism campaign. Yet he did not signal whether he is prepared to send any more troops to the war zone.



Australia hikes interest rate to 3.25%  2009-10-07 11:10:59

Australia's central bank raised its key cash rate by 25 basis points to 3.25 percent Tuesday and heralded more to come, saying it was safe to row-back on stimulus now that the worst danger for the economy had passed.



Full aid pledged for Sumatra quake victims  2009-10-07 09:58:06

China will do its best to help Indonesia with quake reconstruction following the 7.6-magnitude tremor that hit Padang city in western Sumatra on September 30.



DPRK ready to return to talks  2009-10-07 08:29:27

The DPRK is ready to return to disarmament talks, but that will depend on progress in its two-way negotiations with Washington, Kim Jong-il said. Wen Meets With Kim



False hope from voice in rubble in Indonesia  2009-10-06 18:05:12

Rescuers rushed back into the rubble Tuesday after a woman's cries for help were reported coming from a collapsed hotel six days after Indonesia's devastating earthquake -- but the search was in vain.



Pakistan blames Taliban for UN blast  2009-10-06 14:06:25

Pakistan blamed Taliban militants Tuesday for the deadly suicide bombing at the UN food agency's heavily fortified compound in the capital as authorities detained some of the guards posted outside to try to determine how the attacker gained entry.



India floods leave 2.5M homeless, 250 dead  2009-10-05 21:53:04

About 2.5 million people crammed into temporary relief shelters after floods triggered by torrential rains tore down their homes in southern India over the last week and killed some 250 people, officials said on Monday.



Beijing to hold Myanmar sculpture exhibit  2009-10-05 20:12:20

An exhibition featuring Myanmar wooden sculptures made of stems and branches of downed trees during cyclone Nargis last year will be launched in Beijing later this month.



Indonesia calls off search for life  2009-10-05 18:05:33

Suicide bomber kills 3 at UN office  2009-10-05 17:58:34

Thai train derails, killing 8 people  2009-10-05 12:34:16

DPRK tells Wen it open to nuke talks  2009-10-05 12:10:36

Tokyo airs woes over losing effort  2009-10-05 07:02:14

UN office blast kills 1 in Islamabad  2009-10-05 15:17:01



India detains DPRK ship off S. coast  2009-10-04 17:03:13