site.news_by_theme Asia Pacific
Australia welcomes move to count Aussie as reserve currency
Australia hailed as an endorsement of its economic strength Wednesday IMF moves to count its dollar as a foreign reserve currency, though its central bank chief downplayed it as a technicality.
22 November 2012
Aussie scientists un-discover Pacific island
A South Pacific island identified on Google Earth and world maps does not exist, according to Australian scientists who went searching for the mystery landmass during a geological expedition.
22 November 2012
Toshiba unveils dog-like robot for Fukushima plant
Japanese nuclear reactor maker Toshiba on Wednesday unveiled a remote-controlled robot resembling a headless dog that they hope will be used at the battered Fukushima power plant.
22 November 2012
Australia seizes $246 million of drugs from China
Australian police said Wednesday they had seized cocaine and methamphetamine worth Aus$237 million (US$246 million) shipped from China in a consignment of heavy machinery.
22 November 2012
Mount Tongariro volcano erupts in New Zealand
A New Zealand volcano used as a backdrop to "The Lord of the Rings" films erupted on Wednesday, sending a column of ash two kilometres (1.2 miles) above the North Island.
22 November 2012
Australia approves plan to save vital river system
Australia approved an "historic" plan Thursday to save an ailing river system vital to the nation's food bowl by returning the equivalent of five Sydney Harbour's worth of water to the network each year.
22 November 2012
Australian 'Dumb Ways to Die' safety clip goes viral
An online video featuring cartoon creatures killing themselves in a variety of ways as part of an Australian transport safety campaign has gone viral, with almost 12 million YouTube views in a week.
22 November 2012
S. Korean bus drivers set for nationwide strike
Millions of South Koreans face commuter chaos Thursday with bus drivers set to launch a national strike to protest against a bill recognising taxis as public transport.
22 November 2012
Fury over S. Korea presidential hopeful satire
South Korea's ruling party has threatened to sue an artist who painted its presidential candidate giving birth to her father, former dictator Park Chung-Hee, likening the work to Nazi propaganda.
21 November 2012
Kazakhstan ready to supply grain to Sri Lanka
Kazakhstan Prime-Minister talked about cooperation opportunities of the two countries at Kazakhstan-Sri Lankan business forum in Astana.
21 November 2012
Kazakhstan and Sri Lanka agreed to cooperate in tourism
Nursultan Nazarbayev met with President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa in Astana.
21 November 2012
Hobbit producers deny animal cruelty
The producers of "The Hobbit" movies on Tuesday rejected allegations that animals died due to mistreatment during the making of Peter Jackson's highly anticipated Tolkien trilogy in New Zealand.
21 November 2012
New law to ban India's 'untouchable' toilet cleaners
With both hands holding the basket of human excrement on her head, widowed grandmother Kela walks through a stream of sewage, up a mound of waste and then dumps the filth while cursing.
21 November 2012
Record number back UN vote against death penalty
A record 110 countries on Monday backed a resolution voted every two years at a UN General Assembly committee calling for the abolition of the death penalty.
21 November 2012
Singapore cabbie returns $900,000 to Thai couple
A Singaporean taxi driver has been heralded as a hero after he returned Sg$1.1 million ($900,000) in cash to a vacationing Thai couple who left the money in his cab.
21 November 2012
Obama set to dive into South China Sea turmoil
US President Barack Obama is set to dive into the tumultuous diplomatic waters of the South China Sea on Tuesday at a summit dominated by rival claims to the strategically vital area.
21 November 2012
Kazakhstan invited Sri Lanka to CICA
Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev voiced the invitation during his meeting with President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa.
20 November 2012
S. Korea readies for delayed rocket launch
Korea is set to go ahead next week with a delayed rocket launch as it aims to join the elite club of nations capable of putting a satellite into orbit.
20 November 2012
Commodities turnover between Kazakhstan and South Korea to double by end of 2012
Commodities turnover between Kazakhstan and South Korea will double are reach $2 billion by the end of 2012 Ambassador.
20 November 2012
BoJ holds off fresh easing despite calls for action
The Bank of Japan held off launching fresh easing measures on Tuesday, despite growing calls for further stimulus to spur the economy and as it warned of a "high degree of uncertainty".
20 November 2012