Karon Snowdon

Afghanistan says mining laws, anti-corruption and transparency rules will attract investors.

Australia is being urged to sign up for mandatory reporting of commercial mining revenues.

Afghanistan expects mining revenues will replace all of its receipts from donor contributions within a decade.

Japan's nuclear watchdog has refused to give the go-ahead to commission a trouble plagued fast breeder reactor due to safety concerns.

25 miners remain trapped underground at the giant Freeport gold and copper mine in Papua province in Indonesia.

A record number of voters are expected to turn out for the Pakistan's historic elections tomorrow.

Australia's unemployment rate has fallen with a surge of 50-thousand new jobs created during April.

A court in Myanmar has charged six Muslim men with the murder of a Buddhist monk which triggered intercommunal violence in the town of Meikhtila in March.

The economic challenges facing the newly re-elected government remain the same and they are substantial.

East Timor's dream of becoming a significant player in oil and gas processing has taken some steps forward.

The owner of the collapsed Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh has faced angry crowds calling for the death penalty as he made his first court appearance.

Japan's central bank has raised its forecasts for inflation and economic growth.

South east Asian leaders wrapping up their two day summit in Brunei were able to present a united front - a far cry from last year's ASEAN forum.

Landslides continue to hamper rescue efforts in China's Sichuan province three days after a six-point-six magnitude earthquake.

Rio Tinto shareholders warned of continuing rough times; Australia reels from Europe carbon price collapse; on yer bike in Manila.

The collapse of the European carbon trading price has set Australian politicans and industry in a spin.

The United Nations is urging countries in Asia, including Australia, to introduce, or increase refugee quotas in response to people smuggling.

Women in the Pacific experience some of the worst levels of domestic violence and sexual assault in the world.

The man who diffused the 1994 North Korean nuclear crisis says diplomacy is the only way to resolve the latest crisis on the Korea Peninsular.

Improving gender equality, alleviating poverty and boosting opportunities for women in the Pacific is recognised as a big job.