http://www.ft.com/world/asiapacifichttp://www.ft.com/rss/world/asiapacificFT.com - World, Asia Pacificen© Copyright The Financial Times Ltd 2008. "FT" and "Financial Times" are trademarks of the Financial Times.support@ft.comFri, 9 May 2008 09:05 BSTFri, 09 May 2008 17:51:34 BSTNewspapers60http://news.ft.com/cms/d1f3ce1a-6bbe-11da-bb53-0000779e2340.gifhttp://www.ft.com/world/asiapacific(PICS-1.1 "http://www.classify.org/safesurf/" L gen true for "http://www.ft.com/" r (SS~~000 1))http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/3953d01c-1d9e-11dd-983a-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/3953d01c-1d9e-11dd-983a-000077b07658.htmlAfter a week of ambivalence towards the offer of international aid, Burma has made it clear it wants to handle the cyclone crisis on its ownFri, 9 May 2008 09:05 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/441854dc-1cd1-11dd-82ae-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/441854dc-1cd1-11dd-82ae-000077b07658.htmlThe US criticised Burma for blocking international relief teams from entering the cyclone-struck country, as the United Nations asked the military junta to call off Saturday's controversial constitutional referendum Fri, 9 May 2008 01:53 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/3f88c004-1d45-11dd-82ae-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/3f88c004-1d45-11dd-82ae-000077b07658.htmlFour more food commodities added to list despite warnings, including from the government-appointed market regulator, that such measures will do nothing to quell inflation Thu, 8 May 2008 22:42 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/cb8a989a-1d2a-11dd-82ae-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/cb8a989a-1d2a-11dd-82ae-000077b07658.htmlChinese companies will be encouraged to buy farmland abroad, particularly in Africa and South America, to help guarantee food security under a plan being considered by BeijingThu, 8 May 2008 19:26 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1fed18cc-1d26-11dd-82ae-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1fed18cc-1d26-11dd-82ae-000077b07658.htmlPresident says Japan has nothing to fear from China and that it will never use its growing military strength, urging the nations to see each other as 'partners, not rivals'Thu, 8 May 2008 19:02 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/26914bc2-1d20-11dd-82ae-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/26914bc2-1d20-11dd-82ae-000077b07658.htmlPakistan's new coalition government will cut budget expenditure across the board, including military spending, to cope with the rising cost of fuel and food subsidiesThu, 8 May 2008 18:16 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/51616a52-1c5e-11dd-8bfc-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/51616a52-1c5e-11dd-8bfc-000077b07658.htmlMilitary regime begins letting in UN workers to provide aid, but agencies frustrated at delays in approval for providing humanitarian assistanceThu, 8 May 2008 11:15 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/698ea7a8-1cda-11dd-82ae-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/698ea7a8-1cda-11dd-82ae-000077b07658.htmlAustralia recorded its 18th consecutive rise in monthly employment in April as companies operating in the country's booming mining sector hired new workers to help feed demand for resources from ChinaThu, 8 May 2008 09:45 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5cee7728-1c83-11dd-8bfc-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5cee7728-1c83-11dd-8bfc-000077b07658.htmlThe US hopes to secure information it has sought for months when its senior state department official on Korea arrives in Pyongyang Wed, 7 May 2008 23:33 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/8146ed7c-1c55-11dd-8bfc-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/8146ed7c-1c55-11dd-8bfc-000077b07658.htmlThe leaders of Japan and China agreed on measures, including annual summit meetings and stepped-up civil and military exchanges, to cement a recent improvement of relations Wed, 7 May 2008 18:46 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/41afd266-1d2a-11dd-82ae-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/41afd266-1d2a-11dd-82ae-000077b07658.htmlVerbal intervention on the US currency and euro is welcome – but it is time for verbal intervention on the rupee and renminbi as wellThu, 8 May 2008 19:35 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/3fd5f70e-1d2a-11dd-82ae-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/3fd5f70e-1d2a-11dd-82ae-000077b07658.htmlLet us at least hope this cyclone undermines the junta, whose response to this tragedy has already earned it a place in the annals of infamyThu, 8 May 2008 19:23 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9f208ce8-1cde-11dd-82ae-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9f208ce8-1cde-11dd-82ae-000077b07658.htmlIn a bid to rein in soaring prices, India has extended its futures trading ban to four more food commodities despite warnings that such measures will do nothing to quell inflationThu, 8 May 2008 17:13 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/7c8a5412-1cba-11dd-82ae-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/7c8a5412-1cba-11dd-82ae-000077b07658.htmlThe flame has reached the top of the Himalayan peak, crowning a relay that has been dogged by anti-Chinese protests on its world tourThu, 8 May 2008 09:58 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ee49946a-1c8c-11dd-8bfc-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ee49946a-1c8c-11dd-8bfc-000077b07658.htmlChina appears to be on course to beat the sales record of Sydney in 2000 with all seats offered for events in Beijing snapped up three months ahead of the opening ceremonyThu, 8 May 2008 01:59 BST