DAP: The breaking news in Cambodia: “Massive earthquake in Japan harms its economy, aid abroad: Cambodia PM” plus 9 more

PHNOM PENH, March 14  -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said Monday the massive earthquake in Japan on March 11 will not only damage Japanese economy, but also will affect Japanese assistance overseas.

"The destruction by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan were the worst and caused hugely losses both human lives and properties, " he made the remarks during a graduation ceremony for students at the Royal University of Law and Economics.

"The natural disaster will impact both Japanese economy and Japan's internationally obligatory implementation abroad including Cambodia."

The premier said that tomorrow (Tuesday), Masafumi Kuroki, ambassador of Japan will still sign up to provide a grant aid package of 94 million U.S. dollars to Cambodia for flood protection, water distribution system, and demining activities.

He confirmed that so far, there is no report on Cambodian students were killed or injured in the massive earthquake in Japan.

A total of 1,598 people have been killed and 1,720 others are still missing by 8:00 a.m. (2300 GMT) Monday in Japan following Friday's catastrophic earthquake 9.0 magnitudes on the Richter scale and ensuing enormous tsunami, said the National Police Agency.(Xinhua/sp)

VIENNA, March 13 -- Radioactivity levels at the site boundary of the Onagawa nuclear power plant in Japan have returned down to normal background levels, the UN nuclear watchdog said on Sunday.

The first (lowest) state of emergency was reported at the plant earlier on Sunday after an increased level of radioactivity was detected at the site boundary, the IAEA said in a statement quoting Japanese officials.

However, investigations at the site indicate that no emissions of radioactivity have occurred from any of the three units at Onagawa, the statement said.

The three reactor units at the power plant are now under control, Japanese officials told the IAEA.

The IAEA said the increased level may have been due to a release of radioactive material from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, where explosion had occurred at its unit 1 reactor. (Xinhua)

BEIJING, March 14 -- China's fiscal revenue jumped 41.5 percent year on year in February to 699.7 billion yuan (106.5 billion U.S. dollars), the Ministry of Finance (MOF) said Monday.

Of the February fiscal revenue, the central government collected 375.53 billion yuan (57.16 billion U.S. dollars) and local governments collected the rest, the MOF said in a statement on its website.

The February took the January-February figure to 1.85 trillion yuan (281.5 billion U.S. dollars), up 36 percent from last year' same period. (Xinhua)

HONG KONG, March 14 -- The gold price in Hong Kong went up 105 HK dollars to open at 13,260HK dollars per tael on Monday, according to the Chinese Gold and Silver Exchange Society.

The price is equivalent to 1,428.84 U.S. dollars a troy ounce, up 11.31 U.S. dollars at the latest exchange rate of one U.S. dollar against 7.790 HK dollars. (Xinhua)

SYDNEY, March 14 -- Virgin Blue, Australia's second- largest airline, said on Monday it would hike its airfares and fuel surcharges due to the soaring cost of fuel.

The increase comes in less than a month since the airline group increased fares in response to higher fuel cost.

The airline group comprising Virgin Blue, Polynesian Blue, Pacific Blue and V Australia, said on Monday the fuel surcharge for flights to the U.S. would increase by 50 AU dollars (50.45 U.S. dollars) a sector to 165 AU dollars (166.47 U.S. dollars).

Meanwhile, there would be a smaller increase of 20 AU dollars ( 20.18 U.S. dollars) a sector for flights to Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates and Europe to 240 AU dollars (242.14 U. S. dollars), the airline said.

Virgin Blue said it would also increase its domestic fares by between 6 AU dollars (6.05 U.S. dollars) and 10 AU dollars (10.09 U.S. dollars) a sector, with fares for short-haul regional flights to places such as New Zealand to rise by up to 20 AU dollars (20. 18 U.S. dollars) a sector.

The move was driven by higher fuel prices, Virgin Blue said, with the carrier noting that the average price of Singapore jet fuel had risen by 50 percent since September last year.

"The increases announced today go some way to addressing the latest rises in global fuel prices," Virgin Blue chief executive John Borghetti said in a statement.

The changes were for tickets sold from March 21, 2011, Virgin Blue said.

The airline group said jet fuel prices have risen by 10 percent to more than 130 U.S. dollars a barrel in the past month.

The past month has also seen fuel-driven increases in airfares from Qantas Airways Ltd, Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines. (Xinhua)

BEIJING, March 14 -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said Monday that China is concerned about the situation in west Asia and north Africa, and any comparison between China and those countries is not right. (Xinhua)

COPENHAGEN, March 13 -- The 100th anniversary of China's 1911 Revolution was celebrated here on Sunday with a photo exhibition.

It was attended by leaders of local Chinese communities and representatives of overseas Chinese and Chinese students studying in Denmark.

The old photos displayed on the walls of the exhibition hall reminded the viewers of the 1911 revolution, also known as the Xinhai Revolution, which was remembered for creating Asia's first republic.

The celebration also commemorated the 86th anniversary of the passing away of Sun Yat-sen, China's forerunner of the democratic revolution.

"Xinhai Revolution, which brought the Qing dynasty and about 2,000 years of imperial tradition in China to an end, is a very important milestone of national rejuvenation in the Chinese history," said Xie Hangsheng, Chinese ambassador to Denmark, during a keynote speech at the celebration.

"It is of great historic significance to commemorate the 86th anniversary of the passing away of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen and the 100th anniversary of Xinhai Revolution," said Li John Ye, chairman of the Danish branch of China Council for the Promotion of Peaceful National Reunification.

He said the study and recall of Sun's great achievements not only helped to carry forward the spirit of Xinhai Revolution, but also had a practical significance for the promotion of peaceful reunification of China. (Xinhua)

CANBERRA, March 14 -- Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd on Monday said his department was working with Japanese authorities to locate all missing Australians, including Australian man Jason Briffa.

Concerns have been raised about the 25-year-old, who was working as an English teacher in Sendai, Japan, ravaged by a 10- meter tsunami on Friday.

His mother, Mary, from Point Cook on Melbourne's southwestern outskirts, said she last heard from her son at 4.45pm (AEDT) on Friday, just hours before the tsunami hit.

Rudd said that while there was no further information on the case, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) was working with Japanese authorities to find Briffa.

"We will not spare any effort in tracking down the whereabouts of each and every Australian that we haven't been able to identify so far," Rudd told the Nine Network on Monday.

Rudd said of the 11,000 Australians believed to be in Japan, 1964 have been confirmed as safe.

Meanwhile, Australia's ambassador to Japan Murray McLean said it is difficult to know exactly how many Australians have been affected by the earthquake.

"We really, honestly, do not know how many Australians were in Japan on the day of the big earthquake," he told ABC Television. " The numbers are fluctuating."

Attorney-General Robert McClelland said Australia's 72-strong search and rescue team as well as translators arrived in Japan and would be ready to assist in a town south of Sendai later on Monday.

The search and rescue team included paramedics, interpreters and rescue dogs.

McClelland said Australian liaison officers would be talking to Japanese authorities about the need for additional services such as medical assistance, sanitation and desalination.

"We're basically indicating wherever we can constructively assist that we will," McClelland told ABC Radio, adding it was likely help would be needed with victim identification.

McClelland said the teams would be based in Miyagi Province, 135km north-east of the Fukushima nuclear plant.

"As precautions ... they've been given some special equipment including (radiation) detection equipment."

McClelland said every assistance was been given to Australians who want to leave.  (Xinhua)