(AAP) - Six NSW council areas have been declared natural disaster areas as floodwaters in the state's north slowly recede, revealing the immense scale of the damage.

KUCHING (Malaysia), Feb 18 (Bernama) - East Malaysia Sarawak-state has implemented new strategies to offset the impact of the global financial crisis, and boost the number of tourist arrivals from

TANJUNG MANIS (Sarawak) (Malaysia), Feb 18 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi arrived here this afternoon to launch the Tanjung Manis New Township Halal Hub.

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 18 (Bernama) -- The Malaysia Airlines Travel Fair (MATF '09), from Feb 10-19, has received a positive interest and response from the public.

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 18 (Bernama) -- Malaysia Airlines (MAS) plans to reduce its cost by seven percent this year, said its managing director and chief executive officer Idris Jala.

PUTRAJAYA, Feb 18 (Bernama) -- Private sector workers who were retrenched due to the global economic downturn will have to apply through the normal process if they want to join the public sector, P

KUCHING (Malaysia), Feb 18 (Bernama) -- A book that will analyse issues concerning the constitutional monarchy system in the country will be published and distributed next week.

KUCHING (Malaysia), Feb 18 (Bernama) -- Swiss transnational company, Norvatis, is keen to look into the possibility of investing in Sarawak's rich biodiversity to undertake biotechnology research

From Frank Julian Martin

BATAM, Indonesia, Feb 18 (Bernama) -- Johor will create new tourism packages that offer competitive prices to attract more tourists to the state.

By D. Arul Rajoo

BANGKOK, Feb 18 (Bernama) -- The number of unemployed in Asia is likely to increase by about 7.2 million from 2008 to this year.