The relief effort in China has stepped-up as time slips away for those still trapped under the debris caused by last Monday's earthquake. China Correspondent Charlotte Glennie is in Dujiangyan - close to the epicentre of quake.

George W Bush has turned his attention towards the Middle East peace process in the twilight of his presidency. Jim Middleton speaks to Amir Kordvani, an international lawyer and commentator on Middle East Affairs.

In the wake of the humanitarian refugees fleeing Burma's Irrawaddy Delta, South East Asia Correspondent Karen Percy talks to some of the country's political refugees, who have fled to Thailand to escape the military junta.

China correspondent Charlotte Glennie reports from Dujiangyan, 90 kilometres south of the epicentre of the earthquake, where Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao set up relief headquarters in the aftermath of the quake.

Aid agencies say around 1.5 million people in Burma are in desperate need of help ten days after cyclone Nargis. Professor Don Rothwell explains how international law will protect agencies trying to get into the country.

Australia's Labor Government has just brought down its first budget designed, it says, to rein in inflation and help families. Peta Donald is Newshour's political correspondent in Canberra.

International pressure is continuing to mount on Burma's generals to allow foreign aid in to help the victims of Cyclone Nargis. Professor Jeffrey Kingston is the director of Asian studies at Temple University's Japan campus.

News Hour reporter, Thom Cookes, speaks to Jim Middleton on the phone from Kandahar, Afghanistan - breaking the story that Australian forces are being accused of "mistreating" four Afghan detainees.

Just over three years ago, Hong Kong was awarded the equestrian events for the Olympics amid concerns quarantine standards on the mainland were not up to standard. China correspondent Charlotte Glennie reports.

Australia's Foreign Minister, Stephen Smith, tells Jim Middleton that a full investigation will be conducted into allegations that Australian forces have "mistreated" four Afghan detainees.

Last September, Indonesia's Mentawai island chain was hit by two huge earthquakes. The damage has compelled villagers to prepare for the next "big one". Indonesia correspondent Gavin Fang reports.

Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have each scored victories in the latest round of primaries for the Democratic nomination. Political analyst and blogger Brian Schaffner, is following the candidates.

More than a million homeless survivors of the cyclone in Burma now face disease, hunger and thirst. Jim Middleton speaks to Denise Nicols about the difficulty in getting foreign aid workers in.

Pakistan is being questioned about its committment to the war on terror at a time when the newly elected leaders are trying to quell internal ructions. Jim Middleton speaks to Imran Aslam, President of GEO TV.

Dimitry Medvedev moves into the Kremlin on Wednesday, taking over from Vladimir Putin as Russian President. Jim Middleton speaks to Nikolai Petrov, a Senior Scholar with the Moscow Carnegie Centre.

Aid is beginning to arrive in Burma, as the death toll after last weekend's cyclone is continuing to rise. Richard Horsey is coordinating the United Nations aid effort. He speaks to Jim Middleton from Bangkok.

The UN has put into action a special taskforce to combat world food shortages. Professor Ross Garnaut is the chairman of the International Food Policy Research Institute. He speaks to Jim Middleton in Melbourne.

Chinese authorities are deporting activists as they count down to the start of the Olympics. But with the arrival of the torch in Hong Kong, it wasn't the Tibetans but the Falun Gong that took to the streets.

Pakistan's new ruling coalition is facing its first test as wrangling continues over the reinstatement of judges sacked by President Musharraf. Jim Middleton speaks to Samina Yasmeen from the University of WA.