Asia hit hard as Australia slashes foreign aid budget

CANBERRA: Australia has slashed its foreign aid budget by almost Aus$1.0 billion (US$800 million) with Asian and African countries bearing the brunt, according to budget papers released Tuesday.

The aid budget will fall by Aus$980.2 million to Aus$4.1 billion in 2015-16. Asia is among the hardest hit, with humanitarian support for the region -- not including East Timor, Cambodia and Nepal -- cut by Aus$522.5 million.