Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 0600 GMT, April 19

PHNOM PENH -- Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni will preside over the first Senate session in the fourth mandate on April 23, said a statement released by the Senate's Secretariat on Thursday.

After the first session in the morning, all senators will go to swear in at the Royal Palace on the same day in the afternoon, said Mam Bun Neang, a spokesman for the Senate. (Cambodia-King-Senate)

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JAKARTA -- A shallow earthquake in Central Java province has left two people dead, 21 others injured and over 300 buildings damaged, a disaster agency official said Thursday.

More than 2,000 people have taken shelter in evacuation centers set up after the quake, said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman of the natural disaster management agency. (Indonesia-Earthquake)

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SEOUL -- South Korea posted the biggest surplus in trade of industrial parts and materials in the first quarter due to strong demand for locally-made electronic components, a government report showed Thursday.

Trade surplus in the industrial parts and materials sector reached a new quarterly high of 30.8 billion U.S. dollars in the January-March quarter, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. (S. Korea-Trade Surplus)

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CANBERRA -- Australian scientists have developed a polymer "sponge" capable of soaking up oil spills.

The highly buoyant polymer is made of waste cooking oils and sulphur, by-products of the food and petroleum industries, and has the ability to clean up crude oil and diesel spills. (Australia-Oil Spills) Enditem