Asia Pacific

Friday, 09 May 2008

New Australia Asia literary prize mootedAudio

Updated 19:40:24

Western Australia says it wants to set up an Australia Asia Literary Award to rival the prestigious booker prize.

Australian forces accused of abusing Taliban detaineesAudio

Updated 19:40:58

The Australian Defence Force is investigating claims that Australian soldiers have mistreated Taliban detainees.

Burma regime urged to delay referendumAudio

Updated 19:40:53

The United Nations says the Burmese junta should postpone a referendum on a military-drafted constitution in order to focus on the emergency response to the devastation.

Australia's aid to Burma under questionAudio

Updated 19:40:44

Australia's former Foreign Minister Alexander Downer says Australia's aid donation of three million dollars to Burma is pathetic.

Deposed Fiji prime minister under investigation for graftAudio

Updated 19:40:38

Fiji's deposed prime minister is being investigated for corruption but he says he's not worried.

East Timor to tackle corruptionAudio

Updated 19:40:32

East Timor's Prime Minster Xanana Gusmao has revealed his plans to tackle corruption in the fledgling nation.

Vietnam optimistic on bird flu vaccineAudio

Updated 19:40:28

Vietnam says it's had good results with the first stage of human testing of its locally developed bird flu vaccine.

Thursday, 08 May 2008

Japan and China talks move forwardAudio

Updated 20:07:41

The leaders of China and Japan have held a groundbreaking summit where they have pledged to take a more 'forward looking' approach to the bilateral relationship.

International aid still at Burma's doorstepAudioTranscript

Updated 20:07:58

The scale of the tragedy from the Burma cyclone just keeps increasing.

Burmese news website innundatedAudio

Updated 20:07:52

Mizzima News is a news organisation run by a group of Burmese journalists in exile.

Death threat made against Australian high commissioner in FijiAudio

Updated 20:07:47

Investigations are underway into a death threat made against Australia's High Commissioner James Batley in Fiji.

Australia pledges aid to East TimorAudio

Updated 20:07:19

Australia has pledged a development aid package for East Timor.

Fuel prices set to rise in IndonesiaAudioTranscript

Updated 20:07:19

Indonesia is facing several weeks of economic uncertainty with rising fuel prices.

Wednesday, 07 May 2008

Burma faces new threat of disease and hungerAudioTranscript

Updated 19:52:14

They're still counting the dead in Burma, while aid agencies continue to agonise about the plight of the living.

Aid agencies struggle to get access to Burma's victimsAudio

Updated 19:52:10

Questions raised over how much unrestricted access will be granted to international aid agencies by Burma's military regime reach devastated regions.

South Koreans protest over US beef importsAudio

Updated 19:52:06

The South Korean government's decision to lift U-S beef imports has seen thousands of young people taking to the streets in protest.

East Timor's power struggleAudioTranscript

Updated 19:51:59

The future of East Timor's coalition government is under a cloud after a key party member announced a pact with the opposition.

Difficulties remain with reintegration of Aceh's former rebelsAudio

Updated 19:51:55

Three years after separatist fighters with the Free Aceh Movement signed a peace deal with the Indonesian Government, their reintegration into Acehnese society is proving to be less that smooth.

Australian head of Pacific Islands Forum quitsAudio

Updated 19:51:55

The Australian Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, Greg Urwin has resigned halfway through his second term, citing medical reasons.

Tuesday, 06 May 2008

Death toll climbs in Burma cycloneAudio

Updated 20:10:00

It's taken three days, but the Burmese junta is now co-operating with international humanitarian agencies to do something about the devastation of Cyclone Nargis.

ASEAN vows to help BurmaAudioTranscript

Updated 20:09:55

Southeast Asian nations have always been split on how to treat Burma given its reluctance to explicitly embrace democracy.

China and Japan meet for historic talksAudioTranscript

Updated 20:09:50

China's President Hu Jintao has touched down in the Japanese capital Tokyo to begin his five day state visit.

Two ministers quit in Taiwan's diplomatic scandalAudio

Updated 20:09:45

A dipomatic scandal has seen two of Taiwan's senior government ministers quit.

Vanuatu banks and businesses embroiled in tax scandalAudio

Updated 20:09:35

Vanuatu's financial and banking sector has raised concerns about the way Australia is targetting banks in the island nation, with allegations they are involved in tax fraud.

Monday, 05 May 2008

Hundreds dead in Burma cycloneAudio

Updated 20:32:06

The scale of the devastation caused by the cyclone in Burma is now only becoming clear.

Hollywood gets behind Free Burma campaignAudio

Updated 20:32:00

A new virtual campaign in the US has enlisted a number of Hollywood celebrities to give the Free Burma message the same critical mass coverage as campaigns focusing on Darfur and Tibet.

China meets Tibet envoysAudioTranscript

Updated 20:31:54

Envoys of Tibet's exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama have held talks on the weekend in the Chinese city of Shenzhen.

Asian airlines accused of contributing to global warmingAudio

Updated 20:31:47

Asia's airlines have been accused of complacency when it comes to tackling climate change.

Warnings over China's nickel mining project in PNGAudioTranscript

Updated 20:31:39

China's hunger for resources has led it to Medang in PNG, where the state owned MCC company will mine for nickel.

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