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September 2009

Australia, NZ and US provide emergency tsunami reliefAudio

Updated 30/09/2009 19:57:58

US President Barack Obama has declared American Samoa a disaster zone following Wednesday's earthquake and tsunami, and military personnel are bringing in emergency relief. Australia and New Zealand have also promised to provide whatever's needed for emergency relief and reconstruction for Samoa and Tonga.

Earthquake and tsunami devastate Samoan coastlineAudioTranscript

Updated 30/09/2009 19:57:58

In Samoa, Wednesday's earthquake and tidal wave caused panic, smashing buildings, throwing cars off the roads and hurling boats onshore. Beachside homes and resorts on the island's southeast have been devastated, roads to many outlying villages are in ruins, and the government and agencies like the Red Cross say they expect the death toll to rise.

Tonga confirms tsunami casualtiesAudio

Updated 30/09/2009 19:57:58

The Tongan government sent a survey plane to fly over its northernmost islands, following reports that ocean surges had killed several people and caused widespread damage. Those reports have now been confirmed.

American Samoa suffers brunt of earthquake and tsunamiAudioTranscript

Updated 30/09/2009 19:57:58

In American Samoa, the earthquake hit as people were preparing for work and school, sparking panic and confusion. Then waves as high as two metres began washing in. The capital of American Samoa, Pago Pago was swamped; the road to the airport was destroyed and there've been widespread powercuts. At least 20 people were confirmed dead by Wednesday afternoon, but that number's expected to rise. The Governor, Togiola Tulafono is returning to the territory tonight from Hawaii on a US Coastguard aircraft. He's been in talks with US federal disaster authorities today.

India says nuclear energy will reduce carbon emissionsAudio

Updated 30/09/2009 19:57:57

India plans to massively expand its nuclear energy output in what it says will be a major contribution to combat climate change. The planned increase over four decades would produce almost half a million megawatts of energy - 100 times current production. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made the announcement during a conference on the peaceful uses of nuclear power in New Delhi. India's anti-nuclear community opposes the government's nuclear program on environmental grounds, and says it won't deliver its energy promises either.

Philippine typhoon causes deadly floods in Cambodia, Vietnam and LaosAudioTranscript

Updated 30/09/2009 19:57:58

The Philippines is bracing for two more typhoons which are expected to hit the flood-ravaged country over the next two days. Emergency teams have been scrambling to help nearly half a million people left homeless by Typhoon Ketsana, which smashed into Manila on Sunday. It's now moved on, bringing bring lethal floods to Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. The disaster is prompting urgent questions about the efficacy of Asia's disaster management plans.

Australia urged to pressure Sri Lanka on displaced TamilsAudio

Updated 29/09/2009 19:56:18

Four months on from the crushing defeat of Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels, and nearly 300,000 people displaced in the last bitter months of the civil war are still detained in refugee camps. At the weekend, even as Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka told the UN he's making resettling the refugees a priority, government troops fired on a group of civilians trying to escape one of the camps, wounding two people.

US to begin closed meetings on new Afghanistan strategyAudio

Updated 29/09/2009 19:56:19

President Barack Obama's national security team begins a series of closed-door meetings today to reassess Washington's strategy on Afghanistan, ahead of deciding whether to dramatically increase its troop commitment there. Whatever the meetings produce, it'll have the ready support of the Afghan government.

Fears of disease outbreaks in flood-ravaged ManilaAudioTranscript

Updated 29/09/2009 20:36:50

Two days after Tropical Storm Ketsana struck the Philippines, sending six metre floods surging through Manila, the capital is a disaster zone. While the floods have receded somewhat, parts of the city are still underwater; the rest is under several feet of stinking mud. Nearly two million homes were inundated, and around 400,000 people are homeless. They've crowded into schools, churches and gyms and President Gloria Arroyo's given parts of her Malacanang palace for extra space.

Young Thais complacent on condomsAudio

Updated 29/09/2009 19:56:18

A new international study has revealed a worrying decline in the use of contraceptives by young people in Thailand. The survey, which was conducted across 15 countries, found a similar trend in China, Singapore and South Korea. Health educators say teenagers are getting some, but not enough, information to protect themselves. It's bad news for Thailand, which has worked hard to become a model of HIV prevention in Asia, but which is now at risk of a new spike in infections.

Australian opposition urges reduction in stimulus measuresAudioTranscript

Updated 29/09/2009 19:56:18

The Australian government is under more pressure to review its budget strategy because it's been "too successful". The federal opposition has long argued the stimulus measures announced last year should be reduced quickly to limit the government's debt. It feels vindicated now with the release of Treasury figures showing a lower than expected budget deficit.

Devastating oil slick worsens off northwest AustraliaAudio

Updated 28/09/2009 19:48:04

An oil rig leaking hundreds of barrels in to the Timor Sea off the northwest Australian coast won't be plugged for at least another three weeks. That's the admission from the Thai firm that operates the rig - PTT Exploration and Production Australasia. The West Atlas drilling rig has been gushing oil and natural gas since mid-August, and is now one of the worst oil spills in Australian history. Ecologists say a toxic slick is poisoning marine species across an area of ocean one-hundred times the size of Sydney Harbour.

Next round of UN climate talks opens in BangkokAudioTranscript

Updated 28/09/2009 19:48:05

Another round of UN sponsored climate change talks has kicked off, this time in the Thai capital Bangkok. The talks follow on from last week's meeting in New York, and have brought together delegates from 180 countries. They'll continue work on finalising a draft text ahead of the crucial Copenhagen summit in December. That meeting is intended to produce a successor agreement to the Kyoto Protocol on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, when it expires in 2012. Negotiations this week will try to get firm commitments from wealthy countries on the extent they're willing to pay to help poorer nations get access to clean technology and energy.

Philippines struggles to help half a million flood survivorsAudioTranscript

Updated 28/09/2009 19:48:05

The Philippine capital Manila is in chaos a day after Tropical Storm Ketsana roared through the city, dumping nearly half a metre of rain in 12 hours. The deluge caught the government and weather experts completely offguard, sending around six metres of water surging through suburbs and shanty towns in and around the capital. The waters rose too quickly for drivers to get their cars off the road, and now - as the floods recede, getting the roads unblocked and providing food, water and medicine to around half a million Filippinos is an urgent priority.

Japan's Buddhists offer 'dial a monk' serviceAudio

Updated 28/09/2009 19:48:04

In Japan, you can now dial a Buddhist priest or monk if you need someone to officiate at a funeral or a memorial. Known as 'dispatch priests', these men of the cloth say they're having to take on this new role as congregations dwindle across the country. But they're being accused of turning Buddhism into a religious franchise.

Free Papua Movement featured in new documentaryAudio

Updated 28/09/2009 19:48:04

Separatist rebels in Indonesia's Papua province have been fighting a low-level insurgency for more than forty years - but they are rarely seen. The military wing of the Free Papua Movement, or OPM, has control over some remote parts of Papua. The international media and many NGOs are banned from Papua, but that hasn't stopped a young film-maker from visiting and capturing rare video images of some OPM military camps. His film, called 'The Forgotten Bird of Paradise' has recently been released, and is due to be screened at Britain's Raindance film festival next month.

New HIV vaccine cuts infection by a thirdAudioTranscript

Updated 25/09/2009 14:04:32

Results from the world's largest ever HIV-vaccine trial have been announced in Thailand - with the momentous news that the vaccine cuts the risk of infection by a third. The UN says it's the first time a vaccine has offered significant protection for adults against HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. The trial was a joint initiative of Thailand's Ministry of Public Health and the US Army, who worked with more than 16,000 volunteers whose lifestyles exposed them to the virus. The scientists say the trial suggests one in three people who received the vaccine was protected from infection as a result.

Australia warns foreign investors of resource sector limitsAudio

Updated 25/09/2009 19:47:55

Australia has made it clear to foreign investors they can expect tough limits in the resources sector. The directive comes in a week when another Chinese company abandoned hopes of a share in an Australian mining company. Canberra's preference is for less than 50 per cent foreign ownership in new developments and a low 15 per cent in major miners.

Marshall Islands leader in climate plea to UNAudio

Updated 25/09/2009 19:47:56

The G20 leaders are preparing to phase out subsidies for oil and other fossil fuels, to help fight climate change. There's no firm timetable on that, but there is an agreement to intensify efforts on hammering out a new climate change deal at the UN's major summit in December. The issue is now one of survival for Pacific atoll nations - with king tides and rising saltwater a real threat to community safety and food security.

G20 to become global economic caretakerAudio

Updated 25/09/2009 19:47:57

The G20 summit has opened in the United States city of Pittsburgh, aiming to pull the world economy out of its worst recession in generations. Its draft communique says emergency government spending will stay in place until a recovery is secured. It also contains tougher rules on bank capital and executive pay, to be rolled out by the end of 2012, a move welcomed by US Treasury Secretary, Timothy Geithner.

Malaysia's conservative Muslims target Western pop actsAudio

Updated 25/09/2009 19:47:54

Malaysia is facing a growing cultural divide within its borders, where conservative Muslims are pushing to set the agenda. In recent months there's been a rise in the number of people receiving caning sentences for breaching Islamic shariah law. And Western music acts are also coming under flak, leading local observers to warn it could damage Malaysia's international image.

Foreign journalists in China target of cyber attacksAudio

Updated 25/09/2009 19:47:54

As China prepares to celebrate 60 years of communist rule on October the first, foreign journalists working in China say they're increasingly being targeted by cyber-attackers. Reporters say they've been deluged with authentic-looking emails laced with viruses.

Japan's new PM unsettles WashingtonAudioTranscript

Updated 25/09/2009 14:04:32

Japan's new prime minister, Yukio Hatoyama has some work to do to reassure Washington that there'll be a smooth transition in its relationship with his Democratic Party government. A week after taking office, Mr Hatoyama's been making his diplomatic debut at the UN. And meeting President Obama on the General Assembly sidelines, Japan's new PM says the DPJ will continue to put relations with the US at the very heart of Tokyo's security policy. But while speaking in broad terms about offering to help the US in Afghanistan, Mr Hatoyama was vague on the specifics; crucially, stopping short of offering to extend Tokyo's refuelling missions in the Indian Ocean, which expire in January.

US convenes major summit on nuclear disarmamentAudioTranscript

Updated 25/09/2009 14:04:32

As the UN General Assembly winds up in New York, US President Barack Obama is convening the first-ever summit level meeting of the UN Security Council, seeking to drive forward his agenda on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament. They are issues on which the world has spent some decades "sleep-walking," as prominent Australian nuclear expert and former Foreign minister Gareth Evans has called it. President Obama has taken advantage of America's turn in the rotating Security Council chair to try to reinvigorate the debate, following up on his calls for a world without nuclear weapons.

Fiji continues lobbying to compete in Commonwealth GamesAudioTranscript

Updated 24/09/2009 19:52:27

More than three weeks after Fiji was fully suspended from the Commonwealth, it's still unclear if the Pacific nation will be able to send a team to next year's Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. When the suspension was announced, the Commonwealth Secretariat insisted that would also mean exclusion from the Games. But Fiji's Commonwealth Games Committee will put its case for sending athletes to the Games at next month's meeting of the Games Federation, where a final decision will be made. Fiji is seeking to change the Federation's Constitution, to ensure a ruling in its favour.

Pressure on Sri Lanka to release Tamils from campsAudio

Updated 23/09/2009 20:38:16

World leaders attending the UN General Assembly have been urged to pressure Sri Lanka to immediately release more than 260,000 displaced people, forcibly confined to detention camps.

Australian warship intercepts pirates in Gulf of AdenAudio

Updated 23/09/2009 20:38:16

An Australian warship has intercepted Somali pirates allegedly stalking a merchant ship in the Gulf of Aden.

Agenda items for G20 leaders in PittsburghAudio

Updated 23/09/2009 20:38:16

The world's focus will shift over the next two days from the UN meeting in New York to Pittsburgh. The G20 leaders will gather there to continue discussions on issues of global importance.

Economist says China likely to specify carbon emission cutsAudio

Updated 23/09/2009 20:38:16

A prominent Chinese climate economist says its likely China will put a figure on cutting carbon emissions and says President Hu Jintao's speech to the special U-N summit in New York signals China is ready to sign up to a deal at Copenhagen.

Opposition to Fiji Casino proposalAudio

Updated 23/09/2009 20:38:16

A proposal to introduce legal casinos in Fiji has been raised again, with the military backed interim government giving its support to the idea.
Interim Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama says casinos can become a revenue source for government to use for infrastructure projects, education and medical facilities. But some locals are sceptical of the idea, which they say will bring more harm than good.

Role of women in military in questionAudio

Updated 23/09/2009 20:38:16

The role of women in the military is again being questioned ahead of this weeks 8th Women in the Military Conference in the United States.

More troops or we could lose Afghan war: McChrystalAudio

Updated 22/09/2009 20:42:18

Leaked details of a sobering report on Afghanistan by the top U-S commander in the country have put new pressure on already wavering NATO countries about the extent and nature of involvement in the eight-year conflict.

Security increased in PhilippinesAudio

Updated 22/09/2009 20:42:18

Security forces in the Philippines are bracing themselves for further attacks by Islamist militants after fierce clashes claimed 32 lives.

China stops travel to Tibet until after 60th B'Day celebrationsAudio

Updated 22/09/2009 20:57:48

Tibet's tourism bureau has stopped issuing entry permits to foreigners in the lead up to China's 60th anniversary under communist rule.

World's Island States fear benign genocide if no action on Climate ChaAudio

Updated 22/09/2009 20:42:18

The planet's small island states have warned the world will be committing "benign genocide" if it doesn't agree to drastic climate change measures. At a meeting in New York overnight, held ahead of the world's biggest gathering of leaders on the issue, they've demanded a new Copenhagen climate agreement, which will limit global temperature increases to as far below one-point-five degrees Celsius, as possible. And they've pleaded for an agreement on funding for climate adaptation.

Ongoing violence in West PapuaAudio

Updated 22/09/2009 20:42:17

We've heard about sudden attacks on the Freeport mine in West Papua, which killed an Australian and two others. But two months later attacks are still going on, despite hundreds of troop reinforcements being sent to the area.

Report shows Burmese Buddhist monks repressedAudio

Updated 22/09/2009 20:42:17

With Burma planning to hold its first election in two decades next year, there are fears there could be widespread protest action against the military junta.

Qantas under fire over payout to former CEOAudioTranscript

Updated 21/09/2009 19:58:50

Australian airline Qantas has attracted criticism for its apparent generosity to former CEO Geoff Dixon. Mr Dixon retired in November last year and took home almost $US10 million for just nine months' work. The revelation in the company's annual report has it scrambling to explain the payout at a time when executive pay scales are under scrutiny. But Qantas has an even larger issue on its plate - no less than the biggest shake-out of the Asian aviation industry in a decade.

Swine flu dominates WHO's Asia-Pacific meetingAudio

Updated 21/09/2009 19:58:50

The World Health Organisation opened its annual Asia-Pacific meeting in Hong Kong today, with the swine flu pandemic topping the agenda. In wealthy countries with ready access to Tamiflu, swine flu has dropped out of the headlines, but it is still causing deaths and huge concern in the developing world. The WHO's director-general, Dr Margaret Chan, says there's no sign of the virus mutating into anything more severe so far. But she's pushing for three billion doses of vaccine to be made available worldwide, and will be looking for a $US1.4 billion finance plan when she travels to the UN General Assembly later this week.

Sri Lankan video investigations not independent: UN envoyAudioTranscript

Updated 21/09/2009 19:58:51

Recent shocking British television footage, allegedly showing government soldiers killing unarmed, bound and naked prisoners, has prompted calls for a probe into possible war crimes. The Sri Lankan government says the video is fake and has released the results of what it calls four independent investigations. But not everyone is convinced.

Fresh proposals to fund carbon emission cutsAudioTranscript

Updated 21/09/2009 19:58:51

A speech to a high-level UN climate meeting this week by China's President Hu Jintao could signal whether the dead-locked Copenhagen climate-change talks can be salvaged. Attention has been on separate ideas from Australia and South Korea over how to bring the developing world into a post-Kyoto deal. The ideas aren't new, but it's the first time they've emerged from a mire of officials' meetings and into the political limelight, where it's hoped they'll gather momentum. A key element though is missing from the plans, and that's how to pay for the efforts developing countries would be expected to make to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Eid festival marred by Jakarta stampedeAudio

Updated 21/09/2009 19:58:50

Muslims around the world are celebrating Eid - the festival marking the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan. Besides fasting, it's customary during Ramadan to make a special effort to give to charity. In the Indonesian capital Jakarta, many give to beggars at traffic intersections and on the streets. That culminates in cash and food handouts at the start of Eid, which can cause chaos, as it did today when around a dozen people were injured in a stampede near the main city hall, where food parcels were being given out. City officials say the generosity fuels what they call 'seasonal begging', and that not everyone looking for charity is poor.

Interim report on PNG plane crash releasedAudio

Updated 18/09/2009 20:08:10

Papua New Guinea's government has released an interim report into the plane crash in Papua New Guinea which killed 13 people, but it's still no clearer how it happened.

Australia's asylum seeker policy questionedAudio

Updated 18/09/2009 20:08:10

Australia's facing growing questions about the practice of what some call the warehousing of asylum seekers in second countries like Indonesia and Malaysia.

Uighur activist not allowed to enter South KoreaAudio

Updated 18/09/2009 20:08:10

The Human Rights organisation, Amnesty International says South Korean authorities have been tight lipped about their reasons for holding a leading Uighur activist at an airport for more than 40 hours.

US-China try to deflate bicycle tyre disputeAudio

Updated 18/09/2009 20:08:09

China has complained to the World Trade Organisation over the United States' decision to impose tariffs on Chinese tyre imports. But ahead of next week's G20 meeting, both are playing down talk of a trade dispute.

Border burning death increases Thai-Cambodia tensionsAudio

Updated 18/09/2009 20:08:09

The Cambodian government is calling for an investigation into the alleged shooting of illegal loggers by Thai troops near Cambodia's north-west border.

Hopes for a better future for East Timor YouthAudio

Updated 17/09/2009 20:48:15

Celebrations for East Timor's independence vote ten years ago are over, and it's back to work to try and get the young nation properly on its feet. Everyone's hoping for a better future especially Timor's youth.

Former Australian Labor Party leader appointed US AmbassadorAudioTranscript

Updated 17/09/2009 20:48:15

Australia has opted for continuity and passion for all things American in its latest diplomatic appointment to Washington, naming former Labor Party leader and one time defence minister Kim Beazley to the post.

Indonesia's most wanted terrorist confirmed deadAudioTranscript

Updated 17/09/2009 20:48:16

Indonesia's national police chief Bambang Hendarso Danuri says the country's most wanted terrorist, Noordin Mohammed Top, is dead. He was killed by security forces in Java during a raid this morning.

Polling fraud allegations in Afghanistan cause divisionsAudio

Updated 17/09/2009 20:48:15

America's top diplomat at the UN mission in Afghanistan has left the country, reportedly after clashing with his superior, the UN chief in the country, over how to deal with widespread election fraud.

Fiji's interim leader says politicians are not neededAudio

Updated 17/09/2009 20:48:15

Fiji's interim Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama has told delegates attending his 2010 budget consultation that politics, political parties and politicians will not be necessary for the next 3 years, as he focuses on the economy.

Australian government's asylum seeker policies criticised againAudioTranscript

Updated 16/09/2009 20:58:47

Australia's often heated debate over asylum seekers has flared again with the conservative opposition reiterating claims the Rudd government's policies are soft and encouraging so called illegal boat arrivals.

Alleged Abu Sayyaf leader arrested in the PhilippinesAudio

Updated 16/09/2009 20:58:47

An alleged leader of the Islamic separatist group Abu Sayyaf, Jahid Susukan has been arrested in the Southern Philippines.

Tongan democracy movement may sue governmentAudio

Updated 16/09/2009 20:58:47

Tonga's pro-democracy movement is looking at the possibility of suing the government in the wake of the acquittal of four of it's MPs on charges of seditious conspiracy.

Japan's new Prime Minister sworn inAudioTranscript

Updated 16/09/2009 20:58:47

Democratic Party of Japan leader Yukio Hatoyama has been sworn in as Japan's 60th Prime Minister, he succeeds Taro Aso whose Liberal Democratic Party lost power for the first time in almost five decades.

Foreign students bring 20 issues to Canberra roundtableAudio

Updated 16/09/2009 20:54:44

In a meeting with Education Minister Julia Gillard, foreign students in Australia say they need more employment opportunities, transport concessions, and tighter regulation of the education sector.

UN says East Timor is making human rights progressAudio

Updated 16/09/2009 20:54:45

The United Nations has released its third human rights report on East Timor, which highlights the fact the country has made progress in key human rights areas in the past year.

Tourist space centre planned for ChinaAudio

Updated 15/09/2009 20:47:02

China plans to build a new space centre in Hainan
Presenter:Christine Webster
Speaker: Charles Vick, a China Space Industry expert based in Washington and Senior Analyst at Global Security.org

Australia's Telstra urged to split retail and wholesale armsAudio

Updated 15/09/2009 20:58:23

Australia's biggest telephone company has been ordered by the federal Government to split its retail and wholesale operations.Telstra was previously government-owned but was privatised three years ago.

Aceh to introduce stoning for adulterersAudioTranscript

Updated 15/09/2009 20:47:03

Lawmakers in the Indonesian province of Aceh have passed a law that would see Muslims found guilty of adultery, stoned to death.

Australia faces criticism after alleged East Timor war criminal leavesAudioTranscript

Updated 15/09/2009 20:47:03

Australian authorities are facing bitter accusations from East Timorese torture victims after accused war criminal Gui
Presenter:Linda Mottram
Speakers: Rob Oakshott, Independent Australian M.P; Jose Belo, East Timorese torture victim and Newspaper Editor; Professor Simon Bronitt, Director, Australian Centre for Military Law and Justice, Australian National University

Anti-hunger science crusader dies aged 95Audio

Updated 15/09/2009 20:47:01

The man known as the Father of the Green Revolution died on the weekend in the United States at the age of 95. Norman E. Borlaug was awarded the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize, for using science to fight world hunger.

Guam's Education Department 'crying wolf' says SenatorAudio

Updated 15/09/2009 20:47:01

Guam's Department of Education now has access to an additional four million dollars to cover its budget shortfall.

Talk of an early election for AustraliaAudioTranscript

Updated 14/09/2009 20:09:32

The spectre of a two-billion dollar hole in the Australian budget has sparked new talk in Canberra of an early national election.

Indonesia's financial incentives for Afghan asylum seekers questionedAudio

Updated 14/09/2009 20:09:32

An Indonesian International Relations expert is questioning the Indonesian government's attempts to encourage Afghan asylum seekers to return home by offering them financial inducements.

Australian natural gas project to create thousands of jobsAudioTranscript

Updated 14/09/2009 20:09:32

Its official, Australia's largest resources project has been given the go-ahead.The Gorgon natural gas development is owned by multinationals Chevron, Exxon Mobil and Shell.

Japan the biggest market for Australian goodsAudio

Updated 14/09/2009 20:09:32

Despite all the hype about China's booming economy, the biggest market for Australian goods is Japan.

Commonwealth special envoy to Fiji disappointed with visitAudio

Updated 14/09/2009 20:09:32

The Commonwealth's special envoy to Fiji, former New Zealand Governor-general Sir Paul Reeves, says he's disappointed at the results of his visit to Fiji last week.

Conflicting news for Australian economyAudio

Updated 11/09/2009 20:33:56

There's conflicting news for the Australian economy - the number of people in jobs plunged by almost 30-thousand in August but the unemployment rate is not any worse.

Australia lacks effective China policy, says former envoyAudio

Updated 11/09/2009 20:33:56

The man who broke diplomatic ground in China for Australia has delivered a sharp critique of where the Rudd government has failed with Beijing. The relationship has stumbled on issues like China's Rio Tinto arrests, whether China's an emerging security threat, investment troubles and the Australian visit by Uighur leader Rabiya Kadeer. Dr Stephen FitzGerald says Canberra has no long term strategy with Beijing, the quality of its dialogue is deficient, and there are failures in the strategic management of relations.

Lethal PNG cholera outbreak spreads to LaeAudio

Updated 11/09/2009 20:33:57

The cholera epidemic underway in Papua New Guinea has spread from remote regions of Morobe Province to the urban centre of Lae. At least five people have died of the disease, and health authorities are working around the clock to respond to the outbreak, which was declared a national emergency this week.

Former Taiwan President sentenced to life in jailAudio

Updated 11/09/2009 20:33:57

A Taiwan court has sentenced former president Chen Shui-bian to life in jail on corruption charges. The Taipei District Court says Chen, the first former Taiwan leader to be put on trial, was convicted for embezzling state funds, money laundering and accepting bribes.

Testing time for Japanese gangstersAudio

Updated 11/09/2009 20:33:44

They're members of the biggest baddest organised crime group in Japan, but these tattooed gangsters are being sent back to school by their godfathers. Under new laws, mob bosses can be sued for the misdeeds of their underlings. So the leaders of the feared Yamaguchi Gumi have begun testing their mobsters' knowledge of the laws. They've drawn up a twelve page test paper which questions them on a range of banned activities, from boot-legging fuel to dumping industrial waste.

Decline in childhood mortality figuresAudio

Updated 11/09/2009 20:33:44

Fewer children are dying everyday, thanks to medical breakthroughs in the field of childhood vaccinations. A study conducted by the United Nations Children's Fund found a decline in the number of children dying before their fifth birthday.

UN women's entity may face long delayAudio

Updated 10/09/2009 20:50:20

A leading women's group has challenged the United Nations to commit to a workable program on gender equality at next weeks General Assembly. A number of women's groups, including the UN's own body UNIFEM, are angry at some countries which may now vote against the creation of a new women's body within the UN system.

Claims Japan's death row, cruel, inhuman and degradingAudioTranscript

Updated 10/09/2009 20:50:34

The use of the death penalty is on the decline globally. Japan is one of the few industrialised countries to continue to use it, hanging a
smalll number of prisoners each year. James Welsh Amnesty International's health expert has just written a report claiming the
conditions for those on Japan's death row to be curel, inhuman and degrading.

Climate change reforms could help protect Sumatran tigersAudio

Updated 10/09/2009 20:50:04

Indonesia's Sumatran tigers are on the verge of extinction, with deforestation and poaching threatening to wipe out the fewer than the 400 tigers remaining in the wild.

Fiji Tourism campaign hits the internetAudio

Updated 10/09/2009 20:50:04

Fiji's new multi-continent, low-cost tourism campaign, which began in July, has doubled the hits on Tourism Fiji's website and boosted bookings. The ' Fiji Me' campaign is the first major promotional venture by the Fiji Visitors Bureau in three years.

We sell education, not visas, says Australian trade ministerAudioTranscript

Updated 10/09/2009 21:00:47

Australia's Trade Minister Simon Crean says his government must work together with the Indian government to stop students applying for courses primarily as a 'backdoor' to Australian Residency.

Australia-Indonesia relations tested over Campos investigationAudioTranscript

Updated 10/09/2009 21:01:03

Australia-Indonesia relations are being tested as the Australian Federal Police conduct a war crimes investigation into the deaths of five Australian journalists killed at Balibo in 1975 and now there's pressure over the case of Guy Campos, accused for crimes carried out in East Timor in the 1990s. He's also being investigated by the Australian Federal Police and is currently in Australia. No charges have been laid, but there's concern Mr Campos could leave Australia before the investigation is complete.

'Frontline state' Maldives views tourist green taxAudio

Updated 09/09/2009 21:16:19

For a country that's severely threatened by rising sea levels because of global warming it's perhaps a small irony that the Maldives cannot afford to send its president to a climate change summit in Copenhagen this December. President Mohamed Nasheed says he'll only go if someone else pays for the trip. He says the Maldives is a 'frontline state' when it comes to climate change and that it needs help. But it will also be looking to help itself, with a possible new 'green tax' of three dollars per tourist per day.

Refugee advocates win eight year battle in AustraliaAudioTranscript

Updated 09/09/2009 21:16:20

Refugee advocates in Australia have won an eight year battle to allow some of the most vulnerable people who arrive in the country refugee protection - people who face the threat of torture, inhuman treatment or execution if returned to their own country. But they often don't meet any of the five grounds for declaring a person a refugee, including persecution because of race, religion or nationality, political opinion or membership of a particular social group. Now, Australia will change that.

Australia opens Balibo war crimes investigationAudioTranscript

Updated 09/09/2009 21:16:20

In a case that is set to test diplomatic relations, Australia has begun a war crimes investigation into the killing of journalists by Indonesian troops in East Timor 34 years ago. Five Australian journalists were killed at the start of Indonesia's invasion of East Timor in 1975. An Australian inquest in 2007 found Indonesian troops had murdered the men to prevent them reporting the news of the invasion. The Indonesian Government says it will be seeking clarification of the investigation but has no interest in reopening the case itself.

Indian film stars take disability challengeAudio

Updated 09/09/2009 21:16:19

India's film industry - known around the world as Bollywood - owes much of its success to a tried and tested formula, but that may be about to change. Instead of following the traditional romance and fantasy themes three major films currently under production feature storylines based around characters with disabilities. 'My name is Khan' stars one of the industry's most bankable talents Shahrukh Khan as a man who has Asperger's syndrome and 'Guzaarish' is based around a character who uses a wheelchair.

Noynoy Aquino joins Philippines presidential raceAudio

Updated 09/09/2009 21:16:19

In the Philippines, some political commentators are predicting another People Power revolution ahead of next year's presidential election now that a member of one of the country's best known political families has stepped into the race. Benigno Aquino Junior was named after his slain father but he's seeking to follow in the footsteps of his mother, the late Corazon Aquino. The presidential election next May is expected to be one of the most fiercely contested races in recent years.

Burma steps up fight against drugs and militiaAudio

Updated 08/09/2009 21:03:57

Burma has been trying to seize control over an area on its border with China, but to do that it'll have to fully control local militia, which have no shortage of members, money or guns. They are thought to be part of a thriving drugs trade with surrounding countries in the 'golden triangle'. Authorities in neighbouring countries have struggled to contain the movement of drugs and many blame Burma for not enforcing the law.

Vietnam, Australia sign new partnership documentAudio

Updated 08/09/2009 21:03:57

Australia's prime minister Kevin Rudd and Vietnam's Communist Party chief Nong Duc Manh have signed a comprehensive partnership document - and both sides are keen to extend what is already a substantial relationship. During a visit to Canberra by Mr Manh, and several government ministers from Vietnam, talks covered development assistance, trade and investment and education, as well as security and defence. Despite protests against Mr Manh's visit by critics of Hanoi's human rights record, it signals a bid to further strengthen Hanoi-Canberra ties, with Vietnam a notable supporter of Mr Rudd's Asia Pacific community vision.

Timor parliament stops president's travel plansAudioTranscript

Updated 08/09/2009 21:03:57

Members of parliament in East Timor have voted against a request from the president Jose Ramos Horta to travel to the United States - to attend the United Nations general assembly - and then Europe. The East Timorese parliament is required to approve foreign trips by high officials. It's thought the result from this parliamentary vote was a show of opposition to Jose Ramos Horta's stance on certain questions of human rights, including the recent release to Indonesian authorities of Martenus Bere, who is accused of abuses in 1999.

Teams warm up for new ASEAN basketball leagueAudio

Updated 08/09/2009 21:03:56

Basketball is Asia's second most popular sport and it's set to get a further boost with the launch of the ASEAN Basketball League. The ABL brings together teams from Indonesia, Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand for a series of matches starting in October.

Amnesty International reports on Fiji human rightsAudio

Updated 08/09/2009 21:03:57

A new report from Amnesty International on the state of human rights in Fiji, suggests the recently introduced Public Emergency Regulations are being used to hide abuses. Since the Public Emergency Regulations came into force, the media has been censored and a number of church, village and civil leaders have been detained and arrested.

Thai military attempts to win southern hearts and mindsAudioTranscript

Updated 07/09/2009 21:09:23

A spate of bombings and shootings in Thailand's largely Muslim Southern Provinces has left more than a dozen dead and scores injured. The violence comes despite a heavy military presence and efforts by the Thai army to win over local Muslim communities.

Humanitarian emergency looms in Slanka campsAudioTranscript

Updated 07/09/2009 21:09:23

Sri Lanka says its reviewing an earlier decision to expel the spokesman for the United Nations children's agency, UNICEF, from the country. The foreign secretary, Palitha Kohona, says he is holding discussions with UNICEF about the situation of James Elder, who has been told to leave Sri Lanka within two weeks. The government has accused Mr Elder of making statements on behalf of Tamil Tiger rebels. The UN says it fully supports James Elder and stands by his statements about the plight of Tamil civilians held in camps since the end of the civil war. And the UN has also issued another warning about the dangers in the camps as the monsoon approaches.

Oil spill threat where Philippines ferry sankAudio

Updated 07/09/2009 21:09:23

The Philippines has a long history of ferry accidents - but that makes it no less significant that the country has seen two of its ferries go down in as many days. The first, run by Super Ferry, had almost a thousand people onboard, most of whom were rescued. But at least nine people are dead. And now there's the added risk of an oil spill, where the ferry went down.

Indonesia and Malaysia clash over cultural ownershipAudioTranscript

Updated 07/09/2009 21:09:22

Indonesia has accused Malaysia of stealing its cultural heritage after a Balinese dance was used in a promotional video for Malaysia and allegations that the country's national anthem was originally written by a Javanese music group. It's said passions are now running high over the controversies, with some even suggesting that the two countries should go to war to solve their differences.

Australian PM to push Asia bloc vision in DecemberAudioTranscript

Updated 07/09/2009 21:09:22

The Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd wants to push ahead with his vision for an Asia Pacific Community at a regional conference this December. A steering committee of prominent diplomats and academics held its first meeting in Canberra last week to plan for a conference from December 4. There's another preparatory meeting planned for early October. But some observers say Mr Rudd's vision still lacks clarity and that that's its biggest obstacle - and Japan's change in government also presents a new issue to deal with.

China, Aust iron ore talks 'have stopped'Audio

Updated 04/09/2009 21:20:01

The headlines may have subsided but the fate of the Australian steel executive Stern Hu continues through China's legal processes. And Stern Hu's employer, the Anglo-Australian mining firm, Rio Tinto, has confirmed that its negotiations with China on an iron ore price have stopped in part because Stern Hu and his colleagues were the negotiating team.

UN report warns Afghanistan must control drugs tradeAudioTranscript

Updated 04/09/2009 21:20:01

After eight years of war in Afghanistan and apparently democratic - although disputed - elections - two things remain constant in the country - violence and drugs. In one account of the role that the opium trade plays in Afghanistan, a United Nations report says the country's problems can't be solved without controlling drugs. But it's now commonly believed that corrupt Afghan government officials earn more from the drug trade than the Taliban.

China's Xinjiang province flares up againAudio

Updated 04/09/2009 21:20:02

There have been fresh protests in China's Xinjiang province and the city of Urumqi, where security forces have used tear gas to break up a gathering of thousands of Han Chinese, demanding better protection after a series of alleged attacks by people holding syringes. The Han Chinese say authorities have been too slow to deal with ethnic Uighurs in the province. They are accused of having started violent riots back in July.

Garuda rejects price fixing allegationsAudio

Updated 04/09/2009 21:20:01

Indonesia's national airline Garuda says it will vigorously defend allegations it used price fixing to out bid rival airlines for five years. Australia's consumer watchdog, the ACCC, has launched a legal action against the carrier, claiming it fixed the price of a fuel and security surcharge from 2001.

Japan's political dead return to lifeAudio

Updated 04/09/2009 21:20:01

Despite the Liberal Democratic Party defeat in Japan's national elections, some candidates may find their political careers being resurrected - and they're being dubbed political 'zombies'.

More troops 'no help' for Afghanistan, VendrellAudio

Updated 03/09/2009 21:16:47

The assassination of the deputy chief of intelligence in Afghanistan has added to a grim and violent stream of news coming out of the country - and overall it's thought that foreign troops are facing the deadliest period in the eight years since the war started. But would troop reinforcements help the situation? Not according to Francesc Vendrell. He spent almost a decade in Afghanistan - first as the special representative of the UN Secretary General and until 2008 as the European Union Special Envoy.

Fiji elections no where in sightAudio

Updated 03/09/2009 21:16:47

Politicians in Fiji have described the country's full suspension from the Commonwealth as another sign the military backed regime is not interested in taking good advice. The suspension came into force when Fiji refused to commit to holding elections next year. But many people in Fiji now doubt elections will happen at all.

Thousands homeless after Java quakeAudio

Updated 03/09/2009 21:16:47

Indonesian rescue workers have been searching for people trapped on Java since the magnitude seven quake hit the island - rocking even the capital 200 kilometres away - and killing scores of people. It's now also estimated that about 18,000 houses have been damaged. And thousands are homeless.

Bell tolls for Japan's hereditary politicsAudioTranscript

Updated 03/09/2009 21:16:45

Public opposition to Japan's culture of hereditary politics did not stop Shinjiro Koizumi, the son former prime minister, Junichiro Koizumi, winning what some have described as the family seat in Kanagawa Prefecture. But now Japan's prime minister elect, Yukio Hatoyama, is promising to make a break with the hereditary political tradition.

Anger greets outcome of Cambodian acid attack caseAudio

Updated 03/09/2009 21:16:45

In Cambodia, human rights groups have criticised a court's handling of a case, allegedly involving a senior policewoman, her beauty queen lover and acid. In May last year, the aunt of the former model was attacked by two men, who poured acid over her face and body. Police charged the senior policewoman and six of her associates for attempted killing, but this week a municipal court acquitted them of all charges.

UN envoy calls for probe into Sri Lanka killings videoAudioTranscript

Updated 02/09/2009 21:06:03

The UN's Special Representative on Extra-judicial Executions has called for an investigation into a video which appears to show Sri Lankan troops shooting blind folded Tamil prisoners. The footage, filmed on a mobile phone camera, was provided to British media by a group called Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka. It appears to show two men being shot in the back of the head, and six other men apparently dead nearby - all bound, blindfolded and most of them naked. But a spokesman for the Sri Lankan army says the video is a fake.

Asia's manufacturing industries still under threatAudioTranscript

Updated 02/09/2009 21:06:03

The Australian economy has been confirmed as the best performer in the developed world amid the global slowdown - better than expected GDP growth in the June quarter means the economy expanded by point six of one per cent in the past year. A large government stimulus package and low interest rates have helped keep consumer and business spending buoyant. And now Australia, with the rest of Asia, looks set to lead the world out of recession. But even here the future will have its challenges. The region's important manufacturing industries are set for a destabilising shakeout.

Fijians fear more international isolationAudio

Updated 02/09/2009 21:06:03

Fiji's interim government has made no moves to bring forward the country's return to democracy and says that its suspension from the Commonwealth will have little impact. It's set a date for elections in late 2014. But many Fijians believe they are heading for further isolation from the international community.

Australian government backs Cocos Island language rightsAudio

Updated 02/09/2009 21:06:02

Australia's home affairs minister has visited the remote Indian Ocean territory of the Cocos Islands to calm recent community tensions and help get vital economic initiatives underway. Language issues and a pay dispute, along with the defacing of a community sign recently, have offended the the Muslim, Cocos Malay majority and fuelled accusations against some white community members that they are adopting neo-colonialist attitudes.

Doubts over evidence against Bali bomberAudio

Updated 02/09/2009 21:06:02

American authorities are reportedly concerned over whether they have the evidence to charge the Indonesian terrorist suspect, Hambali, who is thought to have been behind the 2002 Bali bombings. Some US officials doubt that evidence obtained from Hambali would stand up in court because it may have been extracted by methods of torture. But Australia says Hambali must face trial.

Thai generic drug pioneer Ramon Magsaysay prize winnerAudio

Updated 01/09/2009 21:13:53

The winners of this year's Ramon Magsaysay Award have been announced and among the winners is the first pharmacist to have ever received the honour - and she is not just a pharmacist, but one who has specialised in the creation of generic antiretroviral drugs used in the treatment of people living with HIV/AIDS. And that person is Thailand's Dr Krisana Kraisintu. Her generic versions of antiretrovirals have been up to 18 times cheaper than the originals made by large pharmaceutical companies. She now works in Africa, but started out at the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation, which produces seven types of AVRs for Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam.

Vietnam independence day of mourningAudio

Updated 01/09/2009 21:13:53

The Vietnamese government has announced it will release 5,500 prisoners in an amnesty to mark the country's national day on Wednesday. Vietnam celebrates September 2 as the end of Japanese occupation in 1945. The day also coincides with the official date of the death of Ho Chi Minh - the Communist Party hero of Vietnam's independence. But for some in the Vietnamese community living in Australia, they say there's little to celebrate. They plan to protest against next week's visit to Australia by the head of Vietnam's Communist Party.

Timor angers UN over 1999 militiaman releaseAudio

Updated 01/09/2009 21:13:54

East Timor has angered the United Nations with the reported release of former militia leader Martenus Bere into Indonesian custody in Dili - and Indonesia's embassy in Dili has confirmed that it is negotiating for his deportation from East Timor. Bere, an Indonesian citizen, is accused of directing the Suai massacre in 1999, which saw at least 40 East Timorese killed. News of his release from jail in Dili surfaced with East Timor still in the glow of celebrations on the tenth anniversary of its vote for independence.

Fiji set to ignore Commonwealth deadlineAudio

Updated 01/09/2009 21:13:51

Fiji appears to be well and truly on the way to further isolation, with no sign in sight that it has any intention of meeting a deadline set by the Commonwealth for the island nation's military rulers to announce an election date for next year. And if a date is not set, Fiji will be automatically suspended from the old colonial grouping.

Climate change threatens South Asia's water sourcesAudio

Updated 01/09/2009 21:13:51

There's mounting concern in South Asia over the impact of climate change on the region's water supply, with glaziers in the Himalayas rapidly melting and drying up. In Nepal, regional delegates have been meeting for a two day climate change conference dubbed 'Kathmandu to Copenhagen'. And they're trying to put the environmental challenges facing South Asia on the map. It's a prelude to a larger United Nations conference in Copenhagen later in this year when delegates will be expected to agree on a post Kyoto Treaty arrangement.