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November 2009

Thai King limits public outings for Birthday celebrations

Updated 30/11/2009 20:44:35

Thailand's revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej will appear in public on Saturday at Bangkok's Grand Palace on his 82nd birthday. However palace officials say his traditional birthday eve address has been postponed indefinitely. King Bhumibol, the world's longest-reigning monarch, has been hospitalised since September 19th.

EU leaders disappointed with China meeting

Updated 30/11/2009 20:44:35

European leaders meeting with their Chinese counterparts in Nanjing have come away disappointed on issues of climate change and the currency. China's Premier Wen Jiabao easily fended off calls for a weaker yuan and stronger action on climate change.

Australian PM in Washington for talks

Updated 30/11/2009 20:44:35

Australia's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is in Washington for last minute climate change talks with U-S President Barack Obama .. and for discussions about Mr Obama's much anticipated announcement on the direction of the war in Afghanistan.

Muslim world shocked at Swiss minaret ban

Updated 30/11/2009 20:44:27

Switzerland's muslim community is in shock, after voters supported a proposed ban on the building of minarets.

Overseas Tongans raise funds for tsunami victims housing

Updated 30/11/2009 20:44:27

Tongans affected by the tsunami which also hit the two Samoas two months ago are still living in tents. Father Mateo Kivalu - a Catholic priest who's based in New Zealand - has just returned from Niuatoputapu where he saw the devastation caused by the wave at first hand.

'Three strikes' law costs Vanuatu PM his parliament seat

Updated 27/11/2009 20:19:47

An obscure law in Vanuatu has cost Prime Minister Edward Natapei his parliamentary seat. Mr Natapei has been attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Trinidad, and failed to advise the Speaker he'd be missing an extraordinary session called to debate the budget. The speaker, Maxim Carlot Korman, called for Mr Natapei's automatic removal, citing a law that applies to MPs who skip three consecutive sessions. Observers believe Mr Korman's taking revenge on the Prime Minister, who had expelled him from parliament last week.

Climate change dominates Commonwealth leaders' meeting

Updated 27/11/2009 20:19:47

Leaders from Commonwealth countries, along with the UN chief Ban Ki-Moon and several European heads of state are in Trinidad for the Commonwealth Head of Government meeting (CHOGM). As with other regional summits and bilateral talks in recent weeks, the meeting is expected to focus on climate change. In the lead up to CHOGM, questions have been asked about the continued relevance of the 53-member organisation, which has its roots in the former British empire and represents two billion people.

Dubai debt and strong yen dent Japanese market

Updated 27/11/2009 20:19:47

Stockmarkets across Asia tumbled today after the state-run Dubai World conglomerate raised concerns about its ability to repay a $US60 billion dollar debt, and in Japan the Nikkei closed down more than 3 per cent, with Dubai's jitters adding to exporters' woes over the yen's rapid advance against the US dollar. Every time there's a rise in the value of the currency by a single yen, the operating profit of Japan's premier car-maker Toyota takes a hit in the region of hundreds of millions of dollars. This morning the greenback slumped to a 14-year low of around 85 yen. Today the government hinted it may intervene to weaken the currency, to keep the recovery of Japan's export-led economy on track and stave off a double-dip recession.

Philippine politician charged with murder over Mindanao massacre

Updated 27/11/2009 21:01:15

A member of the powerful southern Philippines Ampatuan family has been charged with murder over Monday's massacre on Mindanao island. Andal Ampatuan Junior, who until this week was an ally of President Gloria Arroyo, turned himself in yesterday, denying involvement in the brutal killings of members of a rival political family and a group of journalists. Ahead of the charge, more details were revealed about the 57 murders at an emotional press conference given by the Justice Secretary, Agnes Devanadera, in Manila. She said eyewitnesses allege that soldiers and police were among the group of around 100 gunmen responsible for the slaughter.

NZ declares war on Australian possums

Updated 27/11/2009 20:19:45

Australia and New Zealand are long-time rivals on cricket pitches and rugby ovals, where the rough and rumble's usually over and done with at the end of play, but possums are a different matter. New Zealanders have never forgiven Australia for the possum. Introduced 150 years ago in a bid to set up a domestic fur industry, possums have been catastrophic for New Zealand's environment, and over the past two decades there's been a massive effort to halve the possum population.

Muslims prepare to celebrate Eid al-Adha

Updated 27/11/2009 20:19:46

This weekend Muslims around the world will be celebrating Eid al-Adha, the holiday marking the end of the Hajj, the traditional pilgrimage to Mecca. Known as the Festival of the Sacrifice, Eid al-Adha commemorates the obedience of the Prophet Ibrahim when Allah ordered him to sacrifice his son. As with religious festivals the world over, it's a time to visit familiy and friends.

India's Reliance looks to become world's largest chemical firm

Updated 26/11/2009 20:48:25

India's biggest private company, Reliance Industries, is hoping to achieve its global ambitions by buying a bankrupt European chemical and fuel business. Reliance is a major oil and gas explorer and producer of petrochemicals and textiles. Its takeover target is Lyondell-Basell, a Netherlands based petrochemical and biofuel company. And the price tag for Reliance to become the world's largest chemical company could run as high as $US12 billion.

India remembers Mumbai's day of terror

Updated 26/11/2009 20:48:25

The people of India's financial capital Mumbai have observed the first anniversary of last year's deadly bombings. In a show of strength, a police parade was staged in the city centre, marking a year to the day since 10 heavily armed gunmen attacked Mumbai's central railway station, a restaurant, a Jewish centre and two luxury hotels.

China, US leaders to attend UN climate summit

Updated 26/11/2009 20:48:25

China's Premier Wen Jiabao is the latest world leader to confirm he'll be attending next month's UN climate summit in Copenhagen. Premier Wen will be pushing Beijing's position - that developing countries shouldn't be subject to imposed targets - which is a critical obstacle to any legally binding deal. He'll be joining 58 other heads of state, including US President Barack Obama, who'll be armed with new targets for cuts to America's greenhouse gas emissions. Mr Obama has called Australia's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to Washington next week for talks on the issue, making use of Mr Rudd's role as a "friend of the chair" at Copenhagen.

China builds replica NZ city to woo tourists

Updated 26/11/2009 20:48:23

An unusual project is underway in northern China. to build a replica of a New Zealand city. Private investors from both countries have begun work on what will be the "New Zealand Gardens Qufu Project" in China's Shandong Province. The idea is to encourage more Chinese tourists to visit the "Land of the Long White Cloud".

Wal Mart's China suppliers accused of employee abuses

Updated 26/11/2009 20:48:23

The American retail giant Wal Mart has run into trouble in China again, after some of its suppliers were accused of serious abuses against their workers. An investigation by China Labour Watch has found several factories failing to implement Wal-Mart's basic work standards. The investigation unearthed claims that employees often faced wage freezes, low pay, and were allegedly forced to lie to auditors about working conditions. Wal Mart has been accused in the past of seeking to import its well-known opposition to labour unions in the United States, to China. The company says it is taking the allegations seriously, and has launched its own investigation.

India to face serious water shortage by 2030

Updated 25/11/2009 20:33:25

India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been visiting the United States, where he signed a deal with President Obama to strengthen cooperation on climate change. India is already the world's fourth largest greenhouse gas emitter, and that's expected to grow as its economy continues to expand. But a new report puts India at the forefront of another serious challenge - a scarcity of water. It warns that without concerted action, the subcontinent won't be able to meet half its water needs by 2030. In neighbouring China, demand will outstrip supply by 25 per cent. While these problems are already well known, the report differs in having been written largely by multi-national companies, who've offered a range of solutions.

Obama to reveal Afghan strategy after Thanksgiving

Updated 25/11/2009 20:33:25

US President Barack Obama has promised to reveal his new strategy for the war in Afghanistan after the coming Thanksgiving long weekend. Mr Obama was speaking after a final meeting on the issue with his national security team. He's been urged for months by both his top military commander in Afghanistan and foreign allies to send more troops. American public opinion polls show dwindling support for the conflict, which President Obama once called a "war of necessity".

Police name Arroyo ally as suspected massacre mastermind

Updated 25/11/2009 20:33:25

Philippine President Gloria Arroyo is under enormous pressure to prosecute a close political ally, whom police have named as the top suspect in Monday's massacre in Mindanao. Police allege that Andal Ampatuan Junior masterminded the attack, in which 52 people were brutally murdered on their way to file candidate papers for next year's elections. Mr Ampatuan is a local mayor on Mindanao, and a member of an influential family that's long had ties with the president. He hasn't been arrested or formally charged, but police allege he led the estimated 100 gunmen who abducted and killed the relatives and aides of a rival politician, along with a group of journalists. President Arroyo's pledged to hunt the killers down and bring them to justice.

Falun Gong marks 10 years of being banned in China

Updated 25/11/2009 20:33:23

Falun Gong practitioners are marking ten years since China banned the spiritual and exercise movement as a national security threat, in the wake of a mass demonstration by adherents in Beijing in April of 1999. Thousands have since been detained, tortured and killed. Advocates say the bodies of dead Falun Gong practitioners remain the key source of organs for the booming domestic trade in illegal transplants. But there are signs that actions by foreign governments, and by authorities in Beijing, are beginning to improve matters.

Aid groups: Refugees 'languishing in Malaysian camps'

Updated 25/11/2009 20:33:23

As Australia steps up pressure on its Asian neighbours to reduce the number of people seeking to enter this country illegally by boat, the Malaysian government is under pressure to demonstrate its commitment to stemming the human tide. Many refugees from east Asia pass through Malaysia, especially people fleeing Burma, and the United States has listed that country as one of the worst offenders in the region for human trafficking and smuggling.

Indian parliament in uproar over Ayodhya report leak

Updated 24/11/2009 21:06:54

The Indian government has formally tabled an inquiry into the demolition of the Babri Masjid mosque in Uttar Pradesh, after leaked excerpts implicated opposition MPs in the attack. The mosque was destroyed in 1992 by Hindu extremists, and more than 2,000 people died in subsequent nationwide riots. The government has had the official inquiry's report since June, and was planning to table it in parliament next month. However, it was hastily presented it today, after a national newspaper published leaked excerpts accusing senior BJP figures of a role in the mosque's destruction.

Indonesian president under fire over anti-graft inquiry

Updated 24/11/2009 21:06:54

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's attempt to calm public anger over a corruption scandal has been dubbed a failure. The President has been responding to an independent report he commissioned, which roundly criticised police and the attorney-general for bringing trumped-up charges against two senior members of the national Anti-corruption Commission. Critics branded the President's nationally televised speech weak and ineffective and the affair is threatening to destabilise his second term in office. However, the head of the investigating team has come out in support of President Yudhoyono.

Sri Lanka to allow displaced civilians to return home

Updated 24/11/2009 21:06:54

Sri Lanka has promised to free nearly 140,000 Tamil civilians being held in detention camps by Tuesday next week, and to close the controversial facilities down altogether by the end of January. Last week the UN's humanitarian chief John Holmes paid a visit to Sri Lanka, and urged the resettlement process to be speeded up. Around 300,000 Tamils were forced into the squalid camps, during the last brutal months of the military's campaign against the Tamil Tiger rebels. Around half have gone home, but up to now Colombo had been resisting freeing the rest, saying it wanted to weed out any former rebels, and clear landmines from villages and towns in the north-east.

Emergency rule in southern Philippines after massacre

Updated 24/11/2009 21:06:54

The Philippine President Gloria Arroyo has placed parts of the country's south under emergency rule after the massacre of at least 39 people yesterday. Security forces have been given free rein in Maguindanao province and surrounding areas of southern Mindanao island, to hunt for gunmen who attacked people as they travelled to file candidate papers for next year's elections. Many Filippinos are used to the long history of sectarian violence in the south but Monday's murders were evidently sparked by a political feud.

Early Australian builders praised for sustainable approach

Updated 24/11/2009 21:06:51

In Australia, a new exhibition called "Built for the bush: the green architecture of rural Australia" is praising the approach of early rural settlers. The exhibition is on show here until mid-2011, and its curator says modern architects are learning a lot from early rural homes.

Australian government seals political deal on climate change

Updated 24/11/2009 21:06:51

The Australian government has sealed a political deal which it hopes will get its long-delayed climate change legislation through parliament. After five weeks of negotiations, Canberra has agreed to give billions more dollars in compensation to the country's biggest polluters, in exchange for decisive opposition votes in the Senate. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says the deal will help protect Australia from climate change, while safeguarding jobs and the economy. But green activists have accused the government of turning its back on both developing countries and future generations.

Price of gold spikes

Updated 23/11/2009 20:46:34

The continuing weakness of the US dollar and worries about the world's largest economy are driving up the price of gold. Gold was fetching more than 1,164 US dollars an ounce in Hong Kong today, a jump of around twenty dollars from its last closing price, on Friday.

Fiji defends broadcast changes

Updated 23/11/2009 20:46:34

Fiji's military backed interim government has attacked critics, who've described its latest decree, as a further restriction on freedom of speech. Last week the interim government promulgated a decree revoking broadcast licences. Right now TV and radio stations are still on air on temporary licences, but there's no certainty they'll be awarded one in the future.

Ferry sinking kills dozens in Indonesia

Updated 23/11/2009 20:46:35

A ferry in Indonesia has sunk in heavy seas, killing 29 people and again raising questions about the country's maritime safety standards.

Praise for China's expanding peacekeeping role

Updated 23/11/2009 20:46:35

China continues to win praise as it aims to expand the already significant role it plays in United Nations peacekeeping. Last week, Beijing hosted what's been described as an unprecedented conference on international peacekeeping.

Massive Nepali animal slaughter condemned

Updated 23/11/2009 20:46:34

Thousands of Hindu devotees have flocked to a village in Nepal ahead of this week's planned sacrifice of around half a million animals in a ceremony condemned by animal rights activists, including French actress Brigitte Bardot.

Priests are preparing for the slaughter of more than 15,000 buffaloes and 300,000 birds, goats and sheep during the event, which starts Tuesday and is thought to be the biggest ritual sacrifice anywhere in the world. Nepal's government has refused to put a stop to what it says is a centuries old religious tradition.

Taiwan offer university places to Chinese students

Updated 23/11/2009 20:46:34

In another sign of improving relations, Taiwan has announced it'll allow Chinese students to attend its universities.

Report: Conflict and financial crisis 'drivers of corruption'

Updated 20/11/2009 20:31:00

The latest edition of Transparency International's "Corruption Index" has found that instability and the global financial crisis are both driving factors in political corruption and how it's perceived by ordinary citizens. Included in the global survey of 180 nations, are 32 Asian and Pacific states. Topping the list, in terms of being seen by their citizens as least corrupt, are affluent and conflict-free nations like New Zealand and Singapore, while languishing at the bottom are Afghanistan, Burma and Laos.

Australian charity says more needs to be done to protect world's child

Updated 20/11/2009 20:31:00

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the children's charity ChildFund Australia has produced a short film on children's rights.

Twenty years of UN children's rights convention

Updated 20/11/2009 20:31:00

Today marks the 20th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Nearly every country on the globe has signed the convention. Only two members of the United Nations - the USA and Somalia - haven't ratified it. Children's rights groups say the treaty has protected millions of children, but human rights agencies say much more needs to be done if the world's children are to enjoy all the Convention's provisions.

Tonga Royal Commission in recess till December

Updated 20/11/2009 20:31:00

The captain of the Tongan ferry that sank in August, killing 74 people, has told a Royal Commission into the disaster that the vessel was so corroded, its sides were like paper. The condition of the vessel has been just one of many questions raised at the inquiry into the sinking, one of Tonga's worst ever disasters at sea.

Australian ministers criticised over Oceanic Viking detentions

Updated 20/11/2009 20:31:01

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has repeatedly pledged his government won't imprison women and children asylum seekers, distancing himself from the approach of his predecessor, John Howard, but his ministers are having to defend their position, because the Sri Lankan Tamil women and children recently disembarked from an Australian customs vessel in Indonesia, are locked up. Amnesty International says that under international norms, children especially should never be put in detention, and has urged Australia to act on the case quickly.

Rural Australia runs short of governesses

Updated 20/11/2009 20:30:55

Outback Australia's shortage of skilled workers is well known, but few may know that one of the professions in demand in regional communities is that of the governess. Families on remote stations rely on live-in teachers to educate their children.

Debate continues over Australian handling of Oceanic Viking

Updated 19/11/2009 20:56:06

There has been intense debate in Australia over how Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's government handled the month-long saga of the 78 Sri Lankan asylum seekers who spent a month moored off Indonesia on the Australian ship, the Oceanic Viking. The Sri Lankans have all now disembarked and are being processed by the UN, but tempers on both sides of Australian politics are still running high. The government's critics insist the incident has soured bilateral ties with Jakarta, especially after Indonesia's president cancelled this weekend's trip to Australia, East Timor and Papua.

Obama and Lee urge resumption of North Korea talks

Updated 19/11/2009 20:56:06

US President Barack Obama has wound up his landmark Asian tour, with talks in Seoul with his South Korean counterpart Lee Myung-Bak. President Lee called the meeting "fruitful and honest", and said relations between the two allies are stronger than ever. The two leaders agreed to revive a languishing free trade deal their governments signed two years ago but have yet to ratify. Not surprisingly, however, given the recent tensions on the Korean peninsula, North Korea's nuclear program dominated the meeting. Mr Obama used their joint press conference to confirm that Washington's special envoy, Stephen Bosworth, will hold direct talks with North Korea's military leaders early next month.

Afghanistan: Karzai sworn in for second presidential term

Updated 19/11/2009 20:56:06

The Afghan President Hamid Karzai was sworn in today for a second five-year term, promising to fight corruption and put August's fraud-ridden elections behind him. Despite a UN-backed probe declaring a third of the votes he won in the August 20 elections were fake, Mr Karzai was declared the winner of the polls, after his main rival Abdullah Abdullah pulled out of second-round elections. Today's ceremony was held under tight security in front of hundreds of foreign and Afghan dignitaries.

UN: Poor sanitation a killer in developing countries

Updated 19/11/2009 20:56:05

November 19th is World Toilet Day, and while it may be an amusing name for an international day, it highlights the serious issue of sanitation. In East Timor, for example, around 1,000 babies and young children die every year due to poor sanitation and a lack of access to clean water. Australia is currently shifting $A300 million dollars of its international aid budget to provide clean water, toilets and sanitation services.

Vietnam to hold $US1 billion government bond sale

Updated 19/11/2009 20:56:05

With interest rates at record lows and stock markets around the world still looking shaky, governments all over the world are competing to attract big investment dollars, and Vietnam has entered the race, saying it will issue government bonds with a view to raising $US1 billion. Hanoi said it plans to spend the proceeds of the sale on major public infrastructure such as roads. It is only the second time Vietnam has tried to sell bonds - the first issue was four years ago - and if it goes well, Vietnam's bond sale will add to the near record level of emerging market debt this year.

UN: Too many women dying in childbirth in Asia-Pacific

Updated 18/11/2009 20:38:00

The United Nations Population Fund has put out its annual State of the World Population report, which focuses on the human dimensions of climate change, and in particular its effects on women. Globally, the report highlights persistently high levels of maternal mortality, and it warns that changes in the earth's climate will only add to the burden for the poor. It singles out some of Australia's closest neighbours - East Timor and Papua New Guinea - where high numbers of women die in childbirth.

Hong Kong unveils long-awaited democracy blueprint

Updated 18/11/2009 20:38:00

There's been outrage today in Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement, after the city's pro-China legislature unveiled its long-awaited blueprint for political reform. Currently, Hong Kong's Chief Executive is voted for by an 800-member committee stacked with Beijing loyalists. Voting for half the seats in the Legislative Council is similarly restricted to pro-China groups. Two years ago, Beijing bowed to public pressure and laid out a timetable to change the current voting structure.

Anti-war protests ahead of Obama's South Korea visit

Updated 18/11/2009 20:38:00

A group of anti-war demonstrators has staged a protest in the South Korean capital Seoul, ahead of US President Barack Obama's arrival in the country. The protestors were voicing their anger at Seoul's plans to re-deploy troops in Afghanistan. Mr Obama, who's just wound up a landmark visit to China, is to meet South Korea's leaders for talks expected to focus heavily on North Korea, which tested a nuclear weapon earlier this year. Climate change and trade issues will also be high on the agenda. As with China, there are few expectations that the talks might yield any major agreements.

Australian opposition anger at India-Canada uranium deal

Updated 18/11/2009 20:37:48

Australia's federal opposition is complaining of what it calls a colossal missed opportunity for Australia, after it was revealsed that Canada is soon to resume uranium sales to India. The Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has visited New Delhi to sign a series of agreements on trade and energy, and he has also announced a new civilian nuclear deal with India, which will include big new uranium sales.

How well prepared is Australia for 2009 bushfire season?

Updated 18/11/2009 20:37:48

After issuing a "catastrophic" fire warnings for the first time today, Australian authorities were relieved no bushfires broke out in areas covered by the warning. Despite searing temperatures and strong winds, the two northern districts of the state of South Australia remained safe. But there are concerns about whether Australians properly understand the new national warning system. And, after the damage wreaked by Victoria's "Black Saturday" bushfires in February, experts are warning the state could be in for another devastating fire season.

Afghanistan president establishes anti-corruption agency

Updated 17/11/2009 20:42:37

Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai has established a new anti-corruption unit, ahead of his swearing-in on Thursday. Analysts say he'll have to work hard in his second five-year term in office, if he's to restore shattered faith abroad in his leadership. Once lauded by the international community, Mr Karzai's first term was marred by deteriorating security and endemic corruption. He is also still trying to leave behind the damage done to his reputation of fraud allegations that surrounded August's presidential election.

Indonesian President under pressure to act on corruption inquiry findi

Updated 17/11/2009 20:42:37

Much was made in Australia today of a decision by Indonesia's President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, to cancel a forthcoming visit here. The Australian Foreign Minister, Stephen Smith, rejected media suggestions that the cancellation might be related to the standoff that ended today between Canberra and Jakarta, after the last 56 Sri Lankans aboard an Australian customs ship agreed to disembark in Indonesia. Mr Yudhoyono's spokesman, Dino Patti Djalal, said the president had scheduling difficulties.

Cordial US-China talks produce little

Updated 17/11/2009 20:42:37

The presidents of China and the United States have met in Beijing without any major breakthrough on climate change or trade friction between the two nations. However, President Hu Jintao and President Barack Obama did agree to cooperate on fighting protectionism and ending the global economic crisis. They also promised to cooperate to get a firm agreement at next month's UN climate summit in Copenhagen.

Australian efforts to save Tasmanian Devil 'not working'

Updated 17/11/2009 20:42:34

Earlier this month there was the unsettling news that Australia's iconic koalas may die out in the wild within a few decades. Now it has emerged that a plan aimed at saving the Tasmanian Devil has run off the rails. The idea behind the "Save the Tasmanian Devil Program" was to catch 1,500 healthy animals and move them to wildlife sanctuaries and zoos, but four years on, only two-hundred have been caught.

Aung San Suu Kyi seeks direct talks with Burmese leader

Updated 17/11/2009 20:42:34

In Burma, detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has written to the head of the military regime, seeking direct talks. Ms Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party has confirmed that she has asked to meet General Than Shwe, with whom she hasn't held a one-to-one meeting in seven years. Her letter follows a recent visit by two senior US diplomats, as part of Washington's new policy of engagement with the isolated military government.

UN warns of fresh food price crisis

Updated 16/11/2009 21:31:43

The United Nations World Food Summit is underway in Rome, and more than 60 heads of state are there, but the majority are from countries in need of help, rather than those in a position to give. The host nation's Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, is the only head of state attending from the G8 group of nations, and there's frustration at the summit that the very real risk of another food price crisis isn't getting enough attention.

Japanese economy emerges from recession

Updated 16/11/2009 21:31:43

Japan's worst recession on record may be nearing its end, with the economy posting a second straight quarter of positive growth. It's the strongest growth in more than two years, and comes on the back of rebounding exports and massive stimulus spending. But some economists warn Japan needs to keep up its stimulus spending to sustain a recovery, and that it may not have enough money.

Obama: China and US are not 'predestined adversaries'

Updated 16/11/2009 21:31:43

Both the US President Barack Obama and his Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are in China, laying out what Washington sees as the future of its relationship with Beijing. In a speech to university students in Shanghai, Mr Obama praised his hosts for lifting millions out of poverty. But he said the US sees the rights to freedom of expression and worship, access to information and political participation, as universal rights. Mr Obama's next stop is Beijing, where he'll meet President Hu Jintao on Tuesday.

PM makes historic apology to 'Forgotten Australians'

Updated 16/11/2009 21:31:42

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has issued an historic apology to around half a million people known as the "Forgotten Australians". These are children who grew up in government-run institutions and foster care from the 1920s until 1970. Most were orphans or disadvantaged Australians, but around 7,000 were British children sent here under the so-called Child Migrants Program, a British policy to send what was seen as "good white stock" to former colonies. Many received little education, and were often physically or sexually abused.

Former Sri Lankan army chief likely to stand in 2010 polls

Updated 16/11/2009 21:31:42

Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse has put off a widely anticipated announcement of dates for next year's presidential and parliamentary elections. He didn't give a reason, but it follows the resignation on Friday of army chief General Sarath Fonseka, who's considered likely to enter politics and stand against Mr Rajapakse.

UN praises Vietnam and Indonesia for effective anti-hunger policies

Updated 13/11/2009 21:06:34

Despite decades of effort and vast sums in aid and development financing, this year the number of people without enough to eat has peaked for the first time above one billion, two-thirds of whom live in Asia and the Pacific. Next week the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation will host a World Summit on Food Security, bringing 60 heads of state together to discuss how to bring the numbers down.

Asian business leaders frustrated over world trade deal

Updated 13/11/2009 21:06:34

The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit gets underway in earnest this weekend in Singapore. Ahead of the formal leaders' meeting, CEOs and business leaders have held a pre-APEC meeting in Singapore, where they expressed frustration over the failure of politicians to seal a new world trade deal. Singapore's Prime Minister has talked up plans for a trans-Pacific free trade area, saying it could deliver big economic gains, while Chinese President Hu Jintao made a much-anticipated appearance and speech at the meeting.

Australian PM's Indian visit dominated by student attacks

Updated 13/11/2009 21:06:34

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has wrapped up a short visit to India before travelling on to Singapore for this weekeend's APEC summit. Mr Rudd signed a new security pact and several other bilateral deals with New Delhi, but his visit was dominated by questions about whether Australia's doing enough to protect Indian students.

Pakistan's intelligence agency targeted by suicide bomber

Updated 13/11/2009 21:06:34

A suspected Taliban suicide bomber has struck Pakistan's intelligence agency headquarters in the north-west city of Peshawar. The blast destroyed most of the three-story ISI building, killing at least twelve people and dozens of others. The attack is the latest in a relentless onslaught in and around Peshawar. Analysts say civilians are being subjected to a deadly form of psychological warfare, that's seeking to undermine support for Islamabad's all-out offensive against the Taliban.

Australian scientists announce breast reconstruction 'breakthrough'

Updated 13/11/2009 21:06:34

With invasive or aggressive cancers, doctors sometimes have no choice but to remove a woman's breast altogether, in an operation called a mastectomy. Afterwards women can go for reconstructive surgery - with the two main options these days being an artificial implant, or using skin and muscle from elsewhere on the body. Now, though, a group of Australian scientists have invented a third method - it involves using a breast-shaped piece of biodegradeable plastic, which can be put inside the body with some of the woman's own fat cells in it. The fat cells multiply, the plastic breaks down - and within a few months, the result is a relatively natural-looking breast. Animal trials at the Bernard O'Brien Institute of Microsurgery in Melbourne have all gone well, and human trials start next year.

Despite new jobs, Australian unemployment still rising

Updated 12/11/2009 20:59:35

Australia can boast having added nearly 25,000 new jobs to the labour force in October. But most of the new jobs are part-time, and overall unemployment actually rose slightly from 5.7 to 5.8 per cent. Nonetheless, Australia's still in considerably better shape than most industrial countries, where jobless rates are still rising rapidly. And most, Australia included, are sticking to the collective agreement to maintain stimulus spending to support economic growth.

US President to begin maiden Asian visit

Updated 12/11/2009 20:59:35

US President Barack Obama is travelling to Japan tomorrow for the start of his first Asian visit since he took office. From Japan he will move on to attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Singapore, and later visit China and South Korea. The US has critical security and economic concerns in the region, but analysts say they don't hold out much hope of significant headway being made on issues like the North Korean nuclear stand-off during Mr Obama's nine-day tour.

Australia considering extra aid for Burma

Updated 12/11/2009 20:59:36

In the wake of Hillary Clinton's call yesterday for ASEAN states to put more pressure on Burma to hold democratic elections, Australia's Foreign Minister Stephen Smith Smith says Canberra is considering extending development assistance to Rangoon. It would represent a step beyond existing humanitarian aid, and would aim to both assist impoverished Burmese, and send a signal to the military government about the benefits of international support.

Thousands of Maoist activists block Nepal government offices

Updated 12/11/2009 20:59:36

Riot police in the Nepali capital Kathmandu have used tear gas and batons to disperse thousands of Maoists demonstrating against the government. For almost two weeks there have been demonstrations almost daily across Nepal by the Maoists. They have been seeking to destabilise the coalition government which replaced a Maoist-led administration in May.

Health gap 'not closing' for indigenous Australians

Updated 12/11/2009 20:51:00

The Australian Medical Association has just put out its annual report card on the state of indigenous health. Despite firm government policies on closing the gap in lifespans between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians, Aboriginal people - and men in particular - are still much more likely than average to get sick or die from illnesses that are easily preventable. The AMA says that's partly down to patchy access to medical services, but it also calls for community-based programs to help indigenous boys and men develop a stronger sense of purpose and pride in themselves and in the value of their lives.

Disease outbreaks strike flooded Philippine villages

Updated 11/11/2009 21:03:57

Five weeks after Typhoon Ketsana, and having weathered two more typhoons since then, tens of thousands of Filippinos are still living in flooded villages and towns. The storms themselves affected nearly a million people and caused around 1,100 deaths. Now the World Health Organisation says it is battling severe disease outbreaks, including the bacterial illness leptospirosis.

China's Hu Jintao concludes trade, economic deals with Malaysia

Updated 11/11/2009 21:03:58

China's President Hu Jintao has made a state to Malaysia, where he signed several new economic and trade deals. It was the first Malaysian visit by a Chinese leader in 15 years, and is an indication of the growing links between China and the rest of South East Asia.

US pressures ASEAN nations to push for Burmese elections

Updated 11/11/2009 21:03:58

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has arrived in Singapore for APEC meetings, and immediately moved to ramp up pressure on ASEAN nations to do more about Burma. She says Burma's harsh military rule is a cause of regional instability, and singled out China, Thailand and India as being in a position to encourage Rangoon to hold free and fair elections next year.

Editor of groundbreaking Chinese magazine Caijing quits

Updated 11/11/2009 21:03:57

China's international reputation for media freedom sank further this week, after Hu Shuli resigned as editor from the groundbreaking magazine Caijing, which she founded 11 years ago. Caijing won a strong domestic and international readership, after breaking the news of the official cover-up of the 2003 SARS outbreak. It also angered Chinese leaders for reporting on the shoddy construction of schools which collapsed in last year's earthquake.

India to open Bhopal disaster site to visitors

Updated 11/11/2009 21:03:57

India will mark the 25th anniversary of the world's worst industrial accident by throwing open the disaster site to visitors. More than 3,000 people died when a pesticide plant in Bhopal city leaked cyanide gas on December the 3rd, 1984. Rights groups estimate more than 20,000 more died in the disaster's aftermath.

Business leaders urge APEC to move on trade deal

Updated 10/11/2009 07:06:45

World leaders will converge on Singapore this weekend for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. But business leaders are already in town for one of the biggest business gatherings in APEC's 20-year history. The 800 executives are holding their own summit alongside APEC, and in the coming days they'll be addressed by a record number of national leaders, including US President Barack Obama. But the CEOs and trade leaders also expect to be listened to, and have already demanded that a regional free trade agreement be set in train by next year.

Japan's centre-left government losing favour with voters

Updated 10/11/2009 07:06:46

Two months after being elected, Japan's centre-left government appears to be losing its shine for voters. The latest opinion poll shows support for the government has dropped eight percentage points in the last month. Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama took office with the economy in its deepest throes of recession, and is having to confront a spiralling deficit. Public anger is also on the rise, over a controversial US military base, and over unanswered questions surrounding Mr Hatoyama's political fundraising.

Thailand to seek Thaksin's extradition from Cambodia

Updated 10/11/2009 07:06:46

Thailand's former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is in Cambodia, starting work for Prime Minister Hun Sen as an economic advisor. Mr Thaksin hasn't been this close to home since fleeing Thailand just over two years ago while facing corruption charges on which he was convicted in absentia. His acceptance of Hun Sen's job offer has driven relations between Phnom Penh and Bangkok to fresh lows, with both countries withdrawing their respective ambassadors, and Thailand threatening to close their shared border.

Korean navies clash on disputed ocean border

Updated 10/11/2009 07:06:46

Tensions on the Korean pensinula have been brewing for months, and today exploded into a military clash between North and South Korea. According to South Korea's Yonhap news agency, a North Korean patrol boat crossed a disputed border in the Yellow Sea, prompting the South Korean navy to fire at it - first in warning, then for real. No casualties were reported during a subsequent exchange of fire, but the North Korean ship appears to have sustained heavy damage.

Australian PM begins fence-building visit to India

Updated 10/11/2009 07:06:45

Australia's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is visiting India, with a view to improving ties with the sub-continent. It follows efforts by state and national ministers to repair damage to the international student sector. As colleges catering to international students continue to collapse, Indian students say Mr Rudd faces a huge task, and that it is one he can't afford to fail. Others say Australia has long neglected its economic and strategic relationship with India, and that Mr Rudd's visit should focus on that.

India may soon withdraw economic stimulus measures

Updated 09/11/2009 13:51:28

India might be the first economy to withdraw its economic stimulus measures according to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Speaking to the World Economic Forum in New Delhi at the weekend, Mr Singh said the Indian economy had a good chance of growing by 7 per cent next year. There've also been positive indications from Singapore and Australia that a permanent reversal in the downturn may not be far away, although G20 leaders have agreed to keep pumping in stimulus funds until a full recovery is assured.

Presenter: Karon Snowdon
Speakers: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh; Adit Jain, Chairman, IMA-India; Phil Lowe, Assistant Governor, Reserve Bank of Australia

Thousands welcome Dalai Lama's visit to eastern Indian state

Updated 09/11/2009 13:51:28

Thousands of Buddhists have flocked to a remote monastry in India's easternmost-state of Arunachal Pradesh, to hear an address by Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, who began a week-long visit to the state yesterday.

Arunachal Pradesh shares a border with Tibet and while the state is governed by India, it is also claimed by China. The Dalai Lama and the Indian government insist his presence there is non-political, but it has soured relations with China, which has called the visit a provocation. Border tensions were already inflamed after India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh paid a visit last month during regional elections.

Australian Foreign Minister calls for international cooperation on peo

Updated 09/11/2009 13:51:28

Australia's foreign minister Stephen Smith is in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo, where he's met the country's president and foreign minister as part of broader efforts aimed at reducing the number of asylum seekers coming from the country. Mr Smith emphasised the problem of people-smuggling, and said it could only be reduced through international cooperation.

Meantime there is a continuing stalemate over the situation of 78 Sri Lankan Tamil asylum seekers onboard an Australian customs ship in Indonesian waters. With the stand-off now entering a fourth week, Australia's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is expected to raise the asylum seeker issue with regional leaders at this weekend's APEC summit in Singapore.

Radio Australia launches Burmese service

Updated 09/11/2009 13:51:27

There's a new Radio Australia voice in the region, with the launch today of our new Burmese service. The news and information service started this morning, with a half-hour broadcast at 5.30 Rangoon time, with three more repeats in the morning, on shortwave, online and via satellite.

Presenter: Sen Lam
Speaker: Hanh Tranh, chief executive, ABC Radio Australia

Thaksin Shinawatra threatened with extradition from Cambodia

Updated 09/11/2009 13:51:28

Thailand says it will seek to extradite former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, if he arrives as expected in Cambodia later this week. Mr Thaksin, who's on the run from a graft conviction at home, has accepted an economic advisory role with the Cambodian government. That has infuriated authorities in Bangkok, who believe he'll use the post to further incite his supporters in Thailand. Mr Thaksin is already engaged in a vigorous online campaign, posting every few minutes on Twitter, where he has more than 40,000 followers. Observers say the use of the internet is escalating in Thailand's internal political struggle.

Presenter: Linda Mottram, Canberra Correspondent
Speaker: Nicholas Farrelly, South East Asia specialist, Australian National University, Canberra

Closer ties ahead for China and African nations

Updated 06/11/2009 20:48:03

Leaders from China and African nations will attend a three-day summit in Egypt starting Sunday. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will meet finance and foreign ministers from 50 countries in the resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh. Beijing is rapidly expanding its economic ties on the African continent, and with that has come increasing political influence.

Australian PM criticises climate change 'deniers'

Updated 06/11/2009 20:48:03

Regional leaders will head to Singapore this weekend for the APEC meeting, and among them will be Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. The Australian leader is engaged in a domestic political battle over carbon reduction legislation. Australia was among developed nations heavily criticised by African leaders at this week's UN climate change talks in Barcelona. Today Mr Rudd used a speech to the Lowy Institute for International Affairs in Sydney to restate his government's climate change credentials, and to savage climate change deniers.

APEC summit to call for sweeping carbon emission cuts

Updated 06/11/2009 20:48:03

Asian and Pacific leaders preparing to meet in Singapore next weekend are expected to issue a call for sweeping cuts to greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The news agency AFP has obtained a draft communique from the forthcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, or APEC Summit, which starts on November 14.

Octogenarian teaches urban Australians about shearing

Updated 06/11/2009 20:48:03

Des de Bell is an 80-year-old sheep shearer, whose family's been involved with this very Australian occupation since 1817. Des has worked all over the world, shearing sheep from New Zealand to Russia. Now he's retired, and he's devoting his twilight years to teaching city folk what shearing is all about.

Fijian politician slams government news censorship

Updated 06/11/2009 20:48:03

A senior politician from Fiji has weighed into the controversy over this week's tit-for-tat expulsions of the Australian and New Zealand high commisioners to Fiji, and their Fijian counterparts in Canberra and Wellington. Since the scrapping of the constitution in April, all Fiji's news media have been prevented from publishing or broadcasting anything that's critical of the interim government. Now the General Secretary of Fiji's National Federation Party Pramod Rae has spoken out, saying the military government is doing itself serious damage at home with its policy of silencing dissenting voices.

US 'ready to improve ties' with Burma

Updated 05/11/2009 22:03:04

The United States says it's ready to improve ties with Burma if the military junta there makes substantive progress on a return to democracy. The announcement came after talks yesterday between Burma's detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and Prime Minister Thein Sein, and the US Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and his deputy Scot Marciel.

Thailand withdraws ambassador from Cambodia over Thaksin row

Updated 05/11/2009 22:03:04

Relations between Thailand and Cambodia have hit a fresh low, with Thailand withdrawing its ambassador from Phnom Penh. The rift is over the convicted former Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, and his strong relationship with the Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. Hun Sen has offered sanctuary to Mr Thaksin, who's been in exile for most of the past three years since he was ousted in a military coup. And the Cambodian leader has gone even further, offering Mr Thaksin a job as an economic advisor... and telling Bangkok that he would refuse any extradition request for Mr Thaksin.

UN insists it will 'stay the distance' in Afghanistan

Updated 05/11/2009 22:03:05

The UN's staff in Afghanistan work for a broad range of agencies, including the World Food Program, the UN Development Program, and the Food and Agriculture Organisation. The UN's spokesman in Kabul, Dan McNorton, says only those staff who are non-critical to ongoing operations will be relocated, and stressed that the UN sees today's decision as a purely temporary measure.

UN relocate hundreds of staff in Afghanistan over security concerns

Updated 05/11/2009 22:03:05

The United Nations says it will relocate more than half its staff in Afghanistan in the wake of last week's suicide bombing of a guesthouse which killed five UN staff. The UN insists it remains committed to its work in the country, but its senior officials have complained of being increasingly treated as a soft target, and on Monday almost all work in northwest Afghanistan was put on hold for the foreseeable future. Today's announcement means hundreds of UN staffers will be moved to safer places, in many cases outside the country.

East Timor fears oil rig slick may pollute its shores

Updated 05/11/2009 22:03:03

East Timor says it will seek compensation from Australia if its waters or shores are polluted by oil from a leaking oil rig. The West Atlas Rig spewed gas and oil into the Timor Sea for 10 weeks, producing a massive ocean slick before the spill was brought to a halt earlier this week. East Timor's president says there are concerns the oilslick may enter his country's domestic waters, and says if that happens he'll be seeking compensation from Australia, and calling on the rig's Thai owners to pay for damages.

Senior Indonesian officials resign over corruption scandal

Updated 05/11/2009 22:03:03

Two members of Indonesia's police and judiciary have resigned, bowing to growing public outrage, in the wake of allegations they were involved in a conspiracy to frame two leaders of Indonesia's anti-corruption commission, the KPK. The resignations were announced today of Susno Duadji, the national police's detective chief, and the deputy attorney general, Abdul Hakim Ritonga.

World Bank warns China's dominance masks lasting economic problems

Updated 04/11/2009 20:52:34

In its latest economic update for the East Asia and Pacific, the World Bank has heaped praise on the region's swift rebound from the global financial crisis. But the Bank notes that China's obvious role in leading the reversal is masking problems related to growth and viability elsewhere in the region.

China signs historic LNG deal with Papua New Guinea

Updated 04/11/2009 20:52:34

China has signed an agreement to buy 40 million tons of liquefied natural gas from Papua New Guinea. The deal was finalised during a three-day visit to PNG by Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang. Under the deal, the Chinese firm Sinopec has confirmed with the partners in the PNG-LNG project that it will buy two million tons of gas a year for 20 years. The deal means PNG has a full-house of buyers for the ExxonMobil-led project.

Rising casualties in Vietnam from Tropical Storm Mirinae

Updated 04/11/2009 20:52:34

To Vietnam now, where officials say severe floods caused by Tropical Storm Mirinae have killed at least 90 people and left more than 200,000 stranded. The storm struck the Philippines with typhoon force at the weekend. It weakened a little as it crossed the South China Sea, but has still brought the worst flooding in 40 years to parts of central Vietnam. It is the third major storm for the region in five weeks, and the onslaught is testing disaster management plans across the region.

Afghanistan's re-elected President Karzai struggles to emerge from pol

Updated 04/11/2009 20:52:34

Afghanistan's president Hamid Karzai is struggling to emerge from the cloud of a hotly disputed election process. His former rival Abdullah Abdullah guaranteed the president a second-term by withdrawing from run-off polls, but today he's called Mr Karzai's re-election illegal, and ruled out joining any unity govermnent. Mr Karzai's also under pressure from the United States and its allies to fight corruption.

Australia and New Zealand expel their Fiji envoys

Updated 04/11/2009 20:52:34

Australia and New Zealand have responded to the expulsion yesterday by Fiji of their high commisioners; with both governments sending their respective Fijian envoys home. But the government of Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is steadfastly refusing to expand sanctions, saying it doesn't want to do anything to harm ordinary Fijians. Australia has dismissed as unjustified Fiji's allegations of interference in its internal affairs - the reason Commodore Frank Bainimarama gave for expelling the Australian and New Zealand diplomats.

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November 2009

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