February 2010

Aung Sung Suu Kyi almost certain to miss planned Burma electionsAudio

Updated 26/02/2010 21:31:39


Burma's pro-democracy leader Aung Sung Suu Kyi will serve out her current term of house arrest, after her appeal against the sentence was rejected on Friday. Suu Kyi was sentenced to a further 18 months house arrest last August, after an American man swam across a lake to her house. The failure of her appeal against that sentence means she will remain under house arrest until November, almost certainly missing elections planned for this year. During his current visit to Burma, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Tomas Ojea Quintana said those elections will be unfair.

Australian Government refuses to fund cross border aid into BurmaAudioTranscript

Updated 26/02/2010 21:31:42


The Australian Government appears set in its decision not to fund cross-border aid into Burma. Aid and advocacy groups say it's the only way to get vital supplies to the country's ethnic minority states. Burma's military Government doesn't permit international aid to get to the border areas in particular, some of which are under seige by the military. Half a dozen other countries fund cross border aid, but Australia isn't about to join them, with the Government citing sovereignty and security issues.

Former Australian Guantanamo Bay detainee wins right to sue GovtAudio

Updated 26/02/2010 21:31:35


Former Guantanamo Bay detainee Mamdouh Habib has won the right to sue the Australian Government. Habib accuses the Australian Government of being complicit in interrogations in which he says he was tortured, beaten and shackled to the floor. The 54 year old Australian was arrested in Pakistan after the Sept the 11th attacks. He says he was tortured while held in Pakistan, Egypt, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay before finally being released five years ago.
Mamdouh Habib says Australian spies, diplomats and police officers were present during at least 12 sessions of torture, and he's seeking compensation.

AFL plans to introduce China to Australian Rules FootballAudio

Updated 26/02/2010 21:31:35


Soccer and Basketball always been popular sports in China, and now the Australian Football League is trying introduce the Chinese to Australian Rules Football. The AFL is launching a program in Chinese schools hoping to recruit a fan base ahead of a match between two Australian teams in Shanghai later this year.

India's finance minister pledges to reduce deficits in new budgetAudio

Updated 26/02/2010 21:38:28

A raft of new tax measures and a commitment to bring big deficits under control are the main features of India's budget. But there's also spending in key areas to sustain the country's v shaped recovery.

International students in Australia begin new year amid safety concernAudio

Updated 25/02/2010 21:06:52

This week, thousands of students in Australia have been getting their first taste of Unversity life and for many international students, it's their first time away from home. As these students begin the academic year, the debate continues about whether students, specifically those from India, are safe.

Australian seed grower breaks into Bangladesh potato marketAudio

Updated 25/02/2010 21:06:57

An Australian potato seed company has struck success in a seemingly unlikely market - Bangladesh. Tom Fox from Lake Jasper Certified Seed Potatoes is the first Australian grower to break into the potato market in Bangladesh, the world's fourth largest potato market that's dominated by the Dutch.

Australian counter-terrorism ambassador outlines regional threatsAudioTranscript

Updated 25/02/2010 21:07:01


Australia's Ambassador for Counter-Terrorism has given a rare public assessment of the state of international terrorism, describing Indonesia as the biggest counter-terrorism success in the post-2001 world, but warns Jemaa Islamiyah has not been eliminated. Speaking at an Australian security conference, Ambassador Bill Patterson has also warned that a lack of political will by Thailand and the Philippines to address their simmering insurgencies could see militants reach out internationally and become a much wider threat.

New report documents abuse of female Karen village chiefs in BurmaAudio

Updated 25/02/2010 21:06:48


A new report by the Karen Women Organisation has found evidence of disturbing new abuses by the Burmese military against the ethnic minority. Executions of village leaders by soldiers has led to many Karen women becoming chiefs of their villages. However, the Burmese military is treating the female chiefs with equal brutality. The report, titled 'Walking Among Sharp Knives' documents incidents of torture and rape of 95 known female Karen chiefs.

Indonesia to review 45 year old Blasphemy LawAudioTranscript

Updated 25/02/2010 21:06:49

Indonesia is reviewing its 1965 Blasphemy Law, a law brought in by then-President Sukarno, who, activists say, used the law to repress minority religions.
Under the criminal code, leaders and followers of religions, or cults, suspected of heresy can be charged and face a maximum penalty of five years jail. A judicial review was prompted by concerns raised by human rights organisations that the hundreds of people estimated to have been jailed under the law were simply exercising their right to freedom of religion.

Toyota's President faces grilling by United States Congress hearingAudio

Updated 25/02/2010 21:07:05


There was no doubting his sincerity but Toyota's president and the carmaker itself still has lot of ground to make up to repair the fallout from the latest safety claims about its luxury Lexus brand. After a three hour grilling by US lawmakers Akio Toyoda now has to keep his promise of ensuring the company refocuses on safety as its number one priority.

Expectations low for resumed talks between India and PakistanAudio

Updated 24/02/2010 20:52:50


The foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan will meet in New Delhi on Thursday. The talks will formally end a diplomatic freeze between the nuclear armed neighbours since the November 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai. Expectations of any major breakthroughs are low, with disagreement even occuring over what will be discussed. India wants to focus on curbing terrorism while Pakistan wants a broader agenda which includes the Kashir dispute.

Malaysia looks elsewhere for maids while Indonesian ban in placeAudio

Updated 24/02/2010 20:52:54

Malaysia's government has just launched a one day course to educate foreign domestic workers and their employers on their rights and responsibilities. It's in response to several high profile cases where Indonesian maids were brutally abused by their employers. Such cases also prompted Indonesia to stop people from working as domestic workers in Malaysia. While the two countries are still in talks in an attempt to end the ban, there have been calls for the Malaysian government to seek maids elsewhere.

China's education ministry critical of OxfamAudioTranscript

Updated 24/02/2010 20:53:00

China's Education ministry this week reportedly posted notices on several Chinese university websites, calling aid and development agency Oxfam "an illegal organisation, with ulterior motives." Oxfam says it's puzzled by China's criticism is trying to find out what prompted the notices.

Hundreds arrested in Pakistan kite flying crackdownAudio

Updated 24/02/2010 20:53:04

Police in Pakistan's Punjab province have arrested more than one thousand people in a crackdown on people selling and flying kites. For the past three years authorities have banned the traditional practice of kite flying during an annual spring festival, for sometimes compelling safety reasons.

UN special rapporteur finds Australia in breach of racial obligationsAudio

Updated 24/02/2010 20:53:09


Australia has been found to have breached its international anti-race discrimination obligations by continuing for almost three years it's intervention policies with indigenous communities of the Northern Territory. That's the formal finding of the United Nations special rapporteur on indigenous people, U-S law professor James Anaya, who visited Australia last year and has held extensive consultations with affected indigenous communities, as well as Australian governments.
Radio Australia has received an advance version of an annex to the report dealing with the intervention.

Malaysia and Japan lend weight to Asian economic recoveryAudio

Updated 24/02/2010 20:52:45


There's more indications of a solid economic recovery underway in Asia, with rises in key data from Japan and Malaysia. Japan's exports in January jumped by 40 per from a year earlier, while Malaysia's economy meanwhile grew at 4.5 percent in the December quarter, officially ending that country's worst recession since independence.

IWC unveils plan to manage scientific whalingAudioTranscript

Updated 23/02/2010 20:55:59


A radical plan to overhaul the International Whaling Commission is gaining momentum. The draft plan would give whaling nations a commercial kill quota, as opposed to harvesting whales in the name of research. The plan is part of a compromise proposal to try and break the impasse between the pro and ant-whaling nations. But conservation groups say the plan is a disaster for whale conservation, and even if Australia blocks the deal the concern it may be a lone voice.

New report documents abuse of migrant workers in ThailandAudio

Updated 23/02/2010 20:56:03


At the end of the month, Thailand will launch its largest ever crackdown on illegal immigration. An estimated three million migrant workers will need to provide their details to their home Governments, or face deportation. However, a new report from Human Rights Watch in Thailand says life for illegal workers in Thailand isn't much better than the poor conditions they fled in their home countries, with illegal workers in Thailand facing torture, sexual abuse and extortion.

US report warns Taiwan's fighter jets are inadequateAudioTranscript

Updated 23/02/2010 20:56:08

A US Congressional report says Taiwan's fighter jets are inadequate to deal with any threat from mainland China.The one-off report says upgrade are needed for Taiwan's jet-fighter fleet as China gets stronger. The report quotes the US Defence Intelligence Agency as saying that many of Taiwan's 400 combat aircraft are ageing and suffered maintenance problems. The report comes in the wake of a six-billion dollar arms package agreement signed late last month, between Washington and Taipei, a deal which angered China, which suspended military exercises with the US and threatened punitive measures.

Australian counter-terrorism policy criticised for omissionsAudioTranscript

Updated 23/02/2010 20:56:12


Terrorism experts say the Australian Government's new counter-terrorism policy fails to act on the threats of young Australians going abroad for terrorism training and those nurturing terror plots domestically. There's wide support for the paper's plan to get tough on visas issued from high risk countries, but one analyst says Indonesia doesn't need to be on that list and India does.

Malaysian media focus on murder of consulate driver in SydneyAudioTranscript

Updated 23/02/2010 20:55:55


Police in Sydney are still searching for answers about the fatal beating of a man who worked as a driver at the Malaysian Consulate. Malaysian-born Mohammed Shah Saemin was an Australian citizen. His killing is front page news in Malaysia, and the country's Foreign Minister says his office has been bombarded by calls from parents whose children are studying here.

Singapore budget offers no tax relief as city state continues reformsAudio

Updated 23/02/2010 20:55:55


No income tax relief, and a lot of hard work ahead are the main messages to Singaporeans out of the Government's budget. The cornerstone of the blueprint for economic reform is a package of incentives aimed at boosting productivity in Southeast Asia's fourth largest economy.

Philippines ceasefire holds despite setback in peace talksAudioTranscript

Updated 22/02/2010 20:52:16

In the Philippines, a fragile ceasefire continues to hold, on the southern island of Mindanao despite the latest setback in peace talks between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. The separatist MILF rejected a power sharing proposal put foward by the government, after both groups exchanged plans at a meeting in Kuala Lumpur earlier this year. However both groups are trying to get in place an interim deal before the Presidential elections.

Alliance of NGOs proposed to raise status of women in Asia PacificAudio

Updated 22/02/2010 20:52:20


Three months ago an event called the Asia Pacific Breakthrough Summit to End Global Poverty was held in Melbourne, which raised a staggering $1.2 billion dollars in donations and pledges from Government and non-Government agencies. The money will be used to raise the status of women in the Asia-Pacific region. The summit also set a plan in motion to promote an alliance of the thousands of faith, womens and development NGOs working in the region. One of the coordinators of the Melbourne summit is now heading to the United Nations in New York to build momentum for the alliance.

Tension in Bangkok streets ahead of court ruling on Thaksin empireAudioTranscript

Updated 22/02/2010 20:52:25

Thailand has stepped up security and is bracing for fresh turmoil this week as the Thai Supreme Court rules on the future of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's $US2.2 billion business empire. There are reports that thousands of troops have been deployed by the government, and guards have been assigned to protect the Supreme Court judges. Diplomats and embassies have also issued travel warnings, due to fears of a violent backlash by supporters of Mr Thaksin, the 'Red Shirts', if the court decides to seize their leader's assets on Friday.

Whaling not to disrupt bilateral ties: Australia, Japan ministersAudioTranscript

Updated 22/02/2010 20:52:29

Whaling continues to bedevil bilateral ties between Japan and Australia. Both countries' foreign ministers used weekend talks in Australia to signal they're ready to do battle on the issue in the International Criminal Court. Australia is also putting to the International Whaling Commission a proposal to phase out Japan's Southern Ocean whaling. And while the weekend talks were frank when Australia's Foreign Minister Stephen Smith met his Japanese counterpart Katsuya Okada, both sides continue to stress that the long and strategically important relationship can rise above the current rancour over whaling.

Australian billionaire merges mining and media interestsAudio

Updated 22/02/2010 20:52:06

One of the region's billionaires, Australia's Kerry Stokes, has reshaped his holdings in a major deal that merges mining and media businesses from China to Western Australia under a single entity. Analysts say it will create growth opportunities, but it will also concentrate Mr Stokes' ownership within the new group.

Wife of jailed Sri Lankan Presidential candidate speaks outAudio

Updated 22/02/2010 20:52:10

The wife of arrested ex-Sri Lankan army chief and defeated presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka is rejecting claims her husband is living in luxury while in detention. Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapakse says the former General is getting 'five-star' treatment in custody. Fonseka was detained two weeks after being defeated in the Presidential election by President Rajapakse and is being held by the military pending court-martial proceedings on as yet unspecified charges. Anoma Fonseka says her husband is under enormous physical pressure, with pre-existing health conditions aggravated by hot and unventilated accommodation.

Gizo hospital being rebuilt three years after tsunamiAudio

Updated 19/02/2010 20:43:34


Work has begun building a new hospital in the capital of Solomon Islands' Western Province, Gizo. The hospital was almost completely destroyed three years ago by a tsunami. In April 2007 a massive underwater earthquake triggered the wave, which devasted islands in the province and killed more than 50 people. It's taken almost three years, and some help from Japan, for a new hospital to be built.

'Epidemic' of caning punishment in Malaysia: AmnestyAudioTranscript

Updated 19/02/2010 20:43:39

The caning of three Muslim women for breaking Islamic law in Malaysia has drawn outrage from human rights groups. Amnesty International said there was an "epidemic" of caning, calling the punishment cruel and degrading. Amnesty's Malaysia researcher, Lance Lattig, says some 35,000 people have been caned in Malaysia since 2002.

China says Dalai Lama meeting with President Obama harms relationsAudioTranscript

Updated 19/02/2010 20:43:52

China's foreign ministry says Thursday's meeting in Washington between the U-S President and the Dalai Lama has 'seriously harmed' the country's relationship. The meeting between Barack Obama and the Dalai Lama took place in the map room of the White House, as opposed to the Oval Office. No press were invited, and there was no photo opportunity with the pair. But despite the low key nature of the meeting, China was still unhappy that it took place at all.

Call for illegal timber laws in AustraliaAudio

Updated 19/02/2010 20:43:43

Australian retailers, timber companies and environmentalists say the Federal Government risks undoing the work being done in countries like Indonesia, to stop illegal logging. They say the Australian government has failed to honour a 2007 election promise to ban illegal timber products, a plan which would put in place measures to identify and restrict illegally harvested timber. Canberra is now talking about voluntary measures to ban illegal imports.

New report warns of millions more Asians falling into povertyAudioTranscript

Updated 19/02/2010 20:43:48

There are warnings that Asia's poor will continue to feel the effects of the global economic crisis, despite signs of recovery. A new joint report by the Asian Development Bank and the United Nations say that an extra four million people in Asia could slip into poverty this year.

New report says oil drilling behind Indonesian mud volcanoAudioTranscript

Updated 18/02/2010 21:00:24

A new report into the Lusi mud volcano in East Java, Indonesia, has provided the strongest evidence to date of a link between the drilling of an oil well and the disastrous eruption. The 2006 eruption killed 13 people and displaced 30,000 others. The new report by an international team of scientists says that contrary to mining company Lapindo Brantas' claims, it was the firm's own activities that caused the disaster.

Unreliable explosive detection device linked to arrests in ThailandAudio

Updated 18/02/2010 21:00:28


Human Rights Watch is calling on Thailand's Government to stop arresting people based on evidence gathered by a device called the 'GT200'. The GT200 looks like a wand, and is used to detect explosives, but it's proven unreliable. Testing conducted by the Thai Government has shown the GT200 has a succes rate in detecting explosives of about 20 percent, no better than a guess. However, thousands of people in Thailand's troubled southern provinces have been arrested based on evidence gathered by the device.

UNHCR calls for Australia to end 'drama' in refugee debateAudio

Updated 18/02/2010 21:00:33


A top United Nations officials visiting Australia has called for an end to the drama in the nation's political debate about refugees. Erika Feller is assistant High Commissioner for protection at the UNHCR, and is visiting Australia for talks with the Government and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. She's repeating a call for legal appeals to be allowed for asylum seekers detained on Christmas Island who are refused refugee status. Feller is also concerned by signs of global fatigue for extending help to the world's estimated 34-million refugees and internally displaced persons.

Qantas posts strong results, but cheap regional airfares may soon endAudio

Updated 18/02/2010 21:00:11

For the past eighteen months the region's national airlines have been riding out turbulence arising from a collapse in passenger traffic. But now at least one of the big three Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Qantas says the worst might be over. Qantas reported profits of 52 million US dollars for the six months ending in December.

Dalai Lama to meet President Obama on Thursday against China's wishesAudio

Updated 18/02/2010 21:00:15

Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has arrived in Washington to an emotional, singing crowd. On Thursday he'll meet United States President Barack Obama. The Dalai Lama plans to ask for help in finding a solution to the long standing issue of Tibet. Unsurprisingly, the looming meeting is not going down well with China, with Beijing accusing the exiled spiritual leader of seeking to overthrow Chinese rule and restore a feudal theocracy in Tibet.

Cambodia confirms Cholera outbreakAudio

Updated 18/02/2010 21:00:19

Cambodia has confirmed that there's been an outbreak of cholera. There's been more than 128 confirmed cases of the disease since the first cases were diagnosed in November, last year. But there's concern that the government hasn't moved fast enough to alert the public.

PNG ranks low as a place to invest in miningAudio

Updated 17/02/2010 20:51:23

Papua New Guinea has again ranked in the bottom five nations as a place to invest in mining. The 2010 'Where NOT to Invest Report' produced by Beare Dolbear, one of the oldest mineral consultancy companies in the world, ranked 25 major mining countries on a range of economic, political and social measures.

Chinese trade negotiators in Australia next weekAudio

Updated 17/02/2010 20:51:23

Chinese trade negotiators are due in Australia next week to resume technical talks on a free trade agreement. So far, it's been a long, slow process. This will be the fourteenth round of talks with the on-again-off-again process stalled this time for more than a year.

Taliban senior reportedly captured in PakistanAudio

Updated 17/02/2010 20:51:24

A secret, joint operation by Pakistani and American intelligence services has captured the second in command of the AfghanistanTaliban. According to US and Pakistani officials, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, was arrested in a joint operation by the CIA and members of Pakistan's military intelligence services.

Constitutional showdown threatens Pakistan's shaky democracyAudio

Updated 17/02/2010 20:51:24

Pakistan's civilian government continues its fragile hold on power. President Asif Ali Zardari is set for a constitutional showdown with Pakistan's top court, after two judicial appointments were struck down by the Supreme Court. The confrontation could have the potential to destabilise the country even more.

Malaysia disappointed over Australian MP's protestAudio

Updated 17/02/2010 20:51:24

Malaysian cabinet minister Shafie Apdal says he's disappointed and appalled by Australian politicians who last week lodged a formal protest over the trial of the country's opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim. More than 50 Australian MPs lodged the protest over the sodomy trial, which could result in a jail term of up to 20 years.

Bali authorities failing to control rabid dogsAudio

Updated 17/02/2010 20:51:19

Rabies has spread out of control amongst the huge dog population of Bali island's and its proving to be a killer of humans. The Balinese government has tried vaccinations and culling but so far it's been powerless to stop the disease.

Question over Australian legal processAudio

Updated 16/02/2010 20:45:48

An Australian court this week handed down long sentences after convictions in an eleven-month terror case that some experts say has stretched the Australian legal process to new limits. After a decade of surveillance and investigation, Australian police celebrated the news of jail terms of between 17 and 28 years for five men convicted of a conspiracy, to do acts, to prepare for a terrorist attack.The long reach of the charges has some worried about potential abuse .. while continuing to risk alienation in Australia's Muslim community.

Amnesty International report on BurmaAudio

Updated 16/02/2010 20:45:48

Amnesty International is calling on the Burmese government to stop repression against ethnic minorities, ahead of an election scheduled for later this year. Amnesty released a report citing fresh information from victims of human rights abuses, detailing killings, abductions and rape, as well as harrassment and discrimination against ethnic minorities.

Fights over Sinatra song in the PhilippinesAudio

Updated 16/02/2010 20:45:47

A warning for anyone who enjoys karaoke and is planning a holiday in the Philippines - if you do feel like grabbing the microphone and belting out a tune, it might be a good idea to avoid choosing the Frank Sinatra classic, 'My Way'. Over the past decade, at least 10 people are known to have been murdered after singing the song, and it has also led to frequent fist-fights.

Fiji responds to Human Rights recommendationsAudio

Updated 16/02/2010 20:45:47

Fiji has given its draft response to 103 recommendations on managing Human Rights. Overnight in Geneva Fiji appeared before its review of its human rights record, being conducted by the UN Human Rights Council.

No success without Mullah Omar: ex-military officerAudio

Updated 16/02/2010 20:45:47

The Pakistani military officer who trained Taliban leader, Mullah Omar, in guerrilla warfare says there won't be peace in Afghanistan until the Taliban returns to power. Brigadier Amir Sultan, more commonly known as Colonel Imam, is regarded as a war hero by Pakistanis because of his role in the fight against the Soviets in Afghanistan. He describes himself as the godfather of the Taliban and went from being friend to foe with the United States when they wanted him declared a terrorist by the United Nations after September 11, 2001. He says that the US-led plan to reintegrate the Taliban won't work unless Mullah Omar is included.

Japan shows stronger than expected economic growthAudio

Updated 15/02/2010 21:32:04

The latest economic growth figures out of Japan show a stronger than expected recovery in the world's second largest economy.

Helen Clark calls for action on climate changeAudio

Updated 15/02/2010 21:32:04

The head of the United Nation's Development Agency's, Helen Clark, has called for climate change to be put at the very centre of international development thinking, during her 2-day visit to Australia.

Mongolia faces months of freezing temperaturesAudio

Updated 15/02/2010 21:32:04

Freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall in Mongolia has cut off a number of villages to the most basic supplies such as food, fuel and medical care.

UN visit to Burma underwayAudio

Updated 15/02/2010 21:32:04

A United Nations-commissioned human rights expert has begun a visit to Burma this week, with Australia calling on the military junta to co-operate fully.

Thailand's poor dig deep for quake-destroyed HaitiAudio

Updated 15/02/2010 21:31:59

In Thailand, Valentine's Day took on a new meaning when the slum community of Klong Toey came together to raise funds for the children of Haiti. The Klong Toey residents readily identify with the hardships faced by the communities in Haiti still struggling to recover from last month's earthquake.

Pro-democracy leaflet drop in VietnamAudio

Updated 15/02/2010 21:31:59

A number of banned organisations in Vietnam, including the Viet Tan or Vietnam Reform Party have launched a pro-democracy leaflet drive in the country.

Cambodia threatens Thailand with court over disputed templeAudio

Updated 12/02/2010 21:59:49

Cambodia's Prime Minister says he may seek international abritration to settle a dispute with Thailand over land surrounding a temple on their shared border.

UNDP boss on rebuilding HaitiAudio

Updated 12/02/2010 21:59:49

The head of the United Nations Development Agency's, Helen Clark, says job creation in Haiti is critical to get families back on their feet, to revitalise the local economy and to reduce social tension.

Fiji human rights defence challenged in GenevaAudio

Updated 12/02/2010 21:59:49

Fiji has told the United Nations Human Rights Council it
Fiji's delegation spoke positively about the current situation and its plans for the future at a periodic review of human rights in Geneva. But other nations on the review panel, including Australia and New Zealand, have proven to be a tough audience, and have strongly criticised the island nation's record since the 2006 coup.

Australia's People Smuggling ambassador ships outAudioTranscript

Updated 12/02/2010 21:59:49

Australia's Ambassador for People Smuggling Issues is leaving the job after just eight months, leaving a promised framework agreement with Indonesia on people smuggling to his successor.

Jail term upheld for Chinese dissidentAudio

Updated 12/02/2010 21:59:49

A leading Chinese dissident has lost an appeal against an 11 years jail term for subversion.

Photos draw attention to Mekong dam riskAudioTranscript

Updated 12/02/2010 21:53:30

South East Asia's relentless economic growth is fuelling new concerns about one of the region's greatest natural assets, the Mekong River.

Aitutaki severely damaged by Cyclone PatAudio

Updated 11/02/2010 22:00:58

A state of disaster has been declared on Aitutaki in the Cook Islands, after Cyclone Pat tore across the island.

Rio Tinto posts $5bil profitAudio

Updated 11/02/2010 22:00:59

Rio Tinto has announced profits of nearly $USD5 billion in 2009, helped significantly by the appetite of the expanding Chinese economy.

Stern Hu case sent to Shanghai courtAudioTranscript

Updated 11/02/2010 22:00:59

Four executives of the Anglo-Australian iron ore giant, Rio Tinto, including Australian-national Stern Hu, are expected to face trial within weeks.

Oil spill company gets new Australian licenceAudio

Updated 11/02/2010 22:00:59

Conservationists are angry that the Australian government has approved an exploration licence for a Thai company behind a massive oil spill in the Timor Sea.

Indians fight graft with useless bank notesAudioTranscript

Updated 11/02/2010 22:00:58

An Indian anti-corruption organisation is expanding its program of zero rupee notes, saying they are proving an effective tool against bribery.

Concerns about India's anti-Maoist effortAudio

Updated 11/02/2010 22:00:58

The Indian government has vowed to unleash a massive offensive on Maoist rebels in five central and eastern Indian states.

Additional 197 people charged over Philippines massacreAudio

Updated 10/02/2010 20:54:10

In the Philippines, nearly 200 more people have been charged with murder over the massacre in Maguindanao province in November which left 57 dead.

Sri Lanka Government chasing two-thirds majority in Parliamentary pollAudio

Updated 10/02/2010 20:54:10

Sri Lanka will go to the polls again on April the 8th - this time to elect a new Parliament.

GFC makes development harder to achieve: Helen ClarkAudio

Updated 10/02/2010 20:54:10

The head of the United Nations biggest development agency, former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark, says there's concern that the global economic crisis will have a lasting impact on the world's poor and vulnerable.

Turf war looms for a Google-free ChinaAudioTranscript

Updated 10/02/2010 20:54:10

And the extraordinary run of success continues for China's dominant internet search engine, Baidu, with the most recent profit figures confirming its status as a market darling.

Mining magnate says $60bil coal deal with China will happenAudio

Updated 10/02/2010 20:54:10

The boss of Australian mining company Resource-House says a huge deal to sell coal to China will go ahead.

Australia admits to 'lapse' in ETimor road deathAudioTranscript

Updated 10/02/2010 20:54:10

Australia's highest military officer has admitted there was a lapse by his officers in the case of East Timorese woman Gracinda da Costa, who died last month after being hit by an Australian military vehicle.

World Trade Organisation head says completion of Doha talks 'do-able'AudioTranscript

Updated 09/02/2010 20:19:07


The head of the World Trade Organisation won't say whether the political will exists to complete the troubled Doha Round of free trade talks this year. G-20 leaders have ordered the talks get wrapped up, but Pascal Lamy says while it is do-able, progress at present is too slow. It's estimated that a completed agreement would boost the global economy by anywhere between 300 and 700 Billion dollars a year, a substantial contribution to global economic recovery.
But at least one observer says the chances of a Doha deal this year are zero.

Australian Greens says Navy exercise with Burma unacceptableAudio

Updated 09/02/2010 20:19:12


Australia's Green Party is questioning why Australia sent a Navy patrol boat to take part in a military exercise with Burma, despite having military sanctions against the regime. The Australian patrol boat, HMAS Glenelg, has just finished taking part in 'Exercise Milan'. The annual exercise is organised by India and involves the navies of 13 countries, including Burma. It's the third year Australia's taken part, despite signing up to sanctions against Burma, which ban training and arms sales.

ABC denies pulling planned broadcast of controversial Uigher filmAudio

Updated 09/02/2010 20:19:16

A controversial film about Uighur leader, Rebiya Kadeer, is making headlines again in Australia. The film, 'The 10 Conditions of Love' explores Kadeer's push for greater autonomy and religious freedom for China's 10 million mainly Muslim Uighurs. Last August, the Chinese Government expressed its anger at the documentary's screening at the Melbourne International Film Festival, as it considers Rebiya Kadeer a terrorist. The ABC owns the rights to the film, but is accused of backing out of broadcastingit.

Family of Sri Lankan General Fonseka fear for his life after arrestAudio

Updated 09/02/2010 20:18:58


Family members of Sri Lankan General Sarath Fonseka say they fear for his life following his arrest by the military. They say it's still unclear where he's being held, whether he has access to the urgent medication he needs and what specific charges he's facing. Witnesses say several hundred military police surrounded his office and took him away on Monday night. The Sri Lankan military says General Fonseka is facing charges related to military offences, believed to be linked to rumours of a military coup.

Toyota President apologises for series of recallsAudio

Updated 09/02/2010 20:19:03


It's usually the last act of a besieged head of major Japanese corporation, and today the president of Toyota made an unreserved apology for the strings of embarrassing recalls plaguing the car maker. The company has announced more than 400 thousand of the current model Prius hybrids, sold in 60 countries, will have go back to the dealer to have a brake problem rectified. It's facing lawsuits over the defects, the crisis will end up costing billions and Toyota's carefully cultivated reputation for reliability and quality may never be the same.

Education Agents issue warning over changes to Aust residency rulesAudio

Updated 09/02/2010 20:19:21


Education agents are warning changes to Australia's permanent residency rules may further damage the country's lucrative overseas education industry. The law changes are aimed at clamping down on foreign students who come to Australia to study courses such as cooking and hairdressing as a back door to permanent residency. But Education agents warn thousands of foreign students will miss out as Australia tries to attract highly skilled applicants for permanent residency.

Cholera, drought and floods hit PNG's East Sepik provinceAudio

Updated 08/02/2010 20:46:32

Health authorities in Papua New Guinea's East Sepik province say cholera is spreading through the province 'like wildfire' and that a prolonged dry-spell is making things worse.

'Tokyo Two' prepare for trial over smuggled whale meatAudio

Updated 08/02/2010 20:46:32

Two Japanese activists from the environmental group Greenpeace will soon be brought to the dock accused of trespass and of stealing whale meat.

Boost in Australian aid to BurmaAudioTranscript

Updated 08/02/2010 20:46:32

Australia has announced a 40 per cent increase in humanitarian aid to Burma... hoping to encourage a democratic election later this year.

Australian and Burmese ships side-by-side in naval exercisesAudio

Updated 08/02/2010 20:46:32

Ships from 13 navies across the Asia-Pacific Region are currently taking part in anti-piracy and counter-terrorism exercises in the Indian Ocean.

China's currency an issue at G7 meetingAudioTranscript

Updated 08/02/2010 20:46:31

Debt and threat Greece's budget shortfall poses to Europe's economic wellbeing overshadowed the meeting of top finance officials from the G7 group of the world's richest developed nations.

ETimor's anti-graft chief wants a new 'clean generation'Audio

Updated 08/02/2010 20:46:32

East Timor's new Anti-Corruption Commissioner, Aderito Soares, says better co-ordination is needed with the country's Prosecutor General to avoid adding to the existing backlog of graft cases.

Australian conference addresses global food security concernsAudio

Updated 05/02/2010 20:50:29


Australia's Agriculture Minister says technology is becoming increasingly important for maintaining food security as climate change makes farming more difficult around the world. He says Australia has a key role to play in Asia by exporting technology to farmers and food producers in the form of Government aid, and by establishing joint ventures with foreign businesses.

US Defence review calls for rebalancing to deal with multiple threatsAudioTranscript

Updated 05/02/2010 20:50:33

The United States Defence department has outlined a strategy for what it calls 'rebalancing' its force structure to respond to burgeoning sources and types of threats. The Pentagon's Quadrennial Defense Review says conventional wars are still on it's agenda but addressing non-conventional threats is to be given much more attention.

Boeing and Airbus turn to Asian customers to boost order bookAudioTranscript

Updated 05/02/2010 20:50:38

This week the skies above Singapore have been more crowded than usual as the world's aircraft manufacturers drum-up business at one of the industry biggest gatherings. Just a few years ago Boeing and Airbus left the event with more than 60 billion dollars in their order books, but after a year of massive losses the industry is re-grouping and its hoped Asia will provide the impetus for growth.

Beggars face court as India cleans up for Commonwealth GamesAudio

Updated 05/02/2010 20:50:43

Mobile courts in the Indian capital New Delhi are conducting summary trials of beggars, to get them off the streets. It's all part of New Delhi's efforts to revamp its image ahead of this year's Commonwealth Games.

Thais on edge over political futureAudio

Updated 05/02/2010 20:50:48

For weeks now, Thais have endured front page reports of an imminent coup. The speculation is set to rise in coming days with the chief of the army out of the country, and supporters of fugitive Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra ramping up protests ahead of a planned mass rally on Valentine's day, the 14th of Feburary. The uncertainty has seen Thai stocks fall in January and many are fearful that further destabilisation could be disastrous for Thailand's reputation and economy.

Low budget Australian love story about Indian student screens in AsiaAudio

Updated 05/02/2010 20:50:24


A Bollywood inspired short film made by students in Adelaide for just three thousand dollars will screen in more than 160 countries this weekend. Mumbai based Zee TV has picked up the rights to the film "Priya", which will screen to a potential audience around the world of more than 100 million people. The short film about an Australian who falls in love with an Indian student has captured the imagination of India. It's being televised as tension still runs high between the two countries over reports of racist attacks on Indian students.

Structural engineers warn of more deaths if Padang quake rebuild poorAudio

Updated 04/02/2010 20:46:15


Four months on from a devastating earthquake, rebuilding efforts in Sumatra are being stepped up. It's estimated almost $2.5 billion dollars will be needed to rebuild the thousands of houses, schools and other structures damaged by the quake. Structural engineers are warning the job shouldn't be rushed, as a poor reconstruction effort will lead to many more deaths in the future. Seismologists predict it's only a matter of time until a much more powerful earthquake and tsunami hits the region.

New approach towards indigenous justice called for in AustraliaAudioTranscript

Updated 04/02/2010 20:46:19


Researchers have told a new Parliamentary inquiry in Canberra that jailed young Aboriginal Australians are being dehabilitated rather than rehabilitated. A lack of alternatives to incarceration is being blamed for Aboriginals heavy over-representation in prison numbers. Only three percent of Australia's population is indigenous, but in 2005-06, 38 percent of the young Australians in jail were indigenous. The issue has festered for decades, and experts at the hearing are pleading for money to be diverted from prisons to more creative programs in an approach called 'justice reinvestment'.

China petitioned to release lawyer held for one year without chargeAudio

Updated 04/02/2010 20:46:23


It's been a year since prominent Chinese human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng was detained by his Government. In that time, he still hasn't been formally arrested or charged, and his location has been kept secret. The international political prisoner advocacy group, Freedom Now, is using the anniversary of Gao's detention to petition the Chinese Government for his release.

US President calls for China to revalue its currencyAudioTranscript

Updated 04/02/2010 20:46:28


United States President Barack Obama says he will increase pressure on China and several other Asian nations to increase the value of their currencies. President Obama said Asia will be America's biggest trade market in the future, and he wants to level the playing field for US exporters. The comments come at a sensitive time for US-China relations.

Nauru to hold referendum aimed at ending revolving door politicsAudio

Updated 04/02/2010 20:46:06


After 36 Governments in 42 years, the people of Nauru have had enough of the country's revolving door politics. So at the end of the month, a referendum will be held on changing Nauru's constitution. Voters will decide whether to introduce new measures aimed at bringing some stability to one of the Asia-Pacific's most unstable political environments.

Iran follows uranium offer with 'provocative' rocket launchAudioTranscript

Updated 04/02/2010 20:46:10


In a sign of its growing technological prowess, Iran has launched a research rocket carrying live animals into space. The rocket contained a mouse, two turtles and some worms. Despite the cargo, the launch has once again raised tensions with the West. There's concern the rocket is a stepping stone to a long range, nuclear capable ballistic missile. That's been heightened by Iran's apparent change of heart on a plan which would've sent its uranium abroad for enrichment.

Importer plans to have Chinese electric cars in Australia by end 2011Audio

Updated 03/02/2010 20:44:22


They've been touted as the next big trend in the car industry, but it will be a few years before you have to un-plug the toaster to charge your electric car. However, an Australian importer plans to have Chinese made electric cars on Australian roads by the end of 2011.

Japan's development plan for tiny Okinotori rocks angers ChinaAudio

Updated 03/02/2010 20:44:28


Japan is allocating $7 million dollars towards building a port on a tiny outcrop of rocks called Okinotori, almost two thousand kilometres south of Tokyo. Okinotori is so tiny, there's debate over whether it can be legally called an island. At high tide, all three of its rocks are barely visible above the water, but if Japan conducts economic activity there, it can expand it's Exclusive Economic Zone by hundreds of kilometres out into the ocean. However, Japan's big plans for these small rocks isn't sitting well with China.

North Korean official disappears after disastrous currency policyAudio

Updated 03/02/2010 20:44:17


A top North Korean finance official has been sacked following the country's disastorous currency revaluation. Under a November 30 decree, old banknotes were swapped for new at a rate of 100 to one. But the amount which could be exchanged was restricted, effectively wiping out many people's savings and causing widespread anger. Now South Korea's Spy agency, the national intelligence service, says Pak Nam-Ki, the communist party's director for planning and finance, has been absent from public activities since early January, and may face trial amid a wave of recriminations over the policy.

Fiji, Australia and NZ hold closed door talks in CanberraAudioTranscript

Updated 03/02/2010 20:44:18

Australia has waived its travel ban against a senior member of Fiji's military-led government, enabling him to travel to Canberra for talks tonight aimed at restoring frayed diplomatic ties. Tit-for-tat expulsions late last year marked a low point in relations with the regime of Commodore Frank Bainimarama. Now, Fiji's foreign minister, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, is in Canberra for what's been billed as private talks with his counterparts - Australia's Stephen Smith and New Zealand's Murray McCully.

The face of Tokyo's homeless gets youngerAudioTranscript

Updated 02/02/2010 20:53:21

Japanese charities say the demographic of homeless people is changing, with the global financial crisis pushing younger people out on the streets. While Japan's economy is starting to recover, those who find themsleves without a fixed address are struggling to get a foothold back into the workforce.

US budget forecasts record deficit to protect employmentAudio

Updated 02/02/2010 20:53:25

A surprising burst in growth over the last quarter has led to some predictions the US is shaking-off the recession it plunged into December 2007. But unemployment usually keeps rising well after a recession ends and that's what President Obama's economic policy makers have kept clearly in mind when they framed that most weighty of documents, the US federal budget for the coming fiscal year.

Climate change dominates Australian Parliament as election year beginsAudioTranscript

Updated 02/02/2010 20:53:29


Climate change politics have dominated the start of a new year in the Australian Parliament, a year that will see Australians go to the polls to deliver a verdict on the Rudd Labor Government. The economy is bound to remain the single biggest issue for Australians. But his pledge to act on climate change was also a major reason for Kevin Rudd's election in November 2007 and now the opposition has put up an alternative policy, just as the public appears to be warming to a new opposition leader.

China warns Obama not to visit Dalai Lama as relationship worsensAudio

Updated 02/02/2010 20:53:34


China is warning United States President Barack Obama not to meet the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. While no date for such a meeting has been set, the White House said in January that President Obama had made it clear to China that he intended to meet the Dalai Lama. However, the Communist Party's United Front Work Department, which is in charge of talks with the Dalai Lama's envoys, warned on Tuesday that the meeting would harm US-China relations. The warning comes as relations between China and the Obama adminstration sink to new lows over a US plan to sell billions of dollars worth of weapons to Taiwan.

New movement launched in Indonesia may fuel tycoon's political careerAudio

Updated 02/02/2010 20:53:16

Thousands of people gathered in an indoor stadium in Jakarta on Tuesday to witness the birth of a new movement. Calling itself the 'National Democrat organisation' it's been widely seen as a platform to launch the Presidential aspirations of media tycoon Surya Paloh and as a base to continue his fued with rival tycoon Aburizal Bakrie. Surya Paloh insists it's a movement and not a political party, but observors in Jakarta think that's likley to change before the next Presidential elections in 2014.

Samoans 'frustrated' at pace of post-tsunami rebuildingAudio

Updated 02/02/2010 20:53:16

There is frustration in Samoa over the slow pace of rebuilding after last September's tsunami. Many affected communities are rebuilding in the hills above their old villages, saying they're no longer prepared to live by the sea. While that rebuilding work is being supported by several national and international NGOs, there's widespread unhappiness with how the work is being carried out.

US arms deal with Taiwan widens rift with ChinaAudioTranscript

Updated 01/02/2010 20:35:12

A row has erupted between the United States and China over Washington's decision to move forward on a deal to sell arms to Taiwan. The agreement is worth some $US6.4 billion, including state of the art military hardware, to aid Taiwan's defence modernisation. In response, China has suspended military exercises with the US, and is now threatening commercial sanctions.

Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim begins fresh sodomy trialAudioTranscript

Updated 01/02/2010 20:35:03


There's a sense of deja vu in Malaysia, as the country prepares for the second trial of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim on sodomy charges. Mr Anwar has already been convicted of sodomy once, despite insisting that the case against him was politically motivated. On Tuesday, he reappears in court to face another round of accusations which he says are once again the result of political machinations.

Experts warn Bangkok faces twin perils of rising sea and subsidenceAudio

Updated 01/02/2010 20:35:07


An advisor to the Thai Government on climate change is warning that the capital city Bangkok is at severe risk of sustained flooding over the next 40 years. Dr Anond Snidvongs is Director of the Southeast Asia START Regional Center, and is one of South East Asia's foremost marine scientists. He says the issue of rising sea-levels pales in comparison to a more serious problem, that the city of Bangkok is sinking.

World's biggest polluters pledge their Copenhagen commitmentsAudioTranscript

Updated 01/02/2010 20:35:25


The world's biggest greenhouse gas emitting countries have met a Copenhagen summit deadline to lodge their domestic plans for cutting emissions. The 'Copenhagen Accord' as it's known was a deal negotiated by the United States and several developing countries. But the Accord isn't legally binding and climate change researchers say even if all the countries met their promised targets it would still leave carbon emissions far above the level which scientists say would contain global warming.

Concern that pensions threat 'may influence' Fiji's judgesAudio

Updated 01/02/2010 20:35:16

The President of Fiji's Law Association says new laws will make it a criminal offence for anyone to criticise the Fijian government - either inside or outside the country. Dorsami Naidu also warns that the interim government's threat to cancel the pensions of its critics could unfairly influence the judiciary. Mr Naidu says while there's no evidence yet that the judiciary's performance has been affected by Fiji's political climate, retired judges are at risk if they speak out.

Interest rates under scrutiny by region's central bankersAudioTranscript

Updated 01/02/2010 20:35:21


Interest rates in many countries in the region may get a tweak in the near future, as central banks move to mop-up excess liquidity in their systems. Australian authorities are tipped to increase rates tomorrow, while India late last week took the first steps to raising borrowing cost over coming months. While economic conditions are improving, the debate continues over tougher regulation of global financial activity.