May 2010

Australian defence chief confident about AfghanistanAudioTranscript

Updated 31/05/2010 20:11:54

Australia's defence chief has predicted a complete turnaround in the situation in Afghanistan, if the Coalition can prevail in the critical province of Kandahar.

Thai PM faces no-confidence voteAudio

Updated 31/05/2010 20:11:54

Thailand's Parliament has been debating a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. The two day debate has been brought by the opposition in protest against the violent crackdown on the "Red Shirt" demonstrators. Eighty-eight people died during two months of protests. The most contentious issue has been the fatal shooting of six people at a Buddhist temple during the dispersal of the demonstrators on May 19. The government has denied that troops attacked the area - but eyewitnesses have described a at least two seperate 30 minute firefights taking place.

Indon offer to mediate in Mid East peace in doubtAudio

Updated 31/05/2010 20:11:54

Tensions are high in the Middle East following the clash between Israeli military and a multi-national group attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza strip.
There are reports that at least ten people were killed as Israeli forces stormed a convoy of ships attempting to break the blockade. The news comes as the US was attempting to gain traction for its renewed peace efforts, with President Obama scheduled to meet separately with Israeli and Palestinian leaders in coming days. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas who will be in Washington on June 9th has reportedly described the attack as a massacre. Mr Abbas had just ended a three day visit to the Indonesian capital Jakarta. There, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has repeated his offer to mediate in the peace process.

Australia defends taking Japan to court over whalingAudio

Updated 31/05/2010 20:11:50

Australia Environment minister says the announcement that the government is taking the issue of Japan's scientific whaling program to the International Court of Justice in the Hague should not be seen as a problem for the diplomatic relationship between the two nations. Peter Garrett tells Sen Lam that the question of whaling needs to be seen as something seperate from the closeness between Australia and Japan.

Pakistani sectarian violence blamed on radical islamistsAudio

Updated 31/05/2010 20:11:50

Radical Islamist groups in Pakistan are being blamed for two seperate attacks on a minority Islamic sect on Friday which has left 93 people dead. Responsibility for the attacks on worshippers at mosques belonging to the Ahmadiyya movement has been claimed by two hitherto unknown groups, Al-Qaeda Al-Jihad Punjab and Tehrek-e-Taliban Pakistan. Dr Maqsudul Nuri, senior research fellow at the Islamabad Policy Research Institute, says the purpose of the attacks is to destabilise Pakistan, and the campaign of violence looks set to continue.

Communities in Thailand still reeling from political violenceAudio

Updated 28/05/2010 19:39:55

In Thailand some communities are still recovering from the political violence that erupted on the streets around them a week ago. At least 55 people died as a result of the anti-government Red Shirt protests. The slum community of Klong Toey was hit hard by the violence, putting further pressure on its already impoverished people.

China's Premier in Seoul for talks on North KoreaAudio

Updated 28/05/2010 19:39:55

North Asian diplomats are quietly hoping that China will work behind the scenes to rein in North Korea. China's Premier Wen Jiabao is in the South Korean capital Seoul, for talks with President Lee Myung-Bak, before a three-way summit with Japanese leaders this weekend. The Korea crisis is likely to dominate the summit on the resort island of Jeju.

NZ takes diplomatic approach to Japan's scientific whalingAudio

Updated 28/05/2010 19:39:55


New Zealand is not following Australia immediately to international court action against Japan's scientific whaling but Foreign minister Murray McCully says when his Australian counterpart Stephen Smith telephoned him about Canberra's decision last night, he was not surprised. Mr McCully says New Zealand wants to continue with the diplomatic process a little longer but says there's always been a greater chance of a breakdown than a breakthrough at the International Whaling Commission.

Australia begins legal action against Japan over whalingAudio

Updated 28/05/2010 19:39:55


Tensions between Australia and Japan over whaling are set to increase after Australia's decision to file an international legal case against Japan's scientific whaling in the Southern Ocean. New Zealand has left a similar option open, but is yet to decide whether to proceed, saying there's still room for diplomacy.

Sea snail damaging Pacific coralAudio

Updated 28/05/2010 19:39:54

A small sea snail is eating its way through a number of coral reefs in the Pacific. Research by Victoria University in New Zealand has found that the worm-like, Dendropoma Maximum is causing more damange to the reefs than coral bleaching.

Australian solar boat sets sail in ShanghaiAudio

Updated 28/05/2010 19:39:54


An innovative Australian boat design harnessing solar and wind power is making its mark at the Shanghai Expo. Fixed sails angled to catch the sun use technology developed in Australia in a futuristic hybrid similar to hybrid cars. The company and its offshoots have contracts to build ferries in the US, Asia and the United Arab Emirates and for naval vessels in the US.

New US security strategy to be releasedAudioTranscript

Updated 27/05/2010 20:58:45

The White House is preparing to release President Barack Obama's new national security strategy. The doctrine will clearly state that the US is not at war with Islam. That deviates sharply from the go-it-alone approach of the Bush era that included justification for pre-emptive war and alienated many in the Muslim world.

Concern over potential Asian military flashpointsAudio

Updated 27/05/2010 20:58:45

Two of Australia's most noted strategic analysts have painted an alarming portrait of military pressures in Asia and the lack of mechanisms to mediate potential flash-points. They've been speaking at the annual forum of Melbourne University's Asialink in Canberra this week, along with Australia's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd who's welcomed signs that responses may be emerging, if very slowly, from the Association of South East Asian Nations, ASEAN. Mr Rudd has welcomed the recent ASEAN decision to consider including the U-S and Russia in it's expanded dialogues.

Four North Korean submarines being trackedAudio

Updated 27/05/2010 20:58:45

Four North Korean submarines are being tracked after disappearing from their anchorage, as South Korea stages an anti-submarine warfare drill. The 300 ton deisil-electric submarines are being monitored by the South Korean navy in the East Sea, after they vanished from their anchorage on Tuesday following the announcement of a raft of sanctions against the North in retaliation for the sinking of one of the South's naval vessels. North Korea has meanwhile announced it will scrap an agreement aimed at preventing accidental naval clashes with South Korea.

Problems with Australian cattle trade with IndonesiaAudioTranscript

Updated 27/05/2010 20:58:45

Difficulties have arisen in Australia's lucrative live cattle exports to Indonesia after a shipment of more than two-thousand Australian cattle was last weekend declared to have an invalid import permit. Australia denies there was a permit problem .. but Indonesia's agriculture ministry has warned Australia not to treat Indonesia's customs laws lightly. Australia's main meat and livestock organisation says the action was political .. and is seeking more certainty from Indonesia .. to protect what it says is a mutually advantageous trade.

Australia accused of cultural complacencyAudioTranscript

Updated 26/05/2010 20:00:11

Key Australian arts figures say the country is complacent in the face of a flowering of creativity across Asia .. and risks exclusion not only from the arts, but from understanding the region's wider challenges. It's one of the themes to emerge from a major conference on Australia's Asian future .. the annual national forum of Melbourne University's Asialink and Asia Society. Asia scholars, business people and political figures, as well as representatives of the arts community and diplomats from Asian countries have been attending .. and Australia's Prime Minister and Opposition have also spoken. And concern about Australia's cultural engagement emerged as a key theme

Debate over Australian mining super-tax continuesAudio

Updated 26/05/2010 20:00:11

The Australian government's proposed mining rent tax continues to generate heated debate. The head of mining giant Rio Tinto launched another scathing attack on the tax, telling shareholders it poses the number one sovereign risk to Rio anywhere in the world. Lining up on the other side, a group of 20 respected economists has thrown its weight behind the Government's proposal. Canberra is locked in negotiations with resource companies to fine tune a workable formula.

China's shift in sexual moralsAudioTranscript

Updated 26/05/2010 20:00:12

When a Chinese court last week sentenced Ma Yaohai to three and a half years' jail for organising a swingers' party, or a group sex gathering, the decision sparked intense debate about whether China's sex laws are out of touch with the times. Research shows sexual behaviour in China is increasingly departing from traditional monogamous, heterosexual marriages. However, the law and some parts of Chinese society are reluctant to recognise the shift. In China, prostitution, group sex, and same sex marriages are illegal. But more and more Chinese are questioning why the law is intruding in the bedroom.

US talks of further military options against North KoreaAudio

Updated 26/05/2010 20:00:12

The U-S Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says the world has a duty to respond to the sinking of a South Korean warship earlier this year. Last week, an international investigation concluded that the ship was sunk by a North Korean torpedo and 46 sailors were killed. In response, Seoul has cut economic ties with Pyongyang and plans to raise the issue with the United Nations Security Council. Mrs Clinton has paid a visit to the South Korean capital Seoul - where she's talked about exploring further military options.

Security tightened at Guam airportAudio

Updated 26/05/2010 20:00:05

Recent terrorist threats around the world have prompted security to be tightened around Guam's International Airport. The airport has been on threat level orange since 9/11, indicating a high threat of terrorist activity. Orange is one level below the highest threat level red, which is defined by the Department of Homeland Security as a severe threat of terrorist activity. However, the airport in the tiny US territory south of Japan has put in place additional security measures in recent days because of major events around the world, such as the anti-government protests in Thailand. Guam is also preparing for a huge US military build up on the island.

French reporters deported for filming in PapuaAudio

Updated 26/05/2010 20:00:05

An Indonesian media freedom organisation has criticised the deportation of two French journalists for filming a documentary in Papua province. The pair, Baudouin Koenig and Carole Lorthiois, from the French Arte television network, were questioned by immigration officials after they reportedly covered a protest rally in the provincial capital, Jayapura. Papua is populated mainly by Melanesian Christians, and a low level pro-independence insurgency has been waged against rule from Jakarta by the Free Papua Movement, the OPM. Margiyono,

North is bluffing says South Korea's ambassador to AustraliaAudio

Updated 25/05/2010 20:07:20

South Korea's ambassador to Australia Woosang Kim says North Korea is bluffing and that current tensions on the peninsula won't escalate to military action.
The Ambassador also says he's confident North Korea's main international backer, China, will play it's part to calm the crisis. As he spoke in Canberra, Beijing's special representative for Korean affairs was meeting South Korea's foreign minister as part of Seoul's diplomatic push to secure international support. The push comes after the South announced it was cutting trade and other contacts and barring the North's merchant ships from using it's sea lanes over the finding that a North Korean submarine torpedoed and sank a South Korean ship in March, killing 46. Seoul is also referring the issue to the United Nations Security Council -- and that's where China's veto could either make or break a push for new sanctions against the North.

Moves to impeach Thai prime minister over Bangkok crisisAudioTranscript

Updated 25/05/2010 20:07:20

Thailand's opposition leaders are moving to impeach prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva for his handling of the turmoil in Bangkok. Eighty-eight people died in two months of protests, led by the anti-government demonstrators called the Red Shirts. The motion to impeach Prime Minister Abhisit is being led by the Pheu Thai party allied to ousted former leader Thaksin Shinawatra. The party alleges Mr Abhisit abused his power by using military force against protestors. And Thailand's criminal court will today decide whether to issue an arrest warrant for Thaksin Shinawatra on terrorism charges - charges which carry the death penalty.

The battle for Cambodian farm landAudioTranscript

Updated 25/05/2010 20:07:19

Cambodia has reportedly been promised one hundred million U-S dollars from the United States to help fight hunger and develop agriculture among small-scale farmers. The money will be given directly to the Cambodian government, even though it's regarded as one of the most corrupt in Asia. While donor countries throw lots of money at the issue of food security, the challenge faced by many small-scale farmers in Cambodia is the forced take-over of their land by those with government or military connections. One of the biggest cases currently being fought out is in Kampong Speu province.

Nine suicides at Taiwanese factory in ChinaAudioTranscript

Updated 25/05/2010 20:07:19

The death toll from suicide by workers at Taiwanese company operating in China has risen to nine. Just today another young man threw himself from a building at Foxconn's large factory in Zhengzhen. Its the second suicide at the site in a week. Foxconn is the world's largest maker of consumer electronics, including Apple's iPhone. Protestors demonstrated outside the company's Hong Kong office as labour activists demand the company and the Chinese government do more to prevent the deaths.

Singapore and Malaysia strike railway dealAudio

Updated 25/05/2010 20:07:20

Singapore and Malaysia have struck deals on long standing disputes which will see them cooperating on significant economic projects. Malaysia is to relocate its railway station near Singapore's central business district to an area close to one of the two bridges linking the neighbours. That new station will be linked to Singapore's underground rapid transit system, the MRT. And the island city-state will hand over waterworks it operates in the southern Malaysian state of Johore and not extend a 1961 agreement giving it access to Malaysian water at below market rates. Singapore's former High Commissioner to Malaysia, now Director of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Ambassador Krishna Kesavapany, says these deals are a sign that relations between the two countries are getting better.

Indonesian Christian group forced onto streetAudio

Updated 25/05/2010 20:07:20

A group of Christians in Indonesia is being forced to congregate on the street rather than in their church hall in Bogor. Despite claiming to have gained all the relevant permissions the group has been shut out of the hall under pressure from a local Islamic group. Its an incident that has some in Indonesia worried about a rising number of anti-christian attacks, but others suggest it is as much about political difference as religion

More pressure on Australia's aid programAudioTranscript

Updated 24/05/2010 19:44:33

Australia's government is under new pressure to do more about waste in the country's increasing foreign aid program, with a big focus on the use of highly paid consultants and private companies. More tabloid headlines about big salaries for advisors and dubious programs are fuelling calls for a public inquiry into the aid program. Canberra is also releasing a damning report on Australia's aid for Papua New Guinea which says about a quarter of all aid to the country has little lasting benefit, and that the aid program is spread too thinly. Australia' Foreign minister Stephen Smith has hit back at critics, stressing the aid program is not all bad and insisting his government is working responsibly to solve problems.

Security to dominate US/China talksAudio

Updated 24/05/2010 19:44:33

The issue of what to do about North Korea will dominate what are meant to be largely economic talks now underway in Beijing between China and the US. Its only the second round of the annual Strategic and Economic Dialogue agreed to between Presidents Barack Obama and Hu Jintao. But there have been months of discord between the two nations beginning with last year's climate change conference in Copenhagen and including the ongoing spat over China's exchange rate. And neither side expects much in the way of concrete progress for now

South Korea announces new sanctions on North KoreaAudioTranscript

Updated 24/05/2010 19:44:33

South Korea is escalating pressure on the North as it tries to punish it for sinking of one of its warships in March. An international investigation concluded last week that north Korea had torpedoed the Cheonan killing 46 sailors on board - although North Korea denies it was involved. Now President Lee Myun-bak has laid out new sanctions against the North and Seoul will also ask the UN security council to increase
Presenter: Bill Bainbridge
Speakers: Lee Myun-bak, South Korean President; Hillary Clinton, United States Secretary of State; Daniel Pinkston, North East Asia Deputy Director for the International Crisis Group.

Fiji reinstates pension rights for government opponentsAudio

Updated 24/05/2010 19:44:26

Fiji's Interim Government has removed a ban on pension payments to those it regards as opponents to its policies and direction. At the end of December a new decree meant pensions could be stopped, and many high ranking former civil servants and politicians, including more than one former Prime Minister, found they had lost their benefits. But over the weekend interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama announced the decree was being repealed.

International student safety in Australia examinedAudio

Updated 24/05/2010 19:44:26

Australia's international student sector is worth billions of dollars and provides crucial revenue for universities and colleges. The international student population is also seen as a major contributor to the Australian economy. But what are authorities doing to protect the foreign students, some of whom have been robbed and assaulted because they're seen as easy targets? Other foreign students are exploited for cheap labour because laws only permit them to work twenty hours a week, forcing many to earn under-the-table wages. These issues are being addressed in a newly-published book called 'International Student Security'

Asian stocks and currencies fluctuateAudio

Updated 21/05/2010 20:35:36

Its been a wild ride on stock and money markets over the past 24 hours - not to mention the past week. Following Wall Street down, Tokyo dived almost 2 and a half per cent while a three per cent slump on the Australian share market was mostly recovered later in the day. Investors worried about Europe's ability to contain the debt problems of several members rushed into so-called safe havens. These included the US dollar and the Japanese yen, leaving the Australian dollar a major casualty.
After falling to a fresh ten month low at one point the Aussie later returned to about 83 US cents - down from the heady heights of more than 90 cents just days before.

Thai government acted with 'too much' restraint says businessmanAudio

Updated 21/05/2010 20:35:36

A Thai businessman says he and many other Bangkok residents are upset that the government took so long to crush the redshirt protest in the centre of the capital. Reungvit Nandhabiwat has also criticised the foriegn media for spreading what he says is a false image of the violence, without showing people what lay behind it. He's written a commentary in the Bangkok Post asking people in other countries what they would have done if faced with a similar situation. Mr Nandhabiwat says the image of Thailand overseas has taken what he believes is an unfair battering at the hands of foriegn reporters.

Thai diplomat calls for reconciliationAudioTranscript

Updated 21/05/2010 20:35:36

World leaders have expressed their concern and dismay at the events in Bangkok this week. The U-S Senate is preparing to pass a resolution calling on Thailand to begin a process of national reconciliation. It's a move supported by the European Union. But with many of the Red Shirt leaders now in custody, human rights groups are voicing their concern about the government's treatment of those detained, saying there are fears they will be mistreated.

The toll from Mongolia's harsh winterAudioTranscript

Updated 21/05/2010 20:35:35

The nomadic lifestyle of Mongolia's 800-thousand plus livestock herders is under threat .. as the country counts the cost of a bitter and destructive winter. About 20-percent of the total national herd has died from hunger, or simply frozen, all up an estimated 8-and-a-half million animals have been lost since March. Many animals are still weak, and might not make it through the coming summer. There are a number of factors that have contributed to the devastating losses, climate change as well as overgrazing. And as the United Nations begins efforts to rebuild lives and livelihoods some are questioning the viability of the way of life that has defined the country for so long.

Chinese nationals falsely lured to Northern MarianasAudio

Updated 21/05/2010 20:35:35

Chinese nationals are being lured to America's Pacific territory of the Northern Marianas or CNMI with the promise of a U-S visa. But after paying thousands of dollars to middle-men to get to Saipan, their hope of securing a visa is quickly quashed. The probelm was highlighted this week when the case of a young Chinese woman was heard before a federal immigration court in Saipan. The woman was one of 25 people arrested earlier this year trying to sneak into Guam illegally from the CNMI after they failed to get their promised visa.

Media targeted by both sides in ThailandAudio

Updated 20/05/2010 19:39:21

Journalists covering the unrest in Thailand are being targeted by both sides, according to a regional media NGO. Rioters have attacked Channel 3, a government TV station, setting fire to the station's building, and torching at least 10 news vehicles, forcing the station off the air. And both the
Presenter: Bruce Hill
Speaker: Roby Alampay, Executive Director of the Southeast Asian Press Alliance

Fears for safety of detained Thai protest leadersAudio

Updated 20/05/2010 19:39:21

The Canadian human rights lawyer appointed by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra says he fears for the safety of the detained Red Shirt leaders.. and is calling for third party involvement in effort to resolve the crisis. Robert Amsterdam has just left Bangkok after visiting Thailand on a fact finding mission. He also visited the main Red Shirt encampment. Mr Amsterdam spoke to Tom Fayle, who began by asking what he knew about the fate of the main protest leaders.

Australia urges restraint in ThailandAudioTranscript

Updated 20/05/2010 19:39:21

Australia is urging Thailand to resolve the continuing violence and political standoff, through the political process. Public statements from Canberra have been limited. But former foreign minister Alexander Downer says Canberra should be quietly rallying other democracies in the region .. particularly Indonesia .. as well as the United States, to press for elections in Thailand.

Thailand may face low-level redshirt insurgencyAudio

Updated 20/05/2010 19:39:22

In Thailand, government forces are now warning they'll open fire on anyone attempting to loot or commit arson. The government has extended a night-time curfew by three days, after the military succeeded in taking back central Bangkok from the red shirts protesters. Emergency services say 27 fires have been lit in Bangkok since troops overan the main protest area yesterday. The government is defending its use of force, saying the protestors were warned to pack up and go home before the troops went in.
Bangkok based crisis management and and security consultant Paul Quaglia, a 20 year-veteran of the CIA, lives near the site of the former Red Shirt encampment. He says the performance of the Thai army in ending the protest is difficult to asses, and there could still be more trouble ahead.

New Indonesian finance minister namedAudio

Updated 20/05/2010 19:39:20

The appointment in Indonesia of a new Finance Minister has been widely welcomed - with just a few reservations. President Susilo Bambang Yudhyono has named Agus Martowardojo to take over the post left vacant by the sudden resignation two weeks ago of Sri Mulyani Indrawati. Commentators say the new minister has a tough act to follow.

South Korea considers action against North over warship sinkingAudioTranscript

Updated 20/05/2010 19:39:21

South Korea is considering ways to punish North Korea after a mullti-national investigation concluded the communist state did fire the torpedo that sank one of Seoul's warships, with the loss of 46 lives. Pyongyang has denied responsibility but has announced it will be sending a high level delegation from its National Defence Commission to the South to verify the material evidence. The announcement is being seen by Seoul as an attempt by the North to revive talks between the two Koreas.

Europe's financial woes now affecting stock markets in AsiaAudioTranscript

Updated 19/05/2010 06:58:54

A dramatic move by German regulators to curb financial speculation has sent shockwaves well beyond Europe's shores. Traders will be banned from naked short selling - that is selling stocks and bonds they don't own, in effect speculating on companies or countries going broke. Germany says the measures are necessary to prevent betting on Euro zone countries from destabilising the entire system. But the sudden move has sent confidence plummeting and Asian stock markerts wobbling. Financial regulation is now a hot topic.

North Korea accused of torpedoing South Korean warshipAudio

Updated 19/05/2010 06:58:54

South Korea's Foreign Minister says it's now obvious North Korea sank one of their warships earlier this year, killing 46 sailors. His comments follow what the South has described as a painstaking investigation into the disaster, which saw the 12-hundred tonne warship Cheonan split in two during a routine patrol mission, in the Yellow sea.
Investigators have found a torpedo fragment near the disaster site, with a serial number written in North Korean font. Seoul will officially release it's findings into the sinking on Thursday and at the same time is expected to formally accuse the North of one the worst attacks on the South since the declared truce in 1953. Professor John McKay,
Presenter: Lynette Hyslop
Speaker: Professor John McKay, from Analysis International

Thai government warned about human rights abusesAudio

Updated 19/05/2010 06:58:54

Human rights groups are now warning that Thailand is moving towards a "slippery slope" of human rights abuses. The New York based Human Rights Watch says the Thai army is breaking international and local laws by shooting on protestors.

Bangkok protest quashed by Thai militaryAudio

Updated 19/05/2010 06:58:54

The Thai army is reportedly in control of the main protest camp in the capital Bangkok, after a day of street fighting which has left at least five people dead. The redshirt protest movement encampment was seized by the army using armourd vehicles to smash through makeshift barricades. At last report, the protest leaders who were still in the encampment had been taken into custody and were last seem being led away to an undisclosed location. But despite the apparent success for the Thai government in quashing that protest site, redshirts have since been staging several small scale attacks throughout Bangkok and in smaller provincial centres.

Asian films compete at CannesAudioTranscript

Updated 19/05/2010 06:53:49

The Cannes Film Festival is underway in France, with 18 international productions vying for the prestigious Palm D'or award. Among the nominees are five Asian films from Japan, South Korea, China and Thailand...part of an ever-growing contingent of regional productions at the event. All eyes are on the Chinese industry, which is aiming to rival Hollywood.

French Polynesia barred from UN decolonisation meetingAudio

Updated 19/05/2010 06:53:49

The President of French Polynesia's National Asssembly has been refused admission to the United Nations special regional committee meeting on decolonisation in New Caledonia. Oscar Temaru, a long time campaigner for independence, says it's not the fault of the UN but the French authorities who have banned him from the three day meeting. Mr Temaru claims the French government is afraid that if New Caledonia and French Polynesia join forces, it would give them two thirds of the maritime power of the French government in the Pacific Ocean. Mr Temaru was asked if he knew why he was banned from the meeting.

Call for probe into human rights abuses in Sri LankaAudio

Updated 18/05/2010 19:43:10

On the eve of the first anniversary of the formal end to Sri Lanka's long running and bloody civil war, an international human rights group is calling on the United Nations to investigate fresh charges that tens of thousands of civilians were killed in the final months of the conflict. In a new report, the International Crisis Group says it has evidence that both the Sri Lankan military and the Tamil Tiger rebels deliberately shot civilians. The ICG report also says hundreds of thousands of others were deprived of adequate food and medical care. Colombo has repeatedly rejected charges of civilian deaths as grossly exaggerated and denies its military committed war crimes. And the Sri Lankan government has made no immediate comment on these latest allegations.

Foriegn businesses consider pulling out of ThailandAudio

Updated 18/05/2010 19:43:10

Foreign businesses are considering pulling out of Thailand as the economic damage to the country from the political crisis mounts. Efforts at negotiation seem to have resulted in some calm resulting in a standoff between the redshirts and the army for now. But with no outcome in sight long term damage might be unavoidable.

Bangkok a little calmer todayAudio

Updated 18/05/2010 19:43:10

In Bangkok, tensions between the army and redshirt protesters seem to have eased slightly. A deadline for the anti-government demonstrators to leave the centre of the Thai capital yesterday passed without incident, and there are now reports of behind the scenes negotiations aimed at preventing a confrontation. From Bangkok, our correspondent Ron Corben says the mood on the streets seems to have eased a bit today.

Australia invites Chinese input on mining taxAudio

Updated 18/05/2010 19:43:04

The Federal Government has invited China into the negotiations over the final shape of its controversial new super-profits tax on Australian mining. Trade minister Simon Crean made the offer, as high level Chinese officials raised concerns with him in Beijing that the tax might push commodity prices even higher. Existing tension with China over near-record-high iron ore prices last month saw China accuse the big suppliers of running a price monopoly and threaten a two month boycott. And China has reportedly put some investment in Australia on hold amid uncertainty over the new tax. Mr Crean heard China's latest concerns during the fourth Australia-China high level economic dialogue, led on the Chinese side by Zhang Ping, the head of the National Reform and Development Commission which decides on all Chinese foreign investment.

Nestle dumps companies linked to the destruction of rainforestsAudio

Updated 18/05/2010 19:43:04

The world's biggest food group, Nestle, says it will no longer buy from companies that destroy rainforests in Indonesia. The move by the Swiss company follows mounting pressure from enviromental groups about how Nestle was sourcing the oil.

Solomons hopes to learn from PNG/Indonesia border staffAudio

Updated 17/05/2010 20:00:35

A high level delegation from the Solomon Islands has returned from a fact finding mission to the Papua New Guinea/Indonesia border. Crime, including drugs running and people smuggling, is always a major concern for law enforcement officials manning the border. Solomon Islands is hoping to see how Port Moresby and Jakarta deal with these sorts of issues - and it's hoped this will help Solomon Islands in its management of its own border with Papua New Guinea on Bougainville. The Solomon Islands delegration was led by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, George Hiele. He was joined by High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea Bernard Bata'anisia and other senior government officials from the Prime Minsiter's office.

Book on Indonesian political history bannedAudio

Updated 17/05/2010 20:00:35

Indonesians are today marking National Book Day - it's a day which celebrates literacy and free access to information. Yet despite great strides in freedom of expression since the end of the Suharto era, books still get banned. One author to suffer the wrath of officialdom is American historian John Roosa. His book -- "Pretext for Mass Murder: The September 30th Movement and Soeharto's Coup d'Etat" -- was one of five books banned by the Attorney General's Office late last year, using old Sukarno-era legislation. That decision is now the subject of an appeal to the Constitutional Court.

Fears Europe's debt woes may spread to AsiaAudio

Updated 17/05/2010 20:00:40

Fears thart Europe's debt problems will spread to Asia are on the rise. The most immediate signs have been on share and money markets throughout the region, where confidence that Greece and others are under control are diminishing. Shares and commodity prices all followed the large falls of the European currency, the Euro. Australia's share market had its biggest fall in a year Monday - with some of the mining companies especially hard hit.

Hopes of fresh peace talks in PhilippinesAudio

Updated 17/05/2010 20:00:40

The southern Phillipines island of Mindanao has been the scene of ongoing conflict, that has lasted for more than 35 years, as the Muslim Moro people fight for self-determination. Now the Moro Isalmic Liberation front, the M-I-L-F and Communist rebels, The National Democratic Front, say they are ready to sit down for fresh peace talks with the incoming Phillipines President, Benigno NoyNoy Aquino. He'll be sworn in on June 30th.

Tourists set to avoid Thailand in favour of VietnamAudio

Updated 17/05/2010 20:00:41

Meanwhile, the political turmoil in Thailand's capital, Bangkok, is likely to cause a long-term drop in the country's vital tourist trade.

No sign of Thai army action against protestors yetAudio

Updated 17/05/2010 20:00:41

In Thailand, where a deadline for the anti-government Redshirt protestors to halt their occupation of part of the city centre has passed. The army had warned the approxiamately five thousand people left in the protest encampement to abandon their street occupation by three this afternoon - aroundtwo hours ago. So far there's been no sign the Thai army has commenced operations against the Redshirts, but tension in the city is very high, according to journalist Ben Doherty who is in the Bangkok Foriegn Correspondents Club.

Drought throws cold water on Yunnan festivalAudioTranscript

Updated 14/05/2010 19:37:22

The worst drought in 100 years in southwest China is causing misery for millions. In southwest Yunnan province, the Buddhist Dai minority are feeling the effects on a spiritual level. The area's annual water festival, the most important on the religious calendar, has had to be scaled back this year. Monks are urging locals to return to their traditional spiritual values to combat the causes of the drought.

Chinese chef adds a pinch of spiritualism in the kitchenAudio

Updated 14/05/2010 19:37:26

Adding a pinch of spiritualism to cooking as a vital ingredient will add years to your life and possibly even the next one. That's if you taste one of the culinary creations of world renowned Chinese chef, Tam Kwok Fung - who uses the principles of Taoism in his kitchen. Tam is Executive Chef at 'City of Dreams' in Macau where he oversees two signature Chinese restaurants. He's cooked for world leaders and royalty and is in Australia showcasing his unique cooking style at one of Melbourne's riverside Cantonese restaurants.

Former Indonesian police chief challenges arrestAudioTranscript

Updated 14/05/2010 19:37:30

Indonesia's former high ranking police officer turned-corruption whistleblower Susno Duadji was detained earlier this week and accused of corruption. But now his lawyers have filed a lawsuit challenging the legal basis for his arrest.

Beijing brands Hong Kong by election illegalAudioTranscript

Updated 14/05/2010 19:37:34

A by-election being held in Hong Kong this weekend has been branded illegal by Beijing. Activists have dubbed it a referendum on democracy in a direct challenge to the authority of the central government. But it's divided the democracy movement in Hong Kong and risks doing long term damage to the multi-party alliance that has gained momentum in recent years.

American band Dengue Fever rocks Phnom PenhAudio

Updated 14/05/2010 19:37:17

As part of the US celebration of diplomatic ties with Cambodia, the US Embassy sponsored a concert in the capital Phnom Penh this week by American band Dengue Fever. The LA-based outfit plays music influenced by the psychedelic rock 'n' roll popular in the 60's.

Thai military opens fire on red shirt protestorsAudio

Updated 14/05/2010 19:37:38


But first to Thailand, where the military appears to be trying to end the street occupation which has paralysed central Bangkok for two months. Troops have been firing tear gas, rubber bullets and live rounds at the red-shirt protestors. There have been two deaths reported so far, and at least 18 injured, including three journalists who have been wounded by bullets.

Australian Defence force big winners in budgetAudioTranscript

Updated 13/05/2010 19:41:07

Australia's Defence minister John Faulkner has delivered on his mission to provide better protection for Australian troops in Afghanistan. In the 2010-2011 Australian budget released this week, there's just over a billion Australian dollars in new money for force protection and a billion extra for operations, while defence has returned a billion in savings under a stringent reform program. But a former Australian army chief is questioning whether defence should get all the $27 billion it gets in the first place, arguing it may be better used for police, aid programs and the foreign service.

ASEAN inter-parliamentary caucus calls for tougher line on BurmaAudio

Updated 13/05/2010 19:41:12


United States Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell had a disappointing visit to Burma this week. After leaving the country, he said it was unfortunate the military regime was pressing ahead unilaterally with elections, saying the poll would lack international legitimacy. So far, the new US policy of engagement with Burma's rulers seems to be bearing little fruit. Eva Sundari, Vice President of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus, says there's no sign at all of any real political change in Burma, and it's time ASEAN took a much tougher line.

Chinese councils experiment with democracy.AudioTranscript

Updated 13/05/2010 19:41:18

An experiment in democracy is not the sort of thing you'd normally associate with China yet in the south of the country a group of local councils are staging public meetings which allow community representatives to question the decision making priorities of their leaders. This is the brain child of Chinese reformers who are looking for ways to promote government accountability that will not threaten communist party. The project is a long way from delivering open slather democracy and it's already dividing communist party official but the remarkable thing is that local governments are actually agreeing to let the meetings take place at all.

Mining companies step up pressure on Australian Govt over rent taxAudio

Updated 13/05/2010 19:40:58

Mining companies operating in Australia are continuing to take the fight right up to the government over the proposed new mining tax. Rio Tinto is the latest to condemn the 40 per cent tax on mining profits and the company says its reviewing all new capital projects in Australia. The government is sticking to its plan despite the threats to kill investment in the nation's most valuable export sector.

Thai PM withdraws November poll offer as Red Shirts stay putAudioTranscript

Updated 13/05/2010 19:41:03


The Thai Prime Minister has taken his offer to hold elections in November off the table, casting further doubts over a swift end to the country's political crisis.
The announcment came after anti-government protesters refused to leave their encampment in the capital. While the deadlock continues to impact on local businesses in central Bangkok, observers say the protests are masking wider economic problems in the country.

New Philippines President facing multiple challengesAudioTranscript

Updated 12/05/2010 20:00:04


With victory all but in the bag, the new President of the Philippines, Senator Benigno Aquino, is now turning his attention to an even bigger challenge .. delivering on his campaign promises. One of the biggest issues he'll face is rooting out corruption, and there's also rampant unemployment and spiralling Government debt to bring under control. Despite those hurdles and problems with voting machines on polling day, there's no doubt about his right to rule.

Senior Chinese military leader visits AustraliaAudioTranscript

Updated 12/05/2010 19:59:48


One of China's most senior military figures, Guo Boxiong, is in Australia, in a continuing process of military and diplomatic courtship. It follows the visit to Australia last October of Peoples Liberation Army chief of general staff, Chen Bingde. At the same time, a report has emerged that Australia's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd speculated in a recent business dinner speech that China could implode and that its success can swing on one good or bad decision.

US and Afghan leaders show solidarity despite recent disagreementsAudioTranscript

Updated 12/05/2010 19:59:52


The United States and Afghanistan have pledged to forge enduring ties, well beyond the exodus of international troops from the war-torn country. The pledge was made during a four-day visit by Afghan president Hamid Karzai to Washington where he met with senior US officials. But the exceptionally warm welcome comes in stark contrast to the recent spats between Washington and Kabul.

Philippines business leaders welcome Aquino's electionAudio

Updated 12/05/2010 19:59:58


Benigno Aquino's success has been welcomed by business leaders in the Philippines. As well as campaigning on delivering improved investment conditions, he told the many millions of Filipinos living in poverty he would make their lives better. He went as far as to put those promises in writing.

US Coastguard need Kiribati request to help islandersAudio

Updated 12/05/2010 19:59:44

A possible emergency airlift of food to hungry inhabitants of a remote atoll in Kiribati is on hold while American authorities await a formal request from the Kiribati government. A British yachtsman, Alex Bond, found the 24 inhabitants of Canton Island in the Phoenix Group living only on fish and coconuts, after the government boat carrying supplies failed to arrive for six weeks. He says they're not starving, but he believes the children could be suffering malnutrition. Mr Bond contacted the Coastguard in his home town of Falmouth in the United Kingdom, and they passed his message to the US Coastguard in Hawaii. Coastguard public affairs officer in Honolulu, Lt Gene Maestas says they're ready to help, but a formal request from the Kiribati government is needed before any action can be taken.

North Korean claims to have conducted fusion nuclear reactionAudio

Updated 12/05/2010 19:59:40


North Korea's Government is claiming it has successfully carried out a nuclear fusion reaction. Nuclear fusion is considered the holy grail of energy, producing safe and almost limitless power from hydrogen atoms with zero emissions and almost zero waste. The claim seems unlikely. If true, it means North Korea has achieved with Soviet-era technology what a multi-billion dollar, multi-national experiment currently underway in the south of France has so far failed to do. The International Thermo-nuclear Experimental Reactor, or ITER, expects to start its fusion reaction in 2019.

New Chinese economic data adds pressure to revalue yuanAudioTranscript

Updated 11/05/2010 19:19:43


The pressure is increasing on the Chinese Government to appreciate the currency following the release of the latest economic data in Beijing. Accelerating inflation, booming bank lending and surging property prices are strengthening the case for interest rate rises and a stronger yuan. But the data has economists divided about whether the economy has reached the point of overheating, creating a bubble that's set to burst. For Australian exporters though demand for commodities should be strong for the next few years at least.

Thailand's anti-Government protestors target deputy Prime MinisterAudioTranscript

Updated 11/05/2010 19:19:47

There's been a twist in negotiations aimed at ending Thailand's political crisis. The anti-government protesters are now demanding the Deputy prime minister face criminal charges over last month's deadly clashes that killed 25 people. But at the same time the, Red Shirts have accepted the Prime Ministers offer to dissolve parliament in September can hold elections in November.

Aquino camp confident of victory in Philippines pollAudioTranscript

Updated 11/05/2010 19:19:39

Benigno Aquino III is heading for a landslide win in the presidential poll. His campaign team is confident of victory.

The dangers in trafficking Cambodian menAudioTranscript

Updated 11/05/2010 19:19:39

Tens of thousands of Cambodians cross into neighbouring countries each year in search of work. But agreeing to work abroad illegally can be dangerous not least for men who are generally not seen as being at much risk.

Nationwide strike in Nepal ends, but hostilities lingerAudioTranscript

Updated 10/05/2010 20:03:10

A nationwide shutdown in Nepal, led by the country's Maoists may have ended, but it hasn't brought an end to the violence. Over the weekend, thousands of Maoist supporters clashed with police during streets protests, leaving dozens from both sides injured. The Maoists are calling for the Prime Minister's resignation ahead of a deadline to draw up the country's new constitution.

US concedes Pakistani Taliban may be involved in failed bomb plotAudio

Updated 10/05/2010 20:03:13

The United States has conceded for the first time that the Pakistani Taliban was behind a failed attempt to detonate a car bomb in the heart of New York City.
After dismissing the claim of responsibility immediately after the incident, US Attorney General Eric Holder now says they helped facilitate it, and perhaps finance it. Washington has responded by stepping up pressure on Pakistan to crack down on Islamic extremists operating along its border with Afghanistan.

US Assistant Secretary of State visits Burma with low expectationsAudioTranscript

Updated 10/05/2010 20:03:17


The United States has kept expectations low for the visit to Burma during the past two days of assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Kurt Campbell. The visit would be about understanding the military junta's views and plans, and convenying U-S views, including deep disappointment with the generals' approach to elections later this year.

Voters in the Philippines complain about faulty voting machines

Updated 10/05/2010 20:03:01


An estimated 50 million Filipino's have turned out to cast votes in nationwide elections to elect thousands of representatives, from town councillors to a new President. The poll hasn't been smooth sailing, there have been reports of violence in the country's troubled south, and many voters have complained about malfunctioning automatic voting machines.

Asian markets rise on news of Greece financial rescue packageAudio

Updated 10/05/2010 20:02:59


Asian stock markets have breathed a sigh of relief as Europe pulled together to avert a Greek financial crisis which risked creating another global credit squeeze. All major indices got a boost in Monday's trade after the 11 hour emergency meeting approved almost one Trillion dollars in aid to save Greece and the Euro. The European currency, which lost four per cent last week, gained against the dollar on the news. The massive deal has been backed by other central banks including the US Federal Reserve.

'End of the Line' documentary highlights overfishing in AsiaAudioTranscript

Updated 10/05/2010 20:03:06


A new documentary is being released in Australia after enjoying considerable success in Europe and North America. It's called 'The End of the Line', and it predicts a dire scenario for the world's seafood industry, particularly in Asia's so-called 'coral triangle.' The film's principle, and most disturbing assertion, is that the fish species we now exploit worldwide will all have collapsed by mid century due to overfishing and Government incompetence.

Indonesia's outgoing finance minister speaks about her resignationAudio

Updated 07/05/2010 20:31:19


Indonesia's reformer Finance Minister Sri Mulyani has spoken for the first time to a select group of international journalists including the ABC about her resignation to join the World Bank. Dr Sri Mulyani who is credited with transforming Indonesia's economy and tackling corruption says pressure from powerful interests who've previously profited from a corrupt system has been one of the hardest aspects of the job. She's declined to talk about the political pressure she faced in the job over a bank bailout, but says she's confident that Indonesia will continue on the path to reform.

Bali crackdown on Kuta cowboysAudio

Updated 07/05/2010 20:31:19

They're buff, they're bronzed and they stroll the sands of Bali's Kuta beach. They're known as the Kuta Cowboys; young Balinese men who offer friendship and sometimes more to the hordes of female tourists who visit the Island. Now a documentary about these men has caused uproar in Indonesia and led Balinese authorities to crack down on the supposed gigolos. Tourist authorities say the film is spoiling the island's reputation. Others say the furore reflects a broader anxiety about the impact of pleasure-seeking Westerners on Bali's fragile culture.

Burma's opposition party disbandsAudioTranscript

Updated 07/05/2010 20:31:32

Burma's pro-democracy party of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has officially disbanded. The party failed to meet the midnight registration deadline for elections. It's boycotting the polls because it says the laws under which they will be held are unfair. A splinter group calling itself the NDF or National Democracy Forum now says it will apply to the Election Commission to set up a new party within days. It's a shakeup of Burma's opposition, which has been under extreme pressure for several years.

Nepal paralysed by nationwide strikeAudio

Updated 07/05/2010 20:31:40


Nepal continues to be paralysed by a nationwide strike, and there's no indication it'll end anytime soon. But as the Maoists claim the streets, ordinary citizens are trying to fight back, even calling for the return of their deposed king.

Indian actress wins pre-marital sex comment caseAudioTranscript

Updated 07/05/2010 20:31:23

In India, there's been a groundswell of support for Tamil actress Kushboo after the Supreme Court dropped all criminal cases against her after she spoke publicly about the right of women to have pre-marital sex. In 2005, she was was accused of outraging public decency and 22 cases were filed against her. But now she has been vindicated

Therese Rein urges UNICEF gift for Mother's DayAudio

Updated 07/05/2010 20:31:28

This weekend it's Mothers' Day in Australia and Therese Rein, the wife of Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is urging Australians to forego the usual gifts of flowers and chocolates. Instead, Ms Rein says Australians should buy a maternal health kit developed by the United Nations childrens fund, UNICEF. Therese Rein says the kits will be provided to some of the millions of at-risk pregnant women in developing countries, where one in every eight women die in childbirth.

New study ranks Australia among top 10 worst environmental offendersAudio

Updated 06/05/2010 19:40:10


A new study ranks Australia among the top ten worst environmental offenders in the world. Researchers from Australia and overseas have sized up more than 150 countries on land clearing, carbon emissions and species loss. They say the findings dispel the view that poorer countries are mainly to blame for trashing the environment.

Australian Government under pressure to dump new mining taxAudioTranscript

Updated 06/05/2010 19:40:14


Canberra is facing immense pressure from the country's miners to dump its plan for a 40 per cent resources rent tax on the industry from 2012. The announcement of the plan last week has seen the share prices of some of the biggest miners savaged in recent days. One executive says its nothing short of a bid to nationalise 40 per cent of the highly profitable sector. Some smaller miners have named Indonesia as their alternative focus. The tax plan will appeal to many Australians who've watched mining profits escalate, but in a national election year, the miners are not going quietly.

Australian oil executives visit East Timor to sell platform proposalAudio

Updated 06/05/2010 19:40:19

Executives of Australian oil firm Woodside Petroleum have flown to East Timor in a high-stakes bid to convince Dili to greenlight its plans for a floating LNG plant. East Timor's government flatly rejected the plan announced last week and accused Woodside and its joint venture partners of 'arrogance'. Dili maintains that building the plant onshore is most economically viable option and will be of most benefit to East Timor's people.

Thailand's ousted leader Thaksin hires international lawyerAudioTranscript

Updated 06/05/2010 19:40:23

Thailand's anti-government protestors have hinted they could soon end weeks of protests, although they're still demanding a firm date for the dissolution of parliament before tearing down their barricades. The so-called 'Red Shirts', whose two-month campaign has resulted in 27 deaths, agreed this week to join Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's proposed reconciliation process. Red Shirts figurehead and ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who's now in exile, says he supports Prime Miniister Abhisit's proposal. Mr Thaksin was overthrown by a military coup in 2006 and faces a jail term if he returns. He's now hired international law firm, Amsterdam and Peroff to develop legal arguments against the current government.

45 human rights groups condemn Aust asylum claim suspensionAudio

Updated 06/05/2010 19:40:01


45 human rights groups from 16 countries have banded together, condemning the Australia's suspension of processing asylum applications from Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. The mainly Asian NGOs say Australia has sent a message to the region that it doesn't respect the binding nature of its international human rights obligations. Critics say the suspension undermines Australia's own policy to promote ratification of the United Nation's Refugee Convention throughout Asia.

Auction of rare treasures in Indonesia fails to attract any biddersAudio

Updated 06/05/2010 19:40:05


An auction in Indonesia of treasures including gold, gems, and rare artefacts from a 10th century shipwreck failed to attract any bidders. More than 271-thousand pieces from an unidentified shipwreck off West Java were being sold as one lot for a minimum of 80 million dollars. The incredible find included 11-thousand pearls, four thousand rubies, Chinese imperial porcelain and Iranian glassware. Potential buyers flocked to the auction from around the world, but were put off by a 16-million dollar deposit before they were even allowed to view the treasures.

Indonesia's finance minister quits under cloud and joins World BankAudioTranscript

Updated 05/05/2010 20:02:53

Indonesia's Finance Minister has resigned from her cabinet post to take up a senior role with the World Bank in Washington. Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati will be one of three Managing Directors of the Bank, second only to the President Robert Zoellick. Dr Indrawati is internationally well regarded for her reform agenda and her role in steering Indonesia through the global economic slowdown. But a political scandal has dogged her for a year and is believed to have contributed to her decision to resign.

Aust opposition leader wades into immigration debateAudio

Updated 05/05/2010 20:02:57


Australia's Opposition Liberal Party claims public support for the country's immigration program is being eroded by the perception that migrant selection has been outsourced to people smugglers. The Opposition leader Tony Abbott also claims the situation makes millions of Australians from migrant backgrounds feel less secure in their own country. Its one of four major policy speeches Mr Abbott is delivering in the leadup to a national election this year. He's angered refugee advocates, who say Mr Abbott has been fear-mongering and creating the very conditions he's speaking about.

China tightens security following attacks in schools and kindergartensAudioTranscript

Updated 05/05/2010 20:03:00

Security is being increased in schools and kindergartens across China, following a series of attacks involving children. Five bloody attacks in six weeks have put a spotlight on strains in Chinese society. In the latest attack last week, a hammer-wielding man doused himself with gasoline and set himself alight, after he injured five children and a teacher in Shandong province. The man's widow says he was in despair over government orders to knock down his new home. Senior Chinese leader Zhou Yongkang says it's a "major political task" to ensure security in schools and kindergartens.

Japan's Prime Minister backflips on US Okinawa baseAudio

Updated 05/05/2010 20:02:45

Japan's Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has sunk further into political trouble after his policy U-turn on the presence of US bases on the island of Okinawa.
He visited the island on Tuesday to tell residents the bases would not be relocated. That drew and angry response from the locals, but analysts say he had little choice but to ditch the policy.

Philippines Election Commission races to fix voting machine faultsAudio

Updated 05/05/2010 20:02:48


The Philippines Commission on Elections insists the May 10 election will go ahead as scheduled, despite widespread faults with voting machines. More than 76-thousand memory cards for the automated voting machines have been recalled, after tests showed they failed to read ballots and print accurate results. The Philippines Commissions on Elections, or Comelec, is now in a race against time to fix the problem, and plans to ship new cards across the archipelego within two days.

India reacts to terror convictionAudio

Updated 04/05/2010 19:45:49


Nearly 18 months ago in India, ten gunmen mounted a coordinated attack on the city of Mumbai. Over a period of three days, 166 people died and more than 300 others were injured. On Monday in Mumbai, a Pakistani national became the first to be convicted in connection with the case, he was the only surviving gunman.

Thai Prime Minister offers way out of political crisisAudio

Updated 04/05/2010 19:45:52

Thailand's political crisis appears to nearing an end with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejajiva promising November elections if the protestors who've been clogging the capital for the past two months accept a reconciliation plan. But if Bangkok's long suffering residents thought they were about to get their city back, they'll have to think again. Thailand's Red Shirt protestors are considering the offer but are yet to make any firm commitment to pack up and go home.

Philippines welcomes vertically challenged basketballersAudio

Updated 04/05/2010 19:45:32


As every basketball tragic knows, size does matter. The average height of players in the elite American NBA is around two metres. Yao Ming comes in at nearly 2.3 metres! So where does that leave the vertically challenged? Well, that's something a fledgeling amateur league in the Philippines is trying to do something about.

Newcrest and Lihir merge to become Asia Pacific's biggest gold minerAudioTranscript

Updated 04/05/2010 19:45:36

Australia's largest goldminer, Newcrest is to takeover Papua New Guinea's Lihir Gold, forming the fourth largest gold miner in the world. The combined company will be valued at about 25 billion dollars with mines in Australia, Papua New Guinea and West Africa. The agreement was reached after Lihir's Board rejected earlier offers from Newcrest.

Survey finds most Australians feel relationship with India damagedAudio

Updated 04/05/2010 19:45:40


A new survey has found 74 per cent of Australians think the Australia-India relationship has been damaged by the recent spate of attacks on Indian students in Australia. The survey was conducted in March by the Lowy Institute for International Affairs, an independent think tank in Sydney. The Institute's Rory Medcalf launched the findings at an Emerging Leaders Summit being held in New Delhi, coinciding with a visit by trade minister Simon Crean. Mr Medcalf says while Australia could still do more on the issue of violence against Indian students, India may be using the issue as part of efforts to get Australia to sell uranium to India.

Qasab terror verdict comes as no surprise in PakistanAudio

Updated 04/05/2010 19:45:44


Mohammed Ajmal Amir Qasab was from the Punjabi town of Faridkot, about 26 kilometres from the border with India. Residents there are unhappy with his conviction on murder and waging war, especially when two Indian men implicated in attacks were aquited. However, in the rest of Pakistan, reaction has been largely muted. Tanvir Ahmad Khan is Director General of the Institute of Strategic Studies in Islamabad, and a former Pakistan foreign secretary, and is confident the worst of the fallout from the Mumbai terror attack is now over.

Diplomatic risks over Australia's new tax on mining companiesAudioTranscript

Updated 03/05/2010 19:51:19


Australia's being warned that Beijing will not surrender to ever increasing iron ore prices and that Canberra should quickly open a strategic and economic dialogue with China, before it retaliates. Some extra urgency appears to arise from Australia's decision to hit big miners with a 40 per cent tax from mid-2012, a decision that might signal even higher prices for China. In a new paper for Canberra-based think-tank, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, veteran academic and China watcher, Richard Leaver, says the issues with China surrounding iron ore are not 'business as usual', as Canberra claims, but war.

Market reacts negatively to new taxes on Australian miningAudioTranscript

Updated 03/05/2010 19:51:23

The market reaction to the new tax plan from the Australian government has been negative. The mining companies share prices took a hit with losses as high as 7 percent. The mining industry is furious at the plan by Canberra to impose a 40 percent resources tax on extraordinary company profits. At the other end of the spectrum the small business sector is also unhappy.

Thai academic warns the country is on the brink of low level civil warAudio

Updated 03/05/2010 19:51:27


The Thai government's latest strategy to dislodge protestors from central Bangkok is to send text messages to their mobile phones asking them to leave the protest site. It's part of what the Thai Prime Minister has described as his plan to move the red shirts with the fewest possible losses. Mr Abhisit says that he will also reveal his plan for the dissolution of parliament in the next couple of days, and it may happen earlier than the end of the year timetable he originally proposed. But there are suggestions that an election could make things worse.

'Dead' Taliban leader threatens US attacksAudioTranscript

Updated 03/05/2010 19:51:33

Reports of his death seem to have been greatly exaggerated. Pakistani Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud was said to have been killed in a United States drone attack in January. But a recently posted video shows him threatening attacks against US cities. While the video appears to prove he is still alive, claims made by Pakistan's Taliban that it was behind an attempted bombing in New York have been ridiculed by security analysts.

Mohammed Qasab found guilty of murder in 2008 Mumbai terror attacksAudio

Updated 03/05/2010 19:51:37

Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone surviving gunman from the 2008 Mumbai attacks, has been found guilty Monday of murder and waging war against India. Those were the most serious charges laid against Kasab. The 22-year-old Pakistani was arrested after the Mumbai siege that left 166 people dead in November 2008.

Cambodia rejects BHP bribe allegationsAudio

Updated 03/05/2010 19:51:15

The Cambodian government has rejected suggestions that money it's been paid by the mining giant BHP was effectively a bribe. BHP has acknowledged it gave two point five million US dollars to a community living near a bauxite exploration project in north-east Cambodia. That payment's being investigated by the Securities and Exchange Commission in the United States. A minister in the Cambodian government reportedly referred to the money from the BHP as 'tea money', a slang term for a bribe. But Prime Minister Hun Sen says the money's being used on development projects, including a hydro-electric dam, schools and hospitals.