July 2010
Thailand epicentre of trafficking business
Updated 30/07/2010 21:03:04
Human trafficking has become one of the major human rights challenges of the past decades - creating a vast shadow economy that generates about US$10 billion a year.
Tongan troops in Afghanist will be all volunteers
Updated 30/07/2010 21:03:05
Tonga's prime minister says Tongan soldiers being sent to Afghanistan in November will all be volunteers.
Bangladeshi workers riot over wage increase
Updated 30/07/2010 21:03:05
In Bangladesh, factory workers have been offered an increase in the minimum wage from around US$22 to US$44.
Toxic chemicals threaten Chinese river
Updated 30/07/2010 21:03:05
Greenpeace says barrels of chemicals that have been washed into a river in China are leaking, posing a risk to rescue workers and the environment.
Foreign-owned farms an issue in Australian election
Updated 30/07/2010 21:03:04
At the end of the first two weeks of Australia's general election campaign, there are still few indications from either of the major contenders of an overarching vision for Australia's future in a dramatically changing region and world.
Cambodia uses the Internet to map human rights abuses
Updated 30/07/2010 21:03:04
A new website is putting Cambodia's human rights online, where everyone can see them.
Rupee logo a symbol of India's economic rise
Updated 29/07/2010 20:44:59
The Indian rupee has joined the ranks of the world's major currencies with this month's release of its own currency symbol.
Indonesian court recommends reduced sentence for Shapelle
Updated 29/07/2010 20:44:59
The Indonesian Supreme Court has recommended that the jail term of Australian Schapelle Corby be cut significantly.
US-Korean military drills an uncertain success
Updated 29/07/2010 20:45:00
This week, the US and South Korean military have staged a massive show of force aimed at sending a message to North Korea.
Investigations underway into fatal plane crash in Pakistan
Updated 29/07/2010 20:45:00
Pakistan is observing a day of mourning for the 152 people killed in a plane crash on the outskirts of Islamabad yesterday.
Community-based initiatives protecting East Timor's water supply
Updated 29/07/2010 20:44:57
In East Timor many water systems have been destroyed in civil unrest, or through landslides and floods.
UN recognises water as a basic human right
Updated 29/07/2010 20:44:57
The United Nations General Assembly has declared that access to clean water and sanitation is a fundamental human right.
Burma poll must be judged on merit: election expert
Updated 28/07/2010 20:35:50
One of Australia's most experienced international election officials has cautioned those who might try to compromise on what constitutes a free and fair poll in Burma.
Rights groups criticise India's hosting of Burma's military leader
Updated 28/07/2010 20:35:50
Burma's military government leader, Than Shwe has been given a red carpet welcome during a state visit to India.
Japan to review death penalty
Updated 28/07/2010 20:35:51
Japan's Justice Minister has attended the hanging of two convicted murderers and afterwards announced there will be a review of the death penalty.
Exhibition celebrates the Bond girls of Hong Kong cinema
Updated 28/07/2010 20:35:48
Forget shaken martinis, Hong Kong has it's own answer to the suave British spy, James Bond. Jane Bond emerged in the 1960s, at a time when women protagonists dominated Cantonese cinema. There's more than one Jane Bond character but every one was a sharp dresser and fierce fighter, with a quick wit and a readiness to go after the bad guys. They're being celebrated in an exhibition in the eastern Australian state of Queensland.
Nobel Prize winning economist on Asia's post-GFC role
Updated 28/07/2010 20:35:48
Nobel Prize winning economist Professor Joseph Stiglitz says the United States and Europe can't rely on Asia for help with their economic recovery.
Philippines president pledges to stop corruption
Updated 27/07/2010 20:45:59
The Philippine President Benigno Aquino is pledging a new era of clean and efficient government, and has used his first state of nation address to condemn his predecessor's rule.
Australian Labor Party unhappy with Nauru meeting
Updated 27/07/2010 20:46:01
The Australian Labor Party has allegedly warned the government of Nauru over its meeting with the Australian opposition to discuss asylum seekers.
Author explains Pakistan-Taliban links
Updated 27/07/2010 20:46:01
A key claim included in the leaked US military documents published by Wikileaks is that Pakistan's spy agency, the ISI, is heavily involved with Taliban activities.
Denials over Wikileak's 'Afghan War Diary'
Updated 27/07/2010 20:46:01
The Afghan government says it is shocked by the scale of the military documents published by Wikileaks.
Khmer Rouge prison chief to appeal guilty verdict
Updated 27/07/2010 20:45:59
The chief of the Khmer Rouge torture prison who was found guilty of crimes against humanity has announced he will be appealing against the decision.
US tracks illicit NKorean funds
Updated 26/07/2010 19:35:26
US investigators, working with Interpol, are understood to have tracked 200 bank accounts linked to Pyongyang's alleged drug trafficking, counterfeiting, money laundering and weapons activities.
War games spark nuclear threats from North Korea
Updated 26/07/2010 19:35:26
The Korean Peninsula is on high alert this morning with Pyongyang threatening a nuclear response to massive war games being held by the United States and South Korea.
Cambodian-UN tribunal finds Duch guilty
Updated 26/07/2010 19:35:26
A combined UN and Cambodian tribunal has issued a guilty verdict against Khmer Rouge torture boss Kaing Guek Eav, better known as Duch.
No change expected on Pacific Forum's stance on Fiji
Updated 26/07/2010 19:35:23
The Prime Minister of New Zealand says despite the strong support voiced for Fiji by a number of island nations last week, he does not expect a change in the Pacific Islands' Forum's position on that country's interim government, when it meets next week.
Fewer Tibetan exiles make it to Dharamshala
Updated 26/07/2010 19:35:23
Tibet's Government in exile says China is succeeding in its efforts to reduce the number of Tibetans seeking exile in the Indian town of Dharamshala.
US resumes ties with Indonesian military
Updated 23/07/2010 20:41:46
The United States says it will resume its relationship with Indonesia's special forces, Kopassus, after it cut ties in the 1990s, over human rights concerns.
Sir Michael Somare explains PNG politics and Fiji meeting
Updated 23/07/2010 20:41:46
Despite a week of political turmoil at home, Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare has travelled to Fiji to take part in the "Engaging the Pacific" meeting, being hosted by the interim government.
Police officer shot dead in American Samoa
Updated 23/07/2010 20:41:46
An American Samoa police officer has been shot dead in dramatic circumstances.
NKorea threatens retaliation over war games
Updated 23/07/2010 20:41:46
North Korea is threatening a physical response against joint US-South Korean military exercises planned for this weekend.
Khmer Rouge jailer verdict due
Updated 23/07/2010 20:41:45
The international war crimes tribunal in Phnom Penh, will hand down its verdict on its first defendant.
Montara oil spill compensation could be worth billions
Updated 23/07/2010 20:41:45
The Indonesian government says it will seek compensation for the fishermen whose livelihoods were hit by the Montara oil spill in the Timor Sea.
Tamil asylum seeker boat nearing Canada
Updated 22/07/2010 20:40:51
As the political storm over unauthorised boat arrivals continues in Australia, Canada is unexpectedly facing into a similar debate.
Abuses on the Burmese-Thai border
Updated 22/07/2010 20:40:51
Burma's junta has sent a team of officials to investigate allegations that militia border guards are committing extortion, rape and assault against Burmese people being deported from Thailand.
Taiwan military exercise simulates Chinese attack
Updated 22/07/2010 20:40:52
Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou has presided over war games to test the island's readiness to respond to an attack from China.
North Korea angry over Seoul-US war games
Updated 22/07/2010 20:40:52
North Korea has stepped up its rhetoric after confirmation the US and South Korea are to hold their own war games.
Pacific nations pushed to take sides over Fiji
Updated 22/07/2010 20:40:52
While Vanuatu has stood against Fiji's transition to take over the chair of the Melanesian Spearhead Group, many Pacific Nations have agreed to attend Fiji's "Engaging the Pacific" meeting.
Fiji PM lashes Australia's diplomacy
Updated 22/07/2010 20:40:52
Fiji's interim Prime Minister Frank Bainimara has once again had some colourful things to say about Australia's role in the Pacific region.
UN queries drop in Afghans gaining asylum
Updated 21/07/2010 20:45:19
The United Nation's refugee agency says the Australian Government needs to explain why there's been a sharp decline in the number of Afghan asylum seekers that Australian authorities have recognised as refugees in recent months.
PNG leader makes threat inside Parliament
Updated 21/07/2010 20:45:19
There has been more political drama in Port Moresby. This time the Prime Minister has been heard threatening to kill an opposition MP in a fiery outburst inside Parliament.
Fresh US sanctions against North Korea
Updated 21/07/2010 20:45:19
The United States has announced new sanctions against North Korea.
New gel gives women a tool to fight HIV infection
Updated 21/07/2010 20:45:18
Now to a discovery that scientists say could protect more of the world's women from AIDS.
China the world's biggest energy user: IEA
Updated 21/07/2010 20:45:18
China is now world number one for energy consumption, beating the United States for the first time.
Asian national airlines set for boom and bust
Updated 20/07/2010 20:58:28
Asia has weathered the global financial crisis better than many other regions and many sectors are looking to local trade to make up for lost markets elsewhere.
Burma dominates ASEAN Foreign Ministers' dinner
Updated 20/07/2010 20:58:28
ASEAN foreign ministers are trying make the group more relevant to resolving regional security and financial issues, in a bid to keep pace with Asia's geo-political transformation.
Tension but no leadership challenge in PNG parliament
Updated 20/07/2010 20:58:28
It has been a tense day in Port Moresby, as the Parliament met amid a move to topple Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister Michael Somare.
Kabul conference sets path for Afghanistan
Updated 20/07/2010 20:58:28
A major conference in Kabul has discussed the future of the international involvement in Afghanistan.
Little white mushrooms linked to Yunnan deaths
Updated 20/07/2010 20:58:25
Yunnan Province in south-western China is known to many for two things.
Interpol swoop on illegal World Cup gambling
Updated 19/07/2010 20:24:01
As the dust settles on the soccer pitches of South Africa, Interpol has revealed that thousands of people across Asia were arrested for illegally betting on the FIFA world cup.
Afghan troop withdrawal date leaked
Updated 19/07/2010 20:24:02
A leaked document published by a newspaper in Britain says Coalition forces are to be pulled out of Afghanistan by 2014, with a gradual draw down of troops set to begin in a matter of months.
China closes port after oil fire
Updated 19/07/2010 20:24:02
A major port the northeast of China has been shut down following explosions and a raging fire at an oil transfer terminal.
Michael Somare confident in PNG leadership challenge
Updated 19/07/2010 20:24:02
Papua New Guinea's prime minister is fighting for his job, having been broadsided by a second and unexpected leadership challenge today.
Complex rules discourage Australians abroad from voting
Updated 19/07/2010 20:24:01
They have the potential to determine the outcome of key seats, but only a small percentage of Australians abroad are registered to vote.
Australian economic body questions regional trade deals
Updated 19/07/2010 20:24:01
The Australian government's economic research advisory body has questioned the benefits of regional and bilateral trade agreements, describing recent gains as modest.
Tamil terrorist claims exaggerated: former UN spokesman
Updated 16/07/2010 19:26:28
The former spokesman for the United Nations in Colombo has accused the Sri Lankan government of branding Tamil asylum seekers as terrorists, fearing they might become witnesses in a war crimes tribunal if they are granted asylum in Australia.
Australian Defence Minister stand by Afghanistan mission
Updated 16/07/2010 19:26:28
On the eve of his departure as Australia's Defence Minister, John Faulkner has lashed out at critics of the government's military commitment to Afghanistan.
Australia expects to vote on August 28th
Updated 16/07/2010 19:26:28
It's believed that the Prime Minister Julia Gillard has decided to go to the polls on the 28th of August and that on Saturday morning, she'll go to the Governor General to complete the formalities for the announcement.
Fears of unrest in China's Urumqi with Uighur homes demolished
Updated 16/07/2010 19:26:25
Chinese authorities are demolishing hundreds of buildings in an area of Urumqi, in the country's northwest which is home to many Muslim Uighers.
Tamil Tigers linked to Al Qaeda: High Commissioner
Updated 16/07/2010 19:26:25
The Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Canberra, Senaka Walgapaya, stood by the comments that many Tamil asylum seekers are in his words "hardcore fighters" and that there were links between the Tamil Tigers and Al Qaeda.
North Korea's health system barbaric, flawed: Amnesty
Updated 15/07/2010 19:53:00
Amputations and other major surgeries are routinely performed without anaesthetic in North Korea.
China's AgBank floats on public market
Updated 15/07/2010 19:53:00
It has been a less than spectacular first day of mainland trade for China'sAgBank, the last of the country's 'Big Four' State banks to go public on the stock exchange.
China's turbo-charged GDP weakens
Updated 15/07/2010 19:53:00
For those wanting to take the pulse of the regional and world economy and try to predict the trends, there are few more important sets of figures than those charting the health of China's economy
Slackistan: the bored and the beautiful in Islamabad
Updated 15/07/2010 19:52:55
The international stereotype of Pakistan as a violent, extremist state is not one that sits well with many locals.
Essay competition showcases fresh young thinkers on Asia
Updated 15/07/2010 19:52:55
If the coming century is to be one of Asian dominance, today's young students of the region will have every bigger questions to ponder.
Australia's top diplomat in Fiji on her way back to Australia
Updated 14/07/2010 20:57:33
Australia's acting ambassador to Fiji has left the country, the second ambassador to be expelled by Fiji's interim government in eight months.
Philippines cleans up after Typhoon Consun
Updated 14/07/2010 20:57:32
A clean-up is underway in the Philippines after Typhoon Conson.
Facebook and Twitter catch Philippines' tax cheats
Updated 14/07/2010 20:57:33
The Philippines government has joined the growing list of international institutions using online communities and social networking platforms to secretly gather information about it's citizens.
China's Green Dam internet filter set to collapse
Updated 14/07/2010 20:57:33
In China, a controversial government-backed software project to filter internet content, is reportedly on the brink of collapse.
Australian processing centre must benefit all: UNHCR
Updated 14/07/2010 20:57:33
Australia's proposal to establish a regional processing centre for asylum seekers has some leaders in East Timor backing away from the idea, while the president of Nauru appears to be stepping forward.
Immigration debate is 'killing' Australian government: Minister
Updated 14/07/2010 20:57:33
It was supposed to be a closed-door briefing by the Australian Immigration Minister Chris Evans for immigration experts.
North Korea pulls out of meeting with South
Updated 13/07/2010 21:00:27
A meeting between North Korea, the South and the UN body that oversees the armistice between the two warring nations, has been cancelled by Pyongyang.
'Timor Solution' still an option: Australia
Updated 13/07/2010 21:00:30
The Australian Government insists its proposal to establish a refugee processing centre in East Timor is still on track, in spite of East Timorese parliament rejecting the idea.
Samoa's PM says Fiji PM should resign
Updated 13/07/2010 21:00:30
Samoa's prime minister says Fiji's interim prime minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, is an ignorant leader who should resign and return to barracks.
Fiji's military leader accuses Australia of bullying
Updated 13/07/2010 21:00:30
Fiji's interim leader has accused Australia of bullying and using its regional clout to damage the island nation's economy.
Chinese rating agency downgrades US
Updated 13/07/2010 21:00:27
In what's being described as a move that smacks of more politics than economics, the United States has been stripped of its AAA credit rating by a Chinese rating agency.
Burmese democracy faction breaks away for polls
Updated 13/07/2010 21:00:27
There is growing tension between a new Burmese opposition party, made up of members who've split from Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy.
Japan's government shaken by upper house polls
Updated 12/07/2010 20:56:59
Japan's Democratic-led government has lost control of the upper house of Parliament, after a miserable performance in elections on Sunday.
East Timor votes against regional immigration centre
Updated 12/07/2010 20:56:59
Australia's plans for establishing a regional centre for processing asylum seekers has hit another hurdle, with East Timor's Parliament voting against the idea.
Fiji's leader snubbed by Pacific trade bloc
Updated 12/07/2010 20:56:59
Fiji's interim prime minister, Frank Bainimarama, has suffered an embarrassing rebuke by several of his Pacific neighbours.
China's cheap factories 'Go West' to stay competitive
Updated 12/07/2010 20:56:54
Companies bracing for the end of the cheap "made in China" label may be waiting longer than expected.
Bethune takes aim at NZ on whaling
Updated 12/07/2010 20:56:54
The anti-whaling activist Peter Bethune has launched a tirade of criticism against the New Zealand government over its stance on whaling and its handling of his court case in Japan.
Tough first two weeks for Julia Gillard
Updated 09/07/2010 19:40:21
Two weeks in the job and Australia's Prime Minister Julia Gillard has found herself mired in controversy surrounding her government's policy on border protection asylum-seekers.
Australian PM backtracks on 'Timor Solution'
Updated 09/07/2010 19:40:21
Australia's new Prime Minister Julia Gillard has had an eventful day ducking and weaving immigration policy questions and a flying egg.
UN pulls its Sri Lankan envoy
Updated 09/07/2010 19:40:21
The United Nations has recalled its Sri Lankan representative, as diplomatic tension mounts with the island nation.
China's poor soccer showing blamed on gambling, government policy
Updated 09/07/2010 19:40:17
The world of football will reach a climax as all eyes turn to the final of the World Cup.
US-run peacekeeing training criticised in Cambodian
Updated 09/07/2010 19:40:17
Next week, more than 1,000 military personel from 23 countries will gather in Cambodia for exercises to help train peacekeepers.
Wild weather could tip global food bowl
Updated 08/07/2010 13:39:53
Extreme weather patterns across Asia are raising concerns about a new global food crisis.
Philippines rebel surrenders after years on the run
Updated 08/07/2010 13:39:53
In the Philippines, a military officer who's accused of leading several coup attempts has handed himself in after almost three years on the run.
Sri Lankans block UN office angry at panel
Updated 08/07/2010 13:39:53
Sri Lankan protestors have the United Nations in their sights, and accuse the world body of trying to push in on their national sovereignty.
Nauru's new speaker of parliament refusing to leave office
Updated 08/07/2010 13:39:53
Nauru's speaker of Parliament, Aloysius Amwano, is refusing to accept a presidential order to vacate his position.
Australian PM under pressure over 'Timor Solution'
Updated 08/07/2010 13:39:53
Well, not surprisingly, the idea of a regional immigration centre has also been the hot topic amongst Australia's politicians.
What plan, asks East Timor PM
Updated 08/07/2010 13:39:49
East Timor's prime minister Xanana Gusmao who says he's still waiting for a concrete proposal on Australia's East Timor Solution.
China jails American geologist for spying
Updated 07/07/2010 20:55:27
China's vague state secrecy laws have once again drawn international criticism. This week a Chinese-born, American geologist, Xue Feng, was sentenced to eight years in prison for spying and endangering China's national security. Authorities say a database on China's oil industry that he was collecting for the American consultancy firm, IHS Energy, contained state secrets. Parallels are already being drawn with the case of the Australian Rio Tinto executive Stern Hu, who was handed down a 10-year sentence earlier this year.
Sea Shepherd activist avoids jail in Japan
Updated 07/07/2010 20:55:27
The former Sea Shepherd activist Peter Bethune, may soon be a free man in his home country of New Zeland, after the verdict in a Japanese court today.
'Timor Solution' could strain Indonesia ties
Updated 07/07/2010 20:55:27
There has been little reaction from neighbouring Indonesia, whch is the jumping off point for many asylum seekers trying to reach Australia by boat.
East Timorese surprised by asylum centre plans
Updated 07/07/2010 20:55:27
In East Timor, there's been widespread surpise at the proposal by Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard to establish an offshore processing center for asylum seekers in East Timor.
Tuvalu faces de-valued domain name
Updated 07/07/2010 20:55:26
The Pacific island nation of Tuvalu is pushing for more money for its real estate - but not it's bricks and mortar real estate, rather its sought-after Internet tag.
Drug-resistant malaria contained in western Cambodia
Updated 07/07/2010 20:55:26
The World Health Organization says that measures to contain a dangerous strain of resistant malaria appear to be paying off.
New Zealand reaction to Australian asylum centre proposal subued
Updated 06/07/2010 19:38:53
New Zealand has been named by Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard as being in talks over plans for a regional processing centre.
East Timor's opposition dismiss Australian immigration plans
Updated 06/07/2010 19:38:53
The opposition party in East Timor has dismissed Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard's proposal to set up a regional processing center for asylum seekers in East Timor.
Australia to consult East Timor over asylum seekers
Updated 06/07/2010 19:38:54
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard says she'll been speaking to East Timor about the possiblity of setting up a regional processing centre for asylum seekers.
Australian PM's shift in immigration policy
Updated 06/07/2010 19:38:54
Australia's Prime Minister has announced a shift in the country's immigration policy.
Australian university considers future for international students
Updated 06/07/2010 19:38:51
An Australian tertiary institution has downplayed concerns that China and India are establishing foreign campus partnerships to stem the flow of students overseas.
Chinese investment in western region infrastructure
Updated 06/07/2010 19:38:51
China is investing more than US$100 billion this year in 23 new infrastructure projects in impoverished western regions.
Tamils still in danger: activists
Updated 06/07/2010 19:38:53
Another component of the Australian government's immigration policy is the lifting of a freeze on the processing of Sri Lankan asylum applications.
Asian economy needs more than exports
Updated 05/07/2010 20:48:01
A leading Asian businessman says the region's future economic resilience rests on whether it can shift away from export-driven markets.
Rudd's Asia Pacific Community idea under threat
Updated 05/07/2010 20:48:01
There have been indications that the concept of an "Asia Pacific Community" that was promoted under former Australian PM Kevin Rudd, may be less enthusiastically pursued by his successor.
Security tight for Xinjiang riot anniversary
Updated 05/07/2010 20:48:01
Clashes erupted between Han Chinese and Uighur Muslims in China's western Xinjiang region on July 5th last year. Hundreds of people were killed or injured in the violence. Today, reports from Xinjiang's provincial capital say Urumqi feels like a city under siege. There's heightened security, with a heavy armed police presence. Uighurs are the minority in Xinjiang, with ethnic Han Chinese making up around 70 percent of the population. On the weekend, members of China's Uighur ethnic minority held rallies in Tokyo and Paris, with one protest leader in Japan saying many Uighurs are still missing one year on.
Fuel prices unite unlikely partners in Indian strike
Updated 05/07/2010 20:48:01
In India, flights have been cancelled and several cities paralysed by strikes against a rise in fuel prices.
Protests in Japan over dolphin documentary
Updated 05/07/2010 20:47:57
Dozens of nationalist protesters have confronted movie-goers in Tokyo, enraged that a handful of cinemas have agreed to screen 'The Cove', an Oscar-winning documentary which chronicles the slaughter of dolphins in a western Japanese village.
Pakistan MPs face degree test
Updated 05/07/2010 20:47:57
In Pakistan, dozens of members of Parliament could be thrown out for faking their university degrees.
Major revamp of Australia's proposed mining super tax
Updated 02/07/2010 19:37:09
Some of the world's biggest miners have won key concessions from Australia's new Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who's abandoned a planned 40 per cent resource super profits tax, instead sealing a deal on a more limited, 30 per cent minerals resource rent tax. The agreement caps Ms Gillard's determination to end a disastrous row that had erupted between the miners and her predecessor, Kevin Rudd. And it removes a major impediment as Ms Gillard mulls when to go to a general election, though her opponents are vowing they'll fight that poll on a platform to get rid of the new tax altogether.
Malaysia's main opposition newspaper suspended
Updated 02/07/2010 19:37:09
The Malaysian government has suspended the publication of a main opposition newspaper in a move political rivals criticised as a crackdown on dissent. Suara Keadilan, run by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's Keadilan party, ran into trouble after authorities said it violated publishing laws. The Home Ministry, which oversees Malaysia's newspapers, says it won't renew the paper's permit -- claiming it wasn't satisfied with the paper's explanation for an allegedly inaccurate report.
Pakistan government condemns Lahore attack
Updated 02/07/2010 19:37:09
The Pakistani Prime Minister has condemned a double suicide attack on a shrine in the city of Lahore. Thousands of people were gathered at the site when the suicide bombers struck. Pakistan's Minister for Religious Affairs says those behind the attack are trying to weaken the army's war on terror. Hamid Saeed Kazmi also says the attacks are an attempt to take attention off other terrorism hot spots.
Time for tennis in Timor
Updated 02/07/2010 19:36:57
East Timor is often linked in people's minds to poverty and the violence associated with the Indonesian occupation. But the country's government is keen to move on towards a new image - one of peace and, of all things - adventure sport. There's been the Tour de Timor mountain bike tour, an international fishing competition, and recently the first Dili "city of peace" marathon.
Papua glaciers could disappear within years
Updated 02/07/2010 19:36:57
One of the world's leading glaciologists is warning that the glaciers of Puncak Jaya in Indonesia's Papua province could disappear within years. Professor Lonnie Thompson from Ohio State University in the United States is wrapping up a 13-day trip to the region's last glacier. The trip has convinced him that the glacier's days are numbered and he's brought back photographic evidence.
PNG and Australia hold meeting on LNG
Updated 02/07/2010 19:37:09
The Governments of Australia and Papua New Guinea have held their first meeting to look at ways of ensuring the wealth PNG is likely to earn from its Liquefied Natural Gas project, is best utilised. The project is estimated to be worth billions of dollars to PNG. But the country has little experience in managing wealth like that, in a way that is transparent to all stakeholders, and they have asked Australia for advice.
Sri Lankan government accused of double standards
Updated 01/07/2010 20:41:52
The Sri Lankan government is being accused of double standards by the country's Opposition following this week's delivery of its first post war budget. UNP MP Dr Harsha De Silva says the government has acquiesced to IMF demands to reduce spending in return for financial assistance. But European Union demands for the implementation of good governance and human rights initiatives in return for trade concessions haven't received the same positive response. EU calls have been rejected by the Rajapakse government as an infringement of the country's sovereignty.
Thousands of Chinese workers take strike action
Updated 01/07/2010 20:41:52
Thousands of Chinese workers have supported a series of strikes over recent weeks disrupting production at factories supplying major foreign firms. Most recently a strike at a Japanese-owned electronics factory in north China crippled production. Workers downed tools .. and waved banners saying "human traffickers are not welcome" and "we want a pay rise". Earlier strikes disrupted production at auto makers Toyota and Honda, and have laid bare the rising demands of China's 150 million migrant workers.
Migration:a hot topic for new Australian PM
Updated 01/07/2010 20:41:52
With migration a running issue for the new Australian Prime Minister, her outgoing Finance minister, has urged that the country embrace migrants, or risk dangerous levels of alienation that could fuel terrorism. Mr Tanner's sentiments about inclusion and giving migrants a fair go are being compared with the tone conveyed by Julia Gillard in her first comments as leader on the highly sensitive issue. She's talked about understanding community anxiety about asylum seekers arriving on boats .. about Australia being, quote, "our sanctuary," .. and about the "right kind of migrants" country. Some are cautioning that leaders should be more careful with their words.
Mohammad Haneef suing former Aust. minister
Updated 01/07/2010 20:41:52
To the case of Mohammad Haneef - the Indian doctor arrested after the London and Glasgow terror attacks three years ago. He's suing Australia's former immigration minister Kevin Andrews for defamation and wrongful detention. His lawyers have filed proceedings in the Supreme Court, just short of three years since he was arrested in the northeastern Australian state of Queensland. The bungled terrorism case saw him charged with providing assistance to terrorists involved in the London bomb plots.
Biggest naval exercise in the world happening in Hawaii
Updated 01/07/2010 20:41:52
Australia's navy is taking part in the world's largest multi-national maritime exercise off Hawaii at the moment. Called "RIMPAC 2010", it involves units from the navies of 14 countries. The three Australian ships taking part are the guided missile frigates Warramunga and Newcastle, and the amphibious landing ship Kanimbla. According to Commodore Stuart Mayer, leader of the Australian contingent, RIMPAC is an essential training ground for Australian service personnel who will soon have to operate the navy's new Landing Helicopter Dock ships. Commodore Mayer says the HMAS Kanimbla was able to drop off a new fire engine in Tonga on its way to Hawaii.
Asia's growing water crisis
Updated 01/07/2010 20:41:52
Asia faces a growing water crisis, and could be forty percent short of the water it needs by 2030. That would hit everyone hard - and mean not enough water for cities, to grow food, or for the natural environment. Singapore is positioning itself as a business hub for water in the region, and this week hosts its annual International Water Week. But are governments really ready to make the change from business as usual, and find solutions to confront the crisis?
