July 2008

Philippines suffering scientific 'brain drain'Audio

Updated 24/07/2008 10:09:42

Filipino scientists are looking for the good life, and leaving their home country.

Strong policy needed to avert Vietnam financial crisisAudio

Updated 24/07/2008 10:09:42

The Asian Development Bank has warned Vietnam could be facing an economic meltdown like the one suffered by Thailand in 1997.

Chinese high-speed train links Olympic citiesAudio

Updated 24/07/2008 10:09:42

An ultra high speed train, claimed to be the fastest in the world, has been put to the test in northern China, linking Beijing with the Olympic co-host city of Tianjin.

China mine accident throws spoylight on working conditionsAudio

Updated 24/07/2008 10:09:42

Rescuers are working against time to reach 29 workers trapped in a flooded coal mine in southern China.

India's government survives confidence voteAudio

Updated 24/07/2008 10:09:42

India's Congress-led government has survived a parliamentary vote of confidence by a margin of just 19 votes.

Chinese designate Olympic protest zonesAudio

Updated 24/07/2008 10:09:42

Chinese authorities will allow public protests inside three designated city parks, during next month's Olympic Games.

Bali bombers execution imminentAudio

Updated 24/07/2008 10:09:42

Staying with Indonesia, and the Attorney General has confirmed that the executions of the Bali bombers are imminent.

Garuda airlines pilot faces life imprisonmentAudioTranscript

Updated 24/07/2008 10:09:42

The Garuda Airlines pilot who crash-landed a passenger jet in Yogyakarta last year faces the prospect of life imprisonment if found guilty at his trial which begins today.

Japan hosts the world's whistlersAudio

Updated 24/07/2008 10:09:41

Japan is hoping to blow away deeply ingrained supersititons and a little apathy by hosting the International Whistlers Convention.

Twenty four years on Bhopal cleanup beginsAudioTranscript

Updated 23/07/2008 10:58:52

Twenty-four years after a gas leak in the central Indian city of Bhopal killed thousands of people, the clean up of toxic waste has only just begun.

Maoists pull out of Nepali governmentAudio

Updated 23/07/2008 10:58:52

Nepal has elected its first president, but the election of Ram Baran Yadav has caused controversy.

Taiwan's new govt popularity plummetsAudioTranscript

Updated 23/07/2008 10:58:53

Taiwan's unemployment rate has risen to almost four-percent as the number of first-time job-seekers rose, the figures were released as President Ma Ying-jeou prepares for his first overseas trip next month since taking office.

Australia's economy on a two-track pathAudio

Updated 23/07/2008 10:58:53

The latest report from a leading forecaster says the Australian economy a "two-speed" economy and the gap is getting bigger.

Claims migration will undermine greenhouse targetsAudioTranscript

Updated 23/07/2008 10:58:53

Demographers at Melbourne's Monash University say the Rudd Government has little chance of meeting its 2050 greenhouse gas emissions target if immigration remains at current levels.

ASEAN's rights charter dismissed as 'talking shop'Audio

Updated 23/07/2008 10:58:53

Burma has ratified ASEAN's new charter, which commits to democratic principles and to protect human rights.

Burma's billion-dollar cyclone repair billAudio

Updated 23/07/2008 10:58:53

A new report concludes that more than $US1 billion is needed over the next three years to help the people of Burma rebuild after Cyclone Nargis.

Karadzic working as alternative doctor when capturedAudioTranscript

Updated 23/07/2008 10:58:53

The former Bosnian Serb leader, Radovan Karadzic, was one of the world's most wanted men but now it's been revealed he was living and working under the noses of his pursuers in Belgrade.

Sri Lanka rebels offer ten-day ceasefireAudio

Updated 23/07/2008 10:58:53

Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels have declared a unilateral ceasefire for the duration of the South Asian leaders summit; while the government has rejected the gesture.

US plays down North Korea talksAudioTranscript

Updated 23/07/2008 10:58:53

In Singapore, North Korean nuclear disarmament will be on the agenda, as foreign ministers from the six nations involved, meet on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum.

Australian astronomers in alien searchAudio

Updated 23/07/2008 10:58:52

Astronomers in Australia have developed new equipment to help them better search the heavens to see if intelligent life is out there.

Court orders Bangladesh government to justify emergency ruleAudio

Updated 22/07/2008 10:07:03

Bangladesh's High Court has ordered the government to show that its ongoing state of emergency is legal.

China and Russia settle territorial disputeAudioTranscript

Updated 22/07/2008 10:07:03

China and Russia have signed an agreement to end a long-running territorial dispute along their common border.

ASEAN ministers hoping for Suu Kyi's releaseAudio

Updated 22/07/2008 10:07:03

Political prisoners in Burma and a Thai-Cambodia border crisis have dominated preliminary talks between Southeast Asian foreign ministers.

Doubts over effectiveness of Beijing drug testsAudioTranscript

Updated 22/07/2008 10:07:03

With less than two weeks to go before the Olympics, doubts are being raised about the efficacy of anti-doping tests carried out in Beijing.

Timor advisory body calls for budget amendmentsAudioTranscript

Updated 22/07/2008 10:07:03

In recent weeks eyebrows have been raised over the rectification which will take money from the country's petroleum fund to more-than double the current 2008 state budget, with critics calling the extra spending irresponsible.

Indian govt faces confidence motionAudioTranscript

Updated 22/07/2008 10:07:04

India's Congress-led government is fighting for its survival, after its communist allies withdrew their support, over a nuclear agreement with the United States.

Talks fail to resolve temple disputeAudioTranscript

Updated 22/07/2008 10:07:04

High-level talks between Cambodian and Thailand aimed at resolving a dispute over an ancient temple have failed to produce a result.

Bus blasts prompt Olympic terror fearsAudio

Updated 22/07/2008 10:07:04

In China, police are calling explosions on two public buses in Kunming, in Yunnan province, a deliberate, man-made act of sabotage.

Tension in Beijing following bus bombsAudio

Updated 22/07/2008 10:07:04

The bombing of two buses in the south western Chinese city of Kunming has put Olympic security organisers on high alert.

Architects say climate change could make suburbs more livableAudioTranscript

Updated 22/07/2008 10:07:03

Some of Australia top architects gathered at a conference in Melbourne last week turned their minds to office blocks modelled on termite nests and buildings that can photosynthesise.

Electricity campaign for world's poorestAudioTranscript

Updated 22/07/2008 10:07:03

An Indian energy research institute has launched a campaign to provide lighting to over a billion people who don't have access to basic electricity.

Urgent action needed on climate changeAudioTranscript

Updated 21/07/2008 11:16:25

A a new book says even that is not enough, warning that the global warming threat to the planet has been drastically under-estimated.

Climate researchers not convinced by emissions schemeAudio

Updated 21/07/2008 11:16:25

The Australian government's long-awaited green paper on carbon emissions trading scheme is now the subject of intense scrutiny from business and climate experts.

World youth day organisers claim overwhelming successAudioTranscript

Updated 21/07/2008 11:16:25

As Pope Benedict and thousands of overseas pilgrims prepare to say farewell to Australia today, it's not clear what the long term impact of the massive gathering will be, especially for the Catholic church in Australia.

Beijing clean air initiatives beginAudio

Updated 21/07/2008 11:16:25

Beijing's battle with air quality and traffic congestion has stepped up a notch as it tries to clean-up the city's air in time for the Olympic Games next month.

Two thirds of Tamil Tigers military destroyedAudio

Updated 21/07/2008 11:16:25

To Sri Lanka, where the country's army chief is speaking of the beginning of the end of separatist Tamil Tiger rebels in the troubled north.

Indonesia investigates Suharto era killingsAudioTranscript

Updated 21/07/2008 11:16:25

Indonesia is to revisit another violent chapter of the Soeharto regime with an investigation into a campaign of extra-judicial killings by the Indonesian military between 1983 and 1985.

Obama to focus on Afghanistan in foreign policyAudioTranscript

Updated 21/07/2008 11:16:25

Afghanistan will be the new foreign policy focus of a Barack Obama administration, if the Democrat leader wins office.

Obama tours Afghanistan and IraqAudioTranscript

Updated 21/07/2008 11:16:26

US Democratic Presidential hopeful Barack Obama has begun a firsthand look at the two war zones he may find himself in charge of, should he win November's election.

US navy ship brings health services to East TimoreseAudioTranscript

Updated 21/07/2008 11:16:25

East Timor's fledgling health services are still in great need of support from outside nations; now a United States navy hospital ship has offered to lend a hand.

Survey points to sexual harassent in SingaporeAudio

Updated 21/07/2008 11:16:25

In Singapore, where a recent study by the women's group, AWARE, made the alarming find that more than half the people they surveyed, had experienced sexual harassment at some point or other in the work place.

Internal migrants riot in ChinaAudio

Updated 18/07/2008 10:21:34

Hundreds of Chinese migrant workers in the Eastern Chinese province of Zhejiang have been rioting.

Territorial dispute threatens six party talksAudioTranscript

Updated 18/07/2008 10:21:34

South Korea has threatened to stop cooperating with Japan in six-party talks on dismantling North Korea's nuclear programme, if a territorial dispute over some islands worsens.

China's growth tipped to fall below 10 per centAudio

Updated 18/07/2008 10:21:35

According to a prominent market economist, China's growth rate will fall to below ten per cent this year because of the weakness in the United States.

US freezes arms sales to TaiwanAudio

Updated 18/07/2008 10:21:35

A top United States commander in Asia has formally announced that it has frozen US arms sales to Taiwan.

Malaria drug prices to be slashedAudio

Updated 18/07/2008 10:21:35

Former U.S President Bill Clinton has unveiled a deal with six Chinese and Indian companies to cut a key malaria drug's price by a third, and reduce its price volatility.

Anwar's family fears for his safetyAudio

Updated 18/07/2008 10:21:35

Anwar Ibrahim has been released on bail after being arrested on Wednesday to answer allegations of sodomy.

Breakthrough in Philippines peace talksAudioTranscript

Updated 18/07/2008 10:21:35

There has been a breakthrough in stalled peace negotiations between the Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Thai politics at heart of temple disputeAudioTranscript

Updated 18/07/2008 10:21:35

Cambodia has urged Thailand to withdraw its troops from the border near the Preah Vihear temple, warning a that a territorial quarrel was damaging relations between the two neighbouring countries.

Bali bomber's to be executed within the monthAudio

Updated 18/07/2008 10:21:35

Lawyers for the three Bali bombers on death row in Indonesia now predict that their clients will be executed "within the month" now that Indonesia's Supreme Court has rejected their final avenue of appeal.

Thriving coral jewellery trade threatens reefsAudio

Updated 18/07/2008 10:21:34

Coral reef experts meeting in Florida last week said rising global temperatures and increases in ocean acidity are threatening to wipe out a third of the world's coral species by 2050.

New book predicts climate catastropheAudio

Updated 17/07/2008 11:16:43

A new book launched today criticises the Australian Government's response to climate change and says even the economist Ross Garnaut has drastically underestimated the threat facing the planet.

Pakistan police need major reform: reportAudio

Updated 17/07/2008 11:16:43

Pakistan's police force needs to undergo major reforms, for the newly-elected government to ensure a secure state and efficient counter-terrorism measures.

UN approves elephant ivory exportsAudio

Updated 17/07/2008 11:16:43

The United Nations has given the go-ahead to China and Japan to import 108 tonnes of elephant ivory from four African nations.

China pressure Taiwan to change nameAudio

Updated 17/07/2008 11:16:43

It's just over twenty days to go to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and one team in particular is having a hard time making sure China can get its name right.

Australia warned of climate change refugee crisisAudioTranscript

Updated 17/07/2008 11:16:44

On the day the Australian Government has released its green paper on climate change the World Bank is warning future climate change refugees present the government with a major policy challenge.

Thai military under fire for 're-education' campsAudio

Updated 17/07/2008 11:16:44

Thailand's military is employing a new strategy to combat Islamic separatists in the country's troubled Southern provinces.

US looks to send more troops to AfghanistanAudio

Updated 17/07/2008 11:16:44

The United States says it's looking for ways to send more troops to Afghanistan "sooner rather than later".

US reverses decision to sanction Chevron over BurmaAudio

Updated 17/07/2008 11:16:44

The United States has reversed a decision to impose sanctions on energy giant, Chevron, over its operation in military-controlled Burma.

Political furore follows Anwar's arrestAudioTranscript

Updated 17/07/2008 11:16:44

The arrest of Malaysia's opposition figure Anwar Ibrahim has set the stage for a political showdown echoing the events of ten years ago.

Cambodia's architectural heritage under threatAudio

Updated 17/07/2008 11:16:43

Business is booming in Cambodia and nowhere is that more evident than in the number of property developers flooding into Phnom Penh.

Gay catholics not welcome at youth dayAudio

Updated 17/07/2008 11:16:43

An event that World Youth Day tried to shut down has gone ahead overnight in a different venue and with no official support.

Beijing wondering where the tourists areAudioTranscript

Updated 16/07/2008 10:11:29

As China's capital, Beijing, gears up for the summer Olympic Games and the Paralympics, the expected tourism boom is yet to take shape.

Obstacles galore for Timor Olympic dreamAudio

Updated 16/07/2008 10:11:29

With only six years of independence under its belt, the tiny but proud nation of East Timor is preparing to send a small team of Olympians and Paralympians to carry the flag in Beijing.

Warrant issued for Anwar's arrestAudioTranscript

Updated 16/07/2008 10:11:29

Malaysia's opposition figure Anwar Ibrahim has used rare airtime on state television, to attack the government for a sharp rise in fuel prices, even as he braced for possible arrest over sodomy allegations.

Claims Youth Day not representative of true catholicismAudioTranscript

Updated 16/07/2008 10:11:29

Not all in the Catholic church are overjoyed about the very public display of religious devotion by the hundreds of thousands of mainly young people who have turned out in Sydney for World Youth Day.

ICC puts China's Sudan ties in spotlightAudio

Updated 16/07/2008 10:11:29

China has long stared down criticism of its relationship with Sudan, but its resolve will be tested as the International Criminal Court seeks the arrest of Sudan's President for genocide in Darfur.

Rights abuser up for office in IndonesiaAudioTranscript

Updated 16/07/2008 10:11:29

In the same week that a major report on Indonesian military involvement in human rights abuses in East Timor, another former Indonesian military commander has announced his candidacy for next year's presidential election.

South Korea-Japan tension simmers over islandsAudioTranscript

Updated 16/07/2008 10:11:29

South Korea has tightened security around a group of islands, amid rising tension with Japan over the long-running territorial dispute.

China must commit to deeper emissions cuts: UN advisorAudio

Updated 16/07/2008 10:11:29

One of the world's leading international economists says it's time all nations, including China, commit to reducing emissions faster.

US economy threatened by oil, housing market and creditAudioTranscript

Updated 16/07/2008 10:11:30

There's been a stark warning today that America's economic difficulties show no sign of easing with a weakening housing market, tighter credit and rising oil prices all labelled threats to the US economy.

Researchers find secret to fight malariaAudioTranscript

Updated 16/07/2008 10:11:29

Australian scientists have found a new way to fight Malaria, one of the world's most deadly diseases.

Taliban profit from marble quarryAudio

Updated 16/07/2008 10:11:29

In Pakistan the Taliban militia has taken over a highly sought after marble quarry in the country's Northwestern tribal belt.

Aid workers vital to rebuilding BurmaAudio

Updated 15/07/2008 11:20:36

Burma's military junta has been trumpeting the fact that more than 1500 international aid workers have been granted visas to the country to assist in the rebuilding after Cyclone Nargis.

First world robbing Asia of doctorsAudio

Updated 15/07/2008 11:20:36

Around 10 per cent of Australia's medical workforce is made up of foreign-trained doctors - many of whom are trained in Asia.

Poor Thais struggling with price risesAudioTranscript

Updated 15/07/2008 11:20:36

In Thailand, where inflation has already reached ten year highs, the urban poor are facing an increasingly difficult struggle as rising prices for rice and fuel are creating hard times.

Jakarta conference calls for mid-East road mapAudio

Updated 15/07/2008 11:20:36

Indonesia has hosted ministerial talks aimed at helping Palestinians prepare for their own state.

North Korea agrees non-agression pact with ASEANAudioTranscript

Updated 15/07/2008 11:20:36

North Korea is expected to sign a non-aggression treaty with its Southeast Asian neighbours next week.

Malaysian opposition MPs storm out of parliamentAudio

Updated 15/07/2008 11:20:36

Malaysian opposition MPs walked out of parliament after the lower house speaker rejected their motion for a debate of no confidence in Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi.

Wiranto too weak to stop Timor abuse: DownerAudioTranscript

Updated 15/07/2008 11:20:36

The Commission of Truth and Friendship will formally submit its findings to Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his East Timorese counterpart, Jose Ramos-Horta later today.

Scientists prove "use it or lose it" brain theoryAudioTranscript

Updated 15/07/2008 11:20:35

Australian scientists have, for the first time, shown how staying mentally active can help stave off dementia.

Official start of world youth dayAudioTranscript

Updated 15/07/2008 11:20:36

Today, marks the official start of World Youth Day in Sydney and the Catholic Church says all the controversy and complaints will be swept aside by the goodwill the event generates.

Obesity rising in ChinaAudio

Updated 14/07/2008 10:42:19

A new study has founds that obesity levels are rising sharply in China - with more than 25 per cent of the adult population said to be overweight.

Vietnamese mourn leading dissident monkAudio

Updated 14/07/2008 10:42:19

Thousands of mourners turned out for the funeral of Vietnam's top dissident Buddhist monk, Thich Huyen Quang.

Capital tense ahead of Malaysian no-confidence motionAudioTranscript

Updated 14/07/2008 10:42:19

Malaysian police have put up road blocks in Kuala Lumpur, as authorities brace for protests ahead of a possible debate of no-confidence in Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi later today.
The opposition called for the debate after Prime Minister Abdullah said he would remain in office until mid-2010 despite the National Front coalition's poor showing in general elections in March. The speaker of parliament speaker will decide this afternoon, whether to allow the no-confidence debate to go ahead.

East Timor minister answers budget criticsAudio

Updated 14/07/2008 10:42:20

East Timor's Finance Minister says the nation's Petroleum Fund is not sustainable, even with conservative and prudent management of the investment of oil revenues.

Asian workers abused in Saudi homes: reportAudio

Updated 14/07/2008 10:42:20

A US-based human rights group says Saudi Arabian families are abusing female migrant workers to the point of slavery.

Killing of reporter brings fear to Cambodian election campaignAudio

Updated 14/07/2008 10:42:20

In Cambodia, a journalist and his son have been shot dead in what appears to be a targetted assassination.

Taliban attacks pressure NATO allianceAudioTranscript

Updated 14/07/2008 10:42:20

In Afghanistan coalition forces have suffered their biggest loss in a single day since the start of military operations against the Taliban, in late 2001.

Indonesia accepts 'moral obligation' over East Timor abusesAudio

Updated 14/07/2008 10:42:20

The Indonesian government says it recognises its 'moral obligation' to act on the findings of the East Timor Truth and Friendship Commission.

Timor violence scars not yet healedAudioTranscript

Updated 14/07/2008 10:42:20

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will meet with East Timor's President and Prime Minister tomorrow in Bali for the official release of the final report by the Commission of Truth and Friendship, investigating the violence of 1999.

Catholics pour into SydneyAudioTranscript

Updated 14/07/2008 10:42:19

This morning marks the start of a week that's been described as APEC and the Olympics rolled into one.

Malaysian PM to step down in 2010Audio

Updated 11/07/2008 11:47:48


Malaysia's Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has announced that he will hand over the reins to his deputy, Najib Razak and says he instigated the moves to step aside.

One-third of world's coral species at risk of extinctionAudioTranscript

Updated 11/07/2008 11:47:48

The survey by an international team of scientists has been published in the prestigious journal, Science and announced at the International Coral Reef Symposium underway in Florida. The findings show coral reefs have joined the ranks of living creatures most likely to vanish permanently from the earth.

Billions 'missing' from Indonesian oil, gas revenueAudio

Updated 11/07/2008 11:47:48


Indonesia's corruption watchdog has opened an investigation into the disappearace of $US23 billion in state oil and gas revenues. The agency which oversees the industry has been unable to account for the money after an audit revealed it appears to be missing.

Australian PM snubs Malaysian oppositionAudioTranscript

Updated 11/07/2008 11:47:48

One item not on the Australian prime minister's agenda during his one day visit to Malaysia, was a meeting with key opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.

Australian PM visits Malaysian counterpartAudio

Updated 11/07/2008 11:47:48


Kevin Rudd's visit is still only the second by an Australian Prime Minister in more than two decades. He held wide ranging discussions with the Malaysian Prime Minister, and the two agreed on a list of programs where the two countries can co-operate.

Thai foreign minister resignsAudioTranscript

Updated 11/07/2008 11:47:48

Thailand's foreign minister, Noppadon Pattama, was forced to quit after an adverse court ruling on the constitutionality of a deal with neighbouring Cambodia. He's the third senior official to quit this week, prompting speculation about the governmetn's future.

Joint report blames Indonesia for ETimor human rights abuseAudioTranscript

Updated 11/07/2008 11:47:48


For the first time, the Indonesian State is set to accept that its military, police and civilian government was "institutionally responsible" for "gross human rights violations" before and after East Timor's independence referendum in 1999. Those findings are contained in the final report by the Indonesian and East Timorese Truth and Friendship Commission which has been obtained by Radio Australia.

Cricket making headway into Asia's non-traditional cricketing nationsAudioTranscript

Updated 11/07/2008 11:47:47

China has embarked on an ambitious plan to build a strong team when cricket makes an introduction during the Asian Games in Guangzhou while Malaysia is seeking to further develop the sport after signing a deal with the West Australian Cricket Association.

Organ selling case renews national debate in SingaporeAudio

Updated 11/07/2008 11:47:47

Twenty years after Singapore's current law banning the trade in human organs came into force, it has been invoked for the first time - with two Indonesians being convicted recently of selling their kidneys to local recipients.

Journalist killings go unpunished in Sri LankaAudio

Updated 10/07/2008 11:39:11

Sri Lanka's opposition has accused the country's most senior army officer of instigating violent attacks against journalists and media workers.

Australia minister to question fighter jet delaysAudio

Updated 10/07/2008 11:39:11

The Australian Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon is on his way to Texas in the United States to look at delays in supplying the Joint Strike Fighter Jet.

Challenges to protect Asia Pacific reef systemsAudio

Updated 10/07/2008 11:39:11

New research on what's been dubbed the Asia-Pacific's "Coral Triangle" has been presented to the International Coral Reef Symposium underway in the United States.

UN battles Afghan opium production surgeAudio

Updated 10/07/2008 11:39:11

Hundreds of anti-drug experts from more than 90 countries have gathered in Istanbul to discuss how to combat the global narcotics trade.

Australia detects rise in drug smugglers ingesting heroinAudioTranscript

Updated 10/07/2008 11:39:11

The Australian Government has warned of the dire risks involved in smuggling drugs internally, after a number of recent arrests and hospitalisations.

Army optimistic of peace in Thailand's troubled southAudio

Updated 10/07/2008 11:39:11


The insurgency in Thailand's troubled south has taken a brutal new turn, with beheadings, torture and burnings becoming increasingly common.

JAPAN: G8 emissions target a step backAudioTranscript

Updated 10/07/2008 11:39:11

The G-8 meeting of leading industrial nations has wound up in Japan with a fudge on the key issue of climate change.

Clouds threaten to rain on China's Olympic paradeAudio

Updated 10/07/2008 11:39:10

The clouds are gathering over the Olympic venues in Beijing - but they're not symbolic ones, they are real and are threatening to rain on China's Olympic parade.

Australia stung by honey shortageAudio

Updated 10/07/2008 11:39:10

Australia has begun importing honey due to a huge drop in local production.

Indonesian fishermen face trial delaysAudio

Updated 09/07/2008 11:03:46

The lawyer representing Indonesians accused of illegal fishing in Australia says his clients will now spend many months in detention until their case is heard.

Land grabbing continues in CambodiaAudio

Updated 09/07/2008 11:03:46

Illegal land seizures have emerged as one of the most serious threats to stability in Cambodia.

Chinese authorities in revenge attacks on Tibetan monksAudioTranscript

Updated 09/07/2008 11:03:46

Tourists are reportedly trickling back in to Tibet, four months after China effectively closed the area to foreigners.

Police brace for more protests in East TimorAudioTranscript

Updated 09/07/2008 11:03:46

Police and security forces in East Timor are braced for a further day of protests outside the National University in Dili.

Hong Kong's democracy advocate bows out of electionsAudioTranscript

Updated 09/07/2008 11:03:46

In Hong Kong, the leading democracy advocate, Anson Chan has announced that she won't be seeking a second term in September's Legislative Council elections.

Impeachment threat to new Thai governmentAudio

Updated 09/07/2008 11:03:46

Thailand has had its share of unstable governments, but the current adminsitration is in danger of toppling just six months into office.

India seeks clear path on nuclear dealAudioTranscript

Updated 09/07/2008 11:03:46

On the sideslines of this week's G-8 summit in Japan, India's prime minister is expected to press his Australian counterpart Kevin Rudd not to put any further obstacles on the already troubled path of India's highly controversial nuclear energy deal with the United States.

G8 push for binding targets on greenhouse emissionsAudioTranscript

Updated 09/07/2008 11:03:46

Some of the the world's leading industrialised nations today get a chance to join the 'big eight' to talk about climate change and the world economic outlook.

Tsunami reconstruction bad for reefsAudioTranscript

Updated 09/07/2008 11:03:45

Many of Asia's coral reefs were badly damaged by the earthquake that triggered the 2004 Asian tsunami but in Indonesia's worst hit province of Aceh, fears that the subsequent tidal wave might have caused the same devastation to underwater reefs as on land turned out to be unfounded.

Philippines welfare doing more harm than goodAudio

Updated 08/07/2008 10:12:59

In the Philippines, poverty has made many children homeless, leaving them vulnerable on the streets of Manila, where luxury apartment blocks and shopping centres sit beside squatter settlements.

Reefs could be gone in 50 years: ExpertsAudioTranscript

Updated 08/07/2008 10:13:00

New research presented at the International Coral Reef Symposium underway in Florida suggests climate change could kill off many of the world's reefs within 50 years.

Malaysia hosts D8 summit of Muslim nationsAudioTranscript

Updated 08/07/2008 10:13:00

Malaysia is playing host to the D8 summit, an economic alliance to improve the position of developing Muslim countries in the global economy.

Cambodia's bloggers challenge traditional mediaAudioTranscript

Updated 08/07/2008 10:13:00

Cambodia suffers from low rates of literacy and still very low internet accessibility, nonetheless a nascent blogging movement is taking shape.

Anger as PM ally secures lucrative contractAudio

Updated 08/07/2008 10:13:00

East Timor's opposition is accusing the Prime Minister of awarding a lucrative contract to one of his friends.

Blast shows resentment of India in AfghanistanAudioTranscript

Updated 08/07/2008 10:13:00

In Afghanistan a suicide car bombing at the Indian embassy in Kabul has killed 41 people and wounded 140 others.

Few expect breakthrough from G8 summitAudioTranscript

Updated 08/07/2008 10:13:00

Climate change, African poverty and the rising cost of food and fuel are all on the G8 agenda, but few are holding out hope for a real breakthrough.

G8 warned on povertyAudioTranscript

Updated 08/07/2008 10:13:00

The head of the World Bank has warned the Group of Eight industrialized nations meeting in Japan that the world's poorest people face the 'double jeopardy' of high food and fuel prices, without prompt action.

Men challenge matrilineal tradition in IndiaAudioTranscript

Updated 08/07/2008 10:12:59

The Khasi, a tribe in the north east Indian state of Meghalaya, follow an ancient matrilineal custom, whereby only daughters inherit property.

Fears of Asian arms race unfoundedAudio

Updated 07/07/2008 15:44:55

A new Canberra study says there's little real evidence of an Asia-wide arms race. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute says Asian purchases of high quality aircraft, warships and submarines should not be seen as rising militarism.

India's Communists demand end to nuke dealAudio

Updated 07/07/2008 15:44:55

India's communist party has issued a final ultimatum to the government over its controversial proposed nuclear deal with the US.

China, Taiwan launch first direct flights in sixty yearsAudioTranscript

Updated 07/07/2008 15:44:55

The flights are being seen as a sign of a openness towards Beijing, under new Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou. But questions are being raised as to how much Taiwan will benefit from the new openness.

Higher frequency of exceptionally hot years in AustraliaAudio

Updated 07/07/2008 15:44:55

Hot on the heels of Professor Ross Garnaut's declaration that global warming poses a "diabolical" challenge, comes another grim warning. Australian scientists are warning we can expect, on average, exceptionally hot years every one to two years for the forseeable future.

Australia's draft carbon scheme unveiledAudio

Updated 07/07/2008 15:44:55

The Australian Government has been urged to commit to a carbon trading scheme without delay.

Worsening drought to push food prices higher in AustraliaAudio

Updated 07/07/2008 15:44:55

Australians are being warned that the lack of rain is likely to mean a smaller crop harvest this year and that will mean higher food prices. Recent figures show the drought in the state of New South Wales is worsening.

Oil prices, climate change, dominate G8 summitAudio

Updated 07/07/2008 15:44:56

The United States and Japan are calling for urgent action on oil and food prices that could derail the global economy as leaders from the world's richest countries meet on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. As summit host, Japan is aggressively pushing for the G8 to adopt substantial long term goals for cutting carbon dioxide emissions.

Pakistan's government marks first hundred days in officeAudioTranscript

Updated 07/07/2008 15:44:56

Sunday marked a hundred days since Pakistan's democratically-elected government came to power, although the road to democracy hasn't been easy - with a fragile coalition being hampered by political instability, economic woes and threats to national security.

Suicide blast targets Pakistani policeAudio

Updated 07/07/2008 15:44:56

At least twelve people were killed in an attack, including at least eight policemen. The attack took place amid a heavy police presence at an islamist rally to mark the anniversary of an army raid on the radical Red Mosque in Islamabad. The mosque was stormed by Pakistani troops to evict militants who had sought refuge in the complex.

Beijing scrambles to reduce pollution as Olympics nearsAudio

Updated 07/07/2008 15:44:55

Beijing's air pollution has been at the centre of debates about the city's readiness for the Olympics. Since the city won its Olympic bid the Chinese government has spent billions of US dollars trying to improve its environmental standards. And in five weeks, the world will assess whether Beijing has succeeded.

Foreign policy expert dismisses Australian idea for new regional bodyAudio

Updated 04/07/2008 10:33:07

A Singapore foreign policy expert says Australia's vision for an Asia Pacific Community is dead in the water. Former Ambassador Barry Desker says no Asian leader has backed the call by the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, for a new regional institution. Mr Rudd launched the idea on June the 4th, before visiting Japan and Indonesia.

Education key to fewer landmine casualties in CambodiaAudioTranscript

Updated 04/07/2008 10:33:07

Over 30 years of civil war, several million landmines were planted in Cambodia. One NGO that's been working to get rid of them for the past sixteen years, now says casualties have fallen significantly in recent years.. from 2,000 annually in the early 1990s, to less than 500 a year. The UK-based Mines Advisory Group or MAG employs about hundreds of personnel across six provinces in Cambodia.

Vietnam Web Special: Extended interview with economist Ray MallonAudio

Updated 04/07/2008 10:33:07

Australian economist in Hanoi, Ray Mallon, discusses the growing problems facing Vietnam...one of the region's economic success stories of the past decade.

Vietnam faces serious inflation problemAudioTranscript

Updated 04/07/2008 10:33:07

Inflation in Vietnam has become a serious problem, with prices rising 26-percent on average. This week the country's communist government moved to depreciate the value of the currency - the dong - to reduce pressure on inflation. But expers say much more needs to be done to counter lower growth and overcome investor fears.

Possible coup attempt uncovered against Arroyo governmentAudioTranscript

Updated 04/07/2008 10:33:07

In the Philippines, another elaborate coup attempt against president Gloria Arroyo has allegedly been uncovered. Authorities say five men tried to blackmail a Japanese businessman in order to finance the plot.

Malaysian deputy PM weighs into sexual assault accusationsAudio

Updated 04/07/2008 10:33:07

Malaysia's deputy prime minister has weighed into accusations of sodomy against Anwar Ibrahim, saying there was no conspiracy against the opposition leader. Dr Anwar has rejected the allegations as a conspiracy to prevent him from standing for parliament, and stop his drive to woo defectors from the ruling coalition. Dr Anwar was jailed for corruption for six years in 1999, after what many said was a highly-irregular trial and a conviction on sodomy was overturned. The embattled leader says he won't be silenced, and has vowed to fight to restore his reputation.

Britain, US step up engagement with PakistanAudio

Updated 04/07/2008 10:33:08

Britain is doubling its aid to Pakistan, with an emphasis on the troublesome border with Afghanistan. The aid will total almost one-billion US dollars, over the next three years, making Pakistan the second biggest recipient of British aid. It comes as US President George W Bush prepares to meet Pakistan's Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani later this month.

JI expert says Sumatra arrests 'significant'AudioTranscript

Updated 04/07/2008 10:33:08

Most of the ten terror suspects arrested in Sumatra have now been flown under heavy guard to Jakarta for further interrogation. The arrested men have been linked to the breakaway Jemaah Islamiya fugitive Noordin Mohammad Top and also the head of the Singapore branch of JI, who escaped from prison in February.

Indonesian police thwart terror attacksAudioTranscript

Updated 04/07/2008 10:33:08

Major terrorist attacks directed against foreigners may have been thwarted by the arrest of 10 terror suspects in South Sumatra. Police say 20 bombs were seized, and one of the terror cell's intended targets was a West Sumatran caf� frequented by foreign tourists.

Nepali women break Everest barrierAudioTranscript

Updated 04/07/2008 10:33:06

This year's Everest climbing season saw hundreds of people reach the summit. Among the throng at Base Camp, were a group of ten young Nepali women on an expedition to challenge the notion of who is allowed to climb the world's highest peak.

Tough, new visa rules pose problems for visitors to ChinaAudio

Updated 03/07/2008 11:01:07

China welcomes the world, or at least that's what it proclaims in its Olympic marketing. But there are many visitors to the country who are wondering just how warm the welcome really is. China's blaming security for the tightening of its visa system.

UN agency ponders latest 'world heritage' candidatesAudio

Updated 03/07/2008 11:01:07

An 11th century temple perched high on a cliff on Cambodia's border with Thailand is just one of dozens of the world's most significant and historic sites up for world heritage listing. The Preah Vihear temple, now the subject of much nationalistic debate in Thailand, is being nominated for review by UNESCO's World Heritage Committee at a meeting getting under way in Canada.

Cambodian authorities keen on "clean" streets during electionsAudioTranscript

Updated 03/07/2008 11:01:07

There are so called "rehabilitation centres" in and around the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, where authorities have been quietly imprisoning some of the city's most marginalised people. While one centre has been closed, others remain open and the city appears determined to keep the streets 'clean', ahead of this month's elections.

Rock'n'roll gaining ground in IndiaAudio

Updated 03/07/2008 11:01:07

Hindi film songs have long been the music of choice in India, but now rock-and-roll is gaining ground in the big cities and some of the most popular bands hail from a small hill station in the country's isolated north east.

American beef back on South Korean shelvesAudioTranscript

Updated 03/07/2008 11:01:07

Things are going from bad to worse for South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak. American beef is back on the shelves, but fears about mad cow disease and opposition to the US Free Trade Agreement have spawned a large, loud and angry protest movement.

Khmer Rouge No.3 argues for immediate releaseAudio

Updated 03/07/2008 11:01:07

Lawyers for detained former Khmer Rouge foreign minister Ieng Sary are arguing for his immediate release. They say that he should not be prosecuted - pointing to a royal pardon issued in exchange for his surrender in 1996.
Ieng Sary is one of five top regime cadres now in detention, awaiting trial.

Australia to pay for Vietnam anti-corruption trainingAudioTranscript

Updated 03/07/2008 11:01:08

Australia will provide up to $A500,000 to help train senior members of Vietnam's Communist Party and government officials in anti-corruption prevention and detection methods.

Mongolia quiet after violent political protestsAudio

Updated 03/07/2008 11:01:08

The United Nations has urged all parties in Mongolia to show restraint after an explosion of violent protest in the capital, Ulaanbaatar. The demonstrations erupted after the opposition alleged weekend elections had been rigged. Five people are reported to have been killed and hundreds injured.

Is China the emerging new power in world tennis?AudioTranscript

Updated 03/07/2008 11:01:06

The performance of Chinese players in recent gland slam tournaments has caused excitement in the world of tennis. Their success is being attributed to China's increasing investment in sports development and its ever growing middle class.

Thai opposition calls for PM to restore confidenceAudioTranscript

Updated 02/07/2008 11:17:10

Thailand's opposition Democrat Party is calling on Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej to focus on the economy and reshuffle the cabinet to restore confidence in the government after the recent censure debate. In an interview with Ron Corben, Democrat Party leader, Abhisit Vejjajiva, warns that unless the changes are made Thailand will be dragged back into political tensions highlighted by weeks of street demonstrations.

Gloomy economic forecast for AsiaAudio

Updated 02/07/2008 11:17:10

Record oil prices, collapsing consumer sentiment, the credit crunch; could it all spell doom for the world economy? In its latest report, a leading economic agency - the Bank for International Settlements - warns the world economy may be at a tipping point and facing a bleak future. In Asia, most commentators believe inflation is the biggest threat while an atmosphere of uncertainty is affecting stock markets.

Could Asia tap into the 'ring of fire'AudioTranscript

Updated 02/07/2008 11:17:10

As high fuel prices continue to affect Asia's economic health, there's growing interest in exploiting the earth's own geothermal energy. Analysts believe countries in the so-called Pacific "ring of fire" could derive enough energy to fully power their domestic economies. But there are high costs involved, and tapping into "volcano power" is potentially fraught with danger.

Youth vote could prove decisive in Cambodian electionsAudio

Updated 02/07/2008 11:17:10

The youth vote could prove decisive in this month's election in Cambodia. In March, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen slapped down his main rival Sam Rainsy - accusing him of pointlessly "dragging in a youth movement" in an attempt to topple the Prime Minister. But while Sam Rainsy is banking on a mood for change among the young - it's far from clear whether Cambodia's youth will be able to mobilise their numbers to impact the result.

War in southern Philippines 'increasingly likely'Audio

Updated 02/07/2008 11:17:10

Relations between the Philippine government and insurgents in the south have been steadily worsening in recent months, and an international monitoring agreement in the south is due to expire within weeks. And there are concerns that any new deal won't meet the demands for self-determination wanted by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, or MILF. Unless that's forthcoming, observers fear the militant organisation Jemaah Islamiah may restart attacks in Philippine cities.

Mongolian poll results spark violence in the capitalAudioTranscript

Updated 02/07/2008 11:17:11

Mongolia's government has declared a state of emergency amid violent protests in the capital, Ulan Bator, over alleged vote-rigging in weekend parliamentary elections. Dozens of police and demonstrators have been injured. National television says the emergency rule will last for four-days, there'll be a night curfew and no public gatherings will be allowed.

Vietnam Web Special: Extended interview with Australia's visiting foreiAudio

Updated 02/07/2008 11:17:11

Australia's Foreign Minister Stephen Smith in Hanoi, discusses the scourge drugs, the state of bilateral relations, and the new UN role for Australia's former foreign minister, Alexander Downer.

Australia's foreign minister talks drugs, bilateral ties in HanoiAudio

Updated 02/07/2008 11:17:11

Australia's Foreign Minister, Stephen Smith has been talking to Vietnam's leaders about what seems to be a growing drug trafficking problem between Australia and Vietnam. Vietnam has some of the world's toughest anti-drugs laws and two Australians are currently sitting in jail in Ho Chi Minh City facing execution. The Australian government is backing their appeals for clemency, as 20 other Australians await sentencing on narcotics charges.

Aromatherapy and music to help Australian studentsAudioTranscript

Updated 02/07/2008 11:16:59

A small outback school in South Australia has gone to great lengths to get schoolboys to do better in class.

Book questions conventional HIV prevention initiatives

Updated 02/07/2008 11:16:59

Forty million people around the world are living with HIV, but is enough being done to tackle the problem?

A new start for Cambodia's garbage dump kidsAudio

Updated 01/07/2008 11:52:24

As Cambodia's politicians campaign for a place in parliament, the fate of some of the country's vulnerable children are in the hands of foreign NGOs. In Phnom Penh, an economic boom has fuelled the recyling and garbage trade, with some 70-percent of the scavengers children. One such dump lies just outside the city, at Steung Meanchey.

India plans Statue of Liberty 'rival'AudioTranscript

Updated 01/07/2008 11:52:25

The government of the Indian state of Maharashtra plans to build a statue off the Mumbai coast to rival New York's Statue of Liberty. The statue will be of the Maratha warrior king Shivaji, considered a hero in Maharashtra for his defiance of Mughal and British forces. However, the decision to build the statue has not been without controversy.

Vietnam hopes to lure overseas scientists homeAudioTranscript

Updated 01/07/2008 11:57:30

Vietnam has announced a multi-million dollar program aimed at luring Vietnamese scientists living abroad back home. The Ministry of Education and Training says it hopes to target some 300,000 Vietnamese graduates and post-graduates, living in countries like Australia, the United States and Britain.

Central bankers' central bank warns world economy at 'tipping point'AudioTranscript

Updated 01/07/2008 11:52:25

One of the world's leading economic agencies is warning that many of the big banks around the globe have underestimated the problems that they face. The Swiss-based Bank for International Settlements is the central bank for central banks. Its latest annual report argues that the consensus view underestimates the problems, and the world economy may be at a tipping point, facing an economic catastrophe.

Questions over East Timor's budget reviewAudioTranscript

Updated 01/07/2008 11:52:25

Questions are being asked about a proposal to massively increase government spending in East Timor. A mid-year review has recommended that parliament approve a doubling of the state budget for this year. Dili says it needs to set up an Economic Stabilisation Fund to manage public anger over rising food and fuel prices. Critics say the extra spending is irresponsible.

Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim moves to sue accuserAudio

Updated 01/07/2008 11:52:25

Malaysia's opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has left the Turkish embassy in Kuala Lumpur, where he was forced to seek sanctuary fearing arrest over fresh allegations of sexual assault. Dr Anwar has publicly said that the allegations are designed to destroy him politically, as he prepares to gather the numbers to challenge for the government - that could be as early as September.

Singapore prepares for big paradeAudioTranscript

Updated 01/07/2008 11:52:24

Singapore's biggest show of the year is only a handful of weeks away. Tickets to the National day Parade are highly sought after every year - and are extremely limited. And whether or not you get the free tickets depends on how you do in a public ballot. Over the years, many people have participated in the ballot process only to get the tickets and sell them on the online black market for hundreds of dollars.

The implications of Australia's new Senate line upAudio

Updated 01/07/2008 11:52:24

There's a significant shift of power affecting the Australian Senate. Minority parties, the Greens, Family First and independent Senator Nick Xenophon will share the balance of power in the Senate from Tuesday- meaning the relatively new Rudd Government will need their support for legislation to be passed.