October 2008

Australian wines a hit with ChineseAudioTranscript

Updated 31/10/2008 14:03:16

The emergence of a taste for wine in China has seen wine exporters popping the champagne corks.

Asian voters figure in the US electionAudioTranscript

Updated 31/10/2008 14:03:16

In US presidential campaigns, where a relatively small number of votes in a handful of battleground states can be enough to swing an election, there's always a lot of talk about the importance of the African American vote, the Hispanic vote and the Jewish vote. But what about the Asian vote?

Aid to Pakistan quake victimsAudioTranscript

Updated 31/10/2008 14:03:16

Thousands of villagers in southwest Pakistan are waiting for aid in freezing conditions after a powerful earthquake that destroyed thousands of homes and killed at least 215 people. Wednesday's 6.4-magnitude pre-dawn quake flattened mud-brick houses and triggered landslides in the province of Baluchistan, which borders Afghanistan.

Australian tourists urged to visit TimorAudioTranscript

Updated 31/10/2008 14:03:16

East Timor's president is urging Australians wanting to make a difference to his country to travel there as tourists.

Indonesia passes anti-porn billAudioTranscript

Updated 31/10/2008 14:03:16

To other news now and a hotly debated anti-pornography law finally passed in Indonesia even though the government remains divided.

Falling metal prices hurt scavengersAudioTranscript

Updated 31/10/2008 14:03:16

To commodities, and scrap metal dealers across Asia are feeling the pain of the plummeting price of metals.

US extends credit to AsiaAudioTranscript

Updated 31/10/2008 14:03:16

The US Federal Reserve has issued 120-billion dollars in credit lines to emerging markets for the first time.

Japan unveils huge stimulus packageAudioTranscript

Updated 31/10/2008 14:03:16

World stock markets rose last night, as moves by central banks including the U.S. Federal Reserve, lifted the mood of investors.

Migrating birds trapped for bird flu researchAudioTranscript

Updated 31/10/2008 14:03:15

Cannons are being fired on the beaches near the northern Australian city of Darwin this week to catch flocks of migratory shorebirds and it's all in the name of protecting Australia from deadly diseases.

India, Thailand and Malaysia rate highest for political riskAudio

Updated 30/10/2008 11:44:16

In the current global climate of financial uncertainty, many investors are looking for somewhere safe to put their money possibly lookint at Asia's fast-growing economies.

Australia and Europe launch new Pacific aid partnershipAudioTranscript

Updated 30/10/2008 11:44:16

The two largest donors of aid to the Pacific, Australia and the European Union, have launched a new partnership agreement, during a visit to Paris by Australia's foreign minister Stephen Smith.

Traffickers preying on children in Southern PhilippinesAudioTranscript

Updated 30/10/2008 11:44:16

To the Philippines, where human traffickers are reportedly targetting children displaced by a separatist insurgency on the southern island of Mindanao.

Gem traders to fight US ban on Burmese stonesAudioTranscript

Updated 30/10/2008 11:44:16

The world's gemstone traders have decided to fight back against a new US law banning the sale of Burmese rubies and sapphires.

Former governor of Indonesia's central bank sentenced for corruptionAudioTranscript

Updated 30/10/2008 11:44:16

A former governor of Indonesia's central bank has been sentenced to five years' jail for corruption.

Unions and conservationists call for "green collar" jobsTranscript

Updated 30/10/2008 11:44:16

Unions and conservationists in Australia are joining forces to pressure the federal government to create more of what they call "green collar" jobs to help the Australian economy cope with the world economic crisis.

Coal, climate and hidden costs.AudioTranscript

Updated 30/10/2008 11:44:16

China wants rich countries like Australia to contribute one per cent of their economic worth to fight global warming.

US cuts rates againAudioTranscript

Updated 30/10/2008 11:44:17

From the earthquake in Pakistan to a man-made disaster of the economic kind and the US Federal Reserve has cut official interest rates for a second time this month, as it tries to prevent America slipping into a recession, in the wake of the nation's banking crisis.

Death toll rising after Pakistan quakeAudioTranscript

Updated 30/10/2008 11:44:17

In Pakistan at least 170 people have been killed in a powerful earthquake that struck the country's south west.

Aboriginal job plan launched todayAudio

Updated 30/10/2008 11:44:16

Corporate Australia is pledging to provide almost five thousand jobs for Indigenous people as part of the most ambitious Indigenous employment scheme to date.

Asian businesses ranked for corporate responsibilityAudioTranscript

Updated 30/10/2008 11:44:16

Just as foreign businesses consider the domestic socio-political environment of the country they operate in, the issue of Corporate Social Responsibility has also become a key business issue in Asia.

IMF and World Bank need reform: AuthorAudioTranscript

Updated 29/10/2008 11:15:55

In 1944, at the tail end of the war and depression, the world created two institutions designed to underpin the international economy.

China and Japan drive African ivory tradeAudioTranscript

Updated 29/10/2008 11:15:55

The trade in ivory has been banned for decades, but in southern Africa a once-off auction of ivory stockpiles is taking place.

Burma boycott hurting most vulnerable: MSFAudioTranscript

Updated 29/10/2008 11:15:55

The non-government aid agency Medecins Sans Frontieres says global humanitarian attention is urgently required in Burma to address serious health problems such as malaria, AIDS and malnutrition.

Nearly two million at risk of arsenic poisoningAudioTranscript

Updated 29/10/2008 11:15:55

The UN says 1.7 million people living along the Mekong River are at risk of arsenic poisoning from their drinking water supplies.

Wage controls in Indonesia raise concernsAudioTranscript

Updated 29/10/2008 11:15:55

As the fear of a global slowdown worsens the Indonesian Government has moved to cap wage rises.

Contact sought with Taliban conciliatorsAudioTranscript

Updated 29/10/2008 11:15:55

Afghanistan has agreed with Pakistan to establish joint contacts with Taliban militants, to end the escalating violence in both countries.

Bali bombers may be executed this weekendAudioTranscript

Updated 29/10/2008 11:15:55

The the three Bali bombers on death row could be executed as early as Saturday morning.

Legacy of war lingers in Laos 35 years onAudioTranscript

Updated 29/10/2008 11:15:54

Cluster bombs are the vermin of the weapons world lurking lethally long after the conflict that spawned them has ended.

Australians overworked and strugglingAudio

Updated 29/10/2008 11:15:54

A Sydney University study shows Australia has some of the worst working practices in the developed world with one in five workers putting in at least 50 hours a week.

China tries to kick start housing sectorAudioTranscript

Updated 28/10/2008 11:37:06

One area where China has tried to stimulate demand is in the housing sector.

China can keep world out of recessionAudioTranscript

Updated 28/10/2008 11:37:06

Next month the leaders of the G-20 countries will meet with US President George W. Bush in New York to try to bring about reform of the world financial system.

Asian leaders seeking new energy sourcesAudioTranscript

Updated 28/10/2008 11:37:06

Premier Wen Jiabao is in Moscow, for an official visit aimed at strengthening China's strategic partnership with Russia.

Tamil asylum seekers still hope to go to AustraliaAudioTranscript

Updated 28/10/2008 11:37:06

Just over a week ago East Timorese authorities arrested 16 Tamil and four Indonesian men who were trying to sail illegally to Australia to seek asylum.

Burma's opposition-in-exile call for democracy timeframeAudioTranscript

Updated 28/10/2008 11:37:07

Burma's military authorities are reported to have removed barbed wire barriers and reduced security around the home of the detained democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Ministers at odds over Bakrie company bailout.AudioTranscript

Updated 28/10/2008 11:37:07

Indonesia's government has denied reports that it's under pressure to sack Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati after the Finance Minister said "NO" to one of the country's most powerful men.

Militants finding sanctuary in southern PhilippinesAudioTranscript

Updated 28/10/2008 11:37:07

Militants and extremists who've fled Indonesia and Malaysia, are continuing to find sanctuary in the southern Philippines, according to the country's counter-terrorism chief.

Scientists develop GM bananaAudioTranscript

Updated 28/10/2008 11:37:06

Scientists in norther Australia have successfuly grown the country's first genetically modified banana plant.

Asia needs a unified migration scheme: UNAudioTranscript

Updated 28/10/2008 11:37:06

With the world sliding towards recession, some governments are talking about cutting their migrant intakes in the short term.

Australian think tank tackles security issuesAudioTranscript

Updated 27/10/2008 12:38:37

An Australian think tank is calling on Canberra to focus on helping shape a new security structure that gives dominant Asian players a bigger say. It also suggests Australia has focussed too much on the South Pacific and says Canberra should form partnerships with other big players in the region, rather than seeking to exclude them.

More funds freeze investmentsAudioTranscript

Updated 27/10/2008 12:38:37

A loss of confidence is spreading around the world's economies, affecting the good as well as the bad and the ugly. In Australia twenty investment funds have frozen an estimated 8-Billion US dollars worth of consumer savings and investments.

Timor's land law could resolve age old diputesAudio

Updated 27/10/2008 12:38:37

In East Timor the government is finalizing a draft land law that could resolve century-old territorial disputes within the half island nation.

Protestors criticise migration forumAudio

Updated 27/10/2008 12:38:37

In the Philippines, the 2nd Global Forum on Migration and Development opens today, to discuss policies and their impact on people movement and human rights.

Opposition calls for cut to Australia's migrant intakeAudioTranscript

Updated 27/10/2008 12:38:37

Australia's main opposition party has called for a 25 per cent cut in the country's migration intake against predictions unemployment will rise in the face of the global financial crisis.

China's iron ore demand waningAudioTranscript

Updated 27/10/2008 12:38:37

The impact of the current financial crisis on Chinese steel production has sent shivers through the Pilbara.

Asia Europe meeting urges global financial regulationAudioTranscript

Updated 27/10/2008 12:38:37

A meeting of Asian and European leaders have called for "comprehensive reform" to the world's economy, in response to the global financial crisis and the threat of recession facing many countries.

Vietnamese Americans still favour McCainAudioTranscript

Updated 27/10/2008 12:38:37

The US election is finally drawing to a close with just over a week to go until Americans decide who their new leader will be.

Ebay pulls ivory sales from siteAudioTranscript

Updated 27/10/2008 12:38:37

Illegal trading in animals nets about 20 billion dollars annually and a survey by the International Fund for Animal Welfare says an increasing amount of that trade is taking place online.

Belts made mandatory on Singapore busesAudioTranscript

Updated 27/10/2008 12:38:37

The recent announcement that seat belts will be made mandatory in all small buses in Singapore has left one burning question for parents will this cause school bus fares to rise?

Women across Asia encouraged to join workforceAudio

Updated 24/10/2008 12:36:09

During times of economic crisis, women have historically often seen themselves pushed out of the workforce.

Mass rally planned in TaiwanAudio

Updated 24/10/2008 12:36:09

Taiwanese pro-independence activists plan to stage a massive weekend rally - the biggest since President Ma Ying-jeou took office. Organisers say they expect half a million people to take to the streets of the capital Taipei to protest against China's continued claim of sovereignty over the self-ruled island.

Shared costs for NKorea's oil deliveriesAudio

Updated 24/10/2008 12:36:09

Australia may help pay for Japan's allocation of heavy fuel deliveries to Pyongyang as part of the six-party arrangements on North Korean nuclear disarmament.

China comes 13th in its own health rankingsAudioTranscript

Updated 24/10/2008 12:36:09

Beijing's Academy of Sciences has ranked China in the top 13 countries in the world, in terms of "health".

Treaty will stigmatise use of cluster bombsAudioTranscript

Updated 24/10/2008 12:36:09

In two months, the international treaty banning cluster bombs will open for signatures in Norway.

Renewed calls for an independent review of terorrism lawsAudioTranscript

Updated 24/10/2008 12:36:09

Supporters of an independent review of Australia's terrorism laws say yesterday's acquittal of Melbourne man Jack Thomas adds weight to their case.

Europe calls for release of Chinese dissidentAudioTranscript

Updated 24/10/2008 12:36:09

The United States and European nations have called for China to free Chinese dissident Hu Jia from prison, after the European parliament awarded him a human rights prize.

Unit of major state owned company investigated in ChinaAudioTranscript

Updated 24/10/2008 12:36:10

China's largest state-owned investment company, Citic, has suffered multi-billion dollar losses from betting on the Australian dollar.

Forecaster predicts slower growth to ChinaAudioTranscript

Updated 24/10/2008 12:36:10

The latest business outlook from leading consultants, Access Economics predicts China's economy is beginning to feel the effect has now joined the "walking wounded" and Australia will feel the wind chill.

Sex education classes to become compulsory in BritainAudioTranscript

Updated 24/10/2008 12:36:09

Sex education classes are to be compulsory in all schools across England for the first time under new laws announced overnight.

Thailand needs to back off temple claims: AuthorAudioTranscript

Updated 24/10/2008 12:36:09

When Asian and European leaders meet in Beijing this weekend they will focus on the economy.

India wary of shadowy terror outfitAudio

Updated 23/10/2008 11:50:38

A wave of bomb blasts in four Indian cities over the past few months has drawn attention to a new, shadowy terror outfit which calls itself the Indian Mujahideen.

Fretlin 'open to dialogue': AlkitiriAudioTranscript

Updated 23/10/2008 11:50:38

East Timor's government has accused the opposition Fretilin of stoking security tensions.

A solution to food shortages in East TimorAudio

Updated 23/10/2008 11:50:38

A report by Oxfam International last week revealed people in parts of East Timor now go hungry for up to five months a year. But one Australian expert has a simple solution - old 44-gallon drums.

Malaysia rejects Nobel Prize winnerAudioTranscript

Updated 23/10/2008 11:50:38

A top university in Malaysia has withdrawn an invitation to 2003 Nobel peace laureate Shirin Ebadi to give a speech on Islam, because of objections from Iranian students.

Situation deteriorating inside BurmaAudioTranscript

Updated 23/10/2008 11:50:38

Burma's military has again been accused of human rights abuses, this time, by stepping up its militarisation of the country's eastern states forcing tens of thousands of civilians to flee over the past year.

Indian economy withstanding financial turmoilAudio

Updated 23/10/2008 11:50:38

Indians are over the moon, in more ways than one.

Taliban in behind the scenes talksAudio

Updated 23/10/2008 11:50:38

Saudi Arabia has confirmed that it has hosted behind-the-scene talks between the Afghan government and members of the Taliban.

Adelaide Reds make Asian Champions LeagueAudio

Updated 23/10/2008 11:50:38

In soccer the Adelaide Reds have become the first Australian team to make the final of the Asian Champions League .

Overfishing threatens tuna industryAudioTranscript

Updated 23/10/2008 14:47:45

Conservationists say Asia's high end tuna stocks could be threatened by overfishing, as declining catches elsewhere shift the industry to the Western Pacific.

Dengue vaccine possible within decadeAudio

Updated 22/10/2008 11:54:33

Research estimates that up to half the world's population is at risk from mosquito-borne dengue but the search for a vaccine remains elusive.

Business promotes development goalsAudio

Updated 22/10/2008 11:54:33

The financial crisis isn't the only thing on the minds of business leaders throughout the region.

Fears for 10 thousand child soldiers in NepalAudioTranscript

Updated 22/10/2008 11:54:34

Rights groups say more than 10-thousand Maoist child soldiers in Nepal need help integrating back into their communtiies .. after failing to be registered at UN monitored camps.

Sri Lankan soldiers make ground against rebelsAudio

Updated 22/10/2008 11:54:34

The Sri Lankan government has admitted scores of its troops have been killed or injured in fierce fighting with the Tamil Tigers. The government says it's making ground against the rebels.

Surfers help educate young about developmentAudio

Updated 22/10/2008 11:54:34

Indonesian beaches have long been a favourite of surfers from around the world, seeking a thrilling wave.

Nuclear commission to tackle tough issuesAudio

Updated 22/10/2008 11:54:34

Eminent international figures met in Sydney to discuss curbing the spread of nuclear weapons.

Pakistan seeks IMF help to avaiod economic meltdownAudio

Updated 22/10/2008 11:54:34

Pakistan will need international aid worth ten billion dollars if it's to avoid an economic meltdown according to the International Monetary Fund.

Controversy over Malaysia's choice of chief justiceAudio

Updated 22/10/2008 11:54:34

In Malaysia, judicial independence has emerged again as a hot topic following the King's approval of a new Chief Justice.

Thaksin convicted of corruptionAudio

Updated 22/10/2008 11:54:34

But first to Bangkok, where Thailand's fugitive former Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, has the dubious distinction of being the first Thai Prime Minister to be successfully prosecuted for corruption.

World Cup could generate billionsAudioTranscript

Updated 22/10/2008 11:54:33

Australia's government is currently considering economic modelling that suggests a successful bid to host the Football World Cup in 2018 or 2022 could be a three-to-four billion US dollar winner for Australia.

Speculation mounts on health of Kim Jong-ilAudio

Updated 21/10/2008 12:43:15

Is he dead or only resting - that's the question North Korea watchers are asking themselves of reclusive leader Kim Jong-il.

Slowdown hits the art marketAudio

Updated 21/10/2008 12:43:15

Well those millionaires are a staple at the world's art auctions - but with economic downturn they're starting to do it tough.

Think tank wants to raise tax on millionairesAudioTranscript

Updated 21/10/2008 12:43:15

Australia's Prime Minister said last week excessive capitalism was to blame for the current global financial crisis and that he was leading the push to rein in excessive salaries.

Meeting hears nuclear threat growingAudioTranscript

Updated 21/10/2008 12:43:15

Some of the world's most experienced diplomats are in Sydney, to reinvigorate the anti-nuclear debate.

US repeating mistakes of the past in AfghanistanAudioTranscript

Updated 21/10/2008 12:43:15

To Afghanistan, where one of NATO's top commanders has described western efforts in the country as disjointed. General John Craddock says political will among the NATO allies is wavering, and military efforts are not being backed up on the civilian side. The warning comes amid more violence, with five Afghan children and two German soldiers killed in a Taliban suicide attack in northern Kunduz province. A British aid-worker was also shot dead in Kabul by the Taliban, who accused her of preaching Christianity... and in southern Helmand province, Afghan authorities are searching for bodies, after the Taliban hijacked a bus and killed as many as 34 passengers.

US stimulus package plannedAudioTranscript

Updated 21/10/2008 12:43:15

First it was a 700-billion-dollar financial rescue package, now pressure is mounting in America for more government spending to breathe life into the economy.

Govt acknowledges slower growth from global crisisAudioTranscript

Updated 21/10/2008 12:43:15

China's growth rate has fallen to its lowest level in five years.

Ubud writers festival continues to growAudioTranscript

Updated 21/10/2008 12:43:15

Now in its fifth year the festival, held on the island of Bali, the Ubud Writers Festival recently named one of the top six in the world.

Asian miners meet amid dire export sceneAudio

Updated 21/10/2008 12:43:15

Asia's mining companies have been gathering in Manila for an annual conference and amid the dire predictions and crashing stocks have managed to remain remarkably optimistic.

Iron ore demand will rebound: RioAudio

Updated 21/10/2008 12:43:15

Official figures out yesterday show China's economy grew by a more modest 9 per cent in the September quarter, down from 10.1 per cent in the previous three months, and 12 per cent a year ago.

Indian Jews struggle to fit in in IsraelAudioTranscript

Updated 20/10/2008 12:07:52

Jews around the world are marking the High Holy days, a three-week period to celebrate a new year on the Jewish calendar and reflect on the one that's passed.

Economic crime hits 40% of Asia Pacific companiesAudioTranscript

Updated 20/10/2008 12:07:52

Almost 40 percent of companies working in the Asia Pacific have been a victim of some kind of economic crime, costing each company more than one million dollars. What's troubling for the region is that despite increasing government rhetoric and policy measures, the number of companies affected hasn't changed since 2003.

Malaysian opposition stays strong despite differencesAudioTranscript

Updated 20/10/2008 12:07:52

Malaysia's Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi will not be reviewing the controversial Internal Security Act, before he steps down next year.

Teenager sweeps Aussie music awardsAudioTranscript

Updated 20/10/2008 12:07:52

Australia's version of the Grammys - the Arias - were held last night and it proved to be a big evening for one Melbourne teenager.

Beijing relaxes press rulesAudio

Updated 20/10/2008 12:07:53

During the Beijing Olympics, China relaxed its strict rules for international journalists in an effort to improve their reputation on media freedom.

China to help Pakistan build nuclear plantsAudio

Updated 20/10/2008 12:23:23

Pakistan says China will help it build two more nuclear power plants, in a major boost to the country's longterm plans to end crippling electricity shortages.

World diplomats inject vigour into anti-nuclear debateAudio

Updated 20/10/2008 12:07:53

Some of the world's most experienced diplomats will be trying to inject "vigour' into the anti-nuclear debate when they gather in Sydney next week. The International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament is a Japan Australia initiative -- and includes luminaries such as former U-S Defence Secretary William Perry, Pakistan's former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Jehangir Karamat and Ali Alatas, who was Indonesia's Foreign Minister from 1988 till 1999.

Jobless ignored in economic rescue packageAudioTranscript

Updated 20/10/2008 12:07:53

And as the shockwaves from the global financial meltdown continue, attention in Australia is now turning to the plight of the Australia's unemployed.

Middle class hit by US financial falloutAudioTranscript

Updated 20/10/2008 12:07:53

In the United States, and as Americans fret about the long term damage to the economy from the financial crisis, the wreckage from the housing meltdown isn't hard to find.

Aussie dads 'spend 1 min a day with their kids'AudioTranscript

Updated 20/10/2008 12:07:52

Caring for children is apparently just a hobby for men while for women it's a job.

Sri Lanka defends Tamil registrationsAudioTranscript

Updated 17/10/2008 11:38:29

Security forces in Sri Lanka have defended a controversial registration system in Colombo that critics say is being used to arrest people of Tamil ethnicity.

Singapore braces for economic dowturnAudio

Updated 17/10/2008 11:38:29

People in Singapore are tightening their belts in the wake of the global economic downturn.

World poverty expected to increase this yearAudio

Updated 17/10/2008 11:38:29

While the world is consumed by fears of a looming recession, the fear for much of the world's population is the more basic one of simply not having enough to eat.

Indonesia's state corporations to help cabinet minister's companyAudio

Updated 17/10/2008 11:38:30

Economic growth forecasts for Indonesia are being revised down as the global financial crisis bites in Asia.

FBI continues to investigateAudioTranscript

Updated 17/10/2008 11:38:30

Two FBI agents who where helping Cambodian police investigate the murder of a Cambodian journalist have been sent home.

Diplomatic settlement a long way off in temple disputeAudioTranscript

Updated 17/10/2008 11:38:30

Military commanders from Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to conduct joint patrols of a disputed border zone where two Cambodian soldiers were killed during Wednesday's skirmishes.

Thais claim Cambodia laying landminesAudioTranscript

Updated 17/10/2008 11:38:30

The Thai opposition Democrat Party says the cross border conflict is a direct result of the UN's granting Cambodia sole recognition over the temple site, whose main access route lies on the Thai side of the border. And Thai Foreign Ministry officials are very concerned over the recent discovery of new land mines - now banned by both countries - being uncovered inside Thai territory near the disputed area.

Cancer vaccine pioneer rewardedAudioTranscript

Updated 17/10/2008 11:38:29

Professor Ian Frazer, who developed the world's first cervical cancer vaccine, has been awarded the Prime Minister's 300-thousand dollar Science Prize and next month he flies to Italy to pick up an 800-thousand dollar international prize.

Chinese language study needs overhaulAudioTranscript

Updated 17/10/2008 11:38:29

It's a well-known fact that Australia's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is a fluent speaker of Mandarin, so it's not surprising, that Prime Minister Rudd aims to make Australians "Asia literate" and to encourage Australian students to learn Mandarin as a second language.

East Timor looks to new agreement with VaticanAudio

Updated 16/10/2008 12:04:37

East Timor's President is calling for the state to sign an agreement, known as a 'concordata' with the Vatican, following his recent visit to the Holy See.

Aid Agencies Reveal Lack of Food in East Asia And PacificAudio

Updated 16/10/2008 12:04:37

All eyes might be on the financial crisis lashing world markets, but for families living in parts of East Asia and the Pacific, there's a more immediate problem - getting enough food to survive.

Jailing of Viet journalist a blow for press freedomAudioTranscript

Updated 16/10/2008 12:04:37

The international press freedom advocacy group Reporters without Borders has condemned the jailing of a Vietnamese journalist for his coverage of a state corruption scandal.

Bush policies fail to contain North Korea: AuthorAudio

Updated 16/10/2008 12:04:37

South Korea has defended a deal that put a North Korean nuclear disarmament agreement back on track after Japan said Seoul and Washington had conceded too much.

World worries as China growth slowsAudioTranscript

Updated 16/10/2008 12:04:37

As the credit crisis has spread over the past year, China has been viewed as an island of calm in the sea of financial turmoil. Its economy was seen as providing an export safety net for commodity suppliers like Australia. Now with its turbo charged growth slowing, how long can China hold out against the rapidly turning economic tide?

US president warns that economic rebound will take timeAudio

Updated 16/10/2008 12:04:37

As many people predicted, the rebound on Wall street earlier this week was not to last the US stock market closed Wednesday down a massive 733 points.

Pro government supporters rally in BangkokAudio

Updated 16/10/2008 12:04:37

Staying with Thailand and on the home front, Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat will find out today if a ten year old corruption case will cost him his job.

Border skirmish raises tensionsAudio

Updated 16/10/2008 12:04:38

Diplomatic relations between Thailand and Cambodia are tense, after troops from both countries exchanged gun and rocket fire yesterday Phnom Penh says two of its soldiers were killed and that it has captured ten Thai soldiers.

Afghanistan's huge opium crop exacerbates drug abuse in AustraliaAudio

Updated 16/10/2008 12:04:37

Afghanistan's huge opium crop is beginning to have a major impact on drug use here in Australia.

Farmers suffer from poppy eradicationAudio

Updated 16/10/2008 12:04:37

The decline of poppy farming in the Golden Triangle is making life tough for farmers in Burma and Laos.

China hopes domestic demand will sustain growthAudio

Updated 15/10/2008 12:36:48

In recent days and weeks, Australians had been told that the impact of the international economic downturn, would be cushioned by the continuing demand from China for Australian resources.

Research shows alchohol shrinks the brainAudio

Updated 15/10/2008 12:36:48

You might tell yourself it's keeping your heart healthy but having a glass or two of wine is apparently shrinking your brain.

Millions of Pakistanis sign petition against terrorAudioTranscript

Updated 15/10/2008 12:36:48

More than 60-million Pakistanis have signed a petition condemning terrorism, as part of a multimedia campaign by Muslim businessmen.

Thai activists trying to provoke coup: AnalystAudio

Updated 15/10/2008 12:36:48

Turmoil has been continuing in the Thai capital, but this week the People's Alliance for Democracy has called off protests.

US puts $250 billion into banking systemAudio

Updated 15/10/2008 12:36:48

The Bush administration is insisting its decision to buy ownership stakes in some of America's biggest banks is about preserving the free market system, not destroying it.

Aust PM address to the nation over global financial crisisAudioTranscript

Updated 15/10/2008 12:36:48

The Australian Government is to hand out bililons of dollars across the community in a hope that spending will help provide a buffer against the current global financial crisis. The move comes as world markets continue to gyrate, and governments work furiously to end the uncertainty. The Prime Minister has addressed the nation describing the financial crisis as the worst Australians will see in their lifetime.

Temple handover marred by disputesAudio

Updated 15/10/2008 12:36:48

For the first time an Indian state government has handed control of a Hindu Temple to a private trust.

Reservations over Chinese land reformsAudio

Updated 15/10/2008 12:36:48

As we heard, China's leaders may be contemplating steps to stimulate domestic demand.

Poor farmers hit by plunge in coffee priceAudio

Updated 15/10/2008 12:24:04

And the global economic uncertainty is driving down the price of agricultural commodities

Pop stars deliver health message in TimorAudio

Updated 14/10/2008 12:09:54

Every year during the wet season East Timor is prone to strong winds, flooding and landslides and NGO's and the government are trying to raise awareness of ways to prevent the disastrous health problems that can come with natural disasters.

Mandarin science podcasts launchedAudio

Updated 14/10/2008 12:09:54

Australia's peak scientific body CSIRO has launched a series of Mandarin podcasts.

Viet govt targets ethnic minorities for overseas workAudioTranscript

Updated 14/10/2008 12:09:54

There's growing concern over a Vietnamese government move to send abroad some 20-thousand workers from ethnic minorities. The government says it's part of a plan to reduce poverty in 61 districts where ethnic minorities make up more than 90 per cent of the population. The Ministry of Labour says workers will be given financial assistance and training to prepare them for working overseas in countries including Malaysia, Taiwan, Japan and the U.A.E., where there's high demand for manual laborers, agricultural and factory workers and domestic helpers.

Hardship persists for Bali bomb victimsAudio

Updated 14/10/2008 12:09:54

On Sunday, survivors as well as family and friends of those killed in the Bali bombings marked the sixth anniversary of the devastating terrorist attacks.

Australia to consider listing Tamil Tigers as terror groupAudioTranscript

Updated 14/10/2008 12:09:54

Australia says it will consider a request from Sri Lanka that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam be listed as a terror organisation. But it's told Sri Lanka's visiting Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama that peace in his country cannot be achieved by military force alone.

Despite attacks Taliban gathering strengthAudio

Updated 14/10/2008 12:09:54

Afghan and British forces in Afghanistan said over the weekend that they'd killed about 100 Taliban fighters who'd mustered for an attack on the capial of Helmand province.

Recession fears in AustraliaAudio

Updated 14/10/2008 12:09:54

In Australia, economists at the ANZ bank say house prices won't fall over the next few years.

China to face its own subprime crisisAudio

Updated 14/10/2008 12:09:54

After a week investors would rather forget, most Asian stock markets rallied today, followed by gains in Europe.

Wall Street bounces backAudio

Updated 14/10/2008 12:09:55

Wall Street has broken its eight day losing streak and rallied as investors finally saw hope the financial system was stepping back from the brink.

Irawaddy dolphins discovered in BangladeshAudio

Updated 14/10/2008 12:09:54

Researchers have found the world's largest population of rare Irrawaddy dolphins in the rivers and coastal mangroves of Bangladesh.

Overcrowding persists in Aboriginal communitiesAudio

Updated 13/10/2008 12:38:52

Just over a year ago Australia's then John Howard led government launched an extraordinary intervention programme into Aboriginal communities in Australia's northern territory.

Independence leader returns to Aceh after three decadesAudio

Updated 13/10/2008 12:38:52

For the first time in 30 years, the 88-year-old founder of the Aceh Independence movement set foot in his homeland.

Concern at radical influence on Indonesian Muslim scholarsAudio

Updated 13/10/2008 12:38:52

Indonesia's Council of Muslim Scholars, or Ulema, is a prominent player on the Indonesian political scene.

Six nations talks 'back on track'Audio

Updated 13/10/2008 12:38:52

Just when it looked like the six-nation talks over North Korea's nuclear program were faltering, the United States has announced the process is back on track.

Mahathir reiterates calls for Badawi to goAudio

Updated 13/10/2008 12:38:52

Former Malaysia Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has never been shy of speaking out and lately he's been calling for the current Prime Minister Badawi to resign.

Australia may use surplus to push growthAudioTranscript

Updated 13/10/2008 12:38:52

Australia's Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner says the Government's latest response puts Australia in a good position to weather what he says is a new and more damaging stage of the world financial crisis.

Australia guarantees depositors moneyAudio

Updated 13/10/2008 12:38:53

Australian banks will open their doors this morning knowing that all the customers' deposits held within are guaranteed by the government.

Crucial waiting game for US marketsAudio

Updated 13/10/2008 12:38:53

Across the Atlantic, the lack of any detailed plans to emerge from the weekend meetings of the G7 and G20 groups of nations has traders bracing themselves for another brutal day on Wall Street.

Rescue package for EU banksAudio

Updated 13/10/2008 12:38:53

Despite a weekend of high level meetings the rough ride for the world economy looks set to continue.

Reasearchers uncover the bald truth about hair lossAudio

Updated 13/10/2008 12:38:52

Balding men used to be able to blame their mothers for the genes that led to their hair loss but new research published overnight, suggests their fathers could be as much to blame.

Drought resistant wheat varietes trialledAudio

Updated 13/10/2008 12:38:52

The dry conditions of the past few years have made the search for water-efficient wheat all the more urgent.

Australia consumer groups demand greater food controlsAudio

Updated 10/10/2008 13:10:59

Australian consumer groups and farmers are demanding authorities set up better food safety tests, and that imported products have tougher labelling requirements. It follows confirmation that Australia's food safety authority is investigating whether imports of Chinese vegetables have also been contaminated with melamine.

China moves to regulate melamine useAudioTranscript

Updated 10/10/2008 13:10:59

China's health authorities say more than ten-thousand children are still in hospital after drinking toxic milk and milk formula. It's nearly two months since a New Zealand dairy firm raised the alarm -- forcing Beijing to go international with the news that more than 20 Chinese dairy firms had added the industrial chemical melamine to their products. Now, Beijing has set limits on melamine content.

Vietnam to boost language learning with billion dollar fundingAudioTranscript

Updated 10/10/2008 13:10:59

Vietnam is embarking on an ambitious plan to boost the learning of foreign languages. The country's prime minister has approved a billion US dollar program in a bid to enhance graduate job skills. The program will place special emphasis on English.

East Timor prosecutor blames president over trial delayAudioTranscript

Updated 10/10/2008 13:10:59

East Timor's President and chief prosecutor are at odds over the prosecution of senior military figures for their role in illegally arming civilians during the 2006 crisis. Last week, the prosecutor general said it was the president's fault he'd not yet been able launch the action, while Jose Ramos Horta says there are other priorities.

Maldives presidential vote goes to second roundAudio

Updated 10/10/2008 13:10:59

The first multiparty presidential election in the Indian Ocean nation of Maldives is to go into a second round of voting. The run off will be between the incumbent, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who's ruled the country for 30 years, and former political prisoner Mohamed "Anni" Nasheed.
Under the constitution, the second round must be held within 10 days.

Communal violence flares in northeast IndiaAudioTranscript

Updated 10/10/2008 13:10:59

Ethnic clashes have killed dozens of people, and displaced 100-thousand more in the northeast Indian state of Assam. The violence between an indigenous tribe and Muslim settlers started several days ago and quickly spread to at least 30 villages. Hundreds of houses have been burned down.

Indonesia to reopen battered stock marketAudioTranscript

Updated 10/10/2008 13:10:59

Indonesia will reopen its stock market on Friday, two days after being suspended following a more than 20 per cent slump earlier in the week.
Finance Minister Sri Mulyani says the government will take measures to protect the domestic economy when the market reopens, and is threatening legal action against anybody suspected of breaking the rules.

G20 finance ministers gather for crisis talksAudio

Updated 10/10/2008 13:10:59

The main US market index has ended the day lower for a seventh consecutive day. After a fresh wave of panic selling, the Dow Jones closed more than seven per cent down -- setting up the prospect of another bleak day on Asia-Pacific markets.

Australian wine makers buoyed by lower dollarAudio

Updated 10/10/2008 13:10:59

The plunging stock market and falling currency in Australia is not all doom and gloom -- there's a bright side for Australia's beleagured wine industry.
The past year has seen declining wine exports, but the weakening Australian dollar and increasing demand from Hong Kong and China is turning the outlook around for wine-makers.

Australian researchers explore rural biofuel protentialAudio

Updated 10/10/2008 13:10:59

An Australian scientist says he is examining the potential for rural communities to become net exporters of fuel. The CSIRO peak scientific body is considering a model in which agricultural waste would be turned into "biocrude" fuel in regional production plants and then sent on to a refinery to turn it into biodiesel.

US to appeal Guantanamo decision on UighursAudioTranscript

Updated 09/10/2008 10:34:27

The US administration says it plans to appeal against a court order to free 17 Muslim Uighurs onto American soil from detention at Guantanamo Bay. The Uighurs, a Turkic-speaking minority from western China, have been held at the American military prison camp in Cuba for seven years. The group had been living in Afghanistan shortly before their arrest by Pakistani authorities.

Taiwan moves to guarantee local bank depositsAudio

Updated 09/10/2008 10:34:27

As part of efforts to restore confidence in the banking sector, Taiwan says it will fully guarantee all deposits in its local banks. Taiwan's prime minister made the announcment in the wake of domestic banks writing off more than $US46 billion in bad debts. It's the first major Asian economy to adopt the approach, which is also being employed by Europe's biggest economies.

Malaysian PM Badawi to step down in 2009Audio

Updated 09/10/2008 10:34:28

After surviving a bid for power by the Opposition, Malaysia's Prime Minister has announced he will be stepping down in March 2009, with analysts saying he has been pushed out by opposition within his own party.

China may 'oversee' North Korean disarmamentAudio

Updated 09/10/2008 10:34:28

There has been little detail on the outcome of last week's visit by Christopher Hill to North Korea. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is now in negotiations for a potential compromise deal, under which Pyongyang might hand any disarmament plans to China, before sharing them with other members of the six-party international talks. But Dr Rice declined to give details on how much progress has been made, except to tell reporters Washington needs to be satisfied that any steps Pyongyang takes towards disarmament can be satisfactorily verified.

Two short-range missiles reportedly fired by NKoreaAudioTranscript

Updated 09/10/2008 10:34:28

North Korea watchers are scrambling to interpret the motives of the secretive regime, after it reportedly test-fired two short-range missiles off its western coast. The launches were reported amid continued talks on North Korea's nuclear program, and speculation over the health of the nation's leader. All eyes will be watching to see whether Kim Jong-Il appears later this week to mark the anniversary of the ruling Korean Workers' Party, after reportedly suffering a stroke in August.

US Treasury calls emergency meeting of G20AudioTranscript

Updated 09/10/2008 10:34:28

The co-ordinated interest rate cut by global central banks followed another disastrous day of trading in Asia, in which the Nikkei fell more than nine-percent, and the Indonesian stock exchange was suspended indefinitely. A few hours ago, the United States Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson welcomed the joint international move.

Six central banks co-ordinate interest rate cutAudio

Updated 09/10/2008 10:34:28

Central banks around the world have taken the extraordinary step of cutting interest rates in unison in a high stakes effort to prevent the global economy slipping into recession or worse. The US Federal Reserve and six other banks have each cut their official rates by up to half-a-percentage point to counter the devastating impact of the financial crisis. The unprecedented joint action came as the International Monetary Fund declared the US and many European countries are either already in a recession or about to fall into one.

Australian native flowers a bright spot in gloomy economyAudio

Updated 09/10/2008 10:34:27

Sales of fresh flowers typically take a dive during economic downturns, but the Australian market is proving remarkably resilient. Native flower growers in southern Australia are flat out picking this year's main crop, providing a bright spot of financial colour amid all the the doom and gloom.

Chinese students 'get value for money' in AustraliaAudio

Updated 09/10/2008 10:34:27

A leading Australian academic has countered suggestions from China that overseas students may not be getting a quality education. China's ambassador to Australia, Zhang Junsai, asked in a recent speech at Sydney University whether foreign students were getting value for money, and called for measures to be taken to guarantee the quality of their Australian education.

'Pockets' of racism remain in AustraliaAudio

Updated 08/10/2008 10:31:49

It's often said that Australia is an immigrant nation, with one in five of this country's 21 million people born overseas. Newly-released research indicates that the bulk of Australians believe that that cultural diversity is a good thing for the country. But a University of Western Sydney report suggests some dark pockets of racism remain, with one in 10 Australians believing some races are superior to others.

Record brain drain from AustraliaAudioTranscript

Updated 08/10/2008 10:31:49

For decades, Australian schoolchildren have learned the poem, "I love a sunburned country". Its closing line reads: "the wide brown land for me". But that seems to be changing. A new Immigration Department report shows a record number of people moved permanently abroad last year. And most of the 77,000 Australians who left the country were professionals and tradespeople of working age. It's a setback for the government, which is working hard to attract more trained professionals to Australia.

Economists warn mining boom may be overAudio

Updated 08/10/2008 10:31:49

As the global credit crisis spreads, Australia's mining industry is anticipating a long slowdown. It's a far cry from just a year ago when the words 'mining boom' were a part of everyday conversation.

Presidential elections in Maldives todayAudio

Updated 08/10/2008 10:34:40

Asia's longest serving political leader is facing the prospect of losing his job as the President of the Maldives. The Indian Ocean tourist paradise is having its first taste of democracy with multi-party elections being held to choose a president for the next five years. The 71 year old incumbent, President Maumon Abdul Gayoom, has ruled the Maldives for three decades, but says he needs another five years to continue his reforms.

China engages thousands of milk inspectorsAudio

Updated 08/10/2008 10:34:40

China has dispatched more than 5,000 inspectors to dairy farms across the country in a bid to contain the contaminated milk scandal. China is struggling to deal with public dismay over the crisis, which has seen a growing number of countries banning Chinese food imports.

Doing business amid economic upheavalAudioTranscript

Updated 08/10/2008 10:34:40

Despite warnings from Australia's Reserve Bank about slowing growth among Australia's main trading partners in Asia, the Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan is talking up the strength of the Australian economy. We take a closer look at Mr Swan's comments, and at the challenges of doing business in the region during the financial crisis.

Australian central bank cuts interest ratesAudioTranscript

Updated 08/10/2008 10:34:40

In Australia, the central bank, the Reserve, surprised economists by cutting its official cash rate by a full one-percent - the biggest single cut since 1992. The official rate is now six per cent. The Reserve Bank says there's evidence that growth in Asia is easing off, and that lower interest rates here will help Australia respond to a regional economic slow-down.

Asian markets not spared by global downturnAudio

Updated 08/10/2008 10:34:40

The crisis gripping the global economy has tightened further, with the Dow Jones industrial index in the US closing a few hours ago another 5 per cent down. That's on top of huge losses suffered on Tuesday, which were reflected in markets around the world. In Britain, the government's expected to announce a $US90 billion package to pull its banks back from the brink, after shares in several major institutions dropped over concerns they were running short of capital.

Thai deputy PM resigns amid Bangkok clashesAudio

Updated 08/10/2008 10:34:40

Thailand's recently appointed deputy prime minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh has resigned, in the wake of violent clashes between anti-government demonstrators and riot police on Tuesday. Police fired tear gas and stun grenades to try to disperse a huge crowd which had tried to take over the national parliament building ahead of a key government address. At least two people were killed, and hundreds injured. The deputy prime minister had been trying to negotiate a peace deal with the demonstrators. He has accepted responsibility for the violence, saying it wasn't what he intended. It is a huge challenge for the kingdom's new prime minister, who has been in the job barely three weeks.

Millions face school violence across AsiaAudioTranscript

Updated 08/10/2008 10:31:49

School can be a tough place for children at the best of times, but a new report says 350 million students around the world face violence in their schools each year, with lasting impacts on their well being. The international children's organisation Plan says physical and sexual abuse of school children are prevalent in many Asian schools, and it is launching a 3-year campaign worldwide to change laws and update teaching methods.

Australian mammals facing growing extinction threatAudio

Updated 07/10/2008 10:18:37

The latest global survey of endangered species has found more than a fifth of all Australian mammals are under threat. That is a higher proportion than any other developed country, according to the International Conservation Union's annual Red List, which is out today. Australia also tops the list with the highest number of mammal extinctions.

Funding shortfalls 'leaving Australian farmers behind'Audio

Updated 07/10/2008 10:18:37

Australian scientists warn that farmers here are falling behind their fellows in other countries because too little money's being spent on agricultural research. The funding shortfall's now being blamed for slowing down Australian productivity.

UNESCO takes Burmese-Thai border park under wingAudio

Updated 07/10/2008 10:18:37

Nearly eighty-percent of the world's mammal species can be found in the Thungyai -Huay Kha Khaeng parks. The UNESCO-world heritage site spans the Burmese-Thai border, and is home to tigers and tapirs, rats and bats. The World Heritage Committee is now confident these unique animals will have a home in years to come.

Cambodian government ministers lose parliamentary seatsAudioTranscript

Updated 07/10/2008 10:18:38

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen has announced that lawmakers of the ruling Cambodian People's Party who hold both government posts and seats in the National Assembly must now resign their parliamentary seats to concentrate on their ministerial responsiblities.

Zardari makes U-turn on KashmirAudioTranscript

Updated 07/10/2008 10:18:38

It's been a tumultuous few days in Pakistan. At the weekend, President Asif Ali Zardari issued a shock policy U-turn, saying groups fighting for the freedom of Indian-administered Kashmir would be known from now as terrorists, not freedom fighters. India has welcomed the shift; New Delhi has long argued that Pakistani militants battling for independence in Kashmir are under the clandestine control of the Pakistan army. Mr Zardari added to the bonhomie with New Delhi by declaring that India is no longer a threat to Pakistan.

Anger in China over US arms plan for TaiwanAudioTranscript

Updated 07/10/2008 10:18:38

China has responded angrily to an American proposal to sell $US6.5 billion worth of weapons to Taiwan. China's defence minister says the planned arms deal violates US government policy on Taiwan, and warns Beijing may take "further measures" in protest. But defence analysts believe the spat won't harm Beijing-Washington relations in the long term.

Fresh plunge on global marketsAudioTranscript

Updated 07/10/2008 10:18:38

The Australian stock market is opening and big falls are expected, echoing the earlier turmoil in Asia, Europe and the United States. Wall Street closed its first day's trade since last week's approval of a multi-billion dollar market bail out more than 3.5 per cent down. As we heard in the news, the US president, Geroge W. Bush, says it's simply going to take time to restore confidence. In Europe, governments scrambled to put together a coordinated response to the ricocheting crisis, as the financial system there came under intense pressure, while investors in Asia dumped shares en masse, Tokyo ending the day's trade at a four year low, and Jakarta 10 per cent down.

East Timor initiative to have more Tetum booksAudio

Updated 07/10/2008 10:18:37

Nearly ten years on from winning its independence, most students in East Timor still find themselves reading books in Bahasa Indonesia, the national language of the 24 years of occupation. While there are plenty of books available in one of East Timor's official languages, Portuguese, there are hardly any in Tetum, its other official tongue. Now, a competition's being held to get young people writing in Tetum, with a view to turning the winning entry into a book.

India's Tata pulls Nano out of West BengalAudio

Updated 07/10/2008 10:18:37

After a month of violent demonstrations against the Indian motoring giant Tata, the firm's pulling its widely-anticipated Nano construction plant out of West Bengal state. Tata had nearly finished building the plant near the state capital Kolkota, but now says it'll build the Nano, billed as the world's cheapest car, elsewhere. The Nano was dubbed "the people's car" when it was announced back in January, but some people - notably the farmers moved off their land to make way for Tata's plant - haven't been impressed. They have held up work on the plant for more than a month, raising some difficult questions for manufacturing investors.

Climate shift sending weeds southAudio

Updated 06/10/2008 09:44:47

Australia's peak scientific body the CSIRO has found that climate change may be causing weeds to migrate south. Principal research scientist John Scott has just finished a study looking at more than 40 species of weeds, and says they're infesting new areas, putting the environment and agriculture at risk.

Emergency response drill for Asia-PacificAudioTranscript

Updated 06/10/2008 09:44:48

Across the Asia Pacific, internal conflicts and natural disasters continue to exact a heavy toll. Responding to such emergencies is unpredictable work, filled with moral and practical hazards. In Thailand, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees has been running a major training drill on effective response. Emergency officials from nearly 20 Asia-Pacific countries took part.

Strengthen Asian banks 'to avoid crisis', warns UNCTAD chiefAudioTranscript

Updated 06/10/2008 09:44:48

The Secretary General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development has been speaking on the global financial crisis in Bangkok. Supachai Panitchpakdi says Asia must strengthen its banking regime now, to avoid potential financial crises in the future.

Australian nuclear test veterans seek compensationAudio

Updated 06/10/2008 09:44:48

It's 52 years this week since Britain carried out a series of secret nuclear tests at Maralinga in southern outback Australia, and veterans involved in those tests say they're still fighting for recognition and compensation. After half a century, there's growing momentum to commemorate the tests, and recognise the damage veterans say they suffered from taking part. The Australian government hasn't awarded any specific compensation to those involved in the tests, despite veterans' claims that they and their children have suffered serious illness due to exposure from nuclear fallout. Canberra is conducting a review of the veterans' entitlements, but its report won't be finished till early next year.

New Australian policy on illegal immigrants put to the testAudio

Updated 06/10/2008 09:44:48

Australia's Immigration Minister Chris Evans has dismissed media claims that the government's revamped policy on illegal migrants is being tested by people smugglers. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's government has significantly amended the previous Howard government's immigration detention policy, which attracted international criticism for its harshness. Last week a boat carrying 12 illegal migrants was intercepted near Ashmore Reef - 320 kilometres off Australia's far north coast. The group arrived under naval escort last Thursday at detention facilities on Christmas Island. The boat is the first unauthorised arrival since Mr Rudd took office late last year.

Pakistan seeks civilian nuclear dealsAudioTranscript

Updated 06/10/2008 09:44:48

Pakistani prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has called for a similar nuclear deal to be struck with the United States, in the wake of India's new deals with the US and France last week. India's civilian nuclear pact with the US - which got a green light from Congress last week - had been expected to be signed at the weekend, when Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was in New Delhi. It now appears both sides are still negotiating the fine details.

Millions still displaced after Indian floodsAudioTranscript

Updated 06/10/2008 09:44:48

Nearly three and a half million people are still stranded in makeshift camps in northern India... their villages and land devastated by heavy monsoonal floods. Aid agencies are working frantically in the states of Bihar and Assam to get supplies to the displaced.

Second protest leader arrested in ThailandAudioTranscript

Updated 06/10/2008 09:44:49

In Thailand, police have arrested a second key leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy protests, that have occupied government house in Bangkok since late August. Chamlong Srimuang is a former Bangkok mayor. Yesterday he was seized by police at a polling station, where elections for governor were underway. He has been charged with insurrection, a charge equivalent to treason, for which he could face the death penalty or life in prison. Another leader, Chaiwat Sinsuwongse, was arrested last Friday on the same charges. Police have held arrest warrants for nine PAD leaders since they occupied Government House in late August, but have appeared unwilling to storm the protest site before now.

New internet users vulnerable to scamsAudioTranscript

Updated 06/10/2008 09:44:47

Internet scams are nothing new, but developing countries with new internet users are offering scammers a whole new pool of fresh victims. And Cambodia with about 44-thousand people connected to the web is a prime target.

Bangkok voters prepare to elect new governorAudioTranscript

Updated 03/10/2008 09:21:24

This weekend, Thais in Bangkok will elect a new governor for the city. The campaign this year has been in distinct contrast to the race four years ago, when it was seen as a battle between former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and the opposition Democrat Party. This time around, the Democrat incumbent Apirak Kosayodhin is widely expected to win. But he will face the same battle to overcome the capital's historic challenges - traffic, urbanisation and improving the quality of city life.

US 'cannot win' in AfghanistanAudioTranscript

Updated 03/10/2008 09:21:24

It has been confirmed that the Afghan president Hamid Karzai has repeatedly sought help from Saudi Arabia to arrange talks with the Taliban. So far, it appears those efforts have failed, and the initiative has only received lukewarm support from the top US general in Afghanistan. The latest developments come amid a wide-ranging review of US policy in Afghanistan, and tension with neighbouring Pakistan over American-led cross border raids against what have been described as insurgent sanctuaries.

Skydivers prepare to jump off Mount EverestAudioTranscript

Updated 03/10/2008 09:21:25

In Nepal, a group of daredevils are hoping to make history by jumping out of planes near the summit of Mount Everest, making it the highest ever commercial skydive. More than 40 skydivers will make solo and tandem jumps into the thin air of the Himalayas using specially designed equipment. If successful, the jumps could help carve out a new adventure sport for Nepal's tourism industry.

Human rights increasingly challenged in CambodiaAudioTranscript

Updated 03/10/2008 09:21:25

It has been a tempestuous week for Cambodian human rights activists. The United Nations Special Representative resigned a week ago citing a lack of support for his work in Cambodia, and a fresh mandate was drawn up for the UN's role in human rights work in the country. A human rights activist survived bullet fire on his way to work, and the rights agency Licadho released a report crticising the government's record. Now there are concerns the UN mission in the country may be losing its credibility.

Millions of Afghans face freezing, hungry winterAudio

Updated 03/10/2008 09:21:25

The two men who would be the next US president, Senators Barack Obama and John McCain, have been laying out their respective foreign policy platforms ahead of next month's elections. They are firmly agreed on the need to shift focus and troops from Iraq to Afghanistan, where they say security has deteriorated and US troops are on the defensive. Meantime, international aid agencies are warning that nearly nine million Afghans face a cold and hungry winter. Temperatures are already falling, for a winter that is forecast to be one of the harshest on record, and aid agencies warn around a quarter of the population will suffer as food shortages worsen.

Militants and unemployment threaten Pakistan economyAudio

Updated 03/10/2008 09:25:04

There are growing signs that the American economy is heading for recession, regardless of the fate the $US700 billion Wall Street bail-out package now before Congress. The International Monetary Fund's latest World Economic Outlook warns that a sharp downturn in the United States is now "a substantial likelihood". South Asia's emerging economies India and Pakistan are expected to weather the storm reasonably well. But in Pakistan, there are additional challenges. The economy is still reeling from the recent Marriot Hotel bombing, and investor confidence is down amid warnings of rising fundementalism.

US approves Indian nuclear dealAudio

Updated 03/10/2008 09:25:04

In the United States, President George Bush may be biting his nails ahead of a crucial House of Representatives vote on a re-jigged financial bail-out plan approved by the Senate yesterday. But he will soon be able to sign into law a watershed nuclear trade deal with India. The accord has been given Congressional approval, enabling the lifting of a 30-year ban on nuclear trade with New Delhi. Under the deal, India will get access to US nuclear fuel and technology to help drive India's booming economy. In return, India will allow inspection of its civilian, but not its military, nuclear facilities. Supporters say it establishes India as a reliable American ally, but critics warn against strengthening ties with a country has refused to sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

Disabled bus access under scrutiny in SingaporeAudio

Updated 03/10/2008 09:21:24

For the disabled, access and mobility are issues in all countries. Asian nations generally have a poor record on this score, but one which does a better job than most is Singapore. One example is that a big expansion is being planned for what's are known locally as "WABs" - wheel chair accessible buses. A number of such vehicles exist already, but it seems there's a question mark over their utility.

Mixed feelings on goldmine in rural Australian townAudio

Updated 03/10/2008 09:21:24

The resources boom has helped cushion Australia from some of the worst of the fallout from the global financial crisis. Most of the big mining activity has been in Western Australia, but in the eastern state of New South Wales, the Cadia goldmine is expanding, and it will eventually become the biggest underground mine in Australia. It is close to the picturesque country town of Orange, and while the mine will bring jobs and boost the local economy, the locals worry the mine will destroy their sense of community.

New Australian chief scientist appointedAudioTranscript

Updated 02/10/2008 09:23:26

Australia's new chief scientist has pointed to the related issues of water, climate change and sustainable energy as the key research challenges facing the country. The American-born, Canberra-based astronomer, Professor Penny Sackett, was appointed by the government this week to the acclaim of the country's scientific community.

Australian barley growers challenged by ChinaAudio

Updated 02/10/2008 09:23:26

Australia's lucrative malting barley export market to China is under threat, as the Chinese grow more of their own high quality crop. Expensive prices and tight supply worldwide means China is now competing in markets where Australia has traditionally held sway.

Rat plague devastates Asian rice harvests

Updated 02/10/2008 09:23:26

Once every half a century, a species of bamboo bursts into flower in several Asian countries, and its seeds and fruits attract huge plagues of rats. The flowering is underway in Cambodia, Indonesia and Burma, and - on cue - the rodent hordes are devastating crops and destroying livelihoods. What has made the rare flowering season so damaging is that what once lasted only 12 months, has continued as a rampaging plague for three years.

Poison milk scandal sours China's National DayAudioTranscript

Updated 02/10/2008 09:23:26

China celebrated its National Day yesterday with the country's manufacturing industry still under a deep cloud over a poison milk scandal. At least 27 people are now under arrest, suspected of adding the industrial chemical melamine to milk powder products. Four babies died after ingesting the milk, and more than 50,000 others are still sick. Yesterday President Hu Jintao said lessons must be learned from the scandal, which has seen governments around the world ban the import of Chinese dairy products. Now, Australian consumers are demanding tighter government control on imported products.

Presenter: Liam Cochrane
Speakers: Professor Jonathon Unger, director of the Contemporary China Center at the Australian National University; Sydney protestor, Herbet Lu: Jan McLucas, Parliamentary Secretary for Health.

UN to investigate Bhutto assassinationAudio

Updated 02/10/2008 09:23:26

The United Nations has confirmed it will formally investigate the assassination of Pakistan's former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. The UN says it will begin its probe within weeks, at a cost of about $US40 million. Benazir Bhutto was killed in December last year during an election rally in the city of Rawalpindi. Her death escalated domestic and international concern over rising militant violence in Pakistan, and fuelled conspiracy theories that Islamabad's powerful spy agencies were involved.

US envoy in crucial North Korea visitAudioTranscript

Updated 02/10/2008 09:23:26

The American envoy, Christopher Hill, is in North Korea to try to salvage an international disarmament deal. Pyongyang accuses Washington of breaching the six-nation accord by failing to remove it from America's terrorism blacklist, despite submitting an account of its nuclear facilities. The US says the North must first agree to outside verification.

US legislators prepare to vote on massive financial bailoutAudio

Updated 02/10/2008 09:23:27

In the United States there's now renewed hope the US Congress will pass a massive financial industry bailout package to ward off another upheaval in global markets. The Senate will vote on the $US700 billion rescue plan in a few hours, and it's hoped the House of Representatives will quickly follow suit. It was the unexpected refusal by the House to pass the bill earlier this week that sparked an unprecedented drop in the Dow Jones industrial average. The bailout plan has now been significantly re-jigged, but there are no guarantees.

Indonesians celebrate end of RamadanAudio

Updated 02/10/2008 09:23:26

Muslims across the world have begun celebrating Idul al-Fitri. The festival marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, and in Indonesia, the holiday - which is known as Lebaran - lasts three days. It's a time in which Muslims gather to pray, beg forgiveness and feast with friends and family.

Modest emissions target in final Garnaut climate change reportAudio

Updated 01/10/2008 09:18:53

Leading international economist Professor Ross Garnaut has delivered his independent report on Australia's climate change options to the government. The report was commissioned by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in April last year while he was still in opposition. Professor Garnaut has recommended a conservative Australian target of a 10 per cent emissions cut by 2020, although he says Australia should offer a 25 percent cut by 2020 if an international agreement can be struck in global talks next year.

Escalating tensions among East Timor policeAudioTranscript

Updated 01/10/2008 09:18:53

Tensions are brewing in East Timor's national police force as the government works to weed out corruption and rehabilitate the force. The administration in Dili hopes it can eventually farewell the 1,500 UN police, who've taken responsibility for internal security for the past two years. But a series of incidents in recent weeks suggest efforts on police reform may not be going as smoothly as the government would wish.

Indonesian tycoon to launch new daily newspaperAudioTranscript

Updated 01/10/2008 09:18:54

The Indonesian press is about to get a whole lot more interesting. A new newspaper the Jakarta Globe will hit newstands in Indonesia's major cities within weeks. The 48-page full colour English language broadsheet will rival Indonesia's stalwart newspaper, the Jakarta Post.

India seeks to reduce carnage on roadsAudio

Updated 01/10/2008 09:18:54

India records the highest number of deaths in the world when it comes to road accidents due to drunken driving. Every year nearly 300,000 road accidents are recorded in India, and around 90,000 Indians die on the roads every year as a result of drink-driving.

Cambodia's Prince Ranariddh returns homeAudioTranscript

Updated 01/10/2008 09:18:54

Cambodia's Prince Norodom Ranariddh has returned from exile just days after being pardoned by the king over a fraud conviction. His political rival, Prime Minister Hun Sen requested the amnesty.

UN to return to Sri LankaAudio

Updated 01/10/2008 09:18:54

Two weeks ago, the Sri Lankan government ordered aid workers out of the strife-torn north of the country. The move all but severed relief supplies to the thousands of people displaced by fighting between government forces and the separatist Tamil Tigers. But now, the UN says the World Food Program has been given the green light to send a 60- truck convoy to the north carrying hundreds of tonnes of food to those in need.

US markets rebound despite bailout deal failureAudio

Updated 01/10/2008 09:18:54

The United States stock market has rebounded, after yesterday's historic drop of more than one trillion US dollars. President George Bush says that Congress must again consider the multi billion dollar rescue package for Wall Street, renewing investors' hopes for a deal. Global markets remain volatile, but there are signs of a rebound. On the New York Stock exchange, the Dow Jones ended the day up almost five per cent. European stock markets have closed higher too.

Singapore remembers opposition leader JBJAudio

Updated 01/10/2008 09:18:53

The grand old man of Singapore's political opposition Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam or JBJ as he was better known has died. He was 82. JBJ was one of the rare few to speak out against Singapore's People's Action Party.

Australian scientists react to government climate reportAudioTranscript

Updated 01/10/2008 09:18:53

Ahead of the release of Professor Ross Garnaut's report, 16 leading Australian climate experts wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, urging him to impose much deeper cuts to greenhouse gas emissions. One of the signatories to that letter was Professor Tony McMichael, of the Australian National University in Canberra, an adviser to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change on the human health impacts of global warming.