April 2009
Tobacco firms target China, Indonesia youth
Updated 22/04/2009 11:24:25
It's a grim fact that nearly half the world's smokers live in just three countries: China, India and Indonesia, and the age at which they take up the habit is getting younger.
Dubai downturn hurts Asia workers, business
Updated 22/04/2009 11:24:25
Once known as the fastest growing city on earth, the fortunes of Dubai are reversing rapidly. Tens of thousands of migrant workers from Asia work in Dubai's once-booming construction industry, and its abrupt turnaround is taking its toll on the huge companies that employ them.
Personal tragedy in stories of asylum seekers
Updated 22/04/2009 11:24:25
The news in Australia is again being dominated by stories of asylum seekers, leaky boats, and people smugglers, but behind the news headlines individual stories of personal tragedy abound. The experiences are varied but all share the desire to find a better life.
Fears Australia asylum seekers shunned legal help
Updated 22/04/2009 11:24:25
Immigration lawyers say a group of 29 Afghan asylum seekers who were taken to an oil rig after last week's boat explosion will not get the same treatment as those who were brought to the Australian mainland for medical help. The offshore oil facility is not considered part of Australia's migration zone.
Australian leaders finally utter the 'R' word
Updated 22/04/2009 11:24:25
As the world's economy spirals downward, the word 'recession' has been used by economists and world leaders quite freely - except in Australia. For months the word has not slipped past the lips of Australia's leaders and senior finance officials.
Filipinos banned from Somali waters
Updated 22/04/2009 11:24:25
The Philippines president, Gloria Arroyo, has ordered a ban on the deployment of Filipino seafarers on the ships that pass through the Gulf of Aden due to the increased attacks in the region off Somalia.
Humanitarian groups scramble to supply SLankan aid
Updated 22/04/2009 11:24:25
The situation on the ground in Sri Lanka's confict zone has been described at catastrophic by the International Commitee of the Red Cross. It has called for immediate action to rescue the tens of thousands of civilians still trapped.
Military breaches Tiger defence as SLankans flee
Updated 22/04/2009 11:24:25
After a quarter of a century, Sri Lanka's separatist war is entering its final stage, with the military saying it has now cut the last strip of territory held by Tamil Tiger insurgents in the northeast of the country in two.
China blamed for advanced US weapons snoop
Updated 22/04/2009 11:24:21
There are reports that someone has been illegally peeking at one of America's most advanced secret projects, and fingers are again being pointed at China.
Claims distillers using Big Tobacco-like strategies
Updated 22/04/2009 11:24:21
Alcohol researchers say they've uncovered evidence of industry strategies to distract public debate and to avoid potentially damaging government policies, like tax increases.
Climate change could overwhelm aid programs
Updated 21/04/2009 14:08:57
By 2015, more than 375 million people on average per year are likely to be affected by climate-related disasters.
China increases peace keeping role
Updated 21/04/2009 14:08:57
From North Korea to Zimbabwe to Burma, China has long been criticised for shielding rogue regimes from tough international action.
China's car market continues to grow
Updated 21/04/2009 14:08:49
China's longest-running international auto show is happening in Shanghai this week with renewed optimism about the local car industry.
Cultural issues lead to poor indigenous health
Updated 21/04/2009 14:08:57
There's been increased attention over the discrepancies between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians since Australia's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd made "closing the gap" a cornerstone of his national apology.
Local issues dominate Indian election
Updated 21/04/2009 14:08:57
The second phase of India's month-long rolling parliamentary election continues tomorrow.
Civilians flee Sri Lanka's conflict zone
Updated 21/04/2009 14:08:58
Sri lanka's Tamil Tiger's have been given 24 hours to surrender by the Sri Lankan government.
Golkar looks to continue coalition
Updated 21/04/2009 14:08:58
Indonesia's once-mighty Golkar party is taking stock ahead of expected losses from this month's parliamentary election.
Indonesia set to deport Afghan asylum seekers
Updated 21/04/2009 14:08:58
Immigration officials in Indonesia say they plan to deport 70 Afghan asylum seekers who were detained last week before they could set sail for Australia.
Opposition divided over temporary visas
Updated 21/04/2009 14:08:58
Australia's Opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull's suggestion to bring back temporary protection visa arrangements to discourage boat arrivals has stirred up old resentments within his party.
Research dismisses "beer goggles" myth
Updated 21/04/2009 14:08:57
It's a phenomenon known as "beer goggles" the blurred judgement that comes after a few too many drinks.
A decade since Columbine gun violence rife
Updated 21/04/2009 14:08:57
As America marks the tenth anniversary of the Columbine High School shootings, attempts to introduce tighter gun controls have mostly failed.
China takes lead in battle against TB
Updated 20/04/2009 11:11:59
Once thought to be a beaten disease, tuberculosis is making a dangerous comeback, with most cases worldwide found in Asia.
UN drug policy 'out of touch' says expert
Updated 20/04/2009 11:11:59
Later this morning the 20th International Harm Reduction Association's annual conference will get under way in the Thai capital Bangkok.
Telecoms market in Cambodia overcrowded
Updated 20/04/2009 11:11:59
Cambodia has just 15 million people, and is one of the poorest countries in the region.
Election a boost for Indian satire
Updated 20/04/2009 11:11:59
India is now in its second week of a month-long rolling parliamentary election.
Thai yellow shirt protestors' chief shot and wounded
Updated 20/04/2009 11:11:59
The Thai government has moved to tighten security around prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva after an unsuccessful assasination attempt on the founder of the yellow shirt protest movement.
Australia pulls out of anti-racism conference
Updated 20/04/2009 11:11:59
The Australian government won't be participating in a United Nations anti-racism conference due to begin in Geneva later today.
Indonesia promises to stem refugee flow
Updated 20/04/2009 11:11:59
Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono says he'll work closely with Australia to tackle the influx of migrants.
Foreign minister urges patience with boat investigation
Updated 20/04/2009 11:11:59
Australian federal government ministers have referred any questions about the cause of the explosion to the police and the coronial inquiry in the Northern Territory.
Police refuse to speculate on details of boat blast
Updated 20/04/2009 11:11:59
It's hoped that footage of the Afghan asylum seekers' boat going up in flames will go some way to solving the mystery of why the boat - now called Siev 36 - exploded when it did.
One child policy leads to huge gender imbalance
Updated 20/04/2009 11:11:58
The latest research shows that selective abortion in favour of males has left China with 32 million more boys than girls, creating an imbalance that will endure for decades.
Business leaders assess Vietnam investments
Updated 17/04/2009 12:49:43
A delegation of Australian business leaders is in Vietnam to show support in the midst of the global financial woes, and to show interest in expanding investments in Vietnam.
Filipino sailors victims of Somali pirates
Updated 17/04/2009 12:49:43
As maritime security worsens in the waters off the African Somali coast, the Philippines has paid a particularly high price.
Coalitions fluid as India votes
Updated 17/04/2009 12:49:43
The first phase in India's month long general election has begun, with more than 700 million eligible voters expecting to eventually arrive at a hung parliament.
Focus on Thailand's finances take centre stage
Updated 17/04/2009 12:49:43
Thailand's troubled political landscape has affected the economy, with delays to public projects, skittish investors and tourists who decide not to visit because of the demonstrations.
Cabinet, parliament seek solutions to Thai issues
Updated 17/04/2009 12:49:43
Thailand's parliament will convene a joint session next week to find a solution to the political stalemate that has put Bangkok under a state of emergency for a fifth day.
Australian govt distances itself from 'children overboard'
Updated 17/04/2009 12:49:44
Australia's Home Affairs Minister has continued to stress that this situation should not be politicised, wary of the political repercussions of this latest people trafficking incident.
Asylum arrival day after trafficking conference
Updated 17/04/2009 12:49:44
This is the sixth boat of asylum seekers intercepted by Australian authorities this year, coming just a day after Australian ministers were in Bali at a conference aimed at combatting human trafficking.
Australian hospitals prepare for injured Afghans
Updated 17/04/2009 12:49:44
Three people have died, two are missing, and dozens injured after an explosion onboard a wooden boat which was carrying suspected Afghan asylum seekers near Australia's Ashmore Reef, west of Darwin in the Northern Territory.
Suffering for fashion in China's imperial robes
Updated 17/04/2009 12:49:38
An exhibition opening in Melbourne shows how women in the Chinese court suffered for fashion's sake in large, ornate robes - not to mention the painful tradition of bound 'lotus' feet.
Vietnam-Australia science aims for top rice crops
Updated 17/04/2009 12:49:38
When fertiliser prices rose sharply last year, farmers worldwide had to reduce the amount they were using on crops - devastating many rice farmers in Vietnam.
Gas co-op in West Australia to kick-start investment
Updated 16/04/2009 11:53:38
One of Australia's biggest natural gas deals is one step closer to become a reality after the Indigenous people of Western Australia's Kimberley region accepted a $A1 billion deal for a giant gas project.
China's ASEAN fund boost to challenge Japan
Updated 16/04/2009 11:53:38
China is continuing with plans to strenghten its economic presence in South East Asia, despite having to postpone the signing of a free trade agreement with ASEAN.
Asia rise must drive Australian arms spend: White
Updated 16/04/2009 11:53:38
A new paper released by Australian think-tank the Lowy Institute says Australia's defence needs must be assessed in the light of China's rise and what it calls 'The Asian Century'.
Burma, Iraq, Afghanistan targeted by traffickers
Updated 16/04/2009 11:53:38
An international summit in Bali has acknowledged the need for greater cooperation in the fight against people smuggling. There was a particular focus on the Rohingya people from Burma, and people from war torn countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan.
US-NKorea diplomacy slips led to freeze
Updated 16/04/2009 11:53:38
Concern is growing that disarmament talks with North Korea have been significantly damaged. North Korea says it is pulling out of talks and will re-open its nuclear facilities after the UN Security Council condemned a recent rocket launch by the secretive state.
Range of climate science opinions cloud consensus
Updated 16/04/2009 11:53:38
A group of Australian climate scientists have told a parliamentary inquiry that the government's planned policies are not sufficient enough to stop dangerous warming. Yet two others told the inquiry there is no evidence to suggest that global warming is caused by human activity, and that experts are unnecessarily scaring the world's population into acting.
China scientists appalled at Australia's waste
Updated 16/04/2009 11:53:39
Scientists from China have slammed Australia's greenhouse gas reduction target, saying it goes nowhere near far enough.
India 'vote banks' threaten world's largest poll
Updated 16/04/2009 11:53:39
The world's largest democracy, India, kicks off its five-part month-long general election today and the money spent is estimated to be in the billions of dollars. The controversy of so-called "vote banks" still overshadows Indian elections.
Claims millions missed Indonesia vote
Updated 16/04/2009 11:53:39
A group of senior Indonesian political leaders say last week's general election was marred by widespread fraud and administrative errors.
Auction sites peddle stolen credit details
Updated 16/04/2009 11:53:35
A boom in online crime means stolen credit card details are being sold-on for as little as a few cents, according to a new report by the Internet security company Symantec. The security firm says the stolen details are being sold on in bulk on underground online auction sites.
India's polyandry on the wane
Updated 15/04/2009 12:17:05
For centuries it was common practice in the Himalayas for brothers to share one wife between them, but the practice - known as fraternal polyandry - is rapidly dying out.
Trafficking conference commences in Bali
Updated 15/04/2009 12:17:05
The issue of people smuggling and how to combat it as it becomes more and more a part of organised crime is the subject of a gathering of representatives from around 40 countries in Indonesia's Bali over the next couple of days.
Ceasefire holds in SLanka's Tamil Tiger battle
Updated 15/04/2009 12:17:06
There is calm in the north-eastern part of Sri Lanka at the end of a two-day government initiated ceasefire.
Legacy of Hu Yaobang to China's Tiananmen generation
Updated 15/04/2009 12:17:06
Twenty years ago today, young students and activists throughout China mourned the death of one of their heroes - the disgraced former Communist Party General Secretary Hu Yaobang.
China's first attempt at rights action plan
Updated 15/04/2009 12:17:06
China has published its first human rights action plan, which will span the next two years with pledges that range from curbing the torture of prisoners to boosting job opportunities. International human rights organisations have welcomed the announcement but urged the Chinese government to do more.
Thai PM picking up pieces of fractured society
Updated 15/04/2009 12:17:06
A damaging protest campaign in Bangkok ended peacefully yesterday, but the government, the target of the campaign, now has to pick up the pieces of a society that is deeply divided.
Former SKorean president admits to graft
Updated 15/04/2009 12:17:06
Former South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun has joined a line of former leaders hit by scandal. The former president has admitted to receiving money from a man linked to a large bribery network.
NKorea pulls-out of disarmament talks
Updated 15/04/2009 12:17:06
North Korea has announced that disarmament talks are over and that it will re-open its nuclear weapons facilities.
Japan's hope for a manga-led economic recovery
Updated 15/04/2009 12:17:02
Tokyo wants the world to catch on to Japan's love of comic books and animation, and help pull the country out of recession.
Australia's planned crocodile management
Updated 15/04/2009 12:17:02
In Australia, pressure is mounting on the Northern Territory government to cull more saltwater crocodiles in the Darwin region as both human and reptile populations expand.
The government is to release its much-anticipated plan on the future management of salt-water crocodiles following two fatal attacks in the last month. The Darwin region is one of the fastest growing in Australia, and the threat of more attacks is intensifying.
India elections to hang on small, regional parties
Updated 14/04/2009 11:47:36
On Thursday, India will embark on the world's largest ever democratic voting exercise, with the first of five polls to choose the country's new parliament.
Fiji, Australian media trying to deal with censors
Updated 14/04/2009 11:47:36
With Fiji now under emergency law for the next month, new regulations have effectively put censors in every newsroom in the country, and they have the power to veto any story. Not only that, two foreign reporters, including ABC correspondent Sean Dorney, are being deported.
Hopes China will intervene in Fiji instability
Updated 14/04/2009 11:47:36
According to at least one commentator, the Pacific island of Fiji could become another Burma, with grave consequences for both its citizens and the region's security.
Indigenous Australians oppose govt housing deal
Updated 14/04/2009 11:47:36
Australia's government is facing much scepticism as it offers to improve housing in remote Indigenous communities. It is offering increased funding if it can take long leases over land now held by its traditional owners.
UN condemns NKorean rocket
Updated 14/04/2009 11:47:37
The United Nations Security Council has issued a statement unanimously condemning North Korea's long-range rocket launch.
Rights group fears for Thai safety
Updated 14/04/2009 11:47:37
The Thailand representative of Human Rights Watch tells Karen Percy how he sees the state of play and its dangers on the streets of Bangkok.
Red Shirt chief says lost control of Thai protesters
Updated 14/04/2009 11:47:37
The protesters - the so called Red Shirts - are loyal to a former prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, who has been urging demonstrators to overthrow the government.
Australia appeals for calm in Thailand
Updated 14/04/2009 11:47:37
As the situation in Thailand deteriorates, Australia is again urging all parties to resolve the situation peacefully.
Thai Red Shirts dig in as govt scrambles
Updated 14/04/2009 11:47:37
The unrest in Bangkok looks set to continue, and as each day of trouble passes the government which was installed just four months ago appears shakier.
Crumbling Malaysia relics endanger UNESCO listing
Updated 14/04/2009 11:47:35
An historic area in Malaysia's Penang island - a small area in Georgetown featuring unique buildings from Chinese, Indian and British cultures - was last year granted heritage listing by the United Nations' cultural body, UNESCO. The father of modern China, Sun Yat Sen, plotted his Canton Uprising from one of the heritage zone's old two-storey shop houses.
Shattered Antarctic ice shelf a worry
Updated 14/04/2009 11:47:35
The Wilkins Ice Shelf in Antarctica is in the final stages of collapse. An ice bridge, up to forty kilometres long was the only thing holding the giant shelf to the Antarctic continent. The disintegration of the shelf has scientists worried.
Malaysia PM's rights focus still lax
Updated 13/04/2009 11:54:34
Human Rights campaigners in Malaysia are looking at the new regime of Prime Minister Najib Razak with some trepidation.
New Malaysian cabinet predictable, but clean
Updated 13/04/2009 11:54:35
Malaysia's King has sworn-in the new cabinet of prime minister Najib Razak.
Asia corruption index compares well to West
Updated 13/04/2009 11:54:35
Corruption is a burning issue throughout much of Asia, and notoriously difficult to change.
UN condemns Australia's slow adoption of rights act
Updated 13/04/2009 11:54:35
Australian governments from either side of the political divide like to think they are champions of human rights, but a United Nations study into the subject claims that Australia has not made sufficient progress in the adopting of a human rights act in line with the UN covenant.
International co-op hopes to sink pirates
Updated 13/04/2009 11:54:35
One of Washington's most perplexing foreign policy dilemmas - the failed, lawless state of Somalia - has quickly moved up the Obama administration's long agenda.
SLankan president endorses humanitarian ceasefire
Updated 13/04/2009 11:54:35
Sri Lanka's president has ordered a two-day pause in the military offensive against Tamil Tiger rebels to give tens of thousands of civilians a chance to escape the fighting.
ASEAN leaders dismayed at cancellation
Updated 13/04/2009 11:54:35
Australia's prime minister, Kevin Rudd, was one of the leaders hoping that the East Asia Summit would produce real results.
Thai protesters buoyed after ASEAN cancellation
Updated 13/04/2009 11:54:35
Spurred on by their success in shutting down the East Asia Summit at the weekend, anti-government protesters were last night defying a state of emergency by continuing their protests in Bangkok.
Move on Thai protesters signals new phase
Updated 13/04/2009 11:54:35
Thai police and troops appear to have moved-in on protesters in Bangkok, a sign the government's 'hands off' policy has now been abandoned.
Police, military move to disperse Thai protesters
Updated 13/04/2009 11:54:35
Thai soldiers have fired tear gas to disperse anti-government protesters blocking a road in Bangkok, where a state of emergency is in force.
Catholic Church goes after Indian Marxist govt
Updated 13/04/2009 11:54:34
In India, the Catholic Bishops Council has come out and openly criticised a ruling Marxist state government in the lead-up to Thursday's first round of general elections.
Japan pushes record stimulus, jobs package
Updated 10/04/2009 12:50:35
The Japanese prime minister, Taro Aso, has announced a new government economic growth plan, including the creation of four million jobs by 2020 and a record economic stimulus package worth $US154 billion.
Daunting agenda for ASEAN leaders
Updated 10/04/2009 12:50:35
A draft declaration from the ASEAN summit says the world is facing a global recession of unprecedented dimensions. It calls for policies to restore financial stability and economic growth and it stands firm against protectionism and new trade barriers.
Former ASEAN chief sees economy as lead meet item
Updated 10/04/2009 12:50:35
The financial crisis will be the primary focus of the ASEAN summit, with issues such as climate change taking a back seat, says former ASEAN Secretary General Rudolfo Severino.
UK intel leak leads to risky terror raids
Updated 10/04/2009 12:50:36
In a dramatic move in Britain, authorities conducted a raid on 12 suspected terrorists, mostly students of Pakistan origin, due to concerns about a security breach.
Election clashes mar Indonesia's Papua poll
Updated 10/04/2009 12:50:36
Voting across Indonesia's vast archipelago wasn't all tranquil - in Jayapura, the provincial capital of Indonesia's Papua province, tension continues after at least one person died during an attack on a police station just outside of the town.
Indonesian govt success reflects well on SBY
Updated 10/04/2009 12:50:36
Early indications have the incumbent President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democrats with more than 20 per cent of the vote, following a 2004 figure of nearly 8 per cent. The president's approval rating is soaring at 45 to 50 per cent.
Largely smooth, quiet Indonesia poll
Updated 10/04/2009 12:50:36
It seems that more than 171 million voters were largely able to exercise their right to vote in Indonesia's parliamentary election.
Democrats take early lead in Indonesia election
Updated 10/04/2009 12:50:36
Indonesians have been glued to their television sets to get the latest results in Thursday's national polls, with exit poll data - known as the 'quick count' - putting Democrats in the box seat to take the largest portion of parliament.
Scientists help Indonesia's chocolate isle
Updated 10/04/2009 12:50:32
If you reach for the Easter eggs this weekend, take a moment to think about where all that chocolate comes from.
China tells media to stand or fall
Updated 10/04/2009 12:50:32
China has announced reforms in its media industry this week forcing its news outlets and publishers to stand on their own two feet financially.
SLankan govt denies use of banned weapons
Updated 09/04/2009 12:16:10
Ethnic Tamils in Australia and around the world have been holding large demonstrations against the current Sri Lankan government offensive against Tamil Tiger rebels.
Push for women's equality in Muslim family law
Updated 09/04/2009 12:16:11
A new global movement has been set up to push for equality and justice for women in Muslim family law.
Thai protest threatens ASEAN gathering
Updated 09/04/2009 12:16:11
Security plans for this weekend's East Asia Summit in Thailand are under review, after another mass protest in Bangkok.
Footage shows response to Indonesian Papua demo
Updated 09/04/2009 12:16:11
Not everyone is celebrating Indonesia's exercise in democracy as some Melanesian residents of the Indonesian province of Papua are urging a boycott.
Democrats hope to keep lead in Indonesia poll
Updated 09/04/2009 12:16:11
The Democrats did very well in the last survey before Indonesia's polling day, showing they could garner the most number of votes in today's poll.
PKS possible 'kingmaker' in Indonesia parliament
Updated 09/04/2009 12:16:11
One party suggested as having a possible role as 'kingmaker' in Indonesia's parliament is the Islamic Partai Keadilan Sejahtera - Prosperous Justice Party - or PKS.
Indonesian polls open with confusion over ballots
Updated 09/04/2009 12:16:11
When polling booths open in today's Indonesian parliamentary elections 12,324 candidates will vie for 132 seats in the Upper House, and 560 seats in the Lower House.
Asylum boat arrives as Australia fields border questions
Updated 09/04/2009 12:16:10
It was a familiar conversation for many years in Australia that too many illegal arrivals were pressing-in on the country, and that border security must be tightened.
Thai, Cambodian leaders to meet after new battles
Updated 08/04/2009 12:05:53
Cambodian and Thai negotiators have wrapped up two days of talks aimed at resolving a border dispute which last week flared into deadly gunbattles. They say they have made progress but there appears to be little substantive agreement between the two sides.
Fears more violence due on Bangkok streets
Updated 08/04/2009 12:05:53
Thailand's former prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, has issued a call to his poor, rural supporters to join a large-scale rally in Bangkok on Wednesday.
Australia bets big on broadband future
Updated 08/04/2009 12:05:53
After the Australian government's surprise multi-billion dollar national broadband announcement, the question is expensive folly or a visionary act of infrastructure investment?
Indonesia fiscal reform buffering world shocks
Updated 08/04/2009 12:05:53
Indonesia remembers the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis more than most, and is hoping that its reform and good governance may help it weather the global slowdown.
Fraud, economy dominate close of Indonesia poll
Updated 08/04/2009 12:05:53
On the eve of polling day, Indonesia's major parties are warning of election fraud with concerns over the counting of ballots and fraudulent voter lists.
Malaysian govt reprieves ISA detainees
Updated 08/04/2009 12:05:53
Just days before Tuesday's by-elections, the Malaysian government released 13 people detained under the nation's controversial Internal Security Act.
Opposition claims crucial Malaysian seats
Updated 08/04/2009 12:05:53
Malaysia's opposition has claimed two of the three seats contested in Tuesday's crucial by-elections.
Youth the neglected party in Indonesia election
Updated 08/04/2009 12:05:52
First-time voters will make up a full third of Indonesia's general election on Thursday, so it is baffling that the major parties have, by all reports, failed to engage the youth of the nation.
Indonesian Muslim youth gain neighbourly contact
Updated 07/04/2009 10:51:04
Australia and Indonesia may be close neighbours, but surveys have shown a high degree of misunderstanding between the two countries.
Indonesia's media struggles post-Suharto
Updated 07/04/2009 10:51:04
As Indonesians head for the polling booths on Thursday, many will be asking what has changed in the decade since the fall of the Suharto regime.
SKorea leaders' grave concern over missile launch
Updated 07/04/2009 10:51:04
Pyongyang claims their rocket was carrying a communication satellite on Sunday, but its neighbours suspect the launch was a cover for the testing of a long range missile.
Extended: Former intelligence analyst Sam Roggeveen
Updated 07/04/2009 10:51:04
An extended interview of Linda Mottram speaking to former senior strategic analyst with Australia's Office of National Assessments, Sam Roggeveen, now with the Lowy Institute for International Policy, about North Korea's rocket launch.
Long-range NKorea missile forces defence rethink
Updated 07/04/2009 10:51:04
North Korea watchers, piecing together the facts of Pyongyang's weekend rocket launch, say it was a milestone for the reclusive, Stalinist state.
Election inflames Indonesia Papua separatists
Updated 07/04/2009 10:51:04
Election tensions in the Indonesian province of Papua have boiled-over, with reports that police shot and injured 11 people at a pro-independence rally on Monday. Police deny any shootings took place.
Student radical rises to Indonesian leadership
Updated 07/04/2009 10:51:04
Budiman Sujardmiko was a well-known student activist who was sentenced by the Suharto regime to 13 years' jail, now running for election with the PDI-P of former president Megawati.
Malaysia by-elections test ruling party
Updated 07/04/2009 10:51:04
It is not only election fever in Indonesia, Malaysia also heads for the polls today in three crucial by-elections.
US president reaches out to Islamic world
Updated 07/04/2009 10:51:00
The US president, Barack Obama, has declared that America will 'never be at war with Islam'. He has devoted much of a speech in Turkey to urge a greater bond between Americans and Muslims.
Afghan human trafficking gaining pace
Updated 06/04/2009 12:04:52
Police in the Pakistani town of Quetta have once again had the grisly task of opening a container full of Afghan nationals trying to flee their country in search of a better life in the West.
Former finance minister says G20 reforms good for Asia
Updated 06/04/2009 12:04:52
The finance minister who oversaw Thailand's recovery after the 1997 Asian financial crisis believes last week's G20 reforms are a step in the right direction.
Economists divided over G20 outcomes
Updated 06/04/2009 12:04:52
After all the fanfare of Friday's meeting of economic superpowers, the G20 leaders summit has managed to actually divide opinion among economists.
Pollsters mull over Indonesian voter leanings
Updated 06/04/2009 12:43:09
The Indonesian election has now entered what's called a cooling-off period in the lead up to Thursday's poll day.
Campaigning ends in Indonesia legislative poll
Updated 06/04/2009 12:43:11
Parliamentary elections in Indonesia will see over 170 million Indonesians expected to vote, as more than 11,000 candidates vie for 560 seats in the lower house.
NKorean missile fears fail to rattle springtime youth
Updated 06/04/2009 12:43:11
The North Korean rocket launch may have elicited a stern response from South Korea's government, but young South Koreans, however, were more interested in enjoying the spring time weather.
China calls for neighbour calm after NKorean launch
Updated 06/04/2009 12:43:11
As it has threatened for weeks, North Korea claims to have successfully put a communications satellite into space. But watching the launch closely on Sunday, the US military begs to differ.
Calls for further Indigenous Australian equality
Updated 06/04/2009 12:04:50
Australia's government has taken another symbolic step aimed at trying to do more about Aboriginal inequality and disadvantage.
Court rules Afghan prison detainees right of appeal
Updated 06/04/2009 12:04:52
A US judge has ruled that some terrorist suspects held at an American military base in Afghanistan can challenge their detention in a US court.
Extended: Black Politics author on Indigenous declaration
Updated 06/04/2009 12:04:50
An extended interview of Linda Mottram interviewing Sarah Maddison, author of Black Politics: Inside the Complexity of Aboriginal Political Culture.
US hopes for multi-party Burma engagement
Updated 03/04/2009 12:58:46
The United States says it wants to forge a common strategy with Asia to coax Burma out of isolation, and one way it hopes to do this is through multi-party talks, a la North Korean style.
Threats to microfinance in Asia
Updated 03/04/2009 12:58:46
Microfinance is often considered one of the most effective and flexible strategies in the fight against global poverty.
Grave discovery sheds light on ETimor massacre
Updated 03/04/2009 12:58:46
A group of Australian forensic scientists may have solved one of East Timor's great mysteries.
Concerns Laos-Australia aid being 'corporatised'
Updated 03/04/2009 12:58:47
In remote parts of Laos, some small hotels and guesthouses are about to get what could be a significant boost to their profile with international travellers.
Mixed legacy for former Malaysia PM Abdullah
Updated 03/04/2009 12:58:47
For many within the ruling UMNO party, former Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi's main offence was losing the ruling coalition's two-thirds majority in parliament following last year's general election.
New Malaysia PM arrives with party issues
Updated 03/04/2009 12:58:47
Malaysia's Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi has resigned after six years in office, clearing the way for his deputy to take over the task of steering the nation out of economic crisis.
China gets invite to contribute to economic rescue
Updated 03/04/2009 12:58:47
As expected, China ended up playing a major role in the G20 meeting.
IMF given teeth to fight economic crisis
Updated 03/04/2009 12:58:47
World leaders at the G20 summit in London have unveiled what they believe are the best measures to fight the global economic crisis.
Soccer fails to diffuse North-South Korea divide
Updated 03/04/2009 12:58:43
Tensions on the Korean peninsula show no sign of easing ahead of Pyongyang's planned rocket launch, but sport certainly helps.
US bids for UN Human Rights Council seat
Updated 02/04/2009 12:02:02
The United Nations chief, Ban Ki Moon, has hailed the United States' decision to run for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council as a concrete sign of a new era of US engagement.
Stimulus packages, autos dominate G20 talks
Updated 02/04/2009 12:02:02
Leaders the G20 summit in London have been confronted by more bad news from the world's biggest economies.
Socceroos win puts Australia close to cup
Updated 02/04/2009 12:02:02
Australia's national soccer team, the Socceroos, will have to wait another eight weeks before they can officially declare themselves qualified for next year's World Cup. But after Wednesday night's win against Uzbekistan, it is considered a near certainty.
NKorean satellite claim gains credence
Updated 02/04/2009 12:02:02
A United States defence official says a rocket on the launch pad in North Korea does appear to be carrying a satellite, and not a warhead.
Turkey hosts Afghan, Pakistan cooperation
Updated 02/04/2009 12:02:02
Doomsayers declare Afghanistan to be an 'unwinnable' war, while the more moderate view is that there will be no easy victory.
US military asks for more Afghan troops
Updated 02/04/2009 12:02:02
It has been revealed that the top United States commander in Afghanistan is asking for even more troops, just days after President Barack Obama decided to boost forces there.
Remittances under scrutiny for crime proceeds
Updated 02/04/2009 12:02:02
Australia's attorney-general is asking intelligence agencies to look harder at the small-time operators who send money overseas for their clients.
Australia reviews work visas
Updated 02/04/2009 12:02:02
Australia's making changes to its temporary work visa program - the 457 visas - in a bid to close loopholes that have led to the exploitation of some low-skilled workers from overseas.
Dalai Lama reviews computer intrusion
Updated 02/04/2009 12:02:01
Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has responded to the alleged hacking by Chinese interests of computers on his network.
Helen Clark's quick ascension to the UN
Updated 02/04/2009 12:02:01
New Zealand's former prime minister, Helen Clark, has spoken for the first time about her appointment to the third most powerful position at the United Nations.
African migrant boat sinking all too common
Updated 01/04/2009 11:28:24
As we've seen far too many times recently in Asia, an attempt by hundreds of migrants to reach the safety of another country by sea has ended in disaster.
Cambodian Khmer Rouge defendant admits guilt
Updated 01/04/2009 11:28:24
Cambodia's long awaited series of war crimes trials has opened with a confession and an apology. The first defendant - who has admitted guilt and has asked for forgiveness - says he was just following orders.
Fortescue CEO defends China sale
Updated 01/04/2009 11:28:24
The issue of Chinese investment in Australia's major resource companies took another turn overnight as the government approved a major overseas investment in Australian minerals.
Mental health support for Indonesian politicians
Updated 01/04/2009 11:28:24
For anyone who thinks politicians are a mad lot, you could be right. With just over a week to go before Indonesia votes in parliamentary elections, an Indonesian mental hospital is getting ready to treat those who don't get voted into office.
China Fortescue deal gets Australian govt blessing
Updated 01/04/2009 11:28:24
China has secured the first of several major bids to invest in Australian mining companies. The Australian treasurer has given the go-ahead for a large Chinese iron and steel group to buy more than 17 per cent of Australia's Fortescue Metals Group.
Court restores Pakistani leaders
Updated 01/04/2009 11:28:24
Pakistan's Supreme Court has lifted a ban on opposition leader Nawaz Sharif and his brother from holding office.
Claims NKorea is nuclear missile capable
Updated 01/04/2009 11:28:24
A new report due out Wednesday claims the North has at least one missile-capable nuclear weapon. The revelations will only increase tensions on the Korean peninsular.
Japan prepares defence over NKorean rocket
Updated 01/04/2009 11:28:25
Warships have been deployed in the Sea of Japan, interceptor missile batteries are in place, and local governments have begun practicing drills. In Japan, the government says it's ready for the launch of a three-stage rocket from North Korea which Pyongyang says could happen as early as Saturday.
World Bank drops growth forecasts dramatically
Updated 01/04/2009 11:28:25
The World Bank is joining the chorus of economic gloom in its latest economic forecasts, projecting many advanced economies slipping into deep recessions.
Asian Bank fears for developing nations
Updated 01/04/2009 11:28:25
Both the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank say governments need to act fast to protect the poor from the growing impact of the international financial crisis.
Bali faces rabies outbreak at close quarters
Updated 01/04/2009 11:28:19
The island of Bali has historically been isolated from much of what happens throughout the larger Indonesian landmass. But as most small islands thoughout the world have found, globalisation and transport does not just bring tourists and business, dollars and tasty new foods - it can also bring disease.
Hong Kong Burmese, minorities due for citizenship
Updated 01/04/2009 11:28:19
Britain is still dealing with its colonial past in Asia. On Wednesday the British House of Lords will decide whether or not the country should offer citizenship to hundreds of stateless members of Hong Kong's ethnic minorities.
