August 2010

Cricket scandal keeps Pakistan on the outer

Updated 31/08/2010 13:03:21

Cricket experts say the latest Pakistani match-fixing scandal could cost the country its place in international cricket.

Rural Australia wins huge leverage from election

Updated 31/08/2010 13:03:22

Australia's hung parliament has delivered rural Australia enormous sway over national affairs.

Rural sanitation a winner for Cambodia's latrine entrepreneurs

Updated 31/08/2010 13:03:22

Sanitation in Cambodia's rural areas is noticeable mainly by its absence.

Japan announces multi billion stimulus drive

Updated 31/08/2010 13:03:22

The Japanese government has announced plans for a stimulus package worth around US$11 billion on the same day that the central bank decided to keep interest rates at a tiny 0.1 per cent.

Pakistan flood continues south, threats grow

Updated 31/08/2010 13:03:22

In Pakistan, the floods continue to threaten new areas and the latest is the southern city of Thatta, where the military says it has been on a 'war footing' to try to protect 300,000 people.

US announces new sanctions for North Korea

Updated 31/08/2010 13:03:22

US President Barack Obama has ordered new financial sanctions on North Korea.

Shake up for UN climate panel

Updated 31/08/2010 13:03:22

A shake-up has been recommended for the United Nations' climate panel, the body that came under fire after a series of leaked emails revealed some data, by some of its members, was seen to be skewed.

Millions of children dying from preventable diseases.

Updated 31/08/2010 13:03:19

One child dies every three seconds from easily preventable causes.

Better women's health can reduce poverty

Updated 31/08/2010 13:03:19

One of the key themes of this year's UN conference on development and global health are the effects that gender issues can have on people's access to health services.

Nepal leads on gay rights with international parade

Updated 30/08/2010 09:52:18

In yet another step forward for the country's gay rights movement, Nepal has held its first international gay parade. Since legalising homosexuality in 2007, Nepal has cemented its position as being the one of the most progressive countries in terms of gay rights in the region. Third gender identity cards have followed and officially recognised gay marriages may come soon.

Australian police quell immigration centre riot

Updated 30/08/2010 09:52:19

Order has been restored at an immigration detention centre in the northern Australian city of Darwin overnight, after a riot broke out there over the weekend.

Pakistani cricket rocked by new bribe allegations

Updated 30/08/2010 09:52:19

Four Pakistani cricketers have been questioned over allegations that they were involved in match fixing during the fourth test against England at Lords.

UN optimism MDG goals can be reached

Updated 30/08/2010 09:52:19

The United Nations says despite a mixed report card on progress towards meeting the Millennium Development Goals, there is confidence that given sufficient political will, the targets can be met by the 2015 deadline.

UN conference delegates attend Sunday service

Updated 30/08/2010 09:52:19

The United Nation's NGO conference was kicked off with a prayer service at Melbourne's St Paul's Cathedral led by the World Vision's Freedom choir.

Key UN health conference under way in Melbourne

Updated 30/08/2010 09:52:19

Civil society groups from across the Asia Pacific have gathered in Melbourne for the United Nations' annual NGO Conference to discuss global health as it relates to progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

Focus on children's health at UN Melbourne conference

Updated 30/08/2010 09:52:18

Children are at the centre of the Millennium Development Goals. Almost 11 million children, more than 29,000 a day, die before the age of five, mostly from preventable causes.

Redfern Speech enters 'Sounds of Australia'

Updated 27/08/2010 11:19:17

The project to preserve important and iconic moments from Australia's film and sound history has been expanded for the fourth year to include, among other things, some new pointers to the evolution of white-black relations.

Japan snubs international pressure to ditch dolphin hunt

Updated 27/08/2010 11:19:17

It's a practice animal rights activists condemn as "barbaric".

Japan PM faces party leadership challenge

Updated 27/08/2010 11:19:19

Japan's recently installed prime minister Naoto Kan faces a strong challenge for his party's leadership and the top job in the country from one of his own ranks - a man who lost the party leadership amid a funding scandal last year.

'Yellow Shirts' charged over airport seizure

Updated 27/08/2010 11:19:19

Police in Thailand have charged dozens of royalist 'Yellow Shirts' over the 2008 siege of two Bangkok airports.

Greens emerge as force in Australian election

Updated 27/08/2010 11:19:19

Six days after Australia went to the polls, we still don't know the final results, much less who'll form Government.

Australian soldiers may be charged over Afghanistan raid

Updated 27/08/2010 11:19:19

Soldiers involved in one of the Australian Defence Force's most controversial incidents in Afghanistan could soon end up before a court martial.

UN reviews security in Pakistan flood zone

Updated 27/08/2010 11:19:19

The United Nations is reviewing its security measures in Pakistan, after warnings of possible Taliban attacks against foreign aid workers.

Halal tourism on the rise

Updated 27/08/2010 11:19:19

It's estimated that nearly one-quarter of the world's people are Muslims.

Evangelical business network takes China

Updated 27/08/2010 11:19:19

There are reports of a powerful new business movement in Southeast Asia - and its origins are somewhat unusual for the majority Muslim region.

Hong Kong coroner orders autopsies for hostage victims

Updated 27/08/2010 11:19:19

Hong Kong's coroner has ordered autopsies for all eight victims of Monday's bus siege in Manila.

Afghan debate refuelled by Australian poll

Updated 26/08/2010 11:14:21

Three Australian deaths in Afghanistan in the past week have added fuel to a growing debate about whether the country's role in the nine year old war is worth it - and it's a key concern for Australia's newly empowered independent and Greens MPs.

Crops devastated by Pakistan's floods

Updated 26/08/2010 11:14:21

Pakistan's worst humanitarian catastrophe has affected more than 17 million people, with millions at risk from disease and food shortages.

Australian aid to Pakistan linked to terror group

Updated 26/08/2010 11:14:21

Pakistan is still battling to save areas still threatened by devastating flood waters, sweeping down from the north.

Malaysian rehab centre strives to save orangutans

Updated 26/08/2010 11:14:18

The battle to save the Asia's orangutan population is an on going one in Malaysia's Sabah state where a special rehabilitation centre continues to rescue young apes and reintroduce them back into the wild.

Asia's growing middle classes bring risks

Updated 26/08/2010 11:14:18

Asia's booming middle classes are on track to overtake Americans and Europeans as the world's biggest consumers and that is seen as helping to rebalance the global economy.

HK security panel to discuss Manila hijack

Updated 26/08/2010 11:14:20

There are concerns in Hong Kong that people might start turning their anger over the hostage incident in the Philippines on Monday against the local Filipino community.

Newspapers to disappear within a decade

Updated 26/08/2010 11:14:20

There are predictions that within just a few years, newspapers as we know them, will be irrelevant.

Researchers warn of fertiliser shortages

Updated 26/08/2010 11:14:21

Australian researchers have warned that the scarcity of a well known fertiliser will be a major threat to world food supplies and it could spark conflicts.

Timor pardon raises new issues

Updated 26/08/2010 11:14:21

The decision by East Timor's president, Dr Jose Ramos Horta, to pardon 23 rebels involved in his attempted murder in 2008 has been welcomed by some.

North Korean leader predicts war with the South

Updated 26/08/2010 11:14:21

North Korea's number-two leader has told a gathering of military leaders in Pyongyang that the Korean peninsula is on the brink of war.

East Timor accepts Chinese funding to build military HQ

Updated 25/08/2010 13:04:34

China has been working to spread its diplomatic influence throughout the region and East Timor is one country receiving many of the benefits.

China's nine day traffic jam

Updated 25/08/2010 13:04:35

If you thought you had a busy ride to work this morning, spare a thought for the thousands of people stuck on the Beijing Tibet expressway - they are bogged down in a traffic jam that stretches for more than 100 kilometres and has lasted nine days.

Medical Deans lament lack of internships

Updated 25/08/2010 13:04:35

Australia's biggest medical schools say a lack of hospital internships for their student doctors has huge implications for the country's health system.

Philippines seeks to allay tourism fears

Updated 25/08/2010 13:04:36

The Philippines is at pains to reassure tourists and governments in the region that law and order have not broken down in the capital Manila after Monday's fatal hostage situation, in which eight people died. President Benigno Aquino is in talks with Chinese and Hong Kong leaders - primarily to allay fears but also, no doubt, to discuss future steps. One thing that has been floated is a regional media campaign to convince tourists that the Philippines is safe. That is, if you're not in the south, where law and order have broken down and separatists are known to kidnap for ransom.

Pakistan to investigate deliberate diversions

Updated 25/08/2010 13:04:36

Pakistan's president Asif Ali Zardari says it will take his country more than three years to recover from the devastating floods that have left millions of people homeless - and he warns that Islamic militants may still exploit the crisis. The government has also agreed to investigate claims that flood waters may have been deliberately diverted away from feudal landholdings, towards poorer areas.

More floodwaters for Sindh province

Updated 25/08/2010 13:04:37

Pakistan's government is warning of an epidemic of waterborne diseases, as the nation's flood disaster worsens.

Independents meet to discuss hung parliament

Updated 25/08/2010 13:04:37

Four days after the federal election, the counting of postal and absentee votes will be stepped up today, promising to provide more clarity in the three electorates still undecided.

Calls for a kinder kind of Australian politics

Updated 25/08/2010 13:04:38

As well as demanding reform of Australia's adversarial style of politics, three independents and a new Greens MP may be set to force some big policy changes. The bidding war for their support is yet to begin in earnest after Saturday's election delivered what is almost certain to be a hung parliament. But the unusual outcome has opened an opportunity to contemplate some radical ideas.

Youth drain blamed for Japan farm crisis

Updated 25/08/2010 13:04:33

It's an idea that has attracted global interest - a robotic suit that helps Japan's elderly farmers - but it's one that has also highlighted the problems of an aging rural population.

The 'Obama doctrine' in US foreign Policy

Updated 25/08/2010 13:04:34

A top US general says President Barack Obama's deadline of next July to start withdrawing troops from Afghanistan is boosting the Taliban's morale.

Cambodia joins queue for nuclear power

Updated 24/08/2010 12:45:27

The Cambodian ministry of industry, mines and energy has confirmed that scientists are studying nuclear technology as a means of addressing the country's chronic power shortages.

Deadly end to tourist bus hijacking in the Philippines

Updated 24/08/2010 12:45:27

A 12 hour siege onboard a tourist bus in the Philippine's capital Manila ended in tragedy last night.

Extremism growing inside Indonesian prisons

Updated 24/08/2010 12:45:27

Indonesian prison authorities have recommended cancelling the life sentences imposed on key players in the Bali bombings eight years ago which killed 202 people.

Pakistan floods wash away homes, livelihoods and family

Updated 24/08/2010 12:45:27

The United Nations says the humanitarian situation in Pakistan is now critical.

Business wants quick resolution

Updated 24/08/2010 12:45:27

Australian markets rebounded from early losses yesterday, but some analysts are warning that the prospect of a minority federal government could unnerve foreign investors.

Australia faces long wait for government

Updated 24/08/2010 12:45:27

There's an air of caution in Australia as the country settles in for a long wait to see the shape of a new government.

Fundamentalism growing in Indonesia

Updated 24/08/2010 12:45:23

Human rights groups in Indonesia have voiced concern over recent incidents of intolerance and increased violence against minority faiths.

Pakistan floods diverted 'deliberately'

Updated 24/08/2010 12:45:27

As the flood waters start to recede in Pakistan, the country's top finance officials are in Washington for talks with the International Monetary Fund to discuss an old loan.

Dengue outbreak kills dozens in Laos

Updated 24/08/2010 12:45:23

Laos is experiencing its worst dengue epidemic in at least 5 years.

Thailand offers to mediate Philippines muslim conflict

Updated 23/08/2010 11:09:15

Thailand says it's ready to help mediate in the long-running separatist insurgency in the southern Philippines.

Young Kashmiri taking over to lead anti-India protests

Updated 23/08/2010 11:09:15

In Indian Kashmir fresh unrest over the weekend has left at least six people injured.

Rise of India and China major challenge for next government

Updated 23/08/2010 11:09:15

During Australia's election foreign policy barely rated a mention.

Stability key issue for independents

Updated 23/08/2010 11:09:15

With neither having enough to lead the government, head of the Australian Labor Party, Julia Gillard, and Liberals leader Tony Abbott are facing into a week of tough negotiations.

World waits for result in Australian election

Updated 23/08/2010 11:09:15

It's customary for new Australian Prime Ministers to spend the week after an election, taking calls of congratulations from their counterparts around the world.

Canberra looks to states for lessons on hung parliaments

Updated 23/08/2010 11:09:16

There is no rule book on how to deal with a hung parliament and Australia's constituion doesn't spell out what mechanism should be used to decide.

Australia in post-election limbo

Updated 23/08/2010 11:09:16

Australia's political future remains undecided this morning with the weekend election producing no final result and leaving the two major parties to haggle with independent MPs for support, to form government.

Front seats are safer than back seats

Updated 23/08/2010 11:09:13

New research has found that adults travelling in the back seat are more likely to be injured in a car crash than those in the front.

Australian judge rules against witness wearing Islamic niqab

Updated 20/08/2010 11:16:59

An Australian judge has ruled that a Muslim woman cannot give evidence in court with her face covered.

Row over Hong Kong harbour shafts

Updated 20/08/2010 11:16:59

A row is brewing in Hong Kong over a set of massive ventilation shafts that are planned along the city's famous Victoria Harbour.

China relationship poses tough challenge for next Australian govt

Updated 20/08/2010 11:16:59

While Australians welcome growing trade with China, they are much less sure about investment by Chinese state-owned companies.

ASEAN rice reserve poses risk to key markets

Updated 20/08/2010 11:17:00

Memories of the global food crisis a few years ago still make governments in the region nervous, and now Asian nations want to establish a massive rice reserve to guard against sudden shocks. It sounds like a simple idea - but there are real risks if it's not managed well.

Taiwan controversy over Chinese students

Updated 20/08/2010 11:17:00

Universities in Taiwan will begin enrolling students from China in the northern spring, under a controversial new law. Opponents of the law says the influx of young people from the mainland could worsen employment and even pose a security threat.

Cambodians look beyond International Tribunal

Updated 20/08/2010 11:17:00

Last month, the international war crimes tribunal in Cambodia handed down its first verdict.

Polls indicate Australian election will be extremely close

Updated 20/08/2010 11:17:00

The latest opinion polling ahead of Australia's election on Saturday have the leading parties neck and neck, with the result too close to call.

Australian election rivals in last campaign dash

Updated 20/08/2010 11:17:00

Australia's main political leaders are making their final pitch to voters on Friday -- the last full day of election campaigning.

Cheap imports threaten future of Aboriginal craft workers

Updated 20/08/2010 11:16:59

Many visitors to Australia may return home weighed down with Aboriginal arts and crafts. Yet many in the industry say they are struggling to survive, in part because of a flood of fake Aboriginal craft imports from Bali, China and Vietnam.

Leaders adress undecided voters

Updated 19/08/2010 13:24:27

Tony Abbott and Julia Gillard fronted an audience of 200 undecided voters in Brisbane.

Greens say business wants carbon tax

Updated 19/08/2010 13:24:27

The Australian Greens stand to make significant gains on Saturday, if public opinion polls are accurate.

China invests big, Australia slow to follow

Updated 19/08/2010 13:24:24

Increasing Chinese investment in Australian companies has been a sensitive political issue.

Delays and corruption mark Delhi Games preparation

Updated 19/08/2010 13:24:27

India's New Delhi Commonwealth Games have been plagued by trouble.

Timor leaves door open for refugee centre

Updated 19/08/2010 13:24:27

East Timor's Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao is keeping an open mind on the Australian proposal to set up a processing centre for asylum-seekers in his country.

Leaders address undecided voters

Updated 19/08/2010 11:15:49

Tony Abbott and Julia Gillard fronted an audience of 200 undecided voters in Brisbane.

Australian leaders debate issue of debates

Updated 19/08/2010 13:24:27

Under intense pressure from their opponents, Australia's Liberal-National opposition parties have released costings for their election promises, claiming that if they win government, they will have a budget surplus almost twice the size of Labor's projection.

Security concerns in flood hit Pakistan

Updated 19/08/2010 13:24:27

And as Pakistan grapples with plans to rebuild the destroyed infrastructure, millions of people are still struggling.

Pakistan faces long term financial trouble

Updated 19/08/2010 13:24:28

The United Nations says that nearly half of the money that is needed for the initial relief phase in Pakistan because of the floods has been secured.

Asia lures tourists with huge theme parks

Updated 19/08/2010 13:24:26

Tourism experts are warning Australia's theme park operators to lift their game in the face of massive new competition from the north.

Philippines police accused of torture

Updated 19/08/2010 13:24:27

The Philippines national police chief has suspended an entire police precinct in Manila, amid public outrage over a video allegedly showing an officer torturing a naked man.

Asian military spending increases

Updated 18/08/2010 11:41:10

A new U.S. Defense Department report says China's military continues to build longer-range capabilities designed to extend the reach of its power to influence regional disputes.

Neglected diseases killing millions each year

Updated 18/08/2010 11:41:10

The lack of access to adequate drugs and medicine is killing more poor people worldwide, than road accidents or tuberculosis, according to humanitarian and health groups.

Parties target new voters in marginal electorates

Updated 18/08/2010 11:41:10

Australia's Prime Minister Julia Gillard made a lightning dash to Western Australia, in a bid to garner some last-minute support in three marginal seats.

Australian election close call for some

Updated 18/08/2010 11:41:11

A veteran Australian election watcher has dismissed predictions that this Saturday's vote in the country could be historically close, though the major parties are frantically shoring up marginal seats in the final days of campaigning.

Taiwan agrees to China trade deal

Updated 18/08/2010 11:41:11

Taiwan's parliament has passed an historic trade deal with China, that's been years in the making.

Barclays fined for US sanctions breaches

Updated 18/08/2010 11:41:12

The British bank Barclays is to pay almost 300 million dollars in fines for breaking US economic sanctions against several countries, including Burma.

Pakistan's 'image deficit' slowing flow of aid

Updated 18/08/2010 11:41:12

A United Nations aid official says humanitarian agencies are struggling to get funds for millions of flood victims in Pakistan because the country suffers from an 'image deficit' linked to the Taliban and terrorism.

Only US can guarantee Asia's security: Analyst

Updated 18/08/2010 11:41:09

Discussion of China's future is usually accompanied by speculation that China may be set to replace a declining America as the dominant power in Asia.

Indonesian president to unleash 'caged tiger'

Updated 17/08/2010 10:45:57

In a speech to parliament on the eve of Indonesia's independence day, president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has said it is time for the country to stop being 'a caged tiger' and 'be a nation that is competitive on the international scene'.

China moves up as Japan growth slumps

Updated 17/08/2010 10:46:00

Japan's economy appears to have taken a nose dive with the release of official figures showing growth at just 0.1 per cent in the three months to June.

South Korea gets prepared for unification

Updated 17/08/2010 10:46:01

Even as South Korea and the United States launch a new round of war games in a show of force against the North, Seoul has again turned its thoughts to reunification.

China's 'Grandpa Wen' branded best actor

Updated 17/08/2010 10:46:01

A controversial book that criticises the Chinese premier Wen Jiabao has been published in Hong Kong, despite warnings from police in mainland China that its dissident author could be jailed.

Indon terror cell has French connection

Updated 17/08/2010 10:46:01

New details have emerged about a French connection in the alleged terror plot involving radical Indonesian cleric, Abu Bakar Bashir.

Abbott agrees to debate Julia Gillard on economy

Updated 17/08/2010 10:46:01

Tony Abbott has now agreed to debate the Prime Minister on the economy -- though the two are shadow boxing over the format.

Australian PM coins 'Yes, we will' mantra

Updated 17/08/2010 10:46:01

It's late in the race but Australia's Labor Party has officially launched its campaign for re-election next Saturday.

Disease threat worsening after Pakistan floods

Updated 17/08/2010 10:46:01

The United Nations says up to three and a half million children are at risk of deadly disease in Pakistan, as a result of the worst floods in recent history.

The best and worst of Australia's campaign jingles

Updated 17/08/2010 10:45:56

The Labor campaign launch was back to basics in message and in delivery by, there was no campaign theme song, and the word Labor wasn't anywhere to be seen.

Cambodian villagers evicted for sugar plantations

Updated 16/08/2010 11:23:06

Cambodia's sugar industry is undergoing a revival, but there is a bitter undercurrent to what would otherwise be a great success story.

Expat voters go to the polls in China

Updated 16/08/2010 11:23:06

In some parts of the world voting in the Australian election is already well under way.

Australian election enters home stretch

Updated 16/08/2010 11:23:06

It's the final stretch of a five week Australian election campaign, but it's not too late for the governing Labor Party to hold its official campaign launch.

Researchers call for repeal of bike helmet laws

Updated 16/08/2010 11:23:06

A team of researchers at the Sydney University is calling for mandatory bike helmet legislation to be repealed.

Obama clarifies position on ground zero mosque

Updated 16/08/2010 11:23:06

The US President has found himself in the middle of a political controversy, over plans to build a mosque two blocks from Ground Zero - where the Twin Towers used to stand, in New York.

Sri Lankan war commission questioned

Updated 16/08/2010 11:23:06

And a Sri Lankan government war commission has heard testimonies from Tamils, alleging human rights violations during the final stages of last year's military offensive that defeated the Tamil Tiger rebels.

The Commission heard allegations of Tamil family members abducted or detained by the military, and sometimes by unidentified gangs. President Mahinda Rajapaksa set up the panel to probe the last seven years of the war, after turning down Western requests for an independent investigation into widespread allegations of abuse by the military.

Presenter: Sen Lam
Speaker: Gordon Weiss, former senior UN official in Sri Lanka

Sr Lankan General appeals dishonourable discharge

Updated 16/08/2010 11:23:06

Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa has confirmed the dishonourable discharge of the former army chief, Sarath Fonseka.

Succession question ignored in Burma

Updated 16/08/2010 11:23:07

If Burma's generals hoped to counter international criticism by announcing an election date -- they'll have been disappointed.

Ban Ki-moon says Pakistan disaster worst he's seen

Updated 16/08/2010 11:23:07

The United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has expressed shock after touring flood-strickened areas of Pakistan.

Australia marks death marches and war's end

Updated 16/08/2010 11:23:02

In Sandakan on the north east coast of Borneo, Australian Governor General Quentin Bryce has led hundreds in commemorating the 65th anniversary for Victory over Japan Day, marking the end of World War Two, and the sacrifices made by Australian and British Prisoners of War.

Labor emphasis on foreign policy continuity

Updated 13/08/2010 13:06:34

Australians have heard the first substantial discussion of foreign affairs policy in more than four weeks of campaigning ahead of the country's August 21 general election during a debate between the Foreign Minister Stephen Smith and his opposition counterpart Julie Bishop at the National Press Club in Canberra.

ILO warns of 'lost generation' of unemployed youth

Updated 13/08/2010 13:06:34

The International labour Organisation is warning of a "lost generation" of young unemployed as a result of the effects of the economic crisis.

Doubts over Japanese tanker terrorist theory

Updated 13/08/2010 13:06:34

Security experts have cast doubt over allegations made by the United Arab Emirates that it was terrorists who damaged a Japanese oil tanker late last month in the Strait of Hormuz.

Multi-million compensation for Vietnam fish farmers

Updated 13/08/2010 13:06:34

In what is being described as a landmark case, a Taiwanese owned manufacturer has made an out of court settlement with thousands of Vietnamese farmers who claim pollution caused by the firm significantly effected their livelihoods.

East Timor flags conditions for refugee centre

Updated 13/08/2010 13:06:34

East Timor says it will go ahead with a planned four billion dollar oil and gas hub on its southern coast whether Woodside Petroleum commits to onshore gas processing or not.

Thai democracy enters 'Burmese' phase

Updated 13/08/2010 13:06:35

Prosecutors in Thailand have indicted 19 members of the anti-government Red Shirt movement on terrorism charges relating to their blockade of Bangkok earlier this year.

Japan uses sushi to project raw power

Updated 13/08/2010 13:06:32

Sushi - the Japanese cuisine once considered exotic - now ubiquitous in both fast food halls and high end restaurants around the world.

Liberals plan to sell uranium to India

Updated 13/08/2010 13:06:32

With the Australian election extremely close there's a good chance the Liberal-National Coalition will win.

Oil spill victims turn to people smuggling

Updated 12/08/2010 11:52:08

This month marks the first anniversary of Indonesia's worst ever oil spill disaster.

Extradicted people smuggler convicted

Updated 12/08/2010 11:52:09

The first person to be extradited from Indonesia to face people smuggling charges in Australia has been found guilty in a court in Western Australia.

New technology threatens foreign correspondents

Updated 12/08/2010 11:52:07

A conference on the future of journalism has been running this week in Sydney.

Corporal punishment persists in India despite court ruling

Updated 12/08/2010 11:52:07

Despite a ban by India's Supreme Court on the administration on corporal punishment, teachers continue to indulge in canning, slapping and beating students.

'Radicals' rank high on list of influential Muslims

Updated 12/08/2010 11:52:08

A Jordanian think tank has just released its annual list of the 500 most influential Muslim people in the world, raising some interesting questions about what it takes to be influential.

China's economic slowdown no meltdown

Updated 12/08/2010 11:52:08

Economic growth in China is slowing but unlike elsewhere this is good news because Beijing has been keen to deflate an overheating property market and reach more sustainable levels of economic growth.

South Korean 'comfort women' slam Japan apology

Updated 12/08/2010 11:52:08

There have been angry protests in the South Korean capital Seoul after the Japanese prime minister's apology for his country's often brutal occupation of the Korean peninsula a century ago.

Australian leaders front 'town hall meeting'

Updated 12/08/2010 11:25:04

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has used a town hall-style forum in western Sydney, to pit her economic credentials against Tony Abbott.

Australia defends against racism claims to UN committee

Updated 12/08/2010 11:52:08

Australia has defended itself against racism claims before a United Nations panel in Geneva.

Top Chinese general calls for democracy

Updated 12/08/2010 11:52:08

A a top general has made bold calls for the reform of China's political system, saying the country must move towards American-style democracy or risk collapse.

Child soldier trial underway at Guantanamo Bay

Updated 11/08/2010 12:31:35

The first trial to be held at Guantanamo Bay since Barack Obama became US President is underway.

Women and children bearing brunt of Afghan war

Updated 11/08/2010 12:31:35

A new United Nations report says women and children are increasingly bearing the brunt of the Afghanistan war, with civilian casualties up by nearly a third this year.

Australian government plans tough timber laws

Updated 11/08/2010 12:31:36

The Australian government has announced plans to introduce tough new rules on the sourcing of timber imports into Australia.

Australia accused of rights violations

Updated 11/08/2010 12:31:36

Australia has appeared before a United Nations panel in Geneva, accused of human rights violations against its indigenous people and asylum seekers.

Former Australian PM gets UN job

Updated 11/08/2010 12:31:36

Australia's former prime minister Kevin Rudd continues his political re-emergence with a new appointment to a high level climate change panel working with the United Nations.

International appeal for 14 million caught in Pakistan floods

Updated 11/08/2010 12:31:36

The United Nations will launch an appeal today for the 14 million people affected by Pakistan's floods.

Garbage could offset greenhouse emission

Updated 11/08/2010 12:31:32

A new study suggests that 12 percent of the world's total greenhouse gas emissions could be offset by turning rotting waste into fertiliser.

Global warming threatens rice production

Updated 11/08/2010 12:31:32

A new study has found that even small increases in global temperatures will have an impact on rice production potentially pushing more people into hunger and poverty.

Murdoch's News Corp takes Chinese partner

Updated 11/08/2010 12:31:35

Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation is reducing its stake in three television stations in China and is taking on a local partner.

US intelligence capabilities failing: Expert

Updated 11/08/2010 12:31:32

A U-S intelligence expert has painted an alarming picture of America's intelligence capability, warning that attempts at reform are stalling and, in some cases, sliding backwards.

Pakistani villagers struggle with flood impact

Updated 10/08/2010 12:38:34

The United Nations says the Pakistan floods have now affected more people than the Boxing Day tsunami and the Haiti earthquake combined.

Attacks increase on Indonesian religious minorities

Updated 10/08/2010 12:38:34

Attacks against religious minorities in Indonesia have risen dramatically this year.

China landslide highlights rural underdevelopment

Updated 10/08/2010 12:38:34

The clean up has begun in the northwestern Chinese province of Gansu after a massive landslide that happened during some of the worst flooding in China for years.

Australian treasurer candidates go head to head

Updated 10/08/2010 12:38:34

On the Australian election campaign trail, the opposition's treasury spokesperson, Joe Hockey, has agreed he would have to run a deficit if he was in charge during the current global financial crisis.

Despite arrest Jihadist movement will continue

Updated 10/08/2010 12:38:34

The ABC has learned that members of the latest terror cell discovered in Indonesia planned to target the Australian Embassy in Jakarta.

Indonesian cleric Abu Bakar Bashir arrested

Updated 10/08/2010 12:38:34

Indonesia's anti-terrorism police have detained radical Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir because of alleged links to a new terrorist group.

Politicians in plain English

Updated 10/08/2010 12:38:31

Australia's two political leaders would like the public to think that they're very different people but the way they speak and deliver their message is quite similar.

No evidence anti-depressants help autistic children: Study

Updated 10/08/2010 12:38:31

A new study shows there's no evidence that anti-depressant drugs provide any benefit to children with autism.

Vietnam in talks with US over nuclear fuel deal

Updated 10/08/2010 12:38:33

The United States and Vietnam are in talks for a deal to share nuclear fuel and technology and there are concerns they may be discussing whether Vietnam will be allowed to enrich its own uranium.

Taliban killing a "despicable act"

Updated 09/08/2010 12:38:42

The United States has branded the murder of a ten member medical team in remote northern Afghanistan as a "despicable act of wanton violence".

Indonesia failing to keep up with region

Updated 09/08/2010 12:38:42

A new report by the Indonesian program at the Harvard Kennedy School describes the country as "like a marathoner carrying a twenty kilogram pack, Indonesia can see the competition pulling away but is powerless to pick up the pace".

Malaysia considers banning child marriage

Updated 09/08/2010 12:38:42

Malaysia's government says it's considering amending civil and shariah law to ban underage marriages, which are considered a common way to lower the number of children born out of wedlock and those which are abandoned.

Liberals propose 'grown up' government for Australia

Updated 09/08/2010 12:38:42

Less than two weeks from a general election and Australia's Liberal Opposition smells victory and it's going out to capitalise on the governing Labor party's recent leadership change and associated disarray.

Korean president reshuffles cabinet

Updated 09/08/2010 12:38:42

South Korea's President Lee Myung-bak has chosen a new Prime Minister and replaced half his cabinet in a mid-term reshuffle.

Thousands missing after Chinese mud-slides

Updated 09/08/2010 12:38:42

Meanwhile landslides in China's north west have killed almost 130 people and left more than two thousand missing.

Pakistan PM calls for international help

Updated 09/08/2010 12:38:42

Pakistan's Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani wants international help for up to 15 million people affected by Pakistan's worst flood on record.

Chinese firm may buy Britain's Liverpool Football Club

Updated 09/08/2010 12:38:38

A Chinese businessman is considering buying the Liverpool Football Club in England, prompting speculation that one of China's giant sovereign wealth funds may be backing the investment.

Camp aims to empower with anit-terror message

Updated 09/08/2010 12:38:41

Thirteen hundred British Muslims have converged on Warwick University, north-west of London, for somewhat of an intellectual boot-camp in anti-terrorism.

Ousted Australian PM back on campaign trail

Updated 06/08/2010 12:21:52

Australian Labor Party strategists may well be greatly relieved - after an initial foray onto radio by Kevin Rudd, signalling an easing of internal party tensions, the dumped leader has now gone further.

Campaign to eliminate nuclear weapons

Updated 06/08/2010 12:21:48

United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon has called for the total elimination of nuclear weapons, during a visit to Nagasaki, one of the two Japanese cities hit by US atom bombs in World War II.

Children left vulnerable by floods in Pakistan and China

Updated 06/08/2010 12:21:48

The United Nations says Pakistan's worst floods in living memory have affected more than four million people.

Starvation found among indigineous children

Updated 06/08/2010 12:21:51

This week child protection workers in the Northern Territory called for a foreign aid style program to help children who they say are starving in remote Aboriginal communities.

World wheat prices soar as Russia bans exports

Updated 06/08/2010 12:21:51

The world may soon be paying more for their bread because of problems in Russia.

Vietnam's banking sector to open to competition

Updated 06/08/2010 12:21:51

Vietnam's banking sector will undergo major reform when it's opened up to international competiton at the end of this year.

Rapid social change blamed for China pre-school attack

Updated 06/08/2010 12:21:51

There's been another violent knife attack on children and teachers at a kindergarten in China resulting in the death of three children and the wounding of seven other people.

John Howard says Liberals can win election

Updated 06/08/2010 12:21:52

John Howard joined Tony Abbott on the election campaign for the first time last night, at a fundraising dinner organised by Chinese supporters of the Liberal party.

ANZ urged to stop financing cluster bomb makers

Updated 05/08/2010 12:02:55

In the same week that a major ban on cluster bombs has come into effect, Australia's ANZ bank is being pressured to stop financing companies that produce the munitions.

Abbott says election victory no certainty

Updated 05/08/2010 12:02:55

Tony Abbott rejected Kevin Rudd's assessment that he could 'cruise into office". Prime Minister Julia Gillard has welcomed Kevin Rudd's plan to campaign for the return of her government and she has reiterated her plan to offer him a senior role in a re-elected Labor government.

Ailing Rudd returns to election campaign

Updated 05/08/2010 12:02:55

Just days after surgery, Kevin Rudd has conducted his first media interview since he was deposed as Prime Minister by Julia Gillard.

Pakistan hit by ethnic violence

Updated 05/08/2010 12:02:55

There are deepening fears of political instability in Pakistan after deadly ethnic violence, a suicide bombing and the worst floods in 80 years put new pressures on President Asif Ali Zardari's leadership.

Japan embraces reggae religion

Updated 05/08/2010 12:02:54

Thirty years after reggae superstar Bob Marley first toured the country Japan's love affair with reggae music has spawned a multi-million dollar industry.

Australian bank looks to train staff on Asia

Updated 05/08/2010 12:02:54

Australia's second largest bank is offering its staff and customers Chinese and Indian cultural and language programs as a way of improving business opportunties.

Keating calls for stricter privacy laws

Updated 05/08/2010 12:02:54

Former Prime Minister, Paul Keating, is calling for stricter privacy laws to govern the media.

Call to account for environment's value

Updated 05/08/2010 12:02:54

They're called "externalities", the costs produced by the pollution from a coal fired power plant or the loss of bio-diversity caused by placing a gold mine in a sentitive natural environment.

Indonesia to drop zeros from currency

Updated 05/08/2010 12:02:55

Indonesia's Central Bank is considering recalibrating the local currency, the rupiah, to simplify transactions.

Tensions simmer in Indian-administered Kashmir

Updated 04/08/2010 11:50:14

There has been no let up in violence in Indian-administered Kashmir that has since early June seen violent protests.

Controversy rages over plans for mosque at ground zero

Updated 04/08/2010 11:50:15

A highly controversial plan to build a mosque just blocks from Ground Zero in New York is a step closer to reality.

Mining industry grapples with Chinese investment

Updated 04/08/2010 11:50:15

It was Japanese Yen that bankrolled the massive north west gas shelf gas project and Britain has had a big hand in the original developments in the gold and lead mines.

Australian election campaign hungry for food security

Updated 04/08/2010 11:50:15

Simmering concerns in Australia about food security have prompted the governing Labor Party to add a national food policy to its list of election promises.

Australian PM embraces vision for Asia Pacific bloc

Updated 04/08/2010 11:50:15

There's still little to speak of on foreign policy from the Australian general election campaign, but Julia Gillard, the Labor leader seeking re-election as prime minister says she embraces the vision of ousted prime minister Kevin Rudd for an Asia Pacific Community.

Political settlement needed to resolve Papua issue

Updated 04/08/2010 11:50:15

A new report from the International Crisis Group is urging Indonesia to reach a political settlement with Papua province.

Militants using floods to gain support

Updated 04/08/2010 11:50:15

A retired Pakistani Army Lieutenant General says there's concern militant groups in Pakistan could use the flooding disaster in the country to gain support from villagers by providing crucial aid.

Three milllion people affected by flooding in Pakistan

Updated 04/08/2010 11:50:15

The Pakistani government will hold an emergency cabinet meeting later today, as the nation's biggest floods in more than 80 years, continue to worsen.

Voters don't want a big Australia

Updated 04/08/2010 11:50:11

Population growth is another issue on the minds of voters right across Australia.

Few political differences on foreign policy

Updated 04/08/2010 11:50:15

Despite Kevin Rudd losing the Prime Ministership one of his pet projects, and Asia Pacific community, is likely to go ahead in some form.

RIM lets India monitor Blackberry smartphone service

Updated 04/08/2010 11:50:14

The Canadian manufacturer of the Blackberry smartphone has agreed to let Indian security authorities monitor its services, including data traffic for emails and chats.

US seeks to contain rising China

Updated 03/08/2010 11:43:35

As China ascends to superpower status and continues its rapid military build-up Beijing has long assured a nervous world that the rise and rise of China will be a peaceful one.

Kangaroo exporters jump hurdle to China market

Updated 03/08/2010 11:43:35

Australia's kangaroo meat industry is welcoming the possible opening of a massive new market.

China launches satellite to rival America's GPS network

Updated 03/08/2010 11:43:35

China has launched the fifth in a series of 35 satellites which it is hoped will rival America's world dominant GPS navigation system.

Australian opposition proposes cuts to overseas aid

Updated 03/08/2010 11:43:35

Three weeks out from a general election, Australia's opposition has denied it's breaking a promise to match the Labor government on increasing overseas aid.

Australia considers asylum for people smugglers

Updated 03/08/2010 11:43:35

The Australian Opposition says allegations that Australia is considering giving asylum to two people smugglers from Indonesia is proof the policy needs to be changed.
The two smugglers, Abdul Khuzer and Rahim Al Jenabi, who live in Indonesia and have refugee status have admitted paying bribes to Indonesian officials to smuggle people to Australia.

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