September 2010

Differences emerge in talks on Sunrise gasAudio

Updated 30/09/2010 13:31:19

Woodside Petroleum has denied reports that it's willing to consider processing gas from the Greater Sunrise field on East Timorese land.

Commonwealth Games pushes out slum dwellersAudioTranscript

Updated 30/09/2010 13:31:19

While athletes have been worrying over sub-standard accommodation at the Commonwealth Games it's the permanent residents of Delhi who have most to fear.

Malaysia's opposition appealing to young votersAudioTranscript

Updated 30/09/2010 13:31:20

Malaysia's Opposition Parti Keadilan has warned that the government of Prime Minister Najib Razak is playing the politics of fear and racialism labelling them the ruling coalition's only two "trump cards".

India tense ahead of temple dispute rulingAudioTranscript

Updated 30/09/2010 13:31:20

India's security headache ahead of this weekend's New Delhi Commonwealth Games could get worse, ahead of a court decision later today, on a religious matter.

Indonesia's military to support police anti-terror unitAudioTranscript

Updated 30/09/2010 13:31:20

In Indonesia, civil society groups have raised concerns over recent government moves to give the once feared military a more active role in official counter-terrorism activities.

Australia defends troops numbers and equipmentAudio

Updated 30/09/2010 13:31:20

Australia's opposition has proposed a major expansion of Australia's military role in Afghanistan, saying the nation should send in hundreds more troops as well as tanks, helicopters and artillery.

Commando dismayed by charges against Australian soldiersAudioTranscript

Updated 30/09/2010 13:31:20

The decision to charge three Australian soldiers over the deaths of civilians in Afghanistan has angered many of their comrades.

Conference honours Italian explorerAudio

Updated 30/09/2010 13:31:17

Most of us are familiar with the great European adventurers who sailed to Asia in search of spices and wealth.

Environmental crises to drive green investmentAudioTranscript

Updated 30/09/2010 13:31:17

An alternative investment conference in Malaysia has heard a much needed change in attitudes is occurring among investors regarding the environment.

Indonesia needs manufacturing to boost jobsAudioTranscript

Updated 29/09/2010 11:14:04

Indonesia's ability to create a large number of jobs is being hindered by its failure to support manufacturing industries.

Uneasy alliance Pakatan Rakyat consolidates powerAudioTranscript

Updated 29/09/2010 11:14:04

British businessman Richard Branson said this week that the ongoing sodomy trial in Malaysia against opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was keeping foreign investors away.

Addressing an investment conference in Kuala Lumpur, Mr Branson said the trial damages Malaysia a lot. Human Rights Watch has also urged Malaysia to drop the charges, condemning the case as a "charade of justice". The trial may put off foreign investors, but it hasn't harmed the Opposition coalition's fortunes. Pakatan Rakyat was formed on the momentum generated by the March 2008 elections, when the ruling coalition suffered its worst election result in decades. The government lost its two-thirds majority in parliament - a blow to the Malay UMNO party, which had ruled virtually unchallenged since 1957. Pakatan Rakyat or People's Alliance, won five states in 2008 - one of them being Penang.

Water cuts worry Moree farmersAudioTranscript

Updated 29/09/2010 11:14:04

In just over a week, Australia's much anticipated Murray Darling Basin plan will finally be unveiled.

Delhi's beggars swept aside say Games criticsAudioTranscript

Updated 29/09/2010 11:14:04

For all the struggle getting them off the ground, proponents of the Commonwealth Games say the event will bring the benefits of development to the Indian capital.

Action on Burma more pressing than Suu KyiAudio

Updated 29/09/2010 11:14:04

The Burma Campaign UK says that real action on Burma is more important than calls for the democracy icon, Aung San Suu Kyi, to be allowed to take part in elections in November.

Home grown criticism of Kopassus forcesAudioTranscript

Updated 29/09/2010 11:14:04

Indonesia's National Human Rights Commission has criticised Australian training for the controversial Special Forces unit, Kopassus.

Thriller speaker ballot in Australian parliamentAudio

Updated 29/09/2010 11:14:05

After an extremely close election, a 17 day wait to see which way the independents would swing, and a messy struggle for control over how the house will vote for a speaker and deputy, Australia's new parliament has finally opened in Canberra.

Military concerned at North Korean heir's rapid riseAudioTranscript

Updated 29/09/2010 11:14:05

In North Korea a meeting of the ruling party has paved the way for Kim Jong-il to hand over power to his youngest son.

Khmer Rouge tribunal takes message to the movement's heartAudioTranscript

Updated 29/09/2010 11:14:01

Last week, the Khmer Rouge war crimes tribunal in Cambodia, visited the border town of Pailin in the country's west.

Concern over China's dominance of rare mineralsAudioTranscript

Updated 29/09/2010 11:14:01

There's been concern in the past few days after reports surfaced that China was planning to cut off exports of so-called 'rare-earth minerals' in their border row with Japan.

Are property markets in China and Australia set for a bubble?AudioTranscript

Updated 28/09/2010 13:50:02

China's property market is going through a significant slow-down with the number of sales falling sharply.

Calls for UN inquiry on Burma human rightsAudioTranscript

Updated 28/09/2010 13:50:02

There is growing international support for a UN Commission of Inquiry to be established to investigate crimes against humanity in Burma. France, Canada, the Netherlands and New Zealand are the latest of ten countries to give their support.

Australian PM sets up multi-party climate committeeAudioTranscript

Updated 28/09/2010 13:50:03

Australia's Prime Minister Julia Gillard has announced a multi-party climate change committee, tasked with looking at how the country should use carbon prices to drive lower emissions.

North Korea's political heir appointed GeneralAudioTranscript

Updated 28/09/2010 13:50:03

Later today the reclusive regime in North Korea will hold its most important meeting in twenty years.

US seeks to renew military ties with ChinaAudioTranscript

Updated 28/09/2010 13:50:03

The US Defence Department is attempting to revive military-to-military relations with China, with a senior official currently in Beijing.

US Defence lawyer says soldier trial won't affect moraleAudioTranscript

Updated 28/09/2010 13:50:03

Closer to home, three Australian soldiers have also been charged with a string of offences.

US soldiers face hearing over alleged war crimesAudioTranscript

Updated 28/09/2010 13:50:03

A hearing has begun in the US over accusations that American soldiers killed three unarmed Afghans and kept parts of their bodies as trophies.

Kopassus troops train with SASAudioTranscript

Updated 28/09/2010 13:50:03

Soldiers from Australia's elite SAS have been training Indonesia's controversial Special Forces unit, Kopassus, at a base in West Java.

Alien ambassador story too good to be trueAudioTranscript

Updated 28/09/2010 13:49:59

For about 48 hours a little known Malaysian astrophysicist made international headlines with newspaper claims that the United Nations had or was going to appoint her as earth's official first contact for aliens.

Engineering students design waste system for Tonle SapAudio

Updated 28/09/2010 13:49:59

Tonle Sap is Cambodia's great lake and the largest freshwater lake in South East Asia.

Indonesia sets up poverty reduction taskforceAudio

Updated 27/09/2010 11:42:02

Poverty and low living standards are still core political issues in Indonesia and while there's been some progress, more than 13 per cent of Indonesians still live in poverty.

Indonesia could see new presidential dynastyAudioTranscript

Updated 27/09/2010 11:42:02

Senior Democratic Party officials have said they are open to the idea that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's wife, Ibu Ani, could run to replace her husband at Indonesia's 2014 presidential elections.

A quicker pace on a carbon priceAudioTranscript

Updated 27/09/2010 11:42:02

Australia's Federal Politicians are back in Canberra to prepare for the first sitting of the 43rd Parliament, and it promises to be a busy house.

More competitors pull out of Commonwealth GamesAudio

Updated 27/09/2010 11:42:02

Australia's Commonwealth Games athletes begin arriving in New Delhi this week but their numbers are dwindling.

Government gives ground in Kashmir talksAudioTranscript

Updated 27/09/2010 11:42:02

The Indian Government says it wants to begin talks with local leaders in Jammu and Kashmir, but stopped short of offering talks with separatist leaders.

Afghan suspects held by Australian forcesAudioTranscript

Updated 27/09/2010 11:42:02

Australian forces have captured and detained more than 150 suspected insurgents in Afghanistan.

Japan accused of kowtowing to ChinaAudio

Updated 27/09/2010 11:42:03

As we heard, China's maritime claims to the South China sea is of key concern to not just ASEAN but also its regional neighbours.

China wary of US-ASEAN relationshipAudioTranscript

Updated 27/09/2010 11:42:03

The United States and the ASEAN group of nations have further strengthened political, economic and security ties, after their second full-scale summit in New York.

Chinese documentary makers showcase Australian woolAudio

Updated 27/09/2010 11:42:00

Australian Wool Innovation is using the power of television to sell wool as a "fashion style" to the Chinese.

Philippines marks typhoon anniversaryAudio

Updated 27/09/2010 11:42:00

The Philippines has remembered the hundreds of people killed in last year's floods in the northern island of Luzon caused by Typhoon Ketsana.

Chinese navy embarks on charm offensiveAudioTranscript

Updated 24/09/2010 11:42:05

China's chosen the Australian navy as its partner for what is being called "the most intense wargames with a foreign power" in its history. The live-firing exercise took place in the Yellow Sea off northeast China. The Australia Network's China correspondent
was granted exclusive access aboard a Chinese navy frigate taking part in the exercises.

Comm Games chief says organisers warned repeatedlyAudioTranscript

Updated 24/09/2010 11:42:05

The Chief executive of the Commonwealth Games Federation, Mike Hooper, says the October 3rd Delhi Games are still on, but there is more work to do. India's Prime Minister has held a crisis meeting with senior ministers, as hundreds of staff were sent out to clean the athletes' village.

China labour shortage give power to workersAudioTranscript

Updated 24/09/2010 11:42:05

China's workers are quitting their jobs in unprecedented numbers and that's contributing to a growing labour shortage and threatening productivity in factories. But it's not all about wages. A new generation of workers want a better deal all round. Their bosses have yet to catch up and they are paying the price.

China seeking stability in Burma, regardless of electionsAudioTranscript

Updated 24/09/2010 11:42:06

Burma's military government may not have many friends in the West, but the country's energy resources and strategic importance have won China's attention, if not support. As Burma approaches its first elections in two decades, China's primary concerns are the security and stability of its south-western border and protecting its strategic and economic interests.

Calls to reject Indonesia ambassador to USAudioTranscript

Updated 24/09/2010 11:42:06

Human rights advocacy groups for East Timor are calling on the president of the United States, Barack Obama, to reject the appointment of Indonesia's ambassador-designate to Washington. The East Timor and Indonesia Advocacy Group and the West Papua Advocacy Team say Dino Patti Djalal played a key role in defending violence against the East Timorese by Indonesian militia and security forces around the 1999 referendum on independence and they want the United States to bring him to justice.

Cambodian opposition leader gets 10 years jailAudioTranscript

Updated 24/09/2010 11:42:06

A court in Cambodia has sentenced the exiled opposition leader, Sam Rainsy, in absentia to 10 years in prison over a border dispute involving Vietnam. The former Cambodian finance minister has also been fined for apparently forging public documents and spreading disinformation. But Sam Rainsy says Vietnam has been using its influence over Cambodia to move border posts further and further into his country. And he also claims farmers in the border region have lost valuable land and says that he has maps - that have been independently verified - to prove it.

Proper sanitation key to global healthAudio

Updated 24/09/2010 11:42:06

Water is the most important issue for many impoverished communities in the world's poorest nations. It's estimated that one in eight of the world's population does not have access to clean water, and the lack of proper sanitation is a huge health risk for many.

Billions pledged at UN, but will the money ever be handed over?Audio

Updated 24/09/2010 11:42:06

The billion or more people in the world who go hungry every day may be wondering if this week's big summit in New York on the Millennium Development Goals will improve their lot any time soon, despite new pledges of big money. The US President Barack Obama has promised a new way of doing business. Europe has pledged more than a billion dollars to the cause. And Australia says countries should stop making one-off commitments which they later wriggle out of.

St Kilda hopes history repeats in Collingwood AFL grand final clashAudio

Updated 24/09/2010 11:42:04

One of the great centre-piece events on the Australian sporting calender, the AFL grand final, is being played on Saturday. Two of the Australian Football League's great Melbourne teams -- Collingwood and St.Kilda -- go head to head. The sides last met in a grand final in 1966. That game was won by St.Kilda by just one point. So the question for fans is: will history repeat itself?

Indigenous Australians preparing for Slow Food FestivalAudio

Updated 24/09/2010 11:42:04

The Italian city of Turin is hosting its biennial Terra Madre Slow Food Festival next month. Thousands of delegates are expected from 130 countries, including China, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, the Philippines and even one from Laos. This year, there will also be an indigenous delegation from Australia. They are hoping to showcase Australia's indigenous cuisine to the world, and on Thursday they gave around 100 people a taste of what Italians can expect.

Concerns about effects of paraquat on Malaysia's palm oil workersAudioTranscript

Updated 23/09/2010 12:49:23

The pesticide paraquat is one of world's most widely-used weed killers. It's cheap and effective, and used in about 100 countries in the cultivation of everything from rice and soya to fruit, tea, coffee and oil palm. But its also a highly toxic substance and concerns about its impact on the farmers and farm-workers' health, have led to it being banned in the European Union.

Asia becoming more vulnerable to natural disastersAudio

Updated 23/09/2010 12:49:23

The Red Cross says climate change, rapid urbanisation and poor governance are placing communities in countries like China, Bangladesh and Pakistan at risk, when natural disasters happen.

Indonesia president's US snub may back fireAudio

Updated 23/09/2010 12:49:23

There are concerns in Indonesia that president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's decision to stay away from a string of meetings in the US this week could back fire.

US at risk of home grown terrorAudioTranscript

Updated 23/09/2010 12:49:23

The United States faces a growing threat from homegrown extremists who are inspired by Al-Qaeda and are increasingly difficult to detect.

Afghanistan's children struggle in the war torn countryTranscript

Updated 23/09/2010 12:49:23

Many of the asylum-seekers awaiting processing are from the troubled nation of Afghanistan where electoral officials have reported four thousand complaints of vote rigging, after Saturday's parliamentary poll.

Australian asylum detention system in 'chaos'AudioTranscript

Updated 23/09/2010 12:49:23

The Australian government is being warned that its system of detaining asylum seekers who arrive by boat is in 'chaos' and that there is the potential for mass hysteria and more suicides.

Commonwealth Games turns into PR debacleAudioTranscript

Updated 23/09/2010 12:49:19

The shambolic organisation of the Commonwealth Games has hit another problem, with panels falling out of the ceiling in the weightlifting venue.

China launches new conventional submarineAudio

Updated 23/09/2010 12:49:19

Regional anxieties about China's naval expansion are likely to be fuelled by confirmation that it's launched a new type of conventional submarine.

Call to release Chinese 'barefoot lawyer' from in house detentionTranscript

Updated 23/09/2010 12:49:23

They're called China's 'barefoot lawyers' - people who study some law independently and never got a law degree or obtained a licence to practise, but who nonetheless help villagers understand the law, and seek justice through the courts.

Serious concerns about Games readiness in New DelhiAudioTranscript

Updated 22/09/2010 12:08:22

The problems with New Delhi's Commonwealth Games are threatening to balloon into a full blown crisis.

Video captures vote rigging in AfghanistanAudioTranscript

Updated 22/09/2010 12:08:22

In Afghanistan violence is at its fiercest, since the Taliban was ousted in 2001.

New film on Cambodia's most famous ballet dancerAudioTranscript

Updated 22/09/2010 12:08:20

The American ballerina, Kristy Nilsson, once said that when it comes to dance, no translation is needed.

World fails to meet bio-diversity targetsAudioTranscript

Updated 22/09/2010 12:08:21

Back in 2002, world governments set the ambitious target of significantly slowing the world's extinction rates by 2010.

Australia urged to break silence on Munir caseAudioTranscript

Updated 22/09/2010 12:08:21

This month marks the sixth anniversary of the alleged murder of one of Indonesia's most prominent human rights activists, Munir Said Thalib.

Sri Lankan asylum seekers end protestAudioTranscript

Updated 22/09/2010 12:08:21

The rooftop protest at the Villawood Immigration Detention Centre in Sydney finally came to an end last night.

Kim Jong Il set to formally annoint sonAudioTranscript

Updated 22/09/2010 12:08:21

After months of speculation, North Korea's ruling party will hold its biggest meeting of the political elite in twenty years.

Indian government has 'no policy' on KashmirAudio

Updated 22/09/2010 12:08:21

The Indian government's all party delegation to Kashmir has continued a fact finding mission, visiting Tangmarg, which was the scene of arson attacks earlier in the month.

New therapy to reduce brain damage from strokeAudioTranscript

Updated 22/09/2010 12:08:20

A team of scientists from Melbourne, Germany, and The Netherlands has discovered a new form of therapy that may protect the brain by identifyng the enzyme that releases toxic substances into the brain after a stroke.

Australia, NZ, Russia prepare for 'huge' ASEMAudioTranscript

Updated 22/09/2010 12:08:21

Australia, New Zealand and Russia will next month formally join the second largest inter-governmental gathering after the United Nations - the Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM).

World leaders review poverty eradicationTranscript

Updated 21/09/2010 13:06:29

140 world leaders are in New York, to review efforts to meet UN anti-poverty goals by 2015.

Crisis looms as Chinese population agesAudio

Updated 21/09/2010 13:06:28

China's State Council has released a white paper which raises concerns about the impact a retired workforce will have on the economy in 25 years.

Rudd 'on point' about Asia Pacific blocAudioTranscript

Updated 21/09/2010 13:06:28

This week's welcome for the Australian foreign minister in Washington DC marks his full restoration to the international stage - Kevin Rudd was deposed as the Australian Labor government's leader earlier this year and some commentators have wondered whether he might now become Australia's de facto prime minister abroad.

Thousands could die in Pakistan, UNICEFAudioTranscript

Updated 21/09/2010 13:06:29

In Pakistan, 100,000 children are at risk of dying within the next six months from malnutrition brought on by the floods, according to the United Nations children's fund.

Top East Timorese cyclists face new challenge abroadAudio

Updated 21/09/2010 13:06:24

It's billed as one of the world's toughest mountain bike races and covers 420 kilometres of rough terrain.

Proteome project opens door for 'personalised medicine'AudioTranscript

Updated 21/09/2010 13:06:28

The Human Proteome Project sounds like sci-fi but it can be very useful science.

Burma's election will not halt humanitarian crisisAudioTranscript

Updated 21/09/2010 13:06:28

In Burma and it's not just landmine victims seeking treatment in Mae Sot.

Rehabilitating Burma's landmine victimsAudioTranscript

Updated 21/09/2010 13:06:28

Increasing numbers of landmine victims are crossing the Burmese border into Thailand to find a way to walk again.

Confidence in wheat towns as harvest loomsAudioTranscript

Updated 21/09/2010 13:06:28

Farmers who have battled drought for the best part of a decade say they're looking forward to this year's harvest, which is expected to be a record crop.

New ministers continues Australia's free trade pushAudio

Updated 20/09/2010 11:37:51

Australia's new trade minister Craig Emerson says free trade helps fight poverty and benefits the developed world too.

Palm oil disputes overshadowing real issuesAudioTranscript

Updated 20/09/2010 11:37:51

It's a multi-billion dollar industry, credited with helping millions in Malaysia and Indonesia escape poverty.

Typhoon batters TaiwanAudio

Updated 20/09/2010 11:37:51

A typhoon is expected in China's Guangdong and Fujian coastal regions today, after sweeping over Taiwan with fierce winds and torrential rains, causing landslides and disrupting traffic.
Typhoon Fanapi generated wind speeds of more than 200 kilometres an hour. Over six thousand people were evacuated from mountainous areas, because of the threat of landslides. Some train services were disrupted, with all domestic flights in Taiwan and five international flights cancelled. More than 150 thousand people have been evacuated from Fujian.

Red Shirts back on Bangkok's streetsAudio

Updated 20/09/2010 11:37:51

Thousands of anti-government red shirt protestors have gathered in Bangkok to mark the fourth anniversary of Thailand's last military coup.

Timor to discuss asylum centre in New YorkAudioTranscript

Updated 20/09/2010 11:37:51

East Timor's Foreign minister says a regional asylum seeker processing centre is not a simple bilateral matter, and he plans to discuss it with his Australian and Indonesian counterparts in New York later this week.

Afghan poll marred by deathsAudioTranscript

Updated 20/09/2010 11:37:51

To Afghanistan, where the bodies of three election officials have been found after a weekend of violence and vote rigging in the country's second parliamentary election since the ousting of the Taliban.

China suspends diplomatic exchanges with JapanAudioTranscript

Updated 20/09/2010 11:37:51

First to North Asia, where relations have taken a decidedly frosty turn between China and Japan.

Push to address Palestinian honour killingsAudioTranscript

Updated 20/09/2010 11:37:46

Every year, in the Arab world, hundreds of women are killed by their husbands or brothers or another male family member for supposedly bringing shame on their families.

Euthanasia back on Australia's political agendaAudio

Updated 20/09/2010 11:37:46

Australia is set to have a fresh debate on legalising euthanasia after the Greens leader, Bob Brown, nominated it as one of his top priorities.

Japan currency intervention a good move: AnalystAudio

Updated 17/09/2010 12:13:43

Japan's central bank intervened in currency markets for the first time in six years, by selling the yen, to address a fifteen-year high against the US dollar.

Asian currency policies caught in US politicsAudioTranscript

Updated 17/09/2010 12:13:43

Japan's intervention to weaken the yen this week is caught up in an ongoing spat between the US and China over Beijing's control of its currency.

Questions over Thai truth commissionAudio

Updated 17/09/2010 12:13:43

An Independent Truth and Reconciliation Commission set up in Thailand to investigate the violence during this year's protests in April and May, is expected to release its first interim report by mid January.

Former UN envoy expects Afghan poll 'disaster'AudioTranscript

Updated 17/09/2010 12:13:44

Around ten and a half million Afghans are eligible to elect 249 members of the lower house of parliament, the Wolesi Jirga.

Taliban threatens to disrupt Afghan pollAudioTranscript

Updated 17/09/2010 12:13:44

In Afghanistan, where violence and security concerns are threatening to disrupt this weekend's elections - the second parliamentary polls since the Taliban was ousted in 2001.

Top Khmer Rouge leaders chargedAudio

Updated 17/09/2010 12:13:44

Cambodia's UN-backed tribunal has formally charged four former top ranking Khmer Rouge leaders.

UN report shows millenium goals off trackAudioTranscript

Updated 17/09/2010 12:13:43

The latest data from United Nations agencies suggests developing countries are struggling to keep their promise to achieve an ambitious set of goals to improve the health of the world's population.

Refugee camps a breeding ground for terrorAudioTranscript

Updated 17/09/2010 12:13:43

Suicide bombing attacks have become a weapon of choice among terrorist groups because of their ability to cause mayhem and fear.

Charges recommended over Manila bus hijackingAudio

Updated 17/09/2010 12:13:43

The Philippine report on the Manila hostage crisis that left eight Hong Kong tourists dead and shook President Benigno Aquino's fledgling government, has been completed.

Opposition questions Tribunal's valueAudio

Updated 17/09/2010 12:13:44

Despite the latest charges, not everyone expects justice to be delivered by the UN tribunal.

NZ company to cash in on soaring demand for UHT milk in AsiaAudioTranscript

Updated 16/09/2010 12:06:00

One of the world's largest exporters of dairy products is about to significantly increase its footprint in Asia.

Australia struggles with ageing populationAudioTranscript

Updated 16/09/2010 12:06:00

An ageing population and how to look after the elderly is an issue that many countries face.

Rights organisations question Bangkok curfewAudioTranscript

Updated 16/09/2010 12:06:00

This Sunday marks four years since a military coup ousted the Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Cambodia finally makes its move on tobacco advertisingAudioTranscript

Updated 16/09/2010 12:06:00

In the coming weeks, Cambodia's cabinet will receive a draft bill that is designed to control tobacco advertising and sponsorship.

Big miners ramp up pressure for carbon taxAudioTranscript

Updated 16/09/2010 12:06:00

Australia's big miners are ramping up pressure on the federal government to deliver a carbon tax.

Pakistan a 'slow burn' disaster, Australian FMAudioTranscript

Updated 16/09/2010 12:06:00

A day after being sworn in as the Australian foreign minister, Kevin Rudd, is already abroad, heading for the United States - via Pakistan - where he says the threat of water born diseases from the calamitous floods has to be dealt with urgently.

Indian nationalists resist concessions on KashmirAudioTranscript

Updated 16/09/2010 12:06:00

Emotions continue to run high in Indian-administered Kashmir for the third straight day after the worst violence near the summer capital Srinagar left at least 18 people dead.

Organisers insist Delhi games will be readyAudio

Updated 16/09/2010 12:06:00

It's a question that's dogged the Commonwealth Games from the start - when will the stadiums be ready for competition?

Overseas doctors risk deregistrationAudioTranscript

Updated 16/09/2010 12:06:00

Doctors groups are warning that hundreds of overseas trained doctors working in "areas of need" in regional Australia are under threat of being deregistered.

Factions divided over China's next leadersAudioTranscript

Updated 15/09/2010 12:59:38

In two years' time, leaders of the Chinese Communist Party will retire, for a generational change.

War on drugs expensive and futileAudioTranscript

Updated 15/09/2010 12:59:38

One of Australia's leading drug experts has told a Sydney forum that the war on drugs has failed miserably.

NGOs play crucial role in rescuing Cambodian child sex workersAudioTranscript

Updated 15/09/2010 12:59:38

Four young Cambodian girls are in the care of Thai social services are being rescued from a brothel in the border town of Aranyaprathet over the weekend.

Religious freedoms vulnerable in IndonesiaAudio

Updated 15/09/2010 12:59:38

The Indonesian president has been criticised for his slow response to an attack on two Christian leaders in Bekasi, West Java, over the weekend.

Counter terror unit's reputation sullied by torture claimsAudioTranscript

Updated 15/09/2010 12:59:39

The alleged torture of six Christians in Maluku at the hands of Indonesia's counter-terrorist police unit, Detachment 88, has thrown a spotlight on Australia's multi-million dollar support for its work.

Japan PM holds on to powerAudio

Updated 15/09/2010 12:59:39

Japan's prime minister, Naoto Kan, has survived a challenge to his party leadership and will hold on to the top job in the country too.

Kashmir conflict enters new stageAudio

Updated 15/09/2010 12:59:39

Police in India-administered Kashmir have fired upon stone-throwing protestors, as small groups took to the streets in defiance of a curfew one day after violence in which 18 people died.

King's dancer shares story of Khmer Rouge horrorAudio

Updated 15/09/2010 12:59:36

Australian theatre audiences are being given the opportunity this week to share the experiences of four Cambodian artists who survived the Khmer Rouge era.

Timor's draft land law poorly understoodAudioTranscript

Updated 15/09/2010 12:59:36

There are calls today for a more clear cut approach to managing land disputes in East Timor.

China summit told 'act now' on climateAudioTranscript

Updated 14/09/2010 12:08:22

An international economic gathering in China has been told governments and business leaders need to act urgently on climate change.

Japan looks to defuse spat with ChinaAudioTranscript

Updated 14/09/2010 12:08:22

Japan has released 14 crew members of a Chinese fishing trawler seized last week in disputed waters in the East China Sea.

Australian troops face increased threat from IEDs in AfghanistanAudioTranscript

Updated 14/09/2010 12:08:22

Australian forces in Afghanistan are facing an unprecedented threat from I-E-Ds or improvised explosive devices.

Afghan asylum seekers still stuck in AustraliaAudioTranscript

Updated 14/09/2010 12:08:22

He's yet to be sworn in but Australia's foreign minister-designate, Kevin Rudd, is not standing still for long - he has announced travel plans for the United States, where he will attend the United Nations general assembly on behalf of prime minister Julia Gillard.

Team Timor to take second national race by stormAudioTranscript

Updated 14/09/2010 12:08:21

It will take 340 cyclists from 16 countries, across hundreds of kilometres in East Timor.

Nepal seeks explanation for corn crop failureAudioTranscript

Updated 14/09/2010 12:08:21

Late last year and early this year Nepal suffered a massive corn crop failure.

Australians seek fertility treatment in third worldAudio

Updated 14/09/2010 12:08:21

Fertility experts say there's been an explosion in fertility treatments available in the developing world, but not the uniform clinical and safety standards that are needed to go with it.

Islamic centre a 'victory against terrorists'AudioTranscript

Updated 14/09/2010 12:08:18

September 11th has come and gone, and the smalltown pastor in Florida withdrawn his threat to burn the Quran, but debate continues over a proposed islamic centre near ground zero in New York.

Australia, Indonesia talk Maluku rights abuseAudio

Updated 14/09/2010 12:08:22

Australian officials have been in talks with Indonesian authorities in Ambon - in Maluku Province - to discuss allegations of abuse against political prisoners.

Rudd as FM: policy continuity but political tensionsAudioTranscript

Updated 13/09/2010 11:33:39

Australia's new Foreign minister the former PM Kevin Rudd must get a deal with a reluctant East Timor on Prime Minister Julia Gillard's proposed regional refugee processing centre.

Pervez Musharraf vows a return to politicsAudio

Updated 13/09/2010 11:33:39

Meanwhile, Pakistan's former military ruler Pervez Musharraf has vowed to return to politics - in his words, "to restore the country's self-confidence".

Kashmir violence over independence bidAudio

Updated 13/09/2010 11:33:40

The Indian government has condemned an outbreak of violence in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir.

Short-sightedness may be geneticAudioTranscript

Updated 13/09/2010 11:33:38

Scientists say they're one step closer solving the most common eye disorder in the world - Myopia or short sightedness.

Shady bookmakers still influencing Indian cricketAudio

Updated 13/09/2010 11:33:39

Another corruption scandal threatens to rock world cricket after the controversy engulfing Pakistan's captain Salman Butt, and four other players.

China set to relax one-child policyAudioTranscript

Updated 13/09/2010 11:33:39

After 30 years China is reportedly considering relaxing it's one child policy.

Burmese elections could kick start reformsAudio

Updated 13/09/2010 11:33:39

Few voices from Burma surface to speak outside the country, unless they're the voices of exiles.

Increased fighting in Afghanistan's Chora ValleyAudioTranscript

Updated 13/09/2010 11:33:39

In the bleak terrain of the Chora Valley in southern Afghanistran casualties and the daily grind of combat are taking their toll on Australian soldiers.

Financial regulations aim to prevent another crisisAudioTranscript

Updated 13/09/2010 11:33:39

International bankers meeting in Basel have agreed to abide by new global rules intended to reduce the risk of future financial crises.

Muslims mark end of RamadanAudio

Updated 10/09/2010 11:14:30

Muslims make up about a quarter of the people on earth, with over half a billion living in Asia.

EXTENDED INTERVIEW: Ambassador Pou SothirakAudio

Updated 10/09/2010 11:14:31

Ambassador Pou Sothirak speaks to Linda Mottram bout Chinese dams and their threat to countries downstream.

EXTENDED INTERVIEW: Gareth EvansAudio

Updated 10/09/2010 11:14:31

Former Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs speaks to Linda Mottram about his optimism for Cambodia's future and his concerns over the poor state of the judiciary.

China's dams a threat to CambodiaAudioTranscript

Updated 10/09/2010 11:14:31

In Cambodia, where the damming of the Mekong River is being blamed for drought conditions in parts of the country, where irrigation water has dried up.

Buffett and Gates target China's billionaires for charityAudioTranscript

Updated 10/09/2010 11:14:31

Two of the world's richest and most generous men, Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, will head to China later this month in an effort to promote the idea of philanthropy to Chinese millionaires.

Philippine police may have shot HK hostagesAudio

Updated 10/09/2010 11:14:31

Investigators in the Philippines have acknowledged for the first time that police may have shot some of the hostages in a bungled rescue operation that left eight tourists from Hong Kong dead in Manila.

India wary of China's riseAudio

Updated 10/09/2010 11:14:31

China's economy is also going from strength to strength, prompting its neighbours to watch its meteoric rise.

India landgrabs meet massive resistanceAudioTranscript

Updated 10/09/2010 11:14:31

At a time when the rest of the world is still feeling the global financial pinch, India, like China, has been posting quite remarkable growth figures - but New Delhi is beginning to feel the pain of trying to balance economic development against the social demands of its people.

China orders power cuts for carbon cutsAudioTranscript

Updated 10/09/2010 11:14:31

China's efforts to reduce its air pollution usually attract praise - but now they are copping criticism from within China itself.

Koran threat prompts revulsion in the USAudio

Updated 10/09/2010 11:14:31

A leader of a Protestant church in Florida has gained worldwide attention - threatening to burn copies of the Koran.

Floods bring Murray back to lifeAudioTranscript

Updated 10/09/2010 11:14:28

The Murray River is Australia's longest waterway but ten years of drought have also made it one of the unhealthiest.

Asia should look to Australia for economic leadershipAudio

Updated 09/09/2010 13:24:41

A top Malaysian economist says Australia has evolved a unique development model but doesn't do enough to promote it.

Call for new political goals in AfghanistanAudio

Updated 09/09/2010 13:24:44

With with barely a year to go before the US military begins its drawdown of troops from Afghanistan, the alliance has achieved only partial success.

Church ignites fury with plans to burn KoranAudioTranscript

Updated 09/09/2010 13:24:44

The White House and the top US General in Afghanistan have issued warnings about an event that a religious leader in Florida is planning, and which he says is meant to offend Islamic extremists.

No time to lose to rebalance global economyAudioTranscript

Updated 09/09/2010 13:24:44

Secrecy surrounds the latest high level economic and security talks between the US and China, which are underway in Beijing.

Maritime tensions flare between China and JapanAudioTranscript

Updated 09/09/2010 13:24:44

A diplomatic row has erupted between China and Japan with Beijing demanding that Tokyo immediately release the captain of a Chinese trawler who was arrested after his boat allegedly rammed two Japanese coast guard vessels.

UN warns Nepal to form new governmentAudioTranscript

Updated 09/09/2010 13:24:44

Nepal's parliament has for the seventh time failed to elect a prime minister, leaving the nation in political limbo for months.

Concern Sri Lanka is sliding towards autocracyAudio

Updated 09/09/2010 13:24:45

Sri Lanka's parliament has approved a raft of changes to its constitution, giving more power to the President and prompting concerns of a slide towards autocracy.

East Timor deputy PM Carrascalao resignsAudio

Updated 09/09/2010 13:24:45

East Timor's deputy prime minister Mario Carrascalao says he has been forced to resign by a prime minister who publicly offended him and by corrupt individuals who are opposed to his anti-corruption work.

Commonwealth Games highlight gap between rich and poor IndiansAudioTranscript

Updated 09/09/2010 13:24:41

New Delhi, is furiously making itself ready for the world, in time for next month's Commonwealth Games.

India concerned about China's maritime expansionAudioTranscript

Updated 08/09/2010 11:28:33

In a rare statement, India's prime minister Manmohan Singh has accused China of seeking to expand its influence in South Asia at New Delhi's expense.

Commonwealth Games venues ready but 'fine tuning' goes onAudioTranscript

Updated 08/09/2010 11:28:34

A year ago, organisers tried to throw him out of India because of tensions over New Delhi's readiness for the Commonwealth Games.

Philippines massacre suspects face trialAudio

Updated 08/09/2010 11:28:34

One of the suspected ring-leaders of last year's Maguindanao massacre in the southern Philippines is set to stand trial on Wednesday.

US trafficking case seeks justice for Thai workersAudio

Updated 08/09/2010 11:28:34

Six labour recruiters have been indicted in the United States for exploiting hundreds of Thais, and making them work on American farms.

Multi-billion dollar deal breaks Australian deadlockAudioTranscript

Updated 08/09/2010 11:28:34

The return of the Gillard government comes at a price - the support of the two independents was secured with around AUS$10 billion worth of government promises for non-metropolitan regions.

India considers abolishing the death penaltyAudio

Updated 08/09/2010 11:28:33

There are more than 300 prisoners on death row in India and nearly 30 are at the final stage of seeking Presidential pardon.

Gillard finally prevails in Australian electionAudioTranscript

Updated 08/09/2010 11:28:34

Australia's political deadlock is broken and Labor - under Julia Gillard - is back in government, ending two weeks of uncertainty.

Afghan troop boost is not the answer: activistAudioTranscript

Updated 08/09/2010 11:28:32

The US and NATO commander in Afghanistan has asked for another 2,000 troops for the foreign force fighting the Taliban insurgency, despite waning support for the war in contributing nations.

NATO officials said the request by General David Petraeus to bolster the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) was made last week. It included a call for about 750 more personnel to train local Afghan security forces. However, Afghan human rights activist Suraya Pakzad says her country needs good governance and economic development, more than troops.

Norway blacklists Malaysian logging companyAudio

Updated 08/09/2010 11:28:32

Environmental groups are urging investment funds to follow the lead of Norway's state pension fund and boycott a leading Malaysian logging company.

Taiwan and China in 'history war'Audio

Updated 07/09/2010 13:05:30

It's Taiwan and China's own 'history war' - both sides are battling over who can rightly claim responsibility for defending China from the Japanese during the second world war.

West needs measured response to rise of ChinaAudioTranscript

Updated 07/09/2010 13:05:31

China is asserting its economic and strategic primacy in Asia, at a time when the vulnerabilities in the American economy, are highlighted by recession and US defence resources stretched by fighting terrorism and the war in Afghanistan.

ASEAN too elitist: Prince Norodom SirivudhAudio

Updated 07/09/2010 13:05:31

Cambodia's Prince Norodom Sirivudh has warned about rising tensions in the South China Sea and has cautioned calm to avoid backing China into a corner.

Australian authorities warn worse flooding to comeAudioTranscript

Updated 07/09/2010 13:05:32

After suffering the worst drought in a century, parts of the state of Victoria in Australia's southeast have been flooded due to heavy rains.

Alarm over rise in SE Asian piracyAudioTranscript

Updated 07/09/2010 13:05:32

Calls have gone out for more action to combat piracy in the South China Sea after the latest attack on Sunday - there have been nine pirate attacks in the area between Singapore and Borneo in the past three weeks.

North Korean defectors to launch partyAudioTranscript

Updated 07/09/2010 13:05:32

Scores of former North Korean soldiers who defected to South Korea plan launch a party this week aimed at toppling the communist regime in Pyongyang.

Pakistan army pushed 'beyond capacity'Audio

Updated 07/09/2010 13:05:32

Another suicide blast in Pakistan's Northwestern Frontier has highlighted the country's severe instability as it continues to deal with terrorism and relief efforts because of the vast and devastating floods. In the latest incident - the third in Pakistan in the past week - a suspected bomber is said to have rammed a car into a police station in Lakki Marwat.

Independents likely to guarantee stable governmentAudioTranscript

Updated 07/09/2010 13:05:32

As we heard, Australia's not had a proper government for 17 days - a situation that's unprecedented in Canberra.

New government to be announced todayAudioTranscript

Updated 07/09/2010 13:05:32

It's been seventeen days since Australia voted and the nation was left in political limbo.

Dengue concerns for Commonwealth Games in DelhiAudioTranscript

Updated 07/09/2010 13:05:30

Just a month out from the Commonwealth Games, the outbreak of dengue fever in New Delhi is worsening.

Laos hydro-power plans threaten the MekongAudio

Updated 06/09/2010 11:59:02

Laos plans to become a regional energy superpower by using the Mekong River.

Netizens challenge Singapore's media controlsAudioTranscript

Updated 06/09/2010 11:59:02

Sri Lanka's government recently announced its intention to set up a 'Media Development Authority'.

Environmentalists score win over Malaysia's 'dirty' power plantAudioTranscript

Updated 06/09/2010 11:59:02

In Malaysia, a coalition of environmentalists has scored a rare victory, after the government rejected the latest bid by a consortium to build a coal-fired power plant on a pristine coast line in Borneo.

Tension spikes between Indonesia and MalaysiaAudio

Updated 06/09/2010 11:59:03

Tensions between Indonesia and Malaysia have flared on the eve of further talks to resolve its ongoing border dispute.

Human traffickers take advantage of Pakistan's flood victimsAudio

Updated 06/09/2010 11:59:03

In Pakistan, aid agencies are still battling to help 20-million people affected by devastating floods.

Tokyo whaling activist trial concludes todayAudioTranscript

Updated 06/09/2010 11:59:03

In Japan, two anti-whaling activists will learn today whether their attempts at exposing official corruption in the whale meat trade, will land them in prison.

Karzai to pursue peace talks with TalibanAudioTranscript

Updated 06/09/2010 11:59:03

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has announced the formation of the High Peace Council to pursue peace talks with the Taliban.

Racetrack tourists stranded in Birdsville floodsAudioTranscript

Updated 06/09/2010 11:59:00

The remote Western Queensland town of Birdsville is inundated by thousands of visitors for the town's annual horse races each year.

Health warnings on Asian stem cell treatmentsAudio

Updated 06/09/2010 11:59:02

Health experts are concerned about the risk thousands of people are taking part in stem cell treatments in countries such as China, Thailand, Russia, Germany and Mexico.

Three Pakistan players opt out of remaining Test tourAudioTranscript

Updated 03/09/2010 13:34:35

The three Pakistani cricketers accused of being involved in a spot fixing betting scam will miss the rest of their tour of England.

Vietnam's Prime Minister stakes reputation on high speed railAudio

Updated 03/09/2010 13:34:37

Vietnam's Prime Minister, Nguyen Tan Dung has accepted an offer from Japan to build two sections of a high speed railway linking Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City.

Asia to change the way the internet is usedAudio

Updated 03/09/2010 13:34:37

A new report has found that the number of internet users in five emerging economies, including Indonesia, China and India, will nearly double by 2015.

'Robin Hood' tax on global finance gets boostAudio

Updated 03/09/2010 13:34:38

A 'Robin Hood' tax on financial transactions - aid groups have demanded it and now 60 governments say they support it and intend to lobby at the United Nations.

Burma's tax burden heaviest on the poorAudioTranscript

Updated 03/09/2010 13:34:38

The poorest people in Burma are paying more than half their income in taxes.

Shadow Shogun looms as next Japanese PMAudioTranscript

Updated 03/09/2010 13:34:38

Japan is facing the prospect of getting its third Prime Minister in less than a year.

No legislative guarantees for next PMAudioTranscript

Updated 03/09/2010 13:34:38

Two weeks after an inconclusive general election, Australia's ruling Labor party seems to be inching towards forming the next government.

Independents close to deadlineAudioTranscript

Updated 03/09/2010 13:34:38

A weekend of reflection and then, maybe, a decision.

Rare textiles go to Commonwealth GamesAudioTranscript

Updated 03/09/2010 13:34:35

The countdown is on to the Commonwealth games in New Delhi with just 30 days to go till the two week sporting event.

Bombing highlights Pakistan's sectarian conflictAudioTranscript

Updated 02/09/2010 12:46:26

In the Pakastani city of Lahore, a triple suicide bombing has killed at least 25 people and injured 180.

Thailand shocked at corporal punishment caseAudio

Updated 02/09/2010 12:46:26

To Thailand, where local television this week aired secretly-recorded mobile phone footage showed a teacher at a Catholic boarding school hitting dozens of students on the buttocks with a cane wrapped with electrical wire.

Indonesia volcano still at alert levelAudio

Updated 02/09/2010 12:46:26

Thousands of people on the Indonesian island of Sumatra have returned home after the weekend eruption of Mount Sinabung, despite fears that it may not yet be safe.

NGOs slam Australia over indigenous healthAudio

Updated 02/09/2010 12:46:26

The United Nations Conference on Advancing Global Health has come to a close after three days of spirited debate among more than seventeen hundred participants from NGOs around the world.

Singaporean writer explores feeling of migrationAudio

Updated 02/09/2010 12:46:23

Between Stations is a selection of writings focussed on the experience of travelling and working in China, India, Egypt and Morocco.
Kim Cheng Boey's book is not just about his travels, but also a recollection of the Singapore of his childhood, before the skyscrapers and shiny shopping malls took over.

Birdlife in Murray-Darling basin in full bloomAudioTranscript

Updated 02/09/2010 12:46:23

After more than ten years of drought, Australia's Murray Darling basin's most important bird breeding sites is now in full flood.

Laos plan to reverse region's worst maternal mortality ratesAudioTranscript

Updated 02/09/2010 12:46:26

Women in Laos have a one in 33 chance of dying as a result of childbirth.

Australia, Asia economies stronger than USAudioTranscript

Updated 02/09/2010 12:46:26

Australians have been basking in one of the world's best performing developed economies for the past year - but the latest official figures show even the optimists were too cautious about the outlook.

Scientists uncover malaria mosquito smelling sensorsAudioTranscript

Updated 02/09/2010 12:46:26

Scientists say they've discovered some remarkable information that may help the fight against some of the world's worst diseases.

China stuck with environmental consequences of outsourcingAudio

Updated 01/09/2010 12:22:19

Jonathan Watts travelled from mountain paradises to industrial wastelands, via tiger farms, melting glaciers, cancer villages, science parks, coal mines and eco-cities to examine the responses of those at the top of Chinese society and the hopes of those below.

Extended interview with World Vision Australia CEO, Tim CostelloAudio

Updated 01/09/2010 12:22:22

Here is an extended version of Joanna McCarthy's interview with Tim Costello, the chief executive officer of World Vision Australia. They spoke at this week's United Nations' conference on Advancing Global Health in Melbourne.

Weighing up the UN's development goalsAudio

Updated 01/09/2010 12:22:22

The United Nations conference on Advancing Global Health is in full swing in Melbourne, where civil society activists have been grappling with the consequences of possibly failing to meet the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.

Sri Lanka to change constitution for presidentAudio

Updated 01/09/2010 12:22:22

Sri Lanka's president has secured the two thirds majority he needs to radically change the country's constitution.

Independents to be briefed by the head of TreasuryAudioTranscript

Updated 01/09/2010 12:22:22

An inconclusive general election last month, means the three Independent MPs who'll decide which party will form a minority Government, will be locked behind closed doors again today as they weigh up their options.

Afghan detainees in mass break-outAudioTranscript

Updated 01/09/2010 12:22:22

More than 70 asylum seekers have escaped from the Darwin detention centre and are protesting on the Stuart Highway to highlight what they say is unfair treatment by Australian authorities.

Few celebrations as Iraq war officially endsAudioTranscript

Updated 01/09/2010 12:22:22

After seven long years, the war in Iraq is officially over - at least for the United States.

Stern backs a price on carbonAudio

Updated 01/09/2010 12:22:19

In an official report to the British Government in 2006, leading economist Nicholas Stern, made the business and economic case for prompt and prudent action on climate change warning that failure to act now will exact much greater costs later on.

Good data critical to reducing povertyAudioTranscript

Updated 01/09/2010 12:22:21

The UN is holding its world conference on the Millennium Development Goals in Melbourne but without good data it will be hard to know if those goals are being met.

Dengue dogs Delhi games preparationsAudioTranscript

Updated 01/09/2010 12:22:21

As if the cost blowouts, construction delays and corruption weren't enough to dampen the lead up to next month's New Delhi Commonwealth Games, now the organisers are grappling with an outbreak of potentially-deadly dengue fever.

Girls hungry for education in AfghanistanAudioTranscript

Updated 01/09/2010 12:22:21

Access to a primary education for all children is one of the UN's goals for 2015.