August 2007

EAST TIMOR: Peacekeeping lessons must be learnedAudioTranscript

Updated 31/08/2007 12:31:44

Australia has announced an aid package worth more than 200-million-dollars for East Timor over the next four years. The package, announced by Foreign Minister Alexander Downer on a one-day visit to East Timor, includes extra funds for water, sanitation and education. The aid package comes as Australia's police chief Mick Keelty said Canberra had lessons to learn from police and peacekeeping failures in East Timor. Commissioner Keelty says police withdrew too quickly after the intervention in East Timor in 1999, while fresh unrest over the past year has also shown up serious mistakes.

INDIA: Tata Motors prepares to launch 'world's cheapest car'Audio

Updated 31/08/2007 19:50:42

India's much-touted $2500 car is expected be launched early next year by Tata Motors. The world's cheapest car is undergoing its final style and design work at Tata's plant in West Bengal.

ASEAN: Railway project to link countries to ChinaAudio

Updated 31/08/2007 19:50:42

Southeast Asian countries are seeking to raise $US2 billion by the end of the year to complete a railway system that will eventually stretch from China to Singapore, and link seven ASEAN countries in the region. After years of delay and funding problems, it's hoped that new funds will be raised during an investors' meeting later this year.

MALAYSIA: Celebrations to mark 50 years of independenceAudio

Updated 31/08/2007 19:51:52

Malaysia has held lavish celebrations to mark 50 years of independence from Britain. Back then the founding fathers wanted peace and harmony for all Malaysians, regardless of ethnicity or religion. The country has prospered economically, but divisions remain, between Muslims and non-Muslims, and between the Indian, Chinese and Malay communities.

AUSTRALIA: President Bush says Asia needs strong US presenceAudioTranscript

Updated 31/08/2007 19:53:12

The American President George Bush has played down the significance of China's military buildup, ahead of travelling to Australia for next week's Asia Pacific summit. Mr Bush says he sees no expressions of hostility from Beijing -- and he says it's important that the US maintain a strong presence in Asia. Mr Bush spoke to the Australian Sky News cable network, ahead of his trip to Sydney.

PNG: Patients evacuated after Tarvurvur eruptionAudio

Updated 31/08/2007 19:51:22

In Papua New Guinea, Mt Tarvurvur has been erupting all this week, forcing the evacuation of around 50 patients from Nonga Hospital in Rabaul. Encroaching dirt, volcanic ash and gas emissions have forced the authorites to reduce the number of sevices the hospital can offer.

AUSTRALIA: Most Australians fear climate change more than terrorismAudioTranscript

Updated 31/08/2007 12:31:44

Climate change worries more people in Australia than international terrorism. More than half the population is "very worried" about climate change, putting it above unfriendly countries developing nuclear weapons, Islamic fundamentalism or international terrorism. On the whole, the latest annual opinion poll by the Lowy Institute shows Australians feel safer and more optimistic than a year ago. But they are unhappier about aspects of the US alliance.

SOUTH KOREA: Seoul criticised for hostage deal with TalibanAudio

Updated 30/08/2007 19:44:57

Six weeks after being kidnapped by Taliban militants in Afghanistan, a group of South Korean church workers has been released from captivity. Twelve of the nineteen were freed on Wednesday; the others were expected to be released soon. Their freedom was secured in a deal between South Korea and the Taliban, in which Seoul agreed to keep to an existing commitment to pull its troops out of Afghanistan by the end of the year, and to ban missionaries from travelling there in future. The Taliban appeared to back down on earlier demands for a prisoner exchange, but critics say Seoul may have set a dangerous precedent in entering direct negotiations.

CHINA: Tobacco advertising to be banned by 2011AudioTranscript

Updated 30/08/2007 16:04:53

China has announced it will ban all tobacco advertising by 2011, under the World Health Organisation's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

PAKISTAN: Appeal against President MusharrafAudioTranscript

Updated 30/08/2007 16:12:57

Pakistan's Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal against President Pervez Musharraf's position as army chief. The application was filed by the chief of Pakistan's main coalition of fundamentalist parties.

PNG:Govt to establish new microfinance bankAudio

Updated 30/08/2007 14:54:31

The Papua New Guinea government has announced plans to establish a new microfinance bank.

PACIFIC: Call for Australia to ban illegal timber importsAudio

Updated 30/08/2007 19:43:36

The Australian Conservation Foundation has stepped up pressure on the Australian government to ban imports of illegally logged timber from the Asia Pacific region. The ACF's call comes in the wake of Papua New Guinea's new cabinet line-up on Wednesday, in which Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare appointed Belden Namah the new Forestry Minister. Mr Namah part-owns a parcel of land which was granted a logging licence by the government earlier this year, raising the possibility of a conflict of interest.

INDIA: Demand for ransom and abduction insurance risesAudio

Updated 29/08/2007 20:47:20

Insurance companies in India are now offering businessmen and corporate leaders insurance policies in case of abduction and ransom demands.

APEC: Business leaders want progress on climate changeAudio

Updated 29/08/2007 20:47:29

Business leaders attending next week's APEC Summit expect definite progress on climate change to come out of the meeting of 21 world leaders in Sydney.

FIJI: Ousted PM says travel to Suva 'blocked' by militaryAudioTranscript

Updated 29/08/2007 12:29:50

Fiji's deposed prime minister, Laisenia Qarase, says his attempt to return to Suva this Friday has been blocked by the interim military government. The former prime minister fled to the Lau Islands after being ousted in a coup last December. Earlier this month he told Radio Australia he planned to visit Suva to meet his lawyers and discuss a court case he and members of his SDL party are bringing against the interim government. But Mr Qarase claims the military's threatened to kill him if he travels.

AUSTRALIA: Skilled worker program under scrutinyAudioTranscript

Updated 28/08/2007 20:13:50

Australia's system of bringing in skilled workers is under attack after reports that three Asian workers have died in conditions of virtual slavery. The Government is standing by its system, saying it's operating well, and says the tragic deaths are being exploited by trade unions. But the Parliamentary opposition says it's appalled by the revelation of the deaths of three workers from the Philippines and China.

CAMBODIA: Energy resources finds prompt navy expansionAudioTranscript

Updated 28/08/2007 20:06:56

The discovery of oil and gas fields off the coast of Cambodia has given rise to some excitement about potential revenue. It has also prompted Cambodia's Defence Ministry to announce plans to substantially expand the size of its navy. But industry experts are wondering whether the move is at all necessary.

CHINA: Police in hunt for missing uraniumAudioTranscript

Updated 28/08/2007 20:06:56

Four men were charged in China last week with illegally buying and selling a dangerous material, after allegedly trying to sell eight kilograms of uranium to a Hong Kong businessman. The men have all admitted their guilt, although they've argued that they didn't know how dangerous uranium is. Now their case has been delayed, as police hunt for the uranium, with none of the accused willing to say where it is.

BURMA: Buddhist monks join fresh protests in northwestAudio

Updated 28/08/2007 20:08:47

There've been sporadic protests in Burma for the past week, sparked by a sharp rise in the price of fuel. Most of the demonstrations, in which more than 60 people have been arrested, have taken place in and around the commercial capital Rangoon. But on Wednesday the unrest spread to the northwestern town of Sittwe - and, for the first time, a group of Buddhist monks joined in a protest involving around 300 people. Burma's monks were key players in the mass national uprising against military rule in 1988. Meanwhile the UN high commissioner on human rights has called for the immediate release of all arrested protestors, and for the Burmese government to "begin a dialogue" on its decision to raise fuel prices.

INDONESIA: Bali fears economic downturn after birdflu deathsTranscript

Updated 27/08/2007 15:07:48

The economic fallout following the deaths of two women from bird flu on the Indonesian island of Bali have already begun causing economic hardship for some. At least 6,000 chickens and poultry have already been culled by animal health workers. That's hitting poultry farmers, and meanwhile hotels and restaurants are taking chicken off the menu, in the hope of maintaining confidence in the island's crucial tourism industry.

CAMBODIA: Opposition echoes UN call for Tribunal judge's reinstatementTranscript

Updated 27/08/2007 15:07:48

Cambodia's opposition leader Sam Rainsy has gone from strength to strength in his political aspirations since returning to his homeland from exile last year. His eponymous Sam Rainsy Party performed well in April's commune elections, running on a platform of social justice and democratic reform. The party believes it has a real chance of taking over in power from Prime Minister Hun Sen. In the past week the party's also joined the UN in criticising the transfer of a key judge serving on the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, calling it politically motivated.

PACIFIC: Warning on tuna stocks relaxedAudio

Updated 27/08/2007 19:24:02

Scientific advisors monitoring tuna stocks in the Pacific say the fish may not be as endangered as previously thought. Last year the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission was warned that the catch of some tuna species would need to be cut back by up to 25 per cent amid concerns of overfishing. It was bad news for an industry that employs thousands of people across the region and supplies a valuable food source. Now the commission's been advised the cutbacks aren't needed, although pressure on Pacific tuna stocks remains high.

NAURU: Reformist government returned to powerAudio

Updated 27/08/2007 19:24:02

Nauru's reformist government has been returned to power in national elections. President Ludwig Scotty and his supporters increased their hold from 11 to 15 seats in the 18-seat parliament. President Scotty had campaigned for the endorsement of a 20-year redevelopment strategy, after coming to power in 2004 with the economy in poor shape. The collapse of the phosphate industry has reduced what was one of the world's richest countries per capita in the 1990s, to one that's almost entirely dependent on foreign aid.

PNG: HIV patients reportedly buried aliveAudio

Updated 27/08/2007 19:24:49

In Papua New Guinea, disturbing reports have emerged of HIV infected people being buried alive by their relatives. An HIV-infected woman claims she saw other infected people being buried when they became too ill for family members to care for them.

AUSTRALIA: Climate change high on APEC agendaAudioTranscript

Updated 27/08/2007 19:26:06

Both sides of Australian politics are calling for the Asia Pacific summit to confront climate change, although disagreements remain on the best way to deal with greenhouse gas emissions. Prime Minister John Howard says the APEC summit in Sydney next week should set a long-term aspirational goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions. While Mr Howard argues that the current Kyoto Protocol is flawed and ineffective, the main opposition Labor leader Kevin Rudd has repeated his party's promise to ratify the United Nations agreement if he's elected.

BURMA: Fresh protests in wake of fuel price risesAudioTranscript

Updated 27/08/2007 19:27:18

In Burma, there have been a series of anti-government protests in the past week. On Monday more than 50 people were detained for questioning at a small protest in the town of Bago outside the capital Rangoon. More than a dozen high-profile activists, including Min Kon Naing and Htin Kyaw are already in prison, and could face charges of treason and inciting violence. The unrest began after sharp rise in the price of petrol.

JAPAN: PM reshuffles cabinet to win back supportAudio

Updated 27/08/2007 19:27:52

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has reshuffled his cabinet in an effort to claw back some credibility with the public. Voters dealt Mr Abe's Liberal Democratic Party a powerful rebuke during elections last month after a series of ministerial scandals and resignations. He now faces an Opposition-controlled Upper House as the Parliament gears up to consider key pieces of legislation.

BANGLADESH: Curfew in six cities following riotsAudioTranscript

Updated 24/08/2007 12:34:28

In Bangladesh, security forces have been patrolling the streets of six major cities after three days of riots by university students. The military-backed government declared Thursday a public holiday, to ease tensions in the wake of the riots, which began at Dhaka University and spread. On Wednesday protestors armed with sticks and stones rampaged through parts of the capital and other cities, demanding an end to emergency rule. Bangladesh has been under a state of emergency since January when an interim government took power following widespread violence last year.

NAURU: Island goes to the polls on SaturdayAudio

Updated 24/08/2007 19:25:26

Thousands of people on Nauru will head to the polls on Saturday for the first election since a reforming government took power three years ago. While polling day is expected to be peaceful, there's an undercurrent of suspicion running through the country's political climate.

CHINA: Beijing's population tops 17 millionAudio

Updated 24/08/2007 19:25:21

To China, where new official figures show the population of the capital, Beijing, has now exceeded 17 million. The Public Security ministry says up to a third of the city's residents are also what are known as a "floating population" -- lacking the household registration certificates needed to secure education, health and other services.

KIRIBATI: Second round of voting next weekAudio

Updated 24/08/2007 19:25:21

Officials in Kiribati say a second round of voting will be held next week to decide the outcome of legislative elections. Results since Wednesday's first round have seen 18 seats declared, with leading candidates winning more than half the vote. Another 26 seats will face a second round of voting to decide the makeup of the Pacific state's parliament.

INDONESIA: Bali fears economic downturn after birdflu deaths

Updated 24/08/2007 19:26:51

The economic fallout following the deaths of two women from bird flu on the Indonesian island of Bali have already begun causing economic hardship for some. At least 6,000 chickens and poultry have already been culled by animal health workers. That's hitting poultry farmers, and meanwhile hotels and restaurants are taking chicken off the menu, in the hope of maintaining confidence in the island's crucial tourism industry.

EAST TIMOR: Gusmao offers Fretilin cabinet postsAudio

Updated 24/08/2007 19:27:43

East Timor's new Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao has offered the disgruntled former ruling party Fretilin several seats in his cabinet. The move comes amid continuing unrest. On Thursday, police in Dili fired tear gas to control fighting, and in Metinaro, east of Dili, there were clashes involving up to 300 men armed with machetes, bows and steel darts.

CAMBODIA: Opposition echoes UN call for Tribunal judge's reinstatementAudio

Updated 24/08/2007 19:29:05

Cambodia's opposition leader Sam Rainsy has gone from strength to strength in his political aspirations since returning to his homeland from exile last year. His eponymous Sam Rainsy Party performed well in April's commune elections, running on a platform of social justice and democratic reform. The party believes it has a real chance of taking over in power from Prime Minister Hun Sen. In the past week the party's also joined the UN in criticising the transfer of a key judge serving on the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, calling it politically motivated.

VIETNAM: Economy showing possible signs of overheatingAudioTranscript

Updated 24/08/2007 12:37:00

Vietnam's economy could be showing signs of overheating as official figures show inflation on the rise. Consumer prices rose by more than eight per cent in August compared to the same time last year. And that's despite government policies aimed at cutting import tariffs and fuel prices.

ASIA: W.H.O. calls disease 'the new terrorism'Audio

Updated 23/08/2007 19:43:43

The World Health Organisation's annual report is out - and it's a sobering read for governments and health experts. The agency's report for 2007 says infectious diseases like birdflu can spread far more rapidly nowadays thanks to international travel. Its publication comes as Indonesia confirmed the deaths of two women from birdflu on the island of Bali this month. The two fatalities have resulted in the culling of thousands of poultry, and prompted fears of another downturn in the island's crucial tourism industry. The editor of the WHO's report , Thomson Prentice, says diseases like avian flu are as much of a threat to national and regional security as terrorism, and require the same internationally co-ordinated response.

CHINA: Central Bank lifts interest rates againAudioTranscript

Updated 23/08/2007 14:24:15

China's Central Bank has raised interest rates for the fourth time this year. Key deposit and lending rates have gone up in an effort to stabilise inflation which is running at a decade high. But if the Bank of China also intended to cool down the steaming stock market, the strategy seems to have failed.

BURMA: Second protest over petrol price rises, more arrestsAudioTranscript

Updated 23/08/2007 14:25:26

A second protest in the space of a week has been staged by pro-democracy activists in Burma, amid mounting public anger over rising petrol prices. Wednesday's demonstration followed a larger action on Sunday; reports from the region called it the largest anti-government protest in at least nine years. More than a dozen leaders of the pro-democracy 88-Generation group are now in custody, among them a high-profile human rights campaigner.

CHINA: Miners clash with security guardsAudioTranscript

Updated 23/08/2007 14:23:39

A human rights group in Hong Kong says more than 2,000 miners took part in a strike earlier this month in China's Hunan Province. The Information Centre for Human Rights and Democracy says the strike ended after violent clashes between miners and security guards. The workers say they were offered unfair compensation for the loss of their jobs.

INDONESIA: Praise for bilateral trade deal with JapanTranscript

Updated 23/08/2007 14:23:57

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is continuing his seven-day tour of India, Malaysia and India. On Tuesday Mr Abe was in New Delhi for talks on trade, investment and a controversial nuclear cooperation deal. He travelled to Delhi from Indonesia, where he signed a wide-ranging free-trade agreement with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. The two leaders also discussed democratic reform in Indonesia. The trade deal will abolish almost all import taxes on Indonesian goods from next year; in return, Jakarta will supply Japan with gas.

INDONESIA: Military no longer considers Aceh rebels a threatAudioTranscript

Updated 23/08/2007 19:42:43

Just over a week ago, the people of Indonesia's western province, Aceh, celebrated the second anniversary of the end of thirty years of separatist hostilities. Now, the chief of the region's military has given his personal assessment of the former rebels, saying they're no longer considered an enemy of the Indonesian Defence Force.

ASIA: Security experts voice concern over US roleAudio

Updated 23/08/2007 19:44:10

A survey of Asia Pacific security experts has found the rise of China is the central issue for Asia, but the greatest concern is about the future role of the United States. The survey of 104 military and security analysts across 17 countries in the Asia Pacific was carried out by the East-West Centre in Hawaii. The specialists did not believe China will destabilise Asia, but were ambivalent - even wary - about what America might do in responding to China.

AUSTRALIA: Navy fires on 'illegal' foreign fishing boatAudioTranscript

Updated 22/08/2007 20:11:36

The Australian Navy has fired on a foreign fishing boat in the northern waters of Australia. The machine gun fire holed the boat above the waterline. The Defence Minister says the incident shows the tougher approach Australia is taking to foreign boats fishing in its exclusive economic zone.

PNG: PM due to announce cabinet this weekAudioTranscript

Updated 22/08/2007 20:08:59

Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare is expected to announce his full cabinet by the end of this week.

CHINA: Beijing Airport scales back flights, citing safetyAudio

Updated 22/08/2007 20:08:32

China's civil aviation authority, the CAAC, has decided to scale back flights at Beijing airport for safety reasons, and to suspend applications for new airlines until 2010.

THAILAND: UNHCR details plight of Hmong refugeesAudio

Updated 22/08/2007 20:08:32

The UN refugee agency has drawn attention to the plight of almost 150 Hmong refugees, most of them children, detained for months by the Thai authorities in what the UN calls deplorable conditions. Several countries, including Australia, have offered the group resettlement visas, but Thailand has so far refused to release them. The UNHCR says it's been negotiating with Bangkok without success since December to get them freed, and the group has also gone on a brief hunger strike in protest.

CAMBODIA: Rare birds to benefit from global conservation bidAudioTranscript

Updated 21/08/2007 12:40:55

The global bird conservation agency Birdlife International has begun what it's called the biggest ever scheme to save the world's most endangered bird species from extinction. Birdlife is in the process of setting up Species Guardians and Species Champions for each of these threatened birds. The guardians coordinate conservation efforts, and the champions raise the necessary funds. The species that'll be first to benefit from the program is a member of the bustard family from Cambodia - the Bengal Florican.

THAILAND: Voters say 'yes' to army-backed constitutionAudioTranscript

Updated 21/08/2007 12:40:55

Thai voters have given their support to the country's new constitution following Sunday's referendum, although the turnout was lower than expected. Just under 60 percent of the country's 45-million eligible voters cast their ballot, and of those, just under 60 percent said yes to the new military-backed constitituion. The vote was the first since prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted last September -- and the government's promised the poll will be followed by elections to restore democracy later this year.

NEW ZEALANDAudio

Updated 21/08/2007 19:18:34

Thousands of people converged on a small town in northern New Zealand on Tuesday to witness the coronation of the new Maori King It marks the end of a year's official mourning for his predecessor.

CHINA: Miners clash with security guardsAudio

Updated 21/08/2007 20:20:48

A human rights group in Hong Kong says more than 2,000 miners took part in a strike earlier this month in China's Hunan Province. The Information Centre for Human Rights and Democracy says the strike ended after violent clashes between miners and security guards. The workers say they were offered unfair compensation for the loss of their jobs.

FIJI: No sugar subsidies in 2007AudioTranscript

Updated 21/08/2007 20:21:09

The European Union says it won't provide this year's subsidy payments for Fiji's sugar industry. Back in May the EU said it would only pay the subsidy, worth around $US 30 million, if Suva's interim government showed it was serious about returning to democracy. Now it says this year's payment won't be forthcoming.

INDONESIA: Praise for bilateral trade deal with JapanAudio

Updated 21/08/2007 19:21:19

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is continuing his seven-day tour of India, Malaysia and India. On Tuesday Mr Abe was in New Delhi for talks on trade, investment and a controversial nuclear cooperation deal. He travelled to Delhi from Indonesia, where he signed a wide-ranging free-trade agreement with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. The two leaders also discussed democratic reform in Indonesia. The trade deal will abolish almost all import taxes on Indonesian goods from next year; in return, Jakarta will supply Japan with gas.

AUSTRALIA: War of words with NZ over IraqAudioTranscript

Updated 21/08/2007 20:21:19

A war of words has erupted between Australia and its oldest ally, New Zealand, over their involvement in the Iraq war. New Zealand's Prime Minister and Australia's Foreign Minister have traded abuse, over the use of Air New Zealand planes to ferry United States and Australian soldiers.

CAMBODIA: Golf course to be built on Vietnamese borderAudioTranscript

Updated 21/08/2007 20:08:11

Golfers will soon be able to tee off in Cambodia and finish their round in Vietnam, at a new cross-border resort hailed by officials as the first of its kind in Asia. The 100-million US dollar project will straddle Cambodia's Svay Rieng province, and Vietnam's border province of Tay Ninh. But the project has been criticised in Cambodia, for displacing people to free up land for construction.

JAPAN: PM embarks on Asia tourAudioTranscript

Updated 20/08/2007 19:47:34

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has begun a week-long visit to Indonesia, India and Malaysia. In the Indonesian capital Jakarta, Mr Abe met President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and signed a bilateral free trade agreement, which aims to strengthen ties ahead of next year's 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. On Tuesday Mr Abe will travel to India -- where he's due to visit relatives of Indian leaders who supported Japan during and after World War Two.

ASIA: Markets looking irrationalAudioTranscript

Updated 20/08/2007 12:41:26

Asia's share markets have continued to take a battering as they worried about tighter credit globally - the much feared credit crunch. The sell-off was most pronounced in Tokyo and Hong Kong as panicking investors continued to sell out of shares and headed for safer havens like bonds. Will the rush for the exits cause a self-fulfilling disaster or will stability return before serious damage like a global economic slowdown strikes?

NORTH KOREA: English language university set to openAudioTranscript

Updated 20/08/2007 12:41:22

North Korea has long been one of Asia's most reclusive countries, but it looks set to take a step out of intellectual isolation, with the construction of the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. The communist regime has approved the creation of the English language university, to cater for North Korea's student elite. The University is largely being funded by evangelical Christian groups, with the support of the South Korean government.

TONGA: Dual citizenship welcomed by NZ Tongan leaderAudio

Updated 20/08/2007 19:42:10

Tongans who emigrate abroad can now retain their Tongan citizenship when they become citizens of other countries. A bill allowing dual citizenship for overseas Tongans has been given the Royal Assent by King George Tupou V. There are curently more Tongans living overseas than in Tonga - mainly in New Zealand, Australia and the United States. Melino Maka, Chairman of the New Zealand Tongan Advisory Council, overseas Tongans like himself are delighted with the move.

CHINA: Pig disease spreads to most provincesAudioTranscript

Updated 20/08/2007 19:48:05

A highly infectious pig virus is sweeping China's pig population, driving up pork price and worrying veterinary experts. So-called blue-ear pig disease has spread to at least 25 of the country's 33 provinces, and has also been found in Vietnam. Animal experts say the virus is highly infectious, and they're concerned at its unusually high fatality rate. But there's no suggestion that the disease might infect people.

PAKISTAN: Warnings of chaos unless elections are heldAudio

Updated 17/08/2007 15:08:11

Pakistan will descend into chaos unless free and fair elections are held this year.That's the pessimistic assessment by the International Crisis Group, which says President Pervez Musharaff is fast runnning out of options that would see him retain a political role.

CAMBODIA: Judge transfer raises fears of Khmer Rouge trail delayAudioTranscript

Updated 17/08/2007 20:10:54

In Cambodia, one of the judges presiding over the trial of former Khmer Rouge leaders has a new job. Judge You Bunleng has been appointed President of the country's court of appeals, after the court's former president was sacked over bribery allegations. As a result, Judge You Bunleng will have to resign from the Khmer Rouge tribunal. Human rights groups fear this development might ben yet another delay to the proceedings, and say both the victims and the perpetrators of human rights abuses may die of old age before justice is served.

THAILAND: Voters prepare for landmark constitutional referendumAudioTranscript

Updated 17/08/2007 20:10:59

Thailand's military appointed government faces a crucial test of its credibility this weekend when the country's voters take part in a constitutional referendum which, if passed by a simple majority, will open the way to fresh general elections due in December. But there's rising political tension, with active opposing campaigns; one led by the Government and the other backed by supporters of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

PAKISTAN: US prods Musharraf to share powerAudioTranscript

Updated 17/08/2007 20:11:18

Reports from the United States say Washington is pushing Pakistan's military leader and President, Pervez Musharraf to enter a power-sharing arrangement with former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. The reports come as Ms Bhutto puts the case for her return to Pakistan from exile. Addressing the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, Ms Bhutto urged President Musharraf to fulfil promises she says he has made about upcoming elections by the end of the month.

NORTH KOREA: English language university set to openAudio

Updated 17/08/2007 20:10:49

North Korea has long been one of Asia's most reclusive countries, but it looks set to take a step out of intellectual isolation, with the construction of the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. The communist regime has approved the creation of the English language university, to cater for North Korea's student elite. The University is largely being funded by evangelical Christian groups, with the support of the South Korean government.

ASIA: Markets looking irrationalAudio

Updated 17/08/2007 20:10:49

Asia's share markets have continued to take a battering as they worried about tighter credit globally - the much feared credit crunch. The sell-off was most pronounced in Tokyo and Hong Kong as panicking investors continued to sell out of shares and headed for safer havens like bonds. Will the rush for the exits cause a self-fulfilling disaster or will stability return before serious damage like a global economic slowdown strikes?

TIMOR: New national park crucial for local environmentAudioTranscript

Updated 17/08/2007 12:29:38

East Timor has established its first ever national park. The 123,000 hectare park on the eastern tip of the island, covers one of the region's largest remaining tropical lowland and monsoon rainforests. It's now a protected sanctuary for dozens of unique, threatened bird species and a rich marine life.

TONGA: Second military contingent headed to IraqAudioTranscript

Updated 17/08/2007 12:30:00

A second contingent of Tongan soldiers is being deployed to Iraq to help guard the headquarters of the US led Coalition forces near Baghdad International Airport. The 55 soldiers, who are part of Tonga's 450-strong Defence Services, are all volunteers for the mission. It's three years since the first contingent of Tongan Marines was sent on a similar mission, to help guard a US Marine Corps base in Anbar Province. The new group leave Tonga on Saturday; they'll spend a fortnight training in the United States before leaving for Iraq.

AFGHANISTAN: Australia's role 'may be futile'Audio

Updated 16/08/2007 19:27:19

In Afghanistan, hundreds of American and Afghan soldiers have attacked positions believed to be Al-Qaeda hideouts in the country's east. The air and ground assault was in the mountainous Tora Bora region, on the Pakistani border, the last known hideout of al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden. A US military official said targets were carefully chosen to eliminate civilian casualties. Such attacks have caused large numbers of civilian deaths in the past, heavily undermining local goodwill. Now, a leading defence expert has spoken of what he calls "the well-meaning futility" of the Australian Defence Force's role in Afghanistan.

NORTH KOREA: Floods kill hundreds, aid agencies prepare to helpAudio

Updated 16/08/2007 19:27:54

International aid agencies are speeding up their efforts to get assistance to North Korea, in response to devastating floods. North Korean officials say hundreds of people are dead or missing, and several hundred-thousand more are homeless.

MALAYSIA: Mining giant Rio Tinto to build major aluminium plantAudio

Updated 16/08/2007 20:21:41

The Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto is to build its biggest aluminium plant in Malaysia. It's the first foreign investor to take a major bet on Malaysia's controversial Bakun Dam in Sarawak. The Bakun Dam will supply the large amounts of electricity needed for aluminium smelting, but it's yet to be completed. Rio Tinto is also finalising its 38-billion dollar takeover of Canada's Alcan, which will make it the world's biggest aluminium producer.

TAIWAN: Nationalist leader cleared of corruptionAudioTranscript

Updated 16/08/2007 12:40:24

A court in Taiwan has cleared the main opposition's presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou of corruption charges. Mr Ma, the star candidate of the Kuomintang, was accused of misappropriating $US330,000 in funds when he was mayor of Taipei. After the not-guilty verdict came through, Mr Ma said the use of discretionary funds without detailed accounting has long been a common practice among senior public servants. The court's ruling is expected to boost his chances of succeeding President Chen Shui-bian in elections due next March.

RUSSIA & CHINA: Concerns over joint security pactAudioTranscript

Updated 16/08/2007 12:39:21

China's President Hu Jintao has begun a week-long tour of former Soviet republics in Central Asia. His trip is taking in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan -- and he'll also observe the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's anti-terrorism exercises in Russia. The SCO consists of China, Russia and the former Soviet states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, and is focused mainly on security-related concerns.

PAKISTAN: Warnings of chaos unless elections are heldAudio

Updated 15/08/2007 19:22:42

Pakistan held more subdued celebrations for the sixtieth anniversary of its national independence, with a huge question-mark over the future of the country's President, General Pervez Musharraf. It's been a turbulent couple of months in Pakistan, with the bloody siege at the Red Mosque in Islamabad coming hard on the heels of a massive constitutional crisis when President Musharraf tried - and failed - to get rid of the country's Chief Justice. The International Crisis Group warns that President Musharraf is running out of the options that would enable him to retain a political role:

CAMBODIA: Researchers tackle elephant dung in extinction studyAudio

Updated 15/08/2007 19:22:22

In Cambodia, international conservationists are trying to get an accurate idea of how many wild Asian elephants continue to survive in the country's Cardamom mountains. To do this, scientists at a DNA laboratory in Melbourne will need to analyze more than 500 samples of Cambodian elephant dung. It's hoped this unpleasant task will enable researchers to isolate the DNA of individual elephants, and use that to build up a profile of the surviving population.

INDIA: Call to end poverty on 60th anniversary of independenceAudio

Updated 15/08/2007 19:22:48

India's prime minister Manmohan Singh has called for an end to poverty as Indians celebrate 60 years of independence from Britain. Mr Singh's comments echoed Nehru's "Tryst With Destiny" 60 years ago. But his speech at New Delhi's Red Fort, where the British flag was lowered for good in 1947, was given in a city that's enjoyed the finest fruits of India's economic boom. Nationwide, literacy is now over 60 percent, and life expectancy has risen to 65. Mr Singh praised the country for its progress but -- speaking through a translator -- he said true independence would only come by lifting hundreds of millions of Indians still living on less than a dollar a day, out of poverty.

THAILAND: Thaksin's extradition sought by BangkokAudio

Updated 15/08/2007 19:22:32

The Thai authorities are now seeking the extradition of former leader Thaksin Shinawatra from Britain back to Thailand to face corruption charges. Mr Thaksin has been living in London since last year's military coup, and lately he's been settling into his new role as the owner of Manchester City Football Club. But Mr Thaksin might have to take his mind off fixtures for a while, and concentrate on the attempt to have him brought home.

FIJI: Concern over shadowy groupAudio

Updated 14/08/2007 19:23:54

Fijian authorities have expressed their concerns about a shadowy group, promising to invest six billion Australian dollars in a development bank and other projects for indigenous Fijians. The group is known as the "Office of International Treasury Control". It claims to have links with the United Nations and the United States Federal Reserve. And despite real concerns, landowner groups in Fiji are hoping to receive the money.

INDIA: Australia likely to begin uranium salesAudio

Updated 14/08/2007 19:23:54

The sale of Australian uranium to India is one step closer to being approved. The National Security Committee has been deliberating on the Government's recommendation that exports go ahead - with a yes vote widely expected, despite India's refusal to sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. The Australian government says it can negotiate a suitable safeguard agreement with New Delhi. Meanwhile India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is telling his parliament India wont be dictated to by foreigners over any plans to test nuclear weapons.

SOLOMON ISLANDS: Airline ground due to missed paymentsAudioTranscript

Updated 14/08/2007 19:23:53

Solomon Airlines has suspended its international flight operations, after the company which leased it its Embraer 170 jets grounded the plane, after the airline failed to meet its payments. The aircraft is the airline's only international jet and it began operations in May this year, replacing an older, larger, 737 aircraft. The Solomons Government has already paid three million dollars US to support the airline's operations, but this is the second payment missed. But what is happening in Solomon Islands is an example of what has happened across the region, in nations which are determined to have a national carrier as a matter of pride, despite growing evidence doing so is unviable. The news about Solomon Airlines comes as the government of Vanuatu confirms it will be selling its remaining share in Air Vanuatu, allowing it to become completely privatised. What is the future of international air services in the region?

PHILLIPINES: Security crackdown beginsAudio

Updated 14/08/2007 19:23:53

Philippine President Gloria Arroyo has announced a military offensive against Muslim militants in the country's south. The head of the Philippine armed forces has gone to southern Mindanao and met with field commanders, as the government over the past few weeks, deployed an estimated 12,000 troops on Jolo and Basilan. 26 soldiers were killed last week in clashes with militants, while on Basilan last month, 14 marines were killed, ten of them beheaded. Observers say that incident had enraged the military, which wants revenge.

PNG: Sir Michael sworn in as PM in 8th parliamentAudio

Updated 14/08/2007 12:14:29

After what must be one of the longest elections in History Sir Michael Somare was confirmed as the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, for a second consecutive term. Sir Michael's National Alliance Party won 27 of the seats in the 109 seat parliament. But he was able to gain the support of an extra 59 parliamentarians, giving him a clear majority. But while he's the favour of many of PNG Politicians, there is still plenty of public discontent over Sir Michael.
His previous government was often accused of corruption, and in the leadup to voting many were asking why it was there was an improvement in the country's economy, but massive unemployment and crime are still issues, and there is still a lack of essential services in many areas. Sir Michael has said he will be ruling for all Papau New Guineans, but those questions will continue to haunt him.

PACIFIC: NZ Catholic Church dismisses sex-abuse priest claimsAudio

Updated 14/08/2007 12:14:28

The New Zealand Catholic church has dismissed claims that some priests who've sexually abused children are being shifted from Australia and New Zealand to the Pacific. A psychologist and former nun who earlier this year quit as complaints manager and head of the professional standards committee of the Order of St John of God in Australasia, says offending priests are often moved from country to country to avoid legal problems. Michelle Mulvihill says the Pacific, especially Papua New Guinea, is often used for this purpose.

CAMBODIA: Khmer Krom seek return of defrocked monkAudioTranscript

Updated 14/08/2007 12:14:29

The Khmer Krom Federation is applying international pressure to demand the return to Cambodia of defrocked monk, Tim Sakhorn. The Khmer Krom are a minority group in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam and Cambodia. The former abbott of the Phnom Den pagoda in Cambodia went missing for a month after being defrocked in June for allegedly stirring unrest in Vietnam. He's now facing a charge in Vietnam for entering the country illegally.

AUSTRALIA: Political parties seek Christian voteAudio

Updated 14/08/2007 12:14:29

Last week, in churches across Australia, thousands of people gathered to hear the words of Prime Minister John Howard, and the man who wants his job, Labor leader Kevin Rudd.

INDONESIA: 80,000 attend Hizb ut Thahrir rallyAudioTranscript

Updated 14/08/2007 12:14:29

In Indonesia, at least 80,000 people have attended a mass rally organised by the hardline Muslim group, Hizb ut-Thahrir. The rally heard calls for the setting up of a caliphate, or a single Islamic state for the world's Muslims. Hizb ut-Thahrir said a caliphate would follow the laws of God as set out in the Koran, and not man-made ones.

THAILAND: Military plans big defence spendingAudioTranscript

Updated 10/08/2007 13:49:51

Thailand's military budget has expanded dramatically in the 11 months since last year's coup. In its latest announcement the Ministry of Defence says it plans to spend about $US133 million on 96 Ukrainian armoured vehicles, to augment security forces in the insurgency-hit south. Analysts say the extra spending reflects the military's desire to maintain political influence for a considerable time to come.

AUSTRALIA: Canberra urged to pressure Indonesia over PapuaAudioTranscript

Updated 10/08/2007 13:49:56

Australia's Prime Minister John Howard is being asked to speak up for the human rights of Papua when he meets Indonesia's President in Sydney next month. The Chairman of the Papuan People's Assembly wants the issue raised when Australia hosts 20 national leaders during the APEC summit in September. Chairman Agus Alua claims Papua's special autonomy is being deliberately undermined by Indonesia's military.

PAKISTAN: World Health Organisation launches polio campaignAudioTranscript

Updated 10/08/2007 13:49:46

A nationwide vaccination drive has been launched in Pakistan to inoculate 32 million children against polio. The World Health Organisation says the campaign will contrate on border regions near Afghanistan, which have proven the most problematic in curbing the spread of the disease. It says the campaign has had to be suspended in some villages in North West Frontier Province, after local people threatened health workers and smashed their vaccination kits. But the WHO says it will press ahead with the campaign in the rest of Pakistan, which is one of just five countries in the world where polio remains endemic.

Xiaoning Mo

PNG: Court battle to oust PM delayedAudio

Updated 10/08/2007 20:01:39

A court battle by Papua New Guinea politicians in a bid to oust Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare from the top post has been delayed. Sir Michael Somare is currently forming a coalition government and is expected to be elected Prime Minister next Monday. PNG's Governor General has invited him to form government after his party won 27 of the 109 parliamentary seats. A rival group led by former Prime Minister Sir Julius is challenging Somare's qualification, to lead his National Alliance Party in his bid to form government. Sir Julius says Sir Michael will breach his own party laws if he serves for another term. The PNG Supreme court has deferred the hearing of the case till next Friday, until the election of a new Prime minister. The Prime Minister says he has been nominated to lead the party.

ASIA: US sharemarket jolts the regionAudio

Updated 10/08/2007 20:01:46

Asian share markets have again fallen sharply as the fallout from the high risk mortgage market in the United States spread. Investors fearing the problem may extend into a recession were further rattled, after France's biggest bank froze three of its funds with exposure to the American bad loans. They were not reassured by the injection of billions of dollars into financial markets by central banks in the US, Europe, Japan and Australia. But few Asian investors are directly exposed to the US sub-prime housing market.

EAST TIMOR: Hundreds of homes reported burned in country's eastAudio

Updated 10/08/2007 20:01:52

Humanitarian agencies may be facing an emergency in East Timor, after hundreds of homes were burnt to the ground in the country's east. Around 1,500 people have fled to the mountains or the capital Dili to escape further violence -- which local media have blamed at at least in part on supporters of the Fretilin political party. They're understood to have gone on a rampage through villages in the east after the leader of the main rival party, Xanana Gusmao, was sworn in as prime minister. Security forces have gone to the area, but the distance and isolation have made it difficult to assess the scale of the trouble.

AFGHANISTAN: Australian troops in tough battle with TalibanAudio

Updated 10/08/2007 20:01:57

Australian troops in Afghanistan have survived their toughest battle with Taliban forces since the current reconstruction mission began. The intense fighting over about two hours happened in Oruzgan province. There were no Australian casualties but the Prime Minister John Howard says the attack shows the increased level of danger in Afghanistan. The battle came just as the Afghan President Hamid Karzai was appealing for an end to the violence at a meeting of hundreds of Afghan and Pakistani tribal leaders.

CHINA: Rare dolphin species likely to be extinctAudioTranscript

Updated 10/08/2007 20:01:31

An international team of scientists has concluded that a freshwater dolphin found only in China has probably been wiped out by unregulated fishing. The scientists failed to find any of the dolphins during a recent six-week survey of their natural habitat in eastern China. The disappearance of the Yangtze River dolphin, or baiji, is the first human-driven extinction of a large vertebrae for more than fifty years.

INDIA: Food agencies' help sought as floods destroy cropsAudioTranscript

Updated 10/08/2007 20:01:31

South Asia's devastating floods have destroyed the homes and businesses of millions in India, Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh -- and they've also washed away the entire season's crop in some areas, raising fears of food shortages. The floods have killed more than 2,000 people in the past six weeks and vast areas are at risk of disease outbreaks that could cost many more lives. The loss of crops in India's northern states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Assam are threatning a drastic shortfall in grain supplies, and a possible hike in food prices.

AFGHANISTAN: Key peace talks underway with PakistanAudio

Updated 09/08/2007 20:10:13

The leaders of Pakistan and Afghanistan are attending talks in Kabul aimed at halting the escalating Al-Qaeda and Taliban threat. The three-day peace jirga is being attended by hundreds of Afghan and Pakistan tribal elders, clerics and other key figures. Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz opened the meeting of 700 delegates. Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf was to attend, but pulled out citing an engagement in Islamabad. Afghanistan's foreign ministry has expressed disappointment but says it won't have a great impact on the outcome of the meeting.

FIJI: Qarase breaks exile to travel to SuvaAudio

Updated 09/08/2007 20:08:09

Fiji's ousted Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase says he plans to travel to Suva at the end of this month for the first time since he was exiled following last December's coup. Mr Qarase wants to meet his lawyers to discuss a court case he and a number of members of his SDL party are bringing against the interim government. He made his announcement the day Fiji's Nursing Association said it would end a two week strike and go back to work this weekend -- without restoring the five-percent pay cut that prompted the action.

INDONESIA: Counting in Jakarta governorship polls underwayAudio

Updated 09/08/2007 20:08:20

Preliminary results in the first direct, democratic polls to elect Jakarta's governor show the city's deputy governor is in line for a comfortable victory. Early results show Fauzi Bowo is well ahead of his rival, Adang Daradjatun, who's backed by the Islamic Justice and Prosperity Party, or PKS. Final results should be known within the week. The election followed a campaign that highlighted the role of Islam in politics, and social and economic problems in the sprawling city of 10 million people.

EAST TIMOR: Xanana Gusmao sworn in as PMAudioTranscript

Updated 09/08/2007 12:35:03

East Timor's new Prime Minister was sworn in today as violence continued in major centres. President Jose Ramos Horta used his constitutional power on Monday to appoint Xanana Gusmao and break a month-long political stalemate. Xanana Gusmao took the oath of office as gangs threw stones at security personnel, threatened aid workers and burnt down buildings, in Dili and Bacau. Most troublemakers are thought to be Fretilin party supporters angry over their party's loss of government in recent elections. Fretilin continues to dispute the legality of the new government and is considering its options to challenge it.

NEW ZEALAND: Opposition to Auckland Airport saleAudioTranscript

Updated 09/08/2007 12:35:03

There's mounting opposition in New Zealand to the proposed sale of Auckland Airport to the Dubai Aerospace company. The two-billion dollar bid was made last month and unanimously recommended to shareholders by the Auckland board of directors. But it's not been welcomed by nearby local councils which are also shareholders, nor the national carrier Air New Zealand, and Trade Minister Phil Goff says the Government is opposed to the privatisation of the country's main airport.

CHINA: Australian rules football club plans push into ChinaAudio

Updated 08/08/2007 20:39:58

As the Australian-rules football season reaches its Grand Final climax in late September, one football club is hoping to massively expand the game's influence. The Melbourne Football Club, known affectionately as 'the Demons', is planning an end-of-season trip to promote the game in China. The tour will take in Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin and Suzhou.

CHINA: Biofuels blamed for surge in food pricesAudioTranscript

Updated 08/08/2007 13:22:44

In the past decade, much has been made of the potential for so-called biofuels to help mitigate global warming. These fuels are derived from plants like corn and wheat; the carbon dioxide produced by burning them, the theory goes, is taken up by the growing plants used to make more fuel. They've also been hailed as a way of reducing reliance on oil imports, and in the US, President George Bush has said he wants to replace 75 percent of imported oil with biofuels by 2025. That's been replicated in the Pacific, where many states are producing more plant-based oils like coconut, to make fuels much cheaper than petrol. But the biofuel push is now being blamed for a shortage of food and grain crops -- driving up the price of everything from a latte at a western caf� to a bowl of noodles in China.

PAKISTAN: Angry response to US 'military action' threatAudioTranscript

Updated 08/08/2007 13:22:44

Pakistan has sent a firm message to the American Democrat presidential hopeful, Barack Obama, after the Senator voiced his intentions to use military force in Pakistan if he is elected. On Wednesday Senator Obama said he would take a tougher stance against extremist groups like Al-Qaeda in Pakistan, including the use of force, with or without Islamabad's permission. Senator Obama's main rival for the Democratic nomination Hilary Clinton has called his foreign policy approach "naive" but it's provoked a much stronger response from Pakistan.

ETIMOR: New Prime Minister announcedTranscript

Updated 08/08/2007 13:27:19

East Timor has a new Prime Minister and a new Government - more than a month after general elections. President Jose Ramos Horta has tapped his predecessor Xanana Gusmao to lead an alliance of four parties including the CNRT - the party formed by Gusmao earlier this year. The announcment was delayed many times as the Alliance and the former ruling party Fretilin argued about who would be Prime Minister and had the right to form the government. Fears that Fretilin supporters would not accept the decision appear to be confirmed with reports of rock throwing in Dili and the burning of a provincial CNRT headquarters (in Bacau) shortly after the announcement was made. Fretilin won 21 seats in the parliamentary elections - not enough to form a majority in the 65 seat House. Gusmao's alliance can muster 37 seats.

HONG KONG: Efforts stepped up to combat child abuseTranscript

Updated 08/08/2007 13:27:13

Child welfare advocates in Hong Kong have expressed their concern over what they say is a growing number of cases of child abuse -- including both punishment and sexual abuse. One children's charity says the abuse involves very young children and even infants, and has urged Hong Kong's government to take effective action against the practice.

INDONESIA: Ban on China imports may spark trade warAudioTranscript

Updated 08/08/2007 20:40:04

Indonesia and China may be on the verge of a serious trade dispute as Jakarta announced a new list of banned imports from China. The announcement came a week after Chinese authorities banned some Indonesian seafood imports, over what Beijing said were high levels of mercury and cadmium. Now, Indonesia's Food and Drug Monitoring Agency has issued its prohibited list -- which includes products from China, as well as Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea and the Philippines.

KOREAS: South and North to meetAudio

Updated 08/08/2007 20:40:09

The leaders of North and South Korea have announced they'll meet later this month. It will be their first summit in seven years, and only the second since the Korean war ended in 1953. The war ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty; meaning that technically both sides are still enemies, despite years of attempts at rapprochement, largely driven by Seoul. South Korea says this month's meeting should contribute to peace on the divided Korean peninsula, but there may be difficulties, as President Roh Moo-hyun has just six months left in office.

EAST TIMOR: Former UN commander calls for stronger supportAudio

Updated 08/08/2007 20:40:16

A retired former United Nations Commander says violence related to East Timor's election Timor shows Australia could be doing a better job in the Asia-Pacific region. Former Major General Michael Smith held the senior peacekeeping post in East Timor from 2000 to 2002. He says the current turmoil shows Australia should make a stronger commitment to Pacific region countries, and focus on developing civil society at the grass roots.

SOUTH ASIA: Flooding victims fight for food suppliesAudioTranscript

Updated 08/08/2007 13:31:00

Hungry victims of South Asia's devastating floods have been reduced to fighting over food supplies, as up to 35 million people are affected across India, Bangladesh and Nepal. The food shortage is so severe that people are resorting to eating roots and foraging for snails and other insects.

SINGAPORE: Silat for 2014 Asian GamesTranscript

Updated 08/08/2007 13:30:05

Pencak Silat may not be the best known form of martial arts. However, the Singapore Silat Federation is looking to give it global appeal with its Silat Goes Global initiative.

CHINA:China to control Tibet's 'living Buddhas'Audio

Updated 07/08/2007 20:35:44

China's government will introduce a new method of controlling the reincarnation of so-called 'living Buddhas' in Tibet. 'Living Buddhas' are an important part of Tibetan Buddhism, forming a clergy of influential leaders believed to be continuously reincarnated to maintain their positions.

SRI LANKA: Tamil TigersAudio

Updated 07/08/2007 20:35:45

There's a question mark over whether the Australian government will list the Tamil Tigers as a terrorist organisation. However, a representative of the Australian Tamil community says any ban won't help solve the conflict in Sri Lanka.

Kilman stays as EPG ChairmanAudio

Updated 07/08/2007 20:35:45

A Vanuatu politician will stay on as the Chairman of the Pacific Island Forum's - Fiji Eminent Persons Group, despite being implicated in a million dollar fraud involving his country's national bank. Sato Kilman lost his Foreign Affairs portfolio and his position as Deputy Prime Minister over the affair.

PNG: National Elections claim another high profile candidateAudio

Updated 07/08/2007 20:35:45

PNG's National Elections has claimed another high profile candidate with former Prime Minister Paias Wingti losing his seat.

EAST TIMOR: Political instability after appointment of new PMAudio

Updated 07/08/2007 20:35:46

East Timor's new Prime Minister will be sworn in tomorrow but it wont mean an end to the nation's instability. Xanana Gusmao and his government have been branded unconstitutional by the powerful Fretilin Party of the former Prime Minister Mari Alkitiri.

ETIMOR: New Prime Minister announcedAudio

Updated 06/08/2007 21:30:54

East Timor has a new Prime Minister and a new Government - more than a month after general elections. President Jose Ramos Horta has tapped his predecessor Xanana Gusmao to lead an alliance of four parties including the CNRT - the party formed by Gusmao earlier this year. The announcment was delayed many times as the Alliance and the former ruling party Fretilin argued about who would be Prime Minister and had the right to form the government. Fears that Fretilin supporters would not accept the decision appear to be confirmed with reports of rock throwing in Dili and the burning of a provincial CNRT headquarters (in Bacau) shortly after the announcement was made. Fretilin won 21 seats in the parliamentary elections - not enough to form a majority in the 65 seat House. Gusmao's alliance can muster 37 seats.

ASIA: Playing mahjong linked to epilepsyAudio

Updated 06/08/2007 21:30:53

For many in the Chinese speaking world the table game Mahjong - usually played by four people with144 tiles - is an obsession. But for some unlucky players the obsession is a dangerous one. This month's Hong Kong Medical Journal has found a link between playing Mahjong and epileptic fits.

SOLOMON IS: Parliament fight about to beginAudio

Updated 06/08/2007 21:30:53

The national parliament of Solomon Islands will reconvene tomorrow when the leadership of Prime Minister Manessah Sogavare will again be challenged by a vote of no confidence. For over a month Mr Sogavare has lived under the shadow of a no confidence motion over his determination to appoint Julian Moti as the country's Attorney General.

VANUATU: Pacific-EU free trade talks back on trackAudio

Updated 03/08/2007 19:23:28

Negotiations for a free trade agreement between islands of the Pacific and the European Union are now back on track. Trade Ministers of the Pacific members of the African Carribean Pacific group of states say they are happy with the EU's clarification of their position on trade negotiations. The Pacific bloc has now withdrawn its threat to suspend trade talks with the EU.

CHINA: Activist crackdown one year before OlympicsAudio

Updated 03/08/2007 19:23:34

Next week marks a year to go before the Beijing Olympics, and already China's intelligence services are gearing up by collecting information about local and foreign activist groups who the authorities fear may cause trouble and steal the Olympic spotlight. Government agencies are reportedly compiling lists of environmental and human rights groups.

CHINA: Green credit scheme to fight pollutionAudio

Updated 03/08/2007 19:23:39

China's environmental protection agency is taking a tough stand against polluters. It has put 30 of them on a blacklist which will deny them commercial bank loans until they clean up their act. And that's just the start. Other companies will be added to the list if they fail to meet environmental regulations. It sounds good - but how well will it work?

INDIA: Oxfam battles 'worst floods in living memory'Audio

Updated 03/08/2007 19:23:45

Monsoon rains and floods are an annual event in India and neighbouring countries, but eyewitnesses say this year's floods are the worst in living memory. It's been raining non-stop for around three weeks now in parts of India, Bangladesh and Nepal, and around 17 million people have either been displaced or marooned in their villages. Another two million people are affected in neighbouring Pakistan. Relief efforts are underway, with army helicopters dropping supplies in north-east India, but aid agencies are warning of food and clean water shortages, and the possible spread of disease.

NEW ZEALAND: Best and brightest feature in new rugby songAudio

Updated 03/08/2007 19:23:22

In less than a month rugby's four-yearly global ritual begins in earnest, with more than 20 teams vying for the World Cup in France. In New Zealand, All Black supporters have come up with something new to lift team spirits. The traditional haka performed before matches is being augmented with a new song -- consisting entirely of the names of famous New Zealanders -- from players to politicians.

CAMBODIA: Angkor-era artifact returned by USAudio

Updated 03/08/2007 19:23:22

This week the US ambassador to Cambodia returned to the Cambodian government the head of a sculpture dating back to the 12 century Angkor-era. The Angkor temples in northwestern Cambodia attract more than a million visitors a year despite having been heavily plundered over the years. The artefact in question had been stolen and smuggled out of Cambodia, but was picked up by US customs agents and returned under a 2003 agreement between the two countries which aims to protect Cambodia's cultural heritage.

CHINA: Biofuels blamed for surge in food pricesAudioTranscript

Updated 02/08/2007 19:38:21

In the past decade, much has been made of the potential for so-called biofuels to help mitigate global warming. These fuels are derived from plants like corn and wheat; the carbon dioxide produced by burning them, the theory goes, is taken up by the growing plants used to make more fuel. They've also been hailed as a way of reducing reliance on oil imports, and in the US, President George Bush has said he wants to replace 75 percent of imported oil with biofuels by 2025. That's been replicated in the Pacific, where many states are producing more plant-based oils like coconut, to make fuels much cheaper than petrol. But the biofuel push is now being blamed for a shortage of food and grain crops -- driving up the price of everything from a latte at a western caf� to a bowl of noodles in China.

EAST TIMOR: Coffee industry may collapseAudio

Updated 02/08/2007 20:07:07

East Timor's coffee industry is under serious threat as a result of improper methods of cultivation employed since gaining independence. If the trend continues, the country's key industry may collapse altogether unless proper training in sustainability has been provided to coffee growers. In an effort to revive the coffee industry, nine lecturers from the East Timor Coffee Academy are in Sydney this week to learn about suitable cultivation methods from their Australian counterparts.

SOUTH KOREA: Airline fined over price-fixingAudioTranscript

Updated 02/08/2007 19:38:36

British Airways and Korean Air have been hit with huge penalties for collusion in hiking fuel surcharges affecting passenger and cargo flights. The fines by Britain's Fair Trade Office and the United States Justice Department come after a year long probe spanning the whole industry. And the multi-million dollar fines against the two carriers for price fixing might not be the last. Other major airlines, including Australia's Qantas, are under investigation.

PAKISTAN: Angry response to US 'military action' threatAudioTranscript

Updated 02/08/2007 19:38:42

Pakistan has sent a firm message to the American Democrat presidential hopeful, Barack Obama, after the Senator voiced his intentions to use military force in Pakistan if he is elected. On Wednesday Senator Obama said he would take a tougher stance against extremist groups like Al-Qaeda in Pakistan, including the use of force, with or without Islamabad's permission. Senator Obama's main rival for the Democratic nomination Hilary Clinton has called his foreign policy approach "naive" but it's provoked a much stronger response from Pakistan.

VANUATU: Earthquake in outer islandsAudio

Updated 02/08/2007 19:38:26

The Pacific nation of Vanuatu was rocked by a powerful earthquake in the early hours of Thursday morning, damaging businesses and homes in the northern town of Lugainville Despite measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale, there were only a few injuries and no fatalities. It's understood the quake was barely felt in the capital Port Vila, where Australian trade minister Warren Truss arrived on