November 2007
INDONESIA: Muslim groups criticise scholar's ostracism
Updated 30/11/2007 20:13:58
Indonesia's two main Islamic organisations have criticised the Religious Affairs Ministry for pressuring a liberal Egyptian scholar to cancel a planned address. Nasr Hamid Abu Zayd was controversially declared a heretic by the Egyptian government in the 1990s for his research into Islam. He was due to speak at an Islamic seminar in east Java this week, but has since cancelled those plans.
PAKISTAN: Opposition split on Musharraf olive branch
Updated 30/11/2007 20:14:02
Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf has offered another olive branch to his political opponents by declaring he will end his state of emergency next month. But while international leaders have welcomed the announcement, there has been a mixed response from Pakistan's opposition politicians.
PHILIPPINES: Rebellion leaders face more charges
Updated 30/11/2007 20:14:06
Philippine authorities have launched a manhunt for more suspects accused of helping stage yesterday's dramatic but short-lived rebellion against the government. Renegade military officers barricaded themselves inside the Peninsula hotel, where they urged the rest of the army to join them in an uprising against President Gloria Arroyo. The group had broken out of court where they were standing trial over a failed 2003 mutiny. But now it looks like they'll be facing more charges.
CHINA: Migrant workers face greatest HIV risk
Updated 30/11/2007 20:13:49
The fight against HIV/AIDS in China is now focussing on young migrant workers in the country's rapidly expanding cities.
Hundreds of thousands of rural workers have headed for China's big urban centres in search of work in recent years. The International Labor Organisation has warned up to five-million migrant workers in China could die by 2015 if urgent action is not taken.
CHINA: Poor mental health sideffect of booming economy
Updated 30/11/2007 20:13:49
China's economic growth is having an unfortunate side effect. Authorities are concerned at the rise in the incidence of stress and depression amongst the population, including children. Its adding considerable strain on a system with an acknowledged poor record in the treatment of mental health and serious psychiatric disorders. That's beginning to change as a national program kicks in.
AUSTRALIA: New cabinet line up
Updated 29/11/2007 21:07:57
Australian prime minister-elect Kevin Rudd has named his new cabinet after sweeping conservative leader John Howard from power in Saturday's election. Mr Rudd has strengthened the foreign affairs ministry, with two parliamentary positions aimed at building stronger international relations, especially in the South Pacific.
AUSTRALIA: Economic challenges for new government
Updated 29/11/2007 21:08:01
Australia's business community is divided on the prospects for the economy under the Labor Government. Small business in particular is fretting about Labor's promise to revamp the previous administration's controversial workplace relations changes. Big business wont take kindly to any signs of a return to protectionist industry policies.
PHILIPPINES: Attempted rebellion against Arroyo ends
Updated 29/11/2007 21:07:49
Philippine police and army troops have stormed a luxury hotel which had been taken over by dozens of armed renegade soldiers. They've fired tear gas into the lobby of the Peninsula Hotel, forcing the rebels to surrender. The soldiers, accused of a failed mutiny in 2003, occupied the hotel after breaking out of court where they were on trial. They set themselves up in the hotel lobby, calling on President Gloria Arroyo to quit. Minutes before the elite troops stormed the hotel, we spoke to mutiny leader Senator Trillanes.
PAKISTAN: Musharraf sworn in as civilian president
Updated 29/11/2007 21:07:53
Pakistan's former army chief, Pervez Musharraf, has been sworn-in as a civilian president. Mr Musharraf stepped down as head of the Armed Forces yesterday, ending eight years of military rule. Pakistan's main opposition parties and U-S leaders, have welcomed the move, but are insisting the President must also lift the state of emergency before the January elections.
INDIA: First ever female police officer resigns
Updated 29/11/2007 21:08:05
India's first woman police officer, Kiran Bedi, has announced that she's retiring after an illustrious 35 year career.
She was also the first woman to lead an all male contingent of Delhi police at the Republic Day parade in 1975. She's stepping down just months after she was bypassed for the prestigious post of Delhi police commissioner.
CHINA: Pressure on currency from EU Summit.
Updated 28/11/2007 20:40:52
European leaders meeting their Chinese counterparts in Beijing have warned that China's weak currency and growing trade surplus are becoming unsustainable. They want faster action from Beijing to appreciate the currency or risk retaliation in the form of higher import tarriffs.
INDONESIA: New army chief of staff nominated
Updated 28/11/2007 20:40:57
Indonesia's Army chief of staff, Djoko Santoso, has been nominated as the sole candidate to become chief of the armed forces. General Santoso will replace Air Chief Marshal Djoko Suyanto, who is due to step down on December the 22nd.
THAILAND: Climate report bolsters nuclear lobby
Updated 28/11/2007 20:41:02
Thailand might be known as the land of smiles. But climate experts in the Kingdom are wearing a frown, in the wake of a new report from the United Nations Development Programme, revealing Thailand as one of the worst per capita emitters of carbon dioxide.The findings have been taken up by supporters of nuclear energy in Thailand, who say it's necessary to go nuclear, to cut emissions.
INDONESIA: Plan to plant 79 million trees
Updated 28/11/2007 20:41:09
Indonesians are rolling up their sleeves to plant 79 million trees across the archipelago. The huge tree-planting campaign aims to build awareness of deforestation, ahead of next month's major climate conference in Bali.
PAKISTAN: Musharraf steps down as army chief
Updated 28/11/2007 20:40:48
After eight years of divisive military rule President Pervez Musharraf has finally stepped down as army chief. It comes just 24 hours before he's sworn in as civilian president. His resignation from the military meets a key demand of the international community, but with Osama bin Laden still at large and the Taliban roaming across Pakistan and Afghanistan, the president's anti terror record as he quits the army is now being questioned.
SRI LANKA: Tamil rebel leader says peace 'impossible'
Updated 28/11/2007 20:40:49
One person has been killed and three others injured after a female suicide bomber blew herself up outside the office of a government minister in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo. The violence comes a day after rebels leader Prabhakaran all but declared war on the government, saying peace was impossible and accusing the military of genocidal tendencies against the Tamils.
BOUGAINVILLE: Naisi Former Resistance leader Killed
Updated 27/11/2007 22:00:07
To Bougainville now and Jacob Naisi, a former frontman for the pro-PNG resistance fighters, is dead. The President of Bougainville, Joseph Kabui - warns he could have been killed by the Mekamui rebels to derail the peace process.
AFGHANISTAN: MPs stage walkout over bombing
Updated 27/11/2007 22:00:07
A suicide car bomb, aimed at US-led coalition soldiers has exploded today in the Afghan capital, killing at least two people. This latest attack comes the day after eighty MPs walked out of parliament - accusing the government of not cooperating in an inquiry into the nation's worst suicide bombing.
ETIMOR: Male leaders in campaign to end violence against women
Updated 27/11/2007 22:00:06
A U-N campaign against domestic violence is being taken up with enthusiasm in East Timor. The UN Development Fund For Women has launched a new media campaign against domestic violence.
INDONESIA:Aid for earthquake victims
Updated 27/11/2007 22:10:59
Aid agencies are still trying to get information following a 6.7-magnitude earthquake off Indonesia's Sumbawa island on Monday. The island is located about 12 hundred kilometres east of the capital Jakarta, separated by narrow straits from the islands of Lombok and Flores.
BANGLADESH: Relief to cyclone victims
Updated 27/11/2007 22:11:51
Efforts are being stepped up to deliver aid to thousands of cyclone victims in southern Bangladesh, as the US military joined aid operations on Monday. But a new problem has emerged in the aftermath of Cyclone Sidr - as up to three million victims now face the risk of food shortages, with over 92-thousand hectares of crops destroyed and 350 thousand livestock lost.
AUSTRALIA: New PM outlines agenda
Updated 27/11/2007 22:12:32
Australia's new Prime Minister has been outlining his agenda - from saying sorry to aborigines to maintaining a tough line against boat people. The Labor leader, Kevin Rudd - the victor in Saturday's federal election - says he'll announce his Cabinet on Thursday.
PACIFIC: Pacific islanders wear red
Updated 23/11/2007 17:29:49
Pacific islanders will be wearing red Saturday to show their concern the threat of rising sea levele to their islands due to climate change. The event is organised by the Pacific Conference of Churches and Greenpeace Pacific prior to the departure of regional leaders leave for the Bali UN climate change summit. Greenpeace's Pacific Climate Change Advisor, Arieta Moceica says wearing red shows that Pacific islanders are outraged at industrialised nations for dragging feet on the issue.
PNG: Relief workers arrive in flood hit province
Updated 23/11/2007 17:29:49
Disaster relief workers have begun the first major assessment of what's needed in Oro Province. The remote region was hit earlier this week by Cyclone Guba, causing an estimated 200 deaths.Two Australian Airforce Hercules have arrived in PNG with relief supplies and this morning staff from Oxfam, Worldvision and Red Cross have been been doing aerial and ground surveys of the affected area.
PAKISTAN: Suspended from the Commonwealth, again
Updated 23/11/2007 17:29:50
For the second time in less than 10 years, Pakistan has been suspended from the Commonwealth. The suspension is in response to the refusal by Pakistan's leader, General Pervez Musharraf, to end the state of emergency that he imposed on his country three weeks ago. But the head of Pakistan's Human Rights Commission doubts whether the move will have much effect in forcing the president to restore democracy.
INDONESIA: The long road to the presidency
Updated 23/11/2007 17:29:50
It may be two years away, but Indonesia's unofficial presidential election campaign is well underway. Former president Megawati Sukarnoputri wraps up a five day tour of the poorer districts of Central Java on Friday. She denies she's already begun campaigning for the presidency. But with alliances still to be forged, 2009 is not so far off for Indonesia's presidential hopefuls.
AUSTRALIA: Regional implications of federal election
Updated 23/11/2007 17:29:50
Australians go to the polls tomorrow. The current prime minister says Australia no longer worries about whether it's part of Asia. The opposition Labor leader says Australia is falling behind Asia. We look at the implications of the election result for regional affairs.
INDIA: Call to regulate child surrogacy
Updated 23/11/2007 17:29:41
With Western women delaying childbearing until later in life, many find themselves needing to rely on science to get pregnant. But for women who for whatever reason can't have children, the idea of using a surrogate mother can be an appealing option. That's prompted a flood of foreign couples to India, in particular, where there are currently no laws to regulate surrogacy. But the Ministry of Women and Child Development wants that to change.
INDIA: Bangladeshi writer accused of blasphemy
Updated 22/11/2007 20:14:54
Troops have been deployed in the Indian city of Kolcutta after protests against controversial Bangldeshi writer, Taslima Nasreen turned into riots. The protestors are calling for Taslima Nasreen to leave India, after accusing her of hurting Muslim sentiments. Taslima Nasreen has denied making the comments. But it's not the first time she has enraged Islamic radicals.
PNG: Death toll rises from PNG floods
Updated 22/11/2007 20:14:58
Fears of deteriorating security are growing in flood-hit eastern Papua New Guinea. Officials say up to 200 people have died in Oro province, north of the capital Port Moresby. One Australian NGO, the Kokoda Track Foundation, has committed 20-thousand Australian dollars worth of medical supplies to a hospital to combat the threat of water-borne diseases.
INDONESIA: Aceh former rebels 'may be hoarding weapons'
Updated 22/11/2007 20:15:03
Reports from Indonesia say rogue elements of the Free Aceh Movement GAM are illegally hoarding weapons, two years after a peace agreement was signed with the government. The surrender of weapons and re-integration of former GAM rebels into the Acehnese community were part of a peace deal struck in August 2005 between the separatist group and the Indonesian government.
AUST: Is there a case to extend fishing rights to Indonesians?
Updated 22/11/2007 20:15:07
Australian immigration officials expect to interview the group of sixteen Indonesians now in detention on Christmas Island over the next two weeks. The six adults and ten children from the island of Rote were rescued from a sinking boat by the Australian navy on Wednesday and are believed to be seeking asylum in Australia. The Australian government has dismissed suggestions it should be doing more to help.
ASIA: Debate over traditional medicine
Updated 22/11/2007 20:14:43
Traditional medicine is very much part of the medical repertoire in Asia. Now a group of Asian medical scholars are beginning to use traditional medicine as well as therapies like yoga and accupuncture, to treat conditions specific to women. But they say any significant discoveries may take years to benefit women in the West.
ASIA: Mineral price rise to stabilise
Updated 22/11/2007 20:14:48
Australian investors have been warned that the boom in mineral prices being driven by demand from China and India must stabilise, even fall back, over the next three to five years.
INDONESIA: Temasek ruling criticised
Updated 21/11/2007 20:51:38
The Singapore Government's investment company Temasek says it will appeal an order to sell some of its investments in Indonesia. The country's anti-monopoly agency, the KPPU, has ordered Temasek to sell part of its mobile phone interests within two years. It's also fined the foreign firm millions of dollars for breaching competition laws. The KPPU ruling has been widely criticised, including by an Indonesian Government minister.
TIBET: Dalai Lama considers naming successor
Updated 21/11/2007 20:51:42
The Dalai Lama says he's considering going against centuries of tradition and naming his successor before he dies. He He's says he's considering his options in the wake of his own fears that China will once again try to intervene in the succession process.
AFGHANISTAN: Civilian deaths alarm UN
Updated 21/11/2007 20:51:46
The United Nations has raised concerns at the high number of civilian casualties caused by international forces in Afghanistan. The U-N High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour has warned support for the international military presence in Afghanistan is being eroded by the alarming level of civilian casualties.
THAILAND: Gross National Happiness conference opens
Updated 21/11/2007 20:51:34
The eternal quest for happiness has occupied humanity for centuries, but never in such formal terms as in recent years.
Happiness research is securing ever greater chunks of funding from government and private institutions. Now Bangkok is hosting the third International Conference on Gross National Happiness.
INDONESIA: SBY prepares for Bali climate change conference
Updated 21/11/2007 20:51:34
World leaders will descend on Bali in just a few weeks to hammer out the frameowrk for a new agreement on climate change. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono wants to psoition Indonesia as a leading force among developing nations in the bid to cut emissions. Indonesia has invited the world's finance inisters to meet in Bali to to discuss other market mechanisms to encourage emission cuts.
PAKISTAN: Political turmoil continues
Updated 20/11/2007 21:18:07
Pakistan has announced the release of thousands of prisoners detained under emergency rule. The government has also announced January 8 as the date for general elections. It comes after the Supreme Court dismissed the main challenges to Pervez Musharraf's re-election as president.
ETIMOR: Reinado unlikely to be in custody for December trial
Updated 20/11/2007 21:18:11
The date set for the trial of the controversial East Timorese fugitive Alfredo Reinado is fast approaching. Despite a warrant issued for his arrest, the former head of the military police remains on the run since escaping from a Dili prison over a year ago. The case has exposed the rift between not only between the new government and Fretilin opposition but between the President and the Judiciary.
CAMBODIA: Khmer Rouge court hears public hearing
Updated 20/11/2007 21:18:03
An international genocide tribunal has opened its first public hearing to try surviving members of the Khmer Rouge regime. The U-N backed court aims to prosecute crimes committed 30 years ago by senior regime leaders.
SINGAPORE: ASEAN signs charter
Updated 20/11/2007 21:18:03
Leaders of the South East Asian group of countries have signed a landmark treaty committing them to promote human rights and democracy. But the signing ceremony took place amid continued condmenation of Burma's rights record. Australia will use the summit to push for direct talks with Burma on political reform.
INDONESIA: New treaty agreed with Australia
Updated 20/11/2007 21:18:16
In just three weeks, the Lombok Treaty signed a year ago, between Australia and Indonesia will come into effect. Foreign minister Hassan Wirajuda has described the treaty as an "historical pillar" in the improving relationship between Canberra and Jakarta. But Lombok's ratification comes at a sensitive time in bilateral ties.
ASIA: Asia hard hit by climate change
Updated 19/11/2007 21:14:18
The U-N's fourth report on climate change was released warning that many sectors in Asia already affected by rising temperatures. As world leaders prepare to meet in Bali next month, Secretray General Ban Ki Moon has singled out China and the United States, to show leadership.
BANGLADESH: Cyclone toll rises
Updated 19/11/2007 21:14:09
Rescue and relief teams are racing to get urgent aid to millions of people in the Bay of Bengal left homeless by last Thursday's powerful cyclone. Officials say at least three thousand people have been killed but there are fears the final death toll could be much higher.
PNG: State of emergency in flood hit province
Updated 19/11/2007 21:14:09
Papua New Guinea has been declared a state of emergency with heavy flooding claiming more than 70 lives. That figure is expected to rise, with dozens of people missing in north eastern Oro province.
AUSTRALIA: Election and Asia
Updated 19/11/2007 21:14:31
Australia has entered the final week of an election campaign where the Asia Pacific has hardly featured in key debates. The Government and Labor Coalition have been relatively silent on relationships in Asia, with both sides emphasising the importance of the U-S alliance.
ASIA: Leaders gather in Singapore for ASEAN summit
Updated 19/11/2007 21:14:22
The leaders of Southeast Asia have gathered in Singapore for their annual summit, with its most troublesome member, Burma casting a shadow over what should be ASEAN's celebratory 40th anniversary meeting.
MALAYSIA: Inquiry into judicial corruption allegations
Updated 19/11/2007 21:14:26
Malaysia's Prime Minister has promised to set up a Royal Commission to investigate allegations of judicial corruption. It all centres on an eight minute video clip showing a well known lawyer talking on his cell phone, purportedly telling a judge he'll recommend him for a senior appointment.
AUSTRALIA: Scholars organise country's first Sanskrit Festival
Updated 16/11/2007 20:03:00
Australia will this weekend hold its first ever National Sanskrit festival. The event is being organised by Australian Sanskrit experts and aims to bring together established and emerging scholars to share their research.
AUSTRALIA: Election defence debate
Updated 16/11/2007 20:03:12
Another day, another debate between a couple of key Australian Government and Opposition figures ahead of the federal election on November 24. Today it was the turn of the Defence Minister Brendan Nelson to face off against his Labor counterpart Joel Fitzgibbon.
AUSTRALIA: Canberra considers war crimes prosecution
Updated 16/11/2007 20:03:33
The New South Wales coroner says there is evidence that war crimes may have been committed in Balibo. And she's referred the case to the attorney general for possible prosecution.
INDONESIA: Jakarta rejects Balibo inquest findings
Updated 16/11/2007 20:04:41
The Indonesian Government has referred to the "limited jurisdiction" of the New South Wales Coroner's Court. It says no matter what the findings, as far as Indonesia is concerned, the case of the Balibo Five is closed.
JAPAN: Whale expedition expands
Updated 16/11/2007 20:03:06
Japan has announced it will press ahead with an expanded whaling expedition in the Antarctic Ocean this summer. Tokyo says it plans to kill more than a thousand minke whales and for the first time, it plans to catch humpback whales. But a new Australian study has found that most young Japanese don't support the killing of whales for scientific research.
AUSTRALIA: Indonesian troops 'deliberately' killed journalists: inques
Updated 16/11/2007 20:04:46
A Sydney inquest into the deaths of five Australian-based journalists in the East Timorese village of Balibo, 32-years ago has found they were deliberately shot or stabbed to death by members of the Indonesian military during the invasion of East Timor. The coroner says the motive for murder was to to stop the five men revealing that Indonesian forces had been key to the attack on Balibo.
EAST ASIA: Solid growth but rural poverty concern
Updated 15/11/2007 20:49:30
A new report by the World Bank says despite robust economic growth in East Asia, rural poverty is a growing concern. The Bank says governments could do more to help raise rural incomes.
AUSTRALIA: Election foreign policy debate
Updated 15/11/2007 20:49:34
In a foreign policy debate for Australia's election, the Foreign Minister has pointed to what he calls a dramatic decline in the threat of terrorism in Southeast Asia. Alexander Downer says it's possible to achieve victory against terrorism in Asia and the Middle East. The Labor spokesman on Foreign Affairs, Robert McLelland says helping to invade Iraq has made Australia less safe and has emboldened Muslim extremists.
JAPAN: Prime Minister makes Washington debut
Updated 15/11/2007 20:49:38
Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda is making his American debut, with his first visit to Washington since taking office in September. Mr Fukuda will spend little more than a day with President George W.Bush, but Tokyo is hoping that will be enough time to consolidate Japan's alliance with the U-S. And he'll need all the time he can get as Mr Fukuda tries to overcome growing domestic opposition to supporting U-S coalition forces in Afghanistana.
PAKISTAN: Imran Khan arrested as pressure mounts on Musharraf
Updated 15/11/2007 20:49:43
Former cricket star Imran Khan has been charged under Pakistan's anti terrorism laws after attempting to address a group of students. He's now in Lahore's biggest prison, possibly facing seven years jail.
FIJI: Call for UN to investigate Fiji judiciary
Updated 15/11/2007 20:49:22
There's been a call for independent scrutiny of Fiji's judiciary. The Pacific Centre for Public Integrity has renewed its call for a United Nations special rapporteur to be allowed into the country to conduct an investigation. The region's judges have expressed concern about threats to the independence of the judiciary in Fiji.
CHINA: Food prices soar
Updated 15/11/2007 20:49:26
As China's economy continues to hot up, so do its food prices. In the past year, the price of pork has gone up by more than 50 percent; vegetables by nearly a third and the cost of food oil has junped by 34 percent. Premier Wen Jiabao has held an urgent meeting of the State Council to discuss measures to stabilise food prices.
INDONESIA: Resort island casino bid
Updated 14/11/2007 21:13:09
Gambling is strictly banned by Islam. But that could be about to change in mostly Muslim Indonesia. The resort island of Bintan has submitted a draft law to its local parliament seeking permission to build a casino.
JAPAN: Government takes action to reduce suicides
Updated 14/11/2007 21:13:14
It's believed at least ninety people a day kill themselves every day in Japan. Now the country's high suicide rate is the subject of a government white paper to change the way suicide is viewed and treated in Japan.
MALAYSIA: Car maker to develop Islamic car
Updated 14/11/2007 21:13:09
Malaysian car maker Proton looks set to develop the world's first Islamic car, designed specially for Muslims. The company is planning on teaming up with manufacturers in Iran and Turkey to develop the vehicle aimed at the global export market.
SKOREA: 100 candidates runnning in preliminary presidential race.
Updated 14/11/2007 21:13:22
South Korea's presidential election campaign doesn't get underway officially for another two weeks. But that hasn't stopped the more than 100 candidates from wheeling and dealing ahead of the front-runners from each party being announced.
PHILIPPINES: Muslim congressman assasination target
Updated 14/11/2007 21:13:27
Manila is on high alert after a fatal bomb attack outside the Philippines House of Representatives. Three people were killed in the blast, including controversial Muslim congressman Wahab Akbar. It's believed he was the target of an assasination.
AUSTRALIA: Government advised to take unilateral climate stance
Updated 14/11/2007 21:13:18
Delegations from more than 180 countries will meet next month on the Indonesian island of Bali to negotiate a successor to the Kyoto Protocol on climate change, which expires in 2012. But a former advisor to Australia's international climate delegation says Bali is unlikely to reach a uniform post-Kyoto agreement, and says Australia should make its own stand on climate policy.
AUSTRALIA: Vietnam Iraq war parallels
Updated 13/11/2007 21:12:38
Australia's political parties are drawing parallels between the Vietnam war and the conflict in Iraq. But the author of a new history of Australia's war in Vietnam says the comparisons with Iraq are being made to serve political agendas rather than historical accuracy.
AFGHANISTAN:Amnesty says NATO Afghan detainees face torture risk
Updated 13/11/2007 21:12:42
NATO troops in Afghanistan have been accused of turning a blind eye to allegations of prisoner torture. A new report by Amnesty International says NATO is handing over dozens of detaineed to the N-D-S, Afghanistan's Intelligence services where it's believed they are being subject to abuse. NATO says as far as its concerned those international obligations are being met.
JAPAN:Stalemate remains despite new vote on Afghan mission
Updated 13/11/2007 21:12:46
Japan's lower house of parliament has approved legislation to restart a mission supporting US coalition forces in Afghanistan. An extension of the bill which expired two weeks ago, had been rejected by the Opposition dominated Upper House. The scene is now set for another confrontation when its sent back for a second time.
JAPAN: Climate change blamed for poor mushroom harvest
Updated 13/11/2007 21:12:33
In Japan there are fears that climate change could already be having a damaging impact on one of the nation's favourite mushrooms. This year's harvest of Matsutake mushrooms is been one of the lowest on record.
AUST: Critique of Human rights record on eve of election
Updated 13/11/2007 21:12:33
Prominent Australian human rights advocate and lawyer Julian Burnside has warned that Australia's anti-terrorism and refugee legislation poses a growing threat to democratic freedoms. Mr Burnside has been writing for almost ten years on Australia's refugee policies and anti-terror laws. Now he's brought his arguments together in a new book appealing for change.
MALAYSIA: Democracy protests to continue
Updated 12/11/2007 20:54:11
Civil liberties groups in Malaysia have cast doubt on the fairness of next year's national elections unless significant reforms are made beforehand. They've condemned the Government's action in breaking up a weekend rally for democratic change in the capital Kuala Lumpur. Police used tear gas and water cannons against a crowd the organisers say was between 20 to 30-thousand strong.
BURMA: UN envoy's first visit in four years
Updated 12/11/2007 20:54:15
The United Nations Human Rights envoy Paulo Sergio Pinheiro is in Burma, his first visit in four years. Mr Pinheiro says he hopes to meet political prisoners and to find out exactly how many people died, when the military cracked down on protesting monks and their supporters in September.
LONDON: Commonwealth meeting to debate Pakistan
Updated 12/11/2007 20:54:20
Commonwealth foreign ministers are meeting in London to debate a possible suspension of Pakistan. The extra-ordinary session was called after President Pervez Musharraf imposed a state of emergency last week. On the weekend, the General met his critics halfway promising to hold elections on schedule in January. But Washington says it wants the President to go further and immediately lift the state of emergency.
CAMBODIA: Killing Fields court arrests two more Pol Pot aides
Updated 12/11/2007 20:54:24
There's been another high profile arrest for Cambodia's "killing fields" tribunal. The former Khmer Rouge foreign minister, Ieng Sary is now in custory, he's the third Pol Pot henchman to be taken in. His wife has also been arrested. The pair, who deny any wrongdoing, have been charged for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
PACIFIC: Solomon Islands leader asked to resign
Updated 12/11/2007 20:54:07
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare is fighting for his political survival. He's been given an ultimatum to either resign or face a vote of no confidence. Mr Sogavare has survived votes of no confidence before but this time 10 ministers and five backbenchers from his own government have deserted him, joining forces with the opposition.
TIMOR: UN report card on human rights
Updated 09/11/2007 20:42:55
In a new report report card on Human Rights in East Timor, the UN says its citizens enjoy many freedoms. But a lack of relevant laws and institutional weaknesses in the judiciary and the police force are a concern.
BURMA: Aung San Su Kyi hold talks with opposition
Updated 09/11/2007 20:42:59
Burma's junta has allowed pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi to meet members of her National League for Democracy for the first time in three years. As well Aung San Suu Kyi has held a second meeting with a government representative. It's given hope to the thousands of people who risked their lives in September to march against the government.
PAKISTAN: Bhutto under house arrest
Updated 09/11/2007 20:43:03
Pakistan's opposition leader Benazir Bhutto is under house arrest. Dozens of police and military have cordoned off her house and surrounded the street with razor wire and concrete barricades. The move came just hours before she was due to lead a protest against the military dictatorship and the state of emergency.
INDIA: Hindus prepare to celebrate Diwali.
Updated 09/11/2007 20:42:51
Hindus across the globe are celebrating the biggest festival in their religious calendar this weekend. Diwali, or the Festival of Lights, is the day when Hindus celebrate the return of an ancient King who won an epic battle against an evil deity.
CAMBODIA: Landmine clearance will take another decade
Updated 09/11/2007 20:42:51
Cambodia says its countryside will not be cleared of landmines until 2020. Prime Minister Hun Sen says it will take at least another ten years of demining to make the countryside safe.
US, Australia urge Pakistan to hold elections
Updated 08/11/2007 15:34:32
Australia and the United States are urging Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf to hold elections.
INDONESIA: New Islamic sect upsets Muslims
Updated 08/11/2007 21:09:41
Ahmed Mushaddeq leads the new Al Qiyadah Al Islamiyah sect. The sect has been described as deviant and blasphemous by the country's powerful Muslim organisation, the Indonesian Ulema Council because it promotes an alternative view of Islam.
BURMA: Rangoon rejects UN mediation offer
Updated 08/11/2007 21:09:45
Burma's military government has rejected a United Nations proposal for three way talks involving pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The ruling generals have told visiting U-N envoy, Ibrahim Gambari, that Burma will not accept interference into its sovereignty.
CHINA: Calls for more original TV programming
Updated 08/11/2007 21:09:31
China's version of the TV Show American idol is just one of a number of western-style imports which is proving a resounding success. There's also a raft of new Chinese talk-shows modelled on programs hosted by Jerry Springer and Oprah Winfrey.
But there are now calls from within China for TV programming not to mimic western formats and to come up with more original content.
CHINA: Companies seeking loopholes in new labour laws
Updated 08/11/2007 21:09:37
The Chinese Government's attempts to change its labour laws continue to create controversy. The country's biggest telecom equipment maker Huawei has confirmed seven-thousand local employees have resigned, only to be rehired on new contracts. Huawei's actions follow concerns expressed by foreign investors in China that the new rules will add to their costs and favour unionisation.
PAKISTAN: Musharraf likened to Shah of Iran
Updated 08/11/2007 21:11:27
President Musharraf has been accused of taking Pakistan to the edge of the abyss. Analysts have compared the General to the Shah of Iran.
PAKISTAN: Pressure increases on Musharraf
Updated 08/11/2007 21:11:33
America has stepped up pressure on Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf, telling him to give up his army post and hold democratic elections. The opposition meanwhile is trying to mobilise people power to pressure the president to lift the emergency rule.
AUST: Urgent action needed to conserve fishing in SE Asia
Updated 07/11/2007 20:42:13
Fishing industries in South East Asia and Australia are facing a crisis. With the livelihoods of 100 million people at stake, a new report says diminishing fish stocks need quick action by governments in the region. The report, by the acknowledged expert on the subject, recommends Australia take a lead in promoting better international cooperation and resource management.
CHINA: Candid defence talks with Washington
Updated 07/11/2007 20:42:17
China and the United States have agreed to lift defence cooperation, including the creation of a Beijing-Washington military hotline. US Defence Secretary, Robert Gates has described his China talks as "candid, constructive and cooperative". Dr Gates has however echoed the criticism of his predecessor Donald Rumsfeld, about uncertainty created by China's military modernisation.
PAKISTAN: Pressure builds for President to reverse emergency rule
Updated 07/11/2007 20:42:20
The international condemnation of Pakistan's emergency rule continues to gather momentum today. U-N chief Ban Ki Moon has called on President Pervez Musharraf to lift the measure as soon as possible. Washington has echoed those concerns and is warning that it's now reviewing billions of dollars of aid to Islamabad. Domestically, the situation is also reaching boiling point.
ASIA: Football bet shops shut down in Interpol swoop
Updated 07/11/2007 20:42:04
Dozens of illegal football betting houses across Asia have been shut down in an operation coordinated by the global police organisation Interpol. Police in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam have arrested 187 people and seized more than 600-thousand dollars.
INDONESIA: Court acquits timber baron over illegal logging
Updated 07/11/2007 20:42:09
Environmentalists are outraged over an Indonesian court's decision to acquit a timber baron over illegal logging. Prosecutors alleged Adelin Lis was responsible for illegally felling more than 30 billion dollars worth of timber. Judges say there was a lack of strong evidence brought before them. Others say it's just another example of the powerful forces that protect Indonesia's forestry industry.
PAKISTAN: Second day of lawyers' protests
Updated 06/11/2007 21:14:56
Pakistani lawyers gathered for a second day to protest the imposition of emergency rule, the sacking of the judiciary and suspension of the constitution. In the face of mounting US pressure, President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz have given assurances the January elections will proceed as scheduled - but one senior legal member says this provides little relief.
FIJI: Interim PM reassures nation over assasination allegations
Updated 06/11/2007 21:14:56
Fiji's interim prime minister has finally spoken out about the alleged assassination plot against him and members of his interim government. But while he's praised everyone involved, Commodore Frank Bainimarama released little detail about charges, evidence or individuals.
MALAYSIA: Calls to end positive ethnic discrimination
Updated 06/11/2007 21:17:38
Malaysia's National Economic Policy, which favours Malays or Bumiputras, is a sensitive issue, with other races saying it's time to end thirty years of discrimination.
JAPAN: Rice farmers feel global warming impact
Updated 06/11/2007 21:18:13
Rice farmers in Japan, who are renowned for producing high quality rice, are now feeling the effects of global warming. The rise in the country's average temperatures have led to diminishing crops yields and poorer quality rice grains, forcing farmers to sell their crops at lower prices.
AUSTRALIA: Four-year-old gelding wins Melbourne Cup
Updated 06/11/2007 21:19:17
Australia's premier horse racing event, the Melbourne Cup, was taken out by the four-year-old gelding - Efficient - in a surging, come-from-behind win ahead of Purple Moon. Equine influenza was a distant memory for most racegoers at Flemington racecourse.
PAKISTAN: Lawyers' protests muted in Islamabad
Updated 05/11/2007 21:13:18
Thousands of lawyers took to the streets today, as part of a nationwide strike to protest the emergency laws. But in Islamabad, which was the scene of wild protests by lawyers after the chief justice was suspended in March, today's protests were relatively muted.
PAKISTAN: President Musharraf imposes emergency rule
Updated 05/11/2007 21:13:18
In another turmultuous day in Pakistani politics, scores of lawyers were baton charged, sprayed with tear gas and arrested as they protested President's Pervez Musharraf's decision to impose martial law. In a further affront to the President's critics, the information minister says the president's promise to step down as army chief is now in limbo.
FIJI: Qarase wants proof of assassination allegations
Updated 05/11/2007 21:18:48
In Fiji, where around sixteen people have been arrested over an alleged plot to assassinate coup leader Frank Bainimarama and other political and military leaders. Deposed prime minister Laisenia Qarase is keeping his fingers crossed that he will not be the next person taken into custody.
THAILAND: Parties gear up for elections
Updated 05/11/2007 21:23:17
Registration for candidates in Thailand's elections is due this week, marking another milestone in the Kingdom's return to democracy following the coup of September 2006. But instead of a contest over policy, the election is shaping up as more of a competition of who has the most money and influence.
CHINA: Olympic-fuelled baby boom predicted
Updated 05/11/2007 21:27:32
Next year promises to produce a bumper crop of new arrivals in China, with many couples hoping to have their baby on the lucky date of the 8th of the 8th 2008 -- the day the Beijing Olympics open.
INDIA: Muslims face hardship in finding jobs
Updated 02/11/2007 18:48:53
A series of new studies has found that Muslims in India are disadvantaged, when it comes to getting a job. New research has found it's harder for muslim Indians to get work, than for people from both high and low-caste Hindu backgrounds, even if their educational level were similar.
AUSTRALIA: Luring exporters back to Indonesia
Updated 02/11/2007 18:48:56
An Australian trade commissioner has made a strong pitch to lure Australian exporters back to the Indonesian market.
Australia's senior trade commissioner to Indonesia, Rod Morehouse, says Australian firms should take advantage of Indonesia's rapid growth and huge consumer class. But corruption and trade barriers appear to be keeping them away.
ASIA: Alston says more countries need to address extrahudicial killing
Updated 02/11/2007 18:49:00
A senior UN official has expressed frustration over the lack of response from countries who need to answer questions about alleged extrajudicial killings. Philip Alston, the UN's Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Killings, says the majority of governments are failing the basic test of accountability.
NEPAL: Ancient festival revived in Himalayas
Updated 02/11/2007 18:48:49
In Nepal, an ancient festival is being revived in a remote Himalayan village in an effort to reconnect the youth with their culture and attract tourists. The Badhe festival was forgotten for more than two decades, as locals turned their attention away from cultural practices and towards tourism. But the festival is back, with warriors, kings and devils playing out a performance which once involved human sacrifices.
INDIA: Tigers face imminent extinction threat
Updated 02/11/2007 18:48:49
Wildlife experts in India say the country's dwindling tiger population may have fallen too low to be scientifically viable.
A new government report has found that the number of tigers surviving in the wild may be as low as 13-hundred, that's half as many as in 2001. The sharp decline has prompted a range of emergency measures aimed at dragging the tiger back from the brink of extinction.
INDONESIA: SBY calls the tunes
Updated 01/11/2007 14:57:36
The Indonesian President has just launched his first album featuring a collection of love ballads and religious songs he wrote himself.
SRI LANKA: Un expert says torture prevalent
Updated 01/11/2007 21:01:15
The U-N's top torture expert has warned that torture is becoming routine during counter-terrorism operations in Sri Lanka. He says there is evidence that beatings, asphyxiations and burning is being widely practiced in Sri Lanka.
JAPAN: Tokyo forced to withdraw from Afghanistan mission
Updated 01/11/2007 21:01:19
It's a day of diplomatic embarrassment for Japan today as it's forced to withdraw from the military coalition supporting operations in Afghanistan. Tankers from Japan's Maritime Self Defence Force have been operating in the Indian Ocean since 2001, providing fuel supplies at sea for the navies of the United States and other countries.
VIETNAM:: Another economic milestone
Updated 01/11/2007 21:01:04
The World Bank has announced Vietnam is eligible to access bank financing for middle income countries. It's good news for Hanoi, which has a goal of achieving middle income status by 2010. But not everyone's sharing in the spoils.
Consumer prices are soaring, lending is on the rise and it's the poor who are being hardest hit.
AUSTRALIA: Trade deadlines for ASEAN, China and Japan
Updated 01/11/2007 21:01:11
The Australian Government says it aims to conclude free trade agreements with China and Japan by 2010. The Coalition Government has also set the middle of next year as the finish date for free trade negotiations with the ten countries of ASEAN. But the Opposition Labor Party has accused the Government of putting too much effort into discriminatory trade deals that undermine the multilateral system.
