April 2008
UN warns of massive energy bill for Asia
Updated 29/04/2008 19:36:03
The United Nations has warned the region faces an energy infrastructure bill of nine trillion U-S dollars by 2030 if it doesn't introduce energy saving and efficiency measures as quickly as possible.
Calls for Malaysian Prime Minister to resign
Updated 29/04/2008 19:36:08
Following the Malaysian Opposition's unprecedented election gain there are calls by many within the ruling UMNO party, for Abdullah Badawi to resign as Prime Minister.
Laos war time caves a new tourist attraction
Updated 29/04/2008 19:35:57
During the Vietnam war, a secret and elaborate city of caves in northern Laos allowed many to survive nearly a decade of incessant U-S bombing. Now the government has opened up the caves to the public.
Making the most of East Timor's farms
Updated 29/04/2008 19:35:57
Increasing rice prices are forcing countries with agriculture-based economies to look at alternative staple foods. An Australian government funded program is looking at how to make the most out of East Timor's farms.
Taiwan names new head of top China body
Updated 29/04/2008 19:36:13
Taiwan's incoming premier has made a suprise announcement by naming a pro-independence politician to head its top China policy-making body.
Leading Timor rebel surrenders
Updated 29/04/2008 19:36:17
East Timor rebel leader Gastao Salsinha, one of the rebel leaders behind February's assassination attempt on the President and Prime Minister has surrendered along with 12 of his supporters.
Fears grow for jailed Melanesian students in Indonesia
Updated 28/04/2008 20:39:52
In Indonesia, there are growing fears for a group of ethnic Melanesian students who've been jailed for allegedly raising a banned flag during a peaceful protest.
Nauru's government wins snap election
Updated 28/04/2008 20:39:57
Nauru's government has won early elections aimed at ending months of political deadlock.
China to hold talks with aides to Dalai Lama
Updated 28/04/2008 20:40:05
China's announcement that it wants to hold talks with aids to the Dalai Lama has been largely welcomed by the international community. But with less than four months before the Olympic Games, many say the offer for talks is just a "desperate attempt" to defuse international pressure on the Tibet issue.
UN agrees to extend Australia's continental shelf
Updated 28/04/2008 20:40:11
The United Nations has agreed to extend Australia's territory by a massive two and a half million square kilometres along its continental shelf. But the ruling also confers new responsibilities on Australia, some of which could also affect its relationships in the region.
India and Iran hold energy talks
Updated 28/04/2008 20:39:31
Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is on his way to New Delhi today as part of a whistlestop tour of South Asia. His one day working visit to India will be dominated by talks on two multi-billion-dollar energy deals.
East Timor's new incentives to rebuild homes
Updated 28/04/2008 20:39:47
Severe food shortages in East Timor have forced the government to increase its efforts to shift thousands of people still living in makeshift camps since the violence two years ago. So, it's offering other incentives to rebuild the thousands of homes destroyed in 2006 and encourage the owners to return home.
Vietnamese veterans commemorate Anzac day
Updated 25/04/2008 18:45:48
It's not just Australian servicemen and women who take pride in ANZAC Day, hundreds of veterans from the former South Vietnamese Army live in Australia and feel a special bond with the ANZACs.
Nauru prepares to go to the polls
Updated 25/04/2008 18:45:48
Nauru goes to the polls tomorrow. The election was called under a state of emergency declared by the President, Marcus Stephen, in the wake of an extended parliamentary deadlock.
Malaysia to withdraw peacekeepers from Mindanao
Updated 25/04/2008 18:46:35
Malaysia has run out of patience with the Philippines and the slow progress of negotiations with rebels in the troubled south.
Kuala Lumpur says it will start pulling out its peacekeeping force from the island of Mindanao from next month.
Thailand aims to boost rice production
Updated 25/04/2008 18:47:34
Governments across the rice bowl region of South-East Asia are scrambling to avert a food shortage. Thailand, one of the few countries to grow more than it eats, is pushing to boost production and protect its rice farmers.
North Korea accused of helping Syria build nuclear reactor
Updated 25/04/2008 18:47:39
The United States has publicly accused North Korea of helping Syria build a secret nuclear reactor that could produce plutonium.
Food and energy security at top of UN meeting in Bangkok
Updated 25/04/2008 18:47:12
The United Nations regional economic and social commission has placed energy and food security at the top of the agenda when it hosts its 64th Session in Bangkok next week.
Official pardon for jailed East Timorese minister
Updated 24/04/2008 20:26:05
The man jailed for instigating much of East Timor's unrest two years ago is to receive an official pardon. Rogerio Lobato, the former Interior Minister, was found guilty of manslaughter and distributing weapons to a civilian hit squad.
Vietnam's wind energy potential explored
Updated 24/04/2008 20:25:51
There are mixed views on the potential of wind energy in Vietnam, some energy experts say it could be the answer to solving the nation's energy crisis.
Macau's casino licence restrictions to help quell public unease
Updated 24/04/2008 20:25:57
Australia has the mining boom but for the tiny Chinese territory of Macau, its gambling. Now the local administration has put a cap on the number of casino licences it will issue.
China shines at Canberra torch relay
Updated 24/04/2008 20:27:27
The Olympic Torch relay has passed through the Australian capital, Canberra. The pro-Tibet movement was there but by sheer weight of numbers it was China's day, with Chinese flags splashing the scene red.
Tonga's historic vote counting continues
Updated 24/04/2008 20:27:16
Tongans today cast their ballots in the island nation's last ever election ahead of scheduled democratic reforms in 2010.
Yesterday the nobles voted for nine representatives in the 33 seat parliament, today the people voted.
Maoists win Nepal's vote
Updated 24/04/2008 20:27:23
The results are in and the winners in Nepal's landmark election are the former communist rebels.
Africa gives China cold shoulder over Zimbabwe arms
Updated 23/04/2008 20:12:48
China's growing diplomatic and economic role in Africa is under a cloud as more and more African nations refuse to allow a Chinese ship laden with weapons for Zimbabwe to dock.
Samsung Chairman resignation raises sceptical comment
Updated 23/04/2008 20:13:04
The sudden resignation of South Korea's Chair of Samsung Corporation has sent shock waves through the country. Lee Kun-Hee is facing criminal charges of tax evasion and breach of trust after an investigation into allegations of massive corruption at the group.
Australia holds talks with PNG
Updated 23/04/2008 20:12:47
Australia and Papua New Guinea talk for the first time in two years. Government ministers from both countries met in Madang today, in the first ministerial contact since relations broke down in 2006.
Tonga goes to the polls
Updated 23/04/2008 20:13:39
Voting has begun in Tonga's last elections to be held before scheduled democratic reforms in the semi-feudal South Pacific monarchy.
US accused of taking its eye off Asia
Updated 23/04/2008 20:13:19
Former top United States official, James Kelly says the US will be more cautious in Asia because it will take years to rebuild the American military after the Iraq conflict.
Indonesia's corruption commission accused of aggressive tactics
Updated 23/04/2008 20:13:12
Attempts by the Indonesian Corruption Eradication Commission to stamp out corruption, have left many politicians weary of its motives.
Three arrested in Indonesia for Timor attacks
Updated 22/04/2008 12:48:51
Three men have been arrested in Indonesia in connection with the February attacks on the president and prime minister of East Timor.
Push for Australians to learn Asian languages
Updated 22/04/2008 12:49:04
Australia's 2020 summit recommended more language teachers, with the Foreign Minister saying every Australian student should be studying a second language by 2020.
Kevin Rudd calls for deeper understanding of Asia
Updated 22/04/2008 12:49:27
Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd says Australia must have the deepest understanding of Asia of any Western society. He made the call at the 20/20 summit in Canberra.
Hong Kong business upset over China visa changes
Updated 22/04/2008 12:48:30
Changes to China's visa requirements are causing a loss of business and leading to calls for a return to the old system. Business chambers in Hong Kong are lobbying Beijing to explain the changes which are affecting tourists and business travellers alike.
Malaysia promises to boost press freedoms
Updated 22/04/2008 19:21:53
The Malaysian government has promised to boost press freedoms in the country, pledging to review its tough media laws. The announcement by the country's Home Minister comes as he approved a permit for opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's National Justice Party to start publishing its own newspaper.
East Timorese President calls Australian inquiry slow
Updated 22/04/2008 19:21:53
Now to East Timor, where President Jose Ramos-Horta has accused Australian authorities of dragging their feet in the investigation into the attempt on his life.
Mr Ramos-Horta wants Australia to hand-over everything it knows about an 800-thousand dollar Darwin bank account in the name of rebel leader Alfredo Reinado and his lover, Australian Timorese woman Angelita Pires. Australia has denied stonewalling the probe. But the question over the funds transfer isn't the only one troubling the president. Last week, Asia Pacific broadcast the President's allegations against Indonesian television channel, Metro TV over the airing of an interview with Alfredo Reinado.
AUST: No concessions to restart China FTA talks
Updated 22/04/2008 19:21:53
Australia is not making concessions to China to encourage the Asian giant into an earlier free trade agreement. Trade Minister Simon Crean says media reports that investment barriers are being lowered are simply wrong. The two nations have been in negotiations for three years with little progress, while New Zealand signed an agreement with China two weeks ago.
Australia/PNG relationship back on track
Updated 22/04/2008 19:21:53
Australia says the Ministerial Forum with Papua New Guinea - in Madang on Wednesday - shows the relationship with PNG is back on track. Six Australian Ministers are attending the PNG Forum along with three Parliamentary Secretaries.
The Philippines bans farmland conversions
Updated 22/04/2008 19:21:53
Authorities in the Philippines have announced a ban on the conversion of farm lands for other uses, including property development due to a rice shortage. The government says due to a booming property market there has been a rapid conversion of prime agricultural lands for real estate development. The President Gloria Arroyo has also ordered a review of the guidelines governing farmland conversion.
Cricket Australia to play in Pakistan
Updated 21/04/2008 12:48:22
Cricket Australia says a potential fine of close to two million dollars had nothing to do with its decision to schedule not one but two tours to Pakistan over the next two years.
Indonesia bans Islamic sect
Updated 18/04/2008 19:24:49
Indonesia's Attorney General has banned a controversial Islamic sect from practising in the country. But the government has stopped short of disbanding the Ahmadiyah sect altogether.
Outcry over 100 executions in Afghanistan
Updated 18/04/2008 19:25:00
In Afghanistan a hundred people have been sentenced to death on a single day. Human rights groups have called on President Hamid Karzai not to sign the execution orders.
Canberra considers temporary work visas for South Pacific
Updated 18/04/2008 19:25:06
The Australian Cabinet will consider in the next three months a plan to give temporary working visas to the South Pacific.
Calls for innovative trade policy for Australian business
Updated 18/04/2008 19:25:13
Australia's trade Minister Simon Crean is in China hoping to restart stalled free Trade talks with Beijing but even if an FTA can be finalised, Australia has a long way to go to shock-proof its economy against a time when its major mineral and energy exports fall.
State of Emergency declared in Nauru
Updated 18/04/2008 19:24:16
Just four months after coming to office Nauru President Marcus Stephen has declared a state of emergency and has called for fresh elections.
Indonesian TV accused of supporting Reinado
Updated 18/04/2008 19:24:16
East Timor's president Jose Ramos Horta has pledged to lodge an official complaint against an Indonesian television station, accusing it of supporting rebel fugitive Alfredo Reinado.
East Timor President Ramos Horta returns home
Updated 17/04/2008 19:47:28
It's been an emotional day in East Timor, with the president Jos� Ramos Horta finally returning home after more than two months recuperating in Darwin after he was shot twice in the back by armed rebels in February.
South China Sea facing environmental degradation
Updated 17/04/2008 19:47:12
Marine scientists in Asia say the sea is taking an environmental battering which will have disastrous consequences for the eleven nations it surrounds, including food shortages.
Australia's counter terrorism operations in South East Asia
Updated 17/04/2008 19:47:13
Is Australia is putting too much emphasis on counter-terrorism in dealing with South East Asia. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute says confronting radical jihadists in Southeast Asia is creating an acute dilemma for Australia.
2020 summit to consider Australia's role in region
Updated 17/04/2008 19:47:18
One of the ten areas identified as "critical" at Australia's 2020 summit is Australia's future security in a rapidly changing region. We speak to the man leading that discussion.
Indian IT firm invests in Australia
Updated 17/04/2008 19:47:23
The Indian computer software company Satyam is to build a development centre in the Australian state of Victoria creating an extra 14-hundred jobs.
Calls for UN probe into Bhutto assasination
Updated 16/04/2008 20:28:24
Pakistan's new parliament dominated by Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party wants a United Nations investigation into her death.
Fears that US is heading towards isolationism
Updated 16/04/2008 20:28:29
Foreign policy issues in the US election campaign have tended to be reduced to Iraq and Afghanistan and what to do about China. And many outside the United States fear we're witnessing the dawn of a new era of isolationism.
Australia stepping up to bigger international role.
Updated 16/04/2008 20:28:39
Australia has defended its intention to lobby for a seat in the United Nations Security Council. Foreign Minister Stephen Smith says its a centre piece of his goal to enhance Australia's role in international affairs, including the UN.
Press gets a peak into Beijing's Olympic stadium
Updated 16/04/2008 20:28:20
After weeks on end of bad PR, China's Olympic Organizers finally had something to be happy about. The iconic "bird's nest" stadium is almost ready and foreign journalists were given a peak inside.
Tough on crime Manila mayor faces drug scandal
Updated 16/04/2008 20:28:20
Manila's controversial, tough on crime Mayor Alfredo Lim, is again in the spotlight, after his own son was arrested for allegedly selling illegal drugs.
Protests planned for Delhi's Olympic torch relay
Updated 15/04/2008 19:41:17
In just over two days the Olympic torch will arrive in the Indian capital,where it can expect yet another controversial outing.
Amnesty says China the world's top executioner
Updated 15/04/2008 19:41:22
Amnesty International has condemned China as the world's top executioner, saying 470 people were killed by the state last year. The Amnesty report says 88 percent of all known executions take place in just five countries, China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and the United States.
Australia's Trade Minister last ditch effort to restart free trade tal
Updated 15/04/2008 19:41:26
When Australia's Trade Minister Simon Crean arrives in Beijing on Wednesday, he'll be the third cabinet Minister in three weeks to visit China. Australia has been negotiating a free trade agreement with China for three years but with little to show for a raft of difficult meetings.
Turkey woos Pacific islands for UN bid
Updated 15/04/2008 19:41:12
Many of the Pacific's island nations have formed a new diplomatic relationship with Turkey. Ankara is looking for support for its bid to become a member of the UN Security Council. In return, it's about to become one of the new donor nations to the Pacific.
Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim says he has numbers to form government
Updated 15/04/2008 19:41:13
Malaysia's Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim says he now has the numbers in parliament to topple the ruling coalition.
New hope for historic China-Taiwan talks
Updated 14/04/2008 19:36:49
It's lasted nearly six decades, but it appears the frosty relations between China and Taiwan have finally begun to thaw. On the weekend, China's President Hu Jintao held a historic meeting with Taiwan's vice-president elect Vincent Siew.
World Bank warns of looming food crisis
Updated 14/04/2008 19:36:55
The World Bank has called for the international community to beef up its response to soaring food prices that have led to starvation and threatening political stability in the developing world.
Corruption scandal engulfs Indonesia central bank
Updated 14/04/2008 19:36:34
The credibility of Indonesia's Central Bank is once again under question as it faces allegations of endemic corruption.
The allegations centre on the misuse of Bank Indonesia funds to bribe parliamentarians to ensure the bank's regulator control.
Maoists take lead in Nepal elections
Updated 14/04/2008 19:36:44
In Nepal, the former rebel Maoists have taken a surprise lead in early counting after Thursday's election.
Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim makes political comeback
Updated 14/04/2008 19:37:09
Malaysia's former Deputy Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, can officially return to politics today, almost a decade after he was dumped from office under a cloud of alleged corruption.
TV operator in Singapore fined for lesbian kiss
Updated 11/04/2008 18:45:15
A cable television operator in Singapore has been fined more than seven thousand dollars for broadcasting an advertisement featuring two women kissing.
East Timor steps up hunt for rebel leader
Updated 11/04/2008 18:45:28
East Timor's military command is planning to take tougher measures to catch rebel leader Gastao Salsinha and his men, as three more rebels surrendered to authorities.
Nepalis vote in landmark elections
Updated 11/04/2008 18:45:36
Despite low-level violence and claims of vote rigging, the people of Nepal have turned out in large numbers to cast their votes in historic elections.
Australian PM to meet Pakistan President
Updated 11/04/2008 18:45:42
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is travelling to Southern China for a meeting with the Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf. He plans to raise concerns about Pakistan's lacklustre efforts to support the nations fighting terrorism in Afghanistan.
Australia youth summit to get underway
Updated 11/04/2008 18:45:06
To coincide with the end of International Youth Week, Australia will this weekend hold a 2020 Youth Summit in Canberra.
China's new taste for wine
Updated 10/04/2008 20:36:57
This week in Europe, wine makers reported that their cellars were being cleaned out because of a dramatic surge in demand for red and white wine in Asia, especially China.
Barack Obama opens office in Guam
Updated 10/04/2008 20:37:04
As the American Presidential Campaign continues some of the running candidates are beginning to focus more on the smaller territories to win the crucial delegate votes. So much so that Democrat Senator Barack Obama has opened a campaign office in Guam.
IMF says US recession could go global
Updated 10/04/2008 20:37:55
In its second report in two days the International Monetary Fund has painted a grim picture for the world economy. The IMF says there's a one in four chance of the world slipping into recession.
Narrow win to GNP in Korean election
Updated 10/04/2008 20:40:33
South Korea's ruling Grand National Party has won a slim majority in parliamentary elections, taking 153 of the 299 National Assembly seats.
54 Burmese migrants die in container enroute to Thailand
Updated 10/04/2008 20:40:48
Fifty four Burmese have suffocated to death in a cold storage container as they were being smuggled into Thailand. Police believe the Burmese paid about 150-US dollars to a Thai smuggling ring to take them across the border.
Historic vote in Nepal
Updated 10/04/2008 20:40:39
The people of Nepal are voting today to decide their political future. They're expected to abolish the Royal Dynasty that's ruled them for centuries and instead choose an assembly to write a new Republican constitution.
India courts African business
Updated 09/04/2008 20:21:01
Two of the world's most populous countries, China and India, are competing with each other to engage resource-rich Africa. New Delhi is upping the ante, openly courting African business by hosting the first ever India-Africa summit.
Japan appoints new central bank chief
Updated 09/04/2008 20:21:05
After a month-long block by the Japanese opposition, the government has finally been able to appoint a new head for the country's central bank. But it's come at a political cost with the Prime Minister's popularity slumping.
Australian PM faces storm in China over commodity prices.
Updated 09/04/2008 20:21:10
Australian commodity prices risk becoming another diplomatic battle ground in China for Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. But with reports circulating that Chinese interests might seek to take a shareholding in mining giant BHP, life just got a whole lot more complicated.
Australian PM defies China by raising Tibet rights issues
Updated 09/04/2008 20:21:16
Kevin Rudd's visit is stirring up a diplomatic storm over his very public comments on human rights in Tibet. That's angered his Chinese hosts but the PM has repeated his concerns to students at Beijing University, becoming the first western leader to deliver a speech in Manadarin.
Warnings Vietnam faces desertification
Updated 09/04/2008 20:20:57
There are concerns that Vietnam is facing the prospect of large tracts of land turning to desert. The country loses 20 hectares of farmland every year to drought and desertification.
Indonesia demands action on Malaysian timber buyers
Updated 09/04/2008 20:20:57
The Indonesian Minister for Forestry, MS Kaban says he has evidence of Malaysian companies buying illegal Indonesian timber to fuel the booming furniture industry.
Sexual diseases up among teens in Singapore
Updated 08/04/2008 20:12:59
In Singapore, the rate of sexually transmitted infections among teenagers is set to hit record levels this year.
American Express closes Australian call centre in India
Updated 08/04/2008 20:13:10
Credit card company American Express says it's keeping its call centre businesses in Asia but will close the sections dealing with Australian customers.
Tibetan refugees in Nepal speak out about China violence
Updated 08/04/2008 20:15:33
Tibetan refugees in central Nepal have watched the unfolding violence in Tibet with a mixture of pain and sadness.
Canberra confident of agreement on Doha
Updated 08/04/2008 20:15:14
Australia's Trade Minister says the international financial crisis has created new hope for a multilateral trade agreement between 151 countries. Simon Crean says global economic uncertainty has given an unexpected push to conclude the Doha Round in the World Trade Organisation.
Former East Timorese militia leader freed
Updated 08/04/2008 20:15:26
Eurico Guterres, one of the most notorious leaders of the militia violence in East Timor in 1999 has been released from a Jakarta jail after serving two years of a 10 year sentence.
More protests in San Francisco ahead of torch relay
Updated 08/04/2008 20:15:45
China is getting increasingly incensed at the disruption of the Olympic Torch Relay. Beijing has described the protests in Paris and London as despicable and the situation is unlikely to improve in San Francisco where the torch relay is about to begin.
Rice shortage in Asia as prices soar
Updated 07/04/2008 20:10:41
Soaring global food prices have set off fears of rice shortages throughout Asia, as the international price of rice continues to climb. That's sparked panic buying throughout Asia, where rice is consumed daily by every household.
Human rights gets second place in China-NZ trade deal
Updated 07/04/2008 20:10:59
New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark has signed a free trade agreement with China. Helen Clark says the violent crackdown on Tibet is no reason to delay the deal but others disagree.
Kevin Rudd to confront tough issues in China
Updated 07/04/2008 20:11:06
Australia's Prime Minister flies into Beijing on Wednesday to confront tough questions over Tibet but also tensions in the burgeoning trade relationship. For Kevin Rudd, Beijing is the final stage of his international tour but it also presents the most difficult diplomatic problems.
Supreme Court victory for Nauru Government
Updated 07/04/2008 20:10:36
For the past two weeks, Nauru's political system has been deadlocked as both sides of parliament fought a bitter battle for control. But now the government has won the fight with the Supreme Court ruling in its favour.
Indonesia bans access to porn sites
Updated 07/04/2008 20:10:36
Indonesian has introduced new laws prohibiting access to internet porn sites, despite some concern over the effectiveness of such legislation, in the world's most populous Muslim nation, there's a good deal of popular support for the new law.
Nepal on verge of rewriting constitution
Updated 07/04/2008 20:10:49
Nepal is on the verge of electing a special assembly to rewrite the country's constitution. Thursday's vote could be the end of the line for Nepal's monarchy and will test the popularity of the former rebel Maoists.
Another illegal blood scheme discovered in China
Updated 04/04/2008 18:58:55
The discovery of another illegal blood scheme in China has again raised concerns about problems in the nation's blood bank industry. A security guard working at the blood centre in Guangzhou in Guangdong province has been sacked on suspicions he was allegedly involved in the illegal blood ring.
Wildlife crime syndicate exposed
Updated 04/04/2008 18:58:58
Authorities believe they are on the verge of cracking a sophisticated organised wildlife crime syndicate, operating in South East Asia. The breakthrough follows a recent seizure of dead tigers and leopards, found on the Thai Laos border.
East Timor aims to mend relationship with people
Updated 04/04/2008 18:59:02
Almost two months since the attacks on East Timor's leaders and many of the rebels responsible remain on the run. But as the search continues, allegations of human rights violations towards citizens by the security forces continue to emerge.
Australia strengthens ties with Cambodia
Updated 04/04/2008 18:59:05
Australia's Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance Bob McMullan has just returned from Cambodia after announcing more than a million dollars in grants.
China and Australia argue over iron ore prices
Updated 04/04/2008 18:58:55
The row between China and Australia over iron ore prices has taken a dramatic turn for the worse with China threatening to bypass Australia's resources altogether and buy from Brazil instead. Contract negotiations between China and Australia's producers are gridlocked with accusations that Australia is pushing for excessive price hikes.
Muslims use humour to combat stereotypes
Updated 03/04/2008 21:23:30
Two Muslim men are confronting stereotypes about their religion by throwing them right into people's faces in their comedy show Fear of Brown Planet, currently playing at Melbourne's Comedy Festival.
China's economic stake in the future of Zimbabwe
Updated 03/04/2008 21:23:30
China has invested heavily in its African ally, Zimbabwe. It is Zimbabwe's most important trading partner and has been the biggest beneficiary of President Robert Mugabe's anti-western 'look east' policy. But last year, reports emerged that Beijing was having second thoughts about Mr Mugabe and was abandoning Zimbabwe except humanitarian aid.
Bali Bombers want cash for comment
Updated 03/04/2008 21:23:44
Lawyers for the Bali bombers say if media organisations want to interview their clients, they'll have to pay for it. Journalists have been beating a path to the high security prison in southern Java to hear first hand from Imam Samudra, Amrozi and Mukhlas. The trio's legal team denies its cash for comment.
Europe welcomes Kevin Rudd's foreign policies
Updated 03/04/2008 21:23:50
Kevin Rudd's tour to the United States, Europe and China is showing the international policy aspirations of Australia's new Prime Minister. The Rudd design for foreign policy has a strong multilateral flavour, which is welcomed by the European Union.
Thailand's old concerns over new war on drugs
Updated 03/04/2008 21:23:37
Thailand's plan to wage a new "war on drugs" has human rights activists worried. Two previous campains led to more than two thousand deaths and caused an international outcry.The new government says this time civil liberties will be respected and the police will behave.
Nepal's leaders pledge peaceful election
Updated 02/04/2008 20:04:02
Three of Nepal's top political leaders have pledged that next week's election will be peaceful, despite rising violence across the country.
Australia welcomes Taiwan's incoming president
Updated 02/04/2008 20:04:11
Australia has given an enthusiastic welcome to Taiwan's incoming President, saying the election result will cut tensions with China. Both sides of Australian politics have endorsed the election of Ma Ying-jeou, pointing to benefits in cross-Straits relations but also in the South Pacific.
India's embrace of globalisation
Updated 02/04/2008 20:03:46
India has become the poster child of globalisation. The enthusiasm for new shining India was summed up by Gurcharan Dass, author of the international best-selling book, India Unbound. But he also says the process is not without its dangers.
Australia defends its role in Fiji coup
Updated 02/04/2008 20:04:29
Fiji's Human Rights Commission has recommended Australia be brought before the U-N over its role in the 2006 coup. The commission has released a report accusing Australia of playing a hand in the coup by sending military forces to the country.
Singapore's powerful sovereign funds
Updated 02/04/2008 20:03:54
Singapore's financial strength is proving to be a factor once again in the latest international bank bailout. Massive new writedowns have been announced by the Swiss banking giant UBS.
Indonesia furore at anti-Islam film
Updated 01/04/2008 21:12:49
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has called for calm as protests in Jakarta against a Dutch film enter their third day. The film has been described as highly offensive to Islam.
Sri Lankan security accused of aid massacre
Updated 01/04/2008 21:13:40
The Sri Lankan Government has been accused of a high level cover-up over the 2006 murder of 17 aid workers by local security forces. A local human rights group says local police shot the 17, most of whom were Tamils, with the complicity of senior officers.
Australia calls for North East Asia security structure
Updated 01/04/2008 21:13:46
Australian Prime Minster Kevin Rudd says Asia needs a new security structure. And he's proposed North East Asia's six party talks as the means for that new security mechanism, saying Australia wants to be included.
China invites Taiwan to peace talks
Updated 01/04/2008 21:13:19
China has invited Taiwan to hold talks, with the view to signing a peace treaty. Premier Wen Jiabao says the so-called "big issues" talks could focus on establishing direct transport links as well as reaching a peace agreement to end cross-Strait hostility.
Afghanistan at centre of NATO summit
Updated 01/04/2008 21:13:34
The largest summit in NATO's history begins this week in Bucharest. Heads of government from 26 NATO countries will begin meeting on Wednesday to discuss what to do do about the war in Afghanistan.
