Asia Pacific

Thursday, 15 May 2008

China ramps up relief efforts for quake victimsAudioTranscript

Updated 19:36:39

China has ramped up its relief efforts with more troops and helicopters as the search for earthquake survivors continues in Sichuan province.

Relief effort in Burma hampered by rainAudio

Updated 19:36:35

It's now twelve days after the cyclone and storm surge and too little has been done to tackle starvation and disease.

ASEAN defends its response to BurmaAudioTranscript

Updated 19:36:30

ASEAN is in damage control after being criticised for being too slow in responding to the disaster in Burma.

Manila warned to finalise peace deal with Muslim separatistsAudioTranscript

Updated 19:36:21

Manila has been warned to finalise a peace deal with Muslim separatists in the southern Philippines or risk fresh outbreak of violence.

Australian high commissioner in Fiji get second death threatAudio

Updated 19:36:26

Australia's High Commissioner in Fiji has received a second death threat amid strains in the relationship between Canberra and the military-ruled South Pacific nation.

Nobel laureates call for release of jailed Indian rights workerAudio

Updated 19:36:17

A group of 22 Nobel laureates has sent a letter to the Indian government criticizing the jailing of prominent doctor and human-rights worker Binayak Sen.

Wednesday, 14 May 2008

Australia announces boost to Asian language teachingAudioTranscript

Updated 19:50:59

The Australian government has also announced major investment into Asian language teaching.

Rescue teams struggle in ChinaAudio

Updated 19:51:16

The full horror from China's massive earthquake has begun to emerge as rescuers discover entire towns in Sichuan province all but wiped off the map.

Outrage over ASEAN's slow response to BurmaAudio

Updated 19:51:12

The voices of outrage over the slow reponse by Southeast Asian nations to help the estimated two million victims of Burma's cyclone are getting louder.

India blast has hallmarks of Al QaedaAudioTranscript

Updated 19:51:08

Police in India are sifting through the sites of eight bomb attacks that killed at least 80 people in the north-western city of Jaipur.

Australia's foreign aid boostAudio

Updated 19:51:04

The Australian government has given the aid community a budget shot in the arm, kicking in half a billion Australian dollars towards overseas assistance.

Protests against Jakarta's fuel price hikeAudio

Updated 19:50:59

Thousands of Indonesians have taken to the streets this week protesting against a government plan to raise fuel prices before the end of the month.

Tuesday, 13 May 2008

Australian Treasurer hands down budgetAudio

Updated 20:35:12

The Australian Treasurer has just presented his first budget to Parliament.

Death toll from China quake soarsAudio

Updated 20:35:24

The official death toll from the most powerful earthquake to hit China in 30 years stands at ten thousand with many more injured in the south-western province of Sichuan.

Bad weather worsens life for Burma's cyclones victimsAudioTranscript

Updated 20:34:59

The wheels of bureaucracy and diplomacy must seem slower than ever for the survivors of Burma's cyclone Nagis.

Pakistan ruling coalition on brink of collapseAudio

Updated 20:34:54

Pakistan's six-week old coalition government is looking shaky.

China to build its own jumbo jetAudio

Updated 20:34:43

China moves a step closer to fulfilling its dreams of building its own jumbo jet.

UN in East Timor lambasted over controversial appointmentAudioTranscript

Updated 20:34:48

In East Timor, the United Nations is on the defensive after being lambasted by their own top lawyer in New York for hiring a disgraced former defence minister Roque Rodrigues as a presidential security advisor.

Monday, 12 May 2008

Powerful quake hits western ChinaAudio

Updated 20:15:53

A massive earthquake has hit western China.

Aid bottleneck in BurmaAudioTranscript

Updated 20:15:53

The first American aid flight from Thailand has arrived in Burma loaded with water, mosquito nets and blankets.

Pakistan to buy spy planes from AustraliaAudio

Updated 20:15:58

Pakistan wants to buy surveillance aircraft from Australia to help patrol Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters along the two thousand plus kilometre border.

Colombo claims victory in key provincial electionsAudio

Updated 20:16:03

The Sri Lankan government has claimed victory in key provincial elections in the east of the island, describing it as a major boost in its war against the Tamil Tigers.

China television critical of Australian gold mining firmAudio

Updated 20:16:09

An Australian mining company with a majority holding in China's second-largest gold mine has been the focus of a scathing attack on Chinese state television.

Friday, 09 May 2008

New Australia Asia literary prize mootedAudio

Updated 19:40:24

Western Australia says it wants to set up an Australia Asia Literary Award to rival the prestigious booker prize.

Australian forces accused of abusing Taliban detaineesAudio

Updated 19:40:58

The Australian Defence Force is investigating claims that Australian soldiers have mistreated Taliban detainees.

Burma regime urged to delay referendumAudioTranscript

Updated 19:40:53

The United Nations says the Burmese junta should postpone a referendum on a military-drafted constitution in order to focus on the emergency response to the devastation.

Australia's aid to Burma under questionAudio

Updated 19:40:44

Australia's former Foreign Minister Alexander Downer says Australia's aid donation of three million dollars to Burma is pathetic.

Deposed Fiji prime minister under investigation for graftAudio

Updated 19:40:38

Fiji's deposed prime minister is being investigated for corruption but he says he's not worried.

East Timor to tackle corruptionAudioTranscript

Updated 19:40:32

East Timor's Prime Minster Xanana Gusmao has revealed his plans to tackle corruption in the fledgling nation.

Vietnam optimistic on bird flu vaccineAudio

Updated 19:40:28

Vietnam says it's had good results with the first stage of human testing of its locally developed bird flu vaccine.

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