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Thursday, 28 August 2008

Arrest warrants issued for protest leadersAudio

Updated 11:35:50

The Thai government has issued arrest warrants for nine key leaders of a massive protest besieging government house.

Democracy leaders cultivating military linksAudio

Updated 11:35:50

The public and political campaign aimed at removing Mr Samak from office has been going on for several months, and has been spearheaded by the so-called People's Alliance for Democracy.

Russia and China discuss Georgia at summitAudioTranscript

Updated 11:35:49

Later today the eighth summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, or SCO, gets underway in the Tajik capital, Dushanbe.

East Timor's Prime Minister Xanana GusmaoAudio

Updated 11:35:49

East Timor's Prime Minister Xanana Gusamo says East Timor has turned a corner since February the eleventh, when the leadership cane under attack.

Australia to link school attendance to welfareAudioTranscript

Updated 11:35:49

School attendance is compulsory in Australia, and most states don't let children leave school until they're 15 years old.

Golfers told to learn English to competeAudio

Updated 11:35:49

The Ladies Professional Golf Association in the US has a new rule - foreign players will have to learn English or face suspension from the world's most prestigous women's tour.

Afghan crisis emerging over civilian casultiesAudio

Updated 11:35:49

Anger is growing in Afghanistan over the large number of civilian casualties resulting from international military actions in the country.

Indian babies 'bought and sold' for foreign adoptionAudioTranscript

Updated 11:35:49

The number of international adoptions has boomed in recent years as the amount of children available to adopt in Western countries has fallen but international adoption has seen its reputation spiral into a mire of bad news, especially through its association with baby traffickers.

Anger over cuts to jail time for paedophiles in CambodiaAudio

Updated 11:35:49

In Cambodia changes to child sexual abuse laws could mean the reduction in sentences of nearly 40 foreign paedophiles currently serving jail terms.

Indonesia undergoing baby boomAudio

Updated 11:35:49

After decades of falling fertility rates, Indonesia now faces a baby boom.

Wednesday, 27 August 2008

Anwar Ibrahim wins by-electionAudio

Updated 11:43:13

After more than a decade out in the cold, Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's back in the politics business.

Badawi's lack of vision opened door for AnwarAudioTranscript

Updated 11:43:13

Anwar Ibrahim's victory is a culmination of a decade-long push to rebuild his political career after he was sacked and jailed for six years.

Anti-government protests intensify in ThailandAudioTranscript

Updated 11:43:13

Tens of thousands of anti-government protesters have taken to the streets demanding the resignation of the Thai prime minister Samak Sundaravej.

Call to reform traditional 'pondok' schools in Thai southAudio

Updated 11:43:13

Whoever is in power in Thailand has to continue dealing with the problem of an active Muslim insurgency in the south of the country.

North Korea stops disabling nuclear facilitiesAudio

Updated 11:43:13

North Korea has announced it will stop the disabling of its nuclear facilties, accusing the United States of reneging on a six-party disarmanent deal.

Race to have Delhi ready for GamesAudio

Updated 11:43:13

As Beijing recovers from the hangover of staging the most expensive Olympic games in history its emerging economic rival India is preparing to stage its own sporting festival.

Curfew continues in India-controlled KashmirAudioTranscript

Updated 11:43:13

Many parts of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir are under curfew for a third straight day as police try to stop protests by both Muslim and Hindu separatists.

Aung San Suu Kyi refuses food in protest at UN visitAudio

Updated 11:43:12

Burma's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi is reportedly refusing to accept food deliveries to her home in protest against the recent visit by U-N envoy Ibrahim Gambari.

Smoking rates increase in IndonesiaAudioTranscript

Updated 11:43:12

The proportion of Indonesians who smoke has gone up significantly in recent years, putting the nation on par with India and China as the countries with the world's biggest smoking problems.

Women labourers seek better conditions in IndiaAudio

Updated 11:43:12

Working conditions of women labourers in India continues to be poor especially in construction sites where they have to negotiate with contractors for better employment facilities.

Tuesday, 26 August 2008

Anwar Ibrahim on comeback trailAudio

Updated 12:00:53

It's taken him a decade, but the man once marked out to be Malaysia's future prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, is poised to make a remarkable political comeback.

Nawaz Sharif pulls out of Pakistan coalitionAudio

Updated 12:00:52

Barely a week after Pervez Musharraf resigned as Pakistan's president, the ruling coalition many were hoping would return the country to democratic rule, has collapsed.

Obama picks India friend as running mateAudio

Updated 12:00:52

Barack Obama has chosen Joe Biden as his running mate, in a decision intended to balance his perceived lack of foreign policy experience.

Burmese opposition says UN visit achieves nothingAudio

Updated 12:00:52

Burma's main opposition party, the National League for Democracy, has labelled the latest visit by United Nations special envoy Ibrahim Gambari, a 'waste of time'.

Australia rejects East Timor as guest workers schemeAudioTranscript

Updated 12:00:52

East Timor's Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao was in Canberra today hoping to win support for a proposal to allow East Timorese workers to be included in Australia's seasonal worker's program.

Australia approves China's bigger slice of mining giantAudioTranscript

Updated 12:00:52

The Australian Government has given approval for a Chinese Government owned company to buy a bigger slice of mining giant Rio Tinto.

More to Cultural Revolution than little red booksAudioTranscript

Updated 12:00:52

Throughout the Beijing Olympics, China was showcased as a modern, vibrant nation, challenging the old stereotype of a nation teeming with red book waving cadres.

China braces for return to normalityAudio

Updated 12:00:52

The Beijing Olympics have been declared "truly exceptional".

Geologists find Canberra once underwaterAudio

Updated 12:00:52

Australia's capital city was once submerged underwater that's the finding of a new geological guide, whose author says Canberra's environment used to be more like the Philippines than the dry Australian bush it is now.

Monday, 25 August 2008

Spectacular end to beijing gamesAudioTranscript

Updated 10:53:52

The 2008 Olympic Games have come to an end with a spectacular closing ceremony at Beijing's Birds Nest Stadium.

Questions remain over whether Beijing was a good hostAudioTranscript

Updated 10:53:52

The Games are over but the debate has continued on whether Beijing was a good host for the Olympics, and how the Games may have changed China and its relationship with the world.

Opposition worried about interference in by-electionAudio

Updated 10:53:52

To Malaysia, and today is the last day of campaigning for a parliamentary by-election that could see the return of Anwar Ibrahim to Malaysia's parliament.

Bhutto's widow nominates for presidentAudio

Updated 10:53:52

Personality politics has taken a new turn in Pakistan - with the widow of Benazir Bhutto, Asif Ali Zardari, nominated as a presidential candidate.

Programs address youth employment in TimorAudio

Updated 10:53:52

In the meantime, back in East Timor, some young Timorese are getting on with the jobÂ… of finding a job.

Opposition demands plan to attack inflationAudio

Updated 10:53:52

After a long winter break, Australia's politicians are back in Canberra, and the government can expect more criticism of its economic management.

Australia and Indonesia agree to stop illegal fishingAudio

Updated 10:53:51

Illegal logging and how to stop illegal fishing has been the subject of several days talks in Jakarta between Australia's Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister Tony Burke and his Indonesian counterpart MS Kaban.

Islamic station may be banned in AustraliaAudio

Updated 10:53:51

Australia's broadcasting watchdog is considering whether to take a TV channel owned by Lebanon's Islamic group, Hezbollah, off the air.

Thailand's king tops royal rich listAudio

Updated 10:53:51

As well as being one of the world's most revered monarchs, it seems that King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand is also the world's richest.

Friday, 22 August 2008

Confusion over Tibetan shooting claimsAudio

Updated 10:24:54

There are allegations today that Chinese troops have opened fire on a crowd of Tibetans, killing up to 140 people.

Philippines peace deal cancelledAudio

Updated 10:24:54

The Philippines Government has scrapped a peace deal with the country's biggest Muslim rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

UN report says Timor at human rights crossroadsAudioTranscript

Updated 10:24:54

East Timor is at a human rights crossroads, says a new report by the United Nations.

Anwar favoured to win by-electionAudioTranscript

Updated 10:24:53

Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim is widely expected to win a parliamentary by-election next Tuesday.

Press freedom under threat in MalaysiaAudio

Updated 10:24:53

As the rivalry between Malaysia's political parties heats up, civil and legal groups say their already limited freedoms have been further whittled down, and accuse Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi of seeking to curb dissent.

India's nuclear deal with US faces crucial testAudioTranscript

Updated 10:24:53

India's controversial nuclear deal with the United States is facing a crucial test in Vienna this week.

Qantas reports record profit while reputation slipsAudio

Updated 10:24:53

Australian airline Qantas has announced a record net profit despite unprecedented oil prices.

Immigration boosts economy: StudyAudio

Updated 10:24:53

An assessment of the economic benefits new migrants bring to Australia has found that only two categories come at a cost - those where parents come out to join families and the humanitarian program.

Australia's Asia Pacific community idea under a cloudAudioTranscript

Updated 10:24:53

Ever since Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd floated the idea of an Asia-Pacific community two months ago the concept has been largely derided.

China needs to improve its public relationsAudioTranscript

Updated 10:24:52

Sunday's Olympic closing ceremony will mark the end of a turmultuous period for China's central government.

Scientists create blood cells in laboratoryAudioTranscript

Updated 10:24:52

Scientists in the United States say they've shown that there will one day be an unlimited supply of disease free blood, of any type.

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