![Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse (C) and First Lady, Shiranthi Rajapaksa (R) arrive at parliament. [AFP]](http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200906/r380442_1772338.jpg "Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse (C) and First Lady, Shiranthi Rajapaksa (R) arrive at parliament. [AFP]")
Sri Lankan president has 'unchecked power': former UN official
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A former United Nations official in Sri Lanka says there's no longer any credible check on the power of the Sri Lankan president.
![Australia's PM Julia Gillard and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott at a function only hours after Ms Gillard secured minority government. [ABC]](http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201009/r634609_4350806.jpg "Australia's PM Julia Gillard and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott at a function only hours after Ms Gillard secured minority government. [ABC]")
Australia's Opposition urged to support new parliament
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The Australian government and the Greens Party have warned the Liberal National Opposition not to act as spoilers in the new Parliament.
![Australia's Defence Force Chief Angus Houston has been consulting defence officials in India about security during the Commonwealth Games. [ABC]](http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201007/r594006_3820640.jpg "Australia's Defence Force Chief Angus Houston has been consulting defence officials in India about security during the Commonwealth Games. [ABC]")
Australia seeks assurances over Commonwealth Games security
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The Chief of the Australian Defence Force, Angus Houston is seeking assurance from his Indian counterpart that Australian athletes will be safe at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.
![Four men have pleaded not guilty to manslaughter over the sinking of the Princess Ashika. [NZ Defence Dept]](http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200908/r416932_1977025.jpg "Four men have pleaded not guilty to manslaughter over the sinking of the Princess Ashika. [NZ Defence Dept]")
Not guilty pleas over Tongan ferry tragedy
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Four men have pleaded not guilty to manslaughter over the sinking of the Princess Ashika ferry in Tonga last year.
![New Zealand Prime Minister John Key surveys the damage in Kaiapoi. [AAP/NZPA]](http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201009/r634971_4355939.jpg "New Zealand Prime Minister John Key surveys the damage in Kaiapoi. [AAP/NZPA]")
Earthquake affected residents being counselled in NZ
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New Zealand's government is warning that it could take months for the citizens of Christchurch to recover from Saturday's earthquake and the following aftershocks.
![Investigators say police may have inadvertently shot some of the tourists being held hostage in last month's bus siege. [Reuters]](http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201008/r625353_4225314.jpg "Investigators say police may have inadvertently shot some of the tourists being held hostage in last month's bus siege. [Reuters]")
Tourists possibly killed in crossfire say Philippines investigators
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Philippines officials investigating the handling of a siege in Manila two weeks ago, now say police may have inadvertently shot some of the tourists who were being held hostage.
![The main entrance of the parliament building in Port Moresby. Parliament may be recalled before November. [www.flickr.com/Steve Shattuck]](http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201009/r636105_4372074.jpg "The main entrance of the parliament building in Port Moresby. Parliament may be recalled before November. [www.flickr.com/Steve Shattuck]")
PNG parliament may be recalled early over budget
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The Papua New Guinea parliament may have to be recalled before a budget session scheduled for November.
![Fiji is looking at ways of addressing worsening water shortages. [ABC]](http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201002/r519915_3133654.jpg "Fiji is looking at ways of addressing worsening water shortages. [ABC]")
Fijian officials outline water shortage strategy
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Fiji's National Drought Steering Committee has wrapped up a meeting to discuss the country's worsening water shortages, but has stopped short of declaring a drought.
![Australia's unemployment rate has fallen to a 19-month low with 53,100 full-time jobs created in August. [ABC]](http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200904/r356971_1643164.jpg "Australia's unemployment rate has fallen to a 19-month low with 53,100 full-time jobs created in August. [ABC]")
Australian unemployment rate beats expectations
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Australia's unemployment rate has fallen to a 19-month low, beating expectations.
![East Timor's deputy PM Mario Carrascalao has resigned. [AFP]](http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201007/r607558_3993355.jpg "East Timor's deputy PM Mario Carrascalao has resigned. [AFP]")
East Timor's deputy PM resigns
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East Timor's Deputy Prime Minister Mario Carrascalao has resigned.
![Pakistani police have arrested three people with links to a Pakistani-American accused of an attempted car bombing in New York's Times Square. [Reuters]](http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201005/r560432_3385141.jpg "Pakistani police have arrested three people with links to a Pakistani-American accused of an attempted car bombing in New York's Times Square. [Reuters]")
Three arrested in Pakistan over Times Square bomb plot
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Pakistan police have arrested three suspects over links to a Pakistani-American accused of an attempted car bombing in New York's Times Square.
Pacific children face global disadvantage because of education: expert
Last Updated:
A leading education expert says Pacific children are being disadvantaged in the global workplace because of the way they are taught at school.
![Taliban militiamen show off their weapons. Leader Mullah Omar has called for an immediate withdrawal of US troops. [AFP]](http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201006/r591336_3784806.jpg "Taliban militiamen show off their weapons. Leader Mullah Omar has called for an immediate withdrawal of US troops. [AFP]")
Taliban leader says fighters close to driving US out of Afghanistan
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The leader of the Taliban in Afghanistan, Mullah Omar, says his fighters are close to driving foreign forces out of the country.
![A US church has threatened to burn copies of the Koran. [ABC]](http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201009/r635062_4357127.jpg "A US church has threatened to burn copies of the Koran. [ABC]")
US church vows to burn copies of Koran despite global outrage
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A small church in the American state of Florida has brushed aside global outrage and vowed to go ahead with burning some 200 Korans.
Samoa to protect against cultural theft
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Samoa has begun developing intellectual property rights laws in an effort to protect traditional knowledge and culture.
![Beijing has a keen interest in maintaining the rule by Senior General Than Shwe. [AFP]](http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200908/r412661_1951777.jpg "Beijing has a keen interest in maintaining the rule by Senior General Than Shwe. [AFP]")
China hopes for closer cooperation with Burma
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China's President Hu Jintao has assured Burma's leader of continued support for his country during an official visit.
![China is set to introduce an anti-smoking fine ahead of November's Asian Games. [Getty Images]](http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200705/r147554_520525.jpg "China is set to introduce an anti-smoking fine ahead of November's Asian Games. [Getty Images]")
China introduces $US7 anti-smoking fine
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China will introduce anti-smoking fines worth $US7 dollars, in the country's toughest ever deterrent ahead of November's Asian Games in Guangzhou.
![Maguindanao massacre suspect Andal Ampatuan Jnr., enters a courtroom at a maximun security prison in Taguig, south of Manila on July 28, 2010. [AFP]](http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201009/r635372_4361990.jpg "Maguindanao massacre suspect Andal Ampatuan Jnr., enters a courtroom at a maximun security prison in Taguig, south of Manila on July 28, 2010. [AFP]")
Philippines massacre suspect goes on trial
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The first witness on the opening day of a landmark trial into last year's political massacre in the Philippines says the killings were carefully planned by the accused.
![Two men have been arrested in connection with February's deadly blast in Pune. [AFP]](http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201002/r514050_2800519.jpg "Two men have been arrested in connection with February's deadly blast in Pune. [AFP]")
Indian police arrest two men over Pune blast
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Indian authorities have arrested two men in connection with the blast in the western city of Pune that killed more than a dozen people earlier this year.
![A Solomon Islands politician walks across the floor of the country's Parliament House in Honiara April 24, 2006. [Reuters]](http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201007/r604349_3952682.jpg "A Solomon Islands politician walks across the floor of the country's Parliament House in Honiara April 24, 2006. [Reuters]")
New speaker for Solomon Islands parliament
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The Solomon Islands' parliament has a new speaker and a new deputy speaker.
![Passengers walk off a Thai Airlines Airbus A-300 after a bomb threat forced an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport on September 7, 2010. [AFP]](http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201009/r635327_4361289.jpg "Passengers walk off a Thai Airlines Airbus A-300 after a bomb threat forced an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport on September 7, 2010. [AFP]")
Thai Airways plane searched after bomb threat
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A Thai Airways flight from Bangkok to Los Angeles has landed safely after a bomb threat.
Bangladesh moves to combat anthrax outbreak
Last Updated:
Bangladesh has set up checkpoints at cattle markets in a bid to stem a growing outbreak of anthrax.
![Purcell addresses Thai protesters before arrest [ABC]](http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201005/r572705_3547047.jpg "Purcell addresses Thai protesters before arrest [ABC]")
Australian deported from Bangkok over anti-government protests
Last Updated:
An Australian man jailed for participating in anti-government protests in Bangkok earlier this year has been deported from Thailand.
Hawaii recruiters face human trafficking charges
Last Updated:
Six job recruiters in Hawaii have been indicted for forcing hundreds of Thai labourers to work on American farms, in what's been described by the FBI as the largest human trafficking case in US history.
![Sealed ballot boxes during Fiji's 2006 election. The government says it will not enforce compulsory voting in 2014. [AFP]](http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201009/r635326_4361282.jpg "Sealed ballot boxes during Fiji's 2006 election. The government says it will not enforce compulsory voting in 2014. [AFP]")
Fiji to drop compulsory voting
Last Updated:
Fiji's military government says it will not enforce compulsory voting in the planned 2014 elections.
![Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has called for greater collaboration in order to achieve the country's Millennium Development Goals. [ABC]](http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201004/r549800_3247137.jpg "Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has called for greater collaboration in order to achieve the country's Millennium Development Goals. [ABC]")
Fiji calls for help to meet development goals
Last Updated:
Fiji's Attorney-General says there needs to be greater collaboration among groups in Fiji if it is to achieve the country's Millennium Development Goals.
![Floodwaters in south eastern Australia have submerged many vehicles. [ABC]](http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201009/r634473_4349276.jpg "Floodwaters in south eastern Australia have submerged many vehicles. [ABC]")
Flooding isolates hundreds of homes in south eastern Australia
Last Updated:
Hundreds of homes in the south-eastern state of Victoria have been isolated due to widespread flooding.
PNG authorities trying to track down rescued fisherman's family
Last Updated:
Authorities in Papua New Guinea are trying to track down the family of a fisherman rescued by an Australian container ship after three weeks adrift at sea.
![Booker Prize nominee Peter Carey. [ABC]](http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200608/r100404_306413.jpg "Booker Prize nominee Peter Carey. [ABC]")
Australian author Peter Carey on Man Booker shortlist
Last Updated:
Australian author Peter Carey is one of six authors on the short list for one of the world's most influential literary awards, the Man Booker prize.
![Vuvuzelas have been allowed into events during the Delhi Games. [AFP]](http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201007/r596602_3853164.jpg "Vuvuzelas have been allowed into events during the Delhi Games. [AFP]")
Delhi Games vuvuzela decisions criticised
Last Updated:
A senior Commonwealth Games organisers has criticised a decision to allow vuvuzelas at events during the Delhi Games next month.
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