In 1988, the World Health Organisation declared the first World AIDS Day in an effort to raise public awareness about HIV/AIDS issues, including the need for support and understanding for people living with HIV/AIDS. Monday, December the 1st is World AIDS Day.   The day is also an opportunity to highlight the need for the continued development of [...] LESS

In a bid to help encourage Afghanistan’s fledgling Parliament, Australia is currently hosting a delegation of Afghan MPs. Australia’s well established, democratic Parliamentary practices are considered a good example to those growing new democratic institutions. But enormous goodwill not withstanding, could it be the case that the gulf is too wide to bridge in this way, at [...] LESS

This week - the world focused on the United States and the election of the next president, Barack Obama, a 47-year-old bi-racial African-American who grew up in Hawaii and Indonesia, speaks with passion about the value of a good education, and won popularity with a message of hope and change. Radio Australia’s Joanna McCarthy is [...] LESS

This week, Melbourne hosted a conference on water and sanitation. Speakers from around the world talked about the challenge of sanitation and water development in East Asia and the Pacific, and ways in which to deliver large scale sustainable solutions. The presenter of Pacific Beat, Geraldine Coutts, was among the delegates. Thousands of words are being written [...] LESS