en-auABC News and Current Affairs on The World Today.http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:56:00 +1100Copyright 2008 Australian Broadcasting Corporation.currentaffairs@your.abc.net.aucurrentaffairs@your.abc.net.auhttp://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/img/twt_55x55.jpgno The Reserve Bank remains on track to deliver another large interest rate cut today. Australia's current account deficit narrowed 31 per cent in the September quarter, and while other figures show retail sales rose marginally in October, consumers are holding back discretionary spending. http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2008/s2435468.htm Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:10:00 +1100 http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/news/audio/twt/200812/20081202-twt-1-bop-qna.mp3 Economists, charged with determining business cycles in North America, have found the United States is officially in recession. The National Bureau of Economic Research says the world's biggest economy entered a recession last December, and a significant decline in economic activity continued in 2008. http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2008/s2435469.htm Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:14:00 +1100 http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/news/audio/twt/200812/20081202-twt-2-us-recession.mp3 The US President-elect, Barack Obama, has confirmed Hillary Clinton will be his secretary of state and lead his diplomatic team, and that he'll keep the existing defence secretary, Robert Gates. The President-elect says both share his pragmatism about how the US should use its power in the world. http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2008/s2435470.htm Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:18:00 +1100 http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/news/audio/twt/200812/20081202-twt-3-obama-cabinet.mp3 Victoria Police says the leaking of at least two confidential dossiers prepared by its State Surveillance Unit could have put lives at risk. The force is promising a review of the unit, but the Deputy Commissioner has again rejected calls for a Royal Commission into corruption in police ranks. http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2008/s2435473.htm Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:22:00 +1100 http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/news/audio/twt/200812/20081202-twt-4-vic-cops.mp3 Thailand's Constitutional Court is expected to rule on a vote-rigging case today that could see the country's ruling coalition disbanded. It comes as Bangkok's international and domestic airports remain occupied by anti-government, and now pro-government protesters. http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2008/s2435476.htm Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:26:00 +1100 http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/news/audio/twt/200812/20081202-twt-5-bangkok.mp3 Zimbabweans are now reported to be dealing with an outbreak of anthrax in the north, as cholera continues to spread in other parts of the country. The Government has shut off the water supply to the capital Harare to contain the spread of cholera, which has so far killed more than 400 people. http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2008/s2435477.htm Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:30:00 +1100 http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/news/audio/twt/200812/20081202-twt-6-zimbabwe-cholera.mp3 The Indian Government has summoned the Pakistan High Commissioner and officially informed him that New Delhi expects strong action to be taken over the Mumbai attacks. India says all the attackers originated in Pakistan, but Islamabad says it hasn't seen any evidence to back the claim. http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2008/s2435478.htm Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:34:00 +1100 http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/news/audio/twt/200812/20081202-twt-7-mumbai-tuesday.mp3 The international cruise industry has called for governments to send more troops to defeat pirates operating off the coasts of Somalia and Yemen, after the latest attempted hijacking of a cruise ship. Fifty Australians were among 600 passengers on board the ocean liner when it was fired upon. http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2008/s2435479.htm Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:38:00 +1100 http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/news/audio/twt/200812/20081202-twt-8-cruise-safety.mp3 The Queensland farmers' co-operative, Golden Circle, is being sold to the US Heinz corporation for nearly $300-million. Shareholders in the co-op have voted in favour of a takeover but many growers have described the deal as bitter-sweet. http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2008/s2435481.htm Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:42:00 +1100 http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/news/audio/twt/200812/20081202-twt-9-golden-brand.mp3 East Timor's Living Memory Project allows survivors of its decades-long bid for independence to tell their stories. Around 10,000 people became political prisoners in Indonesian jails in that time. Nearly half of them were women and many were tortured, died or disappeared. http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2008/s2435483.htm Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:46:00 +1100 http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/news/audio/twt/200812/20081202-twt-10-living-timor.mp3 The world's biggest study of childhood cancer involving 15 countries is to be led by Melbourne researchers. One million mothers and their children will be monitored from pregnancy onwards with the aim of identifying any nutritional or environmental causes of cancers, including leukaemia. http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2008/s2435484.htm Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:50:00 +1100 http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/news/audio/twt/200812/20081202-twt-11-leukemia-study.mp3 Students from the National Academy of Music gave a recital to politicians arriving at Parliament House this morning, to protest against the Federal Government's decision to close their academy at the end of the year. Opposition parties in the Senate are hoping to move a motion to reverse the decision. http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2008/s2435485.htm Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:54:00 +1100 http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/news/audio/twt/200812/20081202-twt-12-music-protest.mp3