iPhone in Asia

iPhone will be available in 20 more countries on August 22. It's not known exactly which countries will be included but the short list of 50 countries under consideration include the Philippines, Macau, Singapore and India.

The iPhone is already shipping to Australia, Hong Kong, Japan and New Zealand in Asia-Pacific region. In some areas, people waited in line for two days to get the new gadget.



A mock iPhone is on display at the first day of the release in Hong Kong, Friday July 11, 2008. As Apple rolled out its newest iPhone in Asia Friday, dealers and buyers said it's only a matter of time _ maybe as little as a few days _ before the popular device hits the region's thriving underground marketplace. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) (AP/KIN CHEUNG)



Models hold the new iPhones during the first day of the release in Hong Kong, Friday July 11, 2008. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) (AP/KIN CHEUNG)





A customer shows Apple's new 3G iPhone mobile handset at the Softbank shop in Tokyo on July 11. Apple's international launch of its iPhone 3G has begun in several Asian countries. (AFP/Yoshikazu Tsuno)

ASEAN and Japan

Japan has tended to be rather cool to Asian integration in the past. About two decades ago, there was considerable effort to initialize an Asian economic union but Japan's reticence was the major cause of the movement's downfall.

There have, though, been Japanese leaders who have recognized the value of the concept including former Prime Minister Takeo Fukuda back in 1977. Fukuda liked what he saw in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN and backed the idea of unity between Japan and the grouping of nations.

Just this year, Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, the son of Takeo, mentioned important goals for Japan that mirrored the "Fukuda Doctrine" of his father.

Japan now backs integration movements that would include ASEAN plus Three, including Japan, China and South Korea; the Asian Community -- which includes ASEAN plus Three leaders and their counterparts from Australia, India and New Zealand, and smaller interregional trade relationships. In all cases, ASEAN will serve as the central connecting point.

And we've seen for the first time, the Japan International Cooperation Agency enter into a formal agreement with ASEAN to cooperate on meeting specific goals including creating an ASEAN hub by 2015, and the formation of an East Asian free trade area by 2020 or earlier.

Cambodia, Thailand to hold talks on temple dispute

Tensions continue to build on the Cambodia-Thailand border over the Preah Vihar Temple despite and agreement to hold talks on the issue.

Many Thais are angry that the culturally Cambodian temple located in disputed territory was recognized as a Cambodian World Heritage site.

Cambodian soldiers walk in the foggy morning as they patrol around Preah Vihear temple, Preah Vihear province, Cambodia, Thursday, July 17, 2008. Cambodia and Thailand escalated their troop buildup Thursday at disputed territory near the historic border temple despite moves to hold talks next week to defuse the flare-up in tensions, a Cambodian general said. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Radio Australia

Cambodia-Thailand talks next week on temple standoff AFP - 6 hours ago PREAH VIHEAR, Cambodia (AFP) - Cambodian and Thai officials will meet next week to resolve a standoff over their disputed border close to an ancient temple, officials from both countries said Thursday. Cambodia, Thailand deploy more troops The Associated Press Political tensions driving temple row BBC News