The passing of one of the longest serving pontiffs of the Catholic Church, Pope John Paul II, is being mourned by Christians and non-Christians around the world. As the Vatican prepares for his funeral, which may include up to two million mourners, thoughts are turning to who will be elected to take his place. Some observers claim any new elected pope will most likely hold similar views to Pope John Paul II, who’s hard line views concerned some more progressive elements of the Church. However, not everyone agrees. Dr Paul Collins, a former catholic priest, has written a number of books critical of the centralized role of the Vatican and church’s role in prohibiting population control. Speaking on the Pope’s greatest legacies, he said John Paul II would be remembered for spearheading Christianity’s reconciliation with Judaism. Turning to the future, he told The Wire that the election of the next pontiff posed a great opportunity for the Church.

Indonesia is one of Australia's closest neighbours, but the arrival of its President is a rare occurrence. In fact newly elected Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is just the third Indonesian President in thirty years to visit Australia. Tensions between the countries soured when Ausralia led the intervention in East Timor in 1999. But Indonesian cooperation after the Bali bombings and the Australian government's aid package following to the Boxing Day tsunami, have helped to improve the relationship. Dr Yudhoyono says relations between the two countries are entering a new era. To mark this, the two governments are set to negotiate a security agreement later this year. But there have been protests over Indonesia's military presence in Aceh and West Papua, provinces that are both seeking independence. The Indonesian Military has also been censured for alleged corruption with claims it has siphoned international foreign aid. The leader of the Australian Democrats, Senator Lyn Allison, says the Australian Government must tackle the issues of Indonesia's human rights abuses. She spoke earlier Alma Mistry.

Over the weekend, Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, was returned to office in an election that saw his ruling Zanu P F party win 78 out of a possible 120 seats. However, claims have emerged of massive voter fraud. These claims suggest that the electoral rolls were out of date, allowing people to vote using the names of deceased people, and that measure preventing people voting more than once were inadequate. Also of concern are reports of threats by the Government that it will withhold aid – vital to the survival of the country’s starving population ? for any provinces that did not vote for the Zanu PF party. While the West has condemned the election, observing officials from South Africa declared the elections “free” and “credible”. Neither of these claims can be verified, as Zimbabwe refused entry to international election observers. So what does the future hold now for the African nation whose economy is on the brink of collapse? Dr David Dorward, the Director of the Africa Research Institute at La Trobe University, explains the implications of the vote.

The recent deaths of the Pope and Terri Sciavo have firmly focused the international media's attention on the debate surrounding the right to artificially prolong or end a life and voluntary euthanasia. Dr. Philip Nitschke is one of Australia's most active - and high profile - campaigners for voluntary euthanasia. He is also the director of Exit Australia, which he established in 1997 in response to the overturning of the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act. And this week, he launched his book - entitled "Killing Me Softly - Voluntary Euthanasia & the Road to the Peaceful Pill" - with his co-author and colleague, Dr Fiona Stewart. The book voices their concerns about the medical profession's ‘ownership’ of death, and the existing laws restricting people's end-of-life choices. They offer a future where a ‘Peaceful Pill’ could revolutionise euthanasia just as the contraceptive pill transformed birth control a generation ago. The Wire's Anja Kueppers was at the launch in Sydney, to hear their story.

What do safe drinking water and green mining techniques have in common? They are both subjects being addressed at the 8th International Conference on Bio-geo-chemistry of Trace Elements. The Wire's David Jobling spoke with the Conference Chair, Dr Mike McLaughlin, to discover what sort of outcomes may result from this specialist conference.