Today the government announced the draft legislation for the carbon pollution reduction scheme. The emissions trading reduction target is between 5 and 15 percent, well below the 25 percent that was outlined in the Garnaut Review in 2008. Environmental groups are angry, they say that this target is not enough to combat climate change. They also say that the government is bowing to pressure from business lobbyists. Featured in story: Moira Williams, spokesperson for Climate Action Newtown, John Connor CEO The Climate Institute and Dr. Peter Burn, Associate Director of Public Policy for Australian Industry Groups

Around 68, 000 women die every year as the result of unsafe abortions. Today, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Stephen Smith- lifted a 13 year ban on aid for abortion services overseas. Featured in story: Ary Laufer- CEO of Marie Stopes International

President Barack Obama has delivered on another of his election promises. The National Institutes of Health can now fund embryonic stem cell research. The previous Bush administration had been accused of mixing science and politics when it banned federal funding of the research in 2001. Bush was backed by religious groups who say the scientists, by destroying human embryos, are destroying human life. Featured in story: Dr Andrew Laslett- senior scientist with the Australian Stem Cell Centre.

An international legal body has expressed serious concern about the deterioration of the rule of law in Fiji since the 2006 coup. That coup brought the current military regime of Commodore Frank Bainimarama to power. The report, by the International Bar Association, says that Fiji is suffering as a result of the regime’s interference in the judiciary, the Fijian Human Rights Commission, and the media. But the head of the Fijian Human Rights Commission rejects the report and says the organisation is able to carry out its work independently. The release of the report coincides with the announcement that Fiji will be fully suspended from the Commonwealth if it fails to hold elections within six months.

A prominent journalist, Wendy Bacon, has been banned from appearing at this year’s Sydney Writers Festival. Bacon, also a professor of Journalism at the University of Technology, says the ban relates to her involvement with the student paper that used to cover the writers festival- “The Festival News”. Last year the student journalists and staff working on the paper claimed they were censored, when the paper was temporarily banned for comments unfavorable to the state government (a large sponsor of the event). The Writer’s Festival Director- Wendy Were- says there was an agreement between UTS and the festival that the paper was a “promotional and marketing activity”. Wendy Bacon maintains that none of those involved- students, staff editor or herself- have ever seen this document. Featured in story- Wendy Bacon, Journalism Professor at the University of Technology.