Laos has beautiful clean rivers and lush forest, and small villages with unique customs and culture.

In the 1990’s annual visitor numbers were in the tens of thousands, but now the country welcomes around one million people each year. Tourism is one of the largest generators of foreign exchange.

In particular, the eco-tourism sector has flourished, with nature and culture-based tourism accounting for nearly half of all visits.

To find out more, Elise Potaka visited the Laos’s first eco-tourism project in Luang Nam Tha province.

Over the last few years, ties between Laos and China have strengthened.

Bilateral trade is now 241 million US dollars each year, almost twice what it was in 2005.

It is a relationship based on mutual interests. China needs natural resources and wants to solidify its influence in the region. Laos needs infrastructure, technology and cheap consumer goods.

But, as Elise Potaka reports, there are concerns that Laos’ locals could be losing out.

For as long as anyone can remember, the water levels of the Mekong River have gone up and down according to the forces of nature.

But now, locals on the river say, things are changing.

Last August, a massive flood unexpectedly ravaged downstream communities.

While river authorities blamed it on heavy rains, many locals point the finger at China.

They say Chinese developments on the upper Mekong are changing the shape and flow of the river and endangering the livelihoods of other river users.

Elise Potaka has this report.

Last week we, heard a report from the Swat valley in Pakistan where the Taliban have banned girl’s schools.

Earlier this month they threatened to begin destroying schools if they weren’t closed by January 15.

Most schools followed the orders, but to reinforce their point the Taliban have bombed 10 schools in the last week.

Fortunately no one was killed or injured in the blasts, but the audacity of the attacks and the government’s apparent helplessness has deeply traumatized the valley.

Mudassar Shah returned to Swat this week for Asia Calling and he filed this report.

Militancy, extremism and attacks are on rise in Pakistan, particularly in the lawless North West Frontier Province where a Taliban led insurgency is invading every aspect of life.

Among the Taliban’s targets are girl’s schools. Three were recently attacked in the capital Peshawar and in the new year Mullah Radio station, Fazlullah announced a complete ban on girls’ schools in Swat beginning January 15.

Our correspondent Mudassar Shah visited Swat to speak with people about the closure of schools there and the effect the Taliban is having on life in the beautiful city.

While the skies over Beijing have cleared for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, smog still clouds the air in many parts of China’s Shanxi province.

Located in the mid north, the region is home to three of the country’s most polluted cities. For years, coal, and industrial pollutants have blackened the air and contaminated the water and soil.

Now, local governments are being given financial incentives to get off the country’s environmental blacklist.

From Shanxi, Elise Potaka has this report.

This week, the governor of China’s largest coal producing region was forced to resign after an illegal tailings dam burst and killed over 200 people.

It’s just the latest mining-related disaster in a province which is renowned for its poor record on mine safety.

Elise Potaka finds out why the Chinese governments desire to improve safety is not an easy one to fulfill.

Every year close to 4000 coal miners in China die in mining related accidents.

But this figure doesn’t include those who are facing a longer, slower death.

The poor health and safety conditions in many Chinese mines results in thousands of miners getting work-related illnesses each year, some fatal.

Up against powerful mine owners, and lacking access information about avenues of redress, many miners choose to stay silent.

But Elise Potaka reports on one case which could turn things around.