AsiaCast

Asia Cast For Wednesday 26th September

The international community must urgently intervene in Myanmar before there is widespread bloodshed, warns a Myanmar democracy activist.

Henry Soe Win, spokesperson for the Democracy for Burma network, said the stand-off between the ruling Burmese military junta and thousands of protesters, including Buddhist monks and nuns who have filled the streets of the former capital Rangoon, is at a critical juncture.

The protest, which was sparked by students reacting to inflation and an unexplained 500 per cent rise in fuel prices, has escalated over the last week to become the largest gathering of protesters since the pro-democracy demonstrations of September 8, 1988.

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Victoria has joined South Australia in banning unsafe imported Chinese toothpastes containing too much of a toxic chemical.

The chemical, diethylene glycol ,is a central nervous system depressant and a potent kidney and liver toxin.

It was considered a serious health risk to children and people with immune system deficiencies and kidney or liver disease, Victorian Consumer Affairs Minister Tony Robinson said today.

Toothpaste made in Australia does not use DEG as an ingredient, but it is believed Chinese manufacturers have been using it as a toothpaste hardener instead of more expensive glycerine.

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German Chancellor Angela Merkel has held historic talks with exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, in Berlin despite protests from China.

China had criticised the meeting and, shortly beforehand, cancelled talks with the German justice minister.

Germany said the meeting with the Dalai Lama, who fled Tibet in 1959 after a failed uprising, was a private event.

But China, which governs Tibet, says the meeting was part of the Dalai Lama’s agenda for Tibetan independence.

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Chairman You Shyi-kun of Taiwan’s governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has resigned after being indicted on charges of corruption and forgery.

You Shyi-kun is one of three members indicted by prosecutors on Friday. He denies any wrongdoing.

The three face a minimum of seven years in jail if convicted of corruption and up to seven years for forgery.

These are the latest cases of corruption scandals involving high-ranking public figures.

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One person was injured and more than a dozen evacuated from a number of ski lodges as New Zealand’s Mount Ruapehu volcano erupted unexpectedly overnight.

The eruption, which saw ash and rocks spewing into the air and two mudflows, or lahars, slip down the mountain, forced the closure of a number of roads on the country’s North Island.

One climber, who was not named, suffered serious leg injuries when rocks crashed through the roof of the hut where he was staying, pinning him to the floor.

The 22-year-old teacher was moved from the mountainside and taken to hospital early on Wednesday morning.

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Prominent Chinese human rights attorney Gao Zhisheng has been seized by CCP security forces and may be back in prison.

This is the latest in a long series of short-term detentions stretching from the first day of Gao’s release from prison. This time, however, Gao has not been heard from since being detained, giving rise to the suspicion that this detention is more serious.

Since the beginning of September, Chinese human rights attorney Gao Zhisheng has been abducted weekly by Chinese authorities’ secret agents for around-the-clock interrogations, say sources.

Gao was warned by his captors not to discuss these meetings with the press. On September 21, Gao was removed from his home again, but this time he has not contacted any of his friends as he usually did after his release.

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Japan’s new Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda has been formally sworn in by Emperor Akihito.

Mr Fukuda was elected by parliament on Tuesday. His new cabinet will hold its first meeting later in the day.

The 71-year-old has retained 13 of the 17-member cabinet of his predecessor Shinzo Abe, who resigned two weeks ago.

The defence ministry went to Shigeru Ishiba, who served in the same role under Mr Abe’s predecessor, Prime Minister Koizumi.