AsiaCast

Asia Cast for Thursday 31st January

In this Bulletin

- Contaminated Chinese dumplings puts child into coma
- 15 people dead after Yangtze river crash and
- Losses caused from Chinas snowstorm could exacerbate inflation

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Ten Japanese fell extremely ill, including a child who fell into a coma, after eating Chinese-made dumplings contaminated with insecticide, police and health officials said Wednesday.

Japan Tobacco Inc said its subsidiary, JT Foods Co., would recall the frozen dumplings and other food made at the same Chinese factory, as television broadcasters flashed warnings to viewers not to eat the products.

China was hit by a series of food safety scares last year, though officials have said they are adopting new technology and tighter laws to try to ensure safe food both at home and in exports.

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Kenyan police say that despite severe political disputes that have caused chaos in this once stable country, its officers have not been given shoot to kill orders.

Some media organizations reported that the order had been issued to stem the tide of violence that has swept over the East African country since the disputed December 27 election, and one that shows no signs of abating.

But police spokesman Eric Kiraithe told CNN Wednesday his department had not issued a shoot-to-kill order but rather it had instructed officers “as much as possible to disable to effect detention” rather than kill.

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In China at least 15 people are dead and one is missing after two ships collided at the mouth of the Yangtze river near Shanghai, Chinese officials have said.

The dead were the crew of one of the two merchant ships, which had 17 people on board when it sank, the Bureau of Maritime Affairs told Chinese media.

One sailor is still missing, while another was rescued after the crash.

The cause of the collision remains unclear, according to the Xinhua news agency.

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In China, almost half a million troops have been deployed to help people affected by the worst winter weather in decades.

Severe snow has hit central and eastern China, paralysing transport networks ahead of the busiest holiday season.

Some areas continue to experience food and power shortages, with deliveries of coal and other commodities delayed.

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And now for our original SOH news direct from China
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Zhang Zi-Lin, a member of China Blue Ribbon Alliance, a rights organization, was charged with “extortion” by authorities.
His lawyer applied to postpone his trial after the Chinese Lunar New Year.

Radio Free Asia reported that a member from China Blue Ribbon Alliance revealed that the authorities would release Zhang after he withdraws from the rights organization.

Analysts believe that the constant oppression on China Blue Ribbon Alliance is due to the fact that many of its members have been engaging in human rights.

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Snowstorms that have been sweeping through cities and provinces in Central, East and South China in striking force not only caused a large traffic gridlock and production interruption, but also make the high inflation rate to further escalate.

Voice of America reported on 30th January that according to the Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs estimates, the blizzard has incurred some economic losses of 22.1 billion yuan.

About 4 million hectares of farmland had been hit in the calamity.

In recent months, China’s inflation rate has been going higher. Last November, consumer price index jumped by 6.9 percent per year, comparing to the same period of the previous year, the highest inflation recorded since December 1996.

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