AsiaCast

Asia Cast for Wednesday 20th February

In this Bulletin…
- Castro retires;
- Musharraf admits defeat; and
- China’s inflation at 11-year high.

After over forty nine years of power, ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro confirmed he will be stepping down as the Country’s leader, closing the book on a Cold War career that made him an icon to leftists and a tyrant to his foes.

Castro, 81, who has not appeared in public since undergoing stomach surgery almost 19 months ago, said he would not seek a new term as president or as leader of Cuba’s armed forces when the National Assembly meets on Sunday.

His retirement raised expectations for change on the communist island—and calls for democracy by Castro’s arch-enemy, the United States—but Cuba experts said limited economic reforms were more likely than swift political transformation.

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The ruling political party of Pakistan’s Pervez Musharraf today admitted defeat in parliamentary elections.

Nawaz Sharif, who was ousted from power in Musharraf’s bloodless coup in 1999, and the Pakistan People’s Party of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who was assassinated in the run-up to the elections, were the obvious leaders in the race.

The two big opposition parties — if they form a coalition and get the support of smaller groups and independent candidates — could gain the two-thirds majority in parliament needed to impeach Musharraf.

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According to official figures, China’s inflation rate hit an 11-year high in January after rising price pressures were exacerbated by fierce snow storms.

Soaring food prices were largely blamed for pushing consumer inflation up to 7.1% last month, from 6.5% in December. The worst winter for decades hit food supplies, sending food costs up 18%.

Inflation in China continues to rise despite higher interest rates and other measures by Beijing to keep the economy from overheating.

January’s inflation rate of 7.1% was the highest figure since September 1996, when consumer price inflation hit 7.4%.

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The Human Rights Torch Relay arrived in Durban, South Africa this week, with a music concert capping off the ceremony in Durban City Hall Square.

Durban City councillor Mr. Jayraj Bachu was the invited host for the event and delivered a supporting speech at the Relay ceremony, whose theme since the relay began in Athens, Greece, in August 2007 has been: “The Olympics and crimes against humanity cannot coexist in China.”

Councillor Jayraj Bachu read a letter of support at the relay saying how pleased the city was to receive the torch, and explaining how their communities have a deep and painful understanding of the cost of human rights abuses, political persecution and oppression.

After the speech, Mr. Bachu lit the torch and, in a symbolic gesture, gave it to the people of Durban.

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And now for our original SOH news direct from China
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China’s Zhengming magazine reported that on 15 January, Hu Jintao once again issued a warning against corruption on the second meeting of Central Discipline Inspection Commission.

Mr. Jintao said corruption will lead to the ruin of the Chinese Communist Party.

On the 15th of January, Hu Jintao at the second meeting of the Central Discipline Inspection Commission made a 35-minute long speech explaining that that corruption is a burden in the ruling party and one that is getting heavier.

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On the 18th of February China’s mainland news confirmed a suspected case of bird flu in a village of Lhasa City in Tibet on the 6th of February was suspected of bird flu.

China’s National Avian Influenza Reference Laboratory confirmed discovery of the H5N1 subtype highly pathogenic bird flu epidemic in the village.

The discovery comes a day after an announcement that a man died in China’s Hunan province from bird flu last month, making him the eighteenth fatality from the disease in China.

According to officials, the bid flu has so far killed one hundred and thirty two birds, with a further 7700 culled for safety reasons.

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And now for our daily update on the NTDTV Divine Performing Arts “New Year Splendor” show.
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Today marks the last day of Spectacular shows in Osaka Japan, and The Hague in the Netherlands. The Spectacular performers will then move on to present shows in Seoul, South Korea, and London on Friday.

Audience members have raved about the Spectacular performances giving glowing reports such as one from Japanese Writer, Mr. Matsui, who watched all three shows of the Divine Performing Arts Spectacular in Tokyo.

Mr. Matsui said each show was fantastic and changed his views about China.

Mr. Matsui also said the performances made him more aware of what is happening in China. He explained that issues like the persecution of Falun Gong and many other things happening in China are not covered in the Japanese media and that he wished such issues were more widely reported.

For more information about the Divine Performing Arts world tour, please visit: http://www.divineperformingarts.com

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This is Wilma Reynolds from the SOH Radio Network.