Asia Cast

Asia Cast for Saturday 1st March

In this bulletin .…
-Ex-presidents at Philippine rally
-US to deport ‘Pumpkin’ case man and
-Record for Afghan poppy planting

In the Philippine capital, Manila, thousands of people have joined a protest to demand the resignation of President Gloria Arroyo.

The protesters want her to step down over corruption claims surrounding her husband and an ally’s involvement in a government deal with a Chinese firm.

Both men deny the allegations and the deal has been cancelled.

Former presidents Joseph Estrada and Corazon Aquino joined the demonstration as security forces went on high alert.

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After abandoning his daughter in Australia and murdering his wife in New Zealand, a Chinese man is to be deported from the US after his arrest there.

Customs officials said Nai Yin Xue would be removed from the US and not face extradition hearings.

Mr. Xue was detained by members of the public in Atlanta, Georgia, who recognized him as the wanted fugitive.

His daughter, Qian Xun Xue, three, was found in a station in Melbourne and nicknamed “Pumpkin” after her clothing.

The body of Mr. Xue’s wife, Anan Liu, was found in Auckland four days later, on the 19th of September.

Qian later went to live with her grandmother in China.

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A US State Department report says opium poppy production in Afghanistan reached another record high last year and Kabul must do more to stop it.

The report says that the poppy cultivation helps Taleban insurgents obtain money and weapons.

The drug trade hinders progress towards economic stability and democracy.

Afghanistan grows nearly all of the world’s opium poppy crop in an illegal trade worth billions of dollars.

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And now for our original SOH News direct from China
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Former police officer, Zhang Baoliang, from Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau, Zhabei Branch, has kept away from his house for over 2 months.

He is trying to avoid persecution after exposing the inside story by the“610 Office” that conducts blood tests on “prisoners” to build a human organ transplant plasma database.

Zhang eventually returned home on the 27th of February, but the next morning on the 28th, the branch of Shanghai City State Security Bureau mobilized police vehicles, and besieged his residence.

The police have been surrounding his home for over 36 hours. Kong Qiang, the chief of “Chinese Appeal for Justice Website” analyzed that the State Security would arrest Zhang to get rid of the testimony evidence.

Zhang Bao-Liang recorded a conversation with Kong Qiang. Zhang said that what he exposed to the media before is the in fact true and correct. Any revoke of his previous statement under effect of unknown drugs injected into him by the authority will be void and of no legal effect.

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China Christian family church followers have been arrested. According to Radio Free Asia, 11 children from Xinjiang were studying Bible on Thursday night together.

Police broke into the venue and arrested the group of children in the name of “illegal gathering” and detained them in Qingshui River Township Police Station.

Two female Christian followers at the reception household, Fu Jun and Lu Lan-Xiang were also together with the children arrested.

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And now for our daily up-date on the NTDTV Chinese New Year Spectacular Show
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Tonight the Shen Yun dance troupe will be performing in Tanin and Paris.

Just before the troupe arrived in Tainan City, the vice-president of Taiwan, Lu Xiulian sent her greetings and praised highly the Divine Performing Arts as a refined elegance.

The Mayor of Tainan city, Xu Tiancai and Tainan County Magistrate, Su Huanzhi also sent their congratulations and wished the Spectacular success.

Tomorrow night the Spectacular will also be performing in Paris and Tanin again.

For more information on the Chinese New Year Spectacular Shows please visit www.bestchineseshows.com

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This has been Wilma Reynolds from the SOH Radio Network.