Asia-Cast

Asia Cast for Sunday 28th September

In this Bulletin…

- 400 killed in a landslide in China;
- A Japanese transport minister resigns four days after taking the job;and
- A young boy killed in a bomb attack.

-But first, here’s our SOH focus on China
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On Friday 26th September, two family members of patients affected by the poisonous milk in Heilongjiang Province revealed to SOH that 30 infants have been diagnosed locally for kidney stones. However, after an inspection from specialists arranged by government officials, only three were said to have kidney stones. Parents have thus accused the hospital for fraudulent deeds.

Throughout the recent poison milk powder fiasco, local governments have concealed truths of the situation from the general public, as well as forbidding media contact with family and relatives of patients.

Moreover, parents have been prohibited from hiring lawyers to file relevant lawsuits.

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Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets in mob protests against illegal fund gathering in the morning of September 25th, as government officials persistently mobilized additional armed officers from neighbouring cities of Huaihua and Changsha.

Due to the chaotic state of affairs, major banks, various shopping centres and hotels have temporarily shut down.

In the afternoon citizens who fallen victim to the scandal once again blockaded the train station in protest, as officers threw tear gas in attempt to disperse the crowd.

That same evening the crowd transferred attention to the provincial government buildings were they held a heightened scene of confrontation against armed officers for three hours.

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On the night of September 24th, a major rainstorm hit Sichuan’s Beichuan county causing a landslide.

Two densely populated residential areas were buried under the landslide killing at least 400 people while 1000 still remain missing.

According to local residents, in order to sustain the stability of society and consolidate victims of the disaster, the Jinyang municipal committee has once again concealed and hindered media reports on this major disaster; their reports to external media indicated merely 14 died in the event.

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And now for the rest of Asia Cast
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Nariaki Nakayama, Japanese transport minister, has resigned four days after taking the job.

He has been criticised for a series of remarks, such as calling Japan’s largest teachers’ union “a cancer”, and describing campaigners against airport expansion as “squeaky wheels”.

Analysts say Mr Nakayama’s resignation is a blow to the new Japanese prime minister, Taro Aso, who was sworn in on Wednesday.

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A young boy killed and two dozen people injured when a bomb exploded in a crowded market place in the capital New Delhi, India.

Police have revised the death toll after originally saying two people had been killed.

The government has described the blast as an act of terror.

Police say they are evacuating people from all major markets in the city.

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You’re listening to Asia Cast on the SOH Radio Network
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In north-east Thailand two Australians injured in a lightning strike were evacuated to Bangkok today.

A male teaching assistant is in a critical condition at a hospital 600 kilometres north-east of Bangkok along with a female student.

They were part of a student group taking part in a cultural exchange tour of Thailand, led by Mr Crombie.

Thai students and an Australian were killed in the storm.

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“Asia Cast… keeping you across the top headlines from Asia and the World.”