AsiaCast

Asia Cast for Saturday 20th September

In this Bulletin…

- Chances of nuclear deal with North Korea fading;
- UN wants African aid expanded by $700 million; and
- Georgia and Ukraine seek UN support for NATO accession

-But first, here’s our SOH focus on China

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Over 10% of school uniforms in Guangdong province have failed random quality control tests according to a report by the Guangdong Provincial Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision.

Of the 189 batches of student uniforms tested, 158 were found to have complied with the national textile basic safety standard which tests for formaldehyde content, pH levels, aromatic amines, colourfastness, sweat stain resistance and dry friction resistance.

Uniforms manufactured by one factory were found to have Benzidine, a toxic chemical used in fabric dye which can cause nausea, vomiting and liver and kidney damage. 18 batches of uniforms failed the pH indicator test. Abnormal pH levels can affect the skin’s which may cause allergic reactions or infections.

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Four students from Chennan Experimental Primary in China’s Hunan province have been thrown over the 4th story of a school building on Friday by a former teacher, according to Chinese State media. Official report says that Hu Qizi, a former high school teacher, has been suffering from mental illness, and had a dispute with his wife who teaches at the Chennan Experimental Primary school, prior to the incident.

State media reports that the four children’s injuries are not life threatening, and one child whose fall was broken by tree branches suffered only minor injuries. This is in stark contrasts to internet reports by bloggers who claim that one child died at the scene, and another could not be revived by medical staff. There have also been postings online saying that Hu Qizi had a dispute with the leaders of the Education Department, and claimed he would make the news after failing to sort out the dispute with the Department on Thursday.

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China’s major economic trading partners have begun to act against the milk scandal where melamine, an industrial plastics chemical, has been found in liquid milk, powdered milk and yoghurt made by 22 Chinese diary producers.

So far, Malaysia and Singapore have banned all Chinese milk imports, and Taiwan has banned imports of from the 22 Chinese companies identified in the scandal. Authorities in Hong Kong have ordered recalls of all milk products from a company that failed 8 of 30 tests for melamine in their products.

In the US, the Food and Drug Administration has issued a statement warning consumers not to buy Chinese milk products over the internet while the EU has called for full disclosure of information from China. The governments of the US and EU have stated that, while no Chinese infant milk formula is directly imported, customs have increased inspections to ensure contaminated milk products do no enter the market.

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You’re listening to Asia Cast on the SOH Radio Network

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast

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North Korea has reportedly begun reconstruction work on the Yongbyon nuclear reactor in a move away from a negotiated nuclear disarmament deal. The deal would have seen economic and political sanctions against North Korea significantly reduced and its removal from the US terrorist state list.

Before the move the Yongbyon plant was being dismantled and while operating the plant was capable of producing weapons grade plutonium.

The dismantling of the Yongbyon plant was being monitored by International Atomic Energy Agency officials who also installed sensors and cameras to ensure its deconstruction. The IAEA has stated that it has not been contacted by North Korean officials about reconstruction.

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$700 million is the minimum figure put forward by UN Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes for wealthy nations to donate to deal with crises in Africa.

From UN statistics, 17 million are in urgent need of aid, with more than half from Ethiopia and Somalia. Drought, food prices and conflicts are cited as the main causes of the current humanitarian crises in Africa, with Ethiopia and Somalia subject to all three.

The $700 million in aid money will contribute to a number of resources, primarily food, medicines and people on the ground.

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Georgia and Ukraine will approach the UN to support their accession to NATO against the wishes of Russia. Joining NATO will see both nations attain the security benefits of the organization, this has angered Russia who sees an expanding bloc of nations to the west.

There is a definite western lean to the policies of Georgia and Ukraine, with both countries seeing NATO membership as the next important step in their progression as European nations.

Russia named NATO as the provocateur of its current conflict with Georgia through allowing talk of its joining NATO. Russia has cited the recent trouble in South Ossetia as proof that NATO has no control over the security situation in Europe.

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