AsiaCast

Asia Cast for Monday 24th November

Thousands of anti-government protesters have merged on Bangkok, Thailand, for a so-called 'final battle'. (By K.rol2007/Flickr)

In this Bulletin…

- Unemployed migrant workers exceed tens of millions;
- New date set for Bangladesh elections; and
- Flooding in Santa Catarina, Brazil kills 20.

But first, here’s our SOH focus on China
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Mainland China resources reported that returning migrant workers on the coast of China are increasing by the millions.

From the Pearl River Delta, the Yangtze River Delta, to the south-east coastal areas, the wide spread of bankruptcy, letting go of employees and reducing salaries, has brought many companies the “beginning of winter” in advance.

Normally at this time in previous years, it is the off-season for migrant workers to return home.

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast
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A new date has been set for Bangladesh general elections.

The polls that were earlier planned for December 18 will now be on December 29, after one of the country’s two main parties refused to participate, saying that it needed more time.

Former prime minister Khaleda Zia of The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) wanted the elections to be deferred to the month of January 2009.

Its main rival, the Awami League Party, said any delay would be unfair.

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A cholera outbreak killing at least three lives across the South African border has brought South African and Zimbabwean health officials together to tackle the problem.

The meeting was a success according to a spokesman for the Musina Municipality health department.

Sources say a hospital in Musina has received (treated) a total of 168 cholera patients since the outbreak of the disease on November 15, three of whom have died.

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You’re listening to Asia Cast on the SOH Radio Network
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The Southern state of Santa Catarina in Brazil has been declared a state of emergency where at least 20 people have died following weeks of heavy rains and flooding.

In total more than 1 million people are said to have been affected by the flooding.

Many of the deaths have been caused by landslides which have destroyed homes and blocked roads.

As well as help that has been offered by the federal government, neighbouring states are sending equipment and rescue workers to Santa Catarina.

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Thai MPs were forced to abandon a session of the national parliament after thousands of the anti-government group, the Peoples’ Alliance for Democracy (PAD), blocked the entrance to the building in Bangkok.

The group has waged a six-month long campaign to unseat the government and has been in control of the compound at nearby government house since late August. It is now targeting other sites in a so-called ‘final battle’.

Power and water have been cut to the Finance Ministry building and the Metropolitan Police Headquarters, in action undertaken by state workers who support the PAD push.

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