Asia-Cast

Asia Cast for Friday 13th February

In this Bulletin…

- Demonstration to oust corrupt officials held in Beijing;
- North Korea warned not to test fire long-range missile; and
- Australia to get nationwide fire alert system.

But first here’s our SOH focus on China.
**********************

Nearly 100 demonstrators from various locations around China rallied in Beijing’s Cultural Square to protest against corruption on February 9, according to The Epoch Times.

The event attracted a large number of on-lookers, as well as police attention.

Demonstrators held banners saying, “begging for a penny to get rid of corrupt officials.” A former factory owner from Henan Province, Ms. Li Chunxia, explained that the purpose of the demonstration was to call on everyone in China to donate one penny to their cause. She said that the power of everyone contributing to cracking down on corrupted governmental officials would be enormous.

Following the event police who had surrounded the area quickly moved in and arrested the demonstrators.

**********************

China’s Shanxi Province has recently prohibited all Party cadres from carrying ordinary passports or permits with them when using their service passports to travel out of China, says Taiwan’s Central News Agency.

The strict penalties for violating the new rules are intended to prevent provincial officials from making personal side-trips while on state business and claiming it in their expenses.

The recent notice stipulates that cadres travelling abroad on non-service passports must not have any of their expenses reimbursed. Any non-official overseas travel documents belonging to Party and administration cadres are to be thoroughly scrutinized by Public Security officials.

Travel agents are no longer allowed to take bookings from anyone on a state sponsored trip, and anyone travelling abroad on public funds must be granted approval to do so.

**********************
And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast
**********************

South Korean has warned the North to not test fire its longest-range missile, saying a launch would mean increased isolation and more sanctions for the communist state.

The North is apparently pushing ahead with preparations to launch its Taepodong-2, a South Korean news report has said, despite international appeals for restraint.

“If North Korea goes ahead with launching the missile, it will pose a serious threat to stability in Northeast Asia as well as inter-Korean relations,” South Korea’s foreign minister Yu Myung-Hwan told reporters.

US and South Korean officials said last week the North seems to be preparing another test of its Taepodong-2, which could theoretically reach Alaska. The missile failed after 40 seconds when it was first test-fired in 2006.

**********************

In north Sri Lanka, 160 more sick and wounded people trapped by fighting have been evacuated by the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The organisation has said that a vessel was on its way to Trincomalee after collecting civilian patients from the coastal village of Putumattalan.

“Some of those we have collected are in a serious medical condition and need urgent treatment,” a spokeswoman said.

About 50,000 government soldiers are pressing Tamil Tiger rebels into a patch of north-eastern jungle after taking the key areas of Kilinochchi, Elephant Pass and Mullaitivu.

The Red Cross says recent fighting has claimed hundreds of civilian lives and that tens of thousands of people are still trapped.

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

As international pressure mounts, the Thai prime minister said he suspected there were “some instances” in which Thai authorities pushed Myanmar’s Rohingya boat people out to sea.

Abhisit Vejjajiva said he could not pinpoint who in the government approved the practice, but said he was working on rectifying the problem.

Thousands of Rohingya refugees, a Muslim minority group from neighbouring Myanmar, have fled to Thailand over the years. Many of them have been housed in Thai camps near the Myanmar border.
In some cases, there are charges that many of them have been kicked back out to sea from Thailand.

**********************

In the wake of Australia’s deadly bushfires, the government has said the bureaucratic hurdles that have prevented the creation of a nationwide fire alert system will be removed.

It is thought that such a system could have saved lives at the weekend, when bushfires tore through the state of Victoria, killing at least 181 people.

The fires, some of which are thought to have been started deliberately have injured some 500 people, and left nearly 5,000 homeless.

To date, privacy laws and arguments over funding have been obstacles in the way of a nationwide telephone fire alert system. The system, which will now be quickly brought in by the Federal Government, will send text messages to mobile phones urging residents to flee.

**********************
And now for our Divine Performing Arts quote of the day
**********************

The Divine Performing Arts (DPA) New York Company has performed its Washington leg D.C. Among the audience members was Mr. Sarbis, an entrepreneur and lawyer.

He said, “It was very colorful and the dancing was very beautiful. The solo singers were very good…I would describe it as very artistic and also spiritual.”

The performance was held at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Experience true Chinese culture like never before as Divine Performing Arts presents classical Chinese dance and music in gloriously colorful and exhilarating shows.

The Divine Performing Arts world tour is coming to a city near you soon. Don’t miss your chance to see this unmissable performance, visit www.divineperformingarts.org today!

**********************

‘Asia Cast… keeping you across the top headlines from Asia and the World.’