Asia Cast

Asia Cast for Sunday 19th April

Melamine tableware made in China may cause cancer (by Isara/flickr)

In this bulletin …

-Melamine tableware made in China may cause cancer;
-Philippine police rescue hostage; and
-Bangladesh police arrest 31 over suspected terrorism plot.

But first, here’s our SOH focus on China

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Melamine tableware produced by some manufacturers in Hebei and Guangdong provinces in China contained banned, raw material, urea-formaldehyde resin, which may release formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, in water and damage the health of consumers.

Melamine tableware, also known as imitation ceramic in China, is tableware that is widely used in restaurants and by families.

Meanwhile, a store in the Shaxi International Hotel in Panyu, Guangzhou City, is reportedly selling the kind of melamine tableware that releases formaldehyde. The manufacturers that produce this harmful product are either operating without a permit, or with a permit, but violating the rules.

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast

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A Swiss Red Cross worker held hostage for three months by Islamic rebels on the southern island of Jolo has recently been rescued by police in the Philippines.

Andreas Notter, 38, told reporters he was delighted to be safe but anxious about fellow hostage, Italian Eugenio Vagni, who is still being held.  Officials said Mr. Notter was rescued as his kidnappers tried to slip through a security cordon and were spotted.  Abu Sayyaf rebels kidnapped him and two colleagues on 15 January.

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In Bangladesh 31 men have been arrested over suspicion of plotting a terrorist attack, an officer said.  Police chief Masudul Haque Nuruzzaman, from Kushtia district 100 kilometres west of the capital Dhaka, said the men were members of the Islamic group Hizb ut-Tauhid.  The arrests were made on Friday during a raid on a meeting.

Mr. Nuruzzaman said that they have intelligence to suggest they were preparing an attack.  Jihadi books, leaflets, gunpowder and bomb-making materials were seized during the meeting, he said.  Hizb ut-Tauhid is a small Bangladesh-based Islamic militant group.

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

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An airfield official has reported that 11 people were killed when their light plane crashed in Indonesia’s mountainous Papua province.  Timika Air Base commander Easter Haryanto, who is coordinating search efforts, said rescue teams have reached the wreckage of the Mimika Air plane on a steep slope on Mount Gergaji.

The Mimika Air Pilatus Porter was en route from Ilaga to the remote highlands town of Kota Mulia with 11 people on board, including a child, when it crashed on Friday.  The secretary of the province’s electoral commission as well as a number of other officials were on board the charter flight, which was carrying ballot papers from April 9 national elections.

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Britain has expressed grave concern about the continued fighting in Sri Lanka, which rejected an appeal from the United Nations for another halt in its military offensive against Tamil Tiger rebels.

Defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse says the army will continue its military assault in the northeast of the country, because there was no result during the previous halt last Monday and Tuesday.  Only a few hundred civilians used the government’s pause to escape from the tiny coastal strip still held by the Tamil Tigers.  Up to 100,000 civilians are believed to still be there.

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And now for an update on the Shen Yun performances

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Shen Yun has arrived in Sydney performing their first show to a sell out crowd at the NIDA theatre.  Audiences where in awe of the beauty and grace of the show and the special message it brings.

Shen Yun will be performing again tonight at the NIDA theatre and then will continue their performances next week in Sydney.  Visit www.divineperformingarts.com to find out more about the show.

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“Asia Cast…Keeping you across the top headlines from Asia and the world.”