Asia Cast

Asia Cast for Sunday 31st May 2009

In this bulletin …

- Flu outbreak damages China’s tourism agency;
- Australia pressed to take Uighurs; and
- Swine flu liner docks in Brisbane.

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

Since the outbreak of the H1N1 flu virus, China’s tourism industry has been hit hard. Many people with international travel plans during the annual Dragon Boat Festival season appear to have delayed their trips.

Travel agencies are experiencing massive cancellations of tours. The China New Agency reported that according to CITS (China International Travel Service), since the H1N1 flu virus outbreak, the majority of travel reservations to Europe, America, and Japan have been cancelled. There has been more than a 50 per cent decrease in sales for the regular routes.

Compared to the same period last year, some individual routes even had more than a 70 per cent decline in business.

Since the H1N1 flu cases were confirmed in China, some countries issued warnings to tourists who planned to travel to China. As a result, travel to China has also been affected. In early May, the CITS recorded a 50 to 70 per cent decrease in tourist applications from overseas compared to the same period last year.

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

Begging is commonplace in many places in China and few people take much notice of it. However, a mother-daughter duo on the streets of Fangzheng County in Harbin City of Heilongjiang Province draws an unusual amount of attention. These two not only have plainclothes police watching their every move, but also have police vehicles’ sirens disrupting them.

These beggars are the wife and two-month old daughter of Ji Baoshan, a Falun Gong practitioner who was taken away by police over three months ago. Because Ji was the sole source of income for his family, his wife, Shi Renxue, was forced to take their infant out onto the streets with her to beg for food and appeal for his release.

Ji is currently still detained at the First Detention Center in Fangzheng. Shi is continuing to appeal for his release on the streets.

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

New homes will be given to the two child stars of the Slumdog Millionaire film as announced by the government of the Indian state of Maharashtra.

The announcement by the state’s top official creates the possibility that the homeless pair will own two flats.

On Thursday, director Danny Boyle said a trust he had set up had bought a new home for one of the child stars, Azharuddin Ismail.

He said that another should soon be found for girl star Rubina Ali.

Rubina, 9, and Azharuddin, 10, both lost their homes this month when the Mumbai (Bombay) authorities demolished parts of their slum.

**************************************************
You are listening to Asia Cast on the SOH Radio Network
**************************************************

The Australian government is being asked by US President Barack Obama to accept a group of Chinese Muslim detainees currently held at Guantanamo Bay prison camp.

The Uighurs have been cleared for release by US courts.

It is the first time Australia has been approached by the Obama administration over the Uighurs. Two requests by the Bush administration were turned down.

China has requested the Uighurs’ return, but the US will not send them there for fear they will be persecuted.

President Barack Obama has said he intends to close the Guantanamo Bay prison by January 2010 and is considering what to do with its remaining 240 detainees.

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

The cruise liner at the centre of Australia’s swine flu outbreak has docked in Brisbane after three crew members tested positive for the virus.

The swine flu infections forced the Pacific Dawn to abandon a voyage to the Great Barrier Reef. The authorities in Queensland have put strict precautions into place to try to stop any possible spread of infection by passengers leaving the vessel.

Those leaving the Pacific Dawn in Brisbane have been met by a team of nurses and medical staff. All 2,000 passengers and several hundred crew members will be screened for swine flu and asked to isolate themselves at home for a week.

Five holiday-makers who had earlier showed symptoms of the virus are awaiting the results of tests.

Australia now has more than 200 confirmed cases of swine influenza.

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

The country’s Defence secretary has said Pakistan’s operation against Taliban rebels in the Swat valley region should be over in the next few days.

Syed Athar Ali told a meeting of Asian nations in Singapore that only “5% to 10% of the job” remains.

The army has said it will pursue “hardcore” rebels after recapturing Mingora, the main city in Swat.

But an army spokesman said it was not possible to predict when the military operation would be completed.

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

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