Asia-Cast

Asia Cast for Sunday 26th July

In this Bulletin…

- Tibetans suspicious of sudden lift of ban on Dalai Lama images;
- Lumley setting off on Nepal trip; and
- Fallen soldier returned home.

But first, here’s our SOH focus on China
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Chinese officials recently lifted the ban on Tibetans’ right to possess and worship the Dali Lama’s photos in the eastern city of Trola, Luhu County of Ganzi Town, in Tibet, the voice of Tibet has reported.

Many Tibetans are suspicious of the regime’s ulterior motives.

Local Tibetans suspect the policy change is a political trap. Despite the policy change, no Tibetans dare to hang and worship the Dalai Lama’s image.

Only four months ago, public security staff searched every family in Donghu, Ganzi town of Kang region in Tibet. They collected 18 bags of all Dalai’s images and burned them in front of Tibetans.

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The website of Australia’s biggest film festival has been attacked by Chinese hackers over a documentary about Uighur leader Rebiya Kadeer.

Content on the Melbourne International Film Festival site was briefly replaced with the Chinese flag and anti-Kadeer slogans on Saturday, reports said.

In an earlier protest on Friday, Beijing withdrew four Chinese films.

Melbourne’s, The Age, newspaper says private security guards have been hired to protect Kadeer and other film-goers. She is due to attend the screening of Ten Conditions of Love, by Australian documentary-maker Jeff Daniels, on 8 August.

Chinese authorities blame Kadeer, leader of the World Uighur Congress, for inciting ethnic unrest in Xinjiang – charges she denies.

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast
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Actress Joanna Lumley is flying out to Nepal to meet former Gurkha soldiers and their families in a week-long trip.

She was the public face of a campaign – launched in Kent where there is a large Gurkha community – to secure UK residency rights for all veterans.

Accompanied by members of her family and Peter Carroll, who started the campaign, Ms Lumley will meet Nepal’s prime minister and president.

She said she was humbled by a visit which would be such a privilege.

Large crowds are expected to greet her on her arrival in Kathmandu on Sunday.

On Tuesday Ms Lumley will visit Jhapa and Dharan to meet Gurkhas.

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Taliban militants have tried to carry out multiple suicide attacks on government buildings in the eastern Afghan city of Khost, officials say.

They say at least six attackers wearing suicide belts targeted the main police station, but were killed in a gun battle with security forces.

Another militant died in a suicide car bombing. At least 17 people were wounded in the violence.

It comes amid a rise in attacks ahead of the 20 August presidential election.

The interior ministry says six suicide bombers armed with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades attacked Khost’s police station and nearby buildings on Saturday.

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The body of Private Benjamin Ranaudo, 21, killed in Afghanistan last week, has returned to Australia.

Family, colleagues and dignitaries gathered at Avalon Airport, near Melbourne, for the solemn ramp ceremony marking his return to his homeland.

Private Ranaudo, a member of the Mentor and Reconstruction Task Force, died in the explosion of an insurgent improvised explosive device while conducting an operation in southern Afghanistan.

Soldiers from his unit, the Townsville-based 1st Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR) formed a bearer party to receive and carry the casket from the C-17 Globemaster aircraft to his family.

This was his family’s first opportunity to pay their respects to Private Ranaudo since his death.

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Indonesia’s Health Ministry has confirmed the country’s first death linked to the H1N1 virus, or swine flu, after a 6-year-old girl suffering from severe pneumonia died in Jakarta.

The country says 343 people have been infected with swine flu as of July 24.

A girl was admitted to hospital with fever, coughs and respiratory problems and died on July 22, the Ministry said on its website.

The World Health Organisation has confirmed 800 deaths globally from the H1N1 virus, which has spread to 160 countries, but health experts say that figure does not reflect the true number of people killed by the virus.

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