Asia Cast

Asia Cast for Saturday 21st November

In this Bulletin…

- Cost of Three Gorges Dam escalating;
- Solar power to help India meet growing energy needs; and
- Severe bushfires strike Australia.

But first, here’s our SOH focus on China
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A veteran human rights attorney was violently seized by Public Security Bureau officers on his return to Beijing after a speaking tour of the United States.

According to a ChinaAid report, Jiang Tianyong was held for over 13 hours on November 19 with only one meal. He has faced repeated harassment and house arrest for his defence of persecuted people in China, including attorney Gao Zhisheng.

As part of his four-week tour, Jiang gave testimony on defending religious freedom in China at a Human Rights Commission in Washington, DC.

The Epoch Times has more on this.

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The price of constructing the Three Gorges Dam has sky-rocketed as a result of corruption, escalating costs and technical and environmental problems.

By 2008 it had increased to over 26 billion US dollars from the approved budget of almost 8.4 billion. Officials claim they need another 14.6 billion dollars to deal with the problems created by the dam.

Dr Wang Weliuo, an engineer who participated in the Three Gorges feasibility study, claims the budget proposal was deliberately underestimated to get the project approved. Dr Wang told SOH that millions of yuan have also been misappropriated by local authorities.

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast

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It is five years since the publication of the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party. This award-winning editorial series by The Epoch Times uncovers the history of killing and persecution carried out by the Chinese Communist Party’s against its own people.

The Nine Commentaries are the inspiration behind a global movement to symbolically withdraw from the Communist Party. Beijing does not allow any political opposition. Withdrawing from the Party is the only way for the people of China to register their dissatisfaction with the regime.

According to The Epoch Times more than 63 million Chinese have so far renounced the Party and its affiliated organisations.

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Pressure is being put on Nepal’s president to end the ritual slaughter of animals during an upcoming religious festival.

Next week’s two-day Gadhimai festival will result in the killing of up to half a million animals.

Former film star Brigitte Bardot, who is also an animal rights activist, wrote to President Ram Baran Yadavhas. She said that the practice was violent, cruel and inhumane.

The Gadhimai festival is held every five years. Nepalese authorities say the mass sacrifice is an religious tradition. As yet there has been no official response to Ms Bardot’s letter.

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

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India is hoping to make significant advances in the amount of electricity it generates from solar power.

The government has just approved plans that would see solar output 1,000-fold over 12 years from its current negligible level. Its 20 gigawatt target would power several big cities.

The government wants to reduce India’s dependence on coal and boost the export industry for solar power equipment.

Critics say the 19 billion US dollar scheme will supplement, and not replace, fossil fuels even under India’s most ambitious plans. There are also worries over the amount of land that will be eaten up by industrial-scale solar plants.

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Extreme weather in Australia caused dozens of bushfires on Friday. Record-breaking temperatures lead to two states issuing catastrophic fire warnings.

In the state of South Australia thousands of lightning strikes set off about 100 blazes. Most of these burned themselves out.

Meanwhile, in New South Wales emergency crews were battling 34 fires. The Rural Fire Service said some of these extended into the outskirts of Sydney.

With scorching temperatures forecast over the weekend the fire alert level will remain high. Paramedics and health authorities are warning people to say cool and remain indoors.

Watch NTDTV for more on this.

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