Asia-Cast

Asia Cast for Saturday 28th November

In this Bulletin…

- H1N1 almost as bad as 2003 SARS outbreak in China;
- A hundred more suspects in Philippines massacre; and
- Australian senators in climate change showdown.

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

A hospital worker in Guangdong Province has told NTDTV that the current H1N1 epidemic across China has become almost as severe as the SARS outbreak 2003.

The man, who is a member of the medical staff in the Shenzhen Bao’an People’s Hospital, asked to remain anonymous.

He told NTDTV that variants of the H1N1 virus had been discovered. As with SARS the Chinese authorities have been blocking news about the H1N1 virus in China. Officials in Shenzhen deny the existence of any variants.

In early 2003 SARS spread from Guangdong Province to rapidly infect individuals in over 30 countries around the world.

Read The Epoch Times for more on this story.

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

The leaders of a Christian church group have been sentenced to between three and seven years in prison by a court in Northern China.

According to the Chinese Human Rights Defenders website the court in Linfen City, Shanxi Province charged the five with illegally occupying land and assembling to disrupt public order.

The leaders were arrested in mid-September after trying to stop their congregation buildings from being torn down.

The defendant’s lawyer, Li Fanping told AFP he was shocked by the severity of the sentence. Li said the regime had shown it was intent on using Chinese law as a tool to attack the church.

The Epoch Times has more on this.

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

And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast

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

Investigators in the Philippines have said one hundred more suspects, including police officers, could face arrest over Monday’s massacre.

The killings are believed to have been politically motivated, ahead of the 2010 provincial and national elections.

A mayor in the southern Philippines, whose wife was among 57 people killed in an ambush, has filed nomination papers to run for governor.

The mayor, Ismael Mangudadatu, travelled with a police and army escort along the same road where his wife, sisters, and at least 27 journalists were killed. He said only death could stop him from running.

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

On the final day of his trial for war crimes a former Khmer Rouge prison chief shocked a UN-backed tribunal by asking to be acquitted.

Charges against Kaing Guek Eav, known as Duch, include war crimes, crimes against humanity and torture during the communist regime’s rule from 1975 to 1979.

Duch commanded a prison from where thousands were killed in an orchard now known as the Killing Fields. Prosecutors said Duch oversaw the torture and killing of more than 15,000 people and actively took part in some cases.

His request for clemency cast doubt over the sincerity of his requests for forgiveness from the victims’ families.

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

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

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

Thailand and Cambodia’s defense ministers have said the diplomatic row over fugitive former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra will not cause further clashes between their armed forces.

The neighbouring countries have fought a string of deadly gunbattles on their border since last year. Relations between the two worsened when Thaksin visited Phnom Penh as an advisor to the Cambodian government earlier this month.

After a two-day meeting in the Thai resort town of Pattaya which ended Friday, the Thai and Cambodian defense ministers said they had agreed to reach peaceful solutions to solve new misunderstandings.

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

Rebellion within Australia’s opposition has thrown the government’s plans to enact a law for an emissions trading scheme into chaos.

The revolt within the Liberal Party means a key deadline for the Senate to pass the legislation has been missed.

Liberal leader Malcolm Turnbull had agreed with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to pass the scheme in the Senate, where the government is currently in a minority.

If the Senate fails to pass the scheme, Mr Rudd could call a snap election. One he would be expected to win by a very big margin.

Mr Turnbull faces a possible challenge for leadership of the Liberals on Monday, such is the division in the party over the climate change issue.

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

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