Asia-Cast

Asia Cast for Friday 11th December

In this Bulletin …

- Accredited doctors in China on leave to escape H1N1;
- Philippines Mayor accused of killings in massacre; and
- New southern state to form in India.

But first, here’s our SOH focus on China
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Medical students in China have been filling in for accredited doctors who have taken leave to avoid catching the H1N1 virus.

Xiaoquan, a resident of Zhejiang Province in China, said that due to the huge influx of patients she waited three days in hospital to be treated. Whilst there she did not see any doctors aged over 40, or any well know ones.

Xiaquan also commented saying that she believes the people will not receive adequate treatment due to the medical student’s lack of knowledge.

She said this incident was quite similar to when SARS broke out. Many doctors and hospital officials took leave or simply disappeared altogether.

For more on this story read The Epoch Times.

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast
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South Korea will be aiding North Korea with medical supplies to help combat the outbreak of the H1N1 virus.

A spokesman for South Korea’s Unification Ministry said Seoul will supply the North with Tamiflu.

On Wednesday Pyongyang confirmed that nine people had contracted the H1N1 virus.

Enough Tamiflu and other anti-viral medicines to treat 500,000 people will be provided to North Korea.

This is the first aid South Korea has given to the North since President Lee Myung-bak took office early in 2008.

When cross-border relations worsened last year, the president became much stricter on supplying aid to the North than previous governments had been.

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Hostages being held by armed bandits in the Southern Philippines have been released.

Sixty-five people were being held at a village primary school near Prosperidad on the east coast of Mindanao Island.

A spokesman for the Philippine military said at first the bandits released about 18 children and one adult.

The bandits had been demanding that charges against them, including for murder and robbery, be dropped.

Military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Romeo Brawner said all the hostages were freed after a stand-off with the armed men.

The authorities are currently facing a problem with lawlessness in the Southern Philippines.

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A Mayor has been implicated as being involved with last month’s massacre in the Philippines.

Two people who were at the scene of the massacre have given a direct testimony linking Andal Ampatuan Junior, the Mayor of Datu Unsay, to the murders.

Ampatuan, who is the son of the powerful governor of Maguindanao, may be charged with the murder of 25 people.

Many of the suspects involved with the killings are already in custody, although a number are still being sought after

Fifty-seven people, including 30 journalists, were killed in the November 23 massacre which took place in Maguindanao Province.

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You’re listening to Asia Cast on the SOH Radio Network
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Supporters of former Thai president Thaksin Shinawatra flooded back into Bangkok, with their red shirts colouring the streets.

They are attempting to step up pressure on the embattled government.

Around 8,000 protesters gathered for another rally against current premier Abhisit Vejjajiva who took office a year ago.

The demonstration was held to mark constitution day. It marks the formation of Thailand’s first constitution in 1932.

Red shirt leader, Jatuporn Prompan, said the rally will highlight their demands for the scrapping of a constitution forced through by a military government in 2007.

It has been one year after the army ousted Thanksin in a bloodless rebellion.

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A new state will be created in India from part of the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.

The government said the process of forming the state of Telangana will begin soon.

The Telangana state has long been neglected. But campaigners say their leader has been on a hunger strike to gain attention. His supporters are celebrating at their victory.

However in protest 70 state members are resigning which could lead to a political crisis.

The say they were not consulted by the federal government before it was decided to form a new state.

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