Asia Cast

Asia Cast for Wednesday 23rd December

In this Bulletin…

- The latest on China’s attack of SOH’s Asia partners;
- China fears bird flu mutation; and
- Raging bush-fires on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula.

But first we have our Shen Yun Performing Arts quote of the day.
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Our SOH focus on China is next
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The Chinese Communist regime has made strong efforts to shut down our SOH broadcasts in Indonesia and Taiwan.

Joining our fight are European Parliament Vice President Edward McMillan Scott and Canadian MP, David Kilgour among others.

The Honourable David Kilgour wrote Indonesia’s president saying he found it deeply troubling Indonesia would listen to a country with a well-known record in human rights violations.

VP McMillan Scott talked about Beijing’s complete control over media in China, but that it was up to the free world in how they react to China’s attempts.

For more on this story, listen to SOH’s Inside China Today.

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China has not made their H1N1 status public, and global experts’ concern is that mutation of viruses might become a super flu.

The former director of Taiwan’s Centre for Disease Control told SOH he is concerned the H5N1 and H1N1 viruses could possibly recombine, or pandemic trends of bird flu ensue.

He explained the H1N1 flu has a low mortality but high infectiousness, while H5N1 bird flu has low infectiousness but high mortality.

He said Asia will be the first victim in case of a new spread of bird flu since the virus already exists in poultry and birds in many Chinese cities.

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast

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China dismissed claims that it “hijacked” efforts to reach an agreement at the climate summit in Copenhagen and hindered talks.

Beijing said the accusations from a British minister were part of a political plot made by leaders who wanted to shirk their own obligations.

However, the Climate Change Secretary accused China of vetoing two agreements on limiting emissions.

Delegates simply committed to taking note of a deal, recognising the need to limit temperature rises to 2 degrees Celsius.

The final accord was reached between the US, China, India, Brazil and South Africa, but is not legally binding.

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Near a thousand people marched through the streets of Macau, marking the tenth anniversary under China’s control, reported NTDTV.

Protesters were demanding more political freedom and an end to corruption.

Macau’s economy exploded in recent years with its casino industry that also brought along with it corruption, organized crime and North Korean money laundering.

Protest speeches talked of their attempts at taking steps towards and calling for democracy.

The protest came just hours after swearing in a new chief executive handpicked by the Chinese communist regime.

For more on this story, watch NTDTV.

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“You are listening to Asia Cast on the SOH Radio Network”

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A suicide bomber has killed at least three people outside a club for journalists in Peshawar, Pakistan.

A police officer, a Peshawar Press Club worker and a woman bystander were killed in the blast. At least 17 others were wounded, several of which were journalists.

A senior police official told reporters it was a suicide attack, where the bomber had blown himself up after failing to enter the Press Club.

He said almost all the windows of the Peshawar Press Club had been shattered.

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A raging bushfire is threatening homes on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula, where multiple homes have been lost and fires continue to burn out of control.

Hectic scenes have erupted on the roads as residents struggle to escape the approaching fire and sightseers block the highway against advice from the Country Fire Service.

The fire, which has already burnt 509 hectares of land, has strengthened by high temperatures and strong winds.

Reports say there were power failures and heavy smoke and ash is drifting over the city of Port Lincoln.

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