Asia-Cast

Asia Cast for Wednesday 20th January

In this Bulletin…

- Chinese human rights lawyer missing;
- Taiwan’s prosecutor general resigns; and
- Land acquisition halted for Sydney, Australia metro line.

But first we have our Shen Yun quote of the day

[audio]

For more information, please visit www.shenyunperformingarts.org.

Our SOH focus on China is next

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Chinese human rights lawyer and 2008 Nobel Peace Prize nominee Gao Zhisheng has been missing since September of 2009, reports NTDTV.  His family, friends and human rights groups fear he is dead.

US-based rights group ChinaAid said Gao’s brother travelled to Beijing recently to find the policeman who first detained Gao. The officer claimed Gao had gotten lost and went missing while out on a walk.

Gao’s wife is demanding to know where her well known husband is. If he is indeed missing, she wants the Chinese communist regime to explain how he went missing and what they have done after that.

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Thousands of striking workers clashed with over 300 riot police last week at a plant in Jiangsu Province in China, reported The Epoch Times. Employees were protesting hazardous conditions and unpaid bonuses.

Protestors said they are expected to work 10 to 12 hours a day, seven days a week. They also said they are using toxic materials without proper protection or proper ventilation

One source told Epoch Times reporters that bosses called riot police. Hundreds of police came with batons and shields. They blocked the roads and viciously beat protestors; he saw seven to eight police beating one person.

For full coverage of this story, visit The Epoch Times.

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast

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The prosecutor general of Taiwan has given his resignation after being impeached. He was impeached over his handling of a corruption probe into Taiwan’s former president.

The former prosecutor general was held responsible for failing to prevent the ex-leader’s family doctor from fleeing abroad. The doctor was a suspect in the case.

He was also blamed for withholding information about private meetings with land developers, journalists and the former Taiwan justice minister.

This will be the first-ever prosecutor general of Taiwan to be impeached. He is appealing his life sentence while in detention.

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Three democracy activists could face the death penalty as they go on trial in communist-run Vietnam on Wednesday. The case has sparked international concern.

They are charged with activities of subverting the people’s administration, according to an indictment cited in state-run news.

The charges carry a minimum penalty of 12 years’ imprisonment and a maximum of death.

They were initially charged with accusations of propaganda. The charges were later replaced with more severe ones. The indictment says the three prepared dozens of anti-state documents and blogs.

State media have reported that the accused have all admitted their guilt.

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

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Malaysia is urging the United States to change a travel advisory they claim is wrong and misleading.

The travel advisory to the country warns of terrorists targeting Borneo tourist destinations.

The US embassy in Kuala Lumpur said there were indications that criminal and terrorist groups planned attacks. The areas it said were targeted were areas of eastern Sabah state on Borneo Island including a diving resort.

However, Malaysia summoned a US ambassador to register its concern, insisting the security situation in Sabah was not as perceived in the alert.

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The office of the premier of New South Wales, Australia stated the government has stopped land acquisition for the Sydney metro.

Many are taking this as a sign the government will be dumping the $4.9 billion US dollar underground CBD Metro project.

The premier said she was yet to make a decision on the project, and that the government was committed to a metro network for Sydney, Australia.

One urban planner proposed dumping two pricey tunnels. Estimated savings would be over $2.3 billion US dollars.

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