Asia-Cast

Asia Cast for Sunday 24th January

In this Bulletin…

- Visa refusals put Shen Yun Performing Arts Hong Kong debut in doubt.
- Security concerns in Sri Lanka and India; and
- Australian Aboriginal art on display in Taiwan.

But first we have our Shen Yun quote of the day

[audio]

For more information please visit www.shenyunperformingarts.org.

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Our SOH focus on China is next

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It has been reported that renowned Chinese human rights lawyer, Gao Zhisheng, is still alive.

Gao’s family feared he had been killed by Chinese security forces. But a well-placed source in China’s security bureau has told an Australian reporter that lawyer Gao is alive.

The source told John Garnaut, Beijing correspondent for Fairfax News that Gao was still alive at present .

Lawyer Gao, China’s most outspoken human rights lawyer, has defended Falun Gong practitioners, petitioners, and members of Christian house-churches when no other lawyers dared.

He has been arrested, restrained, tortured, and harassed for the last five years and has been missing now for 11 months.

The Epoch Times has a more in-depth report on this story.

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Just days before Shen Yun Performing Arts’ eagerly anticipated debut in Hong Kong, immigration officials have denied entry to several key production staff. The show cannot go ahead without them.

Shen Yun, a New York-based performance company is due to give seven performances in Hong Kong from January 27 to 31. All the Hong Kong shows sold out within a week of tickets going on sale.

Shen Yun is known for depicting the traditional Chinese culture that was suppressed during the Cultural Revolution.

A lawyer working with the organizers of the performances said the last minute visa denials were intentional and politically motivated. As a sponsor of Shen Yun, SOH is deeply disturbed by this news.

Read The Epoch Times for a more thorough analysis.

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast

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A Japanese company has developed a security system that uses facial recognition to control who ca get in somewhere and who can’t.

The walk-through system takes a two-dimensional facial imprint and overlays a 3-D mask allowing evaluation. It means that you don’t need to remember a key code or swipe card or use your fingerprint to gain access. You just need to have the right face.

Omron, the company behind the system, said the device reads several facial features and can detect the faces of specific people. Even if you change your makeup or put on a hat or glasses, Omron said individuals can still be recognized with a high degree of accuracy.

Watch NTDTV to find out more.

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India has raised its airport security following concerns over a terror attack. Air marshals have been deployed and anti-hijacking measures have been put in place.

India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation said the alert was based on intelligence indicating that terror groups were planning an attack involving a flight from a South Asian country.

Airports and airlines were told they had to step up Security arrangements following information from security agencies as well as the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The alert was based on input from security agencies and the home ministry, Indian civil aviation authorities said.

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

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In Sri Lanka there have been warnings of possible vote-rigging and violence ahead of next week’s presidential elections.

The country’s opposition said it was predicting violence that would be targeted at its supporters to intimidate them.

The claim comes as both sides wrapped up their campaigning. The opposition said the ruling party wanted to create violence and discourage people from voting. A lower turnout would help rigging, they said.

The opposition also expected fake voters and forged ballot papers would also be used to swing the vote in favour of the ruling party. These claims have been denied by the ruling party.

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An exhibition of Australian Indigenous art has gone on display in Taiwan. It features 26 works by aborigines from Balgo Hills. One of Australia’s most important centres of Aboriginal art.

The exhibition opened at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum on Friday. And runs until late February. It showcases the works of 18 famous artists, including Helicopter Tjungurrayi, Boxer Milner and Eubena Nampitjin.

The Australian Commerce and Industry Office in Taipei said Taipei is the exhibition’s fifth stop in a tour of Asia and will continue on to Hong Kong, Hanoi, Beijing and New Delhi.

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