Asia-Cast

Asia Cast for Tuesday 9th February

In this Bulletin…

- Higher prices for scarce train tickets in China;
- Thailand tightens security over protest concerns; and
- Australia’s immigration policies attract skilled workers.

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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Travellers in China should be prepared for scarce supplies of train tickets, higher prices and increased security measures this year, say SOH reporters.

Recently, China began checking ID cards for the sale of train tickets to deter ticket scalping. However travellers say it is still hard to get a ticket from Canton to Beijing.

Bus fares have risen as well, keeping people from reaching home for the holidays.

It is the allegedly the largest annual migration in human history. An estimated more than 2.5 billion journeys will take place in the 30 days before Chinese New Year.

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An Oscar Awards-nominated film is being censored in China. The film, “China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province” has been nominated for a 2010 Oscar for best documentary short.

NTDTV says that the film is being blocked from airing in China. On the internet, the words “unnatural disaster” is censored.

The documentary is also excluded from 2010 Oscar nominee announcements in Chinese media. In some cases the entire category is left out.

The 39-minute film tells the story of parents whose children died in the Sichuan earthquake in 2008. It’s still a highly sensitive issue for the Chinese regime.

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast

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Thailand’s government has begun a deployment of at least 20 thousand extra security forces across the country. It is in anticipation of ousted ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra’s court ruling expected in late February.

A government spokesperson said protests will be allowed but violence is their main concern. The people’s backlash is feared if the court seizes the ex-premier’s $2.2 billion US dollars worth of assets.

Security will be intensified before and after the ruling. The government does not expect things to be over any time soon. Even now, loyalists are stepping up anti-government demonstrations ahead of the court date.

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At least 17 Indian soldiers have been killed when an avalanche hit their military training camp in India-administered Kashmir.

The avalanche occurred near Gulmarg, the region’s main ski resort, located about 30 miles west of Srinagar.

About 400 troops were stationed at the camp at the time the avalanche occurred. The army said 17 soldiers were injured and rescue teams have returned to their bases.

Avalanches are common in Kashmir, but this is one of the deadliest to occur in the region in recent years.

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

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A senior Afghani police officer has been arrested in connection with planting and storing roadside bombs, said NATO.

The man was held in northern Parwan province by Afghani and coalition forces. NATO said he was linked to criminal activities including a murder.

Roadside bombs are a common tool used to attack military forces in Afghanistan. Taliban fighters make improvised explosive devices from mines and explosives known as IEDs.

In November 2009 five British soldiers were killed by an Afghan policeman they were mentoring.

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Australia’s immigration minister announced policy changes allegedly to attract more highly skilled workers.

The minister criticised what he described as the current trend of new arrivals. The new arrivals sign up for cookery, accounting or hairdressing courses to gain residency.

Australia will reportedly abolish the current list of 106 skills in demand and review a points test used to assess migrants.

The mining sector welcomed his comments. It is currently struggling to meet China’s demand for raw materials and lacking tens of thousands of staff.

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