Asia-Cast

Asia Cast for Wednesday 3rd March

In this Bulletin…

- Three charged in new case of tainted milk in China;
- Tibetans mark anniversary of 1959 uprising; and
- Australian aborigines to debate nuclear waste dump on tribal land.

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

**********************

Three employees from Shanghai Panda Dairy Company are on trial in a new case of melamine-tainted milk in China.

A corporate representative, general manager and deputy general manager of the plant are facing charges. They are accused of making milk flavouring with melamine-tainted condensed milk.

According to Chinese state-run media, the milk they used was milk returned by a dealer after the 2008 tainted milk scandal surfaced. They said the dairy company was found to have produced 6,520 cases of milk flavouring between February and April of 2009.

Melamine can make the protein content appear higher than it actually is.

For more on this story, visit The Epoch Times.

**********************

A deadly coal mine accident occurred in Wuhai, Inner Mongolia on Monday. Local media reports say one person is dead and several dozen are still trapped.

The coal mine was under construction when it flooded. Sources say 77 miners were digging tunnels when water gushed in.

The mine in question was opened in 2006 and is owned by Wuhai Energy. Its parent company, Shenhua Group is one of China’s major mining firms.

China’s coal mines are considered the most dangerous in the world.

**********************

And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast

**********************

The Tibetan government-in-exile is marking the anniversary of an uprising, protesting the Chinese regime’s occupation of Tibet, said NTDTV.

The uprising was back in 1959, when Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, led a failed uprising against communist rule. It led to the fleeing of many Tibetans to India.

This was the first event organized after the Dalai Lama’s arrival from the United States last month.

Thousands of Tibetans, including Buddhist monks, gathered in Dharamsala to offer prayers for their leader’s long life.

**********************

In Jakarta, protesters clashed with police over Indonesia’s bank bailout.

Reports say police fired tear gas at hundreds of people outside Indonesia’s parliament on Tuesday. Meanwhile lawmakers were debating a controversial, multimillion-dollar bank bailout.

Protesters burned Democratic Party flags and hurled stones and bottled water at police, who fired back with tear gas and water cannons.

Demonstrators hung banners which called for a change to the current regime and declared arrest for Bank Century thieves, demanding the bank scandal be ended.

**********************

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

**********************

Two newspaper offices have been vandalised in India’s Karnataka state. They are the most recent violent acts brought upon by an article which challenged the practice of Muslims wearing veils.

The newspaper, whose offices were attacked by a mob on Tuesday night, had published the article, triggering off protests in the Shimoga and Hasan areas.

Two Muslim protesters were killed in clashes with police after the article appeared.

But, the alleged author of the article claims she didn’t write it. She said a translated version of a previous article of hers had been doctored to slander her.

**********************

Aboriginal groups will gather soon to debate plans to build Australia’s first nuclear waste dump on tribal land.

The Australian government has selected a remote cattle station north of Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory as a likely site.

The proposal is said to be creating a deep divide within the indigenous community, where some are for selling the land yet others see potential harm to sacred tribal grounds.

Tribal ministers have indicated that the nuclear dump would not be built if landowners oppose it.

**********************

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