Asia-Cast

Asia Cast for Sunday 21st March

In this Bulletin…

- Corruption scandal making Chinese jet-fighters unsafe;
- Veteran Nepalese leader dies; and
- Australia assesses damage after Tropical Cyclone Ului.

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

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

A severe sandstorm that has been heading east across China arrived in Beijing late Friday night.

Meteorologists have said this is the worst sandstorm China has seen all year. The severity of the sand storm has been blamed on the long drought the region has been experiencing.

The state weather centre released a statement saying that the conditions were ‘very bad for the health’. The storm’s severity has been officially designated as ‘hazardous’.

Studies are showing that China has had a severe increase in sandstorms in the past ten years along with increased droughts and growing desert areas.

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

A former employee of a Chinese engineering company producing parts for jet-fighters has blown the whistle on a corruption scandal he says has put lives at risk.

The Shenyang Aircraft Corporation is a state-run aviation parts manufacturer. It produces parts for both military and civilian aviation.

Ma Ming, a former employee at the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation’s number eight plant told The Epoch Times some production had been subcontracted out to private workshops using unqualified workers. Ma said that in late 2007, former plant manager Yang Yongying began subcontracting the production of parts to increase profits.

As a result, several serious accidents have occurred. Ma believes many aircraft equipped with such parts are in danger.

Check out the Epoch Times website to read the full extent of Ma’s accusations.

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

And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast

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

The director of the Oscar-winning film The Cove joined a small group of anti-whaling activists protesting outside the Japanese Embassy in Seoul.

The Cove centred on the practice of dolphin hunting in Japan, and last week won an Oscar for best documentary.

The film’s director, Louis Psyhoyos, along with producer Charles Hambleton and Seoul-based environmentalists are urging Japan to stop whaling.

Psyhoyos told NTDTV dolphins were being slaughtered inhumanly and the meat was being sold as whale meat, even thought it was toxic. He said the Japanese people needed to see the film

You can see what Psyhoyos had to say at the NTDTV website.

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

Nepal’s former prime minister, Girija Prasad Koirala, died on Saturday aged 85. Koirala was prime minister four-times. He was a member of a political dynasty credited with helping to bring democracy to Nepal.

Koirala had been suffering from respiratory disease for many years. An aide told AFP the former leader died at his daughter’s home in Kathmandu.

In 2006 Koirala brokered the peace deal that brought a decade-long civil war to an end. The conflict with the Maoist rebels killed at least 16,000 people, with thousands more still unaccounted for.

Witnesses said thousands of people had gathered at the home of Koirala’s daughter to pay their respects.

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

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

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

Residents in north Queensland, Australia, are assessing the damage from Tropical Cyclone Ului. The cyclone crossed the coast early Sunday morning.

Ului has been downgraded to category 2. A disaster situation had been declared along Australia’s eastern coast Saturday ahead of Ului’s arrival as authorities prepared for worse.

The Bureau of Meteorology expects that by Sunday afternoon the cyclone to should have weakened into a rain depression.

It says heavy rain and flooding is likely along parts of the Queensland coast. The cyclone has snapped off trees and brought down powerlines leaving 60,000 homes and businesses without power.

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

The head of the Taiwan Bicycle Exporters’ Association predicted double-digit growth in Taiwan’s bicycle sales this year. The association’s chairman was spoke to national media Saturday as the Taipei International Cycle Show came to a close.

The chairman predicted the global campaign to reduce global warming and the recovering markets in the United States and Europe would boost future growth by over 10 per cent.

Taipei’s bicycle show, the largest in Asia and among the world’s top three biggest cycle shows, saw record attendance this year, the organizers said in a press statement.

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

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