Asia-Cast

Asia Cast for Tuesday 27th April

In this Bulletin…

- Chinese mayor fired for ignoring protests;
- Manila blaze leaves thousands homeless; and
- New Zealand deports Chinese woman seeking refuge.

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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The mayor of Zhuanghe city in Dalian Province, China has been fired for mishandling a protest about corruption.

According to state-run media, the mayor was accused of ignoring protestors who staged a kneel-down protest in front of city hall.

While corruption is rampant throughout China’s regime, authorities make promises to handle cases of corruption among officials. But, many people complain their complaints remain ignored.

Spontaneous protests are illegal in China. Permission must be granted by authorities. However, the right to petition is rarely, if ever granted.

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Beijing residents are battling an extremely foul garbage stench in various parts of the city. The arrival of warmer weather is making things even worse.

The worst-offending landfills, located in the suburbs, are being sprayed with a smell-busting liquid. But residents told Reuters the smell is still so bad, they are waking up coughing at night.

In one suburb, workers are using 100 high-pressure hoses with liquid deodorant to try to kill the smell. Locals say that is just not working.

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast

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A densely populated area of Manila was ravaged by fire on Sunday, said NTDTV. It has destroyed nearly 600 homes and left thousands homeless.

Around 2,500 families living in the Quezon City area of metropolitan Manila lost their homes to the fire.

The fire broke out in the afternoon and had still not been put out by early evening.

The city’s deputy fire marshall says the fire may have started from a three-story house and spread quickly due to strong winds.

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Indonesia will be hosting what is being called the world’s biggest geothermal energy conference. 2,500 delegates from 80 countries are expected at the weeklong event.

The country’s president said they plan to tap the energy trapped beneath its volcanoes. They would become the world’s largest user of geothermal power and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

Finding an alternative source of energy for south-east Asia’s largest economy will be one of the major talking points at the conference to be held in Bali.

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

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An acute water shortage has hit Gwalior City, India and its 1.2 million residents. The historic city in Madhya Pradesh is taking steps to clean and replenish medieval wells, step-walls and ponds in response.

The government is surveying two hundred sources of water in the city.

Locals say that the conditions of the ponds have deteriorated over time, as they have not been maintained properly.

Water tankers are being used to distribute water to the city’s residents. However, it still is not enough for the people’s day-to-day needs.

See this story on the NTDTV website.

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New Zealand recently deported a Chinese woman who is seeking refuge to avoid severe persecution in China.

The 54-year-old woman, a Falun Gong practitioner was fearful of returning to China. She was staying in New Zealand since 2006 but was forced to leave the country last Friday. She is now staying at the Kuala Lumpur Airport in Malaysia, after leaving her plane when it stopped there for a connection.

The woman’s family has flown to Malaysia to be with her.

Friends say she is now seeking help from the Malaysian government, so she does not have to return to China.

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