Asia-Cast

Asia Cast for Thursday 20th May

In this Bulletin…

- Mine blast kills 10 in Northern China;
- Nearly one-third of Thailand under curfew; and
- Pakistan authorities block Facebook because of blasphemy.

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 mine blast in China’s Shanxi Province on Tuesday has left ten people dead and one is still missing, reports NTDTV. A gas explosion ripped through a mine that was under construction.

Chinese state-run media reports say 41 miners were working on construction of the mine when the blast took place. 27 people were able to escape and three workers were pulled out alive.

Rescue teams are still working to find the missing miner, and authorities are investigating the cause of the accident. No other details have been released.

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

The English edition of The Epoch Times—an SOH media partner—has added Hong Kong to its network of international offices, printing its first-ever English newspaper there. The English Edition joins the Chinese-language Epoch Times already published in the city.

The newspaper’s print edition is currently distributed in 12 languages in 33 countries around the world and The Epoch Times websites exist in 17 different languages.

Hong Kong, formerly a British colony, features elements of both Eastern and Western traditions. Both English and Chinese are official languages for the region.

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

And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast

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

Thailand’s government has put about one-third of the nation under curfew after enforcing a crackdown on thousands of anti-government protestors. Protestors had ignored a deadline to leave their barricaded bunkers and end clashes with military troops enforcing martial law.

At least 27 buildings were set ablaze after the red-shirt leaders surrendered. Fires were reported at the stock exchange, banks and shopping malls.

About 40 people have died since violent clashes between protestors and troops erupted last week. At least six more have died amidst the chaos on Wednesday.

The government has ordered TV channels to broadcast only officially-sanctioned programs.

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

The South-western Japanese Island of Kyushu is battling to contain an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. All livestock will be slaughtered within 10 kilometres of the disease-hit areas.

The virus has brought to a halt all Japanese beef and pork exports in the past month, severely affecting the premium beef industry in the Miyazaki prefecture.

Officials had already earmarked 118,000 cows, buffalo, pigs and goats from 131 farms to be destroyed. About half of them have already been put down. The disease was confirmed in late April, three weeks after the first animals fell ill.

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

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

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

India’s auction of high-speed bandwidth permits for wireless services has ended with the government receiving nearly US$15 billion dollars, twice the amount expected.

Nine telecom firms took part in more than 180 rounds of bidding over 34 days.

With nearly half a billion wireless phone users in India, it is reportedly the fastest growing wireless market around.

The upgrade to 3G services for India means wireless users can surf the internet, download music, video and other content at a much faster speed than what is now possible.

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

A Pakistani court has ordered authorities to temporarily block the social networking site Facebook. The order came after a petition was filed when a competition on the site was held featuring cartoons considered blasphemous to Muslims.

The competition’s web page declared their contest was to show Muslim extremists they are not afraid of them.

The Pakistani press has reported protests against Facebook on Wednesday by journalists outside parliament buildings in Islamabad.

Reporters say the internet is uncensored in Pakistan but the government monitors content by routing all traffic through a central exchange.

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

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