Asia-Cast

Asia Cast for Thursday 3rd June

In this Bulletin …

- China bans evidence obtained through torture;
- Thai president survives parliamentary vote; and
- Study finds many Pacific islands are growing.

But first we have our Shen Yun quote of the day

[Audio]

For more information please visit www.ShenYunPerformingArts.org.

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Our SOH focus on China is next

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China’s courts have decided to ban evidence obtained through torture. This just weeks after a convicted murderer was set free when the person he allegedly murdered was found to be alive.

There are already laws banning torture in China, but analysts say they are widely disregarded.

The man convicted of murder had spent 11 years in jail for a murder that never happened. He said he was beaten by police until he confessed.

The Chinese court system has long relied on confessions to prosecute those it accuses of crimes. Confessions given after torture will now allegedly be excluded.

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An advisor of China’s Central Bank is warning, problems in China’s housing market are more severe than those in the U.S. before the financial crisis.

He said recent measures to cool the property market need to be part of a long-term push. There are still signs the economy is overheating and modest increases in interest rates and currency are recommended.

He also said the housing market problem in China is much bigger than that of the U.S. and the U.K.

The Chinese central bank advisor spoke ahead of the Chinese regime’s announcement that real estate tax reforms were approved.

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast

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Thailand’s prime minister has survived a no-confidence parliamentary vote on Wednesday. He was accused of using excessive force to quash anti-government protests where at least 89 people were killed.

Thailand’s opposition party had brought the censure motion. The prime minister defended himself by saying armed protestors instigated much of the violence. He said security forces were only trying to confine them to their main rally site.

He got over 50 percent of the support vote, while five other government ministers also survived no-confidence votes.

Bangkok and 23 other provinces are still under emergency rule, although a night-time curfew was lifted last weekend.

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India’s envoy to the United Nations said India is seeking expansion of permanent seats in the United Nations Security Council.

In a closed-door meeting at UN headquarters the envoy positioned that it was not complete reform if only non-permanent seats were expanded.

India, Japan, Germany, South Africa and Brazil are all seeking permanent membership of the Security Council.

India is also running for a non-permanent seat of the Council for which elections will be held in October. India’s envoy and his team have been canvassing for the spot for the past three years.

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

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Israeli officials say they have released the last of the 632 foreign activists seized on board a flotilla carrying aid to Gaza. They had been held in a prison in the south of the country.

Many of the detainees were flown home in two passenger planes that were waiting for them at the airport near Tel Aviv.

Organizers of the initial convoy said they intend to send more aid convoys to Gaza, amid claims Israeli officials may have sabotaged the initial flotilla.

Nine activists were killed during the seizure as Israeli commandos battled to take over the vessel.

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A new geological study has determined that many low-lying Pacific islands are growing and not sinking as many had feared in the past. Several islands grew because of coral debris, sediment accumulation and land reclamation.

The study, published in the New Scientist magazine, predicts that the islands will still be there 100 years from now.

They studied 27 islands over the last 60 years, and found most have remained the same, while some have actually grown.

Historical data and satellite imaging were used to determine the changes.

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