A a neuroscientist from the University of New South Wales says that fatty foods may affect the brain the same as recreational drugs (Flickr/pdra(busy)

- China lashes out at UK human rights report;

- Obama postpones trip to Australia; and

- Fatty foods may affect the brain.

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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China has hit back at the UK after they did a review of human rights around the world and where highly critical of Beijing.

In the report China was named as one of the 20 nations where human rights issues were a cause of major concern.

David Miliband, the British Foreign Secretary, had released the report immediately after visiting China.

Mr Miliband brought up the case of Gao Zhisheng, one of China’s most well-known human rights lawyers, who was taken away by police last year and has vanished.

Gao had been investigating human rights cases, mainly the persecution of Falun Gong adherants.

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An investigation is underway after a report surfaced that unsafe vaccines had led to the deaths of four children and sickened 74 others in China.

The Ministry of Health ordered the investigation after the China Economic Times reported the unsafe vaccines. The dangerous vaccines for encephalitis, hepatitis B, rabies and other illnesses were only being used in the northern province of Shanxi.

The province had been supplied with these problem vaccines since 2006, as outlined in the report.

The media report and the ministry’s order didn’t make it clear whether the vaccines themselves were dangerous or whether they had failed to protect children from illness.

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast

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US President Barack Obama has postponed his trip to Indonesia and Australia until June.

Obama’s delay is due to him struggling to drive his health reform bill through Congress.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said they greatly regret the delay of the trip. But added that the health insurance reform is of top importance and the president is determined to see this battle through.

Obama made the decision under pressure from some Democrats.  The crucial vote in the House of Representatives on health reform would not take place until Sunday afternoon at the earliest.

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India will attempt to identify every member of its 1.2 billion population, in a national survey to be conducted from the 1st of April.

Authorities say more than two million staff will be involved in the $820 million project. They say the identification program was motivated by concerns over national security and over widespread corruption undermining the government’s anti-poverty efforts.

The country has suffered a number of financial scandals in recent years involving lawmakers, bureaucrats, corporate firms and stock markets. While corruption ingrained in the government is seen as a major hurdle to the nation’s rise.

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

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At a UN wildlife meeting, the proposal to ban international trade in Atlantic blue fin tuna has been declined.

The decision came after Japan, Canada and many poor nations disagreed with the ban on the grounds it would devastate fishing economies.

However Monaco argued that the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas had not employed strict enough measures to ensure the species’ survival.

Scientists and campaigners working with conservation organisations were disappointed with the outcome.

Stocks have fallen by about 85% since the industrial fishing era began.

Tom Strickland, head of the nation’s Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species said today’s vote was a setback for the Atlantic blue fin tuna.

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Professor Margaret Morris, a neuroscientist from the University of New South Wales, has found that certain fatty foods trigger the same response in the brain as some recreational drugs.

She says it could be a link between why one third of men and half of women in Australia are classified as obese.

Professor Morris said that her research showed having tasty food available makes people feel better and maybe part of the problem with the obesity epidemic.

She says that these foods maybe used to ease stress. She also added that these foods maybe used like a reward, so the person continues to do it because it makes them feel good.

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“Asia Cast … Keeping you across the top headlines from Asia and the world.”

In this file photo, Republican Ileana Ros-Lehtinen speaks at a July 20, 2007 rally marking eight years since the Chinese Communist regime's persecution of Falun Gong began. The House of Representatives voted 412-1 on March 16 to call for an end to this persecution in China. (Jan Jekielek/The Epoch Times)

In this Bulletin…

- Hong Kong rally supports 70 million quitting the CCP;
- Australia and New Zealand begin Fijian aid effort; and
- US House of Representatives passes resolution calling for China to end persecution of Falun Gong.

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 widening gulf between China’s politics and it’s people was revealed by two very different events in the last week.

In Beijing, the annual session of the National People’s Congress has come to a close. And as usual it unanimously endorsed the Communist Party, rubber-stamping the regime’s decisions.

Since ordinary Chinese have no involvement in the voting process, they have to let their feelings about the country’s leadership be known in other ways.

One of these ways is by publicly quitting the Chinese Communist Party and its affiliated organisations. A rally supporting the 70 million Chinese who have done just this was held in Hong Kong on the weekend.

A member of Hong Kong’s Legislative Council said the 70 million who had quit showed the people’s lack of confidence regarding China’s future under the Communist Party’s totalitarian rule.

You can find out more about the Hong Kong rally on the Epoch Times website.

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An Australian executive is due to go on trial in China next week on what are essentially industrial espionage charges.

Rio Tinto,  executive Stern Hu and three Chinese employees of the Anglo-Australian mining giant will go on trial in Shanghai on Monday.

A spokeswoman for Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said they will face charges of ‘receiving bribes and infringing comme

In this Bulletin…

- Official statement deepens mystery of Chinese lawyer’s status;
- Chinese reporters told to ignore ‘unusual statements’ by political representatives; and
- Vietnam releases high profile human rights activist .

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 fate or whereabouts of a renowned Chinese human rights lawyer is no clearer despite a statement on the matter from China’s foreign minister.

Speaking at a press conference, the Chinese foreign minister said Gao Zhisheng had been sentenced for committing the crime of subverting state power.

But the minister did not say if he was referring to a suspended five year sentence Gao was given in 2006, or to a new charge.

This was the fourth time the authorities had attempted to clarify Gao’s status since he disappeared over a year ago. Each time a different explanation has been given.

Check out The Epoch Times to learn more about why Gao has disappeared in Beijing.

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The security around the Chinese regime’s annual political meetings, known as the Two Sessions, is tighter than ever this year. Some 700,000 personnel have formed a ’security moat’ around the city. While another 600,000 are serving as security guards within the city.

Insiders told SOH that media restrictions were also tighter this year as well. The usual ‘forbidden zones’ that were off-limits to the media were clearly marked out. But new for this year’s Two Sessions is a warning sign that reads, ‘No unusual statements or comments of representatives are to be reported.’

But not everyone is obeying the order. You can read some of these unusual statements, as well as responses from Chinese bloggers, on the Epoch Times website.

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Several hundred Chinese media workers are demanding the governor of Hubei Province apologises, and even resigns, for directing an angry outburst at a female reporter.

The Hubei governor became enraged by a question from a People’s Daily reporter during a press conference at the annual political meetings currently under way in Beijing.

The reporter asked about a high profile rape case in Hubei which two Party officials were implicated in. The case involving waitress Deng Yujiao was among the most discussed items on the Chinese Internet in 2009.

The governor threatened the reporter and snatched her voice recorder yelling how could someone from the Communist Party’s mouthpiece ask such a question.

The Epoch Times website has got the full story on the Chinese media’s unusual response.

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

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And now for the rest of Today’s Asia Cast”

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Sri Lanka’s former army chief is fighting charges he says have been fashioned to remove him from politics.

Retired Army General Sarath Fonseka faced a military court Tuesday. A panel of three military judges is to consider if he is guilty of participating in politics while still in uniform.

The former military leader says the charges against him are false and politically motivated. His supporters say he was seen as a threat to the government and he was arrested to stop him participating in parliament next month.

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A high profile human rights activist  in Vietnam has been released from prison five years before his sentence was due to end.

Father Ly was given an eight year jail term in 2007 for disseminating anti-government propaganda. In 2009 he was left partially paralysed after suffering two strokes.

Western governments had made repeated demands that the Roman Catholic Father be freed.

But it is still unclear whether his release is final, or just for medical treatment.

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Taiwan has announced plans that would allow it to join the world trade in carbon credits. The Environmental Protection Administration announced Tuesday that Taiwan wanted to help its diplomatic allies in Africa develop green energy in return for carbon credits.

Taiwan is currently excluded from the global carbon trade scheme as it is not a member of the United Nations. But hopes it can obtain carbon credits from helping African nations develop their solar and bio-energy resources.

The 2010 Taiwan and Africa Environmental Leaders Meeting takes place in Taipei this week.

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

Indonesia's National Commission on Human Rights has said pressure from the Chinese Embassy in Jakarta to force an independant radio station off the air is a violation of Indonesia’s press freedom by the Chinese government.

In this Bulletin…

- Beijing’s political conferences branded as waste of money;
- Chinese interference with Indonesian media investigated; and
- Pacific battered by cyclones.

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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An award winning Chinese journalist has branded Chinas two most important annual political sessions as frivolous and a waste of money.

The National People’s Congress and the People’s Political Consultative Conference are currently under way in Beijing. Journalist Gao Yu has said they won’t solve any of China’s problems.

According to Gao, ever since the 1989 democracy protests that ended in the June 4 Tiananmen Square Massacre, dissidents has been banned from the two conferences. She said this turned the so-called democratic conferences into mere show pieces.

Listen to our Inside China Today podcast to hear Gao’s thoughts on China’s economy, real estate bubble and the toxic milk powder scandal.

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The Chinese regime has been accused of reaping the profits in China’s overpriced property market

Many attending the regime’s annual sessions in Beijing said local authorities were responsible for China’s sky-rocketing real estate prices.

Experts have also said money from Beijing’s economic stimulus package had been used to enable state-run industries to speculate on the real estate market.

But nobody wants to burst the bubble. Beijing doesn’t want GDP to fall, which it would if real estate prices dropped. China’s banks would be left with a massive toxic debt. And as one critic put it, property speculation has become a means for the rich and influential in China to accumulate wealth.

You can find out how this situation has arisen on the Epoch Times website.

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And now we bring you the second part of our update on the why the Chinese regime is pressuring Indonesia to shut down our media partner there, Radio Erabaru.

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SOH provides Radio Erabaru with the Mandarin programmes it broadcasts. So the news the station airs in Indonesia reveals the truth about what’s happening under the regime in China.

Radio Erabaru said its difficulties started after the Chinese Embassy spoke to Indonesia’s government in 2007. The station was denied a broadcast license without being told why. And now it’s being threatened with closure over alleged technical irregularities. Including not having a valid license.

But Indonesia’s National Human Rights Commission recently said the station hadn’t broken any rules. The Commission is seeking an explanation from the government and the Chinese Embassy. Indonesian media, such as the Jakarta Post, have also been investigating the story.

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In Taiwan on Sunday, hundreds of Tibetans and their supporters commemorated the second anniversary of the Lhasa Uprising in 2008.

Tibet supporters gathered in Taipei’s city centre before marching down through the streets.

The Taiwan Friends of Tibet arranged the rally to demand an end to what they say is the persecution of Tibetans by the Chinese regime.

On March 14, 2008, Buddhist monks held protests in Lhasa that gave way to heated violence. At least 19 people died in the violence, which sparked waves of protests across Tibetan areas.

You can see some of what took place in Taipei on Sunday on the NTDTV website.

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

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Two Thai soldiers were wounded Monday in a grenade attack on a military base in Thailand.

Four M-79 grenades were fired at the army barracks on Bangkok’s northern outskirts where the Thai government has been housed. The attack came as crowds of red-shirted protesters left their picket in front of the barracks to press their demand for snap elections.

Monday’s incident was the first reported violence in Bangkok since the supporters of ousted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra gathered in the capital demanding that current Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva call snap polls. Calls that Abhisit has so far rejected.

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A state of emergency has been declared in parts of Fiji battered

Food safety concerns, such as rice polished with soybean oil, are exposed by a food industry veteran in Hubei Province, China. Oil-polished rice becomes rancid easily. (By babasteve/Flickr)

In this Bulletin…

- Food expert exposes food-safety problems in China;
- Over 100,000 chickens culled in Bangladesh bird flu outbreak; and
- Taliban target U.S. NATO forces in recent blast.

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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Chairman of the Grain Association in Guangshui and food processing industry veteran Mr. Li, warns of harmful food safety problems, reports The Epoch Times.

In a letter to media in China, he said industrial bleach is commonly used in flour. It can harm the liver and kidneys and circulatory system if used in high doses.

Pig farms routinely add chemicals, hormones, and drugs to their pig feed which have not been tested.

And, Mr. Li, told an SOH reporter about the practice of polishing rice with soybean oil. He said it turns rancid quickly and can harm the digestive system.

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Chinese computer specialists have developed new anti-censorship software to penetrate the Great Firewall of China.

Striving to gain freedom of information on the Internet, the anonymous group started the project in July of 2008.

The developers named the project after 13th century play, Xi Xiang Ji about a young scholar who climbed over a wall to have secret meetings with his lover.

The software enables users to easily bypass the Great Firewall of China.

The Firewall is a regime-sponsored Internet surveillance tool that censors what hundreds of millions of Chinese Internet-users can and cannot access.

For more on this story, visit The Epoch Times.

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast

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Twenty-six students died after their bus plunged into a river in the Northern Indian state of Rajasthan, say local police. 11 were female students of a local college.

The students in the bus were returning to Sawai Madhopur district from their visit to the holy city of Vrindavan.

Around 34 students suffered injuries when the bus fell into the Morel River.

Police say the bus smashed through a barrier as it was crossing a bridge when it plunged into the river.

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Local officials in Dhaka, Bangladesh say at least 117,600 chickens were destroyed on Sunday after an avian flu outbreak occurred at one of the country’s largest poultry farms.

The deadly H5N1 strain was detected on Saturday. That was when 400 chickens had suddenly died at the Kazi Farms complex.

Tests confirmed the presence of H5N1 bird flu in 15 sheds on the farm. The district livestock chief then ordered the destruction of all layer chickens.

They also destroyed 200,000 eggs. They estimate the farm’s total losses at US$6 million dollars.

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

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In a very solemn and public declaration, Kazakhstan’s president demanded answers over a deadly flooding that killed 35 people. He is calling for the prosecution of anyone suspected of causing the flood.

The flooding devastated a village when a dam burst in the Almaty region. The dam failed after flood-waters of melting snow and rainfall accumulated. About 1,000 villagers were evacuated.

An investigation into the incident will search for failures in repair work protocols which may have led to the dam’s failure.

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Saturday’s bomb attacks in Kandahar city, in Afghanistan were a warning to U.S. and NATO forces, say the Taliban.

A Taliban spokesman told an international news-wire service the blasts were in retaliation to comments made by the commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan.

Commander of U.S. and NATO forces, General McChrystal said they planned to target the Kandahar region to wipe out the Taliban.

The main target appeared to be Kandahar’s prison, though no prisoners escaped.

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

Radio Erabaru is Sound of Hope's media partner in Indonesia. The Chinese regime has been trying to stop the privately owned station's broadcasts.

In this Bulletin…

- China’s suppression of media freedom spreads across Asia;
- US releases annual human rights report; and
- Bangkok braced for anti-government protests.

But first we have our Shen Yun quote of the day

[audio]

For more information please visit www.shenyunperformingarts.org.

But first we bring you a special update on Era Baru Radio, our media partner in Indonesia.

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Indonesia’s Communications and Information Technology Ministry has said it plans to force the privately owned Radio Erabaru off the air.

Radio Erabaru’s target audience are Chinese-Indonesians. The station transmits 30 per cent of its broadcasts in Mandarin. Broadcasts provided by SOH. But by airing news on sensitive subjects, like the Chinese regime’s persecution of the Falun Gong spiritual group, the station has apparently angered the Chinese embassy in Jakarta.

In 2009 the Indonesian government declined to extend the station’s broadcasting license, first issued in 2007. The station has now been told it’s also interfering with other radio frequencies.

But Indonesia’s Legal Aid Foundation suspects the action against Radio Erabaru came after political pressure from the Chinese Embassy in Jakarta.

Station director Raymond Tan said the Chinese government was behind the efforts to close Radio Erabaru because the station aired news on Falun Gong. Tan added, the news was aired because it was worthy of being aired.

The Legal Aid Foundation said it had written proof about Chinese interference in the affair. It says the document states that if the station continues broadcasting it might damage relations between the two countries.

Radio Erabaru said it will continue broadcasting as it had not been given a deadline to cease operations.

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast

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Taiwan’s justice minister has stepped down over her reluctance to sign execution orders for the country’s 44 death row convicts.

But in an ironic twist of fate her departure may actually speed up the executions. Willingness to sign the death penalty orders has become the main consideration in appointing a new justice minister.

The Vice Justice Minister has also tendered his resignation over the matter.

The Taiwanese Premier told a legislative hearing Friday that Taiwan is a country ruled by law. He stressed that the new justice minister must carry out his official duties without any hesitation.

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The United States government has released it’s 34th annual human rights report. In it the US says that China and Iran have stepped up human rights abuses.

The report accused China of violating cultural and religious freedom, and for broadening its effort in monitoring information on the Internet.

According to the report China increased its efforts to monitor Internet use, control content, restrict information, block access to foreign and domestic websites, encourage self-censorship, and punish those who violated regulations.

Iran was accused for the violent suppression of mass protests, which followed the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The US also criticized Cuba, Burma, North Korea, Russia and Sri Lanka for human rights

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

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The president of Afghanistan has agreed to let two foreigners join a panel monitoring September’s parliamentary elections. This is a reversal of an earlier decision.

Last month the Afghan president signed a decree letting him appoint all five members of the Electoral Complaints Commission.

The decree was met with stiff criticism. Some saw it as an attempt to control a body which stripped nearly a third of his votes in last year’s fraud-tainted election.

On Saturday, a spokesman said the president would now accept some foreigners on the body. But with three out of the five votes the Electoral Complaints Commission would still be controlled by Afghans.

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Hundreds of thousands of protesters were expected in Bangkok Sunday. The protesters, all supporters of deposed Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, had been arriving for days.

The series of anti-government rallies they planned to hold over the weekend have been seen as the biggest threat yet to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s power.

Security forces have been guarding state buildings after government warnings of arson and bombings. Protesters say authorities are trying to fan public fears to justify a potential crackdown.

The government said the 50,000 security personnel handling the protest would not be armed.

You can see more on the build up to the protests on the NTDTV website.

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

A Siberian tiger in America's Minnesota Zoo. Eleven tigers have died at a zoo in China in the space of three months, some say due to poor living conditions. (By jimw/Flickr)

In this Bulletin…

- Eleven Siberian tigers die in captivity in China;
- Asylum seekers rescued off Australian coast; and
- Australia won’t support global ban of blue fin tuna.

But first, here’s SOH focus on China

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Over only three months, eleven rare Siberian tigers have died at a zoo in north-eastern China.

A local wildlife protection official, Liu Xiaoqiang says lack of food may have caused malnutrition, leading to the tigers deaths.

Mr Liu also says the tigers were kept in very small cages, not allowing them to move as much and lowering their resistance to disease.

However, a manager at the zoo says the tigers simply died of various diseases.

The tiger’s deaths have raised concerns about how tigers are treated in China, especially as China is celebrating the year of the tiger.

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Over 90 authors have criticized China for refusing a HIV-positive Australian writer to enter the country for a government-sponsored tour.

Author Robert Dessaix revealed his health status in his application for a visa. He was abruptly refused without explanation.

The Australian Society of Authors penned an open letter, signed by more than 90 writers, condemning the decision.

In the letter the authors said that it was discrimination and asked the Chinese government to explain their decision.

A spokeswoman from the Australian government has said to have spoken with Chinese authorities through diplomatic channels, in support of Mr Dessaix’s visa application.

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast

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Thirty-two asylum seekers were rescued after they were spotted floating on boats off the north-west Australian coast this week.

The Australian Ministry of Home Affairs said two different boats where found sailing near the Tiwi Islands on Thursday. The groups say they want to come to Australia.

Australian officials say the two separate rescues have highlighted the problem of smugglers taking asylum seekers on dangerous trips.

Brendan O’ Connor, minister for home affairs, commented on the issue saying that people smuggling is a terrible act with organizers putting innocent people’s lives at risk.

Australian officials did not say what country the asylum seekers were from.

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As part of defence and energy deals, Russia has announced it will build 16 nuclear reactors in India.

The Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin signed the long-anticipated nuclear agreement after a visit to India.

Prime Minister Putin said nuclear co-operation was one of the most important parts in the partnership between the two countries which have strong trade ties.

Six of the reactors would be built by 2017. Russia has already started building two reactors in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

Russia is in competition with French and US firms for contracts to build nuclear power plants in Asia’s third-largest economy.

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

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Twin suicide blasts in Lahore, Pakistan, has killed around 39 people and left 95 others injured.

The suicide attackers approached military convoys on foot and detonated their explosives just 15 to 20 seconds apart. Five of those killed were Pakistani soldiers.

The blasts happened in Pakistan’s second most populous city. They ripped through a busy market area near the security area. The streets were crowded just before the start of Friday prayers.

A Lahore Police spokesman said hours later, a third blast shook the Moon Market area of Lahore. He said the nighttime explosion was not as serious as the earlier twin blasts.

The investigation so far indicates that the bomb was planted. No one was hurt.

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The Australian Government has decided not to support a global ban on the trade of the northern variety of the bluefin tuna species, despite a collapse of world stocks.

Instead Peter Garrett, the Federal Environment Minister, is supporting stronger trade control measures on the trade of Atlantic bluefin tuna.

Australia will make official its position in Doha tomorrow at the 175-nation Convention of the Parties on International Trade in Endangered Species.

After decades of industrial-scale fishing, stocks of Atlantic bluefin tuna are estimated to be at 15 per cent of the original 1940s levels.

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“Asia Cast … Keeping you across the top headlines from Asia and the world.”

The prized bluefin tuna has been banned from international trade, leading to protests by Japanese wholesalers. (aSIMULAtor/Flickr)

In this Bulletin …

- Dalai Lama says the Tibetan people should choose his successor;
- Mass protest awaits Bangkok; and
- Protests in Japan over tuna ban.

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 Dalai Lama has announced that it is up to the Tibetan people to choose who should be a suitable successor to him.

Even if China picked a successor, the Dalai Lama said he would have no misgivings about ending his centuries-old spiritual position, if Tibetans so choose.

Padma Choling, a veteran of the People’s Liberation Army, said during a press conference in Beijing, they should wait till the Dalai Lama is dead and then choose a successor. His words were removed from the live web broadcast on the National People’s Congress web site.

Padma Choling also criticized the Dalai Lama as the primary reason for instability in Tibet.

For more on this story read The Epoch Times.

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At the second annual Summit for Human Rights, Tolerance and Democracy in Geneva, Tiananmen Square activist and former political prisoner, Dr Yang Jianli, spoke on internet censorship in China.

During a separate meeting with Chinese language media, Dr Yang stressed the importance of anti-censorship software that has allowed Chinese citizens unrestricted access to online information.

He said that the anti-censorship software invented by Falun Gong practitioners is being widely used in China and that it has made a very important contribution to breaking through Internet censorship.

At the end of the two-day summit, participants jointly adopted a Declaration on Internet Freedom.

For more on this story watch NTDTV.

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast

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Over 50,000 security guards are spreading across Bangkok in preparation for a three-day protest that starts later today.

Ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s red shirt supporters will begin arriving in the Thai capital today. They aim to topple the current government by having a million people staying on the streets in protest. The protesters want re-elections which they believe will be won by parties associated with the red shirts.

Thailand’s cabinet has passed strict new security laws that give the army the role of policing the city.

Travel warnings have been upgraded for tourists who are being urged to avoid certain parts of the city.

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A new election law has been passed by Myanmar’s ruling junta that disqualifies pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi from participating in upcoming national elections.

The Political Parties Registration Law prohibits electoral participation by any member of a political party who has been found guilty in court.

Suu Kyi’s party, the National League for Democracy, will have to choose between honouring her as its leader and risking the party being declared illegal or taking Suu Kyi from the party and entering the election.

The party has 60 days to decide its course of action. Party spokesman Nyan Winn said Wednesday that the party would not conform to the new law.

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

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Narendra Modi, the chief minister of the Indian state of Gujarat has been called to appear next week before an investigation into devastating riots in 2002.

The murder of Congress MP Ehsan Jafri will be the focus on the investigation on Mr Modi.

They believe that the violence could have been prevented if the Gujarat authorities took more action. Mr Modi denies wrongdoing.

Over 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, were killed in the riots which started after 60 Hindus died in a train fire. The fire’s cause was never clearly found.

Hindu groups claim the fire was started by Muslim protesters, but an earlier inquiry said the blaze was an accident.

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The European Union has proposed a ban on international trade in Atlantic bluefin tuna. The ban caused protests to erupt in Japan. Only a day earlier the European Union had agreed to the trade of the tuna.

Bluefin tuna is highly prized in Japan. It is used in sushi and sashimi.

A recent scientific assessment concluded that stocks have declined by 80 per cent in the past 40 years.

Nations will consider whether to suspend fishing just until stocks recover. However Japan has indicated that it will opt out of any trade ban, as it is entitled to do under Cites rules. And its top government spokesman said that nothing had changed.

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“Asia Cast … Keeping you across the top headlines from Asia and the world.”

The proposal to ban internet cafes in China has incited rebellious cyber-protests from Chinese hackers. (TimYang.net/Flickr)

In this Bulletin…

- Internet cafe ban proposal provokes hacker protest in China;
- South Korea and Turkey partner to build nuclear power plant; and
- Months of flooding expected in southern Australia.

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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A legislative member in China, who has proposed a ban on all Internet cafes, has been the target of revenge by countless Chinese hackers, says NTDTV. They hacked her restaurant chain’s web site, deleting links and posting insulting messages.

During a recent annual plenary meeting, she blamed internet cafés for video game addiction, school truancy and petty theft. She suggested state-run Internet cafés should be set up to address these social issues.

Critics say she has gone too far, and that banning all Internet cafés would be akin to arresting all Chinese communist officials because many of them are corrupt.

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In northern China’s Hubei Province, an elderly woman was buried alive by demolition workers as she prepared to evacuate her home.

An Epoch Times report said a demolition workman operating excavation equipment dumped a load of dirt onto the woman, burying her alive.

According to witnesses, not one of the dozens of workers offered any help. Her family frantically rushed to dig her out with their bare hands. After an hour of digging, they reached her but were unable to revive her.

The family’s mourning soon drew thousands of onlookers and authorities sent anti-riot cars to drive the family away.

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast

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South Korea and Turkey’s state power companies have signed a preliminary deal on Wednesday to build a nuclear power plant in northern Turkey.

Turkey’s prime minister said if a common ground with mutually acceptable conditions emerges, the main agreement between the two countries will be signed.

However, Turkey has advertised that doors are still open to proposals from other countries’ companies, saying they will work similarly with them.

The Korean power company which obtained the preliminary deal also won a contract in December to build four nuclear power plants in the United Arab Emirates as part of an international consortium.

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The American medical charity, Physicians for Human Rights, has warned that thousands of Burmese refugees in Bangladesh are facing starvation.

It accuses the Bangladesh government of obstructing efforts to help the Rohingya who are a Muslim minority. The Rohingya fled Burma to escape persecution.

The new report is called, Stateless and Starving: Persecuted Rohingya Flee Burma and Starve in Bangladesh. It warns children will starve if aid is not allowed to be delivered.

The report describes the makeshift camps for unregistered refugees as “open-air prisons”. There are an estimated 200,000 Rohingya living there.

Bangladesh officials say all claims are baseless.

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

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Australia and Indonesia have announced new tactics to boost security relations, economic relations and other key affairs during Indonesian President Yudhoyono’s visit to Canberra, Australia.

The two countries have come together agreeing to increase cooperation on people smuggling, terrorism and to have greater political contact. This includes annual meetings between the two nation’s leaders and between defence and foreign ministers.

There are also plans to set up a leadership dialogue of politicians, business leaders, academics and opinion makers between the two nations.

During a speech to Parliament, Yudhoyono touched on 60 years of diplomatic highs and lows between the two countries.

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Huge amounts of rainfall in south-western Queensland, Australia are expected to cause extensive flooding in southern Australia over the next two months.

The extreme rainfall, which is estimated to have caused over US$183 million dollars in damage, is on its way south to New South Wales.

Meanwhile, Australia’s insurance council is preparing for more than 40,000 claims as a result of thunder and hail storms in Victoria over the past weekend.

Wagga Wagga is recovering from a downpour of over four inches in one day, the average for the month in March. The town has been declared a disaster area.

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

13 Chinese newspapers were punished after publishing an editorial calling for reform and eventual abandonment of China's household registration system. The system restricts where rural "peasants" and urban dwellers can travel and live. (By qilin/Flickr)

In this Bulletin…

- Unprecedented news editorial punished by Chinese regime;
- Secret Cold War deal between Japan and U.S. confirmed; and
- Myanmar law expels Suu Kyi from democratic league.

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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An editorial published in 13 Chinese newspapers calling for household registration reform has been met with swift punishment. The editor-in-chief who drafted the editorial was fired immediately.

The editorial stated that individuals are born free and have the right to move freely. It called for reforms that restricted where people could travel and live within China.

But an Epoch Times news analyst cited, if China had a functioning legislative body, an editorial appeal would make sense.

Yet, the simultaneous publication in 13 Chinese newspapers of an editorial challenging the CCP is an unprecedented act.

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An intense and destructive drought is gripping much of southwest China. NTDTV reports there are drinking water shortages and millions of acres of crops have been lost.

The report says rivers have dried up and herd animals grow weaker in dust bowls that used to be watering holes.

State-run media reports list Guizhou, Yunan, Guangxi and Sichuan as the four provinces hardest hit by the drought. The areas have lost more than US$1.5 billion dollars in revenue.

Critics of China’s rapid economic expansion say the lack of environmental controls is responsible for the drought.

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast

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The existence of a secret Cold War deal with the U.S. has been confirmed by Japan. The deal which was sealed in the 1960s has allowed the transit of nuclear-armed U.S. vessels through its ports.

The news announced by a government-appointed panel ends decades of official denial. However, the existence of the pact was an open secret.

There is controversy associated with the pact, since after WWII Japan adopted three non-nuclear principles; not making or possessing nuclear weapons nor allowing them on its soil.

Declassified U.S. documents already confirmed the deal.

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India’s upper house of parliament has approved a bill to reserve seats for women in parliament and state legislature.

The historic bill states one third of all seats in the national parliament and state legislatures are to be reserved for women.

The bill first introduced in 1996 had triggered uproar from opponents, resulting in the suspension of seven MPs on Tuesday.

The bill was passed with 186 members of the 245-seat house voting in favour. Only one member voted against.

India already reserves a third of local governing council seats in towns and villages for women.

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

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Authorities in India-occupied Kashmir have recovered what they say is a huge cache of arms and ammunition. Officials say it was found in a Pakistan-backed militant outfit hideout after security personnel received a tip

An Indian commanding officer said they began their search operation in a deep forested area with metal detectors. They had spotted a hideout beneath a huge rock. AK-47s, magazines and cartridges were recovered.

He said that during peak days of the militancy, that particular route was often used to sneak into the valley, despite surrounding barbed wire fencing.

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Under Myanmar’s new election laws, the National League for Democracy must expel detained leader Aung San Suu Kyo from its ranks. A spokesman said it must be done ahead of polls this year.

Details of the Political Parties Registration Act have been published in state-run newspapers. It says anyone serving a prison term cannot be a party member, and any parties failing to obey the law will be abolished.

The spokesman for the democratic league expressed surprise at the law.

The democratic league has 60 days to register as a party, however they have not yet decided if they will participate.

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