BEIJING (Reuters) -
China has identified a contaminant in batches of blood-thinner heparin supplied by a U.S.-owned plant in China for export to the United States that has been linked to serious reactions and deaths.
It is the latest in health scares involving Chinese exports in recent months which have ranged from food and drugs to toothpaste and pet food.
China's State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) said that the contaminant was "basically the same" as that found by U.S. health regulators in batches of Baxter International Inc's blood-thinner heparin.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday said it had identified "over-sulfated chondroitin sulfate" in Baxter's drug, and was investigating whether the chemical was purposely or inadvertently added during manufacturing in China.
Last month Baxter recalled most if its U.S. supplies of heparin, used in kidney dialysis as well as heart and other surgeries to prevent blood clots.
Chondroitin sulfate is widely sold as a dietary supplement to treat joint pain. The over-sulfated version is not know to occur naturally and therefore likely was chemically modified, an FDA official said on Wednesday.
The FDA is probing whether the contaminant is the cause of up to 19 deaths and hundreds of serious breathing problems and other reactions reported in the United States.
FDA officials said chemically manipulating chondroitin sulfate, which is widely available from animal sources, would be cheaper than getting raw heparin from pig intestines.
China's drug watchdog confirmed the contaminant had been found in batches of heparin supplied by a China-U.S. joint venture plant in Changzhou to Baxter.
The FDA on March 5 said it had found a "heparin-like" contaminant in some of the drug's active ingredient supplied to Baxter by a plant in Changzhou owned by Wisconsin-based Scientific Protein Laboratories.
The plant was "one link in a long production chain of heparin," Xinhua news agency quoted the SDFA as saying in a report on Wednesday.
Scientific Protein Laboratories earlier said a consultant working for the plant had concluded the contaminant was not linked to the plant's production but likely occurred earlier in the supply chain.
Baxter, in a statement, also said the contamination had occurred before it reached SPL.
The FDA has received 785 reports of heparin infections, including 19 deaths in patients treated with some brand of heparin. Baxter has said only four deaths may be related to its heparin and there is not enough information to say the drug was the cause.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080320/hl_nm/heparin_dc_1
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Sunday, March 16, 2008
China and Burma should learn from this kind of decency.
Don't be afraid to let people speak their opinions!
China to crack down on singers after Bjork outburst
SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China will tighten its controls over foreign singers and other performers after Icelandic singer Bjork shouted "Tibet! Tibet!" at a Shanghai concert last weekend, the Ministry of Culture said on Friday.
Bjork chanted the name of the Chinese-ruled Himalayan region after performing her song "Declare Independence", which she has used in the past to promote independence movements in other places such as Kosovo.
The performance "not only broke Chinese laws and regulations and hurt the feelings of Chinese people, but also went against the professional code of an artist," the ministry said in a statement quoted by the official Xinhua news agency.
"Any attempt to separate Tibet from China will definitely be opposed by the Chinese people and all righteous men across the world."
The ministry said it would investigate the concert and handle the matter according to the law. It did not elaborate.
Bjork said on her Web site that her references to independence were more personal than political, but she added:
"The fact that it has translated to its broadest meaning, the struggle of a suppressed nation, gives me much pleasure. I would like to wish all individuals and nations good luck in their battle for independence."
The Free Tibet Campaign, a British-based organization which calls for an end to China's rule of Tibet, issued a statement saying it was delighted by Bjork's performance.
"She's shown more courage than politicians like (British Prime Minister) Gordon Brown and (British Foreign Secretary) David Miliband, whose public silence on these issues during recent trips to China is a source of shame for the British people," the campaign said.
(Reporting by Andrew Torchia and Mike Collett-White, editing by Paul Casciato)
Bjork chanted the name of the Chinese-ruled Himalayan region after performing her song "Declare Independence", which she has used in the past to promote independence movements in other places such as Kosovo.
The performance "not only broke Chinese laws and regulations and hurt the feelings of Chinese people, but also went against the professional code of an artist," the ministry said in a statement quoted by the official Xinhua news agency.
"Any attempt to separate Tibet from China will definitely be opposed by the Chinese people and all righteous men across the world."
The ministry said it would investigate the concert and handle the matter according to the law. It did not elaborate.
Bjork said on her Web site that her references to independence were more personal than political, but she added:
"The fact that it has translated to its broadest meaning, the struggle of a suppressed nation, gives me much pleasure. I would like to wish all individuals and nations good luck in their battle for independence."
The Free Tibet Campaign, a British-based organization which calls for an end to China's rule of Tibet, issued a statement saying it was delighted by Bjork's performance.
"She's shown more courage than politicians like (British Prime Minister) Gordon Brown and (British Foreign Secretary) David Miliband, whose public silence on these issues during recent trips to China is a source of shame for the British people," the campaign said.
(Reporting by Andrew Torchia and Mike Collett-White, editing by Paul Casciato)
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
More to come
I have been busy with spreading my words and thoughts against Chinese policies towards Tibet, Sudan/Dafur, and of course, Burma. Also, my friends and I are working on a video clip. Oh yeah, I also donated to the Break the Burma Blackout drive by Avaaz. If you would like to pitch in, here is the link
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/end_the_burmese_blackout/8.php?cl=33403588
Here, I wanted to pass on the message form uscampaignforburma.org
"This Wednesday, October 24th, is an important day for Burma. It is: 1) United Nations Day, 2) The day when Aung San Suu Kyi will have been under house arrest for a total of 12 years, and 3) One month since the uprisings in Burma were at their peak.
We will be marking this day with a host of actions around the world.
- Several organizations are working together to organize in 12 cities around the world. At 12 noon, demonstrators dressed in white (as political prisoners are forced to wear inside Burma) will gather in front of Chinese embassies. Please let us know if you want to participate in the demonstration in Washington, DC.
- A group of Burmese monks and exiles have been marching from Albany, NY to the United Nations in a peace walk. On Wednesday, please join with them as they continue their march from the Burmese regime's Mission in New York to the United Nations from 10-11 am. The Mission is located on 10E and 77th St. For more info, the cell phone for the peace walk is (518) 605-8506.
- For those of you who cannot participate in these actions we are asking you to ensure that the American public does not forget Burma. We are asking you on this day to reinvigorate public attention by writing an op-ed article for your local newspaper, write a post on your blog or facebook profile, host a teach in for your friends and neighbors, or for more suggestions visit our action page
The Burmese regime may be the jailer of Aung San Suu Kyi and thousands of other prisoners, but China holds the key to her release. The United Nations Security Council (of which China is a member) must act urgently as more and more people are being hunted down, arrested and tortured. China must not block Security Council action. We will show that we will not allow Burma's regime to hide its abuses from the world.. The United Nations Security Council needs to pass a global arms embargo now!"
Let us use our freedom to promote that of the Oppressed.
Peace-
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/end_the_burmese_blackout/8.php?cl=33403588
Here, I wanted to pass on the message form uscampaignforburma.org
"This Wednesday, October 24th, is an important day for Burma. It is: 1) United Nations Day, 2) The day when Aung San Suu Kyi will have been under house arrest for a total of 12 years, and 3) One month since the uprisings in Burma were at their peak.
We will be marking this day with a host of actions around the world.
- Several organizations are working together to organize in 12 cities around the world. At 12 noon, demonstrators dressed in white (as political prisoners are forced to wear inside Burma) will gather in front of Chinese embassies. Please let us know if you want to participate in the demonstration in Washington, DC.
- A group of Burmese monks and exiles have been marching from Albany, NY to the United Nations in a peace walk. On Wednesday, please join with them as they continue their march from the Burmese regime's Mission in New York to the United Nations from 10-11 am. The Mission is located on 10E and 77th St. For more info, the cell phone for the peace walk is (518) 605-8506.
- For those of you who cannot participate in these actions we are asking you to ensure that the American public does not forget Burma. We are asking you on this day to reinvigorate public attention by writing an op-ed article for your local newspaper, write a post on your blog or facebook profile, host a teach in for your friends and neighbors, or for more suggestions visit our action page
The Burmese regime may be the jailer of Aung San Suu Kyi and thousands of other prisoners, but China holds the key to her release. The United Nations Security Council (of which China is a member) must act urgently as more and more people are being hunted down, arrested and tortured. China must not block Security Council action. We will show that we will not allow Burma's regime to hide its abuses from the world.. The United Nations Security Council needs to pass a global arms embargo now!"
Let us use our freedom to promote that of the Oppressed.
Peace-
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Hey Burmese Junta. Give us a break! Make up some better stories. Or jokes, rather.
"Recent raids on monasteries turned up guns, knives and ammunition, though it was not yet clear to whom they belonged, according to The New Light of Myanmar, a mouthpiece of the junta." [1]
Well, that's how dumb the junta is. They don't know how the weapons turned up in the monasteries. Their Special Branch must have been busy trying to find out which astrologer could direct Than Shwe what to do next. Move the Capital back to Rangoon? Possibly.
Ask a 2 year old in Burma. He may be malnourished. Or, probably crippled from the beatings during the last demonstrations. But, he knows enough that those weapons belonged to Burmese military. And, he will also tell you that the soldiers brought with them and placed in the monasteries. DUH.
Don't believe me? Ok. Ok. Fine. The soldiers didn't bring with them. So, it must be the monks. Right? WRONG!
At the height of the recent protests, Junta has ordered at least 3000 monk robes. In addition, the junta officials were seen at a public soccer field where they were overseeing groups of people(junta's militia) being shaved their heads. The plan was to mingle those fake monks into the crowd and turn the peaceful protests into violent ones and thus giving the junta the excuse to shoot the demonstrators. The plan did not materialize. The junta got too panic and started shooting the monks and people anyways.
What to do now with those junta's thugs whose head got already shaved. Well, guess what, there is no better time than now to use those fake monks.
The monasteries have been emptied of monks and there were reports that the public started noticing some "monks" with freshly shaved heads started turning up at the monasteries. Since there is close relationship between the people in the neighborhood with the monks, the people know that they have never seen those "monks" in the monasteries before. And, when the neighborhood people asked them, those "monks" quickly left. Yes, they left but they also left those weapons, ammunitions and knives in the monasteries.
And, better yet, those guns, knives and ammunition are most likely "Made In China". Then, my advice to the Burmese junta is call their PAPA to the North and check on the serial numbers on the guns. Hmm. May be some Chinese Communist Party's cadres at work here. Oh yeah, China stands by its policy to not "meddle with Burmese internal affairs". Uh huh.
Burmese monks and people are tired of those cheap propaganda. They are so tired of it that they doubt every single word that comes out of junta. The sun may even really rise from the west. But, if that's what the junta that tells the Burmese monks and the people, they will tell the junta to save it for the Hell and try the B.S to the Devil once they get there.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/10/07/myanmar.weapons2.ap/index.html [1]
Well, that's how dumb the junta is. They don't know how the weapons turned up in the monasteries. Their Special Branch must have been busy trying to find out which astrologer could direct Than Shwe what to do next. Move the Capital back to Rangoon? Possibly.
Ask a 2 year old in Burma. He may be malnourished. Or, probably crippled from the beatings during the last demonstrations. But, he knows enough that those weapons belonged to Burmese military. And, he will also tell you that the soldiers brought with them and placed in the monasteries. DUH.
Don't believe me? Ok. Ok. Fine. The soldiers didn't bring with them. So, it must be the monks. Right? WRONG!
At the height of the recent protests, Junta has ordered at least 3000 monk robes. In addition, the junta officials were seen at a public soccer field where they were overseeing groups of people(junta's militia) being shaved their heads. The plan was to mingle those fake monks into the crowd and turn the peaceful protests into violent ones and thus giving the junta the excuse to shoot the demonstrators. The plan did not materialize. The junta got too panic and started shooting the monks and people anyways.
What to do now with those junta's thugs whose head got already shaved. Well, guess what, there is no better time than now to use those fake monks.
The monasteries have been emptied of monks and there were reports that the public started noticing some "monks" with freshly shaved heads started turning up at the monasteries. Since there is close relationship between the people in the neighborhood with the monks, the people know that they have never seen those "monks" in the monasteries before. And, when the neighborhood people asked them, those "monks" quickly left. Yes, they left but they also left those weapons, ammunitions and knives in the monasteries.
And, better yet, those guns, knives and ammunition are most likely "Made In China". Then, my advice to the Burmese junta is call their PAPA to the North and check on the serial numbers on the guns. Hmm. May be some Chinese Communist Party's cadres at work here. Oh yeah, China stands by its policy to not "meddle with Burmese internal affairs". Uh huh.
Burmese monks and people are tired of those cheap propaganda. They are so tired of it that they doubt every single word that comes out of junta. The sun may even really rise from the west. But, if that's what the junta that tells the Burmese monks and the people, they will tell the junta to save it for the Hell and try the B.S to the Devil once they get there.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/10/07/myanmar.weapons2.ap/index.html [1]
Saturday, October 6, 2007
CHINA: Stop writting the Burmese history with blood.
China has been calling the recent bloodshed in Burma "Burma's internal affairs that do not threaten international peace and security"[1]. China's Ambassador to the United Nations Wang Guangya said "These problems, we believe, are basically internal. A solution for the Myanmar situation has to be found by the Myanmars themselves."
What Wang refuses to recognize is that all citizens of the world in this fight against the oppression of peaceful Burmese citizens by brutal and ruthless Burmese junta have become all Myanmars themselves. Thus, Myanmars are indeed finding peaceful ways for this crisis. However, to thwart those efforts of the world's citizens, Chinese government is the one which is meddling with Burma's internal affairs by supporting the Burmese military junta.
Burma's foreign minister U Nyan Win on Monday blamed intense pro-democracy demonstrations in his country on "political opportunists". He dare not blame the REAL political and economy opportunitist China.
Not only China meddles with Burma's internal affairs, China is the real political opportunist who seeks to secure a route to the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea through Burma. In addition, propping up the Burmese junta provides China a proxy state to India and Thailand. China is also the real economy opportunist who seeks to profit from Burma's vast source of natural gas for China's growing energy needs.
What Chinese government needs to do now is call a Chinese Securtiy Council meeting of its own and think hard.
This time the tide is turning against the Burmese Military junta. The whole world is not only watching. They are united and taking actions.
Just to mention a few. United Nations has sent the special envoy to Burma to persuade them to find peaceful solutions. The special envoy is going back to Burma no later than November to make sure that Burma does not return to the status quo. The United Nation Human Rights Council is preparing to go inside Burma and investigate the dead, detained, missing and tortured monks and Burmese who have again courageously expressed their desire to live free of oppression. Today, in dozens of cities across Asia, Europe and North America, people took to the street to show that they stand shoulder to shoulder with the Burmese in their struggle for freedom [3]. 543, 197 people from 192 countries have signed up a petition to request China to persuade the Burmese junta to choose the peaceful path to national reconciliation [4].
China needs to decide whether to keep supporting the fading Burmese junta or join the peaceful efforts by the United Nations and citizens of the world for the birth of a democratic, peaceful and legitimate government in Burma. And, China needs to decide now.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/10/01/myanmar.unrest/index.html[1]
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/10/05/myanmar.ap/index.html[2]
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/10/06/myanmar.protests.ap/index.html[3]
http://www.avaaz.org/en/stand_with_burma [4]
What Wang refuses to recognize is that all citizens of the world in this fight against the oppression of peaceful Burmese citizens by brutal and ruthless Burmese junta have become all Myanmars themselves. Thus, Myanmars are indeed finding peaceful ways for this crisis. However, to thwart those efforts of the world's citizens, Chinese government is the one which is meddling with Burma's internal affairs by supporting the Burmese military junta.
Burma's foreign minister U Nyan Win on Monday blamed intense pro-democracy demonstrations in his country on "political opportunists". He dare not blame the REAL political and economy opportunitist China.
Not only China meddles with Burma's internal affairs, China is the real political opportunist who seeks to secure a route to the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea through Burma. In addition, propping up the Burmese junta provides China a proxy state to India and Thailand. China is also the real economy opportunist who seeks to profit from Burma's vast source of natural gas for China's growing energy needs.
What Chinese government needs to do now is call a Chinese Securtiy Council meeting of its own and think hard.
This time the tide is turning against the Burmese Military junta. The whole world is not only watching. They are united and taking actions.
Just to mention a few. United Nations has sent the special envoy to Burma to persuade them to find peaceful solutions. The special envoy is going back to Burma no later than November to make sure that Burma does not return to the status quo. The United Nation Human Rights Council is preparing to go inside Burma and investigate the dead, detained, missing and tortured monks and Burmese who have again courageously expressed their desire to live free of oppression. Today, in dozens of cities across Asia, Europe and North America, people took to the street to show that they stand shoulder to shoulder with the Burmese in their struggle for freedom [3]. 543, 197 people from 192 countries have signed up a petition to request China to persuade the Burmese junta to choose the peaceful path to national reconciliation [4].
China needs to decide whether to keep supporting the fading Burmese junta or join the peaceful efforts by the United Nations and citizens of the world for the birth of a democratic, peaceful and legitimate government in Burma. And, China needs to decide now.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/10/01/myanmar.unrest/index.html[1]
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/10/05/myanmar.ap/index.html[2]
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/10/06/myanmar.protests.ap/index.html[3]
http://www.avaaz.org/en/stand_with_burma [4]
Friday, October 5, 2007
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