News & Reports 2012-09-16

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In This Edition

 

Anti-US protests spread across the world, triggered by an American anti-Islam film.

A senior Israeli official signals there would be no unilateral war on Iran in the coming weeks over Tehran's controversial nuclear program.

A symposium was held in Beijing to denounce Japanese government purchase of Diaoyu Islands and stress China's sovereignty over the territory.

And mass protests go on across Portugal against a new round of tax hikes as part of austerity measures.

 

Hot Issue Reports

 

Pakistanis Stage Film Protests

Protesters took to the streets of Pakistan on Saturday as part of global demonstrations against an anti-Muslim film produced in the US.

 

In Karachi, about 200 supporters of a conservative Islamic party burned US flags, an effigy of US President Barack Obama and chanted slogans calling for "Holy War."

 

"We don't like the American style. What they have said and the way they portrayed Islam and the Prophet Muhammad is not acceptable. We want to tell Americans that Islam respects all religions."

 

There were similar scenes in Islamabad where around 200 people, mostly local traders, staged a peaceful protest to condemn the film.

 

Meanwhile in Islamabad, Dr. Paul Bhatti, a prominent Christian and advisor to the Prime Minister for National Harmony, expressed his solidarity with the protesters.

 

"As the emotions of our Muslim brothers and sisters have been hurt, and they are passing through this time of grief and sorrow, we can feel this. First of all I want to convey this message to our Pakistani Muslim brothers and Muslims around the world: we are with you at this time of pain, sorrow and anger."

 

On Friday, Muslims angry over the film have taken to the streets in more than 20 countries from the Middle East to Southeast Asia.

 

Afghan Parliament Asks US to Ban Anti-Islam Film

The Afghan parliament has condemned the release of a YouTube video trailer for a film that denigrated the Prophet Muhammad.

 

The members of Parliament issued a press release asking the US government to prevent the release of the anti-Islamic film and put the people who made the film on public trial.

 

Abdul Sattar Khawasi is Deputy Head of the Afghan Parliament.

 

"The lower house of Parliament of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan expresses its strong aversion against the making and release of the film insulting our great Prophet Muhammad. The American government should put the makers of this film on public trial and prevent the publishing and release of this film."

 

A 14-minute trailer of the movie posted on YouTube depicts Muhammad as a fraud, a womaniser and a madman in an overtly ridiculing way.

 

The Afghan government has indefinitely blocked YouTube to prevent Afghans from viewing the video clip of the film.

 

Since the movie surfaced on the internet, it has prompted violent protests at US embassies in the Middle East.

 

The US ambassador and three other US staff members were killed on Tuesday when the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya was attacked.

 

Israel: Iran Not to Build Nuclear Bombs

A senior Israeli official has signaled there would be no unilateral war on Iran in the coming weeks, saying international pressure had kept Tehran's controversial nuclear program in check.

 

Speculation that Israel might attack Iranian atomic facilities alone, and soon, has soared.

 

Amos Gilad, top aide to Defense Minister Ehud Barak gave the analysis.

 

"What Israel will or won't do - I recommend that this remain behind closed doors. But to the extent it is possible to foresee the holidays, it looks like it will be quiet, if you exclude all kinds of events like some maniac or hate crimes that set the entire world on fire."

 

Gilad played down the spat with the US, saying that Israel and its foreign allies agreed that 'the Iranian threat is a central threat' and that awareness of this cooperation had prevented Iran producing weapons.

 

"For now, as long as there is this unanimity, it seems to me that even the Iranians understand this and are not crossing the line of implementing and building a nuclear bomb, not because they are merciful toward us, not because they like us, but because they fear a military response or another response."

 

Iran says its uranium enrichment program is only designed for energy and medical purposes.

 

Israel sees a mortal threat in Iran. But Israelis lack the conventional firepower to deliver lasting damage to Iran's distant, dispersed and well-defended facilities, and said they would prefer U.S. forces to do the job.

 

Brahimi Hopeful about Syrian Mission Despite Difficulties

UN-Arab League Envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi says he has hope for the Syrian people despite the difficulties of his Syrian peace mission.

 

Brahimi spoke in Damascus after meeting with Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad for an hour at the presidential palace.

 

"I said that it was a difficult mission. It is still very difficult. But I think that this kind of mission needs to be undertaken. I am not undertaking it because I am looking for a quick success for myself. I have undertaken it because I am very hopeful that I will be able to help - however little - the people of Syria."

 

Activists say more than 27,000 people have been killed in the 18-month-old conflict between Assad's forces and the rebels.

 

Saturday's meeting in Damascus was Brahimi's first with Assad since he replaced Kofi Annan as peace envoy two weeks ago.

 

Brahimi said he would continue to hold hope for Syria, so long as the Syrians could find common ground.

 

"I think it is not a secret that the gap between the parties is very wide and that is how these things are done. You try and help the parties find the common ground. The common ground does exist. These are Syrians. They love their country. They want peace in their country, and perhaps we can help them achieve that."

 

Brahimi said Assad and his officials had pledged to support his work.

 

The envoy is expected to meet with Syria's opposition leaders and a number of Arab ambassadors to Syria.

 

Anti-Putin Rally Ready in Moscow

Russia has tightened security ahead of an anti-Putin rally.

 

At least 50,000 participants against the Putin administration were expected to attend the rally.

 

The protesters used the social networking tool Twitter to spread their anger about the government.

 

The protest came a day after prominent opposition leader Gennady Gudkov was ousted from the Russian parliament.

 

Opposition activists said the ousting of Gudkov, the first lawmaker to be voted out of the state Duma by peers since 1995, would radicalize demonstrators at the rally.

 

"I think we need such marches. All different points of view should be expressed as well as different approaches, but we need political consolidation as well and in this all parties should be united."

 

But not all Moscow citizens support the protest movement. Many are convinced that the protests are funded from abroad in the interests of the United States.

 

"The roots of the protest are not here. You know yourself where it comes from. And you know yourself who is paying for it. I think if you think a bit you will understand where it is coming from and where it is leading to."

 

Analysts say the opposition march is regarded as a new test of the strength of the protest movement in Russia after a disputed parliamentary election at the end of last year.

 

Experts: China Should Remain Vigilant to Japan's Provocation

Some Chinese foreign policy experts say China should remain vigilant to Japan's plot to disturb the country's peaceful development by intensifying the territorial dispute over the Diaoyu Islands.

 

Feng Zhaokui is an honorary research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

 

He was speaking in Beijing at a symposium on the dispute over the Diaoyu Islands.

 

"Japan's purchase of the islands is meant to achieve two things with one stroke. It attempts to strengthen the country's control over the Diaoyu Islands and at the same time aims to contain China's peaceful development. By escalating the dispute over the Diaoyu Islands, Japan wants to provoke China to hastily engage in wars with other nations. But I think we must bide our time and continue to improve our comprehensive national strength to deter threats in the future."

 

Japan's central government on Tuesday signed a contract with a so-called private owner to buy three of the five uninhabited islands in the East China Sea.

 

The move has prompted strong protests from the Chinese government, which has taken a series of measures to assert China's sovereignty over the islands.

 

While speaking at the same symposium, Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Le Yucheng said China's countermeasures were effective.

 

"Those important measures taken over the past several days effectively asserted our country's sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands and dealt a heavy blow to Japan's attempts to infringe upon our territorial sovereignty. In the future, we will continue to take strong countermeasures to safeguard our sovereignty and territory according to the way the situation develops."

 

Beijing has taken steps to assert its sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands in addition to lodging protests against the Japanese government's move to buy the islands.

 

China's UN Ambassador Li Baodong has submitted the baseline announcement concerning the territorial waters surrounding the Diaoyu Islands and their affiliated islets to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.

 

Moreover, China has sent six surveillance ships to start patrolling waters around the islands to demonstrate China's jurisdiction over the territory.

 

Mass Protests in Portugal Against New Tax Hikes

Mass protests have been going on across Portugal against a new round of tax hikes as part of austerity measures imposed by an EU/IMF bailout.

 

Protesters have shown disbelief on the IMF bailout plan and called on the centre-right government to resign.

 

56-year-old Joao Pascual is a bank worker.

 

"People are fed up with being robbed by this government's policy, that now threatens to strangle us. It wasn't enough all the cuts to workers rights -- now these new measures will throw the Portuguese people into misery and will increase the numbers of unemployed that is already reaching numbers never seen before."

 

Andre Pestana, a 35-year-old unemployed teacher shared her view with Joao.

 

"It's time for people say enough to robbery and lies. The government has failed on all its promises... and above all the sacrifices are always to the same people. I hope this rally is the first step in the process of changing things."

 

Tax hikes and spending cuts already imposed since last year's bailout have contributed to a record unemployment above 15 percent in Portugal and pushed the economy into its worst recession since the 1970s.

 

Broad political consensus behind austerity has so far differentiated Portugal from other euro zone strugglers. But analysts say strife can grow fast, especially after the government said recession would continue next year.

 

Miners Reject Wage Offer from Lonmin as Strike Worsens

Striking miners at the Lonmin platinum mine in Marikana, northwest South Africa, have rejected a new offer of a wage increase from mine management.

 

Negotiations between miners' representatives and mine management yielded no breakthrough in the five-week deadlock during which 34 miners have died in wage protests.

 

Strikers complained that the offer fell far below their demands for a minimum salary of 12,500 rand or more than 1,500 U.S. dollars.

 

Workers have shut down the Lonmin platinum mine in Marikana, the world's third-largest platinum mine, since August 10th.

 

At the striking miners' headquarters - a rocky granite hill near the mine in Marikana - miners' representatives told their colleagues that there was still no breakthrough in negotiations.

 

One of the representatives, Molesi Phele, sounded a warning note, declaring that Justice Minister Jeff Radebe would take steps against the striking miners.

 

"On Monday, he will be sending his police that he trusts, and they'll be doing what they are used to doing to us. So, I'm telling you this so that you can prepare yourself for this. Jeff Radebe is acting as if nobody has been killed."

 

The labor unrest that began in Lonmin has also stopped work at four mines of Anglo American Platinum, the world's largest platinum producer.

 

Strikes are illegal in South Africa unless approved by the government's labor conciliation board.

 

Also on Friday, police fired stun grenades and teargas to disperse striking miners outside an Xstrata Platinum mine.

 

South African President Jacob Zuma's government has vowed to halt illegal protests and disarm strikers it fears are threatening the country's biggest industry.

 

Czech Republic Bans Strong Spirits amid Wave of Poisonings

The Czech Republic has banned the sale of spirits with more than 20-percent alcohol content as it battles a wave of methanol poisonings that has already killed 19 people.

 

Health Minister Leos Heger said Friday the ban was effective immediately and applied nationwide.

 

It covers all possible sales locations, including restaurants, hotels, stores and the internet.

 

Jonathan Weinstein, manager of a bar in Prague, said he was worried about the ban's effect on business.

 

"At this point, there is nothing to be done. I mean, what can I say? It just came out tonight. I just was watching the news. How long this could last? I don't know. If it were to last a month or two months, of course, that's a big problem. If it lasts through the weekend, we'll survive. It will be okay. I really don't know what the ultimate repercussion here will be."

 

Kiosks and markets had earlier been banned from selling spirits with more than 30-percent alcohol content.

 

But officials said the measure has not been effective enough because the majority of people who have been poisoned bought the toxic alcohol in restaurants, bars and stores.

 

Dozens of people have been hospitalized, some in critical condition, after drinking vodka and rum laced with methanol.

 

The problem appears largely centered in the northeastern Czech Republic.

 

ArtRio Draws Art Galleries from around the World

Art galleries from around the world are exhibiting their works at ArtRio, Rio de Janeiro's international art fair.

 

The fair, which is only in its second year, officially opened to the public on Thursday.

 

More than 1,000 artworks from 120 galleries, featuring both Brazilian and foreign artists, are on display, including pieces by artists Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso.

 

Contemporary works by lesser-known artists are displayed alongside those of more famous painters and sculptors.

 

ArtRio organizer Brenda Valansi said she was overwhelmed by the response from galleries around the world wishing to exhibit their works.

 

"This year we put together the main galleries of the world and of Brazil as well which made us very happy, and once more exceeded our expectations. I imagined we would not get to this level of a fair with such high quality galleries with high quality works until 2016 with the Olympics, so we are indeed very happy with that."

 

Art enthusiasts from around the world have flocked to Rio for the four-day event, which ends Sunday.

 

ArtRio's debut in 2011 was a spectacular success, with more than 80 galleries from across Brazil and around the world recording total sales of 60 million U.S. dollars.

 

The turnout for last year's show was twice as high as expected, with more than 40-thousand people flooding the fair.

 

One of World's Most Expensive Dresses Sparkles on Catwalk

One of the world's most expensive dresses has sparkled on the catwalk at a fashion show in Ukraine.

 

The dress, created by British designer Debbie Wingham, is adorned with 50 two-carat black diamonds and weighs 13 kilograms.

 

Debbie Wingham, designer of black diamond dress.

 

"I worked with a conflict-free diamond mine called …, and everything I do is fair trade and handmade, so I was just in a lucky position to be able to do such things, and I'm just very fortunate."

 

The director of the Miss Ukraine contest, Anna Filimonova, complimented the dress on how good it looked both on camera and in real life.

 

"It really emphasizes the star quality of the person who wears it."

 

Others were not so enchanted with the dress. Model Natalia Okunska found the dress to be ugly.

 

"I don't even want to try this dress either to show it off or to have pictures taken. I regret that so many diamonds were 'killed' by such an ugly-looking dress."

 

The dress is valued at 5.7 million U.S. dollars.

 

Xinhua: Diaoyu Islands Patrol Shows China's Determination to Retain Sovereignty

 

Chinese surveillance ships started patrolling and enforcing order around the Diaoyu Islands and their affiliated islets in the South China Sea on Friday.

 

It was the first time for Chinese surveillance ships to patrol the area following the Japanese government's announcement of its so-called "nationalization" of the Diaoyu Islands.

 

A commentary by Xinhua News Agency says the move not only shows China's determination to safeguard its sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands but also is supported by the Chinese people. It notes that Japan has refused to back down over the Diaoyu Islands issue, despite protests from the Chinese government and Chinese people.

 

Therefore, the commentary argues that China's patrol of the area around the islands is a strong counteraction against Japan's provocation and has dealt a major blow to the inflated swagger of the Japanese.

 

Xinhua states that the waters surrounding the Diaoyu Islands and the islets themselves have been part of China's territory since ancient times -- a fact supported by historical records and jurisprudential evidence. It says Japan's decision to "nationalize" the islands is ridiculous and constitutes an open provocation against China.

 

In conclusion, Xinhua urges Japan to realize the severity of the Diaoyu Islands issue, correct its wrongdoings and return to the right track of maintaining bilateral relations.

 

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China Daily: Philippines' Renaming of South China Sea Hurts Ties with China

 

The government of the Philippines recently renamed a part of the South China Sea the "West Philippine Sea" to claim its so-called sovereignty over the Chinese Huangyan Island.

 

The Chinese government has strongly opposed such a reckless decision by the Philippines.

 

An editorial in China Daily newspaper argues that China will not tolerate the Philippines' attempts to encroach upon its maritime territory. Manila's decision is therefore null and void and will do nothing to change the fact that the South China Sea and Huangyan Island have been part of Chinese territory since ancient times.

 

The editorial cites historical proof that China was the first country to discover the island and exercise legitimate jurisdiction over it as well as adjacent territories in the sea. It points out that the Chinese have navigated the waters for more than 2,000 years.

 

The editorial also says although the Philippines previously recognized the Huangyan Island as part of China's territory, the country began to covet the tiny piece of land in recent years.

 

The tension over the island arose after a Philippine gunboat attacked Chinese fishermen in early April. Manila has since restated its so-called "sovereignty" over that territory.

 

The editorial warns that the Philippines' move has only aggravated the situation and undermined Sino-Philippine ties. Under such circumstances, Manila's latest decision will do nothing but wipe out the efforts that both sides have made to quell the recent disputes.

 

The editorial concludes that as China will never shy away from protecting its territory, the Philippines must now reap what it has sown.