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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2012
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NEWS OF THE WORLD
Associated Press
CARIBBEAN
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Puerto Ricans in favor of statehood
People ride a vehicle waving a Puerto Rican flag during elections in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Tuesday. Puerto Ricans are electing a governor as the U.S. island territory does not get a vote in the U.S. presidential election.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Puerto Ricans have endorsed U.S. statehood for the Caribbean island but also ousted the pro-statehood governor in a close election.
Gov. Luis Fortuno conceded defeat Wednesday to his main challenger after concluding there were not enough outstanding ballots to close the gap with his main challenger. Alejandro Garcia Padilla. The margin in Tuesday's vote was less than 1 percent.
"Now it's time for us to come together as one people. The campaign is over," Fortuno said in a news conference.
Fortuno, as a member of the pro-statehood New Progressive Party, said he was pleased that 61
percent of voters endorsed becoming a U.S. state, though critics said the two-part ballot was confusing to many and would not be enough to persuade the Congress to accept Puerto Rico into the union.
Fortuno, who is also a Republican, was a supporter of U.S. presidential candidate Mitt Romney and campaigned for him in Florida.
Garcia is part of the Popular Democratic Party, which wants Puerto Rico to remain semi-autonomous U.S. commonwealth.
The two-part referendum asked whether the island wanted to change its 114-year relationship with the United States. Nearly 54 percent, or 922,374 people, sought to change it, while 46 percent, or 786,749 people, favored the status quo. Ninety six percent of 1,643 captives were reporting as of early Wednesday.
"The ball is now in Congress court and Congress will have to react to this result," Pierluisi, a member of the pro-statehood party who was re-elected Tuesday. "This is a clear result that says 'no' to the current status."
The second question asked voters to choose from three options, with statehood by far the favorite, garnering 61 percent. Sovereign free association, which would have allowed for more autonomy, received 33 percent, while independence got 5 percent.
President Barack Obama earlier expressed support for the referendum and pledged to respect the will of the people in the event of a clear majority.
Fortuno and Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi, the island's representative in Congress, said the results of the referendum will be delivered to the Obama administration and the leadership in Congress with the hope that they will back the bid for statehood.
The island is currently a U.S. territory whose inhabitants are U.S. citizens but are prohibited from voting in presidential elections. Its resident commissioner in the U.S. House also has limited voting powers.
Garcia celebrated his victory with supporters at party headquarters.
"I can assure you we have rescued Puerto Rico," Garcia said. "This is a lesson to them who think that the well-being of Puerto Ricans should be subjected to ideologies."
MIDDLE EAST
Senior official killed by suicide bomber
PESHAWAR, Pakistan — A Taliban suicide bomber struck a vehicle carrying a senior Pakistani police officer on Wednesday, killing him and four other people in the country's northwest, police said.
The bomber detonated his explosives as Hiall Hyder's vehicle was passing through a crowded market in the city of Peshawar, said police officer Asif Iqbal.
Hyder, who was investigating cases against militants in the troubled northwest, was killed along with two of his guards and two bystanders, said Iqbal. At least 37 other people were wounded.
Pakistani Taliban spokesman
Ahsanulah Ahsan claimed responsibility for the attack, saying Hyder was working against the militant group.
"We killed him today in Peshawar because he was behind the arrest of some of our fighters," Ahsan told The Associated Press by telephone from an undisclosed location.
Peshawar has experienced many attacks because it is located on the edge of Pakistan's tribal region, the main sanctuary for militants in the country.
The Pakistani Taliban have been waging a bloody insurgency for the past several years because they oppose the Pakistani government's alliance with the United States and want to enforce Islamic law throughout the country.
People gather around a destroyed vehicle targeted by attackers in Peshawar, Pakistan, on Wednesday.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
AFRICA
Obama receives support from Kenyan in-law
KOGELO, Kenya — Waving her cane and smiling broadly, the step-grandmother of Barack Obama celebrated his reelection in Kogelo, the home of Barack Obama's father. The family matriarch is Sarah Obama, who was the second wife of the president's grandfather.
"Take the great job that people have given to you and lead them well." Sarah Obama advised her relative by
marriage after his victory.
Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga told The Associated Press that the election victory was a great day for the United States and Kenya.
Kenya has its own presidential election coming up in March. The country's last vote in late 2007 turned devastatingly violent, and more than 1,000 people were killed. Odinga said the U.S. vote showed that elections should be decided based on issues.