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THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
NEWS OF THE WORLD
ASIA
Protests about territory disputes erupt, lead to arrests
Associated Press
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Protesters hold slogan reading "Diaoyu Island is Ours" during a protest in front of the Japanese government office in Taipei, Taiwan, Wednesday.
TOKYO — Regional tensions flared on the emotional anniversary of Japan's World War II surrender as activists from China and South Korea used Wednesday's occasion to press rival territorial claims, prompting 14 arrests by Japanese authorities.
The 14 people had traveled by boat from Hong Kong to a set of uninhabited islands controlled by Japan but also claimed by China and Taiwan. Japanese police initially arrested five activists who swam ashore in the East China Sea chain, known as Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyu in Chinese.
China's official Xinhua News Agency said the arrests had caused tensions over its territorial dispute with Japan to surge "to a new high."
Japan coast guard officers later arrested nine others who stayed on the fishing boat, the Kai Fung 2, including two who had earlier landed on one of the islands and went back on board, officials said. Coast guard officials said the activists are likely to be taken to Naha, the capital of Okinawa prefecture which has jurisdiction over the islands, for further questioning.
"We want the world to know that this
is — way back in history — the territory of China, and as Chinese people we can go there fishing, touring at our own right," David Ko, a spokesman for the activists, said in a telephone interview from Hong Kong. "The Japanese have no right to stop us."
Chinese activists last landed on the island in 1996, and seven who were arrested were repatriated quickly.
China urged Japan to refrain from taking any action that could endanger Chinese citizens or their property, Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said in a statement.
Japan says it has controlled the five main islands for over 100 years. It has been trying to place four that are privately held under state ownership to bolster its territorial claim.
Youth riots in French housing project end after police intervene
AMIENS, France — Tensions appear to have subsided in a northern French city after police fanned out overnight to prevent a repeat of riots that left a pre-school in ashes and revived concerns about security in France's housing projects.
EUROPE
Residents of housing projects in Amiens' northern district said Wednesday that they remain alert for fresh skimishes, because relations between police and youth in the neighborhood have long been strained.
More than 200 riot police were sta-
The administration for the Somme region said no damage or violence were reported Tuesday night, but said it will maintain the heightened police presence Wednesday night and perhaps longer.
A standoff between police and people attending a memorial for a young man
who died in a moto cycle accident may have triggered the rioting. Officials underlined that police were not involved in the death.
Mutual suspicion has long marred relations between police and idle youth in France's poor urban and suburban housing projects. Widespread unemployment and societal discrimination against youth with immigrant roots was in part behind nationwide riots in 2005, which erupted after two teenage boys died fleeing police near Paris.
AUSTRALIA
Graphic photos, warnings to appear on cigarette packs
CANBERRA Australia
CANBERRA, Australia Australia's highest court upheld the world's toughest law on cigarette promotion Wednesday, prohibiting tobacco company logos on cigarette packs that will instead show cancer-riddled mouths, blinded eyeballs and sickly children.
The High Court rejected a challenge by tobacco companies who argued the value of their trademarks will be destroyed if they are no longer able to display their distinctive colors, brand designs and logos on packs of cigarettes.
Starting in December, packs will instead come in a uniformly drab
shade of olive and feature dire health warnings and graphic photographs of smoking's health effects. The government, which has urged other countries to adopt similar rules, hopes the new packs will make smoking as unglamorous as possible.
Many countries mandate that packages display photos or text describing smoking's health effects, and some limit the size of the branding or ban certain slogans, but Australia's dual approach would be the strictest globally.
"Many other countries around the world ... will take heart from the success of this decision today." Attorney
General Nicola Roxon told reporters after the court ruling.
Smokers account for 17 percent of Australia's population, compared with around 20 percent of American adults.
Tobacco advertising was banned from Australian television and radio in 1976. Restrictions on advertising have tightened over the years to include print ads, the Internet and retail outlets.
With high taxes aimed at dissuading smokers, a pack of 25 cigarettes retails in Australia for about 16 Australian dollars ($17).
Jordanian government critic questioned for inciting riots
MIDDLE EAST
AMMAN, Jordan — Prominent Jordanian political analyst and government critic Labib Kamhawi said Wednesday that he may face prosecution and even jail for inciting revolt and defaming Jordan's King Abdullah II, but he denied any wrongdoing and vowed he will fight back.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Prominent Jordanian political analyst and government critic Labib Kamhaw poses for a portrait in his office in Amman, Jordan, Wednesday.
The Amman general prosecutor said earlier that Khamawi is being questioned on suspicion of publicly harming the king's dignity and inciting people against the government.
"Of course, I'm planning to fight back," Kamhawi told The Associated Press of the prosecutor's actions. "If we accept this, it will be the end of freedom of speech in Jordan."
The affair started when Kamhawi made comments on a TV talk show a few weeks ago that allegedly questioned the king's reform ambitions.
Kamhawi said his statements were not an affront to the king's person. "We're fighting back on behalf of the people of Jordan," he said, adding that he considered the case a step backward from improvements in freedom of expression in Jordan since last year's uprisings in the region.
The prosecutor, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media, said
Kamhawi allegedly accused the king of paving mere tip service to reform plans.
Kamhawi's run-in with authorities is the latest in a string of similar incidents this year in which activists were arrested.
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