SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son, the Saudi crown prince and a $22 billion test of values

Abstract: Masayoshi Son has already paid a price for his close ties to Saudi Arabia. It could soon go much higher. Shares in Son’s SoftBank Group Corp. plummeted the most in more than two years Monday after Saudi Arabia came under fire for the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The kingdom is the biggest outside investor in SoftBank’s $100 billion Vision Fund, which has backed Uber Technologies Inc., WeWork Cos., Didi Chuxing and Slack Technologies Inc. Saudi Arabia is considering an admission that Khashoggi died during an interrogation that went wrong during an intended abduction after he entered the kingdom’s Istanbul consulate to sort out marriage paperwork on Oct. 2., CNN reported Monday. However, one CNN source cautioned that the report was still being prepared and could change, while another said it will likely conclude the operation took place without clearance and that those involved will be held responsible. The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter, said the kingdom is weighing whether to say that rogue operatives killed Khashoggi by mistake during an interrogation. The Journal, like CNN, said the Saudi statement had not been finalized. The U.S. is pressing for an explanation, while business leaders, including the CEO of Uber, have pulled out of Saudi Arabia’s “Davos in the Desert” event. SoftBank’s Monday plunge brings the decline in its market value from a September peak to $22 billion. U.S. President Donald Trump dispatched Secretary of State Michael Pompeo to Saudi Arabia to meet the nation’s king and suggested “rogue killers” might be behind the incident. The trouble for Son is that his grand vision depends on Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who pledged $45 billion for the Vision Fund after a 45-minute pitch from Son and has promised a similar amount for the next fund. Not only are those commitments now in question, but SoftBank could face a revolt in Silicon Valley if entrepreneurs begin to think taking its cash is akin to blood money. “If the Saudis are implicated in the murder, you might find a lot of investors not willing to take their money,” said Chris Lane, an analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. “This could start to freeze the Vision Fund out of future deals. This also potentially puts Vision Fund II at risk.” SoftBank shares had gained 29 percent this year through Sept. 28 as investors began to credit Son for his ambitious investments in technology startups in the U.S., China and beyond. But the stock has tumbled 19 percent since then amid the Saudi controversy and a broad decline in technology shares, including a 7.3 percent drop Monday. A spokesman for SoftBank declined comment. Saudi Prince Mohammed has said Khashoggi left the consulate unharmed, but Saudi officials have given no evidence to back up that assertion. On Monday, Amir Anvarzadeh, a senior strategist with Asymmetric Advisors in Singapore, removed SoftBank from his list of recommended stocks to buy. In a research note, he explained the risks of the Saudi controversy and the tech stock rout. “Although we don’t expect this latest diplomatic incident to lead to any sanctions on Saudi, there is always some possibility that some firms will pull out their money from the Vision Fund,” Anvarzadeh wrote. “However, we are starting to worry about other more likely scenarios that could prove as disruptive to Son’s plans. Firstly and most importantly, we believe tech names will remain under selling pressure.” Jeff Kingston, a professor at Temple University in Tokyo, said SoftBank could see its reputation take a hit with technology startups if the Saudi regime is found culpable. Tech workers have increasingly pressured employers to steer clear of relationships they see as politically compromised. Google, for example, decided not to renew a contract with the U.S. Defense Department after protests from employees. “Son is going to find a chillier welcome in Silicon Valley,” Kingston said. “The whole ethos of these young venture capitalists is they want to make the world a better place. That’s hard to reconcile with the vision of darkness that Saudi Arabia is projecting.” If a boycott materializes, it could prove a serious setback. Son has made venture investments for decades, dating back to early bets on Yahoo Inc. and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. He began stepping up his technology investments last year as he raised the first Vision Fund and explained he sees unprecedented opportunities in artificial intelligence, autonomous driving and other technologies. He has grabbed the biggest equity stakes in many of the world’s most prominent startups, including Uber, and confounded Silicon Valley rivals with his unprecedented deal-making. In an interview with Bloomberg last month, he said he plans to raise a new $100 billion fund every two or three years. His goal is to give entrepreneurs the opportunity to compete with unlimited amounts of money. “Capital is not the only thing, but I can help entrepreneurs accelerate,” he said. “I can help make it a bigger success, I can stimulate.” Kingston said founders will be watching how Son handles the Saudi situation. Although the investigation into Khashoggi’s disappearance is ongoing, his decisions now will weigh on future opportunities. “This is a real litmus test for Son and for the entire Silicon Valley culture that he has helped fund,” he said. “It’s a watershed moment. Who are we?”

saudi arabia
softbank
masayoshi son
silicon valley
uber
mohammed bin salman
vision fund
jamal khashoggi


Trump says 'rogue killers' may be behind Jamal Khashoggi disappearance from Saudi consulate

Abstract: ANKARA/WASHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday “rogue killers” may have been behind the disappearance of prominent Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and dispatched Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to meet King Salman over the case. Khashoggi, a U.S. resident, Washington Post columnist and leading critic of the powerful Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, vanished after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul two weeks ago to get marriage documents. Turkish officials say they believe he was murdered there and his body removed, in a case that has provoked an international outcry. Turkish authorities have an audio recording indicating that Khashoggi was killed in the consulate, a Turkish official and a security source told Reuters, and have shared evidence with countries including Saudi Arabia and the United States. They provided no further details. Saudi Arabia has strongly denied killing Khashoggi and has denounced such assertions as “lies,” saying he left the building shortly after entering. “The king firmly denied any knowledge of it,” Trump told reporters after speaking with King Salman. “He didn’t really know, maybe — I don’t want to get into his mind but it sounded to me — maybe these could have been rogue killers. Who knows?” State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Trump was sending Pompeo to Riyadh because “determining what happened to Jamal Khashoggi is something of great importance to the president. Turkish police investigators entered the Istanbul consulate late on Monday. A Turkish diplomatic source had earlier said a joint Turkish-Saudi team would search the building — the last place Khashoggi was seen before he vanished on Oct. 2. “It has been 13 days since the event, so surely proving some of the evidence might be difficult, but we believe we will obtain evidence,” the Turkish official said. A Saudi official, not authorized to speak publicly, told Reuters that the king had ordered an internal investigation based on information from the joint team in Istanbul. Asked when the public prosecutor could make an announcement, the official said: “He was instructed to work quickly.” King Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke by telephone on Sunday evening and stressed the importance of the two countries creating a joint group as part of the probe. Trump has threatened “severe punishment” if it turns out Khashoggi was killed in the consulate, although he has ruled out canceling arms deals worth tens of billions of dollars with Saudi Arabia. European allies have urged “a credible investigation” and accountability for those responsible. Britain expects Riyadh to provide “a complete and detailed response” to questions over Khashoggi’s disappearance, Prime Minister Theresa May’s spokesman said on Monday. Saudi Arabia has responded to Western statements by saying it would retaliate against any pressure or economic sanctions “with greater action,” and Arab allies rallied to support it, setting up a potential showdown between the world’s top oil exporter and its main Western allies. The Saudi riyal fell to its lowest in two years and its international bond prices slipped over fears that foreign investment could shrink amid international pressure. The Saudi stock market had tumbled 7.2 percent over the previous two trading days but rebounded 2 percent on Monday. Foreign capital is key to Saudi plans for economic diversification and job creation. Concern over Khashoggi’s disappearance has seen media organizations and a growing number of guests pull out of a “Davos in the Desert” investment conference set for Oct. 23-25, which has become the biggest show for investors to promote Prince Mohammed’s reform vision. A source familiar with the matter said Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman and BlackRock Chief Executive Larry Fink were pulling out of the summit. Both companies declined comment. CNBC reported that Mastercard CEO Ajay Banga would not attend either. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which hosts the conference, has tentatively committed $20 billion to an infrastructure investment planned with Blackstone Group. Prince Mohammed told Reuters last year that Blackstone and BlackRock Inc were planning to open offices in the kingdom. The organizer insisted the conference would go ahead, saying in an emailed statement on Monday that more than 150 speakers were confirmed from over 140 organizations. Saudi Arabia’s Arab allies have rushed to its support. Bahrain called for a boycott of Uber, in which PIF has invested $3.5 billion, after its chief executive officer said he would not attend the conference. Similar campaigns trended on social media in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. UAE businessman Khalaf Ahmad Al-Habtoor urged a boycott of Virgin, which has suspended discussions with PIF over a planned $1 billion investment. Khashoggi, a familiar face on Arab talk shows, moved to the United States last year fearing retribution for his criticism of Prince Mohammed, who has cracked down on dissent with arrests. The former newspaper editor once interviewed Osama bin Laden and later became a consummate insider, advising former Saudi intelligence chief Prince Turki al-Faisal when he served as ambassador in London and Washington. A pro-government Turkish daily published preliminary evidence last week from investigators who it said had identified a 15-member Saudi intelligence team that arrived in Istanbul on diplomatic passports hours before Khashoggi disappeared. The Saudi Consulate referred Reuters to authorities in Riyadh, who did not respond to questions about the 15 Saudis. Asked if he had reviewed the purported recording of Khashoggi’s killing, Trump told reporters on Saturday: “I have not. … We’ve all heard a lot about the audio. Nobody’s seen it yet, so we do want to see it … we’re going to be seeing it very soon.”

saudi arabia
turkey
istanbul
donald trump
mike pompeo
mohammed bin salman
jamal khashoggi
saudi consulate


After denials, Saudi Arabia preparing to admit Jamal Khashoggi was killed in botched interrogation: CNN

Abstract: WASHINGTON - Saudi Arabia is considering an admission that journalist Jamal Khashoggi died during an interrogation that went wrong, U.S. media reported on Monday. Khashoggi, a Saudi national and U.S. resident who became increasingly critical of powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has not been seen since he walked into the kingdom’s Istanbul consulate to sort out marriage paperwork on Oct. 2. Turkish officials have said they believe he was killed, a claim Saudi Arabia has denied. But CNN cited two sources as saying the Saudis are preparing a report that will acknowledge Khashoggi’s death resulted from an interrogation that went wrong during an intended abduction. One CNN source cautioned that the report was still being prepared and could change, while another said it will likely conclude the operation took place without clearance, and that those involved will be held responsible. The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter, said the kingdom is weighing whether to say that rogue operatives killed Khashoggi by mistake during an interrogation. The Journal, like CNN, said the Saudi statement has not been finalized. Khashoggi’s fate has troubled Washington and Saudi Arabia’s other traditional Western allies. U.S. President Donald Trump earlier Monday said he had spoken with Saudi Arabia’s King Salman, who strongly denied the kingdom’s involvement in Khashoggi’s disappearance. “It sounded to me like maybe these could have been rogue killers. Who knows?” the president said, describing the situation as “terrible.” Trump dispatched Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to the kingdom on Monday to find out “first-hand what happened, what they know, what’s going on.” “He may go to Turkey. He may not,” Trump said during a visit to Alabama. “He may meet with all of them together. But we want to find out what happened and he’s got instructions to find out what happened.” Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency said Pompeo was expected in Turkey on Wednesday to meet Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, after talks in Riyadh. Prince Mohammed, 33, a son of King Salman, consolidated his control in June 2017 when he was named crown prince to replace his cousin, Mohammed bin Nayef, who was fired. Bin Nayef had extensive counter-terrorism expertise which had made him a favorite of previous American administrations.

u.s .
murder
saudi arabia
turkey
jamal khashoggi
instanbul consulate


Pregnant women warned as rubella patients top 1,100 in Japan

Abstract: More than 1,100 rubella cases have been reported this year in Japan, raising concern about serious health impacts on unborn babies who could be infected with the disease by their mothers during pregnancy, a national institute said Tuesday. The 1,103 cases reported this year through Oct. 7 represent an increase of 135 from the previous week and around a twelvefold jump from the previous year, according to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases. The disease is spreading, particularly in the capital region, with 45 — the largest group of the 135 cases — reported in Tokyo, followed by 21 and 20 reported in Kanagawa and Chiba prefectures, respectively. Mothers with children born with congenital rubella syndrome in the past are calling on people to get vaccinations, as infections in the early stages of pregnancy cause birth defects such as hearing impairments, cataracts and heart disorders. “We need to keep monitoring the situation carefully to see if it will develop into a major epidemic,” health minister Takumi Nemoto said at a news conference. He also said the ministry will urge women who want to get pregnant to undergo a rubella antibody test. In a 2012-2013 rubella epidemic in Japan, which saw more than 16,000 patients contract the disease, 45 babies developed congenital rubella syndrome and 11 of them died. Kayo Kani, a 64-year-old co-head of a group working to stop rubella infections, warned that the latest epidemic could also result in births of babies with the syndrome, although no cases have been reported so far this year. Seventeen years ago, Kani lost her daughter who was born with heart problems due to the syndrome. Having learned that women of her daughter’s generation are now at risk of giving birth to children with similar problems, Kani said, “I feel like my daughter is telling me to eliminate rubella infections.” To prevent serious health repercussions arising from the contagious disease, which is often transmitted through coughing and sneezing, vaccinating people around pregnant women is important, according to the institute. Women who are already pregnant cannot be inoculated as the vaccine itself is feared to have an impact on the child. Notable rubella symptoms are fever, sore throat, and a rash. Its incubation period is two to three weeks. Many patients identified this year have been men in their 30s to 50s, a group that has not been vaccinated sufficiently due to changes in the country’s immunization system. According to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, there was a period when only girls were routinely vaccinated against rubella at junior high schools, and also when the vaccination rate was low for both boys and girls because each child had to go individually to a medical institution to get the vaccination. Know VPD! (Vaccine Preventable Diseases) Protect Our Children, a nonprofit organization promoting vaccinations to protect children, is urging the government to cover the costs of inoculating men in their 30s to 50s and importing vaccines if they are in short supply. This year rubella has been observed from July mainly in the Tokyo metropolitan area. The weekly number of newly reported rubella patients exceeded 100 for five consecutive weeks through Oct. 7.


Hopes high that Pope Francis will send message from A-bombed cities to support nuclear weapons ban treaty

Abstract: With Pope Francis expressing his intention to visit Japan next year, hopes are high among Hiroshima and Nagasaki residents and A-bomb survivors’ groups that he may come to their cities. The Vatican has already ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, and the pope’s visit to the A-bombed cities could provide a lift to the campaign for nuclear weapon states and Japan to ratify the treaty and help speed the abolition of nuclear arms. To get the pope to visit, some people are saying louder pleas from citizens are needed. Hirotaka Matsushima, head of the Hiroshima Municipal Government’s Peace Promotion Division, welcomed the pope’s announcement last month that he hopes to visit Japan next year. “This is great news,” he said. “I hope that the pope will send out a message for peace from the A-bombed city.” The Hiroshima Prefectural and Municipal governments began stepping up their efforts to get Francis to visit after Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican’s secretary for relations with states — a title that corresponds with the position of foreign minister — traveled to Hiroshima in January 2017. At that time, Gallagher suggested there was a possibility that the pontiff might visit the city. Hiroshima Gov. Hidehiko Yuzaki and Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui made separate trips to the Vatican last year and issued invitations to the pontiff in person. Their hopes are tied to the enormous influence that the Roman Catholic Church has around the world, with 1.23 billion members. During his visit to Hiroshima in 1981, the late John Paul II read out the “Appeal for Peace” in nine languages, with 25,000 looking on, in front of the Cenotaph for the A-bomb Victims. His address generated a significant response. The municipal government is also taking note of the pope’s appeal. The pontiff is from Argentina, a signatory to the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean. When talks began at the United Nations to establish a global treaty to outlaw nuclear arms, the pope issued a statement of support. And when the nuclear weapons ban treaty opened for signatures and ratifications on Sept. 20 last year, the Vatican responded on the first day. The pope rejects the idea of nuclear deterrence — which nuclear nations and countries under their nuclear umbrella cite as a reason for their opposition to the treaty — from the point of view of the inhumane consequences these weapons cause. He argues that protecting one’s nation through threats of nuclear retaliation creates “a false sense of security.” Toshiyuki Mimaki, 76, chairman of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations and a resident of Kitahiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture, said, “I would like the pope to call on the countries that haven’t joined the treaty to ratify it.” The treaty will enter into force after at least 50 nations have ratified it, and 15 countries had done so as of Sept. 20 this year. Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue, who is working together with Hiroshima leaders to realize the pope’s visit, believes that Francis is “a vital presence supporting the need for the nuclear weapons ban treaty.” The government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has also requested that the pope visit Japan in order to boost momentum for nuclear disarmament. However, the government has clearly stated that it does not intend to sign or ratify the treaty. Last March, the Episcopal Commission for Social Issues of the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of Japan (CBCJ) sent a letter to the government, including a quote from Pope Francis, asking that it sign and ratify the treaty. There appears to be no change, though, in the government’s policy. For this reason, some are suspicious of the government’s true intentions regarding the pope’s visit. Haruko Moritaki, 79, co-chairwoman of the citizens’ group Hiroshima Alliance for Nuclear Weapons Abolition (HANWA), voiced her concern by saying, “The Japanese government may want to take advantage of the pope’s visit by giving the impression that they are making serious efforts for nuclear disarmament, seeking to gloss over their policy of refusing to join the treaty.” She also said that “the important thing is to enhance the welcome by Hiroshima citizens for the pope, who has made contributions to the creation of the nuclear weapons ban treaty and will, in the A-bombed city of Hiroshima, send out a message to the world to press ahead with the nuclear treaty.”

the treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons


First joint survey planned for Daisen Kofun, Japan's largest ancient tomb

Abstract: The Imperial Household Agency said Monday it will jointly excavate Japan’s largest ancient mounded tomb, together with a local government, for the first time. The agency had restricted surveys of Daisen Kofun, which was first built in the fifth century and is officially designated as the tomb of Emperor Nintoku, saying the mound is “the Imperial Family’s tomb where peace and sanctity needed to be maintained.” The excavation survey starting later this month in one of the dikes surrounding the massive tomb in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, will be part of the tomb’s preservation efforts conducted with the municipal government. Its results will be published at the end of November. When the agency surveyed the same dike in 1973, it discovered clay figures made for ritual use. Calls for the joint survey had been increasing among academics and others as the mound has been gradually eroded by water in the surrounding moats. The agency is expected to refer to results of the survey when it conducts reinforcement work. The agency has judged it necessary to cooperate with local authorities, which have long engaged in protecting the cultural asset, one of its officials said. Japan is seeking to register an ancient tumulus cluster that covers the Daisen tomb as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. The tomb is known as one of the three largest in the world, together with the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor in China and the Great Pyramid of Khufu in Egypt.

archaeology
imperial household agency
daisen kofun
emperor nintoku


Jim Mattis calls for transparent investigation into Jamal Khashoggi's killing during talks with Saudi minister

Abstract: PRAGUE - U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Sunday that he met Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister and called for a transparent investigation into the killing earlier this month of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Washington Post columnist Khashoggi’s murder inside the Saudi Arabian Consulate in Istanbul has escalated into a crisis for the world’s top oil exporter as Saudi Arabia’s allies have reacted with outrage. Mattis said he met Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir during a conference in Bahrain on Saturday and discussed the killing. “We discussed it. You know the same thing we talked about, the need for transparency, full and complete investigation,” Mattis told a small group of reporters traveling to Prague with him. “(There was) full agreement from Foreign Minister Jubeir, no reservations at all, he said we need to know what happened and it was very collaborative, in agreement,” Mattis added. U.S. President Donald Trump has said he wants to get to the bottom of the case, while also highlighting Riyadh’s role as an ally against Tehran and Islamist militants, as well as a major purchaser of U.S. arms. Saudi Arabia’s public prosecutor has said Khashoggi’s killing was premeditated, contradicting a previous official statement that it happened accidentally during a tussle in the consulate in Istanbul. On Saturday, al-Jubeir told a security summit in Bahrain that Riyadh’s relations with the United States are “ironclad” amid what he described as “media hysteria” over the killing of Khashoggi. At the same conference, Mattis had sharp words for Saudi Arabia, saying that the killing undermines Middle Eastern stability and that Washington will take additional measures against those responsible. Earlier this month U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz al-Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss the issue. Washington has already announced moves against 21 Saudis to either revoke their visas or make them ineligible for U.S. visas after the Khashoggi killing. Asked whether the U.S. will limit its support to the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, Mattis said Sunday: “We’ll continue to support the defense of the kingdom.” Saudi Arabia is leading a Western-backed alliance of Sunni Muslim Arab states trying to restore the internationally recognized government of Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, ousted from the capital, Sanaa, by the Iran-aligned Houthis in 2015. The United States and other Western powers provide arms, refueling and intelligence to the alliance. Germany has vowed to halt all German arms exports to Saudi Arabia until the killing of Khashoggi is explained.

u.s .
yemen
saudi arabia
crime
istanbul
jim mattis
jamal khashoggi


To the roo-scue! Kangaroo caught in surf saved with CPR

Abstract: SYDNEY - A kangaroo that hopped into the sea for a dip at a Melbourne beach had to be rescued by Australian police and brought back to life with CPR, officers said Sunday. Officers were called to Safety Beach in Melbourne on Saturday afternoon amid reports the animal was struggling in the water. When they arrived, the roo had already made its way back onto dry land and was on the sand covered with a blanket by a beachgoer. But as they approached, it suddenly turned around and bounded back into the waves. “It began to swim but got into difficulty in the swell and breaking waves and went under water a couple of times,” Victoria Police said in a statement. Two officers jumped into the water and managed to bring the now-unconscious marsupial back to a grassy area and resuscitate it using compressions. They did not use the “kiss of life” — mouth-to-mouth resuscitation — a Victoria Police spokeswoman said. It was then brought to a police station. After an assessment, officers said it was “in good spirits and lucky to be alive, given the amount of saltwater he inhaled.” Known for their jumping prowess, most kangaroos are also capable swimmers, although they rarely take to the water.

nature australia animals melbourne beaches kangaroos


Mosquito-borne Zika virus detected in second Indian state

Abstract: NEW DELHI - India’s Zika outbreak is spreading, with officials saying Sunday that the mosquito-borne virus has been detected in the western state of Gujarat after nearly 150 cases were reported this year in neighboring Rajasthan. Health authorities in Gujarat said a woman tested positive for Zika and was treated at a state hospital in the capital, Ahmedabad, the first confirmed case outside Rajasthan this year. “Only one case has been found so far. We are taking all precautions,” Gujarat Commissioner of Health Jayanti Ravi said Sunday. The state health department has rallied hundreds of doctors and medical personnel to perform emergency screenings for Zika, including more than 250 pregnant women with fevers. Gujarat, which borders Rajasthan to the south, has been fumigating public areas in an effort to kill the mosquitoes that carry the diseases. Health authorities in Rajasthan have detected 147 cases of Zika since September, officials say. Almost 440,000 people were under surveillance in Rajasthan’s capital, Jaipur, last month. The Aedes aegypti mosquito, which carries Zika and other viruses like dengue fever, is widely prevalent in India. The country of 1.25 billion reported its first Zika cases in January 2017 in Gujarat but the latest case is the first in the state this year. Since Zika erupted on a large scale in 2015, more than 1.5 million people in more than 70 countries have been infected, with most in South America. In rare cases, if pregnant women contract the virus their babies can develop brain defects. Zika was also detected in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu in July 2017. The World Health Organization has said no vaccine is likely to be available until 2020.

india health disease mosquito rajasthan zika gujarat


China still poring over little-noticed Pence speech weeks later

Abstract: BEIJING - In Washington, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence’s Oct. 4 speech ripping China was largely lost amid the uproar over the midterms and Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation. In Beijing, however, Pence’s address is still reverberating. Some in China’s foreign policy community continue to study it, comparing the rhetoric with Winston Churchill’s “Iron Curtain” speech in 1946, and trying to determine whether it, too, marks the start of a Cold War between two world powers. Wang Wen, executive dean of the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University in Beijing, was among those alarmed by how the vice president conflated trade grievances with spying allegations and long-standing security disputes such as Taiwan. “We are at a very serious tipping point,” Wang said. In his remarks to the Hudson Institute in Washington, Pence accused China of waging a “whole-of-government” campaign to erode American industrial advantages and steer voters away from the Republican Party in the midterms. He accused Beijing of attempting to push the U.S. military from the Western Pacific and buy off Latin American countries with “debt diplomacy.” Viewed through the prism of the U.S. election, the speech served to deflect Democratic criticism of President Donald Trump’s tariffs and response to allegations of Russian meddling. In China, however, it helped confirm fears that the two sides are heading toward a prolonged struggle, with the U.S. using its economic and military might to contain its rival’s rise. “The Pence speech was very much for a domestic audience,” said Dennis Wilder, a former senior director for Asia at the National Security Council under President George W. Bush. Still, there was a message for Beijing, Wilder said: “It’s time to put China on notice that the U.S. is ready to compete with China in lots of different spheres.” The episode illustrates how suspicions between Washington and Beijing are rising as the trade war drags on and communications grow more tense. The risk is that leaders on each side decide that settling their economic disputes could weaken them in an inevitable geopolitical tussle. The speech could also complicate near-term efforts to get trade talks back on track, since Trump has decided to skip regional summits in Singapore and Papua New Guinea next month. His chosen emissary — Pence — will likely receive a frosty reception from President Xi Jinping and other top Chinese officials. One White House official said the speech was primarily intended for domestic consumption, but also an opportunity to lay the groundwork for Pence’s Asia trip. The president and vice president went over the speech line by line, said the official, who asked not to be named discussing internal deliberations. China expressed its displeasure during Secretary of State Michael Pompeo’s visit to Beijing four days after Pence’s speech. Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Pompeo in an unusually blunt lecture that the U.S. had “damaged our mutual trust.” Xi declined to meet with the visiting secretary of state, as he had done during a similar trip in June. In the days since, Chinese state media have churned out almost daily commentaries denouncing Pence’s claims as “illogical and absurd.” “The recent string of relentless and groundless China-bashing rhetoric from U.S. leaders has revealed a Washington bent on dragging Beijing into a full-scale face-off,” the official Xinhua News Agency said Oct. 12. Subsequent events have only reinforced the Cold War narrative in Beijing. Last week, Trump vowed to outspend China in a nuclear arms buildup and the U.S. Navy sailed two warships through the Taiwan Strait, in a show of military support for the democratically run island. Gen. Wei Fenghe, China’s defense minister, warned that challenging the party on Taiwan was “extremely dangerous” Thursday in a speech that also hit back at Pence. “A hegemonic and confrontational security model is outdated,” Wei said. “The world shouldn’t repeat the Cold War.” That’s why some Foreign Ministry officials and advisers have dusted off copies of Churchill’s speech in Fulton, Missouri, in which the then-U.K. opposition leader urged Western democracies to stand up to communist expansion in Europe. Some historians, including those in China, see it as a crystallizing moment in the decades-long struggle between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. Still, Chinese officials have found solace in the differences. Pence, for instance, largely listed U.S. complaints and offered no grand strategy for countering China. “The quality of the language of Pence’s speech is much lower,” said Wang Wen, of the Chongyang Institute. One Chinese official who asked not to be identified noted that the U.S. hasn’t yet taken any real action outside of tariffs. Another expressed confidence that American allies such as Australia, Japan and South Korea, wouldn’t risk a breakdown in ties with China to join a U.S.-led containment push. So far, China has refrained from criticizing Trump directly and jeopardizing the rapport the U.S. leader says he has with Xi. That has helped keep hopes alive in Beijing that the two leaders could agree to not escalate the dispute, perhaps after an anticipated meeting on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit next month in Argentina. Pang Zhongying, a professor of international relations at the Macau University of Science and Technology, said that he hoped China listened to the U.S.’s complaints and didn’t just focus on the rhetoric. “Misunderstanding will lead bilateral relations into a vicious cycle,” Pang said. “Pence’s speech may send confrontational signals, but not entirely wrong, and China should view it more rationally.”

china
u.s .
military
trade
xi jinping
donald trump
mike pence


Rule violations, bad habits accompany wholesalers on move from Tsukiji to Toyosu

Abstract: Rule violations such as smoking outside designated areas, unauthorized use of shared space and other transgressions that were a problem at the now-defunct Tsukiji wholesale market have been reported at its successor site, the new Toyosu market, according to sources. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government, which operates the replacement market that opened earlier this month in Koto Ward, has plans to intensify surveillance and crack down on violations in cooperation with industry groups so as to remedy the situation, the sources said. Because market operations at Toyosu — in contrast to the open-air-type facility at Tsukiji — take place inside closed buildings, hygiene control standards are stricter because cigarette smoke, ash and butts can contaminate food more easily. Although the Toyosu market, which has been enjoying a good turnout of shoppers and tourists since it opened, has many designated smoking areas, smoking on the street—with its resulting cigarette butt litter — still remains rampant. “I’m too busy to walk to a smoking area that is far away,” a worker of an intermediate wholesaler said in an apologetic tone. The Tokyo government has vowed to more vigorously ensure compliance with such rules that would have gone unpunished at the Tsukiji in Chuo Ward. “We’re ready to impose administrative punishments such as suspension of entry into the market” on malicious violators, a government official said. Another issue is the unauthorized stacking of boxes by wholesalers in aisles that are meant to remain open enough for four turret trucks to pass through at a time. The issue was also a problem at Tsukiji. But at Toyosu, according to the sources, there are sections where only one truck can traverse because of clutter. “The well-thought design of the facility has been fouled up,” another official with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government said. “It’s pointless for traders to spoil the usability of their own market.” Because the Toyosu market is still a bit chaotic due to the recent move from Tsukiji, the Tokyo government plans to tolerate to some extent violations such as the placement of boxes in the aisles, with the exception of where they create blind spots for drivers.


Halloween in Tokyo's Shibuya: Where did all the wicked wackiness get started?

Abstract: Japan’s rowdy, cosplay-themed Halloween celebrations have become famous around the world, with young people congregating in city hot spots and theme parks where they snap selfies in outrageous outfits and ghoulish get-ups. In recent years, thousands of revelers — dressed up in supergraphic costumes to look like such characters as sexy zombies, stabbing victims and even the eccentric animal skin-clad viral star Pikotaro — have been drawn to the giant street party that takes place on Shibuya’s famous scramble crossing, making movement there nearly impossible. “From about four years ago, people started going out on the streets rather than enjoying Halloween events in clubs or bars,” Shibuya Ward Mayor Ken Hasebe said at a recent news conference ahead of the Oct. 31 annual celebration. But where did all the wicked wackiness get started? According to locals, the history of Halloween in Japan can be traced back to the 1970s, when a bookstore in the nearby pop-culture hub of Harajuku began selling Halloween paraphernalia and organizing costume parades. “How we absorbed Halloween culture reflects postwar history in Japan,” a spokeswoman for toy and bookstore operator Kiddy Land Co. said. In 1950, the store’s predecessor — Hashidate Shoten — opened in Harajuku, where many facilities were built for U.S. military personnel after World War II. To meet demand, the store started to sell foreign books and high-quality Japanese toys. Foreign customers who lived in the area began asking how they could get their hands on Halloween items. “The staff at the time were asked by foreign customers why we don’t carry Halloween stuff,” she said. Staff members from the store traveled to the United States to learn about the Halloween tradition and later started hosting children’s costume parades in front of the store around 1983. The event, which first involved about 100 participants, began attracting more and more people each year, eventually spreading from foreign customers to Japanese. With Tokyo Disneyland introducing Halloween events in 1997, the day is now viewed nationwide as an opportunity to dress up and attend parties, the Kiddy Land Co. spokeswoman said. The media, which showed footage of youngsters exchanging high-fives and having fun at Shibuya crossing during the 2002 FIFA World Cup, played a big role in the district becoming party central for Halloween, according to Hasebe. The mayor, who was the first to hold a news conference to address the wild Halloween celebrations, called for a concerted effort to “get people to go home by the last train and keep the noise level down after midnight.” Around 70,000 people visited the district on Halloween in 2015, with the numbers increasing every year since, according to the Shibuya Ward office. Last year, half the crowd wore costumes while the other half was there to mingle and enjoy themselves, the mayor said. According to the office, about 7.8 tons of garbage was collected last year. That refuse included broken glass, bottles, cans and costume parts that were strewn about the streets. And the toilets in the area’s shopping district that were used to change into outfits ended up being covered in makeup, fake blood and other Halloween materials. This year, the ward office is asking 17 retail stores around the scramble crossing to stop all bottled alcohol sales. “I’m sure the celebration can be carried out in a good and moral spirit, so I want to avoid regulating things if possible,” the mayor said. “(Halloween) is beginning to take root in the culture of Shibuya. I want to foster it,” he added. In the past, several people — just a tiny number considering the massive crowds — have been arrested on suspicion of stealing or groping women, according to police. The Metropolitan Police Department has also taken measures in recent years to prevent accidents, such as deploying its so-called DJ police, officers who marshal the crowd with a spirit of goodwill, rather than issuing stern orders. Just as Japanese soccer fans garnered a positive reputation for cleaning up stadiums during the World Cup in Russia, so too have many locals who volunteer to take part in cleaning up Shibuya streets before and after Halloween. Led by a committee, comprised of businesses and the Shibuya Ward office, volunteers for the past three years have been provided with pumpkin-shaped orange garbage bags, work gloves and tongs for the cleanup effort. Aside from setting up temporary waste collection centers this year, the committee will also install boxes where people can discard their costumes and other unwanted items. Anything that is in good condition will be offered for sale online, with the proceeds going toward future cleanup efforts in Shibuya. “I hope this new attempt will encourage people to be conscious of reusing, rather than throwing things away,” a member of the committee said. Related The stuff of nightmares on parade at Kawasaki Halloween 2018


Tokyo stocks extend their rally on buybacks

Abstract: Stocks extended a rally on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Wednesday, boosted by buybacks in the wake of a sharp overnight rebound on Wall Street. The 225-issue Nikkei average finished up 291.88 points, or 1.29 percent, at 22,841.12, after gaining over 400 points in the morning. On Tuesday, the key market gauge advanced 277.94 points. The Topix index of all first-section issues rose 25.96 points, or 1.54 percent, to end at 1,713.87, after adding 12.47 points the previous day. The Tokyo market spurted soon after the opening bell, as investors cheered jumps of the Dow Jones industrial average and the other two major U.S. stock price indexes on Tuesday following the release of major companies’ strong quarterly earnings results and robust industrial production data, brokers said. Both Nikkei and Topix lost steam after a wave of buybacks but maintained strength for the rest of Wednesday’s trading on the back of stable dollar-yen movements. “Risk-off sentiment receded to some extent” as major U.S. firms’ earnings beat market consensuses, an official of a bank-affiliated brokerage firm said. Behind the recent market sell-offs were concerns that the U.S.-China tariff war could work to dampen business activities and earnings, the official explained, adding that players in Tokyo refrained from active trading after the initial spurt to wait for earnings reports Japanese firms are scheduled to release next week. Meanwhile, Ryuta Otsuka, strategist at the investment information department of Toyo Securities Co., said, “It seemed a technical rebound continued on the Tokyo market for the second day.” Investors, such as hedge funds, judged Tokyo stocks had been oversold and moved to buy them back, he noted. Rising issues far outnumbered falling ones 1,950 to 119 in the TSE’s first section, while 40 issues were unchanged. Volume rose slightly to 1.29 billion shares from Tuesday’s 1.26 billion shares. High-tech issues attracted purchases after their U.S. peers fared well overnight. Sony Corp. gained 2.23 percent, and semiconductor-related Screen and Tokyo Electron surged 5.48 percent and 3.02 percent, respectively Megabank groups Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc., Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. and Mizuho Financial Group Inc. attracted repurchases after U.S. financial giants Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley released brisk earnings reports on Tuesday. Brokerage firm Nomura Holdings Inc. and insurers Dai-ichi Life Holdings Inc. and Tokio Marine Holdings Inc. were also upbeat. Other major winners included pharmaceutical firm Eisai Co. and clothing-retailer Fast Retailing Co. On the other hand, shipping firms Kawasaki Kisen, Mitsui OSK Lines and Nippon Yusen K.K. suffered hefty losses. Also sold were automaker Suzuki Motor Corp. and steel-maker JFE Holdings Inc. In index futures trading on the Osaka Exchange, the key December contract on the Nikkei average rose 470 points to end at 22,890.


Opposition heads confirm cooperation in 2019 Upper House poll

Abstract: Leaders of five opposition parties have agreed to try jointly fielding unified candidates in constituencies where one seat will be contested in the House of Councilors election next summer. The agreement was reached Tuesday night at a meeting between leaders of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the Democratic Party for the People, the Japanese Communist Party, the Liberal Party and the Social Democratic Party. The leaders met for the first time since July 20 this year, when they decided to jointly submit a no-confidence motion against the Cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. They hope to take advantage of the positive momentum they believe was created by the victory of Denny Tamaki over a Liberal Democratic Party-backed candidate in the Okinawa gubernatorial election last month. “We’ve agreed to work together toward the Upper House election so as not to benefit the ruling parties,” DPFP President Yuichiro Tamaki told reporters. The Upper House has 32 constituencies where one seat is contested in each election. The CDPJ has effectively finished its candidate selection in one such district, the DPFP in two and the JCP in 22. Currently, the DPFP and the JCP are set to compete in Nagano and Nagasaki prefectures. In the previous Upper House election in 2016, major opposition parties unified candidates in all single-seat constituencies and defeated the LDP in 11 such districts. The five opposition parties see the need to avoid competition in one-seat districts. But upcoming talks may not go so smoothly as they still remain divided on the details, sources said.

elections
upper house
opposition parties


Tokyo Stock Exchange snaps four-session losing streak aided by buying on dips

Abstract: The market snapped its four-session losing streak on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Wednesday, aided by buying on dips. The 225-issue Nikkei average gained 36.65 points, or 0.16 percent, to end at 23,506.04, after tumbling 314.33 points on Tuesday. The Topix index of all first-section issues finished up 2.74 points, or 0.16 percent, at 1,763.86. It shed 31.53 points the previous day. After opening firmer, the key market gauges turned lower later in the morning amid a dearth of fresh major buying incentives, market sources said. The indexes stayed in plus territory for most of the afternoon session, supported by purchases on declines, according to the sources. Chihiro Ota, general manager for investment research and investor services at SMBC Nikko Securities Inc., expressed his belief that the stock market was still in a correction phase. “I can’t say purchases on declines were strong,” he said. It was easy for stocks to rebound following their recent falls, but “no incentive to step up purchases emerged,” an official at an online brokerage house said. Active buying was held in check ahead of the announcements of earnings reports by major companies later this week, an official of an asset management firm pointed out. Rising issues outnumbered falling ones 1,137 to 894 in the TSE’s first section, while 79 issues were unchanged. Volume dropped to 1.345 billion shares from Tuesday’s 1.568 billion shares. Tokai Carbon closed 7.05 percent higher as the issue was deemed undervalued after it fell as much as 15 percent over the past five sessions. Skylark rose 1.92 percent after the restaurant chain said Tuesday that its same-store sales in September grew 2.2 percent from a year before. Also on the plus side were clothing store chain operator Fast Retailing and semiconductor manufacturing equipment-maker Tokyo Electron. Kirindo tumbled 9.69 percent after the drug store chain reported an operating profit for the fiscal first half on Tuesday that was short of the company’s target, brokers said. Other major losers included industrial robot producer Fanuc and mobile phone carrier SoftBank Group. In index futures trading on the Osaka Exchange, the December contract on the Nikkei average finished up 60 points at 23,530.


Former Cabinet security chief Atsuyuki Sassa dies at 87

Abstract: Atsuyuki Sassa, who served as the first head of Japan’s Cabinet Security Affairs Office, died Wednesday at age 87, his family said. Sassa, a native of Tokyo, joined the forerunner of the National Police Agency after graduating from the University of Tokyo. He led the police force as a security bureau executive during the deadly standoff in the 1972 Asama mountain lodge incident, in which ultraleftist radicals of the United Red Army took hostages at a mountain lodge in Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture. He served in other senior posts including as head of the now-defunct Defense Facilities Administration Agency before serving as the security affairs chief between 1986 and 1989.

obituary
national police agency
atsuyuki sasa


Japan's female sailors serve on front line of gender equality

Abstract: ABOARD, THE KAGA - Women serving on Japan’s biggest warship, the Kaga, are a tight-knit group on the front line of a push to transform the Japanese navy into a mixed-gender fighting force, where men outnumber them more than 10 to one. The Maritime Self Defense Force needs more women because falling birthrates mean it has too few men to crew warships in home waters or on helicopter carriers such as the Kaga, sailing in foreign waters to counter China’s growing regional influence. “Women all over the world are working in a wider number of areas and I think Japan needs to be a part of that,” said Petty Officer Akiko Ihara, 31, standing beside one of the helicopters she helps to maintain. The proportion of women on the Kaga’s crew of 450 is about 9 percent, a level Japan is targeting for the military overall by 2030, from 6 percent now. That would still fall short of the U.S., where 15 percent of people in uniform are women, and the U.K. with 10 percent. “We all work in different teams around the ship but we are all friends,” Ihara added. “We do sometimes moan a little about our male colleagues.” The nine-year veteran says she has encountered no workplace discrimination, and would challenge any man who thinks women are unsuited for military life to work with her. More female recruits are making the SDF a more “rounded” organization, said Ayako Yoneda, 29, a firefighter and engineer on the Kaga. “When I first joined nine years ago there were few women and it felt like men then didn’t know how to deal with us,” she said. “I think the men now see things more from our perspective. The SDF has become a gentler place.” Nonetheless, the women do face sexual harassment. In July, the navy discharged a male petty officer for kissing and groping three female sailors over several months. Japan’s demographic woes are forcing it down a path taken years earlier by its U.S. ally, which lifted a ban on women on warships in 1993. The MSDF, which let women crew ships a decade ago, could soon remove the last major barrier to female sailors by ending a ban on submarine duty, Defense Ministry sources have said. Japan has one of the world’s largest navies, with 45,000 crew members on more than 100 vessels, including about 20 submarines, more than 40 destroyers and four helicopter carriers including the Kaga. The Kaga was on its way to Sri Lanka after drills in the contested South China Sea as part of a two-month deployment in waters stretching from the Western Pacific to the Indian Ocean. Commissioned in 2017, it is among a new generation of warships designed to accommodate mixed crews, with more toilets and bathrooms than older vessels. Signs at the entrance to the women’s segregated sleeping quarters warn men to keep out and the women inside carry electronic pagers that can be contacted via numerical keypads beside the doors. The MSDF hopes improved facilities and privacy safeguards will draw more women to sign up. The navy struggles more to find recruits than the air force or army, as young people balk at the prospect of being cut off from social media networks on long deployments. In 2016, for example, the Air Self-Defense Force received 6,900 applications, versus just 3,927 for the MSDF, even though both have about the same number of enlisted personnel. Miku Ihara, 22, a woman cadet on the Kaga, says she reads books or studies when off-duty, but misses having access to Line and Instagram. Sailors are limited to a daily maximum of four emails when at sea. “You just have to get used to not having it and make the most of it when you do,” she added. The presence of women on board has had one unexpected benefit on the men that report to him, says Command Master Chief Yasuharu Tohno, the most senior enlisted sailor on board. “They shave regularly and iron their clothes,” said Tohno, who joined an all-male fleet 35 years ago.

gender equality
military
women
msdf
kaga


U.S. agriculture secretary says Washington seeks deeper farm tariff cuts by Japan than those in TPP

Abstract: WASHINGTON - The United States will urge Japan to reduce tariffs on agricultural products beyond levels agreed to under the Trans-Pacific Partnership, an 11-member regional free trade agreement, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue indicated Thursday. “We would expect certainly equal or better than the TPP deal,” Perdue told reporters Thursday, in yet another bid to prioritize America’s farm exports ahead of the expected start of negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement on goods, or TAG, in mid-January. The comment suggests President Donald Trump’s administration will push for increased market access for beef, pork and other farm products in Japan during the upcoming negotiations involving U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Economic Revitalization Minister Toshimitsu Motegi. Last month, Trump and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed the United States will refrain from imposing tariffs on automobile imports from Japan while negotiations are underway. Perdue made the remark two weeks after he called for a trade deal between the two countries with better terms than that of the free trade agreement between Japan and the European Union. “We believe that as good customers of theirs in their automotive industry, we should have our agricultural products accepted as easily and freely as we accept the automobiles,” he said. Perdue repeated his tough stance despite the understanding between Trump and Abe that Washington would not demand deeper farm tariff cuts than levels Japan has agreed to in other trade pacts such as the TPP — from which Trump withdrew the United States last year — and the Japan-EU accord. Later Friday, top government spokesman Yoshihide Suga reiterated Tokyo’s policy that it will negotiate with the U.S. in a way that will be in Japan’s national interest. On Tuesday, Lighthizer suggested the Trump administration will push Japan to “address both tariff and nontariff barriers” in sectors such as automobiles, agriculture and services, and to “achieve fairer, more balanced trade.” Similarly, other senior U.S. officials have made strong remarks ahead of the start of the trade talks, with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin calling for the inclusion of a provision to prevent currency devaluations. Vice President Mike Pence has described the prospective deal with Japan as a “free trade agreement,” contradicting Japan’s assertion that the accord sought by the two governments will not be as comprehensive as such an agreement. Meanwhile, Trump on Thursday praised Abe for working with him to “help balance out the one-sided Trade with Japan” and indicated expectations for more Japanese investment. Citing a $1.6 billion joint venture between Toyota Motor Corp. and Mazda Motor Corp. in Alabama and a $170 million investment by Nissan Motor Co. in Tennessee, Trump said in a Twitter post, “These are some of the investments they are making in our Country — just the beginning!” Figures that Trump posted in the tweet show that since he took office in January 2017, Japan has been the top international investor in the United States, injecting $20 billion and creating 37,000 jobs.

u.s .
trade
u.s.-japan relations
sonny perdue


Nikkei average closes at 22,532 after falling on overnight Wall Street plunge

Abstract: Stocks sank further on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Friday, with investor sentiment dampened by a Wall Street plunge overnight. The 225-issue Nikkei average slumped 126.08 points, or 0.56 percent, to end at 22,532.08. On Thursday, the key market gauge dropped 182.96 points. The Topix index of all first-section issues closed down 11.79 points, or 0.69 percent, at 1,692.85, after falling 9.23 points the previous day. The Tokyo market came under heavy selling from the outset of Friday’s session after a sharp plunge in U.S. equities the previous day. The Nikkei briefly lost over 440 points in the early morning. After the initial selling ran its course, however, both indexes recouped much of the early losses in line with a recovery in Shanghai stocks from a lower start and the yen’s weakening against the dollar, brokers said. A strong risk-off mood in the early morning eased later due to a recovery in Shanghai stocks following the release of Chinese gross domestic product data for the July-September period, which, although weaker than expected, were at least “not a negative surprise,” an official of a bank-affiliated brokerage firm said. Concerns over the outlook of the Chinese economy that pushed down U.S. stocks overnight Thursday abated a little in Tokyo trading, an official of a midsize securities firm said. “Buying on dips supported the market’s downside after the initial selling,” said Mitsuo Shimizu, chief strategist at Aizawa Securities Co. Falling issues outnumbered rising ones 1,409 to 616 in the TSE’s first section, while 84 issues were unchanged. Volume increased to 1.28 billion shares from 1.22 billion Thursday. Construction machinery makers posted massive losses after U.S. peer Caterpillar fared poorly overnight. Komatsu sagged 3.12 percent, Hitachi Construction 2.43 percent and Sumitomo Heavy was down 2.13 percent. Yamada Denki plunged 6.65 percent after the electronics retailer announced Thursday a downward revision of its consolidated earnings forecast for the year to March 2019. Other major losers included mobile phone carrier SoftBank Group and game-maker Nintendo. By contrast, Don Quijote gained 2.53 percent after JPMorgan Securities Japan Co. revised up its target stock price for the discount store chain from ¥6,800 to ¥8,400, brokers said. Also higher were pharmaceutical firm Eisai and clothing retailer Fast Retailing. In index futures trading on the Osaka Exchange, the key December contract on the Nikkei average fell 60 points to end at 22,530.


Bollywood director Mukesh Chhabra fired in India's #MeToo storm

Abstract: NEW DELHI - Fox Star Studios on Friday sacked a Bollywood director working on a Hindi-language remake of hit U.S. movie “The Fault In Our Stars” after he was accused of sexual harassment by two women. Mukesh Chhabra is the latest to get embroiled in India’s #MeToo movement which has been gaining traction, with several women calling out powerful men in government, Bollywood and the media. Fox Star Studios, a joint venture between Fox and Star India, said Chhabra had been asked to exit the project as it “takes allegations of sexual harassment of women at workplace very seriously.” An internal complaints committee would look into the allegations against Chhabra, it said in a statement on Twitter. Two women have accused Chhabra of sexual harassment during auditions, according to the local media, both anonymously. “He (Chhabra) asked me to enact a scene which had the hero and the heroine hugging each other,” one of the unnamed women was quoted as saying. “Under the pretext of showing me how the scene should be performed, he grabbed me hard and felt me up. I could feel his hand on my butt.” The other woman, also anonymous, told a newspaper that she has a recording of a phone call with him in which he said she would “have to compromise, get physical with people in power.” The film, starring Sushant Singh Rajput and Sanjana Sanghi, was supposed to be the directorial debut for Chhabra, who was previously a casting director. Chhabra has denied the “unsubstantiated wild anonymous allegations.” India’s belated #MeToo movement has made headlines in recent weeks with women sharing accounts of alleged harassment on Twitter. The trigger appears to have been actress Tanushree Dutta, who accused well-known Bollywood actor Nana Patekar of inappropriate behavior on a film set 10 years ago. Since then a slew of popular Bollywood figures have been accused of sexual misconduct, including Vikas Bahl, Sajid Khan and Alok Nath. All have denied the claims. On Wednesday India’s junior foreign minister M.J. Akbar announced his resignation after at least 20 women accused him of sexual harassment during his time as a newspaper editor. Akbar — who denies the allegations — is suing one of the complainants, Priya Ramani, for defamation. The first hearing in the case has been listed for Oct. 31.


Tradition, and mobs, keep women of childbearing age out of Indian temple

Abstract: SABARIMALA TEMPLE, INDIA - At the Indian temple that is the focus of a battle over gender equality, Hindu hard-liners are in festive mood, successful — so far — in their bid to keep women out. A supreme court decision to end a ban on women of “menstruating age” — those between 10 and 50 years — at the Sabarimala Temple in Kerala has sparked violent demonstrations on the roads leading to the site. Traditionalists have threatened women trying to get to the complex and have clashed with police officers sent to enforce the court’s ruling. But up at the hilltop temple, conservative Hindus are in celebratory mood. “You talk to anyone — men or women — who know about this temple’s history and (they) believe in it,” said pilgrim Rajesh P., one of thousands queuing up to ascend the golden stairs at the shrine. “I am happy my daughter is experiencing this,” he said, carrying the customary irrumudi offering made of coconut and clarified butter in a cloth bag on top of his head. If traditionalists have their way, his daughter will be banned from the temple in a couple of years, when she turns 10, unlike at most other Hindu sites. This reflects an old but still prevalent conviction — not exclusive to Hinduism — that menstruating women are impure, and the belief that the deity Ayyappa, to which the temple is dedicated, was celibate. In rural and semi-urban pockets of Hindu-majority India, which has 1.25 billion citizens, some women are still made to sleep and eat separately when they have their periods. The ban at Sabarimala — one of the holiest sites in Hinduism — goes back centuries, according to traditionalists, but was only formalized in 1991 by the Kerala High Court. However, last month India’s Supreme Court, following on from other recent liberal rulings like legalizing gay sex, overturned the ban, calling it discriminatory. “To treat women as children of a lesser god is to blink at the constitution itself,” said Justice D. Y. Chandrachud. The move enraged hard-liners, many of them supporters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling BJP Hindu nationalist party — and this week their anger was on display. On Wednesday, when the temple was due to open for monthly prayers for the first time since the ruling, groups of mostly men stopped and inspected vehicles to make sure that no women of childbearing age were inside. Despite hundreds of extra police deployed to protect worshippers, even female reporters trying to report on events were not safe, with mobs surrounding and smashing the windows of cars of at least two women journalists. A car containing three AFP correspondents, one of them a woman, was surrounded, and men beat their fists on the roof, demanding that she go back. With devotees throwing stones and police responding with baton charges, the few women who had wanted to make it to the temple gave up. Their traditions protected for now, the mood was happy on Thursday as the pilgrims — mostly men but also children of both sexes and older women — trekked up the concrete path in the lush, monkey-filled forest to Sabarimala. Custom dictates that for the 41 days before their visit, pilgrims wanting to enter the Ayyappa shrine must abstain from sex and walk up the arduous route — although one track is easier on the leg muscles — without shoes. The elderly and the infirm are permitted to use palanquins. Devotees are required to abstain from consuming alcohol, tobacco and meat, while cutting hair or shaving are also taboo. They must also wear black, blue or saffron clothes and pray and wash regularly. It is an atmosphere of festive fervor on the entire trail, with a steady stream of devotees loudly shouting the same rhythmic chants to Ayyappa. But tensions over the court ruling were not far from worshippers’ minds. “Everyone is angry, and I don’t have to hide it. … We don’t want any change. Our Ayyappa’s traditions don’t need to be tampered with,” shirtless devotee Sundaravadana said, clutching a black “Save Sabarimala” flag. “We’ve come here since our childhood and understand the rich tradition behind it,” he said. “We will do whatever (we have to) to save our Sabarimala.”

india religion women discrimination tradition


Four Japan firms used foreign trainees to clean up at Fukushima plant after nuclear meltdowns: final report

Abstract: The government concluded Friday that four companies had used foreign trainees to perform work cleaning up radioactive contamination after the March 2011 tsunami triggered meltdowns at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant. The headline figure from the final report on a survey conducted by the Justice Ministry, the labor ministry and the Organization for Technical Intern Training was the same as that in the interim report, released in mid-July, which reflected results of surveying fewer than 200 companies with foreign trainee programs. Officials visited a total of 1,018 such companies with facilities in eight prefectures in eastern and northeastern Japan, interviewing technical interns there to confirm the situation, after the issue came to light in March. Of the four companies, one in Iwate Prefecture has been banned from accepting foreign trainees for five years. It was found to have neglected to pay allowances for decontamination work, amounting to a combined ¥1.5 million, to three trainees. The government has issued a similar ban for three years to a firm in Fukushima Prefecture for not paying a total of ¥180,000 to three interns for overtime work. A company in Fukushima and another in Chiba Prefecture received warnings because foreign trainees there engaged in decontamination work, albeit for short periods of time. The names of the four companies were not revealed. Justice Minister Takashi Yamashita told a news conference that the government gave guidance for improvement to three related regulatory organizations over insufficient inspections of companies with foreign technical interns. “We will continue to work with the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare and the Organization for Technical Intern Training to guide regulatory organizations and companies that accept technical interns, so they will not let them engage in decontamination work. We will take proper measures when we find inappropriate cases,” Yamashita said. In March, a Vietnamese trainee at an Iwate Prefecture-based construction firm revealed he had been assigned to take part in radioactive decontamination work without being given sufficient explanation of the tasks involved. The government announced later that month that it would not allow companies to use such foreign trainees for the removal of radioactive contamination, as such work is not consistent with the purpose of the program. The technical trainee program was introduced in 1993 with the aim of transferring skills to developing countries. But it has drawn criticism both at home and abroad as being a cover for importing cheap labor for industrial sectors, including manufacturing and construction, where blue-collar workers are in short supply.


Belgium to buy U.S. F-35 fighters instead of Eurofighter Typhoon in blow to EU defense plan

Abstract: BRUSSELS - Belgium said Thursday it had chosen to buy US-made F-35 stealth warplanes over the Eurofighter Typhoon, which critics call a blow to the EU’s bid to build its own defenses. In a multi-billion-euro deal with Lockheed Martin, the Belgian government said it would buy 34 radar-evading F-35s to replace its aging U.S.-made F-16s, from 2023. Critics called the decision “very bad news” for a more autonomous EU defense strategy, which got a boost after Brexit and U.S. President Donald Trump’s election. Lockheed Martin said it looked forward to ties with “the Belgian government and industry for decades to come,” according to a statement on its Twitter feed. Belgian Prime Minsiter Charles Michel sought to head off his critics when he said Belgium was looking to both Europe and the United States to meet its defense needs. Belgium is also buying drones, frigates, minesweepers and armored vehicles “within the framework of NATO and European defense,” Michel told a news conference. “The planes and drones are American, the other equipment is European and Belgium will enjoy the economic benefits,” Michel added, Foreign Minister Didier Reynders said the U.S. offer “was the best from the price and operational standpoint.” The F-35 ran against a bid from the Eurofighter, developed by a European consortium that also comprises Italy’s Finmeccanica and Airbus. Jean-Dominique Giuliani, who heads the Robert Schuman Foundation, a European think-tank, lamented the decision. “It’s not a European choice. It’s worse than a slap, it is dreadful for European defense,” Giuliani told AFP. “It is very bad news.” The F-35 requires a whole maintenance and operational system that depends “on the control of the United States,” he added. Marking a move away from Europe’s decades-long reliance on the United States for its defense, Brussels last year launched “permanent structured cooperation on defense,” known as PESCO. The aim was to unify European defense thinking and to rationalize a fragmented approach to buying and developing military equipment. France was also likely to be unhappy with the decision. The United States, acting on behalf of the F-35, and Britain, pushing for the Eurofighter, responded formally to the bidding process Belgium launched in March 2017. However, the French government took a different tack in September last year by proposing “in-depth cooperation” with the Belgian air force in additon to supplying Rafale fighters, built by the French firm Dassault. Defense Minister Steven Vandeput said France had ruled itself out with its approach. “We regret that France voluntarily withdrew from its obligation to present a bid in the framework of our transparent competitive process,” he said. Christophe Wasinski, professor of international relations at ULB University in Brussels, said the announcement of plans to buy 400 French armored vehicles amounted to government spin. “It sought to muddy the waters by saying it would buy not just American materiel when the star of these purchases is in fact the F-35,” Wasinksi said. According to Pentagon figures earlier this month, 320 F-35s have been delivered globally, mainly to the U.S. but also to Israel and Britain.

eu
lockheed martin
belgium
f35
brexit
defense contract
eurofighter typhoon


Tokyo stocks extend losses amid lingering earnings concerns

Abstract: Stocks lost further ground on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Friday, as selling traced to concerns over corporate earnings outpaced buying in anticipation of a rebound after sharp falls. The 225-issue Nikkei average lost 84.13 points, or 0.40 percent, to end at 21,184.60. On Thursday, the key market gauge tumbled 822.45 points. The Topix index of all first-section issues was down 4.91 points, or 0.31 percent, at 1,596.01 after plunging 51.15 points the previous day. Both indexes moved on the positive side for most of the morning session as investors were heartened by an overnight rally in U.S. equities, brokers said. But the Nikkei and Topix eased in the afternoon, with investor sentiment battered by a sharp drop in U.S. index futures in off-hours trading, the brokers said. The lower U.S. futures followed the release of weaker-than-expected earnings from retail giant Amazon.com Inc. and internet behemoth Alphabet Inc. after Thursday’s trading in New York, said Masayuki Otani, chief market analyst at Securities Japan Inc. “I’ve got the impression that investors continued to reduce stock market exposure on worries over fundamentals” such as economic and corporate performance, an official of a bank-linked securities firm said. “Considering the shaky investor sentiment, the Nikkei average may slip below the year-to-date (closing) low” of 20,617 logged on March 23, an official of a midsize securities firm said. “Investors will keep a watch on New York trading” for cues to make trade decisions next week, Otani said. Falling issues outnumbered rising ones 1,502 to 554 in the TSE’s first section, while 54 issues were unchanged. Volume increased to 1.699 billion shares from 1.641 billion shares on Thursday. Canon fell 5.62 percent after announcing weak consolidated earnings for January to September on Thursday, brokers said. Hitachi Construction Machinery slumped 5.03 percent after its upward revision of the consolidated operating profit forecast for the year through March fell short of the market consensus, they said. Other major losers included mobile phone carrier SoftBank Group and game-maker Nintendo. By contrast, clothing retailer Fast Retailing and automakers Toyota and Suzuki gained ground. In index futures trading on the Osaka Exchange, the key December contract on the Nikkei average fell 40 points to end at 21,230.


Dollar falls to around ¥112 in late Tokyo trading

Abstract: The dollar was lower around ¥112 in late Tokyo trading Friday, hurt by sluggish Tokyo stock prices and euro buying against the U.S. currency. At 5 p.m., the dollar stood at ¥112.01, down from ¥112.30 at the same time Thursday. The euro was at $1.1375, down from $1.1400, and at ¥127.42, down from ¥128.03. The dollar rose above ¥112.40 in midmorning trading, assisted by a robust start of the 225-issue Nikkei average and dollar buying by Japanese importers, traders said. The greenback dropped below ¥112.20 early in the afternoon as the Nikkei average sank into negative territory. In late trading, the currency fell to levels around ¥112 mainly on euro buying against the dollar. “The mood of risk aversion continued amid unstable movements of the Nikkei average and Chinese stocks,” an official of a foreign exchange margin trading service firm said. But a currency market broker said, “Compared with stocks, the dollar was firm against the yen.” The dollar’s downside was supported around ¥112, said an official of a different foreign exchange margin trading service firm. But the dollar “may test its downside versus the yen” if stock prices in major countries drop again, the broker said.


'Khashoggi's friends' hold vigil outside Saudi Consulate in Istanbul

Abstract: ISTANBUL - Dozens of people gathered outside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Thursday in a vigil to demand “full justice” for journalist Jamal Khashoggi, killed after entering the building three weeks ago. Several carried cardboard images of his face and signs reading “Khashoggi’s friends.” One, his hands painted red, wore a mask depicting the face of Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and critic of the crown prince, disappeared after entering the consulate. Saudi officials initially denied having anything to do with the disappearance, before changing that account to say an internal investigation suggested Khashoggi was accidentally killed in a botched operation to return him to the kingdom. Saudi Arabia’s public prosecutor said on Thursday that the murder was premeditated. “On this occasion, and from this place where the spirit of Jamal has been lost, we clearly state that we will not accept compromises in the case of his murder,” the group outside the consulate said in a statement, read out in Arabic, Turkish and English. “We will continue to demand that all authorities across the Middle East immediately release all opinion leaders and political prisoners.” The killing of Khashoggi has sparked global outrage and a crisis for the world’s top oil exporter and strategic ally of the West. Turkey and Western allies of Riyadh have voiced deep skepticism about Saudi explanations of the killing. U.S. President Donald Trump, the kingdom’s staunchest Western ally, was quoted by the Wall Street Journal as saying Prince Mohammed bore ultimate responsibility for the operation that led to Khashoggi’s death. The people outside the consulate, some of whom had traveled from other countries for the vigil, lit candles in front of posters of Khashoggi. One taking part was Yasin Aktay, an adviser to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and a friend of Khashoggi’s. He said the investigation should bring all those responsible to justice, “no matter where it reaches.

murder
saudi arabia
turkey
istanbul
washington post
mohammed bin salman
jamal khashoggi
saudi consulate


As U.S. midterm elections draw near, majority of Japanese-Americans support Democrats

Abstract: WASHINGTON - As the Democratic Party pushes to win back a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives on Nov. 6 it’s likely to have the support of most Japanese-Americans in an apparent protest against Republican President Donald Trump’s hard-line approach to immigration, a recent poll shows. Asian-American voters on a whole favor Democrats over Republicans by about a two-to-one ratio in both the House and Senate races, with such voters aligning themselves with the Democrats on issues such as health care, racial discrimination, the environment and gun control, the poll shows. But Republicans fare stronger on issues like taxes and national security, as well as jobs and the economy. David Inoue, a leading advocate of civil rights for Japanese-Americans — whose number totaled 1.4 million in 2015 according to Pew Research Center data — draws parallels between Trump’s anti-immigration rhetoric and the internment of 120,000 Japanese-Americans during World War II. “For many Japanese-Americans, our disagreements with the policies of the Trump administration are deeply personal,” said Inoue, executive director of the 8,000-member Japanese-American Citizens League. Reflecting his sentiments, only 14 percent of Japanese-Americans are happy with Trump’s presidency, compared with 24 percent for Chinese-Americans and 28 percent for Indian-Americans, according to the poll conducted by Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote and Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders Data. The survey of 1,316 registered voters who identify as Asian-American was conducted by telephone and online from Aug. 23 to Oct. 4. Polls and political analysts suggest it will be difficult for the Democrats to retake a majority in both chambers. All 435 seats in the House and 35 of the 100 seats in the Senate are up for grabs in the first major litmus test for the Trump administration. Referring to Trump’s restrictions on travel to the United States from a handful of Muslim-majority countries, Inoue said, “The Muslim ban hearkens back to the anti-Japanese immigration discrimination of the early 20th century.” “The singling out of Muslims combined with the president’s rhetoric is exactly like the racism that led to Japanese-American incarceration during World War II,” he said. “The ongoing policy of indefinitely imprisoning refugee families coming to our country is exactly what was done to Japanese-American families as well.” Advocating the values of “diversity and inclusion,” Democratic Rep. Doris Matsui, a Japanese-American seeking re-election in California’s sixth congressional district, also criticized Trump’s immigration policy. “The story of our country’s progress is inseparably linked to the contributions of millions of immigrants from all over the world,” said Matsui, whose parents were interned during World War II. Inoue, a second-generation Japanese-American, said the Japanese-American Citizens League — headquartered in San Francisco — is a nonpartisan organization, but that it “tends to support issues in a way that align with the Democrats.” While Japanese-Americans are united in their opposition to Trump’s immigration policy, Inoue acknowledged they are divided over his “America First” trade policy, with some supporting the president’s moves aimed at protecting American industry and workers. Some members back the U.S. withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a regional free trade agreement signed by Trump’s predecessor, Democratic President Barack Obama, because “they felt TPP was not protective enough of some of the industries in the United States,” Inoue said. Such a sentiment is shared by the broader-American public. A new poll by the Wall Street Journal and NBC News finds Republicans are preferred over Democrats on trade issues by a 17-point margin, up from an eight-point advantage in August. Asked about the Trump administration’s push to further open agriculture and automobile markets in Japan, as well as a threat to impose tariffs on automobile imports from the country, Inoue said, “As Japanese-Americans, we don’t ever want to get into a place where we have hostile trade relations between the United States and Japan.” “Obviously we want to support open trade, but we also want to make sure that American businesses are supported by our government,” he said. “It’s a very difficult and delicate issue.”

elections
japanese-americans
donald trump


'French Spiderman' Alain Robert is arrested after free-climbing stunt snarls London's financial hub

Abstract: LONDON - French urban free climber Alain Robert was arrested Thursday after bringing parts of London’s financial district to a standstill by scaling the 46-story Heron Tower, the area’s tallest building. The 56-year-old, also known as the “French Spiderman,” took around an hour to climb the 230-meter-tall tower without ropes or safety equipment. Traffic came to a halt as bemused crowds packed the streets below. Police in the City of London, the capital’s square-mile financial center, confirmed he was then arrested “for causing a public nuisance” and remained in custody Thursday afternoon. “This is what I love to do,” Robert had told a handful of reporters at a nearby hotel shortly before beginning his ascent. “I have pretty much dedicated my whole life to climb mountains, to climb cliffs, and now to climb buildings — but always ‘free soloing,’ meaning I’m not using safety devices.” The maverick climber has scaled more than 100 structures globally — including several in London previously — setting a record for “most buildings climbed unassisted,” according to Guinness World Records. Earlier this year, he was forced to abandon climbing the world’s fifth-tallest tower in Seoul after the 123-story building’s security officers confronted him halfway up. Robert admitted Thursday he was “very nervous,” adding he always feels anxious ahead of an ascent. “When I start climbing it’s OK, because I know I’m going to be completely focused,” he added. “But at this point of time I’m a little bit shaky.” The Frenchman, who climbed with a small camera attached to his forehead, soon attracted hordes of mobile phone-wielding onlookers after starting at lunchtime from busy Bishopsgate, on the southwestern side of the building. Police arrived within minutes and cordoned off nearby roads, quickly clogging traffic in the area. “It’s weird — that’s my office,” said 36-year-old finance worker John Doherty, gazing up at Robert as he tackled the lower section of the mixed-use tower, home to offices, restaurants and a bar. “I’ve just come back from lunch and it’s a surprise.” Robert threw his arms in the air in apparent jubilation after reaching the top before disappearing out of sight. Prior to the stunt, he said he “definitely expected” to be detained — as has occurred after his six other climbs in the British capital. “They always arrest me,” he added. “(In) ’95 they were nice, and then after (it) started to get more complicated after 9/11 and everything.” Several skyscrapers in London, including the tower at Canary Wharf, have taken out injunctions against Robert to prevent him climbing them again, according to his manager, Bryan Yeubrey. He said Thursday’s site was chosen from a shortlist of three, which also included the 224-meter-high Leadenhall Building — nicknamed “the Cheesegrater” — and the 38-story “Walkie-Talkie” tower. “He just wanted to climb in London again,” Yeubrey explained. However, City of London Police criticized the stunt for causing “immense disruption to everyday business.” “It also posed a significant level of risk to the safety of people in and around Heron Tower at the time,” said Cmdr. Karen Baxter.


Same-sex penguin couple become parents in Australia

Abstract: SYDNEY - Two male penguins who paired up as a “same-sex couple” have incubated a baby chick and are “doting” on their tiny offspring, an Australian aquarium announced Friday. Gentoo penguins Sphen and Magic are happily “taking turns caring for their baby chick,” born on October 19 weighing 91 grams, said Tish Hannan of the Sea Life Sydney Aquarium. Sphen and Magic had caught the attention of aquarium workers when they were constantly seen waddling around and going for swims together. They then began to build a collective nest of pebbles, prompting the aquarium to provide a dummy egg for them to look after and, when they proved up to the task, a real egg. The pair have bonded, Hannan, Sea Life’s penguin department supervisor, said. “They recognize each other’s signature calls and songs. “Only bonded penguins will be able to successfully find their partner using their calls when they are separated.” Unlike many mammal species, male and female penguins take on the same parenting roles, and share parental duties 50-50. “There is no real difference when it comes to breeding behaviors between males and females,” Hannan explained. So it “is common to have male-male or female-female showing courtship and breeding behavior.” In the wild, however, these courtships are unlikely to result in a chick, so they are normally shortlived, with the penguins becoming unsatisfied and looking for another partner. “Because we have given Sphen and Magic the opportunity to have a potentially successful breeding season, it is very likely that they will return to each other again next year,” said Hannan. This is not the first time same-sex penguin couples have adopted eggs in captivity, with a handful of zoos worldwide reporting similar cases. In 2009, two male penguins — Z and Vielpunkt — successfully hatched and reared a chick that was rejected by its heterosexual parents at a zoo in Berlin. Before them came Roy and Silo, two male chinstrap penguins at a zoo in New York who were spotted frequently trying to mate with each other. After they tried to incubate a rock, zookeepers gave them a foster egg which they successfully hatched. Their foster chick, a female called Tango, eventually paired up with another female.

nature australia antarctica animals lgbt sexuality parenthood penguins


Singapore hangings spur fresh calls by rights groups to scrap death penalty

Abstract: SINGAPORE - Singapore on Friday hanged a Malaysian convicted of drug trafficking, the latest in what rights groups said was a series of executions prompting them to renew calls for the wealthy city-state to abolish the death penalty. Singapore has some of the world’s toughest anti-drugs laws, and airport customs forms warn arriving travelers of “death for drug traffickers” in no uncertain terms. Human rights group Amnesty International and the U.N. human rights office have urged Singapore to halt executions and follow the example of neighboring Malaysia, where a newly elected government has vowed to end capital punishment by year-end. “The execution was an unlawful and brutal act, carried out in breach of due process and in defiance of the appeals made by Malaysia,” N. Surendran, the lawyer for the executed man, said in a statement. Prabu N Pathmanathan, the Malaysian citizen, was hanged at dawn in Changi prison, he added. Malaysia’s foreign ministry said on Friday it had appealed to the Singapore government for leniency in the case on humanitarian grounds, but that it respected the rule of law and due process in Singapore. Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs did not immediately have comment. Authorities in Singapore routinely do not comment on executions and only release data on executions in annual reports. A regional representative of the United Nations urged Singapore to immediately ban the death penalty as a step toward its complete abolition. “We are deeply dismayed that there has been a sharp increase in executions in Singapore in recent years,” said Cynthia Veliko, the U.N. official. “We understand that there have … been a number of executions to date in 2018, including a reported four this week alone.” Amnesty International said the execution of another man, whose name had not been released, was imminent, citing reports of another man executed this week and three on Oct. 5, all for drug-related offenses. That compares with eight executions for drug-related offenses in Singapore for all of 2017. Although 15 countries prescribed the death penalty for drug-related offenses in 2017, Amnesty recorded executions in only four- China, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Singapore, it said in a statement. Pathmanathan was convicted of smuggling drugs from Malaysia into Singapore in 2014, court documents show. “Yes, he broke the rules, but that doesn’t mean you have to kill him,” said Magentrau Somalu, one of his close friends. “He deserved a second chance.”

drugs
singapore
rights
u.n .
death penalty


China will prosecute graft and terror suspects even if they flee

Abstract: BEIJING - China changed its law on Friday to allow judgments to be delivered in corruption and terror cases even when the suspects do not appear in court, as Beijing ramps up pressure on dozens of suspected criminals hiding overseas. Since taking office more than five years ago, President Xi Jinping has waged war on graft at all levels of the ruling Communist Party and has pledged that the fight must continue until corruption is impossible and unimaginable for officials. The campaign has spread beyond China’s borders to graft suspects who have fled abroad, though efforts have been hampered by suspicion among Western nations uneasy about handing over suspects to a system they believe might not provide a fair trial. Now an amendment to the criminal procedure law by China’s largely rubber-stamp parliament will strengthen the overseas graft and terror fight by allowing judgments to be delivered in cases involving absentee suspects, a senior lawmaker said. Wang Aili, director of the Criminal Law Office with parliament’s Legal Affairs Commission, told a news briefing that those who could be tried in absentia would include corruption suspects and those wanted for harming national security or for involvement in terror cases. To qualify for a trial in absentia, there should be a time-sensitive urgency in handling the case and the top prosecutor would need to approve it, Wang said. A copy of the subpoena would also need to be sent to the defendant to guarantee their “right to know,” he said. A suspect can be defended in court in such “default judgment” cases, even if they are not there, by a lawyer, who can be chosen by the defendant’s close relatives or have one assigned by the state, the official Xinhua news agency said. Once the judgment is issued, the defendant and their close relatives can appeal to a higher court, Xinhua said. In April 2015, authorities published a list of 100 “most-wanted” graft suspects believed to be hiding overseas, many in the United States, Canada and Australia. More than half have come back to China, some voluntarily. China has turned up the pressure on graft suspects overseas by asking their family members to contact them and encourage their return, as well as by releasing personal details about the individuals, including their addresses. The change comes after China passed a new supervision law in March and set up a powerful anti-graft commission to extend the graft fight to all state employees, whether party officials or not. The new system and law weaken rights protections for suspects by entrenching the use of controversial detention and questioning techniques that can allow abuse or torture, rights groups and legal experts have said. China is also in the midst of tightening its security laws having passed a tough counter-terrorism law in late 2015, mostly to combat what it says is a serious threat from Islamist militants in its far western region of Xinjiang. China has not provided details of how many terror suspects may be overseas, including how many ethnic Uighurs from Xinjiang the government thinks have gone to the Middle East and Afghanistan to join militant groups there.


U.N. rights expert urges Japan to halt women and child evacuee returns to radioactive parts of Fukushima

Abstract: GENEVA - The Japanese government must halt the return of women and children displaced by the March 2011 nuclear disaster back to areas of Fukushima where radiation levels remain high, a U.N. human rights expert said Thursday. The special rapporteur on hazardous substances, Baskut Tuncak, also criticized in his statement the government’s gradual removal of evacuation orders for most of the radioactive areas as well as its plan to lift all orders within the next five years, even for the most contaminated areas. “The gradual lifting of evacuation orders has created enormous strains on people whose lives have already been affected by the worst nuclear disaster of this century. Many feel they are being forced to return to areas that are unsafe,” he said. An official of Japan’s permanent mission to the international organizations in Geneva rebuffed the statement, saying it is based on extremely one-sided information and could fan unnecessary fears about Fukushima. Tuncak expressed concerns about people returning to areas with radiation above 1 millisievert per year, a level previously observed by Japan as an annual limit so as to prevent risks to the health of vulnerable people, especially children and women of reproductive age. “It is disappointing to see Japan appear to all but ignore the 2017 recommendation of the U.N. human rights monitoring mechanism to return back to what it considered an acceptable dose of radiation before the nuclear disaster,” he said. In the wake of the Fukushima reactor meltdowns, the Japanese government heightened the annually acceptable level of radiation to 20 millisieverts, raising concerns for the health of residents. In August, Tuncak and two other U.N. human rights experts jointly criticized the Japanese government for allegedly exploiting and putting at risk the lives of “tens of thousands” of people engaged in cleanup operations at and around the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant, a claim Tokyo dismissed.

fukushima
radiation
rights
u.n .
evacuees
japan
fukushima no . 1 plant
baskut tuncak