Worldwide
Muslim protests at anti-Islam film escalate across the Islamic world
Fresh protests, involving thousands of Muslims worldwide, are taking place over an amateur anti-Islam video produced by private citizens in the United States. One protester was killed in violent protests in Pakistan and thousands attended an angry demonstration in the Philippines city of Marawi. Weapons were fired and police cars burned by protesters in the Afghan capital, Kabul, and a large rally is due in Lebanon after Hezbollah’s Sheik Nassan Hasrallah called for protests to continue. More than a dozen people have been killed since the protests against the film first erupted in Cairo, Egypt, last Tuesday. For more on individual protests, see our Africa and Middle East section.
North America
Obama to file trade complaint against China over cars
US President Barack Obama is expected to file a new trade complaint against China, accusing it of illegally subsidising exports of cars and car parts. A White House official said China’s actions were forcing US manufacturers to shift production overseas, saying China “must play by the rules of the global trading system”. The US and China have exchanged blows on international trade and currency spats for some months now: almost immediately after President Obama’s plans were revealed, China requested formal negotiations with the US over a bill passed earlier this year entitling the US to levy tariffs on cheap Chinese imports and backdate them to 2006. The timing of President Obama’s move is significant ahead of the US Presidential election in November, as many US citizens are uneasy about the rise of China. President Obama is expected to announce the World Trade Organisation (WTO)’s actions against China when he visits the swing state of Ohio – where over 50,000 people work in the automotive industry – on the campaign trail.
Latin America
Mexican hackers attack official websites in independence day protest
Mexican computer hackers have taken over at least ten government and other websites in a political protest marking the country’s day of independence from Spanish colonial rule. The group of hackers – named Mexican Cyber Protest – targeted the websites of political parties, media organisations and government agencies, replacing them with a message denouncing the recent presidential election as fraudulent. They also criticised problems with corruption, drug violence and the economy. The statement said: “this is a peaceful cyber protest… we are not criminals, we are students, workers and productive Mexicans who are fed up and looking for a way to express our disagreement.” It named President-elect Enrique Pena Nieto an “imposed president” and said Mexico’s democracy had been “stolen” in July’s election, but had harsh words for outgoing President Felipe Calderon too, accusing him of economic mismanagement and unleashing the current drug violence by confronting the cartels. Among the websites affected were those of the conservative PAN party in Yucatan state and the regional newspaper Los Informantes.
Africa and Middle East
More than 1,000 protesters in Kabul destroy police cars
Over 1,000 Muslims in the Afghan capital of Kabul are taking part in one of many worldwide protests against an anti-Islamic film produced by amateur American citizens. Police vehicles have been set alight, weapons have been fired and the Kabul police chief has sustained an injury from a thrown rock. The demonstration is close to US and Nato installations in the city. Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, leader of the influential group of militant Shia Muslims, Hezbollah, has called for a week of protests. He said the world needed to know Muslims “would not be silent in the face of this insult”, which he said was the most dangerous to Islam ever, worse than a series of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad – published in a Danish newspaper in 2005 – and worse than Sir Salman Rushdie’s 1988 novel The Satanic Verses. Sir Salman, in an interview with the BBC, said he did not think his novel would be published today due to a culture of fear among publishers, who he said should be “braver”. Fresh protests are being scheduled for later today and throughout the week.
Libya ‘arrests’ over Benghazi US consulate deaths
Mohamed Magarief, president of Libya’s interim assembly, has announced the arrest of some 50 people in connection with last week’s attack on the US consulate, which was prompted by the emergence of an anti-Islamic film made by amateurs in the USA. Interior Minister Fawzi Abdul Al later said just four people had been arrested but 50 could be under investigation. The attack on the consulate left Chris Stevens, the US ambassador to Libya, and three of his colleagues dead. US envoy to the United Nations Susan Rice told ABC news that the evidence suggested the attack had started as a “spontaneous” protest which had then been “hijacked” by extremists. Mr Magarief said the main suspects in the violence were from outside Libya and had planned the attack, theorising they had links to al-Qaeda or its “affiliates and maybe sympathisers”.
Five hundred Kurdish rebels killed in Turkey, says PM
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said 500 Kurdish rebels have been “rendered ineffective” – a government term often used to mean ‘killed’ – by Turkish forces during the last month. The militant Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) launched an armed campaign to establish an ethnic Kurdish homeland in south-east Turkey in 1984. Over 40,000 people have been killed in the ensuing conflict, and the PKK is regarded by the Turkish government, the USA and the EU as a terrorist organisation. The PKK has escalated its attacks on Turkish targets in recent months, with dozens of Turkish troops and civilians – including children – killed in bombings blamed on the group. The Turkish army has responded, saying almost 1,000 operations against the rebels had been staged over the last six months.
Asia and Russia
Burma releases 500 prisoners in amnesty
Burma has released more than 500 prisoners, raising hopes that political detainees might be among them. Rights groups claim about 300 political activists are still incarcerated in Burmese jails, though estimates vary. The announcement comes one week before Burma’s President, Then Sein, is due to visit the United Nations in New York. Last October, Burma released dozens of high-profile political detainees as part of a general amnesty.
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