Fighting erupts in Baghdad

Fighting erupts in Baghdad	7.04.2008

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04/07/2008		Blasts smash windows at Yemen complex
AN apparent mortar attack smashed windows at a complex housing Americans and other Westerners in the Yemeni capital Sanaa today, but there were no casualties, a Yemeni security official said

04/07/2008		Woman threatens suicide near Knesset
A WOMAN demanding wheelchairs for her children drove a van close to Israel`s parliament on Sunday and threatened to blow up the vehicle

04/07/2008		Woman threatens suicide near parliament
A WOMAN demanding wheelchairs for her children drove a van close to Israel`s parliament today and threatened to blow up the vehicle

04/05/2008		Suspected hideout uncovered on island
A SUSPECTED al-Qaida hideout has been uncovered on an island on the Tigris river in central Iraq by a group of Sunni Arabs fighting the Islamist militants, their leader said

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Japan `to release hostages`

JAPAN has agreed to release two anti-whaling activists held on board a whaling ship in Antarctic waters, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith says.

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Latest Comments:

Let's see how strong our new leader is. I am curious to see how he responds to one of our citizens being taken against his will inside of an Australian territorial area by a boat commissioned by another government.I know Japan refuses to acknowledge our claim to the Australian Antarctic Territory, but most of the rest of the world do.
Posted by: Adam of Orange 10:06am today

Japan (as a whole) didn't do anything. The captain of the ship is responsible for the 'hostages' (haha, there's no ransom demands!!!!). How about we just chill out till someone dies, ok?
Posted by: marty kubrick of sydney 10:06am today

My understanding is that the Australian Antarctic Territories are not readily enforcible under International law because there are quite a few countries out there who do not recognise Australia's claim to Antarctica. The court decision yesterday as such is therefore only enforceable if the enter undisputed Australian waters (even then it would be difficult).If I were cynical the flow on effect from this will be that Australia will have to defend its claim in Antarctica (which it could well lose) and the whale sanctuary would be gone.Can somebody tell me if I understand this correctly?And they were not hostages - they boarded the vessel illegally, and were detained for doing so.
Posted by: humaniser 10:04am today

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Japan has agreed to release anti-whaling hostages
Earlier claim of tying to mast denied
Multimedia special: Whale facts and figures

JAPAN has agreed to release two anti-whaling activists held on board a whaling ship in Antarctic waters, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith says.

Mr Smith said Japan had agreed to release Benjamin Potts, 28, of Sydney, and Giles Lane, 35, from Britain, after the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and embassy officials in Tokyo spoke to the Japanese Government.

"Late last night I was advised the Japanese had agreed to this and they had instructed the relevant whaling ship to return the men to the Steve Irwin," Mer Smith said on ABC radio.

"The most important thing here is the safety and welfare of the two men concerned and we do as the Australian Government want their immediate release.

"My most recent advice, which is in the last hour, is that that transfer has not yet occurred and I`m calling upon both parties, both the Steve Irwin and Sea Shepherd and the Japanese whaling vessel, to effect immediately their safe return of the two men concerned."

The activists boarded the Japanese harpoon vessel Yushin Maru No 2 about 4pm (AEDT) yesterday to deliver a written plea to stop killing whales.

Sea Shepherd Conservation Society international director Jonny Vasic said the two men were tied to a radar mast in freezing conditions for up to three hours after their capture, a claim denied by Japan`s Institute of Cetacean Research (ICR), which is running the whale hunt.

The Japanese catcher ship was one of a fleet of five the Steve Irwin had tracked since January 1 but located in the Southern Ocean yesterday, Mr Vasic said.

Held hostage

“When they got on board and delivered the letter they were not allowed to leave,” Mr Vasic said.

“The letter basically stated that they (the Japanese crew) were breaking the international conservation law against whaling in the Antarctic sanctuary.”

Mr Vasic said the men were tied to a radar mast for up to three hours in icy conditions before they were taken below.

“We have a photo that shows that when they were held they were basically strapped by the arms with zip ties and tied with rope around their chests, and then they were held there for several hours in the cold, and then about two-and-a-half to three hours after that they were taken below,” he said.

Mr Lane is an engineer aboard the Steve Irwin and Mr Potts is a cook.

Mr Vasic said Sea Shepherd had contacted the British High Commission in Australia and the Australian Federal Police (AFP).

ICR director-general Minoru Morimoto said the men had not been tied up and were taken to a secure room.

“Any accusations that we have tied them up or assaulted them are completely untrue,” Mr Morimoto said.

“It is illegal to board another country`s vessels on the high seas. As a result, at this stage, they are being held in custody while decisions are made on their future.

“The two boarded the Yushin Maru No 2 after they made attempts to entangle the screw (propeller) of the vessel using ropes and throwing bottles of acid onto the decks.”

The incident occurred just inside the Australian Antarctic Sanctuary near the intersection of the coordinates 60 degrees south and 77 degrees east, a week`s sail southwest of the Australian coast, Mr Vasic said.

The encounter came after the Australian Federal Court today outlawed whaling in Australian Antarctic waters in a ruling the government said it would not try to enforce.

With AFP

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Today`s Top Picks

Japan `to release hostages`

JAPAN has agreed to release two anti-whaling activists held on board a whaling ship in Antarctic waters, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith says.