Page 4 n THE ASIAN REPORTER
ASIA / PACIFIC
December 18, 2017
Thousands of Indonesians rally
at U.S. Embassy over Jerusalem
KNOCKOFFS BLOCKED. Danish Crown Prince Frederik chats with invited guests while looking at the
Forbidden City made of LEGO bricks, which is on display at the Royal Modern Household Exhibition at the Danish
Cultural Center in the 798 art district in Beijing. Danish toy maker LEGO has won a major legal victory in China,
where a court ruled in its favor in a copyright case against companies making knockoffs of its famous colored
bricks. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, File)
LEGO wins first China copyright
case against imitators
HONG KONG (AP) — Danish toy maker
LEGO said it has won a major legal victory
in China, where a court ruled in its favor in
a copyright case against companies
making knockoffs of its famous colored
bricks.
The company said it was the first time it
has won an unfair competition case
against imitators in China.
It said the Shantou Intermediate
People’s Court ruled that two Chinese
companies selling Bela brand blocks
similar to the LEGO Friends line infringed
a copyright and ordered them to stop.
The court issued its ruling in September
but the decision didn’t take effect until
November.
Earlier this year, a Beijing court ruled
that LEGO’s name and logo are
well-known trademarks in China, giving
the company stronger legal footing for
pursuing copyright cases.
Diphtheria deaths in Indonesia
spark immunization campaign
By Niniek Karmini
The Associated Press
AKARTA, Indonesia
—
Indonesia
is
immunizing
mil-
lions of children and teen-
agers against diphtheria
after the disease killed at
least 38 people, mostly
children, since January.
Children
in
school
uniforms and toddlers
clinging to their parents
received shots at a high
school
in
Indonesia’s
capital, Jakarta, on the
first day of the campaign.
Diphtheria is a bacterial
disease that can cause
breathing
difficulties,
heart failure, and paral-
ysis. It was more or less
eradicated in Indonesia in
the 1990s but health offi-
cials say it has re-emerged
in the past four years
because
immunization
rates have dropped, partly
reflecting
fears
about
vaccines.
The first stage of the
$112-million
campaign
aims to vaccinate 8 million
people under the age of 19
in Jakarta and the popu-
lous provinces of Banten
and West Java.
The outbreak is “likely
due to some people refusing
immunization,
which
causes their children’s
antibodies and resistance
to be low,” health minister
Nila Moeloek said after vis-
iting a hospital where more
than 30 diphtheria pa-
tients were being treated.
She said there could be a
variety of reasons why
J
DIPHTHERIA RESURGENCE. A student receives a diphtheria
vaccine at a primary school on the first day of a campaign to immunize 8
million children and teenagers against diphtheria, in Tangerang, Indone-
sia. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
The result, according to
increased
numbers
of
parents are refusing immu- Elizabeth Jane Soepardi,
who oversees immuniza-
nizations.
The disease disappeared tion policy at the Ministry
during the three-decade of Health, is that immuni-
rule of Indonesian dictator zation rates dropped in
Suharto when a family some communities.
“I didn’t even know about
education program sent
said
volunteers such as the immunization,”
Satiyah,
a
46-year-old
wives of government offi-
cials into villages where mother of three whose
they talked to mothers adult son is being treated
about nutrition and sanita- in an isolation ward for
tion and reminded them diphtheria after developing
about national immuniza- fever and nausea.
“None of my children has
tion days.
been
immunized since
The
program
was
birth,”
said Satiyah, who
abandoned after Suharto’s
goes
by
one name. She said
ouster in 1998, and a
now
that
she risks losing
subsequent
decentrali-
her
son,
she
will allow her
zation of the government in
15-year-old
daughter
to be
Indonesia has complicated
immunized.
the work of health officials.
Rumors that vaccinations
are dangerous and violate
Islamic law have also
gained currency in the
world’s most populous
Muslim nation.
JAKARTA,
Indonesia
(AP) — About 10,000
people rallied outside the
U.S. Embassy in the Indo-
nesian capital of Jakarta to
denounce U.S. President
Donald Trump’s decision to
recognize Jerusalem as
Israel’s capital.
Similar protests, mostly
organized by the Islamist
Prosperous Justice Party,
or PKS, also were held in
many other cities in Indo-
nesia, the world’s most
populous Muslim country.
The protests were the
third and biggest in Indo-
nesia since Trump’s deci-
sion.
In the capital, protesters
carried banners reading
“U.S. Embassy, Get Out
from Al-Quds,” “Free Jeru-
salem and Palestinians,”
and “We are with the
Palestinians.” Al-Quds is
the Arabic name for
Jerusalem.
Wearing traditional Is-
lamic white robes, the pro-
testers also unfurled Indo-
nesian and Palestinian
flags.
PROTEST FOR PALESTINE. Muslims hold posters during a rally
against U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem
as Israel’s capital, outside the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia. Hun-
dreds of people across the most populous Muslim country staged pro-
tests against the Trump administration’s policy shift to the contested city.
(AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)
A written statement teers Society, held a similar
from
PKS
described rally in Jakarta, hundreds
Trump’s decision as “a form of yards from the embassy.
Indonesian
President
of humiliation and provoca-
tion against Muslims all Joko “Jokowi” Widodo
strongly
condemned
over the world.”
It said similar and Trump’s move, which he
simultaneous protests also described as a violation of
were held in at least 10 U.N. resolutions.
Indonesia has long been
provincial capitals and
a strong supporter of
cities across Indonesia.
Another group, calling Palestinians and has no
itself Indonesia’s Volun- diplomatic ties with Israel.
Japanese pitcher-hitter Shohei
Ohtani chooses the L.A. Angels
Continued from page 16
tweeted, “So pumped right now ...”
Trout, who was getting married over the
weekend to his longtime girlfriend, simply
sent out the emoji of two bugged-out eyes.
Ohtani’s disappointed suitors included
Rangers general manager Jon Daniels,
who had hoped Ohtani would follow in the
footsteps of Yu Darvish, their former
Japanese ace, instead of going to one of
their American League West rivals.
“We’re disappointed we weren’t Shohei
Ohtani’s choice, but wish him the best in
Anaheim,” Daniels said. “He impressed us
on and off the field at every turn. However,
had he asked our opinion, we would have
suggested the National League.”
Ohtani was coveted by every team
because of his exceptional pitching talent
and powerful bat, but also because he
represents an extraordinary bargain due
to baseball’s rules around international
players.
The Angels will have to pay the $20
million posting fee to Ohtani’s previous
club, the Nippon Ham Fighters, but
Ohtani will not be paid a huge salary for
the next three seasons. Ohtani, who will be
under the Angels’ contractual control for
six years, will sign a minor league contract
and can receive up to $2,315,000 in inter-
national bonus money from the Angels.
Ohtani likely could have received a deal
worth more than $100 million if he had
waited two years to move stateside, but
Ohtani wasn’t interested in delaying his
progress for money.
Ohtani should get an immediate spot in
the front of the rotation for the Angels, who
have endured brutal injuries to their
starting pitchers in recent years.
Los Angeles’ ostensible ace is Garrett
Richards, but he has been limited to 62 1/3
innings over the past two seasons. The
rotation also currently includes Matt
Shoemaker, Andrew Heaney, and Tyler
Skaggs, who have all dealt with major
injury setbacks.
Ohtani was 3-2 with a 3.20 ERA this
year while slowed by thigh and ankle
injuries, but those numbers don’t indicate
the incredible potential seen in a pitcher
whose fastball has been clocked above 100
mph. While he has occasionally struggled
with control, Ohtani is widely thought to
be a surefire big-league pitching prospect.
Scouts are more divided on Ohtani’s
ability to hit big-league pitching
consistently, but the Angels intend to find
out. He hit .332 in 65 games with eight
homers and 31 RBI last season,
occasionally unleashing the tape-measure
blasts that had teams salivating.
In 2016, Ohtani hit .322 with 22 home
runs and 67 RBI in 104 games. He also was
10-4 with a 1.86 ERA.
The Angels could ease Ohtani’s
transition to the majors by resting him on
the days before and after he pitches, as he
did in Japan. Los Angeles also has thought
about trying a six-man starting rotation,
which would allow Ohtani to have ample
arm rest after pitching roughly once a
week in Japan.
The Angels have missed the playoffs in
seven of the last eight seasons, but
Ohtani’s arrival is only the latest in a
series of big moves for Eppler, who is
determined to build a World Series
contender during the remaining three
years on Trout’s contract.
Shortly after the World Series ended,
the Angels secured a five-year, $106-
million deal with Upton, their late-season
trade acquisition. The veteran slugger is
an ideal solution after years of underper-
formance in left field for the club.
Also this month, Eppler bolstered his
much-improved farm system by signing
17-year-old Venezuelan shortstop Kevin
Maitan, a prospect considered the best of
13 players recently taken away from the
Atlanta Braves for violating international
signing rules.
The staff at The Asian Reporter wish you
and your family a safe and happy holiday!