Edisi 16 April 2010 | International Bali Post

16 Pages Number 73 2st Year

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Friday, April 16, 2010

Hotels, restaurants indicated to dispose waste into the sea PAGE 8

Madonna Not Happy About ‘Glee’ Using Her Songs PAGE 12 AFP PHOTO / Bay ISMOYO

Demonstrators throw stones towards police during bloody clashes which broke out in Jakarta over over the demolition of a cemetery outside the Jakarta international container port on April 14, 2010. Security forces used teargas and pepper bullets against demonstrators armed with machetes and sticks in over two hours of clashes around the cemetery area.

Protesters rally in Indonesia after deadly clash Associated Press Writer

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JAKARTA, Indonesia – Hundreds of demonstrators descended Thursday on City Hall to demand that Jakarta’s public security force be disbanded following bloody clashes over a Muslim tomb that left three dead and 156 wounded near a key seaport.

The protesters chanted “God is Great” and some threw rocks at a billboard bearing the photo of Jakarta’s governor. More than 1,000 police were deployed to the area, which is near the U.S. Embassy in the central part of the capital, city spokesman Cucu Kurnia said.

On Wednesday, protesters wielding machetes, sticks and petrol bombs clashed with city security officers and riot police in running battles near the port outside the city center. Police used tear gas, rubber bullets, water cannons and batons to beat back the demonstrators.

The protesters believed the city security officers were trying to remove the tomb of an Arab cleric

who helped spread Islam in Jakarta in the 18th century. The tomb is on land owned by the state-run seaports operator Pelindo II, and the area is home to many squatters.

Kurnia said the city had no intention of demolishing the tomb and had wanted to evict illegal settlers living nearby. The protesters believed otherwise and attacked the city security officers, sparking running battles that lasted several hours and later involved the national police.

The fighting left the port area looking like a war zone, with blood and broken glass on the streets and dozens of vehicles burning. It was Jakarta’s worst civil unrest in years.

Jakarta’s governor was to hold talks Thursday with the seaport operator, heirs of the cleric and com-

munity leaders from the port area in a bid to resolve the situation.

The death toll from the clashes climbed to three with the death Thursday of a security officer who had been in critical condition, Kurnia said.

Another 156 people were wounded, according to Jakarta police spokesman Col. Boy Rafli Amar. Some of the injuries were severe, including an officer who had his stomach slashed and another whose hand was chopped off.

Police Lt. Col. Hapsoro said scores of protesters were still gathered near the tomb Thursday, but police were able to start removing the burned out vehicles and reopen roads in the area without incident.

Customs officials said the main in-

ternational container terminal would remain closed until the situation returned to normal.

Home Affairs Minister Gamawan Fauzi dismissed the calls to dissolve the city security forces, but said the ministry would evaluate the unit’s performance to find out their shortcomings.

City security officers differ from the national police in that they don’t carry guns and don’t have as many powers. They are often poorly paid and poorly trained and are regularly accused by rights groups of abuses against minorities and the poor.

Abdul Qadir Assegaf, a religious leader in the port community, accused the city officials of using excessive force and said their actions “showed us how arrogant city security officers can be in enforcing unpopular rule.”

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono expressed concern and regret over the clashes and ordered an investigation.

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International

Friday, April 16, 2010

Bali News Transportation Services to evaluate useless bus stop Denpasar (Bali Post)—

The small amount of residents of Denpasar City using public transport, in fact, also resulted in the existence of the halts. A number of halts used for taking and dropping public passengers is not functioning properly, or wasteful. Therefore, the Denpasar Transportation Services began to evaluate the halts that do not work properly.

This matter was disclosed by the Head of Denpasar Transportation Services I Gede Astika when met in the main room of Denpasar Mayoral Office, last Wednesday (Apr 14). He admitted there were three alternatives that could be undertaken to halts established at some points of the urban public transportation routes in Denpasar.

Astika mentioned the three alternatives that would be applied by the Services, namely the abolition of halts, relocation and renovation to them. The halts belonged to the renovated categories, namely those whose appearance would be re-

modeled so they reflected the nuance of Balinese architecture. For this moment, the existing halts in Denpasar did not embody such Balinese architecture.

In addition, Astika said, there was also possibility that his party would make removal or dismantling to the existing halts. Demolition would be specifically done to halts unused by the community at all. “Similarly, we can relocate the position of halts being no longer appropriate with the current conditions,” said Astika.

Some locations of halt that currently considered useless are like that on Jalan Sudirman, Jalan

Kamboja, as well as some existing halts on other road sections.

“In this 2010 budget amendment, we will also include this project,” explained Astika.

In the meantime, the construction related to the halts of Sarbagita transportation system built at some places was acknowledged to have ever been discontinued. The reason was the contractor working on the project could not complete on time.

However, this was the responsibility of Bali Provincial Government handling the project. “For Denpasar, we get six halts of Sarbagita transportation networks,” said Astika. (kmb12)

Problematic census

Due to prohibition of putting resident’s address Semarapura (Bali Post)—

The 2010 Population Census (SP) implemented earlier than the national schedule (May 1-31, 2010) found a problem at one of the villages in Klungkung Regency. It occurred at Sulang Village, Dawan, Klungkung because the census officers were prohibited to mention the addresses of five families settling at Kawan Hamlet, Sulang Village. It had something to do with the customary sanctions in the form of expelling imposed to these five families since 2000.

As consequence, the census officers reported the case to the Regent of Klungkung, Wayan Candra. When asked for confirmation, last Wednesday (Apr 14), the Head of Sulang Village, Nengah Mudiasa, confirmed there was a little problem in his village in the

implementation of the census.

However, he estimated there was a misunderstanding on census officers when receiving the information from him. According to Mudiasa, before coming down to the field the census officer met him to notify regarding to the census implementation.

At that time, Mudiasa had admitted to have asked the census officers not to mention the address of five families getting involved in the case having the address at Sulang Village.

The five families were no longer registered as the member of local customary village and administrative village. The sanctions were decided due to the refusal of local residents to the change of title name from si to gusti of the five families.

However, Mudiasa was unable to enumerate the five names of such families. “Indeed, customary cases

should be separated from administrative affairs. But, pursuant to the prevailing customary agreement that every single resident who found communicating with those family members would be imposed a fine worth IDR 25,000. Due to the same reason, none of the family members processed their identity card in the administrative village,” he added.

Meanwhile, Regent Candra who received the complaints from the census officers directly requested the Assistant II of Klungkung Regional Secretary, IGNB Putra to explore the truth of the complaint. By chance, IGNB is also the Head of Sulang Customary Village. In addition, the Regent also ordered the Head of Dawan Subdistrict, Wayan Sujana, to come down to the field.

Unfortunately, IGNB Putra could not be asked for his confirmation related to that problem. (kmb20)

Denpasar mayoral election

A number of candidate’s banner torn Denpasar (Bali Post)—

The situation before the implementation of Denpasar Mayoral Election is now progressively simmering. Increasing temperatures are marked by the emergence of political socialization tools like banner of each candidate couple was torn and scribble down. However, it could not be ascertained whether those actions were performed intentionally or due to natural cause like the wind. Torn banner belonged to candidates occurred on Jalan Melati Denpasar. The banner of mayorvice mayor candidate of I Wayan Subawa—IB Gede Udiyana was torn in the middle. Later, in front of the torn banner was mounted a white banner containing the words “Is this the meaning of democracy?”

Meanwhile, the banner owned by the incumbent candidate couple Rai Dharmawijaya Mantra - IGN Jaya Negara was damaged, too. The banner is located on Jalan Jayagiri and Jalan Plawa Denpasar.

Against this, the Head of

Denpasar Supervisory Committee (Panwas) Kadek Wirati met in her office on last Wednesday (Apr 14) said that so far there were no reports of people associated with the banner vandalism. Moreover, the reports of each campaign team did not exist, either. “Such mutually destructing action against the socialization tools can not be followed up legally because a damaged banner is not a campaign models,” she said.

Wirati said that to keep the situation of Denpasar City on remaining conducive her party would persist on making coordination with the winning team of each candidate couple in order they could put forward the existing democratic values. By doing so, it would not trigger unwanted political climate. “In relation to the destruction of a number of socialization tools of both candidates, the Supervisory Committee will accommodate if there will be any reports from the community related to the implementation of Denpasar mayoral election,” explained Wirati. (kmb12)

Shoplifting, a woman from Lombok captured Denpasar (Bali Post)—

Criminal Detective Unit (Reskrim) of West Denpasar Police could arrest a perpetrator proven to have committed a theft crime. Rostiayana, 42, a residents from Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, was found shoplifting a number of merchandises at UD Erlangga II art shop located at Jalan Nusa Kambangan 162, Denpasar, last Monday (Apr 12) at 6:00 pm Local Time. Now, the suspect is detained at West Denpasar Police to account for her deeds.

Such ordinary theft action occurred when the suspect came to the scene by pretending to be a buyer. The suspect entered the store by selecting the merchandise on display there. It was unknown whether she previously indeed had intention to do so or just spontaneity where the suspect took two dresses, headband and three shorts. Local employees on scene did not put any suspicion to the suspect.

At that time, so many customers came to the scene.

Not long after, attitudes of the suspect turned suspicious when the suspect came out of the store. One of the

local employees saw the suspect indicating a strange symptom. Apparently, the suspect did not pay at the cashier, but even went out of the store area. The witnesses consequently told about this incident to security officer, and the suspect could be arrested right away not far from the scene.

Having been successfully captured, the suspect who lives on Jalan Kerawang No. 63, Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, was immediately handed over to West Denpasar Police along with evidence stolen by the suspect. Meanwhile, the case was reported by I Putu Yasa, 30, a resident living on Jalan Nusa Kambangan Gang XXIV/2, Denpasar. “The case has been handled by police,” said one of the police officers at West Denpasar Police.

Chief of West Denpasar Police Adi Prihasmoko when asked for his confirmation, last Wednesday (Apr 14) justified the arrest. However, his party stayed to commit further examination to the suspect. “Indeed, the suspect has been arrested. Now, she is examined intensively in the room by investigators,” he said. (kmb21)

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Bali News

International

570 High School students Compete for Olympic ticket Denpasar (Bali Post)—

Last Wednesday (Apr 14), it was registered 570 high school students from 27 state and private high schools in Denpasar attended the scientific Olympic selection whose implementation was held simultaneously in eight state high schools in Denpasar. The subjects included in the competition were Math (by 75 participants), Chemistry (75), Physics (70), Computers (75), Biology (78), Economics (70), Terrestrial (65) and Astronomy (62).

Head of Denpasar Education, Youth and Sport Services (Disdikpora), Lanang Jelantik, accompanied by the Division Head of Secondary Education, I Wayan Supartha, said the selection was aimed at capturing the ambassador of Denpasar to be included in the selection of Bali Provincial level.

Every subject would pass three best entrants to compete in further selection process at the provincial level. “In terms of the number of participants who were sent to the province, this year we had decided to only send the best three participants. Unlike in the previous years, Denpasar sent 10 participants for each subject,” Lanang

Jelantik said.

According to Lanang Jelantik, the materials of the tests were directly prepared by the central government applying throughout Indonesia. Therefore, the implementation of selection at regency level in Indonesia was held simultaneously. “The test materials were sent in the form of a master of test to the whole provinces and subsequently duplicated by the Educational Services in each province.

Therefore, the level of difficulty of the test is uniform for the whole of Indonesia,” he said.

Lanang Jelantik accompanied

by Suparta added, the selection at the regency/city level denoted the

first stage selection. As soon as elected to become the ambassador of the regency/city, they were required to follow the next stage in the province. Students who were able to penetrate the national passing grade would be entitled to go to Jakarta to attend the coaching and next selection together with other selected students from all over Indonesia. “Students who are capable of reaching the national passing grade do not automatically come to represent Indonesia at the international Olympics because they have to compete again at the national level.

Thus, the selection process that should be passed through is still very long,” he asserted. (kmb13)

Officials busy holding Simakrama

Rabies rampant, dozens of Karangasem residents killed Amlapura (Bali Post)—

Four candidates of Karangasem regent-deputy regent have lost dozens of votes because those being potential voters on next regent election on May 4 have died of rabies disease. In Karangasem, the rabies outbreak continued to spread widely where among more than 5,000 cases of bite a dozen have died. In the midst of bustling of people to look for anti-rabies vaccine (VAR), local leaders of the working unit of regional apparatus (SKPD) were very busy at performing simakrama or roving socialization on the development to each village, subdistrict and dense residential areas, while the Regent of Karangasem, I Wayan Geredeg registered himself as incumbent regent candidate.

When contacted last Wednesday (Apr 15) in his office, the Deputy Regent of Karangasem, IGL Rai, did not deny the many victims of rabies and dead victims due to infected by the disease afflicted the Karangasem residents. Admittedly, Karangasem had the most victims dying from the bite and the disease. He said it required the more serious endeavor from the management team in controlling the dogs suspected to be rabies. Within the past week, three people died of rabies in Karangasem.

“It is required a dog sniper team or trained personnel like the police. If only relying on the officers of village civil

defense, I fear the injection shoot can miss the target. Do not ever let the shoot to the dog even afflict the people’s heads,” he asserted.

He rejected if the rabies management team of Karangasem was said to have not worked properly. Socialization was already carried out including

by Regent Geredeg in the previous month that once gathered the heads of customary village throughout Karangasem. Recognized it needed to have a clear description after the socialization and meetings. Head of Karangasem Health Services, IGM Tirtayana, also admitted the cases of bite by rabies carrier animal mainly wild dog to remain high in Karangasem. This year through April 6, the total bite cases reported were 2,677 cases, while two months in November and the December 2009 (since declared as a state of emergency) the case reached 6,454.

In terms of the provision anti-rabies vaccine (VAR), the Health Services he led had done action properly. Since stated as the state of emergency (KLB), it has been provided with 14,289 vials of VAR, and currently the supply remained 225 vials. According to him, as also delivered by Governor of Bali Made Mangku Pastika, without accompanied by the elimination of wild dogs, it would be useless no matter how many vaccines provided they certainly would

run out.

Tirtayana did not mean to say the elimination done by the rabies carrier animal team of Karangasem failed.

However, it was alleged to encounter difficulties, such as the existence of dog owners who were not willing to release his dog to be killed because he cherished it. But according to him, all parties might help make the effort more effective in the elimination of wild animals transmitting rabies.

On the other hand, the members of Karangasem House as a control institution in Karangasem could not be contacted in relation to how far they have done the control functions toward the performance of the executive, particularly in regards to the high number of animal bites transmitting rabies to the people of Karangasem. Residents bitten by dogs also often complained because they did not obtain the VAR either at rabies center at the community health center or Karangasem Hospital. The office of Karangasem House was empty. Based on information obtained, from a few days ago they have gone to Jakarta for consultations to the Ministry of Home Affairs about the making of single perception to what extent of their authority could address the five yearly accountability report of the Regent of Karangasem whose tenure would terminate in next July. (013)

Friday, April 16, 2010

3

Former notary sued three years Alleged to issue fake letter Denpasar (Bali Post)—

A former notary Gusti Ngurah Oka faced the harsh reality of his life.

At the session held in Denpasar District Court last Wednesday (Apr 14), the defendant was demanded three years in prison, because he was declared to have violated Article 263 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code about the making of a false letter.

Prosecutor outlined, the assessments were based on the facts revealed during the trial. Based on the testimony of witnesses, nearly all the testimonies led to the defendant as perpetrator of the counterfeiting. On hearing the demand of prosecutor, the defendant looked so surprised. More surprisingly, the defendant was only given two days to make the defense.

The case began on November 2, 2005, when Rachmat Agung Leonardi and Hari Boedihartono came to Ngurah Oka in order to be made the Deed of Agreement regarding to the management of White Rose

Hotel, Kuta, by the deed No. 02/2005.

Subsequently, on November 8, 2005 on the deal of Leonardi and Boedihartono, it was made a deed of amendment over the Deed No. 02 into the Deed No. 03/2005.

Apparently, in later development, the two bosses disagreed, especially about Due Diligence related to the rights and obligations of each party.

The case was eventually registered as civil case number: 432/Pdt.G/2008/ PN.Dps. where Rachmat Agung Leonardi as a plaintiff. Hari Boedihartono as a defendant did not want to lose and then reported back Rachmat Agung to National Police Headquarters in the case of Article 372 in connection with Article 378 of the Penal Code. This case was under process. Hari Boedihartono instead reported the notary Ngurah Oka to Bali Police in the case of making a false letter based on police report: No. Pol. LP/403/IX/2009 dated September 8, 2009. (015)

Take employer’s truck away

Sudiarta languishes in a cell Negara (Bali Post)—

Because of taking the employer’s truck away to East Java, Putu Sudiarta alias Gareng should be languishing in police detention cells of Melaya Police. The truck belonged to Nyoman Badra, 82, denoting the father of Deputy Regent of Jembrana Putu Artha from Pasar Hamlet, Melaya did not return home since last March.

Finally, the truck with police plate DK 5972 WG in green color was found near the forest area of Tuban, East Java, last Monday (Apr 12) morning. But the driver, Gareng, has fled. The suspect was even arrested when he reported that the truck and belongings lost on last Tuesday (Apr 13).

Information collected by Bali Post, last Wednesday (Apr 14), Gareng began working at PT Man belonging to Nyoman Badra in last January. The suspects usually brought noodles and other consumer goods from Surabaya to Jakarta. However, since the past three months, the suspect never went home much less made payment to the victim.

Feeling suspicious, the victim in

early March checked into the suspect’s house in Puseh Hamlet. Gareng apparently never came home. Eventually, the case was reported on March 23 to Melaya Police. Based on that report, the police investigated and coordinated with other drivers. Finally, the truck could be found. The label ‘PT Man’ written on the truck was closed by the suspect to remove the traces. Properly for three months using the truck of the victim, Gareng should pay IDR 18 million. But according to the perpetrator, the money has already run out for his daily needs.

When asked for his confirmation, the Chief of Melaya Police Nyoman Pageh with permission of Chief of Jemberana Police Ahmad Nurwakhid justified his party was handling such case. The suspect and evidence in the form of a truck worth IDR 150 million, one vehicle registration sheet and cash worth IDR 2.6 million were secured in the Melaya Police. “We ensnared the suspect with article 374 of Penal Code with subsidiary article 372, with the threat of five years in prison,” he said. (sur)

Gas stove explodes, three injured Denpasar (Bali Post)—

The incident of a gas stove explosion occurred again last Wednesday (Apr 14). The incident ensued at the territory of Kemala Sari Hamlet, Pemogan Village, South Denpasar resulted in three people injured. Two of them were rushed to Sanglah Hospital and another victim to Surya Husada Hospital.

One of the victims taken to hospital Sanglah, Made Rasta, 54, suffered from injuries on the two legs and hands. Based on the information, he

suffered from first degree burns with an area of 4 percent. Rasta was allowed to go home after receiving medical treatment.

According to family testimony, the incident began when Rasta was cooking in the kitchen using gas stove.

Unwittingly, the flame of gas cooking stove had not been extinguished and even spread into the canister. When it was turned on again, the canister exploded and flamed. Fortunately, the fire could be quickly extinguished so as not to burn the entire house. (san)

4

News

Friday, April 16, 2010

International

Iceland’s volcanic ash halts flights across Europe Associated Press Writer

LONDON – Ash clouds from Iceland’s spewing volcano disrupted air traffic across Europe on Thursday as authorities closed air space over Britain, Ireland and the Nordic countries. Tens of thousands of passengers were stranded as flights were canceled and it was not clear when it would be safe enough to fly again.

Britain’s Civil Aviation Authority said non-emergency flights would be banned in all airports until at least 6 p.m. (1700 GMT, 1 p.m. EDT). Irish authorities also closed their air space for at least eight hours, along with closures by aviation authorities in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland.

The move shut down London’s Heathrow airport, a major transAtlantic hub which handles upwards of 1,200 flights and 180,000 passengers per day. The closure also affected London’s second- and third-largest airports, Gatwick and Stansted. Shutdowns and cancellations spread to France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Ireland, Sweden, Finland and Switzerland.

“I just wish I was on a beach in Mexico,” said Ann Cochrane, 58, of Toronto, a passenger stranded in Glasgow.

In Iceland, hundreds of people have fled rising floodwaters since the volcano under the Eyjafjallajokull (ay-yahFYAH’-plah-yer-kuh-duhl) glacier erupted Wednesday for the second time in less than a month. As water gushed down the mountainside, rivers rose up to 10 feet (3 meters) by Wednesday night.

The volcano’s smoke and ash poses a threat to aircraft because it can affect visibility, and microscopic debris can get sucked into airplane engines and can cause them to shut down.

In Paris, all flights north were canceled until midnight.

At Copenhagen’s international airport,

where spokesman Henrik Peter Joergensen said some 25,000 passengers would be affected there.

“At the present time it is impossible to say when we will resume flying,” Joergensen said.

Volcanic ash is formed from explosive eruptions. Particles as hard as a knife blade range in size from as small as 0.001 millimeters (1/ 25,000 inch) to 2 millimeters (1/12 inch), the Geological Survey says.

Ash can melt in the heat of an aircraft engine and then solidify again, disrupting operation.

The U.S. Geological Survey said about 100 encounters of aircraft with volcanic ash were documented from 1983 to 2000. In some cases engines shut down briefly after sucking in volcanic debris, but there have been no fatal incidents.

The ash cloud has not disrupted operations at Iceland’s Keflavik airport or caused problems in the capital of Reykjavik, but has affected the southeastern part of the island, said meteorologist Thorsteinn Jonsson.

AP Photo/Icelandic Coastguard, ho

In this image made available by the Icelandic Coastguard taken Wednesday April 14, 2010, smoke and steam rises from the volcano under the Eyjafjallajokull glacier in Iceland, which erupted for the second time in less than a month, melting ice, shooting smoke and steam into the air and forcing hundreds of people to flee rising floodwaters

Britain holds 1st televised election debates Associated Press Writer

AP Photo/Khin Maung Win

Party goers get soaked underneath a mist of water during the New Year’s celebration in Yangon, Myanmar, Tuesday, April. 13, 2010. Myanmar celebrated its annual water festival, known as ‘Thingyan,’ from April 13, marking the start of the New Year according to the traditional Buddhist calendar

At least 9 dead as blasts hit Myanmar festivities Associated Press Writer

YANGON, Myanmar – Three explosions ripped through traditional New Year festivities in Myanmar’s biggest city Yangon Thursday, killing at least nine people and injuring 60 others, officials said.

There was no indication who was behind the blasts, which occurred at about 3 p.m. near some 20 pavilions erected for the celebrations, close to the city’s Kandawgyi Lake.

Myanmar is celebrating the annual four-day water festival, when people drench each other with water to usher in the Myanmar New Year on Saturday.

It was also not clear if the blasts were caused by explosives or were accidental.

Bombings are rare but not unknown in the cities of Myanmar, whose military rulers are fighting several insurgencies in remote provinces. The prodemocracy movement led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has been based on the principle of nonviolence.

Witnesses said the emergency ward of Yangon General Hospital was sealed off to outsiders after at least 30 injured people were rushed there.

One said the hospital was a scene of chaos and commotion, with injured arriving drenched in blood and people crying and moaning.

A hospital official said nine people were killed and 60 wounded, and the death toll was expected to rise. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to release information.

LONDON – Britain holds its first U.S.-styled debates in the race for prime minister Thursday — a real wild card in a wildly unpredictable election.

The three leaders vying to lead the next government — Prime Minister Gordon Brown of the Labour Party, Conservative leader David Cameron and Nick Clegg of the Liberal Democrats — admit they’re nervous about the debate, which pollsters say could attract some 20 million television viewers.

The election is the closest Britain has seen in years, underscoring the importance of the debates.

The television duels are also important because political parties are barred from paid television ads in Britain — mistakes and glories alike will be repeatedly broadcast on YouTube and over the Internet.

“This is the big wild card,” said Robert Worcester, founder of the Ipsos MORI polling firm.

“The polls have been static since the beginning of the year. ... This could be the thing that breaks the deadlock.”

Brown and Cameron have called in experts from President Barack Obama’s election campaign. Brown is advised by media guru Michael Sheehan and polling expert Joel Benenson. Cameron has tapped ex-White House communications director Anita Dunn.

In Brown’s rehearsals, Tony Blair’s former communications

chief Alistair Campbell has taken the role of Cameron, and predicts Brown’s command of detail will shine.

Blair refused a debate ahead of his landslide 1997 victory, prompting the then governing Conservatives to dress an aide in a chicken outfit and follow him on his campaign tour.

“It breaks new ground in British politics and for that reason it’s a very, very interesting day,” Health Secretary Andy Burnham, a Labour lawmaker, told GMTV television.

The candidates will take audience questions on domestic issues Thursday. The following debates on April 22 and April 29 will focus on foreign policy issues and the economy, the most significant of all issues in the May 6 election.

But the debates may prove to be more anti-climatic than the raucous

question time in Parliament where political rivals regularly verbally skewer each other.

Some 76 guidelines govern the live 90-minute debates, a painstaking format to which all three parties finally agreed.

A panel of journalists chose questions for the leaders that will be asked directly by members of a 200-strong studio audience selected by pollster ICM. The audience must stay quiet. Leaders won’t know the questions in advance and won’t be able to confront one another directly.

A ComRes poll found 31 percent of respondents said they wouldn’t watch the debate, and of those that will tune in only half believed it would have any influence on their ballot.

AFP PHOTO/Leon Neal

Labour Party leader and Prime Minister Gordon Brown prepares to launch the party’s election manifesto at the Queen Elizabeth hospital in Edgbaston, in Birmingham, on April 12, 2010.

International IMIGRATION Australian Consulate General Jalan Tantular 32 Renon Denpasar Phone: +62 361 241118 Fax: +62 361 221195 (General) +62 361 241120 (Immigration)

General Info

Friday, April 16, 2010

HOSPITAL Denpasar There are 4 major hospitals usually used by foreigners Denpasar General Hospital (RSUP Sanglah), Kasih Ibu Hospital, Rumah Sakit Wongaya and Rumah Sakit Dharma Husada.

HOSPITAL Bangli Bangli General Hospital Jl. Kesumayuda 27, Bangli Phone : +62 366 91521 Gianyar

Royal Danish & Norwegian Mimpi Resort Jimbaran, Bali Phone +62.361.701 070 The Czech Republic Jalan Pengembak No. 17 Sanur, Bali Phone +62.361.286 465 France Consulate Agency Jalan Merta Sari Gang II No. 8 Sanur, Bali Phone +62.361.285 485 The Federal Republic of Germany Jalan Pantai Karang No 17 Sanur, Bali Phone +62.361.288 535 The Republic of Hungary Jalan By Pass No 219 Sanur, Bali Phone +62.361.287 701 Italian Consulate Jalan By Pass Ngurah Rai Jimbaran, Bali Phone +62.361.701 005 Honorary Consulate of Mexico Jalan Mohamad Yamin 1 A, Renon, Denpasar, Bali Phone +62.361.223 266 Honorary Consulate of The Netherlands Jalan Raya Kuta 127, Bali Phone +62.361.761 506 Honorary Consulate of Spain Komplek Istana Kuta Galleria Blok Vallet 2 No 11. Jalan Patih Jelantik Kuta, Bali Phone +62.361.769 286 USA Consulate Agency Jalan Hayam Wuruk No. 188 Denpasar, Bali Phone +62.361.222 426 Consulate General of Japan Jalan Raya Puputan No. 170 Renon, Denpasar, Bali Phone +62.361.227 628 Honorary Consulate of British Jalan Tirta Nadi No. 20 Sanur, Bali Phone +62.361.270 601 Swiss and Austria Consulate Jalan Patih Jelantik, Komplek Pertokoan Istana Galleria Phone +62.361.751 735 Honorary Consulate of Brazil Jalan Legian No. 186, Bali Phone +62.361.757 775 Honorary Consulate of Thailand Jalan Raya Puputan Renon 81, Denpasar, Bali Phone +62.361.263 310 Embassy of India Jalan Raya Puputan Renon 42-44, Denpasar, Bali Phone +62.361.241 978 Honorary Consulate of Sweden anf Finland Segara Village Hotel, Jalan Segara Ayu, Sanur, Bali Phone +62.361.282 223 Honorary Consulate of Malaysia Alam Kulkul Boutique Resort, Jalan Pantai Kuta, Bali Phone +62.361.752 520

RSUP Sanglah is the main provincial public hospital. Its facilities have improved since the emergency ward had been built in 1991. Difficult/critical cases would not become a problem anymore since it has complete equipments. It is located on Jl. Kesehatan Selatan 1 Sanglah Denpasar with : Phone : 227 911 – 15 Fax : 226 363 Kasih Ibu Hospital is a private hospital which caters for less serious cases such as diarrhea, intestinal disorders, anemia, asthma and minor accidents. Kasih Ibu is also equipped to care for pregnant women. This hospital is located on Jl. Teuku Umar 120 Denpasar.

Phone : 223 036 Fax : 268 690.

Rumah Sakit Wongaya (Public Hospital; Psychiatric Unit) Jl. Kartini, Denpasar.

Phone : 222 142.

Rumah Sakit Dharma Husada , (Private) Jl. Sudirman No 50, Denpasar Phone : 227 560, 234 824 In relating with health, Bali also has insurance and medical evacuation company, that is: AEA International - SOS Assistance Bali.

PT Abhaya Eka Astiti, Jl. By Pass Ngurah Rai No. 24X, Kuta 80361.

Phone : 755 768 Fax : 755 768 One thing that should be noted by tourists here is that the Blood Bank in Bali normally carries no stock of Rhesus (Rh) Negative blood.

Badung Bali Medical Clinics There are some medical clinics that are well known by foreigners in Bali. Some of them are western owned and operated : Bali International Medical Center (BIMC) Bali International Medical Centre (BIMC) provides excellent Primary Health Care & Emeregency Medical Services for tourists, traveler, and expatriate living in Bali.

Emeregency Room, Ambulance, Clinic Services, Insurance & Medical Evacuations also available. Open 24 hours Phone : 761 2631. Located Jl. By Pass Ngurah Rai No.100X, Kuta, Bali 80361 - Indonesia. http://www.bimcbali.com International SOS Clinic Bali Opened in 1999, offers International SOS members and visitors to Bali comprehensive primary health care and 24-hour emergency medical service.

Jl. By Pass Ngurah Rai 505X, Kuta 80361, Bali - Indonesia Phone : 720 100 Fax : 721 919 E-mail : info@sos-bali.com ttp ://www.sos-bali.com Bali Nusa Dua Emergency Clinic Jl Pratama No. 81 Phone : 771 324 Kuta Clinic Jl. Raya Kuta Phone : 753 268 Dental Clinic Dr Indra Guizot, Jl. Patimura 19, Denpasar Phone : 222 445, 234 375 DDS. Ritjie Rihartinah, Jl Pratama No. 81 Nusa Dua Phone : 771 324 Retno W. Agung, Jln. Bypass Ngurah Rai No.4A Br. Tamansari – Sanur Phone : 288 501

Clinic Mas Jl. Raya Mas, Ubud Phone : +62 361 974573 Toyo Clinic Jl. Pengosekan, Ubud Phone : +62 361 978078 Permata Bunda Clinic Jl. Patih Jelantik 50 X, Gianyar Phone : +62 361 942082 Ubud Clinic Jl Raya Ubud No.36 Campuhan, Ubud Phone : +62 361 974911 Gianyar General Hospital Jl. Ciung Wanara 2, Gianyar Phone : +62 361 943049 Karangasem Karangasem General Hospital Jl. Ngurah Rai, Karangasem Phone : +62 363 21001 Klungkung Klungkung General Hospital Jl. Flamboyan 40-4, Klungkung Phone : +62 366 21371 Negara Negara General Hospital Jl. Gelar, Negara Phone : +62 365 41006 Tabanan Laboratorium Clinic Jl. Gunung semeru No. 8, Tabanan Phone : +62 361 819260 Mengwi Clinic Jl. I Gusti Ngurah Rai 46, Tabanan Phone : +62 361 880550 Darma Kerti Hospital Jl. Teratai 16, Tabanan Phone : +62 361 812359 Tabanan General Hospital Jl. Pahlawan 14, Tabanan Phone : +62 361 811027 Singaraja Prodia Clinic Jl. RA Kartini 12, Singaraja Bali 0362 - 24-516 Singaraja Hospital Jl. Ngurah Rai 30, Singaraja Bali 0362 - 22-573 Pet Clinics Kayumas: (0361) 226934 Sayang Binatang: (0361) 483121 Satwa Kertha Husada: (0361) 263018 Pantai Sindhu: (0361) 287518 Sidakarya: (0361) 724492 Pedungan: (0361) 720026

TAXIS Praja Taxi : (0361) 289090 Bali Taxi : (0361) 701111 Ngurah Rai Taxi : (0361) 724724 Pan Wirthi Taxi : (0361) 723366 Komotra Taxi : (0361) 758855

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6

News

Friday, April 16, 2010

In this photo released

by China’s Xinhua news agency, soldiers of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army carry a survivor rescued after strong earthquakes in Yushu County, northwest China’s Qinghai Province, Wednesday, April 14, 2010. Soldiers and civilians used shovels and their bare hands to dig through collapsed buildings in search of survivors after strong earthquakes struck a mountainous Tibetan region of China on Wednesday, killing hundreds of people.

(AP Photo/Xinhua, Wang Qiang)

Bodies pile up after quake kills 600-plus in China

Japan astronaut solves bubble puzzle Agence France Presse

TOKYO – Of all the experiments Japanese astronaut Naoko Yamazaki has carried out in space — making sushi in a kimono and playing a harp — blowing soap bubbles has arguably brought the biggest breakthrough.

Yamazaki, Japan’s second female astronaut and its first mum-in-space, is part of the crew that joined a team on the International Space Station (ISS) last week in the latest mission for US space shuttle Discovery.

The trip put more women in orbit than ever before on a mission to deliver nearly eight tonnes of cargo, including spare bunks for the space station occupants, a tank of ammonia coolant and scientific instruments.

But mission specialist Yamazaki

had her own agenda after promising her daughter she would solve a mystery puzzling the sharp-minded seven-year-old: why coloured bubblebath makes colourless soap bubbles in water.

Yamazaki on Wednesday mixed red tropical fruit juice with soap and blew shiny red bubbles in space to the delight of her daughter Yuki, who watched with the astronaut’s husband Taichi on a video phone, Jiji Press said.

The experiment worked because space’s zero-gravity environment allowed colour pigments to spread evenly around a bubble, said Yamazaki’s husband.

The latest experiment follows a tradition of Japanese astronauts testing left-field ideas in space, ranging from trying out a flying carpet to applications of eye drops.

Associated Press Writer

MADOI, China – Rescue teams fought gusty winds and altitude sickness Thursday as supplies of food, water and almost everything ran thin after strong earthquakes left more than 600 dead in a mountainous Tibetan area of western China.

Survivors, many of whom spent the night outside in freezing weather, wandered bleeding from their wounds through Jiegu township for a second day, witnesses said. Rescuers, tired from the high winds and thin oxygen, pulled some survivors and many bodies from the pulverized remains of the town flattened by Wednesday morning’s quakes.

“We’ve seen too many bodies and now they’re trying to deal with them.

The bodies are piled up like a hill. You can see bodies with broken arms and legs and it breaks your heart,” said Dawa Cairen, a Tibetan who works for the Christian group the Amity Foundation and was helping in rescue efforts. “You can see a lot of blood. It’s flowing like a river.”

Grim pictures emerged from several collapsed schools that were the focus of early rescue efforts. Footage on state television and photos posted online showed bodies laid out near the rubble, and the Xinhua News Agency quoted a local education official as saying 66 children and 10 teachers had died, mostly in three schools.

After spending most of Wednesday opening the nearby airport and clearing roads, relief operations quickened.

Nearly 2,000 soldiers, police and firefighters arrived in Yushu county, where Jiegu is located, Xinhua said.

Joining them were the China Earthquake Administration’s professional rescue teams, with sniffer dogs, satellite communications equipment, medicines and food.

As more people and supplies poured in by road and air, the influx was producing unintended effects: taxing the normally scarce resources of the remote

Yushu, where the altitude averages around 13,000 feet (4,000 meters).

Supplies of food, water, gas and other necessities were running low, said Pierre Deve, a program director at the Yushubased community development organization Snowland Service Group. Deve said he waited for hours in a line of some 100 cars at the only open gas station.

Most shops in Jiegu remained shut, he said, and local Buddhist monasteries handed out some food while some people scavenged food and other belongings from what was left of their houses.

China Central Television said the death toll had risen to 617 by late morning Thursday, with more than 9,000 injured and around 300 still missing. The Ministry of Civil Affairs said about 15,000 houses collapsed and 100,000 people — nearly the entire population of Yushu — needed to be moved to safety.

Dozens of monks were either dead or missing at the Thrangu monastery, about 6 miles (10 kilometers) outside Jiegu, when all but its main hall collapsed, said Danzeng Qiujiang, a senior cleric at the Xiuma monastery far to the north of town.

“Only 7 or 8 of the monks are left alive. All the rest have gone missing.

The rescuers either can’t find them or found their bodies. I’m not sure how many deaths have been confirmed yet.

But 60 of 70 of them have all gone missing,” the cleric said.

Wednesday morning’s quakes — the worst of which measured magnitude 6.9 by the U.S. Geological Survey and 7.1

by China’s earthquake administration — were the worst to hit the region since the massive Sichuan earthquake two

years ago left 90,000 dead or missing.

The destruction of schools was an eerie echo of the Sichuan quake, in which thousands of students died when their poorly built schools collapsed. But unlike in Sichuan — where schools toppled as other buildings stood — everything fell over in Yushu.

Residents in Jiegu described scenes of anguish with the wounded sobbing in pain from lack of medical care. “This feels like a war zone. It’s a complete mess. At night, people were crying and shouting. Women were crying for their families,” said Ren Yu, general manager of Yushu Hotel in Jiegu, who said he felt at least five aftershocks overnight. “Some of the people have broken legs or arms, but all they can get now is an injection. They were crying in pain.”

Ren said hotel staffers returning from assisting in rescue work at night described horrific casualties the quake had caused: “They told me that when some elementary school students were pulled out, their brains had spilled out.”

State media said hundreds had been pulled free alive. CCTV showed rescuers picking through the rubble at night aided by flashlights fixed to their safety helmets. A group of workers found a girl trapped for more than 12 hours under a heap of debris.

“I can’t feel my arm,” said the girl, who was curled up with her back to the workers. The workers talked to her and fed her water as others searched for pieces of wood to prop up the rubble that had entrapped her. As rescuers gingerly pulled her out and carried her to a stretcher, she could be heard saying: “I’m sorry for the trouble. Thank you, I will never forget this.”

(AFP/NASA via Jiji Press/File/Nasa Via Jiji Press)

This NASA photo taken on April 12 shows Japanese astronaut Naoko Yamazaki blowing a bubble inside the US space shuttle Discovery. Of all the experiments Yamazaki has carried out in space — making sushi in a kimono and playing a harp — blowing soap bubbles has arguably brought the biggest breakthrough.

Russia suspends all adoptions to US families Associated Press Writer

MOSCOW – Russia suspended all adoptions to U.S. families on Thursday until the two countries can agree on procedures, the Foreign Ministry said, a week after an American woman sent her 7-yearold adopted son back to Russia on a plane by himself.

The boy’s return — without supervision or explanation aside from a note he carried from his adoptive mother saying he had psychological problems — has incensed Russia and prompted aggressive media coverage of foreign adoptions.

A U.S. delegation will visit Moscow “in the next few days” to discuss international adoptions and a possible bilateral agreement, ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said.

“Russia believes that only such an agreement which will contain effective tools for Russian and U.S.

officials to monitor the living conditions of adopted Russian children will ensure that recent tragedies in the United States will not be repeated,” Nesterenko said in a televised briefing.

The Tennessee woman who sent back the 7-year-old boy last Thursday claimed she had been misled by his Russian orphanage about his condition.

Russians have been outraged that no charges have been filed against her.

For several years, Russian lawmakers have suggested suspending U.S. adoptions after other cases of abuse and even killings of Russian children adopted in the United States, but no formal measures had been taken until Thursday.

More than 1,800 Russian children were adopted in the United States last year, according to Russia’s Health and Education Ministry.

International

Indonesia Today

Friday, April 16, 2010

7

Swedish envoy to strengthen trade relations Antara

AFP PHOTO / ADEK BERRY

Indonesian children try to collect useable items from damaged cars in Jakarta on 15, April 2010 following the clash between protesters and members of the security forces. Two people were killed and dozens injured in clashes in Jakarta on April 14 between security forces and people protesting at the plan of the bulldozing of a cemetery containing the remains of a Muslim scholar.

Indonesian capital tense as riot death toll rises Agence France-Presse

JAKARTA - The death toll from bloody riots in the Indonesian capital rose to three on Thursday, as hundreds of police were deployed to guard city hall amid fears of further violence, officials said.

More than 100 people were also injured, many seriously, in Wednesday’s clashes between security forces and people protesting over plans to bulldoze part of a cemetery containing a memorial to a revered Muslim scholar.

“Three members of the security forces were killed. One died this morning while two were killed yesterday,” a spokesman for Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo said.

Police fired tear-gas, pepper bullets and water cannon to disperse hundreds of men armed with machetes, swords and sticks who had massed to protect the empty tomb of the 18th century scholar, Habib Hasan bin Muhammad Al Hadad.

The scholar’s remains were removed from the cemetery some years ago but his tomb is still considered a holy place by many people in the poor northern suburb.

Members of the city’s Satpol public order force were seen beating, clubbing, kicking and stomping on

injured protesters as the situation spun out of control.

Demonstrators were also seen beating and stomping on fallen Satpol officers, some of whom were badly gashed with machetes.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono criticised the security forces and demanded a peaceful resolution of the dispute, which left the Tanjung Priok neighbourhood near Jakarta’s international port looking like a war zone.

“The incident should and could have been avoided and a decision could have been made to stop the operations once the conditions in the field became apparent,” Yudhoyono told a press conference late Wednesday.

“Although the operations were legally justified they should not have been forcefully carried out,” he added, while offering his sympathies to the families of the dead security personnel.

About 500 demonstrators gathered

at city hall on Thursday as Bowo held meetings with community leaders from the affected neighbourhood.

The demonstrators shouted slogans and waved banners demanding Bowo’s resignation and the disbanding of the public order force, but otherwise the protest was peaceful.

People paid their respects at the scholar’s tomb on Thursday as scavengers picked through the remains of dozens of burned-out trucks and police vehicles which littered the area and blocked access to the port.

Human rights activists called for Jakarta police chief Wahyono and Satpol chief Haryanto Badjuri to stand down.

“Satpol has been successful in becoming a killing machine against ordinary people,” Setara Institute for Democracy and Peace chairman Hendardi said.

He said the force, which is different to the national police, served only as “accommodation for unemployed people”.

“They deal face to face with people so they need more than physical skills,” he said. Home Minister Gamawan Fauzi defended the force but admitted it was “flawed” and promised an investigation.

JAKARTA - Swedish Export Credits Guarantee Board (EKN) Governors visited Jakarta on April 12-14, 2010, to know more about business opportunities and risks in Indonesia in order to strengthen the trade relations between the two countries.

“The visit of the Export Credits Guarantee Board shows the growing importance that is put on Indonesia both in Sweden and in the world, we are pleased that the visit has been so productive,” Sweden Ambassador to Indonesia Ewa Polano said in a press released from the Sweden Embassy in Jakarta, Thursday.

The Swedish delegation headed by the EKN Head and Director General, Ms. Karin Apelman had a meeting with several Indonesian officials such as Communications and Information Technology Minister Tifatul Sembiring, Vice Trade Minister Mahendra Siregar, PT PLN (state’s run electric company) Planning and Technology Director Nasri

Sebayang, senior economist, political experts, and representatives of Indonesian companies.

“Swedish companies have a growing interest in Indonesia,” said the Sweden Ambassador Besides, Indonesia-Sweden bilateral relations considered to be excellent, and can see great potential for further fruitful cooperation between both countries trade and other areas, she said.

Indonesia has become the chosen destination this year which can give impressive economic growth and progressive political development during the last years.

Sweden considered Indonesia as a trading partner key in the Asian region which ranked the second largest export destination overtaking Thailand and Malaysia over the past decade.

Trade value of Indonesia- Sweden has also been more than doubled from 325 million US dollars in 2000 to 660 million US dollars in 2009, and the Swedish exports also experience the same, 225 million US dollars to 525 million US dollars.

Some terror suspects believed still at large in Lampung Antara

BANDARLAMPUNG Lampung Police chief Brig Gen Sulistyo Ishak said a number of terror suspects were currently still at large in Lampung province, hiding among the local people.

“Some of the terrorists arrested in Lampung were not local residents but we believe some of those who escaped arrest are still in the province and have blended with the local people,” Sulistyo said here on Wedenesday.

He therefore asked the people of Lampung to cooperate with the police to narrow down the space in which the terrorists could operate.

“Cooperation between the police and the local people is needed to support our mission to eradicate terrorism, and thus, I hope all parties will inform us if they find something suspicious in their respective neighborhoods,” Sulistyo said.

But he denied rumors that Lampung was becoming a terrorist breeding ground and said he had so far not seen any evidence of lo-

cal people being recruited by terrorist elements.

“I do not believe Lampung will become a base of terrorist activity.

Therefore, I want all elements of the public here to cooperate with the police to wage war on terrorism,” he said.

Police in Medan, North Sumatra recently arrested three suspected terrorists and two of them proved to be Lampung residents, namely Komrudin (35) of Bandarlampung and Yusuf Arifin (25) of Lampung Timur.

Sulistyo said the Lampung police were intensively watching over a number of districts in the province, especially Lampung Timur, Pesawarn, and Lampung Barat, following the arrest of some terrorists of Lampung origin in Aceh and North Sumatra recently.

Sulistyo added that according to police findings, many alumni of a certain Islamic boarding school (Ponpes) in Central Java were now living in Lampung, and it was feared that they would spread the wrong teachings that lead to terror acts.

Two police officers injured in Papuan village brawl Antara

JAYAPURA - Two police officers suffered injuries from arrow shots while trying to end a brawl between residents of two kampongs in Kwamki Lama, Timika, Mimika District, Papua Province, on Thursday.

Chief brigadier Kanisius was shot in his chest, and Brigadier II Antar in his left hand, said Mimika Police Chief Senior Adjunct Commissioner M Sagi in response to ANTARA’s question.

The two injured officers were rushed to two different hospitals, namely Mitra Masyarakat Hospital

and Timika Regional Public Hospital, for medical treatment, he said.

Despite the brawl, the situation in Kwamki area was in general still under control, he said.

Around 60 policemen were mobilized to handle the conflict in Kwamki Lama, around five kilometers of

Timika town, he said. The brawl has broken out since Wednesday evening (April 14), following the death of Kalelo Kogoya, a resident of Ile Ale Jalur V, Karang Senang-SP3 kampong at Mitra Masyarakat Hospital, in Timika, on late Wednesday.

Kalelo died after suffering injuries

from 20 arrow shots allegedly conducted by a local residents’ group in Timika road towards Kwamki Lama, on Wednesday noon. Following the fatality, two rivalry groups in Kwamki Lama were on alert and equip themselves with arrows, chopping knives, and other sharp objects.

8

Internationa

Friday, April 16, 2010

Bali Today Hotels, restaurants indicated to dispose waste into the sea Bali Post

KLUNGKUNG — Klungkung is never devoid of indication of violations especially that related to violation of tourist accommodation.

Now, many hotels and restaurants are indicated to have disposed their waste directly into the sea which is feared to threaten the preservation of the marine biota.

http://fc09.deviantart.net

Small boats in line at Nusa Lembongan waters. Many hotels and restaurants in Nusa Lembongan and Jungut Batu are indicated to have disposed their waste directly into the sea which is feared to threaten the preservation of the marine biota.

Leader of Klungkung Judiciary Team who is also the Deputy Regent of Klungkung Tjok Gede Agung admitted it after several visits to Nusa Penida, especially to Lembongan and Jungutbatu. “I will observe in person the cases of direct disposal of sewage into the sea. That’s very threatening,” he said, last Wednesday (Apr 14).

Some times ago, he claimed to have warned a number of managers of tourist accommodation to no longer dispose any waste directly into the sea. Ironically Tjok Agung said the offense was mostly done by residents of outside Klungkung who were trusted to manage the hotels and restaurants. “What I see, in fact there are many Gianyar residents,” he said.

It was said, the indication of sewage disposal into the sea was mostly carried out

by the hotels having swimming pools. Water of the pool containing chemical substances were directly disposed into the sea.

“Totally, there are about a dozen,” he added.

Actually, according to Tjok Agung, Nusa Penida had been designed to become waters conservation area. “Monitoring over waste disposal done by hotels and restaurants should be performed more strictly,” he said. In addition, the village officials were requested to participate more actively in overseeing the activities of tourism / accommodation in violation because the problems emerging in the field would be immediately known by village officials. “Do not let the violation occur just because of money worth IDR 1 million,” he alluded. (kmb20)

Adv.538513-Adv

al

Friday, April 16, 2010

Balinese Culture Jukut belimbing

Seven countries take part in BAF Antara

DENPASAR – Art Groups from seven countries will take part in the 32nd annual Bali Art Festival (BAF) which will be

held started from June 12 th through July 10th 2010. Ida Bagus Sudhawa, the head of Bali Cultural Department, said “they had contacted us through e-mail and confirmed that they will take part

http://lh3.ggpht.com

Foreign participants excercise before their performance at Bali Art Festival 2007. Art Groups from seven countries will take part in the 32nd annual Bali Art Festival (BAF) which will be held started from June 12th through July 10th 2010.

in this year’s BAF.” The groups had contacted that department since August 2009, this show that the foreign art groups are very enthusiastic in taking part in the festival. The art groups are coming from Japan, India, US, and China.

“The number of art groups will increase near the opening ceremony of the 32nd BAF. The number of foreign art groups was varied from time to time,” Sudhawa said. He explained that in 2007, the foreign art groups took part in BAF were 12 groups and last year were 14 groups which were coming from Japan, US, Singapore, India, South Korea, Thailand, England, and Malaysia.

Sudhawa added that the early notice by the art groups making it easier to the committee to arrange the schedules. During a month of the BAF, there will be 180 performances which involve more then 15,000 artists.

The foreign artists can increase the attraction of the festival as well as urging the locals to conserve the traditional Balinese art and culture. The festival also can be used as a mean to cooperate with other areas or countries.

(Star Fruit Leaves In Sweet Sauce) Star fruits trees grow in many Balinese gardens, a convenient source of leaves for vegetable dishes.

The leaves are crunchy with a slightly bitter tang. If not available substitute with spinach leaves.

INGREDIENTS: 400 gr star fruit leaves, washed ½ cup basic spice paste 2 cups coconut milk 2 salam leaves 300 gr beef rump, minced 30 cm square of banana leaf ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp black peppercorn, crushed PREPARATION: Bring 3 liters (12 cups) of lightly salted water to the boil in a stockpot. Add star fruit leaves. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain leaves, and then cools to room temperatures in ice water. Drain and dry well.

Place half of the spice paste into saucepan and sauté for 2 minutes. Add coconut milk and salam leaf, reduce heat and simmer until sauce thickens. Season minced beef with the remaining spice paste. Place on banana leaf and roll up very tightly into the shape of a sausage.

Steam for 15 minutes. Allow to cool, open banana leaf and break meat into its original minced consistency. Mix the coconut milk and mince beer well and add star fruit leaves and mix again. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature with steamed rice. (www.baliguide.com/balifood)

Tambusan be pasih (Diced Fish Roasted in Banana Leaf) OVERVIEW: The spicy fish dish is excellent for barbeques.

INGREDIENTS: 600 gr (1¼ 1lb) boned mackerel fillets, skin removed and cut in 2.5 cm (1in) cubes ½ cup basic marinade 1 heaped tbsp tamarind pulp, soaked in ¼ cup warm water and juice extracted 1 tsp black peppercorns, crushed 1 ½ tsp salt 3 lemon leaves, cut in hair like shreds 3 tbsp oil 2 salam leaves 2 square of banana leaf 30x30cm (10x10 in) PREPARATION: In deep bowl combine mackerel cubes, spice paste, tamarind juice, crushed black pepper, salt, lime leaf and oil, and mix very well in order to coat fish evenly. Cover and marinate in cool place for 2 hours. Place one salam leaf in center of each piece of banana leaf. Top with half of seafood mix and fold the same way as for Tum Bebek.

Place parcels directly onto moderately hot charcoal and roast very slowly for one hour. Alternatively, bake on rack in a moderate oven or under a grill for about 30 minutes. Serve with Sambal Matah, Sambel Tomat, wedges of lime and steamed rice. (www.baliguide.com/ balifood) C.044-ibp-16

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10

Destinations

Friday, April 16, 2010

International

Badung Traditional Market

http://www.seobali.com

DENPASAR Traditional Market is a center of town’s economics which is located in Gajah Mada Street, that is main road and become a shopping centre of Bali. This traditional market is apposite to the village temple that is one of three biggest temples in Denpasar. It is initially does not as big as like now because have changed experiences and modification which is adapting to the requirement and town growth.

This market cannot be discharged from the existence of an existing market in the cross Badung’s river that is called Kumbasari Market because the local society will feel incompletely go for shopping if they are not come to Kumbasari Market, especially for the Balinese who want to buy the ceremony items.

Denpasar Market is a market selling the costume and clothing items with the prices are relative cheaper than clothing items sold at the shops in Gajah Mada Street which are most owned by citizen of Chinese clan. Kumbasari Market is previously called by Peken Payuk (pot market), it sell the items from gerabah /jar like pot, pengedangan, cubek (plate from land), paso (pail from land), caratan (water jug from land), jeding (barrel from land), penyantokan (mixer from land), coblong (cup from land), kekeb (rice cover) and others. All of these items are the kitchenware and also the items for ceremony. Since this market most popular as a place to sell payuk/pot, hence Kumbasari Market in the past referred as

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Peken Payuk or pot market. But now it sell the material or art items for tourist therefore it is one of tourist destinations in Denpasar Town.

Denpasar Market is opened on 24 April 1984

by Bali ‘s Governor, Prof. Dr. Ida Bagus Mantra. Then after experiencing of the fire accident, it has been repaired in year 2000 at that moment Bali ‘s Governor is Mr. Dewa Made Berata. This market owns the broadness about 14.544 M² and broadly park 9064 M² which is built in four floors. The local people who go for shopping at this market are not only from environment of Denpasar community but also come from outside of town. The moment before the big holiday like Galungan, Kuningan, Nyepi and others, this market is always crowded by the buyer which are most of them the local society.

Denpasar Market is opened at 5 o’clock in the morning and close at 5 o’clock in the evening.

Then, it is changed by the evening market opened from 05:00 pm until at 05:00 am the day after.

Meanwhile at Senggol Market in Kumbasari is opened at 02:00 pm and closed at 11:30 pm. The unique of Senggol Market’s name is possibility taken away from the situation and condition of people movement on shopping where they each others jog because of visitor denseness. This Senggol Market is selling the variety of food, from the cheap Balinese, Javanese and Chinese cookery. It is also sell the various types of clothes from adult until children one. (www.balistarisland.com)

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SICA SECURITY Rimo Trade Center Jl. Diponogoro Lt. II No. C5 Telp. 8047438 233259 ext. 209

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Friday, April 16, 2010

11

BUSINESS Fed’s Bernanke sees ’moderate’ economic recovery Agence France-Presse

AFP PHOTO/ LIU Jin

A construction worker climbs on the metal beams of a building in Beijing on April 15, 2010.

China’s economy grew a blistering 11.9 percent in the first quarter, the government said, increasing pressure on Beijing to raise interest rates and loosen controls on its currency.

Cooling steps expected as China economy surges Agence France-Presse

BEIJING - Pressure grew on Beijing to raise interest rates and loosen currency controls Thursday after official data showed the economy grew at a red-hot 11.9 percent in the first three months of the year.

The figure represents a second successive quarter of doubledigit growth for the world’s thirdlargest economy as it extends its recovery from a slowdown caused by the global slump.

“We have got off to a good start this year,” Li Xiaochao, spokesman for the National Bureau of Statistics, told reporters.

“The momentum of national economic recovery has further expanded, which has laid a good foundation for reaching the targets set for the whole year.”

The increase was the largest since the onset of the global downturn and well above Beijing’s target of eight percent for the year, which is seen as crucial in creating enough jobs to stave off social unrest.

But analysts warned that the data showed the economy was growing too fast and policymakers needed to raise interest rates and let the yuan appreciate to avert the risk of running out of control.

“The economy is a little bit too hot. I think policy needs to be tightened more aggressively to

prevent overheating,” Ben Simpfendorfer, an economist at Royal Bank of Scotland in Hong Kong, told AFP. “I think residential investment was a big driver of growth in the first quarter. Running an economy on residential investment is not sustainable.”

Property prices in major cities rose at the fastest pace in nearly five years in March, official data showed Wednesday.

Beijing has been trying to cool the property market and calm inflationary pressures by clamping down on bank lending amid fears of damaging bubbles in the sector, bad debts and the threat of economic overheating.

Policymakers have raised bank reserve ratios twice this year — effectively limiting the amount of money banks can lend — and increased interest rates on benchmarket three-month and one-year Treasury bills.

Analysts have forecast interest rate hikes as early as this month as well a loosening of the nation’s exchange rate policy, which has effectively pegged the yuan to the

dollar since mid-2008.

The nation’s closely watched consumer price index, the main gauge of inflation, rose 2.2 percent in the first quarter compared with the same period a year earlier, the statistics bureau said.

In March alone, consumer prices rose 2.4 percent from a year ago.

However, the increase was slower than in February when consumer prices rose 2.7 percent, which was likely due to the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday inflating prices.

It was below the government’s inflation target of three percent for the year.

“We still have a lot of difficulties and pressure in meeting this target but I still believe that the target is within reach,” Li said.

Retail sales jumped 17.9 percent in the January-March period, while fixed asset investments, a measure of government spending on infrastructure and a key driver of the economy, jumped 25.6 percent year on year.

Industrial output from the country’s millions of factories and workshops rose 19.6 percent.

WASHINGTON - Federal Reserve chief Ben Bernanke warned on Wednesday the US economy will recover at a “moderate” pace and that significant time will be needed to claw back jobs lost in the recession.

In cautious remarks that belied Wall Street’s gathering optimism, Bernanke cautioned that the US economy continued to face strong headwinds as it attempts to pull out of the worst recession in a generation.

“If the pace of recovery is moderate, as I expect, a significant amount of time will be required to restore the 8.5 million jobs that were lost during the past two years,” he told lawmakers.

But eyeing the end of massive government stimulus spending, the Fed chairman said the economy should be able to stand on its own feet, even if a tough slog still lies ahead.

Economic demand, he said, would be enough to “promote a moderate economic recovery in coming quarters.”

That was considerably less bullish a view than that held by Wall Street investors, who are pushing stock markets to levels not seen since the depths of the economic crisis.

Buoyed by news that Americans may be returning to their high-spending ways, the Standard & Poor’s index of 500 leading companies rallied to finish over 1,200 points on Wednesday, the first time since September 2008.

The Dow earlier this week finished over the symbolic level of 11,000, shattering that level again on Wednesday.

But Bernanke voiced concern about some of the weaknesses that continue to drag on the recovery.

“I am particularly concerned about the fact that, in March, 44 percent of

the unemployed had been without a job for six months or more,” he said.

His outlook was borne out by the publication of a Fed report later on Wednesday that described the United States as slowly recovering and still struggling with unemployment.

According to the Fed’s Beige Book for April, economic activity was on the increase in all but one of twelve Fed regions, but “labor markets generally remained weak.”

“The Fed is seeing only modest improvements in economic conditions,” said Brian Bethune of IHS Global Insight, describing the outlook as “sober.”

Still, the news from the US central bank was not all bad.

Bernanke, touching on a issue that has given increased confidence to investors, pointed to improved consumer spending — traditionally a strong driver of the US economy — as one factor aiding the recovery.

“Going forward, consumer spending should be aided by a gradual pickup in jobs and earnings, the recovery in household wealth from recent lows, and some improvement in credit availability.”

But he also echoed recent demands that the world’s largest economy act swiftly to curb its soaring budget deficits.

Taking that tough message straight to Congress, he warned lawmakers they faced “difficult choices” in cutting the country’s deficit and that action cannot be delayed.

“Addressing the country’s fiscal problems will require difficult choices, but postponing them will only make them more difficult,” he said.

Bernanke added that “the poor fiscal condition of many state and local governments” remained a constraint on the pace of economic recovery.

India inflation nears double-digits, rate hike seen Agence France-Presse

NEW DELHI - India’s inflation rate crept closer to double digits, official data showed Thursday, as analysts forecast another hike in interest rates to contain prices in Asia’s third-largest economy.

Year-on-year wholesale price inflation, India’s main cost-of-living measure, edged up to 9.9 percent in March from 9.89 percent the previous month, according to commerce ministry figures.

Inflation is riding at a 17-month high and is seen in danger of climbing as demand pressures mount in the country of 1.2 billion people as the economy shaking off the effects of the global financial crisis.

The inflation increase was

smaller than financial markets expected, thanks partly to a drop in prices of such staples as sugar and pulses and a decline in fuel costs.

But economists forecast the March inflation figure would be revised higher later and said they still expected the Reserve Bank of India to increase short-term lending rates at its policy meeting next Tuesday.

With some firms, such as India’s largest passenger car company Maruti Suzuki, operating at full capacity to meet rising consumer demand, the bank has said it wants to keep a lid on inflationary pressures.

Last month, the Reserve Bank hiked short-term rates from record lows to battle inflation, which is riding above its official target of 8.5 percent.

12

Friday, April 16, 2010

Entertainment

2 more ‘Idol’ contestants sent home; 7 remain “American Idol” viewers were cruel to Andrew Garcia and Katie Stevens. The 24-year-old musician from Moreno Valley, Calif., and the 17-year-old high school student from Middlebury, Conn., received the fewest viewer votes Wednesday on the Fox singing contest.

Both failed to wow the judges with Elvis Presley tunes Tuesday.

Stevens received a mixed reaction to “Baby What You Want Me To Do,” while Garcia was lambasted for “Hound Dog.” “I’m glad I’ve been through what I’ve been through,” Garcia said after his dismissal. Stevens and Garcia were both sent packing on the double-elimination episode because the judges saved 26-yearold personal trainer Michael Lynche of Queens, N.Y., last week.

“Idol” host Ryan Seacrest revealed that Lynche, who impressed the panel Tuesday with a low-key rendition of “In the Ghetto,” was not one of the bottom-three vote get-

ters on Wednesday.

Garcia was ousted at the beginning of the show, but Stevens didn’t learn her fate until after performances from two past “Idol” contestants. Brooke White, the seventh season’s fifth-place songstress, crooned Presley’s “If I Can Dream” with model-singer Justin Gaston.

Adam Lambert, the eighth season’s runner-up, performed his own “Whataya Want From Me.” “If you want to win this competition, you’ve got to wake up,” Lambert advised.

The other finalists remaining in the competition are Crystal Bowersox, 24, of Toledo, Ohio; Lee Dewyze, 24, of Mount Prospect, Ill.; Aaron Kelly, 17, of Sonestown, Pa.; Siobhan Magnus, 20, of Marstons Mills, Mass.; Casey James, 27, of Fort Worth, Texas; and Tim Urban, 20, of Duncansville, Texas. The top seven singers will tackle inspirational tunes next week.

Mel Gibson & Girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva Split MEL Gibson and the mother of his five-month-old baby have reportedly split after dating for just over a year. Gibson and Russian musician Oksana Grigorieva went public with their romance after the actor/director’s wife of 30 years filed for divorce last April.

But the relationship was not meant to last, according to reports. A source tells People magazine, “They just drifted apart. They’re both working hard

on their careers and trying to raise a sweet baby together. They’re still friends and they’ll both raise Lucia together.”

Little Lucia was born on October 30, 2009. It is not known if Grigorieva will continue with plans to perform at a charity concert in Russia next week, following the news of the break-up. Representatives for both Gibson and Grigorieva have yet to respond to the split reports.

International

Madonna Not Happy About ‘Glee’ Using Her Songs Madonna turned down a cameo in an upcoming episode of “Glee” dedicated to the Queen of Pop - because she has never heard of the TV show.

Producers of the hit show, which chronicles the lives and loves of a group of talented teens, were thrilled when they received word the Material Girl’s team had given them the OK to use her back catalog in an episode to air in America next week.

But the permission didn’t come from the pop superstar directly - and now it emerges she refused to make a guest appearance on the program.

A source tells PopEater.com, “Madonna doesn’t have a TV and has no idea what ‘Glee’ is. The show (producers) did ask her if she wanted to make an appearance in the muchhyped Madonna episode.

“She said, ‘No thanks’, and to be honest she would rather they sing an Elton John song than butcher one of hers.” Producers also managed to release an EP of the episode’s songs.

Sheriff: Filming of Seagal’s “Lawman” suspended PRODUCTION of a television show featuring reserve deputy and movie star Steven Seagal will be suspended “for the time being” as Seagal faces sexual harassment allegations, a suburban New Orleans sheriff said Wednesday. Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand said the continued video recording of the reality series, “Steven Seagal Lawman,” would be a distraction for the department in light of allegations made against Seagal by a woman in a California civil lawsuit.

Kayden Nguyen, a 23-year-old model, sued Seagal for $1 million on Monday in Los Angeles, alleging he sexually harassed her and engaged in sex trafficking. Her lawsuit claims Seagal hired her as an executive assistant and flew her to Louisiana while he was making the reality series and repeatedly groped and fondled her. She claims she was kept at a house in Lafitte, La., for several days and that Seagal repeatedly fondled and groped her, touching her genitals and breasts without permission. She claims two other women were kept at the house and were used by the actor for sexual purposes.

She also claims Seagal forced her to take illegal prescription medications and that she repeatedly complained to others on Seagal’s staff but wasn’t allowed to leave the home.

Nguyen states she fled the house af-

ter several days and borrowed money to return to Los Angeles. Seagal’s attorney, Marty Singer, denied the allegations and said in a statement that Nguyen was fired for illegal drug use. “The claims in her lawsuit are a complete fabrication without a scintilla of truth,” Singer wrote.

Normand, at a news conference Wednesday, said he does not plan an investigation of the allegations unless the woman makes a criminal or administrative complaint against Seagal with the sheriff’s office. Her attorney, William S. Waldo, said she talked to Seagal about the alleged abuse, but didn’t report it to authorities. “She reported it to Steven Seagal,” Waldo said. “In Jefferson Parish, Mr. Seagal is the police.”

Nguyen filed a complaint with the California Department of Fair Employment & Housing and requested an immediate finding that she could sue Seagal. The agency granted that request and closed her case on April 1, court filings show.

Normand said he has informed A&E, the network that airs the show, and ITV Studios that it would be disruptive to continue making the show, in which cameras follow Seagal when he answers calls as a reserve deputy, with so much media interest in the Seagal case. “I did not think it would be in our best interest to continue film-

ing at the present time,” he said. “We are aware of Sheriff Normand’s decision to halt production on ‘Steven Seagal Lawman’ at this time and we have no further comment,” A&E spokesman Dan Silberman said.

Silberman confirmed that the show was in production when it was shut down by the sheriff and that there was no alternative plan to resume production at this time.

AP Photo/Yuri Samoligo, file

In this May 18, 2006 file photo actor Steven Seagal smiles on his arrival at Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow.

Life Style

International

Friday, April 16, 2010

13

Canada’s seal hunt to close early after low harvest Agence France - Presse

OTTAWA – A lack of sea ice in one of the warmest Canadian winters on record and a European boycott have ruined what was to be a banner seal hunt off Canada’s Atlantic coast this month, according to officials and sealers. Canada’s Fisheries Minister Gail Shea last month increased by 50,000 the allowable catch of harp seals this season to 330,000, in defiance of a ban on seal products by the European Union.

But most of Canada’s 6,000 sealers stayed home, unable to find buyers for their catch or stymied by a lack of ice floes for the first time in 60 years on the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, which usually host hordes of seals birthing pups. “The European boycott was devastating to the industry this year, as was the lack of ice on the Gulf of Saint Lawrence due to an exceptionally warm winter,” Jean Richard, Canadian fisheries department conservation chief for the Quebec coastal region, told AFP. “The hunt, as a result of reduced market demand, has been scaled back substantially,” added Larry Yetman, fisheries resource management officer for the Newfoundland and Labrador coastal region. Fewer than 50 sealing ships launched from Newfoundland ports, down from 500 in past years. Others would have eagerly set out to reap this year’s higher pelt prices — at 21 dollars, nearly double last year’s prices. But there was now only one local buyer, NuTan Furs, which said upfront it would buy less than 15,000 pelts from a dedicated group of sealers this year.

“Every sealer in Newfoundland would have considered going out on the ice for that price, but there aren’t

any buyers,” Yetman said. He lamented that sealing conditions were otherwise ripe for a bountiful harvest along the Labrador coast: “The ice is close to shore, not heavy, and easily penetrated by sealing vessels.”

“Unfortunately, we expect market demand to be satisfied in a couple of days, and then we would talk about closing the hunt,” likely after less than 15 percent of the quota has been reached, he said. To the south, a solitary ship set off with 10 crew onboard last week from the Magdalen Islands, where former Beatle Paul McCartney led a seal hunt protest in 2006, in search of prey for Quebec eateries.

The rest of the island’s fleet remained docked, each ship too small to venture far beyond the Saint Lawrence seaway.

Denis Longuepee, president of the Magdalen Islands seal hunters association, said the steel-hulled 65-foot vessel Jean-Mathieu had already returned from Labrador coastal waters after nine days, with 2,200 seal carcasses. Rejean Vigneau, a sealer and owner of a Magdalen Island butcher shop that specializes in seal meat, said their harvest was disappointing — half of what he had hoped for.

“Normally, we never go hunting for

AFP/Getty Images/File/Joe Raedle

File picture shows a Harp seal pup on an ice floe in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. A lack of sea ice in one of the warmest Canadian winters on record and a European boycott have ruined what was to be a banner seal hunt off Canada’s Atlantic coast this month, according to officials and sealers.

seal meat,” he commented. “We hunt for pelts and also bring back the meat. But there’s no market for seal pelts this year.”

Except for NuTan, all of Canada’s seasonal seal processing companies have been shuttered, forcing the Jean-Mathieu crew to “throw pelts back in the water.” “It’s a disaster, really unthinkable,” Vigneau said.

“It’s the first time ever that this has happened.” Longuepee told AFP that there remained “a lot of demand for seal meat” as a delicacy, triple what it was last year and growing, but fisheries officials insist the market for the meat is still relatively small. To try to boost demand, Canada’s Fur Institute is expected to soon launch a seal cookbook originally published by the Eu-

ropean Union, ironically three years before EU states voted in 2009 to ban the marketing of seal products from 2010 onwards. In Ottawa, efforts are now underway to try to open up new markets for seal pelts in Asia while the EU ban — called for by animal rights groups — is being challenged at the World Trade Organization.

Twitter in no hurry to show ads beyond search Associated Press Writer

SAN FRANCISCO – Twitter cofounder Biz Stone is confident people will love seeing interesting ads amid the rest of the chatter on his company’s Internet communications service. But he and the rest of Twitter’s management team aren’t in any rush to prove it after waiting four years to usher in advertising.

The ads may be confined to Twitter.com’s search results for several more months while the company evaluates what kinds of commercial messages seem to be working, Stone said during an interview Wednesday at Twitter’s first major conference for software developers. “We are not fretting over whether people are going to hate us” for deciding to show ads, Stone said. “Because we have

AFP/File/Loic Venance

Front page of Twitter in 2009. Twitter has more than 105 million registered users and the hot micro-blogging service is adding 300,000 new accounts a day, co-founder Biz Stone said Wednesday.

taken such a thoughtful approach, we think people are going to embrace them and like them.”

Dick Costolo, Twitter’s chief operating officer, also declined to provide a precise timeline for distributing the ads more widely, but said the expansion would occur by the end of the year. Twitter can afford to take its time testing the ads, dubbed “promoted tweets,” because Stone said the privately held company is already collecting revenue from licensing deals reached with Google Inc., Microsoft Corp., and Yahoo Inc. during the last six months. Stone declined to discuss the terms of the deals, which have made it easier for Google, Microsoft and Yahoo to index Twitter posts in their own search engines. He said Twitter is “making money” from the contracts, but he didn’t specify whether that means the company is earning a profit under the accounting rules governing publicly held companies.

The $155 million that Twitter has raised from venture capitalists and other investors provides the company with an additional cushion to pay its 175 employees and cover its other expenses. Twitter still has a big chunk of its investors’ cash in the bank, Stone said, without providing specifics. All of this means Twitter

also isn’t likely to sell its stock in an initial public offering this year. “We don’t have to knock it out of the park and start reporting earnings any time soon,” Stone said.

When Twitter finally unveiled its plan to sell ads Tuesday, it came as a huge relief to the company’s leaders after they had read and heard so much skepticism about their ability to capitalize on a service that has attracted tens of millions of new users in the past two years. It was a little frustrating,” Stone said. “So, it’s fun to be able to say we finally have a plan.” Twitter CEO Evan Williams, also a company co-founder, echoed that sentiment in his opening remarks Wednesday. “We are out of chaos to some degree,” he said. “It feels good.”

The early stages of Twitter’s business plan call for a small group of test advertisers to buy the right to have their commercial messages featured in search results when a request touches upon a topic tied to a product or service they’re selling. The promoted tweets will be limited to 140 characters like all other posts on Twitter and will have to draw a reaction from the service’s users or the ads will be quickly pulled. The initial advertisers include Virgin America, Best Buy Co., Sony Pictures and Starbucks Corp., with others likely to be added

fairly soon, Stone said. Eventually, Twitter plans to serve up ads on outside applications that connect to Twitter’s service. When that happens it, the ads will be exposed to a much larger audience because most of its traffic comes from mobile phones and third-party programs, such as TweetDeck, that are installed on computers for easier access.

The owners of those programs will get half the revenue generated from the promoted tweets shown through the programs, Costolo said.

The ads could reach a huge audience. Twitter announced Wednesday that it’s processing about 600 million search requests each day worldwide, with all but a small fraction of the inquiries coming from outside applications. The company, which is based in San Francisco, revealed Wednesday that it has more than 105 million registered accounts worldwide, which includes people who have more than one identity on the service. Twitter thinks it can reach at least 500 million registered accounts. With about 300,000 new accounts opening each day, Twitter now distributes about 55 million tweets per day. That’s up from about 50 million daily tweets just two months ago.

14

Sport

Friday, April 16, 2010

International

Bulls get last playoff spot, Texas rematch set Associated Press Writer -

The Chicago Bulls are headed to the playoffs. The San Antonio Spurs are headed right back to Dallas. The last night of the NBA season gave Kevin Durant his first scoring title, and finally sorted out the Western Conference postseason race. The Bulls secured the remaining playoff spot, beating Charlotte 98-89 Wednesday to set up a first-round series against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Chicago finished a game ahead of Toronto, which owned the tiebreaker and would have advanced if the Bulls lost.

Chicago won its final three games, ignoring the distractions created Tuesday when a Yahoo!

Sports report surfaced that coach Vinny Del Negro and Bulls vice president of basketball operations John Paxson got into a physical altercation after a game last month “You know what I love about this team?” Chicago’s Joakim Noah said. “I feel that even when times were hard, we went on a 10-game losing streak, I feel like we never let down. We always believed in each other. To be in this position right now is a great feeling, and I feel it’s really deserving.”

The Mavericks’ 96-89 victory over the Spurs gave Dallas the No. 2 seed and dropped San Antonio to seventh, so the Texas rivals will meet in the postseason for the second straight year. The Mavs knocked off the Spurs last season. San Antonio showed no fear of a third matchup in five years, resting Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili on Wednesday.

“If they’re looking for us,” Dallas center Brendan Haywood said, “they’ll see us this weekend.” Only two playoff matchups, one in each conference, had been determined entering the final night of the regular season. The East was settled after victories by Chicago and Miami,

while the West went even longer.

Phoenix earned the No. 3 spot with its 100-86 victory in Utah. That gave the No. 4 seed and the Northwest Division title to Denver, with the Jazz falling to fifth. The Suns went 23-6 after the All-Star break and will face the sixth-seeded Portland Trail Blazers. “It was a great way to finish the regular season — for a team that was picked by many to be on the outside looking into the playoffs or at the bottom of the playoff list,” Suns guard Steve Nash said. “To finish third in the West is rewarding. And most importantly we’re playing well and heading into the playoffs fairly good.”

Murray out as Nadal makes winning clay return Agence France - Presse

MONTE CARLO – Andy Murray admitted on Wednesday that he never found his game after crashing out in his opening match at the Monte Carlo Masters, a 6-2, 6-1 victim of German Philip Kohlschreiber. Defeat marked the first time since spring 2006 that the Scottish third seed had lost three straight matches.

Four years ago, the 23-year-old was beaten in the Indian Wells second round and then suffered firstround disappointment in Miami and Monte Carlo. The last time he managed to win just three games in a match, meanwhile, was in the 2009 Indian Wells final, when he went down to Rafael Nadal 6-1, 6-2. “I wasn’t very good today,” said the two-time Grand Slam finalist. “It’s the first time in a few years that the court felt so small.

“I felt fine mentally. I felt I had the nerves back, I was nervous before the match. I just couldn’t find the court. When it’s like that, it’s kind of difficult to play.” A year ago, Murray produced the best clay form of his career with a Monte Carlo semi-final against Nadal. The Spanish powerhouse earlier won his 28th consecutive match at the event as he began his 2010 clay quest with a 6-1, 6-0 hammering of Thiemo de Bakker.

Four-time French Open winner Nadal is bidding for history and a

(AFP/Valery Hache)

British Andy Murray, seen here leaving a post-match press conference, admitted on Wednesday that he never found his game after crashing out in his opening match at the Monte Carlo Masters, a 6-2, 6-1 victim of German Philip Kohlschreiber. sixth straight title at the picturesque Country Club overlooking the Mediterranean. His rout of his 21-year-old Dutch opponent in 59 minutes kept his record in the principality spotless since a defeat in the 2003 third round against Argentine Guillermo Coria (he did not play in 2004). Top seed Novak Djokovic quickly made it into the third round with a 6-2, 6-3 defeat of France’s Florent Serra.

“Generally I have to be happy because it’s the first claycourt match — not including Davis Cup — since Roland Garros last year,” said the

Serbian. “There are still some things that can be better, like serve and maybe some movement. I’m sure it’s going to be better tomorrow.” Two-time winner Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain showcased his pedigree on a brilliantly sunny if chilly day by stopping German Benjamin Becker 6-3, 6-4.

Ferrero, 30 and a champion in 2002 and 2003, has been in top form on clay this season, winning two titles and reaching a final in the space of three February weeks. Spain’s 11thseeded David Ferrer defeated Andrey Golubev of Kazakhstan 6-3, 6-2 while number 12 seed Tommy Robredo made it a hat-trick on the day for Spain with his 6-4, 6-3 win over Serb Viktor Troicki, 6-4, 6-3. Murray said he went into his match mentally clear and ready to play, only to find that he could not get comfortable.

“I tried a few different things, I tried serve and volleying a couple of times,” he said. “I tried hitting some high balls. Didn’t really make a whole lot of difference. I couldn’t get the ball in the court.”

Second seed Nadal, whose run of triumph at the French Open after four straight titles was ended last year by Swede Robin Soderling, is quietly trying to put his game right after months of knee trouble and other interruptions.

His last trophy came against Djokovic in the Rome final 11 months ago. The formbook on clay is definitely in the Spaniard’s favour, however, with Nadal now standing 30-1 at the event, for the loss of just five sets.

(AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Chicago Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro watches as his team plays the Charlotte Bobcats in the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, April 14, 2010, in Charlotte, N.C. Chicago won 98-89.

Wozniacki advances in Charleston amid rash of retirements Agence France - Presse

CHARLESTON, South Carolina – Top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki, coming off a triumph at Ponte Vedra Beach on Sunday, held off Czech Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, 6-4, 6-1, in her Family Circle Cup opener. Wozniacki was down a break and trailing 3-4 in the opening set, but broke back to level the frame. The world number two from Denmark then held serve in a game that went to deuce three times, and broke again to pocket the set.

“She got a lot of balls back, and I just needed to find my game and find a way how to beat her, and once I did that, I won a lot of points and I won the games,” Wozniacki said. Wozniacki next plays 16th-seeded Patty Schnyder of Switzerland, a 6-3, 6-1 winner over Michelle Larcher De Brito of Portugal.

Three players retired from their secondround matches on Wednesday, including fifth-seeded Marion Bartoli of France. Bartoli had taken the first set from China’s Peng Shuai, but called it quits because of illness with Peng leading 2-6, 7-6 (7/2), 4-3.

Bartoli was pale and holding her stomach and head during a changeover about 2 hours, 20 minutes into the match. Tour spokeswoman Mary Jane Orman said Bartoli felt fine entering the match but suffered stomach pains and dizziness as it progressed. Third-seeded Victoria Azarenka of Belarus and Ayumi Morita of Japan also retired.

Azarenka, the world No. 9, retired with a pulled left hamstring while leading qualifier Christina McHale 6-2, 2-2.

Morita retired with a thigh strain while trailing Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia 6-4, 2-0.

Azarenka, who had ice taped around her leg, said she was injured last week in Marbella. “It’s not that bad, but I hoped that it’s probably got better, you know, and healed,” she said. “It obviously didn’t today, but you know, I just need to keep rehabbing it.” Sixthseeded Nadia Petrova of Russia advanced, defeating American Vania King 6-2, 6-1, while 10th-seeded Elena Vesnina of Russia advanced with a 75, 6-2 victory over Sofia Arvidsson of Sweden.

(AFP/Gabriel Bouys)

Top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki, coming off a triumph at Ponte Vedra Beach on Sunday, held off Czech Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, 6-4, 6-1, in her Family Circle Cup opener.

Sport

International

Friday, April 16, 2010

15

Spurs shatter Arsenal’s title dreams Agence France - Presse

(AFP/Lluis Gene)

Barcelona’s forward Pedro Rodriguez celebrates after scoring gainst Deportivo Coruna during their Spanish League football match at Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona. Barca won 3-0.

Brilliant Barca crush Depor to go six clear in Spanish league Agence France - Presse

MADRID – Barcelona followed up their impressive win over Real Madrid five nights ago with a convincing 3-0 home win over Deportivo La Coruna on Wednesday to go six points clear of Real at La Liga summit. After scoring against Real, winger Pedro Rodriguez was on the scoresheet again with a fantastic second half strike from 45 yards out in the pick of the goals after Bojan Krkic had opened the scoring on the quarter hour mark.

Yaya Toure netted the other goal in a comfortable night for the champions.

It was a seventh successive league win for Barca who are six points clear with six games left although Real Madrid can close back to within three points with a win at Almeria on Thursday.

Barca coach Pep Guardiola called for his team not to drop their standards following the dazzling display in the 2-0 ‘El Clasico’ win over Real and the treble winners ran Depor ragged to warm up for Saturday’s derby with Espanyol.

There was again no sign of veteran French forward Thierry Henry, who played no part in ‘El Clasico’ win, in the Barca lineup with teenager Bojan starting while Ivory Coast midfielder Toure came in for Seydou Keita.

Pedro hit the post from close range in the ninth minute and it was a sign of things to come. On

the quarter hour mark Xavi, who set up both goals in the Real win, slid a clever pass to Bojan who produced a cool finish to give the hosts the lead, Goalkeeper Daniel Aranzubia then produced a fine save from Jeffren Suarez who had collected a terrific pass from Lionel Messi. Dani Alves saw an acrobatic overhead kick come back off the crossbar as Barca could have been 4-0 up inside the first 20 minutes.

Depor, with one point from the last 15, were packing the midfield allowing Alves a lot of space to roam into and the Brazilian was wreaking havoc with his crosses.

Barca were not as formidable in the second half but Pedro got the second goal the hosts craved on 68 minutes. Aranzubia came out to clear a long ball and his mis-kick fell to Pedro and the 22-year-old had no hesitation in going straight for goal and his 45 yard effort looped in. Four minutes later Barca struck again with Toure showing good control before dispatching a shot into the bottom corner. Champions League hopefuls Real Mallorca moved a point above Sevilla into fourth with a 1-1 draw at Real Zaragoza on Wednesday although the islanders will see it as a missed opportunity to turn the screw on their rivals.

Sevilla lost 2-1 at Valladolid on Tuesday but Mallorca, surprise challengers for the top four, could not punish the slip-up as their dismal away form continues to

hinder their push for fourth. “We had to get points to move above Sevilla and we managed to do that,” said Mallorca coach Gregorio Manzano. “It is one game less and on Sunday we will defend fourth against Osasuna.”

Defender Ruben Rocha put Mallorca into a 13th minute lead but Humberto Suazo equalised on 21 minutes. Mallorca have just two wins on their travels all season - the same as bottom side Xerez - compared to 13 victories from 15 games at home.

Malaga are one of those and twice came from behind to draw 2-2 at Osasuna on Wednesday as they hover three points above the drop zone. Malaga lie three points above Tenerife and four ahead of Valladolid who both won on Tuesday to close in. Bottom side Xerez have clearly not waved the white flag in the relegation dog-fight stunning Atletico Madrid with a 21 win at the Vicente Calderon on Wednesday. Emiliano Armenteros had a free header to bag the winner on 72 minutes for only their second away win of the season.

Xerez are six points from safety with six games left while Atletico are eight points off the top six although they have a Kings Cup final and Europa League semi-final to look forward to. Elsewhere Racing Santander took a giant stride towards safety with a 3-1 home victory over Espanyol to move six points clear of the relegation zone.

LONDON (AFP) – Arsene Wenger conceded Arsenal’s Premier League title dreams had been shattered by their 2-1 defeat to north London rivals Tottenham.

Wednesday’s loss at White Hart Lane leaves Wenger’s side six points adrift of leaders Chelsea with just four games remaining and while the Gunners manager insists his team will not give up the fight, he accepts that realistically their chance has gone.

Having clawed their way back into contention on several occasions during the season, Wenger believes his young side’s lack of maturity ultimately cost them dearly against the top teams. “We lost a game we couldn’t afford to lose in the title race and that shows we are not mature enough,” he said. “If you want to win the title this is the kind of game you can’t lose. There is too much to do to win the title. We are very unlikely to win it, but we will continue to fight; you never know.

Even a point would not have been good enough.”

Goals from teenage winger Danny Rose, whose stunning first half volley marked his Premier League debut in style, and Gareth Bale secured Tottenham’s victory, while Nicklas Bendtner’s 85th minute strike came too late to spark an Arsenal comeback. Wenger could take heart from the impressive performance of Holland forward Robin van Persie, who returned as a second half substitute after a five month lay off with ankle ligament trouble.

But seeing his side’s title hopes killed off by their first league defeat to Tottenham since 1999 was hard for Wenger to take.

“Van Persie has not kicked a ball in five months in a team and you could see straight away that he gives

us something different and special,” he said. “Our bad luck is that in the final sprint we have many good players out and it is too much. In the first half we were 1-0 down and a bit unlucky because we never felt under threat. We had a lot of possession we could not turn into dangerous situations. Until Van Persie came on and transformed our game in the final third, today we had a lot of possession but were relatively inefficient because our passing was not quick enough.”

Wenger’s mood was not helped by seeing Thomas Vermaelen limp off with a calf strain and he admitted the Belgium defender will now be out for two to three weeks.

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp was thrilled with his side’s performance, which went some way to erasing the painful memories of the shock FA Cup semifinal defeat to Portsmouth on Sunday. This win moves Spurs to within one point of fourth placed Manchester City and Redknapp is convinced his team can still claim a place in next season’s Champions League.

“It’s about 11 years since we beat them in the league, so it was a great result on the back off a bad bounce that knocked us for six,” Redknapp said. “But we showed the great character and the lads have been fantastic all year. To play like that after Wembley was fantastic. We drew with Arsenal twice last year but I said to the players if we win we will be in with a chance of fourth spot. Manchester City have got a tough run-in. And Aston Villa have it all to do to catch us. We are in good shape with Liverpool. We could finish above them which no-one would have predicted at the start of the year.

We are bang in there. We have still got a lot to look forward to. We are still on track and we still have a good chance.”

(AFP/Ian Kington)

Tottenham Hotspurs Danny Rose (centre) celebrates scoring his goal against Arsenal with teammates Benoit Assou-Ekotto (left) and Tom Huddlestone during their Premier League match at White Hart Lane in London. Tottenham won 2-1.

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Friday, April 16, 2010

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

Sport

Kubica: Ferrari talk no distraction

Robert Kubica says he remains totally focused on achieving results with Renault this season and is not even thinking about talk of a future Ferrari switch. The Pole has been linked to a move to Ferrari in place of Felipe Massa from 2011, and while he did not rule out the possibility, Kubica insisted it was far from his mind at present.

Robert Kubica says he remains totally focused on achieving results with Renault this season and is not even thinking about talk of a future Ferrari switch

Schumacher insists title still possible MICHAEL Schumacher still believes that he can fight for the world championship this year, despite his team failing to match pacesetters Red Bull Racing, Ferrari and McLaren so far.

With his Mercedes GP team set to introduce a major revamp of its car for the next race in Spain, Schumacher believes that the development push by his outfit can still lift him into contention for the title.

When asked if he agreed with Fernando Alonso’s recent suggestion that he was still a championship contender, Schumacher said: “Indeed, yes I do.

“If you take the points system and you see that like Fernando, he had a retirement in Malaysia [and] for whatever reason it can happen to all of us.

“I had mine in Malaysia and at one point of the season it will hit the guys fighting for the championship. So if we have a quick enough development speed, there is no reason why we cannot fight for championship.

“It is such a long season ahead of us, it is so early, and we know how quick the rate of development

is. There is good potential to develop this car so no reason to think this season is over for Nico [Rosberg] or myself.”

Schumacher also insisted that he was not disappointed by his early season results, despite them failing to match the high expectations placed on him pre-season.

“In terms of results, they were not as great as some people expected and even myself I would have loved to have better results, but the competition is high,” he said.

“It is natural to not have the same positive feedback in the media, but I know what I have been doing, I know what has been going on and I have no reason to be disappointed. I still feel very happy and if other people don’t like it or not, that is their choice.”

Michael Schumacher

“There were already rumours last year about Ferrari, and there are rumours again this year,” he said.

“We will see. Up to now, the rumours have only been rumours.

I’ll keep working, and for now I’m concentrating on every single race and trying to do the best job possible for the team which I’m racing for.

It’s very, very clear for me that what will happen in the future doesn’t affect me now. I didn’t think for any second or any minute about next year or my future.”

Kubica said there was no reason why he could not fight for wins if he stayed with Renault, even though the team is not right at the front at present. “They beat them five years ago, so I don’t see any reason why not,” he said. “We have seen it in the past with Brawn - they were not the highest budget and not a so-called top team, but they won the championship.

Renault is also a good example.

When they were winning championships I don’t think they were the highest budget team or had the most resources. Of course resources can help and it makes life easier for everybody in the team. And when you have no money it’s very difficult. But the most

important thing is that we try to do the most we can with what we have.”

He also reiterated his satisfaction with the working atmosphere at Renault. “I think it’s very important for everybody to feel as good as possible,” Kubica said. “When you have good results, maybe you don’t care about the atmosphere much because you have a good car, but once your results are not as you are expecting, if you have a good atmosphere and are pushing in the same direction, you are able to get better much quicker and in a better way. I think this is what we are trying to do with Renault. Up to now, I’m happy, everybody seems quite happy with what we’re doing.

There are still things to solve and I hope we will solve them as quick as we can. It is not easy, but at least we are trying and that’s important.”

Kubica will wear a black armband on his overalls and carry a Polish flag on his headrest this weekend to pay his respects to the victims of last weekend’s plane crash in which Poland’s president and many senior politicians were killed.