Edisi 04 Juni 2010 | International Bali Post

16 Pages Number 105 2st Year

Six men to be locked up on 520-day ‘Mars mission’

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Friday, June 4, 2010

Japanese tourists visited Bali decrease 24%

Members of the Indonesian Islamist hardliners rally outside the US embassy in Jakarta on June 1, 2010 demanding the government cancel a visit to Jakarta this month by US President Barack Obama in protest at Israel’s bloody raid on a Gazabound aid convoy.

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Actor Dennis Hopper remembered at NM service

AFP PHOTO / ROMEO GACAD

Rising doubts over Obama Asia trip

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Agence France-Presse

WASHINGTON - The White House said Wednesday that President Barack Obama’s Indonesia and Australia trip this month was still on, despite speculation he may delay it again, this time over the BP oil spill.

The president had been due to travel to Indonesia, where he spent four years as a child, and Canberra and Sydney in March, but was forced to put the journey off, at a

WEATHER FORECAST

crucial moment of his successful push for health care reform.

The trip was expected to take place in the next few weeks, but the White House is facing questions

about whether Obama will choose to stay home and deal with fallout from the worst environmental disaster in US history.

Obama’s political handlers may judge that it would look bad for the president to head abroad while the oil disaster unfolds back home.

His deputy spokesman Bill Burton said the trip was still scheduled, but appeared to indicate some dis-

cussions may have taken place about cancelling it.

“Well, obviously, there’s a lot of reasons to take the trip,” Burton said aboard Air Force One as Obama headed for a speech on the economy in Pittsburgh.

“Regardless of any discussions that might have been had on that, as it stands the trip is still on schedule.”

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DENPASAR

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JAKARTA

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Performing the world purifying rituals

BANDUNG

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Denpasar (Bali Post) -

YOGYAKARTA

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SURABAYA

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32nd annual BAF parade

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The opening parade of the 32 annual Bali Art Festival (BAF) which will be held on Saturday, June 12th 2010 will take the similar route with the previous year. However, the main stage which was placed in front of Banjar Kayu Mas Kaja, will be put in front of Jayasabha

building.

The parade will start in front of Jayasabha building and finish in front of Banjar Bengkel, just next to Art Center Denpasar. The opening ceremony will be officially opened by the placing of Kayonan or special flowers by Bali’s Governor, Made Mangku Pastika.

Continued on page 6

Workers preparing the mini stages at Bali’s Art Centre on Thursday, June 3, 2010. The stages will be use to exhibit art crafts during the 32nd Bali Art Festival which officialy opened on June 12, 2010.

IBP/Subrata

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International

Friday, June 4, 2010

Bali News Parents complain as students must bring laptop Negara (DenPost)—

IBP/doc

The picture show one of the house that will be rebuilt in Denpasar area

Sanur Gets 11 House Ration to be renovated

The obligation to bring a laptop for new students that will follow a series of matriculation at SMPN 1 Negara junior high school having the status as preliminary international standard school (RSBI) reaped some complaints from student parents.

Some parents whose children have passed academic selection tests in junior high school of SMPN 1 Negara that would follow the matriculation felt confused to attempt a laptop for their child. “I do not have a laptop, should I purchase or get it by credit? Now, it is difficult for me to borrow a laptop. It really does not matter for the haves, but how about the have-nots like us,” said one of the student’s parents, last Wednesday (Jun 2).

Meanwhile, another parent confessed that he would borrow his younger brother’s laptop for the child. “Thankfully, my younger brother has a laptop so that it can be borrowed for a while as I do not have enough money to buy.

My son said, if he does not bring a laptop he would not be able to follow the program and go to school,” said student’s parent who requested his name not to be mentioned on the newspaper.

Meanwhile, the Principal of SMPN 1

Mapadudusan Sangkara Agung ritual

At Pura Bukit Dharma – Durga Kutri Bali Post

Denpasar (Bali Post) -

Courses of instant house renovation belonging to poor families in Denpasar continues.

The programs that previously planned by the Office of Public Works is now handled by Spatial and Housing Agency (DTRP), and is still targeting the homes of poor families. In Sanur Village there have been 11 housing units owned poor families that will be dissected for repairs.

This certainty conveyed the Head of Housing Spatial Planning and Housing Department Denpasar City Dewa Made Wisnawa Wedaguna when socializing with residents in Sanur Village Chief Office, Wednesday (2 / 6) yesterday.

DTRP in this year’s plan will do as much instant home renovation 190 units of the fund in APBD 2010 have been budgeted for this. In fact, for multiply house dissected, DTRP also be filed in the Regional Budget housing, in order to improve another 160 housing units owned by the family poor.

Wisnawa Wedaguna said the meeting was conducted in an effort get input from the community who is also a material evaluation home previous surgery. Recipients of this assistance are according to Wedaguna poor families that have been proposed by the village head / head of environment, headman / village heads through the district. The proposal is tailored to home improvement kretria DTRP determined by the incoming data Denpasar 2008/2009 base RTM RTM and not receiving assistance in 2009. Before home im-

provement company would conduct a survey prior first. “The value of funds received by the RTM for USD 10 million,” said Wiguna.

From the results of the survey was conducted by the builders next job adjusted under the command of the foreman who view pictures and RAB. “We homeowners expect to do by mutual cooperation, thus minimize the cost of a tradesman, “says Wiguna.

Also at the home improvement Wedaguna also expect no changes in the proposed type of improvement, because at the time of the survey have prioritized each other’s needs, which is adjusted with these grants. If there is additional work associated with work is carried out so that homeowner could get funds for job referred.

IB Alit Surya Chief of Sanur Village and I Made Dana Chief of Western Sanur Village Denpasar municipal government said the program is very good. However, in control of construction, it needs to be more supervised. The home improvement results RTM will be able to improve environmental quality and environmental situation a healthier and truly livable. ‘’We expect these programs to continue in a sustainable manner, so that the community of poor households that have not entered the data base can be touched by this kind of program,” said Dana yesterday. (Kmb12)

Negara, Ketut Budiarsa, when asked for his confirmation last Wednesday denied if his party would require that all students should bring laptop to follow the matriculation. “In the announcement, we only expect,” he said.

According to him, the matriculation was an equlization of the material for children before becoming a permanent student. The subject of matriculation comprised the English, Mathematics, Science and IT. He added if the students did not have laptop or did not bring it, his party would direct them to computer lab. “But, if they all bring laptop, it will be easier for students to understand about the concept, as a result, their understanding will be equal, too. And if they have a laptop we expect they could use it properly,” said Budiarsa accompanied by another teacher, Kawit Samadhi.

Matriculation will take place from June 14 to 26 that will be attended by 192 new students. According to Budiarsa, the program was from the central education agency intended for RSBI schools. For the acceptance of new students at SMPN 1 Negara, he limited the maximum number of student in each class was only 32 so the learning process could be maximal. (021)

GIANYAR - Durga Kutri located at Kutri Hamlet, Buruan Village, Blahbatuh Subdistrict, Gianyar, an old temple in Bali, will shortly organize a series of rituals consisting of Karya Memungkah, Mupuk Pedagingan, Mapadudusan Sangkara Agung on the upcoming June 26, 2010. These grandiose rituals are held after the previous one carried out nearly a hundred years ago.

Pura Bukit Dharma temple - Durga Kutri is the worshipping place of Ida Sanghyang Widhi Wasa (Supreme God) as a ruler of the universe in the form of Shiva symbolized through the Durga Mahesamardini sanctified effigy. According to Markandeya Purana due to her superiority to destroy the powerful Mahesasura demon she was hereinafter referred to as Durga Mahesa Mardini. The temple established during the reign of Warmadewa Dynasty in Bali in Caka 835 (AD 1264) or Caka 913 (AD 1343), served as the center of worship for the subjects under the administration of descendants of Warmadewa dynasty.

After the rule of Warmadewa Dynasty, the foundation of social and religious life known as Tri Hita Karana concept turned more and more faded in keeping with the passage of time. In fact, the existence of Pura Bukit Dharma temple—Durga Kutri is inseparable from the presence of village temple and shrines (clan temple), which

until now remains to be made into a sanctum to worship Hyang Widhi by Hindu community in Bali.

In terms of its status, Pura Bukit Dharma temple—Durga Kutri belongs to kahyangan jagat or universal temple. However, if viewed from the revered deity, it is categorized into Pura Sad Kahyangan glorifying Hyang Widi Wasa with the greatness in the manifestation as Supreme Shiva or Shiva Shankar. Accordingly, the grandiose mapadudusan ritual carried out is dedicated to Shiva Shankar.

According to Chairman of Organizing Committee, Wayan Nuraga, last Wednesday (Jun 2), said the Pura Bukit Dharma temple all this time was supported by Kutri villagers amounting to 85 families. All the preparatory works of the ritual had been worked on since 1.5 months ago. Implementation of the ritual procession was commenced by pecaruan pengruak (initial exorcism) on June 5 and resumed with Mamungkah, Mupuk Pedagingan and Mapadudusan Sangkara Agung. It was based on the results of the Gianyar high priest meeting held on last November 24, 2009, where among others, advising to execute the Mapedagingan ritual at least within 30 years. Meanwhile, based on the records of their elders where the eldest reaching the age of 96 years told his party had never held such a ritual at the temple. (kmb16)

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Bali News

International

Friday, June 4, 2010

Lands underwent conversion Klungkung hard to meet food availability

A temple at Muncan was burglarized by thief before its anniversary

Bali Post

Bali Post

SEMARAPURA - Klungkung Regency is very difficult to meet the food availability for maintaining the stable regional food security. Moreover, many lands underwent land conversion and plant conversion. It is ensured it would further reduce the food production resulting in diminished food availability.

AMPLAPURA - Burglary cases of pratima or sacred effigy theft relapsed again in Karangasem. An effigy storing tower at Pura Bukit Panti temple, Muncan, Selat, Karangasem, last Wednesday (Jun 2) morning, was burglarized by a thief. Shortly, at the temple would be held anniversary and supporting devotees already made preparations for that.

This matter was justified by temple priest Jero Mangku Jenar, 50, at the local temple who first knew that the temple had been disordered by freebooter last Wednesday. Mangku Jenar and a number of supporting devotees at the morning at around 7:00 am Local Time would like to have clean up service on the courtyard.

The priest admitted to be shocked when finding the doors of storing building had already opened, while the chain of padlock has damaged.

Having been checked, the sacred paraphernalia and the valuables had been taken away by freebooter. Missing items included a box used to keep panca datu (five kinds of metal/gem), where the contents were white gem, sacred effigy in the form of Rambut Sedana made from perforated coins and brass holy bell.

Economically, the loss was approximately estimated to reach IDR 8.5 million. “However, the loss is priceless because the missing of sacred paraphernalia is in the form of pratima or sacred effigy,” said Jero Mangku Jenar.

Such burglary case was then reported to Headquarters of

“Yes, Klungkung is indeed very difficult to meet food availability as one of the aspects of food security by self-production,’” said the Head of Klungkung Food Security and Development Agency (KKPP), Ida Kade Arga, last Wednesday (Jun 2).

According to Ida Kade Arga, food security was affected by three important aspects. Other than food availability, two other aspects were distribution and consumption aspect. In relation to this matter, based on the data of 2009, the food availability derived from rice in Klungkung was only 21,441 tons.

Meanwhile, the need of rice reached 23.265 tons per year, while in terms of estimated consumption was 118 kg/person/year. That means, Klungkung lacked for 1.825 tons of

rice supply. “However, Klungkung can not be categorized into food insecurity because it has other food sources producing carbohydrates such as cassava, maize and others.

Even, for carbohydrate sources other than rice, Klungkung can be said to be surplus,” he added. Not only that, he said, food security in Klungkung Regency was said to be safe and under control because the distribution aspect was also very smooth.

Ida Kade Arga mentioned, the shortage of food availability from the results of production (especially rice—ed) was caused by the fact that Klungkung had to meet the requirement of rice for residents in the Nusa Penida Subdistrict.

Meanwhile, Nusa Penida itself did not produce rice at all.

“However, we continue attempt-

ing in order Klungkung will not until experience food insecurity. Especially for Nusa Penida, within the year 2010, we have designed the construction of three units of rice granary,” he added while mentioning, the three units of granary would be established at the village of Bunga Mekar, Sekartaji and Batu Kandik.

Its physical development would be financed by central government through a special allocation fund (DAK). Meanwhile, its content had to be provided by Klungkung Regency Government that would be proposed through 2011 Klungkung Regional Budget. “At least, we expect the government could allocate a fund worth IDR 25 million per unit for the content of such food supply,” he said. (kmb20)

Pujawali Ceremony at Masceti Temple Gianyar (Bali Post) -

Coinciding with Anggarkasih Madangsia (special Tuesday in Balinese Calendar), a pujawali ceremony is held at Masceti Temple, Medahan Village, Blahbatuh District, Gianyar.

Hindu prayers from various regions have since been coming to this ceremonial celebration to bring offerings and worship. The ceremony will continue for four days and will be ended on the Friday (4 / 6) to come, said Jero Mangku Masceti Temple interrupted during the cer-

emony.

Masceti Temple is one of the temples widely worshipped (Pura Jagat Goda) by people of Bali, which has to do with the story of Dhang Hyang Dwijendra’s trail tread while on the island of Bali at the time of the Kingdom of Dalem Waturenggong around XIII century.

Masceti which became Pura Jagat Goda also existed as Swagina Temple (profession). As Swagina Temple, Pura Masceti closely related with the temple functioned for the farmers to pray for land safety their

agriculture from all miserable (illness). So the caretaker of the temple until now is a citizen of Subak.

Pujawali is held on Anggarkasih Medangsia, regularly every six months according to the Balinese calendar. The temple is located by the beach where stana masceti of Lord Vishnu is supposed to be standing with his magic in order to beg the goddess Sri’s prosperity. In addition, Pura Masceti is also known as a temple to seek supernatural power for aspirant of spiritual knowledge. (Kmb16)

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Selat Police by one of the supporting devotees, I Ketut Darmadi, 44.

Meanwhile, Chief of Selat Police I Wayan Merta confirmed that his party had received a report of the victim. Immediately, the police came to location of the crime scene for making an investigation.

However, up to last Wednesday the thief ruffling the temple could not be captured. Jero Mangku Jenar estimated the thieves entered into the temple at around 3:00 am.

At previous night, he and a number supporting devotees were still working for devotional services preparing the oblation and everything for the temple anniversary until about 01:00 am.

In the previous month, a temple at Pesaban, Rendang, was also reported to have been broken by a thief that could not have been successfully captured until now. Meanwhile, several years ago dozens of temples in Karangasem and even until outside Karangasem were burglarized by thieves as well. Teens of the rings of thieves had been confined by police and sentenced to imprisonment of six months to six years depending on their role.

Among them, there were some unscrupulous members of the Army being a receiver of those sacred objects as the results of theft both in the house of higher priest (pedanda) and in temples targeting sacred objects such as pratima. Perpetrators had been fired and some others had been expelled from their village until now.

Several years after the temple freebooters were confined by police, the temples were secure from theft cases.

However, similar cases occurred again lately, not only in Karangasem, but also in Denpasar. (013)

Revenue of cigarette excise tax in the midst of tobacco farmer sluggishness Acquisition of cigarette excise tax for the tobacco producing regions, where Gianyar Regency is of one of them, becomes relieving news for tobacco farmers. Shared revenue of cigarette excise tax for the first time is expected to encourage the cultivation of tobacco in Gianyar Regency.

Such a hope is not without a reason considering the condition of current tobacco cultivation in Gianyar has decreased quite dramatically.

A number of areas that usually cultivate tobacco such as Temesi, Tulikup and some other areas in Gianyar have gradually reduced. Tobacco cultivation only remains to exist at the area of Subak Cengceng. However, the recent incessant rains continuing to occur have stirred up the farmers. Tobacco they have planted was damaged due to excessive water causing their stems to rot. Last Wednesday (Jun 2), one of the tobacco farmers from Gelumpang Hamlet, Sukawati, IB Sutayasa, recog-

nized to suffer from great loss on account of the wet season.

Not so long ago, he planted tobacco by hiring of six workers, but now his tobacco had been damaged by rain.

Apart from the problems of water, with the rainy season as this month farmers found difficulty to dry up the harvested leaves. Management of the dried tobacco that usually took three months, due to rainy season it would take longer time up to four to five months to make it ready to sell. In addition, its

marketing was not flourishing, either. “These conditions are causing many farmers to switch to other plant cultivation,” explained his colleague who is a sharecropping tobacco farmer, Nyoman Gadir.

In response to such condition of tobacco farmers, the presence of profit sharing of the cigarette excise tax for tobacco cultivation was expected to help stimulate farmers to re-cultivate their tobacco. The cigarette excise tax amounting to 20 percent of the IDR 8.125 billion earned by Bali

this year could indeed be utilized for the preservation of tobacco cultivation. The funds should be delivered properly because on the one hand, tobacco farmers remained to encounter some difficulties.

In the meantime, the acquisition of cigarette excise tax this year is in contrary to the sluggish condition of tobacco farmers. On that account, the sharing revenue is expected to be more beneficial for farmers, chiefly in providing coaching and encouraging the tobacco cultivation in Gianyar Regency. (dar)

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News

Friday, June 4, 2010

International

Gaza aid activists accuse Israel of indiscriminate killings Agence France-Presse

ISTANBUL - Hundreds of Turkish activists from the Gaza aid flotilla attacked by Israeli commandos returned home to a heroes’ welcome Thursday and their leaders accused Israel of carrying out indiscriminate killings.

Organisers of the aid fleet also said the toll of nine dead given by Israel was too low. Facing major protests over Monday’s raid, Israel meanwhile rejected a UN Human Rights Council move to set up an international inquiry into the raid.

About 1,000 people, some chanting anti-Israeli slogans, packed Istanbul airport in the middle of the night to greet planes that brought back 466 activists and nine bodies from Israel.

Another plane carrying 31 Greek activists three French nationals and an American flew into Athens.

The dead were eight Turks and a US national of Turkish origin, Anatolia news agency reported. It quoted forensic experts as saying all had been shot.

Bulent Yildirim, head of the Islamic charity which spearheaded the

campaign to break the Gaza blockade, charged that Israeli soldiers had killed activists indiscriminately when they stormed the Mavi Marmara.

All the dead were on the the Turkish ferry which led six ships trying to get aid to the besieged Palestinian enclave.

Yildirim highlighted the death of one journalist on the ship named Cevdet. “He was just taking pictures.

He was shot at from no more than a metre and his brain exploded ... one of our friends was shot even after he had surrendered,” Yildirim, who heads the Foundation of Humanitarian Relief (IHH), told reporters at Istanbul airport.

“They killed whoever they laid hands on. They even threw some of our friends into the sea.”

Yildirim said the activists at-

tacked the Israeli forces with iron bars “in self defence”, adding that they also seized the soldiers’ weapons but threw them in the sea rather than using them.

Israel has said the commandos opened fire after they came under attack. Sydney Morning Herald journalist Paul McGeough told his newspaper from Turkey that Israeli commando boats had circled the flotilla like “hyenas hunting animals in the night” before his colleague was shot with a stun gun.

Yildirim said the death toll was higher than announced. “We were given the bodies of nine martyrs, but we have a longer list. There are missing people. Our doctors handed over 38 injured, on our return they (the Israelis) said there were only 21 injured.”

He vowed to organize bigger convoys if Israel does not end its blockade of Gaza, which is ruled by the Islamist movement Hamas.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said officials were drawing up lists to verify that all the activists were deported and vowed to

hold Israel to account.

The returning activists included between 50 and 55 foreigners.

Three other planes brought 19 wounded activists to Ankara. A prosecutor was to question them for accounts of the bloody raid.

Turkey’s ambassador to Israel, Oguz Celikkol, who was recalled after Monday’s raid, also returned to Turkey Thursday, Anatolia news agency said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the activists as “violent supporters of terrorism”, charging that Israeli forces were “stabbed, they were clubbed, they were fired upon” as they stormed the boat.

“This was not a love boat. This was a hate boat. These weren’t pacifists. These weren’t peace activists,” he said.

The UN Human Rights Council said Wednesday it would set up an independent international probe into Israel’s interception of the ships.

Israel rejected the move. “The authority of this council, which once again is working stubbornly against

Israel, has reached rock bottom,” said foreign ministry spokesman Ygal Palmor.

Organisers say another ship is heading towards Gaza despite the risk of more violence.

The Rachel Corrie, carrying building supplies along with Irish and Malaysian activists, is in the Mediterranean. Organizers say it could arrive off Gaza on Saturday.

Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin urged Israel to let the ship through, while UN chief Ban Kimoon renewed his call for Israel to lift its Gaza blockade.

The UN secretary-general also said Israel should provide a “full and detailed account” of the commando raid. Israeli officials said 682 people from 42 countries were on the six ships that tried to break the blockade.

Seven activists wounded in the clashes remained in an Israeli hospital, an Israeli foreign ministry spokesman said. An Irishman and two women from Australia and Italy remained in Israel “for technical reasons,” he added, without elaborating.

Israel dismisses UN resolution Crime writer Mankell mulls for probe of commando raid halting Hebrew version of books Agence France-Presse

Agence France-Presse

JERUSALEM - Israel dismissed on Thursday a UN decision to set up a probe of the deadly raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla, saying the Human Rights Council that adopted the resolution had no moral authority whatsoever.

“The authority of this council, which once again is working stubbornly against Israel, has reached rock bottom,” said foreign ministry spokesman Ygal Palmor.

He pointed out that some of the resolution’s signatories, like “Djibouti, Pakistan, Cuba or Saudi Arabia, are in a bad position to present themselves as defenders of human rights which they violate massively,” he told AFP. On Wednesday, the UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution setting up an independent international probe into Israel’s interception in international waters of the six ships laden with aid and activists seeking to break the Gaza blockade.

The resolution condemned the “outrageous attack.”

The Geneva-based council is the same that had set up an independent probe, led by South African judge Richard Goldstone, into the devastating Gaza offensive Israel launched on December 27, 2008. Israel refused to cooperate with the Goldstone investigation, which concluded that both Israel and Palestinian militants committed war crimes during the 22-day conflict.

STOCKHOLM - Swedish crime writer Henning Mankell is considering prohibiting the translation of his popular books into Hebrew after the Israeli attack on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla, he said in an interview published Thursday.

“I am a best-selling author in Israel and I must consider seriously whether I should block my books from being translated to Hebrew,” the author of the popular Wallander series of detective novels told daily Dagens Nyheter.

“At the same time, I don’t want this to hurt the wrong people. I have to think this through,” he added.

Mankell was one of 11 Swedes who participated in the aid flotilla — consisting of six ships carrying 682 people from 42 countries — which was attacked

by Israeli commando soldiers early Monday leaving at least nine people dead.

The 62-year-old author, whose books about

world-weary detective Kurt Wallander have sold more than 25 million copies worldwide and have been adapted to film and television, said he was struggling to understand “the stupidity” of the Israeli attack.

“If they had wanted to stop us without losing face, they could have broken the propellers or the rudder and towed away the ships.

But to consciously go into a violent confrontation and kill people, I just don’t understand it,” Mankell said.

“Israel has never before been so condemned. Israel has painted itself into a corner. The world does not look the same as it did a week ago,” added the author.

Upon his return to Sweden late Tuesday, Mankell charged that “all the ships (in the flotilla) were hijacked, and this was really piracy.”

“What will happen next year when we come back with hundreds of boats? Will (Israel) fire a nuclear bomb?” he asked.

US senator cancels Myanmar trip on nuclear suspicions Agence France-Presse

BANGKOK - US Senator Jim Webb said he had cancelled a trip to military-ruled Myanmar on Thursday after reports alleging the junta is working with North Korea to develop a nuclear programme.

The Democratic lawmaker, who had been due in the capital

Naypyidaw late Thursday, said it would be “unwise and potentially counter-productive” from him to visit in light of recent suspicions.

“News reports published today contain new allegations regarding the possibility that the Burmese government has been working in conjunction with North Korea in order to develop a nuclear programme,” a statement from Webb said. Burma is

Myanmar’s former name.

Previous details about possible links between North Korea and Myanmar prompted the United States to express concerns, even as Washington has pursued a new policy of engagement with the junta.

Webb said it was “unclear whether these allegations have substantive merit,” but referred to re-

cent US accusations that Myanmar had violated a UN Security Council resolution with respect to a suspected arms shipment from North Korea.

“There are now two unresolved matters related to activities of serious concern between these two countries,” said Webb, who is currently in Bangkok.

“Until there is further clarification

on these matters, I believe it would be unwise and potentially counter-productive for me to visit Burma.”

Webb became the first senior US official to meet junta leader Than Shwe in August, when he won the release of American John Yettaw, who was jailed for swimming to detained democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi’s house.

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, June 4, 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, June 4, 2010

Gulf oil closes in on Florida, containment efforts hit snag Agence France-Presse

GRAND ISLE - The Gulf of Mexico oil slick closed in on Florida Thursday as US officials shut down fishing in a vast swathe of the region’s waters and efforts to contain the leak hit another snag.

After a string of failed attempts to cap the leak, BP is battling to contain the six-week-old spill, now the worst in US history, with robotic submarines working in cold waters a mile down (1,600 meters) on the sea bed.

Efforts were set back Wednesday when the saw being used to cut through the fractured riser pipe became stuck.

Although it was later freed, with the live video feed no longer showing the diamond wire saw stuck in the pipe, Coast Guard Commandant Thad Allen said it was unclear whether it could be used again.

US media reports said the latest plan was to use a giant shear to finish cutting the pipe, but this would mean a rougher cut.

“If we don’t get as clean a cut as we want, then we’ll put something called a top hat over it which is a little wider fitting, but you have an increased chance that some oil will come out around the sides,” Allen told reporters Wednesday.

Meanwhile, BP, whose stock plunged in value this week, was downgraded Thursday by ratings agency Fitch from “AA+” to “AA” because of the risks from the oil spill, which has cost the company a billion dollars so far.

The latest official projections from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) show the slick to be about seven

miles (11 kilometers) off Florida’s shores and officials warned its arrival on pristine tourist beaches is imminent.

Florida Governor Charlie Crist warned that forecasters “are projecting weathered oil from the leading edge could impact the Florida Panhandle as early as this week, possible in a day or two.”

“We are watchful, we are monitoring the situation, and we will do everything to protect our beautiful state,” he told a press conference, warning “thousands of tar balls” could be approaching the state.

Florida would be the fourth state hit by the oil since an April 20 explosion ripped through the Deepwater Horizon rig, 50 miles (80 kilometers) off the Louisiana coast, killing 11 workers.

More than 125 miles (200 kilometers) of Louisiana coast have been contaminated, triggering long-term fears for the region’s already endangered wildlife.

A University of Miami study meanwhile showed the oil slick’s surface area now stretches across 9,435 square miles (24,435 square kilometers) of the Gulf — triple the size of satellite imagery from May 1.

Experts warn also that the vast majority of the oil is contained in vast underwater plumes that cannot be measured by analyzing from above.

US officials closed more than a third of Gulf of Mexico waters, ex-

tending a fishing ban to 88,502 square miles (229,219 square kilometers) — about 37 percent of the Gulf’s federal waters.

The NOAA said the closures were precautionary “to ensure that seafood from the Gulf will remain safe for consumers,” but the most significant expansion of the closed fishing area included a zone off southwest Florida near Dry Tortugas islands.

The massive spill has frayed the nerves of local residents, who wonder if their lives will ever return to normal.

BP’s chief operating officer Doug Suttles acknowledged that until the cap is in place the flow of oil into the Gulf would likely increase by as much as 20 percent.

The US government, which has launched a criminal investigation into the disaster, has estimated the flow of oil before the riser was cut away at 12,000 to 19,000 barrels a day — meaning at least 20 million gallons have already poured into the Gulf since April.

As pressure mounted on BP and its stock price plummeted, the Coast Guard said BP has been ordered to cover the cost of constructing five additional barrier islands off the Louisiana coast to prevent oil from making landfall.

In London, the company said it would pay the estimated 360 million dollars required to build a total of six barrier islands.

Philippines, rebels in last talks under outgoing government Agence France-Presse

KUALA LUMPUR - The Philippines government and Muslim rebels Thursday pledged to continue working towards a peace deal as they ended a final round of talks under President Gloria Arroyo’s outgoing administration.

Negotiations with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the largest of the country’s Muslim rebel groups, will now resume efforts to end decades of conflict under the government of Benigno Aquino, who was elected in May. The two sides said at the conclusion of two-day talks in the Malaysian capital that they would press on with efforts to reach a political settlement.

“The parties met under an atmosphere of cordiality and candor, determined to continue engaging with each other... until they finally conclude and reach a comprehensive compact,”

they said in a joint statement.

The latest round of talks was aimed at bridging the two phases of negotiations, and cementing a commitment to proceed despite large-scale fighting in 2008 which temporarily derailed the process.

One diplomat involved with peace monitoring efforts in the troubled southern Philippines said the government had wanted the MILF to sign a statement “on the conclusion of talks between both sides” to give an impression of concrete progress before Arroyo steps down on June 30.

However, the MILF has said it will not sign any final peace agreement with Arroyo, preferring instead to wait for presumptive president Aquino to take his oath of office before moving forward.

“We had decided to downgrade our participation in the Malaysia talks this week, because it was only meant to allow Arroyo’s negotiators to officially end their negotiation with the MILF,”

the diplomat said.

“We were under the impression that the (Philippines government) had wanted to sneak in some provisions in the statement that could mislead the public into believing there was a ‘conclusion’ of talks between both sides, meaning some agreement had been reached,” he told AFP. “We have been told the MILF is waiting for the next president to sign a final agreement, although there are uncertainties as yet.”

Arroyo opened the peace talks in 2001 in an effort to end the bloody secessionist war in the restive but mineral-rich region of Mindanao where a long-running separatist rebellion has left more than 150,000 people dead.

The 2008 violence broke out after the Philippine Supreme Court outlawed a proposed deal that would have given the MILF control over large areas of the south that were claimed by the rebel group as its “ancestral domain”.

Six men to be locked up on 520-day ‘Mars mission’ Agence France-Presse

MOSCOW - Six men from Europe, Russia and China will on Thursday be voluntarily locked away in a module for almost one and a half years to simulate the effects of a mission to Mars.

An Italian, a Frenchman, three Russians and a Chinese man will spend the next 520 days in the 550 cubic metre isolation facility at a Moscow research institute when its hatch slams shut at 2:00 pm (1000 GMT).

Like in a real Mars mission, the crew will have to survive on limited food rations like those used by real astronauts and their only communication with the outside world will be by email, with a delay of up to 40 minutes.

The hatch will only re-open when the experiment is over or if one of the all-male participants is forced to pull out. Controversially, no women have been selected for the experiment, called Mars 500.

The volunteers, aged between 27 and 38, include a member of a real-life space programme and a civil engineer, though the scientists bristle at the idea that the experiment is an elaborate version of television’s “Big Brother”.

“It is not like ‘Big Brother’. We do not have surveillance, video cameras everywhere.

We hope there will be no fights or scandals,” said Jennifer Ngo-Anh, Mars 500 programme manager.

The volunteers will have their days in the module at the Russian Institute for Biomedical Problems (IBMP) divided into eight hours of sleep, eight hours of work and eight hours of leisure.

A team of three will spend one month aboard a special module meant to represent the Mars landing craft, while two will also spend time exploring a reconstruction of Mars itself.

Chinese member Wang Yue, 27, a candidate astronaut of China’s space programme, said: “It is just a simulation. It is not a matter of life and death, but I think it is very much more than that as it aims at the future of humanity.”

The idea is to exactly mimic the timescale of a Mars

mission — 250 days for the trip to Mars, 30 days on the surface and 240 days for the return journey, totalling 520 days.

“You cannot simulate everything. That is obvious,” said Christer Fuglesang, head of science at the directorate for human spaceflight for the European Space Agency, a co-organiser of the project with the IBMP. “The scare factor cannot be simulated. It’s true we don’t have this aspect they may not come back.”

But the message, at least, will still be clear if one of the participants decides to pull out. “The way it will be simulated is ‘bad luck, one of the crew members died’,” Fuglesang said.

The crew also conspicuously lacks women, meaning the experiment will not examine the possible sexual tensions that could arise on a trip to Mars for a mixedgender crew.

Yury Karash, a Russian space policy expert, said the gender composition of the crew would allow the participants to focus on their professional duties instead of unwittingly competing for attention of female crew members.

“It is better for the crew to be same-sex,” he said on Russian television. “No one has abolished the basic instinct yet.”

Their diet will be no different to that enjoyed by real-life astronauts on the International Space Station. The crew will be given all the food at the beginning of the experiment, forcing them to ration out their supplies.

The diet will include cereals, bread or pancakes for breakfast and soup, pasta and fish or meat dishes for main meals. Unlike real-life astronauts, the packaging will not have to account for zero gravity.

The ESA and the US space agency NASA have separately sketched dates in around three decades from now for a manned flight to Mars.

The project, the first fullduration simulated mission to Mars, follows a similar experiment in Moscow last year which saw six volunteers shut away for a mere 105 days.

International

Indonesia Today

Friday, June 4, 2010

7

Deputy likely to take helm of Indonesian central bank Agence France-Presse

JAKARTA - The deputy chief of Indonesia’s central bank is likely to be promoted to fill the long vacant position of chairman after receiving the nod from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Wednesday.

AFP PHOTO / ANDI MADUSILA / FILES

Free Aceh Movement (GAM) founder Hasan di Tiro waves as he arrived in Banda Aceh, on Indonesia’s Sumatra Island, on October 17, 2009. The founder of Aceh’s separatist rebel movement died on June 3, 2010 aged 85 after two weeks in an intensive care unit on Sumatra island, an official said.

Hasan Tiro passes away Antara

BANDA ACEH - Hasan Tiro (80), founder of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), passed away at Zainol Abidin Hospital, here, Thursday at 12.02 Western Indonesian Standard Time (WIB).

“Hasan Tiro died at 12.02 WIB,” Malek Mahmud, former official of GAM, said at the hospital, here, Thursday.

Before Tiro was declared dead, his close friends such as Malek Mahmud and Zaini Abdullah were called by the hospital’s doctor to the room where Tiro was being treated.

Dr Andalas of the hospital said Hasan Tiro’s condition had been deteriorating since Wednesday evening.

“The condition of Hasan Tiro was

deteriorating, his blood pressure was just 70/40 and thrombosis 20, 000,” Andalas said.

Tiro had been treated at the hospital’s intensive care unit over the past one week. He had been put on drips and had to undergo dialysis to neutralize chemical substances in his body.

Tiro, the founder of the separatist GAM came back to Aceh after living in self-exile for nearly 30 years in Sweden.

Following a deadly tsunami in Aceh late 2004, the Indonesian Government and GAM representatives had held peace talks facilitated by the Finland-based NGO Crisis Management Initiative led by former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari.

Both sides finally agreed to sign a peace accord on August 15, 2005.

Under the agreement, Aceh received special autonomy within the Republic of Indonesia.

Hasan Tiro just regain his Indonesian citizenship from the government.

Law and Human Rights Minister Patrialis Akbar said last Tuesday he had recently signed a document giving back Hasan Tiro his Indonesian citizenship.

The former Free Aceh Movement (GAM) leader had been a Swedish passport holder since he moved to Sweden in 1979 following the outbreak of hostilities between GAM and the government in Aceh.

Hasan had applied for the restoration of his Indonesian citizenship a few years ago and the President had responded positively to the request, Patrialis said.

President calls on media industry to maintain idealism Antara

JAKARTAakarta, June 3 (ANTARA) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has called on the media industry in Indonesia to maintain idealism instead of merely being a part of the power of capitalism.

The head of state made the call in his remarks at the 4th anniversary of the Jurnal Nasional newspaper and the launch of its new logo here on Thursday.

“In times like these, we definitely need a balance in our media industry,” the president said, adding that the media wielded a far- reaching influence on the community.

Realizing that the media had an important role as the 4th pillar of de-

mocracy, the head of state said he fully supported the freedom of the press.

“Let us support freedom of the press with full responsibility,” the president said.

He added that Indonesia in the reform era did not recognize muzzling, and therefore every media was expected to have its own sensor and to uphold the ethics of journalism.

The president said that with freedom of the press, freedom of speech would also be maintained as a reflection of democracy, because it was through media reports that the public would know the government’s performance.

Meanwhile, Communication and Information Minister Tifatul Sembiring said the media industry

had made a giant leap forward.

He said thanks to the media, Israel’s naval assault on a convoy carrying hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists through international waters had been disseminated throughout the world. Sembiring said freedom of the press in this democratic era was a must, although media information at times could have a shocking effect on the economic and political life.

He also criticized excessive reports on violence in Indonesia which had created the impression that the country was in worse conditions than ever before. Sembiring was also of the opinion that absolute freedom of the press would lead to a situation where the press held excessive or even tyrannical power.

Lawmakers said Yudhoyono had indicated that Bank Indonesia (BI) deputy governor Darmin Nasution would be his only nomination for the top post.

Nasution, 61, has been acting governor since May last year when Yudhoyono named former governor Boediono as his election running mate. Boediono became vice president after Yudhoyono was elected for a second term in July last year.

“The president has signed a letter to the House of Representatives asking its approval for the appointment of Darmin Nasution as BI governor,” lawmaker Achsanul Kosasih told reporters, according to state-run Antara news agency.

Under Nasution’s leadership the bank has tried to keep interest rates low to stimulate growth in Southeast Asia’s biggest economy. It has also intervened in the currency market to reduce volatility in the rupiah.

Nasution said earlier Wednesday that BI was not in monetary tightening “mode” despite data showing accelerating inflation, suggesting the policy rate would stay unchanged at 6.5 percent following a review on Thursday.

Indonesia expects growth of 5.5 percent this year but investor confidence was rattled last month when respected finance minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati quit amid a bitter political feud over the pace of reform.

Nasution’s nomination is likely to clear up one source of uncertainty but clouds continue to hang over the country’s central bank, which has a history of scandal and corruption.

New allegations emerged last month suggesting that Reserve Bank of Australia currency firms Securency International and Note Printing Australia had agreed to pay hefty bribes to win a lucrative BI contract in 1999.

Meanwhile anti-corruption investigators have accused dozens of lawmakers of taking bribes to approve the nomination of former central bank deputy governor Miranda Goeltom in 2004.

And former governor Burhanuddin Abdullah was released in March after serving two years in jail for his role in the embezzlement of around 10 million dollars in a central bank-affiliated foundation.

Elephants kill Bengkalis resident Antara

BENGKALIS - Suwanto (32), a plantation guard at Petani village, Mandau sub district, Bengkalis District, Riau Province, died after being attacked by a herd of elephants Wednesday evening.

Suwanto’s body was crushed under the feet of the giant animals, according to witnesses Thursday.

“At the time, we did not at all expect the elephants to become angry by our actions to drive them away,” Junaidi (40), a neighbor of Suwanto, said.

The villagers were panic stricken when the elephants turned back and attacked them.

“We all just ran to save our-

selves,” he said.

One hour after the incident, they found Suwanto’s body near a bush in horrible condition. They took the body to a nearby hospital and later buried him. The Sumatran elephant, the smallest of the Asian elephants, is facing serious pressures arising from illegal logging and associated habitat loss and fragmentation in Indonesia.

The island’s elephant population has come under increasing threat from rapid forest conversion to plantations. As forests shrink, elephants are increasingly closer to fields and cultivated land, generating conflict with humans that often result in the death of the elephants by poisoning or capture, as well as economic losses to humans.

8

Internationa

Friday, June 4, 2010

Bali Today Japanese tourists visited Bali decrease 24% Antara

Denpasar – The number of tourists from Japan visited Bali decreased 24% during January through April 2010 period. The number of Japanese tourists during those periods was 82,436 people, decreased compared to the same period last year which was 109,221 tourists.

Ida Komang Wisnu, said “the decreased was the worst in the past few years. That condition was because the economics crisis which happen in most of the countries in the world.”

He added that even tough the number decrease highly, the tourists from Japan still on the second on the list of the most tourists visited Bali after Australia. The tourists from Japan contribute 11% from the total number of tourists visited Bali during January through April 2010 period which was 748,685 tourists.

Wisnu said that most of the tourists from Japan were coming to Bali through air transportation and only three people were coming

through the sea. Most of the tourists were coming to see the unique culture and the beautiful scenery of Bali.

From the top ten lists of tourists visited Bali, five of them decreased and the other increased. The decreased was happening on the tourists from Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, France, and Russia.

While the increase happen on the tourists from Australia, Netherlands, Taiwan, China, and England.

A tourist is checking the goods in a store. The number of tourists from Japan decreased highly during January through April 2010 period.

IBP/doc

Batan: Nuclear can be used as electricity source Antara

DENPASAR – The head of National Nuclear Power Department (Batan), Hudi Hastowo, said that in the future, nuclear power will be used comprehensively as electric

source. “The use of nuclear is very high will be rerouted as the source of nuclear power plant,” he added.

During the “Meeting of The Asia Pacific Safeguards Network (APSN)”, he said that APSN is focusing on three different aspects, the

IBP/ist

first one is limiting the use of nuclear power in the world.

Second, forbidding the countries that already have nuclear weapon to reproduce it. Hudi said “it needs to be done because the use of nuclear is in worrying state. There are 23,000 nuclear warheads spread throughout the world. 22,000 of those warheads belong to US and Russia and the rest is belongs to several countries in Europe and Asia.”

For that reason, the reduction of nuclear weapon need to be done and the basic materials such as plutonium and uranium must be destroyed.

“However, it is not easy to destroy the uranium. The energy can be used as source of electricity,” Hudi added.

He said that Indonesia is not anti nuclear but the need of extra inspection and supervision during the practice.

The picture shows a nuclear power plant. The head of National Nuclear Power Department (Batan), Hudi Hastowo, said that in the future, nuclear power will be used comprehensively as electric source.

Minister calls for interprovincial govt operation Antara

DENPASAR – Home Affairs Minister Gamawan Fauzi here Thursday called for inter-provincial administration cooperation to optimize development of regional business potentials for the local people’s welfare.

“From such cooperation, it is expected that various obstacles in development programs for the people’s welfare can be overcome,” the minister said in his written statement read out by the home affairs ministry’s Director General for Regional Autonomy Soejuang Sitomorang at the Sanur resort here on Thursday.

The home affairs minister’s written statement was read out at the opening of Praja Utama X Governors Working Meeting attended by representatives of 10 provinces.

In his statement, the minister said by cooperating with each other provincial administrations would derive much mutual benefit.

Thereby, they would be able to achieve synergy to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their public services.

The home affairs minister added that the cooperation would enable the

provincial administrations to maximize their human resources potential management, transportation systems, irrigation systems, and other development aspects.

“If those potentials are optimally developed and managed well together for the people’s interest, it will yield even greater advantage,” the minister said.

He said Bali has a great advantage in the field of tourism and is expected to pave the way for the market from other provinces in the country.

The minister said that besides Bali, Lampung province also has potential advantage in agriculture sector that can be used optimally to penetrate overseas market.

He added that through such cooperation, it was expected to step up competitiveness both at national and international levels.

The Mitra Praja Utama X Governors Working Meeting lasted only in one day and was participated in by 300 regional representatives among others from West Java, Jakarta, East Java, West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara, Banten, Central Java, Yogyakarta, and Bali as host province.

al

Friday, June 4, 2010

Balinese Culture

Govt providing 100 trillion rupiah for small business Antara

DENPASAR – The government has set a target to provide micro, small and medium-sized businesses (UMKM) with Rp100 trillion in small-holder’s credits in the coming five years, a deputy minister said.

“The government has set itself a target of providing Rp20 trillion for UMKM every year in an effort to overcome capital problem and generate the development of micro, small and medium businesses in the country,” Deputy Minister for Cooperatives and UMKM Development Khairul said here on Thursday.

He said that the low-interest credits were handled and channeled by a number of executing banks, among others, Bank BNI, Bank BTN, Bank Mandiri and 13 regional development banks (BPD).

The deputy minister said that it was easy for UMKMs to obtain the working capital as long as they were economically reasonable and they have so far not yet accustomed to using banking credits.

Khairul said that each UMKM could be given a maximal credit of Rp500 million.

They said that the government had up to now extended Rp19.2 tril-

lion to 2.6 million UMKM or about Rp7.21 million for each business unit.

He said it was expected that small businesses would be able to increase their roles in boosting exports and raise economic growth with the presence of the government’s UMKM program.

So far, UMKM was able to contribute 20.2 percent to non oil/non gas export income with an annual growth of about 15 to 17 percent.

“We hope that the UMKM roles would be increased in the future in line with easiness of obtaining working capital,” he said.

HIV / AIDS cases in Gianyar Rising Gianyar (Bali Post) -

HIV / AIDS cases in the Gianyar district during a period of four years last experienced a fairly significant improvement. This certainly very concerned about cases where the spread of HIV / AIDS continues to grow where the epidemic is not immediately handled more seriously. Especially again, with the rampant existence of nightclubs that provide free sex opportunities, is one of the growing impact of the spread of HIV / AIDS cases in the arts district.

Data gathered Tuesday (1 / 6) yesterday, the year 2009 in the Gianyar district recorded 129 cases of HIV / AIDS that exist with the death rate has reached 18 people. This figure is far greater than the conditions on year 2005. Where in the previous four years, has only Herzliya HIV / AIDS cases were 16 cases with 2 death cases.

From increase in such cases, so that in the year 2009 makes the Gianyar as number five in Bali, which was previously the ranking six in Bali after

Jembrana.

To the explosion of HIV / AIDS last four years, Chief Executive KPA Gianyar Regency, Dewa Made Sutanaya amid event preparation National AIDS Strategic Plan KPA Herzliya, Tuesday (1 / 6) yesterday said that with the explosion of these cases does not mean no effort KPA results.

As an organizer it is important to know how many The actual number of key populations have been affected by HIV / AIDS virus.

By knowing 80 percent of the estimated number of cases appropriate activities targets which will gradually decrease the number of new cases aka tone that eventually such a vision that we expect in the district of Gianyar encyclopedia of new HIV cases. “Despite the limited funding in 2008, has beenmany efforts in the prevention and mitigation of HIV / AIDSsynergized and coordinated very well with related SKPD, BNK Gianyar and Police, “he explained.

In the face of the development of

HIV / AIDS epidemic, the future is needed more intensive prevention, comprehensive, concerted and coordinated to generate high-coverage program, effective and ongoing. Where is the direction that policy should be translated strategy set out in the strategic plan (strategic plan).

Furthermore, a number of weaknesses or barriers to implementation reduction of HIV / AIDS over the years, God recognizes that it Sutanaya because not all people affordable counseling resulted in the high society of stigma and discrimination against PLWHA. The involvement of key populations for prevention programs have not maximal and reduction.

Lack of manpower and support for PLWHA resulting in low public awareness for the HIV test at clinic VCT and efforts continued treatment.

In addition, sexually transmitted infections stillhigh and condom use in high risk behavior groups (KPRT) still low and the lack of counselors, especially in-health clinic. (Kmb16)

Hypnotized, Entrepreneur Loss Nearly USD 1.5 M Bualu, Bali Post

Siti Nurjanah (36) with a sad expression Kutsel report to police, Tuesday (1 / 6) yesterday. Because, Siti admitted hypnotized so that the money USD $ 1.45 billion brought blurred by Young Kean Lim from Malaysia. This case occurred in one of the rooms at the Hotel Inna Putri Bali, Nusa Dua. According to Siti aka Mother Goddess Kapolsek Kutsel PPA Nanang Prihasmoko accompanied Kanit Reskrim Iptu Gede Ardana, a month ago he had a visitor named two men who claim Setiawan and Birdan at his place of business at Jl. Bungin Island, Pemogan, Densel. Both men admitted to having a boss who wants

to Malaysian textile business in Bali. Furthermore Birdan Setiawan and took some samples of cloth belonging Siti. Both men admitted that his boss named Young Kean Lin wanted to invest in Bali around USD 7 billion and intends to open the gallery. ‘’After that I continued to call and ask when there is a time to meet with his boss. Maybe this time I’ve got hypnosis, because it is not suspicious at all,’’said Siti, accompanied by her husband, Lucky Subagio (45).

Once agreed, the meeting finally done in one star hotels in Sanur. Once there, Siti who claimed to be introduced to Lin from Malaysia on Tuesday (18 / 5) then. Place re-done, and was then

introduced to Siti said the big boss, Philip, also from Malaysia, at the Hotel Inna Putri Bali, Nusa Dua, on Monday (24 / 5) then. At that time, Lin had shown 180 000 U.S. dollars. Lin and Philip had a war of words because of doubts with Siti. Suddenly there came Suyanto as a mediator. ‘’It seems like in the scenario, but I’m helpless, perhaps because it was hypnotized,’’added the woman was slender.

Both men are from Malaysia Siti then asked the amount of savings, arguing that they should believe.

Like cows matched and nose, Siti disclose if no savings at Bank Mandiri. However, Lin and Philip admitted to not believing, so ask indicated. (By DenPost)

SAYUR PAKIS

(Fern Tips In Garlic Dressing) OVERVIEW: Fern tips also know as fiddleheads, have delightful, spinach like flavor.

INGREDIENTS: 400 gr (12 ½ oz) young fern tips 3 cloves garlic 4 cm (1 ½ in) kencur root, peeled and chopped 4 - 7 bird’s eye chilies 2 tbsp oil ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp black peppercorns, crushed PREPARATION: 1. Blanch fern tips in boiling water and cool under running water. Drain and dry thoroughly.

2. Place all remaining ingredients in a food processor and blend coarsely, or grind in a stone mortar.

3. Combine this mixture with the vegetables and mix well. Serve at room temperature.

IKAN LELE (Catfish)

OVERVIEW: The whiskered catfish, though not an attractive looking creature, tastes excellent when cooked in this fashion.

INGREDIENTS: 1 catfish weighing 350g 1 tsp salt 1tsp black peppercorn crushed 2 tbsp freshly squeezed limejuice 1-cup spice paste for seafood 2 cups coconut milk 1 stalk lemon grass, bruised PREPARATION: Season catfish with salt, pepper and limejuice and marinate for 30 minutes. Deep fry fish over medium heat for 10 minutes until crispy.

While the fish is marinating, combine all remaining ingredients in saucepan and bring to the boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, until coconut milk breaks apart and sauce becomes oily and clear rather than creamy. Pour the sauce over the fried fish and serve.

Helpful hint: If catfish is not available, replace with any fresh whole fish or follow the same method with any boneless fish fillet.

9

10

Destinations

Friday, June 4, 2010

International

Tamblingan Lake

http://ilovena.files.wordpress.com

TAMBLINGAN Lake is a lake located in the plateau area with green hill surrounded. It is situated adjunction to Buyan Lake with cool weather surrounds it. It owns the fascination where the nature authenticity is felt and the inexistence of boat use motorize here. These beautiful lakes can be seen from the top hill right from Asah Gobleg Countryside, Sukasada District and Singaraja regency, north part of Bali . This lake is encircled by hill and covered by fresh cold atmosphere will fascinate all visitors who pay a visit to this place. This lake is ideal for Jungle Trekking Adventure because it was very amazing with the rain forest including flora and fauna observation.

Beside of that, many local visitors are doing camping program or outdoor team building while enjoy the beautiful nature. Here we also can see the local residents use the small traditional boat which is called Perahu to cross it or doing fishing.

The existence of monkey which is not far from these two lakes are precisely located in road side of the main road from Denpasar to Singaraja. In progressively, the amounts are more and more dwelling this area and it was one of fascination for tourist who visit it. It is located in Sukasada sub district, 21 Km south side of Singaraja town.

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It is situated in the high enough about 1000 meters above sea level so that the atmosphere is rather cold and chilled at night time.

In order to reach Buyan or Tamblingan Lake , it can pass through Munduk countryside, Gobleg countryside and penetrate in Lovina area. Along the way to this lake, we will enjoy the magnificent view of Tamblingan Lake in particular from the top side. From Munduk countryside, this lake can be reached through the road which is made by local society. Tamblingan Lake is strategically located in the tourist destinations area like Bedugul and Beratan Lake ..

The broadness of Tamblingan lake is 1,9 Km with the maximum deepness is 90 m and its volume 0,027 km3. The public facilities available in this area are the parking area, boat rental for fishing or simply visited and lodging. The hotels are spreading around the village which are the most own the magnificent view to the lake. Despitefully in some places alongside of the lake there are places for seating for simply drinking coffee, eat the cake or look into the beautiful view of lake. Every day these lakes are many visited by the tourist from local and foreign countries. (www.balistarisland.com)

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Friday, June 4, 2010

11

BUSINESS IMF head calls for efforts to boost growth in eurozone Agence France-Presse

BUSAN - The head of the International Monetary Fund said the world economic recovery now underway remains fragile and called for efforts to stimulate growth to resolve Europe’s debt problems.

IMF managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn, in an email interview with Yonhap News Agency released Thursday, stressed the importance of dealing with eurozone debt problems which have roiled world stock and financial markets and sent the euro plunging.

“Policymakers in Europe have taken important steps, both as regards adjustment and financing, to lay the basis for a recovery from the current difficulties,” Strauss-Kahn said.

“But it will be important that emphasis is placed on stimulating growth. Without growth, the debt

problems will be much more difficult to resolve, and fostering reforms that will help support growth will be key.”

The IMF chief is set to attend a meeting of finance ministers from the Group of 20 leading world economies in the South Korean city of Busan on Friday and Saturday.

The ministers and central bank chiefs will assess the world’s economic health and discuss ways to achieve sustainable and balanced growth.

They will also consider regulatory reforms to avert a replay of

the 2008-2009 slump, discuss the fiscal soundness of each nation and stress global cooperation in the timing of exit strategies from stimulus policies.

The IMF is preparing a report to be discussed by the G20 leaders at their summit in Toronto on June 26-27 on financial burden-sharing including a proposed bank levy, Strauss-Kahn said.

The G20 is the premier global economic forum, with members accounting for 90 percent of the world’s gross national product and 80 percent of world trade.

Honda’s China strike a lesson for Japanese exporters Agence France-Presse

TOKYO - After an unprecedented strike logjammed Honda’s China production line, Japanese firms in the country may need to redraw their plans in a growing market that has emboldened low-wage workers, analysts say.

As China’s economy surges, demands for higher wages a posing a headache for Japanese companies facing higher costs but could also be a boon for others banking on rising incomes to spur demand for highquality goods.

Japan’s number two carmaker on Wednesday restarted operations at its auto parts factory after offering a 24 percent pay rise to placate staff who had walked out on May 27.

But Honda’s Chinese assembly joint ventures, Guangqi Honda Automobile and Dongfeng Honda Automobile, remained closed due to a lack of key components, the company said. Honda produces 650,000 vehicles per year in China but it has lost thousands of units because of the shutdown.

“We never expected something like this would happen,” said Tokai Tokyo Research Centre auto analyst Mamoru Kato.

After the Honda strike “Chinese workers will likely be encouraged to start making more demands and such situations will inevitably increase production costs there,” he added.

According to the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, nearly a quarter of Chinese employees have

not had a raise in five years.

Labour issues in China have come to the forefront in recent weeks after suicides at Taiwanese high tech maker Foxconn, which counts Dell, Sony and Panasonic among its clients, forced it to give staff a 30 percent rise.

The unrest has raised questions about working conditions for the millions of employees in China’s factories, sparking calls for better oversight from those who benefit from Chinese labour and a ban on unions.

“As the Chinese economy grows and people’s income rises, companies are now facing the need to review their strategies,” said Mizuno Credit Advisory auto analyst Tatsuya Mizuno.

Yang Lixiong, professor at School of Labor and Human Resources of Renmin university in Beijing said opportunities at foreign companies are limited for Chinese staff.

“In the case of Honda, the management is mostly Japanese. It’s very hard for local staff to work their way up. In addition to that, salaries are very low and working conditions are not good,” he added.

To curb the effects of rising wages Japanese businesses are harnessing economies of scale that would effectively bring down unit costs.

Nissan chief executive Carlos Ghosn recently announced plans to ramp up production to more than one million cars a year in China by 2012.

Honda sold 576,223 vehicles

in China last year, up 23 percent year-on-year and Toyota saw sales rise 21 percent.

Fashion retailer Uniqlo aims to open 1,000 stores in China by 2020 and achieve more than 10 billion dollars in sales.

And Sharp said it will double the number of outlets in China for its popular Aquos televisions to 10,000 this year and boost its lineup to more than 30 models from the current 24.

But rising wages are not necessarily bad as richer consumers have more purchasing power, analysts said.

Japan, which has long had a reputation for craftsmanship, “can only compete in the high-end market as it has already lost out to local rivals in terms of affordability,” Okasan Securities strategist Hirokazu Fujiki recently said.

“Japanese companies need to win out by targeting the mid-to-high level consumers.”

They must also address Chinese resentment against Japanese workers due to their long and tense history.

Chinese Honda staff complains Japanese workers in the same factory earn 50 times more than them.

“Chinese workers seem to have a strong sentiment of being discriminated by Japanese employees,” said Mizuno.

“This may become a more emotional, fundamental issue, which could potentially develop into a political problem,” he warned.

AFP PHOTO / Yoshikazu TSUNO

A pedestrian uses her mobile phone before a share prices board in Tokyo on June 3, 2010. Japanese share prices jumped 310.95 points to close at 9,914.19 points at the Tokyo Stock Exchange, helped by a Wall Street surge, a weaker yen and growing expectations Finance Minister Naoto Kan will become Japan’s next premier.

Australia swings to surplus after resources contract revamp Agence France-Presse

SYDNEY - Australia swung to a surprise trade surplus in April on soaring commodities exports after the scrapping of annual contracts for iron ore and coal, official figures and the trade minister said Thursday.

Australia posted a 134 million dollar surplus (112 million US), seasonally adjusted, in April, far outstripping analysts’ expectations of an 800 million dollar deficit and well ahead of March’s 2.04 billion dollar deficit.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) said the surplus — its first in 13 months — was underpinned by an 1.01 billion dollar increase in ore and mineral exports, boosted by a 29 percent jump in the price of iron ore.

Coal exports also made a significant contribution, up 875 million dollars, with a 26 percent increase in volume and prices growing seven percent, the ABS said. Imports were little changed from March.

Trade Minister Simon Crean said the shift from annual to quarterly price negotiations for iron ore and coal had sparked “windfall growth” in prices for producers thanks to strong global demand, particularly in Asia.

“Strong growth in resources exports is further evidence that we

are on the cusp of a second-wave mining boom,” Crean said.

“These figures show the importance of the... government’s strategic commitment to Asia and economic growth in that region.”

Crean said trade increased especially strongly with east Asia, with exports to key trading partner China growing 23 percent in April and exports to second-ranked Japan up 17 percent.

Treasurer Wayne Swan this week said a 4.2 percent increase in Australia’s terms of trade for the March quarter contributed to “solid” growth of 0.5 percent over the three months, driven largely by hot Asian demand for raw materials.

“With demand for commodities accelerating and export prices expected to continue to rise, the prospects for exports are very positive,” Swan said on Wednesday.

Surging commodity prices were expected to drive Australia’s terms of trade for 2010 to their highest level in 60 years, according to the May budget outlook, injecting 30 billion dollars (27 billion US) into the economy.

BHP Billiton, the world’s biggest miner, in March scrapped the decades-old annual iron ore benchmark contract system, sending prices soaring. The move was swiftly copied by Anglo-Australian rival Rio Tinto.

12

Entertainment

Friday, June 4, 2010

International

Actor Dennis Hopper remembered at NM service AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

Singer Paul McCartney speaks to the media about his Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song in Washington, on Tuesday, June 1, 2010

McCartney’s long, winding road goes to White House AFTER all those hits along the long and winding road to fame, you’d think nothing would fluster Paul McCartney. Think again. Sir Paul confessed he was “slightly nervous” in the leadup to Wednesday’s big concert at the White House, where President Barack Obama was presenting McCartney with the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. An all-star cast lined up to perform at the East Room tribute concert, including the Jonas Brothers, Faith Hill, Stevie Wonder and Jerry Seinfeld. Also to appear: Emmylou Harris, Elvis Costello, White Stripes singer and guitarist Jack White and Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl.

McCartney himself was to perform as well.

McCartney, 67, is the third recipient of the Gershwin prize, awarded by the Library of Congress. It is named for the songwriting brothers George and Ira Gershwin, whose collections

are housed at the library. Previous recipients of the Gershwin award are Stevie Wonder and Paul Simon.

McCartney played a private concert at the library on Tuesday, and said he’d grown up listening to music by the Gershwin brothers.

For all the awards the former Beatle has collected over the years, he said performing before the Obamas in the East Room still would be a pinch-me moment.

“For an English kid growing up in Liverpool, the White House — that’s pretty special,” he said. “He’s a great guy,” McCartney said of Obama, “so lay off him.” Librarian of Congress James Billington credited McCartney for “symbolizing and humanizing the global soundscape,” with his music and his activism around the world. Those not lucky enough to snag tickets to the East Room gig can catch the concert July 28th, when it’s televised on PBS’ “In Performance at the White House.”

Jack Nicholson and Val Kilmer were among the actors who joined dozens of Dennis Hopper’s relatives, friends and Taos locals to remember the twotime Oscar nominee at a memorial Mass on Wednesday in New Mexico. Hopper’s simple wooden coffin was ushered into the adobe chapel at historic San Francisco de Asis church. Hopper, who was twice nominated for Oscars and received a star this year on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, died Saturday at age 74 at his home in Los Angeles. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2009.

Nicholson, cast alongside Hopper in “Easy Rider” as a drunken young lawyer in a breakout role, described Hopper as “an all-around guy.”

“It was a very singular relationship I had with him, like nobody else. We were soul mates in a way. I really miss him,” Nicholson said. The church’s bells chimed as Hopper’s casket was brought into the chapel and again as it was taken out after the two-hour service.

The rumbles of about half a dozen motorcycles could be heard in the distance as the casket was taken away in a funeral procession. A private burial followed.

Hopper first came to New Mexico in 1969 to scout locations for the iconic “Easy Rider.” He lived in Taos for 12 years through the early 1980s. Mourners who poured out of the chapel after the service described it as “lovely,” “tender” and “beautiful,” without mention of Hollywood or Hopper’s public persona. During the service, Hopper’s son, Henry Lee Hopper, drew tears from many in the crowd as he read from Walt Whitman’s collection of poems, “Leaves of Grass.” Other relatives also spoke. Many said the Mass gave them a sense of Hopper’s spirit, and stories of his early days as a Kansas farm boy, his wild side and the time he spent in Taos making films and art continued to be shared after the memorial at a gathering of his friends and family.

“He was the spark plug of this town,” said R.C. Israel, an art dealer and a longtime friend of Hopper.

Hopper has been called everything from an artist and

AFP/Getty Images/File/Frederick M. Brown

US actor Dennis Hopper, pictured here in 2009, died Saturday at age 74, his manager said

an icon to a rebel, but Henry Lee Hopper said trying to sum up his father’s life in a few words is nearly impossible. To the 19-year-old, Hopper represents an eternal flame of inspiration. “You find something that you believe in and you really realize you’ve got to fight for it.

Some people fight for a minute, but there are very, very few people in this world who fight from the day they’re born to the day they go out. I would say Dennis was undoubtedly one of these people,” the younger Hopper told The Associated Press.

Attorney says Gary Coleman, wife divorced in 2008 FORMER child TV actor Gary Coleman and his wife were divorced in 2008, an attorney for the late “Diff’rent Strokes” star said Wednesday, the same day a tape of a 911 call was released that detailed her call for help. Randy Kester told The Associated Press that Coleman and Shannon Price divorced in August 2008 and Coleman never told him the two had remarried. “Gary shared a lot of things with me,” Kester said. “That’s probably something he would have told me.”

Coleman died Friday at the age of 42 after suffering a brain hemorrhage.

He was taken off life support, but it’s not clear who made that decision.

Kester said he does not know. “Now issues are being raised about whether or not Shannon had authority to terminate the life support,” he said. A spokeswoman with Utah Valley Regional Medical Center told AP she cannot release any additional information about Coleman’s death.

Utah divorce decree documents list only a John Doe and Jane Doe as parties, but the last page lists Price’s name and address, saying a copy of the decree was mailed to her. The decree is dated Aug. 12, 2008. The couple wed in August 2007 after meeting on the set of the 2006 comedy “Church Ball.” Kester said he is not aware of a will for Coleman and that the two discussed the need to meet and work on one as recently as four or five weeks ago. A message left for a representa-

AP Photo/Richard Drew

In this Feb. 26, 2008 file photo, actor Gary Coleman appears on the the NBC ‘Today’ program in New York. A Utah hospital says said Thursday May 27, 2010 that former child television star Gary Coleman has been admitted in critical condition

tive for Shannon Price was not immediately returned Wednesday.

On the 911 call from May 26, Price can be heard asking a Utah emergency dispatcher to send help for Coleman, who was bleeding from the back of his head and “bubbling at the mouth” after falling at his Santaquin home, about 55 miles south of Salt Lake City. In the recording, Price refers to Coleman as her husband. “I just don’t want him to die,” Price tells the female dispatcher during the nearly sixminute call. “I’m freaking out like really bad.”

Price said she’s not sure whether Coleman had a seizure or whether he hit his head and fell. She said he had just gotten home and was going downstairs to make some food for her and that she then heard a “big bang. Send someone quick because I don’t know if he’s like gonna be alive cause there’s a lot of blood on the floor,” Price said. Coleman is lethargic and Price says she “can’t really help him” and can’t drive or handle too much stress because she has seizures. “I looked at the back of his head and it’s all bloody and gross,” Price said. “He’s conscious but he’s not, like, with it.”

Santaquin Police Chief Dennis Hammond has said Coleman had a dialysis treatment that day. It’s unclear whether that may have been related to Coleman’s fall. Coleman’s short stature of 4-foot-8 stemmed from kidney problems and required at least two transplants earlier in his life and dialysis. Last fall, he had heart surgery complicated by pneumonia, Kester has said. In February, he suffered a seizure on the set of “The Insider.” Coleman was conscious at the hospital that day but slipped into unconsciousness Thursday and was taken off life support Friday with family at his side.

Life Style

International

Chocolates are pictured during the opening of the Nestle Chocolate Centre of Excellence in Broc near Fribourg in this September 7, 2009 file photo

REUTERS/Denis Balibouse

Chocolate may cut cholesterol but only in some people: study

Friday, June 4, 2010

13

Caffeine addicts get no real perk from morning cup Reuters -

LONDON – Caffeine addiction is such a downer that regular coffee drinkers may get no real pickme-up from their morning cup, according to a study by British scientists. Bristol University researchers found that drinkers develop a tolerance to both the anxiety-producing and the stimulating effects of caffeine, meaning that it only brings them back to baseline levels of alertness, not above them.

“Although frequent consumers feel alerted by caffeine, especially by their morning tea, coffee, or other caffeine-containing drink, evidence suggests that this is actually merely the reversal of the fatiguing effects of acute caffeine withdrawal,” wrote the scientists, led by Peter Rogers of Bristol’s department of experimental psychology. The team asked 379 adults — half of them non/low caffeine consumers and the other half medium/high caffeine consumers — to give up caffeine for 16 hours, and then gave them either caffeine

or a dummy pill known as a placebo.

Participants rated their levels of anxiety, alertness and headache.

The medium/high caffeine consumers who got the placebo reported a decrease in alertness and increased headache, neither of which were reported by those who received caffeine. But measurements showed that their post-caffeine levels of alertness were actually no higher than the non/low consumers who received a placebo, suggesting caffeine only brings coffee drinkers back up to “normal.” The researchers also found that people who have a genetic predisposition to anxiety do not tend to avoid coffee.

In fact, people in the study with a gene variant associated with anxiety tended to consume slightly larger amounts of coffee than those without it, Rogers wrote in a study in the Neuropsychopharmacology journal, published by Nature. This suggests that a mild increase in anxiety “may be a part of the pleasant buzz caused by caffeine,” he said.

Reuters -

NEW YORK – Eating chocolate could bring down cholesterol levels — but only in small amounts and only in some people, according to an analysis of eight studies. Dr. Rutai Hui of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College in Beijing and colleagues found chocolate only helped people who already had risk factors for heart disease and only when consumed in modest amounts.

Eating moderate amounts of cocoa could be “a worthwhile dietary approach” for preventing high cholesterol in certain groups of people, the researchers concluded in a report in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The analysis came after several studies suggested that chocolate may be good for your health. One study released in March showed that among 19,300 people, those who ate the most chocolate had lower blood pressure and were less likely to suffer a stroke or heart attack over the next 10 years.

But, like the new analysis, that research came with caveats; the difference in chocolate consumption between the top and bottom chocolateconsuming groups was around 6

grams, or about one-seventh of a Hershey’s milk chocolate bar. Hui and his colleagues searched the medical literature to find studies that looked at how cocoa affected blood fats, or lipids, and found eight trials including 215 people.

When all studies were analyzed together, the researchers found eating cocoa cut levels of LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, by about 6 mg/dL and reduced total cholesterol by the same amount.

But cocoa had no effect on cholesterol in the three highest-quality studies. Further analysis showed that only people who ate small amounts of cocoa, an amount containing 260 milligrams of polyphenols or less, experienced cholesterol lowering effects.

People who consumed more showed

no effect. Polyphenols are antioxidant compounds found in fruits, vegetables, chocolate and red wine. A 1.25-ounce bar of milk chocolate contains about 300 milligrams of polyphenols. The researchers also found that healthy people didn’t get any cholesterol-lowering benefits from cocoa, but people with risk factors for heart disease, such as diabetes, saw their LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol drop by around 8 mg/dL each. “Future research efforts should concentrate on higher-quality and more rigorous randomized trials with longer follow-ups to resolve the uncertainty regarding the clinical effectiveness,” said Hui and his team. “Then we can really eat chocolate without feeling guilty.”

REUTERS/Supri

A waitress serves coffee to a customer in a coffee shop in Jakarta July 23, 2008.

Teen sex: More use rhythm method for birth control Associated Press Writer

ATLANTA – A growing number of teen girls say they use the rhythm method for birth control, and more teens also think it’s OK for an unmarried female to have a baby, according to a government survey released Wednesday. The report may help explain why the teen pregnancy rate is no longer dropping like it was. Overall, teenage use of birth control and teen attitudes toward pregnancy have remained about the same since a similar survey was done in 2002.

But there were some notable exceptions in the new survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 17 percent of sexually experienced teen girls say they had used the rhythm method — timing their sex to avoid fertile days to prevent getting pregnant. That’s up from 11 percent in 2002. They may have been using another form of birth control at the same time. But the increase is considered worrisome because the rhythm method doesn’t work about 25 percent of the time, said Joyce Abma, the report’s lead author. She’s a social scientist at the

CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics.

The survey results were based on face-to-face interviews with nearly 2,800 teens ages 15 through 19 at their homes in the years 2006 through 2008. Trained female interviewers asked the questions. It found that about 42 percent of never-married teens had had sex at least once in their life. Of those teens, 98 percent said they’d used birth control at least once, with condoms being the most common choice. Those findings were about the same as in the 2002 survey.

The increase in the rhythm method may be part of the explanation for recent trends in the teen birth rate. The teen birth rate declined steadily from 1991 through 2005, but rose from 2005 to 2007.

It dropped again in 2008, by 2 percent, to about 10 percent of all births. “We’ve known the decline in childbearing stalled out. This report kind of fills in the why,” said Bill Albert, a spokesman for the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy.

Teen attitudes may be big part of it. Nearly 64 percent of teen boys

said it’s OK for an unmarried female to have a child, up from 50 percent in 2002. More than 70 percent of teen girls agreed, up from 65 percent, though the female increase was not statistically significant.

The survey was conducted at a time of some highly publicized pregnancies of unmarried teens, including Bristol Palin, the daughter of former GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, and Jamie Lynn Spears, Britney’s kid sister. The 2007 movie “Juno,” a happy-ending tale of a teen girl’s accidental pregnancy, was popular at the time.

14

Sport

Friday, June 4, 2010

International

Stosur sinks Serena at French Open tennis Agence France - Presse

AFP PHOTO/BERTRAND GUAY

Austria’s Jurgen Melzer celebrates after beating Serbia’s Novak Djokovic following their quarter-final match in the French Open tennis championship at the Roland Garros stadium, on June 2, 2010, in Paris. Austria’s Jurgen Melzer defeated Serbian third seed Novak Djokovic 3-6, 2-6, 62, 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 to reach the French Open semi-finals.

Miracle man Melzer stuns Djokovic at French Open tennis

PARIS – Samantha Stosur of Australia wrecked the Grand Slam hopes of Serena Williams on Wednesday, outplaying the world number one and top seed 6-2, 6-7 (2/7), 8-6 in a thrilling French Open quarter-final.

It was an accomplished performance from the 26-year-old Gold Coast resident who firstly contained the power-hitting of the American and then left her gasping with an array of savvy stroke-making.

She could have finished it in straight sets, getting to within two points of the match on serve at 5-3 in the second, but allowed Williams back into the match before stunning her in the decider. The win put Stosur into the Roland Garros semifinals for the second straight year, equalling her best ever performance in a Grand Slam tournament, and confirmed that she now belongs among the elite in the women’s game.

For Williams it was the end of her dream of becoming the first woman since Steffi Graf in 1988 to achieve the calendar year Grand Slam of Australian, French, Wimbledon and US Open titles.

“My first chance came at 5-3 and I let that slip and I didn’t want that to happen again,” said Stosur, who had defeated four-time champion Justine Henin in the previous round. “It’s in situations like these that you really get tested and see that all the hard work pays off.”

Williams, who won her 12th

Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January, had not looked at her best in reaching the last eight but with the sun once again gracing the Philippe Chatrier centrecourt she was favoured to overpower the Australian seventh seed.

The top seed had the better of the early exchanges and Stosur had to stave of two points in the fifth game before taking a 3-2 lead. What happened after that stunned Williams as Stosur used her slice to take the pace off the American’s groundstrokes and then stung her with angled drives to both flanks.

Stosur rattled off four games in a row to take the first set, clinching it by breaking the Williams serve to love. The Australian was comfortably holding her own serve and in the second game of the second set she had three more break points at 0-40 only for Williams to claw her way back.

A further break point to Stosur two games later saw Williams pull out a timely big first serve before getting to 2-2. Williams hung on grimly despite an alarming number of unforced errors and double faults but at 4-3 to Stosur, the American finally caved in looping an easy backhand wide on the third break point against her. Stosur got to within two points of the sealing the biggest win of her career at 5-3 and 30-30 but some typical aggression from the American kept the tie alive. That seemed to do the trick for the top seed and tournament favourite and suddenly it was Stosur who was hanging on.

Agence France - Presse

PARIS – Austrian journeyman Jurgen Melzer fought back from two sets down to beat third seed Novak Djokovic 3-6, 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 on Thursday and set-up a French Open semifinal against Rafael Nadal. After dropping the first two sets, the 29-year-old Melzer was also a break down in the third before he staged a spectacular recovery to become the first Austrian to reach the last four since former winner Thomas Muster in 1995.

The 22nd seeded Melzer has made his staggering breakthrough at his 32nd Grand Slam, having never previously got beyond the third round of a major. After cruising through the first two sets, Djokovic’s brittle temperament came back to haunt him and in a tense final set he was broken in the ninth game when he dumped a backhand volley into the net.

Incredibly it was the 24th break point he had faced in the 4hr 17min match. In the next game, Melzer wasted a match point when he netted a simple forehand volley with the entire

court at his mercy and then another as he scrambled to reach a Djokovic drive.

But he bravely held his nerve to clinch a famous triumph when Djokovic went long with a forehand. “It’s the most incredible moment of my career,” said Melzer, the oldest man left in the competition and who had never previously come back after losing the first two sets.

“It’s historic. It was a very tough match, but I kept fighting.

When I was two sets to nil behind and a break down, I just said to myself: ‘Why not?’

“So I changed my game-plan a

little and it worked. It’s fantastic.”

It was the second day in succession that the tournament had been rocked following Robin Soderling’s defeat of world number one and defending champion Roger Federer on Tuesday. On Friday, Melzer faces another test as he takes on second seed and fourtime champion Nadal for a place in Sunday’s final with the Spaniard, who has yet to drop a set this year at Roland Garros, having won both their previous meetings. The 23-year-old Djokovic, who made the last four in 2007 and 2008, losing to Nadal on both occasions, dominated the first two sets.

AFP PHOTO/ BORIS HORVAT

US Serena Williams gestures after losing a point during her women’s quarter-final against US Serena Williams in the French Open tennis championship at the Roland Garros stadium, on June 2, 2010, in Paris. Stosur won 2-2, 7-6, 8-6.

Sport

International

Friday, June 4, 2010

15

Capello commits to England after signing amended deal Agence France - Presse

AFP PHOTO / ANTONIO SCORZA

Brazil’s national football team left back Michel Bastos (R) celebrates his goal with teammates on June 2, 2010 during a friendly football match against Zimbabwe at the National Sport Stadium in Harare. The Brazilian national team is preparing for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

Brazil beat Zimbabwe in World Cup warm-up match

LONDON – Fabio Capello has ended speculation over his future as England coach by signing an amended contract which will keep him in the job until after Euro 2012. Capello had been linked with Inter Milan after the Serie A club hinted they would be keen on hiring him following Jose Mourinho’s move to Real Madrid.

The Italian was believed to be unsettled by the recent resignation of English Football Association chairman Lord Triesman. But, on the day he flew out to South Africa with his England squad, Capello agreed to sign a new contract which will see him through until the end of the European Championships in Poland and Ukraine.

“I am very happy about this and would like to thank Sir David Richards and the FA for their continued support and assurances about my future,” Capello told the FA’s website. “I always wanted to stay until the end of my contract.

In South Africa we are totally focused on the World Cup.” Crucially, a clause allowing both Capello and the FA to review his position and potentially end his employment after the World Cup has been removed from the contract. Triesman and Capello were reported to have shaken hands on an agreement to remove that break clause in Capello’s five

million pounds-a-year contract and the former AC Milan coach was keen to ensure that was still the case despite his boss’s abrupt exit.

Capello had made it clear to the FA that he did not want to conduct negotiations over the contract while he was at the World Cup. He got his wish as the FA arranged for him to finalise the arrangement with Club England chairman Sir David Richards, who is now in charge of overseeing the running of the national team following Triesman’s departure. Newly-appointed Club England managing director, Adrian Bevington, finalised the contract details with Capello’s lawyer, his son Pierfilippo, earlier this week and the deal has now been rubber-stamped.

The FA confirmed the agreement on Wednesday ahead of England’s flight to Johannesburg, from where they will travel to their World Cup base, the Royal Bafokeng Sports Campus in Rustenburg, ahead of their opening match against the United States on June 12.

Richards said: “We’re very pleased to have Fabio’s commitment for another two years and it’s good that we have been able to resolve this before the team flies to South Africa. “Now we can all concentrate on the World Cup and give Fabio and the players our full support.”

Agence France - Presse

HARARE – Brazil weathered a Zimbabwe storm before scoring twice late in the opening half to set up a 3-0 victory on Wednesday in a World Cup warm-up game here. It was easy in the end for the team ranked first in the world against one that does not even feature among the top 100, but the South Americans stamped their authority only after surviving several goalmouth scares.

There will be one more African safari for the Brazilians, against Tanzania in Dar es Salaam next Monday, before they face likely Group G whipping boys North Korea on June 15 in Johannesburg. Left-back Michel Bastos converted a free-kick on 41 minutes, Robinho snatched an opportunist second three minutes later and Elano grabbed a soft third goal 11 minutes into the second half. President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai were among a capacity crowd as Brazil faced African rivals for only the fifth time in their history after matches against Cameroon, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa.

The ‘Warriors’ should have taken the lead on 19 minutes when shambolic Brazilian defending presented France-based

Ovidy Karuru with a glorious close-range chance he blazed over. Zimbabwe, who have never qualified for the World Cup, were stroking the ball about with the same aplomb as the five-time winners in warm, overcast weather at the 60,000-capacity National Stadium. They came close again when livewire striker Knowledge Musona won a goalmouth aerial duel only to be denied by a diving parry from goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes, who had replaced Julio Cesar a few minutes earlier.

Warm-up games do carry the risk of injuries and Brazilian hearts pumped a little faster 10 minutes before half-time when star midfielder Kaka briefly clutched his right leg after a hard but fair challenge.

Left-back has been a problem

position for Brazil since father time caught up with legend Roberto Carlos and Lyon man Bastos did his claims for a permanent place no harm by opening the scoring. A free-kick outside the penalty area and right of the near post presented the opportunity and he notched his first international goal with an unstoppable shot that flew into the roof of the net.

If Zimbabwe suspected football gods can be cruel, the view was confirmed soon after when they failed to cut out a Maicon pass and Robinho brought his national team goal tally to 21 with a close-range shot. Coach Dunga, a World Cup winner in 1994 as a combative midfielder, rang the changes during the interval by introducing defenders Dani Alves and Luisao and midfielder Julio Baptista.

AFP PHOTO/PAUL ELLIS

England football team coach Fabio Capello (L) arrives at Johannesburg Airport in South Africa for the 2010 Football World Cup Finals on June 3, 2010. The team will transfer to their hotel and training base at the Bafokeng Sports Campus near Rustenburg, ahead of their opening game against USA on June 12.

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Friday, June 4, 2010

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

Sport

Melandri and Simoncelli ready to prove progress The home GP of the San Carlo Honda Gresini Team at Mugello has both riders excited at the prospect of continuing their steady improvement in results. Team San Carlo Honda Gresini are heading to their home race, the Gran Premio d’Italia TIM, with a renewed sense of belief after riders Marco Melandri and Marco Simoncelli both secured their best results of the season to date at the last round.

Melandri reported a vastly improved feeling on his RC212V machine at Le Mans as he rode to an impressive sixth place, and stated: “I am happy to be going to Mugello with a more positive mentality than recent races. I had a good race at Le Mans and now I am sure we have the right base to start with at Mugello and can continue to work well.” A best premier class result at Mugello of fourth for Melandri came in 2005 with the Gresini setup, and the Italian is excited about building on his steadily improving results at his home GP.

“I love this circuit and your home Grand Prix is always a special occasion. I am feeling positive and looking forward to racing at a circuit I like, with its changes in pace and fast corners and all the fans banked around the circuit - it is a unique and fantastic place,” he added. On the other side of the Gresini box Simoncelli is also bidding to continue his progression in front of his home crowd. The former 250cc World Champion, who won the quarter-litre Mugello race in his title year of 2008, took his first top-ten MotoGP finish at Le Mans and is now eager to up his race pace

in Italy.

“We made a few changes to the bike in France after the warm-up but in the race they didn‘t seem to work.

It was a shame because I‘m sure I could have made up a few more positions but I‘m thinking positively and looking forward to being even faster this Sunday,” said the premier class rookie. “I have always liked Mugello a lot - I won there in 2008 and last year in the rain I had a close battle with Mattia Pasini but unfortunately lost out at the line. Seeing all the people on the banks gives you an extra boost to do well.”

Barbera going for top-ten repeat FURTHER progress following an impressive eighth place last time out is the goal for the Páginas Amarillas Aspar rider at the Gran Premio d’Italia TIM. Héctor Barberá’s placing as the highest finishing rookie at Le Mans has given the MotoGP rookie added confidence heading into the Mugello weekend, as he prepares to continue his promising start to the 2010 season that has seen him collect points at every round so far.

The Spanish rider of the Páginas Amarillas Aspar team was the highest placed rookie in the last race at Le Mans, taking a fine eighth place after a marvellous contest with rivals Marco Simoncelli and Hiroshi Aoyama, and he is now aiming for a repeat display in Italy.

“I am feeling very motivated about the Italian Grand Prix this weekend and I am keen to continue improving my results. Mugello is a circuit I love and I have always enjoyed riding there,” said Barberá, who finished on the podium at the Italian track in the 2007 quarter-litre race. “To be going to Italy on the back of a race like the one we had in France is exciting because I know I can be fighting for top-ten finishes at every race.”

Evidently improving his feeling with the Desmosedici GP10 as each race goes by, Barberá continued: “This is also Ducati’s home race and the circuit where the bike was effectively born and developed. I’m sure this will be an extra source of motivation for all the Ducati riders,

as will the support of the Italian fans, who are very passionate like the Spanish fans. Mugello is characterised by fast corners and you need a smooth riding style to make up time, which suits me.”

Meanwhile Mika Kallio of the Pramac Racing team will still be recovering from a shoulder injury at the Gran Premio d’Italia TIM this weekend, whilst team-mate Aleix Espargaró will continue his development after a good result at Le Mans. The Pramac Racing team head to Mugello for their ‘home’ GP this weekend, the Gran Premio d’Italia TIM, with high hopes for both riders as they look to build on what was a promising last round.

The situation for Mika Kallio is complicated by a shoulder injury

however, which interfered with his ability to challenge for higher than 13th at Le Mans. The Finn has undergone an intense regime to try and alleviate the pain his injury is causing him, and hopes to be able to push hard in Sunday’s race.

“I will ride in my 20th MotoGP Grand Prix, but it’s a shame I’ll be reaching this goal with my shoulder in this condition,” said Kallio, whose best result at Mugello to date has been fourth in the 250cc race in 2008.

“I have had medical treatment to lessen the pain, but I cannot lift or bend my arm very well. I hope that on Sunday I’ll feel less pain so I can ride in the best possible manner.” He added: “This is considered by my team as their home circuit and I will give my best to get a good result.”

Héctor Barberá’s placing as the highest finishing rookie at Le Mans has given the MotoGP rookie added confidence heading into the Mugello

Melandri and Simoncelli ready to prove progress in this week Italian GP