Edisi 10 Maret 2010 | International Bali Post

16 Pages Number 52 2st Year

Cyprus police confirm body is exleader’s corpse

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e-mail: info_ibp@balipost.co.id online: http://www.internationalbalipost.com. http://epaper.internationalbalipost.com.

In PKB 2010 Hotel occupancy rates decrease 6 percent PAGE 8

There will be movie competition Denpasar (Bali Post) –

Bali is often become the setting of film making whether it is for local or international film. There is great hope that the condition will make Bali give birth to professional artists and movie makers.

Renault hopes to be close to top four PAGE 16

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The international Bollywood Festival which will be held in Bali in 2012 can also attract the interest of the Balinese to create high quality movies which emphasizes on Balinese culture.

For that reason, there will be documenter movies competition in

the 2010 Bali Art Festival (PKB).

IB Sedhawa, the head of cultural division in Bali’s Government, said that the movies must be 15 up to 20 minutes long.

Sedhawa was attending a movie workshop in Art Center Denpasar.

Many famous artists acted as the

speaker in the workshop such as Agung Bawantara. The material given in the workshop was research and script writing for documentary movie while Samsul Hadi/ or Masnyonyo given how to edit the movie.

“We hope that through the workshop, the movie makers in Bali could have more understanding in making quality movie so they can create better movies. We also hope that Bali could become the center of world movies develop-

ment,” Sedhawa added.

He said that the movies who won the competition in the PKB will be played in the World Culture Forum.

The forum will be held in 2011 in Bali. Agung Bawantara explained that documentary movie is the effort to retell an event or incident by using facts and data. In making documentary movie, research is essential in order to create convincing story line to give the proper (08) message to the audiences.(08)

Report: NKorea has mediumrange missile division SEOUL SEOUL, South Korea – North Korea has recently created an army division in charge of newly developed intermediate-range missiles capable of striking U.S. forces in Japan and Guam, a South Korean news agency said Tuesday.

The report came as North Korea stepped up its war rhetoric against the U.S. and South Korea after the allies started their annual drills aimed at improving their defense capabilities.

The North’s People’s Army recently launched a division supervising operational deployment of missiles with a range of more than 1,860 miles (3,000 kilometers) that it had developed in recent years, Yonhap news agency reported citing an unidentified South Korean government source.

The missiles could pose a threat to U.S. forces in Japan, Guam and other Pacific areas that are to be redeployed in time of emergency on the Korean peninsula, Yonhap said.

The report, however, didn’t pro-

AP

South Korean police officers stand guard as people protest against the annual joint military exercises vide further details such as how many missiles the new division possesses and where they are positioned.

South Korea’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday it couldn’t confirm the Yonhap report. However, a ministry document published last year showed that the North deployed a new type of medium-range missile believed to be the same as one it displayed dur-

ing a military parade in 2007.

If confirmed, the division’s launch could suggest that the North has succeeded in developing more medium-range missiles since 2007 and it needed a bigger unit to manage them, said Ohm Tae-am of the state-run Korea Institute for Defense Analyses in Seoul. The division’s creation would also mean the North

has a unit whose primary role is to prevent the U.S. from redeploying its troops in the Pacific to the Korean peninsula in the event of a conflict, said Baek Seung-joo of the same institute.North Korea’s missile program and nuclear weapons development program are major regional security concerns.

Continued on page 6

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International

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Bali News New DB Patients Rise Highly

Sanglah Hospital Stated Outbreak Status Denpasar (Bali Post) —

Dengue fever (DB) outbreak status is now declared in Sanglah Hospital. This is due to acceptance of new patients for diseases caused by the rampant Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes. Usually the average daily new dengue fever patients who entered the hospital range from 20 patients, but last Monday (8 / 3) new patients of DB reached 60 people. “This condition has indicated Sanglah Hospital is experiencing outbreak status due to doubled acceptance of new patients from the usual”, said Head of Outpatient Medical Services of Sanglah Hospital, dr. Ken Wirasandi, MARS, also at the same time as the Secretary of DB Management Team in Sanglah Hospital, on Monday (8 / 3) yesterday.

Based on the total DB patient data, on Monday (8 / 3), it reaches 101 people with 60 new patients. While on Saturday (6 / 3) the total was 106 patients with 20 new patients admitted.

On Friday (5 / 3) 98 patients were in treatment, while on Thursday (4 / 3) a total of 125 patients were treated with 33 new patients. On Wednesday (3 / 3) there were 105 patients with 34 new patients and on Tuesday (2 / 3) there

were 108 patients with 16 new patients.

The increasing new patient of DB was not only affecting the outbreak status, but also the Sanglah Hospital occupancy rates that have reached more than 100%. This causes some patients have to queue in the hall room. As happened on Monday (8 / 3), in which about 15 patients from Triage Medik must be willing to line up in the ER hallway to wait for

room. Most of the patients were admitted of DB. Seeing the development of DB cases, it has increased twice the number when compared to cases in the same month of the previous year. Ken recommended that the community should keep alert, especially in environmental hygiene and body immune system.

“Always do the ‘3M’ routine to eradicate mosquito larvae”, he said. (san)

Former Governor of Bali, I.B. Oka Dies Denpasar (Bali Post) –

The former 7th Governor of Bali, Prof.Dr.dr. I.B. Oka on Sunday (7 / 3) had closed his age. After struggling with his disease, Oka died at about 23:53 in Sanglah Hospital of a heart attack. The former Governor of Bali in 1988-1998 was 74 years old. Chairman of the Oka ‘s treating doctor team, Dr.dr. Purwa Samantra, SpS (K) said the team of doctors has sought the maximum effort when Oka was taken to Wings International Hospital. “He did have multi-organ complications.

The doctors have given their maximum effort,” said Purwa on Monday (8 / 3). Since late 2009 and early 2010, according to Purwa, Oka who had

served as Minister of the BKKBN in the era of President Habibie was treated by an internist, a neurologist and a cardiologist. “He had been hospitalized at least twice at the end of 2009 and early 2010. Finally, he was hospitalized because of complications in his heart and stroke,” said Purwa. According to him, Oka’s condition when last seen at the hospital has improved and was even able to eat regularly. Oka had been treated at home for a week before he died on Sunday (7 / 3). Former Rector of Udayana University in 1976-1986 was originally planned for control examination on Monday (8 / 3) or Tuesday (9 / 3).

One of Oka’s sons, I.B. Budi

Utama when found at the funeral home on Monday (9 / 3) said that a week during the home treatment, Oka looked healthy and had no complaints. Even on Sunday (8 / 3) night, Oka was chatting with his grandson.

At around 22:00 when he was going to bed, Oka got restless. He was then taken to the Wings International Sanglah Hospital at around 23:30 and had had treatment before he died. Budi stated that no final message was left by Oka before his death.

Oka’s body is planned to be cleansed on Monday (29 / 3) and the Pelebon event will be held on Friday (9 / 4). Oka left a wife and seven children. (san)

Rabies Positive, Family Does Not Recall Being Bitten A few days ago Sanglah Hospital received a patient with rabies suspect status named Made M (36) from the Baha village of Mengwi Badung. Made who came to Sanglah Hospital on Sunday (7 / 3) was observed in the Nusa Indah Room of Sanglah Hospital before he died hours later. Currently, Made is suspected died of inflammation of his brain.

But from the lab results, Made M was tested positive for rabies. This was confirmed by Secretary of the Hospital National Rabies Manage-

ment, dr. IGB Ken Wirasandhi, MARS. “But based on the acknowledgment of the family, the patient was never bitten by a dog or other rabies transmitter animal,” says Ken. This recognition by the family was thought

by Ken probably because the family was afraid to admit they have been in contact with rabies suspect and being considered negatively. “This is the task of Health Surveillance Office to explore deeper,” says Ken. In theory according to Ken, rabies is usually transmitted when there is an injury and saliva of a rabies positive

transmitter. “The likelihood of being infected by the virus theory from a licked hand that later accidentally rubbed the eyes is still need to be reexamined. Rabies is transmitted if there are wounds and saliva,” explained Ken. To find out how Made M was infected when he did not have a history of being bitten by infectious animals remains to be studied further.

Meanwhile, according to the family, Made M had never been bitten by a dog but had ever had a dog which had bitten someone. The dog was immediately killed after the biting. (kmb24)

Bad Try Out Results, Buleleng Disdik Pushes Students Perform More Try Outs and Additional Learning Hours Singaraja, DenPost

The bad results of the UN (National Exam) try out in Buleleng have made the Buleleng Office of Education (Disdik) to do idea brainstorming in order to achieve maximum passing rate.

Some of the breakthroughs made were by holding more try-outs or pretests in each school and imposing additional learning hours for students. Thus disclosed by Buleleng Head of Office of Education, Drs. Gede Suyasa, M. Pd when asked for confirmation on Monday (8 / 3). “The results were in fact like that (bad_red), but we will try various steps such as try-outs and additional hours of study for students,” he said.

The bad results were assessed to be caused by the early examination time.

So there were some unfinished materials, that in reality have been tested in the try out. “This is what we will examine and discuss the extra pre-test and additional hours of study later,” added former Head of Buleleng Regency Liaison and Protocol.

In addition, there are also some materials tested that have not been taught.

This is what makes the students were a

little nervous and surprised. For this reason, he is coordinating with the school principals in Buleleng to further intensify the class hours, especially for final year students. Admittedly, the try out the results for high school were to reach only to 14.6% passing rate and 20.23% for junior high.

This is very far from the last graduation year in which Buleleng schools successfully achieved the 99.98% passing rate for high school and 99.43% passing rate for junior high.

From the data, the number of elementary school students who will participate in the UN later on is as many as 10,871 students (577 from Madrasah), 8904 of junior high school students (315 from Madrasah), 4434 of high school students (158 from Madrasah) and 1715 of the vocational school students.

Thus the total students in Buleleng who will undertake the National Examination are 26,924 people. Suyasa is hoping to implement the steps immediately so that the passing rate will rise from last year’s achievement. “If we can, we are aiming for 100 percent passing grade,” asserted the cheerful man. (212)

Fertilizer Prices Rises, Poor Farmers Expect Government’s Subsidy Semarapura (Bali Post) –

Farmers, including the ones in Klungkung District are in frenzy because they have heard the plan of fertilizer price increase as per April 2010.

They worry that the fertilizer price increase will affect prices of other farm supporting tools. It is clearly making the life of farmers to go uncertain. ‘’Now, there are still many farmers whose lives are still scattered, yet to be prosperous. So, they naturally become frantic when hearing about the plan in fertilizer price increase,’’ said a member of KlungkungPparliament, AA Gde Agung Bagus, on Monday (8 / 3).

According to Agung Bagus, fertilizer price increase was planned to be effective per April 2010. The plan will be applied nationally. This is obviously very concerning for farmers and the government policies will clearly make poorer farmers. Moreover, the price increase was designed to reach 100 percent (two fold) of the current prices. ‘’Normally, a fertilizer price increase will impact on the increase of other farm supporting utility prices,’’ asserted Agung Bagus.

According to the Deputy Chairman of Commission A Klungkung’s

Parliament, Representatives in the Central Parliament must address the central government’s policies to raise the price of fertilizer.

Do not let the farmers to face a big risk. Moreover, it is currently the recess period of members of the Central House of Representatives. ‘’So it is the right time for them (members of the Central House of Representatives) to meet the farmers and hear their direct aspirations,’’ he added.

Currently, the fertilizer prices in the market are ranging from 70 thousand to 75 thousand rupiah per 50 kilograms.

If the increase were to be 100 percent, it means that the price of fertilizer will reach 140 thousand to 150 thousand rupiah per 50 kilograms. ‘’If the price of fertilizer is a policy that must be taken by the government, at least there should another solution for the poor farmers, such as subsidies, so farmers will not be too sad,’’ said Agung Bagus.

On the other hand, when asked for confirmation related to anticipatory measures possibly taken by Klungkung Regency in facing the fertilizer price increase, Head of Klungkung Office of Cooperatives, SME, Industry and Trade, Nengah Becik could not be reached. (Kmb20)

z Founder : K.Nadha, z Chief Editor: ABG Satria Naradha z Managing Editor: Wirata,Palgunadi z Editors: Alit Purnata, Alit Susrini, Alit Sumertha, Darmasunu, Daniel Fajry, Diah Dewi, Mawa, Sri Hartini, Suana, Sueca, Sugiartha, Sutiawan, Wirya, Yudi Winanto zDenpasar: Dira Arsana, Giriana Saputra, Subagiadnya, Subrata, Suentra, Sumatika, Asmara Putra. Bangli: Pujawan, Buleleng: Adnyana, Gianyar: Agung Dharmada, Karangasem: Budana, Klungkung: Bali Putra Ariawan, Tabanan: Surpi. Jakarta: Nikson, Suharto Olii, Indu P. Adi, Ahmadi Supriyanto, Achmad Nasrudin, Hardianto, Darmawan S. Sumardjo, Heru B Arifin, Asep Djamaluddin, Ade Irawan, Ipik Tanoyo. NTB: Agus Talino, Syamsudin Karim, Izzul Khairi, Raka Akriyani, Nur Haedin, Suyadnya. Surabaya: Bambang Wilianto. z Development: Alit Purnata, Mas Ruscitadewi. z Office: Jalan Kepundung 67 A Denpasar 80232. Telephone (0361)225764, Facsimile: 227418, P.O.Box: 3010 Denpasar 80001. Bali Post Jakarta, Advertizing: Jl.Palmerah Barat 21F. Telp 021-5357602, Facsimile: 021-5357605 Jakarta Pusat. NTB: Jalam Bangau No. 15 Cakranegara Telp. (0370) 639543, Facsimile: (0370) 628257. Publiser: PT Bali Post

Bali News

International

After Quarreling with Wife, Husband Dies

by Hanging Himself Denpasar (Bali Post)—

It was unknown for sure what the actual problem faced by Wayan Damiarta, 39, that made him determined to end his life by hanging himself on last Monday (Mar 8). Victim hanged himself in his room on the following day after having a quarrel with his wife, Ni Ketut Sumiati, 40.

Ironically, the person who first discovered the victim was his wife.

Information obtained at location last Monday said the victim was found hanging himself around 06.00 am Local Time. Previously, victim involved in a quarrel with his wife.

However, it was not known for sure what the cause of the quarrel. A resource person said the background was triggered by a quarrel related to economic problems.

After they quarreled, the wife then went off somewhere. On the next day, his wife came back home at Banjar Teba, Jimbaran, South Kuta, Badung. As soon as opening the bedroom, the wife was ex-

tremely surprised to see the incident.

She found him to have been hung and even he was no longer alive. At that time, condition of the victim was that his tongue stuck outward.

Knowing the circumstances, the wife screamed and asked for help to people nearby. Immediately, the incident was reported to South Kuta Sector Police. “We received the report at about 06:00 am Local Time.

Furthermore, some members instantly came to the scene,” said Chief of South Kuta Sector Police, Nanang Prihasmoko, last Monday.

After initial examination by as-

signing some identification officers of Denpasar Metro Police, it was not found any signs of violence on the victim’s body. “We did not find any signs of violence. However, for further investigation, the victim’s body was taken to hospital for medical forensic examination,” he said.

Chief Nanang Prihasmoko also added his party had examined several witnesses related to the incident.

In addition, the victim apparently also wrote a letter addressed to his parents. He requested to keep his son and sincerely apologized for the mistake done. (kmb21)

Due to Financial Obstacle, Advertisement Re-arrangement on Jalan Teuku Umar Delayed Denpasar (Bali Post)—

The high funding needed to re-arrange the advertisement in the area of Jalan Teuku Umar, Denpasar, resulted in the delay of such arrangement. In other words, the arrangement would not be completed within this year 2010, if not allocated any revised budget in the Regional Budget. Therefore, the arrangement of advertisement in the area would be continued at the end of 2010.

This matter was revealed by technical implementer of Denpasar Sanitation and Landscaping Services (DKP) Agus Prihantara Marta, accompanied

by Section Head of Advertisement Arrangement, AA Raka Wedana, met last Monday (Mar 8).

Agus Prihantara said several stages of arrangement process have been carried out recently.

The problem was, other than advertising, that his party would also re-arrange the landscaping along the path. “We have worked on some of them, but for all billboards, probably will not be able to be completed within the mid of this year,” said Agus.

Re-arrangement of advertisement on Jalan Teuku Umar was initiated by the high inter-

est of businesspeople to install advertisement at the area. Unfortunately, due to badly-organized, it resulted in the snafu appearance of the city. The installation of advertisement, either in the form of billboards, banners, umbul-umbul and pamphlets often ignored the procedures of billboard installation. On that account, the current program of DKP was by re-arrangement of advertisement appearance at the strategic region.

Previously, Head of Denpasar Sanitation and Landscaping Services, I Ketut Wisada, said the rearrangement had been worked since the beginning of the year 2010. The arrangement had been discussed with other relevant agencies, such as the Indonesia Association of Advertising Companies (P3I), Indonesia Association of Outdoor Media (AMLI), Agency for Regional Development (Bappeda), and other relevant agencies, as well as DKP as the leading sector in the billboard installation arrangement of Jalan Teuku Umar.

Wisada admitted Jalan Teuku Umar was an area that became the center of attention and the executive economic zone. In this area, the number, location, and shape of advertisement would be determined by DKP. Advertisers who would not obey the rule set would

be no longer given any permit of advertisement installation in the region. “We hope Jalan Teuku Umar area becomes an icon in the arrangement of advertisement in Denpasar. This means that there will be advertisement having the nuance of cultural creative economy,” he said.

Arrangement of the advertisement installation in this strategic area, he said, would affect the acquisition of Regionally Generated Revenue (PAD) from the advertisement when viewed from the amount of publicity.

However, it also would make changes in advertising rates in the region. “If this could have been applied, the charge will be different from advertising in the free zone. This change will be governed by decree of mayor,” said former Assistant II of Denpasar City government.

In years to come, said Wisada, arrangement of advertisement installation would not only be on Jalan Teuku Umar.

After that, other regions would follow. However, it would be performed gradually to other regions such as Jalan Dewi Sartika and other strategic areas. Meanwhile, ordinary area had been set for the area of Jalan Diponegoro. (kmb12)

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

3

Nyepi, Three Hindu Prisoners Release Denpasar (Bali Post)—

Three Hindu prisoners get a valuable gift on the upcoming Nyepi (Day of Silence) celebration for the Caka New Year 1932. The three have been filed to get Special Remission or RK II or a direct release in exchange of their positive attitude during the arrest.

Section Head of Development and Education of Kerobokan Jailhouse, Wayan Landriana accompanied by Subsection Head of Registration, Made Suwardana, explained the three petitions were directed to the Bali Office of the Legal and Human Rights. At the moment, the letter of approval had been issued, but would be read on Nyepi.

“Although this letter of agreement had been issued, the prisoner concerned could not get their rights. If during this lag time they violate automatically the approval letter will be revoked,” explained Landriana, last Monday (Mar 8), while giving example of cases afflicted the Queen of Marijuana, Corby.

In addition to the three prisoners who were filed a special remission II, other 64 prisoners have also been proposed to get reduced punishment or RK I. Its letter of request had been addressed to the Bali Office of the Legal and Human Rights, which in turn had

given his consent. Similarly, prisoners who had RK II, the certainty of it would be announced on Nyepi. Meanwhile, 17 other prisoners have been petitioned for approval to the Minister of Justice and Human Rights, because it was associated with the Government Regulation No. 28/2008, about the mechanism of remission conferral. “Approval from the central government had not been received. Hopefully, before Nyepi the letter has come down,” he hoped.

When asked about whether there were prisoners who had been filed no remission, Landriana stated that some prisoners had not been. However, he did not remember how many. He just asserted such prisoners did not have relation to any violation during the arrest. They have not been petitioned for remission because were going through criminal fines. According to the applicable penalty, prisoners undergoing fine sentence would serve a full sentence as decided by the judges. ”Those prisoners were not filed any remission, because they were only serving criminal fines. Except at the same time they also serve criminal imprisonment, so they will automatically be filed a remission,” he added. (015)

Fired, Former Employees of RPK Complain to the House Mangupura (Bali Post)—

The former employees of PT. Rumah Pantai Kreasi (RPK) complained to the Badung House, last Monday (Mar 8). They claimed to be disappointed with the attitude of company management performing unilateral termination and without severance pay.

Eight female former employees of RPK arrived that accompanied by two representatives of the family. The delegation was received by the Secretary of Commission D Ni Putu Yunita Oktarini and a member of the Commission I Nyoman Giri Prasta. Made Wibawa, husband of one of the employees who was disappointed mentioned the women including his wife with 11 other employees of RPK were dismissed unilaterally by management about two months ago. He said such dismissal was also without granting the rights of employees such as salaries and severance.

Expressed by Nyoman Sriani, the incident triggering layoffs in RPK occurred on last January 14.

At that time, there were foreign visitors that would like to shop and try some things on the counter of RPK at Grand Hyatt Bali and then bought them. However, the problems began to emerge. About two days later, the management knew that the price of the two items purchased by guests have been raised or marked-up by one of the RPK’s employees.

Such price mark-up allegation

by unscrupulous employee was then traced by the management.

The management then questioned the issue to all employees and asked employees who were guilty to confess. According to him, it was not investigated properly even the management did not want to accept any reason.

“Employees were summoned one by one and told to sign a statement. Employees did not know exactly what it was because written in English. Then, we were also called to the South Kuta police to be examined as a witness. And for information, the person of employee who alleged to have marked-up the price of goods had gone to Java,” he said.

On responding to this condition, Giri Prasta claimed his party accommodated the aspirations of those former employees. However, he argued, his party could not act on this issue because the report was just received from one side. “Obviously, we will help facilitate the resolution of this issue, so there will be a win-win solution. Currently, we are not able to express an attitude, because this issue has also entered into the realm of law. For a while we ask that the legal process could be respected,” he said.

For this reason, both Yunita and Giri Prasta claimed that they would make raid to foreigner-owned retail company located at Jalan Werkudara Legian Kaja 526 to get an explanation from the management. (ded)

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Wednesday, March 10, 2010

News

International

Biden sees “moment of opportunity” in Mideast JERUSALEM – U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden says there is a “moment of opportunity” for peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

Biden is making the highestlevel visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories by an Obama administration official.

Ahead of a meeting with Israeli President Shimon Peres on Tuesday, Biden also said there is “absolutely no space between Israel and the United States” where Israel’s security is concerned.

Hours after Biden’s arrival Monday, the U.S. announced that Israel and the Palestinian Authority would begin indirect peace negotiations, breaking a 14-month deadlock.

Biden is slated to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas before continuing to Jordan on Thursday.

Vice President J oseph Biden

AP

Fourth Australia passport linked to Hamas killing

AFP/File

Foreign Minister Stephen Smith

SYDNEY (AFP) – Foreign Minister Stephen Smith Tuesday said a fourth Australian passport-holder had been drawn into the murder of a Hamas leader in Dubai, after Interpol issued an alert for a suspect using the man’s name.

A team of Australian Federal Police and Australian Passport Office officials are already in Israel to investigate the use of three fake Australian passports in the January death of Mahmud al-Mabhuh.

Smith said that a fourth Australian passport, in the name of Joshua Krycer, had also been linked to the alleged assassination.

“Inquiries by the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Passport Office indicate the further passport presented in Dubai was fraudulently duplicated, as was the case with the initial three passports,” Smith said.

“There is no information to suggest that Mr. Krycer, as with any of the other three Australian passport holders, was involved in any way, other than as victims of identity fraud,” he said in a statement.

Mabhuh, a founder of the military wing of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, was found dead in his Dubai hotel room on January 20. Police say he had been drugged then suffocated.

Australian reports said Krycer is a speech pathologist who works at a hospital in Jerusalem.

China warns US against selling F-16s to Taiwan BEIJING – China on Tuesday warned the United States against any future arms sales to Taiwan, including F-16 fighter jets the island has been pushing for in hopes of upgrading its air defense capabilities.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said China is firmly opposed to U.S. sales of weapons to Taiwan, the self-ruled island that the communist government in Beijing regards as part of its territory and has vowed to conquer by force if necessary.

Asked to comment on reports that Taiwan is pushing to buy F-16s from the United States, Qin said Beijing hoped the U.S. would “take China’s position seriously and respect China’s core interests and major concerns.”

Incensed by the January announcement that the U.S. planned to sell $6.4 billion in weapons to Taiwan, Beijing suspended military exchanges with the U.S. and has

threatened to retaliate against U.S. aerospace firms involved in the deal.

Since Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou came into office in May 2008, Taiwan has consistently pressed the United States to supply it with 66 F-16 C/Ds, an upgrade on its present inventory of F-16 A/Bs. The issue was underscored last month when a Pentagon report painted a grim picture of Taiwan’s air defense capabilities, saying that many of the island’s 400 combat aircraft would not be available to help withstand an attack from rival China.

Many observers saw the study as justification for the possible sale of advanced fighter jets to Taiwan. The U.S. says the F-16 request remains under study.

Despite rapidly warming relations with Beijing, Taiwan maintains that it needs state-of-the-art weaponry from the U.S. to help it counter China’s threat to attack.

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

Wednesday, March 10, 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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Wednesday, March 10, 2010

News

Cyprus police confirm body is ex-leader’s corpse AP

NICOSIA, Cyprus – A body discovered in a Nicosia cemetery is the stolen corpse of Cyprus’ ex-president Tassos Papadopoulos, police said Tuesday.

DNA results obtained early Tuesday positively identified the corpse as Papadopoulos after a telephone tip-off led police to the body late Monday at the cemetery in the Nicosia suburb of Strovolos, police spokesman Michalis Katsounotos said.

Papadopoulos’ corpse was dug up from another graveyard on Nicosia’s southern outskirts n Dec. 11 — the eve of the first anniversary of his death from lung cancer.

Katsounotos wouldn’t elaborate on the state of the corpse or possible motives for the bizarre body snatching, but said more details would be revealed at a news conference later Tuesday.

The call to police was made from a phone booth a few miles (kilometers) away from the cemetery, Katsounotos. He said investigators examined the booth for fingerprints and other evidence that could lead to the caller’s identity.

Family members, including three of Papadopoulos’ adult children, rushed to the cemetery amid heavy police security after being notified of the corpse’s discovery.

The tip-off unlocked an investigation that has remained mostly dormant since grave robbers removed a heavy marble plaque from on top of his grave, digging down to the coffin and removing the body of Papadopoulos, who died of lung cancer on Dec. 12, 2008, at age 74.

The robbers left few leads at the scene. Lime was strewn over the grave in what investigators believe was an attempt to erase any tracks they might have left behind.

Investigators even sought the help of the FBI and Interpol as well as Greek and Israeli law enforcement authorities to solve the case.

The bizarre body-snatching shocked Cypriots and came as the divided island’s Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders were locked in complex reunification talks. The talks have made only marginal progress after 18 months.

Cyprus was divided into an internationally recognized Greek Cypriot south and a breakaway Turkish Cypriot north in 1974

AFP/File –

Israel, Syria announce nuclear energy ambitions AP

PARIS – Mideast rivals Israel and Syria on Tuesday each announced ambitions to develop nuclear energy, with Israel facing the prospect that its plan could bring new attention to its secretive nuclear activities.

The countries laid out their hopes at an international conference in Paris on civilian nuclear energy — which contributes far less to global warming than burning of fossil fuels but still evokes many concerns about long-term safety issues.

The announcements raise the prospect that the countries’ nuclear programs could come under the microscope of international inspectors to ensure that they don’t cross the forbidden line into weapons programs. Iran, for example, has come under intense pressure to show its nuclear program is peaceful.

Iran and North Korea, whose nuclear program has also drawn international scorn, were not invited to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development conference.

Israeli Infrastructure Minister Uzi Landau said nuclear plants built in Israel will be subject to strict safety and security controls, and even said his country would like to build them in cooperation with scientists and engineers from “our Arab neighbors.”

“Israel has always considered nuclear power to partially replace its dependence on coal,” Landau said.

The program aims to help Israel secure its energy supplies and battle global warming. Israel currently uses coal and natural gas to produce electricity.

The effort by Israel, which has long been suspected to have a secret nuclear weapons program, runs the risk that its nuclear energy program will draw the eyes of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The construction of a nuclear reactor could draw international attention to Israel’s nuclear activities. Asked if Israel would allow IAEA inspectors to supervise any new project, Landau aide

NKorea has...

Cypriot forensic experts inspect the dug-out grave of former Cypriot president Tassos Papadopoulos

From page 1

when Turkey invaded after a coup by supporters of union with Greece.

Papadopoulos, who was president from 2003 to 2008, was considered by many right wing Greek Cypriots to be a champion of resistance against peace accords that are weighted against them.

A lack of a firm motive and few clues led to widespread speculation that the theft was politically motivated. Authorities tried to dampen speculation, suggesting that ransom was a more likely scenario.

Papadopoulos ushered a divided Cyprus into the European Union in May 2004 after urging Greek Cypriots to reject a U.N. brokered reunification plan, which he vilified as entrenching the island’s division rather than ending it. Three-quar-

The North conducted a long-range rocket test in April in violation of a U.N. Security Council resolution that prohibits the country from engaging in any ballistic missile-related activities. A defiant Pyongyang subsequently quit nuclear disarmament talks and performed a second nuclear test.

The United Nations responded in July by imposing punishing new sanctions that toughened an arms embargo on the country and authorized ship searches on the high seas.

On Tuesday, the North continued its salvo against the U.S. and South Korea over their military drills, which the regime has long slammed as a rehearsal for invasion.

“This cannot be interpreted otherwise than a grave provocation,” the North’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement. It said the North will con-

ters of Cypriots rejected it in a referendum; two-thirds of Turkish Cypriots accepted the plan.

Papadopoulos was defeated in a February 2008 presidential poll by Dimitris Christofias, former leader of the communist-rooted AKEL party.

Papadopoulos was a central figure in Cypriot politics for decades, with a career spanning most of the island’s turbulent history since it gained independence from Britain in 1960.

A British-trained lawyer, Papadopoulos was a guerrilla leader for the Greek Cypriot group EOKA, which waged an anti-colonial campaign. Later, at age 26, he was the youngest cabinet minister in the island’s first post-independence government.

Chen Ben Lulu said only that Israel would follow all the relevant rules.

Israel has not signed the Nonproliferation Treaty, which aims to limit the number of countries capable of developing nuclear weapons.

Separately at the conference, Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faysal Mekdad his country is looking at “alternative energy sources, including nuclear energy” to meet its growing demands for energy.

“The peaceful application of nuclear energy should not be monopolized by the few that own this technology but should be available to all,” Mekdad said, noting Syria’s growing population.

He did not elaborate on specific nuclear plans.

Between the two countries, Israel is seen as closer to actually developing nuclear energy in terms of know-how and infrastructure.

The idea of generating nuclear energy has been floating around for years in Israel. In 2007, one of Landau’s predecessors said he was working on a plan to build a nuclear power plant in Israel’s southern Negev desert.

Landau met several months ago with the French Energy Minister Jean-Louis Borloo, and raised the idea of FrenchIsraeli-Jordanian cooperation in developing a nuclear power plant.

Borloo was enthusiastic about that idea, Landau said. France derives more of its electricity from nuclear power than any other country and has a highly developed civilian nuclear industry — and Paris sees export potential.

It was France that, beginning in the 1950s, helped Israel build its nuclear reactor at Dimona. Israel is believed to have used that reactor to construct a stockpile of nuclear weapons.

Israel has never acknowledged being a nuclear power, following a policy it calls “nuclear ambiguity.” Israel also has a smaller nuclear reactor for research at Nahal Soreq, not far from Tel Aviv.

Landau’s office says no specific plans to set up a third nuclear power plant have been drawn up so far. tinue to bolster its nuclear capability as long as the U.S. military threats persist.

The ministry, however, said the North is ready for both dialogue and war, a position that contrasts from a military statement Sunday that the North would break off dialogue with the U.S. in response to the drills.

In a Pyongyang street, citizens read newspaper articles reporting North Korean troops were placed on high alert following the drills, according to footage shot by broadcaster APTN in the North’s capital.

“This clearly shows once again that the U.S. and South Korean authorities are peace breakers, bringing the clouds of war to this land. They are warmongers who are fond of war,” Kim Chol Ok, a Pyongyang resident, said.

About 18,000 American soldiers and an undisclosed number of South Korean troops are taking part in 11 days of drills that began Monday across South Korea.

Indonesia Today

International

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

7

Top JI militant believed killed in Indonesia: police Agence France-Presse

JAKARTA - Indonesian anti-terror forces Tuesday killed a man believed to be one of the most wanted Jemaah Islamiyah leaders, Dulmatin, during a raid on the outskirts of Jakarta, police said.

Gunfire was heard as police raided a two storey shop-house at around 11:00 am (0400 GMT) in Pamulang city west of the capital, witnesses told local television.

Witnesses said they saw a body bag carried by an ambulance following the gunfight and two people were arrested. Anti-terror police chief Tito Karnavian confirmed that the man killed was linked to a militant group in Aceh province in the north of the island of Sumatra.

“Yes he is the culprit, the one that sent people to Aceh. He’s a big name,” Karnavian told reporters without giving more details.

But a police source told AFP

that the man was believed to be Dulmatin, one of the most wanted senior leaders of the Jemaah Islamiyah militant group. There was no official confirmation on the man’s identity but police are due to hold a press conference late afternoon.

Dulmatin is accused of helping JI plan and carry out the 2002 Bali bombings, which killed 202 people on the Indonesian resort island of Bali, most of them foreign tourists.

Police said on Monday 16 terror suspects had been charged under anti-terrorism laws since a major raid late February on an extremist training facility in a remote region of Aceh.

NTB police name four suspects in people smuggling case Antara

MATARAM - West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) police have named four Indonesians suspects in their investigation into a people smuggling case involving a number illegal Afghan immigrants who were nabbed on Wednesday.

“The four suspects are undergoing intensive questioning at the NTB’s police headquarters,” head of the provincial police’s public information office, Adjunct Commissioner Sudjoko Aman said here on Monday.

“They have been named suspects because they had planned to take a group of 67 Afghan immigrants to Australia,” he said.

The four suspects who are residents of Lombok Timur district, were identified as Sirum (17), Makhasun (26) and Nursam (26) from Tameak hamlet, and Budi Irawan (26) from Resing hamlet. All of them are fishermen.

Sudjoko said the four fishermen were would be charged based on Article 54 letter b and Article 60 of Law No. 9/1992 on Immigration.

Antasari appeals his 18-year jail sentence

Another legal reference namely Law Number 37/2009 on stipulation of Government Regulation in Lieu of Law number 3/2009 about the amendment Act no. 9/1992 on Immigration Law, junto articles 55 and 56 of the Penal Code.

They have been indicated to help the Afghan immigrants to depart to Australia, he said.

Sudjoko said police had also questioned some of the immigrants as witnesses. The 67 Afghan immigrants who were arrested last Wednesday for trying to travel to Australia are currently being accommodated at a number of non-star hotels here pending the settlement of their case, police said.

The 67 Afghan immigrants consisting of 21 children, 15 adult women and 31 adult men were among others being accommodated at Hotel Srikandi and Hotel Miranda, he said. The Afghan immigrants were arrested last Wednesday in their hideouts around Temeak beach, Pamongkong village, Jerowaru subdistrict, East Lombok district, while waiting for a boat that would take them to Australia.

Antara

JAKARTA - Former Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chief Antasari Azhar on Monday formally filed papers for a review of his 18-year jail sentence in the Nasruddin Zulkarnaen murder case.

One of Antasari’s lawyers, Juniver Girsang, who filed the official appeal at the South Jakarta District Court, said his client should have been acquitted completely “because there was nothing for which Antasari can be legally held accountable.”

The South Jakarta Court in

AFP PHOTO / POOL / Mark Graham

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (L) is congratulated by Governor General Quentin Bryce after being appointed an Honorary Companion in the General Division of the Order of Australia, at Government House, Canberra, on March 9, 2010. The Indonesian President arrived in Australia on for a three-day visit during which he will be given the rare honour of addressing the country’s parliament.

President Yudhoyono receives Australian Government Award CANBERRA - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Tuesday afternoon local time is scheduled to be awarded an Honorary Companion of the Order of Australia by Australian Commonwealth Governor General Quentin Bryce AC. The conferment will be conducted at the Governor General’s official residence at the Government House in Canberra during a series of courtesy calls of the President during a three-day state visit to Australia starting Tuesday.

The award will be given to President Yudhoyono for his services in fostering the relations between Australia and Indonesia, and in promoting de-

mocracy and development in Indonesia.

President Yudhoyono was considered as successful in intensifying and expanding the relations between the two countries in many sectors including the economy, culture, education, fighting terrorism, and human inter-relationship.

The President has also maintained close cooperation with Australia in regional stability and prosperity in the East Sia and APEC summits, and in making a success in raising Indonesia’s active role in global issues like in G-20.

In many instances like terrorist attacks in Indonesia and natural disasters in both Australia and Indonesia, the President had acted quickly humanely in preparing the leadership the two countries needed in mutually

beneficial cooperation.

The President has also led the relations between the two countries in fostering democracy in Indonesia and maintained economic reforms which have benefited the Indonesian people and the Southeast Asia region.

After the award conferment, the President said that the appreciation was a great honor for him hoping it would strengthen the relations between the two countries and the two peoples in the future.

During the three-day state visit, the President accompanied

by Madame Ani Yudhoyono was scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Wednesday (Mar 10) before proceeding to Sydney and Papua New Guinea.

February sentenced Antasari to 18 years in jail for his alleged involvement in the murder of state enterprise PT Putra Rajawali Banjaran director Nasrudin Zulkarnaen.

Juniver said the charge that Antasari had once threatened Nasrudin in an short text message (SMS) had not been proven in the court trials.

Also, the court trials had failed to produce proof that Antasari had ordered Sigid Haryo Wibisono and Police Senior Commissioner Wiliardi, Wizar to eliminate

Nasrudin, Juniver said.

“All the fundamental arguments in the charges were not supported by real proof, so that our client should have been declared innocent,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Judicial Court (KY) also seems to doubt the correctness or legitimacy of the South Jakarta District Court’s verdict on Antsari.

KY Chairman M Busyro Moqoddas said last Sunday (Mar 1) the court was setting up a team to examine the correctness or legitimacy of the South Jakarta District

Court’s decision to sentence Antasari to 18 years in jail.

The KY team would be led by the KY’s commissioner for supervision, Judge Zainal Arifin, he said.

The team would assess Antasari’s sentence from different viewpoints, including from the viewpoint of the judiciary code of ethics. For the purpose, the KY had requested and duly received a copy of the official text of the South Jakarta District Court’s verdict on Antasari, Busyro said.

Antara

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Internationa

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Bali Today Hotel occupancy rates decrease 6 percent Antara

DENPASAR – The hotel occupancy rates in Bali was 53% in January 2010 for star hotels. The number decreased 6% compare to December 2009 which was 59%. Ida Komang Wisnu, the head of Bali Statistic Department, said “the hotel occupancy rate is highly connected with the number of tourists visited Bali.”

He said that the number of foreign tourists visited Bali in January 2010 was 179,273. The number decreased 19% compare to December 2009 which was 222.546 tourists.

The highest hotel occupancy rate in Bali was in Badung which was 55% while the lowest was in Buleleng which was only 33%. In Tabanan, the hotel occupancy rate was 47%, Gianyar 42%, Karangasem 34%, and

Denpasar 52%.

The highest hotel occupancy rate was for the three star hotels while the lowest in the first star hotels.

The tourists visited Bali was using the hotels in average of 3.61 days. The condition increased 0.28 days compared to in December which was 3.33 days. While the hotel occupancy rate for the non star hotels was 31%.

http://selebzone.com

Tourists sun bathing at the Kuta beach.

Ngurah Rai Airport, a gateway to Paradise Island (3)

The airport role in shaping Bali’s tourism industry

By Diah Dewi Airport has important role in shaping the tourism industry in certain area. Where there is an excellent airport, the area will also develop in the same tune with the airport. Bali’s tourism industry also relay heavily upon the existence of Ngurah Rai International Airport. This airport help Bali’s develop its tourism industry into vital industry just like today.

http://i41.tinypic.com

For Bali’s tourism, the role of Ngurah Rai Airport is very strategic.

This is because before this airport exists, tourists that came to Bali have to enter this island through the sea port. Since the 1930s the tourism of Bali started to flourish thanks to the existence of Ngurah Rai Airport. Like what being shared in the book entitled ‘’Ngurah Rai Airport Bali – Gateway to Paradise” the Ngurah Rai Airport is the gateway to Bali. It plays a vital role for the national tourism industry. According to the book, the contribution of Ngurah Rai Airport is almost 60 percent of overseas arrival.

Moreover, Bali also have win many awards from prestigious associations and organizations because Ngurah Rai Airport. Why? Because by operating this airport, people overseas can visit Bali and help shaping the image of Bali’s tourism in the world. As the main gate to enter Bali, Ngurah Rai Airport also plays important role in giving Bali the opportunity to become host of so many conferences and meetings, both national

The monument of I Gusti Ngurah Rai being build in the front area before the entrance to Ngurah Rai International Airport to represent the existence of the Airport.

and international standards.

General Manager of PT. Angkasa Pura (AP) I Ngurah Rai International Airport Heru Legowo mentioned that the air traffic of Ngurah Rai Airport shows an increasing numbers through these years. He stated that per day, there are 220 flights that have to be served by Ngurah Rai Airport. ‘’We have served around 220 flights per day,” he said.

In the last 10 year, the flight movement jumped up 75 percent. In 2000, domestic flights marked 24,982 times and in 2009 it became 45,844 or increasing around 84 percent. The international flights also have an increasing frequency, which was in the 2000 only 18,815 times to become 31,353 times in 2009.

This figure, according to Heru, also happened on the passengers numbers. The year 2000 domestic passengers hitting on 1,470,854 people, while on the year of 2009 they reach around 4,644,754 people or increase 216 percent in these last 10 years. The international passengers also showing an increasing leap around 68 percent, where in the 2000 the numbers were 2,973,002 passengers and become 4,980,679 passengers in 2009.

If we looking at this figures that show by Ngurah Rai International Airport data base, we surely assume that many of this passengers that en-

ter Bali were tourists who want to spent their money and time in this Island of Gods. Well, your guess is right.

Many people who came through Ngurah Rai International Airport were tourists. Base on the Statistic figure from Bali’s Tourism Office the number of foreign tourists that visiting Bali on the periods of 1969 to 2006 keeps increase steadily. Although there are several years where the numbers of foreign tourists decrease, overall figures show that numbers keep improved for these past thirty seven years. The number of foreign tourists that visited Bali on the 1969 according to the data was 11,278 people while in the 2008 the numbers increase greatly to 1,968,892 people.

Realizing its vital role for tourism, Ngurah Rai Airport keeps maintain its service and performance. Heru said that in order to maintain Airport’s image, an icon was made to represent the airport.

After careful consideration, it was decided that Gusti Ngurah is a personification of a figure who is calm, not too fanatic, and able to accept inputs, has the wisdom to be open minded, understanding of differences, and religious. Other image also has been built to represent the existence of Ngurah Rai International Airport, which is the monument of I Gusti Ngurah Rai. (To be continued…)

al

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Balinese Culture ”People et cetera”, sculpture exhibition IBP

DENPASAR - At the end of February 2010, Adi Bachmann - in collaboration with Agung Rai started the soft opening of his sculpture exhibition “People et cetera” at the parks of the ARMA Cultural Center in Ubud, even as the grand opening of this exhibition will take place in July 17, 2010. This “People et cetera” sculpture exhibition is now one reason more to visit the famous ARMA in Ubud.

The multi-talented German artist Adi Bachmann was born 1943 in Munich. He lives in Bali since 2006 and is married to Komang Sarining from Lovina. Together with Komang Sarining he manages Adi’s Gallery at Jl. Bisma in Ubud. Adi has exhibited his art at several places around the world, such as Germany, Crete and lastly in Bali.

Nowadays he keeps himself busy as an artist, author, gallery and cultural event manager; in addition he is continuously involved in all kind of artistic, social and humanitarian projects.

In this picturesque venue Adi Bachmann and Agung Rai placed over 40 from finally 65 of Adi’s modern sculptures. According to Bachman, the named of the exhibition “People et cetera” because the sculpture arrangements and the single sculptures express a lot about himself, his dreams, fears and personal experiences. ‘’I projected these personal patterns on a larger level: from the “I” to “us”, so to speak, and from the “me” to “people” or “humans”, if you prefer,’’ he explained.

The sculptures are highly differentiated in ideas and shapes; they are mainly made from cement; almost all of them are painted in bright and intense colors. At this exhibition discover Adi’s unique sculpture arrangements and single sculp-

http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk

Gekos tures, as you will see dancing snakes; a red globe which rests on the peak of a pyramid; a reclining Buddha who is guarded by two life-sized king penguins and surrounded by many strange figures: “The Artist’s Nightmare”; thirteen representatives from different times and different geographical areas of our civilization, who gather at an ironic “Global Warming Conference 2020, Ubud, Bali”.

There are also sculpture-arrangements of three women in the style of Cycladic Idols, who ask each other: “Shall we go for a swim, ladies?” Other than that you can also see the well-known phrase: “Everybody wants to get up – but not everyone succeeds”. Courageous visitors might climb up one of the ladders and take a seat high above the less courageous ones. (iah)

Cassava Cracker:

A Crispiness to Bring Home After making a visit to a tourist destination, you are expected to only leave your footprints to make nature leave in harmony.

However, if wishing, you may bring home some most tempting photos immortalizing your beautiful moment with family or friends. What about your taste? Think about local unique snacks that will tell another story through flavor. When you drop at Candikuning market being well known as the center of local fruits and vegetables, it offers you some delicious crackers. One of them is cassava crackers. It is traditionally made and then sprinkled with palm sugar sauce.

It is made from grated cassava added with salt and then mold on banana leaf and attempt to press it thinly, otherwise you can use your preferred mold. Afterward, steam it until cooked. Take out and dry under sunlight.

When finely dry, deep fry until crispy. To add the flavor, sprinkle with palm sugar sauce. (BTN/punia)

Jukut Urab

(Mixed Vegetables with Grated Coconut) INGREDIENTS: 100 gr (3 ½ oz) blanched cabbage 100 gr (3 ½ oz) spinach, blanched 100 gr (3 ½ oz) long beans cut in 32,5 cm (line) pieces, blanched 100 gr (3 ½ oz) bean sprouts, blanched 1 large red chili, sliced 1 tbsp grated coconut 2 tbsp fried shallots DRESSINGS: 2 tbsp fried shallots 2 tbsp sliced garlic clove 1 large red chili, seeded and sliced 2 tsp fried chili (Sambal Sereh Tabia) 3 fragrant lime leaves, very finely sliced 4 cm (1½ in) kencur, peeled & chopped ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon crushed black pepper ½ teaspoon white sugar 1 tablespoon oil

PREPARATION: 1. Cut cabbage into pieces about 2,5 cm by 1 cm (1 in by ½ in).

2. Combine all vegetables, chili, grated coconut and fried shallots in salad bowl and mix well.

For the dressing: Combine all ingredients and mix well in separate bowl. Mix the dressing thoroughly with the vegetables; season to taste with salt, pepper and limejuice. Serve at room temperature. (www.baliguide.com/balifood)

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Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Destinations

International

Clear Water off Bali’s Distant ‘Deer’ Island Menjangan Island means “deer”- hangs just offshore of the mountainous point in far northwestern Bali. Because the island is in a protected position, currents and wind-generate waves are rarely a bother, and the reefs here offer fine diving, particularly for beginning and intermediate divers. Occasionally, the water can be crystal clear-a snorkeler, distinct, 50 meters above you-and the rest of the time visibility seldom drops to less than 25 meters.The island is part of Bali Barat National Park, a protected reserve area that encompasses much of Bali’s little-populated western end. The drive from the resort areas of the south is at least three hours, the first hour through the thick traffic that envelops Denpasar like a fog.

The coral walls around Menjangan are vertical down to 30-60 meters, and then slope outward.The reef surface is particularly rugged: caves, grottoes, crevasses and funnel-like splits break up the coral wall, and the surface is textured with little nooks and crannies. Gorgonians of many kinds reach large sizes here, and huge barrel sponges are abundant. Soft corals blanket the colorful walls all the way down.

We found the variety of fish here to be somewhat inferior to other dive sites-we ask for a lot!-but the numbers are good and some of the fish are quite bold, as guides feed them regularly. We were blessed with a curious pack of half a dozen fully grown round-

faced batfish, and two aggregations of bignose unicornfish.

A few individuals from a large school of longfin bannerfish approached us, but the majority kept a discreet distance, as did the yellowback fusiliers, which accompany almost every dive in Indonesia.Small boats ferry divers from the Nature Reserve dock at Labuhan Lalang to Menjangan’s small beach, where gearing up takes place in the sandy-bottomed shallows.The edge of the reef terrace is at 1-5 meters, and a V-shaped delta of sand points the way out to the edge.Guides usually take their groups to the east (left) on their first dive-keep an eye out for a huge gorgonian at 18 meters and down to 15-30 meters, and then back through the shallows (5-10 meters) on the way back. After a lunch on the beach, the group goes west (right). Here the wall has much more relief, and the guides send their boat to dive, returning them directly to the Nature Reserve dock at Labuhan Lalang. Menjangan’s western tip holds a deeper, but more interesting dive on an old wreck. The so-called “Anker” wreck is just off the coast, near a small dock and guardpost maintained by the Park Service (PHPA). The guardpost”Pos II”-is about a 30-minute boat ride; our craft anchored about 75 meters from the beach at a point designated by our guide. (http://www.balivision.com)

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BUSINESS In this Jan. 6, 2010 file photo, a bank clerk counts U.S. dollars and RMB yuan notes for a customer at a bank in Hefei, in central China’s Anhui province. China sought Tuesday to allay concerns about a reduction in its massive investment in US Treasuries, saying it was a responsible investor and any changes were part of normal market operations.

AP Photo, File

China plays down concerns over US debt holdings Agence France-Presse

BEIJING - China sought Tuesday to allay concerns about a reduction in its massive investment in US Treasuries, saying it was a responsible investor and any changes were part of normal market operations.

“China has substantial foreign exchange reserves and ... the US Tbond market is very important to us,” the head of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, Yi Gang, told reporters.

“It is normal for us to have operations with regard to our holdings of T-bonds,” Yi said on the sidelines of the annual session of the National People’s Congress, China’s rubberstamp parliament.

The US Treasury Department released revised data last month showing China had cut back but remained the top holder of US debt at the end of

December, after earlier indications it had been eclipsed by Japan.

China held 894.8 billion dollars in Treasury securities at the end of 2009 compared with a revised 929.0 billion dollars in November, fuelling concerns in Washington about Beijing’s motives.

Some US lawmakers have warned that China’s investment in bonds is becoming a political as well as an economic risk.

China has warned of retaliation against the United States after President Barack Obama defied Beijing by approving an arms pack-

age to rival Taiwan and meeting Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.

But other analysts have said any serious move away from US Treasuries by China would trigger a fall in bond prices, ultimately hurting Beijing.

Yi told reporters that changes in China’s Treasury holdings were “purely market investment behaviour” and he hoped it would not be “politicised”.

“China is a responsible investor and we fully believe such investment can be mutually beneficial,” he said.

China Southern Airlines to raise 1.6 billion dollars Agence France-Presse

SHANGHAI - China Southern Airlines, the nation’s biggest carrier by fleet size, said Tuesday it plans to raise 10.75 billion yuan (1.6 billion dollars) to repay bank loans and replenish its capital.

The company will issue up to 1.77 billion yuan-denominated Ashares at a minimum price of 5.66 yuan each to 10 institutions including its parent in a private placement, it said in statements to the Shanghai Stock Exchange.

China Southern will also issue up to 312.5 million H-shares at a minimum of 2.73 Hong Kong dollars (35 US cents) to Nan Lung Holding Ltd, a subsidiary of its parent China Southern Air Hold-

ing Company, it said.

State-owned China Southern Air Holding Company and its Nan Lung Holdings unit will jointly subscribe to new shares worth at least 1.5 billion yuan — the amount of aid China’s finance ministry awarded the airline’s parent.

China Southern said it would use the proceeds from the private placement to pay back bank loans totalling 4.8 billion yuan and 1.35 billion dollars.

The repayment is expected to lower its debt-to-assets ratio and cut its financing costs such as interest.

The share placement will help the carrier “allocate and fully utilise their existing assets... (and) lighten the debt burden of the com-

pany,” it said.

The government has injected nearly 20 billion dollars into the nation’s top three carriers including China Southern since late 2008 to help them weather the slowing travel demand amid the global financial crisis.

The carriers have also benefited from a recovery in air travel traffic spurred by the country’s resilience during the crisis — the world’s third-largest economy expanded by a red-hot 8.7 percent last year.

Shares of China Southern, which had been suspended since February 23, jumped 3.32 percent in early trade to 6.84 yuan from the previous close of 6.62 yuan as trading resumed on Tuesday.

Europe moves to create rescue fund Agence France-Presse

BRUSSELS - Europe moved on Monday toward the creation of a rescue fund of its own, designed to shore up the euro currency should wayward users become trapped by spiralling debts like Greece.

But German-driven plans for a kind of EU monetary fund immediately ran into obstacles as the European Central Bank’s top economist warned they would create the “wrong incentives” and France countered that any fund could take “years” to set up.

European Union countries are already divided on how far to push for French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s stated desire of pancontinental “economic government.”

Politically, the left also wants to ensure that greater emphasis is placed on investment via such a fund to create jobs and growth.

Economic analysts themselves warned the plans could trigger renewed “recession.”

The EU executive commission said on Monday it would float proposals within 24 hours to create a “European” version of the Washington-based International Monetary Fund.

Paradoxically, the EU can only currently give such emergency loans to non-euro members, as seen last year with Hungary, Latvia and Romania.

Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn will “inform” his peers in the European Commission on Tuesday of ongoing “discussions” on the issue, said his spokesman Amadeu Altafaj Tardio.

He gave no details on how the fund would be built up or run.

The plans, aimed at preventing future crises, are being developed in response to crippling debts run up in Athens, themselves masked by dodgy data reporting down the years.

These have forced radical austerity measures on Greece’s Socialist government and triggered strikes and violent protests in Athens.

Greece is not alone in its troubles. The Portuguese government said on Monday that it would cut spending, delay investment and sell state assets to fix Lisbon’s finances.

Rehn earlier told the Financial Times Deutschland newspaper that financial aid, whether through loans or other guarantees, would be linked to

“strict conditions,” in other words, budget cuts or structural economic reforms.

The commission would not comment on German press reports saying Berlin wanted concrete powers to apply “sanctions” written into new arrangements.

According to the FT, these could include the loss of standard EU funding, the temporary removal of EU voting rights and even provisional exclusion from the eurozone.

At the currency’s birth a decade ago, Germany rejected the idea of including such safety nets for fear of encouraging profligate spending.

As Europe’s biggest economy with the most to lose should euro confidence again slide, but with a government that is reluctant to upset taxpaying national voters, Berlin is leading moves to strengthen a common toolkit for euro countries.

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble is on record as saying that “for the internal stability of the eurozone, we need an institution that has the experience and power of the IMF.” Schaeuble’s spokesman Michael Offer stressed on Monday that Berlin was working with France on proposals to be unveiled “shortly.”

However, the ECB’s Juergen Stark told the financial daily Handelsblatt that the scheme “could be very expensive, create the wrong incentives and finally, burden countries (that have) more solid public finances.”

A French government official added that Germany’s proposal is “very, very complex” and would “require a modification of the treaties.”

Standard & Poor’s analyst Trevor Cullinan said such a fund could provide “breathing space” but stressed that the “ultimate responsibility for correcting imbalances” would “remain with the sovereign state.”

Natixis economist Patrick Artus further warned that an “intensification of speculative attacks” by traders on bond and currency markets could unleash a vicious circle resulting in “recession in the eurozone and depreciation of the euro.”

According to his spokesman, the head of the European Socialist grouping, Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, said the plans are “too focused on the monetary side, rather than looking at the best way we can promote growth and jobs.”

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Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Entertainment

International

Lil Wayne begins 1-year jail term in NYC gun case After saying goodbye on concert stages and online video streams, Lil Wayne had nothing to add as he was sentenced Monday to a year in jail for having a loaded gun on his tour bus. The Grammy Award-winning rapper delivered only a brief bow to fans and supporters as he was led out of a courtroom in handcuffs to start serving his sentence.

Ke$ha: ‘I Deserve More Respect’ Pop sensation Ke$ha wants “a little more respect” from her music industry peers - because she’s sick of her “party girl” label. The TiK ToK hit-maker fears she has become better known for her active social life than for her music, but she’s determined to be taken seriously - insisting her success is down to hard work.

She tells Britain’s Sunday Times newspaper, “So many people say, ‘So, what, are you a party girl?’

And I say, ‘I’m a walking good time.’ Do I sometimes go out and drink? Hell, yes. But could I have a number one song if I wasn’t also working hard? Maybe that needs a little more respect. Also, the phrase ‘party girl’ implies someone who is out at a club, maybe doing some guy in the back who you’ve just met. Then you get in your car and you flash your vagina at the

paparazzi. And I’m none of the above.”

“I have been working on realizing this dream, my path, my mission, for years. I’ve really invested a lot of thought, time and effort into it. The last thing that makes me is a victim. I think it’s a bummer when people don’t represent that properly, when they portray me as purely one-dimensional.”

And Ke$ha is not ashamed of her pop style, insisting more music lovers should admit to liking mainstream songs.

She adds, “This is nothing to be embarrassed about. People like to have fun. And sure, there’s my deepest, darkest hipster side that wants, for whatever pretentious reason, to hate pop music. But I’m just trying to give people a way to think, it’s cool, you can not hate my record. You know - it’s okay.”

Brooke Burke Replaces Samantha Harris On ‘Dancing’ Former “Dancing With the Stars” winner Brooke Burke will be Tom Bergeron’s new partner when the series starts again later month. She’ll replace Samantha Harris as co-host. Bergeron made the announcement Monday on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

As a contestant, Burke won during the season that ended in November 2008. She has hosted TV shows including CBS’ “Rock Star” and E!’s “Wild On.” The mother of four children has also built her own business on parenting issues, with an online baby products store and job as the “mommy correspondent” on the syndicated

show “The Doctors.” She has more than 1.7 million followers on Twitter.

Contestants this season include former “Baywatch” babe Pamela Anderson, reality star Kate Gosselin, astronaut Buzz Aldrin and Olympics figure skating gold medalist Evan Lysacek.

Also competing for the mirrorball trophy will be reality TV personality Jake Pavelka, sportscaster Erin Andrews, singer Nicole Scherzinger, football star Chad Ochocinco and actors Shannen Doherty, Aiden Turner and Niecy Nash. The new season begins March 22.

With that, Lil Wayne headed off to face his punishment in a case that had shadowed him as he became one of music’s most prolific and profitable figures in recent years. Arrested in July 2007, he pleaded guilty in October to attempted criminal possession of a weapon. He admitted he had the loaded .40-caliber semiautomatic gun on his bus.

His lawyer, Stacey Richman,

said the rapper was resolute as he was taken away.

“He knew what he had to do, and he’s doing it,” she said. Lil Wayne arrived later Tuesday at the Rikers Island jail complex, where he was being held apart from the general population of inmates because of his fame. He has a cell to himself but the option of spending time in a TV room with 17 other inmates who also have been separated from the

general population because of notoriety or other reasons, according to the city Correction Department.

It wasn’t immediately clear what work assignment he might have, if any. The 27-year-old rap star could be released in about eight months with good behavior. Lil Wayne, born Dwayne Carter, is going behind bars with his career in full throttle. His “Tha Carter III” was the best-selling album of 2008 and won a Grammy for best rap album. His latest album, “Rebirth,” was released last month.

He made a point of leaving fans with fanfare, from a “farewell tour” in recent months to a series of videos on the Web site Ustream on Sunday. “Law is mind without reason ...

I’ll return,” he wrote on his Twitter account Monday morning. Dozens of fans jockeyed with photographers waiting on the courthouse steps Monday afternoon, cheering as Lil Wayne, fellow rapper Birdman and others arrived. Shouts of “Oh, man” and “Keep your head up, Weezy!”

— a nickname he often uses — erupted in the courtroom as he was sentenced.

Although Lil Wayne had agreed to go to jail, a number of roadblocks kept him from starting his sentence in recent weeks. First, his sentencing was postponed in February so he could undergo surgery on his bejeweled teeth. Then, a fire shut down Manhattan’s main criminal courthouse while he was on his way there last week. He told Rolling Stone for a story last month that he planned to keep working while behind bars. “I’ll be still rapping in there, have a gang of raps ready when I come back home,” he said.

As for listening to music, inmates are allowed to buy AM/FM radios at the jail commissary.

Lady Gaga Turns Mentor For Newcomer Jason Derulo Jason Derulo has found a pop mentor in Lady Gaga after she took him aside before a tour date and told him he was “special”. The singer recently completed his first tour as the Poker Face star’s support act and he insists he couldn’t have had a better starting point and a better person to hit the road with.

He tells WENN, “She said some really cool words to me. She

looked into my eyes and said, ‘Jason, I’ve met a lot of talented people and seen a lot of talented people but I just wanted to let you know that you’re special and you’re a star.’

That meant a lot coming from her.”

But, now the tour’s over, DeRulo fears he’ll never be able to match the experience again: “It was awesome. I played in front of thousands and thousands of people ev-

ery day and made new fans and it was my first time on a tour bus too.

“It was not a low budget tour. It was really upscale and at some shows Lady GaGa had goldfish swimming in a pond. It was nicely decorated backstage and the catering was always really good. I’m used to just like a lunchroom and she had the kitchen with all these fancy tablecloths and nice plates.”

Life Style

International

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

13

Toyota disputes critic who blames electronics Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON – Toyota, dogged by millions of recalls and claims that it still has not fixed its safety problems, took its strongest step yet Monday to silence critics who blame faulty electronics for runaway cars and trucks. Toyota assembled a group of experts to refute studies by an Illinois professor who revved Toyota engines simply by short-circuiting the wiring. Toyota’s experts say the experiments were done under conditions that would never happen on the road.

The automaker maintained its assertion that simpler mechanical flaws, not electronics, were to blame. “There isn’t a ghost issue out there,” Kristen Tabar, an electronics general manager with Toyota’s technical center, told a news conference at the company’s North American headquarters in Torrance, Calif.

Meeting with reporters, Toyota addressed the work of David W. Gilbert, an automotive technology professor at Southern Illinois UniversityCarbondale, whose work has been the basis of doubts about Toyota’s mechanical fixes. At least one outside expert said that even if Toyota’s criticisms are accurate, the professor’s work shows the systems that allow brakes to override stuck gas pedals can be compromised.

Toyota is mounting a public campaign to reassure its drivers about their safety and defending itself against critics who question the fix for 8 million recalled cars and trucks. Regulators have linked 52 deaths to crashes allegedly caused by the accelerator problems. The company’s fix addresses gas pedal parts and floor mats that can cause the accelerator to become stuck in the depressed position.

More than 60 Toyota owners who have had their cars repaired have complained the problem has persisted.

Toyota dealers have fixed more than 1 million vehicles. But the government has warned that if the remedy provided by Toyota does not properly address the problem, federal regulators could order the company to come up with another solution. Gilbert told a congressional hearing Feb. 23 that he recreated sudden acceleration in a Toyota Tundra by short-circuiting the electronics behind the gas pedal — without triggering any trouble codes in the truck’s computer.

The trouble codes send the car’s computer into a fail-safe mode that allows the brake to override the gas.

Gilbert called his findings a “startling discovery.” House lawmakers seized on the testimony as evidence Toyota engineers missed a potential problem with the electronics that could have caused the unwanted acceleration. But Monday, Chris Gerdes, director of Stanford University’s Center for Automotive Research, and a consulting firm, Exponent Inc., rejected the professor’s findings.

Toyota’s assembled experts said the professor’s experiments could not be recreated on the actual road. For example, they said, Gilbert had shaved away insulation on wiring and connected wires that would not normally touch each other. “There is no evidence that I’ve seen to indicate that this situation is happening at all in the real world,” Gerdes said. He added that the professor’s work “could re-

sult in misguided policy and unwarranted fear.”

To prove their point, Toyota officials revved the engines of cars made by competitors, including a Subaru Forester and a Ford Fusion, by connecting a circuit rigged up to the wiring of the gas pedals. Toyota supports other research programs at Stanford’s engineering school and is an affiliate of the Center for Automotive Research, but Gerdes said he came to his conclusions “with complete independence.” Gilbert did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment. Exponent has conducted work for companies that are being sued and once determined that secondhand tobacco smoke was not cancerous. It was also hired by the U.S. government to investigate the Columbia space shuttle disaster.

Exponent officials said they were conducting an extensive study of Toyota electronics but they had not yet found any problems with the electronic throttle controls. Toyota has been steadfast in saying the problem is strictly mechanical. Company president Akio Toyoda assured Congress two weeks ago that Toyota research had not found a link between the reports of runaway acceleration and electronics. Instead, the company is shortening gas pedals to prevent them from becoming lodged under floor mats and inserting metal pieces the size of a stamp to keep gas pedals from sticking in the depressed position.

An outside expert, Raj Rajkumar, an electrical and computer-engineering professor at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh who studies auto electronics, said Gilbert’s work raises doubts about the fail-safe systems.

“Pretty much anybody who works on electronic-based vehicle systems understands that things can go wrong,” he said. He said a number of factors could cause vehicle electronics to malfunction, including software coding errors, electrical interference and static electricity. He said technology wasn’t available to prove that a system as complex as Toyota’s electronic throttle control will always behave correctly.

The professor wasn’t trying to prove that his test was a real-world scenario, said Keith Armstrong, a British electronic engineer and consultant who advises companies on electromagnetic interference. Instead Gilbert demonstrated that fail-safe systems may not kick in if faulty signals are sent to the throttle, Armstrong said after reviewing Exponent’s report on Gilbert’s tests. Congress has more questions. The House Oversight Committee wants to look at a 2006 memo from company employees to Toyota senior management that raised concerns the automaker was taking shortcuts on safety.

AP Photo/Bret Hartman

Dr. Matthew Schwall, Toyota’s Managing Engineer of Exponent’s Vehicle Engineering, performs a pedal test on a BMW during a live webcast Monday, March 8, 2010, at Toyota Headquarters in Torrance, Calif. Toyota, dogged by millions of recalls and claims that it still has not fixed its safety problems, assembled a group of experts who said studies by an Illinois professor who revved Toyota engines simply by short-circuiting the wiring were flawed because they created conditions that would never happen on the road.

Experts confirm asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs Agence France - Presse

WASHINGTON – Dinosaurs were wiped out by a huge asteroid that smashed into Earth 65 million years ago with the force of a billion atomic bombs, scientists said, hoping to lay an age-old debate to rest once and for all. The definitive verdict came from an international panel of experts who reviewed 20 years’ worth of evidence about what caused the Cretaceous-Tertiary (KT) extinction that wiped out more than half the species on the planet.

They determined it was a massive asteroid, measuring around 15 kilometers (nine miles) wide, which smashed into what is today Chicxulub in Mexico. The event marked a pivotal point in history because it cleared the way for mammals to become the dominant species on Earth. “The asteroid is believed to have hit Earth with a force one billion times more powerful than the atomic bomb at Hiroshima,” the researchers said in a report published in the journal Science.

“It would have blasted material at high velocity into the atmosphere, triggering a chain of events that caused a global winter, wiping out much of life on Earth in a matter of days.” The panel of 41 scientists hope their findings will lay to rest once and for all the debate about what caused the KT extinction. Some scientists have argued that dinosaurs and species including bird-like pterosaurs

and large sea reptiles were wiped out by a series of volcanic eruptions in what is now India that lasted some 1.5 million years.

The eruptions spewed enough basalt lava across the Deccan Traps in west-central India to fill the Black Sea twice and were thought to have caused a cooling of the atmosphere and acid rain on a global scale. But the evidence gathered for the study published in Science showed that marine and land ecosystems were destroyed rapidly in the KT extinction, leading the scientists to rule out volcanic activity as the culprit, because its effects would have whittled away at dinosaurs and other species over time.

“Despite evidence for relatively active volcanism in the Deccan Traps at the time, marine and land ecosystems showed only minor changes within the 500,000 years before the time of the KT extinction,” the scientists said. “Computer models and observational data suggest that the release of gases such as sulphur into the atmosphere after each volcanic eruption... would have had a short-lived effect on the planet and would not cause enough damage to create a rapid mass extinction of land and marine species.”

The Chicxulub asteroid, on the other hand, could very well have made short shrift of dinosaurs, pterosaurs and other species, the scientists said. The impact of the large

asteroid would have “triggered large-scale fires, earthquakes measuring more than 10 on the Richter scale, and continental landslides which created tsunamis,” said Joanna Morgan, a lecturer in geophysics at Imperial College, London and co-author of the study. The asteroid hit Earth 20 times faster than a speeding bullet and exploded into a deadly mix of hot rock and gas which would have “grilled any living creature in the immediate vicinity that couldn’t find shelter,” said Gareth Collins, a research fellow at Imperial College.

“The final nail in the coffin for the dinosaurs happened when blasted material was ejected at high velocity into the atmosphere,” shrouding the planet in darkness and causing a global winter that killed off species that “couldn’t adapt to this hellish environment,” added Morgan. Another clue that the KT extinction was caused by a huge asteroid and not volcanic activity was evidence in geological records of “shocked” quartz in rock layers at KT boundary levels around the world.

Quartz is “shocked” when it is hit very quickly by a massive force — such as a 15-kilometer-wide asteroid traveling 20 times faster than a bullet. The KT extinction marked the end of the 160-million-year reign of the dinosaurs and allowed mammals, and eventually humans, to become the dominant species on earth.

14

Sport

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

International

Cavs survive without LeBron, beat Spurs 97-95 Reuters -

CLEVELAND – The Cleveland Cavaliers overcame the absence of LeBron James to earn a 97-95 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Monday.

With James sidelined for the second game in a row due to an injured ankle, the Cavaliers sunk eight consecutive free throws as time wound down to hold off the charging Spurs.

“This is a resilient team,” said Cavs coach Mike Brown. “We have a lot of capable players. The thing you look for is you want to make sure guys keep trusting one another. That trust factor was a big thing.” Cleveland’s Delonte West scored 10 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter, and Mo Williams added 17 and eight assists, to help

the NBA’s top team improve to 5015. Manu Ginobili had a game-high 38 points, including seven threepointers, but the Spurs, who were missing point guard Tony Parker due to a hand injury, squandered a fivepoint lead with around six minutes to go.

After Williams made free throws to put the Cavs on top 95-92 with nine seconds to play, Roger Mason missed a potential game-tying threepointer for San Antonio (36-25). In addition to playing without James, the league’s reigning MVP, Cleveland were also without Shaquille

O’Neal (thumb) and lost Antawn Jamison to a knee injury in the third quarter.

San Antonio had won four in a row coming into the game, despite Parker sustaining his injury on Saturday against the Memphis Grizzlies.

George Hill, taking Parker’s place in the starting lineup, scored 23 for the Spurs, who led by three points at halftime and by six early in the fourth. “Without LeBron and Shaq, and Antawn for most of the second half, a lot of guys had to step up,” Williams said. “We did a good job today of finding a way.”

(AP Photo/Ron Schwane)

Cleveland Cavaliers’ Mo Williams, right, brings the ball up against San Antonio Spurs’ George Hill during the first quarter in an NBA basketball game Monday, March 8, 2010, in Cleveland.

Britain’s LTA launches probe Valencia draw a blank after Davis Cup loss against lowly Santander Agence France - Presse

LONDON – Britain’s Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) are to hold an inquiry after the team suffered fresh Davis Cup embarrassment by losing to Lithuania and risking relegation to the lowest tier of world tennis.

John Lloyd became the first Great Britain captain to oversee five straight defeats in the Davis Cup as the side slumped 3-2 away to

(AFP/File/Carl De Souza)

British tennis captain John Lloyd, seen here during a Davis Cup match against Poland in 2009, has overseen five straight defeats in the tournament. Britain’s Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) are to hold an inquiry after the team suffered fresh Davis Cup embarrassment by losing to Lithuania and risking relegation to the lowest tier of world tennis.

Lithuania - a team with only three world ranked players, all teenagers - on Sunday.

The loss, which came as British star Andy Murray continued to opt out of the men’s team tournament, raised fresh questions about the way the LTA runs British tennis. It received over 29 million pounds (44 million dollars) last year in profits from Wimbledon alone, while Lithuania’s estimated annual tennis budget is just 90,000 pounds (136,000 dollars).

“Five defeats in a row is unacceptable,” LTA chief executive Roger Draper said on Monday.

“So I have asked the LTA player director, Steven Martens, to review last week’s performance and result, and report back to me and the LTA main board as soon as possible,” added Draper. “That review needs to be swift and decisive as it is clear some real improvements need to be made.” Britain now face a relegation play-off against Turkey in July to avoid dropping into Europe/Africa Zone Group III the lowest tier of the competition - alongside the likes of Montenegro and San Marino.

Former Australian Open finalist Lloyd said after Sunday’s defeat in Vilnius he was considering his position, saying: “I’ll ask myself, ‘Did I screw up or could someone else do a better job?” A report in Monday’s edition of The Times said former British number one Greg Rusedski had been approached to replace Lloyd, although whether a change of captain alone is enough to revive the team’s flagging fortunes is doubtful.

But Martens said no approach had yet been made to Canada-born Rusedski, who already works for the LTA’s talent identification team, about captaining the Davis Cup team. “We have had no direct contact at all (with Rusedski)...Clearly we have to be swift and decisive. But it is very important that in the heat of the battle you don’t do anything emotional.” Former world number four and US Open finalist Rusdedski, who won 30 out of 43 Davis Cup matches for his adopted country, told social networking side Twitter: “Cannot believe we have lost to Lithuania in Davis Cup. Unbelievable.”

Agence France - Presse

MADRID – Valencia dropped important points in the fight for a Champions League place after they were held 0-0 at home by lowly Racing Santander on Monday in their Spanish First Division match. With fourthplaced Sevilla losing, Valencia could have opened up a six-point cushion but they were never at their best with a number of players missing through injury and suspension.

A make-shift defence struggled especially against the skills of youngster Sergio Canales but they still had the chances to see off the threat from Racing going forward. The normally clinical David Villa shot straight at the Racing keeper Fabio Coltorti from six-yards out and then saw another strike come back off the post. Racing also had their moments with Canales denied by the Valencia keeper Miguel Moya before the break and in the second half Santander had the better opportunities to win the match.

Moya proved to be the hero for Valencia making several point-blank saves notably from Manuel Arana and Mohamed Tchite. The pressure on the Valencia defence took its toll with the expulsion of David Navarro for a second yellow card late on. “Although the balance of play was in our favour in the first-half in terms of openings, in general we were never comfortable and in the second-half Racing were on top,” said Valencia coach Unai Emery.

“We were missing a lot of players though and Racing played well so the best thing is to turn over a new page.” Racing coach Miguel Angel Portugal realised that the game was there for the taking but was philosophical about the result. “Sometimes when you can’t win it is best not to lose,” he said. “We were unable to finish off chances and that has cost the team points.

Maybe we had a different mentality against a team of the quality of Valencia than we do against sides of our level where we try and play more football,” he added.

(AFP/Jose Jordan)

Valencia’s Dutch defender Hedwiges Maduro (L) vies for the ball with Racing Santander’s midfielder Sergio Canales during their Spanish league football match at Mestalla Stadium in Valencia. The match ended in a 0-0 draw.

Sport

International

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

15

Fans key to Real comeback against Lyon - Ronaldo Agence France - Presse

MADRID – Cristiano Ronaldo believes Real Madrid can overcome its 1-0 first leg defeat to Lyon and reach the Champions League quarter final on Wednesday for the first time since 2004, with some help from the fans. Lyon “are a strong team physically, but it’s our turn to play at home,” the Portuguese winger told a news conference.

(AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano)

Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo from Portugal, left, reacts during their Spanish La Liga soccer match against Sevilla at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Saturday, March 6, 2010.

“I was amazed by the fans on Saturday and I must thank them for their support. I hope we see the same kind of atmosphere on Wednesday because they will play a crucial role in our success. The stadium will be great to see so full and the players are ready.” Real lost 1-0 at Lyon in their last-16 firstleg match on February 16, and now have it all to do on Wednesday at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium - where this year’s Champions League final will be played.

“Wednesday’s match is do-or-die.

We are playing very good football and we have proven that we are the strongest team in La Liga,” said Ronaldo.

On Saturday, Real battled back from 2-0 down to beat Sevilla 3-2 and reclaim top spot in the Spanish first division. Manuel Pellegrini’s side are under pressure to bring the Champions League trophy back to Madrid after spending vast sums on big signings such as Ronaldo - the world’s most expensive player - Brazil’s Kaka and France’s Karim Benzema.

The Spanish giants have fallen at the last-16 stage in the past five seasons and have not won Europe’s mostcoveted trophy since 2002 when they beat Germany’s Bayer Leverkusen 21 in Glasgow. On Wednesday, they will be without Benzema, who misses

the match against his old club with a groin strain, as well as midfielder Xabi Alonso and left-back Marcelo through suspension.

“Everyone knows how bad this club wants to win the Champions League,” said Ronaldo. “It has nine titles and wants ten, and this year the final is being played here. I am sure we can turn this tie around... We have to prove to Lyon that we own the Bernabeu.” Real’s French midfielder Lassana Diarra said an early goal is essential. “We must start the match strongly, and above all watch out for their counter-attacks so as not concede a goal,” he said.

Berbatov and Pato set to start the Liverpool’s Champions Champions League Match League hopes take a battering

London -

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has stated that Rooney - who scored twice in the first leg to hand United a 3-2 lead - is a major doubt for the match at Old Trafford.

Rooney missed Saturday’s 1-0 win over Wolves at Molineux, in which Paul Scholes hit his 100th league goal for United, after aggravating a knee injury during England’s midweek victory over Egypt.

“Wayne is very doubtful for Wednesday,” Ferguson said. “The Wembley pitch has killed him.”

With Michael Owen unavailable for the rest of the season after suffering a hamstring injury during the Carling Cup final - also at Wembley - Berbatov seems certain to start and Ferguson has confirmed he is in the frame.

Reports on Monday, however, have claimed Rooney could still be involved. The Sun suggests that the inflammation of his kneecap tendon will subside within three weeks and is not serious enough to prevent him playing. Wes Brown’s suspected broken metatarsal has added to Manchester United’s injury woes. Brown picked up the injury against Wolves on Saturday and there are concerns that the England defender may have broken his fifth metatarsal - the one that takes the longest to heal.

Although Brown should have recovered in time for the World Cup, the timing is bad for Sir Alex Ferguson ahead of the Milan clash.

Anderson (knee), Ryan Giggs (arm) and John O’Shea (leg) are

also out while Jonny Evans missed the Wolves game. Pato included in AC Milan squad Meanwhile AC Milan striker Alexandre Pato has been included in Leonardo’s 22-man squad for Wednesday’s Champions League last-16 return leg against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Pato missed Saturday’s goalless draw at Roma having sustained a hamstring strain the previous weekend.

He will travel to England, but whether he will be fit to play remains to be seen.

Brazil international Pato has been in superb form for Milan this

season, scoring 12 goals in Serie A and two in the Champions League.

It appears Marco Borriello is set to start up front with Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, though, and Borriello knows it will be difficult to progress. “A very difficult challenge awaits us on Wednesday in Manchester,” he said. “We will go to Old Trafford conscious of our own means after the game against Roma in which we managed to dominate in a great stadium, showing that we know how to play good football.” Milan lost the first leg 3-2 at the San Siro.

(AP Photo/Jon Super)

Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Karl Henry, right, fights for the ball against Manchester United’s Dimitar Berbatov during their English Premier League soccer match at Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, England, Saturday March 6, 2010.

Agence France - Presse

WIGAN – Hugo Rodallega scored the only goal of the game as Wigan dented Liverpool’s Champions League hope with a 1-0 victory at the DW Stadium here on Monday. Fernando Torres had already hit the post when Rodallega made the most of poor defending from the Reds to fire the hosts in front just after the half hour.

And there was little response from Rafael Benitez’s side as they slipped to a ninth Premier League defeat of the season. They are still just one point off fourth place but with nine games remaining, they are sixth in the table and Tottenham and Manchester City above them now have games in hand. It was Wigan’s second win of 2010 and their first in eight matches which sees Roberto Martinez’s side move four points clear of the relegation zone.

Having beaten Chelsea earlier this season, it was also only the second time Wigan have ever beaten a “big four” team. Javier Mascherano was once again asked to fill in at right back but Glen Johnson was back on the bench after two months out. But Argentina captain Mascherano did not seem to mind the unfamiliar role and quickly got forward to good effect. His cross was only half cleared by Gary Caldwell and Steven Gerrard thumped a shot over from just outside the area.

Liverpool began strongly and produced a threat again when

Fernando Torres’ volley flew wide off the post from Yossi Benayoun’s deep cross.

Titus Bramble was forced into a fine block after Gerrard broke through midfield again and tried his uck from long range. But struggling Wigan recovered from their early hesitancy and caused Liverpool plenty of problems. A strong run from James McCarthy, who was a Liverpool target as a youngster, was only halted by a fine tackle by Jamie Carragher on the edge of the area.

And Wigan winger Charles N’Zogbia also sent over a couple of dangerous crosses after beating defender Emiliano Insua with ease.

The Reds produced a fine passing move with Maxi Rodriguez and Benayoun before Gerrard scuffed his shot wide from close range. But Wigan made no mistake when Dirk Kuyt gave the ball away on the edge of his own area. Emmerson Boyce curled a cross over and Rodallega fired in from close range to give the strugglers a shock lead.

And Torres failed to level when he headed over from six yards after he was picked out by a Rodriguez cross. Wigan continued to pressure after the restart and Pepe Reina had to desperately grab an N’Zogbia cross at the near post.

And as Torres tried to get Liverpool on level terms, he fired over from a low Rodriguez cross.

Benitez had finally seen enough of Lucas and dragged the Brazilian off to replace him with Johnson.

16

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

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Sport

McLaren inspection delayed until Bahrain The FIA will now wait until the Bahrain Grand Prix to take up McLaren’s invite for another look at its rear wing design, following Red Bull Racing’s recent complaints. Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner said last week that his team was seeking clarification from the FIA about the rear wing concept of the MP4-25 the design of which he believed was helping to stall it at high-speed and give the car more straight-line speed.

In the wake of the controversy, McLaren offered FIA technical chief Charlie Whiting the chance to give the wing another inspection during a meeting originally set-up to discuss other matters at its Woking factory last week. That inspection did not take place, however, after Whiting suffered delays to his travel plans while he returned from a trip to South America and therefore had to cancel his visit.

With the FIA having already had correspondence with McLaren about the design of the wing, and

not believing there to be a problem.

AUTOSPORT has learned that the matter will now wait until the cars are in the garages in Bahrain.

McLaren is far from worried about the matter – which comes on the back of an encouraging final test for the team at Barcelona.

Team principal Martin Whitmarsh told The Daily Telegraph last week: “The wing is different and innovative, yes. But we have been in contact with Charlie over a period of several months to check that it complies with regulations. We have been assured that it does.”

The FIA will now wait until the Bahrain Grand Prix to take up McLaren’s invite for another look at its rear wing design, following Red Bull Racing’s recent complaints

Renault hopes to be close to top four Renault team principal Eric Boullier is hopeful his team will be able to run close to the four top squads at the start of the season, although he concedes it is very hard to make predictions. “It has been very tough to understand and unpick the details of winter testing and how we compare with the other teams because we don’t know what approach they have taken,” said Boullier ahead of this weekend’s season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix. “We took a decision to run with heavy fuel at every test because we believed this was the best way to understand and improve the car. In terms of outright performance, I hope we are close to the top four teams,” added the Frenchman, who is now in charge of the team following the exit of Flavio Briatore.

Polish driver Robert Kubica agreed that it was very hard to tell how strong Renault will be, but he believes the French squad is at least working in the right direction. “It’s difficult to judge performance, but we’re heading in the right direction,” he said.

“We also haven’t run with all our new updates yet and there is another aero upgrade for Bahrain, which we hope will match the wind tunnel predictions and improve performance.”

“Overall, it seems that all the top

Renault team principal Eric Boullier is hopeful his team will be able to run close to the four top squads at the start of the season, although he concedes it is very hard to make predictions

teams are quite close, but some have definitely hidden their full potential during testing and will also have more updates for Bahrain. So far, I think Ferrari and Mercedes look very strong.” Team-mate Vitaly Petrov, making his grand prix debut this weekend, admitted he was eager to

go racing. “People are asking me if I feel nervous, but I’m used to racing and I know what I need to do,” the Russian said. “Of course things are different in F1 and I’m still learning about the car and how to work with the team. But I feel good and I can’t wait to go racing in Bahrain.”