Edisi 26 Januari 2010 | International Bali Post

Okinawa vote pressures Japan on US Marine base

16 Pages Number 17 2nd Year

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Tuesday, January 26, 2010 Lebanese army troops inspect the debris of an Ethiopian Boeing 737 that crashed off the Lebanese coast, south of the capital Beirut, on January 25, 2010. The Ethiopian Airlines Flight 409, carrying 90 people, crashed in a ball of flame off the Lebanese coast just after takeoff in stormy weather in the early hours of the morning.

Helicopters and navy vessels rushed to the crash site in the Mediterranean as President Michel Sleiman ruled out foul play. It was unclear whether there were any survivors.

Poor weather condition didn’t affect Gilimanuk harbor PAGE 8

Actor Gary Coleman jailed in Utah PAGE 12

AFP PHOTO/MAHMOUD ZAYYAT

Over and under pass plan in Dewa Ruci run about

Don’t Sacrifice Purity of Bali Denpasar (Bali Post)-

The early analyses done by Bali General Work Department (PU) on the over pass and under pass plan to overcome traffic in Bali created various comments from the society. Ida Pedanda Gunung, a Balinese priest, said “if the road is the best solution, the sacred and purity of Bali can not be sacrificed.

WEATHER FORECAST

In a hearing with Bali House of Representative, Pedanda Gunung explained that there are four principles that can not be violated or gone from Bali, they are purity, beauty, culture, and the aura of Bali.

Ketut Wiana, a member of In-

CITY

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JAKARTA

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Reuters

BANDUNG

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YOGYAKARTA

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SURABAYA

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BEIRUT (Reuters) – An Ethiopian Airlines plane with 90 people on board crashed into the sea shortly after taking off from Beirut in stormy weather early on Monday and the airline’s chief executive said there was no word of survivors.

The Boeing 737-800, heading for Addis Ababa, disappeared off the radar some five minutes after taking off at 2:37 a.m. (7:37 p.m.

EST on Sunday) during a thunder storm and heavy rain. Lebanese President Michel Suleiman said he did not think the plane had been

SUNNY

BRIGHT/CLOUDY

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donesian Hindu Association (PHDI), said “in order to preserve the four main qualities of Bali, there shouldn’t be any over pass.” The traffic jam is hard to be avoided.

Eventually, the people must choice whether they accept over pass or content with the traffic.

Prof. Rahyuda who represent the transportation society, explained that the early analysis show the over pass or under pass can solve the traffic problem in Bali. However, the over pas only solve the traffic problem in certain area and there is possibility that the problem will

occur somewhere else.

The government should consider many things in order to arrange traffic such as the availability of land, the local culture and others. From the many factors, Rahyuda think hat under pass or subway is better than over pass. “It is more expensive but it doesn’t disturb the view,” he added.

The preliminary plan showed by.

I Gusti Nyoman Sura Adnyana, the head of Bali PU, the Dewa Ruci run about will be widen and the under pass will be built from Ngurah Rai through Sanur for 2 kilometers. (029)

Ethiopian plane crashes off Beirut, 14 bodies found brought down deliberately.

“As of now, a sabotage act is unlikely. The investigation will uncover the cause,” Suleiman told a news conference. Fourteen bodies have so far been recovered near the crash site threeand-a-half km (two miles) west of the coastal village of Na’ameh. Eightythree passengers and seven crew were on the flight, Transport Minister Ghazi al-Aridi said at the airport.

Ethiopian Airlines CEO Girma Wake said he had spoken with Lebanese authorities who did not confirm there were survivors.

Fifty-four of those on board were Lebanese, 22 were Ethiopian, two

were British and there were also Canadian, Russian, French, Iraqi and Syrian nationals.

Marla Pietton, wife of the French ambassador to Lebanon Denis Pietton, was on the plane, the French embassy said.

The Lebanese government declared a day of mourning. Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri visited the airport to meet distraught relatives waiting for news of survivors, some of whom were angry that the plane was allowed to take off in bad weather.

“They should have delayed the flight for an hour or two to protect the passengers. There had been strong

lightning bolts and we hear that lighting strikes at planes especially during take offs,” a relative of one of the passengers told a local television station.

“BALL OF FIRE”

Lebanese army patrol boats and helicopters were searching a small area off Na’ameh, 10 km (six miles) south of Beirut. The military spokesman for U.N. peacekeepers in Lebanon, Colonel Diego Fulco, said two ships from its maritime task force were at the crash site and a third was on its way. Two U.N. helicopters were also at the scene, he said.

Continued on page 6

2

International

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Bali News Glass of Car Destroyed

Italian and German Afflict a Loss of Tens of Million Denpasar (Bali Post)—

After the theft action with the mode of cracking vehicle’s glass kept silence, this case struck out again recently. Two foreign nationals namely Andrea Martinello, 33, from Italy and Jablons Kihans Joachimhorstenil, 54, from Germany, admitted their car were cracked by criminals. In fact, the losses suffered by both victims reached tens of millions.

Theft action mode by cracking vehicle’s glass was first time experienced by the victim Andrea Martinello on Jalan Raya Sesetan No. 75, exactly in front of the Galactio Net Store, Denpasar, last Friday (Jan 22). The victim arrived on scene at 3:20 pm Local Time for buying something. “Over the couple of minutes, the victim’s car glass was cracked by criminals,” said one of the police officers, last Sunday (Jan 24).

Without suspicion, the victim entered into the store. Well, once out of the store, how surprised the victim was. Glass of his car was

cracked. After checking his belongings, he found that two units of handphone, a Dell laptop, three units of hard drive and a digital camera disappeared. “On the loss of all the valuables, the victim claimed to suffer a loss worth IDR 13 million,” he said.

Meanwhile, a few minutes later, the victim Jablons Kihans Joachimhorstenil also admitted to encounter the same incident. Glass of his car was broken when parked in front of PT Export Trade Bali Pesanggaran on Jalan Bypass Ngurah Rai Sanur. “The incident was just 10 minutes after the first

one. Vehicle’s glass of the victim was also rapped,” the source said while asking for hiding his identity.

Glass of Toyota Avanza vehicle brought by the victim was rapped by criminals on side rear. Victim was terribly shocked after learning about the case. Afterwards, victim checked and some valuables were known to have disappeared. Among them, there was a single unit of Toshiba laptop, which was previously placed inside the car. Total losses afflicted by the victim reached IDR 30 million. “These two cases have been reported to Denpasar Metro Police,” he explained. (kmb21)

Road of Denpasar-Gilimanuk Pockmarked Negara (Bali Post)—

Dog Dies after Biting, Victim Treated at Hospital Denpasar (Bali Post)—

Before a Year Apparently, Bali Provincial Governments should think harder anymore to find out solutions for the problems of pockmarked roads always happening on DenpasarGilimanuk route. The damage to the main road of Java - Bali route is just like a tradition, where improvement is only performed on the damaged parts by overlapping them with new asphalt layer.

Due to frequent piles of asphalt layer at some points of the road, the height of asphalt layers is uneven and exceeds the road border.

This condition is very dangerous for riders. The provincial roads that have just been paved showed the holes on the road (pockmarked) resembling acne scars on the face before reaching a year of age.

Moreover, on entering rainy season like this month, it is worried to become pockmarked roads.

Based on observations of Bali Post, last Sunday (Jan 24) along the road

IBP/eka

Customs officers destroyed 28,000 packs of cigarettes that don’t have tax tape in Ngurah Rai on Monday, January 25 th 2010

from Gilimanuk-Denpasar from west direction of Java, it indicated many holes. At some points, it has been even been pile up, but at the curves those holes remained to gape.

One of the motorists, I Ketut Sidia, 28, from Negara claimed he was surprised by the condition of provincial roads that were quickly damaged. Actually, it has not been a year since the road improvement, those asphalts have turned damaged. Is it because of the bad quality of pavement or the factor of vehicle load exceeding the road capacity? “I do not know (because), this road has turned damaged very quickly,” said the sales assistant who worked in Denpasar during a break at Pengeragoan, Pekutatan recently.

Yadi, 42, a truck driver from Jember complained about similar problems. If the cause was due to overloaded trucks, actually it could be prevented as the port authority

has applied tonnage restrictions.

Truck driver of Lombok – Java route expected the government to pay attention to the main points of this land so that the overland route could become smooth and not pockmarked. Moreover, the DenpasarGilimanuk path is sneaky and had many turns being vulnerable to accident. The solution may be by looking for good quality asphalt so it would not wastes public money for the road improvements.

More than that, at the area of protocol road in Negara City that was often passed through by trucks and buses from Java was damaged. Like at the intersection north of Memorial Graveyard and in front of the Negara Court the road was bumpy.

But according to information, the road was eventually repaired by the regency of Jembrana, although it truly included in provincial roads.

Allegedly, the destruction of this road due to vehicles exceeding tonnage limits. (sur)

A patient from Seraya, Karangasem named Ni Ketut M was treated at Sanglah Hospital since last Saturday (Jan 23) in Nusa Indah room. She was treated because of a history of being bitten by dog 10 days ago and the dog biting her died about five days ago. To prevent any poor possibility, Ni Ketut M was then referred by Amlapura Hospital, Karangasem to Sanglah Hospital for further treatment moreover the patient has not obtained antirabies vaccine (VAR).

Secretary of Rabies Management Team of Sanglah Hospital, Ken Wirasandi, said patient had a history of being bitten by a dog on the right foot and the dog biting her died five days after the bite. “Patients did not get the VAR. Although she has not yet shown the symptoms, but patient was referred to Sanglah Hospital for evaluation of her condition,” Ken said when contacted last Sunday (Jan 24).

Although the dog biting has died, the patient herself, according to Ken, was only evaluated and given VAR, not SAR. “Since the bite is not included in the dangerous area, she was not given anti-rabies serum

(SAR). The patient was given VAR only,” said Ken. SAR was only given to patients with dog bite at the shoulders up. For this, patients should be tested first whether or not they experienced allergies. If they were allergic, the administration would not continue.

Having been evaluated during the night, Ni Ketut M was permitted to go home on last Sunday (Jan 24). Meanwhile, based on information, Sanglah Hospital was also treating a patient of rabies suspect from Banjar Kajanan, Tejakula Buleleng named Gede A, 18. Patient came to hospital last Saturday (Jan 23) and up to Sunday he was still under treatment at Sanglah Hospital. On Sunday (Jan 24), Emergency room of Sanglah Hospital also received two patients bitten by dog from the same area namely Banjar Kajanan, Tejakula, Buleleng. They were Ketut Maheni, 3, and Luh Sri Ardi, 31, came from distant area of Tejakula to ask for VAR. “We were bitten by dog last Saturday and the existence of that wild dog biting was not known. Being afraid of rabies, we came here promptly,” said Sri Ardi. (kmb24)

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, Martinaya, 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

Checked, the Act of 10 ATM Burglars Chief of Denpasar Police Coordinates with National Police Denpasar (Bali Post)—

To clarify the relation of 10 ATM burglary perpetrators arrested by Detective Team of National Police to the case in Bali, Chief of Denpasar Metro Police, Alit Widana should fly to Jakarta. Until now, the police are still exploring the recognition of the suspects if there is something to do with ATM burglary case on the island of the gods.

“The team of National Police Headquarter is still exploring whether or not they are involved. However, until now there has no indication to that matter. Hopefully, after an intensive examination, it has something to do,” said Chief Alit Widana when contacted via phone by DenPost last Sunday (Jan 24).

Concerning with the development of investigation, Chief Alit Widana said, his party had received 26 reports with the number of losses approximately reached IDR 600 million. But that number could continue to grow in line with the possibility of increased reporting to police.

As for the ATM breaker arrested in Jakarta, the former chief of Gianyar Resort Police, said they did not take action alone, but in conspiracy. Possibly, the members of syndicate have been deployed in several major cities across Indonesia, including Bali. Up to these days, the team of police headquarter is still investigating the breakers of ATM in Bali.

“Maybe some numbers of customer’s account in Bali have been burglarized in Jakarta. We are still making coordination in the police headquarter to reveal the syndicate,” Chief Alit Widana stated firmly.

To reveal this ATM burglary case, Chief of Denpasar Metro Police said his party could not work alone. The reason, to catch the per-

petrators, his party should use sophisticated devices and they were only possessed by National Police Headquarter. On that account, his side continued to coordinate with the Headquarter.

“Hopefully, it has something to do with the case in Bali, so perpetrators could be arrested immediately. Again, we urged bank customers to be more careful when withdrawing money through ATM, and check the balance periodically to avoid a big loss,” said Chief Alit Widana.

Previously, the number of victims of ATM burglary continued to grow. Until last Friday (Jan 22), there were reports from some victims. Among them was Alex Jacobus Franciscus, 60, from the Netherlands. Alex who lives in Pekutatan, Jembrana, afflicted a loss of IDR 25 million and he just realized his money was depleted after checking his balance through ATM of BCA (ATM networks).

Nash Peter Morga, 49, a citizen of Australia, also experienced a similar fate. He claimed to lose money via debit card with losses reaching up to USD 300 to USD 3,500. In addition, Salahhudin, 40, living on Jalan Padma Utara, Kuta, reported if his savings has been burglarized worth IDR 6,861,632. (denpost)

The Collapse of By-Pass Line Disturbing the Paddy Field Water Channel Semarapura (Bali Post) —

Citizens of Sidayu, Takmung, Banjarangkan, Klungkung have protested over the collapsing road conditions in By-pass I.B. Mantra, precisely in the region of Sidayu. They worry that the road collapse will block the flow of water into the citizens’ paddy fields because, the material left from the fall have clogged the street gutter. Residents have asked the provincial government of Bali to be considerate about the by-pass road condition in order not to harm the society. Beside its effect on the agricultural sector, it is also endangering the road users.

A Sidayu citizen, Wayan Parna, Sunday (24 / 1), mentioned that the part of by-pass road, which is exactly on the Sidayu’s main intersection, is often broken.

However, the improvement seemed random and improvised. ‘’As what is occurring now,

only the Southern parts repair was originally performed. Now lines in the northern part have re-burst. Improvements must be made fast,’’ asserted Parna.

According to him, the by-pass road collapse, on the one side, will make the water to overflow to the north, but on the other hand the existing Southern residents’ rice cultivation will experience water shortage due to clogged channels.

Besides, it is also very dangerous for road users, especially during the night. Since most drivers do not aware that the road is breached, although it has been fitted with trees as a warning sign. ‘’It’s very dangerous. Moreover, it has a solid line of vehicles coming through, two-wheeled and four-wheel, small to large size. Not only on the by-pass itself, but the traffic is also solid from the Takmung – Sidayu road,’’he added. (kmb20)

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

3

Regarding Paddies Attacked

by Grasshoppers, No Reports Have Been Received Singaraja (Bali Post) —

Buleleng’s Department of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry (Distanak) seems to not know about the recent existence of pest and snails that are causing death to a number of rice plants in Subak Tengulun Tukadmungga Village. Officials at the agency claimed to have not received a report. Buleleng Head of Distanak Ir. Putu Ardika, on Sunday (24 / 1) yesterday, said he had not received reports on attacks linked to grasshoppers and snails in the Tukadmungga subak area. For that, this Monday (25 / 1), it will realease a team to monitor the pest in Tukadmungga. In addition, the team will also check into some other subak to know the number and the extent of grasshoppers and snails pests.

According to Ardika, the grasshoppers’ attack on the rice plants in Tukadmungga can actually be overcome by poison injection. Meanwhile, for the snails, it is very difficult to be eradicated Ardika recognized, because the pest is protected by a shell that will not be optimally handled with poison. Distanak itself, Ardika said, had done prevention of pests and diseases by conducting trainings through subak

groups in Buleleng.

During a coaching is emphasized on the farmers to follow the correct cropping pattern. By following the pattern, pests and plant diseases will not be able to attack quickly. Every one year, the recommended cropping pattern is twice rice planting and one-time palawija (vegetables, nuts, and other horticultural plants) planting. Another cropping pattern is a one-time rice, one-time pulses, and finally back to rice.

However, the facts in the field show that many farmers are not following the planting pattern because rice is the most favorable and the sustaining land conditions which make it suitable to continuously planted with paddies. “By following the correct cropping, pests can be prevented. But many farmers do not follow regulations, and we will try to continue to persuade the farmers to follow the correct planting pattern”, he explained.

As reported, the farmers in the Subak Tengulun, Tukadmungga village are screaming because of the grasshoppers and snails attack in their fields.

Both pests have destroyed the new rice crop that had only been planted for a few weeks. Therefore, farmers have to replace them with new seedlings. (kmb15)

Related to Capture of ATM Burglar

Chief of Denpasar Police Coordinates with National Police Denpasar (Bali Post)—

Information concerning with the capture of ATM burglary perpetrator by a team of Police Headquarter made Chief of Denpasar Metro Police I Gede Alit Widana directly fly to Jakarta. The departure of the number one police officer in the rank of Denpasar Metro Police was to coordinate with the National Police Headquarter, if there was something to do with dozens of ATM burglary in Bali.

When contacted by phone, last Sunday (Jan 24), Alit Widana admitted not to know exactly whether it had something to do with ATM burglary case in Bali. “We will coordinate with the Police Headquarter. So far, it had no indication whether the perpetrators of ATM burglary arrested by Central Detective Team were also perpetrators taking action in Bali,” he explained.

Chief Alit Widana explained the perpetrators of burglary arrested by Police Headquarters were still intensively examined. Investigators kept on exploring the information to determine the certain examination results. “Hopefully, it has correlation. Thus, we could develop it more easily,” said Chief Alit Widana who is now in Jakarta.

Related to perpetrators of ATM bur-

glary in Bali, this former Chief of Gianyar and Tabanan Resort Police suspected the perpetrator belonged to an ATM burglary syndicate. Perhaps, the perpetrators were spread to several major cities, including Bali to drain the property of the bank customers. “We remain to probe further the case. It may also happen that ATMs in Bali were burglarized from Jakarta. Let us wait for the result later on,” he explained.

In addition, the ranks of Bali Police and Denpasar Metro Police continued to conduct more profound investigations.

Police were now studying the CCTV tapes existing at one of the ATM machines at Suwung, South Denpasar. “We still continue to review the CCTV recordings. Now, the tape was examined and we work with a team of cyber crime,” he explained.

Meanwhile, the number of ATM burglary victims in Denpasar continued to grow. At Denpasar Metro Police were currently recorded 26 reports of victims.

Previously, 24 people and then followed by 2 additional victims. Most likely, there would be another addition. “Now, there are already 26 victims officially reported their cases. Probably, this number may increase later,” he added. (kmb21)

4

News

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

International

Myanmar says Suu Kyi to be freed in November: witnesses Reuters

YANGON (Reuters) – Myanmar pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi will be freed when her house arrest ends in November, according to a government minister quoted by witnesses on Monday, but critics said that may be too late for this year’s elections.

Home Minister Major General Maung Oo told a January 21 meeting of local officials the 64-yearold Nobel Peace Prize winner would be released in November, a month after many observers expect the country to hold its first parliamentary elections in two decades.

The information could not be verified independently but three people who attended the meeting said the comment was made to an audience of several hundred people in Kyaukpadaung, a town about 565 km (350 miles) north of the former capital, Yangon. The three witnesses requested anonymity.

Suu Kyi, detained for 14 of the past 20 years, was sentenced to a further 18 months of detention last August for harboring an American who swam uninvited to her lakeside home, raising questions over whether the election will be a sham.

That incident took place in May 2009, just before an earlier period of house arrest was due to end.

Taking into account the three months she spent in a prison guesthouse after the incident, her 18-month sentence would end in November.

The planned election would be the first since 1990, when Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) party scored a landslide victory that the country’s junta refused to recognize.

Maung Oo also said detained

NLD vice-chairman Tin Oo would be released on February 13, and that the government would pursue an international-style market economy after holding “free and fair” elections, including loosening restrictions on car imports.

Tin Oo, 82, a former defense minister and retired general, has been in prison or under house arrest for more than a decade.

ELECTION TIMING NOT YET SET

Senior NLD official Khin Maung Swe said it was crucial Suu Kyi and Tin Oo were released before the election.

“The most important thing is they must be freed in good time so that they can work for national reconciliation,” he said.

The military junta has not set a date for the election but has promised U.S. President Barack Obama and Southeast Asian leaders the vote would be free, fair and inclusive.

In recent months Suu Kyi has been allowed to meet the junta’s liaison officer and foreign diplomats. The NLD has not yet said whether it would take part in the elections, portrayed by the generals as a move to a multi-party democracy but derided by opponents as a sham designed to let the army retain real power.

The United States and others are reviewing policy toward the former Burma after years of sanctions and trade embargoes failed to get the junta to improve its human rights record or relax its grip on power.

Obama has offered Myanmar the prospect of better ties with Washington if it pursued democratic reform and freed political prisoners, including Suu Kyi.

AFP/File

Pro democracy legislators and demonstrators, including veteran campaigner Szeto Wah (right)

Hong Kong democrats vow action on ‘referendum’ AFP

HONG KONG (AFP) – Five pro-democracy lawmakers said Monday they would push ahead with their plan to resign in protest at the slow pace of democratic reform despite growing opposition from Beijing and its allies.

The group said they would quit on Tuesday, in the hope that the byelection that follows would be a defacto referendum on universal suffrage. But the plan experienced a hiccup last week when the Liberal Party, a major pro-Beijing political group in Hong Kong, said it would not take part in any by-election after the democrats used the word “uprising” in a campaign advert.

The party said the word implies the use of force to overthrow a government, something they would not support.

Audrey Eu, leader of the Civic

Party, which will have two members giving up their seats in the 60-member legislature, asked its opponents not to focus on one word to distort the nature of the campaign.

“You have to put the word in context. Ours is a sensible, peaceful and mild movement in pursuit for Hong Kong people’s dream for democracy,” she told a press conference.

“It’s about ballots, not bullets.”

Eu said they would stick to the plan even if other pro-Beijing lawmakers follow the lead of the Liberal Party, which is widely seen to be pressured by the mainland to stay

away from any by-election.

“Even if Beijing is so powerful as to make all these parties drop out, it doesn’t mean we have failed.”

At present, only half of the city’s legislature is directly elected while a largely pro-Beijing committee effectively controls the selection of the remainder and appoints the city’s chief executive.

The Chinese government has said Hong Kong’s chief executive could be directly elected by 2017 and the legislature by 2020, while pro-democracy lawmakers want universal suffrage in 2012.

Beijing issued a statement earlier this month expressing “grave concern” over the campaign and said the “referendum” was not in line the Basic Law, which spells out Hong Kong’s political system following its return from British to Chinese rule in 1997.

Mumbai gunman demands trial by international court AP

Reuters

Aung San Suu Kyi arrives for a meeting with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific

MUMBAI, India – The alleged gunman in the 2008 bloody siege of Mumbai said Monday he should be tried by an international court because he does not expect justice in India. Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, 21, told a special court that police had falsely implicated him in the case.

“I should be tried in an international court,” he told Judge M.L. Tahiliyani.

Ten gunmen rampaged through India’s commercial capital Mumbai in a commando-style attack on two

luxury hotels, a busy train station and a Jewish center in November 2008. The three-day siege left 166 people dead, and nine of the gunmen were killed.

Last month, Kasab retracted his confession that he sprayed gunfire into a crowd at the railroad station.

He also said police tortured him into admitting having a role in the attacks.

Kasab also said Monday he wanted to call witnesses from Pakistan for his defense, and that he should be allowed to meet Pakistani officials. Witnesses would include a passport officer, he said, without providing other details.

The judge asked him to file a petition through his attorney. Kasab could face the death penalty if convicted. Murder and conspiracy to wage war against India are among the charges he faces.

Kasab told the judge he came to Mumbai as a tourist and was arrested 20 days before the siege began. On the day the attacks started, Kasab said police took him from his cell because he resembled one of the gunmen. They then shot him to make it look as if he had been involved in the attacks and re-arrested him, Kasab said.

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

Tuesday, January 26, 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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Tuesday, January 26, 2010

News

Okinawa vote pressures Japan on US Marine base AP

TOKYO – Japan’s prime minister said Monday he may nix a key military deal with Washington on relocating U.S. troops, after a local election in Okinawa showed that residents oppose any new Marine base in their region.

Residents of Nago elected a mayor who is staunchly against moving a base there from a larger city nearby — plans which Washington considers fundamental to its troop realignment in the region. An agreement on the relocation of Futenma Marine air field was made in 2006 under the previous government that lost power last year.

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said the results of Sunday’s election reflected the will of the people, and that Japan would completely re-examine its accord with the U.S. “The country will start from scratch on this issue and take responsibility to reach a conclusion by the end of May,” he told reporters.

His government has repeatedly put off making a decision, straining ties with the U.S., its main military ally, in the face of security concerns like North Korea’s nuclear program and China’s rising strength.

Nago chose challenger Susumu Inamine — who campaigned against any expansion of U.S. military presence in the area — over incumbent Yoshikazu Shimabukuro. Inamine won with 52.3 percent of the vote, according to the city’s election office.

The city’s mayor has little say in national policy, but with Japanese parliamentary elections coming in the summer, the results quickly reverber-

ated throughout the country.

“It wasn’t just Shimabukuro that was defeated in the election. The biggest loser was Japan’s postwar military base strategy,” the national Asahi daily said in a front-page editorial Monday.

The Obama administration has already expressed frustrations with Tokyo’s delays in finalizing the relocation of the Futenma base — now in the larger Okinawa city of Ginowan — saying it is delaying the broader 2006 plan to reorganize the U.S. military presence in Japan.

Experts said the election results makes it nearly impossible for Hatoyama to move Futenma’s facilities to Nago, as was called for in the agreement struck four years ago.

“He can’t make a decision now that’s going to make both the Americans and Okinawans happy,” said Jeff Kingston, Temple University’s director of Asian Studies in Tokyo.

Hatoyama could use the vote as political cover for rejecting Nago as the relocation site by saying, “‘This is how democracy works,’ but that’s not going to play too well in Washington,” Kingston said.

The planned relocation to Nago issue sparked intense protests and dominated debate between the two mayoral candidates.

Defeated mayor Shimabukuro supported the base for the

jobs and investment it would bring.

Meanwhile, China is likely watching the rift grow between Washington and Tokyo with interest, experts say — even as it welcomes Hatoyama’s overtures to build stronger ties with Beijing and other Asian neighbors.

“This is going to be a tough year for U.S.-Japan relations, and I think in Beijing they take some comfort in that,” said Kingston.

Under a security pact signed in 1960, U.S. armed forces are allowed broad use of Japanese land and facilities. In return, the U.S. is obliged to respond to attacks on Japan and protect the country under its nuclear umbrella.

More than half of some 47,000 American troops stationed in Japan are in Okinawa, where many residents complain about noise, pollution and crime linked to the bases.

Inamine, an independent, ran with the support of Hatoyama’s ruling Democratic Party. His victory Sunday will make it increasingly difficult for the prime minister to resist pressure to shelve the deal.

After securing victory, Inamine celebrated with jubilant supporters gathered at his office.

“I fought this campaign vowing to resist the base,” he said Sunday. “I intend to keep that promise as we move forward.”

AP –

Anti-U.S. base candidate Susumu Inamine, right, celebrates with his wife Ritsuko and supporters

Sri Lanka president urges fair vote on poll eve AFP

COLOMBO (AFP) – Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse vowed Monday to ensure the first post-war nationwide election goes off peacefully, as he prepared to face his former army chief after an acrimonious campaign.

Rajapakse urged the authorities to conduct a free and fair vote on Tuesday, seeking to counter opposition claims that he would launch a coup to cling on to power if defeated at the ballot box.

“The Sri Lanka government calls for a peaceful election, and stands committed to taking whatever steps deemed necessary to ensure the same,” his office said in a statement.

Rajapakse, who ordered the military offensive that ended the 37-year conflict against Tamil rebels in May last year, faces a strong challenge from Sarath Fonseka, the army chief who led the troops in battle.

A total of 68,000 police and 250,000 public officials will be on duty to monitor the election, which is seen as too close to call. There are no reliable opinion polls in the Indian Ocean island nation.

In the run-up to the vote, the opposition and government have made claim and counter-claim about each other’s malevolent intentions, raising tension and the prospect of instability and a contested result.

At least five people have been killed and hundreds wounded during campaigning, according to the private Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV).

Related article:War crimes pressure on new S.Lanka chief Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said Monday the government was concerned about armed army deserters who were allegedly working with Fonseka’s campaign.

“There are 600-800 that have got into some kind of lead role in the opposition campaign,” he told reporters, saying the renegades were under the commander of a former major general.

He also claimed foreign interests had a hand in the opposition campaign, but declined to identify them until after the vote. A ruling party lawmaker has already pointed the finger at the United States.

The opposition accused the government of planning to rig votes and un-

leash violence to intimidate voters, claiming Sunday that the army, state television and police had been prepared for a coup to keep Rajapakse in power.

The two Sinhalese nationalists fell out after the war, with Fonseka retiring from the military after he was sidelined

by Rajapakse and launching his surprise bid for the presidency.

The CMEV said in a report it had found serious flaws in the electoral process in the run-up to the race, which has 22 candidates standing.

“With deep regret we have to say that we have a picture of a dysfunctional electoral process and the breakdown of the authority of the (independent) elections commission,” CMEV director Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu said.

He said the level of violence was worse than during the previous presidential election in 2005 and that the state authorities had blatantly disregarded the orders of the elections chief to conduct a fair poll.

However, he said a high turnout among the 14 million electorate could still ensure that the final result reflects the will of the people. First results are likely to trickle out late Tuesday, with the final outcome expected to be known

on Wednesday.

Rajapakse called the vote after only four years of his six-year mandate to try to harness public acclaim for victory over the Tamil Tiger rebels, who controlled one-third of Sri Lanka just 10 years ago.

The conflict with the Tigers, who were fighting for a homeland for the minority Tamil group, cost between 80,000 and 100,000 lives, according to UN estimates.

Amid fears the opposition will not accept a Rajapakse victory because of fraud, the foreign minister played down warnings of street protests.

“I don’t think the people of Sri Lanka have time for street protests,” he said. “It has never happened.”

Police Deputy Inspector General Gamini Navarathne said they had deployed 68,000 men to guard the 12,000 polling booths and counting centres and step up security in the coming week.

Ethiopian...

From page 1 A Cypriot police helicopter and another from the British military stationed in Cyprus were also involved in the search.

According to one source, residents on the coast saw a “ball of fire” crashing off Na’ameh.

State-owned Ethiopian Airlines has positioned itself as a major player in international air traffic in Africa and has recently expanded its Asian network.

It has regular flights to Lebanon,

catering for business clients and the hundreds of Ethiopians who work there as domestic helpers. Lebanese aviation sources said some of the passengers had been en route to Angola.

Last Friday the airline announced an order for 10 of Boeing’s NextGeneration 737-800s for a total price of $767 million.

The last major incident involving Ethiopian Airlines was in November 1996 when 125 of the 175 passengers and crew died after a hijacked Boeing 767 crashed into the sea off the Comoros Islands.

International

Indonesia Today

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

7

Indonesia mulls tearing down Obama statue Agence France-Presse

JAKARTA - Indonesian authorities said Monday they are considering a petition to tear down a statue of US President Barack Obama as a boy, only a month after the bronze was unveiled in Jakarta.

AP Photo/Irwin Fedriansyah

Three Indonesian students have their lips sewn together during a protest marking the 100th day since President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s swearing in for his second term, in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday, Jan. 25, 2010. Student activists stage the protest demanding Yudhoyono to step down over his failure to lead the country to get out of the economic and political crisis.

Indonesian president releases new pop album Agence France-Presse

JAKARTA - Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has taken a break from battling rampant corruption and mutinous coalition partners to compose another album of romantic pop songs.

“Ku Yakin Sampai Di Sana” (I’m Certain I’ll Get There) was released Sunday and features some of Indonesia’s best-known singers and musicians.

Like the 60-year-old former general’s previous two albums, “Ku Yakin” deals with themes such as love, loyalty and patriotism.

“In my spare time from fulfilling the people’s mandate as president, I like to express my feelings in works of art,” the president commonly known as SBY writes on the album cover, which features an image of children running with the Indonesian

flag.

“The songs were written from the belief that nothing can change the fate of a nation except the people themselves, and the conviction of a noble purpose.”

“Indonesian Idol” talent show winners Vidi Adiano, Rio Febrian and Joy Tobing were among the stars who recorded the president’s songs and performed at Sunday’s launch, which Yudhoyono did not attend.

“The president communicates his feelings through music. In this album, he wants people to have big dreams and work hard towards achieving them,” presidential spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha told AFP on Monday.

“His songs are about life. While travelling in the car, he will observe things around him and then jot down the lyrics and read them out.”

Yudhoyono’s debut release was

“Rinduku Padamu” (My Longing for You) in 2007, which was followed by “Evolusi” (Evolution) in 2009.

He won a second five-year term in July with promises of economic growth, political reform and good governance.

But his new administration has been beset by corruption scandals and a damaging probe led by two of his coalition partners into a controversial bank bailout.

Lyrics from the title track show the mild-mannered president wrestling with the responsibility of power: “Although it’s difficult, I must go through it I chose the path I believe in Don’t force things that are impossible My life must be honest and right.”

The first RI-US interfaith dialogue held in Jakarta Antara

JAKARTA - Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa here Monday officially opened the first Indonesia-US interfaith dialogue that will run until January 27, in Jakarta on Monday.

He said he hoped the dialogue would further enhance bilateral relations between the two countries, especially in the social and cultural sectors.

Themed “Building Collaborative Communities: Enhancing Cooperation among People of Different Faiths”, the dialogue is a follow up

action from both countries to enhance bilateral relation and understanding between people coming from different backgrounds and religious belief.

The three-day event will have think tanks and academics from both countries discuss possible bilateral cooperation in such things as empowerment of moderate societies and ways to cope with negative images already constructed among people from both countries.

Another issues to be discussed during the interfaith dialogue are steps to promote harmonious life in

human civilization, ways to tackle poverty, climate change and enhance cooperation in cultural and governmental sectors.

The result of the discussion is expected to be applicable in the everyday life of people in both countries.

On the same occasion, Minister Natalegawa also launched a book containing comments by prominent US figures about Indonesia. The book entitled “Insight into Indonesia: The Perspectives of Americans”, It contains writings from former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and several Congressmen.

The statue of “Little Barry” — as Obama was known when he lived in the capital in the late 1960s — stands in central Jakarta’s Menteng Park, a short walk from the US president’s former elementary school.

Critics say the site should have been used to honour an Indonesian and 55,000 people have joined a page on social networking website Facebook calling for the statue to be removed.

“We’ve been discussing for the past two weeks what to do with the statue... whether to take it down, move it elsewhere or retain it. We’re finding the best solution,” Jakarta parks agency official Dwi Bintarto said.

Obama, who was born in Hawaii, lived for four years as a child in Jakarta from 1967 after his divorced mother married an Indonesian.

The bronze was designed by Indonesian artists and depicts the boy Obama dressed in shorts and a T-shirt with a butterfly perched on his hand.

“The statue is of Obama as a

child, not as the US president. His relatives and friends who erected it said it’s meant to motivate children to study hard and dream big,” Bintarto said.

Members of the “Take Down the Barack Obama Statue in Menteng Park” group on Facebook say Obama has done nothing for Indonesia.

“Barack Obama has yet to make a significant contribution to the Indonesian nation. We could say Obama only ate and shat in Menteng. He spent his subsequent days living as an American,” the web page says.

“For the dignity of a sovereign nation, Barack Obama’s monument in Menteng Park must be removed immediately.”

The childhood connection and his knowledge of a few words of Indonesian made Obama popular in the mainly Muslim country of 234 million people.

Obama said in November he would visit Indonesia this year along with First Lady Michelle Obama and daughters Malia and Sasha.

President installs new Wantimpres members Antara

JAKARTA - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono installed nine new members of the Presidential Advisory Council (Wantimpres) for 2010-2014 period at the State Palace here at 2 on Monday afternoon.

The head of state signed the Presidential Decree No.13P/2010 on the installation of nine new members of Wantimpres on January 20, 2010.

Based on Law No.19/2006, the Presidential Advisory Council was formed to to give advice how to run the government.

Nine new members of Wantimpres installed by the president on Monday are former State Minister for Environment Emil Salim, former Indonesia Ulema Counci (MUI) chairman Ma’ruf Amin, former State Minister for

Women’s Empowerment Meutia Farida Hatta, former Regional Representative Assembly (DPD) Speaker Ginajar Kartasasmita, former Constitutional Court chairman Jimly Asshiddiqie, former Foreign Affairs Minister Hassan Wirayuda, former Home Affairs and Regional Autonomy Minister Ryaas rasyid, former Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari, and former Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Widodo AS. Both Emil Salim and Ma’rur Amin, installed on April 1, 2007, are the former member Wantimpres members in the previous period.

The new Wantimpress members will replace the previous ones, namely the late Ali Alatas, Adnan Buyung Nasution, Subur Budhi Santoso, TB Silalahi, Rachmawati Soekarnoputri, Sjahrir, and Abdul Gani Ilahude.

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Internationa

Tuesday, January 26, 2009

Bali Today Poor weather condition didn’t affect Gilimanuk harbor Antara

DENPASAR – The poor weather condition which made high waves in Bali coastal area didn’t affect the transport in Ketapang and Gilimanuk. Ospar Silaban, the operational manager in Gilimanuk harbor, said “everything run normally. The weather condition didn’t affect the ferry travel.”

He explained that the sea is still in reasonable condition so the harbor is still operate normally. There is no need to close the harbor like the one in Padangbai few days ago.

The harbor was closed for several days to the poor weather condition.

However, he always warns every ferry operator to be aware especially the changing of the weather.

“The awareness must be increased during the rainy season. We hope there will be no problems in the next few days and everything can operate normally,” Ospar said.

Previously, Denpasar Meteorology and Geophysics Department (BMKG) predicted that big waves will happen on the southern part of Bali. The waves could become tree meters high. I Nyoman Suwarsa, an

officer of Denpasar BMKG, said that in addition to high waves, strong wind could also occur.

In Bali and western Nusa Tenggara, the wind could be up to 35 kilometers per hour, while in eastern Nusa Tenggara the wind can be 40 kilometers per hour.

The condition is because the tropic storm in Australia and it keep moving west on the southern part of Bali. The storm made the weather condition in Bali is not friendly.

The poor weather condition which made high waves in Bali coastal area didn’t affect the transport in Ketapang and Gilimanuk.

http://static.panoramio.com

ISI of Denpasar represents Asia in percussion festival in Denmark Antara

DENPASAR - The Indonesian Art Institute (ISI) of Denpasar has been elected to represent Asia at an international percussion festival in Denmark.

The festival will also be par-

ticipate by percussion musicians from America, Europe, Africa and Asia, said the ISI Rector Prof. Dr I Wayan Rai S, MA in Denpasar, on Sunday.

A total of 23 members of the ISI Denpasar group performing in the event, will leave on January 27 and

Bali Post

A group of The Indonesian Art Institute (ISI) of Denpasar performed Balinese creation. ISI has been elected to represent Asia at an international percussion festival in Denmark.

return to Indonesia on February 9.

According to Wayan Rai, this activity would provide an experience and great benefits, especially for ISI students, because they can interact with world-class artists.

Besides the performances, the ISI team had also been invited to give lectures and hold workshops with the faculty and students of the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen.

“The visit is also a follow-up to an MoU signed by the ISI and The Royal Danish Academy of Music, which is one of the leading universities in the world,” he said.

He emphasized that cooperation could be established such as the faculty or student exchanges, joint research, and art collaboration, which is expected to accelerate the vision of the ISI of Denpasar to ‘go international’.

The ISI vice Rector I Wayan Sweca added that the festival is an event that has a great value, as it is participated by about 100 musicians and world-class dancers.

Tourism Businessmen Aiming for India and US Antara

DENPASAR – Tourism businessmen in Bali are aiming tourists from India and US because both of the countries have huge amount of citizen. Paul Edmundus, a member of Bali Travel Agent Association (ASITA), said “both of the countries have enormous amount of citizen and the most number of rich people in the world.”

Currently, there are 200 wealthy people in India who already has passport and permit to visit Indonesia. ASITA seek support from Garuda Indonesia to open the market in India and US. Garuda Indonesia as the biggest airline in Indonesia should promote flight to both countries.

Paul said that the businessmen can get gain any tourists without the support from the airlines.

“Garuda is on the frontline.

Without the airlines, we can not develop tourism business,” he added.

While, Bagus Y Siregar, the representative of Garuda Indonesia, said “we supported the idea by ASITA. We wanted to travel to all countries but we need guarantee that there will be passengers using our flight. If ASITA could guarantee it then we will propose it the company.”

In 2010, Garuda will buy many new airplanes and recruiting new pilots and stewardess.

“We need 600 new personnel so it is an opportunity for the people to find jobs,” he added.

al

Tuesday, January 26, 2009

Balinese Culture Wong Medadah: A Must Mushroom Delicacy to Taste

Attend the Celebration of Maha Kumbhmela

Indians Admire the Pilgrims from Bali Bali Post

GIANYAR - Owner of Bali Classic Center (BCC), Nyuh Kuning, Ubud, Pande Putu Krisna together with a group of 38 people from Bali performed spiritual activities to India from January 11-18, 2010. The delegation of pilgrim from Bali to the River Ganges drew response from Indian Hindu society. The pilgrimage activity amidst the Kumbhmela celebrations in India conducted by a group from Bali made the Indians astonished.

Pande Putu Krisna in the midst of thanksgiving event after returning from India at the BCC Nyuh Kuning, last Sunday (Jan 24) revealed that the explanation of Prof. Dr. Alka from India, Kumbhmela maha celebration this year coincided with the occurrence of accidental solar eclipse. This incident was very rare even it should be waited until thousands of years. This incident was believed to bring changes to the world as a whole.

Kumbhmela celebration occurred in Haridwar was falling once every 12 years. However, Kumbhmela of this year coincided with the 12th celebration. On that account, the celebration was called Maha Kumbhmela

celebration. “This is a rare event, moreover, accompanied by a solar eclipse where the water of holy Ganges at that time is believed to have been turned into Tirta Amerta or holy water of life,” he said that at that time he followed the group of the holy effigy and temple priests of Tuluk Biu Temple at Batur, Bangli.

At that time, the participants performed bathing ritual in the Ganges guided by Lila Travel. It drew the attention of many local residents. Solemnity of committing pilgrimage could attract the attention of a number of media in India during the celebration of Maha Kumbhmela in the River Ganges.

In addition to the celebration of Maha Kumbhmela in the Ganges, the group was also taken to say prayers at Birla Temple, where the place was known as the abode of the goddess of luck. Later, the journey was then resumed to the royal heritage of India and an ashram in the upper course of the Ganges and Harki Pouri denoting the venue to implement the morning and evening pooja or prayers.

Overall activities of pilgrimage to India ended on last January 18. All pilgrims from Bali when arriving back at the island of the gods organized a thanksgiving event at the BCC Nyuh Kuning on last Thursday (Jan 21). (kmb16)

Owner of Bali Classic Center (BCC), Nyuh Kuning, Ubud, Pande Putu Krisna together with a group of 38 people from Bali performed spiritual activities to India from January 11-18, 2010.

Bali Post/Dar

Today, people have many choices of food to consume. One of them is vegetarian food avoiding any presence of meat and its flavor.

People choose this based on many reasons like as alternative food, health consideration and requirement of learning spiritual. The latter may be intended to gradually reduce the violence from within the self. The treasure of Balinese food also retains a choice of spices for that purpose. Wong or mushroom is one of the favorite foods cooked without frying. Here the mushroom is served with Balinese spices. Optionally, this kind of mushroom is replaceable by other kinds of mushroom.

Ingredients: 250g oyster mushroom Spices: 4 cloves shallot, 2 cloves garlic, 2 small chilies, 1 large chili (take out its seed) thinly sliced, ½ tsp salt, 1 tbsp palm oil, Other: 1 tbsp fried shallot, 300 ml water Method: • Shred the mushroom, cleanse by clean water and then drain.

• Ground all spices. Cook the water until boiling, put the ground spices, mushroom, salt, sliced chili and palm oil. Let them boil for a while.

• Take out and served with sprinkle of fried shallots. (BTN/punia)

Gulai Kambing (Spiced Lamb) Ingredients * 1 3/4 lb Lamb, fresh * 2 Onion * 3 Thai chile * Ginger, fresh; 3/4" knob * Lemon grass root, 1/2" knob * 1 Lemon grass, stem * 2 Garlic clove * 8 Macadamia nut * 2 Tomato, ripe * 1/3 c Oil * 1/2 ts Cardamom, ground * 1/2 ts Cumin powder * 1/2 ts Turmeric * 1/4 ts Fennel powder * 1 Cinnamon stick; 2" * 4 Cloves, whole * Salt; to taste * Pepper, black; to taste * 4 c Coconut milk Calories per serving: 553 Fat grams per serving: 26 Directions Cut the lamb into bite-size chunks. Chop the onions, chiles, ginger, lemon root and lemon grass. Crush the garlic and grind the macadamia nuts. Skin the tomatoes and cut the flesh into small dice. Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion, chiles and garlic and saute until the onion becomes translucent.

Then add the lamb, ginger, lemon root, lemon grass and tomato and cook for another three minutes, stirring frequently. Add the spice powders, cinnamon stick and cloves and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour in the coconut milk and bring to the boil, stirring constantly, then lower heat and allow to simmer until the meat is very tender; approximately 45 minutes. Serve immediately with steamed rice. (http://asiarecipe.com)

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Destinations

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

International

Bali West National Park BALI West National Park is nature conservation with pure ecosystem managed by zone system for multiple research purpose involving the education, tourism and recreation. It is one of the national park located west side of Bali Island with beautiful panoramic, unique nature ecosystem and fresh atmosphere.

Bali West National Park or most the local people call Taman National Bali Barat is one of the tourist destinations in Negara Regency and many visited by tourists.

It is situated in west side of Bali Island and close to Gilimanuk Port or about 4 hours drive away from Bali’s International Airport. Some of the Bali West National Park Area located in Grokgak sub district, Singaraja Regency and some of the area located in Melaya Sub district,

http://static.panoramio.com

Jembrana Regency. It is very easy to locate it from Denpasar direction to follow the main road go to Gilimanuk Port or Singaraja town to Gilimanuk Port.

Bali West National Park area is a green are spread out along the main road Denpasar – Gilimanuk – Singaraja about 150 kilometers.

Topographic of this park own constant gradation between mount, hill, valley, bay and sea. The mountain area is involving up to 71% from the total park area as protected forest with multifarious faunas like deer, forest pig, lion, birth etc.

meanwhile the flat area is about 29% located in north part of main road Gilimanuk – Singaraja until Java Sea. If we look from the conception, this area is a Giri/Gunung or mounts which is completed by the forest (Wanagiri). According to Kidung Utama Tantri script there is a word mention Ning Wana Ukir which gives the direction that the Wana Giri philosophy is well written to describe the total of this world.

Bali West National Park own high potential of flora and fauna those are consisted of 14 variety of

International Bali Post Classifieds Contact us

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protected floras involving Sawo Kecik (Manilkara Kauki), Sono Keling (Dalbergia Latifolia). From the fauna, Jalak Bali Birth (Leucopsar Rothscildi) is one of the endemic fauna in Bali Island there are pure habitat found in this park along to Prapat Agung and surrounding area. Other faunas can be found at this park involving cow, deer, mouse deer, venison, wild cat, grey and black monkeys. Beside of the above animals, a couple of reptiles and other 60 rash of births also can be found. The condition of coral reef at this park is highly varied with

unique combination and multifarious of habitats. In year 1998, it was recorded 110 kinds of coral including 22 mushroom corals and up to now, it was recorded that this park own 222 kinds of fish.

As a tourist destination, we can find easily the tourist facilities at Bali National Park like hotels, restaurants, trekking track, birth watching, parking area and others.

Since it is appointed as a tourist destination in Bali, many tourists from domestic and foreign countries visits this park. (www.balistarisland.com)

... gets maximum benefits with minimum charge Denpasar : +62 361 22-5764 Jakarta : +62 21 535-6271

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Tuesday, January 26, 2010

11

BUSINESS Tourism to Japan battered by strong yen, economic downturn Agence France-Presse

TOKYO - Foreign visitor numbers to Japan last year plunged at the fastest pace in nearly four decades due to the global recession, a strong yen and the swine flu scare, official data showed Monday.

A total of 6.79 million foreign tourists and business travellers came to Japan in 2009, down 18.7 percent from a record 8.35 million the previous year, the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) said.

“We believe Japan has a lot to attract foreign tourists, but the year 2009 was hit by the yen’s rise, which made trips to Japan more expensive when the travel industry was reeling from an economic slump,” a JNTO researcher said.

“Scares over the new influenza also contributed to the drop,” he said.

The fall was the sharpest since 1971, when arrivals dropped 22.7 percent from the previous year when an international exposition was held in Osaka, according to the organisation for

tourism research and promotion.

Japan’s new centre-left government, which took power last summer, is hoping to boost tourism as a cash earner for the country whose population is shrinking.

Tourists have been drawn by Japan’s traditional culture and scenic beauty but also its pop culture, from anime to fashion, and its high-tech products.

Common complaints from tourists include that fewer shops accept credit cards than in other developed countries and that not many people speak foreign languages, said JNTO researcher Naoki Morikawa.

Morikawa said that foreign visitor numbers to Japan had increased

over recent decades — from 2.84 million in 1989 to 4.44 million in 1999.

The largest number came from South Korea, followed by Taiwan and China.

Travellers arriving from South Korea last year tumbled by 33.4 percent to 1.59 million, accounting for 23 percent of the total number.

Arrivals from Taiwan fell 26.3 percent to 1.02 million, but those from mainland China edged up 0.6 percent to a record one million.

Chinese arrivals kept rising for five months in a row from August, a month after Japan started issuing visas to individual Chinese due to growing demand for non-group travel between the two countries.

US retailer Wal-Mart to eliminate 11,500 jobs at Sam’s Club Agence France-Presse

WASHINGTON - Giant US retailer Wal-Mart announced this weekend that it will eliminate about 11,500 jobs at its Sam’s Club megastores in the United States.

Wal-Mart President and Chief Executive Officer Brian Cornell said the layoffs will affect approximately

10,000 product demonstration associates, most of whom work part-time.

The decision stems from WalMart’s decision to appoint Shopper Events, a third-party marketing company, to run its product demonstration program.

“We understand Shopper Events will rapidly staff up to accommodate this new business and that it expects

to hire roughly the same number of people,” Cornell said.

“All of the current Club demo associates will have the opportunity to apply for these new positions.”

On Friday, Wal-Mart announced its decision to close 10 Sam’s Club stores this year, which will result in the loss about 1,500 additional jobs.

South Korea to hold FTA talks with Japan and China Agence France-Presse

SEOUL - South Korea, Japan and China will hold talks this week to launch a joint research project into a possible free trade pact, officials said Monday.

The meeting involving government officials, scholars and business representatives will be held in Seoul on Tuesday, the South’s trade ministry said.

“This will be a preliminary meeting to launch joint research on a trilateral free trade accord,” a ministry official told AFP. The three countries agreed at their summit in October 2009 to push for the joint research.

South Korea has been actively pushing for free trade agreements worldwide to bolster its export-dominated economy.

It already has free trade

agreements with Chile, Singapore, India, the European Free Trade Association and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

A free trade pact was signed with the European Union in October 2009 and awaits ratification. A deal signed with the United States in 2007 also needs ratification.

AP Photo/Vincent Thian

Women cross a road at shopping district in downtown Beijing, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2010. The World Bank said Monday recent moves by China to clamp down on rampant lending were the “best way” to tackle the problem of rising inflation and the threat of asset bubbles.

AFP PHOTO/PARK JI-HWAN

A currency trader walks past a display showing South Korea’s benchmark stock index in a dealing room at the Korea Exchange Bank in Seoul on January 22, 2010. South Korea, Japan and China will hold talks this week to launch a joint research project into a possible free trade pact, officials said Monday.

World Bank praises China anti-inflation steps Agence France-Presse

BEIJING - The World Bank said Monday recent moves by China to clamp down on rampant lending were the “best way” to tackle the problem of rising inflation and the threat of asset bubbles.

“It is very tricky once you are in this situation of heavy credit growth to try to come off that. It is a very fine line between doing it too quickly and not doing enough,” Ardo Hansson, lead economist of the World Bank in Beijing, said at a news conference.

“Trying small steps and seeing how the market reacts — and hoping that the market reacts in a reasonable way — is the best way to start.”

Beijing moved this month to calm growing inflationary pressures and soaring stock and property prices caused by runaway bank lending, which last year nearly doubled from 2008.

The People’s Bank of China last Thursday raised the interest rate on its benchmark threemonth treasury bills for the second time in two weeks in a bid to deter new lending.

It followed an earlier move on its benchmark one-year treasury bills and official data that

showed the world’s third-largest economy grew by 8.7 percent in 2009 and 10.7 percent in the fourth quarter.

Chinese banks have also been ordered to increase their capital reserves — effectively limiting the amount of money they can lend — amid mounting fears over bad debts as consumers go on a spending spree on property and cars.

But if the banking sector does not heed government orders to rein in lending, Beijing should raise interest rates, Hansson said.

He said fears that higher interest rates will attract a flood of speculative “hot money” into the country were “overstated”.

“China has quite tight capital controls. There is some money coming in but it’s really domestic policy that has been driving this credit growth,” Hansson said.

“I think there will and should be an interest rate increase at some point in time.”

Raising rates may encourage investors to buy higher-yielding yuan-denominated assets, exacerbating inflation and putting pressure on the yuan to appreciate.

In its annual report on the global economy released last week, the World Bank said it expected China to grow by 9.0 percent in 2010, which would dwarf the global rate of 2.7 percent.

12

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Entertainment

Grieving Liam Neeson Drops Out Of Film LIAM Neeson has dropped out of a major movie project with Jeremy Irons about the saint who brought Christianity to Scotland - citing his grief following the death of his wife Natasha Richardson last year. Richardson passed away in March following a skiing accident in Montreal, Canada.

Neeson had signed up to star in a new film by Scottish director Norman Stone, about legendary historical figure Saint Columba, but the moviemaker admits the 57 year old has now scrapped plans to appear in the historical drama. Stone reveals that after Richardson’s sudden death, he gave the actor several months to decide whether he wanted to continue with the role but Neeson felt he couldn’t go ahead with the project.

He says, “It has been a difficult time for Liam. I think he would have been great in the film. We wanted him to play the part of King Aidan, who has fiery clashes with Columba (played by Irons). It would’ve been great to see him alongside Jeremy.

“The script was with him for several months and I understand he loved it. He has decided not to go ahead, which is a pity, but the decision was made after what has been a difficult time for him and I respect the circumstances. He is a truly great actor.”

Lucien Freud’s ‘shiner’ self-portrait could fetch millions AUCTION-topping artist Lucien Freud is known for both his brutally honest, sometimes unflattering portraits and, well, his honesty about his brutality. Or at least about having chip on his shoulder.

Now 87, Freud admitted in the 2006 book Freud at Work by Bruce Bernard, David Dawson and Sebastian Smee, “I used to have a lot of fights.

It wasn’t because I liked fighting, it was really just that people said things to me to which I felt the only reply was to hit them.”

Next month, Sotheby’s will auction a work that captures both Freud’s pugnacity and that uncomREUTERS/Sotheby’s/Handout promising honesty. In its ContemThe painting entitled “Self- porary Art Evening Auction on Feb. Portait with a Black Eye” by art- 10 in London, the house will offer ist Lucien Freud is seen in this Self-Portrait With a Black Eye, handout photo released in Lon- which Freud executed immediately don January 19, 2010. after being punched by a cab driver circa 1978. The petite painting, measuring just 7 3/8 by 5 5/8 and expected to earn £3-4 million ($4.86.5 million), zeroes in on the artist’s face, showing only the span from his upper lip to his hairline.

The left eye is ringed with the dark maroons, blues, and yellows typical of a black eye, and those colors are echoed throughout his face, which is painted in the artist’s characteristically disturbed style. The work, only the third self-portrait of the artist ever to come to auction, has been in the same private collection since it was completed. It is expected to earn £3 million to £4 million. Additional highlights of the sale include a threemeter (or ten-foot) wide Yves Klein “Fire Painting” expected to earn £2.8 million to £3.5 million and a 1995-96 Peter Doig painting estimated at £2-3 million.

International

Actor Gary Coleman jailed in Utah ACTOR Gary Coleman was arrested in Utah on a warrant for failing to appear in court, police said. The 41-year-old former “Diff’rent Strokes” actor was booked into the Utah County Jail Sunday, said Santaquin police officer Shawn Carter.

He said early Monday that he didn’t have details on the warrant or know if Coleman was still being held. He said more information would be released later in the day.

The Salt Lake Tribune reported that Utah County Jail records show he was arrested after police received reports of a disturbance at his Santaquin home.

The actor was arrested in Utah in 2008 after a man claimed Coleman tried to run over him in a parking lot when he tried to take a picture with the child star. The case was reportedly been settled out of court.

In this Feb. 26, 2008 file photo, actor Gary Coleman appears on the the NBC ‘Today’ program in New York.

AP Photo/Richard Drew, file

Slash Memorabilia Banned At Guns N’ Roses Shows ROCKERS Guns N’ Roses have forced fans to take sides in the feud between frontman Axl Rose and former bandmember Slash - by allegedly banning concert-goers from wearing t-shirts featuring the legendary guitarist. The top hat-toting musician famously quit the band in 1993, after his relationship with the singer deteriorated. They never patched up their friendship and their ongoing war of words continues to rage, with Rose recently accusing his former pal of lying about the rift in his 2007 autobiography.

And now TMZ.com is reporting that the band upset Slash fans at their gig in Canada last Wednesday by asking them to turn their t-shirts inside out and leave their top hats outside. The website alleges an unnamed security guard at the show claimed the order to ban Slash memorabilia came from one of the band’s producers.As the lead guitarist for Guns N’ Roses, Slash established himself as one of hard rock’s finest and most soulful soloists during the late ’80s, technically adept yet always firmly grounded in the gritty Aerosmith and Stones licks he loved.

Slash was born Saul Hudson on July 23, 1965, in Stoke-on-Trent, England, to artistic parents both involved in the entertainment industry; his mother was a clothing designer who worked on David Bowie’s film The Man Who Fell to Earth, and his father designed album art for such artists as Neil Young and Joni Mitchell.

The family eventually moved to Hollywood, where Hudson attended junior high, received his first guitar, and met future GNR drummer Steven Adler. With Hudson adopting the nickname Slash, given to him by a family friend, the two formed a band called Road Crew; although it proved unsuccessful, it was the vehicle through which they met and eventually joined up with the other members of Guns N’ Roses. The Gunners debuted in June 1985, and even before Appetite for Destruction was released in 1987, the band acquired a reputation as notorious alcohol and drug abusers.

Life Style

International

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

13

Save the tiger: Pressure mounts for tougher action Associated Press Writer

Now hopes are rising that 2010 will see a turning point. Ministers from the 13 countries with tiger populations will hold a first-ever meeting Wednesday through Friday in Hua Hin, Thailand to write an action plan for a tiger summit in September in Russia, where Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has been championing the survival of the tiger.

The purpose of this week’s meeting is to elicit promises of more money for conservation and to persuade countries to set tiger population targets. It is being organized by the Global Tiger Initiative, a coalition formed in 2008 by the World Bank, the Smithsonian Institute and nearly 40 conservation groups. It aims to double tiger numbers by 2020.

“The bleeding continues,” said the World Bank’s Keshav Varma, the initiative’s program director.

“I’m not sure if these poachers are feeling the heat of regional and global and national action. They seem to be operating rather freely.” David Smith, a tiger expert at the University of Minnesota who will attend the meetin action “has got to be now. We are at that critical stage.” But at least one skeptical activist is skipping the meeting.

“All we have gotten from ministers and heads of state is rhetoric,” said zoologist Alan Rabinowitz, president of Panthera, a New York City group that works to conserve the 36 species of cats. “Putin loves tigers but (Siberian) tiger numbers are plummeting in the Russian Far East.” The Wildlife Conservation Society estimates the number of Russian tigers in the wild at 300 — down from a 2005 estimate of 500. Past efforts in tiger countries have been

LOS ANGELES – Think the recent wild weather that hammered California was bad? Experts are imagining far worse. As torrential rains pelted wildfire-stripped hillsides and flooded highways, a team of scientists hunkered down at the California Institute of Technology to work on a “Frankenstorm” scenario — a mother lode wintry blast that could potentially sock the Golden State. The hypothetical but plausible storm would be similar to the 1861-1862 extreme floods that temporarily moved the state capital from Sacramento to San Francisco and forced the then-governor to attend his inauguration by rowboat.

HUAI KHA KHEANG WILDLIFE SANCTUARY, Thailand – After trudging through the wilds of western Thailand for several hours, the forest rangers thought they were finally onto something: the distant sound of crunching leaves. Automatic weapons drawn, the five Thais crept forward, hoping to catch a tiger poacher. It turned out to be a banteng, a wild cow, which disappeared into the woods.

But all in all, the absence of illegal hunters was good news, said ranger Sakchai Tessri. “When we passed before, we would always run into poachers.” Now he felt their room for maneuver was narrowing. “In the old days,” he said, “they would spend many nights in the forest for poaching.

Now they just come in, shoot, grab and go quickly.” The 6,400square-kilometer (2,500-squaremile) Huai Kha Kheang and Thung Yai Wildlife Sanctuaries on the Myanmar border represent a rare success in the struggle to save the world’s dwindling tiger population.

Funded by the New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society, the increased patrols, armed with the latest technology, have scared off poachers and helped stabilize the tiger population of more than 100, along with animals such as the banteng which they prey on.

Elsewhere, tigers are in critical decline because of human encroachment, the loss of more than nine-tenths of their habitat and the growing trade in tiger skins and body parts. From an estimated 100,000 at the beginning of the 20th century, the number today ranges between 3,200 to 3,600, most of them in Asia and Russia.

The scenario “is much larger than anything in living memory,” said project manager Dale Cox with the U.S. Geological Survey. In the scenario, the storm system forms in the Pacific and slams into the West Coast with hurricane-force winds, hitting Southern California the hardest. After more than a week of ferocious weather, the system stalls for a few days. Another storm brews offshore and this time pummels Northern California. Such a monster storm could unleash as much as 8 feet of rain over three weeks in some areas, said research meteorologist Martin Ralph with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, who is part of the project.

It makes the latest Pacific storm system look like a drop in the bucket.

A weeklong siege of storms walloped California, flooding coasts and roads, spawning tornados and forcing the evacuation of about 2,000 homes below fire-scarred mountains for fear

In this photo taken Jan. 20, 2010, two adult male tigers look on at Wat Pa Luangta Bua Yannasampanno Forest Monastery in Kanchanaburi, Thailand. The monastery and its Buddhist Monks dedicated to what has become a wildlife sanctuary for tigers. Estimates for the number of tigers in the wild has fallen in the past decade to somewhere between 3,600 to 3,200 according to the New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society. Many of the tigers at the Thai temple are the cubs of parent tigers that have been killed in the wild.

AP Photo/Nick Ut, File

This Jan. 20, 2010 file photo shows high-storm surf pounding the beach in front of an oil rig at Seal Beach, Calif. as the region prepares for the third in a series of storms to hit the California coastline. As torrential rains recently pelted wildfire-stripped hillsides and flooded highways, a team of scientists hunkered down at the California Institute of Technology to work on a ‘Frankenstorm’ scenario — a motherlode wintry blast that could potentially sock the Golden State.

Scientists create model of monster ‘Frankenstorm’ Associated Press Writer

of mudslides. The National Weather Service said the storms dumped up to a foot in the mountains northwest of Los Angeles in a week. Weather experts say West Coast storms could get more frequent and severe with climate change. Last fall, a team of federal, state and academic experts was formed to tackle what would happen if a series of powerful storms lashed at the state for 23 days. The scenario is expected to be completed this summer and will be used in a statewide disaster drill next year.

Ironically, the team had scheduled meetings at Caltech to learn about the fictional storm’s impact to dams, sewage treatment plants, transportation and the electrical grid. About a dozen canceled due to the storms. “They had to deal with the real thing,” said chief scientist Lucy Jones of the USGS. The next step is to estimate eco-

nomic damages as well as the risk of landslides and coastal erosion and impact to infrastructure and the environment. Several scientists on storm watch were involved in the 2008 planning of a mock “Big One” on the San Andreas Fault that was incorporated into an earthquake preparedness drill.

The Great Flood of 1861-1862 was believed to be the most powerful and longest series of storms in state history, lasting a month and causing severe flooding. The Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys were water-logged and spontaneous lakes popped up in the Mojave Desert and Los Angeles basin. Nearly a third of the young state’s taxable land was destroyed.

Since there are few meteorological records available on the 18611862 events, scientists stitched together data from two recent storms to create “Frankenstorm.”

AP Photo/David Longstreath

14

Sport

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

International

Dominant Serena warns she can get even better Agemce Framce - Presse

MELBOURNE – Defending champion Serena Williams warned her rivals she can get even better despite playing brilliant tennis to crush Samantha Stosur 6-4, 6-2 in the fourth round of the Australian Open on Monday.

Williams wiped the big serving Stosur off court in just 65 minutes to reach the quarter-finals, where she will play either Victoria Azarenka of Belarus or Russia’s Vera Zvonareva.

She remains on track for a semi-final against sister Venus and a possible blockbuster final against Belgium’s Justine Henin. The world number one gave herself only a B plus when asked to rate her game, saying perhaps she could have returned better. “I think Sam really burned me on a couple of returns, but she’s serving incredible,” Williams said.

“It’s really good to match my game against her serve, because she’s one of the best servers on the tour.” By rating her game only a B plus, Williams was being tough on herself as the four-time champion never looked in any trouble against

the Australian number one. She served brilliantly throughout both sets and dismantled Stosur’s serve as the match wore on, quickly silencing the large partisan crowd.

“It’s important when you’re playing a local girl to not let the crowd get too involved or else they’ll kill you,” Williams said. “That was the plan — to not let them get involved.” Stosur had gone into the fourth round clash on Rod Laver Arena with some expectation of an upset after beating Williams the last time the pair met. Stosur had also complained that Williams had not given her much credit for that win, saying the American implied she was a lucky player, with many of her winners coming from miss hits.

But on Monday she came up against a fiercly determined Williams and simply had no answers.

Williams conceded just two points

on serve in the first set and three in the second to completely demoralise Stosur.

“I think today it was all about the serve,” Williams said. “Honestly I’m just hoping I can serve again like that, because that was pretty cool. I knew going into the match I had to serve well against Sam. She’s a big server and even though she’s not as tall, she serves incredibly well.”

Despite saying she could have returned better, the world number one was almost as ruthless as when she was serving, breaking Stosur once in the first set and twice in the second to wrap up a comfortable win.

“When someone’s playing that aggressively and not giving you anything at all, she’s pretty hard to beat,” admitted Stosur. “Today was disappointing that I lost, definitely. But I know that that’s maybe where I need to try and keep aspiring to get to.”

(AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Serena Williams of the United States returns to Samantha Stosur of Australia on her way to winning their Women’s singles fourth round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday Jan. 25, 2010.

Djokovic, Venus stride into Australian Open quarters

Kobe misses buzzer-beater as Raptors sink Lakers

Agence France - Presse

Reuters -

MELBOURNE – Novak Djokovic and Venus Williams strode into the Australian Open quarter-finals Monday while Li Na ensured China has two players in the last eight of a Grand Slam for the first time. Third seed Djokovic, the 2008 winner, joins Spanish defending champion Rafael Nadal, British fifth seed Andy Murray, American seventh seed Andy Roddick and 14th seeded Croat Marin Cilic safely through.

Also staying in the hunt was in-form Russian sixth seed Nikolay Davydenko, who was stretched to the limit by Spanish ninth seed Fernando Verdasco before prevailing 6-2, 7-5, 4-6, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3. Roger Federer attempts to join them later Monday with the 15-time Grand Slam champion playing Australia’s Lleyton Hewitt, who has not beaten the Swiss great in their last 14 meetings. Whoever wins will next face Davydenko.

Djokovic powered into the quarters with an emphatic 6-1, 6-2, 7-5 win over Poland’s unseeded Lukasz Kubot and will meet either France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who he beat in the 2008 final, or Spanish 26th seed Nicolas Almagro. The Serbian struggled with his form in the opening two rounds, but has moved up a gear and is back with the dominant touch he displayed in the second half of last year.

“I think the first two sets I was very dominant on the court, then he lifted up his level of the game a little bit,” he said.

“That’s why we had a longer third set. In general, I was very happy with the way I performed today.” Williams and Li join Justine Henin, Nadia Petrova, Maria Kirilenko and Zheng Jie in the last eight. Williams bounced back from a set down to oust Italian 17th seed Francesca Schiavone 3-6, 6-2, 6-1. The hardfought victory under blue skies on Rod Laver Arena keeps her on track for a semi-final with sister Serena, who takes on Australian hope and

TORONTO – The Toronto Raptors eked out a 106-105 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers after Kobe Bryant missed a threepointer just before the buzzer Sunday. Hedo Turkoglu made two free throws with 1.2 seconds to play as the Raptors scored the game’s final five points to claim a ninth win in their last 10 home games.

“I always have confidence,” Turkoglu told reporters. “I know I have been struggling lately shooting the ball but I don’t let it get to me. I try to put those behind and try to still play my game.” Down 105-101 with less than two minutes to play, Toronto turned to Andrea Bargnani for a field goal and free throw before Turkoglu delivered the winning free throws. Bargnani wound up with 22 points with Chris Bosh and Jarrett Jack both scoring 18. Turkoglu had nine.

Bryant led the Lakers with a game-high

(AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Novak Djokovic of Serbia serves to Poland’s Lukasz Kubot on his way to winning their Men’s singles fourth round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday Jan. 25, 2010.

Australian 13th seed Samantha Stosur later Monday.

Williams is in her 11th Australian Open campaign but is yet to win the singles crown, in stark contrast to Serena, who is a four-time champion and defending her title. But the elder Williams is not beating herself up about her comparative lack of success in Melbourne, insisting a major part of her game plan was staying positive. She said she could break her Australian drought this year.

“Yeah, I’m ready to go and I feel very good,” said Williams, who has won five Wimbledons and two US Open titles. “Obviously, I’m hitting the ball pretty good, especially against her today.

She was really playing well.” She faces Li next after the 16th seed upset Danish fourth seed Caroline Wozniacki 6-4, 6-3 for her best-ever performance at the Australian Open. Li’s victory broke new ground for Chinese tennis with the 27-year-old joining compatriot Zheng Jie in the last eight, the first time two Chinese players have ever reached that stage of a Grand Slam.

27 points despite playing with a broken right index finger. He also had 16 rebounds and nine assists but will be disappointed to have missed his most important shot of the game as time expired. Los Angeles led by 10 points in the third quarter before the Raptors rallied. “They played some rabid, tenacious defense from about the middle of the third quarter on,” Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. “They did a good job of turning the ball over and getting run-outs from it.”

The win was the 15th in 21 home games for the Raptors this season.

“We think that we’re playing pretty well and we’re confident,” coach Jay Triano said. “There were a couple of times today when we could have folded, we got down eight, nine points and we never did. Our guys just kept battling, we fought for more stops, we attacked the basket offensively, we weren’t intimidated.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) reacts after losing control of the ball under pressure from Toronto Raptors’ Hedo Turkoglu, left, and DeMar DeRozan (10) during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game in Toronto on Sunday, Jan. 24, 2010.

(AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Frank Gunn)

Sport

International

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

15

Nine-man Inter stun Milan to go nine clear Agence France - Presse

MILAN – Nine man Inter Milan moved nine points clear at the top of Serie A after a 2-0 victory over arch-rivals AC Milan in a pulsating derby at the San Siro on Sunday. The champions played for more than an hour with a numerical disadvantage after Wesley Sneijder was sent off but they dominated throughout to earn a richly deserved victory.

Inter coach Jose Mourinho said that decision showed that the authorities are ganging up on his club. “Tonight everything was done to try to stop Inter winning but this group is strong and will win the title,” he said. “When I went into the changing rooms (at halftime) I asked (the referee) why he sent off Sneijder and he told me it was because he had applauded him.

“He asked me what I would do if a player ironically applauded one of my decisions. ‘No, I replied, I wouldn’t have chased him away, we’re football men’. “Hence I understood that this dismissal did not happen just like that.”

Milan may still have a game in hand on their neighbours but the psychological effect of such a crushing defeat will make the gap seem all the wider.

Milan coach Leonardo seemed unsure about his side’s title chances now. “I don’t know, I think we’ll keep going along the path we’ve taken, I still believe in the way we play,” he said.

“We did some incredible things in previous games, we’ve done much to have

got here in second place, two points ahead of AS Roma with a game in hand, we’ve got a Cup match to come and we still have to play Manchester United in the Champions League.”

Milan may have come into the game as the form team in Serie A but Inter were clearly the more pumped up early on. Sneijder almost fired them in front with a moment of outrageous skill, flicking the ball up and thrashing a 25yard volley that glanced off the outside of the post.

Inter were rampant and another break saw Pandev feed Milito on the inside right but Dida blocked his near post shot. Inter were dominant and Sneijder was running the show but the referee changed that before the half hour was even up. Inter centre-back Lucio burst forward into midfield and went down rather easily under a challenge but seeing that he still had the ball he got up and went to carry on, only for the referee to stop the game and book him for diving.

(AP Photo/Alberto Pellaschiar)

Inter forward Goran Pandev, of Macedonia, right, vies for the ball with AC Milan defender Thiago Silva, of Brazil, during an Italian Serie A soccer match between Inter Milan and AC Milan at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2010.

Ronaldo goes from hero to zero in Real win Mancini admits he won’t Agence France - Presse

MADRID – Cristiano Ronaldo spoilt a stellar two-goal display by getting sent off for a stray elbow as Real Madrid closed to within five points of league leaders Barcelona with a 2-0 win over Malaga at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday. It was all going swimmingly for Ronaldo who had ended a run of three games without a goal with a quick-fire brace (35th and 39th minutes) to take his season’s tally to nine but his volatile temperament surfaced again on 70 minutes.

Ronaldo elbowed defender Patrick Mtiliga as he tugged the former Manchester United man’s shirt and the referee had no hesitation in reaching for the red card. “Cristiano (Ronaldo) showed how he can make the difference with his two goals,” said defender Sergio Ramos. “I was a bit far away from the incident so I will have to watch it again on the television.” It was a second dismissal of the season for Ronaldo who was sent off in a 4-2 win over Almeria on December 5 for kicking out at an opponent.

While Ronaldo’s sending off put a dampener on the win, Real will be relieved to bounce back from their Athletic Bilbao defeat with a 10th successive home win to close to within five points of Barcelona. “It was important to win so we can stay in touch (with Barcelona) and we will keep on fighting as five points is not too much,” added Ramos.

Barcelona beat Valladolid 3-0 on Saturday to go unbeaten for the first

half of the season although no Spanish team has gone a whole 38-game season undefeated. Guti, 33, made his first league start for Real since September after healing his rift with coach Manuel Pellegrini and even had the captain’s armband with Raul on the bench.

With eight minutes gone Malaga rattled the crossbar when Sergio Duda’s cross came off Xabi Alonso’s head and looped onto the bar. Iker Casillas had a hairy moment near the half hour mark with the goalkeeper bizarrely using his head to block a chipped shot as he was outside of the area. Ronaldo then took centre stage

with two goals in four destructive minutes. Guti, Karim Benzema and Kaka all combined quickly to put the ball on a plate for Ronaldo to roll home the 35th minute opener.

Earlier Valencia missed the chance to keep pace with the top two following a frustrating 0-0 draw at promoted Tenerife on Sunday. “We weren’t at our best today,” said Valencia coach Unai Emery. “However, we are in a great position in the league and have to keep on going.”

Valencia sit five points ahead of Real Mallorca, who reclaimed fourth spot with a 1-1 draw at Espanyol on Sunday.

(AP Photo/Arturo Rodriguez)

Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, reacts after receiving a red card while Malaga’s Jesus Gomez has words with him during a Spanish La Liga soccer match against Malaga at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2010.

stop Robinho leaving Agence France - Presse

SCUNTHORPE, England – Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini admits he won’t stop Robinho leaving if the Brazil forward is not happy at Eastlands.

Robinho told a Brazilian radio station over the weekend that City’s directors are happy to let him return home to join Santos on loan before the transfer window closes on February 1. After watching Robinho score City’s final goal in their 4-2 FA Cup fourth round win at Scunthorpe on Sunday, Mancini denied any knowledge of an imminent exit for the former Real Madrid star but did concede that he would let him leave if he isn’t happy.

Robinho, who cost City a club record 32.5 million pounds last season, has repeatedly produced below-par displays and Mancini appeared to run out of patience when he replaced the winger after sending him on as substitute against Everton earlier this month. “I think one player can stay in a squad only if he is happy, if he wants to play every game and if he wants to work every day. That is most important because the players and manager must be happy,” Mancini said.

“I hope he will stay here but

it is important he will stay here happy and enjoy it. He is a very good player. I think he is enjoying Manchester. Hopefully in the end Robinho will stay here. In the next day the situation can change but at the moment he stays here and I am very happy for him.” Mancini knows he has several other attacking options so he has no pressing need to keep Robinho if he continues to under-perform.

He added: “I have five or six strikers and I must decide every game between them. It’s impossible to play with four strikers.

Robinho didn’t play against Manchester United (in the League Cup) but he played against Scunthorpe.” Mancini was pleased with his side’s FA Cup progress but admitted they face another tough test in the fifth round when Arsenal’s conquerors Stoke visit Eastlands.

He added: “The FA Cup is very difficult and we saw that with Arsenal and Stoke. Every game will be hard and the next game against Stoke will be a difficult game.” Scunthorpe boss Nigel Adkins admitted City’s extra quality had seen them through but he praised his Championship side for the way they pushed their illustrious opponents all the way.

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Sport

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Algeria stun Nations Cup favourites Ivory Coast in thriller Agence France - Presse

CABINDA, Angola – Algeria clawed back from the brink of elimination to stun title favourites Ivory Coast 3-2 on Sunday and reach the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals. The winners fell 2-1 behind on 89 minutes to a brilliant Abdulkader Keita goal only for Madjid Bougherra to level in stoppage time and unmarked substitute Hamer Bouazza headed a 92nd-minute far-post winner.

AP Photo/Darko Bandic

Algeria’s players celebrate their goal against Ivory Coast during their African Cup of Nations quarterfinal soccer match in Cabinda, Angola, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2010.

Amir Khan Marquez would be a dream clash.

AMIR Khan says a showdown with Juan Manuel Marquez would be his dream fight. The WBA lightwelterweight king is all set to make his Stateside debut after leaving Frank Warren to join Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions.

And he says a clash with Mexican superstar Marquez, a P4P mainstay, would be the perfect way to announce himself to the American public.

He told the Daily Star: “It is my mission to fight men like Marquez and that would be my dream fight in America.” Khan has been ordered to defend his belt against dangerous Argentine Marcos Maidana, who stunned another hot young property in Victor Ortiz - seen by many as the long-term successor to the now-retired De La Hoya.

But Khan’s trainer Freddie Roach said: “Maidana is not well known enough and there is not enough money in the fight.

Drama continued to the end with television replays suggesting a late shot from Ivorian defender Kolo Toure that found the net was wrongly judged offside by an assistant referee. Ivory Coast coach Vahid Halilhodzic was furious and distraught in equal measure. “This is a huge disappointment, of course,” said the 57-year-old Bosnian-born former Yugoslavian international.

“We were not good this evening (Sunday) and we are obliged to congratulate Algeria. Great teams do not let a 2-1 lead a few minutes before full-time slip like that. “It is unacceptable. We had had opportunities to kill off the match before that and we are all really stunned. We came here with great hopes and as is always the case Ivory Coast has failed to deliver.

“It is imperative that everyone assumes their responsibility for this, me to start with.

“We have five or six really good players but we lost every duel. It is not a physical problem it is a mental one. I do not have all the answers but I am ashamed with regard to how we played and apologise to the

Ivorian public who really believed in us.”

His Algerian counterpart Rabah Saadane had evidently vastly different emotions. “I am really happy. We came up with what we wanted,” said Saadane. “I wasn’t surprised by my team, but more by the decline of the Ivory Coast side. The critics said after we beat Mali (1-0) that we only scored goals from dead ball situations, well here we scored three goals from open play!” Victory for Algeria sets up the prospect of a last-four showdown with bitter rivals Egypt, who they deprived of a place at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa after a play-off.

Defending champons Egypt face fourtime winners Cameroon on Monday in a clash of giants, but the teams will struggle to match the drama of this encounter. As the match kicked off amid steamy evening conditions in this oil-rich northern Angola enclave the chief concern of Ivory Coast coach Vahid Halilhodzic was rustiness with their last match nine days ago. Algeria had a point to prove after accusations they and Angola had ‘fixed’ a goalless Group A draw in Luanda to ensure both qualified at the expense of Mali.