Edisi 27 April 2010 | International Bali Post

16 Pages Number 80 2st Year

Tibetan writer detained after quake critique

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Tuesday, April 27, 2010

In this handout photograph released by the Indonesian President’s Presidensby.info website shows Iceland President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson (L) and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (R) holding a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the World Geothermal Congress in Nusa Dua on the resort island of Bali on April 26, 2010. Indonesia, the Southeast Asian country with largest potential for clean and renewable geothermal energy hosted the international conference attended over 3000 participants from more than 80 countries

Office building dominate future property business PAGE 8

AFP PHOTO/ANUNG/HO/PRESINDENSBY.INFO

‘Dragon’ wings it back to No. 1 with $15 million PAGE 12

Indonesia become the biggest geothermal user Denpasar (Bali Post) -

The Geothermal prospect in Indonesia is very big because it has the 40% of the geothermal. If all of the energy is developed, Indonesia could become the biggest user of geothermal. Unfortunately, only 4.2% of the energy is being used and it becomes 1,100 megawatts of electricity.

WEATHER FORECAST

The fact was stated by Indonesian President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, in the opening ceremony of the World Geothermal Congress di Bali International

TEMPERATURE OC

DENPASAR

24 - 33

Associated Press Writers ago

JAKARTA

25 - 33

BANDUNG

21 - 29

YOGYAKARTA

23 - 32

SURABAYA

24 - 34

YAZOO CITY, Miss. – Morgan Hayden and Joe Moton stepped carefully through nails, broken glass and pink tufts of insulation, the remnants of their home leveled by a tornado that killed at least 10 in rural Mississippi.

The couple had planned to marry

BRIGHT/CLOUDY

watts.

The president also explained that the projects could reduce the deficit of energy in Indonesia. The reduction of the projects will be up to 17.3 million of carbon dioxide.

“We admit that Indonesia is not stepping forward aggressively but last week is already order the ministers to emphasize in exploring the natural resource,” the president added.

Continued on page 6

Dozen dead in violent southern storms; 10 in Miss.

CITY

SUNNY

Convention Center (BICC) in Nusa Dua on Monday, April 26th 2010.

The president said that Indonesia already has the road map for using the geothermal energy for

2004 through 2025 period where in 2025 there energy should cover 5% of the whole energy needed by Indonesia.

Steps had been done to accomplish the plan such as by the sign of MoU between Indonesian Electrical Company (PLN) and Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE) which consists of four projects with the help of World Bank. “The investment is worth 8.6 billion rupiah which will produce 2,885 mega-

in Arkansas on Monday, but with little left besides the clothes on their backs, they weren’t sure what to do.

“It’ll work out, though,” 27year-old Hayden said Sunday, a day after the tornado ripped through the countryside. She and Moton, 31, huddled with other relatives in the home’s bathroom.

Continued on page 6

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0361-225764

Brothers Jonathan Mitchell, left, and Adam Mitchell sift through debris Sunday afternoon April 25, 2010, looking for anything sentimental left from their family’s lake house on Sea Island Drive in Warren County, Miss. The Mitchell family’s house was completely destroyed by the tornado that struck the area Saturday.

AP Photo/The Vicksburg Post, Katie Carter

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International

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Bali News Visited by Minister of Backward Regions,

Inpatient treatment reported not to operate yet Amlapura (Bali Post)

Village Chief of Seraya Tengah, Karangasem, I Ketut Badra, reported to the State Minister for Acceleration of Backward Region Development (PDT) H Ahmad Helmi Faishal Zaini and wife, last Thursday (Apr 22) about inpatient services at Seraya community health center until now had not been functioning. State Minister of PDT was received at local Tenggang Village Hall.

In addition, Badra also conveyed that Seraya had faced drought and local residents were under serious water crisis for hundreds of years during the dry season.

Badra said why until that moment the Community Health Center of Karangasem I situated at Seraya used for inpatient care could not be operated because there was no residential house for physician. As a result, the physician of local health center found difficulty to live at Seraya. In fact, for the community health center handling inpatient treatment, the physician in charge should remain to stand by and was not allowed to leave the center.

Since the community health center had not been functioned for inpatient care, many residents of three villages at Seraya namely Central, East and West Seraya should take inpatient services to Karangasem Hospital. It was really a very long distance. Badra asked the government to provide physician assistance along with residential house at Seraya. He hoped that local residents needing inpatient treatment could be treated at the health center located within easy reach from Seraya.

In the meantime, Badra also added, the condition of Seraya undergoing droughts for hundreds of years caused many local communities remain to live under poverty line. The problem lay on the majority of local residents that earned their livelihood as dry land farmers where they could only grow

crops for one time a year by planting corn as the main crop. Currently, more people wished there would be more assistance of gamelina (Gamelina asiatica) seed for greening the area with the extent of 1,300 hectares at Seraya Village. Gamelina tree was known by the public to have a lot of benefits where the leaves were good for fodder and its great quality wood was good enough for sale. His party needed 200,000 more gamelina seeds.

Meanwhile, the Regent of Karangasem I Wayan Geredeg before the Minister said the not-functioning of Seraya Community Health Center for inpatient treatment was caused by the center was prepared in stages. The number of physician was still limited and this year would be proposed to the central government for new appointment of physician as civil servants. In 2009 his party did not receive civil servants including physicians because of the budget for salary and allowance stayed limited. He admitted the residential house intended for the physician assigned at Seraya community health center was not available and would be built gradually.

Similarly, Geredeg also recognized that Seraya encountered hundreds of years of drought. On that

account, his party would initiate the pipeline project for clean water from its source at Embukan, Tirtagangga with capacity of 6 liters per second.

Installation of the new pipeline projects had reached Tegallinggah.

Related to the limited fund availability for the clean water pipeline worth IDR 27 billion and only left approximately IDR 4 billion, Geredeg expected there would an additional help from the ministry of PDT, so the pipeline project could reach Central and East Seraya.

Meanwhile, regarding to the demand of Seraya Village Chief and Regent Geredeg, State Minister of PDT said such public input had been logged.

Then, concerning with the assistance on the procurement of physician, official residential house and seedlings of gamelina (Dutch teak) to be planted by Seraya community Seraya were expected could be allocated in the 2011 national state budget.

Given, other than at Seraya, the availability of physician and medical facilities in other regions, including the remote areas and borders with other countries such as in Kalimantan and Irian Jaya, was also still very limited. It required a large amount of budget to supply it so the central government should think hard. (013)

Apprehensive, Archives Office of Gianyar Gianyar (Bali Post)

Condition of Gianyar Library, Archives and Documentation Office is now very apprehensive. The office complex located on Jalan Ciung Wanara, Gianyar, no longer looks representative to store important documents. If it rains heavily like during this season, the roofs of building leak everywhere.

This apprehensiveness was delivered by the Head of Gianyar Library, Archives and Documentation Office Ida Ayu Suci in the midst of the opening of the archival technical guidance in Gianyar, last Sun-

day (Apr 25). Before the entourage of the National Archives of the Republic of Indonesia (ANRI) presided

by Sriyanto, she apologized for the condition of the Library Office that was less representative.

Nevertheless, she attempted to persistently maintain the national and regional archives in order their condition stayed safe. The technical guidance was also intended to equip the participants on the importance of maintaining the records.

Similarly, she explained that only a small portion of government offices, agencies and other institutions storing

their archives in the office they chaired. ?This could happen in the library office with deplorable condition. In the future, it will be directed that all departments, agencies and government offices to save their files in the office of the Regional Library,? she said.

In the meantime, Sriyanto reminded that archival documents were very important to be saved for the sake of future generations. Regarding to the apprehensive condition of the office, all parties had to provide an appreciation so that Gianyar could have a representative office and a comfortable library for storing the archives. (kmb16)

IBP/r

General Manager of Melia Bali gives the house certificate

Bahasa Indonesia becomes ‘a killing machine’ In fact, the Bahasa Indonesia subject featured as a ‘killing machine’ in the main national examination (UN) for senior high school (SMA/MA) in this 2009/2010 academic year. The majority of students from the Language Program, Social Sciences/Natural Sciences and Religious Program were declared to have not passed the exam because they failed to meet the standard with a minimum score at 4.25 for this subject.

Subdivision Head of Secondary Education, Bali Educational, Youth and Sports Services (Disdikpora), IGK Ngurah Widiartha, revealed the matter last Sunday (Apr 25).

According to Widiartha, the number of UN participants for SMA / MA belonging to Social Sciences / Religious Sciences in Bali was recorded 11, 328 students where 9,339 students (96.86 percent) passed and 293 students (3.14 percent) did not pass. Out of the 293 students who did not pass, 206 of whom failed to reach a minimum score of 4.25 for graduation in Bahasa Indonesia subject, 31 students failed in English, 34 students failed in Math, 70 students failed in Economics, 117 students failed in Sociology and 35 students failed in Geography.

For the Language Program followed by 4,895 participants, he said, 5,542 students (92.79 percent) passed and 353 students (7.21 percent) did not pass. In details, the subjects causing the failure included Bahasa Indonesia (288 students), English (7), Mathematics (72), Indonesian Literature (24), other Foreign Languages (3) and Anthropology (74).

Meanwhile, participant of the UN for the Natural Sciences program was recorded 11,328 students where 11,272 students (99.51 percent) passed and 56 students (0.49 percent) failed.

Subjects causing the failure included

Bahasa Indonesia (34), Mathematics (8 students), English (31 students), Physics (9), Chemistry (4) and Biology (36).

If the causes of failure were accumulated for the three programs held at the high school, the Bahasa Indonesia might be cited as the ?main killing machine.? This condition was very different from the national exam in last year where the highest cause of failure to students was English. ?The appearance of Bahasa Indonesia as a killing machine is quite surprising considering that Bahasa Indonesia is our national language,? said Widiartha regretfully.

In vocational education, said Widiartha, Bahasa Indonesian also featured as a ?killing machine.? The number of UN participant in Bali for vocational high school (SMK) was recorded 15,425 students where 15,034 students (97.47 percent) passed and remaining 319 students (2.53 percent) did not pass. Out of the 319 participants who did not pass the exam, there were 235 students stumbling in the subject of Bahasa Indonesia, 135 students failed to reach a minimum score in English subject, 138 students failed in Math, 76 students failed in the Vocational Theory and 4 other students failed in Productive test.

In order to achieve the UN passed predicate, said Widiartha, UN participants of SMA / MA level should obtain a minimum average score of 5.50 for all subjects tested with a minimum score of 4.00 for at most two subjects and a minimum of 4.25 for another subject. Especially for vocational school, the score of skill competency test should reach minimally 7.00 and they would be used to calculate the average of the UN. The standard of minimal average score was imposed in exactly the same as that applied to the UN in the last year 2008/2009. (ian)

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

Bali News

International

Recently released from Prison

Richie Re-arrested for Bringing Drugs Singaraja (Bali Post) -

Just a few months out of jail due to drug cases, suspect Kusuma Syafril Yosef aka Richie (27), resident of Jalan Dr. Sutomo Singaraja, re-arrested by the drug related criminal (Satnarkoba) police ranks of Buleleng. Suspect Richie was arrested in front of Buleleng Market for carrying out morphine (sabu-sabu). I Gusti Putu PPA Kasatnarkoba Wisana Mandala under permission of Kapolres AKBP Istiyono, Sunday (25 / 4) yesterday, described the suspect, known Richie as a DJ at a place of entertainment was arrested on Saturday in Singaraja (24 / 4) afternoon at about 15:30 pm in front of Market traffic light area, Buleleng.

When arrested, police found three pieces of plastic that contains clear crystal beads suspected shabu-shabu.

According to Wisana Mandala, the arrest began when members Satnarkoba received information that the suspect who was several months out of back to jail drug users. Then on Thursday (22 / 4), it obtain information that the suspect was taking it in illicit goods

Denpasar. ‘’With that information our members immediately following suspects,’’ he said.

On Saturday afternoon, the team trailed Buser Satnarkoba Buleleng district police saw the suspect recently arrived from the direction of Denpasar to Singaraja. The suspect who was riding a motorcycle was dismissed when he reached the traffic light Buleleng market. Once stopped, police conduct searches and body candy tin found in the suspect’s motorcycle. Once opened, the in cans, there are three pieces of candy filled plastic crystal beads nodes, one pink pill and the pipette. The suspect then brought to the Buleleng district police for examination. In addition to securing suspects, the police also seized evidence, three plastic granules containing crystal clear pills, one pink pill, two syringes, one suction device,

and one pipette. ‘’After our classification, the drug was confiscated and the morphine gross weight of 0.7 grams 0.4 grams net. Ineks and weighing 0.4 grams net,’’ said Wisana Mandala.

According to Buleleng Satnarkoba police records as described Wisana Mandala, Richie had been imprisoned for six months on the LP Class IIB Singaraja because drugs early in 2009.

Suspect was arrested Monday, February 2nd, 2009 at 22:00 pm at his home.

After going through a trial, the defendant was found guilty by six-month jail sentence and substituted a fine of 1 million rupiah a month confinement.

Singaraja PN was dated May 27, 2009.

This means Richie just got out of LP Class IIB around November 2009 and Singaraja and has just been released for about four months ago. (Kmb15)

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

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Prohibited from Planting Rice

Subak Benel Administrators Resign Negara (Bali Post) -

The action of Benel Subak, Pangkung Lip Lip, Kaliakah, Negara I Ketut Artawa which prohibits manners subak to grow rice was protested. Even the managers of subak-yack submitted their resignations.

According to information on Sunday (25 / 4) yesterday, the decision was to follow customs klian subak planting them. Subak habits after the rice harvest turn ordinary water control system to plant crops (gilvar varieties round). But, lately the manners of subak administrators are still growing rice. This condition is triggered by muddy rice field etiquette so as not suitable planting crops. Especially since the dam benel subak water continues to flow, accompanied by high rainfall they sure lasted until June. Several members then choose to plant paddy water control system. But a few days after planting, water con-

trol system suddenly klian peg sawen (warning sign) in the fields of manners that. Besides water channel, water control system that should have closed two months has been closed at that time.

The board, of which I Ketut Sindu (subak interpreter), I Nengah Nedrem (Mangku Subak), I Nyoman Restan and I Made Mahardika (rembug members) are in, admitted their resignation. On the other hand, Klian Subak Benel Ketut Artawa said that the crops are in accordance to round agreement and stated in the perarem. If there was a violation of sanctions will still receive a penalty. In addition this is also planted in accordance with the Klian Gede who controls the flow of water sourced from Benel dams. When subak is violated, then the other water control system such as Subak Tibu Salah, Manistutu Pangkung Buluh would object. (Sur)

Bali Limits Vehicle Jubi Prasetyo, Leads Garuda Indonesia Denpasar Age Entry Denpasar (Bali Post) -

Bagus Y Siregar Moves to Australia Denpasar (Bali Post) -

PT Garuda Indonesia continues to improve services in an effort to bring Australian tourists to Indonesia, especially Bali. ‘’With services we continue to improve, let alone the potential for Australian tourists to Bali market high enough,’’ said General Manager of PT Garuda Indonesia (Persero) Denpasar, Jubi Prasetyo last weekend.

In between events separated applauds the General Manager of Garuda Indonesia, Denpasar, Jubi Bagus Prasetyo replace Bagus Y Siregar be served as a Senior Area Manager South West Australia.

Jubi said he will form continue programs that have been planned

by the leaders previously. ‘’I will continue programs that have been planned by Mr. Bagus Siregar. One was to provide the best services, with the expectations of tourists to Bali will continue to rise,’’ he said.

He said, with his new position as a leader in Garuda Indonesia Island of the Gods, to be a challenge to adapt to the citizens community as well as running the company’s program. My presence in Bali’’ replace the position of Mr. Good, I hope to be accepted and cooperation within the company, so that the national airline was able to forward,’’ he said.

According to the man who earlier has been working in

Balikpapan, East Kalimantan admitted very proud to be serving in Bali, because this island is the destination foreign tourists. ‘’Bali is very charming for tourists, then from I’m sure with the Garuda flight service will be the liaison to increase foreign tourists visiting Bali,’’ said the man who was born on 13 March 1967’s.

While Bagus Y Siregar in opportunity also to say thanks to the stakeholders in Bali and all parties has supported work programs. I give thanks to God’’ and thank to all parties as long as I perform tasks in Island of the Gods. Many memories that I cannot forget in this island,’’ he said. (RTC / BNS)

Play “Rafting” in Ayung River

Shanghai Residents Drown Denpasar (Bali Post) Ayung river flows, Village Bongkasa, Abiansemal, Badung, Saturday (24 / 4) take casualties.

Foreign nationals who are eager to play rafting (river rafting), China Ding (26) from Shanghai, was killed after his boat overturned. Alleged victim could not swim that left him breathless when he sank.

According to sources in the police, Sunday (25 / 4) yesterday, on the river Ayung accident occurred at 14:00 pm. Previously, the vic-

tim along with his colleagues want to wade the river Ayung by playing rafting. Everything has been prepared, such as a safety tool, follow the local officers have been giving directions.

They also got a rubber boat and sail along the river rapids. After a while, the boat carrying the victim was suddenly reversed. The passenger boat went free fall into the swift river current. The atmosphere of panic began to be felt when the body of the victim drowned. And her fellow officers

tried to rescue victims. Unfortunately, the lives of the victim beyond help. Victim’s body was evacuated to the mainland and was rushed to Surya Husadha hospital Denpasar.

Badung police Chief AKBP Dwi Suseno when asked, yesterday confirmed the incident. “The victim’s body was taken to Husadha Surya Denpasar hospital immediately. The victim was killed purely because of drowning,” said AKBP Dwi Suseno yesterday. (Kmb21)

Bali limit the age of vehicles outside the area of origin could enter this area of international tourism as an effort to shelter the island does not become an old car and worsen traffic congestion.

“This was arranged in Bali Provincial Regulation No. 8 Year 2000 regarding restricted Used of Vehicles Entering,” said the Head of Development and Supervision of Provincial Revenue Service Bali, Ketut Sudira in Denpasar, on Sunday (25 / 4) yesterday.

He explained that local regulation (Perda) which regulates secondhand vehicles that could enter the island, a maximum of ten years of age produced by the business travel services that define the age of tourist transport vehicle, which is now in the discussion manufacturer. Even for trucks, limited to a maximum five-yearold and a bus up to seven years.

Regulation of the age restrictions used car from outside the area will be combined with regulation of the Bali Provincial Parliament.

Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika, he said, could not agree more with the desire impose a limit on age of vehicle that is operated as a carrier of tourists.

With hope, it will be capable of supporting the safety, and comfort of passengers on the highway. Therefore, regulation of business travel services cannot stand alone, but relates to Regulation No. 8 / 2000 on the Limitation of the Used Motor Vehicle Entering.

Ketut Sudira warned, though owners of thousands of vehicles from outside the area of operations remained on the island want to pay motor vehicle tax (PKB) in Bali, they still must comply with applicable regulations and procedures. This was to avoid Bali not to be a place buildup of old vehicles on public roads is often problematic.

In Bali today there are approximately 1.7 million units of vehicles that dominated the motorcycle. It was considered relatively dense and strategic road links, especially in Denpasar, Kuta and surrounding areas are often unable to accommodate. “The abundance of these vehicles, causing traffic jams cannot be avoided, although the relevant agencies have been trying to put maximum effort to overcome it,” said Ketut Sudira.

He said that Bali did not obtain motor vehicle tax (PKB), which is part of local revenue (PAD) of thousands of vehicles that operate out of here. “Our institutions are still coordinating with the police in order to solicit the vehicles that operate outside the region remain at this resort island,” said Ketut Sudira.

It has to do data collection on the outside of vehicles and equipment to operate monthly, even yearly on the island. “We have begged the owners for transfer payments from the homelands of PKB in Java or elsewhere in Indonesia to Bali, because more vehicles are observed passing by here,” he said. (KMB)

4

News

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

International

Kyrgyz exinterior minister arrested AP

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan – Kyrgyzstan’s security service says it has taken the former interior minister into custody on unspecified charges.

It is the highest-profile arrest to date of a member of the Central Asian country’s recently deposed government. The State Security Service said Monday that Moldomusa Kongantiyev was extradited from Russia over the weekend in a joint operation with Russia’s Federal Security Service.

President Kurmanbek Bakiyev

was overthrown amid violent clashes between government troops and demonstrators on April 7 that left at least 85 people dead. Bakiyev has taken refuge in Belarus.

Bakiyev’s brother Zhanybek, the chief of the presidential guards, is wanted by the interim government for allegedly issuing the order to fire at protesters.

City officials: East Jerusalem construction frozen AP

JERUSALEM – Two Jerusalem officials say Israel has frozen plans for new construction in the city’s disputed eastern sector despite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s declarations to the contrary.

They say the decision was taken after Israel infuriated Washington last month by announcing a major new east Jerusalem construction AFP/File An Israeli soldier aims his rifle during an ex- project during a change of fire in the West Bank town of visit by U.S. Vice President Joe Bethlehem, 2005 Biden.

Palestinians claim that sector of the city as their future capital and say they won’t resume peace talks with Israel until construction there stops.

One city councilman says top Jerusalem city hall officials told him Netanyahu’s office verbally ordered a construction freeze. Another councilman says two committees that review construction plans on weekly basis have barely met since Biden visited.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

JERUSALEM (AP) — Two Jerusalem officials say Israel has frozen plans for new construction in the city’s disputed eastern sector despite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s declarations to the contrary.

They say the decision was taken after Israel infuriated Washington last month by announcing a major new east Jerusalem construction project during a visit by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden.

Palestinians claim that sector of the city as their future capital and say they won’t resume peace talks with Israel until construction there stops.

One city councilman says top Jerusalem city hall officials told him Netanyahu’s office verbally ordered a construction freeze. Another councilman says two committees that review construction plans on weekly bases have barely met since Biden visited.

AFP/File

File photo shows a police vehicle burning during recent anti-government protest in Bishkek.

Yemen: British ambassador escapes explosion AP

SAN’A, Yemen – The British ambassador narrowly escaped what appeared to be a suicide attack on his armored car while traveling to work Monday morning, Yemeni officials said.

British Embassy spokeswoman Chantel Mortimer said the ambassador, Timothy Torlot, was unhurt, but the attack underlined the precarious security in Yemen. An impoverished Arab nation in the southern corner of the Arabian Peninsula, Yemen has in recent years become a haven for al-Qaida militants taking advantage of the government’s limited authority outside major cities and tribal control over the rest of the country.

The Yemeni officials said the vehicle was passing through a poor neighborhood in the eastern part of San’a when an explosion went off nearby. They said they believed the attacker was wearing an explosives belt and that he was killed in the explosion.

There was no claim of responsibility for the attack, but it bore the hallmarks of al-Qaida.

Witnesses said the attacker was a young man who wore a school uniform, apparently as a disguise.

The officials said the neighborhood where the attack took place was popular with militants.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

The Foreign Office in London said the embassy has been closed to the public and warned all British nationals in Yemen to “keep a low profile and remain vigilant.”

“We can confirm that there was an incident in San’a this morning.

There was a small explosion beside the British Ambassador’s car. He was unhurt. No other embassy staff or British nationals were injured,” The Foreign Office said in a statement.

“We are working urgently with the Yemen authorities to investigate what happened,” it added.

Security was visibly tightened around the U.S. and British embassies following the attack. The area of the explosion was sealed off as Yemeni and British officials inspected the scene of the attack.

Yemen has been embroiled in a war against the al-Qaida militants, who have threatened to target foreign interests and diplomatic missions.

Earlier this year, a number of Western embassies, including the U.S. and British embassies, shut down for days in response to threats of attack

by an al-Qaida offshoot in Yemen.

Meanwhile, the government has received increased foreign counterterror aid, aiming to fight the group.

Yemeni troops have been deployed in remote areas where alQaida is known to have set up strongholds, and they carried out a series of U.S.-backed raids against militant hideouts at the beginning of the year.

Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, an offshoot of Osama bin Laden’s terror network, was formed more than a year ago when Yemen and Saudi militant groups merged.

But the fight against al-Qaida in Yemen has gained urgency since the failed Christmas Day attempt to bomb an American plane bound for Detroit. The suspect in that plot has said he received training in Yemen.

AP – FILE

In this Thursday, Jan. 7, 2010 file photo, two Yemeni soldiers operate at a checkpoint in

International

General Info

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

Tuesday, April 27, 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, April 27, 2010

News

Tibetan writer detained after quake critique AP

BEIJING – A Tibetan writer who had signed an open letter critical of the Chinese government’s quake relief efforts in western Qinghui province has been detained by police, according to a family friend.

The writer, who publishes under the name Zhogs Dung but whose real name is Tagyal, was among eight authors and intellectuals who signed a letter dated April 17 that expressed sorrow for the disaster that left more than 2,000 people dead — most of them Tibetan — but also urged wariness of Chinese government relief efforts.

Last Friday, a half dozen police officers showed up at the Qinghai Nationalities Publishing House, where he worked, and escorted him away, according to a blog post written by a friend. They searched his home and library, confiscating his computers.

Afterward, they showed his arrest warrant to his wife, and asked her to bring bedding for him. When his two daughters went to the police station they were not allowed to meet with him, the posting said.

There was no way to independently confirm the accusation. On Monday, the Xining Police Department refused to answer questions regarding his whereabouts, saying it had no comment. The police referred questions to

Dozen dead...

From page 1 Their story and those by other survivors show how much higher the toll could have been as authorities tried to get a better handle on the destruction.

Two deaths in Alabama also have been blamed on the violent weather that churned through a half-dozen Southern states over the weekend.

Dale Thrasher, 60, had been alone in Hillcrest Baptist Church when the tornado ripped away wood and metal until all that was left was rubble, Thrasher and the communion table he had climbed under as he prayed for protection.

“The whole building caved in,” he said. “But me and that table were still there.”

Sunday was sunny and breezy as

AFP –

A Tibetan monk stands next to rubble in Jiegu, Yushu county, in China’s northwestern province the Ministry of Public Security.

It’s unclear whether the open letter was the direct cause of his detention.

The Chinese government has been at pains to quash any criticism of its relief efforts in the Tibetan region.

Zhogs Dung, 45, is considered a leading intellectual and thinker who in the past has written books that largely aligned with the Chinese government’s views on modernization, religion and culture in Tibet. However, he published a book this year that was far more critical of the government in the wake of anti-government riots in Tibet in 2008.

The letter urged people to help victims by offering food, clothes and medi-

cine but warned them not to donate funds to relief organizations, warning of possible corruption.

“Better to send (money) to the disaster zone with people you trust, because nobody can tell where there’s no corruption,” said the letter, which was posted on several websites, including the overseas Boxun.com, which is critical of the Chinese government.

“Just as the news from the mouthpiece for the (communist) party organizations cannot be believed, we dare not believe in the party organization, which issued the order stopping people from going to the disaster zone for political reason,” it said.

Thrasher and about three dozen members of the Yazoo City church stood in a circle and sang “Till the Storm Passes By.” Thrasher reminded the group that the church has survived tough times before. They rebuilt after their building was destroyed by arson about 10 years ago.

“The Lord brought us through the fire, and brought us back bigger and better,” Thrasher said. “The Lord will bring us back bigger and better this time, if we stick together.”

Hundreds of homes also were damaged in the tornado, which carved a path of devastation from the Louisiana line to east-central Mississippi, and at least three dozen people were hurt. National Weather Service meteorologist Marc McAlister said the tornado had winds of 160 miles an hour and left a path of destruction at least 50 miles long.

“This tornado was enormous,” said Gov. Haley Barbour, who grew up in Yazoo County, a county of about 28,000 people known for blues, catfish and cotton. The twister wreaked “utter obliteration” among the picturesque hills rising from the flat Mississippi Delta, the governor said.

Mississippi’s Choctaw County had the most confirmed deaths: five, including a baby and two other children. Sherry Fair rushed to her aunt’s home in the county. She said an hour and a half after the tornado passed, a woman lay dying in a ditch along a dirt road beside the body of her husband.

“She was laying there just crying,” a shaken Fair said. “She was broke up bad. It hurt me watching, but nobody could get to her. The ambulances couldn’t get through because of the trees.”

to 41%.”

While the Indonesian Economics Coordinator Minister, Hatta Rajasa, said that the government is targeting $12 billion on geothermal investment with the capacity of 3,977 megawatts. The project is a part of the 10,000 megawatts project.

In the opening ceremony of WGC 2010, delegations from 85

countries were taking part. Among them was also the President of Iceland, Olafur Ragnar Grimsson.

He was explaining the use of geothermal energy in his country. The Iceland, the geothermal energy is used as electricity and non-electricity need such as heater and cosmetics. Geothermal give many benefit for our country,” he added. (kmb18)

Thai protesters told to ditch red shirts AP

BANGKOK – Thailand’s “Red Shirt” protesters, wary of a possible crackdown, told their followers to ditch their signature crimson attire so they can go undercover as more bomb threats rattled the tense Thai capital Monday.

There was no violence in the central Bangkok shopping area where protesters remained camped for a 24th day, but an explosion injured eight people late Sunday near the home of former Prime Minister Banharn Silapaarcha, who is allied to the ruling coalition, police said.

A bomb disposal team rushed early Monday to the city’s financial district amid reports of another explosive device at the edge of Silom Road, where five grenade blasts last week left one person dead and more than 80 wounded. It was a false alarm.

Both sides in Thailand’s protracted political crisis have dug in following a breakdown of negotiations and a televised appearance Sunday by the prime minister that offered no solution to the protracted crisis.

At least 26 people have been killed and nearly 1,000 since the Red Shirts began occupying Bangkok’s commercial center more than a month ago, closing down five-star hotels and shopping malls, paralyzing daily life in the city and costing merchants millions of dollars a day.

Thousands of Red Shirts camped in the protest enclave Monday heeded a call by protest leaders to change into regular attire so they will not be visible if security forces move to clear the area and send them fleeing into city streets.

The strategy was also aimed at helping protesters coming in from rural provinces get past military and police checkpoints, one protest leader Kokaew Pikulthong told Thai Rath newspaper.

Meanwhile, a group of counterprotesters known as the

Yellow Shirts have stepped up demands that authorities crack down on the demonstrators, implying they might take matters into their own hands if nothing is done soon.

“The government has the responsibility to protect the people, but instead shows its weakness and inability to enforce the law,” said Suriyasai Katasila, a leader of the Yellow Shirts.

He also called on his supporters to join up with civic groups around the country to take action against the Red Shirts and their enclave in the city.

Red Shirt leaders have urged their supporters in provincial areas to confront security forces being brought in to help crack down on the protests.

More than 1,000 protesters set up a roadblock over the weekend along a major highway, deflating the tires of 13 police vans and preventing police reinforcements from reaching Bangkok from the northeast province of Udon Thani, the government said.

Another 300 protesters set up roadblocks on the outskirts of the capital Sunday afternoon to stop hundreds of other police from entering the city, police officials said.

Protesters in the Nong Kai province also tried to block police from heading to Bangkok, but the security forces changed their route, the government said.

The conflict has been characterized by some as class warfare.

The Red Shirts consist mainly of rural supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and pro-democracy activists who opposed the military coup that ousted him in 2006.

They believe Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s government — backed by the urban elite — is illegitimate because military pressure and complex legal maneuvering brought it to power.

Over the weekend, Abhisit rejected a compromise offer by the Red Shirts dashing hopes for a peaceful end to the standoff.

Indonesia...

From page 1 Currently, Indonesia is trying to decrease the carbon emission and through the environmental friendly use of energy, in 2020 the emission could decrease 26%.

The president said “by the help of the international world, we sure that the target can be increased up

Reuters –

Anti-government “red-shirt” protesters block a main road leading into Bangkok

International

Indonesia Today

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

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Polri asked to oversee illegal ports Antara

JAKARTA - Several members of the House of Representatives’ Commission III have asked the National Police (Polri) to oversee illegal seaports allegedly being used as entry and exit points for smuggled goods including drugs.

AFP PHOTO / ROMEO GACAD

An activist from environmental action group Greenpeace carry portraits of victims from the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear plant disaster during an anti-nuclear protest outside Indonesia’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources in Jakarta on April 26, 2010 marking the 24th anniversary of the world’s worst nuclear accident in Ukraine and to denounce Indonesia’s plans to use nuclear energy. The Chernobyl nuclear disaster occurred in the early hours of April 26, 1986 when a reactor exploded, contaminating the then Soviet states of Ukraine, Russia and Belarus with fallout which also spread to other parts of Europe.

Landslide buries two Maninjau lake residents Antara

PADANG - Rescue workers on Monday continued their search for two missing residents of Jorong Pandan, Nagari Tanjung Sani village, Tanjung Raya sub-district, Agam district, who were believed to have been buried by a landslide.

Ira, 25, and Ana, 70, still went missing after their house near Maninjau Lake was crushed by the landslide which hit the area on Sunday evening, head of Tanjung Raya sub-district, Kurniawan Syahputra, said.

“Together with local residents, rescue workers are still searching for them manually. But access to the landslide-hit area is not easy,” he said.

Syahputra said he still did not know the exact number of houses destroyed or damaged by the landslides in the Jorong Talapung and Pandan areas.

“The landslide-affected areas can be reached by speedboat on Maninjau Lake,” he said.

As a result of the natural disaster, tens of local residents had been evacuated to safer places.

According to the head of Agam district’s natural disaster management unit, Isfaemal, the landslides occurred after torrential rains showered Jorong Talapung and Pandan for several hours on Sunday.

Many parts of Indonesia remain vulnerable to landslides.

Last March, a family of three was

buried under the mud of a landslide that crushed their house in Cianjur district, West Java.

The Cianjur landslide killed ten people. Also in March, a landslide destroyed four houses and an Islamic school in Cihuni hamlet, Gandamekar village, Kadungora sub-district, Garut district.

There were no fatalities in the natural disaster but the house owners were evacuated to safer places.

On February 23, a deadly landslide hit PT Chakra’s Tea Plantation in Tenjolaya village, Pasirjambu subdistrict, Bandung district, killing at least 44 people.

Among the dead victims were tea pickers and their children, including three infants.

House, police discuss tax mafia cases Antara

JAKARTA – The House’s Commission III on legal and security affairs and National Police Chief Gen Bambang Hendarso Danuri discussed current issues, including tax mafia cases, at a working meeting here on Monday.

At the meeting which was chaired by Commission III chairman Beny Harman, the police chief explained various cases, particularly the police determination to settle tax

mafia cases which among others involved case brokers.

“Police are still investigating these (tax mafia) cases,” the police chief said. He also explained about the police investigation of tax case in East Java, the alleged case broker Bahasyim Asifi case and illegal logging and mining in Riau.

He said that if there were police members who were involved in those cases, they would be relieved of their positions and their police membership.

Besides, Danuri also explained to the House the efforts made by police in the handling of “Mbah Pirok’ riot case which killed a number of people and injured tens of others.

On the Mbah Priok riot, the police chief denied the allegation that police forces left the scene when the rioting took place in Tanjung Priok.

On the occasion, a number of Commission III members also asked the police to explain about the case of former police chief detective Comr. Gen. Susno Duadji.

“The smuggled goods which include drugs are believed to have entered the country through illegal ports and therefore the Police should oversee them and take action against the suspected smugglers,” member of House Commission III from the Democrat Party faction Edy Ramli Sitanggang said here on Monday.

Sitanggang made the statement at a working meeting with National Police Chief Gen Bambang Hendarso Danuri at the legislative building in Senayan, Jakarta.

To fight the flow of smuggled goods and drugs through illegal ports, Sitanggang said, the National Narcotic Board (BNN) should also play a more active role.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Yani and Syarifuddin Suding of the United Development Party (PPP) faction at

the House of Representatives also supported the National Police chief’s effort to eradicate tax and legal mafia that involved certain police personnel.

“Take stern action against police personnel syspected of involvement in legal and tax mafia,” Ahmad Yani and Syarifuddin Suding said.

But Ahmad Yani also questioned the police’s role in dealing with the riot that broke out near the Mbah Priok cemetery at Koja in Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta recently.

However, the National Police chief denied that his men had left the area when the riot broke out.

Bambang Hendarso Danuri also expressed the police’s commitment to eradicating tax and legal mafia and taking action against police personnel involved in mafia cases.

Operation of Drydocks World Graha postponed Antara

BATAM - The operations of PT Drydocks Graha World scheduled to be resumed on Monday (April 26) had been postponed indefinitely.

“It is true the resumption of operations had been postponed as repairs have yet to be completed” the Barelang police chief said after meeting the management of Drydocks here Sunday.

He said the damage at Drydocks World Graha was serious, and repairs appeared to last longer.

With regards to the wages of the workers during the repair of the drydocks, he said wages would still be paid under the prevailing regulations.

In the meantime, Chief Executive Officer of Drydocks World for Southeast Asia Denis Welch hoped the working conditions at Drydocks World Graha in Tanjunguncang, Batam, would return to normal so that orders could be met according to schedule.

“We are building several projects, such as a jack-up and a semi-submersible rig which could be operated in only certain areas in the world,” he said.

Welch said he had already con-

tacted the management of two foreign customers not to worry because their orders would be completed according to schedule.

Resumption of the company’s operations, he said, was necessary to maintain the good name of the company, Batam city as well as Indonesia.

He admitted, however, that Thursdays’ riots constituted a traumatic incident for himself as a person, as well as for his colleagues.

Drydocks World Graha (PT Graha Trisakti Industri) was being ransacked by thousands of workers on Thursday (April 22) morning who felt insulted by a statement an Indian supervisor, so that the subsidiary of Drydocks World Dubai became temporarily paralyzed.

World Graha was set up in 2007 after its principal in Dubai took over the shares of Labroy Pte Ltd., Singapore, an offshore oil and gas drilling company sitting on 49.5 hectares of land near Drydocks World Pertama and Drydocks World Nan Indah.

Welch said Drydocks Graha employed almost 20.000 people, and as management for Southeast Asia he has a mission of increasing the number of regular workers and building a training center.

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Internationa

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Bali Today Office buildings dominate future property business

Bali Post/Eka Adhyasa

Teguh Satria (middle), the head of Real Estate Indonesia (REI) accompanied by the President of Asia-Pacific Federation Real Estate International (FIABCI), Pingki Pangestu (2left) during the press conference of FIABCI 61 World Congress that will be held in Bali on May 24 to 28, 2010. President is scheduled to open this world congress that will be participated by around 1,000 participants from all over the world.

meeting on the third day of congress.

The topic discusses in the congress will be about the issue of green property, innovation, and green tourism.

“International speakers also will take part in the event such as Kenneth Yeang who is the father of green property, and Tom Wright, the architect of Burj Al Arab, the most luxurious ho-

tel in Dubai,” he added.

Pingki said that the world is in the condition of healing but in Indonesia, the property business is maintaining its good condition. Actually, the national property can compete with the similar business all around the world but there are lacks of publications so less people know about it. (kmb18)

IBP

DENPASAR - Office buildings will keep on dominating Indonesian property industry until 2013. The demand of that kind of buildings will be greater than the ability to build office each year.

The statement was said by Teguh Satria, the head of Real Estate Indonesia (REI) accompanied by the President of Asia-Pacific Federation Real Estate International (FIABCI), Pingki Pangestu.

Teguh said that the national property industry will keep developing because the price which is lower than similar industry in other countries.

In Singapore, the price of property could be eleven times the price of the similar property in Indonesia.

“The national property business has more prospects compare to other countries,” Teguh added. He also explained that the highest demand will be on office buildings because many international companies which closed their representative office in Indonesia started to re-open their offices.

The inflation and the stable eco-

nomics condition is also supporting the development of property industry in 2010 which is predicted will be around 20%. Based on the data, the capitalization of the property industry last year was 150 trillion rupiah.

Teguh said that the number is small compare to the previous year.

“The business will keep developing until 2014,” he added. However, Teguh said that there are several obstacles in entering property industry such as the high interest rate. In Indonesia, the average interest rate in Banks are 13.9% while in other countries such as Singapore and Malaysia, it is only 5%.

Pingky Pangestu said that in order to introduce the property industry in Indonesia, Bali will be come the host of the 61st FIABCI congress. Representatives from all around the world will take part in the congress which will be held on May 24th through May 28th 2010. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is scheduled to open this

Geothermal; clean energy, environment-friendly, and renewable resource World geothermal congress (WGC) is held in Bali starting from April 25th to 30th. Located in Nusa Dua, it is estimated that around 2500 participants participated in this socalled mega event of geothermal field. They will be present and provide conceptual contribution of science related to geothermal development. Between the hustle and bustle of the world-level meeting, many people still don’t have a clue about geothermal. Actually what is Geothermal and why it is consider as an environmentally friendly and clean energy?

If we view the roots of the term Geothermal, we will find that it comes from the Greek language; Geo and Thermos. Geo means earth and Thermos means heat. So, geothermal mean energy that generated from the earth.

The use of geothermal energy in the world is already very popular. In fact, based on articles from Wikipedia, the use of geothermal has been done since Paleolithic era. At that time, the geothermal water used for bathing. Nowadays, this energy is utilized for generate electricity.

Worldwide, geothermal power plants have capacity to meet the needs of approximately 10 Giga Watt of power at the year 2007. But on its practice, it was only supplying 0.3 percent of global electricity demand. While as many as 28 Giga Watt of thermal energy used for heating, spa, industrial processes, and other agricultural applications.

Geothermal energy is energy that is affordable, reliable, renewable, and very environment-friendly. It is also admitted by the head of geology in the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) R. Shukyar.

Shukyar said the geothermal energy is commonly found in path of the volcano, as one of renewable energy. In fact, the potency in Indonesia is enormous. Currently Indonesia is already utilizing 1,194 MW of geothermal

energy that being use as electricity. In 2014, Indonesia plan to increase the use of geothermal to meet the demand for electricity into 4,000 MW. This target was already expressed by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in a meeting with governors all around Indonesia that had been took place at the Palace View Siring, Gianyar. ‘’Of the ten thousand MW that will be produced according to National Electricity Road Map in 2014, 4,000 MW of which came from geothermal,’’ said Sukhyar.

Currently, Indonesia is the third largest country that uses geothermal energy as a power source. United States and the Philippines the two countries ranked in the first and second in the utilization of geothermal energy. Based on the data, ‘’The U.S. utilized around 2,900 MW whiles the Philippines utilizing around 1,300 MW,’’ cleared Sukhyar.

In realizing the benefits and the clean energy that being produced by geothermal, it is why geothermal become the energy choice of many countries. But not all countries have a source of geothermal energy. Indonesia is one of the lucky countries because it is located in the path of the volcano and has this renewable energy sources in massive quantities.

Sukhyar expressed that many regions in Indonesia have been kept this

AFP PHOTO / ADEK BERRY

An Indonesian worker of PT. Pertamina Geothermal Energy checks one of its production wells in Kamojang on April 22, 2010. source of energy. Indonesia’s geothermal potential reached about 35-40 percent of existing geothermal resources in the world. Bali is one of the areas that have potential of geothermal energy.

For the utilization of geothermal energy into electricity in Indonesia, one company focusing on these areas is Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE). Pertamina subsidiary that was established in 2006 was mandated to develop 15 concession working areas of geothermal energy in Indonesia.

PGE know have nine locations to tap the geothermal resources into electric-

ity, ie Sibayak, Full River, Ulubelu, Lumut Balai, Hululais, Tompaso, Lahendong, Kotamobagu, and Kamojang.

With the presence of the latest technology of geothermal energy utilization, the number and magnitude of the resource to be managed are expected to be larger. Geothermal wells capable of releasing greenhouse gases that are trapped in earth. However, emissions are much smaller per unit of energy compared the emissions from fossil fuels. As a result, Geothermal has the potential to help mitigate global warming if developed widely. (iah)

al

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Balinese Culture Telkomsel launched The 2,000 rupiah Kartu As

Guaranteed quality network for customers IBP

DENPASAR - Telkomsel launched the 2,000 rupiah Kartu As where when the customers activating the card, they automatically can receive free programs such as 15 rupiah per second phone call, 115 rupiah for one SMS, 1,000 rupiah for MMS, and 5 rupiah per kilobytes for internet connection.

Hendrat Widjanarko, the Telkomsel Manager branch Denpasar on the launching of the program on Monday, April 26th 2010, said that the cheap packages are given as the solution for the customers who are seeking cheaper way of communicating.

He also added that even tough the price is cheap but it

still has good quality. “The Kartu As package is getting cheaper. By paying only 2,000 rupiah, the customers can receive good quality service from Telkomsel,” Hendrat said.

He explained that the Kartu As package contains 2,000 rupiah worth of credits with the active time of 30 days. The customers also will receive all 1,000 packages by accessing through *100#.

The packages are cheap SMS and phone call, cheap internet package, chatting and Facebook package, cheap international phone call, Ridho Rhoma content, religious SMS, job vacancy, and application, ring tone, true tone, and games download.

The customers who are activating Kartu As in East Java, Middle

Java, Yogyakarta, West Java, eastern Nusa Tenggara, Kalimantan, Maluku and Papua will receive free 1,000 SMS. The customers only have to send SMS worth 1,000 rupiah then the bonus will be received and can be used to everyone for 24 hours. The customers in other areas can also receive the bonus by pressing *100#.

The customers in Sumatera, Jabodetabek, Bali, western Nusa Tenggara, and Sulawesi, can enjoy another package which is Kartu As Jagoan Serbuuu. The package also offers free 1,000 SMS and free 100 minutes to all Telkomsel users. The customers can access the p[package through *100# and it can be used for 24 hours every day. (kmb18)

Tum Bebek

(Minced Duck In Banana Leaf) OVERVIEW: Tum, leaf-wrapped bundles of highly seasoned food, are made with almost any basic ingredient in Bali, ranging from eels, to chicken, pork, beef or duck.

INGREDIENTS : 600 gr boneless duck, skin removed and minced 1 tbsp fried shallots 1 tbsp fried garlic 1/3 cup coconut milk, thick 3 tbsp basic spice paste 4 bird’s-eye chilies, sliced 1 tbsp salt 1 tsp black peppercorns, crushed 12 pieces banana leaf, cut in 20 cm (8 in) squares 12 ea salam leaves PREPARATION: Combine the above ingredients except for banana leaf and mix well. Fold a heaped tablespoon of the mixture into the center of a banana leaf and wrap.

Steam parcels for about 15 minutes, until well cooked. If banana leaf, use greaseproof paper in preference to aluminum foil.

The above mixture can also be used for duck satays; simply add 200g of grated coconut and double the quantity of the basic spice paste salt and pepper. Spear 2 heaped tablespoons of the paste around a large satay skewer or stalk of lemon grass. (www.balistarisland.com/balifood)

Cram Cam

(Clear Chicken Soup With Shallots) OVERVIEW: This dish is traditionally prepared after a cockfight, when the winner receives the loosing chicken as a reward.

INGREDIENTS: 1 tsp coconut oil ½ cup chicken spice paste 400 gr boneless chicken, skin removed and minced 1 liter chicken stock 1 salam leaf 1 stalk lemon grass, bruised 1 tsp crushed black pepper salt to tast 2 tbsp fried shallots PREPARATION: Heat oil in heavy soup pot. Add spice paste and saute until fragrant. Add minced chicken and continue to sauté until meat is evenly colored. Add stock and all remaining ingredients and simmer for five minutes. (www.balistarisland.com/balifood)

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Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Destinations

International

Ubud Monkey Forest

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UBUD Monkey Forest is a small rain forest dwelt by some group of monkeys and other tropical animals. It is strategically located in the hearth of Ubud Village, precisely located in the region of Padang Tegal Village, Ubud Sub district and Gianyar Regency. Monkey Forests in Balinese language called Wanara Wana are spread out in the island and Ubud Monkey Forest itself own very important function of the continuity the monkey habitat in Bali. Meanwhile the local community own important role to keep this forest naturally in order to all wild animals able to live smoothly.

Ubud Monkey Forest is dwelt by 200 monkeys, pertained to long tail inclusive macaques or macaca fascicularis group which owns the wide disseminating area. Among the amount monkeys living in this forest, there are 23 adult male, 79 adult female and 98 still baby. All the monkeys in this forest consisted of three groups, dwell certain area and use the certain place and certain time. However, it also happened that entire group can use the forest and whenever two groups are existing at same place and time, they will fight each other. These monkeys are believed as Gods Guard of Dalem Agung Temple, The Hindu Temple exist in the middle of forest. There are three Holy Temples in this monkey forest and those are existing surround the forest and it is estimated built in the middle of 14 century, in the early governance of Gelgel dynasty. Dalem Agung Temple is located in northwest from the forest represent the existence of most important temples. Beside of two others, that are Permandian Temple, in Westside from this forest and Prajapati Temple which is located in south-east side where the place of Dewa Siwa (Siwa God), one of the Khayangan Temple in Padang Tegal Village.

It is very easy to find this place since it is located in the hearth of Ubud Village and it is just about 1 hour drive from Denpasar Town.

This monkey forest is close to other places of interest in Ubud like Ubud Palace, Ubud Art Market, Tegalalang Rice Terrace, Painting Museum and Gua Gajah. (www.balistarisland.com)

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Tuesday, April 27, 2010

11

BUSINESS Greek borrowing rate shoots above 9.0 percent Agence France-Presse

PARIS - The price the Greek government must pay to borrow fresh funds shot above 9.0 percent on Monday for the first time since Greece joined the eurozone in 2001, despite an appeal

by Athens for EU-IMF help.

Analysts said that the interest rate, or yield on Greek bonds, and by ricochet on borrowing rates for some other eurozone countries considered at risk from contagion, reflected uncertainty about how the rescue would work and if it would be enough.

Dealers said hardline comments from Berlin on the tough conditions that will be set for any aid deal, and continuing delay in specific terms, allows the market free rein to trade down Greek debt — which in turn only makes Athens’ problems more difficult still to solve.

At the same time, concerns that contagion from the crisis could spread to other members of the 16nation eurozone such as Ireland, Portugal and Spain is putting pressure on their government bonds.

The yield or rate of return on benchmark Greek government 10year bonds surged on Monday from 8.680 percent on Friday when Athens threw in the towel and called on the EU and International Monetary Fund for help.

The rate had hit a previous

record high of close to nine percent on Friday.

Greece now has to offer more than double the rate the eurozone benchmark country Germany needs to offer to raise new funds.

On Friday, after months of uncertainty, Athens called on the European Union and the IMF to activate a rescue deal worth about 45 billion euros (60 billion dollars) at about five percent in a first year.

The Greek issue dominated weekend IMF and Group of 20 meetings in Washington, with officials trying to nail down the details well before May 19 when some 8.5 billion euros of Greek debt falls due.

Analyst Padhraic Garvey at ING said that the prospect of Greece having eventually to restructure its debt — meaning holders of its bonds will lose money — cannot be ruled out.

“For the (debt) restructuring idea to go away, the market has got to play ball and facilitate a fall in Greek yields,” Garvey said.

“The higher that Greek ... yields go the bigger is the hole that

Greece finds itself in and that is why investors are fearing the worst,” he added.

Greek officials insisted over the weekend that there was absolutely no question of Athens seeking to restructure its debt.

The rate on Portugal’s 10-year government bond rose to 4.958 percent on Monday from 4.893 percent on Friday. The yield on Spanish bonds rose 4.017 percent, and on Irish 10-year debt to 4.815 percent.

At BNP Paribas bank in Paris, analysts said: “It is clear that nearterm doubts will remain on the ability of Greece to exit the crisis via only drawing the EU-IMF assistance plan.

“In addition, ratings agencies could decide further downgrade even if an agreement on a financial support is reached.”

They remarked: “Greece will remain under the spotlight with speculation about debt rescheduling-restructuring and concerns over the contagion effects to persist for a while.”

China mulls new property tax as prices rocket: state media Agence France-Presse

BEIJING - China is likely to introduce a property tax on residential housing in the first half of the year as part of its attempts to curb spiralling real estate prices, state media reported on Monday.

The levy would be imposed on a trial basis in Beijing, Shanghai, the southwestern municipality of Chongqing and the southern city of Shenzhen, the Economic Observer newspaper said, citing sources familiar with the matter.

Government agencies including the central bank, the finance ministry and the State Administration of Taxation were still working out when to implement the tax, it said.

China currently has no such

levy on residential property but does impose a 1.2 percent tax on 70-90 percent of the value of commercial real estate.

Details of the new tax were not yet finalised, the report said, such as whether it would be levied against all homes or merely on additional residences purchased by an individual home-buyer beyond the first property.

The report came after Beijing recently announced a range of new measures to prevent the growth of asset bubbles and soaring property prices.

Official data showed real estate prices in 70 cities jumped 11.7 percent in March, the fastest yearon-year rise for a single month in five years.

The government has recently tightened restrictions on advance sales of new property developments, introduced new curbs on loans for third home purchases, and raised minimum down payments for second homes.

State media reports last week also said banking regulators had ordered lenders to conduct quarterly stress tests on mortgages as the government tries to clamp down on bad loans and rein real estate speculation.

The new property tax was also expected to help replenish the coffers of local governments, which have been severely depleted by the government-led investment binge of the past year linked to an economic stimulus programme, the report said.

AFP PHOTO/YASSER AL-ZAYYAT

Kuwait Oil Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah al-Sabah (L) and Christophe de Margerie, chief executive officer of TOTAL, attend the Middle East Petroleum and Gas Conference in Kuwait City on April 26, 2010. Sabah said that current oil prices of between 75-85 dollars a barrel do not hamper the global economic recovery.

Oil price not hampering economic recovery: Kuwait Agence France-Presse

KUWAIT CITY - Kuwait Oil Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah al-Sabah said on Monday that current oil prices of 75 to 85 dollars a barrel do not hamper the global economic recovery.

“So far in 2010, we have witnessed a stable level of oil prices at between 75 and 85 dollars a barrel,” the minister told the opening session of the 18th Middle East Petroleum and Gas Conference.

“This price will not create hurdles for the world economic recovery,” said Sheikh Ahmad.

Oil prices extended gains in Asian trade Monday after a rise in US home sales stoked optimism for a firmer rebound in the world’s biggest economy, analysts said.

New York’s main contract, light sweet crude for delivery in June, rose 41 cents to 85.53 dollars a barrel.

Brent North Sea crude for June was up 35 cents to 87.60 dollars.

The Kuwaiti minister, whose country is OPEC’s fourth largest exporter, said the OPEC cartel will step in to raise output if oil prices soar above 100 dollars a barrel.

Sheikh Ahmad said Kuwait will continue to invest in crude capacity increases to reach its target of four million barrels per day by 2020.

“Our current production capacity is 3.1 million bpd and if compared with our quota of about 2.2 million bpd, it means we have a capacity surplus of around one

million bpd,” he said.

The minister said Kuwait is targeting 3.5 million bpd in 2015 and four million bpd by 2020 and “we plan to sustain it until 2030.”

Kuwait, which discovered non-associated natural gas for the first time in 2006, is still on target to produce one billion cubic feet (28 million cubic meters) per day of non-associated, or free gas in 2016.

The emirate currently produces around 140 million cubic feet per day of non-associated gas, but this is way behind its original target for 2010 of 200 million cubic feet per day.

As a result, Kuwait in February signed a technical service agreement with Shell to develop its difficult free gas reserves.

Sheikh Ahmad said Kuwait “encourages other IOCs (international oil companies) to follow the Shell example,” adding that the emirate is in talks with a number of oil majors and hopes to make an announcement shortly.

The chief executive officer of Kuwait Petroleum Corp. (KPC) Saad al-Shuwayeb told reporters that Kuwait also produces one billion cubic feet of associated gas alongside its crude oil output.

But despite its abundant reserves, the emirate still has a gas shortfall due to rising domestic power consumption and started to import liquefied natural gas by vessel in significant quantities at the beginning of April.

It plans to import an average 500 million cubic feet per day of LNG until the end of October, according to Shuwayeb.

12

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Entertainment

International

Pierce Brosnan Fights For Whale Hunting Ban ACTOR-turned-environmentalist Pierce Brosnan is urging U.S. government officials to take a stronger stand against whale hunting in international waters. The Irish actor has become passionate about preserving marine life since narrating new Disneynature documentary Oceans, which explores the seas and what lies beneath them.

And he’s outraged after learning whale hunting has continued in Japan, Norway and Iceland despite a global whaling moratorium, which took effect in 1986. The U.S. and other anti-whaling countries recently sought to strike a deal to create an international monitoring system to ensure a steadily-declining whale hunt.

But Brosnan wants officials to take a no-tolerance policy: “They (U.S. government) seem to be in favor of allowing Japan and Norway to go out and hunt whales again. It means they can go out there and start killing whales. It’s in moratorium so it’s not determined how many they can kill. Normally, there’s no justification for killing these creatures.

Scientifically, there’s no justification. So if you want to do something about stopping the possible slaughter of whales, then you have to pick up the phone and call The White House.”

And the movie star hopes his new nature film will encourage youngsters to fight to save the world’s whales. He adds, “That is why this film is so important to be seen. I think it will inspire many young people to do good things for the ocean... That is why I’m so passionate about this movie, so people can go see it and hopefully oppose this deal agreement. “These creatures are in jeopardy once more.”

‘Glee’ Creator Looking To Incorporate Britney Spears And Courtney Love BRITNEY Spears and Courtney Love look set to get the Glee treatment - creator Ryan Murphy wants to delve into the blondes’ back catalog for the hit TV musical.

Following the success of the show’s tribute to Madonna, which aired in the U.S. on Tuesday, Murphy admits he’s considering tackling Spears in a future episode.

He tells EW.com, “I’m interested in the Britney Spears idea. I’ve always loved her.

I’m entertaining it. I think young kids would like that.”

And Murphy also wants a shot at the Hole rocker, adding: “I actually ran into Courtney Love the other day and talked to her. She’s interested. I would love to have the kids do a Courtney Love episode one day... The key is the songs in the catalog have to have a certain degree of theatricality.”

The Madonna special, which featured the Glee cast performing the pop superstar’s songs, was a big hit among TV viewers - 13.5 million people tuned in to see the episode.

Murphy reveals he’s also considering the music of Billy Joel and Led Zeppelin for upcoming shows.

AP Photo/Paramount Pictures, File

In this file film publicity image released by Paramount Pictures, Hiccup, voiced by Jay Baruchel, rides Toothless a scene is shown from ‘How to Train Your Dragon.’ ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ continues to breathe fire at the box office, while newer releases are mostly blowing smoke.The animated adventure took in $15 million to reclaim the No. 1 spot a month after its debut. ‘How to Dragon Your Dragon’ opened in first place in late March, then dropped back into the pack. But it has held up strongly and climbed to the top again amid a flurry of so-so new releases.

‘Dragon’ wings it back to No. 1 with $15 million “How to Train Your Dragon” continues to breathe fire at the box office, while newer releases are mostly blowing smoke. The DreamWorks Animation adventure took in $15 million to reclaim the No. 1 spot in its fifth weekend of release. “How to Train Your Dragon” opened in first place in late March, then dropped back into the pack. But it has held up strongly and climbed to the top again amid a flurry of so-so new releases.

The tale of a Viking youth and his pet dragon raised its total to $178 million and is on its way to becoming a $200 million hit. Premiering weakly at No. 2 with $12.3 million was Jennifer Lopez’s romantic comedy “The Backup Plan,” released by CBS Films. Another comedy, Steve Carell and Tina Fey’s “Date Night” from 20th Century Fox, held up well to finish at No. 3 with $10.6 million, raising its total to $63.5 million. Among the weekend’s other newcomers, the Warner Bros. action flick “The Losers” flopped at No. 4 with $9.6 million. Disney’s nature film “Oceans” had a solid opening for a documentary, coming in at No. 8 with $6 million.

“How to Train Your Dragon” nearly regained the No. 1 spot the previous

weekend but wound up a close second to Lionsgate’s superhero comedy “Kick-Ass.” In its second weekend, “Kick-Ass” slumped to No. 5 with $9.5 million, down 52 percent from its debut, lifting its total to $34.9 million. Revenues for “How to Train Your Dragon” were off a scant 23 percent from the previous weekend. “To be No. 1 in week five, it’s an exciting time,” said Anne Globe, head of marketing for DreamWorks Animation.

“Especially to be decisively No. 1 after last weekend’s box-office shenanigans.”

The box office had ended in rare photo finishes for two straight weekends as movies bunched up tightly in the rankings. Though “How to Train Your Dragon” was the clear winner this

time, top movies again were crowded closely together as the weekend’s newcomers failed to grab much attention.

Overall Hollywood revenues should top out at about $100 million, the lowest-grossing weekend of the year, said Paul Dergarabedian, box-office analyst for Hollywood.com. Fans may simply be watching their finances amid the slow economic recovery, saving their money for the onslaught of summer blockbusters that starts May 7 with “Iron Man 2.”

“They may be saying, ‘I want to see big summer movies, so I’m just going to wait,’” Dergarabedian said.

“Then suddenly, we’re going to have this massive weekend when ‘Iron Man 2’ opens after we’ve had these mediocre weekends.” While “The Back-up Plan” opened weakly, CBS Films was hoping it would hold up well in subsequent weekends, as romantic comedies often do. “Jennifer Lopez’s films have great legs, as does she,” said Steven Friedlander, head of distribution for CBS Films.

Justin Bieber’s Australia concert pulled over safety fears AUSTRALIAN police Monday shut down a concert by teenage Canadian singer Justin Bieber over crowd safety fears after young fans were injured in surges hours before the free event was due to start. Sixteen-year-old Bieber had been slated to sing three songs from the Sydney Harbour foreshore venue early Monday but the event was cancelled after thousands of fans, many of whom had been camping out overnight, began pushing.

“Police at the event were concerned for the 4,000 excited people already in attendance with many more anticipated to arrive prior to the start of the performance,” New South Wales police said in a statement. “All those removed from the area have so

far suffered only minor injuries and have been treated at the scene.”

Bieber, who later sang one song live on local television, apologised to those who had waited to see him perform at his only Australian gig.

“I am so sorry that it got out of control, we don’t want anyone to get hurt. It gets crazy sometimes,” he said. On the micro-blogging site Twitter, Bieber said that he was “just as disappointed as everyone else” that the concert did not go ahead. “I woke up this morning to the police canceling the show for safety reasons,” he wrote. “I love my fans... I love it here in Australia... and I want to sing.” Bieber rose to fame with his global hit “One Time”.

AFP/Getty Images/File/Kevin Winter

Singer Justin Bieber apologised to those who had waited to see him perform at his only Australian gig, after police cancelled the performance over crowd safety issues.

Life Style

International

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

13

Psychedelic trips aid anxiety treatments in study Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK – The big white pill was brought to her in an earthenware chalice. She’d already held hands with her two therapists and expressed her wishes for what it would help her do. She swallowed it, lay on the couch with her eyes covered, and waited. And then it came. “The world was made up of jewels and I was in a dome,” she recalled. Surrounded by brilliant, kaleidoscopic colors, she saw the dome open up to admit “this most incredible luminescence that made everything even more beautiful.”

Tears trickled down her face as she saw “how beautiful the world could actually be.” That’s how Nicky Edlich, 67, began her firstever trip on a psychedelic drug last year. She says it has greatly helped her psychotherapeutic treatment for anxiety from her advanced ovarian cancer. And for researchers, it was another small step toward showing that hallucinogenic drugs, famous but condemned in the 1960s, can one day help doctors treat conditions like cancer anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder.

The New York University study Edlich participated in is among a handful now going on in the United States and elsewhere with drugs like LSD, MDMA (Ecstasy) and psilocybin, the main ingredient of “magic mushrooms.” The work follows lines of research choked off four decades ago by the war on drugs. The research is still preliminary. But at least it’s there. “There is now more psychedelic research taking place in the world than at any time in the last 40 years,” said Rick Doblin, executive director of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, which funds some of the work. “We’re at the end of the beginning of the renaissance.”

He said that more than 1,200 people attended a conference in California last weekend on psychedelic science. But doing the re-

search is not easy, Doblin and others say, with government funders still leery and drug companies not interested in the compounds they can’t patent. That pretty much leaves private donors. “There’s still a lot of resistance to it,” said David Nichols, a Purdue University professor of medicinal chemistry and president of the Heffter Institute, which is supporting the NYU study. “The whole hippie thing in the 60s” and media coverage at the time “has kind of left a bad taste in the mouth of the public at large.

“When you tell people you’re treating people with psychedelics, the first thing that comes to mind is Day-Glo art and tie-dyed shirts.”

Nothing like that was in evidence the other day when Edlich revisited the room at NYU where she’d taken psilocybin. Landscape photos and abstract art hung on the walls, flowers and a bowl of fruit adorned a table near the window. At the foot of the couch lay an Oriental rug. “The whole idea was to create a living room-like setting” that would be relaxing, said study leader Dr. Stephen Ross. Edlich, whose cancer forced her to retire from teaching French at a private school, had plenty of reason to seek help through the NYU project. Several recurrences of her ovarian cancer had provoked fears about suffering and dying and how her death would affect her family.

She felt “profound sadness that my life was going to be cut short.” And she faced existential questions: Why live? What does it all mean? How can I go on?

“These things were in my head and I wanted them to take a back seat to living in the moment,” she said.

So when she heard NYU researchers speak about the project at her cancer support group, she was interested. Psilocybin has been shown to invoke powerful spiritual experiences during the four to six hours it affects the brain. A study published in 2008, in fact, found that even 14 months after healthy volunteers had taken a single dose, most said they were still feeling and behaving better because of the experience. They also said the drug had produced one of the five most spiritually significant experiences they’d ever had.

Experts emphasize people shouldn’t try psilocybin on their own because it can be harmful, sometimes causing bouts of anxiety and paranoia.

The NYU study is testing whether that drug experience can help with the nine months of psychotherapy each participant also gets. The therapy seeks to help patients live fuller, richer lives with the time they have left. Each study participant gets two drug-dose experiences, but only one of those involves psilocybin; the other is a placebo dose of niacin, which makes the face flush.

AP Photo/Seth Wenig

In this April 13, 2010 photo, for a study on the effects of hallucinogenic drugs on the psychological state of cancer patients, a pill is presented to the subjects in a chalice as seen here in New York. The pill could could either contain a placebo or psilocybin, the psychoactive ingredient in hallucinogenic mushrooms. To insure a positive outcome for the patient, the study relies on historical and cultural rituals that surround the taking of a hallucinogenic drug.

New way to guide a car: With your eyes, not hands Associated Press Writer

BERLIN – Tired of spinning that steering wheel? Try this: German researchers have developed a new technology that lets drivers steer cars using only their eyes. Raul

Rojas, an artificial intelligence researcher at Berlin’s Free University, said Friday that the technology tracks a driver’s eye movement and, in turn, steers the car in whatever direction they’re looking.

Rojas and his team presented the

AP Photo/Gero Breloer

Scientist David Latotzky of Freie Universitaet Berlin sits in a car turning the steering wheel with his eye movements in Berlin, Friday, April 23, 2010. The scientists developed the software ‘EyeDriver’ to steer their car ‘Spirit of Berlin’ just by the movement of the eyes.

technology-packed prototype under a clear blue sky at an airport in the German capital. The Dodge Caravan crisscrossed the tarmac at the abandoned Tempelhof Airport, its driver using his line of sight to control the car. The car’s steering wheel was turning as if guided by ghostly hands. The technology called eyeDriver lets the car drive up to 31 mph (50 kph). “The next step will be to get it to drive 60 miles per hour,” Rojas said.

Ultimately, however, the Mexican-born researcher is aiming for even more: “The biggest challenge is of course to drive in a city with pedestrians and lots of obstacles.”

For now, exercises remain relatively simple. The Dodge chases a pedestrian or another car across the tarmac and shows his agility and even drives backward — the driver only has to look into the rear mirror to guide the car. However, it remains unclear when — or if — the technology will be commercialized as questions about safety and practicability abound: What about looking at a cute girl next to the road for a few sec-

onds? Not to mention taking phone calls or typing a text while driving.

But the researchers have an answer to distracted drivers: “The Spirit of Berlin” is also an autonomous car equipped with GPS navigation, scores of cameras, lasers and scanners that enable it to drive by itself. “The car can do everything. It can drive autonomously or it can be guided by a driver’s eyes,” Rojas said. The compromise is a mode that has the car driving on its own, basing its decisions on input from scanners and cameras, and only requires the driver to give guidance at crossroads. “The car stops at intersections and asks the driver for guidance on which road to take,” the researchers say. A few seconds of attention with the driver looking in his desired direction get the car flowing again.

To demonstrate the car’s autonomy, Rojas at one point jumped in front of the car — which was at that moment driving at perhaps 10 miles per hour — and the Dodge was immediately stopped by the cameras that had detected the obstacle. “I was lucky this time,” Rojas said jokingly.

While Rojas escaped, driver David Latotzky sat calmly on the passenger seat, wearing a bicycle helmet that is key to the functioning of the EyeDriver: One camera mounted on top of it monitors the street, a second one constantly keeps track of the driver’s eyes’ movements. “We chose a bicycle helmet because they’re the most ergonomic ones,” Rojas said.

Selling that technology to customers, however, might be a tough call — it the driver look like he or she came straight out of a Star Wars movie.

But if using your eyes for steering seems to tricky anyway, the researchers already have an alternative: Use your iPhone instead. In fall last year they presented a technology that allows to use Apple’s smart phone as remote control for the car.

“Autonomous driving systems may considerably change our mobility in the future,” Rojas said. And should the technology-packed vehicle have a major bug, there’s still an old fashioned way of stopping it. Two big external emergency buttons at the rear of the car allow people outside to shut down all systems.

14

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Sport

International

Verdasco defeats Soderling for Barcelona tennis title Agence France - Presse

BARCELONA – Spain’s fifth seed Fernando Verdasco defeated Swedish second seed Robin Soderling 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 on Sunday to keep the Barcelona claycourt title at home for the eighth straight year. Crowds at the Real Club de Tenis were treated to yet another local victory as Verdasco upset the better fancied Swede who held a 4-1 margin in their series going into the final.

Defeat in two hours, three minutes denied Roland Garros finalist Soderling the honour of lifting his country’s first title in Barcelona since Ken Carlsson 22 years ago. “Winning here is just unbelievable,” said Verdasco, whose late entry was only assured after his Monte Carlo performance a week ago, where he lost the final as Rafael Nadal claimed a record sixth consecutive title at the event.

“I’m very excited and happy to win this tournament. I wasn’t originally going to play this week, but I got a wild card and here I am.

“I’ve been training here since the age of 15. Watching the Barcelona Open for me has always been a very special tournament.” Verdasco followed on from compatriots Carlos Moya

(2003), Tommy Robredo (2004) and Rafael Nadal in the five years following as he kept the cup firmly in Iberian hands. The last nonSpaniard to win the title was Argentine Gaston Gaudio in 2002.

Spain has put a player into 14 straight finals at the club since 1997. Victory marked the second trophy this season for the ninthranked Verdasco, who was beaten a week ago for the Monte Carlo title by Nadal but won indoors in San Jose.

Soderling was playing his first clay week of the season as he builds up for Roland Garros starting on May 23. Soderling came in the favourite after having beaten Verdasco in both of their previous clay encounters. But the inspired Spaniard took the early initiative away with breaks of the Swede’s last two service game in the open-

ing set to win it after 38 minutes.

Soderling returned fire by taking the second after losing an early break but Verdasco dominated in the third to claim the heartfelt win.

Verdasco improved to 23-6 on the season and 11-2 on clay as he moves onto the Rome Masters. The winner Verdasco took seven appearances to reach his first Barcelona final after stalling before the quarter-final stage five times.

Spanish Fernando Verdasco celebrates with the trophy after winning the final match against Sweden’s Robin Soderling during the Barcelona Open tennis tournament Conde de Godo on April 25, 2010 Barcelona.

Verdasco won 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.

Wade blows away Celtics with 46 points Reuters -

MIAMI - Dwyane Wade scored a career playoff-high 46 points to help the Miami Heat stave off elimination with a 101-92 victory over the Boston Celtics on Sunday. On the verge of being swept out of the playoffs, Wade erupted for 19 points in the fourth quarter where the Heat opened with a 258 run to cut the Celtics’ best-ofseven series lead to 3-1. No team has come back from a 3-0 bestof-seven deficit to win in the playoffs, but Miami at least forced the series back to Boston on Tuesday.

“We’re always going to fight,” Wade told reporters. “We fought today and I finally had a good shooting game the way I wanted to. “I was going to shoot all those shots no matter what happened. I got hot at the right time.”

Rajon Rondo had 23 points and nine assists while Kevin Garnett finished with 18 and 12 rebounds for the Celtics who had previously defeated the Heat in all six meetings this season. Coming off Paul Pierce’s buzzer-beater shot to deliver the win in Game Three, Boston fell behind by 13 after the first quarter but settled in to claim a sixpoint advantage after the third.

But that was when Miami’s All-Star guard, who becomes a free agent at the end of the season, took over by making three

quick three-pointers in the final quarter on his way to a playoff franchiserecord scoring total. In other Eastern Conference action, LeBron James scored a triple-double and the

Cleveland Cavaliers stormed to a 31 series lead over the Chicago Bulls.

James finished with 37 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists to guide the Cavs to a 121-98 rout of the Bulls.

Marc Serota/Getty Images/AFP

Guard Dwyane Wade #3 of the Miami Heat steals the ball from Center Kendrick Perkins #43 of the Boston Celtics in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2010 NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Arena on April 25, 2010 in Miami, Florida.

TOPSHOTS/AFP PHOTO/ JOSEP LAGO

Americans face Italy in Fed Cup tennis final Agence France - Presse

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – The United States has advanced to a Fed Cup final rematch with defending champion Italy following a dramatic 3-2 semi-final victory over Russia.

Americans Liezel Huber and Bethanie Mattek-Sands defeated Russia’s Elena Dementieva and Alla Kudryavtseva 63, 6-1 in the decisive doubles match of the indoor hardcourt tie after the teams split singles matches Saturday and Sunday.

The US duo broke twice in the first set and again in the first and third games of the second set for a 3-0 lead. The rivals exchanged breaks to 4-1 before the Americans held and broke again to win the match in just 65 minutes. The US women lost at Italy in last year’s final but will have a chance to avenge that defeat on home soil in the championship showdown November 6-7. The Americans were without Serena and Venus Williams, both absent because of leg injuries.

Mattek-Sands outlasted Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 to pull the United States level at 2-2 after sixth-ranked Dementieva had given Russia a lead by beating Melanie Oudin 7-6 (7/4), 0-6, 6-3. The Russians pulled Kudryavtseva, who lost to Oudin on Saturday, in favor of Makarova for the last singles match, but Mattek-Sands — a loser in three of four prior Cup singles matches — came through for the hosts.

After splitting sets, Mattek-Sands

broke for a 2-0 lead in the third set.

Makarova broke back in the next game only to have the American break again and hold for a 4-1 lead.

An errant forehand by Makarova surrendered another break and gave Mattek-Sands a 5-1 edge but the Russian broke Mattek-Sands in the seventh game and held to pull within 5-3.

Mattek-Sands fell behind 15-30 before fightng back and capitalizing on her first match point for the victory after two hours and 34 minutes. Makarova took advantage of 6-of-8 break-point chances while Mattek-Sands converted only 6-of-21 such opportunities. In Sunday’s opener, Dementieva fell behind 2-1 in the third set, Oudin breaking her for the fourth time in five tries to seize the lead after having ripped through the second set.

But Dementieva broke back in the fourth game, broke Oudin again in the sixth game and denied Oudin on a break-point chance in the seventh game to hold for a 5-2 lead. “When she came out for the third set, it was like the second set never happened. She was ready to go again,” Oudin said. Oudin, 18, held but Dementieva served out the last game to love to win after two hours and 27 minutes, improving to 22-5 in Fed Cup play. “This match was most important to the semifinals,” Dementieva said. “We both were feeling a lot of pressure.” In Saturday’s singles matches, Oudin defeated Kudryavtseva 6-3, 6-3, but Dementieva answered by downing Mattek-Sands 6-4, 6-3.

Sport

International

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

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Soccer-Lyon need spirit of Bernabeu to see off Bayern Reuters -

LYON - The spirit which saw off Real Madrid earlier in the competition will be revived if Lyon are to fell Bayern Munich on Tuesday and book their place in a first Champions League final. Trailing 1-0 after the first leg in which the Germans had to play most of the game with 10 men after Franck Ribery’s sending off, Lyon striker Lisandro Lopez and coach Claude Puel said the Ligue 1 side need to up the ante.

“The team must change its attitude, its mentality. We played too defensively. We must have a more positive mind-set. We need to change tactics if we are to progress,” Lisandro told reporters. The Argentine said Lyon should be inspired by their performance at the Bernabeu in the first knockout round when a 1-1 draw gave them the edge against Real Madrid after a 1-0 win in the first leg. “We’ve made it once, we can do it again. That day, we all wanted to go through.”

Puel said Lyon were likely to be a better team now that they have their backs against the wall. “I prefer this (kind of situation) because we play better when we have to go and get a result,” he said.

Puel, however, has some defensive woes before the clash at their Stade Gerland, with centre back Cris doubtful with hip and knee pains, Mathieu Bodmer ruled out injured and Jeremy Toulalan suspended after picking up a red card in Munich. Centre Jean-Alain Boumsong has resumed training following a calf injury and should at least be in the squad.

Following their scrappy 1-1 league draw against Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday,

Bayern must up their tempo and they will have to do that without playmaker Ribery, suspended following his red card in the first leg. Ribery will be joined on the sidelines by Croat Danijel Pranjic, who is also suspended.

As Bayern chase an unprecedented treble for a German team with domestic honours also in their sights, they are also concerned about a potential weakness in their central defence.

Martin Demichelis and Daniel van Buyten picked up injuries in the game against Gladbach and are racing against the clock to be fit for the match.

“I could not step on my leg after the hit,” Van Buyten said after taking a knock on the thigh and limping off.

“It is even worse now and I do not know if I will have enough time to recover by Tuesday.” Demichelis was taken off at halftime with a thigh muscle injury. But Bayern sports director Christian Nerlinger sounded confident both would be fit in time, saying: “As things stand now I assume both will be available for the match against Lyon.” Captain Mark van Bommel will add steel to the midfield with the Dutchman returning to Champions League action after sitting out a suspension in the first leg.

AFP PHOTO / JOHN MACDOUGALL

GERMANY, Munich : Bayern Munich’s striker Thomas Mueller and Olympique Lyonnais’ Brazilian defender Cris (L) and Olympique Lyonnais’ French defender Anthony Réveillère vie for the ball during the first leg UEFA Champions League semi-final football match FC Bayern Munich vs Olympique Lyonnais at the Allianz Arena in the southern German city of Munich on April 21, 2010.

Rooney wins PFA player of the year award Agence France - Presse

(AFP/File/Andrew Yates)

Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney has won the Professional Footballers’ Association player of the year award and used the opportunity to declare his readiness for the World Cup,

LONDON – Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney won the Professional Footballers’Association player of the year award at a ceremony here on Sunday and then declared his readiness for the World Cup. Rooney, currently out of action with a groin injury, is widely regarded as being central to England’s chances of winning the World Cup in South Africa later this year.

“I’m good,” Rooney told guests at the PFA dinner at Grosvenor House in central London. “I’m disappointed to miss a couple of games. Hopefully I will play before the season finishes.”

Asked if he would be fit in time for South Africa, Rooney replied: “No problems for the World Cup.” Rooney dismissed suggestions England could not win the World Cup, which starts in June, without him: “We’ve got a lot of great players. If I get injured, so be it.” He added: “Watching games is very frustrating.”

Rooney, asked for a definition of World Cup success, said: “Success would be to win the trophy. We prepared well and hopefully we can bring the trophy back home.” England have won the World Cup just once, in 1966 when they triumphed on home soil. Reigning champions United trail Chelsea by one point in

the English Premier League title race with two games remaining and may need a favour from arch rivals Liverpool if they are to overtake the London club. “I’m sure Liverpool will want to beat Chelsea,” Rooney said.

“They are a proud club and they are still aiming to qualify for Europe.” Asked what had made the difference to a season where he has already scored 34 goals, Rooney replied: “The manager (Sir Alex Ferguson) is playing me in a more central position up front which I’ve been asking him to do for a few years now and the service has got better.”

Rooney, twice a former young player of the year, topped a poll of his fellow professionals in England to ensure the senior award stayed at Old Trafford after Cristiano Ronaldo’s double in 2007 and 2008 was followed by United great Ryan Giggs’s success last year.

Cesc Fabregas, the Arsenal and Spain midfielder, was third with Chelsea striker Didier Drogda the runner-up. Aston Villa and England midfielder James Milner won the young player of the year award.

Former South Africa international Lucas Radebe, who played in England’s Leeds United, won the PFA special merit award for his community work in both countries.

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Tuesday, April 27, 2010

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

Sport

Sevilla crash to dramatic defeat at Getafe Reuters -

BARCELONA - Sevilla missed the chance to climb above Real Mallorca into Spain’s fourth Champions League qualification berth when they conceded a penalty in added time to lose 4-3 at Getafe in a dramatic La Liga match on Sunday. Substitute Daniel Parejo tore off his shirt and ran to the corner flag to celebrate after netting his spot kick but the referee made him take it again as a team mate had encroached into the area.

He made no mistake with his second effort and the Getafe fans celebrated wildly at the final whistle as the disconsolate Sevilla players trudged off. Mallorca had to come from a goal down to rescue a point at home to 10-man Malaga but Sevilla failed to take advantage and stayed fifth on 54 points with four matches left. The Balearic Islanders have 56 in fourth, six behind third-placed Valencia, who beat Deportivo Coruna 1-0 on Saturday thanks to David Villa’s penalty.

Getafe climbed to seventh on 50, one ahead of Athletic Bilbao, who play Osasuna on Monday, and two behind Villarreal, who recorded a 21 comeback victory at Racing Santander. The top two also won on Saturday, leaders Barcelona beating basement side Xerez 3-1 at the Nou Camp and Kaka netting a late winner for Real Madrid in a 2-

1 win at Real Zaragoza. Barca have 87 points and Real 86.

Adrian Gonzalez, son of Getafe coach Michel, put his father’s side in front at the Coliseum in the 17th minute before goals from strikers Luis Fabiano and Frederic Kanoute fired Sevilla ahead. Pedro Leon levelled for Getafe in the 59th but the visitors edged in front again two minutes later when Fabiano, who should lead the line for Brazil at the World Cup, bamboozled the Getafe defence and lashed home. Kanoute was dismissed for a harsh second booking and the match looked to be heading for a draw until substitute Lolo chopped Parejo down in added time after a mistake by Alvaro Negredo.

In other matches on Sunday, Atletico Madrid warmed up for Thursday’s Europa League semi-final second leg at Liverpool with a 3-1 home win over relegation-

threatened Tenerife. Eduardo Salvio netted twice in the first half and Sergio Aguero, who returns from suspension for the second leg at Anfield with Atletico leading 1-0, added a third with just over 10 minutes left. In Mallorca, midfielder Gonzalo Castro had a 45th-minute penalty saved before a Victor Obinna strike put the La Liga strugglers on the verge of victory.

Striker Aritz Aduriz, who had a furious argument on the pitch with his team mate Alhassane Keita, nodded the equaliser in added time, leaving Malaga in 17th, two points above the relegation places. Espanyol moved closer to safety with a 1-0 success at Almeria and Real Valladolid, in 18th and enjoying a new lease of life under former Spain coach Javier Clemente, kept alive their hopes of avoiding the drop by winning 2-0 at Sporting Gijon.

Ferrari: New rules must push technology FORMULA 1’s likely switch to smaller turbocharged engines from 2013 must include the introduction of cutting-edge fuel efficiency technology too, claims Ferrari’s CEO Amedeo Felisa.

With teams closing in on plans to use 670bhp 1.5-litre turbocharged engines from 2013, Felisa believes the sport should be even bolder in embracing the latest knowledge - and pursue the more

economical Gasoline Direct Injection concept.

Speaking to AUTOSPORT’s sister publication Autocar at the Beijing Motor Show on Friday, Felisa says that F1 could improve its relevance to the road car industry by adopting such engines. “If F1 has to develop something helpful for real driving conditions, then the best solution is for an engine that is turbocharged and GDI,” said Felisa.

“That is what we would support.

“It is the best solution for driving efficiency and utilisation of the engine in a positive way.” Earlier this week, Mercedes Benz motorsport boss Norbert Haug said he too expected smaller power units to be adopted - but urged caution for those who thought it would be possible to make the sport totally ‘green’.

“The fascinating thing about Formula 1 is it’s fast, it’s loud, it’s on the limit,” he told AUTOSPORT. “We can discuss green initiatives, but Formula 1 needs to be technically driven.

If you fly from Europe to Japan on a 747, you would use more fuel than an entire F1 season. We need to see the whole picture.”

“We need to be mindful that we are building the cleanest cars we can.

The engine will be downsized in 2013 because the fuel consumption has to go down, and we need to cut carbon emissions. But we must not think that a 700bhp Formula 1’s likely switch to smaller turbocharged engines from 2013 engine is going to be the must include the introduction of cutting-edge fuel efficiency tech- greenest car ever, because nology too, claims Ferrari’s CEO Amedeo Felisa that’s not great.”

AFP PHOTO/Pedro ARMESTRE.

Getafe : Getafe´s football players celebrate a scoring against Sevilla during a Spanish league football match at the Alfonso Perez Coliseum,on April 25, 2010 in Getafe, near Madrid. Getafe won 4-3.