Edisi 07 September 2010 | International Bali Post

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Tuesday, September 7, 2010

US army soldiers with the 101st Airborne Division Alpha Battery 1320th battle Taliban at Combat Outpost Nolen in the village of Jellawar in The Arghandab Valley on September 5, 2010.

The war in Afghanistan is nearing the end of its ninth year, with international troops at almost full strength of 150,000, from the United States and NATO.

Hotels in queue to be included in DNI PAGE 8

AFP PHOTO/PATRICK BAZ

Afghan foreign troops death toll hits 500 for 2010 Avatar director vows to return for Amazon tribe fight PAGE 12

Reuters KABUL – The number of foreign troops killed in Afghanistan this year has reached at least 500, compared with 521 in all of 2009, according to an independent monitoring site Monday and a tally compiled by Reuters. The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force said an ISAF service member was killed in an insurgent attack in the east Sunday. No other details were immediately available.

There has been a sharp increase in foreign military deaths, many of them American, as foreign troops launch more operations to counter a growing Taliban-led in-

surgency that has spread out of traditional strongholds in the south and east.

At least five ISAF troops have been killed since Friday, including

Associated Press Writer

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SURABAYA

24 - 35 AP Photo/William Fernando Martinez

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Colombian is world’s shortest man at 27 inches

WEATHER FORECAST CITY

the first Georgian killed in the conflict. Violence across Afghanistan has hit its worst since the Taliban were ousted by U.S.-backed Afghan forces in late 2001. Military and ci-

vilian casualties are at record levels, with U.S. and NATO commanders warning of more tough fighting ahead.

The spiraling death tolls come despite the presence of almost 150,000 foreign troops in Afghanistan and will be another worrying statistic when U.S. President Barack Obama conducts a strategy review of the war in December.

In this photo taken Sept. 2, 2010, Edward Nino Hernandez, 24, poses for a portrait as he holds the Guinness World Record Book 2011 during an interview with Associated Press in Bogota, Colombia. Nino is recognized as the world’s shortest man in the new Guinness World Records 2011.

BOGOTA, Colombia – Edward Nino Hernandez is in many ways a typical 24-year-old Colombian male. He loves to dance reggaeton, dreams of owning a car — preferably a Mercedes_ and wants to see the world. Top on his list of people he would like to meet are Jackie Chan, Sylvester Stallone and former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe.

What sets Nino (pronounced NEE-nyoh) apart is his size. He is slightly taller than a piece of carry-on luggage and weighs just 22 pounds (10 kilograms). Nino has just been officially certified as the world’s shortest living man by Guinness World Records, measuring 27 inches (70 centimeters). “He hasn’t grown since he was 2 years old,” his mother, Noemi Hernandez, said of the oldest of her five living children.

The previous titleholder was He Pingping of China, who was 1.5 inches (4 centimeters) taller and died March 13. The Guinness people dis-

covered Nino afterward. They say Nino’s reign is not likely to last long, however.

Khagendra Thapa Magar of Nepal is expected to take over after he turns 18 on Oct. 14. He measures about 22 inches (56 centimeters) and is currently recognized by Guinness as the shortest living teen. Doctors never could explain why Nino is so small, his parents say.

“They never gave us a diagnosis,” his mother, Noemi Hernandez, said during an interview in the family’s sparely furnished apartment in Bosa, a mostly poor district of southern Bogota.

Hernandez, 43, said Nino weighed just 3.3 pounds (1.5 kilograms) at birth and was 15 inches (38 centimeters) long.

She said doctors at the National University studied him until he was 3, then lost interest.

She and her husband, a security guard, lost a daughter who was similarly small in 1992 when she was about to complete a year of life.

Continued on page 6

2

International

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Bali News To support comfortable homecoming, police set up four security posts

IBP/edi

A woman carries her child while queuing to get into a bus which will carry her to Java. The number of people go to Java through Gilimanuk increase near the Lebaran day.

Biking homecomers progressively throng Gilimanuk

UNIT of Traffic Service of Denpasar Metro Police (Poltabes) has set the strategy in terms of securing the homecoming traffic streams. Four security posts had been established at places considered strategic. In addition to security posts, police authority also set up an observer post. Such activities were revealed by Chief of Traffic Service of Denpasar Metro Police, Bima Arya Viyasa, last Sunday (Sep 5).

It was said, the four posts founded were respectively located at Ubung, Dewa Ruci Statue, Kuta Beach, and another post at Ngurah Rai Airport. Meanwhile, the observer post located at the border of Denpasar and Badung. “Security operation has been taken place since last September 4, 2010,” said Bima Arya Viyasa.

According to the former Chief of Traffic Service of Gianyar Police, his party at least deployed 86 personnel in the relation to the Ketupat Agung Operation 2010.

Each officer was placed in the post

and stood by for 24 hours. “Later on, the 24 hours will be divided into three work shifts. They will be on duty to guard and observe in turns,” he told Bali Post last Sunday.

Furthermore, it was explained the activity conducted by the Traffic Service of Denpasar Metro Police during Idul Fitri holiday of this year was quick action in responding to congestion and accidents. Likewise, it was also intended to provide any helps experienced by the homecomers.

“We will provide the best service to the community, moreover, before the Idul Fitri,” he said.

Chief Bima Arya Viyasa appealed to the entire community to take any anticipative measures. If they indeed would like to visit Kuta Beach for a holiday, they should park in the central parking lot. Otherwise, they would go through traffic congestion if driving the vehicle to Kuta Beach. On that account, they would be better to park their vehicle at the central parking lot,” he concluded. (jay)

Private cars line up at night

Dirty, DKP Arrange Suci Triangle

Negara (Bali Post)—

Denpasar (Bali Post) –

When entering the fifth day prior to Idul Fitri, Gilimanuk Harbor was increasingly crowded by private vehicles both of motorcycles and cars. The lines occurred in the morning and afternoon were dominated by motorcycles while on entering the nightfall the number of private cars showed a build-up. The lines reached three kilometers, but in the next early morning had petered out.

Based on observation at Gilimanuk last Sunday (Sep 5), the number of two-wheeled vehicles had increased. Similarly, pedestrian pathways were started to be passed through by homecomers. At another place, namely Gilimanuk bus terminal started to indicate busier activities.

Meanwhile, for departure of motorcycles was arranged in such a way that they were collected in a tent until reaching 200 units before entering the ticket counter. Having purchased the ticket, they were ready to enter the harbor.

Afterward, the motorcycles under the tent put up by the authority of aquatic transportation services (ASDP) went into the harbor. They had to wait again

here before getting into the passenger ship. These long lines only occurred at night. As happened last Saturday (Sep 4) night, other than cars, the harbor was also crowded by motorcycles. Even, the lines of private cars were until reaching outside the parking maneuver or about 1.5 kilometers from the ticket counter.

On average the cars were queuing up to three hours. A number of homecomers getting stuck in the queue of private cars preferred to going out of the car while having a break in veranda and waiting for the entry in the booth. As a result, stalls opened for 24 hours along the road to the harbor got a fortune.

Meanwhile, motorcycles should face similar queue at the dawn of Sunday morning. Even,

the anticipation to shorten the queue, the ASDP Gilimanuk decided to add more ticket counters for motorcycle riders and operated manually.

Each driver was asked to prepare the exact fare worth IDR 14,000 before entering the booth to speed up the service. Meanwhile, based on the data of ASDP obtained last Sunday indicated that on the seventh and sixth day prior to Idul Fitri the authority had recorded 55,037 passengers.

They consisted of 11,035 motorcycles and 6,448 cars. As of last Sunday evening, the number of vehicles was categorized to be relatively normal. However, the sharp increase of lines would happen at night up to dawn, especially the four-wheeled vehicles, truck and inter-provincial city bus (AKAP). (sur)

The garden in the crossover between Sumatra Street-Hasanudin Street (in front of Suci shops) seemed not taken care of when actually this garden is placed in the central of the city. The garden with the very high clock tower seemed dirty as its plants were not taken care very well. This condition caused complains from the Denpasar residents. “Why is this median garden not taken care by the Denpasar City Government,” Denpasar House of Representative, Commission B, Ir. Eko Supriyadi explained last Sunday (5/9).

Eko hoped the Denpasar Government has to arrange that garden that became the central of the traffic in Denpasar. Moreover, other gardens have been arranged well such as the one in Sudirman Street. Eko said the clock also can be arranged again so it is more useful for the residents.

Not only that, the kinds of plants going to be planted should have artistic value and as shelter, “A median garden besides having artistic value, it should be a shelter to those

who were passing by this garden.”

Eko hoped Government Cleaning Agency (DKP) will have a clear concept which means besides arranging it, its maintenance will be good too, “There should be a clear concept including its maintenance later. Whichh means the allocation fee has to be effective and efficient and most importantly still has to have a clear concept.”

Responding this, Head of DKP Denpasar, I Ketut Wisada, admitted that garden was never arranged.

Even though, in the near time they will do a different garden arrangement in this city central. Also the master plan was made already including choosing kinds of plants, “I got the report of this garden from the Mayor. We will arrange it well.”

Wisada mentioned, the clock tower was a donation from a private company. Because of its strategic place, some private sides asked if they can arrange it. But Wisada can’t permit them as this is the city’s garden and can’t go away from Denpasar concept. (kmb12)

z Founder : K.Nadha, z General Manager :Palgunadi Chief Editor: Diah Dewi Juniarti z Editors: Gugiek Savindra,Alit Susrini, Alit Sumertha, Daniel Fajry, Mawa, Sri Hartini, Suana, Sueca, Sugiartha, 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,Hardianto,Ade Irawan . 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. Publisher: PT Bali Post

Bali News

International

3

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Nyegara Gunung Geria Karang Tampak Gangsul

Accompanied by 204 Sawe, Goa Lawah Route Five Kilometers Traffic Semarapura (Bali Post) –

On the time of Tumpek Wayang, last Saturday (4/9), Geria Karang Tampak Gangsul, Denpasar did a nyegara gunung (cleansing ceremony) in Pura (temple) Goa Lawah, Pesinggahan, Klungkung. The ceremony involved several ceremonies after the funeral (palebon) of Priest Ida Padanda Gde Rai Karang.

The many people who joined the ceremony caused a quite long traffic (around 5 kilometers) in the Goa Lawah Route. From Karangasem and Klungkung routes.

Ceremony committee, IB Gde from Geria Kesiman mentioned, this ceremony was the last ones from what they have done since 24th August 2010.

As a thank you to Bhatara Baruna (God of sea) and Ida Bhatara Giripati (God of the mountains) this was done, remembering all kinds of tirta (holy water) that was used during ceremonies are tirta padma bhuwana and dang khayangan which are in temples that are on mountain and sea, “The peak of the ceremony has been done last Wednesday (1/9).” This was done everytime a priest from Geria Tampak Gangsul died. The ceremony this time was for Ida Pedanda Gde Rai Karang who died on March 2010. He died in the age 95 and the oldest priest in this

Geria. The palebon has been done on 24th July 2010.

As what Geria Karang tradition would be, every palebon of a priest from there, it was joined by followers spreading in Badung Region and Denpasar City such as Bualu, Jimbaran, Pecatu, Kedonganan, Kuta, Seminyak, Ubung, Lumintang and more, “This time, ida was accompanied by 204 sawe (puspa).”

The ceremony led by two priests.

First in the beach (Goa Lawah Beach) it was led by Ida pedanda Gede Putra Keniten Karang from Geria Gede Satria, Klungkung. And for the ceremony at Goa Lawah Temple was led

by Ida Pedanda Gde Made Putraka Timbul from Geria Kesiman.

Meanwhile, due to the traffic they made, some Klungkung Police officers helped by Dawan Police worked extra to arrange the traffic routes. (kmb20)

Manage Traffic

Governor Suggests Temporary Pier Denpasar (Bali Post) –

Bali Governor, Made Mangku Pastika, suggested how important a temporary pier construction in from Serangan, Denpasar towards Benoa is as it will take care of the traffic in the process of the flyover at Simpang Siur, Kuta. If this is agreed, then Head of Bali Police will be optimized the traffic will be minimized as low as possible during the two years project.

Connecting to the construction fee for this temporary pier, he believes it’s not many when you compare it to the social affect from the traffic that will be faced by road users. Meanwhile for the crossing transport, it can be done by going on a ferry which was used for crossing to Madura previously. During the Indonesian Red Cross in Bali committee inauguration in Jaya Sabha last Saturday (4/9) Mangku Pastika explained, “This solution was my own thinking and it might be wrong including my suggestion on moving the Dewa Ruci statue.

Connecting to its technical problems, let’s discuss it together.”

When asked about the flyover clarification, the Governor admit-

ted hasn’t received the report from the meeting done by Badung Region Government last Thursday (2/9). And so he admitted he does not know for sure if there will be any changing or not from what was agreed before, “Until this time, I haven’t received any reports from the meeting in Badung.”

He clarified that Bali needs lots of roads for its traffic flow as vehicles keep increasing. Although, not all roads that will be built with an underpass system. The flyover or underpass has to be constructed so there won’t be longer argumentation. If it’s going to be debated all the time, the project won’t happen and central government will cancel all of it, “We shouldn’t always fight. If we fight, when will the project be done.”

Before, Mangku Pastika also suggested moving Dewa Ruci statue to the north west of its location now connecting to the flyover construction. The statue also will be higher than now. So its garden arrangement can be much better, although this suggestion caused polemic which made this suggestion was declined. (kmb13)

IBP/Bal

Hundreds of Hindus take part in the Nyegara Gunung Geria Karang Tampak Gangsul which was held on Goa Lawah beach.

Dragged by Coastal Currents at Sidayu Beach Klungkung Former Gianyar Regent Safe, Wife Died Semarapura (Bali Post) –

Former Gianyar Regent, A.A. Gede Agung Bharata, with his wife, Nanik Mirna, were victims to the coastal currents of Sidayu Beach, Banjarangkan, Klungkung, while walking about last Sunday (5/9).

Around four hours they were in the middle of the ocean, later on the Commission II Bali House of Representative member was found safe and sound in Masceti Beach, Gianyar while wife Nanik was found unconscious.

It was around 9.30 am, Agung Bharata and wife with their private adjutant, Dewa Nyoman Semara Yoga from Serongga, were walking about on the beach. Starting from Lepang Beach they walked eastwards towards Sidayu Beach and planned to end it at Waku Klotok Beach, Klungkung. To get to it, they have to get through Tukad Jinah (river) hasty current which was the border between Sidayu and Watu Klotok. “I actually have suggested not pushing themselves to cross the river. Its water flow is huge and its current is very hasty,” the adjutant admitted. Surrounding residents (brush stones pickers) also suggested the couple not to cross but they did it,

“They have always walked around here every holiday. If not here usually at Sanur Beach.” Yoga was behind them when they were dragged.

He admitted was not brave to give help as he couldn’t swim.

Same thing mentioned by the stone picker from Tojan, Klungkung, Ni Sarwi, that she saw it clearly the two was dragged by the river, “The first who slipped was the woman (Nanik Mirna). Then the man (Agung Bharata) tried to help. The two were then safe, the woman took care of her hair and the man got a chance to laugh. Then came a very huge wave and dragged the two,” then the woman was dragged to the west while man was dragged to the south (middle of the ocean), “The river’s flow and waves are so huge. Moreover there was rain before.”

This information attracted the residents surrounding the area. They all came to the location including officials in Klungkung such as Vice Regent Tjok. Gede Agung and staffs, Head of House of Representative A. A. Anom and members (especially from PDI-P party), Head of Police Great Adjunct Police Commissioner T. Widodo Rahino with

Muspika Banjarangkan. Form Gianyar there were Regent Tjok.

Oka Ardana Sukawati, Regional Secretary Cok. Gede Putra Nindia, and Head of the House of Representatives and members also other officials. There were also from Bali House of Representative such as Tjok. Gde Ngurah, Made Budastra and Ketut Mandia. Vice Regent of Klungkung was sort of angry when the Klungkung Disaster Management (Satkorlak) weren’t serious.

Besides offering pejati (devoting offering), the search also involved 20 personnel of Search and Rescue Team (SAR), Water Police (Polair) and Special Police Troops (Brimob) from Bali Police Department. The search was done in 1 kilometer radius to the mid ocean, the shores of Watu Klotok Beach and towards Gianyar waters. The team had difficulties as there were high waves reaching 3 meters. “The sea current was very hasty that’s why it was difficult and had to be careful,” SAR Coordinator, Faturahman explained.

Almost three hours of searching, the team found Nanik Mirna unconscious and dead. One hour later, Agung Bharata was found. (kmb20)

4

News

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

International

Australia’s Gillard expected to form new government Reuters

CANBERRA (Reuters) – Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard is expected to form a new minority government on Tuesday with the backing of three kingmaker independents, ending two weeks of uncertainty.

Independent Tony Windsor said the impasse should end on Tuesday morning, but there was still a risk the independent MPs could split, delivering a deadlock of 75 votes apiece in the 150-seat lower house and the prospect of another election.

“People may be leaning one way, but they may have to come back the other way to get some stability into the system,” Windsor told national radio on Monday before last-minute talks with rival leaders at Canberra’s parliament house.

Labor’s Gillard and conservative opposition leader Tony Abbott have been desperately wooing the independents for their support for a minority government since August 21 elections delivered the country’s first hung parliament

since World War Two. Several newspapers on Monday said unnamed conservatives were expecting Gillard to win over at least two independents to form a minority government holding 76 seats. Bookmakers are also tipping a Gillard Labor government.

Gillard currently has 74 seats to Abbott’s 73 after a fourth independent last week sided with Labor, but Abbott could still form a government if the three uncommitted independents back him.

Labor has promised a controversial mining profits tax and a $38 billion broadband project if it wins, as well a carbon price to curb one of the world’s highest per-capita levels of emissions. The conservatives oppose all three policies.

“They are pretty significant issues with significant amounts of money wrapped up in all three of those policies, so I think a lot more certainty on the government side and those policy fronts will be welcomed by business leaders,” said Stephen Halmarick, Head of Investment Markets Research with Colonial First State.

Reuters

Australia’s Prime Minister Julia Gillard

AFP/File

Pakistanis help injured blast victims at the site of a suicide bomb attack in Quetta on September 3. 2010

Police say suicide attack in NW Pakistan kills 17 AP

PESHAWAR, Pakistan – A suicide bomber detonated a car in an alley behind a police station in a strategically vital town in northwest Pakistan on Monday, killing at least 17 police and civilians in an explosion that shattered the station and neighboring homes, police said.

About 40 people were wounded in the attack in Lakki Marwat, which sits on the main road and rail link between Punjab Province, Pakistan’s largest and most prosperous, and the North and South Waziristan tribal regions. A Pakistani army offensive pushed many militants out of South Waziristan in October. The militants still control much of North Waziristan, where U.S. drone aircraft have been conducting a campaign of targeted killings.

Rescue workers and police officials were digging through rubble at the station in the town of Lakki Marwat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, police official Ghulam Mohammad Khan said. Nine police officers, four adult civilians and four children going to

school were slain in the attack.

Police official Liaquat Ali said 45 police were in the building when the bomber struck.

Local TV footage showed emergency workers using heavy machinery to move the rubble of the mostly destroyed police station. Books and a schoolbag could be seen in the wreckage and the twisted frames of a motorcycle and a car sat nearby. A neighborhood shop and mosque also were partly destroyed.

The police chief of Lakki Marwat district was killed in a suicide bombing several months ago and militants have carried out a string of attacks in the area since then.

In recent days, militants have

launched attacks across the nation aimed at destabilizing the country and weakening a civilian government already struggling with a massive flooding that has displaced millions and caused widespread destruction.

The deadliest have targeted minority Shiite Muslims. A suicide bombing killed at least 43 Shiite Muslims at a procession in the southwestern city of Quetta on Friday. Two days earlier, a triple suicide attack killed 35 people at a Shiite ceremony in the eastern city of Lahore.

Both were claimed by the Pakistani Taliban, whose commander Qari Hussain Mehsud threatened Friday that his group would wage imminent attacks in the U.S. and Europe.

On the same day, Pakistani intelligence officials said two suspected U.S. missile strikes had killed at least seven people in North Waziristan, which is largely controlled by the Haqqani network, one of the main groups battling Americans in neighboring Afghanistan.

Former Saddam confidant says he’ll die in prison AP

BAGHDAD – The man who once served as the international face of Saddam Hussein’s regime predicted Sunday that he will die in an Iraqi jail, citing his old age and lengthy prison sentence.

During a brief interview with The Associated Press on Sunday, Tariq Aziz said that considering he is 74 and faces more than two decades in prison for crimes related to his role in the former regime, he expects to die behind bars.

“I have no future. I have no future. I’m 74 years old now,” said Aziz. “So I have no future.”

Aziz served for years as Saddam Hussein’s foreign minister, establishing an international reputation as a vociferous defender of the late dictator’s regime who

was received by governments around the world. But his years in prison, repeated court cases and illness have left him frail, hobbling on a cane.

Aziz surrendered to U.S. forces about a month after the war started in March 2003, and was held at an American prison in Baghdad until the U.S. handed over control of the facility this July to the Iraqi government.

Aziz was handed over as well.

In the interview at the Iraqi High Tribunal, Aziz declined to talk about such topics as politics, the U.S. troop withdrawal or his treatment at the hands of Iraqi officials.

The English-speaking Aziz, who was a rare Christian in Saddam’s inner circle, has been convicted in two cases stemming from the Saddam-era.

Last year, he was convicted and sentenced to 15 years for his role in the 1992 execution of 42 merchants

found guilty of profiteering. He also received a seven-year prison sentence for a case involving the forced displacement of Kurds in northern Iraq.

Aziz is currently on trial in a long-running case in which he is accused of being part of a campaign targeting members of the Shiite Dawa Party, of which Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is a member.

When Aziz was transferred from U.S. to Iraqi custody in July, his family said they were worried about his health in the Iraqi-run Karkh prison where he is currently housed.

Aziz has suffered several strokes, and during recent court appearances has shuffled to and fro in the courtroom with the aid of a cane.

“I’m sick and tired but I wish Iraq and Iraqis well,” he said.

AP

Tariq Aziz, former Iraqi foreign minister and deputy prime minister

Hotel Activities

International

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

5

Independence Day at Kuta Seaview IBP

KUTA - The 65th celebration of Independence Day is also can find at Kuta Seaview Boutique Resort and Spa, the only one luxurious boutique resort at Kuta beach area. The atmosphere of independent’s celebration feel so strong by red – white of decorated and flags from the main gate until the lobby area of this resort with 80 well refurbishment rooms.

For this special moment Kuta Seaview management and staff celebrating the independence day by doing flag ceremony besides other activities as usual they did like at the previous years. Attended by each department head and their staffs, they are followed the flag hoisting ceremony to honoring those that sacrificed lives fighting for nation independence.

K. Swabawa, the Resident Manager on his speech said “ A great nation is that can respect and reminisce their history, live in unity and harmony civilization. Our resort was 34 years already, great thanks and high appreciate to the owning company who has committed as always to operate this resort in every challenge has attacked our country. This great effort is very beneficial for Bali’s community, as environment development we may retain peoples get their work here in 2 generations. We must go survive in every way” On this occasion, by the aim to appreciate the employee’s loyalty and their consistent to always provide the best service for all costumers, the management presents the “25 years Excellent Service’s certificate of recognition” for the employees who had working and served for 25 years in Kuta Seaview Boutique Resort & Spa. The groceries are also delivered to them as the gift. By this appreciation rewards, the management expecting for all the department head and staffs to maximize their job performance and loyalty as part of Kuta Seaview Boutique Resort & Spa team in the future.

Temple Ceremony Calendar of Event (Sep 3- 23 2010) 4 h – “Tumpek Wayang”, day devoted to “Sanghyang Iswara”, the lord of puppeteers, when blessing ceremony is given to shadow – puppet play sets for proper function and magical power.

Temple Festival at: - Pr.aspahit, Jembrana.

- Pr. Panti Gelgel, Ds. Pangembungan, Sesetan, Badung.

- Pedharman Dalem Sri Aji Kresna Kepakisan, Besakih.

- Pedharman Dalem Sukawati, Besaih.

- Pedharman Kaba-Kaba , Besakih.

- Pedharman Dalem Bakas, Besakih.

- Pr. Pedharman Mengwi, Besakih.

- Pr. Penataran Giri Purwa, Ds. Kutarejo, Tegal Dalimo, Banyuwangi.

5th _ Temple Festival at: - Pr. Maospahit, Ds. Gerenceng Denpasar.

8th _ Temple Festival at: - Pr. Ulun Kulkul, Besakih.

- Pr. Melanting, Ds. Camenggaon, Sukawati.

- Pr. Penataran Agung, Teluk Padang, Karangasem.

- Pr. Pasek Gelgel, Ds. Pangembungan, Bongkasa, abiansemal.

- Pr. Pasek Bandesa, Ds. Riyang Gede, Penebel Tabanan.

- Pr. Pasek Banjar Jawa, Buleleng.

- Pr. Gaduhan Jagat, Ds. Singakerta, Ubud.

- Pr. Masceti Tengah, Ds. Mancawarna, Tampaksiring.

- Pr. Penataran Batulepang, Ds. Kamasan, Klungkung.

- Pr. Paibon Pasek Gobleg, Ds. Kedonganan, Kuta - Pr. Pasek Gelgel, Ds. Songan, Batur,

Kintamani.

- Pr. Pasanggerahan Agung, Ds. Bebandem, Karangasem.

- Pr. Penataran Dalem Peed, Nusa Penida.

- Mr.Pasek Perateka, Ds. Pekandelan, Sidemen, Karangasem.

- Mr.Pasek Perateka Taman Sari, Sukasada.

- Pr. Kawitan Jero Wenayu, Ds. Wenayu, Bedulu, Gianyar.

- Pr. Jati, Ubud.

- Pr. Gua, Besakih.

10th _ Temple Festival at: - Merajan Geriya Kebon – Tabanan.

- Pr. Candi Gora, Ds. Tianyar, Karangasem.

14th _ Temple Festival at: - Pr. Puseh Jagat Dalem Dukut, Nusa Penida.

- Pr. Dalem, Ds. Batuyang, Batubulan.

- Pr. Pasek Magending, Kediri, Tabanan.

- Pr. Pasek Undagi, Ds. Timpag, Kerambitan, Tabanan.

- Pr. Desa + Pura Pucak, Br. Taman Bedulu, Gianyar.

- Mr.Pasek Tangkas Kori Agung, Ds. Sulahan.

- Mr.Pasek Padang Rata, Ds. Padang, Karangasem.

- Pr. Telaga Sakti/Dalem Tarukan, Ds. Ambengan, Nusa Penida.

- Pr. Dalem, Ds. Padangan, Pupuan, Tabanan.

- Pr. Yogha, Br. Teba Jero, Kaba-Kaba, Kediri Tabanan.

- Pr. Dalem Purwa, Br. Kawan, Bangli.

15th _ Temple Festival at: - Pr. Agung Pasek Gelgel, Ds. Sibang Kaja, abiansemal.

- Pr. Dalem Samprangan, Gianyar.

- Pr. Ds. Galiran, Bhakti Seraga, Buleleng.

Balinese Temple Ceremony EVERY Temple and Shrine has a special date for it annual Ceremony, or “ Odalan “, every 210 days according to Balinese calendar, including the smaller ancestral shrine which each family possesses. Because of this practically every few days a ceremony of festival of some kind takes place in some Village in Bali. There are also times when the entire island celebrated the same Holiday, such as at Galungan, Kuningan, Nyepi day, Saraswati day, Tumpek Landep day, Pagerwesi day, Tumpek Wayang day etc.

The dedication or inauguration day of a Temple is considered its birth day and celebration always takes place on the same day if the wuku or 210 day calendar is used. When new moon is used then the celebration always happens on new moon or full moon. The day of course can differ the religious celebration of a temple lasts at least one full day with some temple celebrating for three days while the celebration of Besakih temple, the Mother Temple, is never less than 7 days and most of the time it lasts for 11 days, depending on the importance of the occasion.

The celebration is very colorful. The shrine are dressed with pieces of cloths and sometimes with brocade, sailings, decorations of carved wood and sometimes painted with gold and Chinese coins, very beautifully arranged, are hung in the four corners of the shrine. In front of shrine are placed red, white or black umbrellas depending which Gods are worshipped in the shrines.

In front of important shrine one sees, besides these umbrellas soars, tridents and other weapons, the “umbul-umbul”, long flags, all these are prerogatives or attributes of Holiness. In front of the Temple gate put up “Penjor”, long bamboo poles, decorated beautifully ornaments of young coconut leaves, rice and other products of the land. Most beautiful to see are the girls in their colorful attire, carrying offerings, arrangements of all kinds fruits and colored cakes, to the Temple. Every visitor admires the grace with which the carry their load on their heads.

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Tuesday, September 7, 2010

News Fuel tankers, buses ablaze in Nigeria road crash AFP

LAGOS – More than a dozen vehicles including three fuel tankers and two mini-buses caught fire Sunday in a pile-up on a Nigerian highway, site of a deadly multi-car crash three weeks ago, an AFP photographer reported.

Police confirmed the crash saying it involved 12 cars, among them one tanker laden with petrol.

“It (the tanker) lost control at Kara, caught fire and affected other vehicles,” Olumuyiwa Adejobi, police spokesman for the Ogun state, which neighbours Lagos, told AFP Firefighters were battling to contain the inferno which engulfed the dozen vehicles in which an unknown number of people were trapped.

“They are still trying to quench

the fire as we speak and there is no movement on the road,” he said.

No death toll was immediately available.

The accident took place along the Lagos-Ibadan highway, where an accident involving 20 cars claimed 18 lives on August 15.

Highways in and around Lagos, which rivals Cairo as Africa’s biggest city with a population of some 15 million, are usually jammed and chaotic.

The road where the accident occurred is often busy on Sundays due to a large number of evangelical mega-churches in the area.

More than 17,000 people died in about 31,000 road accidents across Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, between 2007 and 2009, according to the state-run road safety agency.

AFP –

A rescuer holds the arm of the body of a person buried by a landslide in the Nahuala municipality

Afghan...

Guatemala ‘national tragedy’ as landslides kill dozens

From page 1 Public support for the war is flagging, with a recent opinion poll by NBC television and the Wall Street Journal showing as many as seven in 10 Americans saying they did not believe the war would end successfully.

The traditional summer fighting period has taken a heavy toll on foreign troops this year. A total of 102 were killed in June, the deadliest month of the war, followed by 88 in July and another 80 in August, according to independent monitor

AFP

Colombian...

GUATEMALA CITY – Guatemalan rescue teams searched for survivors Monday after landslides caused by heavy rains killed at least 38 people around the country and left nearly two dozen others missing.

From page 1

President Alvaro Colom declared a “national tragedy” as fears grew the eventual toll from scores of landslides across the country set off by weeks of torrential rain could be far higher.

“It’s a national tragedy,” Colom said as he visited a site where up to 40 people were feared to have been buried alive in a mudslide.

“This weekend alone we have seen damage comparable to what we experienced with Agatha,” he added, referring to a tropical storm in May that killed 165 Guatemalans and left thousands homeless.

Officials said 40,000 people had lost their homes and another 11,686 had been evacuated.

A fresh mudslide in northern Guatemala late Sunday killed one person and injured eight, including two children, bringing the overall death toll to 38, officials said.

“Top priority at present is dealing with this emergency,” Colom said as he toured the devastation and put the cost of the damage, in one of the poorest countries in the Americas, at up to 500 million dollars.

Rescuers on Sunday dug nine bodies out of a 300-meter (1,000-foot) deep ravine off the main Pan-American Highway, west of the capital Gua-

temala City.

Fire service spokesman Cecilio Chacaj told AFP some 40 people had been buried in mud there even as they tried to help the occupants of five vehicles and a bus swept into the abyss by a previous landslide.

Ten people were killed in a separate incident on Saturday when a second bus on the main highway was buried near the town of Chimaltenango.

Rescuers managed to unearth 20 survivors.

A landslide also buried a family of four inside their house in the western region of Quetzaltenango, while 13 more people were killed in separate incidents around the country.

Heavy rains Sunday afternoon forced rescue work to be suspended until Monday, said David de Leon, a spokesman for the national disaster response effort, adding that the latest figures showed 37 dead and 23 missing, down from 40 missing earlier in the day.

In Nahuala municipality, rescuers in bright orange uniforms used shovels, hoes and their hands to unearth the corpses of victims. Among the dead was Manuel Sohon, whose uncle Manuel Ajtzalam wept as he identified him.

Guatemala’s National Coordination

for Disaster Reduction listed almost 200 landslides, wall collapses and mudslides across the country.

Three regions in the country’s south, Escuintla, Retalhuleu and Suchitepequez, were placed on red alert.

With more heavy rain forecast, authorities have closed part of the PanAmerican Highway.

“This section of the road has been declared impassable,” Communications, Infrastructure and Housing Minister Guillermo Castillo told reporters.

“It will not reopen until we are sure a similar tragedy will not occur again.

Colom also ordered rescue workers to halt operations if heavy rains passed through the area again.

He warned he had little funds left to cope with the disaster as the country was still struggling to recover from the killer storm Agatha in May. Central America has been lashed by an unusually fierce rainy season this year. The recent bad weather has killed 55 people in Honduras, at least 40 in Nicaragua, nine in El Salvador and three in Costa Rica.

Worryingly, the downpours have come ahead of what is traditionally the worst part of the rainy season, which lasts until October 30.

The couple’s youngest child, 11-year-old Miguel Angel, stands 37 inches (93 centimeters) tall and has facial features similar to Nino.

The other three boys are of normal height and appearance.

“I feel happy because I’m unique,” Nino said in an interview Friday with The Associated Press.

He does, however, have his problems: cataracts in both of his eyes that blur his vision and, says his mother, require urgent surgery that the family can’t afford.

“He doesn’t see well. He isn’t able to read,” she said. During an interview, Nino’s eyes water and he fidgets with the laces on his toddler-sized black dress shoes.

Other than his eyes, he has no medical complaints. He’s mentally sharp and laughs easily though it’s sometimes hard to understand his high-pitched speech and his stubby fingers make writing difficult.

Nino had to repeat several years of school before dropping out in the eighth grade. But he’s very sociable, loves to travel — though he hasn’t been outside Colombia — and likes to play dominoes and checkers. “He only gets depressed when he’s shut in at home,” his mother said.

www.iCasualties.org.

The latest casualties take to 2,068 the number killed since 2001, almost half of them in 2009 and 2010.

Roughly 60 percent of those killed were Americans. Despite the heavy military toll, ordinary Afghans continue to bear the brunt of the war.

A United Nations report released last month showed that civilian casualties had risen by 31 percent in the first six months of 2010, compared with the same period last year, with more than three-quarters of the casualties caused by insurgents.

Leafing through an advance copy of the Guinness World Records 2011 edition, which launches Sept. 15 in the United States and the next day internationally, Hernandez shows Nino a picture of the world’s smallest woman, who is from India.

He’s not interested in the least.

Nino says he already has a girlfriend. She’s 18, is named Fanny and measures just under 5 feet (1.5 meters), he says.

Nino has earned some cash dancing at department stores and is now acting in a film in which he plays — What else? This is Colombia — a pint-sized drug thug.

In his big scene, Nino gets into a shootout.

He acts out the scene, mimicking a pistol with the index fingers of his entwined hands, then slumps over onto the chair’s arm.

His character doesn’t survive the gunbattle.

Nino smiles broadly at the idea of more acting jobs and more life in the spotlight. And he says he’s gotten used to all the picture-taking. But being the world’s smallest man does have its drawbacks.

“It bothers me that people are (always) touching me and picking me up,” he said.

Indonesia Today

International

Muslim women living close to the erupting Mount Sinabung read the Koran inside a tent at a temporary shelter in Tanah Karo in North Sumatra on September 6, 2010 as it erupted during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. Earlier Mount Sinabung unleashed its most violent eruption in 400 years, sending a tower of ash into the sky but failing to budge a handful of stoic villagers who live on its slopes.

Officials said it was the strongest eruption since 2,460-metre (8,100-foot) Mount Sinabung ended its long sleep on August 29, 2010, and sparked panic among local residents.

AFP PHOTO / Sutanta ADITYA

Magnitude 5.4 quake rocks North Maluku Antara

JAKARTA - An earthquake measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale jolted North Maluku province early on Monday, the office of Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said.

The earthquake which took place at 0.34 am was located at 0.59 degrees southern latitude and -127.47 degrees eastern longitude at a depth of 30 km.

It was about five km northeast of Labuha, North Maluku.

According to the BMKG, the epicenter of the quake was also located 152 km southeast of Ternate (capital of North Maluku province), 232 km northeast of Sanana (Maluku), 339 km southeast of Bitung (North Sulawesi) and 2,375 km northeast of

Jakarta.

It has no potentials to create a tsunami. On Wednesday, an earthquake measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale jolted eastern Indonesian city of Ambon.

The BMKG said here on Wednesday that the epicenter of the earthquake was located at 3.32 degrees southern latitude and 127.41 degrees eastern longitude at a depth of 10 km under the sea level.

The epicenter was also 90 kilometers northwest of Ambon, 211 kilometers southeast of Sanana, 297 kilometers southwest of Labuha, 455 kilometers southeast of Ternate, and 2,308 kilometers northeast of Jakarta. Indonesia is prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the so-called Pacific “Ring of Fire”,

an arch of volcanoes and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.

Last Thursday, August 26, 2010, a 5.3 magnitude earthquake also jolted West Southeast Maluku district town of Saumlaki at 9.21 am Eastern Indonesia Standard Time (WIT).

The quake‘s epicenter was located 6.61 degrees southern latitude and 130.28 degrees eastern longitude, at a depth of 123 km below sea level, and around 190 km northwest of Saumlaki, Maluku, according to information from the meteorological, climatology and geophysics agency.

A day before (Wednesday), a 5.6 magnitude shook Sanana Maluku Province, with its epicenter located 0.98 degrees southern latitude and 124.68 degrees eastern longitude, at a depth of 10 km under the seabed.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

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Malaysian police again arrest five Indonesian fishermen Antara

JAKARTA - Malaysian police once again arrested five Indonesian fishermen believed to be in Indonesian waters on Friday and held them in a police post in Kampung Jawi, Malaysia, a fishery advocacy coalition said.

“We got the information from our networks, families of those arrested and other fishermen who escaped the arrest,” Secretary General of the People`s Coalition for Fishery Justice (KIARA), Riza Damanik, said here on Sunday.

He said that the five fishermen who were arrested came from Sei Bilah and Sei Bilah Timur villages, Sei Lepan sub district, Langket district, North Sumatra.

They are Naser (34), Junaidi (30), Iswadi (32), Jolauni (31) and Ali Akbar (22).

Damanik said he believed the five were arrested within the Indonesian water territory based on explanations made by fishermen who escaped the Malaysian police arrest.

In the meantime, the Indonesian embassy in Malaysia has not yet notified the families of the arrest.

“I hope the embassy would soon take actions to provide legal assistance for the Indonesian fishermen. I don`t know why the Indonesian embassy is always late. After all, Malaysia should have as soon as possible notified the embassy each time it had arrested Indonesians,” Damanik said.

With regard to the six traditional fishermen from Sei Bilah, Langkat district, North Sumatra, who were previously arrested by Malaysian police on July 9, 2010, he said that the six fishermen were now held at Malaysia‘s Sena Prison.

He said that five of the six fishermen were jailed up to October 29, 2010. They are Ismail (27), Amat (24), Hamid (50), Syahrial(42) and Mahmud (42). The other one, Sementara Zulham (40), will be jailed until December 9, 2010.

Damanik said that they were jailed because they lacked legal assistance, even though they were convinced they were fishing within Indonesia‘s territorial waters.

Buol hospital again receives three casualties Antara

BUOL - Buol Hospital again received three victims of armed violence on Sunday evening.

The victims were identified as Lubis (33) who suffered from gunshot wound in his right elbow, Sudirman (31) who was injured in his left thigh, and Sutomo (35) who was wounded in his left cheek.

“They had actually been admitted here earlier, and later they had decided to return home. But their wounds are not fully cured, so they need to be treated again,” dr. Arianto Panumbang of Buol Hospital, Sunday evening (Sept. 6).

Sudirman said he had left the hospital by force on September 2, because he had been afraid of several police officers who had threatened by pointing their guns at certain patients.

“I was traumatized and therefore I ran away and went home,” Sudirman, a resident of Leok Dua, said.

After staying at home for two days, his gunshot wound got worse, so he decided to return to the hospital.

Lubis, a farmer, told a similar story, saying that he had seen several people running out of the hospital as several police officers went on rampage in the hospital.

“I was traumatized,” Lubis said. Sudirman and Lubis said that they had been shot while riding motorcycles around the venue of armed clash between Buol residents and police.

The security situation in Buol is now conducive after the clash which was triggered by the death of a motorist named Kasmir Timumun in jail on August 30.

The unrest and shooting incident which broke out in Buol district, Central Sulawesi Province, on August 31, had claimed eight lives and wounded 26 others.

The total number of dead and injured victims had been verified by Buol public hospital‘s authority here Sunday evening.

“The victims include Kasmir Timumun. He died in jail but the postmortem of his body was conducted here so that it was registered at our hospital,” said the hospital`s doctor, Arianto Penumbang earlier

FOTO ANTARA/Basri Marzuki

The victims of Buol incident at the hospital. Buol Hospital again received three victims of armed violence on Sunday evening. The victims were identified as Lubis (33) who suffered from gunshot wound in his right elbow, Sudirman (31) who was injured in his left thigh, and Sutomo (35) who was wounded in his left cheek.

8

Internationa

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Bali Today Hotels in queue to be included in DNI Bali Post

DENPASAR - After travel agents proposed to be included in investment negative list (DNI), the hotels now seem to follow the incoming DNI. Based on observation of some circles, the number of hotel rooms in Bali has exceeded the ideal number.

Bali Provincial Government called for the suspension of hotel development temporarily even though there has no been valid data regarding to the number of hotel rooms in Bali. According to the data, the occupancy rate of hotels in Bali just reached in the range of 50-60 percent, while the remaining 40-50 percent was unoccupied yet. ‘’We are going to examine this matter. Right now, we do not carry it out yet because we are still waiting for the study and data of hotels in Bali,” said Governor of Bali Made Mangku Pastika, last weekend.

He added that hotel development in the two regions namely Badung and Denpasar kept on growing. However, the more rapid growth of hotel rooms happened in the region of Badung Regency. When the permit of five-star hotels was limited, it then appeared a new phenomenon, namely the development using the concept of condotel condominium hotel. As consequence, thousands of hotel rooms increased in

the region of Badung every year.

“In relation to travel agents proposed to be included in the DNI, I have signed the letter that will be sent to central government,” said Mangku. It was revealed the decision to include the proposed travel agents in DNI because there were many inactive travel agents. Among the approximately 658 licenses of travel agent, in fact there were only 216 active travel agents, while 351 others were inactive. ‘’In reality, of the 658 travel agents, the inactive is more than active ones.

If 216 travel agents have been enough, why should there be many inactive travel agents?” he questioned. Affirmed, the government would begin to make an arrangement and data collection concerning with travel agents.

Government in cooperation with Bali Tourism Board (BTB) and Association of the Indonesia Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA) would perform data collection about the real amount of travel agents required.

Meanwhile, the industry was glad to welcome the measures taken by provincial government in organizing the travel agents in Bali. “Government and industry have a mutual understanding regarding to the restructuring of tourism industry in Bali. We as an industry respond positively to what being done by government, especially the Governor of Bali,” said Regional Coordinator of ASITA for Bali, NTB and NTT, Bagus Sudibya.

Industry side, particularly ASITA Bali would conduct data collection and assessment on the carrying capacity of Bali tourism. Even, he said his party would make cooperation with the Center for Tourism Research of Udayana University in conducting the data collection. As regard to the issues of hotel industry, he also considered the necessity to do realignment. The fact concerning with the hotel occupancy rate lying on 50-60 percent indicated the excessive number of hotel rooms in Bali. (par)

”Semara Ratih” gamelan group performs in three countries Antara

GIANYAR - Semara Ratih gamelan group of Ubud sub district, Gianyar regency, will perform in three countries, namely the Netherlands, Belgium and Turkey in the Gamelan International Festival ending on September 25, 2010.

“We and 25 members of the group will perform in the international festival,” group leader Anak Agung Anom Putera said in an audience with Gianyar Regent Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardana Sukawati at is office on Thursday.

He said Semarah Ratih Gamelan group will perform in Holland on September 10, Belgium on September 11, and Turkey on September 23.

According to Gung Anom, as he is addressed to more intimately, the group will perform in a new innovation of the Balinese gamelan.

“We interpret modern music into traditional music of Balinese gamelan,” he said.

For patenting the collaboration of modern and traditional music, Gung Anom said his side used two composers, namely Evan Syvoren from the USA, and Ketut Cater from Bali.

He said performing the Semara Ratih group is a pride.

Furthermore, being able to perform in the International festival Gamelan in Netherlands according to him was quite a surprise. “The festival was held coinciding with 100th anniversary of Tropen Theater, which is a a pride because that celebration is a historic event,” he said.

Gianyar Regent Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardana Sukawati said he was proud with the Semara Ratih achievement. “That achievement continues to establish Gianyar regency a city of art,” he said.

The governor of Agung Ubud castle hoped the group will be able to promote tourism especially in Gianyar regency and Bali province. “We hoped by appearing in Semara

http://farm3.static.flickr.com

Semara Ratih troupe performance. Semara Ratih gamelan group of Ubud sub district, Gianyar regency, will perform in three countries, namely the Netherlands, Belgium and Turkey in the Gamelan International Festival ending on September 25, 2010.

Ratih group in the three countries we could promote tourism in Gianyar regency,” he said.

He also admitted that Semara Ratih will perform maximally and create a good name of Bali province. “The performance is a part of appraisal, we hoped Semara Ratih will provide its best for Gianyar regency,” he said.

http://malangraya.files.wordpress.com

Kuta Square is one of tourists destination when holidaying in Kuta area. After travel agents proposed to be included in investment negative list (DNI), the hotels now seem to follow the incoming DNI. Based on observation of some circles, the number of hotel rooms in Bali has exceeded the ideal number.

Over 300,000 Bali residents still illiterate Antara

DENPASAR - Some 302,523 Bali residents aged 15 and over are still illiterate, a provincial government spokesman, I Ketut Teneng, said here on Friday. To remedy the problem, Teneng said, the provincial administration had been organizing more basic literacy classes since 2008 with the target of making 36,697 people literate by 2010 and 265,826 more gradually starting in 2011.

Ketut Teneng said the provincial administration had in 2010 allocated Rp964.4 million from the regional budget to support various programs such as technical supervision of tutor training and activities to increase the quality of education for students.

Last 2008, Indonesia‘s Bali Island hosted the seventh E-9 Ministerial Review Meeting on Education for All (EFA) which was focused on the improvement of education and training for teachers in countries where illiteracy is a national problem.

The program is run by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and aimed at decreasing the world’s illiterate population.

The nine countries attending the meeting were Bangladesh, Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Egypt, Nigeria, Pakistan and Indonesia.

According to a 1993 report by UNESCO said these nine countries were home to 70 percent of the world’s illiterate population and 40 percent of global school dropouts. UNESCO said it aimed to cut 50 percent of the world’s

illiterate population by 2015 through the EFA program, with particular focus on the nine countries.

The EFA program is focused on six themes including early childhood education, compulsory education, gender equality, life skill education, quality of education and illiteracy. Former director general for higher education at Indonesia’s Education Ministry who is now the vice minister, Fasli Jalal, said “Failures in tackling education problems in these nine countries will result in failure to reach the EFA target”.

Fasli said the condition of education in the nine countries had improved since the first EFA summit in New Delhi in 1993.

China was the country that had shown the most improvement because it had managed to cut its illiterate population by 80 percent and had provided nine-year’s worth of compulsory education for its citizens.

Fasli said Indonesia was in second place in terms of improvement. He said the country’s illiteracy rate had declined to less than 10 percent of its 240 million populations.

Illiteracy rates in most other countries stood at around 40 percent, he said.

“Besides that, we have no problem with gender equality in education. We have left the six-year compulsory education (phase) and we are now entering the nine-year compulsory education (phase), which is equal to China,” he said.

But Indonesia still had problems with the quality of its education, Fasli said, adding lessons around life skills were not properly provided.

al

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Balinese Culture Singapore ranks ninth as source of foreign tourists Antara

DENPASAR - The number of Singaporean tourists visiting Bali surged 56.71 percent to 48,347 in the year to July 2010 from a year earlier, putting the city state in the ninth place among top ten sources of foreign tourists.

The Singaporean tourists were made up of 3.36 percent of the overall tourist arrivals in the world-renowned tourist island in the year to July 2010 reaching 1,435,016, head of the Bali provincial statistics office Ida Komang Wisnu said.

The number of tourist arrivals in the January-July 2010 period repre-

sented a 9.90 percent increase compared to the same period last year when the figure was recorded at 1,305,793, he said.

Ida Komang Wisnu said Singapore ranked ninth among the top ten sources of foreign tourists after Australia, Japan, China, Malaysia, Taiwan, South Korea, France and Britain.

“In 2009 Singapore did not belong to the group of top ten countries. But this time it ranks ninth, overtaking The Netherlands whose citizens visited Bali reached 46,347 (over the period),” he said.

All the Singaporean tourists visited Bali in the January-July 2010 period by direct flights from their country and

none of them by ship, he said.

He said the number of Australian tourists visiting Bali in the first seven months of 2010 jumped 51.07 percent to 341,664 from 225,170, China 1.01 percent to 118,008 from 116,624, Britain 8.81 percent to 51.491 from 48,029, The Netherlands 26.78 percent to 46,347 from 36,557 and Taiwan 12.53 percent to 78,059 from 69,368.

However, the number of tourists from Japan fell 23,90 percent from 186,265 to 141,743, Taiwan 4.17 percent from 83,909 to 80,406, South Korea 4.15 percent from 74,096 to 71,019 and France 4.78 percent from 59,595 to 56,744, he said.

Bali to host Asia-Pacific conference on disaster mitigation Antara

JAKARTA - Bali is to host an Asia-Pacific Association on Emergency and Disaster Medicine (APCEDM) Conference in 2010, the organization‘s chairman Dr Abdul Rajak said here on Monday.

“Of the two other candidates, namely Banda Aceh and Jakarta, the organization`s board of directors choose Bali,” he said adding that he could not yet mention the exact date of the conference.

Rajak added the conference would consist of a three-day seminar and one-day simulation to test disaster management at district, province, national and interna-

tional levels.

Though the conference would mainly focus on post-disaster medical and health care, Rajak said, the coordinating committee would still involve the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) in planning the conference.

The Asia-Pacific region is among the most disaster-prone parts of the world. Disasters hitting this region are mostly landslides, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and tsunami.

This condition has made governments in the region more and more aware of the need to unite in facing natural disasters.

Last year, the military chiefs of

24 Asia-Pacific countries agreed to enhance cooperation in tackling the effects of natural disasters and epidemic diseases, an Indonesian military official said.

The agreement was reached at the 12th Chiefs of Defense (CHOD) Conference in Hawaii, United States, last October 26-29, 2009, Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI) Chief Gen Djoko Santoso said.

“Several issues were discussed in the forum, including post-disaster management and ways to tackle epidemic diseases,” Djoko said, adding that the three-day meeting also agreed to improve cooperation in anti-piracy operations.

Turmeric Chicken Wing: Strong flavor in Balinese simplicity Chopped Balinese spices in combination with coconut milk yields typical flavor on chicken wings. This serving presents both tenderness of flesh and delicacy of chicken broth until the end. Of course, this nice yellow serving can enrich the treasures of flavor being similar to chicken curry.

Ingredients: 250 g chicken wing, 500ml coconut milk Ground spices: 1 slice turmeric, 1 slice ginger, ½ tsp coriander, ½ tsp pepper powder Chopped spices: 4 cloves shallot, 3 cloves garlic, 1 small chili, 1 large chili, 1 slice galangal and 1 slice aromatic ginger Others: palm oil to fry Method: · Cleanse thoroughly the chicken wings. Fry them until turning brown and take out. · Stir-fry the ground spices by 2 tbsp of cooking oil. Add the chopped spices and stir evenly. Add coconut milk and keep on stirring so it will not curdle. · Put the chicken wings into the blend of spices on the pan while continuously stirring. · Let the coconut milk diminish. Take out and the chicken wing is ready to serve along with its broth.

(BTN/punia)

Candung leaf with peanut: Exploring the past green delight In countryside life, many vegetables grow at the surroundings. Some are cultivated, while some others grow wildly. At a glance, life looks easier as many ingredients can be obtained without necessity to spend money. For instance, candung or bijou taro is a species of taro ordinarily growing wet land and uncultivated. Size of its leaf is small and has purple stalk. Its leaf can be made into vegetable serving added with peanut and winged bean ( kecipir). This one is a past treasure of Balinese food rarely known by current generation.

Ingredients: 1 handful candung leaf, 100gr peanut and 3 pieces of winged bean (cut short crosswise) Spices: 6 cloves shallot, 3 cloves garlic, 1 small chili, 2 candlenut, 1 slice ginger, 1 slice turmeric, 1 slice aromatic ginger, 1 stalk lemongrass (finely sliced), Others: 1 tsp water of tamarind paste, 1 tsp salt and 2 tbsp grated coconut, 1000ml water Method: · Cleanse the candung leaf and drain well. · All spices are ground finely. Then, boil the water and put the whole candung leaf into the water along with peanut and winged bean. Wait until they are half- done. · Add the ground spices, salt and water of tamarind paste and stir it constantly. Wait until the candung leaf turning tender and the peanut cooked. · Take out and serve while it stays warm. (BTN/punia) C.045 ibp

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Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Destinations

International

Tirta Gangga Park IBP

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Tirta Gangga is a beautiful park with the huge water fountain and wide pond located at Abang Subdistrict, Karangasem Regency in east part of Bali. Tirta Gangga Park is built in the year of 1948 by the Karangasem King of Anak Agung Agung Angluerah Ketut Karangasem.

Before this park is found, there is big wellspring found in this area which the local society believe that this water come from the land is holy spring therefore they call this place is Embukan means wellspring. According to the local believe that this wellspring functioning as a bath place for the god and also used as drinking water for the local community from the nearest village. Therefore this wellspring is sacrificed by local people and keeps the park naturally. The King of Karangasem has got an idea to improve this park into a good looking and nowadays, it becomes one of the famous tourist destinations in east part of Bali.

Tirta Gangga Park is also fea-

tured by the wide public pool with the cool and clean water where it can be used by everyone who visiting this place. It is situated on the foot Abang Hill with cool temperature in particular night time or morning time. The lush tropical garden are well surround the park and big fish ponds are running away at another ponds to give the impression for every tourist who pay a visit to this beautiful park. Some buildings and other decorations are intentionally made as according to the spirit from Puri Agung Karangasem (Agung Karangasem Palace), so it can be said that between Tirta Gangga Park and Sukasada Park (Taman Sukasada) which is located at Ujung countryside is a union.

Tirta Gangga is strategically located beside of the main strait from Karangasem to Singaraja Town and it is just 20 minutes from the local town or 2 hours and 15 minutes from Denpasar Town. You may also join the exciting tour to the east part of Bali that we call it by Karangasem Tour and you will discover many places of interest in east part of Bali including Tirta Gangga.

Jl. Kepundung 67 A, e-mail: info_ibp@balipost.co.id Jl. Palmerah Barat 21 F

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

11

BUSINESS China’s ‘miracle’ Shenzhen marks 30 years Agence France-Presse

BEIJING - President Hu Jintao hailed the southern export hub of Shenzhen as a “miracle” Monday as China marked 30 years of reforms in the city that provided the blueprint for the country’s economic rebirth.

“The Shenzhen Special Economic Zone created a miracle in the world’s history of industrialisation, urbanisation and modernisation and has contributed significantly to China’s opening up and reform,” Hu said on a visit to the southern city which borders Hong Kong.

“The central government wills, as always, support the brave exploration of the special economic zone as well as its role of testing and carrying out reforms ahead of others,” he said, according to state-run television.

Once a sleepy fishing village, Shenzhen is widely viewed as the cradle of China’s dramatic transformation into a world economic and trade juggernaut.

In 1980, it became the first area in China designated as a special economic zone that could accept foreign investment, under reforms pioneered by late leader Deng Xiaoping.

It offered lower taxes and less red tape to attract the overseas investors whose factories — staffed by China’s abundant cheap labour — set the mould for the country’s explosive manufacturing-based economic growth.

Several other special economic

zones followed, in the nearby cities of Zhuhai and Shantou in Guangdong province, the port of Xiamen in the southeastern province of Fujian and the southern island of Hainan.

The reforms touched off an annual economic growth rate of 25.8 percent over the last 30 years in Shenzhen, compared with about 9.8 percent for the entire country, according to government figures.

The population has ballooned to nearly nine million people, most of them members of China’s huge army of migrant workers, according to official data.

Authorities expanded the area of the zone to just fewer than 2,000 square kilometres (770 square miles) this year, nearly the size of Luxembourg, from the previous 396 square kilometres.

Located in the Pearl River Delta, the heartland of China’s export-oriented economy, Shenzhen boasts one of the highest minimum wages in China at 1,100 yuan (160 dollars) per month, compared with just 600 yuan in the poor central province of Henan.

It is home to many high-tech firms, including Taiwanese IT giant

Foxconn, which employs more than 400,000 people in the city to make products for Apple, Panasonic and other top brands.

The city, however, is often pointed to as a symbol of some of the social problems attending this Chinese economic model’s reliance on cheap factory labour.

Foxconn, for example, has come under heavy criticism over working conditions at its factories after 13 Chinese employees committed suicide this year at Foxconn plants and an affiliate, including 10 in Shenzhen.

State media reports have also decried the city’s thriving prostitution industry, while a corruption scandal involving mayor Xu Zongheng tainted the city last year. Xu was removed from office.

But Wang Rong, the Communist Party chief of Shenzhen, told a rally that the city would continue to play the role of “first mover” and strive to be the “vanguard of China’s scientific development.”

Shenzhen would build itself into a “modern and international” metropolis, Wang said, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

Obama to propose 100 billion tax credit Agence France-Presse

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama will call for a 100-billion-dollar business tax credit this week to boost the sagging US economic recovery, The Washington Post reported late Sunday.

Obama will use a speech in Cleveland on Wednesday to launch what administration officials said was a new policy push, it said.

The proposal would increase and permanently extend research and development tax credits for businesses, rewarding companies that develop new technologies domestically and preserve American jobs, the report said.

It would be paid for by closing other corporate tax loopholes, the paper noted, citing an unnamed administration official.

Obama’s economic team is considering a raft of new measures to revive the economy.

But with little appetite in Washington for a massive new round of government stimulus spending, with congressional elections looming in November, the White House said there would be no repeat of massive 814-billion-dollar 2009 Recovery Act. Obama will visit two states, Wisconsin and Ohio this week, which have both been hit hard by the recession, and include crucial political races as Demo-

crats battle to cling onto their majorities in Congress.

The reported proposals come after a new Labor Department report released Friday showed the economy lost 54,000 jobs last month and the unemployment rate edged up to 9.6 percent.

Although the job losses were much less than the 120,000 slump expected

by Wall Street economists, hiring was not substantial enough to help millions of crisis-hit Americans to return to work.

Created in 1981 as a temporary measure, the research tax credit has been extended repeatedly by Congress, The Post said. The latest extension expired in December.

In China, even ‘low-cost’ housing hard for some to afford After months of anxious waiting, Wang Jinxia finally obtained a coveted spot in Shanghai’s trial affordable-housing programme, but now the former factory worker is scrambling to pay for it.

The 53-year-old divorcee, who took early retirement years ago, is desperate to move after living eight years in a 60-squaremetre (650-square-foot) Shanghai apartment with her octogenarian parents and two other relatives.

“I’ve been stressed out recently. I have many new grey hairs.

I will have to pour all of my 70,000 yuan (10,300 dollars) savings into this,” Wang said outside a makeshift centre for mortgage applications at a local school.

She is among the first batch of about 1,940 families selected to buy low-cost housing that is selling for about a third of market prices, as part of a new affordable housing campaign in the city of more than 20 million.

However, Wang and others are finding even “affordable” housing out of reach due to limited financing options for low-income buyers — a hurdle for government efforts to quell public concern over skyrocketing prices.

China’s public housing programmes have been neglected for years as local governments sought to cash in on spiralling property prices with more upmarket developments.

But a growing outcry over the past year has put affordable housing back on Beijing’s agenda.

The stakes in China’s housing programme are high not only for low-income people such as Wang, who have been left behind

by China’s explosive growth, but for the economy itself.

It grew 10.3 percent in the second quarter of this year — slowing from a blistering 11.9 percent in the first quarter — as Beijing took steps to cool soaring property prices.

“The social housing programme is on track and will constitute an important cushion for any potential slowdown in private, marketbased residential property construction,” Morgan Stanley economist Qing Wang wrote in a note.

Beijing’s ambitious target to build 5.8 million affordable housing units this year is aimed at preventing a hard landing for property investment growth and propping up demand for basic materials such as cement and steel, Wang said.

If it succeeds, the programme

could boost China’s economic growth by up to a percentage point or more, according to Bai Hongwei, a property analyst at China International Capital Corp.

Only limited and fuzzy official data have been available, however, and the push has been blemished by reports of insufficient land and highincome earners exploiting loopholes to take social housing spots.

Analysts estimate only 40 percent of the housing local governments pledged to build last year materialised, as they continued selling land to developers at market rates, and that amount might rise to 50 percent this year, at best.

In May, Beijing told local officials that affordable housing would be part of their performance appraisals.

To qualify for Shanghai’s trial project, the family’s average annual income per capita must be less than 27,600 yuan, while each member’s share of floor space in their current residence must be under 15 square metres.

Some participants have likened the process to winning a lottery. To discourage fraud and corruption, the names and addresses of those selected are published online.

Yet once chosen, participants must still find a way to pay for the home.

“No bank wants to do this. It’s not a profitable business,” said a mortgage officer at the makeshift mortgage outlet set up by state-controlled China Construction Bank, who gave only his surname, Tang.

“We are here because the government instructed us,” he said, punching a calculator to work out monthly repayments, the biggest concern for low-income families.

For Wang, a mortgage for the newly built 70-square-metre home on the outskirts of the city to which she has won rights would cost 2,200 yuan a month.

That’s 43 percent of her and her parents’ combined pension, payable over 16 years, the longest period the bank offers.

“For me, a mortgage is out of the question. I just can’t afford the interest payments,” she said.

Despite winning a place, the keys are still out of reach for the retired factory worker. She persuaded the developer to give her three months to come up with cash to buy the apartment as she asks friends to lend her money.

But success is still far from certain, she said. (Agence FrancePresse)

12

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Entertainment

‘The American’ reigns at weekend box office Agence France Presse

LOS ANGELES - Spy thriller “The American” rocketed to the top of the North American box office to beat out crime action flick “Takers,” preliminary figures showed Sunday.

The debut weekend for George Clooney’s atmospheric thriller, hailed by critics as a visually captivating but restrained departure for the Hollywood star, took in 12.3 million dollars in US and Canadian theaters this weekend, according to figures from industry tracker Exhibitor Relations.

Last week’s winner “Takers,” starring Hayden Christensen, Idris Elba and singers Chris Brown and T.I., earned 11.5 million dollars and fell to second place in its second week of release.

In third position was “Machete,” mixing violence with a campy tribute to 1970s exploitation movies from directors Robert Rodriguez and Ethan Maniquis for an opening weekend take of 11.3 million dollars.

Fourth place went to the gruesome documentary-style horror

movie “The Last Exorcism,” which fell back from its competitive runner-up spot last weekend to take 7.6 million dollars.

The movie, directed by Daniel Stamm and co-produced by Eli Roth, a director known for his bloody thrillers, follows a disillusioned minister supposedly filming his last exorcism for a documentary.

At number five was new release “Going the Distance,” a romantic comedy starring Drew Barrymore and Justin Long about surviving a relationship where the couples live on different coasts of the United States. It earned 6.9 million dollars in its opening weekend.

In sixth was “The Expendables,” Sylvester Stallone’s film about a group of weathered mercenaries out to topple a South American dictator, which earned 6.8 million dollars in its fourth week in theaters.

Falling one position to the seventh spot was “The Other Guys,” the latest Will Ferrell slapstick comedy, about two mismatched police officers paired on a high-profile crime investigation, which had a 5.4-million-dollar take at the box office.

International

Canadian director of Avatar, James Cameron (R), and US actress, Sigourney Weaver, are seen during a tree planting ceremony in the Ibirapuera Park, Sao Paulo, Brazil in April 2010.

AFP/File/Nelson Almeida

Avatar director vows to return for Amazon tribe fight Agence France Presse

BRASILIA - Film director James Cameron said Sunday he will return to Brazil this year to make a 3D film on indigenous people of the Amazon who oppose construction of a huge dam for fear it could flood tribal lands. “I want to return to meet some of the leaders of the Xikrin-Kayapo tribe who invited me,” the Canadian director said in an interview published in the Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper.

AP Photo/Focus Features, Giles Keyte

In this film publicity image released by Focus Features, George Clooney is shown in a scene from, “The American.”

“I want to take a 3D camera to film how they live, their culture,” said Cameron, whose blockbuster movie Avatar tells the story of the peaceful Na’Vi people who live in harmony with nature on the planet Pandora and wage a bloody fight against strip-miners from Earth.

The filmmaker has already come to the Amazon twice in a show of support for the indigenous tribe and to film a short piece on their resistance to the damming project on the Xingu River, which will be included

on the “Avatar” DVD to be released around Christmas.

Speaking of the fight against the dam construction, Cameron said he “did a film on the same topic,” referring to Avatar, adding that when he was asked to help “the Brazilian Indians, who were desperate, I could not turn away.”

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva gave the green light last week for the construction of the Belo Monte hydroelectric plant on the Xingu River, a southern tributary to

the mighty Amazon. Work is set to begin on the project either late this year or early 2011.

Opponents of the dam project say it is not economically viable and would cause the displacement of 16,000 people because it would create a flood zone of 500 square kilometers along the banks of the Xingu.

The government says no indigenous land would be threatened and that it has spent millions on reducing the social and environmental impact of the dam.

Brazilian superstar Ivete Sangalo plays NY arena Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK – The most Earthshattering event in Brazil this weekend took place in New York, where singer Ivete Sangalo played a sold out show at Madison Square Garden. Too bad, few Americans even noticed.

A superstar in her native Brazil, where she can pack a 70,000capacity soccer stadium and commands crowds of millions during Carnaval, Sangalo kept the almostentirely-Brazilian audience on its feet over the course of three hours and five costume changes.

Dancing frenetically, the crowd of 14,500 sang along with every word of her samba-inflected dance pop songs like “Festa” (Party) and “Acelere” (Accelerate).

“I just want you to be proud of me, and I want you to be proud of

the show I brought here,” Sangalo said from the top of a massive, thrusting stage pulsing with lights and video — designed by the man responsible for this year’s Super Bowl halftime show, Bruce Rodgers.

In Brazil, Sangalo’s show was touted as her first step toward conquering the U.S., placing her in a pantheon with the likes of Madonna, the Rolling Stones, Beyonce and U2.

But a 100-foot-high banner that hung outside the Garden for weeks advertising the show still required the helpful caption explaining Sangalo is “A Brazilian Star.” At a pre-concert news conference, the statuesque brunette said the relative anonymity didn’t faze her.

“When I started in Brazil, I was also unknown, and Brazil is a gigantic place with lots of talent,” the huskyvoiced singer explained. “I haven’t come here with the pretension of be-

ing well known, but what I’ve come do to here, I’ve come to do right.”

As a Portuguese speaker, Sangalo may have had her work cut out for her, but promoters say selling out the Garden is a real accomplishment.

Shows by non-English-speaking acts there tend to top out at around 3,000 to 4,000 people, unless they sing in Spanish, which is spoken by a large and growing percentage of the U.S. population.

The only other Brazilian to headline a show at the Garden, singer Roberto Carlos, did so by reaching out to Latin audiences and singing in Spanish.

The closest comparison might be the Korean pop singer Rain, who sold out two nights at the smaller Madison Square Garden theater, which seats 4,000, in 2006. Concert promoter John Scher said people have been calling him to ask who Sangalo is.

AP Photo/Jason DeCrow

Brazilian singer Ivete Sangalo performs at Madison Square Garden Saturday, Sept. 4, 2010 in New York.

Life Style

International

A serie of vases are exhibited at the Archimede Seguso glassmaking factory on the Venice island of Murano on August 29, 2010.

Archimede Seguso, who died in 1999, was a leading figure in the world of contemporary glass-making.

AFP PHOTO / VINCENZO PINTO

Venice’s ‘couturiers of glass’ stand test of time Agence France Presse

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

13

Famed Tasmanian devil euthanized after tumor found Associated Press Writer

SYDNEY – A Tasmanian devil named Cedric, once thought to be immune to a contagious facial cancer threatening the iconic creatures with extinction, has been euthanized after succumbing to the disease, researchers said Wednesday.

The death of the devil — previously heralded as a possible key to saving the species — is another blow for scientists struggling to stop the rapid spread of the cancer, which is transmitted when the furry black marsupials bite each other.

“It was very disappointing indeed,” said scientist Alex Kreiss of the Menzies Research Institute in Hobart, Tasmania, which has led the studies on Cedric. “It’s just made us more determined to keep the research going.”

The Tasmanian devil population has plummeted by 70 percent since Devil Facial Tumor Disease was first discovered in 1996. The snarling, fox-sized creatures — made famous by their Looney

Tunes cartoon namesake Taz — don’t exist in the wild outside Tasmania, an island state south of the Australian mainland.

In 2007, Menzies researchers injected Cedric and his half brother Clinky with facial cancer cells.

Clinky developed the disease, but Cedric showed an immune response and grew no tumors — giving researchers hope that he could help them create a vaccine.

But in late 2008, Cedric developed two small facial tumors after being injected with a different strain of the cancer, which causes grotesque facial growths that eventually grow so large, it becomes impossible for the devils to eat.

Current estimates suggest the species could be extinct within 25 years due to the prolific spread of the cancer.

Researchers removed the tumors, and Cedric appeared to be rallying. But X-rays taken two weeks ago showed the cancer had spread to the 5-year-old’s lungs, Kreiss said. Tests confirmed the lung tumors were a result of facial tumor disease.

VENICE, Italy - With a clientele that includes crowned heads, Archimede Seguso Vetreria, a stalwart of Murano’s storied glassmakers, has no need to change its formula for success. “We buck the trend. We work traditionally, everything by hand,” said Gino Seguso, son of the late Archimede, the solid glass sculptor famed for his stylised animals, and generations of Segusos before him on the outlying Venetian island of Murano.

“We consider ourselves the ‘couturiers’ of glass,” said Seguso, whose atelier collaborates with top international artists, designers and architects and caters for royalty, heads of state and the likes of Tiffany’s, a loyal client for 60 years.

The guest book holds the compliments of Queen Sirikit of Thailand, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain and Italian President Giorgio Napolitano among other notables. The glassmaker’s enormous creations lend prestige to places like the lobby of the Veneto Bank headquarters or add extra opulence to the swank Hotel Metropole on Venice’s Grand Canal near St Mark’s Square.

That grandeur makes a stark contrast to the rustic Murano workshop, where a 100-year-old furnace was fired up. Though dressed in an impeccable suit, Seguso lifted a plate off the furnace to reveal the blinding yellow heat inside, and used a long iron tool to pull out a glowing red lump of molten glass, waving it in a gentle circle as cooling strands of glass spiraled to the floor.

The workshop was set up in 1948, shortly after Archimede Seguso left the family firm to create his own brand. He left an indelible mark on glassmaking, having started out as a teenager and worked until six months before his death in 1999 aged 90.

“In the 1920s my father was considered the maestro for animals,” Gino Seguso told AFP, adding that he returned to the speciality in the late 1950s.

The older Seguso is also credited with developing the technique of embedding filigree inside his creations as well as for his lacework, a technique known as Merletto, the Italian word for lace.

In the showroom bursting with chandeliers, vases and objets d’art, as well as a glass menagerie of rabbits, ducks or fish and other figurines, Seguso, who joined the family business in 1959, ticks off the decades reflected in his father’s rendition of the female form.

AP Photo/Menzies Research Institute, HO

In this Feb. 7, 2008 handout supplied by Menzies Research Institute, researcher Alex Kreiss holds a Tasmanian Devil named “Cedric” at the Menzies Research Institute of the University of Tasmania in Hobart, Australia.

WHO wants faster, more flu vaccine production Associated Press Writer

AP Photo/Evan Vucci

CVS employee Mambo Muntanga, left, receives a flu shot from nurse practitioner Susan Brown, Friday, Aug. 27, 2010, in Rockville, Md.

HONG KONG – The vaccine used to contain the recent swine flu pandemic was effective, but health authorities will need to ramp up the speed and volume of production during the next global outbreak, a World Health Organization official said Monday.

The WHO declared last month that the swine flu pandemic that started in June 2009 was over, after it killed about 18,600 people worldwide, far less than the worse-case scenarios in which authorities said millions could die.

The widespread use of vaccines was critical in limiting the number of casualties, with studies showing they offered protection in up to 95

percent of cases, WHO official David Wood said at a news conference on the sidelines of an influenza conference in Hong Kong.

Some 350 million doses of the vaccine were administered worldwide, according to WHO figures. “That gives us considerable hope for the future, for the future pandemics, that the technologies that we have to actually make the vaccines are” effective, said Wood, the quality and safety team coordinator for the WHO’s immunization and vaccines department.

But while vaccines became available six months after the H1N1 virus strain behind the pandemic was identified in April 2009, that was still too late for some countries, he said. In the case of the U.S., vaccination started

on Oct. 5, 2009 — weeks after a second wave of cases hit as schools resumed, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention flu expert Nancy Cox told reporters.

The WHO is studying ways to make vaccines more quickly, Wood said without offering specifics, adding that technological breakthroughs will also speed up the process.

“In the short term, we’ll be able to make some gains of weeks that Nancy was talking about that can make all the difference. In the longer term, we may even have these new technologies that shorten our lag more significantly, so I’m quite optimistic,” Wood said.

14

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Sport

International

Maradona plans birthday bash in Naples Agence France Presse

(AP Photo/Fabrizio Giovannozzi)

Italy’s Antonio Cassano smiles during a training session ahead of Tuesday’s soccer match against Faroe Islands, at the Coverciano training center, near Florence, Italy, Sunday, Sept. 5, 2010.

Cassano looking forward ahead of Faroes clash Agence France Presse

FLORENCE, Italy - Italy forward Antonio Cassano insists he wants to leave the past behind as he prepares to lead the forward line in Tuesday’s Euro 2012 qualifier against the Faroe Islands here. Cassano was the star of the show in Italy’s laboured 2-1 win in Estonia on Friday, scoring the equaliser and then setting up Leonardo Bonucci’s winner with a cheeky backheel.

It is with such influential performances that Cassano hopes to banish unwanted memories, such as the pain of missing out on Italy selection for the World Cup. Cassano has played in two European Championships but each time has been left out of the subsequent World Cup squad, both times

by Marcello Lippi. Cassano insists he has nothing against Lippi and just wants to concentrate on serving current coach Cesare Prandelli — for whom he played briefly at Roma — and trying to make the next World Cup. “I don’t want to talk about the World Cup. I’m thinking about the present and I have to say that Prandelli has been fantastic,” he said.

“At Roma I was a bit crazy, I made his life difficult, I made mistakes and then he left for family reasons (Prandelli’s wife was ill at the time and later died while he was coach of Fiorentina).

“We’ve come back together here (for Italy) and he’s delighted to have seen that I’ve changed. “He’s made me feel important, also on a human

level. He’s a first-class coach and you’ll see how great he’ll make Italy.”

Cassano said he also owed something to his club coach last season Luigi Delneri, whom he also played for at Roma, for converting him into a deep-lying forward, the position he now occupies for the national side.

Delneri kicked him out of the squad during his brief Roma reign and dropped him from the match-day squad for a few games at Sampdoria last season as well. “I also owe Delneri thanks, he’s a real man. At Samp he wanted me to play as a second striker, I wasn’t doing that so he dropped me.

“I got angry but when I came back I did that, I scored goals and he made me devastating.” And it has been his form since joining Sampdoria in the 2007/08 season that has finally brought him back into the Italy fold. Cassano has been a far from regular fixture in the Italy set-up since making his debut in 2003, but he’s not pointing his finger at anyone.

“In seven years I’ve been in and out of the national team set-up and that’s my fault,” he said. “I’ve made mistakes. I’ve been the man of the Euros but now I want to stay right up to the

World Cup (in 2014). I’ll be 32 and I won’t get another chance.

“If I mess up again, don’t give me a cross for my back, I’ve not done anything stupid for four years.” And he revealed that something fundamental that has changed has been his willingness to play for the team rather than for himself.

“I’ve changed in terms of my character, but not as a player. Before I thought I was the best in the world, I played to do stupid things like backheels and nut-megs. “But only one player could win a match on his own, Diego (Maradona) and that’s it. “I understood that and started to think the same way as the others. Now I play with my 10 team-mates.”

Prandelli will be expecting Cassano to shine again at the Stadio Artemio Franchi against a team ranked 118th in the world. The coach is unlikely to make too many changes from the side that beat Estonia, although he may opt to switch goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu.

The Palermo stopper was at fault for Estonia’s goal and looked a bit shaky at times, meaning Bologna’s Emiliano Viviano could take over between the sticks.

ROME - Diego Maradona is planning a 50th birthday party in Naples next month, despite owing the tax man there 37 million euros. The controversial former World Cup winner spent seven seasons at Napoli, heralding the greatest period in the club’s history in which they won two Italian league titles.

And having been fired as Argentina coach following their disappointing World Cup campaign, Maradona now wants to return to his second home to have a fiesta.

“Neapolitans, I invite you to my birthday,” he said in Monday’s La Gazzetta dello Sport. “In life I’ve had it all: a family I adore, a brilliant career and now I want for nothing, and certainly not money.

“My only desire is to return to Naples to once again embrace the town and the people who have never forgotten me.” Maradona wants to organise a high-profile friendly match to celebrate his birthday, with former team-mates Bruno Giordano and Brazilian Careca already apparently confirmed as taking part.

Napoli themselves have made no official comment but in June club

IBP/ist

Diego Maradona president Aurleio De Laurentiis claimed he was “waiting for Diego”.

However, were Maradona to return to Naples it’s not clear how local authorities would react due to his mammoth tax bill, which includes 23.5 million euros in interest. Police have already seized two watches and a pair of earrings from Maradona on his previous visits to Italy.

In 2006 they took two watches worth 11,000 euros and last year a pair of earrings he was relieved of were sold at auction for 25,000 euros.

England try to ignore Rooney distractions Agence France Presse

PARIS - England were among a number of fancied sides who began their Euro 2012 qualifying campaign with handsome wins, but their trip to Switzerland on Tuesday comes amid a tabloid storm surrounding Wayne Rooney. The Manchester United striker made three goals in England’s 4-0 win at home to Bulgaria on Friday but damaging newspaper revelations on Sunday alleged he frequented a prostitute while his wife, Coleen, was pregnant.

It comes at an inopportune time for coach Fabio Capello, who is trying to right the England ship after their disappointing World Cup, but James Milner says Rooney will not be affected by the scandal.

“I think you want the best players out on the field and he’s obviously one of them. He showed that the other night,” said the Manchester City

midfielder. “He’s a top, top player and you want to put out the strongest team possible.”

England looked close to their impressive pre-World Cup form as they picked apart Bulgaria, but in Switzerland they face a team that has qualified for the last four major tournaments in succession.

There were few hiccups for the continent’s heavyweights as the qualifying competition for the jointlyhosted Ukraine-Poland tournament began in earnest on Friday. Spain won 4-0 in Liechtenstein, beaten World Cup finalists the Netherlands put five unanswered goals past San Marino and Italy came from a goal down to defeat Estonia 2-1 in Tallinn.

Germany began their Group A campaign with a 1-0 win in Belgium, with Miroslav Klose netting his 53rd international goal as Joachim Loew’s side picked up from where they left off at the World Cup.

AFP PHOTO/ANDREW YATES

(FILES) In this file picture taken on March 14, 2010 Manchester United’s English forward Wayne Rooney reacts during the English Premier League football match against Fulham at Old Trafford in Manchester, north-west England.

Sport

International

Clijsters, Venus, Schiavone, Stosur advance at Open Agence France Presse

NEW YORK – Reigning champion Kim Clijsters rolled into the US Open quarter-finals on Sunday while third seed Venus Williams booked a date with French Open champion Francesca Schiavone to decide a semi-final spot. Belgian second seed Clijsters needed only 59 minutes to eliminate Serbian former world number one Ana Ivanovic 6-2, 6-1 for her 18th victory in a row on the Flushing Meadows hardcourts, her 2005 and 2009 titles flanking a hiatus.

Clijsters will next meet French Open runner-up Samantha Stosur, who became the first Australian woman in the US Open quarterfinals since Wendy Turnbull in 1986 by defeating Russian 12th seed Elena Dementieva 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (7/2).

Fifth seed Stosur saved four match points to win the latest-ending women’s match in US Open history at 1:36 in the morning, six minutes beyond the old mark set in 1987 but still 50 minutes off the all-time men’s latest Open night.

“It’s good to make history I guess,” said Stosur, who finished some 14 hours after her next foe.

“I’ve got to recover as best I can and be ready to play tomorrow.”

Italian sixth seed Schiavone ousted 20th-seeded Russian teen Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-3, 60 in 68 minutes, matching her best US Open showing from 2003 in a year that also saw her win her first Slam in June on Paris clay.

“I feel better than I was at French Open,” Schiavone said.

“It’s very special. I’m very lucky to play so well again in a tournament like this.” Williams downed Israeli 16th seed Shahar Peer 7-6 (7/3), 6-3. The seven-time Grand Slam champion and two-time US Open winner will carry a 7-0 career edge against Schiavone into their matchup.

“Her game is better than ever now,” Williams said. “I’m hoping my experience will help me like it did today.” Clijsters reached her fifth US Open quarter-final and 17th career Grand Slam quarterfinal by quickly adapting to breezy conditions.

“The wind, it’s something you can either look at as frustrating or as something that tactically can help you maybe a little bit,” she said. “Once I was up 3-1, I felt like I was dictating really well during the points.” Clijsters has 3-0 career edge over Stosur without dropping a set, their most recent meeting coming this year at Miami.

“Sam is a different player than what she was a few years ago. She definitely has improved a lot,” Clijsters said. “I really have to try and stay focused on opening up the court on the forehand and trying to just go on that backhand.”

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

15

Slovenia, Turkey enjoy Sunday stroll Agence France Presse

ISTANBUL - Slovenia and Turkey routed their opponents in the round of 16 on Sunday to set up a quarter-final encounter at the world basketball championships. Australia were completely out-muscled by Slovenia who won with ease 87-58 while Turkey cruised to a 95-77 win over France.

Australia started slowly and would never completely recover, failing to score a point in the first six and a half minutes and shooting at just 22 percent from the field for the first half. The Australian shooting was much more accurate early in the second half as they looked to spark a revival.

Unfortunately for them, Slovenia also lifted their shooting accuracy. “We got outplayed in the first quarter and struggled to get back in - there was too much pressure on the inexperienced guys,” said Australia captain Matthew Nielsen.

Slovenia player Uros Slokar was full of praise for the steps forward his team has made at these championships. “At the beginning of this national team cycle we wanted to make the quarters.

Now we have made it,” he said.

“We have achieved more than the previous world championships and this is the most important thing as we have made one step forward.” Portland Trailblazers’ Patrick Mills and Joseph Ingles both finished with 13 points for Australia while Nielson scored 12.

Jako Lakovic ended the game as leading scorer with 19 points while Milwaukee Bucks’ Primoz Brezec also chipped in with 12 points for Slovenia.

Although the second game of the day began as a close encounter, Turkey were able to build of the support of their frenzied home crowd, pulling away to win 95-77.

After a tight opening quarter, 24 points from the Turkish in the second saw them pull out to a 48-23 lead at half-time. Like the Australians, the French could not break down the defi-

AFP PHOTO / ARIS MESSINIS

Turkey’s Sinan Guler scores in front of France’s Mickael Gelabale during the World Championship eighth of finals basketball match Turkey vs.

France, on September 5, 2010 in Istanbul. Turkey won 95 to 77. cit in the second half, with too many turnovers damaging any realistic chances they had of fighting their way back.

A poor finish to the first half continued into the start of the second for France as Turkey were able to put 16 unanswered points on them, eliminating any chance of a comeback. When the final buzzer sounded, Turkey were deserved winners.

Turkey’s Toronto Raptor star Hidayet Turkoglu rode on the home crowd support, leading his team with 20 points, while Sinan Guler chipped in with 17. Turkish coach Bogdan Tanjevic acknowledged the strong start to the second half as the key to his team’s success.

“The start of the second half was important. We made a big sprint with 10 points and this was good for my heart as I was able to rest more,” he said.

Drogba to continue playing for Ivory Coast (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

Kim Clijsters of Belgium celebrates after winning her match against Ana Ivanovic of Serbia 6-2, 6-1 at the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York, Sunday, Sept. 5, 2010.

The only Australian woman to win the US Open title was Margaret Court, who did it five times, most recently in 1973.

Clijsters took the first set in 31 minutes, then broke Ivanovic’s first two service games of the second set for a 4-0 edge. The Serb broke back but double faulted away a break and the Belgian held for the victory. Ivanovic was convinced that Clijsters has what it takes to become the first back-toback US Open women’s champion since Williams in 2001.

“She has a really good chance,” Ivanovic said. “She’s playing really well. She lifts her game when it’s a tight situation and she needs it. That’s what champions do.”

Schiavone used her versatility to

win the last seven games and break open a tight match.

“I was just focusing on my play,” Schiavone said. “It was better because I have spin and Pavlyuchenkova couldn’t play so good her backhand, so I tried to play at the best with my rotation.”

Williams and Peer each missed on five game points in a marathon 12th game before Peer held to force a tie-breker, but Williams grabbed a 5-1 lead in it and took the first set, then broke three times in the second for the victory. “Winning the first set always feels good,” Williams said. “Instead of regrouping and figuring out how you are going to win the match, you can focus on trying to win it in the second set.”

Agence France Presse

PARIS – Didier Drogba on Sunday insisted that he had not given up on his international career with Ivory Coast.

“Each time they call me up, I’ll be there,” the 32year-old Chelsea hitman told TF1.

Drogba - scorer of 45 goals in his 71 appearances for Ivory Coast was omitted from new coach Francois Zahoui’s 21-strong squad for an African Cup of Nations qualifier against Rwanda in Abidjan on Saturday.

Zahoui said at the time that after talks with Drogba, he deemed the striker “not psychologically ready to play the game”.

(AFP/Sia Kambou)

Didier Drogba waves towards the crowd as he arrives ahead of the start of the qualifying match in the 2012 Cup of African Nations against Rwanda in Abidjan on September 4.

16

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

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

FILE - In this file photo taken on April 11, 2010, first placed Moto2 rider Shoya Tomizawa of Japan reacts on the podium at the end of the Grand Prix of Qatar at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar.

Sport

AFP PHOTO / ANDREAS SOLARO

AP Photo/Hassan Ammar, File

Rescuers carry Japanese rider Shoya Tomizawa of Technomag-CIP team on a stretcher after he crashed during the Italian Moto2 motorcycling race at Santa Monica, Misano Adriatico track on September 5, 2010.

Japan mourns death of Tomizawa Agence France Presse TOKYO - Japanese media, racing figures and fans on Monday mourned the death of teenage motorcycle racer Shoya Tomizawa at a Moto2 race at Italy’s San Marino Grand Prix. “No way, the 19-year-old hopeful...” said a Tokyo Chunichi Sports daily headline after Tomizawa died following a crash in the Moto2 race, the second tier competition of the world championship.

“He was a Japanese ace rider and much was expected of him in the future. His death has caused deep sorrow,” the newspaper said.

Tomizawa’s death came more than seven years after his compatriot Daijiro Kato, 26, was killed in a fall at the Japanese MotoGP in Suzuka.

Tomizawa was in his first season in the Moto2 category and had started in style by winning the curtain-raiser in Qatar. “It was too early for him to pass away as he was still 19,” Hiroshi Yasukawa, director of Bridgestone’s motorsport, said in a statement.

“We offer our condolences from the bottom of our hearts. We will never forget about him.” Fans expressed their sorrow on Tomizawa’s official website. “I could not believe it. I am lost for words,” one of his fans commented. “I just feel sad and full of regret and sorrow.”

Tomozawa had made his last comments on his official website following qualifying sessions on Sunday. “I will be in the second row,” he wrote. “That’s a position

where I must be careful, but I want to have a good race by getting off to a firm start.”

Valentino Rossi

MISANO, Italy - World champion Valentino Rossi led emotional tributes to Shoya Tomizawa, the Japanese rider killed at San Marino, describing the teenager as a very good rider with a great future ahead of him. The 19-year-old Tomizawa died from injuries sustained in a crash here on Sunday.

“Shoya Tomizawa was a very good rider. He was funny, always smiling with a kind word for everyone. He was also very young, with a great career ahead of him,” said Rossi. “My result today is of no importance when you consider what has happened,” added the great Italian, who was third in the showcase MotoGP race behind Spain’s Dani Pedrosa.

“I saw the crash on TV and it was terrifying. I thought he was dead. I am very sorry but then we had to race and try and concentrate.”

Technomag-CIP rider Tomizawa came off his Suter bike when under pressure from the fast charging Italian Alex de Angelis in the Moto2 race, the second tier competition of the world championship.

Neither de Angelis nor British rider Scott Redding were able to avoid hitting the teenager, who was propelled over 40 metres and off the track into the gravel.

Tomizawa was taken to hospital 30 kilometres away in Riccione but was later pronounced dead. He had suffered serious injuries to his skull, chest and abdomen, according to the race organisers.

Pedrosa admitted it took time for news of Tomizawa’s death to sink in after he had added victory here to his triumph last weekend in Indianapolis. “When I got back to the garage, there was a really heavy atmosphere,” said the Spaniard.

“All of the mechanics had serious looks. I still had my helmet on and I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I had to ask them three times before I believed it,” he said. “‘Tomi’ had won the respect of everybody in a very short time. He was quick and very brave.”

Tomizawa’s death was the first in MotoGP since 24-year-old compatriot Daijiro Kato was killed in April 2003 at the Japanese MotoGP in Suzuka.

Tomizawa was in his first sea-

son in the Moto2 category, after two disappointing seasons in 250cc, and had started in style by winning the curtain-raiser in Qatar.

He followed it up with a second place in Spain but his form had tailed off since then and he was seventh in the overall standings with 82 points.