Edisi 10 Desember 2010 | International Bali Post

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Australia helps strengthen RI’s institute for peace and stability

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Friday, December 10, 2010

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Johnny Depp laments ‘voyeuristic’ modern times PAGE 12 AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, right, and South Korea President Lee Myung-bak, left, attend a joint press conference during Bali Democracy Forum in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia on Thursday, Dec. 9, 2010.

Democracy Helps Gain Peace and Stability, Says President Antara

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Nusa Dua, Bali- President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono officially opened the third Bali Democracy Forum (BDF) in Bali’s Nusa Dua resort on Thursday with a strong believe that democracy would pave the way for creating true peace and stability.

Speaking before heads of delegates and observers from 71 countries attending the two-day forum taking place at Westin Hotel’s

Nusantara ballroom, President Yudhoyono said democracy could indeed bring peace and stability if it was implemented seriously and

consistently.

However, the nations were challenged by the absence of a term ‘democracy had finished’ and how to enable democracy to promote peace and stability amid different ways of nations to resolve problems of peace, he said.

The head of state also touched on Indonesia’s experience of adopting and practicing democracy since the

reformation era featured by the end of New Order regime era in 1998.

President Yudhoyono said Indonesia had undergone fair, peaceful and transparent parliamentary and presidential elections, and was able to resolve crucial Aceh question through the democratic approach of “dialogue and peaceful resolutions.”

Continued on page 6

Media’s Role in Responding to Crises Discussed in Bali Antara

Denpasar, Bali- Indonesian Press Council Chairman Bagir Manan said this year’s Bali Media Forum focused on how freely and responsibly the media was playing its role in dealing with such critical situations as war and acts of terrorism.

“The forum will discuss the role of the media in facing such situa-

tions as war and terrorism, and other critical situations that a nation or people can undergo,” he told participants of the Bali Media Forum’ journalism workshop here Wednesday.

Bagir Manan said he and his colleague Bambang Harimurti, senior Indonesian journalist, had recently expressed their views about the media’s role in responding to terrorism issues at an international

meeting in this resort island.

“I noticed that Indonesian and foreign participants paid good attention to what the Indonesian Press Council had to say ... It is important to discuss the role and the responsibility of the media in facing and solving many crises in this forum,” he said.

Indonesian media was expected not to become “part of the problems” the nation was facing. In-

stead, they were urged to pave the way for public to find solutions to the nation’s serious problems.

Meanwhile, top security minister Djoko Suyanto, who was invited to be the forum’s keynote speaker, urged the journalists to get rid of reports that potentially caused anger and hatred despite difficulties they were facing in a crisis situation.

Continued on page 6

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International

Friday, December 10, 2010

Bali News

Residents flock to purchase young sugar palm-leaf and bamboo Semarapura (Bali Post)—

Galungan festivity apparently was not only welcomed by devotees as a day of victory of dharma (truth) against adharma (untruth). It was also taken advantage as a seasonal business opportunity by a part of local residents. Some of them used the moment to sell young sugar palm-leaf and bamboo for penjor (bamboo ritual paraphernalia) along with various other accessories. In Klungkung, for instance, some points were made into location of selling young sugar palm-leaf and bamboo such as at Pekandelan area, Klungkung. Unlike in the previous Galungan, those seasonal traders took advantage of the vacant land around Galiran Market. However, the land has now been used to establish a modern (retail) market.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, In Tampaksiring Palace For Galungan

Nevertheless, local traders stayed to take advantage of the edge (on the pavement) of Jalan Puputan in the region of Galiran for their seasonal activity. As a matter of fact, such seasonal traders had kicked off to sell young sugar palm-leaf and bamboo and various other penjor accessories from Saturday (Dec 4). “Every Galungan, I sell young sugar palmleaf and bamboo. I had great confidence that these merchandises can be sold out because a lot of people are busy today. As a result, they prefer buying to finding by themselves,” said a trader from Karangasem,

The Indonesian President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who plans to visit Bali for a week stayed at Tampaksiring Palace until Galungan (8/12). The President and wife Madame Ani Bambang Yudhoyono came to Bali with colleagues last Sunday (5/12) and had internal activities in the palace since. According to information in the president’s official website, besides inaugurating Udang Unggul and Kekarangan Main Production at Bugbug Village, Karangasem, the President also plans to receive Sultan Brunei Darussalam Hassanal Bolkiah and Timor Leste Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao, on the fourth day.

The next day the president attends and opens the 3rd Bali Democratic Forum with the theme ‘Democracy and The Promotion of Peace and Stability’ at Bali International Convention Centre, The Westin Resort, Nusa

Wayan Suprana, Monday (Dec 6).

He even claimed to be able to sell 20-25 stalks of young sugar palm-leaf and bamboo every day.

However, Suprana admitted to encounter a difficulty in getting a place to sell his goods. Vacant land usually used to sell theirs had now been occupied by building. Consequently, he did not dare to bring merchandise in large quantities.

“This location belongs to other person. I also worry if this will kindle a problem with him,” he admitted while adding that he had been banned by the land owner.

Having been approached, let alone the goods had been already taken to Klungkung, the land owner finally gave permission. Some other traders were also from Kintamani, Bangli. On average, they earned more profits ahead of Galungan festivity. “In one day, I could even sell up to 50 stems of young sugar palm-leaf with various prices between IDR 15,000 and IDR 45,000 per stem,” said a trader from Kintamani, Suartini.

According to her, she sold young sugar palm-leaf starting from DIR 10,000 for a small size to IDR 40,000 per stalk.

Meanwhile, bamboo was sold at IDR 25,000 per stem. (kmb20)

Fam trip of local and foreign journalists after Merapi eruption

A boon lies behind disaster ALL people know after the eruption of Mount Merapi, the settlements on the slopes of the Indonesia’s most active volcano was razed to the ground.

Trees withered, dozens of people died as well as thousands of slipshod cattle were killed. As consequence, the beauty of nature as a tourist attraction was no longer visible. Tourism sector becoming the mainstay of the region was like suspended animation. To rejuvenate the tourism sector, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism invited local and foreign journalists to visit Yogyakarta on December 3-5, 2010.

STORM definitely passes. After dark goes by the light comes. The phrases suggesting optimism burst among the circle of Yogyakarta tourism industry. They were optimistic that tourism of the region would recover soon. “Recovery of Yogyakarta tourism will be faster than the last earthquake,” said the Head of Yogyakarta Government Tourism Office, Tazbir.

Some tourist destinations recently becoming the mainstay would be attempted to be offered to tourists including the Merapi tours as the affected location was considered to have attraction for tourists including foreign tourists. “Of course, the eruption disaster

of Mount Merapi also poses a natural phenomenon appealing to tourists. We will try to develop the locations affected by the eruption into a lava tour package,” said Tazbir.

According to him, he would try to find out safe locations to be visited and they were not hazardous for tourists. “We are still examining the locations that can be offered as package tours. Moreover, the Adisutjipto Airport Yogyakarta has now been reopened, so do we hope this endeavor could restore the tourist visit,” he said.

The Lava Tour on offer denoted a part of government’s efforts to drive the economy of community living on the slopes of Mount Merapi, and of course such a reality would be very attractive to domestic and foreign tourists. “This Lava Tour will be conducted in line with the downgrade status of Mount Merapi,” explained Tazbir while adding there was wisdom behind every single disaster.

According to him, the potential regions developed into lava tour package consisted of the villages like Manggung and Umbulharjo in Cangkringan Subdistrict because

the cold lava formed by the Merapi eruption at these villages reached a height of 20 meters and was suitable for that purpose. “But, most importantly is how to revive the local economy,” he said.

In the meantime, Chairman of the Association of the Indonesia Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA), Edwin Ismedi Himna, said that the number of tourist arrivals dropped sharply. In fact, Yogyakarta City situated within a distance of 40 kilometers from Mount Merapi was declared safe to be visited as a tourist destination.

“The places relying on tourism face a drop by 30 percent. In reality, Yogya is not directly affected by Merapi because of its location is far away, about 40 kilometers,” said Edwin.

The associations directly related to tourism business, said Edwin, had prepared a variety of programs to draw the domestic and foreign tourists visit. One of them was by a campaign entitled Safe Yogya and the provision of cheap package tours.

“We expect, in terms of business, visitors could enjoy a cheap package as the infrastructure has been ready and there is nothing to worry about,” added Edwin. (Nikson)

Dua, Bali.

At the same day, President is scheduled to have billateral meetings with some country leaders such as South Korea President Lee-Myung Bak, Australia Foreign Minister Kevin Ruud, and USA’s Senator David Prince.

After Galungan Day, the President stayed at Laguna Resort and Spa, Nusa Dua, until 10th December 2010 before going back to Jakarta.

Connecting to the internal activities in the Palace, it is not known if it connects to meeting Democrat Party’s Bali members. Head of the Party’s Gianyar branch, Ketut Jata, SH, confirmed that until now there are no instructions of having such meeting but if there is it would not take place at the palace, “The President will always prioritise the Nation’s duties first before the party’s.” (Kmb16)

Hiding Heroin In Vagina, A Phllipine Woman Captured Denpasar (Bali Post)-

For the second time, the Customs workers of Ngurah Rai Airport, Tuban successfully captured a woman who hid heroin in her vagina.

Marisa Costino Gibson (38) from the Phillipines was captured at Ngurah Rai Airport when it was known going to smuggle the illegal drugs. The 107 grams heroin was confiscated.

Head of Customs Middle Type Supervsion for Ngurah Rai AirportN I Made Wijaya, last Monday (6/12) explained that the accused who works as a housekeeper was a passenger of TG 431 plane from Bangkok, Thailand. The plane landed here on Wednesday (1/12) at 2.30 PM local time, “Since coming down the plane, accused been showing suspicious movements.” Customs workers then checked and raided accused bag yet it resulted nothing. Even

though, workers are certain she’s hiding something as during the checking accused looked worried. Workers then checked her body which then something was found.

The illegal drug was hidden in her vagina with the form of seven pills wrapped in a condom. Accused couldn’t do much and then brought to the customs office, “She admitted that she was going to bring these items to Jakarta and will be given to Heppy Eka Perangin Anging (31).”

Workers then develop the case and Heppy has also been captured. The two accused were narcotic drugs syndicates between countries. Accused Marisa admitted to have receive the items from Sherly, who is also a housekeeper in Hong Kong, “Marisa admitted knowing Sherly in Bangkok. Now the case is still developing.” (Kmb21)

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,Jakarta: Nikson, Hardianto, Ade Irawan,. NTB: Agus Talino, Syamsudin Karim, Izzul Khairi, Raka Akriyani. 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

Friday, December 10, 2010

3

Great loss if marine potential uncultivated maximally

President appeals to maintain and operate broodstock sustainably Amlapura (Bali Post)—

IBP/ist

Foreign tourists accompanied by the locals enjoy teh beautiful scenery of Bali using their bicycles.

”Bike To School” Increased Mountain Bike Sales Denpasar (Bisnis Bali)

Bike To School is a program created by Cycling Together Secretariate (Samas Denpasar) through Denpasar City Government to make pupils to use bicycle as a transport to school.

The program is still targetting Junior High, High, and Vocational Schools remembering they’re the highest contributor to traffic accidents every year in this city. With this program, it will give positive affect to mountain bike sellers.

According to Wendy, one of bike mountain sellers in Denpasar, when met on Thursday (9/12), with this program it will affect bike sales from mini bikes to mountain bikes to be used to go to school. Now there’s almost some sold everyday when usually rarely visited.

Apparently mountain bikes and mini bikes are dominating the demands in her shop as much as 60 percent while for children bikes it reached 25 percent and for under 5

bikes reached 15 percent. The worry of global warming and programs like Car Free Day around Renon on Sundays have also increased customers coming.

Wendy is very supportive of this as it is environmental friendly. She sells various bike brands like Polygon, Wim Cycle, Colnago, also accessories like helmet, sunglasses, jersey, shirt, short, bottle, hat, folding tool, and other accessories, “Our shop concept is also different. We prioritise the customers comfort during buying, such as after sales service (on location service).”

When asked about the mountain bike prices, it is said it varies according to the type and brand, so it starts from hundred thousands to millions

of rupiah per unit.

Meanwhile, Head of Samas Denpasar, I Dewa Made Merthakota, stated, “Bike to School will be promoted from school to school in the form or road shows that will be done twice a month. At this time, tens of schools in Denpasar have applied it.”

Dewa Merthakota also revealed the program has faced many problems especially the minimum numbers of bicycle routes in Denpasar and so causing pupils’ parents to feel worry if their children are using bikes on crowded routes, “In facing it, we hope the city government through Transportation Agency will add more bike routes in this city.” (Aya)

Booming, Residents Coming To Nusa Penida Two Roro Ship Trips Helped Semarapura (Bali Post) -

Residents visits to Nusa Penida Islands increased as it’s Galungan and Kuningan holiday as some crossed from Klungkung and Karangasem. In Klungkung the crossing points were traditional harbor Tri Bhuana and Kampung Kusamba while from Karangasem were Padangbai, for those using boats and roro ships which really helped as it has two trips/crossings.

Head of Nusa Penida Crossing

Harbor,Made Kastika, confirmed the events on Monday (6/12). According to Kastika, the increased crossings had happenened since 5 days before Galungan Day while the coming back trips (towards Bali main island) will happen after religous days passed, “That’s what usually happens, because all residents want to celebrate at their home villages. The harbors are ready to anticipate this so there won’t be any passengers piling up especially at Nusa Penida Pier.”

A Month Dredging

Meanwhile, Nusa Penida Pier is in the middle of dredging involving a number of workers every day of it. It has been done since 22nd November 2010 and will end 21st December 2010. It’s a 4 meters dredging and done during low tide costing IDR 550 Million, “The dredging activity does not disturb the crossing activities of the roro ships as the timings have been arranged.” (Kmb20)

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) said that people of Indonesia would suffer a great loss if only few assets as well as the fishery and marine resources could be enjoyed in order to prosper the people’s life. On that account, in addition to be secured together, the results of fisheries and marine resources had to be managed properly, too.

It was announced by the President when inaugurating the shrimp breeding center (broodstock) on the Lepra Beach, Bugbug Village, Karangasem, Monday (Dec 6). The President said that the potential of fisheries and marine resources of the nation was still abundant. After all, Indonesia had a long coastline with a great vast sea where the marine territory reached more than 6 million square kilometers, while the mainland was only 2 million square kilometers. In other words, the sea was three times wider than the mainland.

“The potential of marine products to improve the people’s welfare remains plentiful. If only few results of our marine resources that can be enjoyed, it means that there is something wrong with the management,” he said. Related to the operation of the breeding center, it was requested to operate it properly, not only when it was inaugurated. However, it should be managed in such a way that could generate revenue and sustenance for the community. Minister of Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Fadel Muhammad and Governor of Bali appealed the local community to pay an utmost attention to the management. “If there is a problem, it should be tackled immediately.

There is no need to blame each other,” he asserted.

Such an event was attended by First Lady Mrs. Ani Yudhoyono, Minister of Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Fadel Muhammad, State’s Secretary Sudi Silalahi and the Minister for the Acceleration of Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Governor of Bali Made Mangku Pastika accompanied by his spouse.

Similarly, other officials attending the event comprised the regents/ mayors whose region was affected

by Mount Merapi natural disasters such as the Regent of Sleman, Magelang, Klaten, Boyolali, the regent of Wondama Gulf whose region afflicted by Wasior landslides and the regent of Mentawai Islands whose region was hit by tsunami disaster. Ministry of Fisheries and Maritime Affairs handed over an aid in the form of fishery business for the six regions totally amounting to IDR 19 billion.

Before more than 2,000 attendees comprising the officials, subdistrict heads and village heads, the Presi-

dent underlined in order the state’s budget could be managed and utilized properly. The budget might not be abused, for example, through corruption or other unlawful practices. On the other hand, the President asked the businessmen to compete fairly by flying their respective flag high. Business potential at home remained extensive, while today there were many employers investing their capital overseas, too. It was encouraged by the President in order they could absorb more labors, while the business sector stayed participative through tax payments. Therefore, the state’s revenue should reach the state’s treasury, not even misappropriated.

Related to security against the wealth of maritime and fisheries, Minister Fadel Muhammad said his party had made coordination and cooperation with the Indonesian Navy in securing the maritime assets. Not long ago, the authority could arrest three foreign-owned fishing vessels from Malaysia. Likewise, the cooperation was conducted with Vietnam and Thailand often looking for the marine resources until reaching the waters of Indonesia but now they no longer did so.

“We’ve asked them to no longer steal the maritime resources of Indonesia,” said Fadel. He also said that shrimp remained to become the leading export commodity other than seaweed and tuna fish. According to him, at the end of 2009, Indonesia exported 240,250 tons of shrimp or 27.29 percent of total fishery exports amounting to 881,413 tons. Value of shrimp exports reached USD 1.576 billion or 63.3 percent of the total fisheries export valued at USD 2.466 billion. The shrimp breeding center (broodstock) of superior whiteleg species (Litopenaues vannamei) at Bugbug village, according to Fadel, posed the largest one in the Southeast Asia.

Within a year, the broodstock was targeted to produce 675,000 shrimps.

Meanwhile, the similar breeding center could only produce as many as 250,000 to 300,000 shrimps a year. According to Fadel, up to these days Indonesia stayed to be the main importer of shrimp from the United States such as Florida and Hawaii at expensive price. In addition, many of those imported shrimps contained disease so that its production in Indonesia declined. The price of imported shrimp at the level of buyers among our society was also very high ranging from IDR 400,000 each. Meanwhile, the shrimp produced by the breeding center at Bugbug would be sold cheaply to cultivators, so that it would be affordable to the community, namely about IDR 40,000. “With the operation of this shrimp breeding center at Bugbug village, we hope that broodstock import could be gradually diminished,” he said. (013)

4

News

Friday, December 10, 2010

International

U.S. urges strong trilateral alliance with Seoul and Tokyo Reuters

SEOUL – The top U.S. military official said Tokyo, Seoul and Washington must build an even stronger alliance in the face of North Korean aggression, while calling on Beijing to show leadership by reining in its ally Pyongyang. Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, flew into Seoul on Wednesday where he also agreed with his South Korean counterpart to stage more joint military drills to deter North Korea from attacking again.

“It is my hope that, to the degree possible, these will include participation by your neighbors and partners, in particular the Japanese,” he said. “The goal clearly is to have a deterrent effect, so that all-out war never occurs,” he told reporters, without providing details about future joint drills.

While they are allies, relations between Seoul and Tokyo have a legacy of bitterness stemming from Japan’s brutal colonial rule of Korea and a dispute over islands.

Mullen said he was encouraged to see South Korea sending observers to this week’s U.S.-Japan joint military drill and applauded a trilateral meeting of foreign ministers in Washington. “I would hope that we would see more trilateral action in the region in the future,” he added.

A U.S. aircraft carrier group, the military’s ultimate show of strength, has been involved in its recent combined maneuvers with South Korea and Japan. More drills will irritate China, which says they are threatening and bring instability to the region.

Mullen’s trip to South Korea and Japan follows talks in Washington on Monday between Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her Japanese and South Korean counterparts. All three voiced grave concerns over the North Korean attacks and called on China to use its influence to improve Pyongyang’s behavior.

On Tuesday, Beijing hit back at the United States and its Asian allies for their refusal to talk to North Korea, saying dialogue was

the only way to calm escalating tension on the divided Korean peninsula. But Mullen said the Chinese must do more.

“They are a world leader and leaders must lead — particularly to prevent crises and to prevent the kinds of destabilizing activities that are very evident coming out of the leadership in Pyongyang,” he said.

“China has unique influence.

Therefore, they bear unique responsibility,” Mullen told a news conference in Seoul.

He said the U.S. and South Korean militaries would avoid taking steps that would escalate into a conflict on the peninsula. “The North should not mistake this restraint as a lack of resolve — nor should they interpret it as willingness to accept continued attacks to go unchallenged,” he said.

DIPLOMACY

A series of incidents — including a deadly artillery attack and revelations of Pyongyang’s nuclear advances — have set off a flurry of diplomatic activity involving Seoul, Washington, Tokyo and Beijing.

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, a former U.S. special envoy to North Korea, will travel to Pyongyang next week. He said he hoped to help matters but was going as a private citizen and not carrying any U.S. government message.

“I am not carrying any messages, but I want to be helpful during this volatile period,” Richardson said in a statement. “If I can contribute to the easing of tension on the peninsula, the trip will be well worth it.” The State Department also said Richardson was making a private visit but that, as usual, he was expected to talk to U.S. officials before he left and when he returned.

The Washington Post reported Richardson had been invited by top North Korean officials involved in the nuclear program. The North often sends signals through unofficial visitors. In November, it showed a U.S. nuclear scientist hundreds of centrifuges, a development that strengthens the case that the North may be developing another path to atomic bombs.

AFP PHOTO/Toru YAMANAKA

US military chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen (R) talks to Japanese Defence Minister Toshimi Kitazawa (L) at the ministry in Tokyo on December 9, 2010.

FILE - This is a Thursday, Nov. 4, 2010 file photo of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange gestures as he speaks about the United States and the human rights during a press conference at the Geneva press club in Geneva, Switzerland. Police say WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been arrested on Swedish warrant on Tuesday Dec. 7, 2010.

AP Photo/Keystone, Martial Trezzini, File

Australian FM says US to blame for WikiLeaks dump Associated Press Writer

CANBERRA, Australia – Australia’s foreign minister said Wednesday that the U.S. government is responsible for the leaking of hundreds of thousands of classified diplomatic memos and cautioned against blaming the website that published the secret cables and its founder.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and other American officials have said that WikiLeaks acted illegally when it posted the sensitive files — memos from American embassies around the world that have embarrassed Washington. The U.S. government is investigating whether Julian Assange, the website’s Australian founder, can be prosecuted for espionage or other offenses.

But Kevin Rudd said the blame lies with the leaker and the U.S. government’s failure to protect its secrets. “The bottom line here is that the core of all this lies with the fail-

ure of the government of the United States to properly protect its own diplomatic communications,” Rudd told Melbourne Talk Radio on Wednesday.

If Assange, who has been arrested and jailed in London in an unrelated sex-crimes investigation, is also going to be pursued, he must be presumed innocent, Rudd said.

“To have several million people on their distribution list for a quarter of million cables — that’s where the problem lies and the person or persons responsible for their unauthorized release, who then gets engaged in the business of disseminat-

ing the content of that information, be it WikiLeaks, or anybody else, well that’s a matter to be tested by the police,” Rudd said.

Assange surrendered to British police Tuesday to answer an arrest warrant issued for his arrest in Sweden. He is wanted for questioning after two women accused him of having sex with them without their consent. Rudd that Australia would support Assange as it would any Australian arrested abroad. Assange defended his website in an opinion piece published in an Australian newspaper Wednesday.

The 39-year-old writes in the opinion piece, published by The Australian, that there is a great need for WikiLeaks and denies that the site’s publication of classified information has endangered lives — a claim made last week by former U.S. President Bill Clinton.

Chinese media say Nobel prize is “China-bashing” Reuters

BEIJING – Chinese state-run media accused the West of “launching a new round of China-bashing” ahead of Friday’s awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to jailed dissident Liu Xiaobo.

China has flexed its economic muscle in drumming up support for a boycott of the Oslo award ceremony for Liu, jailed a year ago for 11 years for subversion. Most of the 18 states joining have strong commercial ties with China or share its hostility toward Western human rights pressure.

“Liu has done everything he could to subvert the Chinese government, and that suits the strategy of some organizations and people in the West toward China,” the official

Xinhua news agency wrote in an English-language commentary late on Wednesday. “That’s why some people in the West immediately embraced the Nobel Committee’s decision, launching a new round of China-bashing,” it added.

China will award its answer to the Nobel Peace Prize on Thursday, giving the “Confucius Peace Prize” to former Taiwan vice-president Lien Chan, though his office said he was unaware of the award. “Just look at how this year’s Peace Prize has caused the world confusion and divisions!” wrote popular tabloid the Global Times, run by Communist Party mouthpiece the People’s Daily.

“All the applause has come from the West and the citizens of the thirdworld countries are all now China’s

allies,” it said in an editorial.

A number of countries and international human rights organizations have criticized Beijing for its sweeping crackdown on dissent ahead of Friday’s ceremony in Oslo, preventing Liu’s friends and family from attending. “The Chinese government should be celebrating this global recognition of a Chinese writer and activist,” said Salil Shetty, Amnesty International’s secretary general.

“Instead, the government’s very public tantrum has generated even more critical attention inside and outside China — and, ironically, emphasized the significance of Liu Xiaobo’s message of respect for human rights,” Shetty added. The House of Representatives called on China on Wednesday to release Liu and his wife, Liu Xia, who is under house arrest.

Activities

International

Friday, December 10, 2010

5

Sanur Beach Bali won Tri Hita Karana Tourism Awards 2010 SANUR Beach Bali proudly won gold medals of Tri Hita Karana Tourism Awards 2010 in their first year. The awards are now internationally recognized by the World Tourism Organisation as a leader in environmentally friendly tourism standards. This annual event held at the Bali Art Center, Denpasar, was presented by of Minister for Tourism and Culture, Mr. Jero Wacik, the Governor of Bali, Mr. Made Mangku Pastika and other high officials of Bali Province and Regencies. As a part of Eco hotel Sanur Beach Bali took the commitment to support all the sustainable environmental programs as implementation of Tri Hita Karana values in order to preserve the local values, to protect the environment as well as to contribute to the local community welfare.

Located right on the sandy beach of Sanur and surrounded by 7 hectares of tropical garden, Hotel Sanur Beach Bali features 428 rooms, suites and villas, 2 large pools and a choice of restaurants and bars

Temple Ceremony Calendar Event for December 1st through December 13th 2010 December 1st

Temple anniversary celebrations and full moon ceremony at : - Pura Bhatara Kawitan Pura Agung Bangli, downtown of Bangli - Pura Pasek Gelgel, Pedungan village, south of Denpasar - Pura Kertha, Banyuning village, downtown of Singaraja ( north Bali) - Pura Taman, Bubunan village, district of Seririt, Buleleng regency ( north Bali) December 2nd

Temple anniversary celebrations and full moon ceremony at : - Pura Puseh and Desa Silakarang village district of Sukawati village, Gianyar regency - Pura Dalem Pulasari Samprangan village, district of Blahbatuh, Gianyar regency - Pura Natih, banjar kaloh batuan village - Pura Dalem petitenget, Kerobokan village, district of Kuta, Badung regency December 3rd

Temple anniversary celebrations and full moon ceremony at : - Pura Dalem Puri, Besakih village, Karangasem regency - Pura Dalem Puri, Batuan village, Gianyar regency - Pura Dalem, Singakertha village, district of Ubud, Gianyar regency - Pura Dalem Agung, downtown of Bangli - Pura Dalem, Ketewel village, district of Sukawati, Gianyar regency - Pura Desa, Downtown of Denpasar - Pura Puncak Payogan, Kedewatan village, district of Ubud, Gianyar regency December 8th

Temple anniversary celebrations and full moon ceremony at : - Pura Merajan Agung, Batuyang village, district of

Sukawati, Gianyar regency - Pura Tanjungsari, Padangbai village, Karangasem regency.

December 8th Galungan

This is the most important holiday symbolizing the victory of Virtue (Dharma) upon Evil (Adharma). The holiday is specialized by the fitting of ‘penjor’, a tall bamboo pole splendidly decorated with woven young coconut leaves, fruit, cakes and flowers, on the right side of every house entrance. People are attired in their finest clothes and jewels this day.

December 11th

Temple ceremony on this day: - Segara Temple, Jembrana Regency - Dalem Gede Temple, Losan – Klungkung Regency December 12th

- Redite Wage Kuningan, Ulihan. Balinese do believe, this day is the return of all mighty spirit back to heaven after leaved a prosperity and longevity to the worshipers.

Temple ceremony on this day:

- Dalem Tegal Tamu Temple, Sekarmukti, Batubulan - Gianyar Regency - Kubayan Umagunung Temple, Sempidi – Badung Regency December 13th

Temple ceremony on this day: - Dasar Gelgel Temple, Gelgel – Klungkung Regency - Pasek Tohjiwa Temple, Sawah, Selemadeg – Tabanan Regency - Pemerajan Agung Temple, Benawah Kangin – Gianyar Regency - Panti Pasek Gelgel Temple, Pelapuhan, Busungbiu - Buleleng Regency - Kahyangan Tulus Temple, Apuan – Tabanan Regency

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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Friday, December 10, 2010

News Media...

From page 1 “Of no less importance, the journalists may face inevitable accountability to respect, promote and defend pluralism and multiculturalism,” he said.

In this connection, all media actors and related parties including journalists association and press council were expected to seriously maintain and protect the press code of conduct and dignity inherent in the profession.

“I trust my high expectation to the media actors of their noble and special responsibility. All the related parties including journalists association and council overseeing journalism shall join in maintaining and protecting the press code of conduct and the dignity inherent in the profession with earnestness,” he said.

Djoko Suyanto also called on the Indonesian journalists to maintain the people’s optimism and trust to development amid the ongoing process of change that Indonesia had been un-

dergoing at present.

“Using the great power and dignity protected by the freedom of the press principle, journalists are expected to assume their share productively in the process of change to improve the national and global situation,” he said.

For this purpose, the journalists and media owners need to be aware of “the important implication of the angle that they chose to the dynamics of public opinion”, he said.

“They are obliged to ensure that there are no words or symbols containing insinuation used, which can trigger enmity and or hatred based on ethnic, racial, religious, faith, gender and or social and cultural differences,” said this coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs.

The journalism workshop, co-organized by International Federation of Journalists, Global Forum for Media Development, and Institute for Peace and Democracy, was participated in by 36 journalists from 16 countries.

Democracy...

From page 1 AP Photo/Michel Eluler

A woman makes her way through the snow with a baby stroller in Louveciennes , west of Paris, Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2010. Snow fell in the French capital Wednesday, which is uncommon. It quickly turned into slush.

Europe freezes as fresh snow causes travel chaos Agence France Presse

PARIS – Heavy snow blanketed Paris forcing the closure of the Eiffel Tower and briefly shutting its main airport as sub-zero temperatures turned Scottish roads into deadly ice sheets and Spain and Portugal cleared up after flooding and tornado-like winds.

Road, rail and air travellers faced fresh disruption following last week’s transport shutdown with Paris’s Charles de Gaulle-Roissy airport closed for an hour-and-a-half and the mercury plummeting as low as minus 18.3 degrees Celsius (minus one degree Fahrenheit) at Tyndrum in the Scottish highlands.

In Portugal the high winds carried off cars, uprooted trees, tore off roofs and blew over electricity poles Tuesday, leaving around 30 people injured. A second body was recovered in Spain Wednesday following flooding. France’s meteorological service France Meteo said 11 centimetres (four inches) of snow fell in central Paris, the heaviest snowfall since 1987.

Around 100 flights were prevented from taking off or landing at Roissy airport during the temporary closure while workers cleared the runways of the heavy snow that began falling around midday, airport officials said. Thousands of passengers were stranded at the airport late Wednesday as the approach roads to Roissy were blocked, Air France said..

One in five flights were earlier cancelled at the request of France’s civil aviation authority (DGAC) due to the poor weather forecast. Runways at Paris’s second airport Orly were also shut for about half-an-hour for snow to be cleared and flights were delayed by up to two hours.

The deluge left all motorways in the Paris region impassable and only a handful of the 350 Paris bus routes were operating. Truckers were ordered to pull off the highways and wait until conditions improved. Five thousand police, including 2,000 in the Paris area, were deployed, while officers in four wheel drive vehicles went to the aid of stranded motorists in the Yvelines region west of Paris.

The operators of the Eiffel Tower first shut only the first floor of the giant monument that is one of the world’s most visited sites. “But since late morning the Eiffel Tower has been completely closed and will certainly not reopen today,” said a spokesman.

In Scotland, First Minister Alex Salmond said everything possible was being done to keep the country moving. One of the country’s busi-

est motorways, the M8, remained partially shut, train services were disrupted and police advised motorists not to drive unless their journey was absolutely essential. Many schools also closed for the day.

Temperatures were expected to stay well below freezing throughout Scotland until Thursday — leaving thick sheets of ice and compacted snow on roads and pavements.

“When ice gets onto motorways, salt doesn’t dissolve the ice underneath minus 10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit).... These are just the realities of exceptional weather conditions,” Salmond said.

Edinburgh council was meanwhile in discussions with the Scottish government and the army about bringing in soldiers to help clear snow from the city’s streets. Up to 76 centimetres (30 inches) of snow has fallen in parts of the capital and the temperature dropped to minus 14.6 degrees Celsius.

Hundreds of motorists were earlier in the week left stranded in their cars after they became trapped on snowbound roads in the worst conditions seen since the 1960s.

“The military approach cannot be used as the only means of resolution,” he said.

“Thank God, with the ‘win-win solution’, the Aceh problem can be resolved with dignity,” he said adding that Indonesia and East Timor could also solve their past matters by emphasizing the future democratically.

In dealing with the threats of terrorism, Indonesia did not ignore democratic and humanitarian principles, he said.

President Yudhoyono also reminded that democracy could be imposed or forced from “outside”. Instead, it should be flourished within the people themselves.

The head of state also wanted Bali to be known by international communities as a popular tourist destination but also as part of the world’s democratic icons.

Earlier, in his report to President Yudhoyono, Foreign Minister Marty M.Natalegawa, underlined the importance of the meeting’s two day-dialogue among participants The two-day meeting was cochaired by President Yudhoyono and South Korean President Lee Myungbak Two other government leaders, Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam, and Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao of East Timor also joined this meeting themed “Democracy and the Promotion of Peace and Stability.”

During the leaders’ session, the participating leaders and heads of delegations focused on “democracy and the promotion of peace and stability” in their remarks. The first round of the leaders’ session was chaired by President Yudhoyono.

As the BDF’s co-chair, President Lee Myung-bak was given the first chance of delivering his speech at the leaders’ session. He was then followed

by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam, East Timorese Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister of Nepal Sujata Koirala, and Austra-

lian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd.

The second round of the BDF leaders’ session was chaired by President Lee Myung-bak in which the foreign ministers of Malaysia, Iran, Bangladesh, Palestine, Japan and India expressed their views and perspectives.

The leaders’ session would be followed by interactive sessions on Friday.

At the session, representatives of participating countries will discuss ways under the democratic system to help prevent the occurrence and escalation of violent conflict, and the significance of democracy and economic development for peace-building.

The meeting is expected to produce a “chairman’s statement”. It contains comprehensive recommendations on the role of democracy in the promotion of peace and stability based on the participants’ discussions.

The chairman’s statement functions as a guide for the 2011 programs and activities of the Institute for Peace and Democracy.

President Yudhoyono and his South Korean counterpart, Lee Myung-bak, had also been scheduled to give a joint press statement on the the meeting’s results.

The BDF was originally initiated by Indonesia and started in 2008 as the first intergovernmental forum in Asia about democracy.

At the first meeting in December 2008, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had emphasized “sharing experience, thoughts and ideas for cooperation to advance democracy” as the BDF’s main objective.

At the time, the Indonesian head of state said “We are not trying to impose a particular model on any of us. We are not here to debate a commonly agreed definition of democracy for which I believe there is none.”

“We have come here (to Bali) not to preach, not to point fingers. Indeed, we have come here to share our respective experience, our thoughts and or ideas for cooperation to advance democracy,” President Yudhoyono said in his opening remark three years ago.

International

Indonesia Today

Friday, December 10, 2010

7

Indonesia on Christmas alert after church blast Agence France-Presse

JAKARTA - Indonesia will boost security over Christmas and New Year to prevent violence against Christians in the Muslim-majority country, police said Wednesday.

The alert came after a crude homemade bomb exploded harmlessly at a church near Solo in central Java on Tuesday and another unexploded device was found at a church in the same area last week.

“Ahead of Christmas and New Year, we’ll enhance security measures to anticipate bomb threats... and church burnings,” national police spokesman Iskandar Hasan told reporters.

“The national police chief has ordered all police personnel across the country to coordinate with

churches and local administrations to take preventive measures.”

He said a “terror group” was likely behind the bomb scares but he was reluctant to lay the blame at any particular organisation while investigations were ongoing. Indonesia is home to a plethora of homegrown Islamist extremist groups bent on waging jihad or “holy war” against non-Muslims and the democratically elected government in a bid to impose Islamic law on the country.

The government has arrested and convicted hundreds of alleged terror-

ists since the 2002 bombings of tourist areas on the resort island of Bali, which killed 202 people, mainly Westerners. Coordinated bombings of churches in the capital Jakarta and several other cities killed 19 people and injured many more on Christmas Eve 2000.

A Christian elder was stabbed and a priest beaten on their way to a service recently in Bakasi, outside Jakarta, where Muslim-Christian tensions are running high over plans to build a Protestant church.

Security analysts and human rights activists say religious intolerance is on the rise in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, fuelled by the government’s unwillingness to rein in violent Islamist vigilante groups.

Indonesia detains 77 Australia-bound migrants Agence France-Presse

SURABAYA - Indonesia has detained 77 illegal migrants after their attempt to travel to Australia ended with their boat suffering engine failure, police said Wednesday.

Sumenep police operational head Edy Purwanto said the migrants, from from Iran, Iraq, Somalia and Afghanistan, departed from a

harbour in Surabaya but got into mechanical difficulties while still in Indonesian waters. They were rescued by police after drifting for eight hours and taken to an island off eastern Java.

“They are being investigated by the police in Kangean island. They consist of 52 men, 13 women and 12 children,” Purwanto said.

He said the boat’s Indonesian captain, from East Nusa Tenggara prov-

ince, was also being interviewed.

Thousands of asylum seekers head through Southeast Asian countries on their way to Australia every year and many link up with people smugglers in Indonesia for the dangerous voyage. Canberra hopes to set up a regional processing centre for refugees in East Timor in an attempt to reduce the flow of asylum seekers heading to Australia.

Nestle invests 100 million dollars in new Indonesia plant Agence France-Presse

JAKARTA - Nestle, the world’s biggest food and beverage company, said Wednesday it had invested 100 million dollars in a new factory in Indonesia to meet growing demand in Southeast Asia’s biggest economy.

The investment comes on the heels of a 100 million dollar expansion by the Switzerland-based group to double capacity at its East Java milk processing plant.

Nestle Indonesia President

Arshad Chaudhry said the new multifactory plant in West Java would create up to 300 jobs and use local materials to meet local demand.

“We’re very optimistic about the growth opportunities in Indonesia.

The business and economic environment is progressing,” Chaudhry said.

“Consumers have gained more purchasing power and the country has a large and growing consumer base.”

Nestle, which employs about 2,600 people in Indonesia, said it would build its fourth plant in the country in two phases.

The first phase, which is scheduled to start next year and be completed in 2012, will produce chocolate malt drink and infant cereal products. The second phase, which is scheduled for completion between 2013 and 2015, will see an expansion of other product categories.

Nestle’s net profit in the first half of 2010 reached 5.2 billion dollars, as income grew strongest in Asia, Oceania and Africa — up 11.7 percent — followed by the Americas at 7.2 percent, the company said in August.

China lauds RI’s role in preserving regional stability Antara

JAKARTA - A Chinese Army officer has lauded Indonesia for its role in preserving regional stability particularly in the Malacca Strait and the South China Sea. Chief of the General Staff of the People’s Liberation Army Lt. Gen. Qi Jianguo made the remarks at a meeting with his Indonesian counterpart, Vice Admiral Edy Harjoko, at the National Defense Forces Headquarters here on Wednesday.

Jianguo said Indonesia’s great role in the region was inseparable from its close cooperation particularly with other ASEAN member states.

On the occasion, he also expressed China’s keen interests in enhancing cooperation with Indonesia particularly in the defense and military fields.

He underscored the need for the two countries to enhance cooperation through more concrete programs in the areas of education, training, information exchange and technologi-

cal transfer.

He further expressed hope that China, along with ASEAN member states could always work closely in preserving regional stability particularly in the South China Sea. Meanwhile, Vice Admiral Edy Harjoko said military cooperation between the two countries had so far run well. The cooperation covers human resources development through exchange of visits by officers, education and training for both officers and non-commissioned officers.

AFP PHOTO / SUTANTA ADITYA

An orangutan stays close to her offspring at Mount Leuser National Park in Gunung Leuser on Sumatra island on December 8, 2010. One of the biggest nature reserves in the world, Mount Leuser has an area of over 800,000 hectares of virgin rainforest home to highly endangered wildlife. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon warned on December 7 that the world was missing its last chance to control climate change, appealing to nations at talks in Mexico to ramp up progress.

Three endangered elephants found dead in Indonesia Agence France-Presse

BANDA ACEH - Three endangered Sumatran elephants have been found dead after their herd rampaged through a village in western Indonesia, a conservationist and officials said Thursday.

The cause of the animals’ deaths is being investigated but a local conservationist said they might have died after eating poison intended for wild boars as they scavenged for food at village stores.

“Three elephants have been killed. We don’t know the cause but we have sent a team to the location to find out,” Aceh province conservation agency chief Abubakar Chek Mat said.

“Conflict between elephants and residents happens often in this location and we’re trying to find a solution to drive the elephants back to their habitat.”

Bakhtiar, an activist with local environmental group Leuser International Foundation, said a herd of elephants had sent villagers fleeing.

“For the past week, dozens of Sumatran elephants have gone to

the village in east Aceh district and destroyed houses and crops, forcing 50 villagers to seek refuge elsewhere,” he said.

“When the people returned home yesterday, they found three elephants dead. They said the elephants might have consumed poison meant for wild boars.”

Human-animal conflicts are a rising problem as people encroach on wildlife habitats in Indonesia, an archipelago with some of the world’s largest remaining tropical forests.

Bakhtiar said his group and the local authorities are planning to bring tame elephants to the area to help chase any straying herd back into the forest.

“These tame elephants have been specially trained to do so.

This is a more effective method than the present one used by the residents which is to fire homemade bamboo cannons in the hope that the sounds would scare the elephants away,” he added.

There are up to 3,350 Sumatran elephants remaining in the wild, according to the environmental group WWF.

8

Internationa

Friday, December 10, 2010

Bali Today Asia showing strong commitment helps strengthen RI’s to democracy Australia institute for peace and stability Antara

NUSA DUA - The increase in the number of countries participating in the Bali Democracy Forum reflects Asia’s strong commitment to democracy, according to a minister.

“The increase reflects the positive development of democracy in Asia...and Asia’s commitment to the values of democracy,” Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa said here Thursday.

The Third Bali Democracy Forum (BDF) is being organized here from December 9 to 10, 2010, and attended by representatives of 42 member countries and 29 observer countries, three heads of state and 27 ministerial-level heads of delegation.

The First BDF in 2008 was participated by delegations from 40 countries, while the Second BDF in 2009 by 48 states.

The Third BDF has made the forum more consolidated as regional infrastructure, the minister said.

Themed “Democracy and The Promotion of Peace and Stability”, the Third BDF was officially kicked off

by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Thursday morning, and co-chaired by Yudhoyono and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak.

Brunei Darussalam Sultan

Hassanal Bolkiah and Timor Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao are participating in the meeting.

President Yudhoyono said democracy could indeed bring peace and stability if it was implemented seriously and consistently.

However, the nations were challenged by the absence of a term ‘democracy had finished’ and how to enable democracy to promote peace and stability amid different ways of nations to resolve problems of peace, he said.

The head of state also touched on Indonesia’s experience of adopting and practicing democracy since the reformation era featured by the end of New Order regime era in 1998.

President Yudhoyono said Indonesia had undergone fair, peaceful and transparent parliamentary and presidential elections, and was able to resolve crucial Aceh question through the democratic approach of “dialogue and peaceful resolutions.”

“The military approach cannot be used as the only means of resolution,” he said.

2011, Ministry of Culture and Tourism promotes eco-cultural tourism Bali Post

JAKARTA — Ministry of Culture and Tourism initiated the ecoculture as the theme of Indonesia tourism 2011 targeting to attract and bringing in 7.3 million to 7.6 million foreign visitors all the year round. “We review to select the ecocultural theme of tourism 2011 with a variety of important considerations,” said Director of Promotional Facilities, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Esthy Reko Astuti, in Jakarta on Monday (Dec 6).

Esthy said that several major events related to the eco-cultural theme consisted of, among others, the Komodo National Park becoming a finalist of the new seven wonders of nature. Announcement of the new version of the natural wonders of the world would be delivered on the upcoming November 11, 2011, so that ecotourism was judged incredibly appropriate to be the theme of tourism promotion next year, including the natural attraction of Komodo. “In addition,

the environmental issues including the climate change will be featured as well through the eco-cultural theme,” she said.

Eco-friendly tourism, according to Esthy, had now become the choice after the tourism paradigm shift from mass tourism to alternative tourism paying more attention to sustainability and environmental conservation. The message was also conveyed through the eco-cultural tourism theme. “Additionally, we are also going to program the loving museum movement next year. Hopefully, it could be accommodated in the eco-cultural theme,” she observed.

Then, she added that eco-cultural theme next year would accommodate diverse interests and target of Indonesian tourism in terms of physical environment and culture.

Esthy planned to design the whole package of the Indonesian tourism promotion in the eco-cultural theme including promotions in print and online media. (son)

Antara

NUSA DUA - Australia has pledged to provide Indonesia with an additional 500,000 (Australian) dollars over two years for the Denpasarbased Institute for Peace and Stability.

Canberra’s commitment was announced by Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd in his statement on the sidelines of the third Bali Democracy Forum (BDF) that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono officially opened here Thursday.

“This investment will help the institute support the Bali Democracy Forum and improve peace and democracy in Indonesia and the region.

An Australian volunteer will also be placed in the Institute to help establish a program of e-publications and manage related website operations,” he said.

Rudd, who was the co-chairman of the first BDF in 2008, also touched on his government’s support for Indonesian reform of its law and justice sector.

“Australia’s new five-year 50 million dollar partnership for justice with Indonesia will assist efforts to make Indonesia’s legal system more transparent and accessible,” he said.

Kevin Rudd headed the Australian delegation at the two-day democracy forum. He echoed the Australian views on democracy and its correlation with peace and stability at the first round of the leaders’ session after the speeches of South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam, East Timorese Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister of Nepal Sujata Koirala.

Other foreign ministers who also expressed their views and perspectives at the BDF leaders’ session were the foreign ministers of Malaysia, Iran, Bangladesh, Palestine, Japan and India.

At the opening session of the third BDF held in Bali’s Nusa Dua resort, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono expressed a strong believe that democracy could pave the way for creating true peace and stability.

Democracy, he said, could indeed bring peace and stability if it was implemented seriously and consistently.

However, the nations were challenged by the absence of a term ‘de-

FOTO ANTARA/Nyoman Budhiana

Foreign Minister of Australia Kevin Rudd (right) accompanied

by Foreign Minister of Indonesia Marty M Natalegawa talked during the Bali Democracy Forum III at Nusa Dua on Thursday, December 9, 2010. Australia has pledged to provide Indonesia with an additional 500,000 (Australian) dollars over two years for the Denpasar-based Institute for Peace and Stability. mocracy had finished’ and how to enable democracy to promote peace and stability amid different ways of nations to resolve problems of peace, he said.

The head of state also touched on Indonesia’s experience of adopting and practicing democracy since the reformation era featured by the end of New Order regime era in 1998.

President Yudhoyono said Indonesia had undergone fair, peaceful and transparent parliamentary and presidential elections, and was able to resolve crucial Aceh question through the democratic approach of “dialogue and peaceful resolutions.”

“The military approach cannot be used as the only means of resolution,” he said.

“Thank God, with the ‘win-win solution’, the Aceh problem can be resolved with dignity,” he said adding that Indonesia and East Timor could also solve their past matters by emphasizing the future demo-

cratically.

The BDF was originally initiated

by Indonesia and started in 2008 as the first intergovernmental forum in Asia about democracy.

At the first meeting in December 2008, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had emphasized “sharing experience, thoughts and ideas for cooperation to advance democracy” as the BDF’s main objective.

At the time, the Indonesian head of state said “We are not trying to impose a particular model on any of us. We are not here to debate a commonly agreed definition of democracy for which I believe there is none.”

“We have come here (to Bali) not to preach, not to point fingers. Indeed, we have come here to share our experience, our thoughts and ideas for cooperation to advance democracy,” President Yudhoyono said in his opening remark three years ago.

al

Friday, December 10, 2010

Galungan celebrated by the Hindus in Denpasar Antara

DENPASAR - The celebration of Galungan Day in Denpasar on Wednesday, December 8th 2010 was very amusing. Thousands of Hindus came to the temples throughout the city. One of the temples was Jaganatha Temple, the biggest temple in Denpasar.

Ida Bagus A, an elder in Jagatnatha Temple, said that Galungan Day is one of the most important days for the Hindus in Bali. The day gives a better understanding to the people on their religion. “Galungan is the day when Dharma or good triumph against Adahrma or evil,” he added.

The Hindus came almost all day

and some of them even chose to pray at night on the temple. Based on the ancient manuscript entitled “Purana Bali Dwipa”, Galungan was celebrated for the first time in 882 or 804 in Hindu’s Saka year.

In 1103 Saka, the celebration of Galungan was stopped due to the demand of the Kings in Bali. The Kings assumed that the celebration of Galungan would make them die faster.

The celebration of the big day was restarted in 1126 Saka until today.

In addition to pray in the temple, the Hindus also came to the cemetery to visit their families’ grave. Usually, the Hindus who were buried are not carrying out the “Ngaben” ceremony yet so the dead must be buried until the cer-

emony is being held.

This made the condition in the cemetery was very crowded. Putu Melani Novayanti, the Hindus who came to Badung Cemetery, said “every Galungan or other holy day, I always come here and pray in my nephew’s grave.”

The celebration of Galungan is also marked by the “penjor” which is placed in front of every house in Bali. “Penjor” is an ornament made from bamboo filled with flowers and coconut leafs.

This is the symbol of gratitude by the Hindus towards the God. The traffic condition in Denpasar is also quite different with the normal day.

There are less vehicles running around on the street during the holiday.

RI-Singapore western segment border problems resolved Antara

NUSA DUA - Indonesian and Singaporean government delegations have completed discussions on demarcation of their western sea borders and are thus ready for future talks on other segments of their common boundary, an Indonesian official said.

Speaking to the press after a bilateral meeting between President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean here Wednesday, presidential spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said the two parties had understood that demarcation of the other segments of the two countries’ sea border had to be settled through another process because it would also involve Malaysia.

“The two countries indeed are happy that the problems affecting the western segment of their border have been settled, and followed by the exchange of ratification instruments. This is a positive thing and the two countries now express their readiness to discuss problems related to the other segment of their border in due course of time.” Faizasyah said.

The meeting between President

Yudhoyono and Singapore’s vice Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean lasted for 30 minutes but did not touch details of the border problem as the two leaders only conducted a general review of bilateral issues.

The two leaders also discussed trade and cooperation in the defense field.

“Overall, it can be concluded that the bilateral relations between the two countries are very good,” he said.

Although Singapore did not specifically express its commitment to increase economic cooperation, Faiza said, President Yudhoyono said that the opportunity is open for Singapore to increase investment in Indonesia in view of the country’s improving economic conditions.

“The Singapore vice prime minister himself has underlined the importance of Indonesia as a remarkable investment partner. Singapore is one of the ten biggest investors in Indonesia,” he said.

On cooperation in the field of defense Indonesia defense minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro who also attended the meeting said that Indonesia and Singapore had agreed to establish

a school of fighter jet instructors in Indonesia.

“So I think this is one of the new things that we have agreed and that I had discussed with the President just now and I think that is very good,” Purnomo said.

He said the technical things about the cooperation agreement would be discussed further by the two countries’ air force chiefs of staff.

Besides discussing bilateral issues President Yudhoyono and the Singapore vice prime minister had also discussed regional and global issues in the context of G20 cooperation.

Faiza said the two leaders had also discussed Indonesia’s position as the chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for 2011.

“There was a kind of common view between the President and the Singapore vice prime minister that ASEAN has and will remain playing a very potential role in setting the agenda in the region,” he said.

Faiza said President Yudhoyono had also emphasized several issues Indonesia would encourage for discussion while being the ASEAN chairman such as security in the region.

RI and Malaysia Discuss Border and Migrant Workers Issues Antara

NUSA DUA - Indonesia and Malaysia are to discuss border issues during their joint commission for bilateral cooperation (JCBC) meeting in Nusa Dua on December 7-8, an Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry official said.

“Border issues are one of the tough subjects that we will discuss with Malaysia. Today’s meeting will discuss technical matters related to the demarcation of the borders,” Director General for Cooperation with Asia Pacific and Africa Hamzah Thayeb said here on Tuesday.

He said delegations from the two countries would also discuss the measures to be taken in case a problem occur in a border area. However,

Hamzah did not say which border areas would be the subject of discussions between the Indonesian and Malaysian delegations.

About issues affecting Indonesian workers in Malaysia, Hamzah said officials from both countries had stated their commitment to solve the problem together.

“Unfortunately most of Indonesian workers who are facing legal problems or being abused by their employee in Malaysia are actually illegal workers.

That’s why we find it difficult to locate them or provide services to them,” he said.

In order to solve the problem, Hamzah said, the Indonesian and Malaysian governments had agreed to collect the data on all Indonesian workers in Malaysia.

Balinese Culture

Earlier, during a joint commission meeting in Kinabalu city, Malaysia. delegations from the two countries had agreed to speed up the solution of Indonesia-Malaysia sea border problems.

“We are quite satisfied with the talks in Kota Kinabalu, because the talks produced four scheduled meetings which will speed up the solution of the sea borer problems between Indonesia and Malaysia in the Malacca Strait, Singapore Strait, South China Sea, and in the Sulawesi Strait,” Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa said.

The minister said the two countries had also agreed to adopt e standard operating procedures (SOP) and rules of engagement (ROE)) for the relevant authorities in the field to prevent a repetition of similar incidents.

UDANG PANTUNG KUNING (Lobster in Yellow Sauce)

OVERVIEW: A real gourmet treat from Bali, this could also be made with huge prawns. In Bali, coconut chunks are roasted directly on charcoal, then the charred skin scrapped off and the flesh grated for making the coconut milk.

INGREDIENTS: 4 sml lobsters, weighing about 500 gr each or 1 kg large prawns 5 cups water 2 lemongrass, bruised 2 fragrant lime leaves 4 cups coconut milk few drops white vinegar fried shallots to garnish SPICE PASTE: 5 red chilies, seeded and chopped 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 7 shallots, peeled and chopped 5 cm fresh turmeric, peeled and chopped 5 cm ginger, peeled and chopped 4 candlenuts 1 ½ tsp coriander ½ tsp dried shrimp paste toasted 1 sml tomato, peeled and seeded 2 tbsp oil 1 ½ tbsp tamarind pulp 1 salam leaf 1 lemon grass, bruised PREPARATION: Prepare spice paste by grinding or blending all ingredients except oil, tamarind, salam leaf and lemongrass. Heat oil, add spice paste and all other ingredients. Cook over moderate heat for about 5 minutes, then cool.

Wash lobsters and leave whole. Bring water to the boil, add lobsters and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove lobsters, plunge in iced water for 1 minutes, then drain and remove meat. Return shells to the pot of water, keeping lobster meat aside.

Add spice paste, lemongrass, lime leaves and vinegar to the water with the shells and simmer until 4 cups of stock remain. Add coconut milk and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain stock and return to pan. Add lobster and simmer for 1 minute. Serve garnished with fried shallots and accompanied by white rice.

Helpful hints: if using prawns instead of lobster, peel the raw prawns and put prawns shells 4 cups of water. Simmer for 5 minutes, then combine this stock with coconut milk, prawns and all other ingredients, simmering until cooked. (www.baliguide.com/balifood)

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Friday, December 10, 2010

Destinations

International

Ubud Monkey Forest IBP

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Ubud Monkey Forest is a small rain forest dwelt by some group of monkeys and other tropical animals. It is strategically located in the hearth of Ubud Village, precisely located in the region of Padang Tegal Village, Ubud Sub district and Gianyar Regency.

Monkey Forests in Balinese language called Wanara Wana are spread out in the island and Ubud Monkey Forest itself own very important function of the continuity the monkey habitat in Bali.

Meanwhile the local community own important role to keep this forest naturally in order to all wild animals able to live smoothly.

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

Beside of two others, that are Permandian Temple, in Westside from this forest and Prajapati Temple which is located in southeast side where the place of Dewa Siwa (Siwa God), one of the Khayangan Temple in Padang Tegal Village.

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

Friday, December 10, 2010

11

BUSINESS Japan growth revised higher but risks ahead, say analysts Agence France-Presse

TOKYO - Japan’s economy grew by more than estimated in the third quarter due to strongerthan-expected capital spending by Japanese companies, data showed Thursday, but analysts warned of risks ahead.

The upward revision to growth in the July-September quarter amplified the impact of a rush by car buyers to use expiring subsidies and smokers who stocked up on cigarettes ahead of a tax hike during the period.

The hottest summer on record also drove sales of items such as air conditioners, helping spur growth in the quarter. Private consumption accounts for around 60 percent of gross domestic product.

Japan’s annualised economic growth in the July-September quarter was revised up to 4.5 percent from an initial estimate of 3.9 percent, data showed, beating estimates of an upward revision to 4.1 percent.

On a quarterly basis, growth was revised up to 1.1 percent from 0.9 percent.

Business investment was revised to a 1.3 percent quarter-onquarter rise from the 0.8 percent gain initially estimated, adding 0.2 percentage points to quarterly expansion.

But some analysts warn of a possible contraction in the fourth quarter in the absence of such oneoff factors, amid increasing signs that Japan’s economy is slowing as export growth cools.

“This weak trend will continue,” warned Hideki Matsumura, an analyst at Japan Research Institute Ltd. “Recovery is likely to be delayed until the second half of the next fis-

cal year.”

The health of the trade-reliant economy continues to draw concern as exports, its main engine for growth, slow because of a strong yen and waning overseas demand while domestic demand remains soft.

Japan’s economic fiscal policy minister Banri Kaieda told reporters Wednesday that he expected growth to be “substantially lower” in the fourth quarter amid signs that companies are cutting back on investment.

Fears that the recovery is heading for further slowdown deepened Wednesday as data showed the nation’s trade with the world rose only slightly and machinery orders, a key corporate spending indicator, fell in October.

“The outlook is cloudier,” said consultancy Capital Economics in a research note. “The weakness of machinery orders at the start of the quarter is certainly discouraging.”

October exports grew at their slowest pace of the year after the yen traded at 15-year highs against the dollar, hammering the competitiveness of the crucial sector.

A strong yen not only makes Japan’s growth-driving exports more expensive but erodes companies’ overseas profits when repatriated, with many firms considering sending more production overseas as a result.

It also makes imports cheaper, contributing to a damaging cycle

of deflation in which falling prices prompt consumers to hold off on purchases in anticipation of further drops, clouding future corporate investment.

Japan has reduced its official interest rate to almost zero and last month passed an extra budget worth 58 billion dollars to cover a new stimulus package aimed at averting the threat of a “doubledip” recession.

Prime Minister Naoto Kan’s second stimulus package since he came to power is designed to ease concerns over deflation and a strong yen, and includes job programmes, welfare spending and assistance for small businesses.

Kan took office in June promising to slash spending and work towards cutting the country’s massive public debt, accounting for nearly 200 percent of gross domestic product.

But the state of Japan’s economy has complicated his ambitions.

With Thursday’s data, Japan stressed that over the first nine months its 3.96 trillion dollar economy was ahead of China’s 3.95 trillion dollars on nominal terms.

But it fell behind China in the second and third quarters, a trend that is expected to continue.

Japan remains more than 10 times richer on a per-capita basis, according to the International Monetary Fund.

China’s property bubble getting worse Agence France-Presse

BEIJING - A Chinese government think tank has warned the country’s real estate bubble is getting worse, with property prices in major cities overvalued by as much as 70 percent, state media reported Thursday.

Of the 35 major cities surveyed, property prices in eleven including Beijing and Shanghai were between 30 and 50 percent above their market value, the China Daily said, citing the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Prices in Fuzhou, capital of the southeastern province of Fujian,

had the worst property bubble with average house prices more than 70 percent higher than their market value, according to the survey conducted in September.

The average price in the 35 cities surveyed was nearly 30 percent above the market value, the report said.

Property prices have remained stubbornly high despite the government adopting a slew of measures since April including hiking minimum downpayments to at least 30 percent and ordering banks not to provide loans for third home purchases.

Prices in 70 major cities were

up 0.2 percent in October from the previous month and 8.6 percent higher than a year ago, official data showed.

The increase came after prices gained 0.5 percent month on month in September, which was the first increase since May. Massive stimulus measures taken since 2008 to fend off the financial crisis injected huge amounts of liquidity in the market and have been blamed for fuelling real estate prices.

“The government target is not clear and policy is incoherent,” CASS senior research Ni Pengfei was quoted saying.

AFP PHOTO / Paul J. RICHARDS

A close-up several United States 100-dollar bills is seen December 7, 2010 in Washington, DC. More than one billion US 100 dollar bills, approximately 10 per cent of the total stock of US currency on the planet, are being kept from circulation following printing errors that left the notes unusable. To correct the matter attempts are being made to create a new machine that will successfully identify and separate the defective bills from the properly-printed currency, a project if performed by hand would take between 20 and 30 years, they estimate, adding that a mechanized process would be complete by 2012.

IMF chief says situation in Europe still ‘troubling’ Agence France-Presse

GENEVA - The head of the IMF Dominique Strauss-Kahn said Wednesday that the situation in Europe, which is battling a debt crisis, remains troubling and that the future looked uncertain.

However, he insisted that the euro was not in danger, although the eurozone risked posting very slow growth if it failed to pull itself together.

“The situation in Europe remains troubling, and the future is more uncertain than ever,” said Strauss-Kahn, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, in Geneva.

Despite the crisis gripping the EU, Strauss-Kahn indicated confidence in the single currency.

“I don’t believe that the euro is in danger,” he told a public forum organised by the United Nations.

“On the other hand, I think that if the eurozone does not pull itself together quickly enough, it would risk having periods of very slow, difficult growth, that it could avoid on condition that its governance is greatly improved.”

Pascal Lamy, director-general of the World Trade Organization, noted that at the moment “there is one place on this planet where we are talking about restrictions, and that’s Europe.”

He explained that the region is suffering from a budgetary problem as it is unable to finance its social model as its workforce ages.

Reforms were necessary to help Europe adjust, but “these reforms are

politically difficult.”

In order “for this population to continue to benefit from this system would require either immigration or change.”

Europe is suffering from a public debt crisis, with Greece and Ireland forced to tap into EU-IMF rescue funds to keep afloat.

European Union leaders have in recent days been debating whether to increase the size of an overall EU-IMF rescue fund.

Portugal, which like Greece and Ireland is reeling under its public debt burden, is now firmly in the firing line to need help next.

Strauss-Kahn said nevertheless that the international community should begin bolstering supervision to head off future crises.

“Without waiting for calm to be restored, we need to start rebuilding these governance structures. It’s time for a triple comeback,” said the IMF chief.

The international community has been looking at ways to bolster financial governance, including imposing stricter rules on banks, after a massive financial crisis in 2008.

Strauss-Kahn assessed that the effects of the crisis were “far from over” and reforms to prevent a repeat were not “not moving fast enough.”

“Regulation is certainly very important, but all that must be supervised.

Supervision is still far behind, resolution of crises also,” he said, pointing out that it was supervision that failed in the subprime meltdown.

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Friday, December 10, 2010

Entertainment

International

Johnny Depp laments ‘voyeuristic’ modern times Agence France Presse

PARIS - US megastar Johnny Depp says he has mostly learned to tame the media “beast” which constantly stalks him — but makes no bones about what he would do if the paparazzi overstepped the mark. And while acknowledging the demands of global fame, the 47-year-old former “enfant terrible” also lamented the “voyeuristic sensationalism” of modern media culture. “I’ve had various relations with paparazzi over the years. Basically, I understand the beast,” the “Pirates of the Caribbean” star told AFP in an interview.

AP Photo/Peter Kramer

Actor Johnny Depp attends the premiere of “The Tourist” at The Ziegfeld Theater in New York, on Monday, Dec. 6, 2010.

“If I’m either at a premiere or something like that, it’s their gig and they’re going to take photographs.

But I’ve had my dilemmas with them over the years. What I’ve basically said to them is ‘You want my picture? Fine.’” But he warned bluntly: “‘If I catch you taking photographs of my kids I will physically eat your nose off of your face. And I would chew it in front of your face as well, and that’s the truth.’”

Depp was receiving visitors in a plush Paris hotel suite dressed in blue jeans, a lumberjack shirt and colorful accessories which could be straight from Jack Sparrow’s “Pirates” locker. He was here with costar Angelina Jolie to talk about his latest film, “The Tourist,” due out Friday in north America. Both stars

are working on projects in Europe, explaining the choice of France rather than the US. The actor spends much of his life travelling, but insists he still gets a thrill out of seeing new places, including Left Bank landmarks in the French capital. “I’m still like a little kid when I see ... certain buildings, certain places. I’m still fascinated when I go to the Closerie des Lilas or Cafe de Flore and know that Hemingway and James Joyce were sitting there 80 years ago.”

“The same in Venice. I couldn’t go out in the daytime very much but after 10:00 pm at night I could walk the streets with no problems.” Not being able to walk down a street like anyone else is one price of fame, he acknowledged — but lamented the

global culture of people prying into the lives of others.

“I think we’re getting into very strange times, and have been, for a long time. If you turn on the television and watch practically any show it’s like reality shows, or some form of voyeuristic sensationalism that’s happening,” he said. “And it’s not just in the States; it’s everywhere.

People are fascinated with looking at people’s lives, and the more cracked up, the more drama there is, the more they like it, and I think that’s really dangerous.”

Depp paid tribute to his co-star Jolie, who is currently making her directorial debut, a love story between a Muslim woman and a Serb man set against the background of Bosnia’s 1992-1995 inter-ethnic war.

Soul legend Aretha Franklin Australian golliwog dolls banned for Oprah visit: report has cancer: reports of patients within five years of diagnosis.

“Dirty Dancing” star Patrick Swayze died LOS ANGELES - Soul legend Aretha from the same form of cancer in September Franklin has cancer and underwent surgery last year. Franklin canceled a number of conlast week, media reported Wednesday, af- certs in October citing “health reasons,” ter she canceled engagements for the near while in early November, doctors ordered future. Fox 2 News in Detroit cited a rela- her to cancel all engagements for the next tive as saying the 68-year-old “Queen of six months, according to the Detroit News.

Arguably the most influential female singer Soul” is doing “OK,” but that the family is very concerned, and is asking for support- in the United States in her lifetime, Franklin’s powerful, bell-clear ers to send their voice is unmistakable, thoughts and prayers. from a whisper to fullRepresentatives gospel-choir force that for Franklin, who rose stretched over four ocfrom singing gospel taves. It has influenced to top charts in the the styles of two genera1960s and 1970s with tions or more of divas, hits like “Respect,” from Mariah Carey and “Think” and “Chain Whitney Houston — of Fools,” did not imwhose mother was a mediately respond to backup singer for requests for confirFranklin — to Alicia mation.

Keys, Beyonce, Mary J. Fox 2 News quoted Blige and Amy Franklin herself as Winehouse. saying she had Franklin has con“highly successful” tinued belting out her surgery last week. old hits into her 60s, “God is still in conand issuing both old trol. I had superb docand new collections of tors and nurses whom recordings that still were blessed by all sold strongly 40 years the prayers of the city after “Respect” earned and the country,” she FILES/AFP PHOTO/VALERIE MACON her the Queen of Soul said. The Detroit Aretha Franklin title in 1967. She gave News meanwhile reported the singer had pancreatic cancer, a stirring rendition of US anthem “Let Freewhich has the highest mortality rate of all dom Ring” at President Barack Obama’s inmajor cancers, killing around 95 percent auguration in January 2009.

Agence France Presse

Agence France Presse

MELBOURNE - Oprah Winfrey’s production company asked a Melbourne shop to remove golliwog “washerwoman” dolls from display fearing the talk-show queen would take offence, reports said Thursday.

The Dafel Dolls and Bear Shop was asked to take the “Mamee” dolls from its shelves ahead of a cocktail party there late Friday for 110 guests of Oprah’s “Ultimate Australian Adventure”, the Herald Sun newspaper said.

Dressed in a maid costume with a scarf around its head, it was feared the doll would upset 56-year-old Winfrey, the report said, though it was unknown whether the talk-show host, who is black, would attend the doll shop event. Golliwog dolls are considered offensive in the United States because of their links with slavery and racism. A shop employee contacted

by AFP denied any agreement had been entered into with Oprah’s production company, or that any cocktail party will take place. “Don’t believe everything you hear,” she said.

The incident follows a Jackson Five skit on an Australian television variety show last October featuring performers in black facepaint which incensed US celebrity guest Harry Connick Jr and sparked a racism furore. Oprah is in Australia for an eight-day filming tour of her hit talk-show — the first outside North America and a blockbuster end to its 25th and final season — touching down on the Great Barrier Reef Tuesday.

She is due to visit the giant red Outback monolith, Uluru — also known as Ayres Rock — in Australia’s vast desert centre, Thursday, while her 302 North American audience members have been scattered across the country for experiences including surfing and winetasting.

TOPSHOTS AFP PHOTO

A handout photo taken on December 8, 2010 and released on December 9 shows US talkshow queen Oprah Winfrey (L) and Australian celebrity chef Curtis Stone dancing on a beach in Hamilton Island. Ranked the world’s most powerful celebrity by Forbes magazine, Oprah is expected to be swarmed by fans Australia-wide, hoping for a glimpse of their icon.

Life Style

International

Friday, December 10, 2010

13

Retired French electrician says heir to second Picasso trove Agence France Presse

A handout photo provided by the International Center of Insect Physiology and Ecology (Icipe) and taken on on December 4, 2010 shows a specimen of Mormotomiya Hirsuta, also known as the “terrible hairy fly.”

AFP PHOTO / HO / ROBERT COPELAND / ICIPE

Scientists re-discover Africa’s ‘terrible hairy fly’ Agence France Presse

NAIROBI - A group of scientists has rediscovered the world’s rarest and strangest fly in a cave in Kenya, collecting the first “terrible hairy fly” specimen since 1948, a statement said Wednesday. Dr Robert Copeland and fellow dipterist Dr Ashley Kirk-Spriggs found the fly, known as Mormotomyia Hirsuta, in its only known habitat, a cavelike rock cleft in Ukazi Hill east of Nairobi.

“The re-discovery of the species, which has been collected on only two occasions before, in 1933 and 1948, has caused excitement in insect museums world-wide,” said the statement.

The mission was led by the In-

ternational Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (Icipe), an organisation which aims to reduce poverty and improve health and food security by enhancing tropical African countries’ ability to harness their natural resources through the

study of insects.

The spider-like fly is described as “strange, due to its relatively large size, the males of which can stretch over one centimetre its long legs and covering of yellow hairs, reduced eyes and its non-functional wings.”

“Since Mormotomyia cannot fly, there is a strong possibility that it is really restricted to this tiny habitat,” Copeland said.

“If that is the case, it would be wonderful if the entire Ukazi Hill, on which it is found, were declared a national heritage area and given suitable conservation protection,” he added.

GRASSE, France - A retired French electrician and his wife accused of handling hundreds of stolen Picasso works that they insist were gifts announced Wednesday they are heirs to another trove of his art. The claim came less than two weeks after Pierre Le Guennac, an electrician who installed burglar alarms at some of Pablo Picasso’s homes in the 1970s, said the artist and his wife gave him a total of 271 works.

A magistrate is probing how Le Guennac came by the paintings and drawings, thought to be worth over 60 million euros (80 million dollars), and Picasso’s heirs have lodged a suit against him for handling stolen goods. Now, Le Guennac and his wife Daniele say that they are heirs to even more Picassos, as they are “distant cousins” of his former chauffeur, Maurice Bresnu, who said that the artist also gave him many gifts.

Bresnu’s widow, Jacqueline, in-

herited the pictures, dating from 1967 to 1973, when he died in 1991. Following her death in 2009, her heirs decided to put them up for auction in Paris on Thursday.

But that sale was dramatically postponed on Tuesday at the request of one of her heirs because of publicity surrounding the Le Guennec’s own trove, which has been seized by the authorities pending the outcome of the investigation. Daniele Le Guennec told AFP that the couple were among six heirs to the collection contained in Bresnu’s will.

“We didn’t know there was all this, because we didn’t have a relationship with the Bresnus, we hadn’t seen them for a long time,” she said, admitting that “this business is happening at an unfortunate time, even if we’re serene because we have nothing to hide.” Although the full details of the works due to be auctioned were not known, the most beautiful piece is reportedly a female nude from 1972 with an estimate of 60,000 to 80,000 euros.

AFP PHOTO / FRANCOIS GUILLOT

A person looks at the portrait of Spanish painter Pablo Picasso in the Blanchet and Associates auction catalogue of the collection of Picasso’s late driver Maurice Bressenu aka “Nounours”, on December 8, 2010 in Paris.

Evidence for ET is mounting daily, but not proven Associated Press Writer

AP Photo/Jet Propulsion Lab

FILE - This image, released Nov. 12, 1996, by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., shows Jupiter’s ice-covered moon, Europa.

Every new discovery makes it seem more likely that we are not alone.

WASHINGTON – Lately, a handful of new discoveries make it seem more likely that we are not alone — that there is life somewhere else in the universe.

In the past several days, scientists have reported there are three times as many stars as they previously thought.

Another group of researchers discovered a microbe can live on arsenic, expanding our understanding of how life can thrive under the harshest environments. And earlier this year, astronomers for the first time said they’d found a potentially habitable planet.

“The evidence is just getting stronger and stronger,” said Carl Pilcher, director of NASA’s Astrobiology Institute, which studies the origins, evolution and possibilities of life in the universe. “I think anybody looking at this evidence is going to say, ‘There’s got to be life out there.’”

A caveat: Since much of this re-

search is new, scientists are still debating how solid the conclusions are.

Some scientists this week have publicly criticized how NASA’s arsenicusing microbe study was conducted, questioning its validity.

Another reason not to get too excited is that the search for life starts small — microscopically small — and then looks to evolution for more.

The first signs of life elsewhere are more likely to be closer to slime mold than to ET. It can evolve from there.

Scientists have an equation that calculates the odds of civilized life on another planet. But much of it includes factors that are pure guesswork on less-than-astronomical factors, such as the likelihood of the evolution of intelligence and how long civilizations last. Stripped to its simplistic core — with the requirement for intelligence and civilization removed — the calculations hinge on two basic factors: How many places out

there can support life? And how hard is it for life to take root?

What last week’s findings did was both increase the number of potential homes for life and broaden the definition of what life is. That means the probability for alien life is higher than ever before, agree 10 scientists interviewed by The Associated Press.

Seth Shostak, senior astronomer at the SETI Institute in California, ticks off the astronomical findings about planet abundance and Earthbound discoveries about life’s hardiness. “All of these have gone in the direction of encouraging life out there and they didn’t have to.”

Two new studies published online Wednesday in the journal Nature add to the interest in weird planets outside our solar system, though they don’t exactly make a stronger case for life.

One study found a super-hot planet much bigger than Jupiter that seems to be full of carbon in its atmosphere.

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Friday, December 10, 2010

Sport

International Champions League results - collated Group E

Group G

At Munich, Germany Bayern Munich (GER) 3 (Ribery 35, 50, Tymoschuk 37) Basel (SUI) 0

At Milan, Italy AC Milan (ITA) 0 Ajax (NED) 2 (de Zeeuw 57, Alderweireld 66)

At Cluj-Napoca, Romania CFR Cluj (ROM) 1 (Traore 88) Roma (ITA) 1 (Borriello 21)

At Madrid Real Madrid (ESP) 4 (Benzema 12, 72, 88, Cristiano Ronaldo 49) Auxerre (FRA) 0

Group F

Group H

At Zilina, Slovakia MSK Zilina (SVK) 1 (Majtan 48) Spartak Moscow (RUS) 2 (Alex 54, Ibson 61)

At London Arsenal (ENG) 3 (van Persie 30-pen, Walcott 73, Nasri 77) Partizan Belgrade (SRB) 1 (Cleo 52)

At Marseille, France Marseille (FRA) 1 (Brandao 81) Chelsea (ENG) 0

At Donetsk, Ukraine Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR) 2 (Rat 78, Luiz Adriano 83) Sporting Braga (POR) 0

Ribery fires Bayern over Basel in Champions League AP Photo/Matt Dunham

Arsenal’s Samir Nasri, right, tries to dribble past Partisan Belgrade’s Aleksandar Lazevski, left, during their Champions League Group H soccer match at the Emirates stadium in London, Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2010.

Arsenal into last 16 as Partizan downed Agence France Presse

LONDON - Arsenal booked their place in the last 16 of the Champions League here Wednesday but were made to work hard before downing Partizan Belgrade 3-1 at the Emirates. Substitute Theo Walcott and in-form Frenchman Samir Nasri scored the decisive goals for the Gunners after Partizan’s Brazilian-born striker Cleo had cancelled out Robin Van Persie’s first-half penalty.

Defeats to Shakhtar Donetsk and Braga in their previous two matches however mean the English Premier League leaders had to settle for the runners-up spot in Group H. Shakhtar finished first after beating Braga in Ukraine. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admitted he had been anxious when Partizan levelled at 1-1 but was always confident his side would come back.

“I felt we had the resources to score and that in the last 20 minutes they would drop a little bit physically,” Wenger said. “I was always confident that we would qualify but you never know. “We didn’t find our pace in the game. We didn’t manage to find openings in their defence and they defended very well,” Wenger added.

Arsenal captain-for-the-night Van Persie said the Gunners believe they can finally end their five-year trophy drought this season. “Everything starts with belief,” Van Persie told Sky Sports. “If you don’t believe you’d better stop playing football. We do believe we can achieve things this year.”

Van Persie said he was not fazed by the fact that Arsenal’s second place finish means they must face

either Germany’s Schalke 04, Bayern Munich or Spanish giants Barcelona or Real Madrid in the next round. “As a fan of football I’d love to be involved in a game against either Barcelona or Madrid but we’ll just have to see what happens in the draw,” he said. Arsenal had dominated from the outset, monopolising possession but struggling to find a way through Partizan’s densely populated midfield.

Nasri always looked Arsenal’s most threatening attacking outlet, and the midfielder created the first half-chance when he found Marouane Chamakh with a cross that the Moroccan striker headed harmlessly over the bar. Nasri was in the thick of it again on 19 minutes when he lost his marker superbly before threading a low cross through to Van Persie, who could only guide his shot wide of the near post. At the other end Arsenal remained largely unruffled although they were forced into a defensive reshuffle on 24 minutes when Emmanuel Eboue came on to replace Kieran Gibbs after the fullback turned an ankle.

Arsenal broke the deadlock on the half hour mark via a dubious penalty, Marko Jovanovic harshly adjuged to have bundled over Van Persie by Italian referee Paolo

Tagliavento. Television replays appeared to suggest little contact by the defender on the Dutch striker.

Partizan’s players protested to no avail and Van Persie stepped up to blast his spot kick beyond Vladimir Stojkovic. Despite cruising through the first half however, Arsenal were made to pay for a slack opening to the second period and Partizan got back on level terms when Cleo’s speculative shot took a big deflection off Sebastien Squillaci and looped up over Lukasz Fabianski.

It looked like the match might finish in a draw until the introduction of substitute Walcott for Andrei Arshavin breathed new life into the Arsenal attack with 23 minutes to go. On 73 minutes Walcott fired Arsenal back into the lead, controlling a half-clearance superbly on his chest before angling in a volley past Stojkovic. Four minutes later Nasri made the game safe, rounding off slick interplay between Nicklas Bendtner and Alex Song to finish coolly. The only sour note for Arsenal came five minutes from time when Bacary Sagna received a straight red card for a professional foul on Aleksandar Lazevski on the edge of the area.

Agence France Presse

MUNICH, Germany – Last season’s finalists Bayern Munich went through to the last 16 of the Champions League as Group E winners on Wednesday with a 3-0 win over Basel as midfielder Franck Ribery netted twice.

This was Bayern’s fifth win of their European campaign and Louis van Gaal’s side progress to the knock-out stages alongside AS Roma while Basel finish third with the consolation of a place in the Europa League. “Not many sides have managed to win five of their group games,” beamed van Gaal.

“We scored three goals, so I am very happy. “This win will also give us some self-confidence for the games ahead.” A pair of goals from Ribery - his first for the club since April - and a simple tap in

by Ukraine star Anatoliy

Tymoshchuk, who is enjoying a purple patch, sealed the win in Munich.

But all is not rosy with the German champions. Tougher tests await in February’s round of 16 which will be drawn on December 17 in Nyon and captain Mark van Bommel was not impressed.

“We started this game badly, there was not enough movement and calls for the ball until Franck opened the scoring,” said the Dutchman. “We should have scored more goals, it is important to take some confidence for our (next Bundesliga) match against St. Pauli.”

There are already real concerns around the Allianz Arena about qualifying for next season’s competition and Bayern need to finish in the German league’s top two to be sure of a place in European football’s most lucrative tournament.

AP Photo/Matthias Schrader

Munich’s Franck Ribery of France celebrates after scoring during the Champions League Group E soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and FC Basel in Munich, southern Germany, Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2010.

Sport

International

Friday, December 10, 2010

15

LeBron scores 33, Heat beat Jazz for 6th straight Agence France Presse

SALT LAKE CITY – LeBron James scored 33 points, Dwyane Wade added 28 and the surging Miami Heat outscored the Utah Jazz by 14 in the fourth quarter for a 111-98 victory Wednesday night. The victory extended Miami’s winning streak to six, and avenged a 116-114 overtime loss to Utah at home on Nov. 9.

The Heat improved to 15-8, while Utah fell to 16-7.

Al Jefferson scored 25 points and all five Jazz starters were in double figures by the start of the fourth. But it wasn’t enough as the Heat pulled away with a 12-3 run to start the quarter. Miami led by as many as 12, but the Heat found themselves trailing 78-77 entering the fourth after the Jazz mounted yet another rally. Last month, they came back from a 22-point deficit to beat the Heat.

In that game, Paul Millsap scored a career-high 46 for Utah.

This time, he got going late and finished with 18 points on 9-of-12 shooting. Deron Williams had 21 for Utah but only four in the first half.

The loss continued an up-anddown season for the Jazz, who were riding a seven-game winning streak last week but lost Friday to Dallas.

Against the Heat, Millsap tried to spark the Jazz again. He grabbed the rebound off James Jones’ miss and raced the length of the court for a layup at the buzzer to pull the Jazz within 28-27 to end the first quarter.

The Heat led by as many as 10 again in the second as Wade scored eight points in a 3-minute span, and James’ driving layup with 4:27 left made it 49-39. A three-point play by Andrei Kirilenko pulled the Jazz to 66-64 with 6:18 left in the third.

Williams then passed underneath to Kirilenko for a dunk to tie it at 72 with 4:14 left, and Raja Bell put Utah ahead with a pair of free throws.

But the fourth quarter was all Miami, as the Heat outscored the Jazz 34-20. Utah had held its last 10 opponents under 100 points, and the Jazz were 10-0 when entering the fourth with a lead.

AP Photo/Morry Gash

Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade (3) reacts as teammate LeBron James (6) goes up for a dunk during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Milwaukee Bucks Monday, Dec. 6, 2010, in Milwaukee.

Trophies, memorabilia stolen from Sampras Henin to face Clijsters in comeback match Agence France Presse

AFP PHOTO / TIMOTHY A. CLARY

(FILES) — A file photo taken on September 8, 2002 shows US tennis player Pete Sampras hugging the trophy after winning the Men’s singles final match over fellow countryman Andre Agassi at the US Open Tennis Tournament in Flushing Meadows, NY.

LOS ANGELES - Pete Sampras, the tennis legend who won 14 Grand Slam titles, has been robbed of most of the trophies and memorabilia from his fabled career, the retired US star told the Los Angeles Times. The newspaper reported on Tuesday night that Sampras had the objects — including two Davis Cup trophies, his six year-end world number one trophies and an Olympic ring — taken from a Los Angeles public storage rental unit.

Sampras said he still has 13 of his 14 Grand Slam singles championship trophies but added: “My first Australian Open trophy is gone and so is everything else.” “Losing this stuff is like having the history of my tennis life taken away,” Sampras told the Times.

“I’m not one to gloat about trophies, or show them off. I’ve never been like that. I just want them for my kids to see. They didn’t see me play, but I would like them to see these things. “For me to have it for my kids is priceless.”Sampras, a 39-year-old father of two with actress-wife Bridgette Wilson, retired a year after defeating Andre Agassi in the 2002 US Open final. Sampras stored the items after moving homes twice.

“I thought there were security cameras. I thought these things were locked up tight,” Sampras said. “I was shocked.” The theft took place three weeks ago and also included trophies from 64 tournament victories, magazine articles and newspaper clippings, an autographed piano bench from Elton John and an autographed guitar from Carlos Santana.

None of the items was insured, Sampras said, because there was no way to place a monetary value upon them. “I just hope it hasn’t already been destroyed,” Sampras said. “That’s why I wanted to get the word out now. I know this is a long shot, but I would regret it if I didn’t at least try. Maybe somebody knows something. “That’s all I can hope for.”

Agence France Presse

BRUSSELS - Justine Henin will make her return from a six-month spell on the sidelines in an exhibition match against her Belgian compatriot Kim Clijsters on Thursday, her coach has revealed.

The former world number one damaged ligaments in her right elbow at Wimbledon in June but is now “ready to play a tournament”, according to her trainer Carlos Rodriguez.

The match against Clijsters will take place at a gala event in the Belgian city of Anvers.

Henin, currently 12th in the WTA rankings, resumed training at the Justine Henin beginning of October with the aim of being fit for the start of the 2011 season.

She will begin the 2011 campaign at the Hopman Cup mixed international team tournament in Perth, Australia in January, when she is likely to team up with her countryman Ruben Bemelmans. Henin, 28, made her return to competitive tennis last January after 18 months in retirement.

Her ‘second career’ began well, as she reached the Australian Open final and won tournaments at Stuttgart and Rosmalen, before falling to Clijsters in the last 16 at Wimbledon.

Interviewed by Belgian daily La Derniere Heure/Les Sports on Wednesday, Rodriguez said that Henin “definitely has three great years at the highest level ahead of her”.

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Friday, December 10, 2010

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

Sport

Lotus to sponsor Renault team in 2011 Agence France Presse

PARIS - The Lotus group has taken a major equity stake in the Renault Formula One team, which will be renamed ‘Lotus Renault GP’ for the 2011 season. Group Lotus plc will acquire a major equity stake in the team from Genii Capital, the organisations said in a statement on Wednesday.

AFP PHOTO

Handout pictured delivered on December 8, 2010 by the Renault F1 team shows the visual of the Renault Formula One car 2011 livery on a model of the 2010 race car, the R30. The team will be renamed ‘Lotus Renault GP’, after the Lotus group had taken a major equity stake in the Renault Formula One team.

Badoer in ‘emotional’ Ferrari farewell LUCA Badoer said his only regret as his 13-year stint as a Ferrari test driver came to an end was that he had only twice managed to race for the team in Formula 1. The 39year-old Italian had a farewell demonstration run in a 2009 Ferrari F1 car at the Bologna Motor Show today.

“Even after so many years of doing it, driving a Formula 1 car here, so close to the spectators, so as to let them get a close up feel for the power of these cars is a feeling one never gets used to,” said Badoer. “Plus, today’s experience was more emotional than usual, because it is my last appearance in my role as official Ferrari test driver.”

Badoer, who had previously raced for Scuderia Italia and Minardi in F1, originally joined Ferrari in 1998. He spent the vast majority of the next decade as the lynchpin of the team’s testing efforts, but also raced in the European and Belgian Grands Prix in 2009 following Felipe Massa’s head injury and the neck issue that prevented Michael Schumacher from stepping into his place.

However Badoer’s comeback was not a success, and after strug-

gling at the back of the field at both events, he was stood down in favour of Giancarlo Fisichella.

“The only regret is that I was only able to do two races,” Badoer admitted. “The team had confidence in me at that time and that is something I will always be grateful for. “Unfortunately, at the time, I had not been driving for 10 months and found myself at the wheel of a car that was difficult to adapt to and so I could not show what I could do.”

He said he had been quite happy

to spend the majority of his F1 career in a largely unseen role. “The thing I will miss most is driving the Formula 1 car. I have never been one for the bright lights, as the one and only thing I wanted centred on my job of taking a car to its limits, working out where there was room for improvement,” said Badoer.

“Although this is something I have missed for quite a while now, as testing has been cut back and there is not much for a test driver to do.”

“The partnership between Lotus and Genii brings the ability to quickly incorporate new technologies from F1 cars into Lotus road cars including hybrid technology, Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS), aero advancements and lightweight materials,” they said.

“Genii, an investment holding company with a portfolio of automotive technologies, bring non-F1 technologies such as lightweight braking systems, variable compression engine technology and on board software systems to the partnership.”

Eric Boullier, head of the Renault F1 stable, called the move by Lotus, owner of the Malaysian Proton car brand, an “enormous boost”.

“It’s with a big smile that I see Lotus coming. It’s excellent news and an enormous boost,” Boullier told AFP. “To have a new principal sponsor for the coming seven years brings us a long-term stability and vision that you rarely see in Formula One. It’s what we wanted.” Boullier said discussions with Lotus had started “last summer”, and that the sponsorship would involve a “serious” sum of money coming in for the team.

“To position yourself as a top team, you must have means in the short term, medium term and long term,” he said. “If we say to our employees, ‘You’ll be fired if we don’t win’, they won’t be motivated. (The deal with Lotus) allows them to be more creative.”

While Renault are no longer the owner of the Formula One team, the French car manufacturers have granted permission for their name to be used and will continue to provide the engines. Boullier insisted that the newly-named team would be gunning for “podiums and victories” next season.

Robert Kubica, who finished eighth in the drivers’ standings last season, has been confirmed for 2011, but the fate of team-mate Vitaly Petrov has not yet been determined, he said.