Edisi 22 Desember 2010 | International Bali Post

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Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Over-booking toward yearend Denpasar needs 1,600 additional hotel rooms

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PAGE 8

TOPSHOTS REPUBLIC OF KOREA OUT AFP PHOTO/KOREA POOL

South Korean marines patrol on the South Korea-controlled island of Yeonpyeong near the disputed waters of the Yellow Sea on December 20, 2010.

Early U2 “a little rinky-dink,” says label boss PAGE 12

SKorean troops prepare for possible NKorean attack Associated Press Writer

YEONPYEONG ISLAND, South Korea – A South Korean destroyer prowled the sea and fighter jets screamed across the skies Tuesday in preparation for possible North Korean attacks a day after staging provocative artillery drills on an island the North shelled last month.

North Korea has said it would not retaliate for the exercises off Yeonpyeong Island — reversing its earlier threats. A senior South Korean government official, however, said that the lack of response so far does

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not mean Pyongyang is backing down, noting that North Korea thrives on “surprise” attacks. The official spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

Pyongyang considers the waters

around the island — a tiny enclave of fishing communities and military bases within sight of North Korean shores — its territory, and similar drills last month triggered an artillery barrage that killed four South Koreans, in the first attack targeting civilian areas since the 1950-53 Korean War. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who made an unofficial visit to North Korea this week, praised Pyongyang’s “statesmanlike” restraint.

Richardson, a former U.S. ambas-

sador to the United Nations who has served as an unofficial envoy to North Korea in the past, said in Beijing on Tuesday that during the trip North Korean officials agreed to let U.N. atomic inspectors visit its main nuclear complex to make sure the facility is not producing enriched uranium for a nuclear bomb. That, Richardson said, could provide an opening for a resumption of negotiations aimed at dismantling the country’s nuclear program.

Continued on page 6

Europe weather ruins Christmas for airlines, retailers Reuters

LONDON – Snow and freezing temperatures grounded flights across northern Europe on Tuesday, while retailers fretted they would struggle to make up sales lost due to bad weather with just four shopping days to Christmas.

Eurocontrol, the umbrella group for air-traffic control across 38 countries, said more services would likely operate on Tuesday after more than 22,000 flights across Europe were canceled on Monday.

But cancellations remained widespread. British Airways said it expected to make a “significant number of cancellations” to its shorthaul services from London’s Heathrow airport.

“Severe weather continues to cause significant disruption to our operation and will do so in the run up to Christmas,” the airline warned. Analysts believe the freezing conditions will hit BA’s profit by around 10 million pounds ($15.55 million) a day.

Continued on page 6

AP Photo/Akira Suemori

An unidentified child throws snow into a the frozen fountain of the Queen Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace, in London, Monday, Dec. 20, 2010.

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International

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Bali News To realize Gajah Mada Heritage

House supports the arrangement of Jalan Gajah Mada area Denpasar (Bali Post)—

The arrangement of Jalan Gajah Mada into a heritage area has been started by Denpasar City Government since several years ago. After supported

by Balapraja and Denpasar Customary Village, the area arrangement obtained total support as well from the Denpasar House. The arrangement is begun from the parking service, traffic, condition of Badung Market, buffer zone, both physically and non-physically.

“In principle, we agree with the Denpasar Municipality to arrange the area of Jalan Gajah Mada in IBP/ist harmony with the compleThe street in Gajah Mada area. The ar- tion of the central parking rangement of Gajah Mada Street into lot in the courtyard of a heritage area has been started by Badung Market. On-veDenpasar City Government since sev- hicle traders would be reeral years ago. located to Gunung Agung Market (former cargo terminal) that will be renovated in 2011,” said Chairman of Commission C of Denpasar House, Kadek Agus Arya Wibawa and Chairman of Commission B, Eko Supriyadi, in their office on Monday (Dec 20).

Eko Supriyadi said the completion of central parking lot in the courtyard of Badung Market was expected to be a milestone of collective spirit in realizing the aspiration of Denpasar City creating a heritage area. So far, the Commission B as well as the factions existing in the Denpasar House having a certain attitude did not necessarily mean to eliminate the components existing in the area of Jalan Gajah Mada. The components included the on-vehicle traders, courtyard traders and other components of society such as Balapraja.

In principle, the legislator of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) said that central parking was earmarked for the area parking located in the Badung Market. In the future, the central parking would be only for parking in accordance with the detailed engineering design (DED) and real function. Accordingly, the on-vehicle traders and courtyard traders should be regulated gradually to maintain the conduciveness of the region. “We do hope all components to realize this matter for the common good and future of Denpasar,” said Eko. Meanwhile, Kadek Agus Arya Wibawa added that Denpasar House planned to develop a buffer market in the former cargo terminal on Jalan Gunung Agung. With the buffer zone for the Badung Market, there would be measures where the current heavy load of Badung Market could be alleviated, so the development of Gajah Mada Heritage would be maximal. “We plan the on-vehicle traders will be relocated to Gunung Agung Market,” he said.

As has been known, the plan of Denpasar Municipality to arrange the area of Jalan Gajah Mada has started long ago. Commenced by the demolition of eight stores in front of Badung Market, it was then resumed with the dismantling of tens of stores in the east of Desa/Puseh Temple of Denpasar. However, many traders remained to carry out their activity there recently. As a result, the arrangement of Jalan Gajah Mada area turned unclear. Today, the plan is re-finalized with the plans to discipline the traders in the area. (kmb12)

2011, six traditional markets revitalized Denpasar (Bali Post)—

In 2011, Denpasar Municipality will conduct a revitalization program again to traditional markets within the city. It is undertaken following the revitalization of traditional market that had been carried out to Sindhu Market in Sanur. Six traditional markets revitalized next year consist of the Panjer Market, Petapian Market, Sidakarya Market, Penatih Market, Tulangampian Market and Agung Market.

“Revitalization program to traditional market is performed in an effort to organize the market into a healthy and fresh market,” said the Secretary of Denpasar Municipality, Anak Agung Ngurah Rai Iswara, Monday (Dec 20).

He added the revitalization of traditional markets posed the program of central government through the Ministry of Commerce. “We truly appreciate this revitalization program positively because with the previous program the traditional markets seemed shabby. However, with a new touch they will look more healthy and turn to fresh markets,” he said.

Though the market revitalization program denoted the program of central government, Denpasar Municipality had also allocated a budget to synergize the program.

“We’ve allocated funds for the market revitalization in 2011,” he said while explaining that so far the traditional markets revitalized had reached six units. They comprised the Sindhu Market, Renon Market, Panjer Market, Tapean Market and the Agung Market.

“With the revitalization undertaken, the market will look fresh and healthy in terms of the arrangement and sanitation,” he said.

According to Rai Iswara, by the measure taken residents who would like to go to the market would not feel uncomfortable, because the condition had been clean. “We hope the traders in those markets to always maintain the sanitation of their environment. With such an act, it will kindle a better attraction for residents to do shopping in those markets,” he said.

He pointed out the Sindhu Market in Sanur. After the revitalization, the market located right in the middle of tourist sanctuary became one of the attractions for tourists visiting and shopping in the markets.

“This proves that tourists coming to Bali did not only enjoy the attractions of the sublime art and culture, but they also want to know how people conduct transactions in traditional markets,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Sanur Development Foundation Ida Bagus Sidharta Putra said in the revitalization of the Sindhu Market owned by Sanur Village his party allocated a fund reaching IDR 4 billion. “Such a fund is used for the market arrangement, among others, to establish a two-story shop and stall for traders,” he said. (par)

IBP/doc

The sellers in a traditional maket in Denpasar.

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

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

3

Kuta Tourism Now

Non Residents Increased, Job Opportunities Narrowed

Mangupura (Bali Post)-

The booming non residents in tourist area Kuta, Badung have competed with local residents in finding jobs. Until October 2010, the 17,52 km² area has been filled by more than 9000 non residents which narrows job opportunities for locals.

Head of Kuta Village, Wayan Dariana, last Monday (20/12) stated the non residents have reached 90 percent of the total residents in Kuta working in tourist services such as hotels, restaurants, bars and tourism bureaus and dominantly from East Java including Banyuwangi, “The non residents’ existence in Kuta now felt to have competed with locals in getting a job. Yet this can be anticipated through disciplining uncontrollable residents.”

The tourist services in Kuta have managed to produce a quite huge Regional Real Income (PAD) for the economy sector also as a sector that can increase the people’s prosperity. Yet this tourism sector that has erased unemployment now chased by non residents, “The number of Kuta residents until now reached 12.249 people within 3.379 families.

Most of them works as tourist work-

ers, art shop, restaurant, bar and other businesses owners.”

I Nyoman Rutha Ady, SH, a Badung public figure admitted the negative impact has been happening and yet to him these non residents are not competitors, they are motivators to the locals, “Because of an elevated social life, many locals are picky on finding jobs. They tend to choose more beneficial works in five stars hotels rather than rough works.”

Rutha Ady also explained the non residents in Kuta almost took over the informal sectors such as essential traders like food. This can be seen that traditional markets tend to have fewer sellers during Eid Al Fitri and Christmas holidays, “And yet during Galungan Day the market activity is crowded. This shows that locals have left that profession while non residents want to work whatever it is as long as there are results.” (par)

Kintamani Prepared to be Geo Park Bangli (Bali Post)-

Tourist Product Director from Republic Indonesia Tourism and Culture Ministry, Achyaruddin, met officials and workers of Bali tourism at Batur Volcano Museum last Monday (20/12) and stated that Batur Caldera will be prepared to be suggested to UNESCO as one of Indonesia’s Geo Park also with Pacitan.

Kintamani was chosen because this area has a potential with Batur Volcano as an active volcano with its mountain ecosystem also the lake is very suitable for it as well. Bangli which is in Bali also has a great accessibility as one of the world’s tourist destination.

The purpose and target from this Geo Park is to preserve geo diversity and environment conservation, giving wide earth education, promoting the earth’s inheritance to the public, also for local economy growth through geo

tourism.

It is thought to have a lot of use can be resulted if they joined the UNESCO Global Geo Park Network such as promoted internationally under UNESCO without any big budgets also to attract foreign investors if this national geo park goes international from the aspects of conservation, education and tourism.

The first step to this geo park arrangement at Kintamani will begin at early January year 2011. The Ministry will get involve fully as at July 2011 UNESCO assessor will come down to check its suitability being a geo park and being a member to the global geo park.Bangli Regent, Made Gianyar, SH, M.Hum, welcomed greatly of this central government plan. Moreover if it goes well, it will be one route with the plan of boosting development and tourism arrangement as one of Regional Real Income (PAD). (kmb17)

IBP/Yudi Karnaedi

The nightlife in Kuta, one of the most favourite tourism destination in Bali.

Stealing Foreigner Wallet

Again, Transvestite Group Captured by Police Denpasar (Bali Post) –

Even though it has been several times Kuta Police Criminal Research captured transvestites involved in robberies, it seemed to never stop. This time fast attack troops led by First Inspector Gede Ardana captured a group of them again proved to have done a robbery act. They are Dea alias Denny (24) and Pingky alias Pata Pardede (32) also police captured a woman named Oline Agustine (42). Accused Oline was also helped the two accused in this action. “They robbed a wallet owned by Philip Mark Scott (37) from England,” Head of Kuta Po-

lice AKP I Gede Ganefo stated last Monday (20/12).

Ganefo explained the crime act happened in a flat at Bunut Sari Street, Legian Klod, Kuta last Saturday (28/12). Before, the three met at Expresso Bar, Kuta where they flirted with victim and were brought to Paddy’s Bar. Then, victim who was staying at Puri Jimbaran Hotel were brought to accused flat.

At this place victim was then further flirted and asked for a date. The three accused had their own roles, one flirted, one was touching the victim and one took his wallet, “It is strongly suspected that accused took the wal-

let easily.”

Yet not long after that, victim realized that he’s been tricked.

Knowing his wallet was gone, he was sure it was the accused that have done it then reported it to Kuta Police. Ganefo directed Ardana to investigate and not long after that the three accused were found then brought to the cells.

From the accused hand, police confiscated cash IDR 7,1 million and a number of documents. The case is still investigated to see if there are any other accused, “We are still deepening the case. The three are still being investigated at investigation room.” (kmb21)

In 2010, 67 HIV patients die in Sanglah Hospital Denpasar (Bali Post)—

Based on the data, throughout 2010 it has been noted that 67 patients of HIV/AIDS died in Sanglah Hospital.

One of them was a patient from Badung who died on Saturday (Dec 18). Such female patient had been hospitalized for several days in Sanglah Hospital before she died.

Body of the woman of early forties was then taken home by the family.

The data of Sanglah Hospital indicated that the number of patient undergoing a test at the VCT Clinic throughout 2010 amounted to 1,290 patients where 332 of them were declared positive. Of the total positive patients, they consisted of 217 men and 105 women. For comparison, in 2009 the number of patients undergoing HIV test was around 1,279 and 354 of them were tested positive.

One of the counselors in the VCT

Clinic of Sanglah Hospital, SA Suryani, said that most HIV/AIDS patients receiving medical care at Sanglah Hospital were referral patients and had been in critical condition. Meanwhile, the patients coming for HIV test was currently not only of prostitute group or their customers, but many of them were couples. “Even, there was a case where a whole family was infected by HIV,” she said.

According to Suryani, the presence of

antiretroviral (ARV) therapy enabled people with HIV to maintain the quality of their life so it would not fall into the stage of AIDS. In the meantime, the handling of bodies of HIV patients in Sanglah Hospital, according to the Head of Medical Forensic Installation of Sanglah Hospital, Dudut Rustyadi, followed a standard operating procedure before the body was brought home by the family. “Before taken

home, the corpse was left in for two or four hours in order the virus dies,” said Dudut. The virus would die if the hosting cells died. Therefore, the corpse of HIV/AIDS patient should be first left in the room temperature for two up to four hours after being declared clinically dead. “Four hours are the time where the death occurs in the bodily cellular level and it is assumed within such a time span the HIV virus will die as well,” said Dudut.(san)

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News

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

International

Medvedev pushes for military, nuke deals in India Agence France Presse

NEW DELHI – Russian President Dmitry Medvedev met with Indian Premier Manmohan Singh Thursday at the start of a visit to drum up military and nuclear deals with one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. Medvedev’s trip caps a flurry of top-level diplomatic activity that has seen the leaders of all five permanent members of the UN Security Council beat a trade-focused path to India’s door over the past six months.

British Prime Minister David Cameron was here in July, and US President Barack Obama, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao have passed through over the last six weeks.

All the visits have secured deals and framework agreements worth billions of dollars, and the Russian president will also be looking to seal key accords on the supply of fighter jets and the construction of nuclear power stations.

Traditionally India’s default defence supplier, Russia now faces stiff competition from Europe and the United States as India diversifies its sources of military hardware and becomes more demanding over pricing and quality. In an interview published in the Times of India on Monday, Medvedev said he viewed the growing competition for India’s booming defence market with “serenity and pragmatism”.

“We are ready to compete, the main point being that the fight for contracts is fair,” he said. Wary of China’s military modernisation drive, India is embarking on what global

consultancy firm KPMG has described as “one of the largest procurement cycles in the world”.

Between now and 2016, India’s defence sector is expected to spend 112 billion dollars on capital defence acquisitions, KPMG said in a recent report. Among the deals on offer is a 12billion-dollar contract for 126 fighter jets and Medvedev will be pushing hard for India to select the Russianmade MiG-35.

But European and US aeronautical giants including Dassault Aviation, Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp. are also bidding for the tender.

The president will seek to finalise an agreement for the joint production of a fifth-generation fighter with stealth capabilities that could be worth up to 30 billion dollars, with India planning to take as many as 300 of the aircraft.

New Delhi and Moscow enjoy close ties that date back to the 1950s and analysts say Russia retains a competitive edge as a tried and tested ally even as India looks to build new strategic partnerships.

“India needs to keep in mind the fact that, in this changing and complex

AP Photo/Manish Swarup

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, left, poses for photographs with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh before delegation level talks in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2010. Russia and India are expected to sign billions of dollars worth of defense and nuclear deals during Medvedev’s visit that began Tuesday.

global order, preserving the trust of a consistent supporter is very important to meet the challenges that may arise in the future,” said Pallavi Pal, a researcher at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses in New Delhi.

On the nuclear front, Russia is already building two reactors in the

Thailand to end state of emergency in Bangkok BANGKOK – The Thai government agreed to lift a state of emergency in Bangkok and surrounding provinces Wednesday, eight months after it was imposed during sprawling and sometimes violent anti-government protests in the capital.

However, the government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will retain extraordinary powers, including the right to hold suspects without charge for up to a week, under a new security act that it says is needed to control anti-government groups.

Deputy Government spokesman Supachai Jaisamut said the current security situation no longer justified the strict control imposed during April riots by Red Shirt protesters, who camped for weeks in a zone fortified by wooden stakes and tires in the heart of Bangkok.

But the government has said it feels that Thailand’s continuing political turmoil justified another strict, though less powerful, security law.

“The Cabinet has decided to lift the emergency decree ... and replace it with the Internal Security Act,”

AP Photo/David Longstreath

Thai anti-government protesters light candles Sunday, Dec. 19, 2010, to remember the seven month anniversary of the government’s crackdown in May that left more than 85 people dead, in Bangkok, Thailand.

Supachai said.

Occasional protests have continued since the army cracked down on the Red Shirt encampment on May 19. During the demonstration’s final weeks, rolling clashes between troops and Red Shirt protesters killed 90 people and wounded more than 1,400.

A state of emergency was initially declared in April in Bangkok after demonstrators broke into the Parliament building to press their demands for early elections. It was later extended to cover almost onethird of the country’s 76 provinces and has gradually been lifted in most locations except Bangkok and three surrounding provinces. A state of emergency allows the government to impose sweeping restrictions on civil liberties.

It allows authorities to declare curfews, prohibit public gatherings, censor and ban publications and detain suspects without charge for up to 30 days. Government officials acting under the decree cannot be investigated for wrongdoing or brought to court. Critics said the decree was selectively enforced and used to harass government opponents.

The Internal Security Act allows authorities to hold suspects without charge for up to seven days. It also allows for curfews and restrictions on freedom of movement in situations deemed harmful to national security.

southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu and Medvedev is hoping to seal deals for two more during his visit.

Energy-hungry India is one of the world’s biggest markets for nuclear technology with ambitious plans to reach a nuclear power capacity of 63,000 megawatts by 2032, from the

current level of 4,560 megawatts.

Medvedev is leading a 100-member business delegation as Moscow seeks to double bilateral trade with India to 20 billion dollars by 2015 — still far short of the ambitious target of 100 billion dollars set by China and India during Premier Wen’s visit last week.

UN Security Council extends Ivory Coast mission Associated Press Writer

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast – The U.N. Security Council extended its peacekeeping mission in Ivory Coast on Monday, hours after the United Nations’ top envoy in the West African country said armed men had been threatening staff in their homes.

Incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo’s refusal to concede defeat in last month’s election and his demand that peacekeepers leave have raised fears that U.N. personnel and other foreigners could be targeted in violence.

Over the weekend, masked gunmen opened fire on the U.N. base there, though no one from the global body was harmed in the attack. Two military observers were wounded in another attack.

“Armed men have been coming to the personal houses of United Nations employees, asking them to leave and searching their houses under the pretext of looking for arms,” U.N. Special Representative Choi Young-jin said at a news conference in Abidjan.

A spokesman for Gbagbo in Paris on Monday said he doubted

soldiers or those supporting Gbagbo would be involved in such tactics.

Gbagbo has ordered the U.N. peacekeeping force to leave Ivory Coast, claiming it is biased in favor of opposition leader Alassane Ouattara. The U.N. and the international community recognize Ouattara as the victor of last month’s presidential runoff vote.

The U.N. has refused to leave, and the Security Council resolution adopted unanimously Monday extended the mandate of the 8,650strong force until June 30, 2011.

“Members of the Security Council warn all stakeholders that they will be held accountable for attacks against civilians and peacekeepers and will be brought to justice in accordance with international law and international humanitarian law,” said a statement read at the end of the meeting by U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice, the current council president.

The council also extended the temporary deployment of up to 500 additional personnel until March 31, and extends by four weeks the temporary redeployment of three infantry companies and an aviation unit from Liberia to Ivory Coast.

Activities

International

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

5

Harris Hotels and Resort Celebrates The Annual ‘’Harris Day’’ IBP

JAKARTA - The 2010 HARRIS Day celebration will go beyond the press conference, the launching of the new look of ‘Harris Room”, ‘Harris Logo’, the 2011 limited edition of ‘Harris Slipper’ and ‘Dino Golf’ as well as the annual staff party. It will be even more fun and exciting with the first ‘Harris Fun Bike’ in Jakarta which will be followed in the subsequent year by other properties outside Jakarta.

The objective of ‘Harris Fun Bike’ is to encourage people to keep fit or to work out which is in line with Harris Hotels and Resorts effort to relentlessly promote healthy lifestyle.

New Logo “Harris Fun Bike is a typical illustration of a hotel as not just another place to sleep, it could also serve as a support of communication for the benefit of community,” said Marc Steinmeyer, President Director of Tauzia Hotel Management.

“It has always been our passion ever since Harris Hotels and Resorts started in 2002.”

Temple Ceremony Calendar Event for December 18th through December 25th 2010 18. “Kuningan” believed as the ascending day of the ancestral holy spirits back to Heaven after spending time with their descendants during Galungan.

Throughout Bali. “Makotekan” ceremony “village purification”, Munggu village, district of Mengwi, Badung regency.

“Perang Jempana” rituals when the temples adherents carrying temple-effigies strike one another as to indicate that the ceremony as a whole has been properly done, at Pura Panti Timbrah, Paksebali village, district of Banjarangkan, Klungkung regency.

Temple anniversary celebrations at: * Pura Taman Pule, Mas village, district of ubud, Gianyar regency. * Pura Ularan, Takmung village, district of Banjarangkan, Klungkung regency. * Pura Bukit Jati, Guliang Kawan village, Bangli regency. * Pura Dalem Tegal Jaya, Batubulan village, district of Sukawati, Gianyar regency. * Pura Dalem Guwang village, district of Sukawati, Gianyar regency. * Pura Jengengan Majapahit, Cemenggaon village, district of Sukawati, Gianyar regency. * Pura Sadha, Kapal village, district of Mengwi, Badung regency. * Pura Sakenan, Serangan Island, the municipality of Denpasar. * Pura Luhur Pakendungan, Tanah Lot Beach, district of Kediri, Tabanan regency. * Pura Dalem Sanding village, district of Tampaksiring, Gianyar regency.

19. “Pemendakan” Welcoming procession held started from Sakenan Temple to Denpasar, Serangan Island, south of Denpasar.

Temple anniversary celebrations at: * Pura Dalem Pauman Bhujangga, Penatih village, east of Denpasar. * Pura Alas Arum, Batur village, district of

Kintamani, Bangli regency. * Pura Batuaji, Ubud Tengah village, west of Denpasar. * Pura Dalem Buleleng, downtown of Singaraja. * Pura Dalem Jagaraga village, district of Sawan, Buleleng regency.

21.T emple anniversary celebrations at: * Pura Banua Besakih complex, district of Rendang, Karangasem regency. * Pura Dalem Semenggaon village, district of Sukawati, Gianyar regency. * Pura Desa Celuk village, district of Sukawati, Gianyar regency. * Pura Dewa Agung Klungkung, Ulah village, district of Sidemen, Karangasem regency. * Pura Gunung Rena, Sidemen village, Karangasem regency.

22.T emple anniversary celebrations at: * Pura Tanah Lot (well know as temple on the rock) Beraban village, district of Kediri, Tabanan regency. * Pura Bukcabe, Mas village, district of Ubud, Gianyar regency. * Pura Puseh Ganggang Canggi, Batuan village, district of Sukwati, Gianyar regency. * Pura Masceti Sanding village, district of Tampaksiring, Gianyar regency. * Pura Luhur Batur Pucangan, Buahan village, district of Penebel, Tabanan regency. * Pura Dalem Tarukan Cemenggaon village, district of Sukawati, Gianyar regency. * Pura Dalem Bangun Sakti, Kapal village district of Mengwi, Badung regency. * Pura Dang Kahyangan Penataran Agung Baturening, Mambal village, district of Abiansemal Badung regency.

25. Chritsmas

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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Wednesday, December 22, 2010

News

12 men arrested in suspected UK terrorism plot Agence France Presse

LONDON – In the biggest anti-terrorist sweep in Britain in nearly two years, police have arrested a dozen men accused of plotting a large-scale terror attack on targets inside the United Kingdom. The suspects, who ranged in age from 17 to 28, had been under surveillance for weeks and were believed to have links to Pakistan and Bangladesh, security officials said.

The arrests come amid growing concerns in Europe over terrorism following a suicide bombing in Sweden and reported threats of a terror attack on a European city modeled on the deadly shooting spree in Mumbai, India.

Police swooped in before dawn Monday in coordinated raids on houses in four cities — London, the Welsh city of Cardiff and the English cities of Birmingham and Stoke-on-Trent. The officers were unarmed, suggesting any planned attack was not imminent.

The raid, a joint operation by Britain’s domestic spy agency MI5 and police, was the largest since April 2009, when 12 men were detained over an alleged al-Qaida bomb plot in the northern city of Manchester.

Counterterrorism officials declined to give more details of the latest alleged plot, saying only that the men had been under surveillance for several weeks.

No details were given as to whether explosives or arms were found, and searches were under way in the homes where the arrests took place.

“The operation is in its early stages

so we are unable to go into detail at this time,” said John Yates, Britain’s senior counterterrorism police officer. Still, he said Monday’s raids, involving a dozen suspects across the U.K., indicated they were planning something big.

“This is a large scale, pre-planned and intelligence-led operation involving several forces,” Yates said. Police have up to 28 days to question the suspects before they must be charged or released.The men are thought to be British nationals with links to Bangladesh and Pakistan, according to a counterterrorism official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Britain is home to large Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities.

The arrests were not believed to be part of any planned holiday season attack, said a British security official who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of his work.

In Washington, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano said the terror suspects arrested in Britain were not threatening U.S. targets.

“As far as I know, we have not yet found any connection between those arrests and any threats to the United States,” Napolitano said in an interview with news anchor Diane Sawyer Monday night on “ABC World News.”

Iraqi officials claimed last week that captured insurgents believed the Dec. 11 bombing in Stockholm was part of a series of attacks planned for the Christmas season. Those claims were rejected by both British and German officials, who insisted there are no specific threats to their countries over the holiday period.

In October, the U.S. State Department advised American citizens living or traveling in Europe to be wary amid reports that terrorists were planning a Mumbai-style attack on a European city.Some of the details of a Mumbaistyle plot directed at cities in Britain, France or Germany came from Ahmed Siddiqui, a German citizen of Afghan descent who was captured by U.S. troops in Afghanistan in July. More than 170 people were killed in the 2008 attack in the Indian city of Mumbai.

Police: Man kills bride, best man, self at wedding Associated Press Writer

RIO DE JANEIRO – A bridegroom fatally shot his new wife, his best man and then himself after announcing to horrified guests that he had a “surprise” for them, authorities said Monday.

Witnesses reported that 29-yearold Rogerio Damascena, a sales manager in Camaragibe, outside the northeastern Brazilian city of Recife, did not give any previous indication that anything was wrong at his wedding reception, police investigator

SKorean...

From page 1 North Korea pulled out of six-nation talks to provide Pyongyang with aid in exchange for disarmament inApril 2009, but since has said it is willing to resume them. U.S. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said that if North Korea is serious about accepting inspectors, it should let the U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency know.

“North Korea talks a great game.

They always do,” Crowley said in Washington. “The real issue is what will they do.” In Seoul, meanwhile, top officials defended South Korea’s decision to carry out more drills despite calls in some quarters for restraint amid fears of all-out war, and said the military was prepared for any future North Korean

Joao Brito said.

Brito would not speculate on a possible motive, saying family members were in shock and he had not interviewed them yet. Brito did say the killings are believed to be premeditated because of the groom’s announcement and because he had hidden a gun in his father’s pickup truck.

Twenty-five-year-old bride Renata Alexandre Costa Coelho and best man Marcelo Guimaraes were both killed in Saturday’s murder-suicide. A brother of the bride was treated at a hospital and released.

The website Globo.com quoted a sister of the bride who left before the shootings as saying she didn’t believe it was a crime of passion.

“My sister was a wonderful person who loved and wanted to be loved,” Lucia Helena Coelho was quoted as saying. “He was happy, she was happy, the party was beautiful. His family adored her and doesn’t understand this,” Coelho told Globo.com. “He revealed himself as a sociopath who fooled the entire family and killed his best friend, who was ... the best man.”

aggression.

Seoul’s decision to push ahead with the routine drills in the face of North Korean threats of nuclear war and pressure from China and Russia indicates a new willingness by President Lee Myung-bak’s government to use provocations of its own to counter North Korean aggression. Seoul has already cut aid to the impoverished North and refused to participate in moneymaking joint tourism projects in North Korea.

Accused of acting too slowly and too weakly last month, Lee has threatened airstrikes if hit again and ordered more troops to front-line islands. On Tuesday, he gathered his national security advisers for strategic talks.

“When it provokes, we will firmly punish North Korea,” Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin told lawmakers before leaving for the security meeting

Tuesday.Kim acknowledged facing pressure to cancel the drills. But leaders “relieved our people’s anxiety about security and created a sense of unity with firm and consistent military measures.”Pyongyang denounced the 90-minute exercise as a “reckless military provocation” but held its fire. However, the Korean People’s Army showed no signs of pulling back.

SA-2 ground-to-air missile and ground-to-ship missiles have been deployed by North Korea in the west — where the Koreas dispute their sea border — and are poised to fire artillery, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported, citing an unidentified military official.South Korean fighter jets continued patrolling the skies and an Aegis-equipped destroyer was ready to counter any possible provocation, the Defense Ministry said.

AFP PHOTO/PAUL ELLIS

British policemen gather outside a property (L) raided by police in Stoke-on-Trent, north-west England, on December 20, 2010.

British police on Monday arrested 12 men on suspicion of plotting an act of terrorism, in a major operation involving a predawn raids across the country.

Australian man jailed for lying about being a POW Associated Press Writer

BRISBANE, Australia – An elderly Australian man has been sentenced to four years in jail for lying about being a prisoner of war in order to claim hundreds of thousands of dollars in pension payments.

Judge Marshall Irwin of the Brisbane District Court on Tuesday said 84year-old Arthur Crane would be released after six months on a good behavior bond.Crane claimed he was captured and tortured by the Japanese during World War II. In reality, he had never served in the military.

Before his lies were uncovered in 2009, Crane claimed nearly 690,000 Australian dollars ($687,560) in war pension and disability payments. He was not entitled to AU$464,409 of that amount and has been ordered to repay the money. Crane pleaded guilty to defrauding the Commonwealth.

Europe weather...

From page 1 Shares in BA were 1 percent up at 268 pence by 1022 GMT (5:22 a.m.

EDT), in line with the FTSE100 bluechip index, up 0.78 percent. BAA, the company owned by Spain’s Ferrovial which operates Heathrow, said its south runway would remain closed again on Tuesday, meaning the world’s busiest international airport would operate at significantly reduced capacity.Thousands of passengers

have been stranded at Heathrow for days as flights have been delayed and canceled. The British government has relaxed regulations on night flights at Heathrow, allowing for arrivals until 0100 GMT each day until Christmas.

London’s Gatwick Airport re-opened at 0600 GMT after closing overnight.

Flights to and from Frankfurt airport, continental Europe’s biggest, also resumed after the airport had been shut for several hours in the morning, operator Fraport said.

International

Indonesia Today

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

7

Kendari Bay to be built into culinary tourism resort Antara

AFP PHOTO / ADEK BERRY

Indonesian environmental activists dressed as Santa Claus, or Father Christmas (R), and in an orangutan outfit (L) hold a protest against deforestation in Jakarta on December 17, 2010. Numbers of Borneon orangutan and the Sumatran orangutan have declined drastically due to illegal logging, oil palm plantations and forest fires. World Conservation Union (IUCN) classified the Borneon orangutan and Sumatran orangutan as endangered and critically endangered respectively.

Quake hits central Indonesia waters

Sending residents fleeing; no injuries, damage reported Associated Press Writer

YOGYAKARTA - A strong earthquake has hit waters off central Indonesia, sending hundreds of residents fleeing their homes, but there are no reports of injuries or damage.

The U.S. Geological Survey says Tuesday’s 5.8-magnitude quake was centred 87 miles (140 kilometres) from Yogyakarta, a bustling city still

traumatized by a 2006 temblor that killed 5,700 people.

In recent weeks, the city has been showered by ash from the nearby

Mount Merapi volcano, which has claimed at least 386 lives since bursting back to life Oct. 26. Resident Simon Sudarman said many people fled their homes Tuesday.

Indonesia is prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanos and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.

Low-priced Yogyakarta tour packages now available Antara

JAKARTA - The Yogyakarta branch of the Association of Tour Agencies (ASITA) is now offering volcano tour packages covering spots affected by the Mount Merapi eruption last October 2010.

“We are officially offering volcano tour packages covering Yogyakarta and surrounding areas for Rp800,000 per person for three days and two nights,” Edwin Hinne, chairman of ASITA’s Yogyakarta branch said by phone Tuesday.

The tour packages which would be available until March 2011 were also

being supported by 45 tour agencies in Jakarta. “The packages exclude the transportation fare but includes a stay of two nights in a four-star hotel, airport transport, a full-day volcano tour in the Kaliurang area,” he said.

National flag carrier Garuda was also preparing to finalize a facility for cheaper air fares to support the Yogya tourism recovery program, said Edwin.

“We hope that other airlines will also support the tour packages and hopefully Garuda can provide a Rp800,000 two-way tariff rate for 30 seats,” Edwin said.

Tourists who buy the tour package would be taken on a six-kilome-

ter downhill walk at Kinahrejo hamlet in the Kaliurang area which lay in the path of Mt Merapi lava flow.

“We expect three-star hotels to also provide lower room rates for the program as do all the four-star hotels in Yogyakarta,” he said. The tour packages include airport-hotel transfers on the first day, second day hotel breakfast, a trip to the Borobudur temple (free tickets), the Yogyakarta palace, Kota Gede silver and batik industry, lunch and a volcano tour on the third day and transportation to the airport.

But the packages are not valid during the peak tourist season from December 24, 2010 to January 2, 2011.

KENDARI - The Southeast Sulawesi Provincial Legislative Assembly (DPRD) has asked the Kendari city administration to build Kendari Bay into a culinary tourism resort.

Chairman of DPRD faction of Golkar Party Muhammad Ali said here on Tuesday that Kendari Bay should be built into a culinary tourism resort in an effort to increase the region’s revenue and increase employment opportunities.

“We have asked the Kendari city administration to allow private parties to develop the bay into a culinary resort center,” Muhammad Ali said, adding that a culinary business could be developed along By Pass street southward to the Lapulu sub-district without destroying the mangrove forests along the bay’s coastline.

Therefore he said the city administration needs to be proactive in giving the opportunity to culinary business makers to build representative restaurants at the bay,” he said. Following the request, Kendari Mayor Asrun said he was ready to have the bay turned into a culinary tourism resort to attract both domestic and foreign tourists.

“We are going to design the Kendari Bay in such a way to make it the center of marine, sports, and culinary tourism,” Asrun said, adding that the area could even be developed into an economic, social and cultural center.

RI-US ties in very strategic era Antara

JAKARTA - Indonesian Ambassador to the United States (US) Dr Dino Patti Djalal has said that Indonesia is currently in a very strategic era in its relations with the US. Under the Comprehensive Partnership launched during US President Barack Obama’s visit to Indonesia recently, Indonesia was equal to the US in dealing with both regional and international issues, Ambassador Dino Djalal said when meeting with Indonesian community in Houston, US, last weekend.

He called on the Indonesian people to have bigger self-confidence because Indonesia now comes up with a new profile in the international relations, democratization, politics, human rights and economic.

“Indonesia is no longer the third world, but emerging economy and a member of G-20,” the ambassador said as quoted in a press statement from the Indonesian Consul General in Houston Al Busyra Basnur.

Ambassador Dino was in Houston to chair a three-day working meeting of Indonesian heads of representative in the US. The meeting from December 17 to 19 was attended by among others Indonesian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Hasan Kleib, Consul General in Chicago Benny Bahanadewa, Consul General in San Fransisco Asianto Sinambela, Acting Consul General in New York Bambang Antarikso and Consul General in Houston Al Busya Basnur.

Also present in the meeting were the chairmen of Bank Indonesia’s New York chapter, and Indonesian Trade Promotion Centers in Chicago and Los Angeles.

On a breakfast meeting organized by Asian Society Texas Center at Houstonion Hotel, Houston, on December 17, Ambassador Dino Patti Djalal said translating the RI-US strategic partnership into concrete and measurable actions was a big task.

He also said that the visit of President Obama to Jakarta last November 9 and 10 was very special, as it contained deep soul between Indonesian and the US, and in particular between President Obama and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

And never before that a foreign president gave a lengthy speech and received a extraordinary wide coverage by the Indonesian media like what President Obama experienced in Indonesia, he said.

8

International

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Bali Today Over-booking toward yearend

Denpasar needs 1,600 additional hotel rooms Bali Post

DENPASAR - The occupancy rate of most star and budget hotel rooms in Bali toward the celebration of Christmas and New Year seemed to have reached its peak, without exception for the tourist resort of Denpasar. Until the celebration, the region offering city tour required 1,600 additional rooms.

Head of Denpasar Government Tourism Office, I Putu Budiasa, said that until the yearend celebration, hotels in Denpasar experiencing 20-30 percent over-booking. Meanwhile, at the moment it had been only available around eight thousand rooms. “Therefore, when over-booking occurs we have the opportunity to make 1,600 more rooms,” he said.

According to him, the over-booking ensued in nearly all star and budget hotels in the city of Denpasar and Sanur tourist resort. Allegedly, this surge was due to traffic congestion occurring in a number of tourist resorts in Bali having an impact on the convenience of tourists.

“Because of traffic jam, tourists left those places. Meanwhile, position of Denpasar City is very strategic for them. For example, it is shored up by the growing of city hotel exceeding one hundred percent,” he said.

It was described that the total number of star hotels in Denpasar was 25 hotels with a capacity of 3,300 rooms. Meanwhile, the budget hotel was recorded to reach 187 hotels with a total of about five thousand room.

“We are also asked for help by people in Jakarta who have difficulty in looking for rooms. But, we do not want to take risk, because until today the hotel occupancy had been already almost full. Indeed, this trend occurs through the years,” he said.

Previously, Denpasar Government Tourism Office asked the Provincial Government to perform in-depth review in relation to the plan of including the hotels in the negative list of investment (DNI). On the other side, Denpasar remained to require additional hotel rooms.

According to him, regencies in Bali had a different potential. One of them was Denpasar having the potential of cultural tourism development that should be supported by means of accommodation in adequate amounts.

“Bali stays to require additional hotel rooms. When Bali Provincial Government managed to include hotels in the negative list of investment, it will certainly hamper the entry of investors in the development of hotel sector, particularly in Denpasar,” he said.

Over-booking condition happening in Denpasar showed the demand of hotel rooms in Denpasar surpassed the capacity of the existing hotel rooms. On that account, the city with cultural vision extremely entailed an investment in the hotel rooms but it was definitely in a limited scale. (par)

IBP/Yudi Karnaedi

Domestic tourists crowded at Kuta beach during this yearend holiday. The occupancy rate of most star and budget hotel rooms in Bali toward the celebration of Christmas and New Year seemed to have reached its peak, without exception for the tourist resort of Denpasar. Until the celebration, the region offering city tour required 1,600 additional rooms.

Bulan Pejeng: Prehistoric bronze drum “Bulan Pejeng” in fact is a large bronze drum (nekara) of prehistoric from Bronze Age that were developed around 2000 years ago or in the beginning of century. This cultural heritage is one of the sacred article, kept in Penataran Sasih Temple in Pejeng Village, Gianyar and is located in the main street of TampaksiringKintamani so no difficulty to visit it.

According to popular folktale in society, “Bulan Pejeng” is the “moon” which fell down in Pejeng Village long time ago, making the village was always bright on day and night so the thieves could not do their jobs. Therefore, the “moon” was urinated so did not shine anymore until these days.

The name of Penataran Sasih Temple means “the place of the moon”

Temple (moon=sasih) and might relate to the story of the “moon” fell from the sky previously. Another story told of this Pejeng nekara as the ear-plug of Kebo Iwa, a powerful legendary figure who was able to carve Goa Gajah, steep bank temple of Gunung Kawi, etc.

The Pejeng nekara has been introduced internationally by G.E. Rumphius, an expert in Biology through his book Amboinsche Rariteitkamer, published in 1705. Although he never been to Bali, but he had succeeded for using the information from Hendrik Leydekereker’s. In fact, this nekara is a giant nekara with large size in every detail as in height of 186.5 m and a diameter of 1.60 m for its hit zone. Around the archeo-

logical experts, this nekara is also called as nekara with head, because it has four pairs of mask decoration with bulged-out eyes, long-coned nose, and the ears wearing earrings made from coins. The decoration of the mask is not only functioned as esthetic-decorative, but more for magical symbolism for the ancestors’ symbol of magic power which bring prosperity and protect the family or the society from any danger. Another decoration which has the magical symbolism is the decoration of octagonal star on the hit zone, border design, feather, and so on.

“Bulan Pejeng” is a masterpiece work of technology and metallurgy that reached its peak on Bronze Age. (BTN)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com

“Bulan Pejeng” in fact is a large bronze drum (nekara) of prehistoric from Bronze Age that were developed around 2000 years ago or in the beginning of century.

International

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Balinese Culture

Flood disturb tourists visit to Sukawati Antara Gianyar – Heavy rain was pouring down in Gianyar on Tuesday and made the parking lot in Sukawati Art Market flooded.

The condition was very disturbing for the tourists who wanted to shop there.

The head of Sukawati Art Market, I Nengah Nama Artawa, said “the water was coming from the sewer. It is damage on the west side so the water can not go through.” If the rains keep on falling then the flood will be higher.The similar condition often happen during the rainy season and it

is very disturbing for the visitors.

Artawa said that if the rain stop then the flood will be gone in 15 minutes but if the rains continue pouring, the flood will become higher.

The management of the market had been complaining to the authorities regarding the problem on the drainage sys-

tem but until now there is no action taken.

Artawa also explained that during the rainy season, the number of tourists visited the market is decreasing.

“As you can see, on this hour there are only a few tourists visiting the market.

Hopefully the number of visitors will increase especially during the Christmas and New Year holiday.Heavy rain also made the Batubulan road which lead to Sukawati flooded. Most of the water was coming from the sewer which is blocked by garbage. The government must act quickly to solve the problem otherwise it will affect the tourist’s visitation to the area.

Increase highly, the revenue from earthenware exports Antara

Denpasar – The revenue gained from Bali earthenware or ceramics products increased highly during January through October 2010 period. According to Putu Bagiada, the head of export division in Bali Industrial and Trade Department, the revenue gained from earthenware exports was $6.3 million.

The number increased 149% compare to the similar period last year. This shows that the products from Bali are still demanded by the customers abroad. The product made by the

craftsmen in Lombok called “gentong etnik” is also attracting the attention of the tourists who visit Bali.

The product is made by burned clay and crating a wonderful piece of art.

Most of the earthenware is exported to US, Italy, Spain, and England.

Bagiada said that the volume of earthenware exports was also increasing up to 91% during January through October 2010 period. In 2009, the export volume was only 1.2 million pieces and this year the number became 2.4 million pieces.

Made Sumiati, an employee of and art shop in Denpasar said that the prod-

uct from Lombok is highly demanded by the customers because it has great art value. Many art collectors from all around the world often come to Bali to buy the huge earthenware.

The craftsmen in Lombok are trained by experts from the Netherlands and Germany so the design and end product is suitable with the taste of the foreign customers.

The giant size earthenware can be seen in the art shops throughout Kuta and Kerobokan Street. It also can be found in Nusa Dua area where most of the products are made by the craftsmen from Banyumelek, Lombok.

Nasi Goreng (Fried Rice) OVERVIEW: There are about as many different ways of preparing Nasi Goreng in Bali, as there are cooks.

The only constant ingredient is rice; everything else is determined by the cook’s taste or the availability of ingredients. Please be certain to use only cold rice, as warm rice will stick to the wok.

INGREDIENTS: 6 tbsp oil 6 shallots, peeled, halves length wise and sliced 6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced 200 gr (6 ½ oz) chicken meat, sliced 150 gr (5 oz) medium size shrimp, peeled ¼ small white cabbage, shredded 4 eggs, beaten 2 tbsp sambal tomat 700 gr (1 ½ lb) cold cooked rice 2 tsp salt 1 tsp sliced bird’s eye chilies 2 tbsp fried shallot PREPARATION: 1. Heat vegetable oil in wok or heavy fry pan until very hot.

2. Add shallots and garlic and fry for 1 minute until golden yellow.

3. Add chicken and shrimp and fry for 1 minute, and then add cabbage and fry for 1 minute. Add sambal and mix well.

4. Add eggs and continuously stir for 30 seconds before adding rice and salt. Increase to very high heat and fry for 3 more minute, stir continuously.

5. Add chilies, mix well and serve immediately, garnished with fried shallots.

Note: Throughout Bali there are as many different ways of preparing Nasi Goreng as there are ingredients of chef’s. (www.baliguide.com/balifood)

C.045 ibp

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Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Destinations

International

Besakih Temple IBP

Besakih Temple is the biggest Hindu temple in Bali which the local people call Pura Besakih.

It owns beautiful view from the top of temple area where we can see the wide nature panorama until to the ocean so that way this temple is many visited by tourists from all over the world. Besakih Temple is located in Besakih countryside, Rendang sub district, Karangasem regency, east part of the island. It is located in southwest side bevel of mount Agung, the biggest mounts in Bali.

It is because pursuant to Agung Mount confidence is holiest and highest mount in Bali Island.

The Besakih’s name is come from the word of Basuki, the old language from Sanskrit Wasuki, and then it become the Ancient Java Language. In this Sanskrit, the Basuki means congratulation.

In mythology of Samudramanthana has mentioned that Basuki is a dragon that twines the Mount Mandara. The omission has come from tradition megalithic which had been indicated that it had to be sanctified place. It seems, the Besakih is coming from very old era which is far before the existence of Hinduism influence. Hereinafter, an Ancient Bali king of Sri Kesari Warmadewa found the Merajan Selonding Temple in this temple complex area. He also commands to build the Blanjong Monument that is located in Sanur Village. The Besakih Temple complex is built pursuant to cosmos balance. It is based on the

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nature conception which is disseminating the fundamental temple complex that is arranged to pursuant of the way direction. So, this building can deputize nature as symbolic of the world balance existence.

As we familiarize, that the point direction way like East, South, West, North, and middle as center point and each direction is named by Mandala.

In Hindu philosophy, Panca Dewata is manifestation of Siwa God. Like Penataran Agung Temple as center, we find in its courtyard conception show the solidarity conception between the original Indonesia culture namely tradition megalithic in form of Punden Berundak-undak with the Hinduism concept. The ancient omissions which is existing in Besakih Temple complex can be classified into 2 types those are omission pertained by megalithic tradition and classic era. Besakih Temple beside as the altar for Hindu people in Bali, it is also as tourist destination which is a lot of visited by tourists.

Besakih Temple is located in the plateau area which is covered by the cool atmosphere and Mount Agung as a back drop. From the top of temple building, we can see the beautiful panorama of nature from the temple area to the ocean. It is situated in cool area with the light breeze and unique temple buildings spread out in the temple complex will create the peaceful atmosphere. It is ideally for the people who did the meditation and now, the Besakih Temple is opened for tourist and it is the great place to visit in Bali.

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

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

11

BUSINESS AirFrance-KLM says snow causes 35 million Euro chills Agence France-Presse

PARIS – The latest two bouts of winter weather which have paralyzed airports in the French capital will cost Air France-KLM 25-35 million Euros, the airline’s chief operating officer said on Tuesday.

“Everything that happened over the weekend represents a total of around 15 to 20 million Euros,” Pierre-Henri Gourgeon said on Europe 1 radio.

“We already had an earlier episode a little less severe a couple of weeks ago which accounted for 10 to 15 million Euros,” he added.

Gourgeon apologized to passengers for the disruptions and praised the airline’s employees for doing their utmost to help clients in the difficult situations.

Weather-related delays and cancellations were still severely affecting Paris’s two main airports on Monday evening.

AFP PHOTO/FILES/TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA

In a file picture taken on June 5, 2009 a factory worker assembles Prius hybrid vehicles along the assembly line at Toyota Motors’ Tsutsumi factory in Toyota, Aichi prefecture.

Toyota to pay $32.4M in extra fines AFP PHOTO/BEN STANSALL

Airline passengers queue to enter Heathrow airport’s Terminal 3, west of London, on December 20, 2010. The latest two bouts of winter weather which have paralyzed airports in the French capital will cost Air France-KLM 25-35 million Euros, the airline’s chief operating officer said on Tuesday.

Associated Press Writer

BOJ holds fire, Shirakawa may assure on bond yields

The Transportation Department said late Monday the civil penalties will settle investigations into how Toyota dealt with recalls over accelerator pedals that could get trapped in floor mats, and steering relay rods that could break and lead to drivers losing control.

The latest settlement, on top of a $16.4 million fine Toyota paid earlier in a related investigation, brings the total penalties levied on the company to $48.8 million. It caps a difficult year for the world’s No. 1 automaker, which recalled more than 11 million vehicles globally since the fall of 2009 as it scrambled to protect its reputation for safety and reliability.

Toyota’s board of directors agreed to pay the fines on Tuesday at the company’s board meeting in Japan, according to an official familiar with the case, and the company said it agreed to the penalties without admitting to any violations of U.S. laws. However, that does not free Toyota from potential civil and criminal penalties in private lawsuits and other federal investigations.

The person had spoken earlier Monday on condition of anonymity

Reuters

TOKYO – The Bank of Japan kept monetary policy on hold on Tuesday but warned of weakening factory output and business sentiment, assuring markets that it was focusing on downside risks to growth that may trigger further easing ahead.

The decision to stand pat on policy was widely expected as the central bank likely felt no imminent need to top up its new asset buying scheme, with Tokyo stock prices on the rise and the yen well off a 15-year high hit against the dollar last month.

But with the outlook murky, BOJ policymakers are expected to have scrutinized various risks to the economy that may hurt business morale, which is seen worsening in the coming three months.

The BOJ kept its economic assessment unchanged but revised down its view on output, saying it had declined slightly. The bank also warned that business sentiment has been “somewhat weak,” signaling that it saw its latest tankan survey as offering negative signals for the economy.

Markets are on the lookout for what Governor Masaaki Shirakawa has to say about recent rises in Japanese bond yields, which add to the hardships facing the frail economy.

“No change doesn’t mean no message. The BOJ is saying they remain cautious despite the market being more optimistic. I think the BOJ is trying to calm the JGB market by saying recovery is still uncertain,” said Takuji Okubo, chief economist at Societe Generale Securities.

“The biggest uncertainty is in the United States. If the market decides that the Federal Reserve’s quantitative easing is a mirage, the yen would rise and stocks would tank. That could prompt the BOJ to increase asset purchases, maybe to 7.5 or 10 trillion yen ($90-120 billion).”

WASHINGTON – Toyota Motor Corp. has agreed to pay the government a record $32.4 million in additional fines to settle an investigation into its handling of two recalls at the heart of its safety crisis. ahead of the formal announcement.

Steve St. Angelo, Toyota’s chief quality officer for North America, said in a statement that the company has “worked very hard over the past year to put these issues behind us and set a new standard of responsiveness to our customers. These agreements are an opportunity to turn the page to an even more constructive relationship with NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration).”

He said Toyota was grateful to its customers for “their confidence in the quality and reliability of our vehicles.”

In April, Toyota agreed to pay the maximum fine allowed under law for a single case — $16.4 million — for failing to promptly alert U.S. regulators to safety problems over sticking accelerator pedals. Under federal law, automakers must notify NHTSA within five days of determining that a safety defect exists and promptly conduct a recall.

At the time, Toyota denied attempting to hide a safety defect and said it agreed to the penalty to avoid a lengthy legal battle

with the government.

Jesse Toprak, vice president of industry trends and insight at TrueCar, an automotive consulting firm in Santa Monica, Calif., said Toyota was trying to put its recalls behind it at a time when the company’s U.S. sales have been flat while many rivals have taken advantage of a recovering auto landscape. But he said the rebuilding of the trust would take time.

The latest fines involve two separate safety problems affecting certain Toyota passenger cars and trucks.

The first case deals with recalls in 2009 and 2010 of about 5 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles with gas pedals that could become entrapped in floor mats. Toyota had recalled 55,000 all-weather floor mats in 2007 to address pedal entrapment, but the government said its investigation found that simply removing the floor mats was insufficient.

Before Toyota’s recall crisis, the largest automaker fine was $1 million paid by General Motors in 2004 for a slow response to a recall of nearly 600,000 vehicles with faulty windshield wipers.

12

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Entertainment

International

Teen star Steinfeld shows new ‘Grit’ in debut role mean, honestly, just to be a part of it, that’s the biggest award I could LOS ANGELES – John get right now,” she said in an interWayne’s original “True Grit” was view.

“It is so surreal. Recently, when a vehicle for a worldly wise actor in his 60s in another gruff Old West I saw the film for the first time, just role he long since had perfected. as the credits started rolling, I The new take on “True Grit” is a thought back immediately to the star-making showcase for Hailee day I was sitting on the floor in my Steinfeld in her screen debut as bedroom just waiting for the phone Mattie Ross, the 14-year-old who to ring, thinking to myself ... whosets the violent story of retribution ever gets this job, it’s like winning the lottery. And now I see this film in motion.

Wayne’s main trail buddy was put together, and it’s just so incredKim Darby, who was in her early ible. I’m so proud of it.” Her char20s when she played Mattie in acter is a force of nature, a 19th1969’s “True Grit,” based on century pioneer teen with a fierce Charles Portis’ novel. Joel and puritanical streak who hires ornery Ethan Coen’s version, opening lawman Rooster Cogburn Wednesday, more faithfully adapts (Bridges) to hunt down her father’s Portis’ story, with Steinfeld’s murderer (Brolin), with Damon a Mattie pulling a team of veteran preening Texas Ranger joining the actors in her wake, including Jeff search.

The flowery rhythms of Portis’ Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin dialogue, delivered with almost and Barry Pepper.

Steinfeld, who just turned 14, Shakespearean flourish, were earned a supporting-actress nomi- tough enough for the seasoned acnation for the Screen Actors Guild tors, let alone a newcomer who had Awards for “True Grit,” and she acted only in student films, comhas buzz for the same honor at the mercials and a couple of small TV roles.

Academy Awards.

Casting directors traveled the Is she practicing her Oscar speech? “No-o-o-o, not yet. I country for months, looking at thousands of girls, and the Coens met with a handful of the best. “They’re all 14year-old girls, and predictably, they’re all terrible. Not all, but 99-point-whatever percent,” Ethan Coen said.

Mattie was an especially hard role, requiring an inexperienced actress to convey her “very adult, very self-possessed, very stiff-necked Protestant sensibility,” Ethan Coen said.

“You think, boy, that whole adult self-possession and the acting chops, maybe that doesn’t exist in a real 14-year-old girl.”

A few weeks before shooting started, they found Steinfeld, who lived in Los Angeles. The Coens auditioned her opposite AP Photo/Matt Sayles, file In this Dec. 9, 2010 file photo, actress Bridges and Pepper, who Hailee Steinfeld, from the film ‘True Grit’, plays another outlaw poses for a portrait in Beverly Hills, Calif. Mattie encounters.

Asociated Press Writer

REUTERS/Marcelo del Pozo

Irish rock band U2 perform during their 360 Degree Tour at the La Cartuja stadium in the Andalusian capital of Seville September 30, 2010.

Early U2 “a little rinkydink,” says label boss Reuters

NEW YORK – To mark the 50th anniversary of Island Records, founder and music industry icon Chris Blackwell has taken part in a book tracing the label’s formative years and beyond.

“The Story of Island Records” (Universe), edited by Suzette Newman and Chris Salewicz, is a colorful tribute not just to Bob Marley and the Caribbean sound he helped popularize, but to the early history of alternative rock and new wave.

Case in point: Blackwell signed U2 in 1980, but he wasn’t all that impressed with Bono and his ragtag Irish crew when he first saw them perform at a London pub. “I didn’t love the music,” said Blackwell during an interview with NPR’s “Weekend Edition” on Saturday. “It was a little rinky-dink, but I believed in them.”

An extended version of the interview appears on NPR’s The Record blog, where Blackwell bemoans the loss of a label’s musical identity.

“Record labels now (don’t) mean what they used to be to me when I was a fan,” he said. “For example ... (jazz label) Blue Note Records was a guarantee of quality. They signed great musicians, and they recorded them absolutely brilliantly.

Atlantic was a label that I loved; they had the best R&B music. King Records I loved; they had James Brown. There was a certain kind of identity with each label. That can happen when you’re independent.

Michael Bolton sings for the saints in Assisi Reuters

ASSISI, Italy – Michael Bolton has gone from Dancing with the Stars to singing for the saints. “I feel humbled here,” Bolton said after recording the traditional Christmas concert in the frescoed basilica of St Francis of Assisi with Israeli singer Noa and New York conductor Steven Mercurio.

“I feel humbled to be reminded of the teachings of St Francis, which I was introduced to at a very young age. I don’t know anyone who is not

moved by his story,” he said. With Giotto’s awe-inspiring frescoes of the scenes in the life of St. Francis on both sides of him, Bolton sang “The Prayer,” “O Holy Night,” and Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” for the concert that will be broadcast on Eurovision on Dec 25.

The Umbrian hill town where St Francis lived 800 years ago is a long way from New Haven, Connecticut, where Bolton was born into a family of Russian Jewish immigrants 57 years ago.

“There is something special about

this place. I have performed in churches and cathedrals and holy sites but there is something about being in the presence of everything that has been inspired by St Francis,” he said.

“So, you are cognizant of this while you are learning your changes and your notes and everything else, but before it was time to sing, I kept finding myself getting very quiet, very tranquil and very respectful of where I am,” he said.

But Bolton, who began his career as a hard rocker in the 1970s and has since delved into many other musi-

cal styles and ventures that have put him in the spotlight — most recently in the 11th edition of Dancing with the Stars — said he had no trouble melting into the background in a place like Assisi.

“When you’re doing Christian songs ... there is a very different focus that you have to deliver. As a singer it is one of the very few times that you have to get out of the way.

You have to hit the notes, but become a servant and it reminds you that St Francis was all about service to humanity,” he said.

When it’s a major company, they can’t do that in the same way. It’s changed really a great deal, because also people don’t even see a label. It used to be something where, you know, you saw that Motown record spinning around; there was a kind of excitement about it. You knew what you were going to get, that Motown sound. That doesn’t exist now.”

His advice for new artists trying to break? Be patient and own your work. “They can sell their music; they can market themselves on the Web. Takes a long time, because it’s sort of going bit by bit, but they can promote their concerts, and they can gather e-mail addresses or Facebook pages ... and grow like that,” he said. “(They can) have a very successful career and own their own masters.

They don’t need to give that up to a record label, which happened in the old days.”

Life Style

International

Seven Rhodesian Ridgeback puppies from a litter of 17 look out of their box in Nauen, 50 kilometers outside Berlin on Monday, Dec. 20, 2010.

On Sept 28, and 29, the 4 years old Ridgeback Etana had 17 puppies. All of them survived.

AP Photo/Markus Schreiber

Dog in Germany gives birth to 17 puppies Associated Press Writer

BERLIN – A dog in Germany has given birth to 17 puppies, leaving their owner thrilled but fatigued after having to feed them with a bottle for several weeks because their mother couldn’t cope with the demand. Owner Ramona Wegemann said Monday she barely slept for more than a couple of minutes without interruption during about four weeks in an “exhausting” struggle to make sure all of the purebred Rhodesian Ridgeback puppies would survive.

She said when she was “finished feeding the last puppy, the first was hungry again.” Wegemann’s dog Etana gave birth to eight female and nine male puppies on Sept. 28 in Ebereschenhof, which is near Berlin.

At least five times a day, Wegemann gave the dogs a bottle with special milk because their mother’s nipples could have never coped with the demand, and when the puppies were not hungry, they wanted to be entertained, she said. Wegemann said when dogs give birth to so many puppies several of them die within the first week. “But all of our puppies survived. This is incredible and wonderful,” the 32-year-old added.

It was the second time that Etana gave birth. She gave birth to eight puppies in her first pregnancy, not

uncommon for the dog’s breed, Wegemann said.

“The birth of the puppies was very special. All puppies were born naturally, no cesarean was necessary,” she added. It took Etana a full 26 hours to give birth to all of the puppies — and Wegemann was as baffled as amazed.

But caring for 17 puppies turned out to be a full-time job: Wegemann put her work as an independent animal psychiatrist on a hold and her husband took as much vacation as he could.

Their lives have been turned upside down by the puppies, and their living room is now occupied by a giant box that houses the puppies.

But even Wegemann still struggles to recognize them: The females pup-

pies are called Bahati, Binta, Bahya, Bashima, Batouuli, Binki, Bora, Bisa and the male ones are Baakir, Banjoku, Belay, Bruk, Bundu, Bayo, Bukekayo, Biton and Bulus.

Wegemann gave them all African names because the Rhodesian Ridgeback is an African hunting dog.

Wegeman and her husband now plan to give most of the puppies away.

A price of ?800 ($1,050) per puppy would only cover the expenses for the veterinary, vaccinations, food and the mandatory paperwork, Wegemann said. She hopes to get about ?1,000 ($1,315) per dog, but said they would only give them to families with children, not breeders.

Four of the puppies have been sold, two more are already paid for and will leave their siblings shortly.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

13

Japan bio-scientists produce ‘singing mouse’ Agence France Presse

TOKYO – Japanese scientists said Tuesday they had produced a mouse that tweets like a bird in a genetically engineered “evolution” which they hope will shed light on the origins of human language. A team of researchers at the University of Osaka created the animal in their “Evolved Mouse Project”, in which they use genetically modified mice that are prone to miscopying DNA and thus to mutations.

“Mutations are the driving force of evolution. We have cross-bred the genetically modified mice for generations to see what would happen,” lead researcher Arikuni Uchimura told AFP. “We checked the newly born mice one by one... One day we found a mouse that was singing like a bird,” he said, noting that the “singing mouse” was born by chance but that the trait will be passed on to future generations. “I was surprised because I had been expecting mice that are different in physical shape,” he said by telephone, adding that in fact the project had also produced “a

mouse with short limbs and a tail like a dachshund”.

The laboratory, directed by professor Takeshi Yagi at the Osaka University’s Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences in western Japan, now has more than 100 “singing mice” for further research.

The team hopes they will provide clues on how human language evolved, just as researchers in other countries study songbirds such as finches to help them understand the origins of human language. Scientists have found that birds use different sound elements, put them together into chunks like words in human languages and then make strings of them to sing “songs”, that are subject to certain linguistic rules.

“Mice are better than birds to study because they are mammals and much closer to humans in their brain structures and other biological aspects,” Uchimura said.

“We are watching how a mouse that emits new sounds would affect ordinary mice in the same group... in other words if it has social connotations,” he said, adding that ordinary mice squeak mainly under stress.

AFP PHOTO / OSAKA UNIVERSITY

In a handout picture released by Osaka University shows a mouse genetically engineered to tweet like a bird pictured by researchers at the Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences in Suita City, western Japan, on December 21, 2010.

Apple’s iPad helps Israeli hospital treat patients Reuters

REUTERS/Vivek Prakash

A salesman displays an Apple iPad during its launch in Singapore July 23, 2010.

TEL AVIV – A hospital in Israel has begun using Apple’s iPad to enable medical staff to help treat patients, provide consultations and study X-rays and CT scans from afar.

The Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center, located in the largely ultraorthodox Tel Aviv suburb Bnei Brak, said on Tuesday it is the first hospital to program the high-resolution, touch-screen iPad to interact with Microsoft Corp’s Chameleon software used by hopsitals. The hospital’s computer department programed the

iPad with the help of an external technology company.

“We now have the same program and the same database for treatment in the hospital on the iPad,” Dr Yoram Liwer, chief executive of Mayanei Hayeshua, told Reuters. “The patients’ data are in the computer ... so physicians who are out of hospital but on call can see X-rays and ultrasounds through their iPad and give more intelligent advice to staff in the hospital.”

For example, a patient recently arrived in the emergency room with a broken hip and ultimately needed a full hip replacement. The doctor on

duty consulted with a senior orthopeadic surgeon who was not in the hospital and who offered advice on the treatment after studying the X-rays and CT scans. The senior doctor was also able to follow up immediately after the surgery to see the results.

“The high resolution of the screens enables good viewing of the X-rays and also the iPad is fun to work with,” Liwer said. “People like to carry it with them wherever they go. They don’t take a laptop but the iPad is with them all the time so we get better and more intelligent consulting.”

14

Sport

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

International

Howard leads Everton to 2-1 upset at Man City Associated Press Writer

MANCHESTER, England – Tim Howard made a series of outstanding saves in the second half, helping Everton to a 2-1 upset win at Manchester City on Monday night that prevented the hosts from taking what would have been their first league lead at Christmas since 1929.

AP Photo/Hassan Ammar

Inter Milan’s Samuel Eto’o poses with his personal trophy following the Club World Cup final soccer match against TP Mazembe at Zayed sport city in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Dec. 18, 2010.

Samuel Eto’o voted African player of the year Associated Press Writer

CAIRO – Samuel Eto’o has been voted African player of the year for a record fourth time. The forward for Inter Milan and Cameroon finished ahead of Ghana forward Asamoah Gyan and Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba in votes cast by the coaches of African’s 53 national teams.

Eto’o, who also won the award in 2003, 2004 and 2005, helped Inter Milan win an unprecedented treble of Serie A, Italian Cup and Champions League titles last season. Abedi Pele and George Weah each won the award three times.

Ghana won the team of the year award and Serbian Milovan Rajevac, who quit as Ghana coach’s in September, was voted coach of the year.

Ahmed Hassan won the African-based player of the year award after leading Egypt to the African Cup of Nations title.

Howard tipped away a free kick from Aleksander Kolarov in the first half. Then in the 77th, Mario Balotelli’s clipped shot off a Yaya Toure pass richocheted off a post to Carlos Tevez, and Howard made an outstanding block. Howard also saved a shot from David Silva in the 89th.

“He’s been the man, not just this season but all the other seasons, as well,” Everton’s Tim Cahill said. “There’s times in games when we look to him to get us out of it, and tonight he did that.”

Cahill scored off a pass from Seamus Coleman in the fourth minute and Leighton Baines doubled the lead in the 19th for the Toffees, who overcame the 60th minute-ejection of Victor Anichebe for his second yellow card.

Manchester City’s Pablo Zabaleta was off the field for the second goal while receiving four stitches in his head following a collision with Cahill, Everton’s Phil Jagielka had an own goal in the 72nd minute, and Toure was sent off for a pair of yellow cards in second-half injury time.

Manchester City (9-4-5) has 32 points, two behind Premier League leader Manchester United (9-0-7), and it trails Arsenal (10-5-2) on goal difference.“We have to understand that we can’t sleep when we play this game,” Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini said. “Then, maybe we can go to the top in the future.” With its second road win of the season, Everton (4-5-9) moved to 14th, “There’s a big smile tonight. I feel terrific,” Everton manager David Moyes said after his team’s third straight win at Eastlands. “I thought the players did me proud tonight, the way they kept at it.” Before the game, Manchester City announced Tevez had withdrawn his transfer request.

AFP PHOTO / ANDREW YATES

Manchester City’s Argentinian forward Carlos Tevez (L) is fouled by Everton’s Belgian midfielder Marouane Fellaini during the English Premier League football match against Everton at The City of Manchester stadium, Manchester, north-west England on December 20, 2010.

Japan’s Kagawa ready for Asian Cup Berbatov named Bulgarian player of 2010 Agence France Presse

TOKYO – Borussia Dortmund goal-machine Shinji Kagawa vowed Tuesday to lead Japan’s firepower at next month’s Asian Cup in Qatar where the three-time champions aim to regain the title they lost in 2007.

“If I’m chosen, then I’ve got to help the team win. That’s the bottom line,” the 21-year-old midfielder told Kyodo news agency as he returned home during the Bundesliga’s winter break. Kagawa is on Japan’s provisional list of 50 players for the January 7-29 Asian Cup. Blue Samurai coach Alberto Zaccheroni will announce the final-23 line-up on Friday.

“The Asian Cup is an important tournament. A good result there is absolutely crucial to us,” said Kagawa, who has led table-topping Dortmund’s scoring with eight goals alongside Paraguayan Lucas Barrios in the first half of the season.

“I’m very happy with the results I’ve had,” said Kagawa, a former JLeague Cerezo Osaka player who signed a three-year contract with Dortmund in May but failed to make Japan’s squad for the June-July World Cup in South Africa. Nevertheless, he is widely seen as one of the players to watch in the upcoming Asia Cup tournament.

Agence France Presse

SOFIA – Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov has been voted Bulgarian footballer of 2010 for a record seventh time, the Bulgarian Football Union announced on Monday.Berbatov, 29, who last month scored an amazing five goals in Manchester United’s 7-1 win over Premier League rivals Blackburn Rovers, also won in the title in 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2009.

Bulgarian Litex Lovech captain Ivelin Popov, who recently transferred to Turkey’s Gaziantepspor, came second followed by Bulgarian national team and Dutch Twente goalkeeper Nikolay Mihaylov.

AP Photo

Manchester United’s striker Dimitar Berbatov speaks after being voted Bulgarian football player of 2010 for a record seventh time during an official ceremony in Sofia, Monday, Dec. 20, 2010.

Sport

International

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

15

Gordon’s 36 points lead Clippers over T’Wolves Associated Press Writer

LOS ANGELES – Eric Gordon scored a season-high 36 points, Blake Griffin added 22 points and 10 rebounds and the Los Angeles Clippers handed the Minnesota Timberwolves their sixth straight loss with a 113-90 victory Monday night.

IBP/ist

Lance Armstrong

Lance Armstrong and Alberto Contador under tight scrutiny

Coming off their first back-toback victories on the same road trip since Feb. 6-7, 2009, the Clippers snapped a three-game home losing streak. Brian Cook missed his second consecutive game because of a sprained right ankle and Craig Smith was scratched due to back spasms, keeping center Chris Kaman company behind the bench.

It was the Clippers’ first game at Staples Center since the revelation about owner Donald Sterling’s frequent courtside heckling and taunting of point guard Baron Davis during games, which was reported by Yahoo! Sports early last week. Davis had eight points and a season-high 12 assists, three of them on loud alley-oop dunks by Griffin.

Michael Beasley scored 20 points and Kevin Love added 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who completed a six-game trip with their 12th straight road loss — matching their longest drought of last season. It was the sixth trip of

six or more games in the franchise’s 22-year history, and the second that didn’t produce a win. The other was a six-gamer in March 2006 that included a loss to the Clippers.

The Timberwolves have won only one of their last 30 road games, 98-89 against Sacramento on Nov. 10. Griffin, who tied a career best with seven assists, recorded his 15th straight double-double and 22nd this season.

Love had his NBA-leading 24th double-double and 15th in a row — the first with fewer than 14 rebounds.

The Clippers, who averaged 109.3 points in their previous three meetings with the Timberwolves, led 68-58 at halftime after shooting 53 percent from the field and committing just three turnovers. Gordon led the way with 21 points, as Los Angeles ended the second quarter on a 14-5 run.

Gordon, who converted five of seven 3-point attempts, hit one that increased the margin to 91-71 with 3:12 left in the third quarter and

Minnesota got no closer than 15 the rest of the way. The Timberwolves, who came in averaging a league-best 45.8 rebounds, lost the battle of the boards 56-33.

Timberwolves center Darko Milicic, who missed Saturday’s game at Denver with a sprained right ankle after getting injured in the opening minute of Friday’s game at Portland, was back in the lineup. But he lasted only 5 minutes before reaggravating the ankle and didn’t score. Nikola Pekovic sat out his second straight game with a sprained right knee.

The Timberwolves, who came in averaging a league-best 16.8 secondchance points, didn’t crack that column until Love’s putback of a missed 22-footer from the top of the key by Luke Ridnour with 10:22 left in the third quarter. Minnesota ended up with just nine points off seven offensive rebounds. The Clippers had 15 points off their 14 offensive boards.

Reuters

PARIS – Cycling in 2010 was struck by a series of crises that threatened to wipe out most of its efforts to fight doping, with the sport’s two biggest names involved in scandals.

Seven-times Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong was embroiled in a U.S. federal investigation triggered by former team mate and disgraced 2006 champion Floyd Landis’s allegations, while three-times winner Alberto Contador failed a test for the banned anabolic agent Clenbuterol.

The biological passport, a tool developed by the International Cycling Union (UCI) to help the fight against doping, showed its limitations when Italian Franco Pellizotti was eventually cleared to race even though his data suggested he had tampered with his blood.

Vuelta runner-up Ezequiel Mosquera failed a dope test, prompting UCI president Pat McQuaid to say that Spain was not doing enough to tackle the doping problem.Elite cycling has been growing strongly in the United States, with RadioShack, Garmin, HTC-High Road and BMC Racing four of 18 elite outfits for the 2011 season, but the sport’s officials fear the scandals could drive away sponsors. “With cycling’s degraded image because of doping and the financial crisis, it’s getting more and more difficult. The future is very uncertain,” Caisse d’Epargne team manager Francis Lafargue told Reuters during the Tour.

CURTAIN DOWN

Europe will still be a major force in 2011 as the Schleck brothers, Andy and Frank, set up their own operation, signing former Saxo Bank team mate and four-times time-trial world champion Fabian Cancellara, who achieved a rare Tour of Flanders-Paris Roubaix double.

Swiss Cancellara had to fight allegations of cheating, however, after reports suggested he had used an electrical motor to power away from the pack in these two races.Pellizotti missed the Giro over suspicious data in his biological passport but the Liquigas rider was eventually cleared by the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) in a huge blow to the UCI’s anti-doping policy. “We will lose some, but we will also win some (similar cases),” said McQuaid.The UCI did win their legal battle against Spain’s Alejandro Valverde, who was suspended for two years because of his implication in the Operation Puerto blood-doping scandal. The Giro showed there was life after a doping ban, however, as Ivan Basso won the race, one of the most punishing in decades.

AP Photo/Gus Ruelas

Los Angeles Clippers power forward Blake Griffin (32) pushes off of Minnesota Timberwolves power forward Michael Beasley, back, as he takes a shot in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Dec. 20, 2010, in Los Angeles. The Clippers won 113-90.

16

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

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

Sport

IBP/ist

Sochi valley in Russia where the formula 1 track is in progress.

Russian GP boss says track on schedule RUSSIAN Grand Prix chiefs are confident that their inaugural Formula 1 race in Sochi in 2014 in well on course to run on schedule - despite complications caused by the city hosting the winter Olympics earlier that year.

Sochi is gearing up for a major sporting double after it signed a seven-year deal to host the Russian Grand Prix earlier this year. And although the logistics of holding the Olympics and a grand prix are complicated, the city’s mayor Anatoly Pakhomov insists that preparations are well on course for the F1 event.

“There is every intention to ensure that the F1 race will go ahead as planned in 2014,” Pakhomov was quoted as saying in an interview with Reuters.

“The specific requirements of managing the two events together is being studied carefully at present as the committee working to oversee

the successful implementation of the Olympics becomes fully integrated with the committee being set up to orchestrate the F1 race which is still in its formative stage. “However, I don’t foresee any slippage of the race into 2015 being necessary.”

Pakhomov said he expected the F1 track to be mostly finished in 2013, with the finishing touches put in place once the Olympics have been completed.

“Of course there are some more specific features that will need to be

Rosberg confident of stronger 2011 NICO Rosberg has full confidence that Mercedes GP has all it needs to deliver at the top in Formula 1 - as it seeks to bounce back from a disappointing 2010 campaign. The Brackley-based outfit had gone into the season hoping to fight for world championship glory, but its car did not live up to expectations and the team’s best results were podium finishes.

Although some of the form was explained by the lack of resources the team could put into its car, on the back of its efforts as Brawn GP to win the 2009 title, Rosberg thinks that organisational changes were the main area where improvements had to be made.

And that is why he is bullish that Mercedes GP can make the necessary tweaks to make good progress.

“We were just not the best team in the way that the factory is set-up and everything,” Rosberg said in an exclusive interview with AUTOSPORT. “But I think we have the best people, starting off with Ross, so I have a lot of confidence that we’ll

get there. It’s just that Ross’s process hasn’t finished yet, and he’s learning along the way also, I think.

“He probably learned a lot last year - and especially this year – about where the weaknesses are in the organisation. So he’s still in the process of making a lot of changes and getting the best out of every individual, getting the people to work together well, things like that.

“There’s been a lot of change in the team. The last three years it’s been a huge rollercoaster. It’s just going to take some time to get it to work as everybody wants.”

Despite his confidence that Mercedes GP can improve, Rosberg has drawn short of predicting how quick such a step forward can be made.

“Ross is making changes all the time, so yes, pieces are falling into place. But it’s difficult for me to judge how quickly and how efficiently, because I’m not really inside. It’s still in the recovery period.

“But it’s been a great experience for me, and I look forward to the coming years also. Driving a

Mercedes is brilliant. I believe in the people that work here, I believe in the Brackley people, and I see it as a long term thing.”

added upon the completion of the Olympic Games such as run-off areas, catch fencing etc,” he said.

“But we foresee the base requirements of the track being completed approximately one year prior to the first race being held.”

Andrey Kraynik, a senior executive of Olympic and Grand Prix sponsor MegaFon, told Reuters that the track would become a hit with fans and drivers.

“When we first invited (F1 track designer Hermann) Tilke down to see

Sochi in 2009 we stressed the importance of ensuring the track design got the balance right,” he told Reuters.

“The track will be a classic track with an emphasis on good overtaking opportunities, no gimmicks. It will have a mix of high speed corners, long straights and hairpins.

“On the one hand you will have the mountains as a backdrop and a city street-track feel at the same time. It will come to be loved by the fans like Montreal, and be challenging for the drivers like Monaco.”