Edisi 23 Desember 2010 | International Bali Post

16 Pages Number 10 3rd Year Price: Rp 3.000,-

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Thursday, December 23, 2010

Travel chaos eases in Europe, Heathrow still hit Associated Press Writer

LONDON – Europe’s Christmas travel crisis eased slightly Wednesday but there were still substantial airport and train delays, particularly at London’s Heathrow Airport, where crews were still struggling to remove ice.

Rehab staffer accuses Lohan of battery, then fired PAGE 12

Heathrow officials said Wednesday they anticipate that 70 percent of the planned departures to operate Wednesday — about 900 flights. Extra crews were working to remove ice buildup and clear the airfield of snow.

Crowds at Heathrow were smaller Wednesday with few people standing on line outside the terminals, or sleeping on the floors. Airport officials placed two tents outside Terminal 3 to handle overflow passengers, but only one was used. Computer screens there showed 11 out of about 50 incoming flights had been cancelled.

Germany’s Frankfurt airport said schedules were slowly returning to normal after several days of widespread delays caused by winter weather. About 70 flights were canceled Wednesday out of a daily total of about 1,300, a substantial improvement over the 550 cancelations on Tuesday.

The French government said 15 percent of the flights from Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris would be canceled Wednesday because of the winter weather.

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An aircraft takes off as another is deiced at Copenhagen’s Kastrup International Airport, Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2010, following a 25 centimeter snowfall. Major delays and cancellations persisted at European airports including London’s Heathrow, and on the Eurostar train link, leaving thousands stranded across Europe as Christmas approached.

AP Photo/Polfoto, Henning Hjorth

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Pakistan ‘arrests police officers’ in Bhutto case

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Agence France Presse

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ISLAMABAD – Pakistani police on Wednesday arrested two senior police officers in court for alleged dereliction of duty over the 2007 assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, a prosecutor said.

Bhutto was assassinated almost exactly three years ago in a gun and suicide attack after addressing an election campaign rally in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, near the capital Islamabad, on December 27, 2007.

In April, a UN panel accused the government of failing to provide Bhutto with adequate protection and

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Supporters light candles in front of a picture of slain former Pakistan premier Benazir Bhutto in Quetta in 2009. Pakistani police on Wednesday arrested two senior police officers in court for alleged dereliction of duty over the 2007 assassination of Bhutto, a prosecutor said.

said investigations were hampered by intelligence agencies and other officials who impeded “an unfettered search for the truth”.

A court in Rawalpindi this month issued warrants for the arrest of Saud Aziz, who was city police chief at the time of the killing, and Khurram Shahzad, another senior policeman for their “failure” to protect Bhutto. “Both of the police officers have been arrested. The court rejected their application for bail and the judge said ‘this was their duty to carry out the postmortem’,” special prosecutor Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali told reporters.

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International

Thursday, December 23 , 2010

Bali News Hotel over booking

Badung Tourism Office asks stricter hotel control Mangupura (Bali Post)—

Government of Badung Regency through the Badung Government Tourism Office has sent an appeal letter to tourism industry. Such appeal was responding the over booking condition occurred in the tourism resort.

Head of Badung Government Tourism Office, Cok Raka Darmawan, said that potential of security threats during the Christmas and New Year festivity certainly increased due to the many tourists thronged to Badung.

“We have sent a letter to tourism industry so that they (hotels) could increase the security and safety before the Christmas and New Year,” said the Head of Badung Government Tourism Office, Cok Raka Darmawan, Tuesday (Dec 21).

According to him, it was required extra supervision in hotel and

tourist resort to improve the internal security. It occurred because when the concentration of human beings was in large number, anything could happen. Therefore, it was required coordination and more intensive security. “The number of tourist visit on Christmas and New Year to Badung definitely increases. This cycle ensues regularly every year.

Many people want to spend their yearend holiday to Bali,” he explained while adding that since December 28, 2010 until January 5, 2011 hotel rooms in Badung had been fully booked.

It was said that hotel occupancy in Badung since a few days ago had started to increase. Many foreign tourists had started to come to Bali for celebrating their yearend festivity in Bali. Additionally, hotels and restaurants in Badung already installed vibrant accessories of Christmas and New Year.

Meanwhile, Commander of Badung Military District, Major Infantry Kasdim Mustakim, said that to carry out security services in the tourism area at the New Year’s Eve 2011, his party made coordination with police, Office of the National

In 2010, ten thousand cases of accident in Sanglah Hospital Denpasar (Bali Post)—

Throughout the year 2010, Sanglah Hospital handled 10,664 cases of accident consisting of traffic accidents (10,080 people), working accident (209 people) and domestic accidents (375 people). Total number of death due to such accidents was 177 people where 82 people died after receiving medical treatment in Sanglah Hospital and 95 people died on the way to hospital.

Coordinator of Sanglah Hospital Disaster Preparedness, Kuning Atmajaya, when met on Tuesday (Dec 21), said that every day there were two people died in Sanglah Hospital due to traffic accident.

Most cases of death, added Kuning, were caused by multiple traumas (16 percent), injuries on the head (4 percent), abdominal and thoracic trauma respectively 1 percent.

Within the past six years, the average of traffic accidents in Sanglah Hospital reached 15,000 cases of either severe or light injuries. Within that period, there was always a decrease in accident cases undergoing surgery each year. Although declining, the quality of surgery even increased indicating that

injuries suffered by victims increasingly heavier so that most of them had more possibilities to cause death.

“The case of traffic accidents undergoing surgery within the past six years slightly declined, but injuries occurred were more complex and severe,” said Kuning. Averagely, the number of patient of accident that should undergo a surgery per year was 1,500 people. In terms of their age, according to Kuning, most accident cases happened to people of 16 to 25 years old. “It is very unfortunate because it occurs to those within productive age,” said Kuning.

Of the incidents occurred, about 15.7 percent of them did not wear safety helmet. It implied that motorists were still ignoring the safety in riding. By sex, they were mostly male victim with a ratio of 3:1 to female victims.

Regarding to the high cases of death due to traffic accidents, Kuning said it was possibly caused by late first help extended to victim at the scene. Based on data of the death cases, 50 percent of them died on the spot, 30 percent died on the way to hospital and 20 percent died after receiving treatment in hospital.

Kuning added that the handling of

traffic accidents comprised two phases, namely pre-hospital and hospital phase. “In the pre-hospital phase, the treatment required first is to stabilize the victim before taken to hospital. After arriving in hospital, it is conducted further treatment,” said Kuning.

Ideally, the first treatment to traffic accident, according to Kuning, the victim had to be escorted by a special ambulance handling accident. Before taken to hospital, the ambulance officers performed resuscitation or stabilizing the patient’s condition. Stabilizing the patient’s condition was very helpful for further action in the hospital. Unfortunately, the victims of traffic accident were more frequently transported by private cars, taxis and pick-up and the victims did not get a first-aid in advance.

“In Jakarta and Surabaya, there has been special extension number to contact an ambulance. Therefore, people can easily call for help. In Bali, such a facility is not available yet,” said Kuning. For that purpose, his party expected for an ambulance facility for accident handling and this should get more attentions. As a result, the lives of accident victims had more opportunities to be saved. (kmb24)

Union and Public Protection (Kesbanglinmas), Transportation Services, Criminal Investigation Unit and Customary Village to hold the security in prone areas.

It was also explained that celebration of New Year 2011 in the tourism area, especially on the Beach, Kuta and surrounding areas, posed a priority for the security services. On that account, tourists could luxuriate in the beautiful and memorable New Year’s Eve comfortably and safely. For that purpose, his party would deploy 400 personnel to secure the area of Badung tourism in particular.

“Guards are tightened in the tourism areas because many activities occur during the yearend celebration. On the other side, it can easily

trigger a crime,” he said.

In the meantime, Head of Badung Transportation Services, Made Sutama, said that to anticipate the congestion on the New Year, the authority of Badung Transportation Services together with police would be in charge in the congestion-prone areas, such as at Dewa Ruci area, Jalan Pantai Kuta-Legian, Petitenget crossroad, Five Junctions of Sunset Road, and Nusa Dua area. “The authority of Badung Regency will also monitor the situation around the New Year,” he explained.

Sutama added that in ensuring a smooth ride on the New Year, his party would make coordination with police authority in each sector. By doing so, it was expected to anticipate the traffic congestion. (par)

Ahead of year change

Traders of firecrackers and fireworks throng Denpasar Denpasar (Bali Post)—

Lively ambience ahead the change of the year usually marked by explosive sound of firecrackers and joyful fireworks has now begun to be felt.

Even, a number of seasonal traders selling the trinkets of the year change kicked off to throng some road sections in Denpasar. They can be found on Jalan Sudirman, Jalan Hayam Wuruk, Jalan Cok Agung Tresna and other streets in Denpasar.

Such rampant seasonal traders were complained by a number of Denpasar residents. The rocketing sound of firecrackers and fireworks frequently disturbed the unwinding residents. “What we worry about is the sparks of fireworks that can kindle a fire hazard,” said Antok, a resident of Denpasar.

Head of Denpasar civilian security guard (Tramtib) and public order officers (Satpol PP), Ketut Nick Natha Wibawa when contacted on Tuesday (Dec 21) said his party had no right to take actions against the traders of firecrackers and fireworks. Civilian security guard only had right to take action against violation of regional regulations.

“We’ve had come down to the field for several times. We just take action to

traders selling goods on the road markings, sidewalks and telajakan or compound wall-side garden,” said Nick Natha Wibawa.

Meanwhile, to take direct action as well as to seize their goods on sale such as firecrackers and fireworks, said Nick, were not his authority. According to him, it could only be performed by police officers. “We are only responsible for enforcing the regional regulation, namely Regulation No.3/2000 concerning with sanitation and public order. In the meantime, confiscating the goods sold is not our authority,” he said.

Related to the rampant seasonal traders in Denpasar, this former Assistant I of Denpasar Municipality in charge of Administrative Affairs admitted that his party had controlled every day, but it was merely a guidance and appeal. However, those traders remained defiant. “Indeed, it is very difficult to discipline those seasonal traders. If disciplined today not to sell on road markings, they will break it again the day after. Therefore, we will conduct routine monitoring. Later on, we will go down and if after few warnings, they insist on selling goods we will take their table or plastic mat,” promised Nick Natha Wibawa. (kmb12)

z Founder : K.Nadha, z General Manager :Palgunadi Chief Editor: Diah Dewi Juniarti z Editors: Gugiek Savindra,Alit Susrini, Alit Sumertha, Daniel Fajry, Mawa, Sri Hartini, Suana, Sueca, Sugiartha, Wirya, Yudi Winanto zDenpasar: Dira Arsana, Giriana Saputra, Subagiadnya, Subrata, Suentra, Sumatika, Asmara Putra. Bangli: Pujawan, Buleleng: Adnyana, Gianyar: Agung Dharmada, Karangasem: Budana, Klungkung: Bali Putra Ariawan,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

Thursday, December 23, 2010

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Wild Wave, A Youngster Body Found Rotting at Bugbug Sea Baby Body Stranded Amlapura (Bali Post) –

IBP/ist

A father take his daughter after praying in Jaganatha Temple in Denpasar.

Praying Clothing Better Use Traditional Religion Clothing Denpasar (Bali Post) –

The use of praying clothing to temples by teenagers have been worrying lately as a letter from a Bali Post reader last Tuesday (21/12) stated that how they dressed have been changed. The teenage girls used their sarong with one angle being upper than the other and so when walking their knee even leg can be seen. While the teenage boys use sarong like they were shortage of it causing the sarong to be very short above the knee with uncontrollable folding as if they’re just visiting the neighbor.

In replying to this, religious expert Drs. Gusti Ketut Widana, MSi, stated that it is better to go to temples in its traditional clothing. There are four clothing that can be used for different importance in the public which are everyday, official, action and traditional clothing. As coming in to religious, a person should wear it suitably with “asuci laksana” attitude in praying for God Ida Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa. In this context it needs neatness, politeness

and cleanness, “There has been a freedom in clothing yet there’s a limit. When it comes to a religious space we should understand that we are inside a religious space.

With that it is better to suit ourselves in using praying clothes and not sexy.” Even Widana himself thinks there should be socialization in the ethics of clothing to Pura based on Hindu ethics concepts. With that the prayers will know better and obey to clothing ethics.

Head of Parisada Bali, Dr. IGN Sudiana also stated that PHDI year 1980 already made a guide on how to dress up when going to Pura.

The clothing should be clean, neat, polite and not out of the politeness or ethic values. So the prayers especially youngsters when praying to Pura should use a polite clothing and not the same as dressing up for weddings or other ceremonies as Pura is a holy place and so politeness values in dressing should be thought of. (08)

300 Thousand Dogs Vaccination Bali needs Minimal IDR 25 Billion Budget Denpasar (Bali Post) –

In the year 2011 Budget the program of tackling rabies still a priority program from the Bali Province Animal Husbandry Agency. At least around 300 thousands of dogs around Bali targeted to be vaccinated and some are booster vaccination. For that with its socialization, operational fee and more, it is predicted IDR 25 billion is needed as Head of the Agency, Putu Sumantra, stated this on Tuesday (21/12) to Bali Post.

According to Sumantra, the vaccination will be a continuation to the not optimal 2010 operation due to the liquefying lateness of IDR 14 billion operational fee promised by the Agriculture Ministry. And so for the next year’s the central government has promised IDR 20 billion to tackle rabies in Bali while Bali Province have allocated IDR 6 billion from the Regional Budget and Expenses (APBD) 2011 to support that, “Bali province planned to do the mass vaccination

from May to June 2011 as a way to tackle rabies in Bali.”

Sumantra added, the vaccination will go on as planned if the promised operational fee will be liquefied without any lateness. He hoped that it will be liquefied by February 2011 already not like this year’s where it promised to be liquefied February 2010 yet came out 15th November 2010, “We need togetherness. And so on February-March we can do preparation so May-June it can be done.” (kmb13)

Lately sea waves have been taking lives as a youngster rotten body was found floating last Tuesday (21/12) around 8 am at Lepra Beach, Bugbug, Karangasem. It is not known the identity yet after evacuated with difficulties by Karangasem SAR team and Bugbug residents the body was then brought to Karangasem Hospital Corpse Room.

Karangasem Police Resort Public Relation Leader, AKP IW Wirata, as permitted by Police confirmed the report was received by fishermen of Bugbug beach. It was then taken care

by SAR team, Karangasem Executive Police led by Head Police AKP Ketut Winama, Haed of Samapta AKP Nengah Berata and Head Operational Police Commissioner Made Sudarta.

It was first found by the fishermen floating in the mid ocean of Bugbug caused by a three meters wave. After two hours, the victim got dragged to Lepra east beach which has cliffs and caves. Workers were confused as there were no machine boats in Lepra beach.

The SAR team thought of saving from land but it’s impossible as it has to go through steep cliffs and sharp rocks.

They bravely risked using a rubber boat helped by a resident Nengah Darma who knows the beach well. The SAR team successfully got near the body twice yet failed to capture. Nengah Darma then helped out and the team managed to capture it after four hours.

The victim was a youngster predicted to be 16-20 years old. The body

is still wearing three quarters jeans without any shirts and had experienced swelling and rotting with its hair gone off so its hard to be identified. Based on the checking, it is not known no harm was done to this body. Another Bugbug resident, Nengah Susanta (38) confirmed that the victim is not a Bugbug resident as all this time there was no missing reports.

Other incidents happened on Saturday Kuningan Day (18/12) afternoon an elementary pupil almost got dragged by the waves at Putih Beach, Bugbug.

The Perasi kid was playing and bathing around the beach yet the wave got wilder and the kid got dragged to the mid ocean. The kid was saved after one hour.

Also on Bungah Indah Speedboat last Monday (20/12) got wronged routed when going to Nusa Penida from Padangbai due to a dense fog in the mid ocean. The boat experienced petrol finished and was off in the ocean, yet at last it got to Nusa Penida harbor.

A baby corpse was also found before at Pasir Putih Beach, Bugbug and still placed at Karangasem Corpse Room until last Tuesday (21/ 12). The corpse found a month ago still has no parents to pick it up. For that, Winama stated that because the baby has not been picked up for a month, it will be the Karangasem Regent duty to decide what to be done next if it will be cremated or buried somewhere, “We have sent a letter to the Regent about the baby’s corpse.” (013)

2010 Sun Take Off Respect Variety, Perform National Dances In the end of this 2010, Denpasar Government is holding “Melepas Matahari 2010” or 2010 Sun Take Off which is connected with the yearly Denpasar Festival involving the best art attractions either that’s traditional or developing ones. What’s more, it is made sure that this event will be filled up with 1000 of young artists presenting cultures from the whole nation.

The Technical Committee of this event, I Nyoman Suarsa, stated to Bali Post last Tuesday (21/12) that the art presentation this time will show off national dances in respecting the variety that’s been growing and developing in Denpasar with all its dynamic and harmony. It is clarified, Denpasar now is like the mini Indonesia with so many characters, races and ethnics live together in harmony here, “We purposely picked national dances in respecting the variety that’s been growing in Denpasar.”

According to Suarsa, the performance will be shown in the opening session of Melepas Matahari 2010 with a scenario different from last year’s. it is said, there will be a combination of dances from different provinces of East, Central and West Indonesia all in one such as Plate Dance and Japin

(Sumatera), Padang Wulan Dance (East Java), Mandau Dance (Borneo), Pengelu Dance (Sulawesi) Ronggeng Dance (Betawi) and Egong Dance (East Nusa Tenggara), “The concept would have a parade starting with instrumental gamelan, followed by City Brending Baris Sight Seeing dance which also combines with other arts from a number of places. In the end of it there will be an innovative beleganjur (music) with unique music instruments from water gallons, percussion and others.”

Besides modern art, there will be also traditional art such as mass barungan gender, classic tabuh, prembon and more. for the dancers and gamelan players it will involve students of Vocational School SMKN 5 Denpasar, High School SMAN 3 Denpasar and IKIP PGRI Bali, “It will be supported by around 1000 artists. They have been joining intensive practice since Tuesday.” Meanwhile, Head of Denpasar City Culture Agency stated that these artists will appear at competitions, art performances and parade. It is said, the agenda of this event is part of Denpasar Festival taking place centered at Catur Muka which is also where the parade begins. After the parade, candidates will move to each of their stalls . (ian)

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News

Thursday, December 23, 2010

International

SKorea to stage firing drills near land border Associated Press Writer

SEOUL, South Korea – South Korea vowed Wednesday to “punish the enemy” as hundreds of troops, fighter jets, tanks and attack helicopters prepared for massive new drills near the heavily armed border a month after a deadly North Korean artillery attack.

Although the North backed down from its threat to retaliate over South Korean drills Monday in west coast waters claimed by both countries, South Korean forces have been on high alert this week, warning of surprise attacks. The North responded to a Nov. 23 artillery drill on South Korea’s front-line Yeonpyeong Island with an artillery bombardment that killed four, including two civilians.

The North has made some conciliatory gestures in recent days — telling a visiting U.S. governor that it might allow international nuclear inspections of its atomic programs — but Seoul appears unmoved and is bracing for possible aggression.

“We will completely punish the enemy if it provokes us again like the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island,” Brig. Gen. Ju Eun-sik, chief of the army’s 1st armored brigade, said.

South Korea’s navy began annual four-day firing and anti-submarine exercises Wednesday off the country’s less-tense east coast.

The disputed western sea border has been the site of most of the Koreas’ recent military skirmishes, including last month’s artillery bombardment. But the east coast was used by the North as a submarine route for communist agents to infiltrate South Korea in the past. South Korea’s army and air force also planned joint firing drills Thursday near the Koreas’ land border.

The training — the 48th of its kind this year — will be the biggest-ever wintertime joint firing exercise that South Korea’s army and air force have staged, the army said in a statement. The drill will involve 800 troops, F-15K and KF-16 jet fighters, K-1 tanks, AH-1S attack heli-

copters and K-9 self-propelled guns, the statement said.

South Korea had planned to conduct only 47 drills of this type this year but decided to conduct one more because of continuing tension with North Korea, an army officer said on condition of anonymity citing department rules.

North Korea, meanwhile, indicated to visiting New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson that it was prepared to consider ways to work with the South on restoring security along the border.

Richardson praised Pyongyang for refraining from retaliation and said his visit to the North provided an opening for a resumption of negotiations aimed at dismantling North Korea’s nuclear program.

North Korea pulled out of six-nation talks to provide Pyongyang with aid in exchange for disarmament in April 2009, but since has said it is willing to resume them.

The White House, however, rejected the idea, saying Pyongyang needed to change its “belligerent” behavior first and was not “even remotely ready” for negotiations.

Demonstrators from the Greek Association of Large Families chant antigovernment slogans during a protest in central Athens, on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2010.

AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris

Greeks go on strike before austerity budget vote Reuters

ATHENS – Greek unions called a general strike on Wednesday and Athens was paralyzed by a 24-hour public transport stoppage in protest against the government’s 2011 budget, set to pass later as part of an EU/IMF bailout. The budget, meant to help stem a debt crisis that has shaken the euro zone, includes further tax hikes and wage cuts in state-run enterprises, especially in public transport.

Fitch said on Tuesday it may cut Greece’s credit rating next month to junk as both other major rating agencies have done. “Even though this news was expected, it will go down badly with the markets, there is widespread fear about downgrades coming,” said Ioanna Telioudi, analyst at HSBC in Athens.

Greece’s main public and private sector labor unions have called a 3-hour strike from 1000 to 1300 GMT (5 to 8 a.m. ET) in Athens. Thousands are expected to rally outside parliament.

Athens bus and subway drivers have been holding on and off strikes for two weeks, keeping Christmas shoppers from the city center, adding to the strain of recession-hit retailers.

The government threatened on Wednesday to break the public transport strikes, invoking emergency legislation it used earlier this year to dissolve Labor action by truck drivers and other transport workers. “Everyone has to show responsibility ... the state has all the powers it needs to protect the public interest,” government spokesman George Petalotis said in a television interview.

Analysts have warned the additional measures will hurt the economy even more without providing guarantees that the country will avoid a debt restructuring to cope with ballooning debt.

The government has a comfortable majority of 156 seats out of 300 in parliament and the budget is expected to be approved despite growing discontent among the ruling PASOK party ranks.

REUTERS/Jo Yong-Hak

South Korean Christians sing a hymn in front of a Christmas tree on top of the Aegibong Peak Observatory just south of the demilitarised zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas in Gimpo, west of Seoul December 21, 2010.

Airports race to clear Christmas backlog Agence France Presse

The spokeswoman said the airport was “absolutely” aiming to get everyone away in time for Christmas. Flights got going again at Dublin Airport after the authorities cleared ice and more than 15 centimetres (six inches) of snow The situation was improving on the Eurostar, which operates high-speed passenger trains linking London with Paris and Brussels.

Eurostar was planning to run a “near normal service” on Wednesday, with nine trains out of 52 cancelled, and were back to accepting passengers on the services they held tickets for.

Passengers at the London St Pancras terminal reported waits of under three hours — a vast improvement on the kilometre-long queues witnessed in recent days. Fresh snow was falling across north Wales, the Midlands and parts of north-eastern England this morning.

LONDON – The race is on at snowbound airports to clear the backlog of stranded passengers in time for Christmas, as weather conditions ease slightly. Hopes were lifted at London Heathrow Airport after the second runway reopened, but the backlog at a traditionally busy time of the year meant services were not immediately back to normal.

Around 1,000 passengers woke up in the terminals at Heathrow, the world’s busiest international passenger airport, which has slimmed down its schedule in a bid to manage the situation.

Airlines were told what capacity was available and they themselves decided which flights to cut, with both long-haul and shorthaul services scrapped.

“We’re running 70 percent of our normal planned schedule, which accounts for around 900 flights, and we’re comfortable that we’ll be able to remove the rest of the snow from the airfield today,” a Heathrow spokeswoman told AFP. “Both runways are open and operating,” she said, adding that a total of 30,000 tonnes of snow had been shifted from the apron.

AFP/Adrian Dennis Flights left Heathrow A worker operates a snow plough near the second runway at through the night, break- Heathrow Airport. The race is on at snowbound airports to ing the normal curfew, in clear the backlog of stranded passengers in time for Christa bid to beat the backlog. mas, as weather conditions ease slightly.

Activities

International

Thursday, December 23, 2010

5

Dewi Sinta Hotel:

Relishing Sea View in Fusion with Terraced Rice Fields IBP

TABANAN - PHYSICALLY, Dewi Sinta Hotel, Restaurant & Spa is not as grandiose as the hotels located in the premier tourist resorts of Nusa Dua, Sanur or Kuta. However, never misunderstand! The budget hotel located in the Tanah Lot tourist destination has its own uniqueness, both in terms of panorama or services extended.

“Though it is a budget hotel, we provide services based on the standard of star-rated hotels,” said I Gusti Gde Aryadi, the owner of the hotel.

Most importantly, continued Aryadi, he provided services for guests with friendliness, honesty and professionalism, so as to create impressive images for the only hotel in the favorite tourist area in Bali.

Familiar and familial atmosphere was not only intended for the staff, but also became a priority for every single traveler. “We also give awards for the best employees as a way to encourage the morale of our workers in providing the best ser-

vices,” added the pioneer of Tanah Lot tourist object calmly.

Dewi Sinta is the oldest hotel since the Tanah Lot was visited by many tourists. The entire building is designed by perfectly combining the traditional elements and stylish architecture to engender a convenient tourism sanctuary to unwind.

Aura of the sanctity exuded by the Tanah Lot Temple, Enjung Galuh Temple and Pakendungan Temple give more profound tranquility.

Meanwhile, the existing lush tropical gardens confer a typical countryside nuance.

There are 20 rooms consisting of 2 types on offer, namely standard and deluxe room with air conditioning, private bathroom with hot and cold water, IDD telephone, TV, and mini bar. In front of the hotel rooms stretches an enchanting terraced rice fields in combination with the verdant fairways of golf course and swimming pool. These added-value backdrops made this accommodation close to nature. Additionally, it is also equipped with spa treatment

facilities featuring with Balinese therapies to blissfully pamper guests with freshness and fitness.

In the meantime, Dewi Sinta is also equipped with restaurant offering a variety of menu choices such as Balinese, Indonesian, Chinese, Seafood and European cuisine. All delicacies are carefully prepared by well-experienced cooks. Interestingly, breakfast, lunch and dinner are optionally served in a la carte or buffet style.

Other amenities equipping the hotel property are an open stage and a conference room with a capacity of 300 people. Such facilities offer a dinner party with traditional cultural performances such as Kecak, Tektekan, Legong and shadow puppets. Best services, guaranteed security and good relationship with the surrounding communities led the hotel to achieve some outstanding achievements such as the Security Certificate from the Bali Police with gold predicate, bronze medal in THK Awards and the best taxpayer in Tabanan Regency.

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.

6

Thursday, December 23 , 2010

News Death toll from Mexico crude-oil blast rises to 29 Associated Press Writer

MEXICO CITY – The death toll from a massive crude-oil explosion that laid waste to parts of a central Mexican city has risen to 29. Authorities in Puebla state say they located the remains of a baby in the arms of one of the other 28 victims.

Sunday’s blast in San Martin Texmelucan, believed to be caused by oil thieves, also injured 52 and

damaged or destroyed 115 homes.

Puebla state government spokesman Noe Torres said Tuesday that six of the injured remained hospitalized, five in grave condition.

The explosion occurred when crude began gushing from a stateowned Petroleos Mexicanos pipeline into a city street and river, igniting everything in its path. Investigators found a hole in the pipeline and equipment for extracting crude.

Asylum boat orphan relatives land in Australia Agence FRance Presse

AFP/AFP

Fire and rescue crews inspect the wreckage of a crashed tourist bus at Cameron Highland northern state of Perak on December 20. The bodies of 25 Thai victims of Malaysia’s worst bus crash were taken home aboard a Thai air force plane, as authorities announced an independent probe into the accident.

Bodies of Malaysia crash victims flown home Agence France Presse

KUALA LUMPUR – The bodies of 25 Thai victims of Malaysia’s worst bus crash were taken home Wednesday aboard a Thai air force plane, as authorities announced an independent probe into the accident. The Thai embassy in Kuala Lumpur said the remains of those who died in Monday’s horrific smash were loaded onto a C-130 transporter plane at a military airbase on the outskirts of the capital.

Some survivors of the crash, as well as relatives and friends of the dead, went home on a second aircraft. “A Buddhist monk who came along with the planes performed a very brief ritual and then both planes departed,” First Secretary Suwit Mangkhala told AFP. Buddhist monks also said prayers for the dead early Wednesday in northern Perak state, where the accident occurred, before the bodies were flown to Kuala Lumpur.

The monks, embassy officials and family members knelt and offered prayers in front of the 25 coffins, which were draped in white cloth and arranged in two rows outside a hospital mortuary, the Star newspaper reported. Joss sticks were lit and offerings of yellow chrysanthemums made to the deceased before the coffins began their journey.

The Thai holidaymakers had been returning from a trip to the Cameron Highlands on Monday when their double-decker bus lost control near a sharp bend, crashed through a road divider and overturned into a ditch.

The accident sheared off the bus’s roof and left dismembered bodies strewn across the road. Twentyseven people were killed including two Malaysians — the driver and a tour guide. Transport minister Kong Cho Ha said Wednesday the government would set up an independent board of inquiry to look into the crash and the overall structure of commercial vehicle operations in the country, state media reported.

Road safety experts reportedly said the double-decker bus involved in the accident was unsuitable for travel on steep ground as it had a higher centre of gravity, making it

more unstable than single-deck vehicles.

“The bus can become unstable when going uphill or when travelling at a higher speed,” Wong Shaw Voon, a senior official with the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros), which has been tasked with investigating the accident, told the Star.

“This is especially when drivers negotiate sharp bends,” he said, adding that all the passengers had been sitting on the upper deck, which could have shifted the vehicle’s centre of gravity.

Coach accidents are relatively common in Malaysia, often involving interstate routes and accompanied by revelations that drivers were unlicensed, speeding or under the influence of drugs to keep themselves awake.

SYDNEY – Australian officials on Wednesday said they had found two aunts of a young refugee orphaned in last week’s asylum boat sinking on later peoplesmuggling boats and arrangements were underway for a reunion. The child, believed to be an Iranian boy aged about eight, was among three who lost both parents in last Wednesday’s horrific boat smash off remote Christmas Island, killing an estimated 48 of the 90 refugees on board.

He was made a ward of Immigration Minister Chris Bowen after his status as an unaccompanied minor was established, but a department spokesman said two of his aunts had since been discovered on boats which arrived in the past week.

“Now that we’ve identified family that he does have, two aunts who were aboard a vessel that subsequently has come in to Christmas Island, we’ll work with psychologists now to facilitate a reunion,” the spokesman told ABC radio.

“That will be as advised by the psychologists when it is most appropriate.”

All three orphans were being kept in a low-security facility on Christmas Island — home to Australia’s main immigration detention centre — with family members and social workers while officials assessed their plight. Prime Minister Julia Gillard has said minors and families from the shipwreck will live in the community under a new policy announced in October in a bid to ease severe overcrowding in Australia’s detention centres.

Travel...

From page 1 Eurostar, which offers train services between England, France and Belgium, said routes were operating a near-normal schedule. Still it urged only customers with tickets to show up at terminals, after facing raucous crowds of thousands at ticket halls earlier this week.

Extreme cold temperatures contin-

ued to plague parts of Europe. Denmark experienced its coldest night in 29 years with -8.5 F (-22.5 C) measured in Holbaek, 40 miles (65 kilometers) west of Copenhagen. Still, Copenhagen’s international airport expected a normal day.

Weather forecasters predicted fresh snow across England and Wales, though not in London, where temperatures warmed slightly, giving hopes that the snow and ice would soon melt.

Pakistan...

From page 1 Ali previously accused the officers of being responsible for a controversial decision to hose down the scene of the killing, therefore destroying key evidence, and for failing to provide her with adequate security.

Asked about the charges against the officers on Wednesday he told reporters: “Several other points need to be investigated.

“Today, the honourable judge rejected their application for bail and ordered their arrest because it was the state’s obligation to carry out a postmortem.” According to the prosecutor, the judge rejected as evidence an audio tape in which Bhutto’s husband, now President Asif Ali Zardari, apparently asked for the post-mortem not to be carried out.

The court has been adjourned until January 7. At the time, the government of then military ruler Pervez

Musharraf blamed the assassination on Pakistan’s Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud, who denied any involvement.

Mehsud was killed in a US drone attack in August 2009, one of the most high-profile casualties of the covert American campaign targeting Al-Qaeda and its allies in Pakistan’s lawless tribal belt on the Afghan border.

Bhutto, who served two terms as prime minister, returned from exile two months before she was assassinated, to stand for election.

Zardari led her Pakistan People’s Party to election victory in February 2008 and is now the head of state, albeit with miserable approval ratings. After the UN report was published in April, Pakistan removed senior police and intelligence officials from their posts.

International

Indonesia Today

Thursday, December 23, 2010

7

President supports gender equality Antara

JAKARTA - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said he supports equality between men and women in playing roles in the country‘s development efforts.

FOTO ANTARA/Lucky.R

Women workers are wrapping blao (traditional bleaching) on Kedaung Wetan, Neglasari, Tangerang, Banten.

Besides take care their children, those women also work to fulfill their household need.

TNBTS bans tourists from celebrating Christmas in Bromo Antara

MALANG - The Bromo National Park in Tengger and Semeru (TNBTS) banned tourists and other people to celebrate Christmas and New Year in the vicinity of Mount Bromo.

Head of administrative affairs of TNBTS Suwasto said on Tuesday the fact that the activity of Mt Bromo was still high in the last few days prompted the local security authorities to remind people that the area was still dangerous to visit.

“There was a plan to open the place after the mountain`s status had been lowered to alert, but at present

the activity of the volcano was still high, and the gushes have even reached an altitude of 1,500 meters, and the condition is therefore too prone to visits,” Suwasto said at the TNBTS office in Malang, East Java.

Suwasto said the still ongoing tectonic quake although with a low intensity made the TNBTS to avoid taking risks, because Bromo was still labile.

“Bromo has gushed volcanic material to an altitude of 1,500 meters, as well as ashes mixed with small stone particles into the direction of the south or Lumajang,” he said.

In the meantime, according to data from the TNBTS, outside a radius of

2 kilometers from the crater it is safe to visit Bromo.

Suwasto said however, TNBTS will make an evaluation of the situation in January 2011, to decide whether or not the area is safe for tourist visits.

“Before the activity of the mountain is stable and its status lowered to beware, Bromo will not be reopened for the public or tourists,” he said.

Mt Bromo had a beware status from Nov 24 to Dec Desember, 2010, but later the status was lowered to alert.

The status of the mountain which has a height of 3,932 meters from sea level was lowered to alert on Dec 6.

Foreign investors ready to invest in monorail project Antara

TANGERANG - Four foreign investors have expressed their interest to cooperate in the development of a monorail between Serpong and the Soekarno-Hatta airport.

“There are already four foreign investors expressing their interest in the monorail development project,” chairman of Commission IV of the Banten provincial legislative assembly, Sonny Indra Jaya, said here on Tuesday.

He said the four investors are She Jiang from China, Samsung and Daewoo from South Korea and from Singapore and Japan.

“They have already held meetings and discussed the program with the regional office of transportation, communications and information,” he said after an expose on the monorail project at Hotel Santika BSD attended by officials from the transporation, communications and information service officials from

South Tangerang and Banten.

Sonny said there was also an investor from the country that had expressed its interest namely Alfatex Bahtera.

“It is still mere talks as study still has yet to be made first with regard to the project,” he said.

He said the results of the study were expected to be able to be submitted to the National Development Planning Board (Bappenas) for further discussion and a follow-up.

“The regional legislative assembly (DPRD) would help facilitating the process including the feasibility study that would be started this year so that it could be finished as scheduled,” he said.

The head of the Banten regional office of transportation, communications and information, Muhammad Husni Hasan, said nothing like in Jakarta would happen in the project.

In view of that he said his office was still conducting a study on its feasibility and other impacts includ-

ing the funding so that the program would be successful.

“What has happened in Jakarta is because traffic has been complicated there. Unlike in South Tangerang where traffic improvements and orders could still be done,” he said.

The Banten office of transportation, communications and information predicts the project could be carried out in three years‘ time after the study was finished in 2011.

The project is estimated to cost Rp3 trillion from the central and regional budgets and private parties.

The monorail would expand from Rawa Buntu, Serpong, to SoekarnoHatta which is 28 kilometer long and to be taken in 20 minutes at a fare of Rp20,000 one way.

The route is Rawa Buntu Station, WTC Serpong, Alam Sutera, Gading Serpong, Serpong Town Square, Modernland, Tangerang Station, Tangerang city hall, Sekar Wangi, Garuda Station, Terminal 1,2 and 3 of the Soekarno Hatta airport.

He made the statement when receiving members of the organizing committee for the commemoration of Mother‘s Day led by their chief, Dewi Motik Pramono who is the general chairperson of the Indonesian Women‘s Congress (Kowani) at the presidential office here on Tuesday.

Indonesia celebrates Mother‘s Day every December 22 and this year‘s national commemoration would be held at the Beautiful Indonesia in Miniature Park and attended by President Yudhoyono and first lady Ani Yudhoyono.

The theme for this year‘s commemoration is gender equality for building national character to materialize the development of a respected and healthy nation.

State minister for women‘s empowerment and child protection Linda Amalia Sari who accompanied the committee members in the meeting said the head of state had given a message that women‘s movement must not stop at commemorating Mothers‘ Day but must continue year long and also international-wide so that the role of the Indonesian women in the development efforts could continue to be promoted.

“He also said that Indonesian

women`s movement does not mean feminism but it is about how to achieve equality,” she said.

She said the Indonesian women also do not want to ask too much but only seek for equality.

Linda said Mother‘s Day need to be commemorated for the sake of remembering and evaluating the struggle of the Indonesian women in line with the first Congress of the Indonesian Women in 1928 in Yogyakarta as a follow-up of the Youth Pledge on October 28, 1928.

“At the time women also felt the need to do something and it was realized in a congress of women which continues to develop later and is then commemorated as Mother`s Day,” she said.

Dewi Motik said people often misunderstood by seeing the Mother‘s Day as the day to celebrate the role of a mother.

“We have misunderstood. We think Mother`s Day is like that in the United States while it is not. Here Mother`s Day is a day to commemorate women`s movement,” she said.

She said the commemoration this year would involve many nongovernmental organizations and other organizations with regard to promoting equality between men and women.

Biggest potential of conflict is in Ambalat with Malaysia Antara

BOGOR - Deputy Navy Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Marsetio said in Bogor Tuesday that the Indonesian border with 10 other countries were still not in order, and therefore are potential to create conflicts.

“The border of the Indonesian sea with 10 other countries is still not in order. Of the 10 neighboring countries, only the border with Singapore is in order,” Marsetio added.

Vice Admiral Marsetio on Tuesday joined a roll call of the Marine Corp in Cikoneng hills,

Tugu Utara village, Cisarua subdistrict, Bogor regency.

The roll call involved marine corp high-ranking officers and held for two days, on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Marsetio said of the nine neighboring countries bordering in the oceans with Indonesia, the biggest conflicting potential came from Malaysia.

He said the potential conflict with Malaysia is based on the fact that the neighboring country claimed the Ambalat sea as theirs.

Marsetio said Ambalat is actually part of the Indonesian Unitary State of Indonesia.

8

International

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Bali Today “Paper Power’ exhibition in Sanur Antara

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Mount Batur Geopark in Kintamani sub district, Bangli regency, had been proposed for incorporation in the UNESCO global network.

Mt. Batur geopark proposed to incorporated in Unesco network Antara

BANGLI - Mount Batur Geopark in Kintamani sub district, Bangli regency, had been proposed for incorporation in the UNESCO global network.

The incorporation of Mt Batur geopark into UNESCO network would help promote the mountain, the Culture and Tourism Ministry’s Tourism Product Director Achyaruddin said here Wednesday.

“We have two geoparks namely Mount Batur and Pacitan, which are already proposed to UNESCO in order to be declared members of the geopark global network,” he said.

He added the advantages in joining the UNESCO geopark global network included international promotion through UNESCO’s flag without to provide big financing support.

“It can attract foreign investors when the national geopark has formally gone international in the respects of conservation, education and tourism,” Achyaruddin noted.

He said the geopark is the earth’s resource diversity management (geodiversity) including geology, biology and socio-cultural. While the geopark establishment is based on the aspects of conservation, education and local economic development through the tourism sector.

Whereas the goal and objective of establishing geopark are to protect geodiversity, promote environmental conservation and serve as a medium for education on geological science.

Achyaruddin explained Kintamani had been chosen as a geopark because the area has Mount Batur which is an active volcano with the ecosystem having very enchanting mountain range and lakes which are potential to be developed as a geopark tourist site of the world.

Bangli district is located on Bali island therefore it is well accessible as one of the world tourism destinations,” he said.

The first step in structuring Kintamani district geopark would be done in early January 2011 as in July 2011 the UNESCO assessor will check whether or not Mount Batur geopark will qualify as a member of the global geopark network.

Meanwhile, head of Bangli district Made Gianyar said the district administration hails the geopark development plan as it is in line with the Bangli district’s program in the next five years in the tourism development.

“We expect support from all parties, both the government and people to make the plan a success,” Made said.

SANUR – Artists from Bali and other countries will express their thought in an exhibition which will be held for one month in Maha Art Gallery in Sanur, Denpasar. The exhibition entitled “Paper Power”. Agus Maha Usadha, the owner of the gallery, said Wednesday that there will be six artists take part in the exhibition, they are Chusin Setiadikara, Made Budhiana, Made Wianta, Mangu Putra from Bali and two foreign artists, Nico Vrielink and Davina Stephens.

“The exhibition will be opened with the art performance by Made Wianta who will explore paper on other media,” Agus added.

He explained that the exhibition is being held to resurrect the art on papers which is neglected by many people. Actually, the art on papers have the same quality with other arts and could give free art without any tendency.

The art using paper is being left out by artists or even common people because the environmental issue which spread throughout the world.

Agus said “the invention of sophisticated gadgets such as Ipad make papers being put aside by the people.”

Meanwhile, Made Wianta, famous Balinese artist, said that he will express his thought using sketch, drawing, poem, and installation art.

“Papers have different texture and it could give amazing effect,” he added.

The famous painter thinks that the students in school should be given the chance to make art using papers. In addition to that, the study on papers is also need to be increased so there are papers that can stand bad weather and humidity.

Wianta also said that artists shouldn’t be worry on the invention of the sophisticated technology because every art have its own dimension.

Davina, the artist from New Zealand is very interested with the theme of the activity of the Hindus in Bali. “I will exhibit three of my finest works and most of them about the Hindus,” she added.

”Mejaga” ritual in Karangasem Antara

AMLAPURA – The tradition “mejaga-jaga” is being held by the residents of Pasedahan Village in Manggis, Karangasem. The ritual is to get rid of the bad weather which happens almost in every part of the world right now.

The priest in Rambut Petung Temple, Jro Mangku Gede Nengah Sujati, said “the ritual is usually being held on the seventh month in Balinese calendar or on the seventh full moon.”

He explained that the seventh month usually bring diseases, bad weather and disasters such as flood and landslide. So in order to get rid of the danger, the Hindus must pray to the God and as for protection from those disasters.

In addition to pray for the God, the ritual is also warned to locals about the disasters and they must be aware and prepare for the worst.

Jro Mangku said that the residents of Pasedahan Village always preserve the tradition which is being pass on from generation to generation.

During the ritual, the people in the village pray and place offerings in Rambut Petung Temple. Then, the process continued at home where the Hindus carry out “muu-uu” procession. The procession is the people must burn twigs in front of their house. It is the symbol to get rid of the evil spirit that may disturb the people.

Then, the last procession is the ceremony on the catus pata or cross road while carrying “Sanggah Cucuk”. It is the ritual to neutralize the power of evil spirit so they won’t disturb mankind.

International

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Balinese Culture Cram Cam

(Clear Chicken Soup With Shallots)

Balinese women:

In devotional services through the arts Beauty can stop everyone’s eyes flickering. Beauty of the kid song can lullaby a baby. Similarly, beauty also can toss the imagination, soothe the mind and draw people to get near.

Bali has many sources of that beauty offering the charm of nature, culture or adventure.

By maintaining traditions inspired

by Hinduism, Balinese people go on running in harmony with the time. In other words, they do not feel inferior because of inheriting those traditions.

Beauty in the form of various dance movements has been introduced since early ages. On seeing a dance staged, a toddler may watch it attentively or its fingers move and move as if imitating the movement of the dance.

Virtually all customary villages in Bali have gamelan troupe. This troupe plays important role in expressing their entertainment arts and accompanying every ritual activity. This existence gives opportunity to villagers from child to adult to express their artistic talent especially in dance, drama and gamelan arts. Young girls under twelve or elementary school age have a chance to participate in performing Rejang Dance. By wearing white and yellow costumes and floral decoration on head, they dance beautifully accompanied by gamelan music. Rejang Dance is one of the sacred dances performed in relation to the organization of temple anniversary or odalan. Other than putting a basic love to their tradition, they also show devotional service or ngatur ayah through the arts.

When they grow older, right on entering secondary school, they join customary village youth club or Sekaa Taruna. Here, with their male friends

http://banjarsaraswati.files.wordpress.com

Balinese women playing the gamelan instruments. and their brothers and sisters start to learn about organization. Many things can be learned through this organization. Since it has affiliation to customary village, they can learn about the making of some simple oblation under guidance of senior oblation maker and various traditional arts. In Bali, this youth club actually play important role in preparing young generation to maintain their valuable cultural heritages or to prepare themselves for inheriting customary responsibility.

With their male counterpart, here the young girls also learn to play drama or more complex traditional arts. Popular genres of performance showed are pure entertainment and the one in combination with sacred dance. The latter usually features Calonarang. This magical drama involves a combination of male and female players. In essence, this Calonarang drama highlights the endless fight between truth and untruth symbolizing by sanctified effigies or tapakan like Rangda and Barong. By and large, it is also associated with ritual events at local temple.

In the following stage, when woman gets married she will enter the new organization, namely customary village.

Having learned much about ritual works, it is now the time to practice them in wider social life. They should attend some socio-religious activities when the events engage the members of customary village. At this stage, household mother can remain to show her devotional service through the arts other than social works. Through the arts, they may join the drama or individual psalmodic singing or pasantian.

How is about their private life? It is normal as others. They also have opportunity to build career in their profession. In modern life with heterogeneous professions as today, woman also works as men do. Traditions do not impede them to reach outstanding achievement in self-employee or office job. If they work at daytime, some social works will be held at the evening.

Tradition is not something obsolete.

Even, it retains abundant inspirations to create something new and creative that is advantageous for modern life.

However, traditions should also be reviewed and adjust to the current condition without leaving behind its core.

Tradition does not hinder women to get their career achievement. (BTN/punia)

OVERVIEW: This dish is traditionally prepared after a cockfight, when the winner receives the loosing chicken as a reward.

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

Timun Mesanten

(Cucumber With Coconut Sauce) OVERVIEW: The bland flavor of cucumbers can be enhanced when prepared with coconut milk and spicy seasonings.

INGREDIENTS: 2 tbsp oil 3 shallots, peeled and sliced 2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced 2 large red chilies, seeded and sliced ½ tsp dried shrimp paste 2 cups coconut milk 2 medium sized cucumbers, peeled, seeded and sliced 1 tsp salt ¼ tsp black peppercorns, crushed Fried shallots to garnish

C.045 ibp

PREPARATION: Heat oil in heavy saucepan. Add shallots, garlic and chilies and sauté for 2 minutes over low heat. Mix in shrimp paste and sauté for another minute. Pour in coconut milk and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add cucumbers and bring to the boil.

Reduce heat and simmer until beans are cooked.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with salt and pepper. Garnish with fried shallots. Helpful hints: Any type of green bean can be used instead of the long Asian variety. (www.baliguide.com/balifood)

9

10

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Destinations

International

Kehen Temple IBP

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Kehen Temple is a beautiful Hindu temple located in foothills, south part of Bangli Regency and it is about 45 Km from Denpasar town. Inside of this temple are, there is Panyimpenan Temple building keep 3 inscriptions which is relating to its contents and temple existence. It is strategically located in the high land, so we can see the beautiful view. It is a famous temple in Bali and many visitors from foreign country has visited it.

The existence of the inscription at Kehen Temple can be explained as follows: * Kehen Temple Inscription ‘A’ is mentioning the existence of 3 sanctums those are Hyang Api, Hyang Tanda, and Hyang Karimama * Kehen Temple Inscription ‘B’ from 11 century is mentioning the empire functionary that is the Senapati Kuturan pu Kandara and it elaborate with the anathema words in oath * The Inscription from 13 century (year 1204 M) is mentioning Hyang Kehen and Hyang Wukir. At the moment Hyang Kehen is equal to Kehen Temple and Hyang Wukir is Puncak Bukit Bangli Temple.

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* It is one of Monarchic Temple, The temple under the aegis of king while ceremony execution and construction is delivered to local countryside custom * As a sanctum which is used as a altar (oath) for empire functionary who disloyal to his obligation will incur the Sapata or very horrible anathema. The function of Kehen Temple as sanctum in execution of oath ceremony is supported by the existence of a circumlocutory canister by 4 dragon tails which is called canister Sarpantaka.

Nowadays, the canister is placed in a building in form of Gedong * Worshiping supremacy Siwa God in the form of Eka Dasa Rudra utilizes to request the godsend to the good human life and universe for blessing of fertile life, secure, prosperous and peaceful.

The structure of Kehen Temple yard is arranged to have a terrace and it shows the existence of tradition megalithic which is continued as a symbol from the existence of mount that is one of the fertility sources. The temple festival can be divided into 2 types those are Piodalan Ceremony which is executed every 6 month, that is on Wednesday Keliwon Sinta (Balinese Calendar) and Ngusaba Ceremony which is executed every 5 years.

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

11

Thursday, December 23, 2010

BUSINESS Fears grow of euro-style debt crisis in US states Agence France-Presse

WASHINGTON – No sooner has the last crisis ended, than warnings about the next one begin.

In the dying days of the year, with the sub-prime mortgage debacle entering the rear-view mirror, economy-watchers are warning 2011 could see US states and municipalities plunge into a debt crisis of that type that has wrought chaos in Europe.

Although the US economy is slowly getting to its feet after a brutal recession, state and local budgets are still prostrate.

To the west, California faces a budget shortfall of over 25 billion dollars. To the east, New York faces a nine-billion-dollar deficit.

The north, south and center of the country are not faring much better.

Only four of the fifty US states are currently keeping their heads above water; Arkansas, Montana, North Dakota and — thanks to oil revenues — Alaska, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP).

Across the country the shortfall is expected to be at least 130 billion this fiscal year.

The crisis has its roots in the re-

cession, when all important tax revenues fell off a cliff as businesses went to the wall, one in ten American workers needed a job and high spending continued apace.

Now, with the recovery grinding onward and somewhat upward, tax revenues are again rising, but not fast enough to put the books back in order.

Revenues are still 12 percent below pre-recession levels according to the CBPP. Analysts at the Rockefeller Institute, a think tank, warn “states will face continued, significant budget challenges in fiscal 2011 and beyond.”

“The immediate outlook is for revenue collections significantly below pre-recession levels, and

growing spending pressures.”

Financial soothsayer Meredith Whitney thinks the day of reckoning is at hand, predicting as many as 100 cities could go bust in 2011.

That is, in part, because one important crutch that has prevented financial collapse will be kicked away later this year.

Washington’s massive 787 billion dollar stimulus package, which helped states greatly, will continue to fade out in fiscal 2011 and 2012.

The prospects for a further bailout are slim, as leaders in Congress and the White House seek to firm up their deficit cutting creds.

That spells government job cuts, program freezes or increased taxes.

While only the brave or foolish

would predict anything but considerable pain ahead, some key players believe a fully-blown debt crisis can be avoided.

The most likely trigger for a crisis would be a major credit rating downgrade that prompts worried lenders to charge states and municipalities more for loans, putting the authorities further in debt.

One ratings agency, Moody’s, has already had a negative credit watch for US state governments since February 2008.

But Robert Kurtter, managing director of US state and local government ratings with Moody’s told AFP there was little prospect of a widespread default.

“We don’t think that there will be any state level defaults,” he said. “At the municipal level we saw only three in the last 39 years.”

But, “these are very difficult times,” he admitted. “We are looking at in 2011 the continued weak revenue... and having to back-fill the loss of federal aid.”

“We think the likelihood in the coming years is that... the default

level will be higher than it has been in the last 39 years, but it will be way lower than the corporate sector or elsewhere.”

Still, Kurtter and others argue that most authorities appear willing to take tough steps to close the gap and avoid default, while political opposition remains much more manageable than on the other side of the Atlantic.

“There is a broad consensus in this country that the government sector has become too large and that public sector compensation has become too high,” he said.

But critics worry those spending cuts, if they come, will just slow the economy further, as jobs are lost and taxes increase.

“Spending cuts are problematic during an economic downturn because they reduce overall demand and can make the downturn deeper,” warned the CBPP. “State shortfalls could cost the economy 850,000 jobs next year.”

Crisis or no crisis, more austerity is almost certainly on the way for 2011.

Japan exports post IMF completes sale of 403 tonnes of gold better growth in November Agence France-Presse

Associated Press Writer

TOKYO – Japan’s export growth accelerated for the first time in nine months in November, a possible sign that global demand is improving again.

Exports from the world’s thirdlargest economy rose 9.1 percent from a year earlier, the government said Wednesday.

While exports have expanded throughout the year, the rate of growth has steadily fallen as overseas demand cooled and the yen rose to 15-year highs. In February, exports jumped more than 45 percent. By October, that had slid to less than 8 percent.

The slowdown triggered widespread concern about the fate of Japan’s recovery, which has depended heavily on exports.

The central bank on Tuesday kept interest rates on hold at virtually zero and maintained its cautious assessment of the economy.

The recovery “seems to be pausing” and exports are flat, it said.

Companies are worried too. A key central bank survey last week showed that business sentiment fell for the first time in seven quarters.

Some economists predict that

Japan’s gross domestic product contracted this quarter.

Europe’s ongoing debt problems and possible monetary tightening in China have added to the uncertainty.

But the latest figures offer glimmers of hope for Japan. Goldman Sachs economist Chiwoong Lee is optimistic about 2011 and expects the country’s exports to keep improving.

“With assistance from an easier yen, exports should sustain growth on the strength of the U.S. economy,” Lee said in a note to clients.

Exports to China, Japan’s biggest trading partner, rose 18.3 percent in November from a year earlier, the finance ministry said. Shipments to the European Union climbed 10.1 percent, while those to the U.S. rose a lackluster 1.2 percent.

Robust demand for general machinery, particularly from China, offset declines in electrical machinery such as semiconductors and audiovisual devices.

Imports rose 14.2 percent, shrinking Japan’s trade surplus for the month by 55 percent to 162.8 billion yen ($1.9 billion).

WASHINGTON – The International Monetary Fund said Tuesday it had completed the sale of more than 403 tonnes of gold, part of a two-year drive to shore up the multinational lender’s finances.

There were no immediate details of the final sale, but the IMF has previously announced the sale of 200 metric tonnes to India, ten tonnes to Mauritius, ten tonnes to Sri Lanka and ten tonnes to Bangladesh.

The sale to those countries was

said to be around 7.6 billion dollars.

IMF members agreed in 2008 that the fund could sell an eighth of its gold assets in order to diversify its financial model so that it no longer relies on lending.

The fund is one of the world’s largest holders of the precious metal.

AFP PHOTO

A goldsmith shop assistant arranges jewelleries on display in Hefei, east China’s Anhui province on December 18, 2010. The International Monetary Fund said Tuesday it had completed the sale of more than 403 tonnes of gold, part of a two-year drive to shore up the multinational lender’s finances.

12

Entertainment

Thursday, December 23, 2010

International

Rehab staffer accuses Lohan of battery, then fired Associated Press Writer

LOS ANGELES – A day that began with authorities confirming Lindsay Lohan was being investigated for battery on a female staffer at a California rehab facility treating the starlet ended with the worker fired after giving an interview about the incident.

Riverside County sheriff’s detectives said Tuesday they are investigating the “Mean Girls” star for an alleged altercation with a worker at a Betty Ford Center facility in Palm Desert that occurred after 1 a.m. on Dec. 12. The agency declined to say what prompted the fight, but said the worker was interested in pursuing charges against Lohan.

Betty Ford spokesman Russ Patrick said the staffer was fired for identifying patients at the center in an interview and “disclosing a privileged document.”

Although Betty Ford and the sheriff’s department did not identify the worker, she appeared in an interview on celebrity website TMZ on

Tuesday afternoon and was promptly fired. She claims the 24-year-old Lohan and two other girls had sneaked out of the facility.

In the video, Dawn Holland claims she was trying to get Lohan to submit to a breathalyzer test when the actress became belligerent, pushed her and snatched a phone from her hand, straining her arm. Attempts to reach Holland were unsuccessful. A phone number registered to her was not accepting calls Tuesday evening.

Lohan has not been arrested or charged in the incident. Her attorney, Shawn Chapman Holley, said in an emailed statement that it was the actress who called for police. She declined to offer additional details, citing the on-

going sheriff’s investigation.

While the fallout for Holland was swift, Lohan’s situation remains unclear. A judge has ordered her to remain at Betty Ford until Jan. 3 and remain out of trouble until Feb. 25.

He also ordered her to submit to all drug and alcohol screenings or face up to six months in jail for violating her probation on a 3-year-old drunk driving case. Riverside County sheriff’s Deputy Herlinda Valenzuela said Lohan’s case would be presented to prosecutors, who will decide whether Lohan faces a new charge.

Lohan has been receiving treatment at the Betty Ford Center and its facilities, about 120 miles east of Los Angeles, since late September.

Patrick’s statement said that until Tuesday, Betty Ford had upheld the confidentiality of 96,000 patients who had received treatment there since it opened in 1982. He said Holland’s interview was a breach of trust and the rehab process.

AP Photo/Al Seib, file

FILE - In this July 20, 2010 file photo, Lindsay Lohan is shown in court in Beverly Hills, Calif. Lohan is being investigated for possible misdemeanor battery against a female staffer at a rehab facility where she is receiving treatment.

Zsa Zsa Gabor’s husband glues own eye shut Agence France Presse

AP Photo/Alexander F. Yuan

A man stands near a screen as photos of U.S. actor Christian Bale, left, and Chinese director Zhang Yimou, right, are shown during a press conference to promote Zhang’s new movie in Beijing, China, Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2010.

Zhang says Bale to start in Nanjing film Associated Press Writer

BEIJING – Zhang Yimou says Christian Bale will star in the Chinese filmmaker’s latest project about 13 young prostitutes struggling to survive during the attack

by Japanese soldiers on Nanjing in 1937.

Zhang said Wednesday that Bale, the star of the boxing drama “The Fighter,” will play an American priest in Nanjing during the Japanese

invasion.

Zhang says shooting is to start Jan. 10. He says he hopes to tell the story of war atrocities in Nanjing, especially to younger people in Western countries.

Historians say the massacre, known in the West as the “Rape of Nanking,” resulted in the slaughter of at least 150,000 civilians. China puts the number killed at 300,000, making it one of the worst atrocities of the World War II era.

LOS ANGELES – The husband of ailing Hollywood socialite and actress Zsa Zsa Gabor was hospitalized after accidentally gluing one of his own eyes shut.

Gabor, 93, has been in and out of hospital in recent months. But this time, it was self-proclaimed Prince Frederic Von Anhalt who was rushed to hospital after he mistakenly picked up a bottle of nail glue he mistook for eye drops and sealed his eye shut, according to celebrity website TMZ.com.

The colorful 66-year-old German socialite underwent a procedure at a Beverly Hills clinic to

unstick his eye. One of his representatives told TMZ he was in good spirits.

Just two months ago, von Anhalt — who says he was adopted as an adult by a German princess — was hospitalized for swallowing a bee while sunbathing in his backyard.

He has claimed to have fathered the daughter of late Playboy model Anna Nicole Smith after her death in February 2007. Earlier this year, he launched a bid to become the next governor of California.

Von Anhalt is Gabor’s ninth husband. The elderly serial marrier, famous cop slapper and Hollywood star of yore had several health scares this year.

Gabor, who was left partially

paralyzed and wheelchair-bound after a 2002 car accident, was admitted to hospital last month after suffering painful swelling in her legs. In July, the Hungarian-born actress and former beauty queen was hospitalized after falling and breaking her hip when she reached for a ringing phone while watching her favorite television show, “Jeopardy.”

She underwent hip replacement surgery but suffered more complications, including a blood clot for which she had more surgery. During another hospital stay in August, she called in a priest to administer last rites, then left the hospital a day later insisting she wanted to return at home.

Prince Frederic von Anhalt, husband of actress Zsa Zsa Gabor, talks to the media as he announces his campaign to run for governor of California in January 2010. The German-born prince was hospitalized Tuesday after accidentally gluing one of his own eyes shut.

AFP/File/Mark Ralston

Life Style

International

Thursday, December 23, 2010

13

‘World’s first’ glassesfree 3D TV hits Japan Agence France Presse

AP Photo, File

FILE - In this Dec. 14, 2010 file photo, a robot entertains customers at a restaurant in Jinan in eastern China’s Shandong province. The restaurant, which opened this month in Jinan in northern Shandong province, is touted as China’s first robot hotpot eatery where robots resembling Star Wars droids circle the room carrying trays of food in a conveyor belt-like system.

Robot waiters in China never lose patience Associated Press Writer

TOKYO – Toshiba on Wednesday launched in Japan what it calls the world’s first television that allows viewers to see 3D images without the need to wear special glasses, amid intensifying competition in the market. Curious shoppers stopped to test out the screen at an electronics store in central Tokyo as the 12-inch model of Regza GL1 Series went on sale.

The new model with a liquid crystal display carries a price tag of 119,800 yen (1,400 dollars). A 20-inch model will be released on Saturday.

The new 3D TV does not require users to wear special glasses, whereas other 3D-capable models require glasses that act as filters to separate images to each eye to create the illusion of depth. Toshiba’s screens use processing technology to create depth-filled images and the Regza GL1 Series allow users to switch between 2D and 3D on normal TV programmes.

Kazuhito Gunji, a public relations official at electronics retailer Bic Camera, said the company had received many inquiries from customers on when they can get their hands on the product.

Electronics stores are hoping that the release of the latest technology will help offset declining sales as government incentives for purchasing environment-friendly home appliances were reduced this month. The hugely competitive TV sector is a challenge for many electronics makers given that customers are increasingly accustomed to declining prices, making it difficult for the industry to generate profits.

Sony on Monday said it may fall short of its sales goal of 25 million liquid crystal display TV sets this fiscal year as it struggles to be profitable in the sector, and has also embraced 3D TV technology. Most shoppers were curious but also cautious about the new device on Wednesday, however.

“I want to watch on a big screen,” said a 47-year-old man who has a 37-inch TV at home. “I’ll wait for another year before buying,” he said.

Another customer, 33, said: “It’s great that we don’t have to wear glasses, which is a nuisance.” “But I didn’t feel images were flying out of the screen on some programmes,” he added.

JINAN, China – Service with a smile also comes with an electronic voice at the Dalu Robot restaurant, where the hotpot meals are not as famous yet as the staff who never lose their patience and never take tips.

The restaurant, which opened this month in Jinan in northern Shandong province, is touted as China’s first robot hotpot eatery where robots resembling Star Wars droids circle the room carrying trays of food in a conveyor belt-like system.

More than a dozen robots operate in the restaurant as entertainers, servers, greeters and receptionists.

Each robot has a motion sensor that tells it to stop when someone is in its path so customers can reach for dishes they want.

The service industry in China has not always kept up with the country’s rapid economic growth, and can be quite basic in some restaurants, leading customers in the Dalu restaurant to praise the robots.

“They have a better service attitude than humans,” said Li Xiaomei, 35, who was visiting the restaurant for

the first time.

“Humans can be temperamental or impatient, but they don’t feel tired, they just keep working and moving round and round the restaurant all night,” Li said.

Inspired by space exploration, robot technology and global innovation, the restaurant’s owner, Zhang Yongpei, said he hopes his restaurant will show the world China is a serious competitor in developing technology. “I hope this new concept shows that China is forward-thinking and innovative,” Zhang said.

As customers enter the dimly lit

restaurant lined with blinking neon lights to simulate a futuristic environment, a female robot decorated with batting eyelashes greets people with an electronic “welcome.”

During the meal, crowds of up to 100 customers, are entertained by a dancing and talking robot that looks more like a mannequin with a dress, flapping its arms around in a stiff motion.

Zhang said he hopes to roll out 30 robots — which cost $6,000 each — in the coming months and eventually develop robots with human-like qualities that serve customers at their table and can walk up and down the stairs.

AFP/File/Yoshikazu Tsuno

Japanese electronics company Toshiba unveils the world’s first 3D television that does not require viewers to wear special glasses, called the “Regza GL1 Series”, at an electronics trade show in Chiba.

Stem cells point to more resilient cancer: study Agence France Presse

WASHINGTON – Leukemia patients with more genes associated with cancer stem cells have a “significantly poorer prognosis,” according to findings published Tuesday. A Stanford University study found that “some cancers spring from and are replenished by a small, hardy population of self-renewing cells,” which could explain why they resist treatment or cause patients to relapse.

The findings could be used to predict outcomes in large groups of patients and one day allow doctors to better tailor clinical treatments, re-

searchers said.

“The clinical implications of this concept are huge,” said oncologist Ash Alizadeh, a co-senior author of the research, which will be published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association. “If we’re not able to design therapies to target this self-renewing population of chemotherapy-resistant cells, the patients will continue to have a tendency to relapse.”

In past studies researchers have identified cells in a variety of cancers that resist treatment and contribute to relapse in animals, but scientists have yet to establish exactly how the pro-

cess works in humans.

Alizadeh said researchers had “made very little progress in the treatment of AML (acute myeloid leukemia) over the past 40 years.”

“We’re still using the same drugs and therapies we’ve always used, even though about 70 percent of patients with AML die within five years of diagnosis,” he said.

The study analyzed 1,000 AML patients in the United States, the Netherlands, Germany and Japan, and was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Burroughs Wellcome Fund and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

14

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Sport

International

Barca’s Pedro hails battling Atheltic BARCELONA - Pedro also conceded after the goalless draw that his side will not have it easy in the return leg at San Mames as they look for a place in the quarter-finals.

Barca went into the last-16 first leg at the Nou Camp having won their previous 10 competitive outings while averaging more than four goals per game.

However, the Catalan giants could not find the breakthrough despite dominating against a hardworking Athletic side and now have work to do in the return. “They played a great game. They defended very well, very together,” Pedro said.

“For the strikers we don’t like these games because they close up shop at the back. It’s a shame not to have got the victory.’’

Looking ahead to the return at La Catedral, which has not been an easy place to get anything from for visiting teams down the years, Pedro said: “They are very strong at home.

“We have to go to San Mames, a difficult ground, and we have to think of getting the victory that will put us through to the next round. We have to go there with a winning mentality and get a good result.’’

Midfielder Andres Iniesta added on his club’s website: “We’ll go there looking to play a good game while knowing that Athletic are a difficult

opponent, especially at their ground.

“We had control of the game but they defended well. When a team tries their hardest to win and doesn’t, that’s football. We still have all the hope in the world of getting through to the next round.’’

Defender Dani Alves added: “There are days when the ball doesn’t want to go in. (But) we still have the same chance of getting through the tie. We will have to make a great effort because it will be difficult there at San Mames.’’

Despite the draw, Barca have plenty of positives to reflect on as they go into the Christmas break.

The reigning Spanish champions are unbeaten in 23 matches, of which 19 have been won, while they boast a two-point lead over Real Madrid at the top of the Primera Division.

Alves said: “We have finished the year in exceptional form. This result will not take away what we’ve done up until now. We ask that next year will be just as good.’’

AP Photo/Manu Fernandez

FC Barcelona’s Gerard Pique, second left, duels for the ball against Athletic Bilbao’s Mikel San Jose during during the Copa del Rey soccer match at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2010.

Anelka considering US move in 2012 LONDON - Anelka, 31, has a deal at Stamford Bridge that runs to the summer of 2012, by which time he will have spent 11 years in English football during spells at Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, Bolton and in west London.

He has impressed since signing for Chelsea in January 2008, netting 52 times for the Blues, though his retirement from international football as part of the fall-out to his controversial exit from France’s World Cup camp in South Africa has led him to reassess the options open to him when his current contract expires.

Having also played for Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Fenerbahce, his brother Claude Anelka, who also acts as his agent, revealed that the France forward is considering adding the United States to his football CV and following former international team-mate Thierry Henry to the MLS for a new challenge.

“Nicolas told me he is interested in playing in the United States,” Claude Anelka said, in comments reported by the Daily Star. “We could see him crossing the Atlantic, and I’m serious when I say this.

“He asked himself what he will do once his current contract runs out. The US is quite something, and a dream destination. He says he will give it a try, even though he would earn less money than in somewhere like Qatar.’’

Blatter defends World Cup choices in ‘historic’ year Agence France Presse

GENEVA – FIFA President Sepp Blatter on Wednesday defended the “historic” choice of Russia and Qatar to host the World Cups in 2018 and 2022, calling it part of a “natural” progression into new regions. The head of world football’s governing body also paid tribute to South Africa’s role in organising the world’s most watched sporting event on the African continent for the first time.

“2010 has been a year of ‘fulfilment’, a historic year, one in which we?ve broken new ground,” Blatter said in an endof-year interview on FIFA’s website. “We have made historic decisions in terms of sport and geopolitics. We?ve sent the World Cup to new territories,” in eastern Europe and the Arab world, he added.

“When I became the FIFA President, the decision was made to go into Asia. And then I said we had to go to Africa, which is what we did.” “It?s only natural, then, that we should keep on moving into new regions.”

Blatter said he was delighted with the executive committee’s choice of Russia and Qatar this month and suggested that critics did not understand that there

was “more to football than just kicking a ball”. “The sporting media don?t always appreciate the social or cultural importance of awarding the World Cup finals to a country,” he explained.

“They just think about penalties, corners, refereeing and money. But, as I?ve already said, this decision wasn?t about making money.” “The sociocultural impact of the game on the future of our society is a subject that is close to my heart,” he added in the guise of a message for the football Confederations’ Congresses, in Doha, Qatar on January 7.

The 74 year-old Swiss head of FIFA, who is expected to stand for re-election in May, said the World Cup in South Africa had “a phenomenal impact”. “Back in 2004, when the competition was awarded to South Africa, the country was a young republic that had been in existence for ten years and was looking to find its place in the modern world “Since then, both the rest of the world and South Africa itself have come to realise just how important a country it is.”

He nonetheless expressed disappointment that more African national sides apart from Ghana did not make it to the second round of the competition.

Sport

International

Thursday, December 23, 2010

15

Milwaukee ends Lakers’ 5-game win streak, 98-79 Associated Press Writer

LOS ANGELES – With a lengthy road trip just behind them and the Miami Heat looming directly ahead, the Los Angeles Lakers were plenty aware the short-handed Milwaukee Bucks represented a potential trap. The Lakers fell headfirst into it anyway. Earl Boykins scored a season-high 22 points, John Salmons added 20 and the Bucks stunned lifeless Los Angeles on Tuesday night, snapping the two-time defending champions’ five-game winning streak with a 98-79 victory.

Kobe Bryant scored 21 points before getting ejected and Pau Gasol added 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers, who flopped in their final tuneup before their Christmas visit from LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.

“I told them I don’t think they can play any worse than that,” Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. “This is what we were worried about. We got out of whack there in the second half and never recovered.”

Los Angeles had won six straight over the Bucks, who had lost three in a row over the past week and were down to nine healthy players after a 26-point loss at Portland one night earlier. But those nine Bucks played stellar defense and hit more than 50 percent of their shots for just the third time all season.

“Both ends were good for us, so

I don’t want to pick one,” Milwaukee coach Scott Skiles said. “In the second half, we were as good as we’ve been all year on the defensive end. To hold that team to 33 points, and 13 in the fourth quarter, that’s a difficult task.”

With the defense holding the Lakers to their franchise low in points against Milwaukee, the Bucks jumped ahead early and finished the game on a 21-7 run, keeping the Lakers scoreless for nearly four minutes down the stretch. The Lakers’ crowd waited patiently for a run that never came, and the Bucks even sent a few fans to the exits early, giving them four days to stew on the loss before the Heat’s visit.

“I guess you could say there’s a possibility (of looking ahead), but I don’t think so,” said Derek Fisher, who scored just two points in 28

minutes. “Even in looking past someone, that requires an action on your part. So I don’t think it was so much about the opponent. I just think we didn’t play the type of game that we needed to play. I guess things would have been different if the opponent was different, but I can’t say that.”

The Lakers left their game on their impressive seven-game road trip, losing at Staples Center for just the third time in 13 games.

Bryant was ejected with 2:07 to play, earning two quick technical fouls after being called for an offensive foul. He also refused to speak to reporters after the game.

“We deserved to lose,” said Lamar Odom, who had 12 points and 10 rebounds. “We obviously have to move on, but I feel like that is a game we should win.”

AP Photo/Danny Moloshok

Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant, left, is fouled by Milwaukee Bucks’ Andrew Bogut, of Australia, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2010.

Federer beats Nadal in charity ‘Match for Africa’ Agence France Presse

ZURICH – Roger Federer took the upper hand against Rafael Nadal on Tuesday with a two set to one

win in a charity exhibition match in the Swiss city of Zurich.

After losing the first set 4-6, Federer broke back against the world number one early in the second set

to take a 6-3, 6-3 lead, watched by a capacity home crowd including Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel, ski-ing champions Lindsey Vonn and Didier Cuche.

The 10,500 tickets for the “Match for Africa” were sold out within a few minutes when they went on sale on September 1. The world’s top two in tennis this year move on to Madrid for another exhibtion match on Wednesday, this time to raise money for the Spaniard’s charity.

“Both of us realise we are in a very privileged position, where we have everything in life, the least we can do is to help people who are in difficulty,” said Nadal.

Federer has been hoping to raise around one million dollars from the event for his foundation to support

projects for African children in education and sport. “You have to look at the long term,” said Federer.

“When you can help 1,500 children to go to school, it’s great but you need a lot around it: how do the children get to school, what do they eat at school, do they have toilets... and that’s where we come in,” he added on Swiss television TSR. The 29 year-old Swiss player remains on the wrong end of an 8-14 career record on the professional circuit against Nadal, breaking a six match losing streak against the Spaniard this year.

Manny Pacquiao to face Mosley May 7 in Las Vegas Reuters

AFP PHOTO / FABRICE COFFRINI

Spain’s Rafael Nadal (L) poses with Switzerland’s Roger Federer prior to their charity game on December 21, 2010 in Zurich. “The Match for Africa” was organized to raises money for the Roger Federer Foundation which supports sporting activities for underprivileged children in Africa and in Switzerland.

WINDSOR, Ontario – Manny Pacquiao will fight Shane Mosley, a former champion in three divisions, on May 7 in Las Vegas, promoter Bob Arum said Tuesday. The fight, to be held at the MGM Grand, will be contested at the welterweight limit of 147 pounds, Top Rank promoter Arum told Reuters in a telephone interview.

“Mosley is very dangerous, he’s a very slick fighter, very experienced,” said Arum. “Manny’s style is made to order for Shane. It should

be a very, very interesting fight.”

After considering a choice between Mosley, lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez and WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto, Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 KOs) informed Arum of his choice last week in the Philippines. “He (Pacquiao) liked Mosley because Mosley is better known than the other two,” Arum said of the choice.

“It is a name selection. He picked the guy that is known to more people because that is going to generate interest in the fight.” Arum said finalized the bout on Tuesday.

16

Thursday, December 23, 2010

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

Sport

Virgin completes 2011 F1 line-up Virgin has completed its driver line-up for the 2011 F1 season with the news that Jerome D’Ambrosio will partner Timo Glock next year.

IBP/ist

Jerome D’Ambrosio joins Virgin for the 2011 F1 season.

Mexico to feature underground stage NEXT year’s Rally Mexico will feature the World Rally Championship’s first underground special stage. The organisers of the second WRC round of the season are running a street stage around the city, which is a World Heritage Site, just after the ceremonial start on the eve of the main event.

Rally Mexico’s start in the colourful city of Guanajuato is one of the events of the season, with tens

of thousands of fans turning out to pack the narrow streets.

This time around, there’s going to be even more for the fans to see, with stage one taking place just around the corner.

The two-kilometre stage will run mostly underground through the city’s network of tunnels, providing a spectacular start to the Leon-based event. The only other significant change to the itinerary for the March

3-6 event is running superspecial stages at the Leon Race Circuit after the final service on Friday and Saturday. This is being done in an effort to let spectators who have been watching the mainstay of the day’s action have a chance to make it to Leon for the side-by-side racing.

The Leon Street Stage which was introduced last year will remain next year, running before lunchtime service on Friday and Saturday.

IBP/ist

Sebastien Loeb in Rally Mexico 2010

The Belgian driver, who took part in Friday practice at four events during the latter stages of the 2010 season, will replace Lucas di Grassi for his debut season in the sport, with his first official role with the team being the launch of the VR-02 in the New Year. As well as confirming D’Ambrosio, Virgin has also confirmed Luiz Razia as test and reserve driver for 2011.

“Jerome had been on our radar for quite some time as a driver we should seriously consider for a 2011 race seat,” Virgin team principal John Booth said.

“We had followed his progress in GP2 closely and it was clear he was ‘one to watch’, but when we put him in the car for the four race weekends and the Abu Dhabi test he surpassed even our own expectations. He slotted into the team perfectly and everyone took a shine to him, including our partners and the media. Apart from his obvious skill at the wheel of a Formula One car, he is an immensely personable young guy who is a pleasure to have around. He has secured this seat absolutely on merit and I think coupled with Timo and Luiz we have the perfect blend of youth, experience, speed and potential and we can’t wait to see what they can achieve together next season.

“Timo has done an excellent job for us in our debut season, in often challenging circumstances. There is no doubt that he has helped us to establish

a strong foundation from which to develop the team and the package. We look forward to being in a much stronger position to deliver the car he deserves in 2011.

“Finally, I must thank Lucas di Grassi for the important role that he also played in establishing the team.

He contributed a great deal to our development and we wish him every success in his future career, which we have no doubt will be an exciting one.”

D’Ambrosio meanwhile said he was thrilled to have made it all the way to F1 having spent the last four years competing in GP2.

“I’m thrilled to have achieved my goal of a Formula One race seat with Marussia Virgin Racing,” he said.

“When I came to the team in September this year it was everything I could hope for. I had a tough test to complete because there was a lot of competition for this seat but at the same time I got on well with the team and felt that I had found my home.

“I feel very comfortable with them - they are extremely professional and ambitious people and it is exciting to think that I can be a part of shaping the team’s future. I would like to thank everyone at Marussia Virgin Racing for the faith they have showed in me and everyone at Gravity Sport Management for the support they have given to my career so far.”