Edisi 26 Agustus 2010 | International Bali Post

16 Pages Number 162 2st Year

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A U.S. Army soldier and Iraqi police stand at the site of a bombing in Kirkuk, 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2010. A string of attacks targeting Iraqi security forces on Wednesday left several people dead and scores wounded, police and hospital officials said the day after the number of American soldiers in the country fell bellow 50,000.

Australian tourist visit to Bali not affected by travel advisory PAGE 8

AP Photo/Emad Matti

Iraq car bombs kill 46 Rock-loving Russian president meets U2’s Bono PAGE 12

Agence France-Presse IRAQ - A series of apparently coordinated car bombs targeting police across Iraq on Wednesday killed 46 people, including women and children, one day after the US military confirmed a major troop reduction.

The trail of bloodshed started in the capital Baghdad before stretching to the north and south of the country, hitting a total of seven cities and towns in quick succession in tactics that bore the hallmark of Al-Qaeda.

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In the worst attack, a car bomb at a passport office in Kut, 160 kilometres (100 miles) southeast of Baghdad, killed 20 people, including 15 police, and wounded 90 people, most of them police, Lieutenant Ali Hussein told AFP.

In Baghdad, a suicide car bomber blew up his vehicle at a police station in the northeastern suburb of Qahira, killing 15 people and wounding dozens of others, security and medical officials said.

The attack in the mixed SunniShiite neighbourhood took place at around 8 am (0500 GMT), according to an interior ministry official who gave the toll. “The victims include policemen and civilians,” he said.

A doctor at Medical City Hospital said they had received the bodies

of two women, two children and two police officers, and that 44 other people were receiving treatment.

A series of car bomb attacks in five other towns and cities raised the nationwide toll to 46, and almost 250 wounded.

A spike in unrest over the past two months has triggered concern that Iraqi forces are not yet ready to handle security on their own, and with no new government formed in Baghdad since a March 7 general election.

Continued on page 6

Half naked foreigner raging in Kuta Bali Post

MANGUPURA - A female foreigner, identified as Lea from France, was raging on Kuta I market on Wednesday, August 25th 2010. Lea was half naked at that time and suspected was drunk. She was also reported to have mental disorder.

The information gathered on the scene stated that the incident happened on 4.30 am local time.

Lea was running around only using you can see top without using any pants. She was also screaming and hitting a car which has the police number DK 9882 parked on the area.

When the security officers of Kuta tries to calm her down, Lea even got angrier and hit one of the officer. The smell of liquor was very strong from Lea. Suardana, the standing commander of Kuta security officer, said that Lea was suspected to have mental disorder and directly brought to Kuta precinct.

In the precinct, Lea was raging once more and tried to spit everyone who came near her. She was also trying to escape from the precinct but the police was able to detain her.

Approximately two hours later, she was picked up by the officer from France embassy.

Continued on page 6

Bali Post/Ded

The photo shows a female foreigner that identified as Lea from France, was raging on Kuta I market on Wednesday, August 25th 2010. Lea was half naked at that time and suspected was drunk. She was also reported to have mental disorder.

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International

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Bali News Bali House worries if rabies aggravates tourism image Denpasar (Bali Post)—

Outbreaks of rabies disease spreading throughout Bali became a highlight of legislators of Bali House. They worried about the hazards of rabies would harm the image of Bali tourism. Moreover, in early August the Australian government warned its citizens residing in Bali to be more careful with rabies attacks.

“If tourists are bitten by dog we do not know what will happen. It is a serious threat to Bali,” said Tjok Gede Ngurah, a legislator of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) during the Discussion Session concerning with the Budget Amendment, last Tuesday (Aug 24).

Head of Bali House, Ratmadi also conveyed this concern to rabies. He stated that government should immediately determine the status of wild dogs. “During the Dutch administration there was a term of label. Dogs should have been labeled otherwise it would be considered a wild dog. Today, rabies hazards have attacked cats, pigs and human beings.

In the meantime, Governor of Bali Made Mangku Pastika provided explanation to Bali House ranging from the availability of anti-rabies vaccine (VAR) until the dog elimination. According to governor, until recently the number of dogs eliminated had

amounted to 110,000. “The number of dogs vaccinated numbered 200,000.

Meanwhile, the total number of dog population in Bali reaches 540,000 today,” he said.

He said the dog elimination in Bali experienced many obstacles. Elimination officers sometimes received negative treatment from the community.

Even, they were often chased by the dog owners.

“Elimination of dogs will continue to be performed until the number of dogs in Bali is ideal. At present, there are too many dogs, especially those going wild. It is really a serious problem for us,” he said.

This number one man in Bali also claimed to have received many complaints from foreigners on account of the actions performed for dog elimination. “We should be immune to such a thing. Bali is currently experiencing a severe problem,” he affirmed.

In relation to the supply of VAR, he

stated the number of VAR in Bali remained limited. The VAR supply always ran out, whether it was caused by the shortage of VAR or because there was no coordination. “We’ve written to the president for assistance. All this time, the central government has provided us with an assistance of 25,000 VARs and Bali also received similar assistance from the World Health Organization (WHO),” he said.

Furthermore, he said the allocation of funds for VAR was adequately high.

Allocation from the Regional Budget was also somewhat verge of defeat to cover. As an illustration, a patient required the treatment cost worth IDR 750,000 consisting of four times of vaccine and anti-tetanus vaccine. Price of VAR reached IDR 117,000, while the selling price at the pharmacy reached IDR 135,000. “Right now, we will conduct a strict supervision mechanism so that VAR would not be traded,” he explained. (par)

Complained, Jl. Gunung Catur severely Damages Denpasar (Bali Post) -

A number of roads in urban areas in Denpasar was much damaged. Especially, secondary roads that became an alternative way to avoid traffic on the main roads.

However, this condition can be seen on many roads, such as the road at Gunung Catur north Padangsambian.

“In addition to the narrow area, this road now has many holes.

Worse yet, when climbing, road conditions deteriorate and many holes, so that vulnerable accident, ‘said one resident of Denpasar, Tuesday (24 / 8) yesterday.

On this road damage, the Head of Denpasar Ir. I Ketut Winarta said the limited budget, is one of the causes not all roads in the city of Denpasar touched maintenance.

One of them, Jalan Gunung Catur, in the present condition north Padangsambian already many of the holes.

I Ketut Winarta who was accompanied by Head of Highways, I

Wayan Suratha say, road maintenance and road improvement done gradually, by sticking to priorities. “” Special for Gunung Catur Road, this year only to get routine maintenance.

While for the improvement of roads, already proposed in Budget 2011. Only course for their realization depends on the ability of the budget, ‘clearly Winarta yesterday.

Said, Jalan Gunung Catur routine maintenance is budgeted through Budget Amendment in 2010. Besides Jl. Gunung Catur, there are about 27 sections street in Denpasar that receive routine maintenance.

Walk are spread across four districts. In North Denpasar receiving maintenance such as Jl. Gatsu VIR, VIQ, VI A, Jl. Ametung , Sentanu Road, Jalan Indah Cargo, Road to Setra Peguyangan etc. another.

While in the District of East Denpasar The priority maintenance of them, Jalan Laksamana III, Jalan Badak Agung XIII and XIV, Jl. Sedap Malamt and jl. Badak sari.

Then in south Denpasar

Jl. Batanghari XA, Jl. Tukad Irawadi, Jl. Tukad Pakerisan, Jl. Kebudayaan and Jalan Tukad IV and II. While for west Denpasar pretty much like Jl. Gunung Catur, Gunung Bromo, Gunung Karakatau, Gunung Lebah, Jalan Papandayan, Pulau Sebatik , Gunung Gede Padang Indah and Gunung Catur. ‘’There are about 27 roads that receive regular maintenance. Funds allocated Rp 2.2 Billion in 2010 sourced from the budget amendment. Fund in addition to road maintenance, sidewalk maintenance and also procurement of other materials such as asphalt, ‘added Suratha.

While for the improvement of roads, said Suratha, Denpasar municipal government through Budget Amendment 2010 also has budgeted Rp 2.19 billion. These funds allocated for the improvement of the Gunung Lumut Road and Badak I road , with total length of 1.3 km. (Kmb12)

To anticipate robber’s movement

Bali Police deploys Mobile Brigade troops Denpasar (Bali Post)—

Police Inspector General Hadiatmoko, who was just inaugurated as Chief of Bali Police, immediately replied the challenge of armed robber gangs increasingly disturbing the public security. The former Deputy Chief of National Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (Wakabareskrim) of National Police Headquarters deployed mobile brigade troops in anticipating the movement of armed robber gang. Police officer at a number of critical points to criminal action would also be increased other than tightening the supervision and inspection at the entry points of newcomers into Bali such as Gilimanuk Harbor.

“I have instructed so the mobile brigade troops could be deployed to back-up the existing units,” affirmed Chief of Bali Police Hadiatmoko following the handover ceremony of the office of Bali Police Chief, at the Bali Police Headquarters, last Tuesday (Aug 24).

This two-star general stated that Bali should be safe from any robber disruptions so the tourism image would not be disturbed in the eyes of the world.

Specifically in facing the act of robbers, Bali Police Chief Hadiatmoko obliged all personnel of police to be in charge in the area prone to crime. For example, they should made surveillance in banks or other public places targeted by armed thieves. “We should put forward a precaution. I do emphasize, police must stand by everywhere and may not going anywhere,” he said while mentioning, in any circumstances and possibility of disruption against security, police should be there.

Meanwhile, the mobile brigade troops would also be assigned to anticipate the robbery actions, added Chief Hadiatmoko, in order the officers could take action selectively.

Then, the security guard at the entry points into Bali like at Gilimanuk Harbor, Jembrana, also became a priority scale in the effort to prevent the robbers infiltrating to the Island of the Gods. “I have instructed, if found any suspicious personal identity, simply return him or her. Bali

must be completely safe and comfortable,” he asserted.

The authority of Bali Police would also conduct studies, whether it would be required any additional personnel at several points considered to be vulnerable. The former expert staff of the National Police Chief asked the operators of crimeprone places to add staff and tighten its safeguard. “Please increase the security officers and install CCTV,” he added.

Policies of the Chief Hadiatmoko did not apply deadline pattern to his members in pursuing the perpetrators. However, his party guaranteed that police officers would work maximally by doing their best, while the remaining unresolved cases were left to the Lord.

He considered that the instruction to shoot on site was not relevant because Bali was different from other regions. “The nature, culture and people of Bali are also different from that of other regions. Therefore, police keep on endeavoring so tourists throng to Bali continuously,” he observed.

In the meantime, Chief of Denpasar Metro Police, Police Great Commissioner Suryambodo Asmoro, said his team remained to pursue the perpetrators. The officers had examined several witnesses. The robber gang taking action on Jalan Pulau Moyo was alleged from the old group that had been classified into a professional gangster. “They are quite professional, I think they are from the old gang,” he said.

As had been reported previously, the customer of Bank BRI named I Ketut Suardaya and Gusti Ayu Astini were robbed by two sword-armed men last Monday (Aug 23) at 11:00 am Local Time right on Jalan Pulau Moyo, Denpasar. Perpetrators managed to grab her bag containing cash worth IDR 500,000. Before the incident, the victims withdrew their money amounting to IDR 75 million in Bank BRI on Jalan Gajah Mada, Denpasar. Afterward, the victim driving a black Suzuki Swift headed for their son’s house on Jalan Pulau Moyo, Denpasar. When parking in the area of Ads Wet Game managed by their son, Agus Darma Saputra, 23, a robber suddenly came from the rear bringing a sword and seized the bag of Ayu Astini. (kmb10)

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Bali News

International

Increase Productivity

Ice Factory, Essentially Needed by Nusa Penida Fishermen Semarapura (Bali Post) –

Nusa Penida fishery and sea potential keeps developing especially in its fish products. Only just, the facility to protect its freshness to be sent to the markets is less supported. Ice factory is very minim in Nusa Penida and if there is it’s in a small scale. Fishermen only use freezers now, yet actually ice is essential especially during harvesting time.

Suana Village resident, Nusa Penida, Komang Widana, last Tuesday (24/8) mentioned that the ice needed during harvesting is very many. Because it can’t be obtained in Nusa Penida, the fishermen imported ices from the Bali land sent in boxes, “Nusa Penida Fishermen do need an ice factory to support its productivity.”

This was then replied by Klungkung House of Representative member from Nusa Penida, Ketut Panca. He confirmed the situation, “If Nusa Penida already has an ice factory the price will be

cheaper rather than importing it from Bali land.”

According to Panca, Klungkung Region Government should initiate this idea through the Klungkung Husbandry, Fishery and Sea Agency, “The management can be dealt later.

What’s important is on how the fishermen can increase their productivity without any problems on the facilities needed.”

Besides ice factories, there are also people saying Nusa Penida needs a fish canning. Nusa Penida being surrounded by sea has a great potential on fish products such as

kerapu/kokak (sea fish). The number of fishermen in Nusa Penida is more than the ones in Klungkung land. “Also the fish quality from the fisherman, is much more preserved and good also fresh and natural,” a resident and public figure of Klungkung, Wayan Baru, mentioned.

With that, Baru demanded the Klunkung Region Government to make a Spatial Planning especially for Nusa Penida so it is known where the industrial space is and where is the conservation place. (kmb20)

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 organi-

zation 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 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. Even, it stays to give them a channel to express their spiritual sense through devotional services. (BTN/punia)

Thursday, August 26, 2010

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General Director Hindu Guidance Culture Mission to India Increase Joint Work through Ramayana and Ngelawang Presentation Religious culture mission that was initiated by General Director of Hindu Guidance from Religious Ministry Indonesian Republic to India has been successful.

The culture mission held from 1524 August 2010 went to New Delhi and North India. In New Delhi, the Balinese arts representatives performed in Indonesian Embassy. Meanwhile in North India they performed at Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya Haridwar, a city on the foot of Himalaya Mountain, 210 km from New Delhi city. Besides art performance, the artists coming from Hindu Dharma Institute (IHDN) Denpasar and Indonesian Hindu University (Unhi) Denpasar also went to some holy Hindu praying places in New Delhi, Haridwar and Rsikesh-North India. As they stepped the place where holy Veda came to earth, the Balinese artists led by General Director Hindu Guidance Prof. Dr. IBG Yudha Triguna and IHDN Rector Prof. Dr. Made Titib, prepared them to perform in New Delhi Indonesian Embassy. The arrival of the Balinese artists to India are also attractive because they get a chance to celebrate Republic Indonesia’s 65 th Independence on Tuesday (17/8) and gather with New Delhi Indonesian Embassy staffs and Indonesian who lives in New Delhi and around it.

In the afternoon the Balinese artists did Ngelawang around the Indonesian Embassy building and the barong performance managed to attract everyone’s attention, with its semaradana gamelan it became so lively.

And for the Independence Day, the artists performed their institutes’ dances with Hindu atmo-

sphere which are Saraswati Dance (IHDN) and Sawitri Buana Dance (Unhi). The Barong dance being shown to the invitees meanwhile a sendratari (mimed narrated dance) of Ramayana titled “Hanoman Duta” closed the ceremony attended by Indonesian Ambassador General Lieutenant Indonesian Army (Pur) Andi M. Ghalib with his staffs, Indonesian Embassy Defense Leader Colonel I Putu Arya Angga S. and other important officials.

Ambassador Andi M. Ghalib positively welcomed the artists performance as some kindof soft power diplomacy as this is the best way to start a friendship, “This is the best way that we should develop. If it’s possible, the culture mission like this should not be only in India but other countries too.”

While Colonel Arya Angga said this culture mission is very spectacular as this mission is strategic as it introduces more of Hindu culture in India and from there it is hoped a closer feeling grew even more as there is a similarity in culture and it is hoped can attract the Indian people to come visit Indonesia (Bali).

Prof. IBG Yudha Triguna hoped this mission will make the two countries friendship grew and hoped more join work in religious culture.

Besides these art performances, the artists did a visitation to Idra Prasta site, the remains of King Rama’s kingdom. The areal is huge and surrounded by high huge walls and huge gates as well. They also visited Chartapur Mandir, a Hindu holy place which is huge and wide in the middle of New Delhi. (08)

Police Failed ”Illegal Logging” Action at Batukaru Forest Tabanan (DenPost)

Police successfully failed an illegal logging at Batukaru Forest, Banjar Dinas Soka Kawan, Soka Village, Penebel. Besodes confiscating evidences, the police also captured two of the actors which are Gede Made Ardana alias Gurun Yuda (36) and Ketut Artanayasa (33). The two are residents of Banjar Dinas Gunung Sari Umakayu, Desa Jatiluwih, Penebel.

DenPost information received, the incident happened on Monday (23/8) around 11.35 am wita. At hat time two forestry police, Gede Suryadi (33) and Nyoman Kuasa (50) were on a routine patrolling. As arrived on location, the two police saw two residents Biyang Sopia and Biyang Setya car-

ried woods. After interrogated, the two admitted the woods were a result of a logging. The two police then reported it to Penebel Police Department and not long the two actors were captured without any fight back. They also managed to confiscate legung and gempong of many sizes, also a censoring machine. Now the two is being legally processed.

“The two actors we captured are logging purposely in the forest without any permit. Right now the case is on process,” Head of Penebel Police Department, Adjunct Police Commissioner Wayan Sidin, as permitted by Tabanan Police Department Great Adjunct Police Commissioner AA Made Sudana, confirmed on Tuesday (24/8). (122)

4

News

Thursday, August 26, 2010

International

At least six die in fresh Mogadishu clashes Agence France-Presse

MOGADISHU - Heavy clashes resumed in Mogadishu early Wednesday between Somali government forces backed by African peacekeepers and Islamist insurgents leaving six civilians dead, witnesses said.

Fighting erupted afresh on several fronts in the north and southern parts of the capital after the two sides exchanged heavy artillery fire on Tuesday night.

The renewed fighting follows Tuesday’s carnage in a Mogadishu hotel, in which two Islamist militants disguised as government soldiers mowed down 30 people, including six members of parliament, before blowing themselves up.

Both sides said they had the upper hand Wednesday.

“The fighting resumed this morning intensely and the government forces are advancing towards the enemy lines, they (the enemy) lost many fighters,” Colonel Mohamed Adan, a Somali government security officer told AFP Witnesses said six civilians died when a mortar shell struck their houses.

“I saw the dead bodies of six civilians killed this morning, four of them died in one place and the others died separately in Yaqshid neighborhood,” Muhidin Ali, a witness said.

Hassan Nur Ahmed, another witness gave the same toll. Mogadishu ambulance service officials said they collected round 18 injured civilians. Rebels from the Al-Qaeda-inspired Shebab movement also claimed victory.

“Our fighters moved ahead this morning and there were clashes around several defensive positions of the apostate government and the African invading Christians supporting them,” Sheik Abdiaziz Abu-Muscab, AlShebab’s military operations spokesman said.

“Thanks to Allah, we have killed many soldiers and the Mujahideen fighters are now in full control of their last strongholds,” he said.

“The apostate government and its Christian masters were controlling AFP PHOTO/Abdirashid Abdulle Abikar only one of the four main roads in Mogadishu and with the assistance of A Somali soldier holds his weapon as he stands behind a wall in the Hodan district of Mogadishu on August Allahs power, our fighters cut off that road today and the enemy cannot 25, 2010 as troops backed by African peacekeepers and Islamic insurgents clashed in renewed fighting that move between their positions,” Abu-Muscab added. left six civilians dead in the Somali capital, a day after militants mowed down 30 people at a hotel.

72 bodies found on ranch Rogue Afghan policeman in northeast Mexico kills three Spaniards Agence France-Presse

MEXICO CITY - Troops uncovered at least 72 bodies, including those of 14 women, on a ranch in northeastern Mexico after a clash with gunmen, the Mexican military said early Wednesday.

The gruesome find came after a shootout between troops and suspected drug traffickers near the town of San Fernando, in Tamaulipas state, in which one member of the military and three gunmen were killed, according to the Mexican Navy.

Tamaulipas, which borders the southern US state of Texas, is the scene of brutal confrontations between the Gulf drug cartel and its former allies, the Zetas, as they fight for control of lucrative smuggling routes into the United States.

The navy said “the lifeless bodies of 72 people were found” after the military went to the ranch when a man suffering from gunshot wounds approached a nearby military checkpoint and said he had been attacked on the ranch by members of a drug gang.

The operation, which included military air support, netted one “underage suspect,” but the rest of the gunmen who were not killed managed to escape.

The military seized 21 rifles, about 6,600 rounds of ammunition, and four trucks including one bearing Ministry of Defense markings, the navy said.

Mass graves have been turning up with increasing frequency in Mexico’s drug war, which has claimed the lives of an estimated

28,000 people since 2006 despite a military show of force in Mexican cities by the government of President Felipe Calderon.

On June 7, 55 bodies were uncovered in a mass grave outside a mine in the southern state of Guerrero, the largest find of its kind in Mexico.

On July 23, 51 bodies were found in a residential area on the outskirts of Monterrey, the capital of the northern state of Nuevo Leon.

Tamaulipas is among Mexico’s most violent states and is currently enduring a wave of deadly attacks blamed on drug cartels.

The ranch where the mass grave was discovered is a few dozen miles (kilometers) from the US border.

Last week Calderon criticized the US government, accusing it of failing to forcefully tackle drug addiction in the United States and neglecting to rein in the arms industry — two key elements in tackling Mexican narcotrafficking.

He has repeatedly said that arms trafficked across the border from the United States supply Mexico’s brutal drug gangs with the weapons they use in gruesome violence that has claimed tens of thousands of Mexican lives.

Texas officials including Governor Rick Perry have complained that at least twice in the last two months, bullets believed to be from a gun battle in Mexico hit buildings in the US state.

Perry said the federal government’s failure to reinforce the border with Mexico was endangering US lives.

Reuters

HERAT - Two Spanish police and an interpreter were killed when an Afghan policeman they were training turned on them before he was shot dead, officials said, as protests against the killing turned violent on Wednesday.

The incident appeared to be the latest in a string of recent attacks by “rogue” police and soldiers, underlining the pressure as NATOled troops try to train Afghan forces rapidly to allow the handover of security responsibility to begin from mid-2011.

“The incident took place during a police training course and two Spanish policemen and an interpreter of Spanish nationality lost their lives,” said Spain’s Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba told Spanish radio.

“The security forces responded to the attack and shot and killed the assassin,” he said.

The attack occurred during a weapons training exercise at a Spanish-run base in Qalay-e Naw, the provincial capital of northwestern Badghis province.

The incident sparked angry protests outside the base.

Badghis governor Dilbar Jan Arman said at least 1,000 protesters tried to storm the base, which lies near the border with Turkmenistan.

Residents said thousands of protesters had set fire to one part of the base.

Mohammad Sadiq, a surgeon at a government hospital in Qalay-e Naw, said at least 18 demonstrators, many suffering bullet wounds, had been brought in for treatment.

“The condition of several of them is criti-

cal,” he said.

One protester, who identified himself only as Abdullah, said the casualties among the protesters were caused when troops inside the base fired on them.

The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force confirmed the deaths and the subsequent protest, which it said Afghan security forces were monitoring.

“At this point the cause of the shooting is unclear,” ISAF said in a statement.

Taliban spokesman Qari Mohammad Yousuf said the policeman had been a member of the Islamist group and said four foreigners and nine Afghan police were killed.

NATO-led forces are ramping up efforts to train the Afghan army and police to eventually take over, with U.S. President Barack Obama set to begin a scaled withdrawal of forces from July next year, depending on the readiness of Afghan units.

Doubts surfaced this week among senior U.S. commanders about that timetable, with the head of the U.S. Marines bluntly saying that setting such a schedule could give sustenance to the Taliban.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has set an ambitious target of 2014 for Afghans to completely take over security.

The push to ramp up Afghan forces has created tensions on the ground, and there have been several recent incidents of soldiers and police turning on their trainers.

In July, an Afghan soldier killed three British Gurkha soldiers. A week later, an Afghan soldier killed two U.S. contractors inside a base in Mazar-i-Sharif in the north.

International

Hotel Activities

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Aston to Open Nusa Dua Retreat in October IBP

NUSA DUA - Aston International is to open a luxury boutique villa resort in Bali on Friday, 1 October 2010. The Nusa Dua Retreat was in its project phase referred to as the Aston Nusa Dua Retreat but will now open as the Nusa Dua Retreat without the Aston branding. Other high end resorts managed by Aston such as The Taum Seminyak and a luxury villa resort in Langkawi are currently in an early stage of development and will soon compliment the Aston groups growing portfolio of small to midsized luxury hotels.

The Nusa Dua Retreat has been available for private viewings by selected tour operators since August this year and is currently undergoing a trial opening phase welcoming amongst others the famous Korean super model Jessica Gomez.

Situated in the charming hillside country of the Bukit Peninsula above the world class resort destination of Nusa Dua, The Nusa Dua Retreat, offers views over the Indian Ocean and easy access to the nearby secluded Kutuh Beach.

Being a boutique villa resort with the character of an elegant

hide-away retreat the new property has been kept small and will feature 41 private pool villas of which 23 offer roof top sundecks and 1 lavish three bedroom residence.

Resort facilities will include a full service destination spa, a large infinity edge center pool, a smart casual café overlooking the surrounding hillside country and nearby Indian Ocean, a romantic semi fine dining restaurant, a pool lounge and bar and a state of the art gym and Yoga studio. Norbert Vas, Aston International’s VP of Sales & Marketing said “Compared to our other villa resorts in the main areas of Bali such as Seminyak, Sanur, Nusa Dua and Ubud this new resort will be quite different and unique in the sense that it is a truly remarkable “retreat” with a very appealing and secluded location. Privacy is the main focus so residents will not only benefit from spacious villas with over seized pools and the charming hillside location but also have access to one of Bali’s most beautiful and pristine beaches, luxury transportation service to Nusa Dua and Kuta and creative service concepts such as private butlers, personalized excursions and VIP airport meet and greet assistance. We want to touch guests on an emotional level so service will be the main point of differentiation.”

The Private Spa Wellness Center

Hosted Bali Spa and Wellness Association gathering BALI– The Private Spa Wellness Center (TPSWC) proudly hosted the monthly Bali Spa and Wellness Association (BSWA) gathering July 30, 2010. As the founding member of BSWA, Erika Dewi, Director of Operations TPSWC, welcomed spa managers and industry partners for the first time since The Private Spa Corporation built the two-storey wellness centre. This spa is one of the first spas in the world that is devoted to balancing the body’s vibrational frequencies. Ritual therapies from ancient times have been recreated to manage stress related illnesses. The rituals include the hydrothermal biotherapy treatments, chakra balancing treatments, and more.

BSWA members toured the seven exclusive treatment rooms and high-end spa facilities such as vitality pool, steam room and

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

far sauna, lead by TPWSC Spa Manager, Ririn Widarsih. It was a stimulating journey for the spa managers to see the Taj Mahal inspired Indian room, Arabian princess inspired Moroccan room, as well as the well-equipped Victorian room with Vichy shower, European room with pulse light and LED machine, and Thai room with handle bars for the bare foot Thai massage.

The spa menu is tailored by experts, with 50 years of combined experience in the industry to create a spa ritual beyond pampering.

The Recovery and refreshment lounges are designed for guests to linger in the spa in between and after treatment. Healthy, fresh food and beverages are also served on demand for those who wish to spend the day in the spa.

Honorary Consulate of Spain Komplek Istana Kuta Galleria Blok Vallet 2 No 11. Jalan Patih Jelantik Kuta, Bali Phone +62.361.769 286 USA Consulate Agency Jalan Hayam Wuruk No. 188 Denpasar, Bali Phone +62.361.222 426

Royal Danish & Norwegian Mimpi Resort Jimbaran, Bali Phone +62.361.701 070

Consulate General of Japan Jalan Raya Puputan No. 170 Renon, Denpasar, Bali Phone +62.361.227 628

The Czech Republic Jalan Pengembak No. 17 Sanur, Bali Phone +62.361.286 465

Honorary Consulate of British Jalan Tirta Nadi No. 20 Sanur, Bali Phone +62.361.270 601

France Consulate Agency Jalan Merta Sari Gang II No. 8 Sanur, Bali Phone +62.361.285 485

Swiss and Austria Consulate Jalan Patih Jelantik, Komplek Pertokoan Istana Galleria Phone +62.361.751 735

The Federal Republic of Germany Jalan Pantai Karang No 17 Sanur, Bali Phone +62.361.288 535 The Republic of Hungary Jalan By Pass No 219 Sanur, Bali Phone +62.361.287 701 Italian Consulate Jalan By Pass Ngurah Rai Jimbaran, Bali Phone +62.361.701 005 Honorary Consulate of Mexico Jalan Mohamad Yamin 1 A, Renon, Denpasar, Bali Phone +62.361.223 266 Honorary Consulate of The Netherlands Jalan Raya Kuta 127, Bali Phone +62.361.761 506

5

Private Company launches ‘Eden by the Sea’ IBP

SEMINYAK - Bali’s leading villa and private house holiday specialist The Private Company is offering the opportunity to stay at what when officially opened in October is set to create a new benchmark in luxury villa accommodation – Eden by the sea. Located opposite Batubelig beach in Seminyak on the island’s famous ‘sunset’ coast, this luxurious complex comprises 14 three, four and five bedroom villas.

Each villa will offer its own dedicated staff, swimming pool and unique private rooftop garden complete with Jacuzzi and ocean views. Inhouse facilities include personalised shopping services, butlering, nanny facilities and spa treatments.

The Private Company managing director Brett Morgan said a key benefit of staying in a luxury private villa or house in Bali is being able to enjoy all the service usually found in a five-star hotel while only paying supermarket prices for drinks and meals. Eden by the sea is located just a short stroll along the beach from three of Bali’s trendiest restaurant/bars - La Lucciola, Breeze and Ku De Ta – while the best boutique shopping, dining and nightlife Bali has to offer is minutes away by taxi. The cost of a per night stay in a three-bedroom villa starts from USD445* plus taxes which includes breakfast.

HOSPITAL Denpasar There are 4 major hospitals usually used by foreigners Denpasar General Hospital (RSUP Sanglah), Kasih Ibu Hospital, Rumah Sakit Wongaya and Rumah Sakit Dharma Husada.

RSUP Sanglah is the main provincial public hospital. Its facilities have improved since the emergency ward had been built in 1991. Difficult/critical cases would not become a problem anymore since it has complete equipments. It is located on Jl. Kesehatan Selatan 1 Sanglah Denpasar with : Phone : 227 911 – 15 Fax : 226 363

Honorary Consulate of Brazil Jalan Legian No. 186, Bali Phone +62.361.757 775

Kasih Ibu Hospital is a private hospital which caters for less serious cases such as diarrhea, intestinal disorders, anemia, asthma and minor accidents. Kasih Ibu is also equipped to care for pregnant women. This hospital is located on Jl. Teuku Umar 120 Denpasar.

Phone : 223 036 Fax : 268 690.

Honorary Consulate of Thailand Jalan Raya Puputan Renon 81, Denpasar, Bali Phone +62.361.263 310

Rumah Sakit Wongaya (Public Hospital; Psychiatric Unit) Jl. Kartini, Denpasar.

Phone : 222 142.

Embassy of India Jalan Raya Puputan Renon 42-44, Denpasar, Bali Phone +62.361.241 978 Honorary Consulate of Sweden anf Finland Segara Village Hotel, Jalan Segara Ayu, Sanur, Bali Phone +62.361.282 223 Honorary Consulate of Malaysia Alam Kulkul Boutique Resort, Jalan Pantai Kuta, Bali Phone +62.361.752 520

TAXIS Praja Taxi : (0361) 289090 Bali Taxi : (0361) 701111 Ngurah Rai Taxi : (0361) 724724 Pan Wirthi Taxi : (0361) 723366 Komotra Taxi : (0361) 758855

6

News

Thursday, August 26, 2010

AFP PHOTO/Soe Than WIN

This file picture taken on August 20, 2010 shows a Myanmar Buddhist monk walking by the office of the newly-formed National Democratic Force (NDF), a party made up of former members of detained democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi’s disbanded National League for Democracy (NLD), in Moegote

Myanmar’s Suu Kyi suggests NLD supporters don’t vote Agence France-Presse

YANGON - Myanmar’s detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has suggested that people who want to back her disbanded party in upcoming elections refrain from voting, her lawyer said Wednesday.

Suu Kyi has heard on the news that people are asking what they should do because they would like to vote for her National League for Democracy (NLD) but the party no longer officially exists, Nyan Win said.

“She said just don’t vote if people want to vote only for the NLD,” he told AFP by telephone after a visit to her lakeside home on Tuesday.

“But she does not say anything about people’s choice,” he added.

On Tuesday Nyan Win quoted Suu Kyi as saying people should keep

a close watch on the November 7 poll and speak out if the vote is not free and fair. He withheld the latest remarks until he had discussed them with colleagues.

The 65-year-old Nobel Peace Laureate has spent most of the past 20 years in detention, and as a serving prisoner is barred from standing in the upcoming vote, which will be the military-ruled country’s first in 20 years.

The NLD won a landslide victory in 1990 but the junta never allowed it to take office.

The party is boycotting the Novem-

ber poll, saying the rules are unfair.

As a result, it was forcibly disbanded by the ruling generals.

So far 42 political parties have been given permission to stand in the election, which has been widely condemned by activists and the West as a charade aimed at putting a civilian face on military rule.

Among them is the National Democracy Force, created by former NLD members whose decision to participate in the vote put them at odds with Suu Kyi, who was in favour of the NLD boycotting the vote.

US salmonella egg scare shows danger of ‘mega producers’ Agence France-Presse

WASHINGTON - The massive recall in US markets of more than half a billion eggs possibly tainted with salmonella shows the dangers of concentrating the egg industry in just a handful of “mega producers,” US food industry critics said.

“Salmonella in eggs was not a problem in the United States until the 1980s when these huge mega producers were born,” Fast Food Nation bestseller author Eric Schlosser told CNN. More than 2,000 people have been infected with salmonella enteriditis bacteria since May, leading to a recent recall of more than half a million fresh eggs, one of the biggest in the industry’s history, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said.

The recalls concern two chicken egg processors — Hillandale Farms and Wright County Eggs, both in the midwestern state of Iowa — and cover several dozen brands across 22 US states, US authorities said.

The source of salmonella in egg-laying chickens could come from contaminated food or fecal matter from infected rodents invading the coops.

Nearly all egg-production in the United States (95 percent) is presently concentrated in the hands of some 200 companies, compared to around 2,500 farms in 1987, according to the United Egg Producers group.

Thirteen companies alone raise more than five million egg-laying chickens each, with five US states accounting for most of the estimated 280 million egg layers in the country: California, Iowa, Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

“There should not be any salmonella

Half naked...

From page 1

Dan Quayle’s son wins US congressional primary

Nyoman Graha Wicaksana, the head of Kuta security officer, said that

PHOENIX - The son of former US vice president Dan Quayle has won a Republican primary in Arizona to run for Congress, placing him in prime position for his family’s launch back into national politics.

Ben Quayle topped a field of 10 candidates vying for nomination for the state’s 3rd District seat in the US House of Representatives, 10 weeks before key mid-term congressional elections.

The 33-year-old North Phoenix lawyer won Tuesday’s primary with just 23 percent of the vote, five points clear of his nearest challenger, wealthy businessman Steve Moak, who had 18 percent.

With Arizona’s 3rd District leaning Republican, Quayle is the clear frontrunner in the November election to replace retiring Representative John Shadegg after 16 years in the seat.

Quayle made a brief victory speech

The US army announced on Tuesday that troop levels were below 50,000 in line with President Barack Obama’s directives as part of a “responsible drawdown” of troops, seven years on from the invasion which ousted Saddam Hussein.

The reduction has raised fears that Al-Qaeda linked insurgents will step up their attacks.

A separate car bomb in Baghdad killed two police and wounded seven civilians in the centre of the city, while two other policemen were shot dead in Al-Amel, a southern district, the interior ministry official said.

In the north of the country, a car bomb in the ethnically-divided, oilrich city of Kirkuk killed one person and wounded 11 others, said Colonel Adel Zain al-Abideen, the city’s acting chief of police.

And in Ramadi, the provincial capital of Anbar province to the west

at Republican Party headquarters in Phoenix, but did not take questions from reporters.

In a campaign ad earlier this month, Quayle courted controversy when he called President Barack Obama “the worst president in history”, and said he hoped voters would send him to Congress so he could “knock the hell out of Washington.”

Quayle’s father — who was famously lambasted for telling a spelling bee student that he “forgot the E” at the end of “potato” — was also a member of the House and the Senate, representing the state of Indiana, before he was chosen as George H.W. Bush’s running mate in the 1988 election.

The younger Quayle’s nine opponents during the campaign accused him of being unprepared for national politics, but none of them managed to pull away from the pack.

Quayle came out on top, despite little being known about the fledgling politician other than name recognition.

He had reportedly amassed more than 1.1 million dollars in the six months since he launched his campaign, including contributions from members of the earlier Bush administration.

Bush and his wife Barbara reportedly hosted a fundraiser for Quayle in May at their home in Houston, Texas.

Should Quayle be elected in November it would mark a political reversal of sorts for his family.

In April 1999 Dan Quayle announced he was running for the Republican presidential nomination, but he finished a dismal eighth in the Ames Straw Poll in August of that year, and swiftly withdrew from the race to back George W. Bush, the son of the former president he served, who was the eventual winner.

in the eggs. Until 20 years ago, there really wasn’t any. It’s once you’ve got those mega mega producers putting 150,000 birds in one building that you start to get that kind of diseases,” said Schlosser.

“When you cram the birds so closely together it will spread disease from one animal to another,” he added.

The salmonella outbreak reached national concern by mid-August, with millions of American wondering if they should now skip their favorite breakfast food.

It brought back the 2009 salmonella outbreak in peanut butter, another favorite US food, which infected thousands of people and killed nine.

Other salmonella recalls in recent years included pistachios, frozen spinach, and milk, feeding criticism that America’s food regulation regime is under-staffed and overtaxed.

With the latest salmonella scare, the FDA has renewed its appeals for greater recall and inspection authority. The US Congress has responded by recently passing a law expanding the FDA’s recall powers, which up to now were made by companies on a voluntary basis.

The egg recall, said Schlosser, “is partly a breakdown in our regulatory system, but it’s also a sign of what companies are willing to do to make money.”

The salmonella scare, however, has buoyed proponents of local, small-scale farming. “Small farmers have the availability to keep their farms clean, (and) make sure there is enough room. The bigger those operations are the more you run into problems,” said National Black Farmers Association president John Boyd. the immigration should prevent the similar thing to happen because immigration has the power to determine who can enter Bali or not. He is worry that the incident like that could runi the image of Bali abroad. (ded)

Iraq car...

From page 1

of the Iraqi capital, three people, two of them police, were killed and 16 wounded in two car bombs, one of them at a police checkpoint, a security official said.

The police and army are often the target of attack by armed groups in Iraq.

America now has 49,700 troops in the country — less than a third of the peak figure of around 170,000 during the US military “surge” of 2007, during a brutal Shiite-Sunni sectarian war that cost thousands of lives.

Washington is just days away from formally declaring its combat mission over at the end of the month.

Tens of thousands of US soldiers have been withdrawn in recent months and the last American unit designated as a “combat brigade” left Iraq and crossed into neighbouring Kuwait on August 19.

The remaining troops will be deployed on an “advise and assist” mission until all US forces leave the country at the end of 2011.

International

Indonesia Today

Thursday, August 26, 2010

7

Finance minister defends idea to form Financial Services Authority Antara

JAKARTA - Finance Minister Agus Martowardojo has defended the idea to set up a Financial Service Authority (OJK) to monitor financial services including banks.

He said here on Tuesday through the OJK the central bank (Bank Indonesia) and the finance ministry could monitor banks through their representatives in the institution.

“Its governance is prioritized namely it (OJK) has to stand by itself. The finance ministry and Bank

Indonesia could conduct supervision through their representatives in the institution but they could not dominate it,” he said.

He said the presence of the OJK as an independent institution was needed to deal with possible crisis.

Through it, the finance ministry and

Bank Indonesia are still able to carry out supervision, he said.

“We, the finance ministry, also would feel the loss when it has to release Bapepam (Capital Market Supervisory Agency) to the OJK. We still recommend because we are still able to supervise through it. We will

make it an independent insitution and its establishment is in line with Article 34 of the Law on Bank Indonesia,” he said.

The governor-elect of Bank Indonesia, Darmin Nasution, earlier expressed his opposition to cutting the relations between the central bank and commercial banks.

He said if the relations between Bank Indonesia and commercial banks were cut because of the presence of the OJK the risk would be

huge as the central bank would need accurate and real time information from banks.

“Once they are cut no accurate and real time information would be available, which is needed to overcome a crisis,” he said.

He said BI accepts separating bank supervision from BI in view of potential conflict of interests but the separation must not cut the relations between the central bank and commercial banks.

House speaker urges government to settle border problems with Malaysia JAKARTA - House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Marzuki Alie has urged the government to settle Indonesia‘s border problems with Malaysia so as to eliminate the potentials for conflict between the two countries.

“We have stressed this need several times and asked the government to settle these boundary problems soon,” said Marzuki at his official residence on Monday in Jakarta after breaking the fast with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Marzuki said he had asked the government to arrive at a comprehensive solution to the boundaries problems not only with Malaysia but also

with other neighboring countries such as the Philippines, Vietnam and Singapore.

“These things should be resolved soon so that there will be no more disputes in law enforcement,” he said.

Especially in relation with Malaysia, Marzuki also asked the government to help solve the problems being faced by Indonesian migrant workers in the neighboring country, such as Indonesian workers who were facing the death penalty in Malaysia.

According to Marzuki, it should be possible, through astute diplomatic efforts, to help the Indonesian workers who were alleged to have committed crimes in Malaysia.

Marzuki and other House leaders broke the fast with President Susilo Bambang Yudhyono at Marzuki ALie‘s official residence on Widya Chandra III street number 10 in south Jakarta. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono arrived at Marzuki‘s residence at 5 PM, accompanied by First Lady Ani Yudhoyono. Vice President Boediono was also present.

Also participating in the fast breaking gathering were other House leaders and members as well as a number of cabinet ministers. The gathering began with the reading of iftar (holy verses from the Koran) followed by remarks by Marzuki Alie as the host but no speech by the President.

An Indonesian marine sustains serious shot wounds Antara

SITUBONDO - An Indonesian marine Sergeant Major Mahfud was rushed to Elizabeth Hospital after being shot by at least six unknown armed men here early Wednesday.

His condition was reportedly critical after a bullet hit and passed through his stomach.

The shooting occurred at a brothel in Penarukan sub-district, East Java Province, at about 00:45

am local time on early Wednesday.

A witness named Mashut said seven attackers wearing masks approached the victim and shot him twice.

“I heard two shots. The brothel visitors got panicked,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chief of Situbondo police precinct Adjunct Senior Commissioner Imam Tabroni said the police investigators still handled this shooting case.

“We have yet to know the real motive of the attackers but it can be

related to personal revenge,” he said.

The police investigators had questioned some witnesses but, due to the victim‘s critical condition, he had yet to be asked to reveal those behind the shooting and their motives, Tabroni said. The Elizabeth Hospital‘s doctors and paramedics had no longer handled the seriously injured marine.

Instead, they had transported him to Soebandi Public Hospital in the East Java city of Jember due to his critical condition.

TNI commander denies robbers‘ guns came from military Antara

JAKARTA - The guestion of the origin of guns used in a recent bank robbery in Medan that left a police officer dead still remains unanswered. The commander of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI), Djoko Santoso, said here on Tuesday the guns did not belong to the TNI according to the results of investigation so far.

“The indications are that they do not belong to TNI. According to the results of investigation they are not TNI guns,” he said in response to the

discovery of AK-47 and M16 rifles being used in the robbery at Bank CIMB Niaga in Medan last week.

Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro recently ordered the TNI to have its personnel‘s weapons checked following increasing armed robberies by gangs using weapons including AK-47s and M-16s.

Purnomo said he would also check the possibility of the guns being part of the leftovers of the armed conflict in Aceh several years ago.

“It is impossible that guns from the conflict in Aceh have not yet been submitted and taken to Medan to sup-

port the criminal action. We will investigate all the possibilities,” he said.

The National Police Headquarters‘ head of public relations division, Senior Commissioner Marwoto Soeto, had also said that it was not impossible that the guns used in the robbery in Medan were remainders from the former Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

“It is believed some GAM weapon remainders are still circulating,” he said. Four kinds of guns have been found used in the Medan robbery namely AK47, M16, SS1 and a revolver.

AFP PHOTO / Bay ISMOYO

An Indonesian Muslim search for clothes at a shop promoting Ramadan sales in Jakarta on August 25, 2010. Muslims observe Ramadan, one of the five pillars of Islam, by abstaining from food, drink and sex from dawn until sunset. Indonesia is the most populous Muslim majority country.

Indonesia urges ASEAN trade, investment to resist double dip Agence France-Presse

DANANG - Indonesia’s trade minister on Thursday urged fellow countries in the ASEAN group to foster greater trade and investment in Southeast Asia as a guard against “double-dip” recession.

Fears have grown that the United States economy — an engine of global growth — could dip back into recession after a fragile recovery from the global financial crisis that began in 2008. Analysts have also noted signs of a Chinese slowdown.

“We talk about that (the recession risk), and we need to be cognizant of the risks of the global environment that we face,” Mari Pangestu said on the sidelines of a meeting of commerce and trade ministers from the

10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The uncertain global environment highlights the need for “increasing the attraction of ASEAN for investment, for increased trade between ourselves and with our dialogue partners, because a lot of our dialogue partners are in Asia,” she said.

“Asia is really where the growth is happening.”

ASEAN, hoping to immitate the European Union, wants to establish by 2015 a single market and manufacturing base of about 600 million people — a goal that has been spurred by intensifying competition from China and India.

ASEAN has forged a series of free trade pacts with its regional neighbours.

8

Internationa

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Bali Today Australian tourist visit to Bali not affected by travel advisory Bali Post

DENPASAR - Travel advisory issued by Australian Government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) following the taxi disputes occurred in Bali has not yet affected the arrival of tourists from the kangaroo country to Bali.

Head of Bali Government Tourism Office (Diparda), Ida Bagus Subhiksu, revealed the increasing number of Australian tourist visit during the January-July 2010 period was quite drastic namely reaching more than 300,000 tourists if compared to the same period previously.

“Ease accessibility causes Australian tourists to make Bali as their second home. Whereas on the one hand, the Australian government is very sensitive to the security of Bali,” he said.

Pursuant to the data of the Bali Government Tourism Office, the total number of Australian tourist visit to Bali during the JanuaryJuly 2010 period showed an increase of 50.8 percent compared to same period in the last year.

“Yes, as given epithet as the second home, though a travel advi-

sory was issued by government suggesting not to make a visit, the citizens remained to insist on coming to Bali,” he said.

Likewise, I.B Subhiksu described, in addition to Australia, tourist visit to Bali from some countries indicated an increase. Those countries were Taiwan, UK, Singapore and the Netherlands.

Even, the number of Singaporean tourists visiting Bali during this period also showed an increase reaching 56 percent.

Meanwhile, the owner of Hotel Puri Saron, I Ketut Putra Suarthana, also said the high increase had far exceeded the previous prediction, while the travel advisory suggesting not to visit Bali following the demonstration on the disputes of taxi driver, the threat of rabies disease and terrorism had not

had an impact on the level of their visit to Bali.

“In the recent months, the hotel occupancy was always predominated by the circle of Australian tourists. Even, they consisted of more than half of the hotel occupancy reaching 90 percent,” he said.

According to him, the crucial issues faced by the circle of hospitality industry today was about the matter on the increase in basic tariff of electricity (TDL) and the rise of underground water tax (ABT) that reached 1,000 percent.

“These two factors will affect the increase of operating expenses plus other costs continuing to rise proportionally. In the future, we do hope the government to account for any increase having a serious impact on the economic climate,” he said. (par)

BTN/Doc

Travel advisory issued by Australian Government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) following the taxi disputes occurred in Bali has not yet affected the arrival of tourists from the kangaroo country to Bali.

Mangupura, the Capital of Badung Regency Mangupura is defined as the capital of Badung Regency. The inauguration was carried out by Minister of Home Affairs H. Gamawan Fauzi on last Friday (Feb 12) located at Badung Civic Center, Mangupraja Mandala, Mangupura, Badung. The name of Badung’s capital was actually stipulated on last November 16, 2009 by the President of Indonesia Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Along with the event, the Minister of Home Affairs also handed over the Government Regulation No. 67/2009 about the Relocation of the Badung Regency’s Capital from Denpasar City to the territory of Mengwi subdistrict, Badung Regency to the Regent of Badung AA Gde Agung witnessed by Governor of Bali Made Mangku Pastika and Head of the Badung House I Made Sumer.

The name Mangupura itself represents an enchanting city, a place where to search for beauty, peace and happiness bringing prosperity and fostering a sense of security to people. Meanwhile, the capital of Badung according to Government Regulation No. 67/ 2009 includes nine villages in the Mengwi subdistrict namely the Village of Mengwi, Gulingan, Mengwitani, Kekeran, and then Municipality (Kelurahan) of Abianbase, Lukluk,

Sempidi and Sading.

Before the main event, the Minister and Governor of Bali carried out the planting of rain tree (Albizia saman) at the area of Badung Civic Center. At least, 1,000 invitees attending the event either of the elements of Bali Provincial Government, Regency/City in Bali and the components of society ranging from the head of customary village, head of subak cooperative, social troupes, and elder of royal palace. Also present on that occasion was Director General of Ministry of Home Affairs, Sutrisno.

Area Expansion

Badung Regent A.A. Gde Agung in his speech said the development of Badung Civic Center was motivated by expansion process of Badung Regency into two areas namely Badung Regency and Denpasar Municipality in 1992.

Such expansion has factually caused the Administrative Region of Denpasar to have two Civic Centers.

On the basis of these, there was thought to have a Civic Center located in Badung Regency. Having preceded by the purchase of land in 2007 the Badung Civic Center was built on 46.6 ha of land. “In April 2009 the entire working units of regional apparatus (SKPD) were expected to base in the

Badung Civic Center complex, so that public service of Badung community could be improved,” said the Regent.

In keeping with the development process of the civic center, so at the beginning of the year 2008 it was begun the process of determining the capital’s region and its name. Such

measure was commenced with the absorption of people’s aspirations, initiated by the implementation workshop pioneered by Badung House where it was proposed the name of the capital of Badung to the House.

“Based on decision of the Badung House, we propose the capital region

and the name Mangupura to Governor of Bali to be further forwarded to the Minister of Home Affairs. Having passed through a discussion, ultimately the President of the RI stipulated on November 16, 2009 a Government Regulation No.67/ 2009,” explained the Regent.

New Bali Theatre Will Be Alive With Music Antara

DENPASAR - One of Australia’s most experienced musicians and composer, Chong Lim who was musical the director and composer for the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, has written the orchestral score for ‘Bali Agung’ which opens at the new ‘Bali Theatre’ on August 31.

Chong Lim has worked in the music business for more than 20 years and has heard his work played at the Olympics Games, also composed music for the opening ceremony of the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar.

He has worked with the who’s who of music, from Kylie Minogue,

Olivia Newton-John, Tina Arena, Paul Kelly, Dame Edna Everage, Sir George Martin, Boz Scaggs, Jermaine Jackson, Anthony Callea, to Delta Goodrem, Christine Anu and many more as either Producer or Musical Director.

Chong has also felt the excitement of being on stage in front of tens of thousands of people when he played in bands while studying at Melbourne University. He had his first break when he joined Venetta’s Taxi and later The Eurogliders, culminating in becoming a member of John Farnham’s band in 1994 and most famously becoming John’s musical director.

His passion for music turned to television when he signed on as Musical Director on the television program Don’t Forget Your Toothbrush and

since then has worked on nearly all of Australia’s highest rating television programs. Chong was the Musical Supervisor for the stage production of “Dirty Dancing” and also helped orchestrate Guy Sebastian’s album ‘Taller, Stronger, Better’ while Guy was starring in the TV dance series of It Takes Two. Later he produced David Campbell’s album ‘Swing Sessions’ with a full orchestra recorded mostly live and they reunited to produce “Swing Sessions 2” which went platinum and was a top 10 recording on the ARIA charts.

The music he has composed for ‘Bali Agung’ has been recorded by the International Symphony Orchestra and is combined with live performers playing Gamelan and gongs.

al

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Balinese Culture Base Jukut

Market of Incentive in Bali Begins to Grow Many parties underestimate the market of incentive. In fact, the market becoming the part of Meeting, Incentive, Convention and Exhibition (MICE) was formerly a very potential and bright market rather than most other markets. However, after crisis struck including the bomb tragedy shaking Bali, this ‘market’ was dimmed. “Now, the market of incentive shines again. It begins by incentive guests from the United Kingdom,” said Lolec, Managing Director of Pacific World in the midst of accompanying his guests to have a Cruises excursion at Benoa.

The man having complete name IB Sura Kesuma added, within the past five years none attempted to re-manage the incentive market. Tourism businesspeople, including the government just waited and saw. Because of impatience, they were finally indifferent to this market. “After several sluggish years, incentive tourists from

the UK start choosing Bali for their holiday. In addition, there are some requests choosing Bali,” he explained.

Lolec firmed, this year, the market of incentive began to grow. Currently, he confessed to handle 60 incentive guests. Such British tourist group was organized by CMS Event and guided by Martyn Steele in cooperation with M & M Company denoting the representative of Pacific World in the UK. “Now, incentive tourists and requests began to arrive. They are mostly from England and Ireland,” he said.

According to him, the British tourists were very loyal. They were not only staying in the hotel, but also eating, drinking or having fun in their lodgings. As consequence, it was very profitable for entrepreneurs of accommodation in Bali. Unlike Australia or Asian tourists, they only used the hotel to sleep.

Incentive travelers typically

stay at the first class hotel. For example, the guests currently handled by Gus Lolec. They stayed at the Four Season Resort Bali, and selected the Sail Sensation cruise to see the beauty of the island of the gods. Likewise, they also enjoyed island excursion of Bali.

Regarding to constraints at harbor in Bali, according to Lolec, it had something to do with security issues.

Although there has been Waters Police, these officers were often not equipped with complete ‘ammunition.’ For example, equipment (patrol boat) already existed, but often could not operate maximally due to lack of fuel. “This draws a special attention from tourists who want to have fun in Bali,” he said.

Similarly, the guards at the port are very loose. This means that everyone can pass and traffic on the jetty (the bridge to the ship) without any metal ditector. “Ideally, the security procedure at the harbor should be the same as that conducted at the airport,” he told. (kmb)

The photo shows the main entrance of Bali International Convention Center —One of the famous convention places in Bali Island. Many parties underestimate the market of incentive. In fact, the market becoming the part of Meeting, Incentive, Convention and Exhibition (MICE) was formerly a very potential and bright market rather than most other markets. http://www.iisd.ca

(Spice Paste For Vegetables)

INGREDIENTS: 175 gr shallots, peeled and chopped 150 gr cloves garlic, peeled & chopped 450 gr laos, peeled and thinly sliced 4 tsp coriander seeds 175 gr fresh turmeric, peeled and sliced 250 gr large red chilies, seeded & chopped 40 gr bird’s-eye chilies 100 gr kencur roots, peeled and chopped 5 tsp dried shrimp paste 150 ml Coconut oil 1 tsp salt 1¼ tsp black pepper ground 4 ea salam leaf, whole 3 ea stalk lemon grass, bruised PREPARATION: 1. Combine all ingredients except salam leafs and Lemon grass, salt and water in food processor and grind coarsely.

2. Place ground ingredients in heavy saucepan, add remaining ingredients and simmer over medium heat for approximately 60 minutes or until water is evaporated and marinade changes to golden color. (www.baliguide.com/balifood)

Nasi oran jukut plecing: Recalling Balinese Old Favorites Food famine occurred in the past has given many inspirations. Apart from driving to work harder to produce more food sources, it also inspired the locals to find out alternative foodstuff to be combined with rice. Or even, raw materials used to replace the rice itself.

People might combine rice with corn, young jackfruit, yam or even shredded taro. Balinese people call this mixed rice by nasi oran. Today, these varieties have become the treasure of Balinese food. Let’s try steamed rice mixed with taro and served with plecing-spiced string bean and shredded chicken.

Ingredients: 1kg taro, 250g rice Side dishes: 2 tbsp shredded fried-chicken and 1 string of string bean (boiled and halved lengthwise). Its spices are made from 1 pc small tomato, 1 small chili, 4 cloves shallot, 1 clove garlic, 1 tsp palm sugar, palm oil to stir-fry and 1 pc kaffir lime. These spices are stir-fry in half-cooked. Take out and grind them finely and add the squeeze of kaffir lime. Mix the shredded chicken and string bean with the spices separately.

Method: · Peel out the taro and cleanse finely. Steam it until cooked, take out and cool it. · Soak the rice for some an hour. Steam it until half-cooked. Take out and put into a basin and add some water of the previous steaming. Stir it evenly and wait until the water runs dry. · Coarsely grate the steamed taro. Mix this with half-cooked rice. Afterward, steam them again until cooked. Take out and it is ready to serve with shredded string bean and chicken in plecing spices. (BTN/punia)

C.045 ibp

9

10

Destinations

Thursday, August 26, 2010

International

Trunyan IBP

The village of Trunyan is squeezed tightly between the lake and the outer crater rim of Batur, an almighty volcano in Kintamani. This is a Bali Aga village, inhabited by descendants of the original Balinese, the people who predate the arrival of the Hindu Majapahit kingdom in the 16th century.

It is famous for the Pura Pancering Jagat temple, but unfortunately visitors are not allowed inside. There are also a couple of traditional Bali Aga-style dwellings, and a large banyan tree, which is said to be more than 1,100 years old. At Kuban sub-village close to Trunyan is a mysterious cemetery that is separated by the lake and accessible only by boat - there is no path along the steep walls of the crater rim.

The village of Trunyan itself is situated at the edge of Batur Lake. This location is inaccessible except by boat, and it takes around half an hour across the calm waters. Getting to Lake Batur takes around two hours drive to the northeast of Denpasar along the main road to Buleleng and through Bangli Regency.

Unlike the Balinese people, the people of Trunyan do not cremate or bury their dead, but just lay them out in bamboo

cages to decompose, although strangely there is no stench. A macabre collection of skulls and bones lies on the stone platform and the surrounding areas.

The dead bodies don’t produce bad smells because of the perfumed scents from a huge Taru Menyan tree growing nearby. Taru means ‘tree’ and Menyan means ‘nice smell’. The name of Terunyan was also derived from these two words.

The women from Trunyan are prohibited from going to the cemetery when a dead body is carried there. This follows the deeply rooted belief that if a woman comes to the cemetery while a corpse is being carried there, there will be a disaster in the village, for example a landslide or a volcanic eruption. Such events have been frequent in the village’s history, but whether women had anything to do with it is a matter of opinion...

You can visit both the village of Trunyan and the Kuban cemetery by chartered boat from Kedisan. Sadly, nowadays the boat trips are now blatant tourist traps, as touts and guides strongly urge you to donate your cash to the temple project or leave a donation for the dead. These touts ruin an otherwise fascinating experience.

http://commondatastorage.googleapis.com

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Thursday, August 26, 2010

11

BUSINESS Japan export growth slows for fifth straight month Agence France-Presse

TOKYO - Japan’s export growth slowed for a fifth straight month in July, official data showed Wednesday, amid signs a fragile recovery is continuing to lose steam, hampered by the strong yen.

Exports jumped 23.5 percent year on year to 5.98 trillion yen (70.9 billion dollars), less than June’s 27.7 percent but above forecasts of a 22.9 percent rise. Imports rose 15.7 percent to 5.18 trillion yen, the government said.

Strong Asian demand for cars, hightech products and factory parts have helped offset a weaker domestic picture, enabling Japan’s biggest companies to return to profit and bring about a tentative economic recovery.

But many analysts expect Japanese exports to decelerate further in the months ahead because of slowing demand and hindered by the rise of the yen, which this week reached 15-year highs against the dollar.

“Japan’s July trade data confirm that the surge in the yen is hurting export revenues,” Capital Economics said in a research note. Related article: Weak Japan hamstrung by yen’s strength A stronger yen not only makes exports more expensive, but erodes overseas profits when repatriated, prompting unnerved exporters to call for government action to curb the unit’s recent strength and address its economic impact.

“With uncertainty over the global economy already growing, the yen’s appreciation could gradually weigh on Japan’s exports,” Hirokata Kusaba, an economist at Mizuho Research Institute,

told Dow Jones Newswires.

“The Japanese economy could fall into a lull later this year, unless the Bank of Japan and the government implement appropriate steps to shore up the economy.”

The government and the central bank have been strongly criticised for failing to act to tame the yen’s rise, with the government confining itself to failed attempts by ministers to talk down the currency.

Tokyo stocks closed down 1.66 percent Wednesday at a 16-month low amid growing market pressure for action.

Analysts also warn that risks to demand remain as world leaders embrace tighter fiscal policies to help rebalance a global economy knocked off its axis by the financial crisis.

Japan’s growth slowed in the second quarter to an annualised 0.4 percent, down from 4.4 percent in the previous three months, and the economy was outpaced by China in nominal terms. June saw a surprise fall in industrial output.

The fresh trade data “confirm the country’s export growth momentum is weakening as we had expected due to the slowdown in global economic growth,” said Norio Miyagawa, senior economist at Mizuho Securities Research and Consulting.

But he said Japan should “remain on a growth path for the time being”.

In July Japan logged its first trade surplus with China in four months, worth 15.8 billion yen.

Exports to China, a major driver of the Japanese economy, rose 22.7 percent to 1.16 trillion yen, while Chinese imports to Japan increased 14.4 percent to 1.14 trillion yen.

Overall, Japan’s trade surplus soared 119.9 percent in July from a year earlier, as recovery in exports in the postrecession period outpaced that of imports, according to the finance ministry.

The surplus reached 804.2 billion yen in July, marking the 14th straight month of improvement on year-earlier levels. The figure was significantly larger than market expectations of 457 billion yen.

Auto and steel exports continued to rise in the month, boosted by strong Asian demand, while imports of liquid natural gas, iron ore and other natural resources increased.

Japanese exports to the United States rose 25.9 percent to 972.2 billion yen, while US imports to Japan rose 13.4 percent to 499.9 billion yen.

Exports to the European Union rose 13.3 percent to 632.6 billion yen, while European imports rose 9.5 percent to 4.99 billion yen.

Lufthansa upbeat after summer travel boost Agence France-Presse

FRANKFURT - Lufthansa said business had developed strongly in recent months with all its carriers meeting or exceeding expectations.

“If this continues in the coming months, we can be confident we will fulfil our expectations,” management board member Stefan Lauer told reporters at an annual event late on Tuesday.

Global airlines body International Air Transport Association said earlier international passenger traffic growth continued in July, driven by recovering demand in Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East.

Growth in Europe has been stunted by slower economic recovery. Over the first seven months of this year, passenger demand grew

by 3.6 percent, compared with double-digit growth rates in all other regions except for North America.

Lufthansa has so far been upbeat on industry recovery and has said it expects to meet market expectations for 2010 operating profit after demand for international air travel and cargo services picked up in the first half of the year.

“We are seeing load factors in our continental traffic from Frankfurt like we have never seen before,” Lauer said, adding intercontinental traffic was also going well.

The German flagship carrier has benefited from accelerating recovery in its home market, where surging exports and a return to growth in consumer spending powered the economy to record

economic expansion in the second quarter.

Lufthansa has also been a driving force in consolidation in Europe over the past few years.

It completed a shopping spree last year that added Austrian Airlines, bmi and Brussels Airlines to its stable of airlines as it battles rivals British Airways and Air France-KLM for European pole position.

So far, most airline mergers have been within continents, but consolidation has heated up over the past few years, and more airlines are forging intercontinental ties via partnerships and joint ventures.

Japan Airlines earlier this year agreed a joint venture with American Airlines on Pacific routes to tap revenue growth in a larger route network.

Leaders warn on South East Asia’s rich-poor gap Agence France-Presse

Southeast Asian leaders warned Wednesday of a widening gap between the booming region’s richest and poorest nations that could threaten its ambitious drive for an EU-style single market.

Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam have recorded high growth rates but their per capita gross domestic product remains the lowest among the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

“The danger of (a) widening development gap remains a major obstacle to ASEAN’s future development, especially given the context of expanded ASEAN economic integration,” Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said in opening remarks to an annual meeting of the bloc’s trade and commerce ministers.

Emulating the European Union’s example, ASEAN wants to establish by 2015 a single market and manufacturing base of about 600 million people — a goal that has been spurred by intensifying competition from China and India.

The discrepancy between ASEAN’s rich and poor members “is quite wide” and could undermine efforts to create the single market, ASEAN secretary general Surin Pitsuwan told reporters.

“A house divided by such a gap is not stable,” he said.

According to ASEAN statistics, GDP per capita in the bloc ranges from 419 dollars in Myanmar to more than 36,000 dollars in Singapore.

Surin said the gulf within ASEAN had widened because some countries were better able to attract investment as the global economy recovered from the crisis which struck in 2008.

“It has come up quite often at the highest level, of how to help bridge this gap,” he said.

The Vietnamese prime minister, who chaired the meeting, urged ministers to “work out concrete and robust measures” to create a more equitable

ASEAN. But the bloc has been more focussed on initiatives such as forging individual free trade deals and does not have the budgets or structures in place to address the issue, said Leon Perera, group managing director of Spire Research and Consulting in Singapore.

“I think they haven’t really set that goal in a serious way,” he told AFP by telephone.

Perera said that “other things being equal, you tend to get more inequality” as a consequence of globalisation, and a development gap may be more significant within countries than between them.

China, Japan, Australia, the European Union and the United States have all expressed interest in boosting development in the region’s poorer nations, Surin said.

Another strategy, he said, is an infrastructure fund that the region’s finance ministers have agreed in principle to establish.

In Vietnam alone, the European Chamber of Commerce has cited estimates that the country needs around 70-80 billion dollars of infrastructure investment over the next five to 10 years.

Foreign businessmen in the country have frequently expressed concern about the lack of seaports, roads, electricity and other essential infrastructure.

Surin also said that Southeast Asian nations need closer cooperation to deal with incidents such as this week’s Philippines bus hijacking that left eight Hong Kong tourists dead.

“I think there is room for more cooperation and more exchange of best practices, training for example,” he said, when asked whether he was concerned about Monday’s incident in Manila.

Surin made no reference to how police handled the case, but he said generally that management of terrorism or “non-traditional security threats... is something that I think we probably need to consult more closely with each other”.

12

Entertainment

Thursday, August 26, 2010

International

Susan Boyle realises ‘greatest dream’ to sing for pope

IBP/ist

Susan Boyle Agence France Presse

LONDON - Scottish singing sensation Susan Boyle confirmed Wednesday that she would perform for Pope Benedict XVI when he visits Britain next month, saying it was her “greatest dream come true”.

Boyle, who was catapulted to global stardom after appearing on a British television talent show, told Scotland’s Daily Record newspaper that she would sing at an open-air mass in Glasgow on September 16.

“It is my greatest dream come true,” said the 49-year-old, a devout

Catholic and former church volunteer. She will perform “I Dreamed A Dream”, the song which propelled her to fame last year when a clip of her singing received more than 120 million views on YouTube, as well as the hymn “How Great Thou Art”.

“To be able to sing for the pope is a great honour and something I’ve always dreamed of. It’s indescribable,” Boyle told the Daily Record.

“I think September 16 will stand out in my memory as something I’ve always wanted to do. I’ve always wanted to sing for His Holiness and I can’t really put into words my happiness that this wish has come true at last.”

She said the pope’s four-day state visit — which some in Britain have criticised because of the cost and the scandal over clerical child sex abuse — was a “very big event” for Scotland’s estimated 670,000 Catholics. “My own faith is the backbone of my life. I pray and say the rosary each day and am very close to my religion,” the singer said. “I am humbled and honoured by this invitation and I hope I can do my best.”

The pope will visit England and Scotland from September 16 to 19, taking in Edinburgh, Glasgow, London and Birmingham, where he will preside over the beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman.

Lohan case due in court for next-step hearing Associated Press Writer

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – A prosecutor and Lindsay Lohan’s attorney are due in court Wednesday to discuss the next steps after the actress’ release from rehab. The hearing will be the first time Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Elden S. Fox will weigh in on the star’s probation violation sentence, which included a stint in jail, rehab and continued probation.

Lohan, 24, is not required to attend the hearing, court officials said.

Court and prosecution officials said Tuesday they did not know what would be discussed during the hearing. Los Angeles county district attorney’s spokeswoman Jane Robison said prosecutors would abide by whatever doctors evaluating Lohan recommended.

Fox had been expected to issue a ruling on the actress’ case on Tuesday afternoon, but superior court spokesman Allan Parachini said any ruling would come at Wednesday’s hearing. Lohan’s attorney, Shawn Chapman Holley, did not respond to e-mail and phone messages seeking comment. Fox took over after another Judge Marsha Revel recused herself from the case after a prosecutor complained the judge met with defense attorneys and called rehabilitation programs without notifying her.

Revel ruled in July Lohan violated her probation in a 2007 drug case by missing seven alcohol education

AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Mikhail Klimentyev, Presidential Press Service

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, left, hosting Bono, the lead singer of Irish band U2, right, in the Bocharov Ruchei residence near the Russia’s Black Sea resort of Sochi, on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2010.

Rock-loving Russian president meets U2’s Bono Agence France Presse

MOSCOW - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and U2 frontman Bono vowed to fight against the spread of polio as they met Tuesday ahead of the Irish rock band’s first ever concert in the country this week. Russian television showed Medvedev meeting Bono for tea on the terrace of his holiday villa, Bocharov Ruchei, near the Black Sea resort town of Sochi, which will host the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Medvedev, who has confessed his love for classic rock bands Pink Floyd and Deep Purple, wore an open-necked shirt and clutched a pair of sunglasses for the meeting, while Bono dressed more formally in a dark jacket and his trademark earring.

Topics of the teatime conversation

included preventing the spread of polio and HIV, the RIA Novosti news agency reported. Bono is known as much for his campaign work as for his music and in 2006 launched a campaign to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria by selling specially branded goods.

The singer was photographed meet-

ing then-president Vladimir Putin at a Group Eight summit in Genoa, Italy, in 2001. Talking to Russian journalists on Sunday, Bono joked that he would cancel the meeting with Medvedev because of his musical tastes.

Told that Medvedev favours rock band Deep Purple, Bono jokingly got up from his seat and said “Oh no, we’re cancelling the meeting,” the Kommersant daily reported on Monday. Bono arrived in Moscow on Sunday as part of the band’s 360 Degree world tour, which will include a performance at Moscow’s Luzhniki sports stadium on Wednesday.

Faith Hill in concert in La. for Katrina’s victims Associated Press Writer

AP Photo/Al Seib, file

Lindsay Lohan

classes since December. Lohan spent 14 days in jail and was immediately taken to an inpatient rehabilitation facility at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, where she had been ordered to remain for three months.

Holley announced shortly before Lohan was taken to jail on July 20 that the actress had completed her alcohol education program. Revel also ordered Lohan to remain on probation and undergo random drug and alcohol testing after her jail and rehab stays.

Lohan pleaded guilty in August 2007 to two misdemeanor counts of being under the influence of cocaine; no contest to two counts of driving with a blood-alcohol level above 0.08 percent and one count of reckless driving. She was sentenced to three years of probation.

NEW ORLEANS – Country music star Faith Hill says giving back just comes naturally for the Mississippi native, and she has a message for those still recovering from Hurricane Katrina. “We are here for you still and you are not forgotten,” Hill said before headlining a free concert Tuesday evening in New Orleans to support those still rebuilding five years later.

She said the evening at the Mahalia Jackson Theater was intended to celebrate how far the Gulf Coast has come since the 2005 storm flooded New Orleans and surrounding areas of Louisiana and Mississippi.

“I feel like it’s my responsibility to give back,” Hill said. “When you’ve been given so much, it’s only right that I do what I can to help, if I can.” The Dirty Dozen Brass Band opened Tuesday’s event and about 2,200 tickets were distributed in New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Lafayette

and the Mississippi cities of Biloxi and Jackson.

Mona Rowe, of Perkinston, Miss., said she was glad to have the opportunity to see Hill perform. “She is just outstanding,” Rowe said. “She knows and understands what we went through and what we’re trying to do.”

Hill took the stage after the Dirty Dozen’s set, opening with her hits “Free” and “Wild One” before bringing the New Orleans-based brass band back on stage to play backup on her song, “There Will Come A Day.” “The Dirty Dozen Brass Band must come back on stage,” Hill told the audience, to rousing applause.

“You guys were simply amazing.”

After singing “This Kiss,” one of her No. 1 hits, and “Let Me Let Go,” Hill told the crowd that she didn’t know where the music might take her.

“This city inspires great music and sometimes when I get together with my band I never know what will happen. We want you to just sit back and forget about it all and just have a great time. Can you do that?” she asked,

IBP/ist

Faith Hill

getting yells and applause in response.

Lola Russell, a paramedic from New Orleans, said she was one of the lucky first-responders to receive a free ticket to the event. She said Hill’s performance helps to keep the recovery in the spotlight. “She brought all these people here,” Russell said.

Life Style

International

13

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Japan high-tech toilet makers flush with success Agence France Presse

TOKYO - In Japan, the global leader in high-tech toilet design, the latest restroom marvel should come with a health warning for hypochondriacs — it doubles as a medical lab that can really spoil your day. Japanese toilets have long and famously dominated the world of bathroom hygiene with their array of functions, from posterior shower jets to perfume bursts and noise-masking audio effects for the easily-embarrassed.

AFP PHOTO/Kazuhiro NOGI

In a picture taken on August 19, 2010 an employee of Japan’s housing company Daiwa House demonstrates the compnay’s latest model, called “Intelligent Toilet”, manufactured by Toto, at Daiwa House show room in Tokyo.

The latest “intelligent” model, manufactured by market leader Toto, goes a step further and isn’t for the faint-hearted: it offers its users an instant health check-up every time they answer the call of nature.

Designed for the housing company Daiwa House with Japan’s growing army of elderly in mind, it provides urine analysis, takes the user’s blood pressure and body temperature, and measures their weight with an inbuilt floor scale. “Our chairman had the idea when he was at a hospital and saw people waiting for health checks.

He thought it would be better if they could do the health tests at home,” says Akiho Suzuki, an architect at Daiwa House.

Toto’s engineers developed a receptacle inside the basin to collect the urine for sugar content and temperature checks, and an armband to monitor blood pressure. The readout is displayed on a wall-mounted com-

puter screen.

“With the current model, your data is sent automatically to your personal computer, and then you can email it to your doctor,” said Suzuki. “In the next generation model, the data will be sent automatically to family members or doctors via the Internet,” she told AFP. The electronic marvel, called the “Intelligence Toilet”, is capable of storing the data of up to five different people and retails for 350,000 to 500,000 yen (about 4,100 to 5,850 dollars) in Japan, she said.

“For now our customers are essentially middle-aged and senior people.

But we hope the young generation will also become more health-conscious.”

The model is the latest advance in a string of sophisticated toilets, known as “washlets” in Japan, which have become ubiquitous in recent decades.

The first models were imported from the United States, where they had been used mainly in hospitals, and

quickly became standard in Japan in the booming 1980s, finding their way into at least 70 percent of Japanese homes now.

Pioneering Toto designed its first models by asking hundreds of its employees to test a toilet and mark, using a string stretched across the bowl and a piece of paper, their preferred location for the water jet target area.

“For the problem of nozzle angle and water temperature, there was a particular development team dedicated to these tests,” Kuno recalled.

First-time foreign visitors to Japan are often baffled by the complexity of Japanese high-tech toilets, which feature computerised control panels, usually with Japanese language instructions as well as small pictograms.

Standard functions include heated seats, water jets with pressure and temperature controls, hot-air bottom dryers and ambient background music.

Swiss Alpine valleys get leisurely ‘gold rush’ Agence France Presse

DISENTIS - With a slight drizzle, a chilly breeze and a sunless sky, it was not quite the perfect summer’s day to spend hours alongside the Upper Rhine river in eastern Switzerland’s majestic Alps. Yet several determined gold panners were doing just that, standing in knee-high fishermen’s boots, armed with pails and spades and heads bent in concentration as they swirled gritty water in flat pans.

The site at Disentis has earned a reputation for yielding not only specks of the precious metal but,

on rare occasions, whole nuggets.

“To find gold, one needs a lot of patience and time. But gold is something special,” August Braendle, the local expert in the art, told AFP. “Gold has a certain magic, when one is holding this heavy yellow metal in the hand, that is something special. You get a gold rush,” he said.

With gold prices skyrocketing as investors flock to the safe haven commodity in a wobbly world economy, panning for the shiny metal is back in fashion.

In June, gold prices climbed to a record, breaching 1,265 dollars an ounce. Today it still hovers above 1,220 dollars an ounce. The price

AFP PHOTO / Sebastian Derungs

In a picture taken on August 7, 2010 gold prospectors pan for gold in a river in the Napf Area in Switzerland. Goldpanners typically dig up buckets full of grit from the riverbed, which they then run through a sluice before the heavier sediments trapped in the metal contraption are slowly washed out in a pan, separating out the gold specks.

hike “could be a driving point bringing some people here because it is a hot topic in current affairs at the moment,” said Braendle.

“But I don’t think that it’s a main reason for most, because the gold we find here has a special value,” he said. Gold discovered in this quiet Rhine setting fetches a “naturally higher” price than that on the bullion market because it is panned by hand, Braendle asserted.

Gold panners typically dig up buckets full of grit from the riverbed then run this through a sluice — a metal contraption placed in the river — which holds back heavier sediments, including any gold. Contents of the sluice are then emptied into a flat pan and swirled around to filter out the gold specks.

Braendle points to his gold ear stud and pendant. “These here are all from this river.” He’s even found his way into local lore with the nickname “Gold Gusti”, thanks to the biggest nugget he has found yet — 48.7 grams — that is locked up tight in his bank vault.

His nugget was also a record for Switzerland but that was quickly smashed when another gold panner, Peter Boelsterli, found one weighing 123.1 grams in the same river.

“There are still many secrets here,” insisted Braendle, who quit his job with a computing firm in Zurich and moved to Disentis in 1995 to immerse himself in his passion.

Kangaroo is seen hopping on the beach in Australia

IBP/ist

Australia, Japan, China top Asia destinations: survey Agence France Presse

SINGAPORE - Australia, Japan and China are the most desirable destination for travelling in the AsiaPacific, according to an international survey Wednesday. Seventeen percent named Australia as the country they would most like to visit in the next two years, according to the Asia Pacific Travel Survey 2010, with 16 percent choosing Japan and nine percent preferring China.

“With Australia’s great natural beauty and Japan’s rich culture and history it is not surprising that one in five people say they would consider visiting these destinations,” said Ross Jackson, regional head of cross-border business at payments firm Visa, which co-commissioned the study.

He added that “the all round tourism products” in Australia and Japan “puts them high on any

traveller’s list.” Australia came top among New Zealanders, Britons, Americans and Japanese, while South Koreans, Taiwanese, Thais and Hong Kongers favoured Japan, said the survey, which was also commissioned by Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).

“Travel intention intelligence such as is revealed in this annual survey... is critical for today’s destination and product marketers given pressures placed on them to improve returns on investment even as budgets are being squeezed,” said PATA chief executive Greg Duffell.

The survey, carried out online in May, asked 6,714 people from 11 Asia-Pacific markets as well as the United States and Britain about their travel plans. The respondents, all Internet users aged 18 and above, had been abroad on holiday in the past two years or intend to in the next two years.

14

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Sport

International

FIFA drop North Korea World Cup probe Agence France Presse

NYON, Switzerland – A FIFA investigation into claims that members of North Korea’s World Cup squad had been punished following their failure to win a match has been dropped, world football’s governing body said on Wednesday. The FIFA probe had been launched after reports that several players had been publicly humiliated and coach Kim Jong-Hun sentenced to hard labour for the team’s losses in South Africa.

FIFA said in a statement Wednesday that following a letter of inquiry they accepted the North Korean FA’s

insistence that the reports were “baseless”.

The North Korean FA said the team was “training as usual” ahead of the Asian Games and there was no truth to the reports. The association also provided evidence to show that recent presidential elections were held in accordance with FIFA rules and were not affected by the World Cup as only one game had been played at that time.

FIFA said they were satisfied with the information received. “With all of the information at hand, and having checked all of its sources, FIFA has decided to close the matter,” a statement said.

Gerrard, Torres ruled out of Turkey trip AFP PHOTO/ OLIVIER MORIN

Werder Bremen’s Claudio Pizzaro (C) celebrates his goal during their Champion’s League playoff round second leg football match against Sampdoria at the Luigi Ferrari Stadium on August 24, 2010 in Genoa. Sampdoria won 3-2.

Werder hit back to oust Sampdoria Agence France Presse

ROME - Werder Bremen hit back from a 3-0 deficit to knock Sampdoria out of the Champions League in a thrilling match at the Marassi stadium in Genoa on Tuesday that went to extratime. Samp seemed to be cruising after a brace from Giampaolo Pazzini and a backheel from Antonio Cassano gave them a 3-0 lead with five minutes to play.

But Markus Rosenberg equalised deep into injury-time and former Chelsea forward Claudio Pizarro struck the decisive goal in extra-time to send the Germans into the group stages with a 5-4 aggregate victory despite a 3-2 defeat.

Sampdoria had not played in the Champions League since 1992 and captain Angelo Palombo admitted their opponents had more nous when it came to the highest level.

“It feels bad, we were winning 3-0 and we should have better managed the end of the game.

“Maybe we’d given too much physically and we’d run out of steam in extra-time. “But they’re a real team, they have a lot of experience, they only created two or three chances.

“It weighs heavy, it’s a shame, it was a dream, it would have brought a lot of money to the team. But we’ll be patient, we’ll try again. “We still have the Europa League to play, it’s a big competition, there are some good teams, some great players.”

Werder coach Thomas Schaaf was exuberant in contrast as his side showed there is life after German star midfielder Mesut Ozil, who signed earlier this month for

Real Madrid. “We are all very happy - though I don’t know why we have to do things so much the hard way. That was one heck of a game. After 13 minutes were were up against it but thank God we managed to wriggle out of it.”

Trailing 3-1 from the first leg Samp needed a bright start to give them a chance and they got it through the live-wire Pazzini and some decidedly shoddy defending. Within the first quarter hour, Samp had completely turned the tie around.

On eight minutes Cassano peeled out to the left and swung in a right footed inswinging cross to the back post where Pazzini rose unchallenged to head home from six yards at Tim Wiese’s near post. On 13 minutes it was two after a stunning effort from the 26-year-old Italy frontman.

Marius Stankevicius sent a free-kick from wide right to the back post where Clemens Fritz failed to react until it was too late and Pazzini was left to catch the ball with a sumptuous volley from 15 yards into the top corner.

Werder finally stemmed the tide on 24 minutes as Torsten Frings’s corner was headed goalwards by Tim Borowski but

Gianluca Curci made a comfortable save before moments later Sandro Wagner dragged a shot wide from 20 yards. Pazzini almost had his hat-trick on 40 minutes as again he rose unmarked, this time from a corner, but Fritz was on the post to hack clear off the line.

Pazzini was just inches away from turning home Stefano Guberti’s ball across the box with the goal gaping early in the second period.

Werder had created little but 20 minutes from time Per Mertesacker climbed well but couldn’t keep his header on target. Cassano seemed to have sealed a deserved victory when his cheeky flick from Franco Semioli’s cross deceived Wiese five minutes from time.

But three minutes into injury time Rosenberg was given time and space to pick his spot from 20 yards and his crisp shot slightly to the right of the D nestled in the far corner with Curci beaten.

And then in the 10th minute of extra-time, Marko Marin beat two players and fed Pizarro, whose firm effort sneaked just inside the post.

Agence France Presse

LIVERPOOL - Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard and striker Fernando Torres have both been ruled out of their Europa League play-off second leg against Trabzonspor in Turkey on Thursday, the Premier League club said.

Gerrard has a back problem and manager Roy Hodgson does not want to risk Torres in a third successive game after his injury problems last season.

Both should be fit for Sunday’s Premier League clash with West Brom.

“Steven Gerrard unfortunately has had a recurrence of the back problem which he gets from time to time,” said Hodgson. “Hopefully it won’t stop him playing on Sunday.

“With Fernando Torres we’ve made the decision that we don’t wish to risk him three games in a row at this stage of the season with him having done so well to get back this quickly.”

Defender Daniel Agger (concussion) and Maxi Rodriguez (illness) are also missing from the squad which travels to Turkey on Wednesday with a 1-0 lead from the first leg. “Agger played in the game on Monday (the 3-0 defeat to Manchester City) which was to some extent against medical advice.

“He wanted to play but felt a bit sick after the game. That’s mainly due to the concussion he suffered (against Arsenal), so it would be foolish for us to risk him.

“Maxi is sick. He’s in bed at the moment with a bit of gastroenteritis, so he’s out of the question.” Hodgson admitted they face a battle against Trabzonspor after failing to put the match beyond reach at Anfield last week, with Joe Cole missing a penalty.

“We missed a golden opportunity to kill the game off at Anfield and now we’ve got it all to do,” he added. “It’s going to be a very tough ask for the players in a difficult place.

“They are one of the two or three best teams in Turkey at the moment and Turkish football is of a very high standard. “Everyone who’s been to Trabzon tells me it’s a remarkably difficult place to play.

“They’re a hostile and fanatic crowd and it’s a difficult pitch. “But if we come through it we’ll come through it stronger.”

Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard, left, vies for the ball against Manchester City’s Adam Johnson during their English Premier League soccer match at the City of Manchester Stadium, Manchester, England, Monday Aug. 23, 2010.

(AP Photo/Tim Hales)

Sport

International

Thursday, August 26, 2010

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Roddick to defend Brisbane International title Agence France Presse

SYDNEY - Former world number one Andy Roddick will defend his title at Australia’s Brisbane International tennis tournament in January, officials said Wednesday. Roddick, currently ranked ninth in the world, said he would use the event to prepare for the 2011 Australian Open, after reaching the quarter-finals there this year.

“I enjoyed the tournament and I feel it is the best preparation for me for the Australian Open,” the American said. “It was a big tournament for me last year just because I was coming off an extended lay-off and so I was a little anxious to get back out on the court.

“Obviously to come away with a win was more than I expected, and it was a good memory.” Roddick holds the record for the fastest serve

in professional tennis, a blistering 249.5 kilometres per hour (155 miles), and Brisbane International director Steve Ayles said the American was an exciting signing.

“He is our defending champion and it only seems fitting to have the former number one and 2003 US Open champion the first locked in for 2011,” he said.

Ayles added that Australia’s top women’s player Samantha Stosur,

currently ranked sixth in the world, had also been confirmed.

Stosur reached this year’s French Open final before losing to Italy’s Francesca Schiavone in what Ayles described as an “inspiring” run of form.

“With any luck I will get the chance to be there on the final day of the tournament and be the first Aussie champion of the Brisbane international,” Stosur said.

AFP PHOTO/FILES/ANTONIO SCORZA

FILES) In a file picture taken on August 14, 2008, China’s basketball star Yao Ming prepares to throw during their men’s preliminary round group B with Angola at the Olympic Basketball Arena during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

(AP Photo/David Kohl)

Andy Roddick, from the United States, returns a volley to Novak Djokovic, from Serbia, in a quarterfinal match at the Cincinnati Masters tennis tournament, Friday, Aug. 20, 2010, in Mason, Ohio.

Roddick won 6-4, 7-5.

Bolt extends Puma sponsorship deal until 2013 Agence France Presse

BERLIN - Jamaican sprint superstar Usain Bolt has renewed his contract with German sportswear giant Puma through until the end of 2013.

Puma said that while the specific terms of the contract were undisclosed, the deal would make the reigning 100m and 200m world record holder and double world and Olympic champion in both those events the best paid on the circuit.

“The figure is by far the largest ever given to a track and field athlete, positioning Bolt as a top earner in the world of sport, a further acknowledgment of his astonishing achievements over the past two years,” Puma said.

The German company first signed with the Jamaican in 2003 when he was just 16 years old. Bolt has brought an early end to his season this year because of a nagging back problem.

China’s Yao resumes practices with Rockets Agence France Presse

HOUSTON, Texas - China’s Yao Ming, who missed last season with injuries, returned to the court Tuesday after doctors gave him the green light to play basketball again. The Houston Rockets star underwent surgery on his left foot last year and on Monday team doctor Tom Clanton said it was fully healed, clearing the way for Yao to resume practices with the NBA team.

“I am very excited,” Yao said Tuesday. “I am just looking forward to playing a great season. I think I can count on my foot now.”

The 7-foot-6 Yao worked out at the Toyota Center arena with Rocket teammates James Cripe and Chuck Hayes. He landed awkwardly on the foot once and winced but then quickly resumed practice. Yao started running again two months ago and is pleased with the way the rehabilitation is progressing.

“That’s just the confidence,” Yao said. “I think everybody would have that after a foot injury, and (I’m) just still a little bit weak on that. I just need to continue to build on that.

Compared to two months ago, it’s really a lot better.”

General manager Daryl Morey said they don’t want to rush Yao back in the lineup and his minutes would probably be limited to start with.

“It’s great news,” Morey said.

“It’s what we anticipated, but until you get over these milestones, you’re never for sure. He looks like his old self. He still has a ways to go on his wind and things like that. But it’s just good to see him out there.”

Yao said last season he had doubts about his return but support from his teammates helped him recover sooner. “That was really a hard month for me,” Yao said of being told he would miss an entire season.

“I got a lot of phone calls from the Rockets staff, coaches, players,

teammates and my friends and of course, my family will always be there to stay with me.

“That was the hardest time, (and it’s) already passed. Now, we’re looking forward and making something good.” Houston begins training camp on September 25. They will travel to China in mid-October for two preseason games against New Jersey.

The seven-time all-star lost 40 pounds in the past few months and said he would work hard over the next few weeks to shed more weight and get in game shape.

“I’m really, really not in good shape right now,” he said. “I’m probably a little bit away from game shape. The good news is we still have one month until training camp, and two months to the season.” In seven seasons in the NBA, Yao has averaged 19.1 points and 9.3 rebounds. He was the Rockets number one overall draft pick in 2002.

(AP Photo/Michael Probst, File)

FILE - In this Aug. 6, 2010, file photo, of Jamaican Usain Bolt as he competes in the 100m race during the Diamond League Athletics meeting in Stockholm, Sweden. Puma says Usain Bolt has become “the best paid athlete in track and field history”, by agreeing to extend his contract with the German apparel company through 2013.

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Thursday, August 26, 2010

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

Sport

Massa: We’re in good shape for Spa Agence France Presse

Felipe Massa says he feels that Ferrari is in good shape heading to the Belgian Grand Prix this weekend as the team seeks to maintain the strong form it showed prior to F1’s summer break.

A dominant performance in Germany – team orders row aside – brought the team right back into contention, with Fernando Alonso now just 20 points away from championship leader Lewis Hamilton heading into the final two rounds of the European season.

However, while he feels the team is in good shape for the Belgian Grand Prix, Massa admitted it was hard to make too many predictions ahead of the weekend given how close things are between the leading teams.

“We look in good shape, with some new parts coming as part of our constant development

programme on the F10,” he said.

“The last time I raced here was in 2008 and it’s not just because I won the race that I love this track. I think all the drivers look forward to racing on this fabulous circuit. It is high speed, requiring less downforce than at many of the other tracks and fortunately, in the last few races, we showed that we have returned to being very competitive, even better than we had expected.

“But it is very hard to predict what could happen, as the small differences between the top teams means that performance has been very much track specific in terms of who had the slight advantage over the rest. As

usual we need to wait and see how free practice goes before knowing what to expect.”

Massa added that the team need to continue to build on its performances prior to the summer shutdown to maintain its title bid, with the Brazilian insisting that an exciting conclusion to the season lies ahead.

“There are only seven races left to go and I think that for the spectators and viewers at least, it should be a really exciting final part of the year, even if it might be a bit more tense for those of competing,” he said. “But myself and Ferrari have been in this sort of situation before and we know how to deal with the pressure, by concentrating on the job in hand.

“Now we must build on the way we ended up just before the break, being competitive and putting ourselves back in the fight.”

Ducati hope new fork hands Stoner final two tenths CASEY Stoner will start this weekend’s Indianapolis Grand Prix with a new front fork, which Ducati hope can hand the Australian the two tenths a lap that separates him from victory. Although on the podium for the last five rounds - comprising four thirds and one second place - Stoner hasn’t won since Malaysia last year.

There have been eleven races since then and world champion Valentino Rossi, traditionally the biggest obstacle between any other rider and a MotoGP victory, has missed four of them.

Stoner feels he is close to standing on the top step, but has spoken of hitting a performance wall with his GP10, which pre-

vents him raising his pace a little more to match the likes of Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa.

The #27 - who battled front end problems with his Ducati at the start of the year, prompting him to switch back to last year’s Ohlins fork - will now hope that the revised design works as well as it had in the Brno post-race test.

“We’ll start out on Friday with the new front fork because our first impressions of it were good although we still have to decide whether we’ll use it for the race,” said Stoner.

“We’ll also try some settings on the rear that we managed to get a few laps on at Brno but that also need checking out.”

“We go to Indy with some things to try that we hope can give Casey

those two tenths he’s missing,” confirmed team manager Vittoriano Guareschi. “Over the past few months he’s been happy with the engine and the handling of the GP10 but never really able to get a good feeling for the front.

“The new fork we tried in the Czech Republic seems to have given him a little confidence so we’ll fit it to one of his two bikes on Friday afternoon. If his feeling is as good as it was at Brno we’ll use it in the race. Also Nicky [Hayden], of course, can use it if he wants to.”

Stoner finished fourth in the inaugural, storm shortened, 2008 Indianapolis Grand Prix, but missed last year’s event due to sickness.

Casey Stoner

IBP/ist

IBP/ist

Felipe Massa