Edisi 27 September 2010 | International Bali Post

16 Pages Number 183 2st Year

Knife removed from Brazil man’s head after 3 years

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e-mail: info_ibp@balipost.co.id online: http://www.internationalbalipost.com. http://epaper.internationalbalipost.com.

Diparda Bali optimistic to reach 4 million domestic tourists PAGE 8

US starlet Lindsay Lohan bails out of jail PAGE 16

AP Photo/Jon Super

A Pakistan International Airlines airplane at Manchester Airport Manchester, England, Saturday Sept. 25, 2010. The aircraft was held earlier in the day in Stockholm when Swedish police evacuated the plane carrying 273 people and detained one passenger after Canadian authorities received a tip-off that he was carrying explosives. However, no explosives were found on the man, who was released after questioning by police, or on the Boeing 777.

Bomb scare diverts plane; may have been a hoax Associated Press Writer

STOCKHOLM – Canadian police are investigating whether a phoned-in hoax caused a Pakistani jet to be diverted to Stockholm for several hours Saturday for fear that one of its passengers was carrying explosives. Police evacuated 273 people from the jet, and briefly detained a Canadian man, after an anonymous caller in Canada tipped-off authorities that the suspect was carrying explosives.

WEATHER FORECAST

However, no explosives were found on the man, who was released after questioning by police,

or on the Boeing 777 from Pakistan International Airlines, which had been bound from Toronto to

Karachi, Pakistan. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said it was investigating whether the incident

was a “terrorism hoax.”

“If the information is deemed to be a hoax, the person who passed along that information can be charged for public mischief,” said spokeswoman Sgt. Julie Gagnon in Ottawa. All passengers — except the suspect — were allowed back on the plane at Stockholm’s Arlanda airport nine hours later.

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CITY

TEMPERATURE OC

DENPASAR

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JAKARTA

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Ed Miliband elected Labour Party leader

BANDUNG

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Agence France Presse

YOGYAKARTA

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SURABAYA

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MANCHESTER – The Labour Party has elected Ed Miliband as its new leader, choosing him by a knifeedge margin over his better-known older brother, former foreign secretary David Miliband. The 40-year-old former climate change minister won by 50.65 percent to 49.35 percent for David, who had been the favourite until the last days of the four-month contest to replace Gordon Brown.

Although David won the majority of votes of lawmakers and party members in the three-way ballot,

SUNNY

BRIGHT/CLOUDY

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Ed Miliband

Ed secured victory with support from the trade unions, who provide most of Labour’s funding.

In his acceptance speech, Miliband promised to unite the centre-left party after the divisions that characterised Labour’s 13 years in power, caused by the bitter rivalry between former premiers Tony Blair and Brown. He has a tough battle to move past the party’s heavy defeat in May elections, which cost Brown his job as leader.

And he pledged to take the fight to Prime Minister David Cameron’s Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition and offer an alternative to

its plans for slashing public spending quickly to tackle a record deficit. “Today’s election turns the page because a new generation has stepped forward to serve our party, and in time I hope to serve our country. Today the work of the new generation begins,” Miliband said.

“I am proud of the leadership of both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown but we lost the election, and we lost it badly. “And my message to the country is this — I know we lost trust, I know we lost touch, I know we need to change.”

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International

Monday, September 27, 2010

Bali News Puseh Temple of Les Village:

Vigilance remains high

Exuding spiritual vibrations of Ancient Bali period

Tourists requested not to be restless

THE life during the Bali Mula or Ancient Bali apparently was not only an age worth remembering as merely a political history of the kings and past royal period before the Majapahit people set foot on the Bali Island. As a matter of fact, the Ancient Bali can give spiritual vibration on the unique life relationship between the humans and the ruler as well as the man and its creator. These vibrations can be proved by visiting Puseh Temple of Les Penuktukan Village or commonly known as Puseh Panjingan Temple at Les Penuktukan Customary Village, Tejakula subdistrict, Buleleng.

Puseh Temple of Les Penuktukan located in the customary village of Les Penuktukan (merger of Les and Penuktukan customary village, Tejakula). On the hand, this temple is indeed considered a part of local village trinity temple. But, in reality this temple has a unique and long history, even the temple is also worshipped by devotees all this time had been living in the vicinity of Mount Batur, including devotees in the village of Les Penuktukan.

Puseh Temple standing still majestically on the southern hillside of the Les Customary Village is indeed inseparable from the existence of the Dalem Balingkang or Pucak Panarajon or Pucak Penulisan Temple at Kintamani, Bangli. It is proven by the existence of Dalem Balingkang Temple as a temple and royal palace of the Ancient Bali Kingdom. It is also recorded in the chronicle of Les Penuktukan Customary Village, Tejakula. The chronicle was issued by King Jaya Kasunu around the eleventh century and recorded as the predecessor of King Jaya Pangus Harkajalancana. Another temple whose existence is inseparable from Puseh Temple of Les Penuktukan is Bale Agung Temple at Sukawana Village, Kintamani.

The four temples do not only have religious ties to deities abiding in each temple. However, they also had a humane relationship among villagers becoming the supporting devotees or pengemong in every temple. Such religious and humane relationship continues until today where all customary villagers of Les Penuktukan always put atos or offerings on every anniversary of Dalem Balingkang. Such offerings can be in the form of 200 eggs, 200 kilograms of rice, and 1000 pieces of perforated coins. Conversely, on the anniversary of Puseh Temple of Les Penuktukan, the customary villagers of Kintamani would also come down to Les Penuktukan to deliver atos in the form spices amounting to 15 timbang or scales.

In addition, the Les Penuktukan customary village also delivers similar atos every year to Bale Agung Temple of Sukawana Village on the temple anniversary. The atos consists of 11 coconuts, rice, white sticky rice and black sticky rice. In addition, once every 20 years, they also offer atos in form of a buffalo to the temple of Sukawana Village. All offerings or atos were written in the Raja Purana inscription of the temple and it still in practice until these days.

Other than on the Raja Purana inscription of the temple, the historical relationships of devotees and deities both in worldly and spiritual aspect, has also been delivered through oral traditions from generation to generation so its spiritual vibrations keeps on being imprinted in every single step’s motion of the life of Les Penuktukan customary villagers until now.

Secretary of Les Penuktukan Customary Village, Nyoman Adnyana, said that such existing relations were inseparable from the history of Ancient Bali residents. Among the customary villager associations there is an alliance named Gebog Domas (a group of eight hundred). Gebog Domas was subdivided into four and each named Kanca Satak (a group of two hundred).

Each Kanca Satak consists of Kanca Satak Sukawana, Kanca Satak Kintamani, Kanca Satak Salulung and Kanca Satak Bantang. Kanca Satak Sukawana is composed of the Sukawana, Pinggan, Batih, Kutuh and Subaya Customary Village. Then, Pinggan Village forms Gebog Satak comprising the customary villages of Pinggan, Siyakin and Blandingan in Kintamani subdistrict, Bangli. This Gebog Satak also includes the village of Tembok, Gretek, Sambirenteng and Les Penuktukan in Tejakula subdistrict, Buleleng.

The Kanca Satak Kintamani consists of 16 customary villages such as Awan, Serahi, Gunung Bawu, Katung, Langgahan, Lembeyen, Bonyoh and others. Then, Kanca Satak Salulung covers the Daup, Salulung, Belantih,

Pangejeran, and Catur customary villagers. Finally, in Kanca Satak Bantang consists of Dausa, Lateng, Cenigaan, Satra and Tanah Embut Village.

Association of Gebog Domas villagers has a main temple called Pucak Panarajon Temple on Penulisan Hill of Kintamani and Tegeh Kahuripan Temple. The Puncak Panarajon Temple poses the first temple in Bali by Ida Bathara Siwa Sakti from Semeru, East Java. Deity abiding at Panarajon Temple is Ida Bhatara Hyang Pasupati.

Aside from the main temple, there are also three other temples commonly known as Tri Sakti or Tri Khayangan or trinity village temple consisting of Bale Agung Temple at Sukawana Village, Puseh Temple at Les Penuktukan Village and Dalem Balingkang Temple.

In the Bale Agung Temple abides Ida Bathara Ratu Sakti Kentel Gumi equivalent to Lord Brahma. Then, in Puseh Temple at Les Penuktukan abides Ida Ratu Sakti Pusering Jagat equivalent to Lord Vishnu. And, then in Dalem Balingkang Temple abides Ida Dalem Kepogan (Dalem Balingkang) equivalent to Lord Shiva.

On that account, Puseh Temple at Les Penuktukan is not just a part of the village trinity temple worshipped solely

by Les Penuktukan Customary Village.

It is a great temple inseparable from the other three temples and always visited

by Hindu devotees throughout Bali and outside Bali. In addition, since it has a great historical value, the Puseh temple was also worth making into cultural heritage as expected by customary villagers of Les Penuktukan.

Les Penuktukan villagers represented by the secretary Nyoman Adnyana conveyed the history and uniqueness of the temples when the Governor of Bali Mangku Pastika accompanied by the Regent of Bangli Made Gianyar and Deputy Regent of Buleleng Made Arga Pynatih said prayers together and signed the inscription of the Puseh Temple in the series of ngenteg linggih, balik sumpah and pemelaspasan rituals at the temple on Wednesday (Sep 22) night. (ole)

Amlapura (Bali Post)—

Community and tourists need not worry about the security at tourist destinations in Karangasem. Though there are increasing terrorist activities and even attacked police station and killed three people as the incident in Sumatra, they should not worry about if it happened in Bali.

This appeal was announced by Chief of Karangasem Police, Heny Harsono through Spokesperson I Wayan Wirata, Saturday (Sep 25) in Karangasem. He said that custody at vital objects, as well as in police stations, subdistrict police and regency police remained as usual.

Vigilance stayed high, although in the ordinary situation or in any condition as developed lately. Custody at vital objects, headquarters, police post, subdistrict police, banks and mortgage offices, other than conducted by officers in a closed security system, was also backed up by the intelligence officers accompanied by patrols.

“Stricter identity checks to any person or passengers entering Bali through the Padangbai Harbor keeps on run-

ning. Identity examination to regional migrants involves a complete team, namely Karangasem Population and Civil Registry Office, public order agency (Pol PP), police and national armed forces,” he said.

As reported previously, more than 50 regional migrants or incoming passengers to Bali through Padangbai Harbor during the recent backflow were repatriated to their home villages. According to the Division Head of Demographic Services at the Karangasem Population and Civil Registry Office I Gede Sukerana, they were repatriated or sent back home to propose their identity card because they did not carry identity cards.

In the meantime, based on observation made in Karangasem last Sunday, custody at subdistrict police and regency police looked as usual. On the other hand, custody at tourist object also took place as in normal condition. Tourists on the beaches like Candidasa and Tulamben tourist areas seemed to enjoy their holiday relaxingly and with ease. (013)

BPM Bali: Foreign Investment Misunderstand Rules Denpasar (Bali Post) –

Foreigners who invested in Bali was said to have not understood the rules to invest, according to Head of Bali Province Investment Board (BPM). This misunderstanding has caused not purposed violations.

“Foreign investors are obeying the rules but their understanding is still less so they were found violating most of the times. Many think after getting the principal permit from Investment Coordination Board of the Indonesian Republic (BPKM RI) they can straight away construct,” Head of Bali BPM, Ir. I Nyoman Suwirya Patra, MM explained in Denpasar last Friday (24/9).

It was said, foreigner who has had the permit then came to the region’s BPM connected and got the agreement for the new investment to be done, “Foreign investment has to complete the region’s rules. If this permit is not as the policy that is in the area, BPM has the right to decline by sending a letter to BKPM RI. Investments in Bali in a form of Foreign Investment (PMA) or Home Investment (PMDN) has to be a Limited Company (Persero Terbatas – PT)

and the company built has go towards the investment negative list, “If the investment is not according to the region’s policy and silently constructs, BPM coordinating with Civil Police Service can break it down even has the principal permit from BKPM RI.” Connecting to the 2010 investment Bali is expected to be flooded with PMA. Until the first semester the number of PMA has reached IDR 4,2 Trillion. Actually Bali targeted to get IDR 3,1 Trillion and this is dominated most by the tourism sector, “The foreign investment growth in Bali is not far from tourism potential in Bali.”

Bali became a target to the foreigners as it’s a great potential tourism business area. Compared to 2009, the foreign investment growth in Bali has far increased as in year 2009 PMA reached 1,9 trillion, “PMA that came in 2010 dominated by tourism sector and its supports. Hotel and restaurants also transportation became targeted sectors.”

Bali in year 2010 has been in the four big destinations for investors after Jakarta, East Java and Papua.

Yet Bali not only has mine potential and trading but also as an investor target. (Par)

z Founder : K.Nadha, z General Manager :Palgunadi Chief Editor: Diah Dewi Juniarti z Editors: Gugiek Savindra,Alit Susrini, Alit Sumertha, Daniel Fajry, Mawa, Sri Hartini, Suana, Sueca, Sugiartha, Wirya, Yudi Winanto zDenpasar: Dira Arsana, Giriana Saputra, Subagiadnya, Subrata, Suentra, Sumatika, Asmara Putra. Bangli: Pujawan, Buleleng: Adnyana, Gianyar: Agung Dharmada, Karangasem: Budana, Klungkung: Bali Putra Ariawan, Tabanan: Surpi. Jakarta: Nikson, Suharto Olii, Indu P. Adi, Ahmadi Supriyanto, Achmad Nasrudin, Hardianto, Darmawan S. Sumardjo, Heru B Arifin, Asep Djamaluddin, Ade Irawan, Ipik Tanoyo. NTB: Agus Talino, Syamsudin Karim, Izzul Khairi, Raka Akriyani, Nur Haedin, Suyadnya. Surabaya: Bambang Wilianto. z Development: Alit Purnata, Mas Ruscitadewi. z Office: Jalan Kepundung 67 A Denpasar 80232. Telephone (0361)225764, Facsimile: 227418, P.O.Box: 3010 Denpasar 80001. Bali Post Jakarta, Advertizing: Jl.Palmerah Barat 21F. Telp 021-5357602, Facsimile: 021-5357605 Jakarta Pusat. NTB: Jalam Bangau No. 15 Cakranegara Telp. (0370) 639543, Facsimile: (0370) 628257. Publisher: PT Bali Post

Bali News

International

Monday, September 27, 2010

3

Tackle Terrorism, Kuta Secured By Hundreds Police Denpasar (Bali Post) –

IBP/Bali Putra

One of the temples in Gunaksa village destroyed by flood on Friday September 24th 2010.

Gunaksa sinks: home, school and temple damaged Loss estimated to reach billions of rupiah Semarapura (Bali Post)—

Heavy rains continuing within the past week was claimed to afflict more victims in Klungkung Regency. Even, it was more severe. Having caused landslides and cut-off roads at some points, the recent heavy rains drowned Gunaksa Village, Dawan, Klungkung. Dozens of homes, schools, public facilities and temples destroyed due to the incident. Total loss was estimated to reach billions of rupiahs.

Coinciding with the celebration of Saraswati Day on Saturday (Sep 25), it seemed to become a concern of Gunaksa residents. Of course, the Saraswati celebration that should be filled with praying, but they continued to work hard for cleaning up the mud and various types of garbage filling their homes after the floods inundated Gunaksa Villages for the whole night on Friday (Sep 24).

Endeavor of local residents to clean up the house was getting more difficult as at the same time the water of Municipal Waterworks (PDAM) was not flowing. “Well, the water does not flow at all and many pipes of PDAM broke,” said Nengah Sumiarta, a resident of Patus Hamlet.

Aside from being filled by mud and garbage, the floods also caused many household items of this 34-year man to run off. More seriously, the compound wall of his home and family shrine also got destroyed. Height of the water reaching the neck of adult, made Sumiarta and his family fled to higher ground. Otherwise, the water would practically drown his small children.

Sumiarta chose the Pasek Batu Dinding clan temple as location of his refuge.

Meanwhile, other residents afflicted by the same fate also took refuge to that location.

The most severe flooding happened to Patus Hamlet, one of the seven hamlets existing at Gunaksa Village. At least, it hit several buildings belonging to 82 households out of 260 households

at the hamlet. Most of them settled on riverside of Tukad Lembeng stretching in the south of the hamlet. Water of the river spreading along the southern part of the hamlet becoming the estuary of some rivers such as Tukad Unda, Satria, Paksebali, Sampalan and others overflowed. The flood hit the compound wall and then flowed to the house of residents. The river’s water overflowed as its channel was clogged by garbage piling up under the bridge. It did not include the water coming from the highlands in the north of Gunaksa Village.

“Most of our residents had been evacuated to the Village Hall to avoid any casualties. Moreover, in the late night, the rains were getting heavier,” said the village chief of Gunaksa, Ketut Budiarta.

He recounted that the heavy rains at Gunaksa occurred since at 7:00 pm Local Time. The heaviest rain occurred around 9:00 pm. At that time, the water set to inundate up to neck-deep of adult. “On that account, we decided to evacuate our residents. Moreover, some of which were sick. In addition to the Village Hall, some others were also evacuated to temple nearby,” he added.

He admitted that such flooding occurred because of the shortage of wellmaintained sanitation, especially the sanitation of Tukad Lembeng. In addition, there were also minimal landfill locations at Gunaksa. Indeed, he said that a flood once occurred previously, but it was not as bad as the recent one.

“We are necessary to find out immedi-

ate solutions to anticipate similar disaster in the future,” he said.

Based on observation, other than dozens of homes buried by the mud and waste caused the compound wall and several other buildings destroyed, some temples and schools also suffered from damage such as the Pasek Paibon Pendekan temple. Severe damage afflicted SMAN 1 Dawan state senior high school. The flood destroyed the compound wall of the school. In addition, it also harmed 50 units of computer and tore down the antenna of national education network (Jardiknas) Internet connection, drowned the basketball court, classrooms and library.

Total loss of the school was estimated to reach hundreds of millions.

“Compound wall was established at a cost of IDR 250 million and eight units of computer worth IDR 130 million. It does not include other properties,” revealed a number of teachers.

Meanwhile, Subdistrict Head of Dawan, Wayan Sujana, admitted to have visited the location of flood together with Deputy Regent of Klungkung, Tjok Gede Agung. However, Sujana claimed to have not known what measures to take later on. His party should make coordination first with the Disaster Management Team of Klungkung Regency. Sujana also confessed to still inventory the precise number of loss caused by the flooding.

In the meantime, Deputy Regent Tjok Gede Agung could not be asked for his confirmation. (kmb20)

Kuta area and its surroundings got its attention from the police especially in securing it as Kuta, called as the international tourism barometer, needs to increase its security. So then hundreds police have been gathered to guard this place as said by Head of Bali Police Department Public Relations, Great Police Commissioner Gde Sugianyar last Friday (24/9).

It was said at least 200 personnel from the Bali Police have been sent to the vulnerable spots of Kuta, “The whole total is 200 personnel yet 75 of them came from the Bali Police Tourism Directory.”

The added personnel is to tackle terorism as lately in some Indonesian areas had been found some terrorism connected actions, “We suggest the public to be always aware. Don’t ignore it and always look over situations

around you.”

Not only just tackling terrorism, yet also for other kinds of crimes. As Kuta is an international area it is needed a relatively number of polices. Of course to secure it so all the residents and visitors feels comfortable and safe, “This added personnel is also to ease coordination on the field.”

Meanwhile Head of Bali Police General Police Inspector Drs. Hadiatmoko with Bali Governor Mangku Pastika also several officials from the Bali Police, held raids to Police Sectors in Denpasar and Badung. This is to make sure their readiness to secure their responsible areas such as in South Denpasar Police, Kuta Police, South Kuta Police and others in Jimbaran, “Head of Bali Police and Governor held raids on Thursday (23/9) evening.” (kmb21)

Biting Case Still Goes On, Bali Won’t Be Rabies Free Denpasar (Bali Post) –

An area categorized rabies free if there is no dog biting cases that caused death to human and no more death of dogs which are positive rabies. Bali targeted itself to be free of rabies year 2012 yet until now VAR (Anti Rabies Vaccination) demand is much higher than in 2009.

Head of Health Agency, dr. I Nyoman Sutedja when met on Friday (24/9) said the biting case year 2010 is increasing. This is seen through the VAR used by the public and the total budget in 2010 for VAR doubled the IDR 10 Billion in year 2009.

The total of VAR fee since rabies spread in year 2008 until August 2010 cost IDR 34 Billion.

The VAR will be needed more if there is a new death caused by a dog bite, “This is called the hysteria condition in the public. If they heard a new death caused by a dog bite, then they

had this fear so they’re more aware of it and get the VAR.” Even the VAR use in 2010 increased, it is hoped that it can prevent death from rabies. If this whole year 2010 all those bitten victims got VAR, then in year 2011 there shouldn’t be any death cases and it will decrease the need to the vaccination, “Yet if the victim was bitten in 2010 and did not use VAR then died in 2011, then VAR demand can increase again.”

Besides vaccination for the human, vaccination to the rabies carrier animals especially dogs needs to be aware of.

Actually the dogs vaccination should at least be given once in three or six months depends on the kind, “With no positive rabies dogs and no more death victims, so Bali can be free rabies.”

At this time Bali itself has around 11400 vial VAR stocks spread around Bali except Karangasem which’s stock empty. (kmb24)

Terrorist Anticipation

Army Special Force Trained with Australia Denpasar (Bali Post) –

Terrorism threats will never go and caught the Army (TNI) attention. So TNI especially Army Special Force (Kopassus) will increase their skills in securing the nation and anticipate terrorism in this country which in the near time they will held a training with Australian Special Force in Ngurah Rai International Airport, Tuban.

This was revealed in a gathering

by Head of Pendam IX Udayana, Lieutenant General Colonel Arm Kadek Arya Atmawijaya, S.Ip. with Bali’s press last Friday (24/9) in Pendam Udayana hall. This is held as he has been changing Gaga Ardana, “This activity is to close by the connection between the Pendam and the

press in Bali.”

In this opportunity, Armawijaya revealed TNI also wants to help the police to tackle terrorism so there’s always an increase in skills. TNI also do trainings with other countries army to develop those skills.

The activity with the Australian Army is to give a positive image to the tourism especially Australian who has made Bali as a main tourist destination, “Australian tourists we hoped not to be scared to visit Bali.”

It is not sure how many personnel will join the training, yet there will be around six helicopters to be prepared in Renon Field, “This activity needs to be addressed so public won’t be shocked seeing this training.(kmb12)

4

News

Monday, September 27, 2010

International

Chavez aiming to keep control in legislative vote Associated Press Writer

CARACAS, Venezuela – President Hugo Chavez was seeking to hold on to his dominant control of Venezuela’s congress on Sunday in elections that put his popularity to a critical test. The opposition has mounted a determined challenge to try to break Chavez’s monopoly of power in the National Assembly for the first time in his nearly 12 years in the presidency.

“What’s at stake is for there to be more democracy,” said Stalin Gonzalez, a 29-year-old opposition candidate and former student protest leader. “The country needs a more balanced assembly.”

Chavez’s allies have had near total control since opposition parties boycotted the last legislative elections in 2005 citing concerns about possible irregularities. If Chavez’s opponents manage to deny him at least a two-thirds majority this time, they would have more clout in trying to check his sweeping powers.

The vote is also seen as a referendum on Chavez himself ahead of the next presidential election in 2012. Polls suggest he remains the most popular politician in Venezuela, yet surveys also have shown a decline in his

popularity in the past two years as disenchantment has grown over problems including rampant crime, poorly administered public services and inflation now hovering at 30 percent.

Chavez portrayed the vote as a choice between his socialist-oriented “Bolivarian Revolution” and opposition stooges whom he accuses of serving the interests of the wealthy and his adversaries in the U.S. government.

“I want us to win the elections by knockout!” Chavez told cheering supporters during one of his final campaign rallies. He warned that his adversaries would try to obstruct his government’s efforts if given the chance. More than 17 million Venezuelans were registered in the vote to select all 165 lawmakers in the unicameral National Assembly.

The president’s face was ubiquitous on campaign posters for the candidates of his socialist party. As for the candidates themselves, 37year-old government supporter Rita Fernandez said, “I don’t even know their names, but if they’re with Chavez they have my vote.”

During campaigning, Chavez pitched his allies like a salesman, offering Venezuelans new, lowinterest credit cards and discounted appliances from washing machines to TV sets.

AFP/Jiji Press/File

Chinese fishing boat captain Zhan Qixiong (centre)

Japan PM snubs China apology demand in island row AFP

TOKYO (AFP) – Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Sunday rejected China’s call for an apology and compensation for the detention of a Chinese trawlerman, Jiji Press and Kyodo News reported.

AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos

A man walks by graffiti that reads in Spanish ‘Your vote is secret’ in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday Sept. 25, 2010.

“The Senkaku islands are Japan’s own territory. From this viewpoint, compensation is unthinkable,” Kan told reporters in Tokyo, according to Jiji.

Beijing has made repeated calls for an apology and compensation from Tokyo over what it called the “unlawful” detention, demanding “practical steps” to resolve the diplomatic row.

The arrest on September 8 of the

Chinese skipper, whose vessel rammed Japanese patrol boats in disputed waters near the island chain in the East China Sea — known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China — sparked a diplomatic row between the two Asian giants.

Japan announced Friday it would free the trawlerman but said the decision was made solely by prosecu-

tors, insisting the island chain belongs to Tokyo.

Japanese prosecutors cited the deepening rift between Beijing and Tokyo in their decision to release the skipper.

The Japanese government has faced accusations that it caved in to bullying by China over the decision to release the captain, Zhan Qixiong, who arrived home Saturday morning.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Kan said Saturday there had been no political interference in prosecutors’ move to free him.

Obama slams Ahmadinejad for “hateful” 9/11 remarks Reuters

NEW YORK (Reuters) – President Barack Obama on Friday condemned as hateful and inexcusable suggestions by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that the U.S. government may have been behind the September 11, 2001, attacks.

Ahmadinejad responded to the U.S. criticism of his remarks by saying that Washington and its allies “need to listen.”

In an interview with the BBC Persian news service, Obama lashed out at Ahmadinejad for the latest of what the White House

called a long list of outrageous comments that would deepen Tehran’s isolation from the international community.

“It was offensive. It was hateful,” Obama said according to interview excerpts released by the White House.

“And particularly for him to make the statement here in Manhattan, just a little north of Ground Zero, where families lost their loved ones,” he said.

“For him to make a statement like that was inexcusable.”

Ahmadinejad told the U.N. General Assembly on Thursday that U.S. statesmen were isolated in saying that al Qaeda militants carried out the suicide attacks that brought down New York’s World Trade Center and hit the

Pentagon outside Washington and called for a U.N. investigation.

He said most Americans and others around the world believed the U.S. government orchestrated the attacks to rescue the economy and save Israel, comments that prompted the U.S. delegation, all 27 European Union member states and several other delegations to leave the assembly hall in protest.

Obama had made his decision to sit down for the interview with the BBC Persian news service before Ahmadinejad made his 9/11 comments as a way of speaking directly to the Iranian people. BBC Persian is broadcast in Farsi, the dominant language in Iran.

Reuters

Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad speaks during a news conference in New York, September 24, 2010.

International

Hotel Activities

Monday, September 27, 2010

5

favehotels Announces Its 4th Hotel in Bali IBP

Aston International announced that the group has secured a management contract for its smart select service favehotel brand in Kuta, Bali.

The favehotel Kuta will be a 100 room two star hotel within walking distance to central Kuta and its many shopping and entertainment options making it an ideal value proposition for travelers seeking quality budget accommodations in the heart of Kuta. To enhance the new favehotels attractiveness the hotel will also feature ample of parking space and an eclectic and trendy café shop.

Set to open in September of 2012 the favehotel Kuta is the 4th favehotel Aston has announced for Bali with one in operation in Denpasar and two more in an advanced stage of construction in Legian and Seminyak.

Aston Internationals Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Mr. Norbert Vas, said “The demand for branded and international standard select service hotels in Bali is sheer endless and we are very confident that the new favehotel will become very popular and do extremely well. We do believe that there is room for more and are looking also into the possibility for a 150 room favehotel on Jalan Dianapura as well as sites on Jalan Dewi Sri, Sunset Road, Tuban and Singaraja. Besides Bali we are currently also developing a favehotel in Langkawi, Malaysia, two in Jakarta, two in Surabaya and others in destinations such as Solo, Solo Baru and Banjarmasin.”

Temple Ceremony Calendar of Event (Sep 24- Oct 7, 2010) 25st – “Saraswati” holiday, the day devoted to Sanghyang Aji Saraswati symbolized as a beautiful goddess of knowledge, sciences and arts, when blessing ceremony is given to holy scriptures of science and arts, held at every family compound.

Temple Festival at: Pr. Watugunung, Bima, NTB. Pr. Agung Jagat Kerana, Surabaya Pr. Aditya Jaya Rawamangun, Jakarta Pr. Agung Wiraloka Natha, Cimahi, Jabar Pr. Giri Jaya Natha,Balikpapan, Berneo.

Pr. Bhuwana Suci Saraswati, Ds. Ngaruaru, Kec. Banyudono, Boyolali,Solo, Jawa Tengah.

Pr. Pasek Tangkas Gempinis, Dalang, Tabanan Pr. Pasek Gelgel Sayan Bongkasa Abiansemal Pr. Dadya Agung Bendesa Tangkas Koriagung, Ds Gerih, Abiansemal Mr.Pulasari/Sentana Dalem Tarukan, Ds. Penida Kelod, Bangli.

Mr.Pasek Kubakal, Ds. Kapal.

Mr.Pasek, Ds. Dalung.

Pr. Pasek Dukuh Ambengan, Ds. Sebudi.

Pr. Pemaksan , Ds. Bandalem, Buleleng.

26th –“Banyu Pinaruh” day, when the Balinese mostly go to the beaches, river and spring to purify them selves and pray for wisdom with early in the morning Pr. Gaduh, Ds. Sesetan, Denpasar.

27th -

.Temple Festival at: Pr. Jati, Jembrana.

Pr. Kawitan Batu Gaing, Bangli.

Pr. Tirta Wening, Tambaksari, Surabaya.

Pr. Desa Linggawana Kertha Mandala, Ds. Abang, Karangasem.

29th – “Pagerwesi”, holiday, the word literally means “iron fence” when Hindu followers worship “Sanghyang Pramesti Guru” as lord of universe and pray for strong mental defence against any negative temptations. Held at every family temple and holy place throughout Bali.

Temple Festival at: Pr. Labaan Sindhu Jiwa, Ds. Kedewatan, Ubud.

Pr. Kahen, Bangli Pr. Wirabuana, Magelang, Jateng Pr. Padangsakti Tangtu, Kesiman Pr. Jogan Agung, Ketewel, Sukawati Pr. Gaduh Pengiasan, Dauh Puri, Denpasar Pr. Siwa/Pasek Tohjiwa, Penebel Pr. Pasek Ketewel, Sempidi, Mengwi Pr. Pasek Gelgel, Buruan Kaja, Tabanan Pr. Pasek Gobleg, Kerambitan Pr. Pasek Gelgel, Meliling, Tabanan Pr. Masceti Selasih, Sanding, Tampaksiring Pr. Dalem Ularan, Br. Tatasan Kaja, Denpasar Mr. Pasek Gaduh, Buduk Mr.Pasek Gelgel, Ds. Kelabang Moding.

Pr. Pasek Gelgel, Sekalan Marga Pr. Sada Br. Gaduh Desa Kaba kaba, Kediri, Tabanan Mr.Pasek Gelgel , Depaha, Ds. Depaha, Kubutambahan, Buleleng.

Pr. Desa Linggawana, Kertamandala, Abang, Karangasem Pr. Lebah Ubud

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

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

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

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

6

Monday, September 27, 2010

News

Knife removed from Brazil man’s head after 3 years AP

SAO PAULO – A man in northeastern Brazil is recovering after surgeons removed a 4-inch (10centimeter) blade that had been stuck in his head for three years following a bar fight. Edeilson Nascimento, a 29-year-old tire repairman, tells reporters Friday he is feeling great after the threehour surgery earlier this week.

He is expected to be released from a hospital in the city of Recife next week.

Nascimento says he got into a bar fight in 2007 and was attacked by assailants when he returned home.

At the time, doctors only removed the knife handle, fearing that pulling the blade from his head would cause brain damage.

But three years of intense headaches led Nascimento to take a chance on the surgery.

NEW YORK – A jet carrying 60 passengers from Atlanta to suburban New York having landing gear problems has made an emergency landing at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York City.

Port Authority Spokesman Steve Coleman says Delta Connection Flight 4951, operated by Atlantic Southeast Airlines, landed safely at about 8:20

From page 1 Miliband’s campaign had reached out to Labour’s traditional workingclass supporters, and his victory was greeted with huge cheers from delegates gathered for the result in Manchester, northwest England.

David Miliband jumped to his feet and grabbed his brother in an emotional embrace.

Ed Miliband responded in his speech, saying: “David, I love you so much as a brother and I have extraordinary respect for the campaign that you ran... we all know how

AP –

Flood fight continues in parts of Minn., Wis. MINNEAPOLIS – With 240 guests expected, Luke Fischer and Rachel Smith weren’t about to let the widespread flooding in southern Minnesota get in the way of their wedding Saturday.

The 24-year-olds, who live in the Minneapolis suburb of St. Louis Park, went back to her hometown of Waseca to get married at the Church of the Sacred Heart. Their reception was about 10 miles away at the Owatonna Country Club, in a city where 70 homes had to be evacuated.

“We’re pretty happy we don’t have to take a duck boat to the reception,” a relieved Fischer joked a few hours before the nuptials.

With the Owatonna area drying out, officials at the state’s Emergency Operations Center said the focus Saturday included Zumbro Falls and Hammond in southeastern Minnesota, and St. Clair and Madelia in southcentral Minnesota. Across the border, concern shifted to the rising Wisconsin River in central Wisconsin.

A slow march of thunderstorms across southern Minnesota through central Wisconsin from Wednesday through Friday dumped several inches of rain across the region. Storm totals between 5 and 7 inches were common, with 10.86 inches at Amboy in south-central Minnesota. The governors of both states declared states of emergency.

In Owatonna, a town of about 24,000 about 65 miles south of Minneapolis, Maple Creek, Turtle Creek and the Straight River were receding

AP

Ed Miliband...

Edeilson Manoel do Nascimento

Associated Press Writer

Delta flight makes safe emergency landing in NYC

Saturday. Emergency Operations Manager Mike Johnson said he didn’t expect levels to rise, despite some rain in the forecast.

In Wabasha County, Zumbro Falls and Hammond continued to report heavy flooding Saturday. Residents were evacuated from both cities Friday, and the Zumbro River was continuing to rise Saturday, officials said.

The Post-Bulletin of Rochester reported that Zumbro Falls, where 180 people were forced to leave their homes, remained deserted Saturday.

The newspaper also reported on a dramatic rescue of horses in Zumbro Falls. Wading through floodwaters up to their chests, Lamar Johnson and his nephew, Matt Johnson, were able to free four horses that were tied up

and surrounded by water. Matt Johnson tried to lead the horses through strong currents, but the horses pulled away and were swept downstream. Fortunately, the horses managed to swim to shore, where Lamar Johnson’s wife caught hold of them.

In Blue Earth County, St. Clair asked residents to avoid using water, including their toilets and drains, because high water on the Le Sueur River was causing the sanitary sewer system to fail. State authorities were responding to the city’s request for 50,000 additional sandbags Saturday.

In Watonwan County, crews in Madelia sandbagged around four homes to protect them from the rising Watonwan River.

AP Photo/The Star Tribune, Marlin Levison

Floodwaters partially submerge vehicles in a used car lot in Owatonna, Minn. on Friday, Sept. 24, 2010.

p.m. Saturday. He says there were no reports of injuries or fire.

Atlantic Southeast Airlines spokesman Jarek Beem says all passengers exited safely through the main door onto the tarmac and were bused to the terminal.

He says the airline was working with the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board to investigate the landing gear problem. much you have to offer this country in the future.” Speaking afterwards, David Miliband said he was “genuinely delighted for him, because if I can’t win, then he should lead the party”.

Both men refused to say whether David would take a job under his brother. Ed Miliband only became a member of parliament in 2005 and was the energy and climate change secretary in the last government.

One of his biggest challenges now is how to respond to major spending cuts planned by Cameron’s coalition, and whether to support trade union plans for coordinated strike action in response.

Bomb...

From page 1 It took off for Manchester, England, from where the passengers would continue their journey to Karachi, said Jan Lindqvist, a spokesman for airport operator Swedavia.

Swedish police described the suspect as a Canadian citizen born in 1982.

Initially they said he was of Pakistani background but later said they were not sure. A spokesman for the state-owned Pakistan International Airlines said the suspect was a 25-year-old Canadian national.

A prosecutor decided to release the man after questioning, and police were trying to help him continue his journey to Karachi either late Saturday or Sunday, police spokesman Erik Widstrand said, adding the man had cooperated with investigators. “He was calm but irritated,” Widstrand said.

The pilot asked to land the plane in Stockholm after Canadian authorities said they received a tip-off by phone the man was carrying explosives. Passengers were told there was a technical problem with the aircraft and didn’t find out the real reason until they were on the ground, Widstrand said.

A SWAT team detained the suspect as he was evacuated from the aircraft along with the other passengers. An Associated Press reporter at the airport saw the passengers boarding yellow airport buses parked near the aircraft.

The tip was “called in by a woman in Canada,” police operation leader Stefan Radman said, adding that Swedish police took the threat seriously.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police spokesman Sgt. Marc LaPorte said an anonymous caller called twice Friday saying a man on the flight had explosives. “The first call provided vague information. It did lay out that there was an individual on that specific flight in

possession of explosives and then the second call provided more details with regards to the identity of the person,” LaPorte said. He declined to elaborate on the caller, saying there was potentially a criminal offense involved. “On its face” it appears someone had an ax to grind against the man, LaPorte said, but couldn’t elaborate on the motive.

“If the Swedish authorities are saying that they released him and there is no investigation on their end, we will obviously pursue this as a hoax,” LaPorte said, adding there could be a terrorism hoax charge as well as a public mischief charge.

In Washington, the FBI was assisting Swedish and Canadian authorities in their investigation, FBI spokesman Paul Bresson said Saturday. Swedish police said the man was not on any international no-fly lists and had cleared a security check in Canada. He didn’t resist when the SWAT team took him into custody.

In Pakistan, a spokesman for staterun PIA confirmed the incident involved Flight PK782 to Karachi. The passengers waited at the “international holding area” at the airport as they and their luggage were scanned and searched, airline spokesman Sultan Hasan said. Pakistani diplomats were at the airport to coordinate with the security officials.

PIA said there were 255 passengers and 18 crew members on the plane. Of the passengers, 102 were Canadian nationals, 139 Pakistanis, eight U.S. citizens, three Indians and one each from Japan, Malaysia and Bangladesh.

The Canadian Embassy in Stockholm was in contact with local authorities to gather additional information, Foreign Affairs spokesman Alain Cacchione said.

Indonesia Today

International

Monday, September 27, 2010

7

President not to pick attorney general from political party Antara

JAKARTA - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will not pick attorney general from political parties but to consider names from outside the Attorney General Office (AGO).

“The president will certainly not pick somebody from a political party as attorney general,” presidential special staff Heru Lelono said here on Sunday.

He said President Yudhoyono would consider names from outside the Attorney General Office.

Several names being rumored as the candidate of attorney general at

present are among others former director of Indonesia International transparency (TII) Todung Mulia Lubis, and House of Representatives’ Commission-III chairman from Democrat party, Benny K Harman.

Commenting on a new position for the former Attorney General Hendarman Supanji, Heru was of the opinion that the former would

be reasonable to be in the Public Prosecutors’ Commission.

“I think Pak Hendarman is reasonable to be in the ranks of Public Prosecutors’ Commission,” Heru said.

He said that when summoned by President Yudhoyono before being discharged as attorney general, Hendarman Supanji explained clearly about the Public Prosecutors’

Gay film festival opens in Muslim-majority Indonesia Agence France-Presse

JAKARTA - A gay film festival hailed as the biggest in Asia and the only one in the Muslim world kicks off in Indonesia on Friday, hoping to draw 15,000 viewers to screenings and fringe events.

In its ninth annual edition, the Q! Film Festival (www.qmunity.org/) will showcase 150 films from more than 20 countries including France, Japan and the Philippines, highlighting such issues as gay rights and HIV/AIDS. Festival director John Badalu said organisers do not expect public opposition but prefer to keep the event low-key due to the “stigma against gays” among conservative sections of the mainly Muslim population.

“We don’t want to publicise the event in the mainstream local media as they’re still very conservative,” Badalu said.

Social networking sites such as Twitter (twitter.com/ Qfilmfestival) are abuzz with chat about the event, however, signalling it has already achieved one of its chief aims — to “let people know that the queer community exists in Indonesia”, he added.

Indonesian Muslims are often categorized as “moderate” but such generalizations, favored by Western diplomats, upset religious and other minorities who have to endure the daily opprobrium of Islamic conservatives.

In March, a regional gay and lesbian conference was forced to cancel when scores of Islamic radicals stormed the venue and reportedly went from room to room hunting participants.

A month later, Islamic vigilantes burst into a civil rights awareness session for transsexuals held by the National Commission for Human Rights and sent the participants fleeing in panic.

Homosexuality is technically legal in the country of 240 million people but it remains a taboo, especially among the 80 percent of the population who are Muslims.

Lawmakers in deeply Islamic Aceh province last year voted to make homosexuality punishable by up to 100 lashes under local religious by-laws which the provincial government has refused to approve.

Communications Minister Tifatul Sembiring, chief of an Islamic party, in June implied a link between pornography and HIV-AIDS, and questioned whether state funds used to fight the disease could not be better spent.

“The country has dispersed 180 billion rupiah (20 million dollars) to curb HIV-AIDS. The budget should actually be reduced so the money can be allocated for other things that are beneficial for the country,” he told reporters.

Despite these attitudes, communications ministry spokesman Gatot Dewa Broto said the central government had given its assurances that the Q! festival could go ahead.

“We have no objections. As long as the content is not too sexually explicit, not too vulgar, we’re OK, we can tolerate it,” he said.

“This festival has been taking place for many years already. I’m sure the organisers know the do’s and the don’ts and consider the ethical and normative nuances in Indone-

sia,” he added.

Organisers are not taking any chances and have taken steps to ensure the festival takes place without incident.

Screenings, which are free, will be held in private clubs and foreign cultural centres in six cities including Jakarta and Yogyakarta.

International backing also provides a protective umbrella and cosmopolitan legitimacy that radical fringe elements would be reluctant to challenge, Badalu said.

“Funding for the festival comes from foreign groups. We hold screenings at foreign centres. The radicals won’t dare to attack us. If they do, it’s like attacking several countries at one go,” he said.

He said Indonesia’s “double standards” on issues of sexuality, morality and privacy left space for events like Q! and what organizers jokingly refer to as the “Q-munity”.

“Indonesians are generally tolerant towards gays because you see, people have double standards. Some claim to be religious but surf porn websites at home, some say no to piracy but still use pirated goods,” Badalu said.

“Anyway, whatever happens, we’ll still be around. We can’t disappear just like that.”

Commission.

Hendarman at the time said the Public Prosecutors’ Commission would be strengthened so it could more effectively perform its main task of supervising the behavior of public prosecutors.

“What Pak Hendarman said at the time was very good, and he is worthy to be part of the Prosecutors’ Commission,” Heru said.

Three of Padang ATM thieves shot dead Antara

PADANG - Police have shot dead three men who took part in the theft of three automatic teller machines (ATMs) that were installed at the Bung Hatta University campus here on Saturday, a spokesman said.

“The three suspects were shot dead in a raid following the ATM robbery,” Deputy Chief of Padang city police Adjunct Senior Commissioner Wisnu Handoko said here Saturday.

Three other suspects sustained serious shot wounds.

Their condition remained critical, Handoko said.

The robbers’ dead bodies had been evacuated to the West Sumatran provincial police hospital while the injured ones got medical treatment, he said.

The police chased the six robbers, who escaped to Jorong Surau Baru hilly areas in Nagari Pakan Senayan Banuhampu sub-district, Agam district, West Sumatra, at 02.00 pm local time.

In the raid, the police and armed robbers got involved in the exchange of fire. As a result, three robbers were killed and three others sustained serious injuries, he said.

The police could identify the six suspects thanks to the Bank Nagari’s CCTV installed near the robbed ATM booth and the explanations of some witnesses, Handoko said.

“After identifying the suspects, our men chases them in a coordinated operation involving those from Padang Pariaman and Bukittinggi police precincts,” he said.

The armed robbery that involved 15 people occurred inside the Bung Hatta University campus on Saturday at 04.00 am local time after the criminals locked three security guards up, he said.

The robbers damaged three ATMs but only two contained money, namely the ones belonging to Bank Bukopin and Bank Nagari, he said.

They escaped with a few hundred million rupiah in cash.

Besides capturing the six suspects, the police also seized an Avanza van, a Beretta pistol, five revolvers and ammunition.

“We are still chasing other suspects because we believe the armed robbery was done by 15 people,” he said.

Armed robberies have become a trend in Indonesia over the past two months.

Last August 15, a group of armed men stormed the CIMB Niaga Bank in Medan, capital city of North Sumatra province. The National Police still hunted 15 people suspected of involving in this bank heist.

“Fifteen suspects have been put on our wanted persons list in connection with the CIMB Niaga Bank robbery” National Police Chief General Bambang Hendarso Danuri said.

Five of the suspects put on the police’s wanted list played the role of leaders in the robbery. They are Taufik Hidayat, Jefri alias Kamal, Alex Cecept Gunawan, Suroso, Andi Maralon, Ansi Solo, Sugiono, Herman, Iwan alias Pak Tuo and Yusron, he said.

8

Internationa

Monday, September 27, 2010

Bali Today Diparda Bali optimistic to reach 4 million domestic tourists Bali Post

DENPASAR — Bali Government Tourism Office (Diparda) was optimistic that targets of four million of domestic tourist visits coming to Bali throughout the year 2010 could be reached.

Even, their arrival until this year end celebration was estimated to surpass 4 million tourists.

“During January to July period of this year, the number of domestic tourist visiting Bali has been more than 2 million tourists. I estimate that by this year end the number of their visit to Bali will achieve the set target,” said the Head of Bali Government Tourism Office, Ida Bagus Subhiksu, Friday (Sep 24).

He also added that the potential of domestic tourists was adequately reliable to shore up the growth of Bali tourism. Within the recent periods, the rate of their visit to Bali continued to increase significantly.

“Domestic tourists mostly coming from big cities in Indonesia such as Jakarta did not only fill the jasminerated hotels in Bali but also has begun to stay at star-rated hotels up to villas,” he said.

According to him, during the Eid (Idul Fitri) holiday until several weeks after the celebration, nearly 60 percent of hotel room occupancy in Bali was dominated by domestic tourists.

Coordinator of Badung Lifeguard (Balawista), Made Suparka, also said that Kuta Beach posed a favorite destination for tourists visiting Bali dur-

ing the Eid holiday season. It was thronged by domestic tourists whose number reaching up to two times compared to regular days.

“After Eid celebration, Kuta Beach stayed to look sufficiently crowded than usual days. If on normal days the beach was dominated by foreign tourists, but right now it is dominated by domestic tourists,” he said.

To anticipate this surge of visitors, Suparka explained that his party would increase security patrols along the beach by involving 128 beach lifeguards stationed at 16 guard posts.

“Based on our observations, most domestic tourists were coming from Jakarta and belonged to businessmen, while foreign arrivals remained to be dominated by those from Australia and Europe,” he said.

In the meantime, Secretary of the Indonesia Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) of Bali Chapter, Ferry Markus also admitted that the rate of hotel occupancy in Bali during the Eid celebration reached 90 percent. Even, most hotels in the region of Badung tourism, both the starrated and jasmine-rated hotels, were thronged by the tourists. (par)

IBP/DOc

Bali Government Tourism Office (Diparda) was optimistic that targets of four million of domestic tourist visits coming to Bali throughout the year 2010 could be reached. Even, their arrival until this year end celebration was estimated to surpass 4 million tourists.

Value of Bali’s coffee, vanilla exports up 24 percent Antara

DENPASAR - The value of Bali’s coffee and dried vanilla exports in the January - July 2010 period increased 24 percent to US$592.6 thousand from US$476 thousand in the same period in the previous year, a regional trade offi-

The value of Bali’s coffee and dried vanilla exports in the January - July 2010 period increased 24 percent to US$592.6 thousand from US$476 thousand in the same period in the previous year, a regional trade official said. http://ilisaharudin.files.wordpress.com

cial said.

“The value of Bali’s coffee and dried vanilla exports increased due to the increase in the price of vanilla in the export market,” Chief of the exports section of Bali’s Trade and Industry Service, Putu Bagiada said.

He said that the price of dried vanilla in the export market was US$15.2 per kg in 2009 but it rose to US$16.6 in 2010. “This has encouraged exporters to increase their vanilla exports,” he added.

He said that Bali’s vanilla exports in the first seven months of 2010 stood at 31.8 tons, worth US$530.3 thousands. The value increased 44 percent compared to the value in 2009 which stood at US$367 thousands with a volume of 24 tons.

al

Monday, September 27, 2010

Balinese Culture Gedong Kertia Museum held ceremony on Saraswati day To purify the collections Antara

SINGARAJA – The Gedong Kertia Museum which is located on Veteran Street, Singaraja in Buleleng regency held a ceremony for 1,700 old manuscripts and 8,000 books during the Saraswati day.

Saraswati which is to commemorate and gratitude the day God give knowledge to mankind, fall Saturday September 25th 2010. Ketut Suharsana, the head of Kertia Mu-

seum, said that this year’s ceremony was quite different with the previous one where it is usually the ceremony to clean the new employee.

“This year, we held purifying ceremony for the collection of the museum which is books and old manuscripts. The ceremony was held on the temple in front of the museum called Pelinggih Jero Gede,” he added.

Suharsana said that the Balinese believe there is holy spirits stay on a

certain area so a temple must be built to give them place. He also said that the temple is leaning since three years ago so there is great hope by carry out the ceremony, there will be no problems happen to the museum.

“The new employee of the museum is usually given the ceremony on Saraswati day because the collections of the museum are sacred so the people who want to learn it and guard it must be pure also,” Suharsana added.

Drastic drop in Bali’s monkey forest visitors Antara

GIANYAR - The number of foreign and local tourists visiting the Monkey Forest at Pekraman Padangtegal village in Bali’s Ubud sub-district has dropped drastically, a local official said.

“The number of foreign and domestic visitors to the forest has now dropped to an avarage of 200 per day while it used to be 600 per day,” I Ketut Selamat of the Monkey Forest’s management, said.

Usually, during the holiday season, the forest was visited by up to 600 foreign and domestic tourists per day. “Now the holiday season

is over, the number of visitors is dropping low,” he said,.

He admitted, however, that during the present low visitors’ season it was normal for their number to decline. “But we still hope we can still draw at least 400 visitors per day.”

Adult tourists who wanted to see the approximately 500 monkeys inhabiting the forest would be charged Rp20,000 and chldren Rp10,000 per person. Balinese people could watch the monkeys free of charge.

He said the income from ticket sales was used by the Pekraman village administration to guard and maintain the forest and its monkeys,

Special Mussels:

Dissolved in Tenderness of Coconut Milk While boring with the ordinary servings, simply try a delightful flavor of seafood. For instance, with a combination of mussel ingredient and Balinese tuber spices, it could pamper the appetite of foodies or culinary adventurers. Tender coconut milk will enhance the flavor of mussel.

and also to finance traditional ceremonies that have to be held from time to time in the forest area.

He said the forest management was cooperating with veterinarians at Udayana University and Wildlife Assessment Agency in taking care of the 500 monkeys. “The cooperation with the veterinarians is necessary to keep the monkeys in good health,” he said.

The forest management was also using monkey tamers to ensure the safety of visitors entering the forest. “The monkey tamers will walk around in the forest to anticipate any possible undesired happening,” he said.

Ingredient: 250g mussel, a cup of coconut milk Spices: 6 cloves shallot, 4 cloves garlic, 1 large chili, 2 small chilies, 1 slice turmeric, 1 slice kencur (aromatic ginger), 1 slice ginger, 1 pc salam leaf, 2 pcs kaffir lime leaf, ½ tsp coriander, ½ tsp pepper, ½ tsp salt, 1 tbsp of lime juice and 2 tbsp palm oil Method: · Cleanse the mussels and drain. Give lime juice to remove its odor. · All spices are ground finely, except for kaffir lime leaf, salam leaf, pepper, salt and coriander. · Stir fry the ground spices until smelling fragrant. Pour the mussel into the spices on the frying pan and stir for a while. Add coconut milk while pouring salt, pepper, coriander. Wait for a while until the coconut milk turns a little dry. Take out and it is ready to serve. (BTN/punia)

Ikan Bali (Bali Fish)

Ingredients * 1 Fish, about 650-900g dressed Weight.

Preferably sea bass or Mackerel * 1 t Salt * Oil, for deep frying * 2 T Margarine or oil * 2 sm Onions, sliced * 1 t Sambal Oelek * 1/2 t Laos * 1/2 t Lemon grass * 3 T Tamarind juice * Pinch of ground ginger * 1 t Brown sugar * 1 T Sweet soy sauce Directions Cut fish into serving portions and rub salt all over.

Feep-fry and drain on absorbent paper.

Heat oil and saute sliced onions until lightly brown.

Add sambal oelek, laos, lemon grass, tamarind juice, ginger, brown sugar and soy sauce. Heat thoroughly.

C.045 ibp

Place fried fish in deep serving dish and pour sauce over it. Serve with rice. (http://asiarecipe.com)

9

10

Monday, September 27, 2010

Business

International

Kehen Temple IBP

http://lh6.ggpht.com

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

It is a famous temple in Bali and many visitors from foreign country has visited it.

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

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temple under the aegis of king while ceremony execution and construction is delivered to local countryside custom * As a sanctum which is used as a altar (oath) for empire functionary who disloyal to his obligation will incur the Sapata or very horrible anathema. The function of Kehen Temple as sanctum in execution of oath ceremony is supported by the existence of a circumlocutory canister by 4 dragon tails which is called canister Sarpantaka. Nowadays, the canister is placed in a building in form of Gedong * Worshiping supremacy Siwa God in the form of Eka Dasa Rudra utilizes to request the godsend to the good human life and universe for blessing of fertile life, secure, prosperous and peaceful.

The structure of Kehen Temple yard is arranged to have a terrace and it shows the existence of tradition megalithic which is continued as a symbol from the existence of mount that is one of the fertility sources.

The temple festival can be divided into 2 types those are Piodalan Ceremony which is executed every 6 month, that is on Wednesday Keliwon Sinta (Balinese Calendar) and Ngusaba Ceremony which is executed every 5 years.

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Monday, September 27, 2010

11

BUSINESS Europe strikes out in austerity drive Agence France-Presse

BRUSSELS - Radical European plans to fine governments that hide from painful cuts crash headlong into strikes and protests this week as labour leaders flag up the human cost of austerity.

A bid to force the 27 European Union nations to deposit billions of euros with Brussels, that would be forfeited in the event of failure to tighten national spending, will be laid out to finance ministers starting crunch talks on Monday.

Detailed proposals will be made public on Wednesday, when millions are expected to take part in a general strike across Spain and 100,000 protesters are tipped to march against “austerity” in Brussels.

After spring panic about government debts, fears are again rising about bank rescue costs in Ireland and a double-dip downturn in

Spain, where one in five remain resolutely out of work.

But while Europe tries to clean up its post-recession books, a backlash has begun among voters focused on vast anticipated numbers of public sector job cuts.

It was clearly seen in Britain on Saturday, where Labour unions, lawmakers and party members handed their leadership to left-leaning Ed Miliband — in a surprise, last-minute defeat for his betterknown, centre-right brother and former foreign secretary David.

“We will demonstrate to voice our concern over the economic and social context, which

will be compounded by austerity measures,” John Monks, general secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation, said of Wednesday’s mobilisation.

Further protests are planned in the Czech Republic, France, Ireland, Italy, Poland and Romania.

The strike in Spain, meanwhile, was called after cuts to public sector wages, retirement and family benefits, with the tipping point of relaxed employment law.

“Let’s not focus too much on the size of the sanctions,” the spokesman for EU economic affairs commissioner Olli Rehn, who is driving the bid to get tough, said as

diplomats told AFP of the plans’ scope.

“It’s the effectiveness of the proposals we set out next week (that matter),” Rehn’s pointman said.

The idea is that states would deposit 0.2 percent of national GDP with the bloc to underwrite moves to get back within deficit and debt ceilings of three and 60 percent respectively.

Practically every EU state has now crashed through the deficit boundary (Spain hit 11.2 percent in 2009).

Offenders would also be ordered to slash total debts by five percent each year for three years, which an EU source warned represents “a considerable effort.”

Europe also wants to smooth out cross-border imbalances, with sources also talking of possible fines

running to 0.1 percent of GDP for countries that fail to meet targets aimed at bringing up the rear.

Rehn wants the sanctions to kick in semi-automatically, with penalties only avoided if a majority vote against.

Ministers will air their views in a “task force” on cross-border economic governance chaired on Monday by EU figurehead Herman Van Rompuy.

Set up by national leaders, it is due to present its own findings at a summit next month.

The panel has struggled on sanctions so far, with ideas for cutting future aid for poorer regions hitting opposition notably among exCommunist eastern European states.

“A whole series of points still needs to be resolved,” one diplomat stressed.

Women entrepreneurs in China get a helping hand After losing her job in the Chinese telecommunications industry five years ago, Zhao Weimin decided to start a business selling children’s gifts in the northern port city of Tianjin.

Lacking money and experience, Zhao and her husband sought the help of the Tianjin Women’s Business Incubator — a governmentbacked microfinancing programme that has helped thousands of laidoff women get back on their feet.

“We had to do something,” Zhao told AFP in an interview, explaining the couple’s decision to start a small business.

“We had to eat and we also have a child. We had no other choice.”

The business incubator was launched in 2000, a few years after the Chinese government started a major restructuring of loss-making state-owned enterprises that resulted in massive lay-offs across the country.

Millions of workers, many of them women aged in their 40s and 50s, lost their jobs during the overhaul and struggled to find new employment.

The Tianjin initiative — backed by the city government, Australia and the United Nations Development Programme — has helped more than 10,000 women start up businesses or keep their companies afloat, said programme official Li Jing.

After being knocked back by banks and friends, Zhao and her husband Zhang Xiangjun, whose own employer had gone bankrupt, applied to the business incubator for a loan.

Their idea was given the thumbsup and the couple received training

in how to run a business and, most importantly, an interest-free loan of 4,000 yuan (600 dollars), which they used to lease a shop space in Tianjin.

Later they borrowed another 20,000 yuan to buy photographic equipment so they could expand their service to include children’s portraits.

“Our loan was too small for banks, and friends weren’t prepared to lend us money because we had just been laid off and had no ability to repay the loan,” said Zhang, displaying some of their products such as a calligraphy brush specially made for a child using their own hair.

Zhao and Zhang now employ 20 people and their business is profitable.

The couple’s struggle to get financing is not unusual, said Li. In many cases, state-owned commercial banks are not prepared to lend money to entrepreneurs because the size of the loan is too small or they have no assets to offer as collateral.

“Banks have their own standards and need to consider your ability to repay the loan and consider the problems of risks,” Li said.

While many women have no experience running a business, only a “very, very small” number default on their repayments, she added.

The benefits of microfinance for the poor were highlighted when microcredit pioneer Muhammad Yunus of Bangladesh won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006.

In China, microfinancing “potentially plays a very important role because it is filling a gap that the formal banking system doesn’t fill,”

said Patrick Chovanec, an economics professor at Tsinghua University in Beijing.

“Chinese banks lend on the basis of collateral and small entrepreneurs don’t have assets,” Chovanec told AFP. After taking a redundancy from a carpet company four years ago, Li Qing teamed up with her younger sister to sell bed linen.

Pooling their savings, the pair registered a trademark name “Shimeilian” and opened two stores in Tianjin, one of China’s biggest cities.

Success came quickly — the sisters opened their fourth store in 2009 but needed more money to

continue expanding their network of outlets.

“We were growing so fast, our capital wasn’t enough so we started to borrow,” said Li, standing in a small warehouse stacked floor-toceiling with colourful sheets, duvet covers and pillow cases.

The sisters borrowed a total of 130,000 yuan from the women’s business incubator which they used to open another 10 stores in Tianjin.

They now employ more than 25 people and expect sales to exceed three million yuan this year — compared with 200,000 yuan in their first year of operation.

“Our brand is quite famous now and lots of clients come back to buy

more things,” Li proudly told AFP. Other loan recipients include Jin Lan, 54, who borrowed 50,000 yuan to start a business manufacturing and selling traditional Chinese handicrafts.

Unlike many of the women, Jin had previous business experience.

She supplied handicrafts to supermarkets for 12 years but didn’t have collateral for a bank loan so she contacted the business incubator.

“There’s less pressure to repay the loan and the conditions are more relaxed than at the bank,” Jin told AFP. “If I can’t meet my monthly repayments, one of the other women in the group will help me.” (Agence France-Presse)

AFP PHOTO/Peter PARKS

In a picture taken on September 14, 2010 Zhao Weimin shows off her childrens clothes she makes and sells in the port city of Tianjin in northeastern China.

12

Monday, September 27, 2010

O’Donnell is first political target of SNL season Associated Press Writer

DOVER, Del. – With the new season of “Saturday Night Live” comes a fresh batch of political satire — and Delaware Senate hopeful Christine O’Donnell is the first target. The Republican candidate’s past statements were fodder for the opening sketch on Saturday night’s broadcast on NBC. The sketch involved actors portraying the tea party darling O’Donnell and two Republican AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File officials concerned about her past FILE - In this Friday, Sept. 17, statements, including speaking out 2010 file photo, Delaware Reagainst masturbation. publican Senate candidate The actress playing O’Donnell Christine O’Donnell delivers remarks at Values Voter Summit says she is no longer against masturbation and, in fact, masturbates in Washington. constantly. She also says she once ran a dog fighting operation and burned down somebody’s house.

The sketch ends with the actress donning a witch hat and flying away on a broom, a reference to O’Donnell’s claim years ago that she dabbled in witchcraft in high school.

Leonardo DiCaprio to help save India’s tigers Agence France Presse

NEW DELHI - Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio will put his fame to work to raise global awareness about India’s dwindling number of tigers, an official said Saturday. DiCaprio and India’s Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh met at a reception Friday in New York organised by the Coalition of Rainforest Nations, an inter-governmental organisation.

“The actor met the minister and has expressed his interest to play a crucial role in sensitising the global community to the cause of the Indian tiger,” a senior environment ministry told AFP in New Delhi.

“DiCaprio plans to come to India to be a part of the conservation efforts,” the official said, asking not to be named. India’s endangered tiger population has plummeted to 1,350 — just over a third of the 3,700 estimated to be alive in 2002.

Earlier this year, Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan joined a campaign to protect the tiger. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, alarmed by the dwindling number of tigers, set up two years ago a national wildlife crime prevention bureau, drawing experts from the police, environmental agencies and customs to end poaching.

The government has enlisted former soldiers to be part of a “tiger protection force” in state-run sanctuaries.

But despite the new measures, poachers killed 32 tigers in 2009 and three this year, according to the Wildlife Protection Society of India.

Tiger hunting is illegal worldwide and the trade in tiger parts is banned under a treaty binding 167 countries, including India.

But demand is driven by China, ThaiAFP PHOTO/FRANCOIS GUILLOT/FILES land, Myanmar and In this file photograph taken on February 5, 2010, US actor Leonardo Di Caprio other Asian nations takes part in the TV show “Le grand jour- where pelts, claws and nal” on a set of French TV Canal+ in Paris, bones are prized in traas part of the promotion of Martin ditional medicine, environmentalists say.

Scorsese’s movie “Shutter Island”.

Entertainment

International

US starlet Lindsay Lohan bails out of jail Agence France Presse

LOS ANGELES - Troubled US starlet Lindsay Lohan has bailed out of jail where she spent only about 15 hours for failing another court-ordered drug test, the Los Angeles county sheriff’s office said Saturday. The 24-year-old was led from a court in handcuffs Friday morning — the third time in as many years — after Judge Elden Fox of the Beverly Hills Superior Court found evidence Lohan was guilty of substance abuse.

Fox denied bail to Lohan after she tested positive for cocaine in a court-ordered test, but was later reversed by a superior who set bail at 300,000 dollars.

After the bail was posted Lohan was released at 11:40 pm Friday (0640 GMT Saturday) from the Century Regional Detention Facility in the Lynwood suburb of Los Angeles, a sheriff’s spokesman said. She is due back in court on October 22 to determine whether she violated her probation from an earlier sentence by testing positive for drugs. Lohan must also wear an ankle bracelet that will monitor her blood alcohol content.

Lohan was sentenced on July 6 to serve 90 days in jail and another 90 days in rehab for violating her probation in a drunk-driving case. But due to jail overcrowding, she served just 13 days before being freed to the detox facility.

In 2007 she spent just 84 minutes in jail after police arrested her twice for cocaine possession while driving — in one instance crashing her Mercedes-Benz into a tree.

Last week she admitted having failed a drugs test after the celebrity website TMZ and People Magazine said she had tested positive for cocaine use, prompting judge Fox to summon her back for Friday’s court hearing.

A queen of Hollywood nights and a favorite target of the paparazzi, the former Disney child star was once considered one of the most promising actresses of her generation. But Lohan’s career has dipped many times since 2005 amid legal woes, stops in rehab and cinematic flops.

In 2008 the “Parent Trap” star received two Razzie Awards, the satirical prizes presented to Hollywood’s worst acting performances. In a Twitter post admitting the failed drugs test last week, Lohan said she was a “work in progress.”

“This was certainly a setback for me but I am taking responsibility for my actions and I’m prepared to face the consequences.... Substance abuse is a disease, which unfortunately doesn’t go away overnight,” she said. “I am testing every single day and doing what I must do to prevent any mishaps in the future.”

AP Photo/Paul Buck, Pool

Lindsay Lohan arrives for a hearing at the Beverly Hills Courthouse in Beverly Hills, Calif., Friday, Sept. 24, 2010.

‘Neds’ wins Spanish top film award Associated Press Writer

SAN SEBASTIAN, Spain – British director Peter Mullan’s film “Neds,” has won this year’s top award at Spain’s San Sebastian Film Festival, organizers said Saturday. The movie, a British-French-Italian coproduction, is an insightful exploration of the violent upheavals of adolescence within the harsh environment of 1970s Glasgow in Scotland. It tells the story of the struggle of a young John McGill to make his mark on life.

Connor McCarron won the best actor award for his role as McGill, an intelligent, sensitive boy eager to learn and forge a future for himself but who finds life’s chances stacked heavily against him, in the urban of Glasgow harbors another strong influence — the gangs — which include the Neds, Non-Educated Delinquents.

Mullan gained experience working in Mel Gibson’s “Braveheart,” Ken Loach’s “Riff-Raff”, and Danny Boyle’s “Trainspotting.” Nora Navas was voted best actress for her part in

Spanish film “Pa Negre,” meaning “Black Bread” in the Catalan language. The movie, directed by Agusti Villaronga, is set in a Catalonia devastated by the 193639 Spanish civil war.

The best director award went to Raul Ruiz of Chile for “Misterios de Lisboa,” a Portuguese production, while the fes-

tival jury’s special mention award went to Spanish film “Elisa K.” The best photography category was awarded to Jimmy Gimferrer for his work in the Spanish production “Aita,” and the best screenplay prize went to Bent Hamer for “Home for Christmas,” a Norway-Sweden-Germany co-production.

Life Style

International

This August 2, 2010, photo courtesy of Todd Reichert, University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies, shows the aircraft dubbed Snowbird. the vessel and its pilot, Reichert, a University of Toronto engineering student, made aviation history on August 2 by becoming the first to continuously fly a human-powered aircraft with flapping wings.

AFP PHOTO/Photo courtesy of Todd Reichert

Canadian aircraft flaps wings and flies Agence France Presse

OTTAWA - A Canadian student inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s centuries-old sketches of an ornithopter said Friday he was the first to make a sustained flight in a human-powered, wing-flapping aircraft. Powered and piloted by engineering student Todd Reichert, the craft, dubbed Snowbird, flew 145 meters (476 feet) in 19.3 seconds, traveling at an average speed of 25.6 kilometres per hour (16.5 miles per hour).

“The Snowbird represents the completion of an age-old aeronautical dream,” Reichert said in a statement through the University of Toronto.

“Throughout history, countless men and women have dreamt of flying like a bird under their own power, and hundreds, if not thousands have attempted to achieve it.

This represents one of the last of the aviation firsts.” The feat was accomplished on August 2 at the Great Lakes Gliding Club in Tottenham, Ontario, north of Toronto.

The Federation Aeronautique

Internationale (FAI), the world-governing body for air sports and aeronautical world records, is expected to confirm the ornithopter’s world record at its next meeting in October. The Italian painter and genius Da Vinci designed a variety of mechancial devices which were far ahead of their time, and his famous sketches of the ornithopter are believed to have been drawn around 1485.

But it was more than 400 years later that the Wright brothers were to herald in the aviation age with the first powered flight in 1903 lasting 12 seconds and covering 37

meters (121 feet).

In 1977, the Gossamer Condor became the first human-powered aircraft capable of controlled and sustained flight after covering a 1.6-kilometer (one-mile) figureeight course in 7.5 minutes. Another Gossamer human-powered aircraft also flew across the English Channel two years later.

Reichert noted that the Snowbird “is not a practical method of transport.” Rather, the aim of the project was to inspire others “to use the strength of their body and the creativity of their mind.”

Monday, September 27, 2010

13

Asians muscling into social media world Agence France Presse

SINGAPORE - Asians are muscling their way into traditionally Western-dominated social media networks such as Facebook, Twitter and Internet blogs, prompting major players to sit up and take notice.

With more than 220 million bloggers in China alone and nearly three out of five people in Singapore having a Facebook account, Asia is presenting a huge commercial opportunity for online advertising.

Social media guru Thomas Crampton, Asia-Pacific director of Ogilvy Public Relations’ global social media team, said regional users were jumping on the social media bandwagon at a faster rate than the rest of the world.

“Asia is... the most exciting part of the world for what’s going on in social media,” he told AFP on the sidelines of a social media forum in Singapore. Facebook launched an Asian sales office in Singapore this month in order to to be better placed to sell ads to companies aiming for the region’s consumers.

“The Asian market’s a very, very big market for us,” said Blake

Chandlee, Facebook’s commercial director for regions outside North America and western Europe. “It’s an enormous opportunity for us.”

Chandlee said Asia was the fastest-growing among Facebook’s geographical markets, or “theatres”, despite restrictions on access in China.

Crampton said the growing number of Asians connected to the Internet was a key driver behind the region’s social media craze.

A report in July by research firm Nielsen said that “while the US pioneered much of the early Web 2.0 and social media innovation, Asia is playing no small role in shaping — and in some cases leading — the new social media landscape.” The report added that “Asian social media adoption rates have surpassed Western adoption rates”. As of December 2009, China had 221 million bloggers or more than twice the number in the United States, it added.

Crampton noted that Facebook’s ranking of leading markets showed Indonesia was already a close third behind the United States and Britain in monthly active subscribers — and poised to take second spot within months.

CHINA OUT AFP PHOTO

(FILES) In a file picture taken on June 7, 2010 Chinese children attend a computer class to learn how to properly use the Internet in Beijing.

Malaysian rapper causes stir with anti-racism YouTube rant Agence France Presse

AFP PHOTO

In a picture taken on July 28, 2010 Malaysian rapper Wee Meng Chee, better known as Namewee, speaks during an interview with AFP at his office in Kuala Lumpur. An ethnic Chinese rapper who enraged authorities with a profanity-strewn anti-racism rant on YouTube says he was only trying to speak out against discrimination in multiracial Malaysia.

KUALA LUMPUR - An ethnic Chinese rapper who enraged authorities with a profanity-strewn anti-racism rant on YouTube says he was only trying to speak out against discrimination in multiracial Malaysia. Wee Meng Chee, 27, better known as Namewee to his fans, was hauled in for a police grilling last month over the clip which saw him accused of stirring up ethnic tensions — a taboo in a country where race is a sensitive issue.

In the three-minute rap titled “Nah”, Wee used obscene language to bitterly criticise a Muslim Malay headmistress who is accused of making racial slurs against her ethnic Chinese and Indian students. “My purpose is to stand up against racism,” insisted

the flamboyant rapper, who sports a beanie hat and baggy shorts, and who has developed a cult following among young Malaysians who have a growing political awareness.

His official Facebook page has more than 340,000 followers, and his songs have had more than 600,000 hits on YouTube. “Regardless of what I did was right or wrong, whether you like it or not, I am just giving you an extra choice — you can choose not to watch it,” Wee said.

The rapper, who began writing songs at 15 and graduated with a mass communications degree from a Taiwanese university, first made national headlines in 2007 over another YouTube clip mocking the national anthem. Authorities condemned the performance as seditious, and pulled him in for what would be the first of three police interrogations during his short career.

The parody touched on abuse of power, corruption, government bureaucracy and controversial positive discrimination policies designed to advance Muslim Malays who dominate the population.

Wee apologised for that incident, and escaped charges. But last year he ran into more trouble over a song in which he criticised the national power firm over frequent power outages in his hometown in the southern state of Johor. His latest clip “Nah”, which authorities also said was seditious, prompted criticism including from the prime minister who warned of tough action against those who try to provoke racial tensions.

Elements in the ruling party, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), called for his citizenship to be revoked and for the rapper to be held under internal security laws that allow for detention without trial.

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Monday, September 27, 2010

Sport

International

Match-winner Ibra ends Milan’s lean spell Agence France Press

AP Photo/Tom Hevezi

Arsenal’s Manuel Almunia, right, saves West Bromwich Albion’s Chris Brunt, left, penalty during their English Premier League soccer match at the Emirates stadium, London, Saturday Sept. 25, 2010.

Almunia horror show as Baggies down Arsenal

ROME - Zlatan Ibrahimovic was on target again to end AC Milan’s threematch winless run in Serie A with a 10 victory over Genoa at the San Siro on Saturday. The Sweden striker settled the match with a delightful chip in the 49th minute, having notched his first league goal for Milan since his move from Barcelona in Wednesday’s 1-1 draw at Lazio.

Victory gives Milan eight points from five games, two points fewer than leaders Inter Milan, who visit struggling Roma later on Saturday. “This win counts for a lot because it’s important to be in good shape psychologically,” Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri told Sky television.

“When the results don’t come, you always worry, even if you’re a great team.” Robinho was in Milan’s starting line-up for the first time since arriving from Manchester City and he and fellow forwards Ibrahimovic and Ronaldinho tried to make things happen by switching positions early on.

The visitors closed them down well though and the first episode of note was a powerful shot by Genoa’s Rafinha that flew just past the post in the 14th.

Robinho had an angled shot well saved by Eduardo soon after and the Portugal goalkeeper also denied Gennaro Gattuso from close range as Genoa frustrated Milan by being miserly with space. The hosts almost went behind in the 39th when keeper Chris-

tian Abbiati diverted a Rodrigo Palacio cross onto his own far post before a largely uneventful first half came to an exciting close.

Ghana midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng, who was loaned to Milan by Genoa straight after signing from Portsmouth in the close season, pounced on a defensive lapse but Eduardo was on hand again to repel his effort. Abbiati then produced a stunning save at the other end to keep out a bullet header by Spanish defender Chico.

The deadlock was shattered soon after the break when Ibrahimovic resisted the attention of two markers to get his toe to Andrea Pirlo’s pass from deep, with Eduardo unable to save despite getting finger-tips to the looping ball.

Milan sat on their lead in comfort.

Ronaldinho almost made it 2-0 on the hour with a strike that sailed just over the bar and Robinho had a shot cleared

by Domenico Criscito with Eduardo beaten, while Mathieu Flamini squandered two good opportunities in the closing stages.

This weekend’s Serie A action is taking place after Italian professional footballers union AIC postponed a strike called over a contract wrangle.

Juventus, who have so far shown few signs of improving on last season’s miserable campaign despite an array of signings and the arrival of new coach Luigi Delneri, take on Cagliari at home when the rest of the programme is disputed on Sunday.

Agence France Presse

LONDON - Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia was guilty of two errors as West Brom shocked Arsene Wenger’s team in their Premier League clash at the Emirates Stadium. Almunia had saved a first-half penalty from Chris Brunt but the visitors went ahead early in the second half when Peter Odemwingie tapped in his third goal of the season from close range.

Gonzalo Jara doubled the lead when Almunia allowed his shot into the near post, then former Arsenal winger Jerome Thomas added another to seal the points to leave the home crowd stunned.

Samir Nasri pulled two back but Wenger’s side could not take advantage of Chelsea dropping points at Manchester City earlier in the day. Wenger was back on the touchline after serving a onematch ban for his conduct towards the fourth official when Sunderland scored an injury-time equaliser the previous weekend.

Roberto Di Matteo’s men had lost their previous two away games in the league this season conceding seven goals without reply - but it was not quite so straightforward for Arsenal.

Goalkeeper Scott Carson was expected to have a busy afternoon and was watched by England coach Ray Clemence after returning to the national squad for the last round of European

Championship qualifiers.

However, he did not have much to do in the early stages of the match. Andrey Arshavin almost opened the scoring in the 14th minute when he got on the end of Emmanuel Eboue’s cross, but he struck the post twice in the same move. The first was due to the pressure of Brunt, then he stabbed the rebound into the upright too.

Nasri drove wide and would also have been sent through if referee Michael Oliver did not call play back to book Jonas Olsson for a trip on Eboue. The visitors remained a threat on the counter attack and managed to frustrate Arsenal. They almost snatched the lead when Nicky Shorey fed Odemwingie on the right.

Odemwingie cut inside and forced Almunia to palm the ball around his near post. The West Brom striker then earned the penalty eight minutes before the break, racing onto Brunt’s pass

and getting flattened by Almunia.

Brunt took the spot-kick but his weak effort was easily saved by Almunia, who barely had to dive to his right to stop the left-footed shot.

But West Brom were ahead five minutes after the break when Thomas tricked his way into the penalty area, around Bacary Sagna before crossing through Sebastien Squillaci’s legs for Odemwingie to tap in.

Jara then raced onto Brunt’s backheel two minutes later for the second, although his near-post shot was parried into the net by Almunia, offering another example of why Wenger was keen to sign Mark Schwarzer from Fulham before the transfer window closed.

Thomas finished after Almunia needlessly raced out to close down Brunt, who crossed for his team-mate. Nasri jinked into the area for his first goal, then crisply finished a second - but it was too late to earn a point.

AP Photo/Luca Bruno

AC Milan Swedish forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic, right, challenges for the ball with Genoa defender Dario Dainelli during a Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Genoa at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Sept. 25, 2010.

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Sport

International

Monday, September 27, 2010

15

Yao unknown factor as Rockets enter camp Agence France Presse

HOUSTON - Houston’s All-Star center Yao Ming is as curious as anyone to see how his surgically repaired left foot will respond when the Houston Rockets’ NBA campaign begins in earnest. “After one year away, I keep telling myself, ‘Be patient, be patient,’” Yao said. “This injury cannot be helped by one day. Last night, I was thinking, ‘This season is about to start.’

It’s time to go.”

Yao resumed on-court training a month ago with the blessing of his doctors. So far all is well, but the real test will come when Houston begin their pre-season games with a contest against Orlando on October 5. “I haven’t played in a real game yet,” Yao said. “I don’t know how it might react to the intensity. Hopefully, we can learn as soon as possible.”

Coach Rick Adelman said he expects Yao to build up his fitness so that he can eventually play for all of the 24 minutes per game deemed suitable by his doctors.

Adelman said Yao likely wouldn’t play even that many minutes to start with.

“Yao is the big unknown,” Adelman said. “I don’t think it’s fair to say he’s going to play 24 minutes. It’s got to be something that he feels comfortable with, and it’s going to benefit our team, in the long run. It’s something we just have to gauge.”

“It’s going to take a while for the big fella to get in shape and get back into the flow of things,” forward Shane Battier said. “But he’ll get there eventually, and

when he does, he’s going to really help us.”

Point guard Aaron Brooks, who averaged 19.6 points last season, said Yao’s inside presence will create opportunities on the perimeter.

“From the time he gets on the floor, he’ll definitely be a focal point,” Brooks said. “We had a couple of games last year, where we went about five minutes without scoring a basket. “We need him, he’s going to help us. I’m just looking forward to playing with him again.” Houston were 42-40 and missed the playoffs with Yao sidelined last season.

Yao has averaged 19.1 points and 9.3 rebounds in seven seasons since the Rockets drafted him with the top overall pick in 2002. He turned 30 on September 12, and admitted he has to force himself to stay patient as his rehabilitation progresses.

“I would like to push myself a little bit faster, but in that situation, overdoing it will slow you down,” Yao said. “You have to really manage yourself mentally, and keep yourself in a very good attitude.

I’m not used to that.”

Winning start for Kirilenko in Pan Pacific Open Agence France Presse

TOKYO - Russia’s Maria Kirilenko showed her supremacy Sunday as she began her campaign in the star-studded Pan Pacific Open women’s tennis tournament. Kirilenko, ranked 24th in the world, beat Spain’s Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 6-1 in the two-million-dollar hard court tournament.

Twenty-five out of the world’s top 30 players are taking part, with only Kim Clijsters, Serena and Venus Williams, Justine Henin and Li Na missing. “I was serving so good today. I did a lot of aces,” Kirilenko said.

She almost seemed to finish off the match early, after taking the first set and led the second set 5-3. But then Martinez Sanchez kept a game and Kirilenko was broken after committing a series of double faults.

Martinez Sanchez, who originally failed in the qualifying

round, came to the match in place for Chinese star Li, who unexpectedly withdrew at the last minute due to stomach pains.

K i r i l e n k o s a i d s h e w a s n ’t spooked by the sudden change of her opponent and managed to regain herself in the third set, when she made her opponent run hard by firing shots deep along the sidelines.

“It was a little bit difficult, of course, because I thought I was going to finish the match and it went to 5-4,” she said of the second set, which she eventually lost. “But I tried to forget about it,” she said. “I don’t know why I did the double faults. I think it just happened, you know.”

In the rest of the field, Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia comfortably fended off a challenge from Angelique Kerber of Germany 63, 6-3. The 16th-seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia also b e a t S l o v a k i a ’s D o m i n i k a Cibulkova 7-5, 7-5.

AP Photo/ist

Yao Ming

Barcelona down 10-man Bilbao to go second Agence France Presse

MADRID - Champions Barcelona leapfrogged rivals Real Madrid to go second in the Spanish first division thanks to a 3-1 win at 10-man Athletic Bilbao on Saturday. Barca notched their third consecutive league victory with second half goals from Seydou Keita, Xavi and Sergi Busquets after Bilbao had been reduced to 10 men following the dismissal of Fernando Amorebieta on 33 minutes.

Barcelona also had David Villa sent off in the closing stages as Bilbao made it 2-1 but Busquets scored with the last kick of the game to seal the win. Goalshy Real had dropped two vital points in a 0-0 draw at promoted Levante so Barcelona moved a point above their rivals but stayed behind new leaders Valencia by a point.

Valencia warmed up for Wednesday’s Champions League duel with Manchester United by winning 20 at Sporting Gijon to make it 13 points from a possible 15 in the league. Real had been top on goal difference before the weekend but fired blanks against Levante lacking the killer instinct in front of goal.

“It is not normal for a team to need so many goalscoring chances,” said Real coach Jose Mourinho. “It is obviously something that worries me because you have to score goals to win games and we have dropped some points.

“The quality of the players is not the problem because they are used to scoring a lot of goals.” Real top-scored in the league last season with 102 goals but under Mourinho they have scored just six in the first five league games.

For Real the Champions League is the next priority as they travel to French side Auxerre on Tuesday.

Barcelona capitalised on Real’s slipup but should have put 10-man Bilbao to the sword at San Mames hitting the

post twice and missing other opportunities in their 3-1 triumph. The visitors were sharp early on ignoring the torrential rain to play their passing game and had two golden chances in the opening quarter hour.

Keita latched onto a Xavi pass on 10 minutes but his shot lacked the necessary power and goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz parried the effort. Three minutes later Andres Iniesta produced a perfectly-weighted pass for Villa but he crashed his shot against the post.

Barca were on top and were given an extra edge on 33 minutes when Amorebieta was harshly sent off for a late lunge on Iniesta. Amorebieta was stretching as he caught Iniesta late and his punishment of a straight red card was severe. With one man more Barcelona failed to make inroads and Mikel San Jose hit the post for 10-man Bilbao four minutes after the interval.

It stung Barca into action with Keita running onto a first time pass from Villa to slot home on 54 minutes. A deflected

shot from Xavi on 73 minutes gave Barcelona some breathing space although they needed a late goal from Busquets to calm their nerves after Bilbao had pulled a late goal back.

Barcelona didn’t have Lionel Messi due to an ankle injury but hope to have the Argentine back for the trip to Russia to face Rubin Kazan in the Champions League on Wednesday. Valencia are also in Champions League action hosting Manchester United on Wednesday and are brimming with confidence after a 2-0 win at Gijon pushed them to the league summit with four wins and draw so far.

Turkish midfielder Mehmet Topal and Spanish international forward Roberto Soldado both scored their first league goals in the club’s colours to clinch the win.

“The players are grasping that the most important thing is the team and not the individuals and that is the key to the good start,” said Valencia coach Unai Emery.

AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos

Barcelona’s Pedro Rodriguez, right, duels for the ball against Athletic Bilbao’s Mikel San Jose during their Spanish La Liga soccer match at San Mames stadium in Bilbao, northern Spain Saturday, Sept. 25, 2010.

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

Monday, September 27, 2010

Sport

Massa concedes title hopes are over Felipe Massa has conceded that his already slim title hopes are now effectively over after the gearbox problem that left him at the back of the grid for the Singapore Grand Prix.

Although the Brazilian will still be in mathematical contention for the world title irrespective of what happens in Sunday’s race, he knows the reality is the ground is too much to make up.

AP Photo/Sam Kang Li

An aerial view from the Swissotel the Stamford shows Ferrari driver Felipe Massa of Brazil getting out of his car after stalling during the qualifying session for the Singapore Grand Prix on the Marina Bay City Circuit in Singapore, Saturday, Sept. 25, 2010.

Ecclestone sees 20-year future for Singapore GP Agence France Presse

SINGAPORE - Formula One powerbroker Bernie Ecclestone wants the Singapore Grand Prix to remain on the calendar for 20 years, in a huge vote of confidence for a night race he calls the sport’s “crown jewel”. The city-state, staging its third Grand Prix, has again been lavished with praise from key figures in Formula One, although Lewis Hamilton did criticise the street circuit’s chicane as an accident waiting to happen.

In a weekend interview with the Straits Times newspaper, Ecclestone repeated his assertion that the race was the Formula One’s crown jewel and said it “keeps getting polished”. “As long as we keep polishing the jewel, it’s good,’ he added.

Singapore’s deal with Formula One Management, signed in 2007, allows it to host an annual F1 race for five years, with the first one being held in 2008.

The newspaper said race promoter Singapore GP wanted to negotiate any extension to the contract only in the fifth year, in 2012.

Ecclestone said he wanted it to continue long beyond then. “We want it to go on for 20 years,” he said. “Then we’ll have another look and see, for the next five.

We’ll have to have a review.” The

race has rapidly become a season highlight among drivers after raising the bar during the hosting of its inaugural event.

Awarding a Grand Prix to Singapore was part of Ecclestone’s push into Asia, whose booming markets are a major drawcard. Out of 19 races this year, seven are in the region. Next year, when India

joins the circuit it will be eight out of 20.

The 79-year-old said the move away from the sport’s traditional heartland of Europe was inevitable, given the growth of Asia. “For years and years, I’ve been saying the world has been moving this way (to Asia). Moving east, not west,” he said.

AP Photo/Mark Baker

Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone, right, is introduced to Max Key, left, son of New Zealand Prime Minister John Key, center, during a visit to the Singapore Grand Prix on the Marina Bay City Circuit in Singapore, Saturday, Sept. 25, 2010.

When asked by reporters in Singapore whether he felt his championship hopes would be wholly over if the five leading title contenders outscore him again, Massa said: “What do you think? Sometimes you ask some questions that are pretty easy to answer.

“I am not stupid. I know how this sport works, so for sure yes. It is pretty clear.” Although Massa will have a new engine and gearbox for the Singapore GP, he is not expecting an easy time in trying to move up the field over the course of the race.

“We know how it is to overtake on the streets, which is very difficult,” said the Brazilian. “It is a little bit like Monaco, that you have short straights, but I hope many things happen during the race so I have the possibility to pass people.

“You want to have the possibility to have a good strategy, so we will wait and see how it is going to go, but starting last on the track is really bad.”

Massa also doubts he can stage a repeat of the strategy adopted by Fernando Alonso in Monaco, where he started from the pitlane and came through to finish sixth after stopping for tyres on the first lap. “For sure here is a place that you use the tyres a little bit more than Monaco, so we need to think about it.”