Edisi 11 Agustus 2009 | International Bali Post

16

Sport

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Schumacher to test F2007 again

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Death of Indian ‘queen’ triggers royal squabble

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

PAGE 6

Michael Schumacher is to borrow an F2007 from Ferrari’s historic Clienti department once again so he can conduct a two-day test at Mugello from tomorrow ahead of his F1 comeback.

With Ferrari’s request for a testing exemption to allow Schumacher to drive an F60 having been rejected

by Williams, Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso, Schumacher has taken matters into his own hands and decided to get some more F1 experience himself.

Having already conducted one day in the F2007, loaned by the F1 Clienti historic cars division, last month, Schumacher has requested the loan of the car once again so he can conduct two more days of running, on the GP2-spec tyres that the historic cars normally run on. His test will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday.

AP Photo/Felice Calabro’

Seven-time Formula One world champion driver Michael Schumacher, right, approaches his cart at the South Garda Karting track in Lonato, Italy, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2009. Schumacher said Tuesday he is slimming down for his Formula One comeback and the only problem is a little neck pain. Schumacher’s first race is expected to be the European Grand Prix in Valencia on Aug. 23. The 40-year-old is returning to his Ferrari team while Felipe Massa recovers from a recent crash.

AUTOSPORT understands that Schumacher is paying for the test himself, which will be overseen by members of the Clienti department and not involve Ferrari F1 team members. Since confirming he will be making an F1 return, Schumacher has been pushing himself hard to get back to race fitness. He spent time testing karts at Lonato and has been working on his strength and endurance.

Schumacher’s progress is being overseen by doctors, who are keeping a close eye on his condition and have been conducting a series of medical tests to ensure he is ready for an F1 return in Valencia.

President asks ICAAP participant not to be disturbed by terrorism PAGE 8

‘G.I. Joe’ blasts competition for box office top spot PAGE 12

Wurz, de la Rosa in frame for US F1 seat Pedro de la Rosa and Alexander Wurz have emerged as the leading contenders to race alongside an American rookie at the new Team US F1 next year, AUTOSPORT has learned. Although the Americanbased outfit had considered running two American drivers for its debut campaign in 2010, the team believes it will be better placed slotting in an experienced racer to help its development phase.

It is understood that the team is already in talks with both de la Rosa and Wurz, whose vast experience of testing and racing would be of huge

use to US F1.

De la Rosa’s contract as a McLaren test driver runs out at the end of this year, and the Spaniard is also in talks with Campos Grand Prix about a race seat there.

Wurz will also be free of his test deal with Brawn GP at the end of this year and, on the back of efforts to get his Team Superfund on the grid in 2010, he thinks a tie up with US F1 could make sense off the track as well as on it. US F1 is expected to announce imminently that YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley is to become an investor in the team.

Speaking about a US F1 deal, Wurz said: “Peter Windsor [US F1 sporting director] talked to me about the possibility of driving for them as they have limited time for testing and would need an experienced driver.

“I know their first priority is US drivers but if they really want me I would be interested in this task to build a new franchise from scratch and help them with my input.”

US F1 is considering its options in terms of an American driver, with Formula Atlantic driver Jonathan Summerton one of the leading contenders to be given an F1 chance.

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AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati

Joy Lynn Alegarbes, right, of the United States holds a female condom as she demonstrates during an awareness campaign at the 9th International Congress on Aids in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, Monday, Aug 10, 2009. More than 3000 delegates from 65 countries participate from various civil society groups, including interfaith forums, women’s organizations, and sex workers’ associations, join government officials at the 9th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP) to find ways to reduce the rate of AIDS infections.

Million HIV patients in Asia Pacific treated by 2011: UNAIDS

Fourteen dead, 51 missing in Taiwan flooding: rescue services Agence France-Presse

TAIPEI - At least 14 people were confirmed dead and 51 others were missing in Taiwan on Monday after Typhoon Morakot caused the island’s worst flooding in half a century, the rescue services said. The military was also trying to rescue thousands of people cut off by fallen bridges or raging rivers after the typhoon dumped a record 2.5 metres (100 inches) of rain on the island before it headed for the coast of mainland China.

Continued on page 6

Agence France-Presse

NUSA DUA - The Asia Pacific region is on target to treat a million HIV-positive people with antiretroviral drugs within the next two years, a UN body said Monday.

Around 565,000 people in the region are already receiving treatment, UNAIDS regional director Prasada Rao said, adding he was “confident” of getting the medicine to another halfa-million people by 2011.

“We’re half-way through. There are still about 500,000 more who need to be covered by antiretroviral treatment (before we) reach the universal access

target,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the ninth International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP) in Bali, Indonesia.

An estimated five million Asians are living with HIV, many of them in Thailand, Cambodia, the Philippines and Indonesia, according to a UN report released last year.

Continued on page 6

AP Photo

An elderly man is carried after being rescued by military helicopter from a village covered in a landslide from Typhoon Morakot in Kaohsiung county, southern Taiwan, Monday, Aug. 10, 2009.

2

International

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

News WORLD NEWS

Add as friend? Hezbollah chief becomes Facebook star Agence France-Presse

BEIRUT - Love him or loathe him, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah has earned himself celebrity status — at least on Facebook, where a good 20 forums are dedicated to the Lebanese Shiite militant leader.

Toxic cleanups WASHINGTON - For years, the Bush administration was criticized for not cleaning up enough of America’s most contaminated waste sites. The Obama administration plans to do even less.

Year of Ox? SAN DIEGO - In China it’s the year of the ox - and it could be for Cuba, too.

President Raul Castro is promoting the beasts of burden as a way for the economically strapped communist country to ramp up food production while conserving energy.

Many are favourable to Nasrallah but others are extremely hostile to the controversial figure, whose organisation is claimed by Israel to have a stockpile of 40,000 rockets.

“May God bless you Nasrallah”, “Nasrallah deserves to burn in hell”, “God is with you, oh symbol of dignity and the resistance”, and “Nasrallah is a goddamned Nazi” are just some of the comments posted on forums dedicated to the charismatic 49-year-old, who has headed Hezbollah since 1992.

He has not appeared in public for over a year and resides in an undisclosed location in Beirut but his visibility on the social networking site could hardly be higher.

The Facebook groups have titles ranging from “Fans of Hassan Nasrallah” to “Support the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah,” and they are loaded with fervent comments in English, French, Hebrew, and Arabic, many from subscribers identifying themselves as Lebanese or Israelis.

In July 2006, Israel launched a devastating 34-day war against Hezbollah after the militant group kidnapped Israeli soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev in a cross-border raid. Three years on, the “July War” remains a hot topic for the online forums.

A French-language forum entitled “For the elimination of Hassan Nasrallah,” demands the Israeli government get rid of Nasrallah “to avenge the blood of Ehud and Eldad,” whose remains Israel reclaimed in 2008 in a comprehensive prisoner swap with Hezbollah. Visuals, too, send strong messages: some groups show a softer side of the Shiite leader, posting pictures of the child Nasrallah smiling in a garden by a bowl of fruit, or carrying a little girl in his arms. Others display cartoons of Nasrallah dressed in a bikini, portrayed as a cockroach or at the centre of a target.

Hezbollah maintains that people are “free to express what they want.

If they want to express their love for Sayyed Nasrallah, the party will not forbid them to do that.”

The Lebanese themselves are divided on how they feel about Nasrallah.

For some Facebook members, the Hezbollah leader is “fighting to protect the fatherland against Americanisation, Zionism.”

“He is the cedar in our Lebanese flag, the master of all,” reads one post, in a reference to the symbolic tree of Lebanon.

But on a forum called “Hezbollah out of Lebanon right now!” mem-

AFP PHOTO/JOSEPH EID

In a picture taken on July 31, 2009, a Lebanese journalist visits the webpage of a Facebook group about Lebanon’s Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, at her office in Beirut. Love him or loathe him, Nasrallah has earned himself celebrity status — at least on Facebook, where a good 20 forums are dedicated to the Lebanese Shiite militant leader. bers using screen names openly express their hostility towards the proIranian group, which they say is “a major threat to Lebanon”.

Israelis, too, have much to say on Hezbollah, which is blacklisted as a terrorist group by the Jewish state and Washington though its political wing forms a bloc of 13 MPs in Lebanon’s 128-seat parliament following elections in June.

“Take the advice: Kick Nasrallah out and you can have living standards like we have in Israel,” writes one subscriber, who identifies himself as an Israeli soldier.

“Look, before 2006, Lebanon was booming,” writes Avi. “Your

economy was good, many tourists came and so on. After 2006 Lebanon was wasteland because of Nasrallah.”

A rush of heated reactions flowed in moments after Avi’s post surfaced, accusing his country of having “destroyed Lebanon” and slamming Israel as Lebanon’s “first enemy”.

“Avi, shut up and find yourself a hole where you can hide! May God protect Nasrallah!” writes Nihal.

The 34-day July War killed some 1,200 Lebanese, mostly civilians, and 160 Israelis, mostly soldiers, and destroyed much of Lebanon’s major infrastructure.

Sport

International

MANILA, Philippines - A Philippine official says the government has agreed to free two communist guerrillas in an effort to resume long-stalled peace talks to end a bloody 40-year rebellion.

Source: ap

Agence France-Presse

SEOUL - Iranian Nobel peace prize winner Shirin Ebadi called Monday for intensified international pressure to help her country democratise and denounced the crackdown on opposition protesters.

“I oppose military and economic sanctions against Iran as they will aggravate the situation,” Ebadi was quoted as saying in an interview with South Korea’s Chosun Ilbo newspaper.

“However, intensified international public opinion will contribute to Iran’s democratisation.”

Ebadi, a lawyer and human rights defender who won the Nobel prize in 2003, arrived in Seoul Saturday for a six-day trip to receive this year’s Manhae Peace Prize named after a 20th century Korean Buddhist reformer.

She said she would step up her campaign to remove censorship in Iran.

“I want to let all the people know what’s going on in Iran and make it

a free country,” she said.

Ebadi denounced Iran for jailing citizens who protested at President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s disputed re-election in a June 12 poll that sparked weeks of unrest.

“I don’t take a political stance but I oppose the government’s violent oppression,” she told Dong-A Ilbo in a separate interview. “Violence must be eradicated and all those who were arrested after the election must be freed.”

At least 20 people have died in clashes with security forces and

Agence France Presse

LONDON - Sir Alex Ferguson faces an anxious wait to discover if Manchester United’s Premier League title defence suffered an early blow during his side’s Community Shield penalty shootout defeat to Chelsea.

Ferguson had plenty to occupy his mind on the journey back to Manchester on Sunday as he contemplated an injury to Portugal winger Nani that could wreck his plans for life after Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez.

Nani had made a significant contribution to United’s first half dominance at Wembley and it was perhaps no coincidence that his departure early in the second half with a dislocated shoulder was the prelude for Chelsea’s best period of the game.

After scoring the game’s opening goal and tormenting Chelsea right-back Branislav Ivanovic to such an extent that Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti was forced to replace him with Jose Bosingwa at half-time, it seemed Nani was ready to claim the role as Ronaldo’s successor.

Instead he will have a scan on Monday to determine how long he will be out after leaving the pitch with his arm in a makeshift sling following John Terry’s firm but fair challenge.

Nani is certain to miss Portugal’s friendly against Liechtenstein on Wednesday and United’s home opener against Birmingham on Sunday.

He may not make the trip to Burnley next week either, forcing

Ferguson to rethink his tactics just when it seemed the post-Ronaldo era might not be so troublesome after all.

“We could not put the shoulder back in, so that is the worrying part for us,” Ferguson said. “He had done very well and we were very pleased with his performance.”

Nani’s fitness isn’t Ferguson’s only concern as he gears up to go for a record fourth successive Premier League title.

With goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar out for eight weeks after finger surgery, Ferguson could have done with a solid display from Ben Foster.

Instead the England international produced an error-strewn performance, which included letting Frank Lampard’s shot through his gloves for Chelsea’s second goal and punching poorly for Ricardo Carvalho’s opener.

Ferguson admitted he must decide whether to stick with the youngster or select Tomasz Kuzsczak against Birmingham.

“Knowing Ben and the ability which he has, he should have done better with the second goal,” said Ferguson. “However, it was his first big challenge.

“He has waited a long time, has had his injuries, and in pre-season I spread the load between the three

‘keepers, and maybe we did not have enough minutes for him.”

That wasn’t Ferguson’s only complaint. He also claimed Chelsea substitute Michael Ballack should have been sent off for the elbow that sent Patrice Evra sprawling in the build-up to Lampard’s goal.

“If the referee sees it properly, it’s a red card,” Ferguson said.

“He’s elbowed him clearly. The referee’s in line and had a clear view so Ballack’s lucky.

“But the referee (Chris Foy) made a rod for his own back. He’d stopped the game twice already so I can’t understand why he wouldn’t do it for Evra.”

At least Ferguson could take heart from the way Wayne Rooney strode through to score United’s stoppage time equaliser.

Now Ronaldo and Tevez are gone, Rooney is back in his favoured role as a central striker and he combined well enough with Dimitar Berbatov to suggest the pair could form a fruitful partnership.

Michael Owen and Antonio Valencia, Ferguson’s two main closeseason recruits, came off the bench for the final 15 minutes to show that strength in depth won’t be a problem at Old Trafford this season.

AP Photo/Sang Tan

Manchester United’s Nani, right, reacts after scoring a goal against Chelsea, as fellow team member Rio Ferdinand, left, looks on, during their English FA Community Shield soccer match at Wembley Stadium in London, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2009.

Spanish football mourns Dani Jarque Agence France Presse

MADRID - Spanish football was in mourning Sunday following the sudden death of Espanyol captain Dani Jarque from a heart attack.

Real Madrid captain Raul led the

tributes to the 26-year-old who died Saturday in a hotel room in the Italian town of Coviciana where his team were on a pre-season training camp.

Raul said: “As captain and in representation of Real Madrid I want to show all our sympathy and to be by the side

of the player’s family.

“We want to give encouragement to all the Espanyol family at such a hard time, which has left us all filled with dismay and pain.

“Such a young lad, a great professional and sportsman, who suffered this

hundreds of opposition protesters have been detained. Iran has also jailed dozens of journalists, political activists and reformist leaders.

Ebadi said the government had misinterpreted the spirit of Islam to discriminate against women.

She told Dong-A that Islam can “develop into a direction in which the religion stays in harmony with human rights. The problem is that undemocratic governments abuse the term Islam’ for an oppressive policy that defies human rights.”

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15

Fergie frets over Nani, Foster after Wembley defeat

Nobel laureate demands democracy for Iran

Communist rebels

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

AP Photo/David Ramos

Espanyol fans gather in memory of the late Espanyol player Daniel Jarque, seen in picture centre right, at the Espanyol’s New Stadium in Cornella del Llobregat, near Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2009. Espanyol captain Daniel Jarque died of heart failure Saturday in his team’s hotel on the eve of a friendly against Bologna in Italy. He was 26.

has left us all very hurt.

“From here our most sincere sympathies.”

Another Real Madrid player, Manchester United recruit Cristiano Ronaldo, described the day as “very sad for everyone”.

Jarque was discovered in his room after failing to appear for dinner with his teammates.

The club said that team doctors as well as Italian paramedics tried to revive the midfielder but without success.

Carles Puyol, captain of Barcelona, Espanyol’s city neighbours, echoed Raul and Ronaldo’s sentiments, telling his club’s website: “It’s a sad day for us all and for football.

“Our thoughts are with his family and his friends.”

A minute’s silence was observed at the start of the second half of a preseason friendly at the Mestella Stadium where Valencia were taking on English side Arsenal. Players from both sides also wore black armbands.

Valencia issued a statement presenting their “condolences”.

Atletico Madrid declared that “the world of football is once again in mourning,” a reference to the fact that this tragedy occurred just two years after the death, also from heart failure, of Sevilla defender Antonio Puerta.

Puerta died aged 22 after collapsing during the opening game of the Spanish La Liga season.

Both the Spanish football frederation and the league expressed their support for Jarque’s family and club.

Sunday’s edition of Marca, the main Spanish sports daily, printed the dead player’s name in black on its front page while in Barcelona supporters gathered outside the number 21 gate, Jarque’s shirt number, at Espanyol’s stadium.

Late Saturday Espanyol had confirmed that their captain had died from heart failure and said the club doctor’s attempts to revive him had failed. “It was a heart attack,” said club official German de la Cruz.

“He was talking to his girlfriend when he suddenly began to feel unwell. He told her and then stopped talking. His partner got in touch with the hotel and explained what had happened but it was too late to do anything.

Jarque had played for Espanyol since the 2002-2003 season.

In the last campaign, he featured in 36 league matches and scored two goals. He was also a member of the team which won the Spanish Cup in 2006 and who were UEFA Cup runners-up in 2007.

14

Sport

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

International

News

International

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Del Potro outlasts Roddick to defend ATP Washington title

Obama, Calderon tackle flu, drugs war

WASHINGTON - Juan Martin Del Potro blasted five of his 19 aces in the deciding tie-breaker Sunday to beat US top seed Andy Roddick 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (8/6) and win his second consecutive ATP Washington Classic title.

GUADALAJARA - US President Barack Obama expressed “strong support” for Mexico’s raging battle against drug cartels in talks with Mexican President Felipe Calderon here on Sunday, a US official said.

Agence France Presse

Ignoring fatigue and sweltering heat to launch his most powerful serves of the match at the finish, the Argentine second seed finally overcame Roddick on his fourth match-point chance when a line call review upheld a forehand winner.

“I did my best services ever in my life,” Del Potro said of the tiebreaker. “I don’t know what happened in that moment. I was just trying to do my best, play 10 minutes and you are out.

“On that last forehand, I saw the ball very close. Andy called the HawkEye and said, ‘I saw out.’

I said, ‘I saw out too.’ Then HawkEye said it was in.”

Del Potro became the first player since Andre Agassi in 1999 to win back-to-back titles at the 1.4 million-dollar hardcourt event, capturing the top prize of 300,000 dollars after 2 1/2 hours in hot and humid conditions.

“It was very difficult,” Del Potro said. “After the first set I

couldn’t move any more. It was impossible. It was serve and one more ball. If you run, you die.”

Roddick, in his first event since a five-set Wimbledon final loss to Roger Federer, fired 21 aces and had a superior first-serve percentage but missed out on a fourth Washington title and 28th career crown.

“Today was brutal,” Roddick said.

“He was rolling the dice a lot. He played high risk tennis and he connected. To go for as much as he was going for late in the match and not have any errors to show for it, that was the difference.”

Sixth-ranked Del Potro, 20, won his sixth career ATP title and second of the year after a January crown at Auckland. It was his first ATP title defense and showed his improvement since a shock 2008 title opposite the Beijing Olympics.

“I’ve improved everything a little bit,” Del Potro said. “But if I want to beat Roddick a lot of times, Federer and Nadal, I have to get better. I have to keep working.”

Fifth-ranked Roddick, 26, lost his only prior meeting with Del Potro in last year ’s Los Angeles final.

Roddick likes the state of his game three weeks ahead of the US Open.

“I’m on the right path to the Open.

I’m not far off from where I was toward the end of Wimbledon,” Roddick said. “This is the start of preparations for the US Open. I definitely feel better about my game than when I first got here.

“I will take a lot more good than bad away from this week.”

Del Potro opened the tie-breaker with his fastest serve, a 137-mph ace, then took a 3-1 lead on a secondserve ace and a 4-1 edge on a 136mph ace. A fourth ace gave him a 63 edge and three championship points.

Roddick saved the first with an ace and Del Potro followed by sending a backhand wide and a forehand long, sustaining Roddick’s hopes.

But Del Potro fired his final ace and then captured the match on the replay call.

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

Juan Martin del Potro, of Argentina, holds up his trophy after winning the final of the Legg Mason Tennis Classic, against Andy Roddick, of the United States, in Washington, on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2009. Del Portro won the match 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (6), to become the tournament champion for the second year in a row.

Pennetta captures biggest win Indian anger at England’s of career at LA Championship badminton pull-out Agence France Presse

LOS ANGELES - Italy’s Flavia Pennetta defeated Samantha Stosur of Australia 6-4, 6-3 in the final of the 700,000 dollar WTA Los Angeles Women’s Tennis Championship on Sunday.

The 27-year-old Italian, who was runner-up in 2008 at this event, called Sunday’s victory the biggest of her career. She earned 107,000 dollars in first-place prize money and posted her eighth career singles title.

“This is my first big title,” said Pennetta, who was seeded 10th at the hardcourt event at the Home Depot Center facility in south central Los Angeles.

Pennetta had four aces to three for Stosur and made good on 76 percent of her first serve points in the 81-minute match.

“I am really happy because it was tough for me to beat her,” Pennetta said. “I was afraid of her serve.

“This tournament is something different for me. It is the first time for me to win a tournament like this.” It was just her second title on hardcourts with six of her eight coming on clay.

Sunday was the first career meeting between the two WTA veterans.

Agence France Presse

AP Photo/Jae C. Hong

Flavia Pennetta The 25-year-old Stosur fell short of winning her first WTA title but was happy with her progress.

“It was a great week and I was really pleased to make it to the final,” Stosur of the Gold Coast said.

“I really enjoy playing here.”

Stosur has been on a brilliant run of success over the past few months, improving her world ranking to 18.

The 13th seeded Stosur is known more for her success in doubles but was knocked out of that draw on Thursday.

NEW DELHI - India on Monday reacted furiously to England’s withdrawal from the world badminton championships in Hyderabad, insisting the country was safe one year before it hosts the Commonwealth Games.

The English pull-out over security fears came after Australian tennis players refused to play a Davis Cup tie in Chennai, and as the capital New Delhi prepares to welcome 71 nations for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

“This is unfortunate and an over-reaction,” Home Secretary G.K. Pillai said after England backed out of the tournament over media reports of a threat by Islamic militants.

“The security arrangements in Hyderabad are good and the government of India is committed to ensure the complete security of all competitors and the championships,” he said.

Among high-profile sporting events planned in India over the next two years are cricket and field hockey World Cups, international cricket tours and the annual Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 tournament.

The IPL was forced abroad earlier this year over concerns that In-

dian security forces would not be able to protect the matches at the same time as the country held month-long national elections.

The perceived risk of foreign sports stars being targeted in South Asia has increased dramatically since gunmen attacked the Sri Lanka cricket team in Lahore, Pakistan in March.

Six policemen and two civilians were killed and seven Sri Lankan squad members were injured in the assault on the team as they travelled to a game.

Deadly militant attacks on luxury hotels in Mumbai last November have also added to nervousness about teams travelling to India.

But England’s withdrawal from the badminton championships was criticised by both the organisers and by other teams.

“I think perhaps they have overreacted,” Anne Smillie, chief executive of Badminton Scotland, told the BBC. “Our Scottish players and our team manager, who are in Hyderabad, feel confident that security is at its best.”

The head of English badminton authorities said that they were not prepared to place players, coaches and staff in what could be “a very volatile environment”.

India’s top badminton star Saina Nehwal described the pull-out as “immature” and would have no impact on the tournament since England were “not serious contenders”.

As the week-long event entered its second day on Tuesday, the sparse crowd was outnumbered by security guards inside and outside the Gachibowli stadium.

Each ticketholder was frisked and their bags were checked before they entered the venue.

Indian Olympic Association official Randhir Singh, one of the senior organisers of the Commonwealth Games, said he saw no threat of teams refusing to take part in the Games.

“We are in constant touch with other nations and they are satisfied by the assurances given by the government about security,” he told local media.

Another Indian sports official asked if cricketers from England and Australia would refuse to play in the lucrative Twenty20 Champions League in October or the IPL next year.

“They will come crawling for the money,” said the official, who did not want to be identified. “And if India is safe for cricket, it is safe for other sports too.”

3

Agence France-Presse

But Obama stressed the importance of upholding human rights in the crackdown against the murderous wave of narcotics-related violence, the senior official said on condition of anonymity.

The two leaders also discussed “at some length” joint preparations for the expected resurgence of the influenza A(H1N1) virus, also known as the swine flu, in the coming months and a perennial trucking dispute between the United States and its southern neighbor.

The talks came ahead of a North American summit on Monday grouping Canada, the United States and Mexico that is also set to discuss combined efforts to extricate the three nations from the deep economic crisis.

The official said the talks, which took place shortly before a three-way private dinner that included Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper late Sunday, were “cordial” and evidence of deeper cooperation between the United States and Mexico.

Obama expressed “strong support for President Calderon’s efforts in combating the drugs cartels here in Mexico,” the official said, as well as stressed “the importance of human rights for him,

for the United States and frankly for Mexico.”

Some rights groups and US lawmakers have voiced anxiety that the Mexican armed forces have committed human rights abuses, including rapes, killings and torture in the military crackdown on drugs cartels.

Calderon meanwhile brought up delays in delivering part of a 1.4-billion-dollar US aid and security package to boost Mexico’s fight against drugs gangs known as the Merida Initiative.

The counternarcotics package has been held up in the US Congress due to human rights concerns, with Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy, who chairs a Senate Appropriations subcommittee on foreign operations, saying it was not clear the Mexican military was accountable to the rule of law.

“The president made clear his commitment to work with Congress to address legitimate safety concerns and to work with Mexico to fulfill our international obligations,” the US official said.

The two leaders also discussed a trucking dispute, which has seen the United States deny permission for Mexican trucks to operate on its territory, and sparked retaliatory measures from Mexico.

Agence France-Presse

nadian Mounted Police instructors were currently in Mexico providing basic training to Mexican Federal Police recruits.

Canada would also provide training for 300 mid-level officers, the statement added.

With killings in suspected drug attacks in Mexico approaching 10,000 since the start of 2008, Mexican President Felipe Calderon was expected to seek more support for his controversial military crackdown on the country’s warring drug gangs during the two-day summit also attend by US President Barack Obama.

The meeting came amid criticism of alleged abuses committed by some of the 40,000 soldiers deployed across the country, and reports of growing Mexican drug gang activity across the United States, Canada and beyond.

Canada to train Mexican police in 15-mln-dlr program

GUADALAJARA - Canada said Sunday that it would increase training by its Mounted Police for Mexican officers as part of a new, 15million-dollar security program for the Americas.

The announcement came as Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper arrived in the western Mexican city of Guadalajara for a summit overshadowed by Mexican drug violence.

“Supporting police training in Mexico is one of the most effective ways to fight organized crime and drug trafficking within Canada,” said a statement from Harper’s office.

Thirty-two Mexican police officers would travel to Canada for three weeks’ training in the fall, while eight Spanish-speaking Royal Ca-

AP Photo/Alex Brandon

President Barack Obama, left, and Mexican President Felipe Calderon meet in Guadalajara, Mexico, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2009. The two leaders are taking part in the North American Leaders Summit.

Afghan police fast-tracked for elections Agence France-Presse

KABUL - Afghan police recruits clutch their guns and leopard crawl across gravel under the noon sun. A teddy bear nearby is rigged up as a fake improvised explosive device — the favoured weapon of the Taliban.

In a brown tent to the side, a young man asks a First Aid instructor if police should help all the wounded at the site of an explosion when there is every chance one could be an attacker.

This Kabul fire station — a former Taliban jail, says the fire chief — is a classroom for a pre-election crash course in being a policeman in Afghanistan where the police have to be more soldier than community cop.

Some 14,800 recruits have been pushed through three weeks of training for the August 20 presidential and provincial council elections when police will be the first line of security for nearly 7,000 polling centres.

They will be backed by Afghan soldiers and international forces with the defence ministry saying the entire combined force of 300,000 men will be out on polling day to thwart any attempt by Taliban militants to disrupt voting.

Five more weeks of training after the polls will make the recruits — 4,800 for Kabul and 10,000 for the country’s most unstable districts — full policemen, US and Afghan trainers say.

“It is not just for elections, it is a down payment on the larger growth,” said Major General Richard Formica, commanding general of the Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan (CSTC-A) that trains Afghan security forces.

Boosting the Afghan forces, and

the police in particular, is a priority in US President Barack Obama’s revamped plan to beat a spiralling insurgency that has this year seen record attacks.

It is an effort that has cost the United States, the biggest trainer of security forces, about 18.7 million dollars since 2005, according to figures provided by CSTC-A. The police have come second to the army in the post-Taliban drive to rebuild Afghanistan’s war-shattered security forces.

But this is changing as the need for more police has become clearer with violence spreading and militants able to take over districts and get past checkpoints to carry out attacks in the hearts of major cities.

Without the men being trained for the elections, there are just 82,000 policemen for a country of between 25 and 36 million; close to 6,000 are in the capital, a city of four million.

Authorities have recommended an increase of near double, Formica said.

The figure would be made clear in a strategy review by the commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, due early September.

The 95,000-strong Afghan army is better trained and equipped than the police, who are characterised — sometimes unfairly — as hash-smoking and always on the look out for bribes.

Formica rejects the perception of “every policeman as crooked” but admits there are problems, which he is confident could be whittled out with more training.

The police also suffer the heaviest losses in the fighting with roughly 1,400 killed last year and three losing their lives for every Afghan soldier who dies, according to US military officials.

Entry-level salaries for both forces

have been levelled out to 120 dollars a month but the calibre of recruits for patrol-level police is often poor.

“Compared to Europe and the United States, of course the quality is low, but compared to the quality all over Afghanistan, it’s average,” said Carl Erik Jensen from the European Union police training mission.

“Many of them, about three-quarters, probably cannot read or write, so this is a special challenge for our trainers,” said the deputy chief superintendent.

But this is what is available in one of the poorest countries in the world, ruined by war and with roughly 70 percent illiteracy.

Just weeks before arriving in Kabul for the elections crash course that covers weapons, ethics, First Aid and other basic duties, 18-year-old Nasrullah was a farmer in a remote valley in the rugged northeast.

Handling a gun is not a problem — he has carried one since he was 16. But he speaks minority Pashai and struggles with Dari, the language of the city where he will be deployed on voting day.

“I want to serve my country, to bring security to Nuristan,” he said.

The standard of recruits is far higher at the Afghan National Police Academy, a neat officers’ school where young men — all with high school diplomas — sit under trees awaiting their first day’s instruction.

One of them, 22-year-old Dur Mohammad, recounts how two rockets fired by Taliban had landed at his school in the southern province of Helmand but did not explode because they struck water.

It made him decide to join the security forces to defend his home and family. “I am ready to give my blood for my country,” he said.

4

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

News

65 years after Italy massacre MUNICH - In one of Germany’s last Nazi war crimes trials, a 91-year-old ex-army commander accused of ordering the massacre of 14 civilians in a Tuscan village in 1944 will receive his verdict Tuesday.

Prosecutors in the southern city of Munich have demanded life in prison for Josef Scheungraber for crimes they say he committed 65 years ago in Falzano.

He has been on trial since September on charges of ordering the murders on June 26, 1944 in retaliation for an attack by Italian partisans that killed two German soldiers.

Scheungraber’s men are alleged to have shot dead a 74-year-old woman and three men in the street.

They then forced 11 males aged between 15 and 66 into the ground floor of a farmhouse which they then blew up. Only the youngest, Gino Massetti, survived, but with serious injuries. Six decades later and an old man himself, Massetti testified during the Italian trial.

Scheungraber was charged with 14 counts of murder and one of attempted murder.

“He denies the charges and disputes having anything to do with these acts,” said one of his lawyers, Christian Stuenkel, calling for his acquittal.

Scheungraber, at the time the commander of mountain infantry battalion Gebirgspionierbataillon 818, was sentenced in absentia in September 2006 to life imprisonment by an Italian military tribunal in La Spezia.

The La Spezia court has tried several former Nazis in absentia but none has been brought to justice, with Germany as a rule not extraditing its citizens without their consent.

He told the Munich court that he handed the 11 males over to the military police, after which he “never heard what happened to them”.

Scheungraber spent decades after the war as a free man in his hometown in Bavaria, running a woodworking shop and participating regularly in commemorations for fallen Nazi soldiers.

He is hard of hearing and walks with a cane but has appeared in good health during his 11-month trial. His is expected to be one of the last cases in Germany dealing with atrocities of the Nazi era.

One other case pending is that of John Demjanjuk, 89, a Nazi death camp guard deported in May from the United States for allegedly herding more than 29,000 Jews to their death. Last month he was declared fit to stand trial.

Rights group says Saudi holding thousands without charge

Agence France-Presse

RIYADH - Saudi Arabia’s domestic security police ignore the country’s own laws to hold suspects for years without charges and ignores court orders to release detainees, a human rights group charged on Monday.

The Saudi General Directorate for Investigations, or mabahith, is believed to hold several thousand people allegedly involved in seditious or terror activities, many arrested during the 2003-2006 AlQaeda campaign of violence across the country. It also holds a number of pro-democracy reform advocates. But even after years in the secret mabahith prisons, few are ever charged and tried, New Yorkbased Human Rights Watch said in a new report in which it cited former detaines and families of prisoners.

One released detainee told the group that about 20 detainees in a mabahith prison in Jouf, in northern Saudi Arabia, who were all arrested for acts of violence related to national security, remain in jail though their sentences have expired.

It said that 10 months after the Board of Grievances, an adminis-

trative court, ordered Imad alMatrudi’s release because he had been held since 2004 without charge, the mabahith refuse to free him.

HRW pointed out that, in what was a major legal reform in the country, in 2002 the Saudi government promulgated a criminal procedure law that stipulated that arrested people be promptly informed of the reasons for their arrest.

The law requires that they be told of the charges they face when they first appear in front of prosecutors within 48 hours of being arrested and stipulates that detainees be brought to trial or freed within six months.

“Saudi Arabia has a legal limit of six months in detention before trial, and some families have challenged their relatives’ detention before the Board of Grievances, the Saudi administrative court,” HRW said. “However, the interior ministry, which is responsible for the mabahith, has ignored the court’s rulings ordering the release of detainees held longer than the legal limit.”

“The mabahith acts as if it is above the law,” HRW’s Middle East director Sarah Leah Whitson said in a statement.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

13

Veterinarians using stem cells to treat animals

Verdict due for ex-Nazi officer Agence France-Presse

Life Style

International

International

Associated Press Writer

MIAMI – Lucy the Labradoodle scoots along the ground to grab a bone.

At only 5 years old, she’s unable to walk, crippled by rheumatoid arthritis that has rendered her back limbs unusable.

AP Photo

Women grieve at the site of a double truck bombing which tore through a Shiite minority community near the northern city of Mosul, 360 kilometers (225 miles) northwest of Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, Aug. 10, 2009. A series of blasts struck Baghdad Monday in a wave of predawn violence that killed at least 40 people, according to Iraqi officials.

41 killed in wave of Iraq bombings In the deadliest single attack, two booby-trapped lorries exploded before dawn in the village of Khaznan, east of Mosul, leaving 25 people dead and 70 others wounded.

Thirty-five houses were destroyed in the village, which is home to members of the tiny Shabak community, a sect of Kurdish origin.

Mosul has seen frequent attacks despite a marked decline in violence elsewhere in the country and US commanders describe it as the last urban bastion of Al-Qaeda loyalists in Iraq.

Iraq’s second city with a population of about 1.6 million, Mosul is mainly Sunni — both Arab and Kurdish — but it also has significant

Christian and Shiite Turkmen minorities.

In Baghdad, two car bombs went off as day labourers were gathering in the early morning hours looking for jobs. The first bomb exploded at Hay al-Amel, in the west of the capital, killing nine people and injuring 46. The second bomb attack in Shurta Arbaa in the north of the city killed seven people and wounded 35 others.

On Friday, a powerful car bomb blast killed at least 37 Shiite Muslims near a mosque in Mosul in a wave of attacks that also killed 10 people in Baghdad, threatening to plunge the country into a new bout

of sectarian conflict.

Despite a marked reduction in violence in recent months, attacks against security forces and civilians remain common in Baghdad, Mosul and the ethnically divided northern oil city of Kirkuk.

The number of violent deaths fell by a third last month to 275 from 437 in June, following the pullout of US forces from urban areas.

The Shabak community numbers about 30,000 people living in 35 villages in the province of Nineveh, and many want to become part of the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq.They follow a faith that is a blend of Islam, Christianity and other religions. The Shabak community was persecuted under ousted Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and after the USled invasion of 2003 they were targeted on a number of occasions by Al-Qaeda attacks.

Agence France-Presse

ing more than 500 yuan for each of China’s 1.3 billion people, wrote the report’s author, Jiang Ruqin, a former local state secrets bureau director in Jiangsu province, next to Shanghai.

“It also meant that China gave away more than 100 billion dollars, or around 10 percent of Australia’s gross domestic product, for free to employers of the commercial spies,” Jiang wrote.

He gave no explanation of how he arrived at the calculations.

The report, which was posted on

Saturday, appeared to no longer be accessible on Monday afternoon.

The operators of the website Baomi.org, however, denied the report had been removed when contacted by AFP. Chinese authorities detained Australian citizen Stern Hu and three other Shanghai-based Rio employees on July 5, accusing them of bribery and stealing state secrets during iron ore contract negotiations.

Rio said last month the accusations were “wholly without foundation.”

Agence France-Presse

BAGHDAD - At least 41 people were killed and nearly 150 wounded in a spate of bloody bomb attacks near the restive northern Iraqi city of Mosul and in the capital Baghdad on Monday, police said.

Rio Tinto ‘spying’ cost China 100 bln dlrs: state bureau

SHANGHAI - China’s state secrets watchdog has accused Australian mining giant Rio Tinto of conducting up to six years of corporate espionage, costing the country 700 billion yuan (102 billion dollars).

Rio Tinto allegedly stole state secrets to gain the upper hand in iron ore price talks and force China to pay what it says were excessive prices, according to a report published on a website run by the State Secrets Bureau.

This amounted to “blackmail” cost-

However, her owners say she has improved. She no longer yelps or whimpers in pain, and she needs far less medicine than before.

Lucy’s owners credit a costly stem cell treatment, despite what experts say is a lack of evidence such treatments work.

“We didn’t think she’d live anywhere near this long, and I know it’s because of the stem cells,” says owner Carol Fischman, 57, of Vero Beach.

Thousands of dogs and horses with degenerative arthritis have had stem cell treatments, costing around $2,500 to $3,000 per procedure.

There are no independent studies verifying their effectiveness, and some experts say such studies are needed to assess their potential.

University of Florida veterinarian Kristin Kirkby, who performed Lucy’s procedure, said that the outcomes on five similar treatments have all been positive. But that’s from owner-reported results, not scientific scrutiny.

Owners tell her their dogs have an easier time getting around the house and getting into position to urinate. Mostly, they just report their dogs appear to be more comfortable overall.

To get hard results, Kirkby says the university plans to start taking a pain inventory of each animal at the beginning of the process, followed by an evaluation and checkups afterward to measure changes.

“I think it’s an exciting field.

Undoubtedly the future of scientific research is going this way,” Kirkby said. “It’s early on, especially in the small animal side, to know what the results can be.”

Vet-Stem, a Poway, Calif.-based company, is developing the stem cell therapy and began treating horses in 2003. It derives stem cells from fat samples taken from dogs and horses across the country.

The procedure has been used mainly to treat osteoarthritis, which involves loss of cartilage in the joints, but Vet-Stem is researching treatments for other diseases. VetStem claims the therapy enables animals to replace cartilage and other tissue.

Since 2003, the privately held company has treated 3,500 horses and 1,500 dogs and plans to begin treating cats later this year. More than 1,500 vets are licensed to use

the procedure.

Dr. Bob Harman, veterinarian and Vet-Stem founder, said it made sense to use these fat-based adult stem cells, which the body uses to create scar tissue and repair damage, to treat chronic disease in animals.

“Really, all we’re doing is harnessing the existing repair machinery in the body, concentrating it, and putting it right where an injury occurs, where healing is needed, to heal naturally,” he said Adam Gassel has used stem cells to treat almost 40 dogs at his Irvine, Calif., veterinary clinic during the past two years. “I was pretty skeptical,” he said. “I was hoping that dogs would just be more comfortable.”

But for about 25 percent of dogs, their owners report they are like puppies again, able to get back to normal activities, he said. Another 25 percent are able to stop taking medicines they were dependent upon. In all, Gassel said, all but 20 percent of the animals show some positive response to the therapy, according to their owners and the requests for pain medicine.

One peer-reviewed study by researchers at Cornell University, published in the American Journal of Veterinary Research and sponsored in part by Vet-Stem, found that tendinitis in horses was improved by injection of the adult stem cells.

Two other studies published in Veterinary Therapeutics found that dogs with osteoarthritis showed improvements in lameness after stem cell injections. Those studies also were sponsored by Vet-Stem and conducted by Vet-Stem researchers and other veterinarians.

Jonathan Slack, director of the University of Minnesota’s Stem Cell Research Institute, said adult stem cells from fat can become cartilage in a laboratory cell culture.

Conclusive results on whether the stem-cell injection process actually makes new bone cells in animals don’t exist, to his knowledge. “I guess from the dog’s point of view,” Slack said, “it’s good if it does work.”Whatever the scientific merits of the therapies, Lucy’s owners say they would do it again for her.

She’s had her stem cell treatments through an IV three times, and the Fischmans want to give her a fourth one soon, despite the $3,000per-procedure cost.

AP Photo/J Pat Carter

In this photo taken June 10, 2009, Carol Fischman plays with Lucy the Labradoodle, as the dog sits in her stroller at their Vero Beach, Fla. home June 10, 2009. Lucy can only scoot around the ground to grab a bone_she is unable to walk, crippled by rheumatoid arthritis that has rendered her back limbs unusuable.

But her owner believes that she is showing improvement after stem cell treatments.

Vast expanses of Arctic ice melt in summer heat Associated Press Writer

TUKTOYAKTUK, Northwest Territories – The Arctic Ocean has given up tens of thousands more square miles (square kilometers) of ice on Sunday in a relentless summer of melt, with scientists watching through satellite eyes for a possible record low polar ice cap.

From the barren Arctic shore of this village in Canada’s far northwest, 1,500 miles (2,414 kilometers) north of Seattle, veteran observer Eddie Gruben has seen the summer ice retreating more each decade as the world has warmed. By this weekend the ice edge lay some 80 miles (128 kilometers) at sea. “Forty years ago, it was 40 miles (64 kilometers) out,” said Gruben, 89, patriarch of a local contracting business.

Global average temperatures rose 1 degree Fahrenheit (0.6 degree Celsius) in the past century, but Arctic

temperatures rose twice as much or even faster, almost certainly in good part because of manmade greenhouse gases, researchers say.

In late July the mercury soared to almost 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius) in this settlement of 900 Inuvialuit, the name for western Arctic Eskimos. “The water was really warm,” Gruben said. “The kids were swimming in the ocean.”

As of Thursday, the U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Center reported, the polar ice cap extended over 2.61 million square miles (6.75 million square kilometers) after having shrunk an average 41,000 square miles (106,000 square kilometers) a day in July — equivalent to one Indiana or three Belgiums daily.

The rate of melt was similar to that of July 2007, the year when the ice cap dwindled to a record low minimum extent of 1.7 million square miles (4.3 million square ki-

lometers) in September.

In its latest analysis, the Colorado-based NSIDC said Arctic atmospheric conditions this summer have been similar to those of the summer of 2007, including a highpressure ridge that produced clear skies and strong melt in the Beaufort Sea, the arm of the Arctic Ocean off northern Alaska and northwestern Canada.

In July, “we saw acceleration in loss of ice,” the U.S. center’s Walt Meier told The Associated Press. In recent days the pace has slowed, making a record-breaking final minimum “less likely but still possible,” he said.

Scientists say the makeup of the frozen polar sea has shifted significantly the past few years, as thick multiyear ice has given way as the Arctic’s dominant form to thin ice that comes and goes with each winter and summer.

A Leger and Saint Laurent’s last car for grabs in second YSL sale Agence France Presse

PARIS - A Fernand Leger painting and Yves Saint Laurent’s own Mercedes Benz and Hermes luggage go on sale in November in a second smaller auction of the YSL-Pierre Berge collection, one of the world’s great private collections.

Far smaller than the record-

smashing 700-item February sale, which fetched 342.5 million euros (491.9 million dollars) in the biggest private art sale in history, the 1,200 works to come under the hammer from November 17 to 19 are estimated at between three and four million euros, Christie’s said Monday.

Like the first sale, proceeds are

to benefit HIV research and the fight against AIDS, said the auctioneers, organisers of the three-day sale in conjunction with Berge’s own auction house.

Works to be auctioned are largely from the pair’s country hideaway on the Normandy coast, a three-storey place with a sea view built in 1874

for wealthy Americans that the two had redecorated to evoke writer Marcel Proust’s “In Search of Lost Time.”

But the most expensive piece, a 1950 Fernand Leger estimated at between 80,000 and 120,000 euros, is from the Paris home of Saint Laurent, who died aged 71 in June

last year.

Other mementoes from the king of couture include his 2007 Mercedes Benz for 30,000 to 50,000 euros, three Hermes suitcases in crocodile leather at 4,000 to 6,000 euros and 10 of his signature jewels kept in his bedroom from 800 euros each.

12

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Entertainment

International

News

International

‘G.I. Joe’ blasts competition for box office top spot

AP Photo/Chris Pizzello

Taylor Lautner accepts the Twilight Award at the Teen Choice Awards on Sunday Aug. 9, 2009, in Universal City, Calif. Looking on from background left are Robert Pattinson, Kellan Lutz, Kristen Stewart, Nikki Reed, Ashley Greene, and Jackson Rathbone.

‘Twilight’ sinks fangs into Teen Choice Awards Associated Press Writer

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – “Twilight” didn’t suck at the Teen Choice Awards. The adolescent vampire drama dominated Sunday’s ceremony with 11 wins, including choice movie drama, romance, liplock, rumble and soundtrack. Kristen Stewart won the movie drama actress category while Robert Pattinson picked up two surfboard-shaped trophies — one for movie drama actor, another for male hottie.

“We’ll see you guys in theaters November 20th,” co-star Taylor Lautner teased the squealing crowd.

Lautner and Ashley Greene, who will appear alongside Stewart and Pattinson in the upcoming “Twilight” sequel “New Moon,” were honored as the male and female movie fresh faces while Cam Gigandet was crowned movie villain. “Twilight” director Catherine Hardwicke joined the cast on stage to accept the adaptation’s pack of trophies.

The Teen Choice Awards, which were selected by over 83 million votes cast online, honor celebrities in TV, film, music and sports. Several winners — including 16-year-old Miley Cyrus and show hosts the Jonas Brothers — took home multiple trophies at the 11th annual ceremony at Universal Studios Hollywood’s Gibson Amphitheatre.

Cyrus sailed away with six awards, winning for comedy TV show and actress for “Hannah Montana;” music/dance movie actress and hissy fit for “Hannah Montana: The Movie;” music single for “The Climb” and summer song for “Before the Storm” with the Jonas Brothers. Cyrus also presented Britney Spears the ultimate choice award.

“I’m a huge fans of hers,” Cyrus

said before a subdued Spears accepted her own surfboard.

The Jonas Brothers won five trophies, including choice male red carpet icons. They kicked off the show performing on a tiny stage that moved through the audience.

Throughout the taped ceremony, the trio completed dares submitted by fans. At one point, younger brother Nick was challenged to hug a lineup of female fans.

“It’s just hugs,” Joe cautioned the women. “You’re not going for longterm relationships here, girls.”

Other big winners included “Gossip Girl” and Zac Efron. Chace Crawford, Leighton Meester and Ed Westwick picked up TV drama actor, actress, villain and TV series awards for the sudsy CW show while Efron won for music/dance movie actor in “High School Musical 3” and comedy movie actor and rockstar moment in “17 Again.” The ceremony itself was peppered with several odd moments.

Kathy Griffin arrived on the red carpet with Levi Johnston, the teenage ex-fiance of Bristol Palin, daughter of former Alaska governor Sarah Palin. Mike Tyson took shears to Joe Jonas’ head as part of stunt. And before presenting the choice hottie awards, comedian Dane Cook pleaded to Vanessa Hudgens to keep her clothes on.

Agence France-Presse

TOPSHOTS AFP PHOTO / KIM JAE-HWAN

South Korea’s Hyundai Group chairwoman Hyun Jeong-Eun (C) is questioned by reporters as she arrives at the CIQ (customs, immigration and quarantine) office, just south of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, in Paju, north of Seoul on August 10, 2009 before she crosses the border to visit Pyongyang. Hyun crossed into North Korea to discuss the release of an employee detained since March by the communist state.

Hyundai boss arrives in North Korea to seek worker’s release

SEOUL, South Korea – Lady Gaga may sport an ever-changing series of risque outfits, but the pop singer says two things are permanent: her tattoos and her bow tie ‘do.

The 23-year-old star, her real name Stefani Germanotta, showed off her newest body art Sunday night before performing the hit songs “Poker Face,” “Just Dance” and “Paparazzi” at Seoul’s Olympic Hall during the Asian leg of her “Fame Ball” tour.

The curling script on her left arm is a souvenir from a midnight session at a tattoo parlor in Osaka, Japan.

“It says ‘In the deepest hour of the night, confess to yourself that you would die if you were forbidden to write. And look deep into your heart

nuclear test in May. But Clinton held three-and-a-half hours of talks with Kim during his surprise visit to secure the release of the reporters sentenced to a labour camp after crossing the border with China.

US National Security Adviser Jim Jones said Sunday the North had signalled during its meetings with Clinton that it wants a better relationship with the United States.

Koh Yu-Hwan, a North Korea studies professor at Seoul’s Dongguk University, said better ties with Seoul were a precondition for Pyongyang to improve relations with Washington.

“For North Korea, its relationship with the South is not a central concern, though for its major interest in progress with the US, North Korea has to manage inter-Korean relations to some degree,” Koh told Yonhap news agency. The North has since March 30 detained the Hyundai Asan engineer who worked at the Seoul-funded Kaesong estate

Agence France-Presse

treatment on Saturday after the nonvenomous snake, thought to be a python about four feet (1.2 metres) long, sank its fangs into his arm, leaving two puncture wounds, police said.

“The teenager had been subject to racist comments and then reportedly held down as a snake was held in front of him, which bit his right arm,” a spokesman for Avon and Somerset police said.

“The boy was taken to Frenchay

Hospital with breathing problems, where he was treated for the injury to his arm.”

The boy gave a description of the snake to ambulance officers who contacted experts.

“We contacted Bristol Zoo to talk to their snake expert. What we described they indicated was probably a type of python, so not venomous,” an officer from Great Western Ambulance said.

SEOUL - The head of South Korean’s Hyundai group crossed into North Korea Monday to discuss the release of an employee detained since March by the communist state.

AP Photo/Matt Sayles

Lady Gaga shows off tattoo during Asia tour Associated Press Writer

There is growing media speculation the North may free the worker surnamed Yu after it pardoned two US journalists during former president Bill Clinton’s surprise visit to Pyongyang last week.

Group chairwoman Hyun JungEun will discuss the detainee’s release, the resumption of tourists trips to the North and ways to put interKorean business back on track, said a spokesman for Hyundai Asan, a group subsidiary which manages its businesses in the North.

Hyun crossed the land border through the Demilitarised Zone en route to Pyongyang after telling reporters she would “make efforts” for Yu’s release. She is expected to return Wednesday.

The spokesman told AFP there are no plans at present for her to meet leader Kim Jong-Il, as she did during a Pyongyang visit in 2007.

The North’s ties with the South have been icy for the past 16 months, and regional tensions are high following its rocket launch in April and

in the North.

It accuses him of insulting its system and urging a North Korean worker to defect, but refuses to give Seoul officials access to the man or say where he is now being held.

South Korean politicians and activists have complained that the North has treated the engineer — a fellow Korean — worse than it did the American women, who were allowed diplomatic access and phone calls home.

On July 30 the North also detained the four-member crew of a squid fishing boat which sailed across the border due to a defective navigation system.

The Kaesong estate near the west coast is the last major interKorean joint project still operating.

Its future has become increasingly clouded since Pyongyang demanded huge extra wage and rent payments from Seoul and detained the engineer. Some 40,000 North Koreans work for 105 South Korean companies at Kaesong, which was developed mainly by Hyundai.

The auto, shipbuilding and construction giant pioneered business exchanges with the North, opening the Mount Kumgang resort on the east coast in 1998.

Agence France-Presse

Cast member Marlon Wayans arrives at the premiere of “G.I. Joe” in Los Angeles on Thursday, Aug. 6, 2009.

where it spreads its roots, the answer, and ask yourself, must I write?’” she said. The quote, in German, comes from the poet Rainer Maria Rilke, whom she described as her “favorite philosopher.”

Lady Gaga, whose single “LoveGame” is No. 9 on Billboard magazine’s music chart this week, said Rilke’s “philosophy of solitude” spoke to her.

The New York native called solitude “something you marry, as an artist. When you are an artist, your solitude is a lonely place that you embrace.”

The singer, known for a dazzling array of outfits bridging 1970s glam, ’80s pop art and sexy modern designs, has also embraced the power of iconography. She was dressed Sunday in a glittering gold dress by

the South Korean designer Lie Sang Bong.

Lady Gaga professed to owning a large collection of wigs, from purple feather creations to an oversized button shape and stacked black bundles.

But underneath them all, she said she’ll always have the retro whiteblond ‘do, the result of deciding to “go blonde” one day after being bored with her long hair and bangs.

She’s now known for the big bow tie she wears in her hair.

“And I guess that somehow became my signature look,” she said.

“But more importantly, I believe in the power of iconography, which was something that Andy Warhol did, and it’s repeating an image over and over again. So I rarely change the shape of my hair.”

5

Nepal widows dismiss marriage cash incentive

Agence France Presse

LOS ANGELES – “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra,” a movie adaptation of the popular toy franchise, stormed its way to the top of the North American box office on Sunday, according to initial weekend figures.

“G.I. Joe,” which follows a group of elite operatives battling the mysterious Cobra organization, pulled in 56.2 million dollars over the weekend, according to box office tracker Exhibitor Relations.

In second place was “Julie and Julia,” a movie that tells the story of Julia Child, an American famed for cooking French cuisine, and Julie Powell, a woman who tries to cook a recipe a day from Child’s most famous cookbook for one year.

The new release, which stars Meryl Streep and Amy Adams, earned 20.1 million dollars in box office receipts.

Staying at third place for a second week was “GForce,” an action-comedy about a crack squad of guinea pig spies, which earned 9.8 million dollars.

Down two places to number four in its fourth week in theaters was “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.”

The sixth installment of the franchise, which sets the stage for the boy wizard’s final confrontation with his arch-nemesis Lord Voldemort, took 8.9 million dollars in receipts.

Down from first place last week was “Funny People,” a comedy starring Adam Sandler as a terminally-ill famous comedian who decides to mentor a young comic, which took fifth place with earnings of 7.9 million in its second week in theaters.

“The Ugly Truth,” a romantic comedy starring Katherine Heigl as a romantically-challenged producer seeking love, took the number six spot, earning seven million dollars.

At seventh place was new release “A Perfect Getaway,” a thriller about a serial killer on a Hawaii island popular with honeymooners, which took in 5.8 million dollars.

“Aliens in the Attic,” a family adventure tale about a group of children who discover aliens that are trying to invade Earth, fell to the number eight spot, earning four million dollars over the weekend.

At number nine was “Orphan,” a horror movie about a couple who discover the Russian orphan girl they have adopted is not who she seems, which took in 3.73 million dollars in its third week in theaters.

Rounding at the top ten was “(500) Days of Summer,” an offbeat romantic movie that moved up two spots in its fourth week in theaters to make it into the top ten with earnings of 3.72 million dollars this weekend.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Teenager attacked in Britain with snake LONDON - A gang pinned down a 14-year-old boy and attacked him with a snake, forcing the reptile to bite the teenager on the arm, British police said Sunday.

Police said they were interviewing two teenagers over the attack in the southeast English city of Bristol which they suspect was racially motivated.

The boy was taken to hospital for

KATHMANDU - About 200 Nepalese women gathered in the capital Kathmandu on Monday to protest against government plans to pay men to marry widows.

The government said last month it would introduce a 50,000-rupee (650-dollar) grant for marriages involving a widow.

The plan is part of a scheme to help widowed women, who are frequently ostracised by traditional rural communities in Nepal.

But rights campaigners say the payments reduce widows to a source of cash, and want the money to be spent instead on improving access to education and healthcare for widows and their children.

Women chanting slogans and waving placards that read “We don’t want government dowries” and “Don’t put a price on your mother” marched to the government’s headquarters to hand over a letter of pro-

test.

“We are totally against the government’s decision to give 50,000 rupees as an incentive to couples to marry,” said protest organiser Lily Thapa.

“This goes against the principles of human rights. That’s why we urge the government to bring in other social security measures to empower women who are widowed.”

Campaigners have also expressed concern that the payments could encourage men to marry widows and then abandon them after taking the money.

But the government said its intention was to help single women — a term frequently used to refer to widows in Nepal, where the word is seen as derogatory. “It is the right of single women to live as they want. But society does not treat them properly,” said finance ministry spokesman Shankar Adhikari.

“They are looked down on, and we want to change that.”

Drug violence overshadows North America summit Agence France-Presse

GUADALAJARA - US President Barack Obama began his first summit of North American leaders in Mexico Sunday, with the economic crisis and swine flu on an agenda overshadowed by Mexican drug violence.

Hours before the summit began, an armed commando shot dead a lawyer known for her work defending suspected drug smugglers in north Mexico, amid a wave of suspected drug attacks which have left almost 10,000 dead since the start of 2008.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon was expected to seek more support for his controversial military crackdown on organized crime and drug gangs during the two-day meeting.

Canada announced Sunday that it would increase training by its federal Mounted Police for Mexican officers as part of a new, 15-million-dollar security program for the Americas, as Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper arrived in Mexico.

“Supporting police training in Mexico is one of the most effective ways to fight organized crime and drug trafficking within Canada,” said a statement from Harper’s office.

The summit came amid criticism of alleged abuses by some of the 40,000 soldiers deployed across the country which could possibly delay the release of some US security aid to Mexico, and reports of growing Mexican drug gang activity across the United States, Canada and beyond.

Hundreds of soldiers and police deployed in Guadalajara for the meeting due to touch on issues from swine flu to protectionism in the closely-tied region of almost 450 million inhabitants. “The purpose of this summit is for the president to have an opportu-

nity to speak with his counterparts about issues of mutual concern, like H1N1 (flu) preparedness, economic competitiveness, security and also global climate change,” White House deputy press secretary Bill Burton told reporters on Air Force One. Obama met with Calderon on his arrival as part of bilateral meetings before a joint dinner, and three-way meetings on Monday.

Measures to boost the countries’ flagging economies were a top priority.

Like the United States, Mexico has sunk deep into recession, with much of its industry tied to the worst-affected areas of the US economy — cars and construction — and migrant workers north of the border sending less money home.

Canada and Mexico — the first and third-largest US trading partners — were expected to pressure Obama over a “Buy American” clause in the US economic stimulus plan.

Mexico also sought to resolve an immigration dispute with Canada over the recent imposition of visas for Mexicans, and a trade dispute involving Mexican trucks operating in the United States, officials said here.

Mexico responded to the US cancellation of a program allowing some Mexican trucks on its territory — in violation of NAFTA — by slapping some 2.4 billion dollars in tariffs on 89 US products in March.

Several hundred people, from children to elderly farmers, marched in a peaceful demonstration Sunday to highlight diverse issues from anti-globalization to the coup in Honduras, US immigration policy, and the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) which has linked the three nations for 15 years.

6

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

News

AFP PHOTO/CENTRAL PRESS

Tuesday, August 11, 2009 In this photo taken on January 26, 1961, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth (C), standing between the Maharaja and the Maharani of Jaipur (5R) Rajmata Gayatri Devi with her husband Prince Philip to the far left, (L) pose with the tiger killed

by Prince Philip in Jaipur. The death of an Indian queen who personified a lost era of aristocratic privilege and exotic glamour has sparked a bitter inheritance dispute among her surviving family. Gayatri Devi, the former Maharani of Jaipur, was one of the most celebrated beauties of the last century, mixing the strict customs of traditional palace life with private aeroplanes, cocktail parties and shopping trips to London.

Death of Indian ‘queen’ triggers royal squabble Agence France-Presse

NEW DELHI - The death of an Indian queen who personified a lost era of aristocratic privilege and exotic glamour has sparked a bitter inheritance dispute among her surviving family.

Gayatri Devi was one of the most celebrated beauties of the last century, mixing traditional palace life in the royal city of Jaipur with private aeroplanes, cocktail parties and shopping trips to London.

She and her dashing husband, the Maharajah of Jaipur, Man Singh, whom she married in 1940, were idolised by Jaipur’s local population and the international press, but her death has revealed a family at odds over property and money.

Indian newspapers have reported that many relatives are in conflict with each other and that, since Gayatri Devi’s death on July 29, they have been positioning themselves for the coming battle over her will.

The Times of India predicted an “ugly showdown” over a fortune estimated at between 200 to 400 million dollars, with the lease of the stunning Rambagh Palace in Jaipur likely to be one of many areas of dispute.

Gayatri Devi and the Maharajah lived in Rambagh when they first married before it was converted into a 80-room “heritage” hotel.

After her husband died in 1970, she lived in Lilypool, a smaller house in the palace grounds.

Local media reported that a door she used to walk between the two buildings had been mysteriously bricked up since her death — an apparent first move in the complex legal wrangles that lie ahead.

Gayatri Devi’s only son, Jagat Singh, died in 1997, and the Times reported that her grandchildren, Devraj and Lalitya, have

been waiting until official mourning finished at the weekend to press their claims.

“Things will be clear only after the will is read out,” an unnamed associate of Devraj was quoted by the newspaper as saying. “Disputes will send a wrong message and damage the family’s reputation.”

Gayatri Devi was the third of the Maharajah of Jaipur’s three concurrent wives and when he died on the polo field the title passed to Bhawani Singh, the son of his eldest wife.

Different branches of the family still exert control over the Jaipur estate, which has remained partially intact long after the system of “princely states” was dismantled following independence from Britain in 1947.

The fate of Gayatri Devi’s legacy — including stakes in at least 17 palaces, forts, hotels and houses, plus a famous jewellery collection — is unclear even to insiders.

The Statesman newspaper suggested that she may have changed her will at the expense of her two grandchildren.

Her son married into the Thai royal family and left India, but the marriage ended amid much acrimony.

“He was not allowed to see or communicate with his children,” Gayatri Devi told one interviewer recently. “He took to drinking to offset his unhappiness and in the end this caused a liver problem and eventually his death.”

She also admitted becoming estranged from Bhawani Singh, the current Maharajah.

Such troubles were in sharp contrast to the public image of the Jaipur royals, who

were seen as an ideal family — equally at ease with poor local people as with friends such as Queen Elizabeth of Britain or US first lady Jacqueline Kennedy.

But in truth, disagreements and legal battles soured the last years of Gayatri Devi’s life.

Her son clashed with the new Maharajah over an ownership dispute that went to the High Court and resulted in some royal belongings being placed in the care of receivers in 1992.

She herself also fell out with her Thai daughter-in-law and was accused of trying to take back property from her, though the two were reportedly reconciled just months ago.

The Deccan Herald detailed how, when her son died, Gayatri Devi — deep in depression — fought to stop his property and money being passed on to his wife and their children.

It said she instead wanted everything to go to the family of her husband’s second wife, but in recent years she had spoken of wanting to “tidy everything up” after the messy disputes.

Whoever they are, the beneficiaries of her will stand to receive only a fraction of the wealth that Gayatri Devi enjoyed for most of her life — before the government ended “privy purse” payments to royal families in the 1970s.

She grew up in a palace with 500 servants and shot her first leopard aged 12.

Her week-long wedding was said to be the most expensive in history, with a black Bentley, a two-seater Packard sports car and a hill station residence among the presents she received.

“Life is not as glamorous and exciting as it used to be,” she said in 2004, five years before her death at the age of 90. “I have been fortunate in living the kind of life that I have.”

Fourteen dead...

From page 1 At least 32 people were also injured as Morakot, which means emerald in Thai, lashed the island with powerful winds and rain, disrupting railway and road traffic and bringing down bridges.

In central and southern Taiwan heavy rain caused widespread floods and mudslides, particularly in the county of Pingtung, where thousands of people were trapped in three coastal townships.

With rain continuing to fall, authorities issued a red alert against possible mudslides, urging people living in 35 towns islandwide to be on heightened vigilance.

In Kaohsiung county, a bridge collapsed, cutting off road access to a remote village of 1,300 residents.

Local television reported that 200 homes in the village, Hsiaolin, were believed to have been buried in a mudslide.

Footage showed rescuers using a helicopter to pick up an elderly woman and her son trapped in the mud.

“It is not clear what the residents’ situation is, but we are sure that Hsiaolin elementary school has been fully destroyed,” Kaohsiung County Magistrate Yang Chiu-hsin told reporters.

Tens of thousands of other people were also stranded in the counties of Tainan and Chiayi.

“This is the worst flooding in Chiayi in 50 years,” county magistrate Chen Ming-wen said earlier.

A typhoon that struck Taiwan in August 1959 killed 667 people and left some 1,000 missing.

The typhoon has caused at least 3.4 billion Taiwan dollars (106.43 million US) in agricultural damage while 110,000 houses were left without power and 850,000 homes without water, according to officials.

Among the missing were 14 workers who disappeared when their makeshift shelter beside a river in Kaohsiung was washed away by rising floodwaters early Sunday.

A bridge linking Kaohsiung and Pingtung counties collapsed and a local television station quoted a motorist who narrowly escaped plunging into the river as saying he feared two cars had fallen in.

Armoured vehicles and marine landing craft, as well as rubber dinghies, were mobilised in a rescue operation Sunday involving at least 1,200 troops, Taiwan’s defence ministry said.

Television footage showed a hotel in Taitung, southeastern Taiwan, collapsing into a river. Staff and guests had already been evacuated, the reports said.

The powerful storm moved on towards mainland China, landing in Fujian province at 4:20 pm (0820 GMT) on Sunday, the provincial meteorological bureau said.

A four-year-old child died in the city of Wenzhou after his family’s house collapsed in heavy rains and winds even before the typhoon made landfall in China, the official news agency Xinhua reported.

Million HIV...

From page 1 “At any one point, 20 percent (of the people living with HIV) would be needing treatment,” he said.

The one-million figure means “the region will be able to achieve something substantial in terms of putting people on treatment” even though “new infections continue to occur”, he said.

“I’m very confident we will be able to achieve it... because more money is coming from global funding and better programming by countries,” he added.

Rao told reporters that up to 80 percent of HIVpositive people in Thailand, Cambodia and Laos were receiving treatment, but some other countries were only managing to reach 10 to 15 percent.

Delegates from 65 nations are attending the meeting, which runs until Thursday, to discuss topics ranging from HIV risks among migrant workers to the impact of the financial crisis on those with the disease.

11

BUSINESS Japanese economic data lift recovery hopes Agence France-Presse

TOKYO - Hopes mounted Monday that Japan’s economy is on the mend after its worst recession in decades as the current account surplus showed the first rise in 16 months and machinery orders rebounded.

The surplus in the current account, the broadest measure of trade in goods and services, more than doubled in size in June to 1.15 trillion yen (11.8 billion dollars) from 471.6 billion yen a year earlier, the government said.

The figure easily beat market expectations for an increase of about 40 percent, helping to lift the Nikkei stock index up to a new 10-month high.

The trade surplus alone rose more than two-fold to 602.2 billion yen from 249.0 billion a year earlier.

Exports increased 14.6 percent in June from the previous month, narrowing their year-on-year decline to 37 percent, after a fall of 42.2 percent in May, the data showed.

Japan’s heavy dependence on foreign demand to drive its economy left it highly vulnerable to the global economic slowdown, which crushed demand for its key exports such as cars, high-tech goods and machinery.

But analysts believe the world’s second largest economy returned to positive growth in the April-June quarter as exports and factory output rebounded.

“The economy seems to be re-

Graphic charting Japan’s core machinery orders in June. covering steadily,” said Toshihiko Matsuno, head of research at SMBC Friend Securities.

But he added: “The prospect of a US economic recovery remains unclear. We need to remain cautious.”

There was also good news on core machinery orders, a closely watched indicator of corporate capital spending, which rebounded by a stronger-than-expected 9.7 percent in June from a record low the previous month. It was the first increase in four months.

Japanese companies have been slashing their investment to try to survive the country’s deepest recession in decades, but there are hopes that the worst of the economic slump is over.

Even so, core orders are expected to decline 8.6 percent in the

three months to September from the previous quarter, following a drop of 4.9 percent in April-June, according to the manufacturers’ own forecasts.

The worst of the slump in business activity seems to be over but the pace of recovery is likely to be limited, RBS Securities economist Junko Nishioka said.

Many Japanese companies, including Sony and Toyota Motor, recently announced better-than-expected business results for the first quarter of the fiscal year, although the situation remains very difficult.

The economy shrank at an annualized pace of 14.2 percent in the first quarter of 2009, its worst performance on record, but analysts say Japan is likely to be one of the first major economies to return to positive growth.

‘Great Depression 2.0’ avoided but recovery slow: Krugman Agence France-Presse

KUALA LUMPUR - The world has avoided a “Great Depression 2.0” but it will take at least two years for the global economy to make a full recovery, Nobel prizewinning economist Paul Krugman said Monday.

Krugman said in a speech to an international business forum here that although the worst of the financial crisis was over, the world now faces a prolonged slowdown like Japan’s “lost decade” of the 1990s.

“How do we get out? I think the technical answer is — God knows.

We have a great shortage of role models,” said Krugman, a professor of economics at Princeton University in the United States.

Krugman said that in the past, swift economic recoveries saw affected countries export their way out of trouble, trading with countries with large surpluses.

“Unless we can find another planet to export to, we cannot have an export-led recovery from this global financial crisis, which means we have a serious difficulty,” he said.

Other possible solutions — consumer spending, business investment and housing booms are all unlikely to kick-start the US or world economy this time.

“We seem to have avoided the Great Depression 2.0,” Krugman said, but added: “I do believe that

full recovery is at least two years and probably more than that off.”

He compared the world economic picture to “a globalize version of Japan through much of the ’90s. Formally, Japan spent only pockets of its lost decade in recession, but as a whole it was a period of consistently slow growth.”

Krugman said that to find anything comparable to the current woes, economists have to look back to the 1930s, when a global slump was brought to an end “by a very large set of public works programs known as World War II. “Hopefully we’re not going to repeat that strategy,” he joked, adding that policy makers could try more stimulus programs, higher inflation targets and spurring business investment.

Krugman also urged a restructuring of the financial system to prevent a recurrence of the crisis, with more effective bank regulation, and limits on the risk that important institutions can take on.

“I have no confidence this is going to happen. In a way, the downside of our having managed to avoid a full repeat of the Great Depression is that we may have rescued the economy too soon before the political momentum for fundamental reform was strong enough to cause changes.

“Which means I worry this is all going to happen again in the not-toodistant future.”

Pedestrians walk past shops in a commercial district in Shanghai on August 10, 2009. The world has avoided a “Great Depression 2.0” but it will take at least two years for the global economy to make a full recovery, Nobel prizewinning economist Paul Krugman said Monday.

U.S. banks to make $38 billion from overdraft fees: report Reuters

WASHINGTON- Banks in the United States are poised to make $38.5 billion in customer overdraft fees this year, the Financial Times said, citing research by Moebs Services.

A large portion of the revenue is likely to come from the most financially stretched consumers, according to the paper.

It said the research showed

that many banks have increased charges on overdrafts and credit cards in order to boost profits.

The median bank overdraft fee rose this year by one dollar to $26, the paper said, citing the Moebs data.

“Banks are returning to a feedriven model and overdraft fees are the mother lode,” Mike Moebs, the company’s founder was quoted by the paper as saying.

Overdraft fees accounted for more

than 75 percent of service fees charged on customer deposits, the paper cited Moebs as saying.

Last year the U.S. Federal Reserve approved credit card rules to curb “unfair” practices such as surprise fees and interest rate hikes, and new mortgage lending rules are expected this summer. It is also mulling rules to give bank customers the chance to opt out of overdraft schemes that can involve fees.

AFP PHOTO / PHILIPPE LOPEZ

10

Business

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

International

International

AP Photo/Keystone, Alessandro Della Bella, File

Reuters

ZURICH - Shares in UBS opened lower on Monday as the Swiss bank faced more tense negotiations to settle a tax evasion case in the U.S. that challenges Switzerland’s bank secrecy laws.

JAKARTA - Malaysian terror suspect Noordin Mohammed Top is probably still at large in Indonesia despite reports of his death, police said Monday, even as the net closed around his extremist network.

Agence France-Presse

The Swiss government, currently in recess, will hold an extraordinary meeting later on Monday to discuss the issue, a government official said, without adding details.

Switzerland and the United States failed on Friday to agree on a settlement that would spare UBS a tax trial, and talks will continue until August 12, when a new status conference with U.S. Judge Alan Gold is scheduled.

Berne and Washington have already reached an agreement in principle on the major issues, and a settlement is expected to involve the disclosure to U.S. tax authorities of the names of some of the 52,000 U.S. clients of UBS holding secret Swiss accounts.

UBS shares were down 1.5 percent at 16.10 Swiss francs at 3:22 a.m. EDT, underperforming the DJ Stoxx European Banking index, which was down 0.4 percent.

Swiss media have said U.S.-Swiss talks have stalled on legal details on how to allow the transfer of some client data to Washington.

International Bali Post Classifieds

“It is not a problem that has to do with UBS, but rather with the legal procedure,” Finance Minister Hans-Rudolf Merz told Swiss television on Sunday, without going into details.

According to Swiss newspaper NZZ am Sonntag, the United States wants guarantees that the so-called administrative assistance process, the legal framework under which bank client details can be transferred to the United States, will deliver the data certainly and quickly.

But Merz said on Sunday Switzerland was not prepared to introduce emergency measures to force the pace of the data-handling process.

The case against UBS is set for court on August 17, but if the parties choose to delay further, the next available date would be September 21.

Berne already stretched its legal system in February when it forced UBS to quickly hand over 250 client names, bypassing the clients’ appeals, in order to settle criminal charges against the bank.

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Doubts grow about Islamist’s death in Indonesia

UBS shares lower after U.S. tax talks extended

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Fingerprint analysis confirmed that a man killed by police special forces in a raid on a suspected Noordin hideout on the weekend was not the Malaysian Islamist, a police source involved in the investigation told AFP. “It’s not him. We know from his facial structure as well as his fingerprints,” the source said, requesting anonymity.

“We’re continuing to track his whereabouts.”

Noordin’s death has not been formally ruled out, however, and police are publicly sticking to the line that DNA tests are required.

“Whoever the man is, it should be proved in a scientific way,” national police spokesman Nanan Soekarna said.

Photographs of the bullet- and shrapnel-riddled body dragged from the remote farmhouse in Central Java at the end of a 17hour siege on Saturday morning do not resemble Noordin, police sources and independent experts said.

“The picture of the guy doesn’t bear any resemblance,” said Jakarta-based security analyst Sidney Jones, of the International Crisis Group.

Noordin, 40, is wanted for multiple suicide bombings against “iconic” Western targets in Indonesia since 2003 which have killed around 50 people and injured hundreds.

It was unclear whether Noordin was ever in the Central Java house that was besieged overnight Friday, but the counterterrorist police source indicated that the Malaysian might have es-

caped before the police arrived.

Noordin has already escaped two earlier armed assaults on his hideouts, and his legend will only grow among his disciples and on Islamist websites if he has managed to slip away again.

Five of Noordin’s alleged accomplices have been arrested in recent days, and two men described by police as would-be suicide bombers were killed Saturday in a raid at a house packed with bombmaking material in Bekasi, outside Jakarta.

Police said the would-be bombers were planning to detonate a truck rigged with explosives at President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s main residence, which is a 12-minute drive away.

The attack, timed around Indonesia’s Independence Day on August 17, had been ordered by Noordin during a meeting on April 30 as revenge for the execution of three of the Bali bombers late last year, they said.

One of the men killed in Bekasi was identified as Air Setiawan, a Noordin acolyte who was involved in the suicide truck bombing of the Australian embassy in 2004.

The two men who blew themselves up at the Jakarta hotels on July 17 had also been identified, while another alleged Noordin accomplice was arrested on July 24 as he prepared a follow-up attack.

Information on the Bekasi cell and the Central Java safe-house was gained from Amir Abdillah, arrested last Thursday and suspected of helping to carry out the hotel attacks.

Two terror suspects brought to Jakarta Antara

YOGYAKARTA - Members of the Indonesian police’s antiterror unit Densus-88 here on Monday at around 11.20 am local time escorted two terror suspects on their travel from Yogyakarta to Jakarta.

The two suspects, who had been arrested in Temanggung, Central Java, were brought to Jakarta by an airplane from Adisutjipto airport.

They were arrested during a police raid on a house where Noordin M Top was believed to be inside, Adjunct Senior Commissioner Laksana of the Yogyakarta police, said.

However, Laksana could not give the two terrorist suspects’ names to the media.

Densus-88 officers raided two locations on Saturday (Aug. 8) in their intensified hunt of terrorists. At least three terrorists were believed to have been killed in the raids in Jatiasih, Bekasi, West Java, and Temanggung District, Central Java, on Saturday morning.

Noordin M Top, fugitive Malaysian-born terrorist, was believed to have been killed in the raid in Temanggung, but the Indonesian police have not yet officially confirmed his death so far.

Telkomsel

Two staff of Telkomsel are showing how to activate BlackBerry Internet Service to users. In just a span of 14 years, the mobile phones technology in Indonesia has evolved into something more advanced and sophisticated. This revolutionized mobile technology creates a mobile lifestyle community.

The New Era of Communication Invading Indonesia (2)

Mobile data services creating Mobile Lifestyle In just a span of 14 years, the mobile phones technology in Indonesia has evolved into something more advanced and sophisticated.

People from Indonesia can instantly connect with one another within the area or across the globe through calls, text messages or, most recently, video phone conferences.

The convenience brought about by mobile technology has changed the life of people in society. Businesses, for one, are able to gather information about the latest industry news and reports at any given time and place. This revolutionized mobile technology creates a mobile lifestyle community.

In Indonesia, the launched of 3G mobile system on 2006 has opening numerous possibilities for mobile data services. In fact, the shift from GPRS to 3G system and it successor that provide by operators make the download and upload task even faster, it’s also make mobile data services tariff much cheaper.

Take Telkomsel for an example. This operator can cut its mobile data tariff until Rp1 per kilobyte.

Telkomsel’s VP of Jawa Bali Area Gilang Prasetya denied that 3G system was a failure for the industry. He said ‘’We’re launched 3G system on September 2006 not for the video call purpose only, but creating new opportunity in mobile data services,’’ added that until mid of 2009 the 3G users only reached 9.2 millions from

77 millions of Telkomsel customers.

Gilang explained mobile data services in Indonesia increase rapidly, thanks to the 3G system and its successors. The 3G launched was the beginning of new telecommunication era for Indonesia.

Today, cellphone is no longer use as voice to voice communication, but already become a staple almost for everyone, a mobile lifestyle.

The view of people using mobile phone to finish their work, watching video, or socializing can be found anywhere in Indonesia. This phenomenon occurred especially since BlackBerry becomes the new ‘must have’ gadget.

Telkomsel that celebrated its 14th birthday on May 2009 is the operator that made significant breakthrough for the tenfold of BlackBerry users. It launched BlackBerry service activation via short text messaging.

Since the activation via SMS launched, Leong Shin Loong, Telkomsel’s Director of Commerce stated that Telkomsel BlackBerry users as in mid 2009 amounted to 135,000 subscribers. Its increase 400 percent compared to the end of 2008 with 35,000 users.

He said the possibility for growth is very promising since data services users only use under 50 percent of Telkomsel’s data capacity network. In the near time, Telkomsel will double the capacity and broad-

band roaming, also to release lowend cellphones bundling with Telkomsel’s pre-paid or post-paid card in the next few months. ‘’The cellphones price will be under Rp1 million but able to operate GPRS system so users can access mobile internet comfortably,’’ explained Loong.

Mobile lifestyle not only for BlackBerry users, plenty of mobile data services can be access to supports this kind of lifestyle. Telkomsel for instants already offers products that can support mobile lifestyle of its customers. Not only mobile modem that called Flash, it also has various products like mobile banking and mobile wallet. The two products already have numerous subscribers, 5.5 millions and 110 thousand customers respectively.

Despite every effort those operators do, the mass acceptance of mobile lifestyle in Indonesia will need more hard works. Because according to survey report conducted

by Nielsen Mobile on July 2008 the penetration of mobile internet in Indonesia only 1.1 percent. To enhance this market, like in United States that already gathers around 40 millions active users, operators need to do their home work correctly. It will include the improvement of technologies and standards, commercial applications and services, and of course a pervasive wireless infrastructure. (iah)

8

International

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Bali Today

Balinese Culture

President asks ICAAP participant not to be disturbed by terrorism Antara

NUSA DUA - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono praised Sunday participants of the 9th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP) for their readiness to come to Indonesia despite the recent bomb attacks at two Jakarta hotels.

“By coming here, you have shown your solidarity with the Indonesian people and this is worthy of praise,” he said when opening the congress here.

The president said international conferences such as ICAAP in Bali must be held on schedule despite the July 17 bomb attacks at JW Marriott and Ritz Carlton hotels in Mega Kuningan that left nine people dead and 53 others injured.

“Despite terrorist attacks in Jakarta last month, the congress must take place. There is no other

way to send messages to terrorists but to show them that they cannot prevent us from leading a free life,” he said.

Although Indonesia’s efforts to fight terrorism suffered a setback because of last month’s bomb attacks, Indonesia remained a stable, democratic, peaceful, pluralistic and tolerant state, he said.

The head of state assured that the Indonesian police could accomplish their fight against terrorism and eventually bring all terror suspects to justice.

“A few days ago our police officers stormed their hideouts and found

explosives. We will keep hunting them down and remain alert,” he said.

The president once again praised the Indonesian police for their success in conducting the raid saying the success was important not only for the Indonesian people but the world community as well in fighting terrorism.

The congress brings together more than 3,000 participants from 65 countries. It aims to strengthen networks to effectively respond to the AIDS pandemic.

NUSA DUA - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Sunday leadership is a key to preventing the spread of AIDS in an effective and sustainable way.

Sustainable policies were needed to keep down AIDS transmission rate, Yudhoyono said when opening the 9th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP) here.

“Of course, the policies will not come themselves but will result from leadership.

Without leadership, the efforts will become sporadic and lack focus and resources,” he told 3,000 participants from 65 countries.

Realizing that leadership played a role in preventing AIDS transmission, the president said he set up a National Commission on AIDS Control in 2006.

“The Commission on AIDS Control is self-reliant. It directly reports (its activities) to me,” he said.

Over the past three years Indonesia had been fighting the spread of AIDS through detailed steps set forth in the national policies.

The policies were also aimed at promoting the people’s awareness of the danger of AIDS, he said.

As a result, Indonesia now had more than 100 HIV/AIDS treatment centers compared to 17 in 2005, he said.

He said budget allocations for the prevention of AIDS transmission were also raised annually. The state funds allocated to overcome AIDS-related problems increased seven fold to US$73 million in 2009 from US$11 million in 2006.

The president said the government could not overcome AIDS-related problems itself and therefore, close cooperation and synergy with the community and the private sector were necessary.

He called for enhanced cooperation at

regional and global levels particularly to discover AIDS preventing vaccines.

On the occasion, the president also received a token of appreciation from the chief of the event’s organizing committee for his

Some 1,017,661 foreign tourists visited Bali on January – June 2009 period Antara

DENPASAR - Bali received a total of 1,017,661 arrivals of foreign tourists from January to June 2009, despite the current global economic crisis.

“It proves that Bali is still considered as a safe and nice place to visit, Rai Budiasa, a tourism practitioner said.

During the first six months of 2009, the number of tourists from the United States visiting Bali was 51,908 people, and from the European Union 247,211, or up 24.30 percent from that in the same period last year.

Bali received only 8,761 arrivals of American tourists in May 2009 and 10,089 in June 2009.

Jukut ares

(Chicken Soup with Banana Stems) Overview: The tender center of young banana palms is used for this dish in Bali; these can be replaced by round cabbage, although this needs to be salted for only 10 minutes.

AFP PHOTO / Sonny TUMBELAKA

Indonesia president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono delivers his speech during the opening of the Aids Conference at Garuda Wisnu Kencana in Jimbaran on resort island of Bali on August 9, 2009.

The role of leadership in handling AIDS affirmed Security Antara

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

leadership in preventing the spread of HIV/ AIDS in Indonesia.

The congress aims to strengthen networks to effectively respond to the AIDS pandemic.

tightened at Gilimanuk port

Antara

AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati

Participates walk past a poster at the 9th International Congress on Aids in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, Monday, Aug 10, 2009. More than 3000 delegates from 65 countries participate from various civil society groups, including interfaith forums, women’s organizations, and sex workers’ associations, join government officials at the 9th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP) to find ways to reduce the rate of AIDS infections.

GILIMANUK - Indonesia’s anti-terror police, Densus 88, continues to tighten security around Gilimanuk ferry port at the western tip of Bali to anticipate acts of terrorism.

Bali police spokesman Senior Commissioner I Gede Sugianyhar said on Monday that the Indonesian Police Special Detachment 88 (Densus 88) force had been deployed at Gilimanuk area to anticipate and prevent the entry of terrorists into the island resort of Bali.

“Densus 88 and some other military personnel are deployed to back up Jembrana police at Gilimanuk port,” Sugianyar said.

Meanwhile, Jembrana police chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner Ketut Suardana said the security check at Gilimanuk port was conducted on everybody.

“Although we still have limited number of detectors, we will check every passing car and its passengers the same way without regard to their status,” Ketut Suardana said.

Therefore, he expressed hope that all layers of people living around Gilimanuk port would participate in helping the police maintain security.

Security around Gilimanuk port has been tightened following the massive police anti-terror operation in which three suspects were killed: two at Jati Asih in Bekasi, West Java, and one in Temanggung, Central Java, on Saturday.

Tourists enjoy the sun at Kuta beach in Bali on August 7, 2009. Bali received a total of 1,017,661 arrivals of foreign tourists from January to June 2009, despite the current global economic crisis.

AFP PHOTO/SONNY TUMBELAKA

Ingredients: 600 gr (1¼ lb) young banana palm stem 6 tbsp salt ½ cup basic spice paste 1.5 lt (6 cups) duck stock 2 salam leaves 1 stalk lemongrass, bruised salt to taste ½ tbsp black peppercorn, crushed fried shallots to garnish Preparation: Peel off hard outside layers of the banana stem, cut in half lengthwise and place flat side on carving board.

With a sharp knife cut in thin slices. Sprinkle a flat tray with salt, place sliced banana stem on it and sprinkle generously with salt again. Marinade for 45 minutes.

Place slices on top of each and press by hand to extract the juice. Repeat process until stems are very dry and soft. Rinse stems thoroughly under running water. Strain and dry well. Combine duck stock and spice paste and bring to boil. Add salam leaves and lemongrass. Simmer for 5 minutes then add shredded banana stem and bring back to boil. Simmer for one hour until stems are soft, but still crunchy. If using cabbage, the cooking time will be much shorter. Season to taste with salt and pepper and garnish with fried shallots. (http:// www.baliguide.com/balifood)

Sambal matah

(Raw Shallot & Lemongrass Sambal) Ingredients: 15 shallots, peeled, cut in half and finely sliced 4 cloves garlic, cut in half & sliced 15 small sliced chilies 5 lemon leaves (daun limau) chopped very fine 1 tsp roasted shrimp cake (terasi), finely grated 4 stalks lemon grass, bruised and very finely sliced 1 tsp salt ¼ tsp ground black pepper 2 tbsp freshly squeezed limejuice 80 ml coconut oil Preparation: 1. Combine above ingredients in deep bowl and mix well for 5 minutes.

2. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Note: If you sauté finished sauce for two minutes over medium heat will enhance the beautiful flavor of this delicate sauce. (http://www.baliguide.com/balifood)

9

8

International

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Bali Today

Balinese Culture

President asks ICAAP participant not to be disturbed by terrorism Antara

NUSA DUA - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono praised Sunday participants of the 9th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP) for their readiness to come to Indonesia despite the recent bomb attacks at two Jakarta hotels.

“By coming here, you have shown your solidarity with the Indonesian people and this is worthy of praise,” he said when opening the congress here.

The president said international conferences such as ICAAP in Bali must be held on schedule despite the July 17 bomb attacks at JW Marriott and Ritz Carlton hotels in Mega Kuningan that left nine people dead and 53 others injured.

“Despite terrorist attacks in Jakarta last month, the congress must take place. There is no other

way to send messages to terrorists but to show them that they cannot prevent us from leading a free life,” he said.

Although Indonesia’s efforts to fight terrorism suffered a setback because of last month’s bomb attacks, Indonesia remained a stable, democratic, peaceful, pluralistic and tolerant state, he said.

The head of state assured that the Indonesian police could accomplish their fight against terrorism and eventually bring all terror suspects to justice.

“A few days ago our police officers stormed their hideouts and found

explosives. We will keep hunting them down and remain alert,” he said.

The president once again praised the Indonesian police for their success in conducting the raid saying the success was important not only for the Indonesian people but the world community as well in fighting terrorism.

The congress brings together more than 3,000 participants from 65 countries. It aims to strengthen networks to effectively respond to the AIDS pandemic.

NUSA DUA - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Sunday leadership is a key to preventing the spread of AIDS in an effective and sustainable way.

Sustainable policies were needed to keep down AIDS transmission rate, Yudhoyono said when opening the 9th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP) here.

“Of course, the policies will not come themselves but will result from leadership.

Without leadership, the efforts will become sporadic and lack focus and resources,” he told 3,000 participants from 65 countries.

Realizing that leadership played a role in preventing AIDS transmission, the president said he set up a National Commission on AIDS Control in 2006.

“The Commission on AIDS Control is self-reliant. It directly reports (its activities) to me,” he said.

Over the past three years Indonesia had been fighting the spread of AIDS through detailed steps set forth in the national policies.

The policies were also aimed at promoting the people’s awareness of the danger of AIDS, he said.

As a result, Indonesia now had more than 100 HIV/AIDS treatment centers compared to 17 in 2005, he said.

He said budget allocations for the prevention of AIDS transmission were also raised annually. The state funds allocated to overcome AIDS-related problems increased seven fold to US$73 million in 2009 from US$11 million in 2006.

The president said the government could not overcome AIDS-related problems itself and therefore, close cooperation and synergy with the community and the private sector were necessary.

He called for enhanced cooperation at

regional and global levels particularly to discover AIDS preventing vaccines.

On the occasion, the president also received a token of appreciation from the chief of the event’s organizing committee for his

Some 1,017,661 foreign tourists visited Bali on January – June 2009 period Antara

DENPASAR - Bali received a total of 1,017,661 arrivals of foreign tourists from January to June 2009, despite the current global economic crisis.

“It proves that Bali is still considered as a safe and nice place to visit, Rai Budiasa, a tourism practitioner said.

During the first six months of 2009, the number of tourists from the United States visiting Bali was 51,908 people, and from the European Union 247,211, or up 24.30 percent from that in the same period last year.

Bali received only 8,761 arrivals of American tourists in May 2009 and 10,089 in June 2009.

Jukut ares

(Chicken Soup with Banana Stems) Overview: The tender center of young banana palms is used for this dish in Bali; these can be replaced by round cabbage, although this needs to be salted for only 10 minutes.

AFP PHOTO / Sonny TUMBELAKA

Indonesia president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono delivers his speech during the opening of the Aids Conference at Garuda Wisnu Kencana in Jimbaran on resort island of Bali on August 9, 2009.

The role of leadership in handling AIDS affirmed Security Antara

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

leadership in preventing the spread of HIV/ AIDS in Indonesia.

The congress aims to strengthen networks to effectively respond to the AIDS pandemic.

tightened at Gilimanuk port

Antara

AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati

Participates walk past a poster at the 9th International Congress on Aids in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, Monday, Aug 10, 2009. More than 3000 delegates from 65 countries participate from various civil society groups, including interfaith forums, women’s organizations, and sex workers’ associations, join government officials at the 9th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP) to find ways to reduce the rate of AIDS infections.

GILIMANUK - Indonesia’s anti-terror police, Densus 88, continues to tighten security around Gilimanuk ferry port at the western tip of Bali to anticipate acts of terrorism.

Bali police spokesman Senior Commissioner I Gede Sugianyhar said on Monday that the Indonesian Police Special Detachment 88 (Densus 88) force had been deployed at Gilimanuk area to anticipate and prevent the entry of terrorists into the island resort of Bali.

“Densus 88 and some other military personnel are deployed to back up Jembrana police at Gilimanuk port,” Sugianyar said.

Meanwhile, Jembrana police chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner Ketut Suardana said the security check at Gilimanuk port was conducted on everybody.

“Although we still have limited number of detectors, we will check every passing car and its passengers the same way without regard to their status,” Ketut Suardana said.

Therefore, he expressed hope that all layers of people living around Gilimanuk port would participate in helping the police maintain security.

Security around Gilimanuk port has been tightened following the massive police anti-terror operation in which three suspects were killed: two at Jati Asih in Bekasi, West Java, and one in Temanggung, Central Java, on Saturday.

Tourists enjoy the sun at Kuta beach in Bali on August 7, 2009. Bali received a total of 1,017,661 arrivals of foreign tourists from January to June 2009, despite the current global economic crisis.

AFP PHOTO/SONNY TUMBELAKA

Ingredients: 600 gr (1¼ lb) young banana palm stem 6 tbsp salt ½ cup basic spice paste 1.5 lt (6 cups) duck stock 2 salam leaves 1 stalk lemongrass, bruised salt to taste ½ tbsp black peppercorn, crushed fried shallots to garnish Preparation: Peel off hard outside layers of the banana stem, cut in half lengthwise and place flat side on carving board.

With a sharp knife cut in thin slices. Sprinkle a flat tray with salt, place sliced banana stem on it and sprinkle generously with salt again. Marinade for 45 minutes.

Place slices on top of each and press by hand to extract the juice. Repeat process until stems are very dry and soft. Rinse stems thoroughly under running water. Strain and dry well. Combine duck stock and spice paste and bring to boil. Add salam leaves and lemongrass. Simmer for 5 minutes then add shredded banana stem and bring back to boil. Simmer for one hour until stems are soft, but still crunchy. If using cabbage, the cooking time will be much shorter. Season to taste with salt and pepper and garnish with fried shallots. (http:// www.baliguide.com/balifood)

Sambal matah

(Raw Shallot & Lemongrass Sambal) Ingredients: 15 shallots, peeled, cut in half and finely sliced 4 cloves garlic, cut in half & sliced 15 small sliced chilies 5 lemon leaves (daun limau) chopped very fine 1 tsp roasted shrimp cake (terasi), finely grated 4 stalks lemon grass, bruised and very finely sliced 1 tsp salt ¼ tsp ground black pepper 2 tbsp freshly squeezed limejuice 80 ml coconut oil Preparation: 1. Combine above ingredients in deep bowl and mix well for 5 minutes.

2. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Note: If you sauté finished sauce for two minutes over medium heat will enhance the beautiful flavor of this delicate sauce. (http://www.baliguide.com/balifood)

9

10

Business

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

International

International

AP Photo/Keystone, Alessandro Della Bella, File

Reuters

ZURICH - Shares in UBS opened lower on Monday as the Swiss bank faced more tense negotiations to settle a tax evasion case in the U.S. that challenges Switzerland’s bank secrecy laws.

JAKARTA - Malaysian terror suspect Noordin Mohammed Top is probably still at large in Indonesia despite reports of his death, police said Monday, even as the net closed around his extremist network.

Agence France-Presse

The Swiss government, currently in recess, will hold an extraordinary meeting later on Monday to discuss the issue, a government official said, without adding details.

Switzerland and the United States failed on Friday to agree on a settlement that would spare UBS a tax trial, and talks will continue until August 12, when a new status conference with U.S. Judge Alan Gold is scheduled.

Berne and Washington have already reached an agreement in principle on the major issues, and a settlement is expected to involve the disclosure to U.S. tax authorities of the names of some of the 52,000 U.S. clients of UBS holding secret Swiss accounts.

UBS shares were down 1.5 percent at 16.10 Swiss francs at 3:22 a.m. EDT, underperforming the DJ Stoxx European Banking index, which was down 0.4 percent.

Swiss media have said U.S.-Swiss talks have stalled on legal details on how to allow the transfer of some client data to Washington.

International Bali Post Classifieds

“It is not a problem that has to do with UBS, but rather with the legal procedure,” Finance Minister Hans-Rudolf Merz told Swiss television on Sunday, without going into details.

According to Swiss newspaper NZZ am Sonntag, the United States wants guarantees that the so-called administrative assistance process, the legal framework under which bank client details can be transferred to the United States, will deliver the data certainly and quickly.

But Merz said on Sunday Switzerland was not prepared to introduce emergency measures to force the pace of the data-handling process.

The case against UBS is set for court on August 17, but if the parties choose to delay further, the next available date would be September 21.

Berne already stretched its legal system in February when it forced UBS to quickly hand over 250 client names, bypassing the clients’ appeals, in order to settle criminal charges against the bank.

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7

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Doubts grow about Islamist’s death in Indonesia

UBS shares lower after U.S. tax talks extended

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Fingerprint analysis confirmed that a man killed by police special forces in a raid on a suspected Noordin hideout on the weekend was not the Malaysian Islamist, a police source involved in the investigation told AFP. “It’s not him. We know from his facial structure as well as his fingerprints,” the source said, requesting anonymity.

“We’re continuing to track his whereabouts.”

Noordin’s death has not been formally ruled out, however, and police are publicly sticking to the line that DNA tests are required.

“Whoever the man is, it should be proved in a scientific way,” national police spokesman Nanan Soekarna said.

Photographs of the bullet- and shrapnel-riddled body dragged from the remote farmhouse in Central Java at the end of a 17hour siege on Saturday morning do not resemble Noordin, police sources and independent experts said.

“The picture of the guy doesn’t bear any resemblance,” said Jakarta-based security analyst Sidney Jones, of the International Crisis Group.

Noordin, 40, is wanted for multiple suicide bombings against “iconic” Western targets in Indonesia since 2003 which have killed around 50 people and injured hundreds.

It was unclear whether Noordin was ever in the Central Java house that was besieged overnight Friday, but the counterterrorist police source indicated that the Malaysian might have es-

caped before the police arrived.

Noordin has already escaped two earlier armed assaults on his hideouts, and his legend will only grow among his disciples and on Islamist websites if he has managed to slip away again.

Five of Noordin’s alleged accomplices have been arrested in recent days, and two men described by police as would-be suicide bombers were killed Saturday in a raid at a house packed with bombmaking material in Bekasi, outside Jakarta.

Police said the would-be bombers were planning to detonate a truck rigged with explosives at President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s main residence, which is a 12-minute drive away.

The attack, timed around Indonesia’s Independence Day on August 17, had been ordered by Noordin during a meeting on April 30 as revenge for the execution of three of the Bali bombers late last year, they said.

One of the men killed in Bekasi was identified as Air Setiawan, a Noordin acolyte who was involved in the suicide truck bombing of the Australian embassy in 2004.

The two men who blew themselves up at the Jakarta hotels on July 17 had also been identified, while another alleged Noordin accomplice was arrested on July 24 as he prepared a follow-up attack.

Information on the Bekasi cell and the Central Java safe-house was gained from Amir Abdillah, arrested last Thursday and suspected of helping to carry out the hotel attacks.

Two terror suspects brought to Jakarta Antara

YOGYAKARTA - Members of the Indonesian police’s antiterror unit Densus-88 here on Monday at around 11.20 am local time escorted two terror suspects on their travel from Yogyakarta to Jakarta.

The two suspects, who had been arrested in Temanggung, Central Java, were brought to Jakarta by an airplane from Adisutjipto airport.

They were arrested during a police raid on a house where Noordin M Top was believed to be inside, Adjunct Senior Commissioner Laksana of the Yogyakarta police, said.

However, Laksana could not give the two terrorist suspects’ names to the media.

Densus-88 officers raided two locations on Saturday (Aug. 8) in their intensified hunt of terrorists. At least three terrorists were believed to have been killed in the raids in Jatiasih, Bekasi, West Java, and Temanggung District, Central Java, on Saturday morning.

Noordin M Top, fugitive Malaysian-born terrorist, was believed to have been killed in the raid in Temanggung, but the Indonesian police have not yet officially confirmed his death so far.

Telkomsel

Two staff of Telkomsel are showing how to activate BlackBerry Internet Service to users. In just a span of 14 years, the mobile phones technology in Indonesia has evolved into something more advanced and sophisticated. This revolutionized mobile technology creates a mobile lifestyle community.

The New Era of Communication Invading Indonesia (2)

Mobile data services creating Mobile Lifestyle In just a span of 14 years, the mobile phones technology in Indonesia has evolved into something more advanced and sophisticated.

People from Indonesia can instantly connect with one another within the area or across the globe through calls, text messages or, most recently, video phone conferences.

The convenience brought about by mobile technology has changed the life of people in society. Businesses, for one, are able to gather information about the latest industry news and reports at any given time and place. This revolutionized mobile technology creates a mobile lifestyle community.

In Indonesia, the launched of 3G mobile system on 2006 has opening numerous possibilities for mobile data services. In fact, the shift from GPRS to 3G system and it successor that provide by operators make the download and upload task even faster, it’s also make mobile data services tariff much cheaper.

Take Telkomsel for an example. This operator can cut its mobile data tariff until Rp1 per kilobyte.

Telkomsel’s VP of Jawa Bali Area Gilang Prasetya denied that 3G system was a failure for the industry. He said ‘’We’re launched 3G system on September 2006 not for the video call purpose only, but creating new opportunity in mobile data services,’’ added that until mid of 2009 the 3G users only reached 9.2 millions from

77 millions of Telkomsel customers.

Gilang explained mobile data services in Indonesia increase rapidly, thanks to the 3G system and its successors. The 3G launched was the beginning of new telecommunication era for Indonesia.

Today, cellphone is no longer use as voice to voice communication, but already become a staple almost for everyone, a mobile lifestyle.

The view of people using mobile phone to finish their work, watching video, or socializing can be found anywhere in Indonesia. This phenomenon occurred especially since BlackBerry becomes the new ‘must have’ gadget.

Telkomsel that celebrated its 14th birthday on May 2009 is the operator that made significant breakthrough for the tenfold of BlackBerry users. It launched BlackBerry service activation via short text messaging.

Since the activation via SMS launched, Leong Shin Loong, Telkomsel’s Director of Commerce stated that Telkomsel BlackBerry users as in mid 2009 amounted to 135,000 subscribers. Its increase 400 percent compared to the end of 2008 with 35,000 users.

He said the possibility for growth is very promising since data services users only use under 50 percent of Telkomsel’s data capacity network. In the near time, Telkomsel will double the capacity and broad-

band roaming, also to release lowend cellphones bundling with Telkomsel’s pre-paid or post-paid card in the next few months. ‘’The cellphones price will be under Rp1 million but able to operate GPRS system so users can access mobile internet comfortably,’’ explained Loong.

Mobile lifestyle not only for BlackBerry users, plenty of mobile data services can be access to supports this kind of lifestyle. Telkomsel for instants already offers products that can support mobile lifestyle of its customers. Not only mobile modem that called Flash, it also has various products like mobile banking and mobile wallet. The two products already have numerous subscribers, 5.5 millions and 110 thousand customers respectively.

Despite every effort those operators do, the mass acceptance of mobile lifestyle in Indonesia will need more hard works. Because according to survey report conducted

by Nielsen Mobile on July 2008 the penetration of mobile internet in Indonesia only 1.1 percent. To enhance this market, like in United States that already gathers around 40 millions active users, operators need to do their home work correctly. It will include the improvement of technologies and standards, commercial applications and services, and of course a pervasive wireless infrastructure. (iah)

6

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

News

AFP PHOTO/CENTRAL PRESS

Tuesday, August 11, 2009 In this photo taken on January 26, 1961, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth (C), standing between the Maharaja and the Maharani of Jaipur (5R) Rajmata Gayatri Devi with her husband Prince Philip to the far left, (L) pose with the tiger killed

by Prince Philip in Jaipur. The death of an Indian queen who personified a lost era of aristocratic privilege and exotic glamour has sparked a bitter inheritance dispute among her surviving family. Gayatri Devi, the former Maharani of Jaipur, was one of the most celebrated beauties of the last century, mixing the strict customs of traditional palace life with private aeroplanes, cocktail parties and shopping trips to London.

Death of Indian ‘queen’ triggers royal squabble Agence France-Presse

NEW DELHI - The death of an Indian queen who personified a lost era of aristocratic privilege and exotic glamour has sparked a bitter inheritance dispute among her surviving family.

Gayatri Devi was one of the most celebrated beauties of the last century, mixing traditional palace life in the royal city of Jaipur with private aeroplanes, cocktail parties and shopping trips to London.

She and her dashing husband, the Maharajah of Jaipur, Man Singh, whom she married in 1940, were idolised by Jaipur’s local population and the international press, but her death has revealed a family at odds over property and money.

Indian newspapers have reported that many relatives are in conflict with each other and that, since Gayatri Devi’s death on July 29, they have been positioning themselves for the coming battle over her will.

The Times of India predicted an “ugly showdown” over a fortune estimated at between 200 to 400 million dollars, with the lease of the stunning Rambagh Palace in Jaipur likely to be one of many areas of dispute.

Gayatri Devi and the Maharajah lived in Rambagh when they first married before it was converted into a 80-room “heritage” hotel.

After her husband died in 1970, she lived in Lilypool, a smaller house in the palace grounds.

Local media reported that a door she used to walk between the two buildings had been mysteriously bricked up since her death — an apparent first move in the complex legal wrangles that lie ahead.

Gayatri Devi’s only son, Jagat Singh, died in 1997, and the Times reported that her grandchildren, Devraj and Lalitya, have

been waiting until official mourning finished at the weekend to press their claims.

“Things will be clear only after the will is read out,” an unnamed associate of Devraj was quoted by the newspaper as saying. “Disputes will send a wrong message and damage the family’s reputation.”

Gayatri Devi was the third of the Maharajah of Jaipur’s three concurrent wives and when he died on the polo field the title passed to Bhawani Singh, the son of his eldest wife.

Different branches of the family still exert control over the Jaipur estate, which has remained partially intact long after the system of “princely states” was dismantled following independence from Britain in 1947.

The fate of Gayatri Devi’s legacy — including stakes in at least 17 palaces, forts, hotels and houses, plus a famous jewellery collection — is unclear even to insiders.

The Statesman newspaper suggested that she may have changed her will at the expense of her two grandchildren.

Her son married into the Thai royal family and left India, but the marriage ended amid much acrimony.

“He was not allowed to see or communicate with his children,” Gayatri Devi told one interviewer recently. “He took to drinking to offset his unhappiness and in the end this caused a liver problem and eventually his death.”

She also admitted becoming estranged from Bhawani Singh, the current Maharajah.

Such troubles were in sharp contrast to the public image of the Jaipur royals, who

were seen as an ideal family — equally at ease with poor local people as with friends such as Queen Elizabeth of Britain or US first lady Jacqueline Kennedy.

But in truth, disagreements and legal battles soured the last years of Gayatri Devi’s life.

Her son clashed with the new Maharajah over an ownership dispute that went to the High Court and resulted in some royal belongings being placed in the care of receivers in 1992.

She herself also fell out with her Thai daughter-in-law and was accused of trying to take back property from her, though the two were reportedly reconciled just months ago.

The Deccan Herald detailed how, when her son died, Gayatri Devi — deep in depression — fought to stop his property and money being passed on to his wife and their children.

It said she instead wanted everything to go to the family of her husband’s second wife, but in recent years she had spoken of wanting to “tidy everything up” after the messy disputes.

Whoever they are, the beneficiaries of her will stand to receive only a fraction of the wealth that Gayatri Devi enjoyed for most of her life — before the government ended “privy purse” payments to royal families in the 1970s.

She grew up in a palace with 500 servants and shot her first leopard aged 12.

Her week-long wedding was said to be the most expensive in history, with a black Bentley, a two-seater Packard sports car and a hill station residence among the presents she received.

“Life is not as glamorous and exciting as it used to be,” she said in 2004, five years before her death at the age of 90. “I have been fortunate in living the kind of life that I have.”

Fourteen dead...

From page 1 At least 32 people were also injured as Morakot, which means emerald in Thai, lashed the island with powerful winds and rain, disrupting railway and road traffic and bringing down bridges.

In central and southern Taiwan heavy rain caused widespread floods and mudslides, particularly in the county of Pingtung, where thousands of people were trapped in three coastal townships.

With rain continuing to fall, authorities issued a red alert against possible mudslides, urging people living in 35 towns islandwide to be on heightened vigilance.

In Kaohsiung county, a bridge collapsed, cutting off road access to a remote village of 1,300 residents.

Local television reported that 200 homes in the village, Hsiaolin, were believed to have been buried in a mudslide.

Footage showed rescuers using a helicopter to pick up an elderly woman and her son trapped in the mud.

“It is not clear what the residents’ situation is, but we are sure that Hsiaolin elementary school has been fully destroyed,” Kaohsiung County Magistrate Yang Chiu-hsin told reporters.

Tens of thousands of other people were also stranded in the counties of Tainan and Chiayi.

“This is the worst flooding in Chiayi in 50 years,” county magistrate Chen Ming-wen said earlier.

A typhoon that struck Taiwan in August 1959 killed 667 people and left some 1,000 missing.

The typhoon has caused at least 3.4 billion Taiwan dollars (106.43 million US) in agricultural damage while 110,000 houses were left without power and 850,000 homes without water, according to officials.

Among the missing were 14 workers who disappeared when their makeshift shelter beside a river in Kaohsiung was washed away by rising floodwaters early Sunday.

A bridge linking Kaohsiung and Pingtung counties collapsed and a local television station quoted a motorist who narrowly escaped plunging into the river as saying he feared two cars had fallen in.

Armoured vehicles and marine landing craft, as well as rubber dinghies, were mobilised in a rescue operation Sunday involving at least 1,200 troops, Taiwan’s defence ministry said.

Television footage showed a hotel in Taitung, southeastern Taiwan, collapsing into a river. Staff and guests had already been evacuated, the reports said.

The powerful storm moved on towards mainland China, landing in Fujian province at 4:20 pm (0820 GMT) on Sunday, the provincial meteorological bureau said.

A four-year-old child died in the city of Wenzhou after his family’s house collapsed in heavy rains and winds even before the typhoon made landfall in China, the official news agency Xinhua reported.

Million HIV...

From page 1 “At any one point, 20 percent (of the people living with HIV) would be needing treatment,” he said.

The one-million figure means “the region will be able to achieve something substantial in terms of putting people on treatment” even though “new infections continue to occur”, he said.

“I’m very confident we will be able to achieve it... because more money is coming from global funding and better programming by countries,” he added.

Rao told reporters that up to 80 percent of HIVpositive people in Thailand, Cambodia and Laos were receiving treatment, but some other countries were only managing to reach 10 to 15 percent.

Delegates from 65 nations are attending the meeting, which runs until Thursday, to discuss topics ranging from HIV risks among migrant workers to the impact of the financial crisis on those with the disease.

11

BUSINESS Japanese economic data lift recovery hopes Agence France-Presse

TOKYO - Hopes mounted Monday that Japan’s economy is on the mend after its worst recession in decades as the current account surplus showed the first rise in 16 months and machinery orders rebounded.

The surplus in the current account, the broadest measure of trade in goods and services, more than doubled in size in June to 1.15 trillion yen (11.8 billion dollars) from 471.6 billion yen a year earlier, the government said.

The figure easily beat market expectations for an increase of about 40 percent, helping to lift the Nikkei stock index up to a new 10-month high.

The trade surplus alone rose more than two-fold to 602.2 billion yen from 249.0 billion a year earlier.

Exports increased 14.6 percent in June from the previous month, narrowing their year-on-year decline to 37 percent, after a fall of 42.2 percent in May, the data showed.

Japan’s heavy dependence on foreign demand to drive its economy left it highly vulnerable to the global economic slowdown, which crushed demand for its key exports such as cars, high-tech goods and machinery.

But analysts believe the world’s second largest economy returned to positive growth in the April-June quarter as exports and factory output rebounded.

“The economy seems to be re-

Graphic charting Japan’s core machinery orders in June. covering steadily,” said Toshihiko Matsuno, head of research at SMBC Friend Securities.

But he added: “The prospect of a US economic recovery remains unclear. We need to remain cautious.”

There was also good news on core machinery orders, a closely watched indicator of corporate capital spending, which rebounded by a stronger-than-expected 9.7 percent in June from a record low the previous month. It was the first increase in four months.

Japanese companies have been slashing their investment to try to survive the country’s deepest recession in decades, but there are hopes that the worst of the economic slump is over.

Even so, core orders are expected to decline 8.6 percent in the

three months to September from the previous quarter, following a drop of 4.9 percent in April-June, according to the manufacturers’ own forecasts.

The worst of the slump in business activity seems to be over but the pace of recovery is likely to be limited, RBS Securities economist Junko Nishioka said.

Many Japanese companies, including Sony and Toyota Motor, recently announced better-than-expected business results for the first quarter of the fiscal year, although the situation remains very difficult.

The economy shrank at an annualized pace of 14.2 percent in the first quarter of 2009, its worst performance on record, but analysts say Japan is likely to be one of the first major economies to return to positive growth.

‘Great Depression 2.0’ avoided but recovery slow: Krugman Agence France-Presse

KUALA LUMPUR - The world has avoided a “Great Depression 2.0” but it will take at least two years for the global economy to make a full recovery, Nobel prizewinning economist Paul Krugman said Monday.

Krugman said in a speech to an international business forum here that although the worst of the financial crisis was over, the world now faces a prolonged slowdown like Japan’s “lost decade” of the 1990s.

“How do we get out? I think the technical answer is — God knows.

We have a great shortage of role models,” said Krugman, a professor of economics at Princeton University in the United States.

Krugman said that in the past, swift economic recoveries saw affected countries export their way out of trouble, trading with countries with large surpluses.

“Unless we can find another planet to export to, we cannot have an export-led recovery from this global financial crisis, which means we have a serious difficulty,” he said.

Other possible solutions — consumer spending, business investment and housing booms are all unlikely to kick-start the US or world economy this time.

“We seem to have avoided the Great Depression 2.0,” Krugman said, but added: “I do believe that

full recovery is at least two years and probably more than that off.”

He compared the world economic picture to “a globalize version of Japan through much of the ’90s. Formally, Japan spent only pockets of its lost decade in recession, but as a whole it was a period of consistently slow growth.”

Krugman said that to find anything comparable to the current woes, economists have to look back to the 1930s, when a global slump was brought to an end “by a very large set of public works programs known as World War II. “Hopefully we’re not going to repeat that strategy,” he joked, adding that policy makers could try more stimulus programs, higher inflation targets and spurring business investment.

Krugman also urged a restructuring of the financial system to prevent a recurrence of the crisis, with more effective bank regulation, and limits on the risk that important institutions can take on.

“I have no confidence this is going to happen. In a way, the downside of our having managed to avoid a full repeat of the Great Depression is that we may have rescued the economy too soon before the political momentum for fundamental reform was strong enough to cause changes.

“Which means I worry this is all going to happen again in the not-toodistant future.”

Pedestrians walk past shops in a commercial district in Shanghai on August 10, 2009. The world has avoided a “Great Depression 2.0” but it will take at least two years for the global economy to make a full recovery, Nobel prizewinning economist Paul Krugman said Monday.

U.S. banks to make $38 billion from overdraft fees: report Reuters

WASHINGTON- Banks in the United States are poised to make $38.5 billion in customer overdraft fees this year, the Financial Times said, citing research by Moebs Services.

A large portion of the revenue is likely to come from the most financially stretched consumers, according to the paper.

It said the research showed

that many banks have increased charges on overdrafts and credit cards in order to boost profits.

The median bank overdraft fee rose this year by one dollar to $26, the paper said, citing the Moebs data.

“Banks are returning to a feedriven model and overdraft fees are the mother lode,” Mike Moebs, the company’s founder was quoted by the paper as saying.

Overdraft fees accounted for more

than 75 percent of service fees charged on customer deposits, the paper cited Moebs as saying.

Last year the U.S. Federal Reserve approved credit card rules to curb “unfair” practices such as surprise fees and interest rate hikes, and new mortgage lending rules are expected this summer. It is also mulling rules to give bank customers the chance to opt out of overdraft schemes that can involve fees.

AFP PHOTO / PHILIPPE LOPEZ

12

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Entertainment

International

News

International

‘G.I. Joe’ blasts competition for box office top spot

AP Photo/Chris Pizzello

Taylor Lautner accepts the Twilight Award at the Teen Choice Awards on Sunday Aug. 9, 2009, in Universal City, Calif. Looking on from background left are Robert Pattinson, Kellan Lutz, Kristen Stewart, Nikki Reed, Ashley Greene, and Jackson Rathbone.

‘Twilight’ sinks fangs into Teen Choice Awards Associated Press Writer

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – “Twilight” didn’t suck at the Teen Choice Awards. The adolescent vampire drama dominated Sunday’s ceremony with 11 wins, including choice movie drama, romance, liplock, rumble and soundtrack. Kristen Stewart won the movie drama actress category while Robert Pattinson picked up two surfboard-shaped trophies — one for movie drama actor, another for male hottie.

“We’ll see you guys in theaters November 20th,” co-star Taylor Lautner teased the squealing crowd.

Lautner and Ashley Greene, who will appear alongside Stewart and Pattinson in the upcoming “Twilight” sequel “New Moon,” were honored as the male and female movie fresh faces while Cam Gigandet was crowned movie villain. “Twilight” director Catherine Hardwicke joined the cast on stage to accept the adaptation’s pack of trophies.

The Teen Choice Awards, which were selected by over 83 million votes cast online, honor celebrities in TV, film, music and sports. Several winners — including 16-year-old Miley Cyrus and show hosts the Jonas Brothers — took home multiple trophies at the 11th annual ceremony at Universal Studios Hollywood’s Gibson Amphitheatre.

Cyrus sailed away with six awards, winning for comedy TV show and actress for “Hannah Montana;” music/dance movie actress and hissy fit for “Hannah Montana: The Movie;” music single for “The Climb” and summer song for “Before the Storm” with the Jonas Brothers. Cyrus also presented Britney Spears the ultimate choice award.

“I’m a huge fans of hers,” Cyrus

said before a subdued Spears accepted her own surfboard.

The Jonas Brothers won five trophies, including choice male red carpet icons. They kicked off the show performing on a tiny stage that moved through the audience.

Throughout the taped ceremony, the trio completed dares submitted by fans. At one point, younger brother Nick was challenged to hug a lineup of female fans.

“It’s just hugs,” Joe cautioned the women. “You’re not going for longterm relationships here, girls.”

Other big winners included “Gossip Girl” and Zac Efron. Chace Crawford, Leighton Meester and Ed Westwick picked up TV drama actor, actress, villain and TV series awards for the sudsy CW show while Efron won for music/dance movie actor in “High School Musical 3” and comedy movie actor and rockstar moment in “17 Again.” The ceremony itself was peppered with several odd moments.

Kathy Griffin arrived on the red carpet with Levi Johnston, the teenage ex-fiance of Bristol Palin, daughter of former Alaska governor Sarah Palin. Mike Tyson took shears to Joe Jonas’ head as part of stunt. And before presenting the choice hottie awards, comedian Dane Cook pleaded to Vanessa Hudgens to keep her clothes on.

Agence France-Presse

TOPSHOTS AFP PHOTO / KIM JAE-HWAN

South Korea’s Hyundai Group chairwoman Hyun Jeong-Eun (C) is questioned by reporters as she arrives at the CIQ (customs, immigration and quarantine) office, just south of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, in Paju, north of Seoul on August 10, 2009 before she crosses the border to visit Pyongyang. Hyun crossed into North Korea to discuss the release of an employee detained since March by the communist state.

Hyundai boss arrives in North Korea to seek worker’s release

SEOUL, South Korea – Lady Gaga may sport an ever-changing series of risque outfits, but the pop singer says two things are permanent: her tattoos and her bow tie ‘do.

The 23-year-old star, her real name Stefani Germanotta, showed off her newest body art Sunday night before performing the hit songs “Poker Face,” “Just Dance” and “Paparazzi” at Seoul’s Olympic Hall during the Asian leg of her “Fame Ball” tour.

The curling script on her left arm is a souvenir from a midnight session at a tattoo parlor in Osaka, Japan.

“It says ‘In the deepest hour of the night, confess to yourself that you would die if you were forbidden to write. And look deep into your heart

nuclear test in May. But Clinton held three-and-a-half hours of talks with Kim during his surprise visit to secure the release of the reporters sentenced to a labour camp after crossing the border with China.

US National Security Adviser Jim Jones said Sunday the North had signalled during its meetings with Clinton that it wants a better relationship with the United States.

Koh Yu-Hwan, a North Korea studies professor at Seoul’s Dongguk University, said better ties with Seoul were a precondition for Pyongyang to improve relations with Washington.

“For North Korea, its relationship with the South is not a central concern, though for its major interest in progress with the US, North Korea has to manage inter-Korean relations to some degree,” Koh told Yonhap news agency. The North has since March 30 detained the Hyundai Asan engineer who worked at the Seoul-funded Kaesong estate

Agence France-Presse

treatment on Saturday after the nonvenomous snake, thought to be a python about four feet (1.2 metres) long, sank its fangs into his arm, leaving two puncture wounds, police said.

“The teenager had been subject to racist comments and then reportedly held down as a snake was held in front of him, which bit his right arm,” a spokesman for Avon and Somerset police said.

“The boy was taken to Frenchay

Hospital with breathing problems, where he was treated for the injury to his arm.”

The boy gave a description of the snake to ambulance officers who contacted experts.

“We contacted Bristol Zoo to talk to their snake expert. What we described they indicated was probably a type of python, so not venomous,” an officer from Great Western Ambulance said.

SEOUL - The head of South Korean’s Hyundai group crossed into North Korea Monday to discuss the release of an employee detained since March by the communist state.

AP Photo/Matt Sayles

Lady Gaga shows off tattoo during Asia tour Associated Press Writer

There is growing media speculation the North may free the worker surnamed Yu after it pardoned two US journalists during former president Bill Clinton’s surprise visit to Pyongyang last week.

Group chairwoman Hyun JungEun will discuss the detainee’s release, the resumption of tourists trips to the North and ways to put interKorean business back on track, said a spokesman for Hyundai Asan, a group subsidiary which manages its businesses in the North.

Hyun crossed the land border through the Demilitarised Zone en route to Pyongyang after telling reporters she would “make efforts” for Yu’s release. She is expected to return Wednesday.

The spokesman told AFP there are no plans at present for her to meet leader Kim Jong-Il, as she did during a Pyongyang visit in 2007.

The North’s ties with the South have been icy for the past 16 months, and regional tensions are high following its rocket launch in April and

in the North.

It accuses him of insulting its system and urging a North Korean worker to defect, but refuses to give Seoul officials access to the man or say where he is now being held.

South Korean politicians and activists have complained that the North has treated the engineer — a fellow Korean — worse than it did the American women, who were allowed diplomatic access and phone calls home.

On July 30 the North also detained the four-member crew of a squid fishing boat which sailed across the border due to a defective navigation system.

The Kaesong estate near the west coast is the last major interKorean joint project still operating.

Its future has become increasingly clouded since Pyongyang demanded huge extra wage and rent payments from Seoul and detained the engineer. Some 40,000 North Koreans work for 105 South Korean companies at Kaesong, which was developed mainly by Hyundai.

The auto, shipbuilding and construction giant pioneered business exchanges with the North, opening the Mount Kumgang resort on the east coast in 1998.

Agence France-Presse

Cast member Marlon Wayans arrives at the premiere of “G.I. Joe” in Los Angeles on Thursday, Aug. 6, 2009.

where it spreads its roots, the answer, and ask yourself, must I write?’” she said. The quote, in German, comes from the poet Rainer Maria Rilke, whom she described as her “favorite philosopher.”

Lady Gaga, whose single “LoveGame” is No. 9 on Billboard magazine’s music chart this week, said Rilke’s “philosophy of solitude” spoke to her.

The New York native called solitude “something you marry, as an artist. When you are an artist, your solitude is a lonely place that you embrace.”

The singer, known for a dazzling array of outfits bridging 1970s glam, ’80s pop art and sexy modern designs, has also embraced the power of iconography. She was dressed Sunday in a glittering gold dress by

the South Korean designer Lie Sang Bong.

Lady Gaga professed to owning a large collection of wigs, from purple feather creations to an oversized button shape and stacked black bundles.

But underneath them all, she said she’ll always have the retro whiteblond ‘do, the result of deciding to “go blonde” one day after being bored with her long hair and bangs.

She’s now known for the big bow tie she wears in her hair.

“And I guess that somehow became my signature look,” she said.

“But more importantly, I believe in the power of iconography, which was something that Andy Warhol did, and it’s repeating an image over and over again. So I rarely change the shape of my hair.”

5

Nepal widows dismiss marriage cash incentive

Agence France Presse

LOS ANGELES – “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra,” a movie adaptation of the popular toy franchise, stormed its way to the top of the North American box office on Sunday, according to initial weekend figures.

“G.I. Joe,” which follows a group of elite operatives battling the mysterious Cobra organization, pulled in 56.2 million dollars over the weekend, according to box office tracker Exhibitor Relations.

In second place was “Julie and Julia,” a movie that tells the story of Julia Child, an American famed for cooking French cuisine, and Julie Powell, a woman who tries to cook a recipe a day from Child’s most famous cookbook for one year.

The new release, which stars Meryl Streep and Amy Adams, earned 20.1 million dollars in box office receipts.

Staying at third place for a second week was “GForce,” an action-comedy about a crack squad of guinea pig spies, which earned 9.8 million dollars.

Down two places to number four in its fourth week in theaters was “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.”

The sixth installment of the franchise, which sets the stage for the boy wizard’s final confrontation with his arch-nemesis Lord Voldemort, took 8.9 million dollars in receipts.

Down from first place last week was “Funny People,” a comedy starring Adam Sandler as a terminally-ill famous comedian who decides to mentor a young comic, which took fifth place with earnings of 7.9 million in its second week in theaters.

“The Ugly Truth,” a romantic comedy starring Katherine Heigl as a romantically-challenged producer seeking love, took the number six spot, earning seven million dollars.

At seventh place was new release “A Perfect Getaway,” a thriller about a serial killer on a Hawaii island popular with honeymooners, which took in 5.8 million dollars.

“Aliens in the Attic,” a family adventure tale about a group of children who discover aliens that are trying to invade Earth, fell to the number eight spot, earning four million dollars over the weekend.

At number nine was “Orphan,” a horror movie about a couple who discover the Russian orphan girl they have adopted is not who she seems, which took in 3.73 million dollars in its third week in theaters.

Rounding at the top ten was “(500) Days of Summer,” an offbeat romantic movie that moved up two spots in its fourth week in theaters to make it into the top ten with earnings of 3.72 million dollars this weekend.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Teenager attacked in Britain with snake LONDON - A gang pinned down a 14-year-old boy and attacked him with a snake, forcing the reptile to bite the teenager on the arm, British police said Sunday.

Police said they were interviewing two teenagers over the attack in the southeast English city of Bristol which they suspect was racially motivated.

The boy was taken to hospital for

KATHMANDU - About 200 Nepalese women gathered in the capital Kathmandu on Monday to protest against government plans to pay men to marry widows.

The government said last month it would introduce a 50,000-rupee (650-dollar) grant for marriages involving a widow.

The plan is part of a scheme to help widowed women, who are frequently ostracised by traditional rural communities in Nepal.

But rights campaigners say the payments reduce widows to a source of cash, and want the money to be spent instead on improving access to education and healthcare for widows and their children.

Women chanting slogans and waving placards that read “We don’t want government dowries” and “Don’t put a price on your mother” marched to the government’s headquarters to hand over a letter of pro-

test.

“We are totally against the government’s decision to give 50,000 rupees as an incentive to couples to marry,” said protest organiser Lily Thapa.

“This goes against the principles of human rights. That’s why we urge the government to bring in other social security measures to empower women who are widowed.”

Campaigners have also expressed concern that the payments could encourage men to marry widows and then abandon them after taking the money.

But the government said its intention was to help single women — a term frequently used to refer to widows in Nepal, where the word is seen as derogatory. “It is the right of single women to live as they want. But society does not treat them properly,” said finance ministry spokesman Shankar Adhikari.

“They are looked down on, and we want to change that.”

Drug violence overshadows North America summit Agence France-Presse

GUADALAJARA - US President Barack Obama began his first summit of North American leaders in Mexico Sunday, with the economic crisis and swine flu on an agenda overshadowed by Mexican drug violence.

Hours before the summit began, an armed commando shot dead a lawyer known for her work defending suspected drug smugglers in north Mexico, amid a wave of suspected drug attacks which have left almost 10,000 dead since the start of 2008.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon was expected to seek more support for his controversial military crackdown on organized crime and drug gangs during the two-day meeting.

Canada announced Sunday that it would increase training by its federal Mounted Police for Mexican officers as part of a new, 15-million-dollar security program for the Americas, as Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper arrived in Mexico.

“Supporting police training in Mexico is one of the most effective ways to fight organized crime and drug trafficking within Canada,” said a statement from Harper’s office.

The summit came amid criticism of alleged abuses by some of the 40,000 soldiers deployed across the country which could possibly delay the release of some US security aid to Mexico, and reports of growing Mexican drug gang activity across the United States, Canada and beyond.

Hundreds of soldiers and police deployed in Guadalajara for the meeting due to touch on issues from swine flu to protectionism in the closely-tied region of almost 450 million inhabitants. “The purpose of this summit is for the president to have an opportu-

nity to speak with his counterparts about issues of mutual concern, like H1N1 (flu) preparedness, economic competitiveness, security and also global climate change,” White House deputy press secretary Bill Burton told reporters on Air Force One. Obama met with Calderon on his arrival as part of bilateral meetings before a joint dinner, and three-way meetings on Monday.

Measures to boost the countries’ flagging economies were a top priority.

Like the United States, Mexico has sunk deep into recession, with much of its industry tied to the worst-affected areas of the US economy — cars and construction — and migrant workers north of the border sending less money home.

Canada and Mexico — the first and third-largest US trading partners — were expected to pressure Obama over a “Buy American” clause in the US economic stimulus plan.

Mexico also sought to resolve an immigration dispute with Canada over the recent imposition of visas for Mexicans, and a trade dispute involving Mexican trucks operating in the United States, officials said here.

Mexico responded to the US cancellation of a program allowing some Mexican trucks on its territory — in violation of NAFTA — by slapping some 2.4 billion dollars in tariffs on 89 US products in March.

Several hundred people, from children to elderly farmers, marched in a peaceful demonstration Sunday to highlight diverse issues from anti-globalization to the coup in Honduras, US immigration policy, and the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) which has linked the three nations for 15 years.

4

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

News

65 years after Italy massacre MUNICH - In one of Germany’s last Nazi war crimes trials, a 91-year-old ex-army commander accused of ordering the massacre of 14 civilians in a Tuscan village in 1944 will receive his verdict Tuesday.

Prosecutors in the southern city of Munich have demanded life in prison for Josef Scheungraber for crimes they say he committed 65 years ago in Falzano.

He has been on trial since September on charges of ordering the murders on June 26, 1944 in retaliation for an attack by Italian partisans that killed two German soldiers.

Scheungraber’s men are alleged to have shot dead a 74-year-old woman and three men in the street.

They then forced 11 males aged between 15 and 66 into the ground floor of a farmhouse which they then blew up. Only the youngest, Gino Massetti, survived, but with serious injuries. Six decades later and an old man himself, Massetti testified during the Italian trial.

Scheungraber was charged with 14 counts of murder and one of attempted murder.

“He denies the charges and disputes having anything to do with these acts,” said one of his lawyers, Christian Stuenkel, calling for his acquittal.

Scheungraber, at the time the commander of mountain infantry battalion Gebirgspionierbataillon 818, was sentenced in absentia in September 2006 to life imprisonment by an Italian military tribunal in La Spezia.

The La Spezia court has tried several former Nazis in absentia but none has been brought to justice, with Germany as a rule not extraditing its citizens without their consent.

He told the Munich court that he handed the 11 males over to the military police, after which he “never heard what happened to them”.

Scheungraber spent decades after the war as a free man in his hometown in Bavaria, running a woodworking shop and participating regularly in commemorations for fallen Nazi soldiers.

He is hard of hearing and walks with a cane but has appeared in good health during his 11-month trial. His is expected to be one of the last cases in Germany dealing with atrocities of the Nazi era.

One other case pending is that of John Demjanjuk, 89, a Nazi death camp guard deported in May from the United States for allegedly herding more than 29,000 Jews to their death. Last month he was declared fit to stand trial.

Rights group says Saudi holding thousands without charge

Agence France-Presse

RIYADH - Saudi Arabia’s domestic security police ignore the country’s own laws to hold suspects for years without charges and ignores court orders to release detainees, a human rights group charged on Monday.

The Saudi General Directorate for Investigations, or mabahith, is believed to hold several thousand people allegedly involved in seditious or terror activities, many arrested during the 2003-2006 AlQaeda campaign of violence across the country. It also holds a number of pro-democracy reform advocates. But even after years in the secret mabahith prisons, few are ever charged and tried, New Yorkbased Human Rights Watch said in a new report in which it cited former detaines and families of prisoners.

One released detainee told the group that about 20 detainees in a mabahith prison in Jouf, in northern Saudi Arabia, who were all arrested for acts of violence related to national security, remain in jail though their sentences have expired.

It said that 10 months after the Board of Grievances, an adminis-

trative court, ordered Imad alMatrudi’s release because he had been held since 2004 without charge, the mabahith refuse to free him.

HRW pointed out that, in what was a major legal reform in the country, in 2002 the Saudi government promulgated a criminal procedure law that stipulated that arrested people be promptly informed of the reasons for their arrest.

The law requires that they be told of the charges they face when they first appear in front of prosecutors within 48 hours of being arrested and stipulates that detainees be brought to trial or freed within six months.

“Saudi Arabia has a legal limit of six months in detention before trial, and some families have challenged their relatives’ detention before the Board of Grievances, the Saudi administrative court,” HRW said. “However, the interior ministry, which is responsible for the mabahith, has ignored the court’s rulings ordering the release of detainees held longer than the legal limit.”

“The mabahith acts as if it is above the law,” HRW’s Middle East director Sarah Leah Whitson said in a statement.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

13

Veterinarians using stem cells to treat animals

Verdict due for ex-Nazi officer Agence France-Presse

Life Style

International

International

Associated Press Writer

MIAMI – Lucy the Labradoodle scoots along the ground to grab a bone.

At only 5 years old, she’s unable to walk, crippled by rheumatoid arthritis that has rendered her back limbs unusable.

AP Photo

Women grieve at the site of a double truck bombing which tore through a Shiite minority community near the northern city of Mosul, 360 kilometers (225 miles) northwest of Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, Aug. 10, 2009. A series of blasts struck Baghdad Monday in a wave of predawn violence that killed at least 40 people, according to Iraqi officials.

41 killed in wave of Iraq bombings In the deadliest single attack, two booby-trapped lorries exploded before dawn in the village of Khaznan, east of Mosul, leaving 25 people dead and 70 others wounded.

Thirty-five houses were destroyed in the village, which is home to members of the tiny Shabak community, a sect of Kurdish origin.

Mosul has seen frequent attacks despite a marked decline in violence elsewhere in the country and US commanders describe it as the last urban bastion of Al-Qaeda loyalists in Iraq.

Iraq’s second city with a population of about 1.6 million, Mosul is mainly Sunni — both Arab and Kurdish — but it also has significant

Christian and Shiite Turkmen minorities.

In Baghdad, two car bombs went off as day labourers were gathering in the early morning hours looking for jobs. The first bomb exploded at Hay al-Amel, in the west of the capital, killing nine people and injuring 46. The second bomb attack in Shurta Arbaa in the north of the city killed seven people and wounded 35 others.

On Friday, a powerful car bomb blast killed at least 37 Shiite Muslims near a mosque in Mosul in a wave of attacks that also killed 10 people in Baghdad, threatening to plunge the country into a new bout

of sectarian conflict.

Despite a marked reduction in violence in recent months, attacks against security forces and civilians remain common in Baghdad, Mosul and the ethnically divided northern oil city of Kirkuk.

The number of violent deaths fell by a third last month to 275 from 437 in June, following the pullout of US forces from urban areas.

The Shabak community numbers about 30,000 people living in 35 villages in the province of Nineveh, and many want to become part of the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq.They follow a faith that is a blend of Islam, Christianity and other religions. The Shabak community was persecuted under ousted Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and after the USled invasion of 2003 they were targeted on a number of occasions by Al-Qaeda attacks.

Agence France-Presse

ing more than 500 yuan for each of China’s 1.3 billion people, wrote the report’s author, Jiang Ruqin, a former local state secrets bureau director in Jiangsu province, next to Shanghai.

“It also meant that China gave away more than 100 billion dollars, or around 10 percent of Australia’s gross domestic product, for free to employers of the commercial spies,” Jiang wrote.

He gave no explanation of how he arrived at the calculations.

The report, which was posted on

Saturday, appeared to no longer be accessible on Monday afternoon.

The operators of the website Baomi.org, however, denied the report had been removed when contacted by AFP. Chinese authorities detained Australian citizen Stern Hu and three other Shanghai-based Rio employees on July 5, accusing them of bribery and stealing state secrets during iron ore contract negotiations.

Rio said last month the accusations were “wholly without foundation.”

Agence France-Presse

BAGHDAD - At least 41 people were killed and nearly 150 wounded in a spate of bloody bomb attacks near the restive northern Iraqi city of Mosul and in the capital Baghdad on Monday, police said.

Rio Tinto ‘spying’ cost China 100 bln dlrs: state bureau

SHANGHAI - China’s state secrets watchdog has accused Australian mining giant Rio Tinto of conducting up to six years of corporate espionage, costing the country 700 billion yuan (102 billion dollars).

Rio Tinto allegedly stole state secrets to gain the upper hand in iron ore price talks and force China to pay what it says were excessive prices, according to a report published on a website run by the State Secrets Bureau.

This amounted to “blackmail” cost-

However, her owners say she has improved. She no longer yelps or whimpers in pain, and she needs far less medicine than before.

Lucy’s owners credit a costly stem cell treatment, despite what experts say is a lack of evidence such treatments work.

“We didn’t think she’d live anywhere near this long, and I know it’s because of the stem cells,” says owner Carol Fischman, 57, of Vero Beach.

Thousands of dogs and horses with degenerative arthritis have had stem cell treatments, costing around $2,500 to $3,000 per procedure.

There are no independent studies verifying their effectiveness, and some experts say such studies are needed to assess their potential.

University of Florida veterinarian Kristin Kirkby, who performed Lucy’s procedure, said that the outcomes on five similar treatments have all been positive. But that’s from owner-reported results, not scientific scrutiny.

Owners tell her their dogs have an easier time getting around the house and getting into position to urinate. Mostly, they just report their dogs appear to be more comfortable overall.

To get hard results, Kirkby says the university plans to start taking a pain inventory of each animal at the beginning of the process, followed by an evaluation and checkups afterward to measure changes.

“I think it’s an exciting field.

Undoubtedly the future of scientific research is going this way,” Kirkby said. “It’s early on, especially in the small animal side, to know what the results can be.”

Vet-Stem, a Poway, Calif.-based company, is developing the stem cell therapy and began treating horses in 2003. It derives stem cells from fat samples taken from dogs and horses across the country.

The procedure has been used mainly to treat osteoarthritis, which involves loss of cartilage in the joints, but Vet-Stem is researching treatments for other diseases. VetStem claims the therapy enables animals to replace cartilage and other tissue.

Since 2003, the privately held company has treated 3,500 horses and 1,500 dogs and plans to begin treating cats later this year. More than 1,500 vets are licensed to use

the procedure.

Dr. Bob Harman, veterinarian and Vet-Stem founder, said it made sense to use these fat-based adult stem cells, which the body uses to create scar tissue and repair damage, to treat chronic disease in animals.

“Really, all we’re doing is harnessing the existing repair machinery in the body, concentrating it, and putting it right where an injury occurs, where healing is needed, to heal naturally,” he said Adam Gassel has used stem cells to treat almost 40 dogs at his Irvine, Calif., veterinary clinic during the past two years. “I was pretty skeptical,” he said. “I was hoping that dogs would just be more comfortable.”

But for about 25 percent of dogs, their owners report they are like puppies again, able to get back to normal activities, he said. Another 25 percent are able to stop taking medicines they were dependent upon. In all, Gassel said, all but 20 percent of the animals show some positive response to the therapy, according to their owners and the requests for pain medicine.

One peer-reviewed study by researchers at Cornell University, published in the American Journal of Veterinary Research and sponsored in part by Vet-Stem, found that tendinitis in horses was improved by injection of the adult stem cells.

Two other studies published in Veterinary Therapeutics found that dogs with osteoarthritis showed improvements in lameness after stem cell injections. Those studies also were sponsored by Vet-Stem and conducted by Vet-Stem researchers and other veterinarians.

Jonathan Slack, director of the University of Minnesota’s Stem Cell Research Institute, said adult stem cells from fat can become cartilage in a laboratory cell culture.

Conclusive results on whether the stem-cell injection process actually makes new bone cells in animals don’t exist, to his knowledge. “I guess from the dog’s point of view,” Slack said, “it’s good if it does work.”Whatever the scientific merits of the therapies, Lucy’s owners say they would do it again for her.

She’s had her stem cell treatments through an IV three times, and the Fischmans want to give her a fourth one soon, despite the $3,000per-procedure cost.

AP Photo/J Pat Carter

In this photo taken June 10, 2009, Carol Fischman plays with Lucy the Labradoodle, as the dog sits in her stroller at their Vero Beach, Fla. home June 10, 2009. Lucy can only scoot around the ground to grab a bone_she is unable to walk, crippled by rheumatoid arthritis that has rendered her back limbs unusuable.

But her owner believes that she is showing improvement after stem cell treatments.

Vast expanses of Arctic ice melt in summer heat Associated Press Writer

TUKTOYAKTUK, Northwest Territories – The Arctic Ocean has given up tens of thousands more square miles (square kilometers) of ice on Sunday in a relentless summer of melt, with scientists watching through satellite eyes for a possible record low polar ice cap.

From the barren Arctic shore of this village in Canada’s far northwest, 1,500 miles (2,414 kilometers) north of Seattle, veteran observer Eddie Gruben has seen the summer ice retreating more each decade as the world has warmed. By this weekend the ice edge lay some 80 miles (128 kilometers) at sea. “Forty years ago, it was 40 miles (64 kilometers) out,” said Gruben, 89, patriarch of a local contracting business.

Global average temperatures rose 1 degree Fahrenheit (0.6 degree Celsius) in the past century, but Arctic

temperatures rose twice as much or even faster, almost certainly in good part because of manmade greenhouse gases, researchers say.

In late July the mercury soared to almost 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius) in this settlement of 900 Inuvialuit, the name for western Arctic Eskimos. “The water was really warm,” Gruben said. “The kids were swimming in the ocean.”

As of Thursday, the U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Center reported, the polar ice cap extended over 2.61 million square miles (6.75 million square kilometers) after having shrunk an average 41,000 square miles (106,000 square kilometers) a day in July — equivalent to one Indiana or three Belgiums daily.

The rate of melt was similar to that of July 2007, the year when the ice cap dwindled to a record low minimum extent of 1.7 million square miles (4.3 million square ki-

lometers) in September.

In its latest analysis, the Colorado-based NSIDC said Arctic atmospheric conditions this summer have been similar to those of the summer of 2007, including a highpressure ridge that produced clear skies and strong melt in the Beaufort Sea, the arm of the Arctic Ocean off northern Alaska and northwestern Canada.

In July, “we saw acceleration in loss of ice,” the U.S. center’s Walt Meier told The Associated Press. In recent days the pace has slowed, making a record-breaking final minimum “less likely but still possible,” he said.

Scientists say the makeup of the frozen polar sea has shifted significantly the past few years, as thick multiyear ice has given way as the Arctic’s dominant form to thin ice that comes and goes with each winter and summer.

A Leger and Saint Laurent’s last car for grabs in second YSL sale Agence France Presse

PARIS - A Fernand Leger painting and Yves Saint Laurent’s own Mercedes Benz and Hermes luggage go on sale in November in a second smaller auction of the YSL-Pierre Berge collection, one of the world’s great private collections.

Far smaller than the record-

smashing 700-item February sale, which fetched 342.5 million euros (491.9 million dollars) in the biggest private art sale in history, the 1,200 works to come under the hammer from November 17 to 19 are estimated at between three and four million euros, Christie’s said Monday.

Like the first sale, proceeds are

to benefit HIV research and the fight against AIDS, said the auctioneers, organisers of the three-day sale in conjunction with Berge’s own auction house.

Works to be auctioned are largely from the pair’s country hideaway on the Normandy coast, a three-storey place with a sea view built in 1874

for wealthy Americans that the two had redecorated to evoke writer Marcel Proust’s “In Search of Lost Time.”

But the most expensive piece, a 1950 Fernand Leger estimated at between 80,000 and 120,000 euros, is from the Paris home of Saint Laurent, who died aged 71 in June

last year.

Other mementoes from the king of couture include his 2007 Mercedes Benz for 30,000 to 50,000 euros, three Hermes suitcases in crocodile leather at 4,000 to 6,000 euros and 10 of his signature jewels kept in his bedroom from 800 euros each.

14

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Tuesday, August 11, 2009

International

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International

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Del Potro outlasts Roddick to defend ATP Washington title

Obama, Calderon tackle flu, drugs war

WASHINGTON - Juan Martin Del Potro blasted five of his 19 aces in the deciding tie-breaker Sunday to beat US top seed Andy Roddick 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (8/6) and win his second consecutive ATP Washington Classic title.

GUADALAJARA - US President Barack Obama expressed “strong support” for Mexico’s raging battle against drug cartels in talks with Mexican President Felipe Calderon here on Sunday, a US official said.

Agence France Presse

Ignoring fatigue and sweltering heat to launch his most powerful serves of the match at the finish, the Argentine second seed finally overcame Roddick on his fourth match-point chance when a line call review upheld a forehand winner.

“I did my best services ever in my life,” Del Potro said of the tiebreaker. “I don’t know what happened in that moment. I was just trying to do my best, play 10 minutes and you are out.

“On that last forehand, I saw the ball very close. Andy called the HawkEye and said, ‘I saw out.’

I said, ‘I saw out too.’ Then HawkEye said it was in.”

Del Potro became the first player since Andre Agassi in 1999 to win back-to-back titles at the 1.4 million-dollar hardcourt event, capturing the top prize of 300,000 dollars after 2 1/2 hours in hot and humid conditions.

“It was very difficult,” Del Potro said. “After the first set I

couldn’t move any more. It was impossible. It was serve and one more ball. If you run, you die.”

Roddick, in his first event since a five-set Wimbledon final loss to Roger Federer, fired 21 aces and had a superior first-serve percentage but missed out on a fourth Washington title and 28th career crown.

“Today was brutal,” Roddick said.

“He was rolling the dice a lot. He played high risk tennis and he connected. To go for as much as he was going for late in the match and not have any errors to show for it, that was the difference.”

Sixth-ranked Del Potro, 20, won his sixth career ATP title and second of the year after a January crown at Auckland. It was his first ATP title defense and showed his improvement since a shock 2008 title opposite the Beijing Olympics.

“I’ve improved everything a little bit,” Del Potro said. “But if I want to beat Roddick a lot of times, Federer and Nadal, I have to get better. I have to keep working.”

Fifth-ranked Roddick, 26, lost his only prior meeting with Del Potro in last year ’s Los Angeles final.

Roddick likes the state of his game three weeks ahead of the US Open.

“I’m on the right path to the Open.

I’m not far off from where I was toward the end of Wimbledon,” Roddick said. “This is the start of preparations for the US Open. I definitely feel better about my game than when I first got here.

“I will take a lot more good than bad away from this week.”

Del Potro opened the tie-breaker with his fastest serve, a 137-mph ace, then took a 3-1 lead on a secondserve ace and a 4-1 edge on a 136mph ace. A fourth ace gave him a 63 edge and three championship points.

Roddick saved the first with an ace and Del Potro followed by sending a backhand wide and a forehand long, sustaining Roddick’s hopes.

But Del Potro fired his final ace and then captured the match on the replay call.

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

Juan Martin del Potro, of Argentina, holds up his trophy after winning the final of the Legg Mason Tennis Classic, against Andy Roddick, of the United States, in Washington, on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2009. Del Portro won the match 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (6), to become the tournament champion for the second year in a row.

Pennetta captures biggest win Indian anger at England’s of career at LA Championship badminton pull-out Agence France Presse

LOS ANGELES - Italy’s Flavia Pennetta defeated Samantha Stosur of Australia 6-4, 6-3 in the final of the 700,000 dollar WTA Los Angeles Women’s Tennis Championship on Sunday.

The 27-year-old Italian, who was runner-up in 2008 at this event, called Sunday’s victory the biggest of her career. She earned 107,000 dollars in first-place prize money and posted her eighth career singles title.

“This is my first big title,” said Pennetta, who was seeded 10th at the hardcourt event at the Home Depot Center facility in south central Los Angeles.

Pennetta had four aces to three for Stosur and made good on 76 percent of her first serve points in the 81-minute match.

“I am really happy because it was tough for me to beat her,” Pennetta said. “I was afraid of her serve.

“This tournament is something different for me. It is the first time for me to win a tournament like this.” It was just her second title on hardcourts with six of her eight coming on clay.

Sunday was the first career meeting between the two WTA veterans.

Agence France Presse

AP Photo/Jae C. Hong

Flavia Pennetta The 25-year-old Stosur fell short of winning her first WTA title but was happy with her progress.

“It was a great week and I was really pleased to make it to the final,” Stosur of the Gold Coast said.

“I really enjoy playing here.”

Stosur has been on a brilliant run of success over the past few months, improving her world ranking to 18.

The 13th seeded Stosur is known more for her success in doubles but was knocked out of that draw on Thursday.

NEW DELHI - India on Monday reacted furiously to England’s withdrawal from the world badminton championships in Hyderabad, insisting the country was safe one year before it hosts the Commonwealth Games.

The English pull-out over security fears came after Australian tennis players refused to play a Davis Cup tie in Chennai, and as the capital New Delhi prepares to welcome 71 nations for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

“This is unfortunate and an over-reaction,” Home Secretary G.K. Pillai said after England backed out of the tournament over media reports of a threat by Islamic militants.

“The security arrangements in Hyderabad are good and the government of India is committed to ensure the complete security of all competitors and the championships,” he said.

Among high-profile sporting events planned in India over the next two years are cricket and field hockey World Cups, international cricket tours and the annual Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 tournament.

The IPL was forced abroad earlier this year over concerns that In-

dian security forces would not be able to protect the matches at the same time as the country held month-long national elections.

The perceived risk of foreign sports stars being targeted in South Asia has increased dramatically since gunmen attacked the Sri Lanka cricket team in Lahore, Pakistan in March.

Six policemen and two civilians were killed and seven Sri Lankan squad members were injured in the assault on the team as they travelled to a game.

Deadly militant attacks on luxury hotels in Mumbai last November have also added to nervousness about teams travelling to India.

But England’s withdrawal from the badminton championships was criticised by both the organisers and by other teams.

“I think perhaps they have overreacted,” Anne Smillie, chief executive of Badminton Scotland, told the BBC. “Our Scottish players and our team manager, who are in Hyderabad, feel confident that security is at its best.”

The head of English badminton authorities said that they were not prepared to place players, coaches and staff in what could be “a very volatile environment”.

India’s top badminton star Saina Nehwal described the pull-out as “immature” and would have no impact on the tournament since England were “not serious contenders”.

As the week-long event entered its second day on Tuesday, the sparse crowd was outnumbered by security guards inside and outside the Gachibowli stadium.

Each ticketholder was frisked and their bags were checked before they entered the venue.

Indian Olympic Association official Randhir Singh, one of the senior organisers of the Commonwealth Games, said he saw no threat of teams refusing to take part in the Games.

“We are in constant touch with other nations and they are satisfied by the assurances given by the government about security,” he told local media.

Another Indian sports official asked if cricketers from England and Australia would refuse to play in the lucrative Twenty20 Champions League in October or the IPL next year.

“They will come crawling for the money,” said the official, who did not want to be identified. “And if India is safe for cricket, it is safe for other sports too.”

3

Agence France-Presse

But Obama stressed the importance of upholding human rights in the crackdown against the murderous wave of narcotics-related violence, the senior official said on condition of anonymity.

The two leaders also discussed “at some length” joint preparations for the expected resurgence of the influenza A(H1N1) virus, also known as the swine flu, in the coming months and a perennial trucking dispute between the United States and its southern neighbor.

The talks came ahead of a North American summit on Monday grouping Canada, the United States and Mexico that is also set to discuss combined efforts to extricate the three nations from the deep economic crisis.

The official said the talks, which took place shortly before a three-way private dinner that included Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper late Sunday, were “cordial” and evidence of deeper cooperation between the United States and Mexico.

Obama expressed “strong support for President Calderon’s efforts in combating the drugs cartels here in Mexico,” the official said, as well as stressed “the importance of human rights for him,

for the United States and frankly for Mexico.”

Some rights groups and US lawmakers have voiced anxiety that the Mexican armed forces have committed human rights abuses, including rapes, killings and torture in the military crackdown on drugs cartels.

Calderon meanwhile brought up delays in delivering part of a 1.4-billion-dollar US aid and security package to boost Mexico’s fight against drugs gangs known as the Merida Initiative.

The counternarcotics package has been held up in the US Congress due to human rights concerns, with Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy, who chairs a Senate Appropriations subcommittee on foreign operations, saying it was not clear the Mexican military was accountable to the rule of law.

“The president made clear his commitment to work with Congress to address legitimate safety concerns and to work with Mexico to fulfill our international obligations,” the US official said.

The two leaders also discussed a trucking dispute, which has seen the United States deny permission for Mexican trucks to operate on its territory, and sparked retaliatory measures from Mexico.

Agence France-Presse

nadian Mounted Police instructors were currently in Mexico providing basic training to Mexican Federal Police recruits.

Canada would also provide training for 300 mid-level officers, the statement added.

With killings in suspected drug attacks in Mexico approaching 10,000 since the start of 2008, Mexican President Felipe Calderon was expected to seek more support for his controversial military crackdown on the country’s warring drug gangs during the two-day summit also attend by US President Barack Obama.

The meeting came amid criticism of alleged abuses committed by some of the 40,000 soldiers deployed across the country, and reports of growing Mexican drug gang activity across the United States, Canada and beyond.

Canada to train Mexican police in 15-mln-dlr program

GUADALAJARA - Canada said Sunday that it would increase training by its Mounted Police for Mexican officers as part of a new, 15million-dollar security program for the Americas.

The announcement came as Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper arrived in the western Mexican city of Guadalajara for a summit overshadowed by Mexican drug violence.

“Supporting police training in Mexico is one of the most effective ways to fight organized crime and drug trafficking within Canada,” said a statement from Harper’s office.

Thirty-two Mexican police officers would travel to Canada for three weeks’ training in the fall, while eight Spanish-speaking Royal Ca-

AP Photo/Alex Brandon

President Barack Obama, left, and Mexican President Felipe Calderon meet in Guadalajara, Mexico, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2009. The two leaders are taking part in the North American Leaders Summit.

Afghan police fast-tracked for elections Agence France-Presse

KABUL - Afghan police recruits clutch their guns and leopard crawl across gravel under the noon sun. A teddy bear nearby is rigged up as a fake improvised explosive device — the favoured weapon of the Taliban.

In a brown tent to the side, a young man asks a First Aid instructor if police should help all the wounded at the site of an explosion when there is every chance one could be an attacker.

This Kabul fire station — a former Taliban jail, says the fire chief — is a classroom for a pre-election crash course in being a policeman in Afghanistan where the police have to be more soldier than community cop.

Some 14,800 recruits have been pushed through three weeks of training for the August 20 presidential and provincial council elections when police will be the first line of security for nearly 7,000 polling centres.

They will be backed by Afghan soldiers and international forces with the defence ministry saying the entire combined force of 300,000 men will be out on polling day to thwart any attempt by Taliban militants to disrupt voting.

Five more weeks of training after the polls will make the recruits — 4,800 for Kabul and 10,000 for the country’s most unstable districts — full policemen, US and Afghan trainers say.

“It is not just for elections, it is a down payment on the larger growth,” said Major General Richard Formica, commanding general of the Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan (CSTC-A) that trains Afghan security forces.

Boosting the Afghan forces, and

the police in particular, is a priority in US President Barack Obama’s revamped plan to beat a spiralling insurgency that has this year seen record attacks.

It is an effort that has cost the United States, the biggest trainer of security forces, about 18.7 million dollars since 2005, according to figures provided by CSTC-A. The police have come second to the army in the post-Taliban drive to rebuild Afghanistan’s war-shattered security forces.

But this is changing as the need for more police has become clearer with violence spreading and militants able to take over districts and get past checkpoints to carry out attacks in the hearts of major cities.

Without the men being trained for the elections, there are just 82,000 policemen for a country of between 25 and 36 million; close to 6,000 are in the capital, a city of four million.

Authorities have recommended an increase of near double, Formica said.

The figure would be made clear in a strategy review by the commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, due early September.

The 95,000-strong Afghan army is better trained and equipped than the police, who are characterised — sometimes unfairly — as hash-smoking and always on the look out for bribes.

Formica rejects the perception of “every policeman as crooked” but admits there are problems, which he is confident could be whittled out with more training.

The police also suffer the heaviest losses in the fighting with roughly 1,400 killed last year and three losing their lives for every Afghan soldier who dies, according to US military officials.

Entry-level salaries for both forces

have been levelled out to 120 dollars a month but the calibre of recruits for patrol-level police is often poor.

“Compared to Europe and the United States, of course the quality is low, but compared to the quality all over Afghanistan, it’s average,” said Carl Erik Jensen from the European Union police training mission.

“Many of them, about three-quarters, probably cannot read or write, so this is a special challenge for our trainers,” said the deputy chief superintendent.

But this is what is available in one of the poorest countries in the world, ruined by war and with roughly 70 percent illiteracy.

Just weeks before arriving in Kabul for the elections crash course that covers weapons, ethics, First Aid and other basic duties, 18-year-old Nasrullah was a farmer in a remote valley in the rugged northeast.

Handling a gun is not a problem — he has carried one since he was 16. But he speaks minority Pashai and struggles with Dari, the language of the city where he will be deployed on voting day.

“I want to serve my country, to bring security to Nuristan,” he said.

The standard of recruits is far higher at the Afghan National Police Academy, a neat officers’ school where young men — all with high school diplomas — sit under trees awaiting their first day’s instruction.

One of them, 22-year-old Dur Mohammad, recounts how two rockets fired by Taliban had landed at his school in the southern province of Helmand but did not explode because they struck water.

It made him decide to join the security forces to defend his home and family. “I am ready to give my blood for my country,” he said.

2

International

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

News WORLD NEWS

Add as friend? Hezbollah chief becomes Facebook star Agence France-Presse

BEIRUT - Love him or loathe him, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah has earned himself celebrity status — at least on Facebook, where a good 20 forums are dedicated to the Lebanese Shiite militant leader.

Toxic cleanups WASHINGTON - For years, the Bush administration was criticized for not cleaning up enough of America’s most contaminated waste sites. The Obama administration plans to do even less.

Year of Ox? SAN DIEGO - In China it’s the year of the ox - and it could be for Cuba, too.

President Raul Castro is promoting the beasts of burden as a way for the economically strapped communist country to ramp up food production while conserving energy.

Many are favourable to Nasrallah but others are extremely hostile to the controversial figure, whose organisation is claimed by Israel to have a stockpile of 40,000 rockets.

“May God bless you Nasrallah”, “Nasrallah deserves to burn in hell”, “God is with you, oh symbol of dignity and the resistance”, and “Nasrallah is a goddamned Nazi” are just some of the comments posted on forums dedicated to the charismatic 49-year-old, who has headed Hezbollah since 1992.

He has not appeared in public for over a year and resides in an undisclosed location in Beirut but his visibility on the social networking site could hardly be higher.

The Facebook groups have titles ranging from “Fans of Hassan Nasrallah” to “Support the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah,” and they are loaded with fervent comments in English, French, Hebrew, and Arabic, many from subscribers identifying themselves as Lebanese or Israelis.

In July 2006, Israel launched a devastating 34-day war against Hezbollah after the militant group kidnapped Israeli soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev in a cross-border raid. Three years on, the “July War” remains a hot topic for the online forums.

A French-language forum entitled “For the elimination of Hassan Nasrallah,” demands the Israeli government get rid of Nasrallah “to avenge the blood of Ehud and Eldad,” whose remains Israel reclaimed in 2008 in a comprehensive prisoner swap with Hezbollah. Visuals, too, send strong messages: some groups show a softer side of the Shiite leader, posting pictures of the child Nasrallah smiling in a garden by a bowl of fruit, or carrying a little girl in his arms. Others display cartoons of Nasrallah dressed in a bikini, portrayed as a cockroach or at the centre of a target.

Hezbollah maintains that people are “free to express what they want.

If they want to express their love for Sayyed Nasrallah, the party will not forbid them to do that.”

The Lebanese themselves are divided on how they feel about Nasrallah.

For some Facebook members, the Hezbollah leader is “fighting to protect the fatherland against Americanisation, Zionism.”

“He is the cedar in our Lebanese flag, the master of all,” reads one post, in a reference to the symbolic tree of Lebanon.

But on a forum called “Hezbollah out of Lebanon right now!” mem-

AFP PHOTO/JOSEPH EID

In a picture taken on July 31, 2009, a Lebanese journalist visits the webpage of a Facebook group about Lebanon’s Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, at her office in Beirut. Love him or loathe him, Nasrallah has earned himself celebrity status — at least on Facebook, where a good 20 forums are dedicated to the Lebanese Shiite militant leader. bers using screen names openly express their hostility towards the proIranian group, which they say is “a major threat to Lebanon”.

Israelis, too, have much to say on Hezbollah, which is blacklisted as a terrorist group by the Jewish state and Washington though its political wing forms a bloc of 13 MPs in Lebanon’s 128-seat parliament following elections in June.

“Take the advice: Kick Nasrallah out and you can have living standards like we have in Israel,” writes one subscriber, who identifies himself as an Israeli soldier.

“Look, before 2006, Lebanon was booming,” writes Avi. “Your

economy was good, many tourists came and so on. After 2006 Lebanon was wasteland because of Nasrallah.”

A rush of heated reactions flowed in moments after Avi’s post surfaced, accusing his country of having “destroyed Lebanon” and slamming Israel as Lebanon’s “first enemy”.

“Avi, shut up and find yourself a hole where you can hide! May God protect Nasrallah!” writes Nihal.

The 34-day July War killed some 1,200 Lebanese, mostly civilians, and 160 Israelis, mostly soldiers, and destroyed much of Lebanon’s major infrastructure.

Sport

International

MANILA, Philippines - A Philippine official says the government has agreed to free two communist guerrillas in an effort to resume long-stalled peace talks to end a bloody 40-year rebellion.

Source: ap

Agence France-Presse

SEOUL - Iranian Nobel peace prize winner Shirin Ebadi called Monday for intensified international pressure to help her country democratise and denounced the crackdown on opposition protesters.

“I oppose military and economic sanctions against Iran as they will aggravate the situation,” Ebadi was quoted as saying in an interview with South Korea’s Chosun Ilbo newspaper.

“However, intensified international public opinion will contribute to Iran’s democratisation.”

Ebadi, a lawyer and human rights defender who won the Nobel prize in 2003, arrived in Seoul Saturday for a six-day trip to receive this year’s Manhae Peace Prize named after a 20th century Korean Buddhist reformer.

She said she would step up her campaign to remove censorship in Iran.

“I want to let all the people know what’s going on in Iran and make it

a free country,” she said.

Ebadi denounced Iran for jailing citizens who protested at President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s disputed re-election in a June 12 poll that sparked weeks of unrest.

“I don’t take a political stance but I oppose the government’s violent oppression,” she told Dong-A Ilbo in a separate interview. “Violence must be eradicated and all those who were arrested after the election must be freed.”

At least 20 people have died in clashes with security forces and

Agence France Presse

LONDON - Sir Alex Ferguson faces an anxious wait to discover if Manchester United’s Premier League title defence suffered an early blow during his side’s Community Shield penalty shootout defeat to Chelsea.

Ferguson had plenty to occupy his mind on the journey back to Manchester on Sunday as he contemplated an injury to Portugal winger Nani that could wreck his plans for life after Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez.

Nani had made a significant contribution to United’s first half dominance at Wembley and it was perhaps no coincidence that his departure early in the second half with a dislocated shoulder was the prelude for Chelsea’s best period of the game.

After scoring the game’s opening goal and tormenting Chelsea right-back Branislav Ivanovic to such an extent that Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti was forced to replace him with Jose Bosingwa at half-time, it seemed Nani was ready to claim the role as Ronaldo’s successor.

Instead he will have a scan on Monday to determine how long he will be out after leaving the pitch with his arm in a makeshift sling following John Terry’s firm but fair challenge.

Nani is certain to miss Portugal’s friendly against Liechtenstein on Wednesday and United’s home opener against Birmingham on Sunday.

He may not make the trip to Burnley next week either, forcing

Ferguson to rethink his tactics just when it seemed the post-Ronaldo era might not be so troublesome after all.

“We could not put the shoulder back in, so that is the worrying part for us,” Ferguson said. “He had done very well and we were very pleased with his performance.”

Nani’s fitness isn’t Ferguson’s only concern as he gears up to go for a record fourth successive Premier League title.

With goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar out for eight weeks after finger surgery, Ferguson could have done with a solid display from Ben Foster.

Instead the England international produced an error-strewn performance, which included letting Frank Lampard’s shot through his gloves for Chelsea’s second goal and punching poorly for Ricardo Carvalho’s opener.

Ferguson admitted he must decide whether to stick with the youngster or select Tomasz Kuzsczak against Birmingham.

“Knowing Ben and the ability which he has, he should have done better with the second goal,” said Ferguson. “However, it was his first big challenge.

“He has waited a long time, has had his injuries, and in pre-season I spread the load between the three

‘keepers, and maybe we did not have enough minutes for him.”

That wasn’t Ferguson’s only complaint. He also claimed Chelsea substitute Michael Ballack should have been sent off for the elbow that sent Patrice Evra sprawling in the build-up to Lampard’s goal.

“If the referee sees it properly, it’s a red card,” Ferguson said.

“He’s elbowed him clearly. The referee’s in line and had a clear view so Ballack’s lucky.

“But the referee (Chris Foy) made a rod for his own back. He’d stopped the game twice already so I can’t understand why he wouldn’t do it for Evra.”

At least Ferguson could take heart from the way Wayne Rooney strode through to score United’s stoppage time equaliser.

Now Ronaldo and Tevez are gone, Rooney is back in his favoured role as a central striker and he combined well enough with Dimitar Berbatov to suggest the pair could form a fruitful partnership.

Michael Owen and Antonio Valencia, Ferguson’s two main closeseason recruits, came off the bench for the final 15 minutes to show that strength in depth won’t be a problem at Old Trafford this season.

AP Photo/Sang Tan

Manchester United’s Nani, right, reacts after scoring a goal against Chelsea, as fellow team member Rio Ferdinand, left, looks on, during their English FA Community Shield soccer match at Wembley Stadium in London, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2009.

Spanish football mourns Dani Jarque Agence France Presse

MADRID - Spanish football was in mourning Sunday following the sudden death of Espanyol captain Dani Jarque from a heart attack.

Real Madrid captain Raul led the

tributes to the 26-year-old who died Saturday in a hotel room in the Italian town of Coviciana where his team were on a pre-season training camp.

Raul said: “As captain and in representation of Real Madrid I want to show all our sympathy and to be by the side

of the player’s family.

“We want to give encouragement to all the Espanyol family at such a hard time, which has left us all filled with dismay and pain.

“Such a young lad, a great professional and sportsman, who suffered this

hundreds of opposition protesters have been detained. Iran has also jailed dozens of journalists, political activists and reformist leaders.

Ebadi said the government had misinterpreted the spirit of Islam to discriminate against women.

She told Dong-A that Islam can “develop into a direction in which the religion stays in harmony with human rights. The problem is that undemocratic governments abuse the term Islam’ for an oppressive policy that defies human rights.”

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15

Fergie frets over Nani, Foster after Wembley defeat

Nobel laureate demands democracy for Iran

Communist rebels

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

AP Photo/David Ramos

Espanyol fans gather in memory of the late Espanyol player Daniel Jarque, seen in picture centre right, at the Espanyol’s New Stadium in Cornella del Llobregat, near Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2009. Espanyol captain Daniel Jarque died of heart failure Saturday in his team’s hotel on the eve of a friendly against Bologna in Italy. He was 26.

has left us all very hurt.

“From here our most sincere sympathies.”

Another Real Madrid player, Manchester United recruit Cristiano Ronaldo, described the day as “very sad for everyone”.

Jarque was discovered in his room after failing to appear for dinner with his teammates.

The club said that team doctors as well as Italian paramedics tried to revive the midfielder but without success.

Carles Puyol, captain of Barcelona, Espanyol’s city neighbours, echoed Raul and Ronaldo’s sentiments, telling his club’s website: “It’s a sad day for us all and for football.

“Our thoughts are with his family and his friends.”

A minute’s silence was observed at the start of the second half of a preseason friendly at the Mestella Stadium where Valencia were taking on English side Arsenal. Players from both sides also wore black armbands.

Valencia issued a statement presenting their “condolences”.

Atletico Madrid declared that “the world of football is once again in mourning,” a reference to the fact that this tragedy occurred just two years after the death, also from heart failure, of Sevilla defender Antonio Puerta.

Puerta died aged 22 after collapsing during the opening game of the Spanish La Liga season.

Both the Spanish football frederation and the league expressed their support for Jarque’s family and club.

Sunday’s edition of Marca, the main Spanish sports daily, printed the dead player’s name in black on its front page while in Barcelona supporters gathered outside the number 21 gate, Jarque’s shirt number, at Espanyol’s stadium.

Late Saturday Espanyol had confirmed that their captain had died from heart failure and said the club doctor’s attempts to revive him had failed. “It was a heart attack,” said club official German de la Cruz.

“He was talking to his girlfriend when he suddenly began to feel unwell. He told her and then stopped talking. His partner got in touch with the hotel and explained what had happened but it was too late to do anything.

Jarque had played for Espanyol since the 2002-2003 season.

In the last campaign, he featured in 36 league matches and scored two goals. He was also a member of the team which won the Spanish Cup in 2006 and who were UEFA Cup runners-up in 2007.

16

Sport

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Schumacher to test F2007 again

16 Pages Number 433 1st Year e-mail: info_ibp@balipost.co.id online: http://www.internationalbalipost.com. http://epaper.internationalbalipost.com.

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Death of Indian ‘queen’ triggers royal squabble

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

PAGE 6

Michael Schumacher is to borrow an F2007 from Ferrari’s historic Clienti department once again so he can conduct a two-day test at Mugello from tomorrow ahead of his F1 comeback.

With Ferrari’s request for a testing exemption to allow Schumacher to drive an F60 having been rejected

by Williams, Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso, Schumacher has taken matters into his own hands and decided to get some more F1 experience himself.

Having already conducted one day in the F2007, loaned by the F1 Clienti historic cars division, last month, Schumacher has requested the loan of the car once again so he can conduct two more days of running, on the GP2-spec tyres that the historic cars normally run on. His test will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday.

AP Photo/Felice Calabro’

Seven-time Formula One world champion driver Michael Schumacher, right, approaches his cart at the South Garda Karting track in Lonato, Italy, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2009. Schumacher said Tuesday he is slimming down for his Formula One comeback and the only problem is a little neck pain. Schumacher’s first race is expected to be the European Grand Prix in Valencia on Aug. 23. The 40-year-old is returning to his Ferrari team while Felipe Massa recovers from a recent crash.

AUTOSPORT understands that Schumacher is paying for the test himself, which will be overseen by members of the Clienti department and not involve Ferrari F1 team members. Since confirming he will be making an F1 return, Schumacher has been pushing himself hard to get back to race fitness. He spent time testing karts at Lonato and has been working on his strength and endurance.

Schumacher’s progress is being overseen by doctors, who are keeping a close eye on his condition and have been conducting a series of medical tests to ensure he is ready for an F1 return in Valencia.

President asks ICAAP participant not to be disturbed by terrorism PAGE 8

‘G.I. Joe’ blasts competition for box office top spot PAGE 12

Wurz, de la Rosa in frame for US F1 seat Pedro de la Rosa and Alexander Wurz have emerged as the leading contenders to race alongside an American rookie at the new Team US F1 next year, AUTOSPORT has learned. Although the Americanbased outfit had considered running two American drivers for its debut campaign in 2010, the team believes it will be better placed slotting in an experienced racer to help its development phase.

It is understood that the team is already in talks with both de la Rosa and Wurz, whose vast experience of testing and racing would be of huge

use to US F1.

De la Rosa’s contract as a McLaren test driver runs out at the end of this year, and the Spaniard is also in talks with Campos Grand Prix about a race seat there.

Wurz will also be free of his test deal with Brawn GP at the end of this year and, on the back of efforts to get his Team Superfund on the grid in 2010, he thinks a tie up with US F1 could make sense off the track as well as on it. US F1 is expected to announce imminently that YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley is to become an investor in the team.

Speaking about a US F1 deal, Wurz said: “Peter Windsor [US F1 sporting director] talked to me about the possibility of driving for them as they have limited time for testing and would need an experienced driver.

“I know their first priority is US drivers but if they really want me I would be interested in this task to build a new franchise from scratch and help them with my input.”

US F1 is considering its options in terms of an American driver, with Formula Atlantic driver Jonathan Summerton one of the leading contenders to be given an F1 chance.

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AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati

Joy Lynn Alegarbes, right, of the United States holds a female condom as she demonstrates during an awareness campaign at the 9th International Congress on Aids in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, Monday, Aug 10, 2009. More than 3000 delegates from 65 countries participate from various civil society groups, including interfaith forums, women’s organizations, and sex workers’ associations, join government officials at the 9th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP) to find ways to reduce the rate of AIDS infections.

Million HIV patients in Asia Pacific treated by 2011: UNAIDS

Fourteen dead, 51 missing in Taiwan flooding: rescue services Agence France-Presse

TAIPEI - At least 14 people were confirmed dead and 51 others were missing in Taiwan on Monday after Typhoon Morakot caused the island’s worst flooding in half a century, the rescue services said. The military was also trying to rescue thousands of people cut off by fallen bridges or raging rivers after the typhoon dumped a record 2.5 metres (100 inches) of rain on the island before it headed for the coast of mainland China.

Continued on page 6

Agence France-Presse

NUSA DUA - The Asia Pacific region is on target to treat a million HIV-positive people with antiretroviral drugs within the next two years, a UN body said Monday.

Around 565,000 people in the region are already receiving treatment, UNAIDS regional director Prasada Rao said, adding he was “confident” of getting the medicine to another halfa-million people by 2011.

“We’re half-way through. There are still about 500,000 more who need to be covered by antiretroviral treatment (before we) reach the universal access

target,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the ninth International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP) in Bali, Indonesia.

An estimated five million Asians are living with HIV, many of them in Thailand, Cambodia, the Philippines and Indonesia, according to a UN report released last year.

Continued on page 6

AP Photo

An elderly man is carried after being rescued by military helicopter from a village covered in a landslide from Typhoon Morakot in Kaohsiung county, southern Taiwan, Monday, Aug. 10, 2009.