Edisi 01 Juli 2011 | International Bali Post

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Indian PM open to Rahul Gandhi succession

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16 Pages Number 140 3st Year Price: Rp 3.000,-

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

Friday, July 1, 2011

One of unfinished mega projects in Bali, called Garuda Wisnu Kencana or wellknows as GWK that located in Jimbaran.

Dormant mega projects as abandoned by investors in Bali cause slum impression. Mega project worth hundreds of billions of rupiahs like Pecatu region and Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) should be immediately found out a breakthrough to resolve the issue.

PAGE 6

Abrasion Hits Jineng Agung PAGE 8

IBP/Net

To overcome undeveloped projects in Bali

‘Transformers’ revenues dip with $13.5M for No. 3 PAGE 12

WEATHER FORECAST CITY

TEMPERATURE OC

DENPASAR

25 - 30

Government should find new breakthrough Bali Post

DENPASAR - Dormant mega projects as abandoned by investors in Bali cause slum impression. Mega project worth hundreds of billions of rupiahs like Pecatu region and Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) should be immediately found out a breakthrough to resolve the issue. Investment projects should provide benefits to regional development, but they were even left unattended.

JAKARTA

24 - 32

BANDUNG

19 - 29

YOGYAKARTA

20 - 32

SURABAYA

22 - 32

OTTAWA — Prince William and Kate arrive in Canada on Thursday for their first official overseas trip since their wedding, in a visit that is expected to draw record-numbers of star-struck crowds and well-wishers hoping to catch a glimpse of the royal couple.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will celebrate Canada Day in Ottawa, open the Calgary Stampede and go canoeing in the Northwest Territories during their nine day-tour of their future realm before taking off to Los Angeles.

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policies was required so the mega projects could be realized. If the projects could be realized they would be very beneficial for the improvement of economic growth and absorption of labor forces in the midst of a large enough number of unemployment existing in Bali.

Continued on page 6

Will, Kate off to Canada, US in first tour Associated Press Writer

SUNNY

“Regency Government should seek breakthroughs. Unfortunately, if left dormant they can potentially harm the image of Bali tourism,” said Chairman of the National Executive Board of the Indonesian Tour Guides Association (HPI), Nyoman Kandia, in Denpasar.

He said the breakthrough of

“I think given the youth and the dynamism of this couple they will simply continue to reaffirm the important role the crown plays in this country,” said Kevin MacLeod, the Canadian secretary to Queen Elizabeth II and the chief organizer of the nine-day Canadian tour.

Continued on page 6

Britain’s Prince William (R) and his wife Catherine the Duchess of Cambridge,(L) arrive in Canada on Thursday for their first official overseas trip since their wedding.

AFP PHOTO/GLYN KIRK

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International

Friday, July 1, 2011

Bali News Damaged Roads

1 Kilometer Traffic at Klungkung-Besakih Route Semarapura (Bali Post) –

The uncontrollable traffic in Klungkung-Besakih route last Wednesday (29/6) caused all vehicles stuck as until now the packed damaged road hasn’t got its repair even Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika also complains about it. “Every rainy season, flood, this became a usual situation. I have heard the Governor has been complaining yet no repair was done at all,” IB Artana, a resident stated.

According to residents this has been going so long especially the damages in front of Selat Market facing Tegak Market. From the

observation, it is also seen rubbishes appearing causing the road’s condition even dirtier. (kmb20)

Pontoon bridge at cruise ship quay damaged Amlapura (Bali Post)—

Pontoon bridge at Tanah Ampo cruise ship quay, Manggis, Karangasem, was damaged as destroyed by huge waves a few days ago.

Based on monitoring of journalist on Wednesday (Jun 29) to the unfinished dock, the pontoon bridge installed one month ago was destroyed and the timbers scattered around the beach.The timbers were then taken advantage by surrounding residents by tying up and used them for firewood. Roof of the pontoon bridge was also sitting on the beach near ship wreck which ran aground on the right of the dock. Residents nearby said the waves since last month had been very huge and ferocious. Such pontoon bridge was hit continually and crashed into the end of the dock floor until damaged.

The pontoon bridge was leased from a company in Surabaya worth approximately IDR 150 million. It was installed to enable cruise ship to disembark tourists from two ships berthing off the coast of Labuhan Amuk last month. Those cruise ships were unable to dock directly onto the cruise ship quay because the quay having spent up to hundreds of billions could have not been thoroughly accomplished, so it had not been feasible to use. Length of quay was only 150 meters, while the latest manufactured cruise ships reached 300 meters in length. Regent of Karangasem, I Wayan Geredeg, said it was required the development to prolong the dock as long as 154 meters, so it could be berthed by larger ships. (013)

Officials Overseas Visits Criticised Mangupura (Bali Post)

Government officials of Badung got another criticism about their official overseas visits as the tourism promotion that takes place every year took up billions of rupiah of the Regional Budgets and Expenses was apparently just used for going out and no program is done post to the visit. This promotion visits usually involves an artist and a tourism stake holder for tourism industry in order to create an instant contract between a tourism industry in Bali with a travel agent overseas, as stated

by Head of Badung Tourism Agency, Cok Raka Darmawan.

Yet, Kuta public figure, IGN Sudiarsa, when contacted on Wednesday (29/6) stated the government can

claim their overseas visits was positive success especially in promoting tourism in Bali also Badung yet that success needs to be measured by what can be seen such as an MoU of join work on travel agency. To him overseas visits are necessary and allowed by the law, but it doesn’t mean it has to be done every year and ideally done twice during one duty’s period. Ideally this tourism promotion should be handed over to Indonesia Hotel and Restaurants Board (PHRI) and Bali Tourism Board (BTB) and those unused fund during the visits can be given back and used for other kind of promotion such as online also as salaries to connected employees. (kmb25)

Sekaa Pelegongan Banjar Binoh, Local Gamelan Attraction Denpasar (Bali Post)

The Bali Arts Festival is again showing a reconstruction art in order to preserve a unique traditional arts of a village with one of them being from Sekaa Pelegongan Banjar Binoh Kaja, Ubung Kaja Village, North Denpasar who showed their own unique way of playing instrumental Semar Pagulingan at kalangan Angsoka last Wednesday (29/6), also accompanied by dances legong Semaradhana and legong Kanya Maya.

It was stated the gamelan palegongan Binoh went on from 1915 to 1925 where the coach came first was I Bagus Bode from Kaliungu and I Wayan Lotering from Kuta. First generation Legong Kraton Binoh dangers were Ni Mintar (Men Pintu) and Ni Smepok (Men Mudji). The first generation of the gamelan players were kendang player Ruging and Pan Sebut, Gender

gede/rambat player Wayan Rengga and Nyoman Tunas, gender narangan player Runeng and Regeg On this show not only legong and instrumental songs were performed, but also the gamelans were accompanying a gambuh dance.

Songs were adapted with the five notes or laras pelog with one pack of terompong as melody, 2 gender gede, 2 barangan, 2 jublag, 2 jegog, 4 gangsa jongkok, 4 gangsa gantung, kempur, kemong, kajar, klenong, cenceng, gentorag, rebab, suling and a pair of kendang (lanang wadon) which functioned as dynamic leader. Around 1967 the classical palegongan which now permanently at Banjar Binoh Kaja was almost gone due to great gong kebyar yet due to young artists suggestions at that time (I Wayan Sinti, M.A.) kept it there being a samara pegulingan and now lead by Made Djesna Winada in developing their gamelan playing.

Under the guidance of Ketut

Sujena, the Sekaa showed tabuh petegak Jagul and Wallis Santhi also Legong Semaradhana under the guidance of Anak Agung Susilawati and Ni Nengah Ari Wijayani. The Legong toldthe story of the messy state that happened between the Gods at Kahyangan as God Shiva wasn’t there. Bhagawan, advisor of the Kahyangan then asked Sanghyang Semara to wake Shiva from meditation yet Semara did not succeed with all his powers except with love. Shiva got up and got angry then changed to Goddess Durga and burned Semara with Goddess Ratih and his third eye. Their ashes were scattered to the earth and got to each living organism. The meaning of it was that Sanghyang Semara got to the men while Goddess Ratih got to the women which causes love feelings and opposite attraction. (bit)

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International

Bali News

Friday, July 1, 2011

3

Vaccinator bitten by stray dog Tabanan (Bali Post)—

Mass vaccination to stray dogs in Tabanan caused a casualty. A vaccinator was bitten by a stray dog when the officer would like to undertake vaccination at Sanggulan Hamlet, Banjar Anyar Village, Kediri, recently. The unlucky officer was Wayan Sumarata, a staff of Tabanan Animal Husbandry Services. Fortunately, he was safe though his finger injured.

His unluckiness began when the victim undertook vaccination with four colleagues, around 10:30 a.m. Once found a stray dog, he immediately approached and then directed the net to the dog’s body. Unfortunately, when the dog was netted, the animal immediately attacked him.

By accident, grip of the net used was quite short. Of course, his index finger was torn by the teeth of dog and injured. In the tense condition, he preferred to escape and cancel the vaccination. The naughty dog ultimately fled and went into the house of its employer.

“It is the risk of vaccinator,” said Sumarata on Wednesday (Jun 29).

Though injured, he did not worry to be attacked by rabies because prior to undertaking his duties as field vaccinator, he was injected by an anti-rabies vaccine (VAR). According to him, such terrible incident would not happen if grip of the net was longer. So far, grip of his net was only about 1 meter. Since it was a short stem, the dog captured finally ran amok and would be easy to attack. “If longer, we can freely capture it,” he said.

The mass dog vaccination had been held for a month since last May. The activity was targeting the entire population of stray dogs in Tabanan. Regency Government established a special team spread throughout the villages. They would catch the dogs encountered, and then injected them with anti-rabies. Expectedly, this action could diminish the spread of rabies causing some casualties in Tabanan. (udi)

Minimal green open space in Kuta Mangupura (Bali Post)—

Green open space in the form of urban park in Kuta tourist resort is very minimal, even it can be said to have not obtained attention from government at all. In reality, existence of urban park in Kuta is an urgent need in the midst of rapid physical development that frequently does not implement an eco-friendly concept.

It was revealed by Chief of Legian Customary Village, IGN Sudiarsa, Wednesday (Jun 29). According to him, Badung Regency did not provide any urban park in Kuta area. In Kuta, there was only a single urban park located at Legian belonging to customary village. According to Sudiarsa, government should also pay attention to this matter since the beginning, aside from those related to tourist objects and infrastructure in the form of roads and transportation system.

Meanwhile, a legislator of Badung House from Kuta, I Gusti Anom Gumanti, said that Kuta was currently in great need of green open space to maintain the quality of environment as well as to be one of the tourist attractions. Local community was also hungering for the realization of a beautiful urban park. However, to create an urban park, he realized, was quite difficult because it required location and spent not a few funds.

He said the dream of people to build an urban park in Kuta area was also not impossible if government played a role. At Kuta Central Parking area, for instance, there was an empty space that could be transformed into an urban park. He added the area was suitable and ideal so that it could poise physical development in the form of art shops and shopping malls.

“Governments must be able to see this opportunity. Aside from fortifying the central parking area from the onslaught of shopping complexes, the urban park can later be used as tourist object before entering the attraction centers in Kuta, Legian and Seminyak,” he said.

Sudiarsa argued that to create an open green space or an urban park in Kuta had been so late today following the rapid physical development in the tourist resort. The only measure that could be taken by government was making regional regulation (Perda) specifically obliging any physical development to provide a park in accordance with established standards.

Besides, this official in Badung Regency also prohibited issuing any building permit haphazardly. In this regard, Sudiarsa highlighted the rules on coefficient of building foundation (KDB) that was often violated. Ideally, it did not need to happen if the authorities did not indulge much dispensation and tolerance to investors. (kmb25)

IBP/File

Joged Bumbung performance during the 33rd Bali Art Festival (BAF) in Art Center Denpasar.

Joged Bumbung in BAF 2011

Successfully goes out from porn stigma UNDENIABLY, the art of Joged Bumbung never lacks of audience. Similar ambience also occurred when this social dance was staged in the arena of the 33rd Bali Arts Festival (BAF) 2011. Every presentation of Joged Bumbung was always thronged by myriad visitors. It was not only crowded by the aficionados of the Joged Bumbung itself—especially those who like ngibing or join to dance—appearance of the Joged Dance was also often appreciated by foreign tourists.

Even, some of them were interested to join the dance while showing off their swaying movement or dancing blindly.

A professor of ISI Denpasar, Prof. Dr. Wayan Dibia, judged the three times presentation of Joged Bumbung in BAF 2011 indicated if the art had gone out of porn stigma. “Joged Bumbung performance has been in conformity with what we expect together. The show was polite, out of porn stigma,” said Prof. Dibia, Wednesday (Jun 29).

Dibia added that performance of Joged Bumbung showing off the right standard had indicated the emergence of public awareness, no matter what kinds of art they were, they should be glorified. BAF was the right medium to glorify the standard of the arts, including the Joged Bumbung Dance. In that context, continued Dibia, coaching against the art troupes should be maintained.

What revealed by Prof. Dibia was a fresh breeze for the growth and development of Joged Bumbung arts in Bali because it

was once labeled negative as the art had been deviated to show off pornographic elements. Through BAF event, we expected Joged Bumbung would truly go out from negative stigma. On that account, intensive coaching by relevant agencies should be continued. By doing so, strengthening the essence of Joged Bumbung would refer to the standard dance.

Concerning with the endeavor to eliminate the negative or porn stigma of Joged Bumbung, we should give appreciation to the measures undertaken by Bali Cultural Services (Disbud) in preserving the correct and standard dance of Joged Bumbung. It was implemented by organizing a Joged Bumbung contest at Bali Art Center.

The competition aimed to rectify in order Joged Bumbung in Bali would not lead to movements replete with porn nuances.

Previously, there was Joged Bumbung performance exploiting erotic movements known as drilling sway, terrible sway and so forth. Even, such Joged Bumbung dance had been uploaded in YouTube.

As we know, choreographically, Joged Bumbung included in a presentation followed by a single dance and resumed with dance in pair. Ngegol and ngoncet posed a hip movement becoming one of the characteristic of this dance. One of the important parts of Joged Bumbung was ibingibingan (joining the dance). In this session, the dancers dance together with pengibing or spectator invited to join the dance.

Joged Bumbung had unique dance movement taken from palegongan and kekebyaran genre. In the performance, the movements were carried out creatively by combining spontaneity and improvisation. (lun)

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News

Friday, July 1, 2011

International

Myanmar government warns Suu Kyi on planned tour Reuters

YANGON - A possible tour of Myanmar by pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi could cause riots, state media warned on Wednesday, implying she would be responsible for her own safety.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Suu Kyi is planning her first trip outside the former capital Yangon since she was freed from home detention last year after elections to end army rule.

The military still effectively controls the government in the Southeast Asian country formerly known as Burma.

AFP PHOTO/Soe Than WIN

Visiting Japanese Parliamentary Vice-Foreign Minister Makiko Kikuta (L) poses for pictures with Myanmar’s pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi (R) following their meeting at the National League for Democracy (NLD) headquarters in Yangon on June 29, 2011.

“Her followers and supporters are gushing that the icon must keep in touch with the public. They seem willing to exploit the public. They also propagate that the government is responsible for security of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on her trip,” a commentary in all three official newspapers said.

“We are deeply concerned that if Daw Aung San Suu Kyi makes trips to countryside regions, there may be chaos and riots, as evidenced by previous incidents,” it added. “Daw”” is an honorific in Myanmar for women.

In Washington, the U.S. State Department said it was concerned about the warning and that it was up to Myanmar’s government to

ensure that Suu Kyi is free to travel, express her views and fully participate in the political process.

“We remain concerned for her safety and security. And it is the responsibility of the Burmese authorities, in fact, to ensure both her safety and that of Burma’s citizens,” department spokesman Mark Toner said.

In 2003, in an episode now known as the Depayin Massacre, Suu Kyi’s motorcade was attacked by pro-junta thugs and 70 of her supporters died in what was seen as an assassination attempt.

“The government has said that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is just an ordinary public member, so it will not restrict her from traveling and doing things in accordance with the law, but she shall honor the laws for the rule of law,” the commentary read. Suu Kyi, 66, has not announced any dates for the tour, nor an itinerary.

France armed civilians besieged by Gadhafi forces Associated Press Writer

PARIS — France acknowledged Wednesday that it airlifted weapons to Libyan civilians fighting Moammar Gadhafi’s forces in a besieged mountain region south of Tripoli, becoming the first NATO country to do so in a major escalation in the international campaign.

The bold move was likely to draw criticism from countries leery of the allied use of force in Libya’s civil war — like China and Russia — and crossed a threshold in hopes of a breakthrough in the protracted NATO-led mission.

The deliveries of guns, rocketpropelled grenades and munitions took place in early June in the western Nafusa mountains, when Gadhafi’s troops had encircled civilians and his government refused a U.N request for a pause in the fighting there to allow access for a humanitarian aid shipment, French military spokesman Col. Thierry Burkhard said.

After informing the United Nations, France dropped humanitarian aid including water, food and medical supplies to besieged civilians in the region, but the situation then deteriorated further, he said.

“So, France also dropped equipment that allowed them to defend themselves — self-defense assets — which is to say weapons and munitions,” Burkhard told The Associated Press.

The weapons were parachuted in

by a military transport plane, he said. The impact of the airlifted weapons wasn’t immediately clear.

But in recent days — since the delivery — rebels in the mountains claimed to have advanced to the town of Bir al-Ghanam, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) from Tripoli.

In Libya’s capital Wednesday, Gadhafi’s prime minister, AlBaghdadi al-Mahmoudi, played down the reports of rebel mountain advances, saying “the situation in the western mountains is good, and

it’s under control.” The French weapons delivery amounted to Paris parsing the fine print in U.N. Security Council resolutions this year on Libya.

In New York, France’s U.N. Ambassador Gerard Araud told reporters that France had acted under a provision of the Security Council resolution adopted March 17 that imposed a no-fly zone over Libya and authorized military action short of a “foreign occupation force” to protect civilians.

REUTERS/Toru Hanai

SMBC Nikko Securities Inc. employee Masaki Yamada (R) removes a fluorescent tube as other employees work using only LED desk lights, during daytime at the company office in Tokyo June 30, 2011.

Earthquake hits central Japan, no damage reported Reuters

AFP PHOTO / PATRICK BAZ

Libyan rebels and emergency workers rush to the site of a blaze at a weapon storage facility in Rajma 30km (18 miles) east of Benghazi late on June 29, 2011. France said on June 29 it had air dropped arms to Libyan rebels in mountains south of Tripoli who are eyeing an assault on the capital, a day after anti-regime forces captured a network of weapons caches.

TOKYO - An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.5 hit central Japan on Thursday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said, but there were no reports of injuries or damage.

The epicenter of the earthquake, which struck at 8:18 a.m. local time (2318 GMT on Wednesday) was in Nagano prefecture, about 120 km (75 miles) from Tokyo. No tsunami warning was issued after the quake, the agency said.

Earthquakes are common in Japan, one of the world’s most seismically active areas. The country accounts for about 20 percent of the world’s earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater.

On March 11, the northeast coast was struck by a magnitude 9 earthquake, the strongest quake in Japan on record, and a massive tsunami, which triggered the world’s worst nuclear crisis in 25 years, at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. The disaster left up to 23,000 dead or missing.

International

Activities

Friday, July 1, 2011

5

Environment Care Activities By Furama Villas & Spa, Bali BADUNG - In commemoration of World Environment Day which is commemorated every year on 5th June, and welcomed Galungan for Hindus, the management team of Furama Villas & Spa, Bali, were went to worship together, followed by community service and tree planting in Pura Panataran Agung Puncak Mangu that located in Banjar Tinggan, Pelaga district, Badung regency.

This activity is carried out as part of the Tri Hita Karana (Parahyangan, Palemahan, and Pawongan) which is the management reference to maintain a balance and living in harmony with surrounds. Also as a manifestation of management concern for the environment, especially in Badung regency.

This hoped to encouraging public in maintaining the environment in Bali.

To ensure that the actions of planting provides more tangible benefits, selected species that has a value of ritual for Hindus in Bali has chosen to plant on this area. They are White champaca and Naga Sari trees. Not just stop here, Furama Villas & Spa, Bali will continue to campaign independently of

other environmental activities on a permanent basis.

Furama Villas & Spa is one of the international chains of hotels in Bali which is under the management of Furama Hotels Internationals (FHI), a hotel management company based in Singapore. Developing and committed to offering the best accommodation options in the cities of the world’s first choice, especially for the Asian region includes four-star and five star categories, limited services, boutique-style resorts and villas.

Supported by a priority to provide the most memorable experience for guests through the service with the best quality, Furama Villas & Spa also has proven its accreditation in the field of tourism accommodation Indonesia, and Bali in particular by taking several Awards, including: The Best Service Excellence 2010 by International Business & Company Awards, and the Tri Hita Karana Tourism Awards 2010 Gold Medal, Security Gold Award 2009 & 2010 of the Indonesian National Police Region.

Temple Ceremony Calendar Event for May 25 through July 8, 2011 25 May Buda Pon Tolu Catur Temple Buwana Sanding Tampaksiring 26 May Wraspati Wage Tolu Peninjoan Temple Besakih - Karangasem 1 Jun Buda Keliwon Gumbreg Pasek Gelgel Kukuh Marga Tabanan Pasek Gelgel Dukuh Selemadeg Tabanan Puseh Guwang Village Sukawati Merajan Pasek Ketewel Ketewel Merajan Pangeran Tangkas Kuro Agung Jeroan Sading Dalem Setra Batu Nunggul Swana Nusa Penida 8 Jun Buda Paing Wariga Merajan Pasek Gaduh Kayubihi Bangli 11 Jun Tumpek Uduh/Pengatag Puseh / Village Temple Batuan Sukawati Pasek Bendesa Kekeran Mengwi Manik Mas Besakih - Karangasem 15 Jun Buda Wage Warigadean Kepisah Sumerta Denpasar Pasek Gelgel Gerih Abiansemal Badung Puncaksari Penarukan Peninjoan Bangli Bangun Sakti Besakih - Karangasem Antegsari Kaba-Kaba Kediri Tabanan Pesimpangan Batur Pande Kaba-Kaba Kediri Tabanan 17 Jun Sukra Umanis Warigadean Odalan Ida Ratu di Penataran Agung Besakih - Karangasem Odalan Ida Ratu Puraus Merajan Salonding Besakih 19 Jun Redite Pon Julungwangi Panti Pasek Gelgel Gobleg Banjar - Singaraja 21 Jun Anggar Kasih Julungwangi Tirtaharum Tegalwangi Bangli Pasek Tohjiwa Wanasari Tabanan Pasek Tangguntiti Jakatebel Tabanan Pasek Bendesa Sangsit Sangsit Buleleng Dalem Waturenggong Taro Tegalalang

Ibu (Pura Kaja) Wanasari Selemadeg Tabanan Pasek Gelgel Tulikup - Gianyar Manik Bingin Sidemen - Karangasem 22 Jun Buda Umanis Julungwangi Penetaran Gana Bebalang Bangli Dalem Gede Banjar Pande Bangli Puncaksari Sangeh Abiansemal - Badung Dadia Agung Pasek Sanak Sapta Resi Gianyar Merajan Pasek Tohjiwa Tohjiwa Jakatebel Merajan Pasek Prateka Batusesa Mr. Jeroan Dauh Cemenggon Puseh Penegil Darma Kubutambahan Singaraja 30 Jun Wraspati Wage Sungsang Kawitan Tangkas Kori Agung Desa Tangkas Klungkung Siang Kangin Tampuagan Tembuku Bangli Odalan Ida Ratu Mas Penataran Agung Besakih Merajan Pasek Gelgel Petemon Odalan Ida Bhatara Bang Tulus Dewa Besakih - Karangasem 6 Jul Buda Keliwon Dunggulan Wakika Temple Kupang, NTT Agung Girinatha Temple Sumbawa Besar NTB Dukuh Sakti Temple Dukuh Kediri-Tabanan Atambuananta Temple Kutamba NTT Webananta Temple Kupang, NTT Giripati Mulawarman Temple Pontianak Mustika Dharma Temple Cijantung I Jakarta Timur Mustika Dharma Kompleks Kopassus Cijantung Jakarta Timur 7 Jul Wraspati Umanis Dunggulan Watukaru Temple Tabanan Lempuyang Luhur Temple Karangasem Kentel Gumi Temple Klungkung Pasek Gaduh Temple Umadesa Kediri Tabanan Pasek Kubayan Temple Wangaya Gede Penebel Tabanan Merajan Pasek Temple Tohjiwa Tiyingan - Klungkung Merajan Pasek Gaduh Temple Umadesa 8 Jul Sukra Paing Dunggulan Ulun Suwi Temple Jimbaran - Badung Luhur Temple Cemenggon, Sukawati - Gianyar Pasek Ubung Temple Ubung - Denpasar

Balinese Temple Ceremony EVERY Temple and Shrine has a special date for it annual Ceremony, or “ Odalan “, every 210 days according to Balinese calendar, including the smaller ancestral shrine which each family possesses. Because of this practically every few days a ceremony of festival of some kind takes place in some Village in Bali.

There are also times when the entire island celebrated the same Holiday, such as at Galungan, Kuningan, Nyepi day, Saraswati day, Tumpek Landep day, Pagerwesi day, Tumpek Wayang day etc.

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

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

In front of important shrine one sees, besides these umbrellas soars, tridents and other weapons, the “umbulumbul”, long flags, all these are prerogatives or attributes of Holiness. In front of the Temple gate put up “Penjor”, long bamboo poles, decorated beautifully ornaments of young coconut leaves, rice and other products of the land.

Most beautiful to see are the girls in their colorful attire, carrying offerings, arrangements of all kinds fruits and colored cakes, to the Temple. Every visitor admires the grace with which the carry their load on their heads.

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Friday, July 1, 2011

News Government...

From page 1 “Government actually can gather some entrepreneurs in Bali to establish a consortium and take over the dormant tourism projects,” he said.

According to him, those projects turned dormant after having acquired operation permit from government. A project could turn dormant because of several reasons, including the less mature funding plan.

“Investors should completely meet their commitment to implement the project. They have to do so after getting the permission required from government. If do not afford, they are not feasible to build,” he said.

The presence of investors would lead to multiplier effects, among others, increasing the employment opportunities, public spending and demand in domestic market. Their presence would have a positive impact on the development and economic growth in Bali. However, government needed to sort out the investment in accordance with Balinese culture and not to bring in negative impacts on the environment. (par)

Will...

From page 1 AFP PHOTO/RAVEENDRAN

Congress Party General Secretary Rahul Gandhi (R) participates in a Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting at Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi’s residence in New Delhi on June 24, 2011.

Indian PM open to Rahul Gandhi succession Agence France Presse

New Delhi - India’s embattled prime minister indicated Wednesday he was open to the idea of heir-apparent Rahul Gandhi succeeding him, even as he rejected criticism that he had become a “lame-duck” leader. Asked about statements from senior members of his Congress party that the time may have come for 41-year-old Gandhi, the scion of India’s Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty, premier Manmohan Singh said he had no objection in principle.

“Personally, if you ask me, the general proposition that younger people should take over, I think, is the right sentiment,” the 78-yearold told newspaper editors and the Press Trust of India, while indicating he had no plans to resign.

“Whenever the party makes up its mind, I will be very happy to step down, but so long as I am here, I have a job to do,” he said.

Speaking to editors in an effort to revive his image, Singh also promised a cabinet reshuffle to infuse fresh energy into his administration, which has been hit by a series of high-profile corruption scandals.

The reshuffle was a “work in progress”, he said. Gandhi is widely viewed as a leader-in-waiting, but has so far avoided roles in the cabinet, preferring instead to focus on building up a youth movement of

the ruling Congress party.

The Nehru-Gandhi dynasty has ruled India for most of the post-independence era, providing three prime ministers. Rahul is the son of the current Congress president, Italian-born Sonia Gandhi. Speculation that he might be poised to replace Singh has mounted in recent months, but the unmarried partly US-educated politician — known as the “prince” to his detractors — has also made some missteps.

In April, he wrongly accused police in India’s most populous state Uttar Pradesh of the mass killings of farmers who had been demonstrating for greater compensation for land sales to the state. A month earlier, a leaked US diplomatic cable from 2007 quoted an insider in the Congress party commenting on Rahul’s tendency to commit

gaffes, describing him as a “neophyte who does not have what it takes to become prime minister.”

But his name has again been mentioned as the saviour of Congress as Singh battles corruption scandals and a widespread perception of policy drift in New Delhi.

Singh hit back at his critics, saying charges that he was an ineffectual, lame-duck premier were just “clever propaganda by the opposition”.

Aides to the former finance minister, renowned as a man of integrity in India’s notoriously corrupt politics, had billed Wednesday’s interview as a way of reviving his fortunes. But there were no new announcements and Singh appeared to have again been on the defensive — a similar pattern to his last outing in front of senior Indian news editors in February.

Canada’s prime minister has even unveiled a personal flag for use during William’s visit. It is the first flag to be created by Canada for a member of the royal family since 1962, when the queen adopted a personal flag for her own use in Canada.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper said the flag was approved by the queen and William.

The young prince also plans to demonstrate his skills as a helicopter rescue pilot by taking part in a water landing demonstration, and the couple is scheduled to put on aprons and take part in a cooking workshop in Quebec City.

But the couple won’t be welcomed by all. Some anti-royal protests are expected in the French-speaking province of Quebec, with small groups planning protests in Quebec City and Montreal.

The prince and Kate jet to Los Angeles on July 8 and will host a gala dinner there the next night to introduce up-and-coming British film talent to Hollywood executives.

The southern California trip includes a $4,000 three-course meal and a charity polo match up close with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as they are formally known. So far, about 1,000 VIP tickets have been sold to the polo match along with about 400 general admission passes, raising nearly $4.4 million for the July 9 event. William plans to play in the match, and his wife will award the trophy to the winning team.

Decades have passed since Canadians abandoned the Union Jack and replaced “God Save the Queen” with “O Canada.” Ordinarily, most Canadians are indifferent to the monarchy. However the 85year-old Queen Elizabeth II — William’s grandmother — remains Canada’s titular head of state, is portrayed on its coins and stamps and has visited 22 times as queen.

This royal couple is expected to draw thousands. William got a reception fit for a rock star the last time he visited Canada as a 15year-old in 1998. He wowed teen-age girls who wolf-whistled him when he visited Vancouver, British Columbia, with his father Prince Charles. William looked aghast at the commotion back then. That trip was the first official foreign visit for him since the death of his mother, Princess Diana, in a car crash in Paris in August 1997.

William will be celebrating Canada’s birthday on Friday, the same day his mother would have turned 50.

He is due to say a few words at a number of stops. Kate is not scheduled to speak.

The couple will travel from the sub-Arctic to oil-rich Calgary, Alberta, from busy Montreal to bucolic Prince Edward Island of “Anne of Green Gables” fame. They’ll sit around a campfire with young people, dress casual for the Calgary rodeo, join a cookout in Quebec City and hand out flags to newly-minted Canadians at a citizenship ceremony.

Harper is the most pro-monarchy Canadian leader since the 1950s, and his ambition is to foster a national identity that is more conservative and more aware of its historical roots.

Indonesia Today

International

Friday, July 1, 2011

7

Lifeline for Australia farmers over Indonesia ban Agence France Presse

DARWIN - Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard offered the live cattle industry a Aus$30 million ($US32 million) lifeline Thursday as a ban on exports to Indonesia entered its fourth week.

The trade was suspended in early June after a documentary showing graphic brutality in Indonesian abattoirs sparked an angry backlash in Australia, which supplies about one-fifth of the archipelago’s beef.

But the ban has hurt northern Australia’s graziers, who claim the lost trade could cost up to Aus$1 billion, with stock and land values set to plummet as the local market is flooded with excess cattle.

Gillard unveiled a $30 million rescue package for the live export industry as talks with Indonesia continued, stressing that her top priority was to get the Aus$320 million annual trade back on track.

“I want to stress this is a short-term hardship package,” Gillard told reporters after meeting cattle farmers in Darwin.

“The best thing we can do for the industry is get the trade resumed with Indonesia with the

animal welfare issues addressed, and we are working hard on that.”

Gillard said halting exports was “absolutely the right decision” to ensure the trade had a sustainable future without further delays due to cruelty concerns.

“The worst thing that could happen for the industry is that we didn’t resolve the animal welfare issues now, and in two years’ time, four years’ time, there’s another problem so that there are continuing disruptions to the trade,” she said.

Though she stressed that “no-one wants the suspension to last a day longer than it needs to”, Gillard would not be drawn on when the ban might end. The ban followed the release of footage showing Indonesian abattoir workers repeatedly slashing live cattle and subjecting them to extreme physical abuse.

Live exports, which also include sheep, were worth Aus$1.14 billion in 2010 according to figures released this week, of which Indonesia accounted for $320 million, making it Australia’s biggest market.

National agriculture agency ABARES has estimated that the ban will slash total live cattle exports by 17 percent in 2010-11, reducing shipments to Indonesia by 38 percent to 445,000 animals.

In this handout photo released by the presidential office on June 30, 2011 Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (L) shakes hands with newly appointed army chief Lieutenant-General Pramono Edhie Wibowo (R) after the swearing in ceremony at the presidential palace in Jakarta.

AFP PHOTO / HARYANTO / SETPRES

Pramono already predicted to assume army commander post: legislator JAKARTA - The appointment of the army chief of staff Lt Gen Pramono Edhi has already been predicted even since he was promoted the commander of the Army‘s Strategic Command (Kostrad), a legislator said.

“For us, the appointment of the army chief of staff is normal and has no problem. We are not surprised at all. We would be surprised if Pramono Edhi was not named army chief. When he was promoted as Kostrad commander, we already understood that it would pave the way for his naming as army chief,” Tjahjo Kumolo, chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) Faction in the House of Representatives (DPR) said here on Wednesday.

Tjahjo who is also secretary general of PDIP made the remarks in response to the appointment of Lt Gen. Pramono Edhi as the army chief of staff, replacing Gen. George Toissuta.

“There were several other names who were also proposed for the army chief of staff post like the General Staff Affairs Chief of the In-

donesian Defence Forces (TNI) Lt Gen. Suryo and Deputy Army Commander Lt Gen Budiman. But we were convinced that the Army chief of staff position would be taken up by Pramono Edhi,” he said.

Earlier, Minister/State Secretary Sudi Silalahi said President Yudhoyono had named Lt Gen Pramono Edhie who is currently commander of the Army‘s Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) as a new Army chief of staff to replace Gen Toisutta.

He said the appointment of Lt Gen Pramono Edhie for the Army chief of staff was based on professional considerations according to his achievement and performance while he dedicated himself to the TNI, the Army in particular.

Pramono Edhie who is the son of the former commander of the Army Para Commandos Regiment (RPKAD) now the special elite force Kopassus late Sarwo Edhie and the younger brother of First Lady Hj. Ani Susilo BambangYudhoyono was seen by many as capable to occupy the post.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images/AFP

A young girl tries to pet a cow in the livestock barn at the Alameda County Fair on June 23, 2011 in Pleasanton, California. Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard offered the live cattle industry a Aus$30 million ($US32 million) lifeline Thursday as a ban on exports to Indonesia entered its fourth week.

Saudi bans domestic workers from Indonesia Agence France Presse

SAUDI ARABIA - Saudi Arabia announced Wednesday it would stop granting work permits to domestic workers from Indonesia and the Philippines, following hiring conditions imposed by the Asian countries.

The ministry of labour said it would “stop issuing work visas to bring domestic workers from Indonesia and the Philippines, effective from Saturday” due to “the terms of recruitment announced by the two countries,” according to a statement carried by state news agency SPA. “The ministry’s decision coincides with its great efforts to open new channels to bring domestic workers from other sources,” said the statement in English quoting the ministry’s spokesman Hattab

bin Saleh al-Anzi.

Last week Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono denounced the beheading in Saudi Arabia of an Indonesian maid and accused Riyadh of breaking the “norms and manners” of international relations.

His comments signalled Indonesia’s growing anger over the treatment of its manual labourers in the Gulf countries, after a spate of cases of abuse and killings.

Ruyati binti Sapubi, 54, was beheaded on June 18 after she was convicted of killing her Saudi employer, prompting Indonesia to recall its ambassador in Saudi Arabia for “consultations.”

Indonesia also announced a moratorium on sending migrant workers to Saudi Arabia, where hundreds of thousands of Indonesians toil as maids and labourers.

Government sends evacuated students back to Egypt Antara

JAKARTA - The Indonesian government on Tuesday sent back the last batch of 25 citizens evacuated from Egypt when the country was in political crisis last January.

Following improvements in the conditions in Egypt, the government decided to stop the evacuation of its citizens in Egypt and had even returned them to that country, especially students since March, the Task Force handling the evacuation said in a press statement here on Wednesday.

The students have been sent back to Egypt and they have resumed their studies at universities there such as Al Azhar.

The process of returning them was coor-

dinated by a task force under a command post with members from the ministry of education, the ministry of foreign affairs, the ministry of religious affairs and the immigration office. Since the task force was established by the President on January 31, 2011, it has sent back to Egypt 1,854 citizens out of 2,432 evacuated from that country.

The implementation of the task of the task force had been carried out well with the support from, coordination with and synergy of ministries, state institutions and state-owned companies concerned.

As almost all of the citizens that have been evacuated from Egypt have been returned to Egypt the task force would automatically end its job soon.

8

International

Friday, July 1, 2011

Bali Today Thirty Gianyar artists to join Art Festival in France Antara

GIANYAR - Some 30 artists from Gianyar District, Bali Province, will take part in a Forklores Festival in France.

“We have been making preparations for our participation in the art festival since last year,” Chairman of Yasa Putra Sedana Foundation Dewa Rai Budiasa said after meeting Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardana Sukawati at the district head office here, Monday, to report about the artists’ planned departure.

Dewa Rai said the Gianyar artists

will join cultural parades and workshop in eight cities in France and one city in Belgium from July 8 to August 22, 2011.

“This is for the second time Bali representing Indonesia in the festival since 1987 and the Yasa Putra Sedana Foundation has been trusted to represent Bali,” he said.

The Balinese artists’ participation

in the international event is expected to help promote the tourism of Bali Island and inspire young artists.

Gianyar District Head Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardhana Sukawati hoped their participation in the festival would widen their horizon and strengthen their characters as Balinese.

He said the festival could become an effective media for promotion of Balinese tourism and Gianyar in particular.

Bali Island, Indonesia’s most famous tourist resort has attracted over

one million foreign tourists during the first five months of 2011.

Data of the Bali tourism office showed here Friday that during January-May 2011, Bali received a total of 1,031,316 foreign tourists, up 11.32 percent from 926,454 during the same period in 2010. An average of 200,000 foreign tourists visits Bali monthly.

The number of tourists from ASEAN member countries, mainly Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines, in May 2011 increased to 28,819 from 20,630 in January 2011.

Also moving up in numbers were American tourists, namely from 9,885 people in January to 10,407 in February and 12,479 in April 2011. In the first five months of 2011, the total number of American tourists was 54,952.

European tourist arrivals during January-May 2011 also raised from 230,332 people in the same period of 2010 to 240,728 people.

Indonesia has set itself the target of attracting 7.7 million foreign tourists this year, a tourism official said.

Freday, July 1, 2011

IBP/Suryadharma

Gilimanuk has been faced by fury as Jineng Agung piling pipes are damaged and couldn’t protect houses there anymore as abrasion hits a number of shore points in Jembrana as last Wednesday (29/6) waves are passing the buis border.

Abrasion Hits Jineng Agung Bali Post

GILIMANUK - Gilimanuk has been faced by fury as Jineng Agung piling pipes are damaged and couldn’t protect houses there anymore as abrasion hits a number of shore points in Jembrana as last Wednesday (29/6) waves are passing the buis border.

Locals explained that the distance between the waters and land were far yet now it’s only a few meters away. Also there were a number of pig cages taken by the waves and roads were starting to break moreover with the not labile soil. Locals only hoped that these pipes will be added or stacked higher so sea waters won’t hit the beach shores.

Meanwhile Gilimanuk Village Head, IGN Rai Budhi, stated he will check if this abrasion is threatening locals’ houses. “We have reported to Jembrana Government that in here the soil was mostly sands and so it’s easily eroded,” he explained. He also hoped it will be taken care soon before its too late and getting worse. (kmb26)

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Workshop and Discussion 09.00 – finish Natya Mandala ISI Denpasar Seminar International Road Map Bali Clean and Green Province Bali 09.00 – finish Ksirarnawa Building Reconstruction art from Denpasar city, by Sekaa Gong Pelegongan Banjar Meranggi, Kesima Petilan village, District of east Denpasar 11.00 – 13.00 Angsoka Stage Social art presented by Sanggar Widya Kencana Banjar Serongga Kelod Gianyar regency 11.00 – 13.00 Ayodya Stage Traditional shadow puppet show presenting Sekaa Wayang Petemon Pejeng Kangin village, Tampaksiring Gianyar regency 20.00 – 22.00 Wantilan Baleganjur exhibition featuring representative of Denpasar city, Klungkung,Jembrana, Bangli, and Tabanan Regency 20.00 – 22.00 Open stage Institut Seni Indonesia Denpasar Contemporary music “Gamelan Pedro” presented by Arnawa Tunjuk Tabanan regency 20.00 – 22.00 Ksirarnawa Building Men Gong Kebyar exhibition featuring representative of Tabanan regency and Sekaa Gong Adnyana Sari Banjar Umahanyar Tegal Darmasaba village Badung regency 20.00 – 23.00 Open stage Ardha Candra

International

Friday, July 1, 2011

Balinese Culture Carp Meatball More and more restaurants providing diverse menus make people get pampered with a variety of menus served by good restaurants such as fast food and traditional food. Nevertheless, various menus served in restaurant do not guarantee if one day customers will not get bored.

“Seeing this condition, as a restaurant focused on the provision of menus made of processed fish with a perfect blend of traditional seasonings, I felt to get a challenge to create some new creative menus,” said Wayan Astawa, Operations Manager of Warung Mina at Peguyangan, Denpasar, recently.

His newly creation menu was the package of carp meatball and fish fillet served with spicy sauces.”We create these menus in response to consumer demands,” he said. Astawa further added that with the creation his party hoped the community would find different options from the menus. According to him, the menu was favored by consumers as light meal.

Since its introduction to the public about a month ago, the menu got a fairly positive response from consumers. (BTN/kmb)

Special Mussels:

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

IBP/Eka Adhiyasa

Night Surfing was held in Kuta beach on Wednesday, June 29, 2011. This night surfing was held to entertaint tourists. Beside that, the night surfing give different experience to surfers that usually surf during day light.

C.045 ibp

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

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10

Destinations

Friday, July 1, 2011

International

Bedulu Museum THIS Museum of Statue is a field archeological museum. It has been built since 1960 under the supervision of Bali’s Archeological Regional Office and was opened for public in 1974. In this building there is a collection of archeological remains dated back at pre-History of Bali.

This Museum is located between Pejeng and Bedulu village, by the side of the road to Tampak Siring. The distance from Penataran Sasih temple to the Museum is about 400 m.

There are a lot of domestic and foreign tourists visiting this museum. They visit this place in order to look at the archeological remains or for doing a research.

Among the collection of pre-Historical remains, there are also some stuff made of stones, bones and so forth, the most attractive sight is some sarcophaguses originating from several places in Bali. In general the sarcophagus as are in the form of turtle, having bulges at its sides and decorated with a mask showing a big overlooking eyes, open mouth or joking with its tongue coming out.

Other collection, among other things is some bronze statues, etc.

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25

16 Juni

Friday, July 1, 2011

11

BUSINESS Trio of China banks ranked in global top 10: study Reuters

LONDON - Three Chinese banks are now in the world’s top 10, underlining the dramatic growth of the country’s financial industry in recent years, according to a new study released on Thursday.

Bank of America ranks as the world’s top bank for the second successive year, followed by JP Morgan , Britain’s HSBC and Citigroup , according to The Banker magazine’s latest Top 1,000 list.

The magazine uses Tier 1 capital as a measure of a bank’s ability to lend on a large scale and endure shocks.

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) ranks in sixth place (up from 7th last year), China Construction Bank is in eighth (from 15th), Bank of China ranks in ninth (from 14th) and Agricultural Bank of China has risen to 14th (from

28th).

China’s banks are also the most profitable, with ICBC’s earnings of $32.5 billion last year eclipsing all other banks. CCB was second with profits of $26.4 billion, followed by JPMorgan with $24.9 billion.

Chinese banks’ profits have soared by 95 percent over the past three years and now account for over a fifth of global banking profits, The Banker estimated.

Other major emerging economies have also advanced up the rankings.

Brazil’s banks, for example, have some of the highest returns on average capital at 32 percent, while

India’s banks have more than doubled profits since 2007, the magazine said.

The biggest losses were recorded

by Irish banks for the second successive year. Anglo Irish lost $23.5 billion, and Allied Irish Banks lost $15.8 billion.

The Tier 1 capital of Bank of America, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, was $164 billion at the end of 2010, just up from a year earlier and $22 billion above JPMorgan.

Bank of America also topped The Banker’s first Top 1,000 list 41 years ago, when it was based on assets rather than capital.

Lehman files new bankruptcy plan Reuter

NEW YORK - Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc filed a new $65 billion bankruptcy liquidation plan that it said has won wider support, possibly setting the stage for the end of the biggest bankruptcy in U.S. history.

If approved, the plan could enable what remains of the fourthlargest U.S. investment bank to emerge from Chapter 11 protection and start repaying creditors.

Chief Executive Bryan Marsal has said he hopes to begin payments next year.

In a filing Wednesday with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Manhattan, Lehman said it believed it had an “agreement in principle” with major creditor groups on the revised plan.

Its earlier proposals spurred two competing reorganization plans from powerful creditors including the hedge fund Paulson & Co and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. Under the new plan, many unsecured creditors would still recover only about one-fifth of what they were owed.

The company said a key change from its prior plan in January is that some sums will go to unsecured creditors of the par-

ent rather than creditors of subsidiaries.

In a court filing, Lehman called the compromise a “reasonable, fair and efficient means to resolve and avoid the vexatious, multifaceted and protracted litigation and delay that might otherwise occur.”

The new plan has the support of two major creditor groups that had filed competing reorganization plans, people familiar with the matter said.

One group comprises bondholders including Paulson’s firm and the California Public Employees’ Retirement System, or CalPERS, pension fund, one of the sources said.

The other is a derivatives group including Goldman, hedge fund Silver Point Capital LP, Morgan Stanley and other creditors, another of the sources said.

This group plans to soon sign an agreement reflecting their support, the source said.

Lehman’s plan envisions having these and other creditor representatives select directors for a reconstituted, nine-member Lehman board. The board would oversee how assets are distributed to creditors, probably over a few years.

Representatives of Lehman,

Paulson, CalPERS and the Goldman group declined to comment or were not available.

Lehman was the fourth-largest U.S. investment bank, with an estimated $639 billion of assets, when it filed for Chapter 11 protection on September 15, 2008.

The bankruptcy was a major trigger for the global financial crisis.

Under the new Lehman plan, holders of unsecured debt from the parent company would receive 21.1 cents on the dollar, down from 21.4 cents under the January plan.

Other unsecured creditors would get 19.9 cents on the dollar.

Creditors such as Paulson earlier sought roughly 24 cents on the dollar.

Many unsecured creditors of the Lehman Brothers Special Financing Inc derivatives unit would receive 27.9 cents on the dollar. These creditors include large banks that had been Lehman trading partners, as well as hedge funds.

Holders of commercial paper, a type of short-term debt, could recover 48.4 cents or 55.7 cents on the dollar.

Lehman has said creditors have roughly $322 billion of allowed claims, meaning they would on average recover about 20 cents on the dollar.

AFP PHOTO / CARL COURT

A Lloyds Banking Group sign is pictured outside a branch of the bank in central London, on June 30, 2011.

New Lloyds CEO cuts 15,000 jobs in revival plan Reuters

LONDON - Lloyds will cut 15,000 jobs and halve its international presence, a plan its new boss hopes will save 1.5 billion pounds ($2.4 billion) a year by 2014 and return the part-nationalized British bank back to health.

Chief Executive Antonio Horta-Osorio presented his overhaul of the bank on Thursday after about 100 days in charge and said he aimed to cut through middle management and make the bank simpler and more agile.

The latest cuts will add to 27,000 job losses already since the 2008 financial crisis. Lloyds currently employs some 103,000 staff.

The cost of the program will be 2.3 billion pounds, but the savings garnered will allow the bank to invest an extra 2 billion pounds in its core retail banking activities.

Horta-Osorio will cut Lloyds’ international presence to fewer than 15 countries by 2014 from 30 now in order to focus more on its core UK retail banking business - where it is market leader and has historically been far more significant than its overseas reach.

Lloyds’ overseas presence currently includes operations in Europe, such as Holland, Germany and Spain, both north and south America and Asia. Horta-Osorio, whom Lloyds poached from rival Santander UK, declined to say which countries Lloyds would leave.

The Unite trade union group attacked the job cut plans, but HortaOsorio said the move was a necessary one.

“We must return to profitability as quickly as possible. I believe we must become leaner, more agile and more responsive to our customers’ needs,” he told reporters on a conference call.

Lloyds shares rose sharply as analysts and investors welcomed HortaOsorio’s plans.

“This looks like third time lucky for UK banks’ strategy days — Lloyds has delivered solid targets with some key milestones,” said Mike Trippitt, analyst at Oriel Securities.

Trippitt said Lloyds’ strategy review compared favorably to other recent strategy days held by rivals HSBC and Barclays, whose targets ended up underwhelming investors.

Lloyds was one of the world’s most profitable banks and a darling of the sector in the 1990s for its dynamic takeover policy, cost efficiency and massive returns, but its growth and strategy stalled after it was blocked by regulators from buying former building society Abbey National in 2001.

Known as the “Black Horse” after its logo, it was saddled with billions of pounds of losses after it bought troubled rival HBOS at the height of the credit crisis of 2008, a deal brokered by the Labor government of the time.

Its losses led to it being bailed out and part-nationalized by the government, along with Royal Bank of Scotland, and Britain finished up with a stake of 41 percent in Lloyds and 83 percent in RBS.

12

Entertainment

Friday, July 1, 2011

International

Lohan released from house arrest after 35 days Associated Press Writer

LOS ANGELES — Lindsay Lohan was freed from house arrest Wednesday morning, ending a drama-filled 35 days and opening the next chapter in the troubled starlet’s efforts to put her court troubles behind her.

Sheriff’s spokesman Steve Whitmore said Lohan’s electronic monitoring equipment was removed shortly before 10 a.m. and she was removed from the jail system around 10:20 a.m. Lohan is not entirely free.

She still has to complete 480 hours of community service, complete an anti-shoplifting class and comply with other terms of her release.

Her spokesman, Steve Honig, said Lohan is “very focused” on resuming her community service, which is being performed at a downtown Los Angeles women’s shelter and will also require her to work at the county’s morgue.

Lohan, 24, was sentenced to four months in jail in May for violating her probation in a 2007 drunken driving case by taking a necklace from a jewelry store without permission earlier this year. She pleaded no contest to the theft and received no additional penalties, but will remain on

probation for several more months.

Lohan’s shorter confinement was the result of jail overcrowding in Los Angeles’ only women’s jail and mandatory credits, but it was not without drama.

Just days into her captivity, authorities were summoned to Lohan’s home in the beachside community of Venice because her monitoring equipment reported her out of the area. The equipment had to be replaced because of a faulty battery in the actress’ ankle monitor, and after officials learned that a houseguest had spilled a drink another piece of monitoring equipment.

Lohan was summoned to court last week after probation officials told a judge the actress had tested positive for alcohol. Superior Court Judge Stephanie Sautner determined after reviewing Lohan’s case file that the actress was no longer required to undergo random drug tests and that she had not been ordered by a previous judge to abstain from alcohol.

AP Photo/Paramount Pictures

In this publicity image released by Paramount Pictures, Optimus Prime is shown in a scene from “Transformers: Dark of the Moon.”

‘Transformers’ revenues dip with $13.5M for No. 3 Associated Press Writer

LOS ANGELES — The giant “Transformers” robots have shrunk a bit in the early going at the box office. Distributor Paramount Pictures says “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” launched with $13.5 million domestically in screenings Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

That’s less than the $16.6 million that the second of the three “Transformers” flicks, “Revenge of the Fallen,” took in from midnight screenings alone two years ago.

“Revenge of the Fallen” went on to top $400 million domestically and $800 million worldwide.

Liz Taylor jewels taking world tour before NY sale Associated Press Writer

Lindsay Lohan AP Photo/Chris Pizzello

“Dark of the Moon” pulled in $5.5 million from screenings that started at 9 p.m. or later Tuesday at about 2,700 theaters. The movie added $8 million at about 3,000 cinemas in post-midnight showings overnight.

The comparison to “Revenge of

the Fallen” is worse considering that 70 percent of revenues for “Dark of the Moon” came from 3-D screenings, which cost a few dollars more than 2-D showings. That means even fewer tickets sold than for early screenings of “Revenge of the Fallen,” which played only in 2-D. Still, “Dark of the Moon” is expected to do huge business the rest of the week and over the Fourth of July weekend, one of the year’s busiest times at theaters. Paramount has expanded the movie domestically to about 4,000 theaters.

NEW YORK — Elizabeth Taylor’s prized collection of jewelry, art, designer clothing and other memorabilia will go on an international three-month tour before it is sold in New York in December, Christie’s auction house announced Wednesday.

The tour will begin in September and include stops in Moscow, London, Dubai, Geneva, Paris, Hong Kong and Los Angeles. It will end in New York, where Christie’s plans a “museum-quality exhibition” of the late actress’ collection that will fill its entire gallery space Dec. 3-10. The auction will be held Dec. 13-16.

Taylor, who was infamously married eight times to seven husbands and remembered for her roles in “Cleopatra” and “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?,” was also known for her passion for opulent

diamonds. She died in March at age 79. She published a book in 2003 titled “Elizabeth Taylor: My Love Affair with Jewelry,” and her collection has included some of the world’s most expensive stones.

A portion of the proceeds from the exhibition admissions and publications related to the sales will be donated to The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation.

The screen icon’s impressionist and modern art collection will be sold February at Christie’s in London and will include a group of works she inherited from her father, art dealer Francis Taylor, Christie’s said.

The auction house said details of the sales, exhibitions and tour dates would be announced in the fall. But it said Taylor’s magnificent jewelry by some of the world’s top design houses will range from white diamonds to elaborate custom-designed jewels. They will be sold in three sessions Dec. 13-14.

AP Photo/Christie’s

In this undated handout photograph provided by Christie’s Elizabeth Taylor is shown. Christie’s auction house says it will be taking Elizabeth Taylor’s collection of jewelry, art, designer clothing and other memorabilia on an international three-month tour before selling it in New York in December.

Science

International

Friday, July 1, 2011

13

New Zealand’s lost penguin faces long swim home Associated Press Writer

AP Photo/Jae C. Hong

The Las Conchas fire burns near the Los Alamos Laboratory in Los Alamos, N.M., Wednesday, June 29, 2011.

As crews fight to keep the wildfire from reaching the country’s premier nuclear-weapons laboratory and the surrounding community, scientists are busy sampling the air for chemicals and radiological materials.

Experts warn epic weather ravaging US could worsen Epic floods, massive wildfires, drought and the deadliest tornado season in 60 years are ravaging the United States, with scientists warning that climate change will bring even more extreme weather. The human and economic toll over just the past few months has been staggering: hundreds of people have died, and thousands of homes and millions of acres have been lost at a cost estimated at more than $20 billion.

And the United States has not even entered peak hurricane season.

“This spring was one of the most extreme springs that we’ve seen in the last century since we’ve had good records,” said Deke Arndt, chief of climate monitoring for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

While it’s not possible to tie a specific weather event or pattern to climate change, Arndt said this spring’s extreme weather is in line with what is

forecast for the future. “In general, but not everywhere, it is expected that the wetter places will get wetter and the drier places will tend to see more prolonged dry periods,” he told AFP. “We are seeing an increase in the amount (of rain and snow) that comes at once, and the ramifications are that it’s a lot more water to deal with at a time, so you see things like flooding.” More than 6.8 million acres in the central United States have been swamped after record

spring rainfall overwhelmed rivers already swollen from the melting of a heavy winter snow pack.

Some levees burst under the pressure as the mighty Mississippi River swelled to more than three miles (nearly five kilometers) in width. Others were intentionally breached in order to ease pressure and protect cities downstream. The latest flooding along the Missouri River has forced mass evacuations and threatened to inundate two nuclear power plants in Nebraska.

Meanwhile, the southern United States is dealing with one of the most extreme droughts since the dust bowl of the 1930s, and the dry conditions have led to massive and uncontrollable wildfires.

An Emperor penguin found in New Zealand will be released into the ocean when fully fit so it can swim the 3,000 kilometres (1,900 miles) home to Antarctica, wildlife experts said Wednesday.

The penguin, nicknamed “Happy Feet”, was found wandering on a beach near Wellington last week and was taken to the city’s zoo when it became sick after eating sand and sticks.

After three rounds of surgery, including one performed by a top New Zealand surgeon, the zoo said Wednesday that its condition had stabilised and attention had turned to what would become of the unusual visitor.

A specially-formed “penguin advisory group”, comprising experts from the zoo, Department of Conservation (DOC), Wellington’s Massey University and the national museum Te Papa met Wednesday to decide its fate.

“The group has agreed the preferred option for the Emperor

penguin is to release it in the Southern Ocean, southeast of New Zealand,” DOC spokesman Peter Simpson said. “This is the northern edge of the known range of juvenile Emperor penguins.”

Simpson said other options canvassed included keeping the penguin in captivity, which was discounted due a lack of suitable facilities, and taking it back to Antarctica. “The reason for not returning the penguin directly to Antarctica is that Emperor penguins of this age are usually found north of Antarctica on pack ice and in the open ocean,” he said.

However, Wellington Zoo’s veterinary manager Lisa Argilla said earlier this week that it could be months before the penguin was healthy enough for release because it was underweight following its long swim north and intestinal trauma.

In the meantime, the zoo said it would live in an air conditioned room carpeted with crushed ice to cool it in the relative warmth of New Zealand, where the mercury currently sits around 10 degrees Celsius (50 Fahrenheit).

IBP/ap

An Emperor penguin that washed up lost on a New Zealand beach will be released into the ocean when fully fit so it can swim the 3,000 kilometres (1,900 miles) home to Antarctica, wildlife experts said Wednesday

CT scans cut lung cancer deaths by 20%: study CURRENT or former heavy smokers screened with low-dose CT scans experienced a 20 percent reduction in lung cancer deaths compared to those screened using chest X-rays, a US study found Wednesday.

The National Lung Screening Trial, conducted starting in 2002 among 53,454 patients at a high risk of developing lung cancer, is

IBP/ap

the first to show that screening using low-dose celical computed tomography can reduce lung cancer mortality by identifying tumors early.

Lung cancer is the most lethal form of cancer in the United States, where more than 94 million current or former smokers are at elevated risk of the disease. Patients have often not learned they had lung can-

Partial view of a CT scanner. Current or former heavy smokers screened with low-dose CT scans experienced a 20 percent reduction in lung cancer deaths compared to those screened using chest X-rays, a US study found Wednesday

cer until they experience symptoms of the disease, at which time the cancer is likely advanced and has less chances of getting cured.

Scientists compared mortality rates between those current and former heavy smokers between the ages of 55 and 74 who received three annual screenings using low-dose CT scans compared to those receiving chest X-rays for the nearly decade-long study.

Participants had smoked at least a pack a day for a minimum of 30 years, and were current or former smokers without symptoms, signs or history of lung cancer.

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International

Argentina expect Messi and company to deliver Reuters

BUENOS AIRES - Hosts Argentina feel it is their “obligation” to win the Copa America with a team built around Lionel Messi and cannot stomach the idea of finishing behind arch rivals Brazil for a third time in a row. The old enemies met in the last two finals of South America’s top soccer tournament, with Brazil upsetting the favourites twice, but with home advantage at the July 1-24 event Argentina hope to win the trophy for the first time since 1993.

While Argentina have Messi, fast emerging as Diego Maradona’s heir, at the heart of their attack, Brazil have their own brilliant player in Neymar, a potential new Pele who has already helped Santos win the Libertadores Cup at 19. “It is our obligation to win the tournament,” said Argentina coach Sergio Batista, who plays the highscoring Messi in a roving centre forward role akin to his flexible position at Barcelona.

Argentina open the world’s oldest active major soccer tournament at the modern, roofed Ciudad de La Plata stadium on Friday when they take on Bolivia in Group A (0045 GMT Saturday). They have a score to settle, having been thrashed 6-1 the last time they met in a World Cup qualifier at high altitude in La Paz two years ago during Maradona’s time as coach.

An attack boasting Messi, Carlos Tevez and Ezequiel Lavezzi, with Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Aguero and

Angel Di Maria on the bench, should have little trouble brushing aside the Bolivians in a relatively easy group for the hosts. They also meet Colombia and Costa Rica.

Brazil, with coach Mano Menezes going back to the basics of his country’s “beautiful game” after the pragmatic Dunga era, kick off against Venezuela in Group B at the same venue on Sunday (1900) before heading for Cordoba to play Paraguay and Ecuador.

Menezes’ pair of aces are Neymar and his 21-year-old Santos team mate Paulo Henrique Ganso, an exquisite playmaker the coach hopes will spark Robinho, a veteran of Brazil’s 2007 victory, and Alexandre Pato up front.

URUGUAY THREAT

Uruguay come to the tournament on the back of their fourth place at the World Cup and with hardly any changes in personnel or style but a

fresher 32-year-old Diego Forlan after a tough season in Spain that included an alarming loss of form.

“There is a very strong (team) base around Diego Forlan (and) he is in very good physical condition (after a refreshing break),” said coach Oscar Tabarez, one of the few coaches to survive a post-World Cup cull.

Uruguay will also play a match in La Plata — an obligation for the seeded teams in the three groups — but only when they meet guest team Mexico there on June 12. They kick off Group C in the Andean city of San Juan against Peru on Monday (2215).

Chile and Paraguay, who had good World Cups last year, especially the latter with their place in the last eight for the first time, will be tough opponents. Colombia are dark horses, with an attack boasting Radamel Falcao Garcia, whose top-scoring exploits helped Porto win the Portuguese championship and Europa League.

Norway look to improve in women’s W. Cup Norway coach Eli Landsem is happy to put the first match of the 2011 World Cup behind her with three points, and now the 1995 champions can focus on getting to the level they need to be at to take another title.

“We need to work with the heads of the players, get back into the belief in what we do,” Landsem said after Norway’s 1-0 victory over Equatorial Guinea in Group D here Wednesday.

“In the opening match in the World Cup the only thing that counts is the points.” Norway have those three points and share first place in the

group with Brazil, the Scandinavians’ next opponents on July 3 in Wolfsburg.

Landsem said her focus will be on getting the team back to the level they were at when they played two-time reigning champions Germany tough and scoreless for 78 minutes before caving in and losing 3-0 and when they beat the United States 3-1.

“We know that our plan is good.

So we just have to get up to the level we want to be again,” she said. “Get back to what we did last week and the week before that against Germany and the United States. “Now we are

finished with the opening match so I think we will be better in our next match.”

Equatorial Guinea for their part know they played well against the powerful Europeans but also know they have to play with more confidence going into their second match against Australia in Bochum.

“I’m happy that we played so well.

We have more of a chance to use some confidence for the next game,” said the African side’s coach Marcello Frigerio. “I think we will have our chances in the attack against Australia. This time we need to use them.”

Norway’s Emilie Haavi, left, scores the opening goal past Equatorial Guinea’s Vania, center, during the group D match between Norway and Equatorial Guinea at the Women’s Soccer World Cup in Augsburg, southern Germany, on Wednesday, June 29, 2011.

AP Photo/Matthias Schrader

AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko

Argentina’s Lionel Messi, left, fights for the ball with teammate Mariano Andujar during a training session ahead of the upcoming 2011 Copa America in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Wednesday, June 29, 2011. Argentina will host the Copa America soccer tournament July 1-24.

Ronaldinho scores two in Flamengo win, Corinthians go top Reuters

RIO DE JANEIRO Ronaldinho scored twice to help Flamengo to a 3-2 win at America in the Brazilian championship while Sao Paulo lost the leadership following a blunder by long-serving goalkeeper Rogerio Ceni.

Former AC Milan, Barcelona and Brazil striker Ronaldinho put Flamengo ahead with a 10thminute free kick, although the Rabbits hit back to lead 2-1 at halftime with a scrambled effort by Alessandro and a close-range goal from Anderson.

Deivid pulled fifth-placed Flamengo level 10 minutes after the re-start and Ronaldinho settled the match with a coolly taken goal six minutes from time, his fifth in seven games in the championship.

Sao Paulo, thrashed 5-0 by arch

rivals Corinthians on Sunday, enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges against Botafogo until Rogerio, who earlier this season scored his 100th goal for the club, let Elkeson’s weak shot slip into the net. Herrera converted a penalty seven minutes after the break to wrap up the points for the visitors, while the paltry 8,000 crowd at the Morumbi jeered Sao Paulo and insulted coach Paulo Cesar Carpegiani with chants of “donkey, donkey”.

Corinthians took advantage as a 1-0 win at Bahia, courtesy of a first-half Chicao penalty, took them top with 16 points, one ahead of Sao Paulo who, after winning their first five games, have lost their last two. Two goals by Aloisio gave Figueirense a 2-1 win over Santos, who last week won South America’s Libertadores Cup.

Sport

International

Friday, July 1, 2011

15

Maggette relishes joining Jordan’s Bobcats Associated Press Writer

AFP PHOTO / LEON NEAL

Swiss player Roger Federer reacts as he plays with French player Jo-Wilfried Tsonga during the men’s single quarter final at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships at the All England Tennis Club, in southwest London on June 29, 2011.

Federer can’t hang on at Wimbledon against Tsonga

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Corey Maggette has played 12 seasons in the NBA and been to the playoffs only once. Now he’s about to join a team that’s never won a postseason game and has spent the past year getting rid of most of its veterans and scorers in a rebuilding movement.

But Maggette insists he was thrilled to be traded to Charlotte for three reasons: He’s about to start again, play his natural position and, most importantly, suit up for Bobcats owner Michael Jordan. “If you understand Michael Jordan’s game — and I’m from Chicago — you know that he’s a winner,” Maggette said Wednesday in a conference call with reporters. “And eventually he’s going to get to that point where he’s winning.”

As Jordan prepares for his sixth season in charge of the basketball operations in Charlotte and his second full year as majority owner, he’ll lean on Maggette to provide immediate scoring and a muchneeded veteran presence on what is now one of the NBA’s most inexperienced teams.

“If you know Michael, he’s definitely starting in this field as an owner and still understanding about the business of basketball,” said Maggette, who got to know Jordan while growing up. “But he’s an incredible winner. He knows how to win. He has incredible drive and that’s something Michael will never let go.”

Jordan last week sent another veteran packing in a deal he hopes gets the Bobcats closer to becoming a perennial playoff team, something he’s been unable to attain as an executive with two teams.

Top scorer Stephen Jackson was shipped to Milwaukee in a threeteam deal that netted the seventh overall pick in the draft from Sacramento. Included was Maggette, in large part because the $21 million he’s owed over the next two seasons closely matched Jackson’s contract.

But the Bobcats now need the 31-year-old Maggette to mentor a team that will feature two rookie draft picks in Bismack Biyombo and Kemba Walker, a shooting guard in Gerald Henderson who become a starter in February, and a point guard in D.J. Augustin who’s been a starter for one year.

Associated Press Writer

WIMBLEDON, England — For the very first time in his record-breaking career, six-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer couldn’t hang on to a two-set lead at a Grand Slam tournament. The 16-time major champion, who was playing in his 29th straight Grand Slam quarterfinal, won the first two sets against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at Wimbledon on Wednesday, but squandered the lead and lost 3-6, 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. That makes his record 178-1 in Grand Slam matches in which he led two sets to none.

“I was controlling the match.

Next thing you know, he just continued serving great,” said Federer, who also lost in the quarterfinals last year. “But the chances were slim. And then again, he only needed a couple of breaks to end up bringing it home.”

Federer and Rafael Nadal have won the last eight titles at the All England Club, but only the topseeded Spaniard — still dealing with a left foot injury — has a chance to extend that streak after beating Mardy Fish 6-3, 6-3, 57, 6-4.

In Friday’s semifinals, Nadal will face fourth-seeded Andy Murray while Tsonga meets Novak Djokovic. Murray beat Feliciano Lopez 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 —

the only straight-set result in the men’s quarterfinals — while Djokovic defeated 18-year-old Australian qualifier Bernard Tomic 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.

On Thursday, 2004 champion Maria Sharapova is to play German wild card Sabine Lisicki in the women’s semifinals. Fourthseeded Victoria Azarenka will take on Petra Kvitova in the early match on Centre Court. The 29year-old Federer walked out onto Centre Court in the opening match Wednesday and started off playing the effortless brand of tennis that has given him more major titles than any other man.

He jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the opening set, breaking Tsonga at his first chance, and breezed

through the rest of his service games. The second set looked similar, but neither player even held a break point. Then things started to change.

“He had basically good return games along the way in the third, fourth, and fifth,” said Federer, who was broken once in each of those three sets. “I think especially the third set, the break I get is very unusual. He chips back a couple, they stay in. He ends up picking a couple of sides and he ends up breaking me in a way I don’t think he deserves as much.

“But, look, he hung in there.”

Tsonga’s reward for beating Federer is a semifinal match against Djokovic, who may still be the hottest player on tour.

AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File

FILE - In this Dec. 28, 2010, file photo, Milwaukee Bucks forward Corey Maggette goes up for a dunk during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls in Chicago. The Bucks sent Maggette to the Charlotte Hornets as part of a three-team trade Thursday, June 23, 2011.

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

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Sebastian Vettel says he happy at Red Bull World champion Sebastian Vettel says he is “completely happy” at Red Bull Racing, admitting he is not into “myths” like Ferrari or Mercedes right now. The German has been linked with Ferrari several times, but he claims he is perfectly happy at Red Bull because it is providing him with a car to win races.

AFP PHOTO / JAVIER SORIANO

Red Bull Racing’s German driver Sebastian Vettel (L) and Red Bull Racing’s Australian driver Mark Webber (R) celebrate on the podium at the Valencia Street Circuit on June 26, 2011 in Valencia after the European Formula One Grand Prix.

“Let’s get this straight. To win races is not easy; to win championships even less so - at whatever team,” Vettel told Formula 1’s official website. “I feel completely happy at Red Bull.

Of course Ferrari and Mercedes do come with a huge legend, but I am not into myth right now.

“What’s important for me is that when I come from the track and look in the mirror in my hotel room I want to be able to say, ‘yes, that’s me and I am satisfied with what I see’. “After Abu Dhabi it feels good to know that I don’t have anything to prove to myself any more.”

Vettel also admitted he is not too worried about his possible future team-mates, as he is aware that he needs to beat everybody to be the best. “In the end I don’t waste too many thoughts on who is my team-mate,” he said in a joint interview with Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone.

“I want to be the best so I have to

Rossi adamant switch to new bike was right decision VALENTINO Rossi insists switching to Ducati’s new GP11.1 was the correct call in Assen, despite struggling throughout the weekend and finishing more than 30 seconds behind Ben Spies in the race.

While the 2012 chassis and 800cc engine Rossi was provided with by Ducati did not yield instant benefits, the Italian believes the switch was justified as he feels the GP11.1 has a lot more potential performance.

“It was a good decision, we had to do it: by then we didn’t have more margins of improvement with the GP11.1,” Rossi told Motosprint.

“The new bike is a step forward: for example, the rear is more stable, and the new gearbox is a substantial advantage.

We can say that Ducati’s legendary rear skidding under acceleration is gone.”

Rossi did however concede that he and the team still faced considerable challenges in order to return to winning ways, highlighting in particular the need for a more cohesive and efficient approach during race weekends.

“We haven’t yet understood how to set up this bike properly, and I haven’t completely understood how to ride it. Most of all, it always takes us too long to find the best solutions set-up-wise.

“It takes us too long to find the right set-up for the race. We need to find a way to make the bike more rideable by the second day of practice, in order to be able to set it up for the race.

“For instance, had I been able to find on the second day the level we reached on race day here, then I could have done a differ-

ent race: I could have raced for the podium.

Instead, as usual, I began without knowing what to expect. It’s tough this way.”

Rossi also stands by his decision to bring his own team, headed by Jeremy Burgess, to Ducati, although he did concede the transition had not been unproblematic.

“My team has worked with me for many years: I have no doubt on their capabilities. As for Jeremy, to have him at my side at the moment has its upsides and downsides, and that’s fine with me.

“We need time to get to know the

Ducati. The experience from who knows the bike is very important, and neither I nor my team have this experience, but in our garage there are technicians that know this bike well, so they can help us.

“When you’re used to winning and you find yourself suffering, you have two possibilities: either you work to get back to winning ways, or you lose morale and give up. I’ve chosen the former solution, and I strongly hope that’s what my team will do too.”

AP Photo/Peter Dejong

Valentino Rossi of Italy rides his Ducati during the MotoGP free practice of the Dutch Grand Prix in Assen, northern Netherlands, Friday June 24, 2011.

beat them all, with the same car or any other. I would never ask my team to get me a team-mate to my liking, but I expect two things from whoever has the second cockpit: honesty and respect.”

Vettel has won six out out eight races this season and is currently leading the championship by 77 points, having also secured seven pole positions.

Ecclestone said Vettel’s dominance of the sport is no turn-off for the spectators, as they tune in to see if someone can beat him.

“Sebastian is in a similar position as Michael (Schumacher). Sebastian is the best right now and that’s why he is dominating, and that’s what makes it so interesting for the fans, because every race weekend starts with a big question mark - who will be able to beat Vettel? That’s why fans tune in.”