Edisi 09 Februari 2012 | International Bali Post

I N T E R NA T I ONAL

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Sport

Thursday, February 9, 2012

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Raikkonen says Jerez laptimes are less important

Kimi Raikkonen says that topping the first day of pre-season testing means less to him than the ‘positive’ first sensations he received from the new Lotus E20 and Pirelli’s soft and medium tyre compounds that he tried for the first time at Jerez.

The 2007 world champion played down his headline-grabbing fastest time at the Spanish circuit after ending up 0.1s faster than Paul di Resta’s Force India, having completed 73 laps on a relatively trouble-free day.

“It makes no difference,” he said when asked how it felt to be quick-

est on his return to contemporary F1 action. “I mean it’s the first day, and it would make a difference if it were a race weekend, but here it means nothing.”

But the Finn said that the information he gained using 2012-spec equipment and proper race tyres as opposed to the demo rubber he

had used prior to Tuesday’s official running - was hugely valuable as he continued to reacclimatise to the sport.

“The feeling is pretty OK with the car and for sure I’ve had much worse first days and worse feelings with new cars,” he added. “I was quite happy with it.”

“The feeling was pretty good with the car. The first feeling is handling quite nicely so... just going with that feeling I’m quite happy, but there are areas that we

can improve and that we have to improve. I’m positive about it.”

Raikkonen completed 60 laps before the team broke for lunch, and during that morning he completed four stints culminating in a 1m19.670s lap – faster than Rubens Barrichello’s best overall time of 2011.

And while Lotus’s afternoon was interrupted by the need to change a KERS battery, Raikkonen said he was pleased with the ground he had covered on the first day. “I did exactly what the team were planning, or not exactly because we missed a few laps

Hero of cultural sentinel increasingly marginalized

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IBP/ist

“He was with Rebellion last year and I approached him to simply see how he likes the racing.

I then met with the team owner Alex Pesci, and we quickly moved forward.

“I think working with the best privateer team from 2011 gives me an ideal starting point to put a foot into sportscar racing to learn and compete.”

Heidfeld played down the chance of him using the Rebellion drive to pave the way for a move to a factory team in the future.

“I think it would be impolite to join a team and then say you want to move to another,” he added.

“I am open to

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Thursday, February 9, 2012

see what the future holds and, for now, I am looking forward to my races with Rebellion.”

IBP

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ONAL

Price: Rp 3.000,-

IBP/Eka Adhiyasa

Travel agencies in Bali coalesced into the Association of the Indonesia Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA) complained about the existence of porters. The presence of dozens of porter was considered to have disturbed the comfort of tourists and did not characterize an international airport.

ASITA complains about porters roaming around at Ngurah Rai

WEATHER FORECAST

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Denpasar

24 - 33

Jakarta

23 - 33

bandung

22 - 31

yogyakarta

23 - 32

surabaya

26 - 34

DENPASAR — Travel agencies in Bali coalesced into the Association of the Indonesia Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA) complained about the existence of porters. The presence of dozens of porter was considered to have disturbed the comfort of tourists and did not characterize an international airport.

sunNy

BRIGHT/Cloudy

rain

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“I and all the members of travel agencies are airport users and definite taxpayers.

However, in terms of security and comfort aspect, it is not good for guests coming from various countries,” said Chairman of ASITA Bali, Al Purwa, in Denpasar.

According to him, he had never seen any porters roaming around in the international airport overseas. They just collected the scattered trolleys that had been used or they

International Bali Post received IPMA 2012

Jambi (Bali Post) -

Nick Heidfeld

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

Bali Post

Heidfeld rejected sportscars offers

Nick Heidfeld was deeply unimpressed when he was ousted Nick Heidfeld has revealed that he rejected other offers to race in sportscars this year before signing for Rebellion Racing. The Formula 1 veteran was confirmed last week as part of the team’s LMP1 lineup for selected events in the new World Endurance Championship, including the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Speaking to AUTOSPORT, the German admitted that he had been in contact with other sportscar outfits over the winter, but he felt that Rebellion would be the best place to get accustomed to endurance racing.

“Yes, I was in contact with a few LMP1 teams,” said Heidfeld when asked if there were any talks with factory squads. “The contact with Rebellion came through [engineer] James Robinson, who I worked with at Jordan.

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when we had a small issue,” he said. “We tried different things, we did a few checks.

“But we did also quite a lot of the normal things you have to do on a first day yesterday, so that was a help to get rid of those. But it was a pretty normal first day.” Raikkonen added that he had been pleased with how the tyres had felt: “They are what they are and you try to get the best out of them.

“When they are new they seem to be pretty nice tyres. Of course they probably go away more than in the past, but it’s the same for everybody and in a long run you try to save them as much as you can and get the best out of it.”

Review: ‘Journey 2’ sinks Verne’s isle in 3-D muck

Kimi Raikkonen during pre-season test

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16 Pages Number 37 4th year

English newspaper in Bali; International Bali Post won an award in Indonesia Print Media Award (IPMA) 2012 for Bali and Nusa Tenggara. The award was given by the Head of Newspaper Publisher Union (SPS), Dahlan Iskan in Ballroom Novita Hotel in Jambi on Tuesday, February 7, 2012.

In the speech, Dahlan Iskan, said

that the concern on the drowning of printed media due to the effect of the online media is not true. This can be seen on the development of the printed media in Indonesia.

He also said that the number of printed media joining the 2012 IPMA was increasing and also the quality was also getting better. This is the third IPMA and there is great hope that it will be better in the future.(019)

did not directly get in touch with tourists.

“In the most sophisticated airport in the world, I did not see any porters roaming around. I’ve seen more than 100 international airports. The trolley has been provided conveniently and tourists just need to take it. Porters only collect the scattered trolleys at specified place,” he revealed.

Continued on page 6

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International

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Bali News

Sport

International

15

FIFA donate $250,000 to victims of Egypt disaster

Many communities still poor

Reuters

Interior of Karangasem Regent’s office worth IDR 1.4 billion

FIFA are to donate $250,000 to the families of the victims of last week’s Egyptian stadium disaster in which 74 people were killed after violence flared at a soccer match in Port Said between al-Masry and Cairo-based Al Ahli.

“I stated after the tragedy that this day was a black day for football. I’m still very shocked by what happened. Many of the victims were so young,” FIFA president Sepp Blatter said in a statement.

“They were also a crucial support for their families, who now need help. The football community, including FIFA, must assist its Egyptian brothers and sisters.” FIFA said the sum would be paid into a charity account opened by Al Ahli.

At least 1,000 people were also injured in the violence when fans invaded the pitch after al-Masry’s victory on Feb. 2. Most of the deaths were among people trampled in the crush of the panicking crowd, while others fell or were thrown from terraces.

Amlapura (Bali Post)—

An ironic reality happens in Karangasem.

When some 32,000 families are still in poverty line, begging, unable to send their children to school or many poor people have no home and have to stay at their neighbor’s house or sleep in the rural security post, the Regent of Karangasem I Wayan Geredeg even conjures up his office room with expensive interior totally worth IDR 1.4 billion more.

His new workspace was completely done and ritually inaugurated on Tuesday (Feb 7). Such amount of expenses was not used to construct a new building. But, it was just intended to re-design the room by setting new interior with advanced facilities such as electric doors and CCTV security system. The redesigned interior was made to the building located in the center, where it was previously a simple office room for the secretary and expert staff. As the room has been used by the Regent, the expert staff was forced to move to other room.

On the sidelines of the inauguration ritual for his ‘palace,’ the Regent Geredeg said on Tuesday, the room was conjured up into a new workspace to maximize the function of his office. Other than for a workspace, it was also taken advantage for receiving local or domestic guests such as guests from central government of Jakarta.

Such multifunctional workspace, he added, was intended for a variety of interests such as creative ideas of the Regent Geredeg to attract more investments through promotion, achievement and potential of the region among the circle of guests.

He said the daily workspace was also filled with the showcase of various achievement of the region, leading potential of the region, distinctive culture and activities of Karangasem and public services of regional leader in the form of entertaining and informative audiovisual presentation so that guests did not get bored while waiting for the opportunity to have an audience and increase the information and insights on Karangasem.

By knowing the potential of Karangasem, said Geredeg, it would indirectly introduce the Karangasem region and get an opportunity to attract investment, boost the pace of development and further reduce the poverty.

Regent I Wayan Geredeg, added, the workspace facilities were appropriately increased in line with the improvement of performance. Workspace facilities of the regional leader were not only intended to give effect to the working productivity but also to serve as a campaign medium to promote the regional potential so that it could be a medium to introduce the culture and leading potentials of Karangasem.

It was added that the more representative regent’s office had been equipped with workspace, meeting room, press conference, lobby, promotion room, a room of personal secretary with facility of two CCTVs, multimedia facilities, air conditioning and electronic door. (013)

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Injured Li Na, Jankovic pull out of Paris Open Reuters

AP Photo/Alan Diaz

Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade (3) scores between Cleveland Cavaliers’ Antawn Jamison, left, and Anderson Varejao, right, during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Miami, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012. The Heat won 107-91.

IBP/File

The hut where one of the poor family in Karangasem live

Threats of HIV/AIDS through sexual relations

Treated improperly, the case surges in next five years

Denpasar (Bali Post)—

Sexual relation is the highest risk factor of the HIV/AIDS transmission in Bali. Surely this condition will result in a concern because HIV does not pose a disease immediately showing off the symptoms when the virus begins to enter the body. It will appear at least five years after the virus gets into the body.

If handled improperly, the transmission of HIV case through heterosexual contact can soar high and be detected at least five years later. “Sufferers who are not aware of suffering from HIV will pass it on to others. More dangerously, if the sufferers have a free sex behavior and multiple partners,” said the Section Head of Outpatient Medical Services of Sanglah Hospital, Ida Ayu Miswarihati, when met on Tuesday (Feb 7).

Based on data in 2011, the number of visit to voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) of Sanglah Hospital amounted to

1,284 people with 370 positive patients or about 30 percent. When compared to the data in 2010, the number of visits in 2011 decreased, where in 2010 the visit to VCT of Sanglah Hospital reached 1,373 with 361 patients found positive.

“However, the positive case in 2011 was more than in 2010,” said Dayu Mis. Infected perpetrators of heterosexual relation were not only among the prostitutes and their customers but they had spread to housewives and children who were affected by the behavior of free sex and multiple partners. In 2011, 25 children were found positive to HIV as transmitted from their mother.

Iceberg phenomenon of HIV/AIDS indeed had to be alerted. Based on estimation, the HIV/AIDS sufferer in Bali reached over 7,000 people where by the end of 2011 was encountered 5,222 people.

Chairman of Kerti Praja Foundation,

Prof. D.N. Wirawan, not long ago described the circle of HIV transmission through sexual relation did not only happen between prostitutes and their customers but also came into the household and infected the housewife and baby. Then, customers of prostitute did not only transmit the HIV to their wife, but also to other non-infected prostitutes and vice versa.

The number of prostitute in Bali was predicted to reach 8,000 people consisting of 2,000 direct prostitutes and 6,000 indirect prostitutes. Within a year, of the total number of prostitutes, their customer was predicted to reach 80,000 different people. It could be imagined if the 80,000 customers were infected by HIV and then had sexual intercourse with different people or their partners. Assuredly, the number of HIV patient would rise sharply due to unsafe sexual relation and multiple partners. (kmb24)

 Founder : K.Nadha,  General Manager :Palgunadi Chief Editor: Diah Dewi Juniarti  Editors: Gugiek Savindra,Alit Susrini, Alit Sumertha, Daniel Fajry, Mawa, Sri Hartini, Suana, Sueca, Sugiartha, Wirya, Yudi Winanto Denpasar: Dira Arsana, Giriana Saputra, Subagiadnya, Subrata, Suentra, Sumatika, Asmara Putra. Bangli: Pujawan, Buleleng: Adnyana, Gianyar: Agung Dharmada, Karangasem: Budana, Klungkung: Bali Putra Ariawan. Jakarta: Nikson, Hardianto, Ade Irawan. NTB: Agus Talino, Syamsudin Karim, Izzul Khairi, Raka Akriyani. Surabaya: Bambang Wilianto.  Development: Alit Purnata, Mas Ruscitadewi.  Office: Jalan Kepundung 67 A Denpasar 80232. Telephone (0361)225764, Facsimile: 227418, P.O.Box: 3010 Denpasar 80001. Bali Post Jakarta, Advertizing: Jl.Palmerah Barat 21F. Telp 021-5357602, Facsimile: 0215357605 Jakarta Pusat. NTB: Jalam Bangau No. 15 Cakranegara Telp. (0370) 639543, Facsimile: (0370) 628257. Publisher: PT Bali Post

Miami heat up in fourth quarter to beat Cavs

PARIS - French Open champion Li Na retired injured from her first-round match against Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova at the Paris Open on Tuesday. China’s Li, the world number nine, threw in the towel when she was 7-6 3-2 down. The third seed had called on the trainer earlier to treat back pain.

Also on Tuesday, former world number one Jelena Jankovic of Serbia pulled out with a thigh strain.

The world number 13, seeded fourth in Paris, picked up the injury in a Fed Cup tie against Belgium last weekend.

“I am really disappointed not to play here,” she told a news conference. “I don’t know when I will be able to resume playing but I don’t regret having played in the Fed Cup.

Reuters

The Miami Heat inched closer to top spot in the Eastern Conference with a 107-91 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday. Dwyane Wade scored a game-high 26 points and LeBron James had 24 against his former team as the Heat put the game out of reach with a fourth-quarter surge.

Miami led 84-78 with just over nine minutes left before embarking on an 8-0 run that padded the advantage to double digits and helped the Heat (19-6) move within a game of the conference-leading Chicago Bulls.

The Cavaliers (9-14) are moving forward from losing James to Miami in 2010 with a surprisingly solid start to the season behind No. 1 overall draft pick Kyrie Irving, who recorded 16 points against the Heat.

Antawn Jamison had 25 points and nine rebounds for the Cavaliers, who kept pace with the Heat for three quarters before losing steam in the fourth.

Billups

The Los Angeles Clippers were dealt a blow as starting guard Chauncey Billups was ruled out for the rest of the NBA season with a torn left Achilles tendon, the team said on Tuesday. He will also miss this year’s London Olympics.

The five-times All-Star suffered the injury in the fourth quarter of the Clippers’ win on Monday over the Orlando Magic when he tried to change direction after missing a three-point shot.

Los Angeles acquired the 35year-old Billups off waivers in December just before trading for four-times All-Star Chris Paul. The tandem has helped the Clippers

(15-7) to a first-place start in the Pacific Division and turned them into contenders, but the loss of Billups clouds their status.

“It was tough. It was deflating,” Billups told reporters of his injury during a television interview. “The team is coming together and what we have going on is exciting. To know that this season is over, it hurt.”

The injury also rules the veteran Billups out of this year’s London Olympics after he had been named to the 20-player pool.

Billups was averaging 15 points and four assists in 20 starts for the Pacific division-leading Clippers this season, which was shortened to 66 games because of the lockout.

AP Photo/Yves Logghe

Serbia’s Jelena Jankovic returns the ball towards Belgium’s Kirsten Flipkens, during the World Group, first round of the Fed Cup tennis match in Charleroi, Belgium, Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012.

14

Sport

Thursday, February 9, 2012

International

Argentina’s Velez Sarsfield got their Libertadores Cup campaign off to a winning start on Tuesday with a 3-0 victory over Defensor Sporting of Uruguay in group seven. In an occasionally badtempered group four clash, three red cards were flashed as Fluminense of Brazil beat Argentina’s Arsenal 1-0.

Velez playmaker David Ramirez scored the first goal of the competition when he rifled in a shot from the edge of the box past goalkeeper Yonatan Irrazabal in the 41st minute in Montevideo.

New signing Mauro Obolo made it 2-0 in the 81st minute when he volleyed home from close range and defender Sebastian Dominguez completed the win with a goal many of the world’s top strikers would have been proud of, steering a free kick from outside the box into the top corner with five minutes left.

Asked if it was his best ever goal, man-of-the-match Dominguez told Fox Sports: “Probably, I’ve scored so few.”

THREE RED Arsenal could have used their former striker Obolo, who was

transferred to Velez last month, as their finishing was poor in the group four match in Rio de Janeiro. Brazil striker Fred netted the only goal after two minutes and Fluminense clung on with nine men at the end.

Fluminense’s Wagner and Nicolas Aguirre of Arsenal were sent off after some pushing among the players after a tackle in the 74th minute. Fluminense defender Leandro Euzebio was also shown the red card in the final minute after he struck Arsenal’s Damian Perez in the face with his heel after both went down in a tackle.

Mexican side Guadalajara have the chance to leave their troubles behind in their domestic league where they are bottom of the Clausura championship when they take on Deportivo Quito later on Tuesday in group seven. Holders Santos make their group one bow away to Bolivia’s The Strongest at high altitude in La Paz next week.

Boca Juniors return to the competition for the first time since they lost to Defensor Sporting in the round of 16 in 2009 with a visit to Venezuelan newcomers Zamora in group four.

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Until the end of 2011, Jembrana Regency still had thousands of unemployed people. In 2011, the amount was higher than in 2009 and 2010.

The data of Manpower Agency were not much different from that of the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) of Jembrana.

AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos

Athletic Bilbao’s teammates celebrates a goal of Markel Susaeta, unseen, after he scored against Mirandes during their Spanish second-leg Copa del Rey soccer match semifinal at the San Mames stadium in Bilbao, northern Spain, Tuesday, Feb.7, 2012.

Bilbao roar past Mirandes into Cup final

MADRID - Athletic Bilbao ended tiny Mirandes’s remarkable run with a ruthless 6-2 win in their King’s Cup semi-final second leg on Tuesday to set up a final with either Barcelona or Valencia. Iker Muniain, Markel Susaeta and Jon Aurtenetxe scored inside the opening 22 minutes at San Mames, quickly extinguishing any chance of another giant-killing feat from their plucky visitors.

AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Negara (Bali Post)—

Reuters

Uruguay’s Defensor Sporting’s Diego Rolan, left, challenges Argentina’s Velez Sarsfield’s David Ramirez during a Copa Libertadores soccer match in Montevideo, Uruguay,Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012.

Bali News

Jembrana still has 8,000 unemployed people

Velez make winning start, red cards mar Flu victory Reuters

International

Fernando Llorente scored twice in four second-half minutes, after Mirandes had pulled one back through defender Aitor Blanco, who also grabbed their second near the end. Cesar Caneda put the ball in his own net two minutes from time as Bilbao, who have won the Cup 23 times, progressed 8-3 on aggregate.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side will find out their final opponents on Wednesday, when Valencia visit the Nou Camp to play Barca with the tie level at 1-1. “It’s incredible to be in another final after only a few years, we are delighted,” Llorente told Spanish television.

“We knew we couldn’t afford to relax at all, and the few times we did, they scored. “I don’t care who we meet in the final as long as we win. I had a bad experience with Barca, but we’ll give it our best whoever it is.” Bilbao lost 4-1 to Barca in the 2009 Cup

final.

Mirandes, who play in Spain’s Segunda B, knocked out topflight sides Villarreal, Racing Santander and Espanyol to reach the last four, and were the second team only from the third tier to do so in the competition’s current format.

MIRANDES REELING Bilbao never gave the visitors time to settle, however, and a failure to clear a cross in the 11th minute allowed Muniain to burst through the middle and fire in the opener. Mirandes were still reeling three minutes later when the hosts strung together a series of passes that pulled the defence apart and Susaeta turned to slot away the second.

Aurtenetxe looped in a header to make it 3-0 and Mirandes did not manage to test Bilbao keeper Gorka Iraizoz until the 35th min-

ute when Pablo Infante drilled a shot straight at him. Mirandes showed some of the courage and talent that have made them headline news in Spain after the break, and were rewarded in the 58th when a rebound from a shot against the post was turned in by Blanco.

They flashed another effort wide of the post before in-form Spain striker Llorente lobbed the visiting keeper from outside the area in the 71st. He then slid in at the far post to notch his eighth goal from the last four matches.

Both sets of fans cheered their teams in the closing stages and Mirandes even hit the post before the referee blew the final whistle.

“It’s been an unforgettable experience. Something we’ll remember for the rest of our lives,” Mirandes captain Pablo Infante said. “Now we need to focus on winning our league and getting promotion.”

The data of the Social Welfare, Manpower and Transmigration Agency of Jembrana indicated the open unemployment or manpower who really did not have a job in 2011 reached 8,757 people. In other words, there was an increase in the unemployment of about 1,000 over the previous year.

Meanwhile, the category of underemployed people amounted to 36,320 people of the total 156,824 labor force. Division Head of Labor Affairs, Putu Gede Wardhana, when met on Tuesday (Feb 7) said the results were obtained from the identity card for information system and population administration implemented since 2009. Meanwhile, the results of previous years, namely from 2003 to 2008, were from the BPS and labor force survey.

The number of open unemployment showed a significant increase over the past three years. It averagely reached 1,000 people per year. In 2008 there were 6,444 open unemployed people, and then grew to 7,495 people in 2010 and 8,757 people in 2011.

In the meantime, the total labor force declined in 2010 if compared to that of 2010.

In 2010, the number of population belonging to working age was 214,506 people and they consisted of 157,026 workforces.

Among the working age of 217,130 in 2011, there were 156,824 unemployed people.

The existing job opportunities in 2011 could only absorbed 150,000 labor forces.

Meanwhile, the number of underemployed people or workers who did not work optimally because they did not have jobs from year to year was stagnant in the range of 36,000 people. The population had impermanent job and worked less than 35 hours per week. By and large, the unemployment was triggered by incomparable labor force to the job opportunities that could absorb. Unemployment often became an economic burden and problem.

This year, local government attempted to explore a number of opportunities to reduce the unemployment rate. One of them was by sending apprentices to Japan as implemented recently. (kmn26)

Violate rules Plan of investor to build road at Subak Toye Hee Semarapura (Bali Post)—

The plan of Korean investor to build a road on the Mati River in the border of Subak Toye Hee and Subak Pegatepan entrusted to a native Balinese is ascertained to violate the existing rules.

As consequence, the plan may not be realized though investor continues to approach the subak members to pass the plan. “It is not allowed to build anything on Tukad Mati. We must even preserve the existence of Mati River itself,” said the Head of Klungkung Public Works Agency, IB. Adnyana, Tuesday (Feb 7).

IB Adnyana mentioned the Mati River served as a water channel during the rainy season. Aside from the strategic function to drain water, in the Bali Regional Regulation (Perda) No.16/2009 on Bali regional spatial planning (RTRW) the matter had been strongly regulated. In particular, the Article 50 point 5 point letter a (2) described (as stipulated in) Article 44 paragraph 1 (d) about the protected area of river borderline. “Any building on the Mati River and riverside should comply with the regulation of river borderline,” said IB Adnyana accompanied by the Division Head of Spatial Order, the Klungkung Public Works Agency, Ketut Narkayasa.

In the regulation on the borderline, one of the stipulations set that the building was permitted at 10 meters from the riverside with the depth of 3-10 meters.

Similarly, a building could be estab-

lished at a distance of 3 meters from the riverside provided that the riverside had been protected with parapet. “By referring to the regulation, I declare that it is not allowed to build on the Mati River,” he added.

Similar confession was delivered

by Secretary of Klungkung Regency, Ketut Janapria, who claimed to have never been met by the investor planning to build the road. IB Adnyana also admitted that so far he had never met anybody related to such a plan. Even, if later on there were parties who met him, he would surely explain pursuant to the prevailing regulations.

Most subak members having the land around the road project plan also worried if the Mati River would be taken advantage for the construction of road body.

The overflowing water, especially during rainy season, would not be dammed and even would destroy their farmland considering the Mati River was the only reservoir of excessive water during the rain.

Meanwhile, the Korean investor through its representative, Ni Wayan Niati, had a meeting with the subak members. They discussed about the road development plan of 8 meters wide along 400 meters. However, Niati did not mention the subsequent plan after the road construction completed. She only told if the Korean investor had a total land area of 3.55 hectares situated at three locations. (kmb20)

IBP/File

One of the competitors of the tourist attraction in Ulun Danu,

Compete against alternative tourist attractions

Visitor to Ulun Danu drops 30 percent Tabanan (Bali Post)—

Rife tourist attractions around the verge of Lake Beratan at Baturiti are continuously complained by the operator of Ulun Danu Beratan tourist attraction. As a result of those ‘illegal’ tourist attractions, the visit to Ulun Danu drops up to 40 percent. Such a decline in tourist visit is clearly visible during last Galungan holiday season.

The main trigger of the declining tourist visit was that more tourists made a visit to alternative attractions than to Ulun Danu.

It ensued because they offered cheaper entrance ticket rates. Even, visitors were only charged with parking ticket. Meanwhile, visitors to Ulun Danu were required to purchase entrance ticket “We are really confused with the existence of many alternative tourist attractions around the lakeside. As a result, visitors to Ulun Danu drop sharply,” sighed Operation Manager of Ulun Danu Beratan Tourist Attraction, Wayan Mustika, Tuesday (Feb 7).

This man pointed out that on last Galungan holiday, the total visit dropped drastically compared to the visit last year. Even, his income dropped to IDR 37 million. According to him, such condition was caused by many visitors, chiefly domestic tourists, turned to the alternative attractions because they should not buy entrance ticket when

visiting the location. Most tourists were only charged with parking ticket at IDR 5,000, while the official ticket price at Ulun Danu was IDR 7,500 per person, excluding parking ticket.

According to Mustika, such conditions posed a serious threat to the revenue of Ulun Danu. Moreover, effective next April, the official entrance ticket at Ulun Danu would be raised. For domestic tourists, the entrance ticket would be increased from IDR 7,500 to IDR 10,000 per person. “Now, the visit has dropped, let alone when the tariff is raised,” he complained. Mustika hoped the Tabanan Regency could act firmly against the emergence of the alternative tourist attraction. If left unchecked, Mustika said, it was feared to be consistently followed by the others. Another complaint was the alternative tourist attraction did not charge entrance ticket so the levy to regional government was questioned whereas tourists to the alternative attractions equally enjoyed the beauty of Ulun Danu.

Mustika added the issue on the decline in tourist visit had been reported to the supporting devotee caretaker of the Ulun Danu Temple and Baturiti customary leaders. His party was still awaiting the decision from the caretakers to determine further measures. (udi)

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Thursday, February 9, 2012

News

International

Science

Thursday, February 9, 2012

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Nigeria lead poisoning ‘worst in modern history’: HRW

Appeals court reverses California gay marriage ban Agence France-Presse

CALIFORNIA - A US federal appeals court struck down a California law that strips gays and lesbians of the right to marry in the latest round of America’s long-running battle over same-sex marriage. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court judge’s ruling that an amendment to the California state constitution banning same-sex marriage violated principles of due process and equal protection under the law.

Gay marriage was briefly authorized in California in 2008, but later banned by a referendum on what was known as Proposition 8. It rewrote the state’s constitution to restrict marriage to unions between a man and a woman.

On Tuesday, the three-judge appeals panel in San Francisco ruled 2-1 that a lower court had properly declared the ban a violation of the US Constitution.

The ban had violated equality laws “to target a minority group and withdraw a right that it possessed, without a legitimate reason for doing so,” Judge Stephen Reinhardt wrote in the majority opinion.

“Proposition 8 serves no purpose, and has no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California,” the opinion said. “The constitution simply does not allow for laws of this sort.”

In a dissenting opinion, Judge Randy Smith argued that the government could have a legitimate interest in preventing samesex couples from marrying.

The ruling was relatively narrow in scope and did not address whether gays and lesbians have a broader constitutional right to marry. The court’s judgment drew sharp criticism from Republican presidential candidates.

“Today, unelected judges cast aside the will of the people of California who voted to protect traditional marriage,” said Republican presidential frontrunner Mitt Romney.

“This decision does not end this fight and I expect it to go to the Supreme Court. That prospect underscores the vital importance of this election and the movement to preserve our values.”

Former House speaker Newt Gingrich said the court’s decision shows “more and more Americans are being exposed to the radical overreach of federal judges and their continued assault on the Judeo-Christian foundations of the United States.”

Former senator Rick Santorum, another Republican White House hopeful, said the ruling “is another in a long line of radical activist rulings by this rogue circuit” court.

However, supporters of gay rights welcomed the ruling.

California Attorney General Kamala Harris called the decision “a victory for fairness, a victory for equality and a victory for justice.”

The decision did not give gay and lesbian couples the immediate right to wed while the ban remains in force until the US Supreme Court rules on a likely final appeal.

Joe Solmonese, president of Human Rights Campaign, said the decision overturns a “hateful law,” and added: “This monumental decision affirms what we all know to be true: our constitution exists to protect the basic civil rights of all Americans -- gay, straight, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender.”

All three judges agreed the federal judge who previously found the voter-approved ban unconstitutional had no obligation to disclose that he was in a long-term gay relationship or recuse himself from the case. Gay marriage is legal in six of 50 US states so far -- Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York as well as in the federal capital city Washington -- and is a hot-button political issue nationally.

At the White House, President Barack Obama’s spokesman Jay Carney declined to comment on the specifics of the case, but noted that the president has “long opposed divisive and discriminatory efforts to deny... rights and benefits to same-sex couples.”

David Cruz, a University of Southern California law professor, said the ruling may not be the final word on same-sex marriage rights.

He said the ruling was “very narrow and pretty much only applies to California’s Proposition 8, and doesn’t reach any other marriage restriction in the country.”

International

Agence France Presse

A lead poisoning epidemic in Nigeria’s north that has killed 400 children and affected thousands is the worst in modern history, but cleanup has not even begun in many areas, Human Rights Watch said Tuesday.

Syrian pro-government protesters hold a banner in in Arabic, Russian and Chinese and wave Syrian and Russian flags as a convoy carrying Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov heads towards the presidential palace in Damascus on February 7, 2012.

Attacks in Syria’s Homs resume, dozens killed Reuters

AMMAN - Armored forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad killed at least 47 civilians as they thrust into Homs on Wednesday, firing rockets and mortar rounds to subdue opposition districts, activists said, a day after Russia said Assad wants peace.

Tanks entered the Inshaat neighborhood and moved closer to Bab Amro district in the central Syrian city, which has been the target of the heaviest barrages by loyalist troops that have killed at least 150 people in the last two day, activists in the city and opposition sources said.

“Electricity returned briefly and we were able to contact various neighborhoods because activists there managed to recharge their phones. We counted 47 killed since midnight,” activist Mohammad Hassan said by satellite phone.

Hassan said bombardment intensified in the early morning, concentrating on Bab Amro, al-Bayada, alKhalidiya and Wadi al-Arab -- Sunni Muslim neighborhoods in the mixed city that have risen up against the 11 year rule of Assad, from Syria’s minority Alawite community, which has dominated the majority Sunni country for the last five decades.

“Mortar and rocket fires have subsided, but heavy machineguns and anti-aircraft guns are still strong... tanks are in main thoroughfares in the city and appear poised to push deep into residential areas,” he added.

The attacks on Homs continued despite Russia winning a promise

from Assad to bring an end to bloodshed, while Western and Arab states acted to further isolate Assad following the onslaught on the city, one of the bloodiest of the 11-month uprising.

The reports could not be independently verified because Syrian authorities have placed tight restrictions on access to the country by Western media.

The official state news agency said “armed terrorist groups” attacked police roadblocks in Homs and fired mortar bombs at the city, with three falling on the Homs oil refinery, one of two in the country. It gave no details of any damage.

“Assad is seeing the civilized world turn against him and he thinks he will win if he uses more brutal force before the world could act,” said Catherine al-Talli, senior member of the opposition National Council.

The attack on Homs has intensified Western and regional diplomatic pressure on Assad, who was training as an ophthalmologist in London before his father, the late President Hafez al-Assad, anointed him as his successor when another brother who was being groomed for

president died.

Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd on Wednesday called in Syria’s top diplomat, charge d’affaires Jawdat Ali, telling him Syria’s regime had lost its legitimacy and it was time for Assad to step down.

“Our message to the Syrian government is clear - Assad must find an exit strategy before the situation in Syria degenerates further and more lives are lost,” Rudd said in a statement.

Rudd said on Tuesday that Australia had imposed new travel bans and financial sanctions on a further 75 people in Syria and 27 entities.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov of Russia, one of Syria’s few remaining allies, said on a trip to Damascus on Tuesday that both countries wanted to revive a monitoring effort by the Arab League, whose plan to resolve Syria’s crisis was vetoed by Moscow and Beijing in the U.N. Security Council.

Lavrov - whose government wields unique leverage as a major arms supplier with longstanding political ties to Damascus, and maintains a naval facility on its coast - told Assad that peace was in Russia’s interests.

But there was no indication from Lavrov’s comments that the issue of Assad eventually giving up power - a central element of the Arab proposal that failed in the U.N. - had been raised.

AFP Photo/Pius Utomi Ekpei

Health workers excavate soil contaminated by lead at Dareta village, Anka district in Zamfara State in 2010.

Ship noise boosts stress in whales, 9/11 reveals: study agence France Presse

to suddenly drop off, making it possible to measure the impact of varying levels of sound The steady drone of motors along busy pollution in the sea. Over the last 50 years noise commercial shipping lanes not only alters caused by cargo and military vessels, along with whale behaviour but can affect the giant sea high-decibel sonars used for oil exploration, mammals physically by causing chronic has gradually increased in intensity and scope. stress, a study published Wednesday has Baleen whales communicate at the same reported for the first time. The findings were low-frequency wavelengths emitted by these made possible, researchers said, by an event ships, in the range of 20 to 200 hertz (Hz), that at first glance seems far removed from the and some species have adapted by emitting plight of cetaceans: the attacks on New York’s louder and more frequent acoustic signals.

Twin Towers on September 11, 2001.

Only weeks before the 9/11 attack, scientists Only a catastrophe of that magnitude, they led by Rosalind Rolland of the New England explained, could have caused maritime traffic Aquarium had undertaken a study of North Atlantic right whales that congregate in late summer in Canada’s Bay of Fundy to feed and nurse their calves.

Starting in July 2001, the researchers used trained dogs to find whale faecal matter floating on the surface of the water.

They collected samples over a six-week period every year through 2005.

The whale poop contained hormone-related chemicals, called glucocorticoids, mirroring stress levels that could change AP Photo/The Oregonian, Steven Nehl In this 1998 photo shows famed killer whale Keiko, at the from one day to the next, or even within hours.

Oregon Coast Aquarium, in Newport, Ore.

“Thousands of children in northern Nigeria need immediate medical treatment and dozens of villages remain contaminated two years into the worst lead poisoning epidemic in modern history,” the US-based group said in a statement.

The group reiterated a previous official death toll of 400 children, with the poisoning having been caused by illegal gold mining in villages in northern Zamfara state. “What is urgently needed is a cleanup of the affected villages and some four million dollars (three million euros) will be required for this purpose,” HRW researcher Jane Cohen told AFP. She said foreign donors, Nigeria’s federal and the Zamfara state government must work together to tackle the problem. “The Zamfara government is making some efforts, but this not enough. The Nigerian government and international community have

to be involved,” she said. Clean-up efforts have taken place in some areas and charities such as Doctors Without Borders have been treating victims but more urgent work is needed, according to HRW. A robust clean-up should begin before the rainy season starts in April, Cohen said. “Environmental cleanup efforts have not even begun in numerous affected villages,” the group said.

“Research by Human Rights Watch in Zamfara in late 2011 found that children are exposed to this lead dust when they process ore in the mines, when their miner relatives return home covered with lead dust, and when the lead-filled ore is manually or mechanically crushed at home,” it said.

“Children can also be exposed to toxic lead in contaminated water and food.” The extent of the poisoning began to come to light some two years ago.

Drones: Coming soon to an airspace near you

Is it a bird? Is it a plane?

Nope, it’s an unmanned drone! Congress today approved a bill that allows unmanned aircraft to fly in the same airspace as commercial airliners, private planes, and cargo jets. The legislation allocates $63.4 billion over the next three and a half years to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), $11 billion of which will be used to update air traffic control systems at 35 US airports to handle the remote-controlled aircrafts.

The deadline for the systems update is June 2015.

The change to flight regulations will allow military, commercial, and private drones to fly over US territory. Currently, drones are only allowed over certain military airspace, along US borders for surveillance purposes, and to about 300 public agencies, according to the Associated Press. The FAA must submit its plan for how to safely allow wide-spread drone flight within nine months of the bill’s passage.

In addition to the bit about drones — which we find both awesome and horrifying — the FAA will also update to a more precise GPS system, known as Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast, or ADS-B. Once ADS-B is in place, aircraft fitted with the new tech will have their locations updated every second, as opposed to the six to 12 second intervals allowed by the current system. This will

allow planes to come into runways at a steeper decent, fly closer together, and land and take off more quickly.

The addition of ADS-B is part of a massive FAA endeavor known as NextGen. According to the FAA, the roll out of NexGen will allow for fewer delays, fewer accidents, a lower environmental impact, and stronger national security, among a slew of other benefits.

12

Entertainment

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Review: ‘Journey 2’ sinks Verne’s isle in 3-D muck Associated Press Writer

There’s little mystery about “Journey 2: The Mysterious Island.” This 3-D sort-of sequel wears its formula-for-dollars purpose with pride, delivering a dash of cinematic nonsense that represents Hollywood calculation at its shrewdest and most shameless.

AP Photo/Warner Bros. Pictures, Ron Phillips

In this image released by Warner Bros. Pictures, from left, Luis Guzman, Vanessa Hudgens, Michael Caine, Dwayne Johnson and Josh Hutcherson are shown in a scene from “Journey 2: The Mysterious Island.”

Again poking Jules Verne’s remains with a sharp stick, the producers of the 2008 hit “Journey to the Center of the Earth” present their second modern take on the 19th century fantasist’s wild stories. And “Mysterious Island” is every bit the amusement park ride cloaked as a movie that the first “Journey” was, the new flick stranding a misfit band of adventurers on Verne’s lost island of freakish creatures.

What this one lacks by comparison is the relative novelty of digital 3-D, which was in its infancy for mainstream theatrical releases when “Journey to the Center of the Earth” came out.

It also lacks the likable goof factor of Brendan Fraser, who starred in the first movie but isn’t back for the second. Dwayne Johnson steps in this time, and while he tries to yuck it up amid the nonstop action, he’s just not a goofball on the order of Fraser, who somehow can make extreme silliness palatable with that big, simpering grin of his.

Johnson, on the other hand, merely simpers.

“Journey 2” also features a change of directors, with Brad Peyton (“Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore”) overseeing a collection of impressive but annoying visuals, serving up gimmicky 3-D that’s

Grammys to feature first dance music segment Associated Press Writer

Grammy show producer Ken Ehrlich had considered putting dancing/electronica music into the ceremony in the past, but could never quite figure out how to incorporate the high-energy club feel in front of a sometimes staid audience. He thinks he’s figured it out this year. For the first time, the Grammy show will put the spotlight on the genre with a segment featuring Grammy nominees Deadmau5, the Foo Fighters,

Chris Brown, David Guetta and Lil Wayne, all performing in a tent space amid 1,000 fans.

“We decided to go all out this year,” Ehrlich said of the performance taking place outside the Staples Center in Los Angeles, where Sunday’s ceremony will be held. “All we’re going to try and do next week is to try and put the home audience in the middle of it. ... It is more than just sitting there and watching it.”

Dance music did not receive its own category until 2003 with

AP Photo/Evan Agostini, file

FILE - In this Dec. 9, 2011 file photo, DJ David Guetta performs at Z100’s Jingle Ball concert at Madison Square Garden in New York.

the best dance recording/dance field, and the music had not been featured with its own segment in the show.

“I don’t know that I figured out a way to do it that felt right until now,” Ehrlich said in an interview Monday. “My feeling about dance is it’s such an immersive experience for the participant, that to put it on stage ... where the audience is not a part of it ... I don’t know, honestly, until we came up with the idea of doing it this way, I don’t know if it ever would have worked.”

Ehrlich calls the performance the “most ambitious number that we’ve ever done outside the Staples Center.” It will feature at least four cameras from audience level as Deadmau5 (pronounced dead mouse) and the Foo Fighters perform his remixed version of the band’s song “Rope,” which netted him one of his Grammy nominations, and as Brown and Lil Wayne perform with Guetta.

Ehrlich said the performance reflects the popularity of dance music over the past few years.

“As much as a recorded medium that it is, and the fact that it’s selling a lot of CDs and downloads, it’s really a live experience,” he said. “It is more than just sitting there and watching it.”

continually trying to poke things in your eye.

Johnson stars as ex-Navy guy Hank, stepfather to troublesome teenager Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson, reprising his role from the first “Journey”).

In its rushed and clunky opening minutes, “Journey 2” establishes that Sean’s a bad boy genius who resents his stepdad; bonds the two in a scene that shows Hank’s an OK guy and Sean’s not such a bad boy and not such a genius; sends them off to the South Pacific in search of Sean’s grandfather (Michael Caine), who sent a cryptic transmission that he had found Verne’s supposedly fictional island; and lands them in the company of helicopter pilot Gabato (Luis Guzman) and his beautiful daughter, Kailani (Vanessa Hudgens), who ferry the visitors to the remote isle.

Peyton and cousins Brian Gunn and Mark Gunn, who wrote the screenplay, waste no time giving the characters more than the barest cartoon personalities, allowing the filmmakers to focus on the movie’s only reason to exist. And that’s purely as a thrill ride, the actors racing from a giant lizard, flying on monster bees while pursued by colossal hungry birds, rushing to escape an enormous electric eel.

Zsa Zsa kept behind closed doors at birthday party Associated Press Writer

LOS ANGELES — After what felt like an eternity but was actually just a few minutes, Frederic Prinz von Anhalt emerged from a white door into the foyer of the old-fashioned Bel-Air mansion that he shares with his wife of 25 years, former glamour queen Zsa Zsa Gabor.

The self-proclaimed German prince held a chocolate birthday cake he said was a gift from celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck. Smoke from the expunged candles jabbed into the small cake was still drifting in the air. Surrounded by paintings and photographs depicting Gabor when she was an infamously sassy Hungarian actress, a few dozen guests quietly sipped champagne and mingle in the common areas of the home overlooking the twinkling lights of Los Angeles.

But Gabor was nowhere to be seen — apparently celebrating her 95th birthday behind closed doors on the chilly Monday evening. Von Anhalt presented the cake to his bedridden beloved out of sight from the partygoers who had gathered for the occasion. He paraded it around the room as he greets his guests.

Gabor hasn’t had much reason to celebrate for nearly two years as she dealt with a broken hip, a leg amputated because of gangrene, blood clots, infections, pneumonia, a loose feeding tube.

But that didn’t stop the publicity-loving

Activities

International

International

von Anhalt from throwing a good party in her honor.

There was food — German dishes like warm pretzels and schnitzel — and plenty of drink. After emerging from the kitchen with his arms filled with bottles of pink wine, the endlessly eccentric von Anhalt scoffed at questions about unloading the mansion, having a baby or running for mayor of Los Angeles.

“This night is only a celebration of my wife’s life,” he proclaimed.

Present All You Can Eat Mediterranean Sunday Brunch IBP

JAKARTA - Starting January 2012 Sabeen Restaurant of THE HAVEN Seminyak proudly present the opening of Sunday Brunch.

All You Can Eat Mediterranean brunch will be served exquisitely

by Chef Clive Allan Pelser to satisfy guests every Sunday from noon to 3 pm, for only Rp. 329.000 nett / person and Rp. 164.000 nett for children from 6-9 years old. More, completing the brunch Sabeen restaurant will also provide an endless flow of alcoholic beverages standard pouring brand for an additional price of Rp. 329.000 Nett.

All main dishes and desserts of the brunch would be cooked and served a la minute in front of guests. Only row of appetizers including a variety of fresh salad had been prepared earlier. More, the ambiance of Sabeen Restaurant becomes more comfort and relax due to Jazz music performance by Marina and Friends while companying the guest to enjoy the Sunday Brunch.

IBP/Courtesy of The Haven

Temple Ceremony Calendar Event for February 1 through 15, 2012 1 Feb Buda Keliwon Dunggulan.

Pura Wakika Kupang, NTT Pura Agung Girinatha Sumbawa Besar NTB Pura Dukuh Sakti Dukuh Kediri-Tabanan Pura Atambuananta Kutamba NTT Pura Webananta Kupang, NTT Pura Giripati Mulawarman Pontianak.

Pura Mustika Dharma Cijantung I Jakarta Timur 2 Feb Wraspati Umanis Dunggulan Pura Watukaru Tabanan Pura Lempuyang Luhur Karangasem Pura Kentel Gumi Klungkung Pasek Gaduh Umadesa Kediri Tabanan Pura Pasek Kubayan Wangaya Gede Penebel Tabanan Merajan Pasek Tohjiwa Tiyingan Merajan Pasek Gaduh Umadesa

4 Feb Saniscara Pon Dunggulan Pura Segara Jembrana Pura Dalem Gede Losan Klungkung 5 Feb Redite Wage Kuningan Pura Dalem Tegal Tamu Sekarmukti-Balubulan.

Pura Kubayan Umagunung Sempidi-Badung 6 Feb Soma Keliwon Kuningan Pura Dasar Gelgel-Klungkung Pura Pasek Tohjiwa Sawah/Selemadeg-Tabanan Pura Pemerajan Agung Benawah Kangin Gianyar Pura Panti Pasek Gelgel Pelapuhan-Busungbiu Buleleng Pura Kahyangan Tulus Desa Apuan.

AP Photo/File

5

The Haven Seminyak

3 Feb Sukra Paing Dunggulan Pura Ulun Suwi Jimbaran Pura Luhur Cemenggon, Sukawati.

Pura Pasek Ubung Denpasar

FILE - In this Aug. 15, 1986 file photo, actress Zsa Zsa Gabor is shown Los Angeles.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

7 Feb Purnama Kawulu Pura dalem Batur - Bangli Pura Pasek/Ida Ratu Pasek Besakih Ngusaba Ngeed Banua Kawan - Besakih

Pura Dalem Suci Sidemen - Karangasem 11 Feb Saniscara Keliwon Kuningan.

Pura Taman Pule Mas-Ubud Pura Ularan Takmung-Klungkung.

Pura Bukitjati Gulingan-Kawan Bangli Pura Dalem Tegehe Tegehe Pura Dalem Tahak Tahak Pura Dalem Batuaji. Batuaji Pura Dalem Tegaljaya Batubulan Pura Jenengan Maspahit Cemenggaon-Sukawati Pura Dalem Guwang-Sukawati Pura Sadha Kapal Pura Sakenan Serangan Pura Pekendungan Keiri-Tabanan Pura Pasek Gaduh Grokgak Gede Tabanan Pura Dalem Sanding Tampaksiring Pura Dalem Purnajati Tanjung Puri Tanjung Periuk Jakarta Pura Dalem Tenggaling Guliang-Bangli Mr. Dukuh Tetek Peguyangan-Denpasar Pura Agung Blambangan Banyuwangi Pura Dalem Agung Sri Nararya Kresna Kepakisan Gelgel -Klungkung Pura Panti Paksebali Klungkung (Perang Jempana) Pura Penataran Agung Margowening Desa Balonggarut, Sidoarjo, Jawa Timur 12 Feb Redite Umanis Langkir Pr. Sakenan Serangan Denpasar Selatan Pr. Batuaji Ubung Ubung-Tengah Denpasar Barat Pura Dalem Pahuman Bhujangga Penatih Denpasa Mr. Pasek Gianyar Kerobokan Pr. Alas Harum Batur Kintamani, Pr. Alas Angker Kintamani Kawitan Dalem Empuaji Aan-Klungkung.

15 Feb Buda Wage Langkir Pura Tanah Lot Kediri Tabanan Pura Bucabe Mas Ubud Pura Puseh Desa Ganggang-Canggi Batuan Pura Pasek Pertukangan Kediri-Tabanan Pura Pasek Bendesa Gulingan Mengwi

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.

6

Thursday, February 9, 2012

News

International

Malaysian exporters halt palm oil supply to Iran Reuters

this year, targeting financial institutions that deal with the central bank, hoping to stem Iran’s oil revenues.

U.S. President Barack Obama tightened sanctions on Iran another notch this month, again targeting its central bank and giving U.S. banks new powers to freeze assets linked to Tehran. The European Union has agreed to ban Iranian oil imports, a measure expected to take full effect within six months.

Iran, with a population of 74 million people, is finding it difficult to repatriate the hard currency from crude oil exports -- the major earner of the foreign currency it needs to pay for shipments of food and other imports.

Iranian buyers defaulted on payments for about 200,000 tonnes of rice from their top supplier India, exporters and rice millers told Reuters on Tuesday.

Ukrainian and European traders said they were no longer booking Ukraine grain shipments to Iran because of the payment difficulties.

Despite the halt in palm oil exports, traders in Kuala Lumpur said some Iranian buyers had continued to make enquiries, mostly for crude palm oil cargoes.

“They keep asking in the spirit of Muslim brotherhood. The last I heard was an enquiry for 5,000 tonnes for February or March delivery, but no one wants to take that risk now,” a second trader said.

ASITA...

The airport authority should manage the airport as well as provide many alternatives for visitors to shop. “Too many money changers are operating at Ngurah Rai so that they are susceptible to fraud. There have been many complaints such as about the existence of counterfeit money and shortage of money. Not to mention, there are lots of stalls selling mixed rice to fruit salads at Ngurah Rai,” he said.

Meanwhile, General Manager of Angkasa Pura I of the Ngurah Rai Airport, Purwanto, explained that all the complaints would be addressed. “At the moment, the Ngurah Rai Airport is performing renovation at some points.

However, the whole complaints pose the shared problems at the Ngurah Rai Bali,” he said.

Currently, the Ngurah Rai Airport, said Purwanto, was carrying out renovations at international terminal to be transformed into domestic terminal with an area of 76,000 square meters. As planned, it would accommodate approximately 25 million tourists per year. (kmb27)

From page 1 Up to now, the existence of porters roaming around at Ngurah Rai Airport frequently resulted in distortion between tourists and porters. Such incident occurred to tourists who were unable to speak English like Korean and Japanese tourists.

“Similarly, we’ve never seen money changers scattered around the international airport in other countries. They are scattered precisely like Sukawati Market. At the international airport anywhere there are maximally one or two reliable money changers of the state-owned bank,” he complained.

Al Purwa also mentioned there were some things related to insecurity and discomfort. Firstly, there were a lot of shops or stalls selling the same products, with approximately the same price and of large number in business area. It gave the impression if the airport was synonymous with the art market or other peddlers.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

BUSINESS

11

Japan passes $33 billion fourth extra budget

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian palm oil exporters have stopped supplying Iran with most of the 30,000 tonnes of the food staple the Middle Eastern country buys each month, or about half its demand, as Western financial curbs on Tehran stymie payments, two trading sources said.

The halt in Malaysia’s palm oil exports to Iran, which the traders said started late last year, is the latest sign that sanctions aimed at persuading Tehran to abandon a suspected nuclear weapons program have started to bite.

The sanctions, spearheaded by the United States and European Union, have made it difficult for Iranian palm oil buyers to use letters of credit and make payments via middlemen in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Malaysian exporters.

Malaysia is the world No.2 producer of palm oil, used to make products from bio-diesel to cooking oil. It is a key supplier of Iran’s palm oil, along with Indonesia, the world’s top producer.

“Most of the companies selling palm oil to Iran have stopped since the end of last year,” one trader with direct knowledge of the deals told Reuters on Wednesday.

“Payments are not coming through and no palm oil shipper wants to risk sending the cargoes to Iran with such a tense political situation,” added the trader, who declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the issue.

Malaysia’s Commodities Ministry and the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) -- the country’s key marketing agency for the tropical oil -- were not immediately available for comment.

The United States slapped fresh sanctions on Tehran from the start of

International

Agence France-Presse

AP Photo/B.K. Bangash

Pakistani children play snooker in slums of Rawalpindi city in Pakistan on Tuesday, Feb 7, 2012. The Pakistani army was meeting with NATO and Afghan forces on Wednesday in an effort to improve coordination along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, a sign of thawing relations after American airstrikes accidentally killed 24 Pakistani soldiers last year.

Pakistan holds border talks after deadly US attack

Associated Press

ISLAMABAD — The Pakistani army was meeting with NATO and Afghan forces on Wednesday in an effort to improve coordination along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, a sign of thawing relations after American airstrikes accidentally killed 24 Pakistani soldiers last year.

Pakistan was outraged by the Nov. 26 attack on two of its Afghan border posts and claimed it was deliberate. Islamabad retaliated by closing its border to supplies meant for NATO troops in Afghanistan and by kicking the U.S. out of a base used by American drones.

But tensions seemed to have eased slightly, with Pakistani officials saying in recent days the government should reopen its border to NATO supplies as long as it can negotiate higher fees.

The United States and Pakistan have long had a troubled relationship, but both sides have an interest in preventing it from rupturing completely. The U.S. needs Pakistan’s help to fight al-Qaida and negotiate peace with the Taliban in Afghanistan, while Islamabad is keen on keeping billions of dollars in American aid flowing.

Wednesday’s meeting took place at a border coordination center in Torkham, a city on the PakistanAfghanistan border, the Pakistani army said. The operations chief for the Pakistani army, Maj. Gen. Ashfaq Nadeem, attended, it said.

The U.S. and Pakistan disagree

who should be blamed for the deadly incident in November, which occurred in the middle of the night as U.S. and Afghan forces were conducting operations near the border inside Afghanistan.

The Pakistani army rejected a U.S. investigation that said mistakes were made on both sides and blamed Pakistani troops for triggering the incident by shooting at coalition forces.

Pakistan said its soldiers were shooting at Islamist militants who were nowhere near the coalition troops. It blamed U.S. forces for the incident because they failed to notify their Pakistani counterparts that they were conducting operations near the border.

The U.S. has said its commanders believe some of their military operations have been compromised when they’ve given details and locations to the Pakistanis — an example of the lack of trust between the two countries.

The U.S. has acknowledged that efforts to determine who was firing on the American troops and whether there were friendly Pakistani forces in the area failed because U.S. forces used inaccurate maps, were unaware of Pakistani border post locations and mistakenly provided the wrong location for the troops.

Pakistan has dismissed these explanations and claimed the incident was “deliberate at some level.” It refused to participate in the U.S. investigation, claiming past probes into border incidents were biased.

U.S. drone strikes against Taliban and al-Qaida militants in Pakistan’s northwest tribal region along the Afghan border have also caused tension between the two countries.

The latest attack occurred Wednesday when U.S. drone-fired missiles hit a house in North Waziristan’s Spalga village, killing nine people, including some domestic Taliban militants, Pakistani intelligence officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.

President Barack Obama has ramped up drone strikes in Pakistan since taking office and acknowledged the covert CIA-run program publicly for the first time in a recent interview. But he and other U.S. officials refuse to discuss details of the operations openly.

Although the Pakistani government is widely believed to have provided support for the strikes in the past, that cooperation has become strained as its relationship with Washington has deteriorated.

The tussle with the U.S. has come at a time of domestic turmoil in Pakistan. The Supreme Court has vowed to charge Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani with contempt for failing to reopen an old corruption case against the president. If convicted, the premier could serve up to six months in jail and be disqualified from holding public office.

Gilani’s lawyer, Aitzaz Ahsan, appealed the court’s plan to charge his client on Wednesday.

TOKYO - Japan’s parliament on Wednesday approved a $33 billion fourth extra budget to finance subsidies for disasterstruck businesses and the auto market, as the government looks to stimulate a faltering economy.

The upper house passed the extra budget of 2.53 trillion yen ($32.88 billion) for fiscal 2011 following its passage through the lower house.

The budget will provide funds to those affected by the March quaketsunami disaster and the resulting Fukushima nuclear accident who are trying to service loans to restart businesses but who are saddled with

repayments on now worthless or non-existent assets.

It will also finance market incentives for environmentally friendly cars.

Japan in November passed a 12.1 trillion-yen extra budget, following a four-trillion-yen package in May and another two trillion yen in July.

AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye

Passers-by are reflected on the electronic stock board of a securities firm in Tokyo Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012. Japan’s parliament on Wednesday approved a $33 billion fourth extra budget to finance subsidies for disaster-struck businesses and the auto market, as the government looks to stimulate a faltering economy.

Nokia to cut 4,000 jobs in Europe Associated Press

HELSINKI — Nokia Corp. said Wednesday it will slash 4,000 jobs in Finland, Mexico and Hungary in a further move to cut costs as it struggles against stiff competition in the smartphone market.

The layoffs, to be completed by the end of 2012, are part of more than 7,000 global layoffs the Finnish company announced last year.

Nokia said it is increasingly moving cellphone assembly from Europe to Asia where the majority of component suppliers are based, but would not close the three plants in Komaron, Hungary; Reynosa, Mexico; and Salo in Finland.

“These three factories are planned to focus on smartphone product customization, serving customers mainly in Europe and the Americas,” said Niklas Savander, from Nokia’s markets sector. “(They) will continue to play an important role serving our smartphone customers.”

Last month, Nokia reported that smartphone sales plummeted 23 percent globally in the fourth quarter as net revenue fell 20 percent to euro10 billion ($13.11 billion) compared to a year earlier.

Nokia has lost its once-dominant position in the global cellphone market, with Android phones and iPhones overtaking it in the growing smartphone segment.

Employees of Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) demonstrate on February 1, 2012 in front of the headquarters of NSN in Munich, southern AFP PHOTO / PETER KNEFFEL

Germany.

Jetstar Japan to start domestic flights in July

Agence France-Presse

TOKYO - Budget airline Jetstar Japan, part-owned by Australia’s Qantas, said Wednesday it will launch domestic flights serving five major destinations as Japan’s aviation industry enters a period of change.

The new service, slated to begin July 3, is the latest chapter in a bid to open up a market that has traditionally suffered from high prices because of dominance by two major carriers, Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways (ANA).

“The launch network of Tokyo (Narita), Osaka, Sapporo, Fukuoka and Okinawa will be serviced by an initial fleet of three new A320 aircraft,” said Jetstar, a joint venture between Qantas, Japan Airlines (JAL) and Mitsubishi Corp.

“Fares and schedules will be announced soon,” it said.

Japan’s major airlines were behind global rivals in terms of entry into the low-cost sector, but ANA last year set up budget airline Peach Aviation with a Hong Kong investment fund. Flights are scheduled to start in March.

ANA has also tied up with Malaysia’s AirAsia to launch AirAsia Japan in August.

Peach will operate out of Osaka and Air Asia Japan will be based in Tokyo.

Separately, Skymark Airlines has been operating low-cost domestic flights in Japan since 1998.

Jetstar Japan said it plans to offer short-haul international services to key Asian cities starting in 2013.

Melbourne-based Jetstar operates routes throughout the Asia-Pacific region, including between Australia and Japan.

“Serving the Japanese customer for the past five years with international services gives us a clear advantage in rolling out a domestic network,” said Jetstar Group Chief Executive Bruce Buchanan.

Since the start of this year, the Jetstar Group has announced 36 additional weekly international flights to-and-from Japan.

Jetstar Japan CEO Miyuki Suzuki said: “In a country that?s never had a true low fares domestic network, the ability to travel for an average of 50 percent less will open up new places and opportunities.”

10

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Destinations

International

International

Indonesia Today

Ponjok Batu Temple is a stone temple where all temple buildings are made from stone. It is located Banjar Alasari, Pacung countryside, Tejakula sub district and Singaraja regency about 24 km eastside of Singaraja town or north part of Bali. This temple area own the wide area about 35 acre in form of black stones bank. The position of this temple is rather sticking out to the sea as a foreland or Ponjok. Base on the position and condition then this place is named

by Ponjok Batu so that the temple is standing above foreland petrify and it is referred as Ponjok Batu Temple.

In papyrus of Dwijendra Tattwa elaborate that Danghyang Nirartha (who one spread out the Hinduism in Bali) besides executing Tirtha Yatra (visit the holy places) in Bali area, he also do at Lombok and Sumbawa Island . When he does the tirta yatra in Lombok and Sumbawa Island , he leave in Bali passing the north area of Bali and then it is named by Denbukit. Hereinafter narrated that Danghyang Nirartha found the lodging that is located in coastal periphery with its stone bank and steep rather sordid to sea in the form of a foreland which is called Ponjok. After omitting a few moments in the lodging then he go to Lombok and Sumbawa

7

Indonesia police officer killed near Freeport mine

Ponjok Batu Temple IBP

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Island to conduct the Tirtha Yatra. At the end, the Pesraman/lodging of Danghyang Nirartha is built an altar named with Ponjok Batu Temple which has been existing since 16 century. It is founded together with the execution of Danghyang Nirartha journey in north part of Bali.

Function of Ponjok Batu Temple as follows: * According to the archaeology omission at Ponjok Batu Temple , there is an Arca statue) with four hands as a fundamental of Ponjok Batu Temple building. The attribute (icon) of this Arca have timeworn, so that any kind of object brought is ignorable and the God Arca it self can not be identified. Besides of the God Statue (Arca), in Ponjok Batu Temple is also found a Lembu Nandi Arca (a cow statue) is meaning from Siwa God. If the both Arcas are interacting hence the God Arca with 4 hands in this temple is Arca of Siwa God. * According to Papyrus of Dwijendra Tattwa, the history elaboration can be said that the function of Ponjok Batu Temple is for worship the supremacy of Danghyang Nirartha as a Teacher in settling Hinduism teaching, especially Siwaism. The function strengthened with the existence of special temple building in Ponjok Batu Temple is called Danghyang Nirartha Temple.

Associated Press

TIMIKA — Unidentified gunmen have killed a police officer near the U.S. company Freeport-McMoRan’s gold and copper mine in eastern Indonesia.

AFP PHOTO / FIRMAN

IBP/Net

Malaysian Phuah Chuan Hun (R) sits next to Indonesian Widiantoro (2nd R) Imam Muhtarom (2nd L) and Mujianto (L) during their trial in Tenggarong, East Kalimantan on February 7, 2012. Three Indonesians and a Malaysian stood trial on February 7 for killing endangered orangutans and other protected primates as a means of pest control at a palm oil plantation on Borneo island. The trial will resume next week.

Classic Stage

MAGIC SHOW Kids Party Christmas New Year Eve

C.0004308-pend

08123961594

C.0009173-rpa

Antara

Toyota to increase investment in RI

JAKARTA - Toyota Motor Corp , through PT Toyota Astra Motor (TAM), will soon realize its plan to beef up its investment in Indonesia by about Rp5 trillion, the country`s top investment official said.

“The company`s plan is a manifestation of its commitment to increase its production capacity in Indonesia,” Gita Wiryawan, head of the Capital Investment Coordi-

nating Agency (BKPM), said here Tuesday.

Gita who is concurrently the trade minister said he and Industry Minister MS Hidayat would on Wednesday (Feb 8) meet the vice chairman of Toyota Corporation, Katsuaki Watanabe.

At the meeting they would discuss Toyota`s plan to increase its investment and production capacity and export of the company`s products.

“They will not only supply the domestic market which continues to widen but also overseas markets,” he said.

Toyota would initially expand the production capacity of its plant in Karawang, West Java, although it also wants to build a plant outside Java.

“The additional investment is expected not only to result in hike in car production but also to stimulate industries producing automotive components,” Gita said.

President, 18 ministers to attend press day commemoration in Jambi Antara

C.0013417-rpa

JAMBI - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, along with 18 ministers will attend the commemoration of National Press Day here on Thursday.

“As many as 28 high-ranking officials, including 18 United Indonesia Cabinet ministers will attend the commemoration of the National Press Day on February 9, 2012 in Jambi,” spokesman of the Jambi provincial administration Natres Ulfi said here on Tuesday.

Besides the high-ranking officials, five ambassadors from Tunisia, Vietnam, India, China and Timor Leste would also attend the event, he said.

He said a number of local and foreign press figures and four representatives from each of 33 provincial branches of the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) would also take part in the event.

Chief of the event`s regional organizing committee Syahrasaddin said preparations for the event was nearing completion.

A series of activities to highlight the National Press Day began on February 5 and would end on February 14. The activities included a press exhibition and Jambi golden jubilee expo 2012, he said.

He said some of the event participants particularly those from the rest of the country had already arrived in Jambi to attend a series of activities.

“Hopefully, the event will proceed smoothly and successfully so that it will benefit the press, the community and the region,” he said.

Company spokesman Ramdani Sirait said the officer was shot Tuesday within the working area of Freeport Indonesia. The area was closed as police investigated.

It was the second shooting this year near the world’s largest gold mine in restive Papua province where a low-level insurgency is seeking independence from the Indonesian government.

Two contract workers were killed last month near the mining town of Tembagapura.

Police were not immediately available for comment on the latest attack.

The mine, run by a subsidiary of the Phoenix, Arizona-based Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. has been hit with arson, roadside attacks and blockades since operations began in the 1970s.

Charge against Nazaruddin too light

Antara

JAKARTA - Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Center (PPATK) Chief Muhammad Yusuf said the charge against Mohammad Nazaruddin who is on trial for involvement in the SEA Games 2011 athletes` village bribery case was too light.

“I am disappointed that Nazaruddin is only charged with receiving gratification or bribes, whereas the case involves huge cash flows.” Muhammad Yusuf said in a discussion with the press at the PPATK Building, here Wednesday.

Muhammad Nazaruddin was charged with receiving bribes amounting to Rp4.6 billion for helping PT. Duta Graha Indah win the contract on the SEA Games athletes village Project.

In fact, he said, the PPATK had found some suspicious financial transactions worth Rp10 billion and cash transactions for a total amount of Rp100 billion, Yusuf said.

Any bribe recipient , besides Nazaruddin, should also be named suspect in the case, Yusuf said.

A few witnesses in the case had mentioned the names of some Democratic Party (PD) politicians in the courtroom , namely PD chairman Anas Urbaningrum, legislator Angelina Sondakh, House Commission X chairman Mahyudin, House Budgetary Body vice chairman Mirwan Amir and legislator Sutan Batoeghana.

In the discussion, Former PPATK Chief Yunus Husein expressed his appreciation to the national press for its valuable condtributions to the enforcement of the law and enlightenment of the public.

“Without press freedom, it would be very difficult to eradicate corruption and disclose corruption cases,” Yunus Husein said.

Previously, the PPATK had received 13 reports from local and international banks concerning the financial transactions made by Muhammad Nazaruddin.

According to the reports, most of the funds tranfers took place after the former Democratic Party treasurer had been named a suspect in the SEA Games athletes village bribery case.

8

International

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Bali Today

Kuningan Day

Balinese farmers

Hero of cultural sentinel increasingly marginalized Bali Post

DENPASAR - Decline in agricultural sector causes the resistance of Balinese people as the cultural supporters more alarming. They can release their farmland more easily with assumption that deeply involving in the agricultural sector will lead them to bleak future. Amid such concern, government is still dwelling in a discourse. Actually, the farmers of Bali play a very central role not only in the matter of keeping Bali from the threat of food crisis but also of maintaining the agrarian culture that so far has become the attraction to foreign tourists. However, the existence of sentinel heroes of Balinese culture is increasingly marginalized, screaming and adrift in uncertainty.

Balinese culture will be crippled. If the agricultural sector of Bali is destroyed, Balinese culture will be destroyed as well. At the end, the destruction will spread to the whole existing economic sectors,” he said.

He added the marginalized Balinese farmers happened because government paid less attention in protecting them. “The exchange rate of farmers is still small so the expenditure and revenue are not so much different. How can our farmers eat if their condition is like this? How can the marginalized people maintain their culture and economy?” he asked.

He regretted as the current government paid minimal attention whereas during the kingdom era the kings of Bali paid great attention to agriculture, chiefly subak. “During the kingdom era in Bali, the kings gave protection and great attention to the existence of farmers and their subak. Even, the war exploding between Badung and Mengwi struggled for river water at Mambal. Today, the attention of Bali’s leaders is very much different from their predecessors as if they have closed their eyes to the

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Balinese Culture

Decline in agricultural sector causes the resistance of Balinese people as the cultural supporters more alarming.

They can release their farmland more easily with assumption that deeply involving in the agricultural sector will lead them to bleak future.

A professor at the Faculty of Agriculture, Udayana University, Prof.

Dr. I Wayan Windia, told that Balinese had so strong magnetic attraction and it was identical to the agrarian culture passed down through generations.

Unfortunately, the rapid growth of tourism development had claimed the glory of the agricultural sector because a lot of land had been converted to tourist accommodation.

According to him, the agrarian culture was very important to be maintained by Balinese people because it educated people to live together in an order and harmony. Now, according to him, the conflicts among villages or hamlets happened because there was no longer agrarian culture putting emphasizes on the concept of harmony and togetherness.

He said that Balinese farmers played a central role in maintaining the sustainability of the agrarian culture. Position of farmers was identified to a hero of Bali in the matter of keeping Balinese culture so that they were worth receiving serious attention. “If farmers serving the sentinel hero of Bali are increasingly marginalized,

International

issue,” he said.

He affirmed if the government wanted the agriculture in Bali to turn good and subak to last longer, the government should take concrete steps.

Most importantly, the government should give protection and subsidies.

In terms of protection, the agricultural products should be guaranteed so that farmers would be passionate about working on the farm. Unlike today, many farmers lost money because their production cost and results were incomparable. He added the subak irrigation system should be protected and improved. Besides, there should be protection to subak against the threats of land conversion and high building and property tax. According to him, Balinese farmers were still happy to farm as long as there was more attention from the government and real protection.

“The government should be responsible and not only require farmers to participate. But, give them more attentions because our current agricultural sector is at its weakest point among the other sectors in Bali,” he concluded. (kmb29)

Ten days after Galungan Day, Balinese Hindu followers to celebrate the prosperity day of “Kuningan”.

The day of Kuningan marks the elaborate temple festival at Sakenan Temple, one of the big temples in Bali. Sakenan Temple is located in Serangan Island, frequently called Turtle Island, an ideal site for surfing.

The temple will be jam-packed by locals wearing traditional Balinese costumes for three days. To reach the temple, you can either go by boat, cars or bikes. You will pass a bridge linking the Serangan Island and the south of Denpasar. It takes only around 15 minutes drive to get there.

Many travel agents have taken their guests to the island where they can watch the Balinese Hindu gathering in the temple for ritual ceremonial purposes.

The Kuningan Day is the time for commemoration as the ancestors return to the heaven after ten days dwelling on earth and the Balinese express their gratitude to gods for His mercy to the human races. Therefore, it is a time for holiday, visiting each other and fun. Every village in Bali will celebrate Kuningan in grand style, with colorful festivals held at the temple in some parts of Bali Island.

The bamboo pole or locally called penjor, which has been erected at the front of each house compound’s entrance gate since a day before Galungan is redecorated by taking down the white clothes and substituted with the yellow clothes, symbolizing the prosperity.

The Kuningan Day will provide an opportunity for travelers to see ritual procession.

The day after is called as ‘Redite (Sunday) Wage Kuningan’. This day is spent concentrating the mind on holiness, to God Almighty, and also to ‘Pitara’, the holy ancestors’ spirits, asking for blessing and immunity

from disasters or bad deeds.

The next is the Pemacekan Agung that occurs 5 days after the Galungan and 5 days before Kuningan.

‘Pemacekan’ comes from word ‘pacek’ means ‘pin’. Philosophically, this day is considered as the milestone of holiness. ‘Segehan Agung’ (Great Offering) are devoted at the front of the gates of houses, buildings and temples.

On the day after, called ‘Anggara (Tuesday) Umanis Kuningan’, people prepare for the upcoming Kuningan.

The following day, ‘Budha Pahing Kuningan’, is considered as the ‘Pujawali Bhatara Wisnu’ day; which means the day to worship the manifestation of God Almighty as God Wisnu, the Great Preserver of the Universe.

The next two days, ‘Wrespati (Thursday) Pon Kuningan’, and followed by the ‘Penampahan Kuningan’, are religious days set aside to prepare for Kuningan.

The day is devoted to Sang Hyang Pasupati, the Lord of Heirlooms.

Tumpek Landep is derived from the words, Tumpek, meaning Saturday of Kliwon, and Landep, meaning sharp.

During this day, the heirlooms such as the “kris” (wavy dagger) and other weapons kept at the family temple are taken out for a blessing that ensures the continuation of the magic powers that bring good fortune upon their owners. Generally the special offerings are made for all tools and other objects made of metal. All kitchen implements, garden tools and metal parts of machinery and vehicles are cleaned, and adorned with a set of offerings.

Visitors may experience the only place in the world where the roads are graced with numerous vehicles beautifully decorated with offerings and elaborate ornaments made from young coconut leaves. (IBP/Doc)

History of Bali Arts Festival

Bali Arts Festival (BAF) is organized as an effort to offer the best creative art works of the community. Though community now would like to choose between the arts and crafts, profane and secular, ordered work and pure creativity of the Balinese people, they do them with the spirits of devotional service. The difference is not going to reduce the essence of the arts.

Such art activities are based on the motivation as the best devotional service and the ‘spirit’ in all activities of the Balinese.

The art presented is devotion and creative works produced as devotion. Performance of the arts implies sincere freedom and in Hinduism it is often referred to as Yajña. It is presented through the arts and creative works as a sacrifice to make the best creations. On that account, the artists will attempt to stage their best works, let alone the offerings are born from the cultivation as the upstream of love affection and spiritual civilization of the community.

Bali Arts Festival poses a medium to discover and preserve the arts and culture as well as increase the people’s prosperity. Cultural discovery and preservation included the philosophy, sublime and universal values, basic concepts, both material and immaterial cultural heritage having high historical value, science and art as a representation of civilization and

development of the arts through creation, innovation and cultural adaptation. Hopefully, they can survive and last sustainably in the context of the ever-changing times and environment.

To accommodate the proceeds of art creation, artistic aspirations as the result of art reconstruction, innovative art, arts attraction and art appreciation, Bali Provincial Government through the aspiration of the late Prof. Dr. Ida Bagus Mantra initiated a medium for people’s art fiesta in 1979. Later on, it is better known as the Bali Arts Festival (BAF).

Legal basis of the Bali Arts Festival implementation is the Bali Regional Regulation No. 07/986 concerning with the Bali Arts Festival (BAF). It was first held in 1979 and lasted for some 2 months right from June 20, 1979 through August 23, 1979. It has given the opportunity to showcase the best works of art as well as a means for preservation and development of arts and culture each year. Cultural preservation features classical arts that are on the verge of extinction and nearly forgotten by the community. Bali Arts Festival itself has motivated people to explore, discover and display the arts to the public through this people’s party.

Implementation of BAF through the years has provided distinctive nuances to the sustainability of Balinese culture with the presentation of ever-changing themes. Similarly,

the way Balinese people present their art creations in the Bali Arts Festival each year also varies. The 25th Bali Arts Festival coinciding with the Silver Jubilee in June 2003 was a very appropriate moment to make corrections, improvements and changes as well as self-introspection amidst the current slump in Bali tourism.

The Bali Arts Festival 2003 took the theme Yajña Cakra meaning Endless Wheels of Creativity. It describes how heavy our burden is to always make creativity and fulfill our lives.

Thus, the activity and artistic creativity to produce creative works will never stop exploring and developing new ideas, either in the arts and daily activities, for the sake of life survival.

Discovery and development of new ideas in the art are used to poise the penetration of foreign culture as a result of globalization. The existence of new ideas will be able to control the societal behavior in the context of thoughts, words and deeds implemented and realized in the form of creative works of art.

In the historical passage of the grandiose people’s art fiesta, it is generally opened by senior state official. Only the first BAF in 1979 was opened by the late Prof. Dr. Ida Bagus Mantra who was the Governor of Bali at that time as well as the originator of BAF. Meanwhile, the rest of BAF’s opening was undertaken by Minister, Vice President, the President and First Lady.

JUKUT URAB

(Mixed Vegetables With Grated Coconut) INGREDIENTS: 100 gr (3 ½ oz) blanched cabbage 100 gr (3 ½ oz) spinach, blanched 100 gr (3 ½ oz) long beans cut in 32,5 cm (line) pieces, blanched 100 gr (3 ½ oz) bean sprouts, blanched 1 large red chili, sliced 1 tbsp grated coconut 2 tbsp fried shallots DRESSINGS: 2 tbsp fried shallots 2 tbsp sliced garlic clove 1 large red chili, seeded and sliced 2 tsp fried chili (Sambal Sereh Tabia) 3 fragrant lime leaves, very finely sliced 4 cm (1½ in) kencur, peeled & chopped ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon crushed black pepper ½ teaspoon white sugar 1 tablespoon oil PREPARATION: 1. Cut cabbage into pieces about 2,5 cm by 1 cm (1 in by ½ in).

2. Combine all vegetables, chili, grated coconut and fried shallots in salad bowl and mix well.

For the dressing:

IBP/Net

Hindus people praying in temples during Kuningan celebration. Ten days after Galungan Day, Balinese Hindu followers to celebrate the prosperity day of “Kuningan”.

Combine all ingredients and mix well in separate bowl. Mix the dressing thoroughly with the vegetables; season to taste with salt, pepper and limejuice. Serve at room temperature.

9

8

International

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Bali Today

Kuningan Day

Balinese farmers

Hero of cultural sentinel increasingly marginalized Bali Post

DENPASAR - Decline in agricultural sector causes the resistance of Balinese people as the cultural supporters more alarming. They can release their farmland more easily with assumption that deeply involving in the agricultural sector will lead them to bleak future. Amid such concern, government is still dwelling in a discourse. Actually, the farmers of Bali play a very central role not only in the matter of keeping Bali from the threat of food crisis but also of maintaining the agrarian culture that so far has become the attraction to foreign tourists. However, the existence of sentinel heroes of Balinese culture is increasingly marginalized, screaming and adrift in uncertainty.

Balinese culture will be crippled. If the agricultural sector of Bali is destroyed, Balinese culture will be destroyed as well. At the end, the destruction will spread to the whole existing economic sectors,” he said.

He added the marginalized Balinese farmers happened because government paid less attention in protecting them. “The exchange rate of farmers is still small so the expenditure and revenue are not so much different. How can our farmers eat if their condition is like this? How can the marginalized people maintain their culture and economy?” he asked.

He regretted as the current government paid minimal attention whereas during the kingdom era the kings of Bali paid great attention to agriculture, chiefly subak. “During the kingdom era in Bali, the kings gave protection and great attention to the existence of farmers and their subak. Even, the war exploding between Badung and Mengwi struggled for river water at Mambal. Today, the attention of Bali’s leaders is very much different from their predecessors as if they have closed their eyes to the

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Balinese Culture

Decline in agricultural sector causes the resistance of Balinese people as the cultural supporters more alarming.

They can release their farmland more easily with assumption that deeply involving in the agricultural sector will lead them to bleak future.

A professor at the Faculty of Agriculture, Udayana University, Prof.

Dr. I Wayan Windia, told that Balinese had so strong magnetic attraction and it was identical to the agrarian culture passed down through generations.

Unfortunately, the rapid growth of tourism development had claimed the glory of the agricultural sector because a lot of land had been converted to tourist accommodation.

According to him, the agrarian culture was very important to be maintained by Balinese people because it educated people to live together in an order and harmony. Now, according to him, the conflicts among villages or hamlets happened because there was no longer agrarian culture putting emphasizes on the concept of harmony and togetherness.

He said that Balinese farmers played a central role in maintaining the sustainability of the agrarian culture. Position of farmers was identified to a hero of Bali in the matter of keeping Balinese culture so that they were worth receiving serious attention. “If farmers serving the sentinel hero of Bali are increasingly marginalized,

International

issue,” he said.

He affirmed if the government wanted the agriculture in Bali to turn good and subak to last longer, the government should take concrete steps.

Most importantly, the government should give protection and subsidies.

In terms of protection, the agricultural products should be guaranteed so that farmers would be passionate about working on the farm. Unlike today, many farmers lost money because their production cost and results were incomparable. He added the subak irrigation system should be protected and improved. Besides, there should be protection to subak against the threats of land conversion and high building and property tax. According to him, Balinese farmers were still happy to farm as long as there was more attention from the government and real protection.

“The government should be responsible and not only require farmers to participate. But, give them more attentions because our current agricultural sector is at its weakest point among the other sectors in Bali,” he concluded. (kmb29)

Ten days after Galungan Day, Balinese Hindu followers to celebrate the prosperity day of “Kuningan”.

The day of Kuningan marks the elaborate temple festival at Sakenan Temple, one of the big temples in Bali. Sakenan Temple is located in Serangan Island, frequently called Turtle Island, an ideal site for surfing.

The temple will be jam-packed by locals wearing traditional Balinese costumes for three days. To reach the temple, you can either go by boat, cars or bikes. You will pass a bridge linking the Serangan Island and the south of Denpasar. It takes only around 15 minutes drive to get there.

Many travel agents have taken their guests to the island where they can watch the Balinese Hindu gathering in the temple for ritual ceremonial purposes.

The Kuningan Day is the time for commemoration as the ancestors return to the heaven after ten days dwelling on earth and the Balinese express their gratitude to gods for His mercy to the human races. Therefore, it is a time for holiday, visiting each other and fun. Every village in Bali will celebrate Kuningan in grand style, with colorful festivals held at the temple in some parts of Bali Island.

The bamboo pole or locally called penjor, which has been erected at the front of each house compound’s entrance gate since a day before Galungan is redecorated by taking down the white clothes and substituted with the yellow clothes, symbolizing the prosperity.

The Kuningan Day will provide an opportunity for travelers to see ritual procession.

The day after is called as ‘Redite (Sunday) Wage Kuningan’. This day is spent concentrating the mind on holiness, to God Almighty, and also to ‘Pitara’, the holy ancestors’ spirits, asking for blessing and immunity

from disasters or bad deeds.

The next is the Pemacekan Agung that occurs 5 days after the Galungan and 5 days before Kuningan.

‘Pemacekan’ comes from word ‘pacek’ means ‘pin’. Philosophically, this day is considered as the milestone of holiness. ‘Segehan Agung’ (Great Offering) are devoted at the front of the gates of houses, buildings and temples.

On the day after, called ‘Anggara (Tuesday) Umanis Kuningan’, people prepare for the upcoming Kuningan.

The following day, ‘Budha Pahing Kuningan’, is considered as the ‘Pujawali Bhatara Wisnu’ day; which means the day to worship the manifestation of God Almighty as God Wisnu, the Great Preserver of the Universe.

The next two days, ‘Wrespati (Thursday) Pon Kuningan’, and followed by the ‘Penampahan Kuningan’, are religious days set aside to prepare for Kuningan.

The day is devoted to Sang Hyang Pasupati, the Lord of Heirlooms.

Tumpek Landep is derived from the words, Tumpek, meaning Saturday of Kliwon, and Landep, meaning sharp.

During this day, the heirlooms such as the “kris” (wavy dagger) and other weapons kept at the family temple are taken out for a blessing that ensures the continuation of the magic powers that bring good fortune upon their owners. Generally the special offerings are made for all tools and other objects made of metal. All kitchen implements, garden tools and metal parts of machinery and vehicles are cleaned, and adorned with a set of offerings.

Visitors may experience the only place in the world where the roads are graced with numerous vehicles beautifully decorated with offerings and elaborate ornaments made from young coconut leaves. (IBP/Doc)

History of Bali Arts Festival

Bali Arts Festival (BAF) is organized as an effort to offer the best creative art works of the community. Though community now would like to choose between the arts and crafts, profane and secular, ordered work and pure creativity of the Balinese people, they do them with the spirits of devotional service. The difference is not going to reduce the essence of the arts.

Such art activities are based on the motivation as the best devotional service and the ‘spirit’ in all activities of the Balinese.

The art presented is devotion and creative works produced as devotion. Performance of the arts implies sincere freedom and in Hinduism it is often referred to as Yajña. It is presented through the arts and creative works as a sacrifice to make the best creations. On that account, the artists will attempt to stage their best works, let alone the offerings are born from the cultivation as the upstream of love affection and spiritual civilization of the community.

Bali Arts Festival poses a medium to discover and preserve the arts and culture as well as increase the people’s prosperity. Cultural discovery and preservation included the philosophy, sublime and universal values, basic concepts, both material and immaterial cultural heritage having high historical value, science and art as a representation of civilization and

development of the arts through creation, innovation and cultural adaptation. Hopefully, they can survive and last sustainably in the context of the ever-changing times and environment.

To accommodate the proceeds of art creation, artistic aspirations as the result of art reconstruction, innovative art, arts attraction and art appreciation, Bali Provincial Government through the aspiration of the late Prof. Dr. Ida Bagus Mantra initiated a medium for people’s art fiesta in 1979. Later on, it is better known as the Bali Arts Festival (BAF).

Legal basis of the Bali Arts Festival implementation is the Bali Regional Regulation No. 07/986 concerning with the Bali Arts Festival (BAF). It was first held in 1979 and lasted for some 2 months right from June 20, 1979 through August 23, 1979. It has given the opportunity to showcase the best works of art as well as a means for preservation and development of arts and culture each year. Cultural preservation features classical arts that are on the verge of extinction and nearly forgotten by the community. Bali Arts Festival itself has motivated people to explore, discover and display the arts to the public through this people’s party.

Implementation of BAF through the years has provided distinctive nuances to the sustainability of Balinese culture with the presentation of ever-changing themes. Similarly,

the way Balinese people present their art creations in the Bali Arts Festival each year also varies. The 25th Bali Arts Festival coinciding with the Silver Jubilee in June 2003 was a very appropriate moment to make corrections, improvements and changes as well as self-introspection amidst the current slump in Bali tourism.

The Bali Arts Festival 2003 took the theme Yajña Cakra meaning Endless Wheels of Creativity. It describes how heavy our burden is to always make creativity and fulfill our lives.

Thus, the activity and artistic creativity to produce creative works will never stop exploring and developing new ideas, either in the arts and daily activities, for the sake of life survival.

Discovery and development of new ideas in the art are used to poise the penetration of foreign culture as a result of globalization. The existence of new ideas will be able to control the societal behavior in the context of thoughts, words and deeds implemented and realized in the form of creative works of art.

In the historical passage of the grandiose people’s art fiesta, it is generally opened by senior state official. Only the first BAF in 1979 was opened by the late Prof. Dr. Ida Bagus Mantra who was the Governor of Bali at that time as well as the originator of BAF. Meanwhile, the rest of BAF’s opening was undertaken by Minister, Vice President, the President and First Lady.

JUKUT URAB

(Mixed Vegetables With Grated Coconut) INGREDIENTS: 100 gr (3 ½ oz) blanched cabbage 100 gr (3 ½ oz) spinach, blanched 100 gr (3 ½ oz) long beans cut in 32,5 cm (line) pieces, blanched 100 gr (3 ½ oz) bean sprouts, blanched 1 large red chili, sliced 1 tbsp grated coconut 2 tbsp fried shallots DRESSINGS: 2 tbsp fried shallots 2 tbsp sliced garlic clove 1 large red chili, seeded and sliced 2 tsp fried chili (Sambal Sereh Tabia) 3 fragrant lime leaves, very finely sliced 4 cm (1½ in) kencur, peeled & chopped ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon crushed black pepper ½ teaspoon white sugar 1 tablespoon oil PREPARATION: 1. Cut cabbage into pieces about 2,5 cm by 1 cm (1 in by ½ in).

2. Combine all vegetables, chili, grated coconut and fried shallots in salad bowl and mix well.

For the dressing:

IBP/Net

Hindus people praying in temples during Kuningan celebration. Ten days after Galungan Day, Balinese Hindu followers to celebrate the prosperity day of “Kuningan”.

Combine all ingredients and mix well in separate bowl. Mix the dressing thoroughly with the vegetables; season to taste with salt, pepper and limejuice. Serve at room temperature.

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Thursday, February 9, 2012

Destinations

International

International

Indonesia Today

Ponjok Batu Temple is a stone temple where all temple buildings are made from stone. It is located Banjar Alasari, Pacung countryside, Tejakula sub district and Singaraja regency about 24 km eastside of Singaraja town or north part of Bali. This temple area own the wide area about 35 acre in form of black stones bank. The position of this temple is rather sticking out to the sea as a foreland or Ponjok. Base on the position and condition then this place is named

by Ponjok Batu so that the temple is standing above foreland petrify and it is referred as Ponjok Batu Temple.

In papyrus of Dwijendra Tattwa elaborate that Danghyang Nirartha (who one spread out the Hinduism in Bali) besides executing Tirtha Yatra (visit the holy places) in Bali area, he also do at Lombok and Sumbawa Island . When he does the tirta yatra in Lombok and Sumbawa Island , he leave in Bali passing the north area of Bali and then it is named by Denbukit. Hereinafter narrated that Danghyang Nirartha found the lodging that is located in coastal periphery with its stone bank and steep rather sordid to sea in the form of a foreland which is called Ponjok. After omitting a few moments in the lodging then he go to Lombok and Sumbawa

7

Indonesia police officer killed near Freeport mine

Ponjok Batu Temple IBP

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Island to conduct the Tirtha Yatra. At the end, the Pesraman/lodging of Danghyang Nirartha is built an altar named with Ponjok Batu Temple which has been existing since 16 century. It is founded together with the execution of Danghyang Nirartha journey in north part of Bali.

Function of Ponjok Batu Temple as follows: * According to the archaeology omission at Ponjok Batu Temple , there is an Arca statue) with four hands as a fundamental of Ponjok Batu Temple building. The attribute (icon) of this Arca have timeworn, so that any kind of object brought is ignorable and the God Arca it self can not be identified. Besides of the God Statue (Arca), in Ponjok Batu Temple is also found a Lembu Nandi Arca (a cow statue) is meaning from Siwa God. If the both Arcas are interacting hence the God Arca with 4 hands in this temple is Arca of Siwa God. * According to Papyrus of Dwijendra Tattwa, the history elaboration can be said that the function of Ponjok Batu Temple is for worship the supremacy of Danghyang Nirartha as a Teacher in settling Hinduism teaching, especially Siwaism. The function strengthened with the existence of special temple building in Ponjok Batu Temple is called Danghyang Nirartha Temple.

Associated Press

TIMIKA — Unidentified gunmen have killed a police officer near the U.S. company Freeport-McMoRan’s gold and copper mine in eastern Indonesia.

AFP PHOTO / FIRMAN

IBP/Net

Malaysian Phuah Chuan Hun (R) sits next to Indonesian Widiantoro (2nd R) Imam Muhtarom (2nd L) and Mujianto (L) during their trial in Tenggarong, East Kalimantan on February 7, 2012. Three Indonesians and a Malaysian stood trial on February 7 for killing endangered orangutans and other protected primates as a means of pest control at a palm oil plantation on Borneo island. The trial will resume next week.

Classic Stage

MAGIC SHOW Kids Party Christmas New Year Eve

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08123961594

C.0009173-rpa

Antara

Toyota to increase investment in RI

JAKARTA - Toyota Motor Corp , through PT Toyota Astra Motor (TAM), will soon realize its plan to beef up its investment in Indonesia by about Rp5 trillion, the country`s top investment official said.

“The company`s plan is a manifestation of its commitment to increase its production capacity in Indonesia,” Gita Wiryawan, head of the Capital Investment Coordi-

nating Agency (BKPM), said here Tuesday.

Gita who is concurrently the trade minister said he and Industry Minister MS Hidayat would on Wednesday (Feb 8) meet the vice chairman of Toyota Corporation, Katsuaki Watanabe.

At the meeting they would discuss Toyota`s plan to increase its investment and production capacity and export of the company`s products.

“They will not only supply the domestic market which continues to widen but also overseas markets,” he said.

Toyota would initially expand the production capacity of its plant in Karawang, West Java, although it also wants to build a plant outside Java.

“The additional investment is expected not only to result in hike in car production but also to stimulate industries producing automotive components,” Gita said.

President, 18 ministers to attend press day commemoration in Jambi Antara

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JAMBI - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, along with 18 ministers will attend the commemoration of National Press Day here on Thursday.

“As many as 28 high-ranking officials, including 18 United Indonesia Cabinet ministers will attend the commemoration of the National Press Day on February 9, 2012 in Jambi,” spokesman of the Jambi provincial administration Natres Ulfi said here on Tuesday.

Besides the high-ranking officials, five ambassadors from Tunisia, Vietnam, India, China and Timor Leste would also attend the event, he said.

He said a number of local and foreign press figures and four representatives from each of 33 provincial branches of the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) would also take part in the event.

Chief of the event`s regional organizing committee Syahrasaddin said preparations for the event was nearing completion.

A series of activities to highlight the National Press Day began on February 5 and would end on February 14. The activities included a press exhibition and Jambi golden jubilee expo 2012, he said.

He said some of the event participants particularly those from the rest of the country had already arrived in Jambi to attend a series of activities.

“Hopefully, the event will proceed smoothly and successfully so that it will benefit the press, the community and the region,” he said.

Company spokesman Ramdani Sirait said the officer was shot Tuesday within the working area of Freeport Indonesia. The area was closed as police investigated.

It was the second shooting this year near the world’s largest gold mine in restive Papua province where a low-level insurgency is seeking independence from the Indonesian government.

Two contract workers were killed last month near the mining town of Tembagapura.

Police were not immediately available for comment on the latest attack.

The mine, run by a subsidiary of the Phoenix, Arizona-based Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. has been hit with arson, roadside attacks and blockades since operations began in the 1970s.

Charge against Nazaruddin too light

Antara

JAKARTA - Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Center (PPATK) Chief Muhammad Yusuf said the charge against Mohammad Nazaruddin who is on trial for involvement in the SEA Games 2011 athletes` village bribery case was too light.

“I am disappointed that Nazaruddin is only charged with receiving gratification or bribes, whereas the case involves huge cash flows.” Muhammad Yusuf said in a discussion with the press at the PPATK Building, here Wednesday.

Muhammad Nazaruddin was charged with receiving bribes amounting to Rp4.6 billion for helping PT. Duta Graha Indah win the contract on the SEA Games athletes village Project.

In fact, he said, the PPATK had found some suspicious financial transactions worth Rp10 billion and cash transactions for a total amount of Rp100 billion, Yusuf said.

Any bribe recipient , besides Nazaruddin, should also be named suspect in the case, Yusuf said.

A few witnesses in the case had mentioned the names of some Democratic Party (PD) politicians in the courtroom , namely PD chairman Anas Urbaningrum, legislator Angelina Sondakh, House Commission X chairman Mahyudin, House Budgetary Body vice chairman Mirwan Amir and legislator Sutan Batoeghana.

In the discussion, Former PPATK Chief Yunus Husein expressed his appreciation to the national press for its valuable condtributions to the enforcement of the law and enlightenment of the public.

“Without press freedom, it would be very difficult to eradicate corruption and disclose corruption cases,” Yunus Husein said.

Previously, the PPATK had received 13 reports from local and international banks concerning the financial transactions made by Muhammad Nazaruddin.

According to the reports, most of the funds tranfers took place after the former Democratic Party treasurer had been named a suspect in the SEA Games athletes village bribery case.

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Thursday, February 9, 2012

News

International

Malaysian exporters halt palm oil supply to Iran Reuters

this year, targeting financial institutions that deal with the central bank, hoping to stem Iran’s oil revenues.

U.S. President Barack Obama tightened sanctions on Iran another notch this month, again targeting its central bank and giving U.S. banks new powers to freeze assets linked to Tehran. The European Union has agreed to ban Iranian oil imports, a measure expected to take full effect within six months.

Iran, with a population of 74 million people, is finding it difficult to repatriate the hard currency from crude oil exports -- the major earner of the foreign currency it needs to pay for shipments of food and other imports.

Iranian buyers defaulted on payments for about 200,000 tonnes of rice from their top supplier India, exporters and rice millers told Reuters on Tuesday.

Ukrainian and European traders said they were no longer booking Ukraine grain shipments to Iran because of the payment difficulties.

Despite the halt in palm oil exports, traders in Kuala Lumpur said some Iranian buyers had continued to make enquiries, mostly for crude palm oil cargoes.

“They keep asking in the spirit of Muslim brotherhood. The last I heard was an enquiry for 5,000 tonnes for February or March delivery, but no one wants to take that risk now,” a second trader said.

ASITA...

The airport authority should manage the airport as well as provide many alternatives for visitors to shop. “Too many money changers are operating at Ngurah Rai so that they are susceptible to fraud. There have been many complaints such as about the existence of counterfeit money and shortage of money. Not to mention, there are lots of stalls selling mixed rice to fruit salads at Ngurah Rai,” he said.

Meanwhile, General Manager of Angkasa Pura I of the Ngurah Rai Airport, Purwanto, explained that all the complaints would be addressed. “At the moment, the Ngurah Rai Airport is performing renovation at some points.

However, the whole complaints pose the shared problems at the Ngurah Rai Bali,” he said.

Currently, the Ngurah Rai Airport, said Purwanto, was carrying out renovations at international terminal to be transformed into domestic terminal with an area of 76,000 square meters. As planned, it would accommodate approximately 25 million tourists per year. (kmb27)

From page 1 Up to now, the existence of porters roaming around at Ngurah Rai Airport frequently resulted in distortion between tourists and porters. Such incident occurred to tourists who were unable to speak English like Korean and Japanese tourists.

“Similarly, we’ve never seen money changers scattered around the international airport in other countries. They are scattered precisely like Sukawati Market. At the international airport anywhere there are maximally one or two reliable money changers of the state-owned bank,” he complained.

Al Purwa also mentioned there were some things related to insecurity and discomfort. Firstly, there were a lot of shops or stalls selling the same products, with approximately the same price and of large number in business area. It gave the impression if the airport was synonymous with the art market or other peddlers.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

BUSINESS

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Japan passes $33 billion fourth extra budget

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian palm oil exporters have stopped supplying Iran with most of the 30,000 tonnes of the food staple the Middle Eastern country buys each month, or about half its demand, as Western financial curbs on Tehran stymie payments, two trading sources said.

The halt in Malaysia’s palm oil exports to Iran, which the traders said started late last year, is the latest sign that sanctions aimed at persuading Tehran to abandon a suspected nuclear weapons program have started to bite.

The sanctions, spearheaded by the United States and European Union, have made it difficult for Iranian palm oil buyers to use letters of credit and make payments via middlemen in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Malaysian exporters.

Malaysia is the world No.2 producer of palm oil, used to make products from bio-diesel to cooking oil. It is a key supplier of Iran’s palm oil, along with Indonesia, the world’s top producer.

“Most of the companies selling palm oil to Iran have stopped since the end of last year,” one trader with direct knowledge of the deals told Reuters on Wednesday.

“Payments are not coming through and no palm oil shipper wants to risk sending the cargoes to Iran with such a tense political situation,” added the trader, who declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the issue.

Malaysia’s Commodities Ministry and the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) -- the country’s key marketing agency for the tropical oil -- were not immediately available for comment.

The United States slapped fresh sanctions on Tehran from the start of

International

Agence France-Presse

AP Photo/B.K. Bangash

Pakistani children play snooker in slums of Rawalpindi city in Pakistan on Tuesday, Feb 7, 2012. The Pakistani army was meeting with NATO and Afghan forces on Wednesday in an effort to improve coordination along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, a sign of thawing relations after American airstrikes accidentally killed 24 Pakistani soldiers last year.

Pakistan holds border talks after deadly US attack

Associated Press

ISLAMABAD — The Pakistani army was meeting with NATO and Afghan forces on Wednesday in an effort to improve coordination along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, a sign of thawing relations after American airstrikes accidentally killed 24 Pakistani soldiers last year.

Pakistan was outraged by the Nov. 26 attack on two of its Afghan border posts and claimed it was deliberate. Islamabad retaliated by closing its border to supplies meant for NATO troops in Afghanistan and by kicking the U.S. out of a base used by American drones.

But tensions seemed to have eased slightly, with Pakistani officials saying in recent days the government should reopen its border to NATO supplies as long as it can negotiate higher fees.

The United States and Pakistan have long had a troubled relationship, but both sides have an interest in preventing it from rupturing completely. The U.S. needs Pakistan’s help to fight al-Qaida and negotiate peace with the Taliban in Afghanistan, while Islamabad is keen on keeping billions of dollars in American aid flowing.

Wednesday’s meeting took place at a border coordination center in Torkham, a city on the PakistanAfghanistan border, the Pakistani army said. The operations chief for the Pakistani army, Maj. Gen. Ashfaq Nadeem, attended, it said.

The U.S. and Pakistan disagree

who should be blamed for the deadly incident in November, which occurred in the middle of the night as U.S. and Afghan forces were conducting operations near the border inside Afghanistan.

The Pakistani army rejected a U.S. investigation that said mistakes were made on both sides and blamed Pakistani troops for triggering the incident by shooting at coalition forces.

Pakistan said its soldiers were shooting at Islamist militants who were nowhere near the coalition troops. It blamed U.S. forces for the incident because they failed to notify their Pakistani counterparts that they were conducting operations near the border.

The U.S. has said its commanders believe some of their military operations have been compromised when they’ve given details and locations to the Pakistanis — an example of the lack of trust between the two countries.

The U.S. has acknowledged that efforts to determine who was firing on the American troops and whether there were friendly Pakistani forces in the area failed because U.S. forces used inaccurate maps, were unaware of Pakistani border post locations and mistakenly provided the wrong location for the troops.

Pakistan has dismissed these explanations and claimed the incident was “deliberate at some level.” It refused to participate in the U.S. investigation, claiming past probes into border incidents were biased.

U.S. drone strikes against Taliban and al-Qaida militants in Pakistan’s northwest tribal region along the Afghan border have also caused tension between the two countries.

The latest attack occurred Wednesday when U.S. drone-fired missiles hit a house in North Waziristan’s Spalga village, killing nine people, including some domestic Taliban militants, Pakistani intelligence officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.

President Barack Obama has ramped up drone strikes in Pakistan since taking office and acknowledged the covert CIA-run program publicly for the first time in a recent interview. But he and other U.S. officials refuse to discuss details of the operations openly.

Although the Pakistani government is widely believed to have provided support for the strikes in the past, that cooperation has become strained as its relationship with Washington has deteriorated.

The tussle with the U.S. has come at a time of domestic turmoil in Pakistan. The Supreme Court has vowed to charge Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani with contempt for failing to reopen an old corruption case against the president. If convicted, the premier could serve up to six months in jail and be disqualified from holding public office.

Gilani’s lawyer, Aitzaz Ahsan, appealed the court’s plan to charge his client on Wednesday.

TOKYO - Japan’s parliament on Wednesday approved a $33 billion fourth extra budget to finance subsidies for disasterstruck businesses and the auto market, as the government looks to stimulate a faltering economy.

The upper house passed the extra budget of 2.53 trillion yen ($32.88 billion) for fiscal 2011 following its passage through the lower house.

The budget will provide funds to those affected by the March quaketsunami disaster and the resulting Fukushima nuclear accident who are trying to service loans to restart businesses but who are saddled with

repayments on now worthless or non-existent assets.

It will also finance market incentives for environmentally friendly cars.

Japan in November passed a 12.1 trillion-yen extra budget, following a four-trillion-yen package in May and another two trillion yen in July.

AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye

Passers-by are reflected on the electronic stock board of a securities firm in Tokyo Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012. Japan’s parliament on Wednesday approved a $33 billion fourth extra budget to finance subsidies for disaster-struck businesses and the auto market, as the government looks to stimulate a faltering economy.

Nokia to cut 4,000 jobs in Europe Associated Press

HELSINKI — Nokia Corp. said Wednesday it will slash 4,000 jobs in Finland, Mexico and Hungary in a further move to cut costs as it struggles against stiff competition in the smartphone market.

The layoffs, to be completed by the end of 2012, are part of more than 7,000 global layoffs the Finnish company announced last year.

Nokia said it is increasingly moving cellphone assembly from Europe to Asia where the majority of component suppliers are based, but would not close the three plants in Komaron, Hungary; Reynosa, Mexico; and Salo in Finland.

“These three factories are planned to focus on smartphone product customization, serving customers mainly in Europe and the Americas,” said Niklas Savander, from Nokia’s markets sector. “(They) will continue to play an important role serving our smartphone customers.”

Last month, Nokia reported that smartphone sales plummeted 23 percent globally in the fourth quarter as net revenue fell 20 percent to euro10 billion ($13.11 billion) compared to a year earlier.

Nokia has lost its once-dominant position in the global cellphone market, with Android phones and iPhones overtaking it in the growing smartphone segment.

Employees of Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) demonstrate on February 1, 2012 in front of the headquarters of NSN in Munich, southern AFP PHOTO / PETER KNEFFEL

Germany.

Jetstar Japan to start domestic flights in July

Agence France-Presse

TOKYO - Budget airline Jetstar Japan, part-owned by Australia’s Qantas, said Wednesday it will launch domestic flights serving five major destinations as Japan’s aviation industry enters a period of change.

The new service, slated to begin July 3, is the latest chapter in a bid to open up a market that has traditionally suffered from high prices because of dominance by two major carriers, Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways (ANA).

“The launch network of Tokyo (Narita), Osaka, Sapporo, Fukuoka and Okinawa will be serviced by an initial fleet of three new A320 aircraft,” said Jetstar, a joint venture between Qantas, Japan Airlines (JAL) and Mitsubishi Corp.

“Fares and schedules will be announced soon,” it said.

Japan’s major airlines were behind global rivals in terms of entry into the low-cost sector, but ANA last year set up budget airline Peach Aviation with a Hong Kong investment fund. Flights are scheduled to start in March.

ANA has also tied up with Malaysia’s AirAsia to launch AirAsia Japan in August.

Peach will operate out of Osaka and Air Asia Japan will be based in Tokyo.

Separately, Skymark Airlines has been operating low-cost domestic flights in Japan since 1998.

Jetstar Japan said it plans to offer short-haul international services to key Asian cities starting in 2013.

Melbourne-based Jetstar operates routes throughout the Asia-Pacific region, including between Australia and Japan.

“Serving the Japanese customer for the past five years with international services gives us a clear advantage in rolling out a domestic network,” said Jetstar Group Chief Executive Bruce Buchanan.

Since the start of this year, the Jetstar Group has announced 36 additional weekly international flights to-and-from Japan.

Jetstar Japan CEO Miyuki Suzuki said: “In a country that?s never had a true low fares domestic network, the ability to travel for an average of 50 percent less will open up new places and opportunities.”

12

Entertainment

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Review: ‘Journey 2’ sinks Verne’s isle in 3-D muck Associated Press Writer

There’s little mystery about “Journey 2: The Mysterious Island.” This 3-D sort-of sequel wears its formula-for-dollars purpose with pride, delivering a dash of cinematic nonsense that represents Hollywood calculation at its shrewdest and most shameless.

AP Photo/Warner Bros. Pictures, Ron Phillips

In this image released by Warner Bros. Pictures, from left, Luis Guzman, Vanessa Hudgens, Michael Caine, Dwayne Johnson and Josh Hutcherson are shown in a scene from “Journey 2: The Mysterious Island.”

Again poking Jules Verne’s remains with a sharp stick, the producers of the 2008 hit “Journey to the Center of the Earth” present their second modern take on the 19th century fantasist’s wild stories. And “Mysterious Island” is every bit the amusement park ride cloaked as a movie that the first “Journey” was, the new flick stranding a misfit band of adventurers on Verne’s lost island of freakish creatures.

What this one lacks by comparison is the relative novelty of digital 3-D, which was in its infancy for mainstream theatrical releases when “Journey to the Center of the Earth” came out.

It also lacks the likable goof factor of Brendan Fraser, who starred in the first movie but isn’t back for the second. Dwayne Johnson steps in this time, and while he tries to yuck it up amid the nonstop action, he’s just not a goofball on the order of Fraser, who somehow can make extreme silliness palatable with that big, simpering grin of his.

Johnson, on the other hand, merely simpers.

“Journey 2” also features a change of directors, with Brad Peyton (“Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore”) overseeing a collection of impressive but annoying visuals, serving up gimmicky 3-D that’s

Grammys to feature first dance music segment Associated Press Writer

Grammy show producer Ken Ehrlich had considered putting dancing/electronica music into the ceremony in the past, but could never quite figure out how to incorporate the high-energy club feel in front of a sometimes staid audience. He thinks he’s figured it out this year. For the first time, the Grammy show will put the spotlight on the genre with a segment featuring Grammy nominees Deadmau5, the Foo Fighters,

Chris Brown, David Guetta and Lil Wayne, all performing in a tent space amid 1,000 fans.

“We decided to go all out this year,” Ehrlich said of the performance taking place outside the Staples Center in Los Angeles, where Sunday’s ceremony will be held. “All we’re going to try and do next week is to try and put the home audience in the middle of it. ... It is more than just sitting there and watching it.”

Dance music did not receive its own category until 2003 with

AP Photo/Evan Agostini, file

FILE - In this Dec. 9, 2011 file photo, DJ David Guetta performs at Z100’s Jingle Ball concert at Madison Square Garden in New York.

the best dance recording/dance field, and the music had not been featured with its own segment in the show.

“I don’t know that I figured out a way to do it that felt right until now,” Ehrlich said in an interview Monday. “My feeling about dance is it’s such an immersive experience for the participant, that to put it on stage ... where the audience is not a part of it ... I don’t know, honestly, until we came up with the idea of doing it this way, I don’t know if it ever would have worked.”

Ehrlich calls the performance the “most ambitious number that we’ve ever done outside the Staples Center.” It will feature at least four cameras from audience level as Deadmau5 (pronounced dead mouse) and the Foo Fighters perform his remixed version of the band’s song “Rope,” which netted him one of his Grammy nominations, and as Brown and Lil Wayne perform with Guetta.

Ehrlich said the performance reflects the popularity of dance music over the past few years.

“As much as a recorded medium that it is, and the fact that it’s selling a lot of CDs and downloads, it’s really a live experience,” he said. “It is more than just sitting there and watching it.”

continually trying to poke things in your eye.

Johnson stars as ex-Navy guy Hank, stepfather to troublesome teenager Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson, reprising his role from the first “Journey”).

In its rushed and clunky opening minutes, “Journey 2” establishes that Sean’s a bad boy genius who resents his stepdad; bonds the two in a scene that shows Hank’s an OK guy and Sean’s not such a bad boy and not such a genius; sends them off to the South Pacific in search of Sean’s grandfather (Michael Caine), who sent a cryptic transmission that he had found Verne’s supposedly fictional island; and lands them in the company of helicopter pilot Gabato (Luis Guzman) and his beautiful daughter, Kailani (Vanessa Hudgens), who ferry the visitors to the remote isle.

Peyton and cousins Brian Gunn and Mark Gunn, who wrote the screenplay, waste no time giving the characters more than the barest cartoon personalities, allowing the filmmakers to focus on the movie’s only reason to exist. And that’s purely as a thrill ride, the actors racing from a giant lizard, flying on monster bees while pursued by colossal hungry birds, rushing to escape an enormous electric eel.

Zsa Zsa kept behind closed doors at birthday party Associated Press Writer

LOS ANGELES — After what felt like an eternity but was actually just a few minutes, Frederic Prinz von Anhalt emerged from a white door into the foyer of the old-fashioned Bel-Air mansion that he shares with his wife of 25 years, former glamour queen Zsa Zsa Gabor.

The self-proclaimed German prince held a chocolate birthday cake he said was a gift from celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck. Smoke from the expunged candles jabbed into the small cake was still drifting in the air. Surrounded by paintings and photographs depicting Gabor when she was an infamously sassy Hungarian actress, a few dozen guests quietly sipped champagne and mingle in the common areas of the home overlooking the twinkling lights of Los Angeles.

But Gabor was nowhere to be seen — apparently celebrating her 95th birthday behind closed doors on the chilly Monday evening. Von Anhalt presented the cake to his bedridden beloved out of sight from the partygoers who had gathered for the occasion. He paraded it around the room as he greets his guests.

Gabor hasn’t had much reason to celebrate for nearly two years as she dealt with a broken hip, a leg amputated because of gangrene, blood clots, infections, pneumonia, a loose feeding tube.

But that didn’t stop the publicity-loving

Activities

International

International

von Anhalt from throwing a good party in her honor.

There was food — German dishes like warm pretzels and schnitzel — and plenty of drink. After emerging from the kitchen with his arms filled with bottles of pink wine, the endlessly eccentric von Anhalt scoffed at questions about unloading the mansion, having a baby or running for mayor of Los Angeles.

“This night is only a celebration of my wife’s life,” he proclaimed.

Present All You Can Eat Mediterranean Sunday Brunch IBP

JAKARTA - Starting January 2012 Sabeen Restaurant of THE HAVEN Seminyak proudly present the opening of Sunday Brunch.

All You Can Eat Mediterranean brunch will be served exquisitely

by Chef Clive Allan Pelser to satisfy guests every Sunday from noon to 3 pm, for only Rp. 329.000 nett / person and Rp. 164.000 nett for children from 6-9 years old. More, completing the brunch Sabeen restaurant will also provide an endless flow of alcoholic beverages standard pouring brand for an additional price of Rp. 329.000 Nett.

All main dishes and desserts of the brunch would be cooked and served a la minute in front of guests. Only row of appetizers including a variety of fresh salad had been prepared earlier. More, the ambiance of Sabeen Restaurant becomes more comfort and relax due to Jazz music performance by Marina and Friends while companying the guest to enjoy the Sunday Brunch.

IBP/Courtesy of The Haven

Temple Ceremony Calendar Event for February 1 through 15, 2012 1 Feb Buda Keliwon Dunggulan.

Pura Wakika Kupang, NTT Pura Agung Girinatha Sumbawa Besar NTB Pura Dukuh Sakti Dukuh Kediri-Tabanan Pura Atambuananta Kutamba NTT Pura Webananta Kupang, NTT Pura Giripati Mulawarman Pontianak.

Pura Mustika Dharma Cijantung I Jakarta Timur 2 Feb Wraspati Umanis Dunggulan Pura Watukaru Tabanan Pura Lempuyang Luhur Karangasem Pura Kentel Gumi Klungkung Pasek Gaduh Umadesa Kediri Tabanan Pura Pasek Kubayan Wangaya Gede Penebel Tabanan Merajan Pasek Tohjiwa Tiyingan Merajan Pasek Gaduh Umadesa

4 Feb Saniscara Pon Dunggulan Pura Segara Jembrana Pura Dalem Gede Losan Klungkung 5 Feb Redite Wage Kuningan Pura Dalem Tegal Tamu Sekarmukti-Balubulan.

Pura Kubayan Umagunung Sempidi-Badung 6 Feb Soma Keliwon Kuningan Pura Dasar Gelgel-Klungkung Pura Pasek Tohjiwa Sawah/Selemadeg-Tabanan Pura Pemerajan Agung Benawah Kangin Gianyar Pura Panti Pasek Gelgel Pelapuhan-Busungbiu Buleleng Pura Kahyangan Tulus Desa Apuan.

AP Photo/File

5

The Haven Seminyak

3 Feb Sukra Paing Dunggulan Pura Ulun Suwi Jimbaran Pura Luhur Cemenggon, Sukawati.

Pura Pasek Ubung Denpasar

FILE - In this Aug. 15, 1986 file photo, actress Zsa Zsa Gabor is shown Los Angeles.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

7 Feb Purnama Kawulu Pura dalem Batur - Bangli Pura Pasek/Ida Ratu Pasek Besakih Ngusaba Ngeed Banua Kawan - Besakih

Pura Dalem Suci Sidemen - Karangasem 11 Feb Saniscara Keliwon Kuningan.

Pura Taman Pule Mas-Ubud Pura Ularan Takmung-Klungkung.

Pura Bukitjati Gulingan-Kawan Bangli Pura Dalem Tegehe Tegehe Pura Dalem Tahak Tahak Pura Dalem Batuaji. Batuaji Pura Dalem Tegaljaya Batubulan Pura Jenengan Maspahit Cemenggaon-Sukawati Pura Dalem Guwang-Sukawati Pura Sadha Kapal Pura Sakenan Serangan Pura Pekendungan Keiri-Tabanan Pura Pasek Gaduh Grokgak Gede Tabanan Pura Dalem Sanding Tampaksiring Pura Dalem Purnajati Tanjung Puri Tanjung Periuk Jakarta Pura Dalem Tenggaling Guliang-Bangli Mr. Dukuh Tetek Peguyangan-Denpasar Pura Agung Blambangan Banyuwangi Pura Dalem Agung Sri Nararya Kresna Kepakisan Gelgel -Klungkung Pura Panti Paksebali Klungkung (Perang Jempana) Pura Penataran Agung Margowening Desa Balonggarut, Sidoarjo, Jawa Timur 12 Feb Redite Umanis Langkir Pr. Sakenan Serangan Denpasar Selatan Pr. Batuaji Ubung Ubung-Tengah Denpasar Barat Pura Dalem Pahuman Bhujangga Penatih Denpasa Mr. Pasek Gianyar Kerobokan Pr. Alas Harum Batur Kintamani, Pr. Alas Angker Kintamani Kawitan Dalem Empuaji Aan-Klungkung.

15 Feb Buda Wage Langkir Pura Tanah Lot Kediri Tabanan Pura Bucabe Mas Ubud Pura Puseh Desa Ganggang-Canggi Batuan Pura Pasek Pertukangan Kediri-Tabanan Pura Pasek Bendesa Gulingan Mengwi

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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Thursday, February 9, 2012

News

International

Science

Thursday, February 9, 2012

13

Nigeria lead poisoning ‘worst in modern history’: HRW

Appeals court reverses California gay marriage ban Agence France-Presse

CALIFORNIA - A US federal appeals court struck down a California law that strips gays and lesbians of the right to marry in the latest round of America’s long-running battle over same-sex marriage. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court judge’s ruling that an amendment to the California state constitution banning same-sex marriage violated principles of due process and equal protection under the law.

Gay marriage was briefly authorized in California in 2008, but later banned by a referendum on what was known as Proposition 8. It rewrote the state’s constitution to restrict marriage to unions between a man and a woman.

On Tuesday, the three-judge appeals panel in San Francisco ruled 2-1 that a lower court had properly declared the ban a violation of the US Constitution.

The ban had violated equality laws “to target a minority group and withdraw a right that it possessed, without a legitimate reason for doing so,” Judge Stephen Reinhardt wrote in the majority opinion.

“Proposition 8 serves no purpose, and has no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California,” the opinion said. “The constitution simply does not allow for laws of this sort.”

In a dissenting opinion, Judge Randy Smith argued that the government could have a legitimate interest in preventing samesex couples from marrying.

The ruling was relatively narrow in scope and did not address whether gays and lesbians have a broader constitutional right to marry. The court’s judgment drew sharp criticism from Republican presidential candidates.

“Today, unelected judges cast aside the will of the people of California who voted to protect traditional marriage,” said Republican presidential frontrunner Mitt Romney.

“This decision does not end this fight and I expect it to go to the Supreme Court. That prospect underscores the vital importance of this election and the movement to preserve our values.”

Former House speaker Newt Gingrich said the court’s decision shows “more and more Americans are being exposed to the radical overreach of federal judges and their continued assault on the Judeo-Christian foundations of the United States.”

Former senator Rick Santorum, another Republican White House hopeful, said the ruling “is another in a long line of radical activist rulings by this rogue circuit” court.

However, supporters of gay rights welcomed the ruling.

California Attorney General Kamala Harris called the decision “a victory for fairness, a victory for equality and a victory for justice.”

The decision did not give gay and lesbian couples the immediate right to wed while the ban remains in force until the US Supreme Court rules on a likely final appeal.

Joe Solmonese, president of Human Rights Campaign, said the decision overturns a “hateful law,” and added: “This monumental decision affirms what we all know to be true: our constitution exists to protect the basic civil rights of all Americans -- gay, straight, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender.”

All three judges agreed the federal judge who previously found the voter-approved ban unconstitutional had no obligation to disclose that he was in a long-term gay relationship or recuse himself from the case. Gay marriage is legal in six of 50 US states so far -- Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York as well as in the federal capital city Washington -- and is a hot-button political issue nationally.

At the White House, President Barack Obama’s spokesman Jay Carney declined to comment on the specifics of the case, but noted that the president has “long opposed divisive and discriminatory efforts to deny... rights and benefits to same-sex couples.”

David Cruz, a University of Southern California law professor, said the ruling may not be the final word on same-sex marriage rights.

He said the ruling was “very narrow and pretty much only applies to California’s Proposition 8, and doesn’t reach any other marriage restriction in the country.”

International

Agence France Presse

A lead poisoning epidemic in Nigeria’s north that has killed 400 children and affected thousands is the worst in modern history, but cleanup has not even begun in many areas, Human Rights Watch said Tuesday.

Syrian pro-government protesters hold a banner in in Arabic, Russian and Chinese and wave Syrian and Russian flags as a convoy carrying Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov heads towards the presidential palace in Damascus on February 7, 2012.

Attacks in Syria’s Homs resume, dozens killed Reuters

AMMAN - Armored forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad killed at least 47 civilians as they thrust into Homs on Wednesday, firing rockets and mortar rounds to subdue opposition districts, activists said, a day after Russia said Assad wants peace.

Tanks entered the Inshaat neighborhood and moved closer to Bab Amro district in the central Syrian city, which has been the target of the heaviest barrages by loyalist troops that have killed at least 150 people in the last two day, activists in the city and opposition sources said.

“Electricity returned briefly and we were able to contact various neighborhoods because activists there managed to recharge their phones. We counted 47 killed since midnight,” activist Mohammad Hassan said by satellite phone.

Hassan said bombardment intensified in the early morning, concentrating on Bab Amro, al-Bayada, alKhalidiya and Wadi al-Arab -- Sunni Muslim neighborhoods in the mixed city that have risen up against the 11 year rule of Assad, from Syria’s minority Alawite community, which has dominated the majority Sunni country for the last five decades.

“Mortar and rocket fires have subsided, but heavy machineguns and anti-aircraft guns are still strong... tanks are in main thoroughfares in the city and appear poised to push deep into residential areas,” he added.

The attacks on Homs continued despite Russia winning a promise

from Assad to bring an end to bloodshed, while Western and Arab states acted to further isolate Assad following the onslaught on the city, one of the bloodiest of the 11-month uprising.

The reports could not be independently verified because Syrian authorities have placed tight restrictions on access to the country by Western media.

The official state news agency said “armed terrorist groups” attacked police roadblocks in Homs and fired mortar bombs at the city, with three falling on the Homs oil refinery, one of two in the country. It gave no details of any damage.

“Assad is seeing the civilized world turn against him and he thinks he will win if he uses more brutal force before the world could act,” said Catherine al-Talli, senior member of the opposition National Council.

The attack on Homs has intensified Western and regional diplomatic pressure on Assad, who was training as an ophthalmologist in London before his father, the late President Hafez al-Assad, anointed him as his successor when another brother who was being groomed for

president died.

Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd on Wednesday called in Syria’s top diplomat, charge d’affaires Jawdat Ali, telling him Syria’s regime had lost its legitimacy and it was time for Assad to step down.

“Our message to the Syrian government is clear - Assad must find an exit strategy before the situation in Syria degenerates further and more lives are lost,” Rudd said in a statement.

Rudd said on Tuesday that Australia had imposed new travel bans and financial sanctions on a further 75 people in Syria and 27 entities.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov of Russia, one of Syria’s few remaining allies, said on a trip to Damascus on Tuesday that both countries wanted to revive a monitoring effort by the Arab League, whose plan to resolve Syria’s crisis was vetoed by Moscow and Beijing in the U.N. Security Council.

Lavrov - whose government wields unique leverage as a major arms supplier with longstanding political ties to Damascus, and maintains a naval facility on its coast - told Assad that peace was in Russia’s interests.

But there was no indication from Lavrov’s comments that the issue of Assad eventually giving up power - a central element of the Arab proposal that failed in the U.N. - had been raised.

AFP Photo/Pius Utomi Ekpei

Health workers excavate soil contaminated by lead at Dareta village, Anka district in Zamfara State in 2010.

Ship noise boosts stress in whales, 9/11 reveals: study agence France Presse

to suddenly drop off, making it possible to measure the impact of varying levels of sound The steady drone of motors along busy pollution in the sea. Over the last 50 years noise commercial shipping lanes not only alters caused by cargo and military vessels, along with whale behaviour but can affect the giant sea high-decibel sonars used for oil exploration, mammals physically by causing chronic has gradually increased in intensity and scope. stress, a study published Wednesday has Baleen whales communicate at the same reported for the first time. The findings were low-frequency wavelengths emitted by these made possible, researchers said, by an event ships, in the range of 20 to 200 hertz (Hz), that at first glance seems far removed from the and some species have adapted by emitting plight of cetaceans: the attacks on New York’s louder and more frequent acoustic signals.

Twin Towers on September 11, 2001.

Only weeks before the 9/11 attack, scientists Only a catastrophe of that magnitude, they led by Rosalind Rolland of the New England explained, could have caused maritime traffic Aquarium had undertaken a study of North Atlantic right whales that congregate in late summer in Canada’s Bay of Fundy to feed and nurse their calves.

Starting in July 2001, the researchers used trained dogs to find whale faecal matter floating on the surface of the water.

They collected samples over a six-week period every year through 2005.

The whale poop contained hormone-related chemicals, called glucocorticoids, mirroring stress levels that could change AP Photo/The Oregonian, Steven Nehl In this 1998 photo shows famed killer whale Keiko, at the from one day to the next, or even within hours.

Oregon Coast Aquarium, in Newport, Ore.

“Thousands of children in northern Nigeria need immediate medical treatment and dozens of villages remain contaminated two years into the worst lead poisoning epidemic in modern history,” the US-based group said in a statement.

The group reiterated a previous official death toll of 400 children, with the poisoning having been caused by illegal gold mining in villages in northern Zamfara state. “What is urgently needed is a cleanup of the affected villages and some four million dollars (three million euros) will be required for this purpose,” HRW researcher Jane Cohen told AFP. She said foreign donors, Nigeria’s federal and the Zamfara state government must work together to tackle the problem. “The Zamfara government is making some efforts, but this not enough. The Nigerian government and international community have

to be involved,” she said. Clean-up efforts have taken place in some areas and charities such as Doctors Without Borders have been treating victims but more urgent work is needed, according to HRW. A robust clean-up should begin before the rainy season starts in April, Cohen said. “Environmental cleanup efforts have not even begun in numerous affected villages,” the group said.

“Research by Human Rights Watch in Zamfara in late 2011 found that children are exposed to this lead dust when they process ore in the mines, when their miner relatives return home covered with lead dust, and when the lead-filled ore is manually or mechanically crushed at home,” it said.

“Children can also be exposed to toxic lead in contaminated water and food.” The extent of the poisoning began to come to light some two years ago.

Drones: Coming soon to an airspace near you

Is it a bird? Is it a plane?

Nope, it’s an unmanned drone! Congress today approved a bill that allows unmanned aircraft to fly in the same airspace as commercial airliners, private planes, and cargo jets. The legislation allocates $63.4 billion over the next three and a half years to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), $11 billion of which will be used to update air traffic control systems at 35 US airports to handle the remote-controlled aircrafts.

The deadline for the systems update is June 2015.

The change to flight regulations will allow military, commercial, and private drones to fly over US territory. Currently, drones are only allowed over certain military airspace, along US borders for surveillance purposes, and to about 300 public agencies, according to the Associated Press. The FAA must submit its plan for how to safely allow wide-spread drone flight within nine months of the bill’s passage.

In addition to the bit about drones — which we find both awesome and horrifying — the FAA will also update to a more precise GPS system, known as Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast, or ADS-B. Once ADS-B is in place, aircraft fitted with the new tech will have their locations updated every second, as opposed to the six to 12 second intervals allowed by the current system. This will

allow planes to come into runways at a steeper decent, fly closer together, and land and take off more quickly.

The addition of ADS-B is part of a massive FAA endeavor known as NextGen. According to the FAA, the roll out of NexGen will allow for fewer delays, fewer accidents, a lower environmental impact, and stronger national security, among a slew of other benefits.

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Sport

Thursday, February 9, 2012

International

Argentina’s Velez Sarsfield got their Libertadores Cup campaign off to a winning start on Tuesday with a 3-0 victory over Defensor Sporting of Uruguay in group seven. In an occasionally badtempered group four clash, three red cards were flashed as Fluminense of Brazil beat Argentina’s Arsenal 1-0.

Velez playmaker David Ramirez scored the first goal of the competition when he rifled in a shot from the edge of the box past goalkeeper Yonatan Irrazabal in the 41st minute in Montevideo.

New signing Mauro Obolo made it 2-0 in the 81st minute when he volleyed home from close range and defender Sebastian Dominguez completed the win with a goal many of the world’s top strikers would have been proud of, steering a free kick from outside the box into the top corner with five minutes left.

Asked if it was his best ever goal, man-of-the-match Dominguez told Fox Sports: “Probably, I’ve scored so few.”

THREE RED Arsenal could have used their former striker Obolo, who was

transferred to Velez last month, as their finishing was poor in the group four match in Rio de Janeiro. Brazil striker Fred netted the only goal after two minutes and Fluminense clung on with nine men at the end.

Fluminense’s Wagner and Nicolas Aguirre of Arsenal were sent off after some pushing among the players after a tackle in the 74th minute. Fluminense defender Leandro Euzebio was also shown the red card in the final minute after he struck Arsenal’s Damian Perez in the face with his heel after both went down in a tackle.

Mexican side Guadalajara have the chance to leave their troubles behind in their domestic league where they are bottom of the Clausura championship when they take on Deportivo Quito later on Tuesday in group seven. Holders Santos make their group one bow away to Bolivia’s The Strongest at high altitude in La Paz next week.

Boca Juniors return to the competition for the first time since they lost to Defensor Sporting in the round of 16 in 2009 with a visit to Venezuelan newcomers Zamora in group four.

3

Until the end of 2011, Jembrana Regency still had thousands of unemployed people. In 2011, the amount was higher than in 2009 and 2010.

The data of Manpower Agency were not much different from that of the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) of Jembrana.

AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos

Athletic Bilbao’s teammates celebrates a goal of Markel Susaeta, unseen, after he scored against Mirandes during their Spanish second-leg Copa del Rey soccer match semifinal at the San Mames stadium in Bilbao, northern Spain, Tuesday, Feb.7, 2012.

Bilbao roar past Mirandes into Cup final

MADRID - Athletic Bilbao ended tiny Mirandes’s remarkable run with a ruthless 6-2 win in their King’s Cup semi-final second leg on Tuesday to set up a final with either Barcelona or Valencia. Iker Muniain, Markel Susaeta and Jon Aurtenetxe scored inside the opening 22 minutes at San Mames, quickly extinguishing any chance of another giant-killing feat from their plucky visitors.

AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Negara (Bali Post)—

Reuters

Uruguay’s Defensor Sporting’s Diego Rolan, left, challenges Argentina’s Velez Sarsfield’s David Ramirez during a Copa Libertadores soccer match in Montevideo, Uruguay,Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012.

Bali News

Jembrana still has 8,000 unemployed people

Velez make winning start, red cards mar Flu victory Reuters

International

Fernando Llorente scored twice in four second-half minutes, after Mirandes had pulled one back through defender Aitor Blanco, who also grabbed their second near the end. Cesar Caneda put the ball in his own net two minutes from time as Bilbao, who have won the Cup 23 times, progressed 8-3 on aggregate.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side will find out their final opponents on Wednesday, when Valencia visit the Nou Camp to play Barca with the tie level at 1-1. “It’s incredible to be in another final after only a few years, we are delighted,” Llorente told Spanish television.

“We knew we couldn’t afford to relax at all, and the few times we did, they scored. “I don’t care who we meet in the final as long as we win. I had a bad experience with Barca, but we’ll give it our best whoever it is.” Bilbao lost 4-1 to Barca in the 2009 Cup

final.

Mirandes, who play in Spain’s Segunda B, knocked out topflight sides Villarreal, Racing Santander and Espanyol to reach the last four, and were the second team only from the third tier to do so in the competition’s current format.

MIRANDES REELING Bilbao never gave the visitors time to settle, however, and a failure to clear a cross in the 11th minute allowed Muniain to burst through the middle and fire in the opener. Mirandes were still reeling three minutes later when the hosts strung together a series of passes that pulled the defence apart and Susaeta turned to slot away the second.

Aurtenetxe looped in a header to make it 3-0 and Mirandes did not manage to test Bilbao keeper Gorka Iraizoz until the 35th min-

ute when Pablo Infante drilled a shot straight at him. Mirandes showed some of the courage and talent that have made them headline news in Spain after the break, and were rewarded in the 58th when a rebound from a shot against the post was turned in by Blanco.

They flashed another effort wide of the post before in-form Spain striker Llorente lobbed the visiting keeper from outside the area in the 71st. He then slid in at the far post to notch his eighth goal from the last four matches.

Both sets of fans cheered their teams in the closing stages and Mirandes even hit the post before the referee blew the final whistle.

“It’s been an unforgettable experience. Something we’ll remember for the rest of our lives,” Mirandes captain Pablo Infante said. “Now we need to focus on winning our league and getting promotion.”

The data of the Social Welfare, Manpower and Transmigration Agency of Jembrana indicated the open unemployment or manpower who really did not have a job in 2011 reached 8,757 people. In other words, there was an increase in the unemployment of about 1,000 over the previous year.

Meanwhile, the category of underemployed people amounted to 36,320 people of the total 156,824 labor force. Division Head of Labor Affairs, Putu Gede Wardhana, when met on Tuesday (Feb 7) said the results were obtained from the identity card for information system and population administration implemented since 2009. Meanwhile, the results of previous years, namely from 2003 to 2008, were from the BPS and labor force survey.

The number of open unemployment showed a significant increase over the past three years. It averagely reached 1,000 people per year. In 2008 there were 6,444 open unemployed people, and then grew to 7,495 people in 2010 and 8,757 people in 2011.

In the meantime, the total labor force declined in 2010 if compared to that of 2010.

In 2010, the number of population belonging to working age was 214,506 people and they consisted of 157,026 workforces.

Among the working age of 217,130 in 2011, there were 156,824 unemployed people.

The existing job opportunities in 2011 could only absorbed 150,000 labor forces.

Meanwhile, the number of underemployed people or workers who did not work optimally because they did not have jobs from year to year was stagnant in the range of 36,000 people. The population had impermanent job and worked less than 35 hours per week. By and large, the unemployment was triggered by incomparable labor force to the job opportunities that could absorb. Unemployment often became an economic burden and problem.

This year, local government attempted to explore a number of opportunities to reduce the unemployment rate. One of them was by sending apprentices to Japan as implemented recently. (kmn26)

Violate rules Plan of investor to build road at Subak Toye Hee Semarapura (Bali Post)—

The plan of Korean investor to build a road on the Mati River in the border of Subak Toye Hee and Subak Pegatepan entrusted to a native Balinese is ascertained to violate the existing rules.

As consequence, the plan may not be realized though investor continues to approach the subak members to pass the plan. “It is not allowed to build anything on Tukad Mati. We must even preserve the existence of Mati River itself,” said the Head of Klungkung Public Works Agency, IB. Adnyana, Tuesday (Feb 7).

IB Adnyana mentioned the Mati River served as a water channel during the rainy season. Aside from the strategic function to drain water, in the Bali Regional Regulation (Perda) No.16/2009 on Bali regional spatial planning (RTRW) the matter had been strongly regulated. In particular, the Article 50 point 5 point letter a (2) described (as stipulated in) Article 44 paragraph 1 (d) about the protected area of river borderline. “Any building on the Mati River and riverside should comply with the regulation of river borderline,” said IB Adnyana accompanied by the Division Head of Spatial Order, the Klungkung Public Works Agency, Ketut Narkayasa.

In the regulation on the borderline, one of the stipulations set that the building was permitted at 10 meters from the riverside with the depth of 3-10 meters.

Similarly, a building could be estab-

lished at a distance of 3 meters from the riverside provided that the riverside had been protected with parapet. “By referring to the regulation, I declare that it is not allowed to build on the Mati River,” he added.

Similar confession was delivered

by Secretary of Klungkung Regency, Ketut Janapria, who claimed to have never been met by the investor planning to build the road. IB Adnyana also admitted that so far he had never met anybody related to such a plan. Even, if later on there were parties who met him, he would surely explain pursuant to the prevailing regulations.

Most subak members having the land around the road project plan also worried if the Mati River would be taken advantage for the construction of road body.

The overflowing water, especially during rainy season, would not be dammed and even would destroy their farmland considering the Mati River was the only reservoir of excessive water during the rain.

Meanwhile, the Korean investor through its representative, Ni Wayan Niati, had a meeting with the subak members. They discussed about the road development plan of 8 meters wide along 400 meters. However, Niati did not mention the subsequent plan after the road construction completed. She only told if the Korean investor had a total land area of 3.55 hectares situated at three locations. (kmb20)

IBP/File

One of the competitors of the tourist attraction in Ulun Danu,

Compete against alternative tourist attractions

Visitor to Ulun Danu drops 30 percent Tabanan (Bali Post)—

Rife tourist attractions around the verge of Lake Beratan at Baturiti are continuously complained by the operator of Ulun Danu Beratan tourist attraction. As a result of those ‘illegal’ tourist attractions, the visit to Ulun Danu drops up to 40 percent. Such a decline in tourist visit is clearly visible during last Galungan holiday season.

The main trigger of the declining tourist visit was that more tourists made a visit to alternative attractions than to Ulun Danu.

It ensued because they offered cheaper entrance ticket rates. Even, visitors were only charged with parking ticket. Meanwhile, visitors to Ulun Danu were required to purchase entrance ticket “We are really confused with the existence of many alternative tourist attractions around the lakeside. As a result, visitors to Ulun Danu drop sharply,” sighed Operation Manager of Ulun Danu Beratan Tourist Attraction, Wayan Mustika, Tuesday (Feb 7).

This man pointed out that on last Galungan holiday, the total visit dropped drastically compared to the visit last year. Even, his income dropped to IDR 37 million. According to him, such condition was caused by many visitors, chiefly domestic tourists, turned to the alternative attractions because they should not buy entrance ticket when

visiting the location. Most tourists were only charged with parking ticket at IDR 5,000, while the official ticket price at Ulun Danu was IDR 7,500 per person, excluding parking ticket.

According to Mustika, such conditions posed a serious threat to the revenue of Ulun Danu. Moreover, effective next April, the official entrance ticket at Ulun Danu would be raised. For domestic tourists, the entrance ticket would be increased from IDR 7,500 to IDR 10,000 per person. “Now, the visit has dropped, let alone when the tariff is raised,” he complained. Mustika hoped the Tabanan Regency could act firmly against the emergence of the alternative tourist attraction. If left unchecked, Mustika said, it was feared to be consistently followed by the others. Another complaint was the alternative tourist attraction did not charge entrance ticket so the levy to regional government was questioned whereas tourists to the alternative attractions equally enjoyed the beauty of Ulun Danu.

Mustika added the issue on the decline in tourist visit had been reported to the supporting devotee caretaker of the Ulun Danu Temple and Baturiti customary leaders. His party was still awaiting the decision from the caretakers to determine further measures. (udi)

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International

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Bali News

Sport

International

15

FIFA donate $250,000 to victims of Egypt disaster

Many communities still poor

Reuters

Interior of Karangasem Regent’s office worth IDR 1.4 billion

FIFA are to donate $250,000 to the families of the victims of last week’s Egyptian stadium disaster in which 74 people were killed after violence flared at a soccer match in Port Said between al-Masry and Cairo-based Al Ahli.

“I stated after the tragedy that this day was a black day for football. I’m still very shocked by what happened. Many of the victims were so young,” FIFA president Sepp Blatter said in a statement.

“They were also a crucial support for their families, who now need help. The football community, including FIFA, must assist its Egyptian brothers and sisters.” FIFA said the sum would be paid into a charity account opened by Al Ahli.

At least 1,000 people were also injured in the violence when fans invaded the pitch after al-Masry’s victory on Feb. 2. Most of the deaths were among people trampled in the crush of the panicking crowd, while others fell or were thrown from terraces.

Amlapura (Bali Post)—

An ironic reality happens in Karangasem.

When some 32,000 families are still in poverty line, begging, unable to send their children to school or many poor people have no home and have to stay at their neighbor’s house or sleep in the rural security post, the Regent of Karangasem I Wayan Geredeg even conjures up his office room with expensive interior totally worth IDR 1.4 billion more.

His new workspace was completely done and ritually inaugurated on Tuesday (Feb 7). Such amount of expenses was not used to construct a new building. But, it was just intended to re-design the room by setting new interior with advanced facilities such as electric doors and CCTV security system. The redesigned interior was made to the building located in the center, where it was previously a simple office room for the secretary and expert staff. As the room has been used by the Regent, the expert staff was forced to move to other room.

On the sidelines of the inauguration ritual for his ‘palace,’ the Regent Geredeg said on Tuesday, the room was conjured up into a new workspace to maximize the function of his office. Other than for a workspace, it was also taken advantage for receiving local or domestic guests such as guests from central government of Jakarta.

Such multifunctional workspace, he added, was intended for a variety of interests such as creative ideas of the Regent Geredeg to attract more investments through promotion, achievement and potential of the region among the circle of guests.

He said the daily workspace was also filled with the showcase of various achievement of the region, leading potential of the region, distinctive culture and activities of Karangasem and public services of regional leader in the form of entertaining and informative audiovisual presentation so that guests did not get bored while waiting for the opportunity to have an audience and increase the information and insights on Karangasem.

By knowing the potential of Karangasem, said Geredeg, it would indirectly introduce the Karangasem region and get an opportunity to attract investment, boost the pace of development and further reduce the poverty.

Regent I Wayan Geredeg, added, the workspace facilities were appropriately increased in line with the improvement of performance. Workspace facilities of the regional leader were not only intended to give effect to the working productivity but also to serve as a campaign medium to promote the regional potential so that it could be a medium to introduce the culture and leading potentials of Karangasem.

It was added that the more representative regent’s office had been equipped with workspace, meeting room, press conference, lobby, promotion room, a room of personal secretary with facility of two CCTVs, multimedia facilities, air conditioning and electronic door. (013)

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Injured Li Na, Jankovic pull out of Paris Open Reuters

AP Photo/Alan Diaz

Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade (3) scores between Cleveland Cavaliers’ Antawn Jamison, left, and Anderson Varejao, right, during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Miami, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012. The Heat won 107-91.

IBP/File

The hut where one of the poor family in Karangasem live

Threats of HIV/AIDS through sexual relations

Treated improperly, the case surges in next five years

Denpasar (Bali Post)—

Sexual relation is the highest risk factor of the HIV/AIDS transmission in Bali. Surely this condition will result in a concern because HIV does not pose a disease immediately showing off the symptoms when the virus begins to enter the body. It will appear at least five years after the virus gets into the body.

If handled improperly, the transmission of HIV case through heterosexual contact can soar high and be detected at least five years later. “Sufferers who are not aware of suffering from HIV will pass it on to others. More dangerously, if the sufferers have a free sex behavior and multiple partners,” said the Section Head of Outpatient Medical Services of Sanglah Hospital, Ida Ayu Miswarihati, when met on Tuesday (Feb 7).

Based on data in 2011, the number of visit to voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) of Sanglah Hospital amounted to

1,284 people with 370 positive patients or about 30 percent. When compared to the data in 2010, the number of visits in 2011 decreased, where in 2010 the visit to VCT of Sanglah Hospital reached 1,373 with 361 patients found positive.

“However, the positive case in 2011 was more than in 2010,” said Dayu Mis. Infected perpetrators of heterosexual relation were not only among the prostitutes and their customers but they had spread to housewives and children who were affected by the behavior of free sex and multiple partners. In 2011, 25 children were found positive to HIV as transmitted from their mother.

Iceberg phenomenon of HIV/AIDS indeed had to be alerted. Based on estimation, the HIV/AIDS sufferer in Bali reached over 7,000 people where by the end of 2011 was encountered 5,222 people.

Chairman of Kerti Praja Foundation,

Prof. D.N. Wirawan, not long ago described the circle of HIV transmission through sexual relation did not only happen between prostitutes and their customers but also came into the household and infected the housewife and baby. Then, customers of prostitute did not only transmit the HIV to their wife, but also to other non-infected prostitutes and vice versa.

The number of prostitute in Bali was predicted to reach 8,000 people consisting of 2,000 direct prostitutes and 6,000 indirect prostitutes. Within a year, of the total number of prostitutes, their customer was predicted to reach 80,000 different people. It could be imagined if the 80,000 customers were infected by HIV and then had sexual intercourse with different people or their partners. Assuredly, the number of HIV patient would rise sharply due to unsafe sexual relation and multiple partners. (kmb24)

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Miami heat up in fourth quarter to beat Cavs

PARIS - French Open champion Li Na retired injured from her first-round match against Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova at the Paris Open on Tuesday. China’s Li, the world number nine, threw in the towel when she was 7-6 3-2 down. The third seed had called on the trainer earlier to treat back pain.

Also on Tuesday, former world number one Jelena Jankovic of Serbia pulled out with a thigh strain.

The world number 13, seeded fourth in Paris, picked up the injury in a Fed Cup tie against Belgium last weekend.

“I am really disappointed not to play here,” she told a news conference. “I don’t know when I will be able to resume playing but I don’t regret having played in the Fed Cup.

Reuters

The Miami Heat inched closer to top spot in the Eastern Conference with a 107-91 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday. Dwyane Wade scored a game-high 26 points and LeBron James had 24 against his former team as the Heat put the game out of reach with a fourth-quarter surge.

Miami led 84-78 with just over nine minutes left before embarking on an 8-0 run that padded the advantage to double digits and helped the Heat (19-6) move within a game of the conference-leading Chicago Bulls.

The Cavaliers (9-14) are moving forward from losing James to Miami in 2010 with a surprisingly solid start to the season behind No. 1 overall draft pick Kyrie Irving, who recorded 16 points against the Heat.

Antawn Jamison had 25 points and nine rebounds for the Cavaliers, who kept pace with the Heat for three quarters before losing steam in the fourth.

Billups

The Los Angeles Clippers were dealt a blow as starting guard Chauncey Billups was ruled out for the rest of the NBA season with a torn left Achilles tendon, the team said on Tuesday. He will also miss this year’s London Olympics.

The five-times All-Star suffered the injury in the fourth quarter of the Clippers’ win on Monday over the Orlando Magic when he tried to change direction after missing a three-point shot.

Los Angeles acquired the 35year-old Billups off waivers in December just before trading for four-times All-Star Chris Paul. The tandem has helped the Clippers

(15-7) to a first-place start in the Pacific Division and turned them into contenders, but the loss of Billups clouds their status.

“It was tough. It was deflating,” Billups told reporters of his injury during a television interview. “The team is coming together and what we have going on is exciting. To know that this season is over, it hurt.”

The injury also rules the veteran Billups out of this year’s London Olympics after he had been named to the 20-player pool.

Billups was averaging 15 points and four assists in 20 starts for the Pacific division-leading Clippers this season, which was shortened to 66 games because of the lockout.

AP Photo/Yves Logghe

Serbia’s Jelena Jankovic returns the ball towards Belgium’s Kirsten Flipkens, during the World Group, first round of the Fed Cup tennis match in Charleroi, Belgium, Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012.

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Sport

Thursday, February 9, 2012

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Raikkonen says Jerez laptimes are less important

Kimi Raikkonen says that topping the first day of pre-season testing means less to him than the ‘positive’ first sensations he received from the new Lotus E20 and Pirelli’s soft and medium tyre compounds that he tried for the first time at Jerez.

The 2007 world champion played down his headline-grabbing fastest time at the Spanish circuit after ending up 0.1s faster than Paul di Resta’s Force India, having completed 73 laps on a relatively trouble-free day.

“It makes no difference,” he said when asked how it felt to be quick-

est on his return to contemporary F1 action. “I mean it’s the first day, and it would make a difference if it were a race weekend, but here it means nothing.”

But the Finn said that the information he gained using 2012-spec equipment and proper race tyres as opposed to the demo rubber he

had used prior to Tuesday’s official running - was hugely valuable as he continued to reacclimatise to the sport.

“The feeling is pretty OK with the car and for sure I’ve had much worse first days and worse feelings with new cars,” he added. “I was quite happy with it.”

“The feeling was pretty good with the car. The first feeling is handling quite nicely so... just going with that feeling I’m quite happy, but there are areas that we

can improve and that we have to improve. I’m positive about it.”

Raikkonen completed 60 laps before the team broke for lunch, and during that morning he completed four stints culminating in a 1m19.670s lap – faster than Rubens Barrichello’s best overall time of 2011.

And while Lotus’s afternoon was interrupted by the need to change a KERS battery, Raikkonen said he was pleased with the ground he had covered on the first day. “I did exactly what the team were planning, or not exactly because we missed a few laps

Hero of cultural sentinel increasingly marginalized

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IBP/ist

“He was with Rebellion last year and I approached him to simply see how he likes the racing.

I then met with the team owner Alex Pesci, and we quickly moved forward.

“I think working with the best privateer team from 2011 gives me an ideal starting point to put a foot into sportscar racing to learn and compete.”

Heidfeld played down the chance of him using the Rebellion drive to pave the way for a move to a factory team in the future.

“I think it would be impolite to join a team and then say you want to move to another,” he added.

“I am open to

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see what the future holds and, for now, I am looking forward to my races with Rebellion.”

IBP

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ONAL

Price: Rp 3.000,-

IBP/Eka Adhiyasa

Travel agencies in Bali coalesced into the Association of the Indonesia Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA) complained about the existence of porters. The presence of dozens of porter was considered to have disturbed the comfort of tourists and did not characterize an international airport.

ASITA complains about porters roaming around at Ngurah Rai

WEATHER FORECAST

City

temperature oC

Denpasar

24 - 33

Jakarta

23 - 33

bandung

22 - 31

yogyakarta

23 - 32

surabaya

26 - 34

DENPASAR — Travel agencies in Bali coalesced into the Association of the Indonesia Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA) complained about the existence of porters. The presence of dozens of porter was considered to have disturbed the comfort of tourists and did not characterize an international airport.

sunNy

BRIGHT/Cloudy

rain

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0361-225764

“I and all the members of travel agencies are airport users and definite taxpayers.

However, in terms of security and comfort aspect, it is not good for guests coming from various countries,” said Chairman of ASITA Bali, Al Purwa, in Denpasar.

According to him, he had never seen any porters roaming around in the international airport overseas. They just collected the scattered trolleys that had been used or they

International Bali Post received IPMA 2012

Jambi (Bali Post) -

Nick Heidfeld

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

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Bali Post

Heidfeld rejected sportscars offers

Nick Heidfeld was deeply unimpressed when he was ousted Nick Heidfeld has revealed that he rejected other offers to race in sportscars this year before signing for Rebellion Racing. The Formula 1 veteran was confirmed last week as part of the team’s LMP1 lineup for selected events in the new World Endurance Championship, including the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Speaking to AUTOSPORT, the German admitted that he had been in contact with other sportscar outfits over the winter, but he felt that Rebellion would be the best place to get accustomed to endurance racing.

“Yes, I was in contact with a few LMP1 teams,” said Heidfeld when asked if there were any talks with factory squads. “The contact with Rebellion came through [engineer] James Robinson, who I worked with at Jordan.

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when we had a small issue,” he said. “We tried different things, we did a few checks.

“But we did also quite a lot of the normal things you have to do on a first day yesterday, so that was a help to get rid of those. But it was a pretty normal first day.” Raikkonen added that he had been pleased with how the tyres had felt: “They are what they are and you try to get the best out of them.

“When they are new they seem to be pretty nice tyres. Of course they probably go away more than in the past, but it’s the same for everybody and in a long run you try to save them as much as you can and get the best out of it.”

Review: ‘Journey 2’ sinks Verne’s isle in 3-D muck

Kimi Raikkonen during pre-season test

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16 Pages Number 37 4th year

English newspaper in Bali; International Bali Post won an award in Indonesia Print Media Award (IPMA) 2012 for Bali and Nusa Tenggara. The award was given by the Head of Newspaper Publisher Union (SPS), Dahlan Iskan in Ballroom Novita Hotel in Jambi on Tuesday, February 7, 2012.

In the speech, Dahlan Iskan, said

that the concern on the drowning of printed media due to the effect of the online media is not true. This can be seen on the development of the printed media in Indonesia.

He also said that the number of printed media joining the 2012 IPMA was increasing and also the quality was also getting better. This is the third IPMA and there is great hope that it will be better in the future.(019)

did not directly get in touch with tourists.

“In the most sophisticated airport in the world, I did not see any porters roaming around. I’ve seen more than 100 international airports. The trolley has been provided conveniently and tourists just need to take it. Porters only collect the scattered trolleys at specified place,” he revealed.

Continued on page 6