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Friday, June 3, 2011
Policeman checking the car which entering the Ngurah Rai Airport on Thursday, June 2, 2011. The police tightening the airport security after the bomb threat that received by the airport via SMS.
PAGE 8
Reese Witherspoon to receive MTV Generation Award PAGE 12 IBP/Yudi Karnaedi
Bali International Airport receives bomb threat
No suspicious thing found Bali Post
DENPASAR - The international airport of Ngurah Rai in Bali received a bomb threat on Wednesday, a police official said.
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Police are combing and carrying out an investigation at the airport to ensure the validity of the threat, explain Bali’s Police Public Relations AKBP. Sri Harmiti. “Yes, there is a bomb threat at the airport. Around 20 bomb squad personnel have been de-
ployed to found the bomb but the result was nothing,” she said. According to Harmiti, all personnel have been searching every room and terminals, including the cargo terminal. After searching the bomb, the police didn’t found anything sus-
picious. The Head of Ngurah Rai International Airport’s Administrator Yuli Sudoso said that the cargo terminal, departure terminals, and arrival terminals already being searched by bomb squad personnel. ‘’They didn’t found anything suspicious during their searched,” explained Yuli. Yuli said that the bomb threat was received via SMS on 12:45
PM. The airport authority immediately stated the emergency situation and started to search the airport. Although they started searching for suspicious things, the searched was not disturbing flight schedules and passengers activity. ‘’There are no delay, no panic. On 15:45 we declared the search closed,” said Yuli. Ngurah Rai airport is a main airport for tourists at the resort island of Bali.
Indonesia to investigate animal cruelty claims Agence France-Presse
JAKARTA – Indonesia promised on Wednesday to investigate allegations of cruel and inhumane treatment of livestock in its abattoirs after Australia suspended live beef exports to 11 slaughterhouses. But agriculture ministry livestock department Chief Prabowo Respatiyo Caturroso conceded there were no regulations in Indonesian law that could be used to sanction slaughterhouses found to be abusing animals. “We’ll send officials to all the abattoirs to investigate if there’s animal mistreatment. We’ll punish
those proven to have committed animal cruelty,” Caturroso told AFP. But asked what sanctions the offending abattoirs could face, he paused and said: “Actually, none yet”. “We have a 2009 draft law covering animal welfare but it hasn’t been implemented yet. And we’re still formulating the sanctions. We’ll speed up the process of implementation,” he said. Australia on Tuesday suspended live beef exports to Indonesian slaughterhouses featured in a report by state television which showed gruesome footage of cattle being mistreated and abused. Continued on page 6
AFP PHOTO / SUTANTA ADITYA
An man prepares a cut of meat at the Rumah Potong Hewan slaughterhouse in Medan on June 2, 2011. Indonesia has promised to investigate allegations of cruel and inhumane treatment of livestock in its abattoirs after Australia suspended live beef exports to 11 slaughterhouses.
2
International
Friday, June 3, 2011
Bali News Reject sand mining
Fishermen post ban signs on the beach Bali Post
TABANAN - Fishermen community and local villagers finally responded to the plan of the sea sand mining. Watchdog community group (Pokmaswas) on Yeh Gangga Beach, Sudimara, immediately set up some ban signs against the sand dredging on the coastal region. They agreed to reject the project because it could violate the rules. Those sand dredging ban signs were posted in front of the Yeh Gangga Marine Police Post on Tuesday (May 31). The ban said ‘whoever is prohibited from taking any sand, coral reefs and harming the mangrove forest.’ It was also mentioned those who violated would be threatened with a maximum penalty of a 10-year imprisonment and a fine of IDR 10 billion. “It is a part of our endeavors to protect the coastal territory,” said Chairman of Pokmaswas Tirta Gangga, I Nyoman Joto. According to him, the sand dredging ban was stipulated in the Law No. 27/2007 on the Coastal and Small Islands Management. According to Joto, installation of the ban signs was the result of co-
operation with the Yeh Gangga customary village. They were agreed to preserve the coastal environment for the future generation. Except for posting the ban at the Marine Police Post, the poster-sized bans were also posted at several strategic places around the coast. Joto admitted that many violations were encountered in his territory. Among others, there were theft of sea sand and gravel. Other cases were the theft of lobster pots and nets as well as fish catching by means of potassium cyanide and electrical shock. “When a case occurred, we usually resolved it by deliberation,” he said. However, when encountered an impasse, the case would be handed over to police authority.
Meanwhile, the Division Head of Marine Resources and Fisheries Management, Bali Maritime and Fisheries Services, Saleh Purwanto, asserted that sea sand mining broke the law. In chapter V section 6 of article 35 point (i) was mentioned that sea sand mining was prohibited if it was technically, ecologically, socially or culturally caused environmental degradation and pollution. “Such an action can be imposed with adequately severe fine,” he said. In response to the plan of Tabanan government to open sea sand mining, this official said that it required a comprehensive study. Though it would be followed by reclamation, he said, the process was not easy. He pointed at the rec-
IBP/Budi Wiryanto
A poster carrying sea sand dredging ban is posted by residents and fishermen in the Yeh Gangga Marine Police post, Sudimara, Tuesday (May 31). lamation on Serangan Island, Denpasar. “Changes in the shoreline caused by mining or reclamation will have an impact on other coastal areas,” he said. He explained that due
to reclamation on Serangan Island, some coastal areas in Bali like at Padanggalak Beach, Candi Dasa and some other coastal areas had suffered abrasion. (udi)
As for dredging at Beratan lakeside
Supporting devotees of Ulun Danu deny asking for parking Bali Post
TABANAN - Supporting devotees (pangemong) of Ulun Danu Beratan temple, Baturiti, began furious as associated with the dredging project on the lakeside that was discontinued again by public order officers (Satpol PP) of Tabanan Regency. One of the supporting devotees, Made Susila Putra, denied if his party had asked for help of parking lot for the Panca Bali Krama ritual. He said the ritual committee had prepared three official parking areas. They would be sufficient for devotees. “We did not ask for parking assistance to anyone, except to the operator of Botanical Gardens,” he said by phone on Tuesday (May 31). He added that the request of parking area was delivered through a formal letter. Other than Botanical Garden, the committee also officially requested assistance to regency government. This measure, said Susila Putra, was to anticipate any problems arising in
the future. Besides, the land along the lakeside was considered risky because its density had not been stable. Therefore, vehicle safety could not be guaranteed. This ritual committee of Panca Bali Krama in Ulun Danu Beratan also asked other party not to involve the name of the temple for individual interest. Moreover, he said, the owner of the land dredging project halted by Satpol PP had never made coordination with the supporting devotees of the temple. “We are actually in a difficult situation. However, please do accept our apologies if we should tell the truth,” affirmed the Chief of Candi Kuning customary village. Nevertheless, his party remained to give the opportunity to other parties related to land dredging to sit together. It was merely meant to create a comfortable condition in the temple and Candi Kuning Village. Similar opinion was disclosed by Chairman IV of the ritual committee, Wayan Mustika. The man confirmed
if the organizer had prepared three official parking spaces that could accommodate over 1,000 vehicles during the ceremony. The three parking locations were respectively the land of Tabanan Regency on the former Taliwang restaurant, way out of the botanical garden and the parking area of Lake Beratan tourist object. “To avoid any problem, we prefer to choose official parking areas,” he said. At each parking lot, approximately 30 personnel of pecalang (customary security) would be deployed per day. They came from 18 customary villages belonging to Sataan Beratan group. Additionally, the committee also requested security assistance from police department and Tabanan Transportation Services. Other than security consideration, the committee also thought about the sanitation caused by the garbage during the ceremony. “We also think about sanitation at Bedugul during the ceremony. So, we agreed to use three parking spaces only. There is no other parking lot,” asserted Mustika. The
three ample parking lots provided would be able to accommodate the rise of devotees. Moreover, at late afternoon, the parking area at lakeside could be taken advantage after a lot of tourists had come home. As reported earlier, the Satpol PP of Tabanan Regency discontinued again the dredging project at Beratan lakeside because it did not have a permit. When raided, the operator once argued to reduce traffic congestion during the Panca Krama Bali ritual
and holiday season. After the closure on Tuesday, the land dredging activities immediately turned silent. Meanwhile, the Head of Satpol PP Tabanan, Wayan Sudaria, the operator of dredging project on the lakeside would be summoned next week. The owner would be asked to make a statement and directed to submit a permit according to prevailing procedures. “Pursuant to the rules, we summon the owner first and then oblige it to submit the permit,” he said. (udi)
C.05338-rmk
z Founder : K.Nadha, z General Manager :Palgunadi Chief Editor: Diah Dewi Juniarti z Editors: Gugiek Savindra,Alit Susrini, Alit Sumertha, Daniel Fajry, Mawa, Sri Hartini, Suana, Sueca, Sugiartha, Wirya, Yudi Winanto zDenpasar: Dira Arsana, Giriana Saputra, Subagiadnya, Subrata, Suentra, Sumatika, Asmara Putra. Bangli: Pujawan, Buleleng: Adnyana, Gianyar: Agung Dharmada, Karangasem: Budana, Klungkung: Bali Putra Ariawan. Jakarta: Nikson, Hardianto, Ade Irawan. NTB: Agus Talino, Syamsudin Karim, Izzul Khairi, Raka Akriyani. Surabaya: Bambang Wilianto. z Development: Alit Purnata, Mas Ruscitadewi. z Office: Jalan Kepundung 67 A Denpasar 80232. Telephone (0361)225764, Facsimile: 227418, P.O.Box: 3010 Denpasar 80001. Bali Post Jakarta, Advertizing: Jl.Palmerah Barat 21F. Telp 021-5357602, Facsimile: 0215357605 Jakarta Pusat. NTB: Jalam Bangau No. 15 Cakranegara Telp. (0370) 639543, Facsimile: (0370) 628257. Publisher: PT Bali Post
Bali News
International
3
Friday, June 3, 2011
Harassed sexually
Australian citizen reports to police station Bali Post
DENPASAR - Allegation of sexual abuse to underage child occurred in the jurisdiction of Kuta Police on Sunday (May 29). A teenager from Australia with initial Keh, 14, admitted to have been sexually abused by her new friend, Ketut Rdt, 27. The action of sexual abuse was committed by perpetrator around Jalan Bagus Taruna, exactly in front of Captain Cook’s Restaurant, Kuta, Badung, at 8:08 p.m. The perpetrator has been secured and examined intensively by investigators of Kuta Police. Information in police station mentioned that such indecent act began from the victim’s acquaintanceship with the perpetrator in a restaurant. The victim and her family ate at the restaurant. Shortly after that, the victim intended to come back to her apartment on Jalan Padma Utara, Legian. Perpetrator offered to accompany her to the apartment. Though freshly knew him, the victim accepted the offer. They rode a motorcycle and passed through Jalan Bagus Taruna, Kuta. On the way home, the perpetrator seemed to have evil intention. Seeing the curvaceous body of the victim, nasty thought of the perpetrator arose. Moreover, the victim was wearing a sexy outfit. Perpetrator attempted to seduce the victim, while his mischievous hand kept taking action. Libido of perpetrator consequently peaked, so the motorcycle was stopped at the scene. His mischie-
vous hands were touching the sensitive area of the victim. Receiving such treatment, the victim tried to rebel. However, the perpetrator continued to coerce. Eventually, the victim could release herself from the grip of perpetrator after attempting maximally with her strength. The victim could escape and immediately reported the case to Kuta Police station. After receiving the report, a number of police officers were deployed to catch the perpetrator. Shortly, the perpetrator could be apprehended and then taken to Kuta Police. Based on preliminary examination, the perpetrator recognized his immoral act. Before the investigators, the perpetrator recognized his mistakes. Meanwhile, Chief of Kuta Police, AKP I Gede Ganefo, when asked for his confirmation on Tuesday (May 31) said the suspect was being examined. (kmb21)
IBP/Budana
A number of farmers in Kubu also farmers in Besakih started to plant oranges. They seemed growing well.
Orange plantation development
Udayana University helps Karangasem Bali Post
AMLAPURA - Orange plantation was once great in Kubu next to Tejakula, Buleleng also in Rendang in 90s but since the CPVD spread those orange planters could not do anything. Not yet stepping to the Agriculture Faculty of Udayana University (Unud), Karangasem Regent, I Wayan Geredeg, plans to research in redeveloping anti-
CPVD on oranges in Karangasem, Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Dr. Made Sudana, MS, clearly stated his readiness in helping this plan to happen, stated in Besakih a while ago. “If they want, I would love to join work and help them giving the anti-bacteries as long as Karangasem Government is serious in this plan,” he explained. The anti bactery that Sudana found has a systemic and selective
Little government budget support
Denpasar plantation on edge
Unpermitted logging
Bali Post
Head of Bali village’s council reported State electricity company workers
DENPASAR - The effort to make sure food plantation in Denpasar keep on going got to its edge as farmers started to leave this occupation as it doesn’t give anymore profit remembering the production budget has gone higher than its result. Commission II member of Bali House Representatives, Ir. I Gusti Putu Budiarta, stated last Tuesday (31/5) at Renon the agriculture lands have gone smaller and smaller with only those in Kertalangu, East Denpasar and Peguyangan, North Denapsar still there. Yet in Pemogan, Renon and Sanur Kauh, South Denpasar has gone so little. Ironically, government’s care on this is also little as less than 10 percent of the Bali Budget and Expenses year 2011 IDR 2.3 billion was given to this sector which some was for Simantri. The IDR 200 million budgets given can’t even fix damaged on irrigations as they are almost destroyed and unsuitable. This caused water difficulties where irrigation flow also filled with waste. With that, his side is convincing the Bali Government and Denpasar Government to keep up the green zone also to subsidized property tax for those farmers that managed to keep their land as agriculture area. “With the land prices gone high, the property tax also got higher which is difficult for farmers to pay. So those farmers that managed to keep up until now and not
Bali Post
AMLAPURA – Two State Electricity Company (PLN) honourers, Ketut Artawan (27) and Gede Arimbawa (29) was reported by former police also Head of Bali Villages Council (MUDP) Wayan Putu Suwena last Monday (30/5) to have taken shading trees in his house at Banjar Meranggi, Muncan Village, Selat, Karangasem, as stated by Sub Head of Karangasem Police Public Relation Section, APC Made Wartama as permitted. By the time the scene was checked, the accused were no longer there and so Suwena was asked for statements
and evidences such as huge crescent, iron ladder and two bamboos were confiscated from victim’s house. After witnesses questioned, it was found out that the two accused did it around 10 am local time while Suwena and family were not at home. Victim was devastated seeing his papaya tree, yellow bamboo, banyan tree also casuarinas all gone. After an investigation, accused were captured. The two admitted to have not coordinated or asked permission first to the owner as the house was empty while they have to cut the trees in order to not damage PLN’s electricity cables and network. (013)
character which can kill CPVD causer. For that, orange seeds that will be used have to be uncontitaminated by CPVD so the plants will be healthy and growing good. It is stated CPVD does not attack oranges straight away, yet it is a longing long term condition. Karangasem Government wants to make this as a solution to prevent poverty happening again especially in Kubu. (013)
IBP/Net
The effort to make sure food plantation in Denpasar keep on going got to its edge as farmers started to leave this occupation as it doesn’t give anymore profit remembering the production budget has gone higher than its result. given a significant policy, in the end they will be gone as well as they would prefer to rent their land or rent parts of their house as it is more profitable,” he explained. He hoped the irrigation infrastructures in Denpasar especially in the area where farmers are still there can be fixed as soon as possible. (029)
4
News
Friday, June 3, 2011
International
Japan’s PM under pressure to resign over crisis Associated Press Writer
TOKYO – Prime Minister Naoto Kan, facing a no-confidence vote in parliament, said Thursday he will consider resigning once Japan’s efforts to recover from its earthquake and tsunami disaster take firm hold. Reuters
Silvio Berlusconi
Berlusconi backs minister amid new signs of rift Reuters
ROME – Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was forced to issue a statement backing Economy Minister Giulio Tremonti for the third time in just over a month, following fresh talk of a breakdown in relations. In a statement late Tuesday, a day after a crushing local election defeat for the center right, Berlusconi said: “I reconfirm full confidence in Minister Tremonti and I am sure we will continue to work well together as we have up to now.” Berlusconi made the statement after Italian news agencies quoted him as declaring that he would push on with a tax reform and saying of his economy minister: “It’s not Tremonti who decides, he proposes.” With the ruling PDL party scrambling to recover its balance after the election shock, the comments were widely taken as a fresh sign of tension between Berlusconi and Tremonti, often seen as a potential successor to the 74-year-old prime minister. Italian media, including the Berlusconi-friendly Libero daily, reported rumors that Tremonti had threatened to resign over the comments, which reopened longstanding speculation of a deep rift between the two.Berlusconi has already been forced to issue two similar statements in recent weeks about Tremonti, who is generally credited with steering Italy through the financial crisis in relative safety. The latest signs of tension came after an election that cost the center right control of a string of cities including Italy’s financial capital Milan.The defeat has raised doubts over the long-term stability of Berlusconi’s center-right government and its ability to carry out fresh reforms of the stagnant Italian economy. Wednesday, Berlusconi announced changes aimed at strengthening the leadership of the PDL, a party based almost entirely around
himself, which few believe will survive his eventual departure from politics. Justice Minister Angelino Alfano, also seen as a possible Berlusconi successor, was named as secretary-general of the party as it looks to establish a more stable and focused structure before the next parliamentary election scheduled for 2013. Explaining the changes at a news conference, Berlusconi rejected reports suggesting the party was lacking unity. “Some media are talking of a party about to implode: there is nothing further from the truth. I have never doubted the unity and the cohesion of the PDL,” he said. Berlusconi has pledged to carry on with a program of tax, justice and economic reforms, so far sketched out only in very broad terms, but the problems facing Italy, the most sluggish economy in the euro zone over the past decade, are mounting. Last month, ratings agency Standard and Poor’s cut its outlook on Italy to “negative” from “stable,” citing potential political gridlock as a hindrance to cutting a public debt level that stands at almost 120 percent of gross domestic product. Politicians on all sides have been acutely aware of the need to contain the debt to ward off financial market turbulence and Tremonti’s tight grip on public spending has been seen as key to containing Italy’s relatively modest deficit. But many in Berlusconi’s party have been irritated by his dominance of spending decisions in cabinet and his closeness to the prime minister’s often unruly coalition allies in the Northern League. The daily La Repubblica reported Wednesday that Tremonti was preparing plans for a tax reform that would cut the two lower bands of income tax rates by 1 or 2 percentage points and lift VAT rates for nonbasic goods by 1 or 2 points. The plan appears less ambitious than many have urged but Tremonti believes it is the most a heavily indebted country such as Italy can afford, the newspaper wrote.
Kan told members of his party that he felt responsible for carrying through with leading the recovery. He made the comments ahead of a no-confidence vote in parliament submitted by the opposition that has deeply split his ruling party. “Once the post-quake reconstruction efforts are settled, I will pass on my responsibility to younger generations,” he said. “The nuclear crisis is ongoing, and I will make my utmost efforts to end the crisis and move forward with postquake reconstruction works.” Kan, who became prime minister just a year ago, has been criticized for delays in construction of temporary housing for evacuees
from the March 11 disaster, lack of transparency about evacuation information, and a perceived lack of leadership. On Wednesday, the largest opposition group, the Liberal Democratic Party, submitted the no-confidence motion along with two smaller opposition groups. Although his Democratic Party of Japan controls the powerful lower house of parliament, where the noconfidence motion was submitted, dozens of ruling party lawmakers have expressed concern with his leadership, creating a deep rift. The motion and the ruling party split have further complicated Kan’s efforts to unite the government be-
hind his reconstruction plans, which involve a huge injection of funds and possibly tax increases. The magnitude 9.0 quake and the massive tsunami that followed damaged the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant, causing the worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl in 1986, and left 24,000 people are dead or missing. Another 80,000 residents have been forced to evacuate towns contaminated by the radiation-leaking plant. In the 1990s, Kan was a crusading health minister who stood up to his own bureaucracy to lift the lid on a horrific AIDS scandal, but he was seen as an uninspiring prime minister even before the earthquake with a popularity rating below 20 percent. He emerged as prime minister last June only after other leaders of his Democratic Party fell. He already is Japan’s fifth leader in four years.
Salvador to have absentee vote in 2014 election Associated Press Writer
SAN SALVADOR – Salvadoran President Mauricio Funes says his Central American country will allow citizens living abroad to vote in the 2014 presidential election. Funes says a government commission is looking into the necessary steps to implement absentee voting. He says the commission is getting advice from nations that already permit citizens out of the country to cast ballots. Funes said Wednesday that absentee voting will help strengthen El Salvador’s democracy. An estimated 2.8 million Salvadorans live in the United States, while about 7 million are in El Salvador. El Salvador’s President Mauricio Funes, wears the Presidential
AP
Activities
International
Friday, June 3, 2011
5
Indonesian chefs excel at international culinary competition IBP
Indonesia has again proved its culinary excellence, this time at the Hans Bueschkens Young Chefs Challenge Culinary Competition, held in Hong Kong on May 12. The competition, certified by World Association of Chef’s Societies (WACS) and held at the HOFEX Hong Kong exhibition center, is for emerging chefs to showcase their talents on an international stage and ensures that a variety of countries have an equal opportunity to participate. In the challenge, Indonesia’s Ivan Suputro from Bulgari Bali Hotels and Resorts and his coach Chef I Wayan Wicaya, executive sous chef of Bulgari, competed against six other teams, including Hong Kong and Singapore. Meanwhile, Reuben Winantyo
and Anne Wahyuni from the Ritz-Carlton Jakarta, led the Indonesian team in the Global Chefs Challenge. Stefan Mueller, as representative of the Development and Training Committee of BCP, accompanied them, as did Bill Busch and Carlos Vinas, also from BCP. “This competition is very much in line with BCP’s mission to develop young chefs, and to expose them to the same level of interaction and learning as the professionals,” said Mueller. “We managed to beat other highly skilled teams and this is truly an achievement for both BCP and the Young Chefs Club.” For the competition, competitors have to prepare a three-course meal for eight people in five hours. Each course must contain a key ingredient that will be made known to contesters two months prior to the competition.
Temple Ceremony Calendar Event for May 25 through July 8, 2011 25 May Buda Pon Tolu Catur Temple Buwana Sanding Tampaksiring 26 May Wraspati Wage Tolu Peninjoan Temple Besakih - Karangasem 1 Jun Buda Keliwon Gumbreg Pasek Gelgel Kukuh Marga Tabanan Pasek Gelgel Dukuh Selemadeg Tabanan Puseh Guwang Village Sukawati Merajan Pasek Ketewel Ketewel Merajan Pangeran Tangkas Kuro Agung Jeroan Sading Dalem Setra Batu Nunggul Swana Nusa Penida 8 Jun Buda Paing Wariga Merajan Pasek Gaduh Kayubihi Bangli 11 Jun Tumpek Uduh/Pengatag Puseh / Village Temple Batuan Sukawati Pasek Bendesa Kekeran Mengwi Manik Mas Besakih - Karangasem 15 Jun Buda Wage Warigadean Kepisah Sumerta Denpasar Pasek Gelgel Gerih Abiansemal Badung Puncaksari Penarukan Peninjoan Bangli Bangun Sakti Besakih - Karangasem Antegsari Kaba-Kaba Kediri Tabanan Pesimpangan Batur Pande Kaba-Kaba Kediri Tabanan 17 Jun Sukra Umanis Warigadean Odalan Ida Ratu di Penataran Agung Besakih - Karangasem Odalan Ida Ratu Puraus Merajan Salonding Besakih 19 Jun Redite Pon Julungwangi Panti Pasek Gelgel Gobleg Banjar - Singaraja 21 Jun Anggar Kasih Julungwangi Tirtaharum Tegalwangi Bangli Pasek Tohjiwa Wanasari Tabanan Pasek Tangguntiti Jakatebel Tabanan Pasek Bendesa Sangsit Sangsit Buleleng Dalem Waturenggong Taro Tegalalang
Ibu (Pura Kaja) Wanasari Selemadeg Tabanan Pasek Gelgel Tulikup - Gianyar Manik Bingin Sidemen - Karangasem 22 Jun Buda Umanis Julungwangi Penetaran Gana Bebalang Bangli Dalem Gede Banjar Pande Bangli Puncaksari Sangeh Abiansemal - Badung Dadia Agung Pasek Sanak Sapta Resi Gianyar Merajan Pasek Tohjiwa Tohjiwa Jakatebel Merajan Pasek Prateka Batusesa Mr. Jeroan Dauh Cemenggon Puseh Penegil Darma Kubutambahan Singaraja 30 Jun Wraspati Wage Sungsang Kawitan Tangkas Kori Agung Desa Tangkas Klungkung Siang Kangin Tampuagan Tembuku Bangli Odalan Ida Ratu Mas Penataran Agung Besakih Merajan Pasek Gelgel Petemon Odalan Ida Bhatara Bang Tulus Dewa Besakih - Karangasem 6 Jul Buda Keliwon Dunggulan Wakika Temple Kupang, NTT Agung Girinatha Temple Sumbawa Besar NTB Dukuh Sakti Temple Dukuh Kediri-Tabanan Atambuananta Temple Kutamba NTT Webananta Temple Kupang, NTT Giripati Mulawarman Temple Pontianak Mustika Dharma Temple Cijantung I Jakarta Timur Mustika Dharma Kompleks Kopassus Cijantung Jakarta Timur 7 Jul Wraspati Umanis Dunggulan Watukaru Temple Tabanan Lempuyang Luhur Temple Karangasem Kentel Gumi Temple Klungkung Pasek Gaduh Temple Umadesa Kediri Tabanan Pasek Kubayan Temple Wangaya Gede Penebel Tabanan Merajan Pasek Temple Tohjiwa Tiyingan - Klungkung Merajan Pasek Gaduh Temple Umadesa 8 Jul Sukra Paing Dunggulan Ulun Suwi Temple Jimbaran - Badung Luhur Temple Cemenggon, Sukawati - Gianyar Pasek Ubung Temple Ubung - Denpasar
Balinese Temple Ceremony EVERY Temple and Shrine has a special date for it annual Ceremony, or “ Odalan “, every 210 days according to Balinese calendar, including the smaller ancestral shrine which each family possesses. Because of this practically every few days a ceremony of festival of some kind takes place in some Village in Bali. There are also times when the entire island celebrated the same Holiday, such as at Galungan, Kuningan, Nyepi day, Saraswati day, Tumpek Landep day, Pagerwesi day, Tumpek Wayang day etc. The dedication or inauguration day of a Temple is considered its birth day and celebration always takes place on the same day if the wuku or 210 day calendar is used. When new moon is used then the celebration always happens on new moon or full moon. The day of course can differ the religious celebration of a temple lasts at least one full day with some temple celebrating for three days while the celebration of Besakih temple, the Mother Temple, is never less than 7 days and most of the time it lasts for 11 days, depending on the importance of the occasion. The celebration is very colorful. The shrine are dressed with pieces of cloths and sometimes with brocade, sailings, decorations of carved wood and sometimes painted with gold and Chinese coins, very beautifully arranged, are hung in the four corners of the shrine. In front of shrine are placed red, white or black umbrellas depending which Gods are worshipped in the shrines. In front of important shrine one sees, besides these umbrellas soars, tridents and other weapons, the “umbulumbul”, long flags, all these are prerogatives or attributes of Holiness. In front of the Temple gate put up “Penjor”, long bamboo poles, decorated beautifully ornaments of young coconut leaves, rice and other products of the land. Most beautiful to see are the girls in their colorful attire, carrying offerings, arrangements of all kinds fruits and colored cakes, to the Temple. Every visitor admires the grace with which the carry their load on their heads.
6
Friday, June 3, 2011
News Green sea turtle released Agence France-Presse
AFP/File –
Pakistani tribesmen gather at a military compound in the mountainous tribal district of Mohmand Hills.
25 Pakistani forces killed after cross-border raid
BRISBANE – Grave fears were held for “Noel” when she was released back into the wild after having a flipper amputated. But the resilient 93 kilogram (204 pound) green sea turtle, who was fitted with a tracking device, has proved it is no handicap by swimming more than 2,600 kilometres (1,612 miles) since last December. “This is a mindblowing achievement, given she only has three flippers,” the head of Australia Zoo’s rescue unit, Brian Coulter, told the Courier-Mail newspaper. “It is very important research because it shows that amputee turtles can survive. Some institutions have euthanased them in the past, thinking they would not make it.” “Noel” was taken to Australia Zoo’s Wildlife Hospital, established by ‘Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin, after being found entangled in a crab pot float line in Moreton Bay Marine Park, near Brisbane. Named after a Christmas carol, her left front flipper was so badly damaged that it had to be cut off. After six weeks of rehab she was released and tracked paddling around Moreton Bay before heading on a mammoth trip south to Sydney.
Reuters
ISLAMABAD – Twenty-five Pakistani security forces have been killed in fighting in northwest Pakistan after about 200 militants crossed over from Afghanistan and attacked a security checkpost, a government official said on Thursday. Skirmishes had been going on for 24 hours in a village in Dir region, Ghulam Mohammad Khan, a top local government official, said by telephone. “We are preparing to evacuate 25 bodies from the village,” he said, referring to police and paramilitary forces killed in the fighting that spread to a forest. Khan said he had no figures on militant casualties. Dir police official Dawar Ali said army troops had arrived in the area to support security forces. He
said more details on the battles were hard to come by because communications had broken down in the area. The militants had arrived in a pre-dawn operation on Wednesday dressed in military uniforms and killed one policeman. Pakistan’s Taliban movement, which has close ties to al Qaeda, has stepped up pressure on the U.S.-backed government after vowing to avenge the killing of Osama bin Laden by U.S. special forces on May 2 in a Pakistani
town. It has stepped up suicide bombings, attacking paramilitary cadets, a naval base, a U.S. consulate convoy and other targets. After the bin Laden raid, the United States reiterated its call for Pakistan to crack down harder on militancy, especially on groups that cross over to Afghanistan to attack Western forces. It’s not clear which militants had taken on security forces in Dir, but groups along the frontier are closely linked.
Indonesia...
chain to Indonesia, a rapidly developing country of 240 million people to Australia’s near north. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation said it had evidence of cruelty including kicking, hitting, gouging of eyes and breaking of some animals’ tails as workers attempted to force cattle into slaughter boxes. Indonesia is the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country and claims to adhere to strict Islamic rules governing the humane “halal” slaughtering of animals. An official with the country’s largest Islamic body, the Indone-
sia Ulema Council (MUI), said the “haram” or forbidden slaughtering of animals had to stop. “This is sinful if we continue to let it happen. The government and the MUI have a responsibility to immediately stop the practices which are against animal welfare,” MUI food, drugs and cosmetics chief Lukman Hakim said. Grand Imam Ali Mustafa Yaqub of Jakarta’s Istiqlal Mosque, the country’s biggest, said abusing animals was “strictly forbidden in Islam”. In Jakarta’s supermarkets, shoppers expressed mixed feelings. Some dismissed the contro-
From page 1 Australian Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig described the behaviour as “completely unacceptable”. “No one accepts the mistreatment of animals,” Ludwig told a news conference amid a national uproar over the Aus$684.5 million (US$734 million) live cattle trade, 60 percent of which goes to Indonesia. He also ordered an independent inquiry into the treatment of animals along the entire supply
This undated Australia Zoo handout photo received shows zoo staff with a green sea turtle ‘Noel’ being released off Mooloolaba in Queensland with a tracker attached to her shell versy but others wondered whether the country’s Islamic authorities knew of the abuse when they certified the beef as halal. “It’s the job of the Islamic authorities to check that the animals are being slaughtered in a halal way and treated well,” 43-year-old housewife Nonny said. “It’s a religious obligation of every Muslim to treat animals kindly. After hearing this news, I’ll protest by only eating fish until the government stops the cruelty.” But Yusuf, 58, an IT expert, said he could not understand the fuss. “Killing an animal for food is just as bad as abusing it, no? I’ll
continue to eat all types of meat slaughtered in Indonesia or elsewhere because I’m not a hypocrite,” he said. French retail giant Carrefour, the biggest supermarket chain in Indonesia and a major purchaser of Australian beef, has expressed concern about disruptions to the live beef trade from Australia. “Most of our imported meat comes from Australia. Although we also carry huge amounts of local meat, we hope that the government will settle this problem soon,” Carrefour spokesman Satria Hamid said.
Indonesia Today
International
Friday, June 3, 2011
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President: no place for theocratic state movement in RI Antara
JAKARTA - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has stated there is no place for a movement to set up a religion-based nation in Indonesia. Indonesia does not recognize other state ideology but Pancasila, President Yudhoyono said when delivering a speech to commemorate the birth of Indonesia‘s state ideology of Pancasila at the parliament building here Wednesday. Therefore, any intention or movement to establish a state based on religion in Indonesia is very much against the objective of the nation life as stated by the founding fathers of Indonesia, he added. “As the head of state and the head of the government, I say such an intention and a political movement is against our objective and spirit to establish a country based on Pancasila,” he said. Since the beginning the nation‘s founding fathers had been very wise and AFP PHOTO / ADEK BERRY Indonesia’s fifth president Megawati Sukarnoputri (2nd L) talks to former vice president Tri had a far-reaching vision by developing Sutrisno (L) as Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (back) leaves the venue after basic consensus that Indonesia is a naa ceremony to commemorate Pancasila in Jakarta on June 1, 2011. Indonesia celebrated the tion believing in God and a national country, and not a religious-based state. 66th anniversary the five basic pillars of state or Pancasila.
The head of state also quoted a result of survey saying that 75 percent of the Indonesian people did not want a movement to set up a country based on religion in Indonesia. The people believed that such a movement is unacceptable and should not be tolerated because it is against the Pancasila state ideology. Vice President Boediono, several ministers and former presidents were present in the event to commemorate the Pancasila birth. First president Soekarno delivered a speech on June 1, 1945 introducing Pancasila as Indonesia‘s state ideology. Pancasila comprises five principles, namely belief in God Almighty, humanity that is just and civilized, the unity of Indonesia, democracy guided by the wisdom of representative deliberation, and social justice for all Indonesians. Chairman of the People‘s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Taufik Kiemas was the first to deliver a speech, followed by third president BJ Habibie, and fifth president Megawati Soekarnoputri. President Yudhoyono, Indonesia‘s sixth president, had the last turn to deliver a speech.
Indonesia lifts wealthy client ban on banks Agence France-Presse
JAKARTA - Indonesia’s central bank said on Wednesday that it would lift the ban on 23 commercial lenders from accepting wealthy customers, after a major embezzlement case at Citibank. The ban, which has been effective since May 2, was triggered after an employee of Citibank Indo-
nesia allegedly embezzled at least 17 billion rupiah ($1.98 million) from clients’ private accounts.
President allows BPK to audit Merpati, Elnusa Antara
JAKARTA - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has given the green light to the State Audit Board (BPK) to check and audit problematic state firms, including PT Merpati Nusantara Airlines and PT Elnusa Tbk. The President was responding to the statement by BPK Chief Hadi Purnomo who came to the State Palace on Wednesday to report the results of the agency‘s audit of the central government‘s financial statement. Hadi Purnomo said the agency had prepared steps to follow up on Merpati and Elnusa cases. “I really ask the BPK leadership to conduct an in-depth audit (of Merpati and Elnusa). Do it as transparently as possible so the people can follow it. Don`t let more and more suspicion continue in this country,” the President said.
Moreover, public suspicion could easily turn into a political fuss after certain quarters had added comments to it, he said. Yudhoyono said he wanted the Merpati and Elnusa cases settled transparently so that the truth would be obvious to the public. “I want something clear. Please check the cases. If irregularities are found, say there has been corruption. But if irregularities are not found, for the sake of truth and justice, say there has been no corruption,” he said. Merpati Nusantara has been under the spotlight after its MA60 airplane crashed in Kaimana, West Papua, last month, killing all 27 people on board. The deadly crash prompted the House of Representatives (DPR) to urge the government to set up a special committee to probe it amidst concern about the quality of the plane.
“Starting on June 2, those banks can start acquiring wealthy customers again,” Bank Indonesia spokesman Difi Johansyah told AFP. “During the ban, we wanted an improvement in SOP (standard operating procedures) from them so the customers can have better protection,” he said.
Wealthy customers are those who have more than 500 million rupiah ($60,000) to deposit. The 23 banks did not include Citibank, which had already been banned and is still under sanction. Citibank Indonesia has been under fire since account holder Irzen Octa died in mysterious circum-
stances at one of its offices after a meeting with debt collectors in April. His relatives have filed a threetrillion-rupiah lawsuit against the bank’s US headquarters, claiming the politician was beaten to death. Citibank denies Octa was physically harmed.
Environment minister launches national ecoregion Antara
JAKARTA - Environmental Affairs Minister Gusti Muhammad Hatta here Wednesday launched a National Ecoregion which is designed to make development and space allocation plans compatible with environmental considerations. “We have so far had various development plans; the plans have not incorporated the environmental aspect thoroughly. So there is something missing. Therefore, the ecoregion concept is crucial,” Minister Gusti Muhammad said. The Ecoregion concept includes comprehensive environmental considerations in development. Serious environmental preservation and management are needed to improve the current degraded environmental quality which could threaten human beings, he said.
In Law No. 32/2009 on Environmental Protection and Management, the ecoregion will be the basis for determining the use of natural resourced and reserves. On the occasion, the environmental affairs minister and the chief of the National mapping and Survey Coordinating Board (Bakosurtanal) signed an agreement document in the usage of geospatial information for environmental protection and management. Bakosurtanal Chairman Dr Asep Karsidi said his office will provide a basic map for the ecoregion. Environmental map such as a map on forest area coverage is getting more important to monitor the forest preservation in Indonesia, according to him. Meanwhile, earlier Coordinating Minister for People‘s Welfare Agung Laksono officially opened an Indonesian Environment Week 2011 at
Senayan here Wednesday. The exhibition which will run from June 1 to 5, 2011 is part of activities to mark Environment Day. Minister Agung was on the occasion accompanied by Environment Minister Gusti Muhammad Hatta. Agung in his opening remarks said Indonesia, as the world‘s third largest forested country, must pay serious attention to the conditions of its forests. The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) had announced that this year‘s theme of Environment Day which falls on June 5, is “Nature at Your Service”. “Environmental damage due to illegal logging activities, forest fires, and land conversion have worsened environmental conditions and added to the list of disasters in the country,” he said.
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International
Friday, June 3, 2011
Bali Today WHO conducts study of rabies in Bali Antara
DENPASAR - The World Health Organization (WHO) in cooperation with Animal Health Directorate, Directorate General of Animal Husbandry and Animal Health, and Denpasar Veterinary Office, has conducted epidemiological studies of rabies in Bali. “The study is connected with antibody response of dogs which have been vaccinated in Bali, except Nusa Penida, a separate island in Karangasem district,” Bali provincial administration spokesman I Ketut Teneng said. He said the study result indicated that dogs antibody was still low, namely 41.88 percent of 1,354 samples in the laboratory test and the protective ones were only 567 samples. According to Ketut Teneng, an audit result from an integrated team against rabies vaccine cold chain storage of the available amount recommended was only 50 percent. Therefore Bali rabies technical team and Agriculture Ministry‘s Directorate of Health have agreed
on a mass rabies vaccination phase two in the island resort of Bali. He said the second phase of rabies vaccination was conducted in three districts namely Bangli, Klungkung, and Jembrana since May 25, 2011, and to be continued in five other districts/city covering Badung, Karangasem, Buleleng, Tabanan, and Denpasar city starting June 11, 2011 and then in July in Gianyar district. The mass vaccination will be conducted to all domestic dogs until August or September this year. Ketut Teneng said the first phase of vaccination on 80 percent of the dogs in Bali was conducted from October 2010 to March 2011.
IBP/Net
A tourist giving mineral water to a stray dog. The World Health Organization (WHO) in cooperation with Animal Health Directorate, Directorate General of Animal Husbandry and Animal Health, and Denpasar Veterinary Office, has conducted epidemiological studies of rabies in Bali.
Bali, Andes paintings soar in Latam art auction Reuters
REUTERS/Christie’s/Handout
Photo shows, Mexican Miguel Covarrubias’ 1932 oil on canvas “Offering of Fruits for the Temple.”
NEW YORK – A sensuous scene in Bali and Andean-inspired landscapes scored artist records at Christie’s Latin American sale but demand was weak for works by Fernando Botero while prices soared for lesser-known artists. Painted in Bali, Mexican Miguel Covarrubias’ 1932 “Offering of Fruits for the Temple” fetched $1.02 million in Thursday evening’s $16.64 million sale. He was one of nine artists setting new records, some going for several times previous highs. “We are very excited at some of the prices achieved by very important Latin American artists who haven’t had the market recognition at that level,” said Virgilio Garza, Christie’s Latin American art chief. Created during Covarrubias’ honeymoon in Bali, the painting shows topless young women in crimson and lime green skirts. Atop their heads are triangular baskets of green fruit. “This particular work really appeals
to a very national audience and Covarrubias is known for those pictures there,” said Garza, adding bids came from Indonesia. “There is whimsy to it, a sense of humor, a joy of life.” During his life, Covarrubias won fame for caricatures of celebrities and politicians in 1930s Vanity Fair, which still sells pricey reproductions of his Greta Garbo cover. Cuban-born Julio Larraz’s 1996 painting “Bingham at Noon” set a record for the artist at auction, going for $326,500. It evokes a movie-like scene set in a desert, with a solitary figure in a dark gray suit and hat surveying a stark landscape, standing aside a light brown tent. Record prices for South American works stemmed from the brisk bidding by Chilean, Argentine and Brazilian buyers. Ecuadorean Oswaldo Guayasamin’s 1960s oil on wood “Quito en Rojo” went for $314,500. Dominated by a pair of volcanoes, the sweeping view of Ecuador’s capital is a palette of lava red, flame orange,
mahogany, tea green and saffron yellow. Peruvian Fernando de Szyszlo’s “Paclla Pampa (Campo Desolado),” an abstract landscape featuring red and black, sold for $182,500. Mexico’s Rufino Tamayo, whose artist auction record for a mural tops $7 million, set a sculpture record for “Figura sideral” at $494,500. Records included an untitled painting by Mexican Ricardo Martinez which sold for $146,500. Uruguayan Julio Alpuy’s oil on canvas “Paisaje constructivista de Montevideo” fetched$110,500. Several Botero pieces failed to sell, including “Colombian Landscape,” valued by Christie’s at up to $1.2 million. Bids fell short of the $800,000 low estimate. In contrast, Sotheby’s sold nearly $7.5 million of Botero’s work Wednesday evening, drawing bids worldwide. “This spring, there are a lot of Boteros out there.” he said. “Even though the market for Boteros is super healthy, it can only absorb so much.”
International
Friday, June 3, 2011
Balinese Culture Pier and Open Stage Project Declined Bali Post
SINGARAJA - Special Allocation Budget (DAK) was cut due to pier and open stage projects was declined by the Finance Ministry as a pier should be built by Sea and Fishery Agency also an Open Stage should be built from the Regional Budget and Expenses. Yet, Head of Buleleng Culture and Tourism Agency, Putu Tastra Wijaya, was annoyed with Head of Commission B, Mangku Budiasa, for accusing his Agency not good in planning the DED (Detail Engineering Design).”I
went by myself to Jakarta to get the money in developing Lovina, after getting it I was accused for many things, they should be thankful of that,” Wijaya stated. Wijaya admitted the DAK that was suggested was IDR 7 billion yet only IDR 2.9 billion was agreed. Yet House of Representatives think it is cut due to the DED when actually it was already done by a professional architect and that government has a reason why the other IDR 4 billion was not given. “This budget given is fine and we should be thankful,” he
explained. With Pier project declined, he hoped the Sea and Fishery Agency will suggest a proposal of it. The reason he suggested it was due to Lovina is suitable completed with a cruise ship pier as every year 3,000 ships passed by yet they don’t want to come here as there’s no pier. “Next year, Sea and Fishery Agency can suggest that again as what I know this year the agency is suggesting fish boats pier project,” he stated. Even so, Tastra thinks this IDR 2.9 billion budget can be used to develop Lovina further and better. (kmb15)
Regional seminar on conventional arms transfers in Bali Antara
JAKARTA - Nearly 30 East Asian and Pacific countries will meet in Bali, June 6-8, to discuss conventional arms transfers and efforts to improve controls through the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) Initiative. The three-day regional seminar will be organized by the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) with funding from the European Union (EU) and co-hosted by the Indonesian
government, a press statement of the European Community delegation said here Thursday. UNIDIR Deputy Director Chrisiane Agboton-Johnson will chair the opening session of the regional seminar. ATT is a new international instrument currently under negotiation at the United Nations. The seminar will focus on the ATT negotiations with an overview of the process and discussions on the future Treaty‘s implementation modalities, and
on exchange views on national arms transfer controls, cooperation and assistance. UNIDIR for the EU is supporting the ATT negotiations by ensuring that the process is as inclusive as possible and that countries will be able to make concrete suggestions and recommendations on the elements and functioning of the future Treaty. The project also supports state in developing and improving national and regional arms transfer control systems.
JUKUT BELIMBING
(Star Fruit Leaves in Sweet Sauce) Star fruits trees grow in many Balinese gardens, a convenient source of leaves for vegetable dishes. The leaves are crunchy with a slightly bitter tang. If not available substitute with spinach leaves.
INGREDIENTS: 400 gr star fruit leaves, washed ½ cup basic spice paste 2 cups coconut milk 2 salam leaves 300 gr beef rump, minced 30 cm square of banana leaf ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp black peppercorn, crushed
PREPARATION: Bring 3 liters (12 cups) of lightly salted water to the boil in a stockpot. Add star fruit leaves. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain leaves, and then cools to room temperatures in ice water. Drain and dry well. Place half of the spice paste into saucepan and sauté for 2 minutes. Add coconut milk and salam leaf, reduce heat and simmer until sauce thickens. Season minced beef with the remaining spice paste. Place on banana leaf and roll up very tightly into the shape of a sausage. Steam for 15 minutes. Allow to cool, open banana leaf and break meat into its original minced consistency. Mix the coconut milk and mince beer well and add star fruit leaves and mix again. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature with steamed rice. (www.baliguide.com/balifood) C.045 ibp
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Friday, June 3, 2011
Destinations
International
Tanah Lot IBP
Tanah Lot is a famous destination in Bali Island. It is located on coastal side of Beraban village, Tabanan Regency. Besides being famous for its beautiful scenery, Tanah Lot also famous with its temple. The temple located on the rock with 3 acre size and reachable in a few minute by walk, because it is just 20 meters from the coastal lip. This temple is very famous among tourist destinations in Bali with spectacular view of sunset. At some nooks of coral reef around Tanah Lot Temple there are holy tame snake in black and white color where according to the local society believe that it as a deity property and as the guard of the temple from the bad influence. The word of Tanah Lot is consisted of two words that are Tanah word interpreted as a reef looking like gili or isle. Lot or Lod word has meaning the sea. So Tanah Lot is meaning the small island floating on the sea. The location is now called as Tanah Lot has been used at a Megalithic period as a place that looked into holy, proven from the existence of menhir. Pursuant to environmental condition, hence the structure of Tanah Lot Temple is built at irregular reef plain of its angle which is only consisted of one plain yard as Jeroan. The function of this temple can be realized
International Bali Post Classifieds Contact us
from the function of the main temple building which is located in the temple main area. In this place, there is a main temple to worship the god in form of Dewa Baruna or Bhatara Segara, the sea power. The media of worship to this god is the temple building with 5 storied meanwhile the 3 storied temple building in north part of this area is purposing to worship to Dang Hyang Nirartha. In order to know the status of Tanah Lot Temple can be realized from the temple history, function and also incoming devotee existence pray when temple ceremony is held. In this case can be realized as follows: Tanah Lot Temple as dang Kahyangan (the big Holy Temples in Bali), because the history and the Penyiwi (The people taking care of the temple) are from the local people from Tabanan regency and surrounding area Tanah Lot temple as Segara Temple, because its function as sanctum to worship the Bhatara Segara, the God with manifestation as the ocean Power Deity The unique animal can be seen in this temple area is the snake which are generally can be met in the coast. Part of its stomach there are no athwart skin, there is only small skin, but this sea water snake very noxious but snakebite case are very seldom happened, because the sea water snake generally very passive.
... gets maximum benefits with minimum charge Denpasar : +62 361 22-5764 Jakarta : +62 21 535-6271
Jl. Kepundung 67 A, e-mail: info_ibp@balipost.co.id Jl. Palmerah Barat 21 F
Friday, June 3, 2011
11
BUSINESS World investors expect US to solve debt impasse Associated Press Writer
FRANKFURT – Investors outside the United States expect politicians in Washington to solve their partisan wrangling over whether to raise the government’s debt ceiling, though longerterm worries remain about when the world’s largest economy will cut down on its borrowings. Democrats want to increase the debt ceiling, a move Republicans say is ill-conceived without a commitment to spending cuts. To prove their point, House Republicans proposed just such a bill, which failed badly on Tuesday. Markets held their cool as traders saw through the political posturing. Prices for U.S. Treasuries barely budged early Wednesday in the wake of the 318-97 vote in the House of Representatives. Bond traders and analysts say that the idea that the dispute might somehow keep the U.S. from paying its obligations is highly unlikely, even unimaginable. The debate will likely linger through the summer, with the Republicans who control Congress demanding a commitment to spending cuts from the Obama administration as part of any agreement to raise the limit. The U.S. Treasury has said that unless the ceiling is raised by Aug. 2, the Treasury would be forced to default, or fail to pay in time, at least some of its obligations. Beyond the politics, however, longer-term worries about rising debt levels in the United States remain. Tuesday’s vote against raising the ceiling earned a chiding note from an official newspaper in China — the biggest foreign holder of U.S. Treasury debt with about $1.14 trillion. An opinion column published Wednesday on the website of the People’s Daily newspaper highlighted the consequences of the U.S. failing to raise the ceiling. “If no agreement comes out,” the column said, “the U.S. would be sent to another financial crisis and the global economy would face the dim prospect of another great recession.” “China ... is certainly concerned about the quagmire, as the security of the debts repayment is on the line,” it said. However, analysts said the issue wasn’t high on investors’ radar screens because most people believed the U.S. would find a way out of the problem. “We think that the U.S. will
pass the vote to increase the budget ceiling so we don’t think it will have structural implications for Asia,” said Dariusz Kowalczyk, senior economist at Credit Agricole CIB. “But obviously the nervousness that surrounds the vote and the heated political debate make it exceedingly clear to Asian central banks that Treasuries are not such a safe avenue to investors countries as they use to think.” Kowalcyzk said China has been reducing its U.S. Treasury holdings for five straight months and will probably continue to do so. In Russia, another major holder of U.S. debt, “people are watching this as an interesting story but nobody expects default,” said Alexey Moiseev, economist with Moscow-based VTB Capital. Marc Ostwald, a strategist for Monument Securities in London, said traders were assuming that the pressure to not roil bond markets would eventually “bang heads together in Washington to achieve results.” He added, however, that view was “complacent.” But for now, markets were focussed elsewhere. Foreign investors are watching the U.S. Federal Reserve’s program to buy government bonds, which puts upward pressure on their prices. Central banks in Asia, meanwhile, remain big buyers of Treasuries as they try to keep their currencies from rising against the dollar by buying U.S. debt. Tuesday’s vote itself “was no big event, even if investors are aware of the importance of the debt ceiling,” said Bjoern Jesch, chief investment officer at Deutsche Bank’s Germany private wealth management business. Market calm “is justifiable because all market participants know that America cannot afford payment interruptions.” The bank is advising private clients to move out of government bonds and set aside money to purchase stocks in coming months, mainly because of low yields from debt, not because of worries about the debt ceiling.
AFP PHOTO / LOUISA GOULIAMAKI
Protestors chant slogans in central Syntagma (constitution) square in front of the Greek Parliament in Athens on June 1, 2011 during the eighth day of protests organised by social networks against the austerity measures. Greece came under intense pressure Wednesday from all sides — unions, creditors and a Moody’s rating downgrade — over the tough reforms needed to stabilise its finances in exchange for a fresh rescue package.
Moody’s downgrades Greece again Associated Press Writers
ATHENS – Credit rating agency Moody’s downgraded Greece’s bond ratings deeper into junk status Wednesday, a further blow to the struggling country which has been wrapping up negotiations for a vital fifth installment of international bailout loans. Moody’s downgraded Greece by three notches from a B1 rating to Caa1 with a negative outlook, citing increased risk that the financially stricken country will be unnable to handle its debt problems without an eventual restructuring — paying creditors less than the full amount, or later than originally planned. The agency also cited “the country’s highly uncertain growth prospects” and the missed targets in budget reforms being carried out in return for a euro110 billion bailout package from the International Monetary Fund and other European Union countries that use the euro. “The first trigger for today’s downgrade is Moody’s view that Greece is increasingly likely to fail
to stabilize its debt ratios within the timeframe set by previously announced fiscal consolidation plans,” the agency said, adding that the government had “failed to achieve a number of the fiscal consolidation targets in 2010.” Moody’s added that over a fiveyear period, about half of Caa1-rated countries, corporate or financial institutions have met their debt obligations on time, while the others have defaulted. The Finance Ministry in Athens attributed the downgrade to “intense rumors in the printed and electronic press” and said Moody’s failed to take into account the government’s commitments in order for it to achieve its fiscal targets in 2011. The government is also currently concluding negotiations with the EU, IMF and European Central Bank so it can receive the fifth installment of its bailout loans later this month, worth euro12 billion ($17.3 billion). The negotiations’ outcome will depend on a review of the country’s finances by the EU and IMF due to be published by the end of this week. The
talks are considered key to providing possible additional bailout assistance next year, as Greece remains frozen out of the bond markets by high interest rates. The talks will also cement details of a midterm austerity program due to run from next year to 2015, two years beyond the current government’s mandate. “The downgrade decision by Moody’s rating agency comes as representatives from the EU, the ECB and the IMF are in Greece to evaluate the country’s financial program,” the Finance Ministry said, adding that the government had already achieved “important fiscal targets” and was due to submit the midterm program to Parliament in the coming days. Prime Minister George Papandreou is also to head to Luxembourg Friday for emergency talks with Jean-Claude Juncker, head of the group of 17 eurozone finance ministers and Luxembourg prime minister. Juncker recently criticized Greece for being slow in cutting debt and reforming the public sector.
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Entertainment
Friday, June 3, 2011
International
Reese Witherspoon to receive MTV Generation Award MTV says Witherspoon will receive its Generation Award at Sunday’s MTV Movie Awards.
AP
In this film publicity image released by Disney, Johnny Depp portrays Captain Jack
‘Pirates’ undeterred by sequel debuts overseas LOS ANGELES – Despite a less than spectacular launch in North America, “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” continued its commanding run in international waters this past weekend, topping the foreign box office chart with $108 million in 50 territories and raising its worldwide total to more than $571 million as of Sunday night. “The Hangover 2” broke stateside box office records in its debut while simultaneously enjoying great success in the overseas marketplace, landing in second place with nearly $58 million in 33 territories and easily crossing the $200 million global mark in just a few days. “Kung Fu Panda 2” had a third-place foreign debut of $36 million in nine international territories. In China, the movie was a smash in IMAX, opening Saturday in 22 locations and generating over $300,000 on that day alone. Here are the top 20 movies at international theaters last weekend, followed by international gross for the weekend (excluding North America), number of theater locations, number of territories, worldwide gross to date (including North America), and number of weeks in release as compiled Wednesday by Rentrak Theatrical and provided by Hollywood.com.
The 35-year-old Oscar winner is being recognized for her range as an actress and for delighting the MTV audience throughout her career. MTV President Stephen Friedman called Witherspoon “one of the most versatile and accomplished performers of her time.” “Saturday Night Live” star Jason Sudeikis will host Sunday’s ceremony at the Gibson Amphitheater, where Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Steve Carell, Shia LaBeouf, Patrick Dempsey, Cameron Diaz, Selena Gomez and Nicki Minaj are among those set to present the prizes. Fans voted online for the winners in categories such as best kiss, best villain and best line from a movie. MTV chose Witherspoon, who joins previous Generation Award winners Sandra Bullock, Ben Stiller, Adam Sandler, Mike Myers, Tom Cruise and Jim Carrey. Sunday’s show will also feature a first-look at footage from the latest “Twilight” installment, “Breaking Dawn, Part 1.” In a May 3, 2011 file photo, US actress Reese Witherspoon AP
Cheryl Cole out of UK “X Factor” after U.S. hitch LONDON – British singer Cheryl Cole will not be appearing on the British version of “The X Factor”, after reportedly being dropped from the upcoming U.S. launch of the popular TV talent show. Reports surfaced last week that Cole, who rose to fame as a member of British girl band Girls Aloud, had been ditched from the new Fox
television venture despite having had public backing from the show’s creator and star judge Simon Cowell. The reversal, which some news sites attributed to Cole’s northern English accent which producers feared U.S. viewers may struggle to understand, dominated British and U.S. celebrity headlines, although it has yet to be officially confirmed.
Figures may differ from previously reported studio estimates: 1. “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” $107,660,129, 11,518 locations, 50 territories, $571,302,749, two weeks. 2. “The Hangover 2,” $57,878,474, 6,477 locations, 33 territories, $202,605,581, one week. 3. “Kung Fu Panda 2,” $36,119,333, 5,222 locations, nine territories, $135,521,804, one week. 4. “Fast Five,” $10,856,986, 6,942 locations, 50 territories, $530,472,794, six weeks. 5. “Rio,” $3,958,318, 4,698 locations, 40 territories, $453,042,879, eight weeks.
Reuters
Pop singer Cheryl Cole arrives on the red carpet for the screening of the film “Habemus Papam”.
British newspapers said that Cole, who they reported was furious at the U.S. snub, had been offered an “olive branch” of returning to the British edition of the show, which commands large audiences for broadcaster ITV. But when the channel announced its judging lineup for the 2011 series on Monday, Cole’s name did not feature. Instead it will comprise music producer Louis Walsh, the only survivor from the 2010 panel, Take That lead singer Gary Barlow, hip-hop star Tulisa Contostavlos and U.S. singer and Destiny’s Child founding member Kelly Rowland. The ITV announcement made no mention of Cole’s possible involvement, and the news feed on her official website has not been updated since May 6, when she announced she would join Cowell and Antonio “L.A.” Reid in judging the U.S. series. Producers of the upcoming U.S. version of “The X Factor” again declined to comment on Tuesday on Cole’s reported ouster. In the United States, former Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger is expected to replace Cole on the panel. Former “American Idol” judge Paula Abdul completes the judges’ line-up.
Life Style
International
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer introduces the upcoming Windows Phone. Microsoft Corp showed off a version of its next operating system at technology conferences in the United States and Taipei, as some PC makers grumbled over restrictions on their involvement in the development of the system.
AFP PHOTO
Microsoft shows off new “Windows 8” operating system Agence France-Presse
TAIPEI/PALOS VERDES – Microsoft Corp showed off a version of its next operating system at technology conferences in the United States and Taipei, as some PC makers grumbled over restrictions on their involvement in the development of the system. The world’s largest software company is expected to launch the new system, code-named Windows 8 and highlighting touchscreen features optimized for tablet computers, in the next 18 months, as it races to catch up with Apple Inc. But Microsoft has told chipmakers who want to use the system for tablets to work with only one manufacturer to speed up the delivery, Bloomberg and Dow Jones news reported, sparking worries among some PC vendors that they will be left out. In demonstrations at the D9 conference in Palos Verdes, California, and the Computex show in Taipei, Microsoft executives showed a starting page that resembles Microsoft’s latest phone software, with live ‘tiles’
manipulated by pressing and swiping the screen. The demonstration shows Microsoft is making progress toward the new operating system, which it promises will run on a range of hardware devices from traditional PCs to laptops and tablets, using both touchscreen and mouse and keyboard commands. The company said in Palos Verdes that it was “not out of the game” in tablets, a view backed by some in the industry. “The fact that it’s a year or two years after the iPad doesn’t really matter. There is already a lot of builtin infrastructure,” Adrian Crisan, Sony’s director of engineering for VAIO and Mobile of America, told reporters in Taipei on Thursday.
“Today Apple is first on one thing and Microsoft is first for another and, overall, it’s going to be a race and whatever customers will like, they will buy.” Separately on Thursday, U.S. chip maker Qualcomm Inc said it would collaborate with Microsoft on the next version of Windows for its Snapdragon family of processors. Some Taiwanese vendors are concerned that the reported restrictions mean they would have to be chosen by chipmakers to make tablet PCs for the new Windows operating system. Previously PC vendors could choose their own partners. Microsoft typically aims for 24 to 36 months between major Windows versions, suggesting a launch date for the next Windows between October 2011 and October 2012. Sinofsky said Microsoft is working to integrate Internet telephone service Skype into the new system, following its agreement to purchase the company last month.
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Hubcaps as canvas: Artists turn junk into jewels Associated Press Writer
WILKES-BARRE – Upstairs in Ken Marquis’s art gallery and framing shop, you’ll find a strange, cloistered world populated by a toothy dog chomping on a Frisbee, an enigmatic mermaid reclining in a pool of oil, and some guy named Barack Obama, superfluously announcing that “I AM A PRESIDENT.” It’s all a bit disorienting. Maybe that is the point, considering these works of art began life as ... automobile hubcaps? The humble hubcap, it turns out, makes an excellent canvas. Over the past three years, Marquis, 60, has persuaded artists from every state and 52 countries to transform discarded metal and plastic wheel coverings into objects of wonder and whimsy. He’s filled two rooms and a hallway with more than 800 works to date, dented old Pontiacs and Plymouths given new life and meaning by fertile minds and talented hands. Some of the art is purely decorative: enormous roses, intricate sundials, abstracts and landscapes. Other artists make political statements, drop cultural references, or get personal. There are pieces that demand to be touched, rocking and spinning and making noise. And others that make you smile, like the
“pasta machine” that extrudes long, fat tubes of ziti. “Almost every day, some art arrives from somewhere. It’s a real treat to open up a box not knowing exactly what’s in it,” Marquis says with relish. Beyond the wow factor lies an environmental message. Reclamation artists have long used junkyards and trash heaps as source material, taking someone else’s garbage and turning it into something beautiful or strange or provocative. The goal of the Landfillart Project, Marquis says, is to get people thinking about the amount of trash they generate — and, perhaps, to reduce it. “Old rusted hubcaps, or even old plastic ones, eventually have no use. They end up in landfills or in people’s backyards,” he says. “So it made perfect sense to use this as a basis to create art on.” Vincent Romaniello, 57, of the Philadelphia suburb of Willow Grove, was inspired by images of this year’s Egyptian uprising, especially a photo of stone-throwing young protesters using scrap wood and other objects as shields. His stillunfinished piece envisions the hubcap as camouflaged helmet, perched on top of a pair of battered goggles. An old cellphone and rocks complete the tableau.
AP
In this photo taken May 24, 2011, Ken Marquis, founder of the Landfillart Project
Russia bans vegetable imports from EU Reuters
Reuters
Employees of Czech center of national reference laboratories prepare samples of vegetable for molecular testing
MOSCOW – Russia on Thursday extended its ban on vegetable imports to all of the EU in a bid to prevent a deadly European bacterial outbreak that has left 17 people dead from spreading into the country. Researchers are still unable to pinpoint the cause of the outbreak that has hit Germany and other European nations, which has infected 1,500 people. Lyubov Voropayeva, spokeswoman for the Russian Agency for the Supervision of Consumer Rights, told the Associated Press Thursday that the ban has been imposed immediately for no definite
period of time. The agency’s chief Gennady Onishchenko told Russian news agencies that this “unpopular measure” would be in place until European officials inform Moscow of the cause of the disease and how it is being spread. “How many more lives of European citizens does it take for European officials to tackle this problem?” he told the state-owned RIA Novosti news agency. Russia banned fresh imports from Spain and Germany on Monday, warning of a possible spread of the sanction. No fatalities or infections have yet been reported in the country.
The outbreak has hit at least nine European countries, but nearly all the sick people either live in Germany or recently traveled there. Two people who were sickened are now in the United States, and both had recently traveled to Hamburg, Germany, where many of the infections occurred. Medical authorities appeared late Wednesday no closer to discovering the source of the infection. Germany’s national health agency said that more than 1,530 people there had been sickened by the dangerous E. coli germ, including 470 suffering from a kidney failure complication that was previously considered extremely rare.
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International
Blatter wins landslide vote, vows FIFA clean-up Agence France-Presse
ZURICH – FIFA president Sepp Blatter has been reelected head of world football, vowing to clean up the body’s tarnished image after months of explosive corruption allegations. Blatter, 75, was given a free run at another four-year term following the withdrawal on Sunday of Asian football chief Mohamed bin Hammam, who was later suspended amid claims he tried to bribe voters with cash-filled envelopes. Delegates at FIFA’s 61st congress returned Blatter by a landslide of 186 votes out of 203 on Wednesday after an 11th-hour call for a postponement of the election by England’s Football Association ended in a crushing defeat. “We will put FIFA’s ship back onto the right course in clear, transparent waters,” Blatter said after clinching victory. “We will need some time, but we shall do it.” Blatter, who took over FIFA in 1998, has faced widespread calls for reform following allegations of sleaze surrounding the bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, awarded to Russia and Qatar. Several key FIFA sponsors joined forces on Tuesday to call on Blatter to reform the organisation, voicing concern about the damage being done to the image of football by the wave of negative headlines. Earlier Blatter pledged radical reforms including an overhaul of the way future World Cup hosts were chosen and moves to strengthen FIFA’s internal oversight. Blatter said tournament hosts would in future be picked by all 208 FIFA members, rather than the 24-
strong executive committee. The proposal was swiftly passed in a snap vote taken after his election. “I want to give more power to the national associations,” said Blatter, who has vowed to step down as FIFA president in 2015. FIFA had been forced onto the defensive following testimony in the British parliament last month that senior officials had sought cash and favours during the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments. Just hours before Blatter’s reelection, the head of Germany’s influential football federation, Theo Zwanziger, called for FIFA to reexamine Qatar’s victory. “I think there is a significant degree of suspicion that one cannot just dismiss,” Zwanziger told Germany’s ZDF public television. Blatter’s election win came after a vicious battle against former close ally bin Hammam, the Qatari head of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Bin Hammam and influential FIFA vice-president Jack Warner were suspended by the organisation’s ethics committee pending an investigation into claims they offered bribes of $40,000 in a bid to topple Blatter. English FA chairman David Bernstein had sought to have the vote postponed following the withdrawal of bin Hammam. But England’s attempts to take a stand fell flat, with voters dismissing the
AFP –
FIFA President Sepp motion by 172 votes to 17. Blatter later insisted he harboured no ill-will towards English officials following their failed attempt to stop the vote. “I’m the president of all the associations now, and I have no bad feelings towards anyone who didn’t vote for me. Don’t worry,” he said. Bernstein, in a statement issued after the vote, said the FA was satisfied they had made their point and welcomed Blatter’s reform proposals. But the European Club Association (ECA), which represents Europe’s most powerful clubs, took a more combative line.
ECA chief Karl-Heinz Rummenigge called on FIFA to “immediately introduce democratic and transparent structures and procedures. “European clubs will no longer accept that they do not participate in the decision-making when it comes to club-related matters. “We will closely follow FIFA’s development in this respect in the future and take appropriate measures, if there is no improvement,” he warned. Blatter’s pledges for reform came after sponsors Coca-Cola, Visa, Emirates and Adidas spoke out against the negative impact that
recent corruption scandals were having on the organisation. FIFA’s sponsorship deals have helped to raise hundreds of millions of dollars for the organisation since Blatter took over in 1998, making FIFA the richest sports body on the planet with mammoth cash reserves of $1.3 billion. Blatter insisted there had never been any danger of sponsors withdrawing from FIFA. “Not a single sponsor said they would withdraw, only that they were concerned. But after today’s decisions and the direct dialogue we have with sponsors they will be happy to continue,” he said.
Nigeria romp to historic win over Argentina Agence France-Presse
ABUJA – Nigeria trounced Argentina 4-1 here on Wednesday in a friendly for their first-ever win over the two-time world champions. Nigeria’s best result before this was a 0-0 draw with Argentina at the 1995 King Fahd Cup (now FIFA Confederations Cup), with the South Americans winners on three different occasions. The hosts dominated this game from start to finish and Argentina, effectively a second string side missing several first choice stars, led by Manchester City defender Pablo Zabaleta were never really in it as they hardly threatened the Nigerian goal and created very few openings. Real Zaragoza striker Ikechukwu Uche netted a brace to continue his superb form in front of goal with new Fenerbahce signing Emmanuel Emenike scoring his first goal for the Eagles on 53 minutes. Emenike, 24, made up for an earlier miss after
AFP –
Nigeria’s Chibuzo Okoronkwo (L) vies with Argentine’s forward Nicolas Gaitan
coming on as a second-half substitute with a cool finish inside the box when he reached the end of a long ball and lobbed over the goalkeeper. Obinna Nsofor was also on target from the penalty spot in the 27th minute after Everton striker Victor Anichebe was fouled inside the box. Argentina grabbed a consolation goal from the penalty spot courtesy of Mauro Boselli after Efe Ambrose was adjudged to have handled the ball deep into stoppage time. “We did very well. We started well, we gained confidence with the early goal and we could have scored more goals,” said man of the match Uche. “This result will help us to prepare for Sunday’s game (vs Ethiopia, 2012 Nations Cup qualifier). It will lift our confidence and we will keep working very hard to keep making the fans happy.” His skipper Joseph Yobo concurred. “It’s a very good result for us. We now have a lot of confidence going to Ethiopia. We are going there to win the game,” he said. Nigeria are under pressure to win in Addis Ababa on Sunday to stay in touch with Group B leaders Guinea.
Sport
International
CBS blasts back after Armstrong seeks apology
Agence France-Presse
LOS ANGELES – Lance Armstrong’s lawyers sought an apology on Wednesday and instead received a rebuke from US television network CBS over a story on doping claims against the seven-time Tour de France winner.
AFP/File –
Seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong with Armstrong and Bruyneel after the report but Armstrong said he did not recall such a meeting. Fager also scoffed at Peters’ claim of “shoddy” work when the original letter from Armstrong’s lawyers to CBS was wrong about the CBS report claiming the meeting was secret, at the Swiss lab and in 2001. David Howman, World Anti-Doping Agency director, told CBS in the report that any meeting involving Armstrong, Brunyeel and Saugy would be “highly unusual” and “inappropriate”. Armstrong has denied doping allegations, including those raised by former teammates and admitted dope cheats Floyd Landis and Hamilton, who claimed in the CBS report that Armstrong used EPO in preparing for the 2001 Tour de France and that the International Cycling Union (UCI) played a role in keeping a positive test at the 2001 Swiss race a secret. US investigators are looking into Armstrong as part of a probe into doping in cycling. Evidence of a positive drug test from Armstrong, who has denied ever testing positive for doping, could open the door for potential liabilities from fraudulent claims made to such former US cycling sponsors as the US Postal Service, which backed Armstrong’s racing squad for many years.
China media praises Li Na Agence France-Presse
BEIJING – China’s sporting press was awash with praise for tennis star Li Na, who became the first Chinese player ever to reach a French Open semi-final. The sixth-seeded Li will meet Russia’s Maria Sharapova in the Thursday semi-final on the red clay of Roland Garros after dispatching fourth-seeded Victoria Azarenka of Belarus in convincing style, 7-5, 62, a day earlier. “This was the most complete match that Li Na has played at this
French Open and it appeared that everything was in her grasp,” the People’s Daily, the Communist Party’s official mouthpiece, gushed on Thursday. “Li Na has again made history... as Li Na herself said, everything begins from here and anything is possible.” The 29-year-old Li now stands just one match away from a second straight Grand Slam final, having lost to Kim Clijsters in the Australian Open championship match at the start of the year. That performance was also his-
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Nadal, Murray in Paris semi-final showdown
Agence France-Presse
Attorney Elliot Peters denigrated last month’s story on “60 Minutes”, which centred on an interview with former Armstrong teammate Tyler Hamilton, in a letter to CBS News chairman Jeff Fager, the show’s executive producer. “In the cold light of morning your story was either extraordinarily shoddy, to the point of being reckless and unprofessional, or a vicious hit-and-run job,” Peters wrote. “In either case, a categorical on-air apology is required.” Fager defended the story and said CBS awaits Armstrong responding with more than a Twitter post to the claims of Hamilton and others from ex-Armstrong teammate George Hincapie cited by unnamed sources in the report. “‘Sixty Minutes’ stands by its story as truthful, accurate and fair,” Fager said. “Lance Armstrong and his lawyers were given numerous opportunities to respond to every detail of our reporting for weeks prior to the broadcast and their written responses were fairly and accurately included in the story. “Mr. Armstrong still has not addressed charges by teammates Tyler Hamilton and George Hincapie that he used performance enhancing drugs with them.” The exchange came in the wake of a Swiss laboratory director, Martial Saugy, denying that Armstrong tested positive for a banned substance in the 2001 Tour of Switzerland. Saugy has since said there were suspicious levels of EPO (erythropoietin), a banned endurance booster, in four samples from the race but he could not be certain that any of them belonged to Armstrong. The report also said there was a meeting between Saugy and Armstrong and his former team manager, Johan Bruyneel, regarding the suspicious test and doping protocols. Saugy says the meeting was not connected to any test result. Peters also said that CBS was told before the show aired that allegations regarding the Swiss race were untrue. “What is particularly disturbing is that ’60 Minutes’ had access to the true facts, could easily have verified them and apparently chose instead to broadcast untruths and then layer innuendo on top of the falsehoods,” Peters said. In his statement, Fager noted a letter to CBS from Armstrong’s attorneys claimed there was no “positive” or “suspicious” test from the 2001 Swiss race when the report cited Hamilton and several officials linking Armstrong to the “suspicious” result. Fager also said that Saugy recalled a meeting
Friday, June 3, 2011
tory-making, as Li became the first Chinese player to reach a Grand Slam final. Footage from Li’s win over Azarenka was repeatedly replayed on state television, while her photo was plastered on the front pages of many Chinese dailies. “Big sister Li becomes more red on the red clay,” said the headline in the BeijingNews.Sina.com, one of China’s most popular Internet portals, also put a picture of Li on the front page of its news site and provided in-depth coverage of her quest to reach the French Open final.
PARIS – Rejuvenated defending champion Rafael Nadal set-up a mouth-watering French Open semi-final clash against British fourth seed Andy Murray on Wednesday as both men clinched impressive straight sets wins. Nadal, who will be 25 on FriAFP – day, the day of the semi-final, Spain’s Rafael Nadal turned in easily his most impressive performance of the tournament, demolishing Robin Soderling 6-4, 61, 7-6 (7/3). It was the Spaniard’s second successive French Open win over Soderling after his victory in the 2010 final had avenged his stunning fourth round defeat to the Swede the year before, still Nadal’s only loss in Paris against 43 wins Murray charged into the semi-finals for the first time with a 7-6 (7/2), 7-5, 6-2 win over Argentinian veteran Juan Ignacio Chela. He is just the second British player to reach the last four in Paris in the Open era (since 1968) after Tim Henman did so in 2004. With Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic contesting the other semifinal, it will be the first time since the 2006 French Open that the top four seeds are into the last four in a Grand Slam event. Despite being on the verge of losing his world number one spot to Djokovic, who he could yet meet in Sunday’s title match, Nadal shook off the shackles which had restricted his performances in the earlier rounds. Soderling, the 2009 and 2010 runner-up, was undone by 41 unforced errors. “I played a very tough opponent. I’m happy I’m through to the semis,” said Nadal. “I was much better than in previous matches. I was more solid and Robin made more mistakes than usual.” Nadal was 3-0 up with a double break in the first set, the second of which was created by a sweet backhand pass, picked off his toes. Soderling clawed back one of the breaks but Nadal, mixing breathtaking defence and accuracy from the back of court, got the best of a series of gruelling, rallies to take the 49-minute opener. The big 26-year-old Swede was then broken three times in the second set with Nadal allowing him just three points on his own service while committing only two unforced errors. Soderling was broken to trail 0-2 in the next game before he took advantage of a sloppy Nadal service game to retrieve the break. That spured him into a new lease of life as the set headed to the tie breaker. Nadal went to three match points, courtesy of a sweeping forehand down-the-line winner, and took victory when Soderling netted a forehand. Murray, who only completed his five-sets, fourth round win over Serbia’s Victor Troicki 24 hours earlier, again started sluggishly, as he tested out the right ankle he injured against Michael Berrer in the fourth round. “I was very up and down today. It was a scrappy match. I didn’t start very well but got better and better. It wasn’t a great level of tennis and I struggled with my rhythm,” said Murray. The 31-year-old Chela, who had lost six straight times against the Scot, including in the last two years at Roland Garros, jumped out into a 4-1 lead with two breaks of serve before the fourth seed started to get into his stride. The 24-year-old Murray saved two sets points to get to 5-4 and then on cue broke Chela’s serve again to get level. The set went to a tie-break which saw Chela win the first point against serve before Murray went on a run of five straight points to eventually take it 7/2 after which he headed off court for a comfort break. On the resumption Murray grabbed another break and he looked totally in control as he smoothly moved 4-1 up with Chela looking for, but not finding, any answers to the Scot’s domination. Inexplicably, serving for the set at 5-2 up, Murray again seemed to lose his focus allowing Chela to win three games in a row, with two service breaks, to draw level at 5-5. The Scot buckled down though to take the next two games for a two sets lead. He then broke Chela yet again to start the third and this time he raced away to victory keeping alive his hopes of finally winning a Grand Slam title after three losing finals. But to do so he will first have to get past Nadal who he has never beaten on clay.
I N T E R N A T I O N A L
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Alonso backtracks on defeatist title talk Fernando Alonso has backtracked on his downcast comments in the aftermath of last weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix suggesting that the F1 2011 World Championship laurels are now out-of-reach for himself and Ferrari – stressing that ‘neither myself nor the team are used to throwing in the towel’.
AFP PHOTO / VALERY HACHE
Ferrari’s Spanish driver Fernando Alonso is assisted by team members in the pits at the Circuit de Monaco on May 28, 2011 in Monte Carlo during the third practice race of the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix.
Dani Pedrosa forced out of Catalunya GP REPSOL Honda has confirmed Dani Pedrosa will not race at this weekend’s Catalunya Grand Prix after being unable to fully recover from his recent collarbone surgery in time. The Spaniard fractured his right collarbone in a fall at the French Grand Prix, the Spaniard coming down heavily after a controversial and highly-publicised collision with Honda counterpart Marco Simoncelli. Opting for surgery on the collarbone shortly after the event, Pedrosa had less than three weeks to recover in time to compete at his home Catalunya GP, but a slower than expected healing process has now forced him to withdraw from this weekend’s event. Indeed, the surgery was his second in as many months, Pedrosa admitting it is perhaps wise to exercise caution at this stage and return at full strength instead. “After France, I had surgery to stabilise the fracture of my right collarbone and hoped to be ready for Barcelona,” he said. “I pushed my-
self as best as I could but I feel that my collarbone is not yet ready. I think I must rest for a while and recover properly. Since early this year I’ve had many problems and operations and I really believe I must stop now and let this heal properly.“ A bitter disappointment for Pedrosa, not least for his burgeoning title hopes, the Portuguese Grand Prix winner hopes to be back as soon as he can. “I would love to be in Montmeló with all the fans that follow me but
for me if I’m on track, I’m there to fight for victory and offer them a good race. I feel that is not possible at the moment and therefore the most sensible thing is not to compete. “It is a big shame what happened. Despite all the problems I had earlier in the season, this year I felt very strong and I was aware that I could beat my opponents. I want to say thank you to you all for your support and hope to be back in full shape as soon as possible to continue giving my best.”
Defending title-holder Sebastian Vettel has triumphed in five of the opening six grands prix of the 2011 campaign, and in Monte Carlo on Sunday, the Red Bull Racing star arguably lucked into a victory that Alonso clearly reckoned could have been his. That prompted the Spaniard to lament that ‘at the moment, it’s not possible to close the gap’ – alluding to the 74 points presently separating him from the runaway world championship leader and insinuating that the German already practically has one hand on this season’s drivers’ crown . Whilst still maintaining that he could have been toasting his third success in the Principality had only Lady Luck chosen to shine upon him instead, Alonso now appears to have changed his tune somewhat with regard to his earlier pessimism, insisting that the fight must – and will – go on. “We had a real chance of taking our first win of the season, and the interruption following the accident with [Vitaly] Petrov and [Jaime] Alguersuari robbed us of the chance of trying to the very end,” the 29-yearold wrote in his official blog for Ferrari’s website. “In the second part of the race, after the pit-stop, I tried to save the tyres specifically to be prepared for the closing laps, when I hoped I’d be able to make the most of them if Sebastian had any difficulties with his tyres, given he’d been on the
same set for many laps. Unfortunately, that plan went out of the window, but you have to accept it, because we know that situations like the one we saw in Monaco happen quite often. “Immediately after the race, I said the fight for the title was getting evermore difficult, not to say impossible. Sure, if Vettel ends up winning a race in which we felt there was a chance of victory, then you get a feeling of disappointment, but that does not mean we will not continue working hard at the track and back home on developing the car. Clearly, the gap in the championship is widening all the time. We can do the maths, but neither myself nor the team are used to throwing in the towel. “Already, I’ve been talking to the engineers about the new parts we will have in Montreal, but above all, of the steps forward we must take for Silverstone, when we will be back at a track which requires a lot of aerodynamic downforce. That’s where we will really see how our season is going to pan out. Up until then, we want to and we must believe in ourselves.” Those sentiments are shared by Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali and chassis director Pat Fry, both of whom are adamant that all hope is not yet lost and that inner steel and confidence will be key to stemming the Scuderia’s disappointing run of form this year.