Some roofs collapsed, and wit-nesses told local radio and televi-sion stations they saw cracks in the walls of buildings.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake had a preliminary magni-tude of 6.0 was centered 60 miles (100 kilometers) southwest of the island. It struck 36 miles (60 kilome-ters) beneath the ocean floor.

Although not strong enough to trigger a tsunami, the quake was felt on neighboring Java and Lom-bok islands, hundreds of miles (kilometers) away.

“It knocked me off my motor-cycle,” said one badly shaken Bali resident, Miftahul Chusna.

Candy Juliani, a public rela-tions officer for the Sanur Beach Hotel, said terrified guests fled the building.

“We have special emergency routes for this type of situation, but everyone was so scared, they just ignored them,” Juliani said.

At least 50 people were hurt, suffering cuts, broken bones and head wounds, said Wayan Sudanti, a hospital spokesman.

The patients included 12 stu-dents and three teachers injured when the ceiling of their high school caved in, said I Gede Tejo from the local disaster agency.

The Red Cross said 43 people in the south of the island suffered in-juries, including head wounds and broken bones, after some ceilings fell. Seventeen were taken to hospi-tal in the island’s capital Denpasar, said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho from the disaster mitigation agency.

SUNNY BRIGHT/CLOUDY RAIN

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Friday, October 14, 2011

16 Pages Number 2103st Year

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

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24 - 32

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DENPASAR

JAKARTA

BANDUNG

YOGYAKARTA

SURABAYA

PAGE 12

Continued on page 6

Cage laments lackof screen time for‘Trespass’

AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati

A Balinese woman walks past a damaged gate at a Hindu temple after an earthquake in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia on Thursday, Oct. 13, 2011. The 6.0-magnitude earthquake jolted Indonesia’s popular resort island of Bali on Thursday, caus-ing widespread panic and injuring at least 50 people, many with broken bones and head wounds.

AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati

Injured Indonesian students sit inside Sanglah Hospital after an earthquake in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia on Thursday, Oct. 13, 2011.

Bali rattled by large quakeAssociated Press/Reuters

DENPASAR — A powerful earthquake struck off Indo-nesia’s popular resort island of Bali on Thursday, sending people fleeing from their homes and hotels in panic. No tsu-nami alert was issued.

Stress ThreePillars Of ASEANCommunity

InternationalFriday, October 14, 20112

Bali News

Founder : K.Nadha, General Manager :Palgunadi Chief Editor: Diah Dewi Juniarti Editors: Gugiek Savindra,Alit Susrini, Alit Sumertha, Daniel Fajry, Mawa, Sri Hartini, Suana, Sueca, Sugiartha, Wirya, YudiWinanto Denpasar: Dira Arsana, Giriana Saputra, Subagiadnya, Subrata, Suentra, Sumatika, Asmara Putra. Bangli: Pujawan, Buleleng: Adnyana, Gianyar: Agung Dharmada, Karangasem: Budana, Klungkung:Bali Putra Ariawan. Jakarta: Nikson, Hardianto, Ade Irawan. NTB: Agus Talino, Syamsudin Karim, Izzul Khairi, Raka Akriyani. Surabaya: Bambang Wilianto. Development: Alit Purnata, Mas Ruscitadewi. :Jalan Kepundung 67 A Denpasar 80232. Telephone (0361)225764, : 227418, P.O.Box: 3010 Denpasar 80001. Bali Post Jakarta, Advertizing: Jl.Palmerah Barat 21F. Telp 021-5357602, Facsimile: 021-

5357605 Jakarta Pusat. NTB: Jalam Bangau No. 15 Cakranegara Telp. (0370) 639543, : (0370) 628257. Publisher: PT Bali Post

Denpasar (Bali Post)—

emerged in Bali and had claimed two fatalities, in fact it did not have an impact on the singing bird hobbyist community to make a visit to a number of bird markets in Denpasar. “Transac-tions of birds are almost the same as on previous days, where the sale of singing birds averagely reached 5-8 birds per week,” said Wayan, one of singing bird traders in Denpasar, Wednesday (Oct 12).

He acknowledged the threat of

Bali could make him worry because he was getting involved in a variety of bird species every day as it was his livelihood. “I always clean up the cages and surrounding area of my kiosk. At

virus can be prevented at early stage. All the times I take care of my singing birds,” he said.

Along with some colleagues, he expected the government, in this regard the Livestock Agency, could immediately take quick action so

addressed. “Well, at least one of the measures taken is regular spraying to bird markets, not only during the disease outbreak,” he hoped.

of Bali Livestock Agency, Putu Su-mantra, said on Wednesday (Oct 12) that the agency had been making co-ordination to all regencies/city to take a quick step in the handling and pre-

he also explained that Bali Livestock Agency had recommended related agencies and the head of livestock health in the regency/city across Bali to take necessary measures to control

“The regency/city government is requested to no longer wait for the

-dertaken was by spraying the poultry markets in Bali. Poultry markets were targeted for the prevention of the bird

the central point of poultry distribution. The spraying effort to those markets was an early prevention against the

(bit)

Vice Regent, Made Arga Pynatih, who became one of the

-ted to have got the dates decision after a meeting with the Culture and Tourism Minister at Jakarta a while ago. Pynatih stated Buleleng should be proud as the host of the third festival after being com-menced in Korea where Pynatih himself signed the agreement with IMACO team. Buleleng was chosen because of the masks ex-istence at Tejakula Village which has a positive appreciation form countries in previous conferences at Korea and Thailand. According to Pynatih, SCC won’t be ready especially on its audio, lights and other equipments for the festival ongoing. For sure, Buleleng Re-gency has prepared facilities and places to support the conference that will involve 55 countries of the world. (kmb15)

Semarapura (Bali Post) –Vandalism seemed to have

spread in Klungkung with one of the objects targeted were the board name of Semarapura

Ngurah Rai Street, Klungkung. The writing was ‘ARSJ’ and not known when it actually hap-pened. “It is still unclear when this vandalism was acted. All of a sudden it’s just there,” Head of National Economy Section for the village, Doni Arsana Putra,

stated last Wednesday (12/10).Yet it is expected happening

around a month ago as the same writing also existed on the south of Batutabih Petrol Station. No one knows who exactly have done it. “It’s probably just some-one having fun especially for the

had a problem with our side,” Putra continued.

If it was done by pupils, Pu-tra hoped the teacher and head teacher supervises against their

pupils behaviour as this kidn of act disadvantaged general priorities moreover this board is owned by the nation. When contacted separately, Head of High/Vocational Schools, Gusti Ketut Kaler, stated every beginning of year there is an orientation time (MOS) where new pupils given discipline guidance so these schools has been obliged to dos o based on good behaviour and education character. (kmb20)

Denpasar (Bali Post) –

(10) and sibling I Nengah Rika Ani were cremated at Taman Mumbul around 5 pm local time last Tuesday (11/10) which before that, Head of Forensic Installation for Sanglah Hospital, dr. Dudut Rustyadi, SpF, stated the bodies have been treated based on standard operational pro-cedure (SOP) as the death is due to infection before entering the corpse room around 4 pm.

The SOP involved steps such as waiting until its death level to cel-lular by waiting the body to react for four hours before washed by water with 10 percent chlorine and holes on the body covered by cotton with chlorine also wounds to be plastered then shrouded. “With these steps the body it is assured safe,” Rustyadi explained.

Meanwhile, Sanglah Hospital Bird Flu Management Team Secretary, dr. Ken Wirasandhi MARS when met

last Wednesday (12/10) revealed to

to be quickly handled by cremation to minimise contact and the virus spreading in the environment and in this sibling case the family have agreed to do so. Connecting to the Balinese tradition of having to do such cremation on the right day, it

Sunday having the bodies placed on the Corpse Room for another week. Yet through Health Agency approach to the family, they then agreed to do it earlier.

Last Wednesday (12/10) another

again got in to Sanglah Hospital with

to Ken this patient did not come from the same area as the siblings and after a lab test it is not caused by a virus yet a bacterial. “The lab test was negative

patient was never in contact with birds,” Ken concluded. (san)

Six Weeks Left

World Mask Conference Place Still UnknownSingaraja (Bali Post) –

After changing several times, at last the World Mask Festival that’s held by International Mask Art and Culture Organization (IMACO) in Buleleng will be on 30th November until 3rd December 2011. Even its approximately 50 days left counting from last Wednesday (12/10), Buleleng Government haven’t decided where it will be as the Building Project of Singaraja Convention Centre (SCC) at Buleleng Harbour won’t be ready by the time of the festival as it is still on the construction level. For that government did plan to use the House of Representatives or a hotel in Lovina.

IBP/File

The Topeng performance by the artists in Buleleng

Vandalism Hits Head

affect sales of singing bird

3International Bali News Friday, October 14, 2011

Negara (Bali Post)—Completion target of the data recording for e-ID (electronic identity

obstacles are encountered in some subdistricts up to the difference in theratio of population number to incomparable amount of the equipment.

Head of Jembrana Population, Civil Registry, Manpower and Trans-

party would request a time extension for the making of e-ID card up totwo-three months or until next March. Various technical problems found

-

according to Wiaspada, would be submitted in the National WorkingMeeting on e-ID cards in mid-October. He said the next national workingmeeting would indentify a number of constraints occurred in each of theareas implementing the program.

Asidefromdeliveringtheconstraints,hispartywouldalsoquestionwhenthe public would receive the ID card and the equipment that so far had notbeen receivedbyJembrana.Hispartydidnotwant if theprogramofcentralgovernment would even forfeit the government of Jembrana Regency.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Jembrana House, I Ketut Sugiasa, previ-ously revealed that many people required the ID card quickly. So, if thecommunity could not be served with e-ID card, they should be servedwith IDcard implementing thepopulation information system(SIAK) thatremained valid in Jembrana. “Ideally, such ID card should not be revoked

WithdrawalofSIAKIDcardshouldbecarriedoutwhen thecommunity-

ties in data recording such as caused by the damage to retina scannerand the device that had not been received so the service provision was

person. On that account, for particular amount of residents multipliedwith the existing time was worried if it would not meet the target untilnext December. (kmb26)

“Yes, I am anxious to buy chicken

consume tofu for side dish,” said NiWayan Suartini from Tengah Ham-let, Tohpati Village, Banjarangkan,Klungkung,whoclaimed tooftenbuy

-tion in the markets in the existingregion of Tembuku, Bangli.

Moreover, in keeping with the

owned by local residents also diedsuddenly. Indeed, so far the residentsalso knew the term gerubug (New-castle Disease) where their chickenssuddenly died. However, the deathof chickens bred conventionally orchickens left to roam around freelyalso often disturbed people psycho-logically. “Perhaps, the chicken death

Newcastle Disease like ever before,”saidSuartiniwhile adding that suddendeath of chickens at Tohpati was thesecond time after similar incident

occurred several months ago.Seeing the anxiety of the commu-

nity, the Klungkung Livestock, Fish-eries and Maritime Agency (PPK)having the responsibility to control

down. The controls were carriedout more intensively. One of themwas by spraying with disinfectant. Iforiginally performed twice or evenonce a week, it was then performedevery day. The target was not onlycattle markets, such as the CattleMarket of Galiran posing the largestmarket in East Bali but also homesand vehicles carrying poultry cominginto Klungkung from other regions.“We have done regular spraying andnow the intensity has been increased.If previously we did it once or twicea week, it is now done every day,”said the Head of PPK Klungkung, NiKetut Suartini.

According to Suartini, at least3,000 poultry entered Klungkung

and then they were distributed tothe public. They did not include thespecies of kampong chicken bredconventionally by the community.“Now, it depends on the behaviorof society, whether or not they havebred chickens and slaughtered thechickens properly,” she said. Obvi-ously, she said the potential of bird

andwanderingchickenwas the same.The fastest spread was through thefeces of chickens.

had begun to infect to Klungkungsince three years ago. Later on, sev-eral chickens of residents in Klung-kung died suddenly, especially in thearea of Tohpati. In the family of NiNengah Karpa from Tengah Hamlet,for instance, 26 of 30 her chickensdied suddenly and so did the chickenofWayan Pondok. He bred ten chick-ens and all died at the beginning ofOctober 2010. (kmb20)

Mangupura (Bali Post)—Having nine years elapsed, the Bali bombing incident in Legian

still leaves a profound grief for the victims’family. Dozens of familiesincluding survivors, Wednesday (Oct 12), laid a wreath and held ajoint prayer in front of the Ground Zero monument, Legian. Streaksof the families’ grief were still visible when looking at the monumentengraving the names of their beloved relatives.

A number of tourists seemed unable to hold their grief. Their tearslooked dripping when they were gazing at the monument. Even, severalof them were hugging and seemed unable to express a single word.

Volunteer of Bali bombing incident, H. Bambang, accompanyingthe entourage of Bali bombing victims revealed the heartbreakingmemories remained to ring in the minds of the families and victimseven though the incident had gone by for nine years. His party withthe victims was still recalling and echoing peace every year in themonument.

His party expected that government would not fail to give propercare to bombing victims in Bali and throughout Indonesia. Accordingto him, the bombing victims still needed special care and assistancefrom the government.

In particular, he also highlighted the matter of terrorism Act. Heexpected the Act could be implemented to the maximum so the actsof terrorism could be reduced to a minimum. Government and theauthorities were expected to no longer be missed in an effort to createa favorable situation in the homeland.

Aside from the activities at Ground Zero, the memorial event wasalso resumed in the evening with meditations for peace held on KutaBeach. Chairman of the Kuta Beach Task Force, IGN Tresna, said theprocession was performed by ignition of12 torches, release of 12 turtle

posed an attempt to echo the peace throughout the world. (kmb25)

IBP/File

The officer is spraying a chicken in Klungkung Regency

Countermeasure of

From twice a week to every day-

talities as happened in Bangli Regency. Such anxiety is also felt by Klungkung society, especially

for consumption purposes, residents living in the border area usually tend to look for it in theBangli Market rather than in the markets in Klungkung Regency.

Unable to meet target

Jembrana requests time

bombing incident Grief of victim’s family still visible

International4 Friday, October 14, 2011 News

Cameron wrote to the leaders of the 15 other Commonwealth realms which have Queen Elizabeth II as their head of state in September to propose allowing first-born daugh-ters and heirs who marry Catholics to inherit the throne.

There has long been discussion about changing the archaic and discriminatory rules, but the issue has taken on fresh urgency since the marriage of Prince William, the second in line to the throne, to the former Kate Middleton in May.

Proposals to change the law, which must be approved by all the affected realms, will now be dis-cussed at the Commonwealth heads of government meeting in Perth, western Australia, from October 28 to 30.

“I have written to the heads of state, the prime ministers of the other realms concerned. We will be having a meeting about this at the Commonwealth heads of government conference,” Cameron told the House of Commons on

Wednesday.“It isn’t an easy issue to sort

-- for many of them there may be issues and worries about start-ing a parliamentary or other legal process.

“But I’m very clear it’s an issue that we ought to get sorted and I’d be de-lighted to play a part in doing that.”

Labour MP Keith Vaz urged the prime minister to act quickly, saying: “Does he not agree that it’s better that we resolve this matter before rather than after any future royal children are born?”

A government spokesman re-peated the warning that it was a “complex and difficult issue -- it needs careful thought and consid-eration”.

Associated Press Writer

SEAL BEACH, California — A gunman opened fire Wednesday in a busy hair salon, killing eight people and critically wounding another while leaving bodies scat-tered throughout the business in a normally sedate Southern Califor-nia beach community.

The gunman got into a truck and drove away from Salon Meritage after opening fire. A suspect was stopped by officers about a half-mile away and surrendered without incident while saying he had multiple weapons with him, police Sgt. Steve Bowles said.

Authorities did not immediately release his name or those of the victims. In all, one man and five women died at the salon, one man and one woman died after being transported to a nearby hospital, and one woman remained in critical condition late Wednesday.

Friends of the salon owner said the gunman was the ex-husband of a stylist who worked there. Bowles would only say, “There may be something to the motive as to a relationship with somebody in the salon, that is our assumption.” He declined to elaborate later.

Kimberly Criswell, who owns a salon just two doors down from the scene of the shootings, said she and her customers and employees heard gunshots, and her receptionist saw a man through a window as he was

shot in a parking lot.“There was like a pop, pop and

my receptionist screamed, ‘he just shot that man’ and we all ran into the bathroom and locked the door,’” Criswell said.

Glenn Zachman, who owns a video news-gathering service, said he arrived at the scene of the arrest shortly after police and saw they had placed plastic bags over the man’s hands to preserve possible gunshot residue.

He also saw a bulletproof vest on the back of a patrol car but didn’t know if the man, dressed in a button-down shirt and pants, had been wearing it.

The man, in handcuffs, was placed in a patrol car and taken away about two-and-a-half hours

after the shooting. A new white pickup truck that was believed to be his was parked on the modest resi-dential street with its doors open.

The man was cooperative when officers, working from a description of the shooter, stopped him near the salon, Bowles said.

Shortly after he was arrested, police arrived at a house on Melody Lane in nearby Huntington Beach and escorted two women to a white car and then roped off the house with crime scene tape. Neighbors identified photos of the alleged shooter as their neighbor Scott. The house is registered to Scott Dekraai, and one of the licensed cosmetologists at the salon was Michelle Dekraai.

Associated Press Writer

BERLIN — German police say they have found another firebomb set to go off next to train tracks in southwest Berlin. Federal police spokesman Meik Gauer said Thurs-day that experts were on hand to defuse the device.

Sixteen firebombs have been found in nine locations since Mon-day and hundreds of trains have been delayed because of partial

shutdowns, but there have been no injuries. Two have gone off — one damaging a track west of the city and another igniting but not explod-ing in Berlin with little effect.

Gauer says it is not known when the most recent bomb was placed — and authorities have said that all of the devices could have been planted at the same time over the weekend. A previously unknown leftist group has claimed responsi-bility for one of the firebombs.

Commonwealth to discuss changing royal succession

Agence France Presse

Commonwealth leaders will discuss proposals to change the rules of succession for the British throne when they meet in Australia later this month, Prime Minister David Cameron has said.

IBP/afp

Prince William and Kate Middleton are pictured during a visit to Wit-ton County Park, in Darwen, April 2011 before they married. Com-monwealth leaders will discuss proposals to change the rules of succession for the British throne when they meet in Australia later this month, Prime Minister David Cameron said Wednesday

AP Photo/Michael Sohn

A police officer examines suspected explosive devices at the rail tracks nearby the Staaken station in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2011.

near Berlin train tracks

8 killed in Southern

AP Photo/Chris Carlson

Friends and acquaintances react near the Salon Meritage in Seal Beach, Calif. where nine people were shot, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2011.

Activities Friday, October 14, 2011 5International

Temple CeremonyCalendar Event for October 11 through October 29, 2011

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 con-sidered 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, sail-ings, decorations of carved wood and sometimes painted with gold and Chinese coins, very beautifully arranged, are hung in the four corners of the shrine. In front of shrine are placed red, white or black umbrellas depending which Gods are worshipped in the shrines.

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

Balinese Temple Ceremony

11 Oct Purnama Kapat Bhatara Tiga Sakti (Padmasana) Penataran Agung BesakihMeru Cakra LombokLempuyang Madya KarangasemPenerejon Temple KintamaniPulaki Temple BulelengTirta Emupul Tampak SiringPuseh, Village T, Penataran, Luhuring Akasa, Bhatara Hyang Basukih Cemenggoan SukawatiTirta Temple Negari SingapaduPuseh-Pr. Desa. Penataran Tangsub SukawatiPenataran Agung TegalalangmDesa Denjalan BatubulanPuseh Temple Singakerta UbudNataran Sanding TampaksiringBakung Temple Ceningan Nusa PenidaPasek Getas Kawan Kedewatan UbudAgung Dukuh Sakti Pangku/Subamia BrabanPasek Gelgel Carik Selemadeg TabananPasek Gelgel Klating Dukuh KerambitanPasek Bendesa Mas Gadungan SelemadengAgung Pasek Temple Tohjiwa Wanasari SelemadegPr. Penataran Pasek Kayu Putih Bandem KarangsemPuseh Werdi Agung emoga Bolang Mangondow SulutDukuh Segening Wangsiang KarangasemDalem Kahyangan Arya Gajahpare SukaluwihTejakula BulelengPasraman Suci Temple Renon DenpasarPenaratan Agung Kertabumi T. M. I. I. Jakarta TimurPuru Luwur Waisnawa, Asah Badung-Sepang BulelengUlun Danu Batur Songan KintamaniAgung Surya Bhuwana Skyline JayaPapuaDalem Bengkel Temple Ubung DenpasarMerajan Suci Geriya Penataran Gemeh DenpasarPejenggali Temple TegalalangPasek Bendesa Gadungan Selemadeg TabananPanti Pasek Gelgel Meliling KerambitanPajenengan Dukuh Ogan Sangkan Gunung Rendang KarangasemDadia Dukuh Segening Lampung Tengah

Dukuh Sakti Blatung Kuruh KerambitanGumang (bukit Juru) Bugbug KarangasemKawitan Arya Samping Banjar Langon KapalPejenengan Pulasari Desa Dukuh Sidemen KarangasemSegara Penimbangan Bakti Segara BulelengPuseh Yeh Ulakan Suana Nusa PenidaPr. Mentik Ring Gunung Lebah Batur KintamaniPasek Tangkas Kori Agung Kuruh KerambitanPr. Penataran UbudLuhur Giri Kusuma Daun Peken Blahkiuh AbiansemalPemerajan Agung Jambe Guwang Busungbiu BulelengDalem Puri Temple Batuan SukawatiDalem Temple Kediri Silakarang SingapaduDalem Temple SukawatiDalem Temple Singakerta Ubud

19 Oct Buda Keliwon Ugu Dalem Tarukan Temple Peninjoan Tembuku - BangliPasek Gelgel Boading Kaba-kaba - TabananPemayun Temple Banyuning Tengah - BulelengDesa Kayangan Tiga Bubunan Seririt - BulelengAgung Gunung Raung Taro Kaja Taro - TegalalangMerajan Pasek Dangka Bungbungan

29 Oct Tumpek Wayang Majapahit Temple JembranaOdalan Betara ratu Gede Celuk SukawatiOdalan Betara Ratu Wedyadari Camenggaon SukawatiPanti Gelgel Pengembungan Sesetan DenpasarBetara Ratu Alit dan Ratu Lingsir Singakerta UbudPedarmaan Dalem Sukawati BesakihPedarmaan Mengwi BesakihPedarmaan Kaba-kaba BesakihPedarmaan dalem Bakas BesakihDadia Agung Pasek Gelgel Pegatepan Gelgel KlungkungMerajan Pasek Bendesa Kori Agung PengatepanPedarmaan Dinasti dalem sri Aji Kresna Kepakisan Temple Besakih (Dalem Klungkung)Penataran Giri Purwa & PesramanKendal Rejo Tegal Delimo BanyuangiPemrajan Agung Temple Sulang Kec Dawan Klungkung

IBP

JIMBARAN - Ayana Resort and Spa Bali has been announced Asia’s Best Resort in the 2011 Conde Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards, as voted by over 28,000 travelers.

With an overall score of 95.7, Ayana topped the list of the 20 Best Resorts in Asia and ranked 42 of the 100 Best Resorts in the World, in the magazine’s annual Readers’ Survey. The survey collated 8 million votes from discerning travelers across all categories to make it the travel industry’s most extensive and prestigious compendium of the world’s best destina-tions and places to stay. Armed with the slogan ‘Truth in Travel’, Conde Nast Traveler is the world’s leading travel publication, with some 800,000 paid subscrib-ers and audited circulation of 3.5 million.

“These awards reflect the combined opinions of 28,876 Condé Nast Traveler readers rating the cities, islands, and hotels they visited in the past year, and the airlines and cruise ships they traveled with. For its range and depth, the Readers’ Choice Awards are a unique and trusted source of advice globally,” the magazine said on its website www.concierge.com, where the full list of results is available. The results will also be released in the November issue of the print edition.

Ayana General Manager Charles de Foucault thanked travelers for their continuing support since the resort rebranded in April 2009, when it was brought under the management of West Paces Hotel Group led by Horst Schulze.

“This award reaffirms the vision and excellence of our owner and the leadership of West Paces Hotel Group, but most of all it reflects our guests’ recogni-tion of the passion, care and dedication of our 900+ staff, “ said Charles. “While Ayana’s facilities and amenities are world-class, it is really our staff who have won this award. They do not think of awards when they serve our guests, but they are the living example of Maya Angelou’s famous quote, ‘People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’ The awards are a byproduct of their natural care and dedication to provide a memorable stay for every guest, and so I congratulate all of our staff for this well-deserved recognition; they are Asia’s Best.”

The award is one of several accolades bestowed upon the resort recently. Ayana was voted Indonesia’s Leading Resort and Indonesia’s Leading Spa Resort in the World Travel Awards last month, while Rock Bar was voted Bali’s Best Sunset Venue at The Yak Readers’ Awards.

Ayana Voted Asia’s Best Resort

IBP/Net

Friday, October 14, 2011 6 News

From page 1

International

The wedding of King JigmeKhesar Namgyal Wangchuckto his commoner bride, JetsunPema, has captivated a nationthat had grown impatient withtheir 31-year-old bachelor king’slack of urgency to take a wifeand start a family since his fatherretired and handed power to himfive years ago.

Thousands of Bhutanese fromthe surrounding villages joinedthe king and queen at their wed-ding reception at a fairgroundoutside the country’s most sa-cred monastery fortress, wherea slate of dancers performedtraditional routines for the newcouple.

“I have longed for this cele-bration, and here it is,” said PemaGyeltshen, a nearby villager, ashe watched the dancing.

When the king, who has a

reputation as a down-to-earthand accessible leader, was askedhow it felt to be married, heasked his questioner if she wasmarried. When she said no,he responded: “It’s great youshould try it yourself.”

The celebrations began at :20a.m. a time set by royal as-trologers when the king, wear-ing the royal yellow sash over agolden robe with red flowers andmulticolored boots, walked intothe courtyard of the 17th centurymonastery in the old capital ofPunakha and proceeded up thehigh staircase inside.

A few minutes later, his 21-year-old bride, the daughter ofan airline pilot, arrived at theend of a procession of red-robedmonks and flag bearers acrossa wooden footbridge over thewide, blue river beside the fort

and followed him inside.Singers chanted songs of

celebration amid the clangingof drums and the drone of longdhung trumpets. She wore atraditional wraparound skirtwith a gold jacket with deepred cuffs.

Inside, the nation’s top cleric,who presided over the wedding,performed a purification cer-emony for the couple in front ofa massive 100-foot (30-meter)Thongdal tapestry of Bhutan’s17th century founder, the monk-king Zhabdrung.

The pair then proceeded to thetemple for a ceremony broadcastlive on national television, savefor a few minutes when the king,his father and the cleric, knownas the Je Khenpo, entered the sa-cred tomb of Zhabdrung, whereonly they are allowed.

Agence France Presse

Armed robbers in the Philippines who held eight people hostageat a bank released all their captives unharmed and surrendered after astand-off lasting more than two hours, authorities said.

Four gunmen were robbing the bank in Bacoor city, just outside thePhilippine capital, when responding policemen arrived. The gunmenthen seized eight bank workers, national police spokesman AgrimeroCruz said.

They initially set free one of the hostages who had a health problem,then released all the others unharmed shortly before 3:00 pm (0700GMT), Bacoor Mayor Strike Revilla said on ABS-CBN television.

“They have all come out and they have released all their hostages,”Revilla said.

“We had negotiations and the robbers were OK. They were calmand our negotiations had the right result.”

AP Photo/Kevin Frayer

King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck,left, and Queen Jetsun Pema sit during Bud-dhist blessings prior to their marriage at the Punakha Dzong, in Punakha, Bhutan, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2011.

King of Bhutan marries in elaborate ceremonyAssiociated Press Writer

beside him Thursday morning, the new ueen of the tiny imalayan nation of Bhutan.

Philippine hostage stand-off ends safely: police

The epicenter of the quake wasabout 100 miles southwest of Den-pasar, the U.S. geological surveysaid.

Caroline Mercier, a 0-year-oldtourist in the island’s cultural centerof Ubud, said she was used to feel-ing quakes in California, but neverlike this one.

“It startedatmyfeet andwent allthoughmyheart andhead -- itmade

to get out of the house. I was veryconfusedwhentheroofstartedshak-ing,” she told Reuters.

Novotel Bali Benoa, one ofmany resorts in the luxury southernbeach area of Nusa Dua, evacuatedits guests as the hotel shook for aminute.

“The funny thing is that the for-eign guests who were sitting in the

lobbydidnot feel the shaking.Theystartedrunningwhenhearingpeoplesay there’s an earthquake’ whilerunning down the lobby,” hotelworkerAriyanti told Reuters.

Endro Tjahjono, head of in-formation at Bali’s meteorologyagency, said there was no tsunamipotential. Cracks appeared in thewalls and glass lobby windows of

fell, he said.Indonesia straddles a series of

fault lines thatmakes thevast islandnationprone tovolcanicandseismicactivity.

Agiant quake off the country onDec.26,200 , triggeredatsunamiinthe IndianOcean thatkilled230,000people, half of them in Indonesia’swesternmost province ofAceh.

Bali rattled...

Reuters

MONRO IA -Thursday from its hotly contested presidential election, in which Nobellaureate Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is seeking a second term.

-tion, theLiberiaMediaCenter (LMC), showedJohnson-Sirleafhadanedgeover her main rival Winston Tubman, with percent to his 36 percent ofsome 3 0,000 votes counted.

Ex-rebel leader Prince Johnson is in third place with 12 percent, ac-

theNationalElectionCommission at individual polling stations around thecountry. That could make him a possible kingmaker in any second-roundrunoff.

“If there is a run-off, I will get to my constituencies to ask them whichway to go. Based on what they will tell me, I will then make a decision,but for now, I cannot say anything. We represent a huge group of people,”Prince Johnson told Reuters on Thursday.

The vote is seen as a test of Liberia’s progress since the 19 9-2003civil war killed nearly a quarter of a million people and left infrastructurein ruins. If smooth, the election could pave the way to billions of dollars ininvestment in Liberia’s mining, energy and agriculture sectors.

“Weare allwaiting for the results, and frommyperspective, I think theywill be accepted,” said Amadou Kante, a resident of the Sinkor neighbor-hood in the capital Monrovia.

Tight race seen as Liberia gears for vote results

Friday, October 14, 2011 7Indonesia Today International

Antara

JAKARTA - An economist said Indonesia needs to grow minimally nine percent in 2015.

A growth of 6.5 percent would not as yet guarantee a better life for the Indonesian people, the observer, M Chatib Basri from state University of Indonesia said in a CIMB Niaga Economic Outlook Conference here on Wednesday.

He said Indonesia needs to grow minimally nine percent in 2015 considering global volatility and future challenges.

“When asked about the target of six to seven percent growth I am convinced we could realize it without government intervention. The problem is the target is not sufficient. We need growth at nine percent levels,” he said.

He said if Indonesia could grow at only six to seven percent people would be trapped into a potential poverty because it would not be able to catch up with the emerging markets.

He said because of the large population in the working force cat-egory it would be easy for Indonesia to grow up to seven percent. This is because domestic consumption rate is high, he said.

“That is why companies like Astra or Unilever can grow well in the middle of current crisis. So without government efforts we could grow,” he said.

To achieve a nine percent growth Chatib said infrastructure had to be improved.

With the settlement of infrastructure problems logistic obstacles that have so far hindered domestic trade would be overcome, he said.

“Look. Why Astra does not want to build a plant here. It is because the logistic cost between regions is far higher than the cost of imports. So, if the problem could be overcome I believe a nine percent growth is not impossible to achieve,” he said.

Abu Tholut is among more than 120 alleged members of “Tanzim Al Qaeda in Aceh” captured or killed since authorities discovered their jihadi training camp in westernmost Aceh province early last year.

Judge Musa Arif Aini told the West Jakarta District Court the 50-year-old Islamic militant helped set up the camp and procure M16 assault rifles and other weapons for the group.

Tholut, also known as Mustofa, became one of Indonesia’s most-wanted fugitives after Noordin Top and Dulmatin — master bomb mak-

ers for the al-Qaida-linked Jemaah Islamiyah network — were killed in police raids last year.

He was convicted for involve-ment in a 2001 bomb blast at a shopping plaza in central Jakarta that wounded six. He served five years of an eight-year sentence and was released for good behavior.

Like dozens of other convicted Islamist extremists in the world’s most populous Muslim nation he returned to his terrorist network after his release.

Indonesia was thrust onto the front lines of the battle against terrorism in 2002, when Jemaah Islamiyah militants bombed two crowded nightclubs on the resort island of Bali, killing 202 people, many of them foreign tourists.

There have been several suicide bombings targeting Western hotels, restaurants and an embassy since then, but all have been far less deadly. The last occurred more than two years ago.

Associated Press

TIMIKA — Striking workers at Freeport-McMoRan’s giant gold and copper mine in Indonesia say they have lowered their pay demand to allow for new negotiations.

Union spokesman Juli Paroron-gan says they will demand an initial

increase of $7.50 instead of $17.50 to $43 per hour.

The mine’s 12,000 employees are currently paid between $2.10 to $3.50 an hour. Most of them have been on strike since Sept. 15 and they are slated to continue until mid-November.

Parorongan said Wednesday

that they hoped the management would attend a Thursday meeting with mediating local authorities where they would convey their new demand.

It’s the second strike this year at the gold and copper mine, one of the world’s biggest. The first in July ended after eight days.

Antara

CIKEAS - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Thursday morning started calling prospective ministers to his private Cikeas home in Bogor, West Java.

Presidential spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha said the head of state started calling the prospective minister around 10 am to his home in Cikeas.

“The president started calling the candidates for deputy ministers at 10 on Thursday morning,” Julian said.

He said the candidates for deputy ministers might come from both professional and non-professional circles.

“Let us wait and see. As we

know the number of the candidates for deputy ministers has been clear but maybe there will be some more for positions deemed important,” Julian said.

He added that after President Yudhoyono had called the candi-dates for deputy ministers, he would call candidates for full ministerial posts.

According to Julian, President Yudhoyono had earlier issued a circular to all cabinet ministers asking them not to make strategic policies until he had announced a cabinet reshuffle.

He said the circular was de-signed to maintain the continuity of government policies before and after the cabinet shakeup was an-

nounced.“It (the circular) is a presidential

instruction. It was issued ahead of the reshuffle so the ministers will not take any strategic step or issue any strtgic policy before the cabinet reshuffle has been announced,” he said.

The circular contained a ban on the issuance of strategic policies including ministerial regulations and other regulations at each min-istry, he said.

Yet the ban did not apply to de-liberations on draft laws, draft state budget and policies involving other state institutes, he said.

The circular had been sent to all ministries, with copies addressed to all state institutes, he said.

Indonesia sentences jihadist to 8 years

AP Photo/Irwin fedriansyah

Associated Press

JAKARTA — An Indonesian militant was sentenced Thursday to eight years in prison for helping set up a terrorist cell plotting attacks on Western hotels and embassies in the capital.

An Indonesian militant , Abu Tholut, center, arrives for his trial at the West Jakarta District Court in Jakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2011. Tholut has been sentenced to eight years in prison for helping set up a terrorist cell plotting attacks on Western hotels and embassies in the capital.

Indonesia Freeport workers lower pay demand

President starts calling prospective ministers to Cikeas

Indonesia needs to grow at least nine percent

8 InternationalFriday, October 14, 2011

Bali Today

“Overall, this meeting is acoordination meeting of seniorofficials to stress ASEAN com-munity’s three pillars in thepolitical, economic and socio-cultural fields,” Priatna, a seniorofficial of the ASEAN Coopera-tion Directorate General at theIndonesian Foreign Ministry saidhere on Wednesday night.

The ASEAN senior officialsmeeting which kicked off onMonday will end on Friday.

According to him, each ofthe senior officials would verifythemes and interests in the three

BALI which hosted the firstASEAN (Association of South-east Asian Nations) Summit inFebruary 1976, will be the venueof another ASEAN Summit onNovember 17, 2011.

The upcoming 19th ASEANSummit will be the secondASEANsummit organized by Indonesia,the current Chair of ASEAN, thisyear after the 1 th ASEAN Sum-mit in Jakarta, May 2011.

In conjunction with the 19thASEAN Summit, the Sixth EastAsian Summit which is to be at-tended by the leaders of ASEANplusAustralia, China, India, Japan,South Korea, New Zealand, Russiaand the US, will also be held inBali on November 19, 2011.

The United States and Russia

in the East Asian Summit.Besides, there will also be

an ASEAN Plus Three (Japan,China and South Korea) summiton November 1 , 2011. The threesummits will all be held at the BaliNusa Dua Convention Center.

On the sidelines of the threesummits, there will be amongother things the Third ASEAN-USSummit to discuss ASEAN-UScooperation in the Southeast Asianregion and at global level, ForeignMinistry spokesman Michael Tenesaid at a press conference in Ja-

karta on October 7, 2011.More than 2,000 journalists

from around the world were ex-pected to cover the event, Commu-nication and Informatics MinisterTifatul Sembiring reported to VicePresident Boediono in Jakarta, onOctober 6, 2011 during a meetingdiscussing the preparations for theSummits.

“US President Barack Obamaalone will bring along about 150American journalists,” the minis-ter said as quoted by a spokesmanof the vice president.

Prior to attending the East AsiaSummit, President Obama is sched-uled to attend the ASEAN-US Sum-mit in Bali, on November 1 .

Established in 1967, ASEANgroups Brunei Darussalam, Cam-bodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malay-sia, Myanmar, the Philippines,Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam.Indonesia’s theme for its ASEANchairmanship is “ASEAN Com-munity in a Global Community ofNations”.

Besides Obama, United Na-tions (UN) Secretary-General BanKi-moon and Russian PresidentDmitry Medvedev are also ex-pected to join the Summits.

Vice President Boediono in-spected the venue of the Summitsand expressed optimism thatIndonesia would host the events

successfully.“I am also optimistic we will

be a good host,” he told newsmenat Ngurah Rai airport, Denpasar,Bali Province, on Tuesday (Oct11) after inspecting the Bali NusaDua Convention Center as thevenue for the Summits and HotelAyodhya which is to be usedas a retreat for the leaders ofASEAN and the association’sdialogue partners.

Boediono was flanked byChief Security Minister DjokoSuyanto, Deputy Foreign Min-ister Triyono Wibowo and BaliGovernor I Made Mangku Pas-tika during the inspection.

As almost 20 world leaders,including US President BarackObama, are expected to gatherin Bali, security naturally mustbecome a priority concern for theBali provincial administration.

“We as the party responsiblefor national security will guaran-tee the safety of all the foreigndignitaries attending the summitin Bali,” Coordinating Ministerfor Political, Legal and SecurityAffairs Djoko Suyanto said whenaccompanying the vice presidentduring the inspection of the Sum-mit locations earlier this month.

He said although none ofthose countries had requestedspecial security arrangements,

his office had been coordinatingwith their security authorities.

Minister Djoko said althoughBali was accustomed to the needfor security preparations aheadof international events, hisoffice deemed it necessary totake extra precautions for theASEAN Summits and EAS asthey would be attended by quitea number of world leaders.

Bali Governor I Made Mang-ku Pastika also has ensured Baliis secure and ready to welcomeparticipants of the summits andis secure.

“Nothing will happen thatcould hinder its preparations,stabili ty and its personnel’sreadiness,” the governor said inDenpasar, recently.

Four F16 jet fighters willescort planes carrying the headsof state government to attend theBali summits.

“Where air territory is con-cerned, we will escort the jour-ney of the heads of s ta tegovernment from the nationaldefense territory to Bali usingF16 jet fighters until they land,”Commander of Bali’s NgurahRai Air Base Lt. Col. Jumartosaid on Sunday.

Three warships will be madestandby in Bali Waters dur-ing the Summits. Around 600

Naval officers would also bedeployed to secure Bali, Com-mander of the Main Naval BaseV Denpasar Colonel I WayanSuarjana said in Denpasar lastSunday (Oct 9).

“The area to be secured ofcourse the whole Bali are, butfor the Summits, we will con-centrate on soutern and northernparts of Bali,” he said.

Denpasar’s Ngurah Rai aiportmeanwhile had also providedextra parking space for six wide-bodied planes that would carrythe leaders of foreign nations toBalo for the summits.

Besides the parking lot for sixwide-bodied planes the airporthad also provided space for theparking of Air Force aircraft thatwould be assigned to safeguardthe air territory in Bali duringthe event.

Medium-sized planes be-longing to heads of states gov-ernment would be parked inSurabaya. This has to be put inorder to ensure that commercialflights at Ngurah Rai would notbe disturbed.

He said the Bali provincialadminis t ra t ion would issuerules or make arrangementsto mitigate the inconveniencestourists may experience duringthe top level conferences.

Antara

ASEAN senior officials convened a meeting here

on Wednesday to stress the coordination of the ASEAN

community’s three pillars.

pillars before being endorsed bytheir heads of state governmentat the ASEAN Summit here onNovember 13-19.

“So the meeting is like a toolto know the interests of eachother’s country in respect to thethree pillars,” he said.

FOTO ANTARA/R. Rekotomo

Balinese Culture

9International Friday, October 14, 2011

BUBUH INJIN(Black Rice Pudding)

OVERVIEW:

Different versions of this Balinese snack are a great

favorite with visitors to Bali.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup black glutinous rice

¾ cup white glutinous rice

2 pandan leaves

5 cups water

½ cup palm sugar syrup

1½ cup freshly squeezed thick coconut milk

PREPARATION:

1. Rinse both lots of rice well for 2 minutes under

running water. Drain

2. Put 5 cups water, both lots of rice and pandan

leaf into heavy stockpot. Simmer over medium heat

approximately 40 minutes.

3. Add palm sugar syrup and continue to cook until

most liquid has evaporated. Season with a pinch of salt.

Remove from heat and allow cooling.

4. Serve at room temperature, topped with freshly

squeezed coconut milk.

Helpful hints:

As fresh coconut milk turns rancid fairly quickly, a

pinch of salt is usually added to the milk to help preserve

it for few hours. A more effective alternative is to cook

the coconut milk with 1 teaspoon of cornstarch diluted in

a little water: heat gently, stirring constantly for a couple

of minutes. This coconut sauce will keep overnight.

Milk made from instant powdered coconut will not

turn rancid, although the flavor is not as good as fresh

coconut milk. (www.baliguide.com/balifood)

Beauty can stop everyone’s eyes

can lullaby a baby. Similarly, beau-ty also can toss the imagination,soothe the mind and draw peopleto get near. Bali has many sourcesof that beauty offering the charm ofnature, culture or adventure.

By maintaining traditions in-spired by Hinduism, Balinese peo-ple go on running in harmony withthe time. In other words, they do notfeel inferior because of inheritingthose traditions. Beauty in the formof various dance movements hasbeen introduced since early ages.On seeing a dance staged, a toddler

-gers move and move as if imitatingthe movement of the dance.

Virtually all customary villagesin Bali have gamelan troupe. Thistroupe plays important role in ex-pressing their entertainment arts andaccompanying every ritual activity.This existence gives opportunity tovillagers fromchild toadult toexpresstheir artistic talent especially indance,drama and gamelan arts. Young girlsunder twelve or elementary schoolage have a chance to participate inperforming Rejang Dance. By wear-ing white and yellow costumes and

beautifully accompanied by gamelanmusic. Rejang Dance is one of thesacreddancesperformed in relation totheorganizationof templeanniversary

or odalan. Other than putting a basiclove to their tradition, they also showdevotional service or ngatur ayahthrough the arts.

When they grow older, right onentering secondary school, they joincustomaryvillageyouthcluborSekaaTaruna. Here, with their male friendsand their brothers and sisters start tolearnaboutorganization.Many thingscan be learned through this organiza-

-ary village, they can learn about themakingofsomesimpleoblationunderguidanceof senioroblationmakerandvarious traditional arts. In Bali, thisyouth club actually play importantrole in preparing young generationto maintain their valuable culturalheritages or to prepare themselves forinheriting customary responsibility.

With their male counterpart, herethe young girls also learn to playdrama or more complex traditionalarts. Popular genres of performanceshowedarepureentertainmentandtheone incombinationwithsacreddance.ThelatterusuallyfeaturesCalonarang.This magical drama involves a com-bination of male and female players.In essence, this Calonarang drama

truth and untruth symbolizing bysanctified effigies or tapakan likeRangda and Barong. By and large, itis also associated with ritual events atlocal temple.

In the followingstage,whenwom-

an gets married she will enter the neworganization, namely customary vil-lage.Havinglearnedmuchaboutritualworks, it is now the time to practicethem in wider social life.They shouldattend some socio-religious activitieswhen the events engage the membersof customary village. At this stage,householdmothercan remain toshowher devotional service through thearts other than social works. Throughthe arts, they may join the dramaor individual psalmodic singing orpasantian.

How is about their private life Itis normal as others. They also haveopportunity to build career in theirprofession. Inmodern lifewithhetero-geneous professions as today, womanalso works as men do. Traditions donot impede them to reach outstand-ing achievement in self-employee or

some social works will be held at theevening.

Tradition is not something ob-solete. Even, it retains abundantinspirations to create somethingnew and creative that is advanta-geous for modern life. However,traditions should also be reviewedand adjust to the current conditionwithout leaving behind its core.Tradition does not hinder women toget their career achievement. Even,it stays to give them a channel toexpress their spiritual sense throughdevotional services. (BTN punia)

Balinese women:

Friday, October 14, 201110 InternationalDestinations

C.04188

IBP

In Teluk Terima, a short distance under the way, visits Makam Jayaprana, gravesite of Jayaprana. According to the legend of Balinese, Jayaprana was an orphan who was bred by the rule of the village of Kalianget. As an adult he married the charming Nyoman Layonsari of the neighboring village of Banjar.

Nevertheless, the same rule fell in love with the wife of Jayaprana and projected to kill Jayaprana. He sent Jay-aprana with an army to attack and destroy the pirates. He said the pirates had arrived in Bali of the northwest.

In arrival in Teluk Terima, the minister of the rule killed and buried Jayaprana. When the rule requested Layonsari to marry him, nevertheless, she chose to continue being faithful her husband and trusted suicide.

JayapranaThe tomb of the temple of the Jayaprana is a long ascent and escarped but the visions from around halfway to traverse to Mount Semeru in Java, the island of Menjangan, and Gilimanuk in the western extrem-ity of Bali. The Temple contains a case of crystal that exhibits the statues of Jayaprana and Layonsari, are very sacred.

Jayaprana and Layonsari Grave

G.0001366-rpa

G.0000089

Friday, October 14, 2011 11

BUSINESSInternational

Associated Press

AS INGTON SouthKorea’s president is set to visitthe White House a day afterCongress approved a long-sought free-trade agreement.

President Lee Myung-bakwill also on Thursday becomethe first South Korean leaderin 13 years to address a jointmeeting of Congress.

The high-profile state visitwill cement his standing as

President Barack Obama’sstaunchest ally in Asia.

Congress approved the tradepact Wednesday, some fouryears after it was first agreedby the two governments. SouthKorea’s legislature must alsoapprove it before it takes ef-fect.

The pact is expected to gen-erate tens of thousands of jobsand boost the U.S. trade agendain the economically vibrantAsia-Pacific region.

The risks to Asia’s growthare “decidedly t i l ted to thedownside” reflecting the nega-tive outlooks for Europe andthe U.S., which are the majormarkets for the region’s ex-ports, the IMF said in a twice-yearly report.

Asia’s economic growth isforecast to average 6.3 percentin 2011, rising to 6.7 percentin 2012. That’s lower than theIMF’s April forecast of nearly7 percent in both years.

IMF officials warned thatan escalation of the debt cri-sis affecting nations that usethe euro, and a more severeslowdown in the United States,would hit Asia too.

Eu rope and the U .S . t o -gether still “constitute morethan a third of trade in Asia,therefore any uncertainties ...in advanced economies willhave a significant effect onAsia,” said IMF Asia-PacificDirector Anoop Singh.

“Although domestic demandremains strong, we cannot as-sume Asia will be immune fromrisks if they materialize in therest of the world,” said Singh.

Inflation is stil l strong ina number of Asian countriesbut the report said consumerpr ices are expected to easeafter peaking this year as foodand energy prices “graduallymoderate.”

Agence France-Presse

China’s politically sensitivetrade surplus fell to 1 .51 billionin September as exports slowedsharply, hit by economic turmoil inthe United States and Europe, of-

The data is likely to boost Bei-jing’s argument for its control ofthe yuan currency but fuel concernsabout the country’s vast manufactur-ing sector, which employs millionsof workers and has been contractingfor several months.

Exports rose 17.1 percent yearon year to 169.7 billion, comparedwith a rise of 2 .5 percent in Au-gust, the customs agency said in astatement.

Imports expanded 20.9 percent to155.2 billion in September from a

year earlier, compared with an in-crease of 30.2 percent in August.

“Some impact from weakerglobal growth was to be expected,and it looks like this is starting tohappen,” said Brian Jackson, seniorstrategist at Royal Bank of Canadain Hong Kong.

“We don’t expect China’s ex-ports to collapse as sharply as theydid at the end of 200 , but risks

moderation in external demand in

coming months.”Exports to the European Union,

China’s biggest trade partner, fellto 31.6 billion in September from3 .2 billion in August, customs

data showed.Shipments to the United States

were steady at 30.1 billion lastmonth.

“This has been a long timecoming,” said Alistair Thornton, aBeijing-based analyst at IHS GlobalInsight.

“We have seen the gradual dete-rioration in the eurozone and UnitedStates markets for a while. It takestime for that to feed into the tradedata and it looks like that has startedto happen now.”

Despite the weak data, theShanghai Composite Index was up0.39 percent at 2, 29.3 in after-noon trade.

The closely watched trade sur-plus fell from 17. billion in Au-gust, marking the second straightmonth of contraction.

Economists had forecast a17.25 billion surplus, accord-

ing to a Dow Jones Newswiressurvey.

The figure is a perennial pointof contention for China’s keytrade partners, the United Statesand Europe, who argue the coun-

try’s currency is grossly under-valued, which gives its exportersan unfair advantage.

Earlier this week the US Sen-ate passed legislation to punishChina for its alleged currencymanipulation -- a charge Beijinghas repeatedly denied.

China has denounced the billas a “ticking time-bomb” thatthreatens to blow up trade tiesbetween the economic superpow-ers, and US House Speaker JohnBoehner has signalled he wouldblock the bill to prevent a “tradewar”.

The latest trade data will bol-ster China’s defence of its yuanexchange rate -- which it hasrepeatedly pledged to make moreflexible -- though it is unlikely tosilence the critics, analysts said.

China continues to strictlycontrol the value of the yuandespite vowing in June 2010 tolet it trade more freely against thedollar. Since then, the currencyhas appreciated more than sevenpercent against the greenback.

“Chinese officials will be ableto cite today’s data as evidencethat exporters are already feel-ing the pinch from the recentappreciation of the yuan in trade-weighted terms,” said Jackson.

AP Photo/Rick Rycroft

People walk by the Apple Store in Sydney, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2011. An Australian court temporarily banned Samsung from selling its new Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet computer in the country, after rival technology giant Apple accused the company of copying features from its popular iPad tablet.

China’s trade surplus narrows in September

IMF trims Asian growth forecasts as risks growAssociated Press

ONG KONG The International Monetary Fundtrimmed its economic growth forecasts for Asia on Thursday

slowdown in the .S.

South Korean head at White House after trade approval

Entertainment InternationalFriday, October 14, 201112

The story of a family terrorized by home intruders, “Trespass” debuts Friday for a limited theatrical run in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and seven other major markets. It will be available at the same time for home viewing through video on demand.

The DVD and Blu-ray release fol-low barely two weeks later on Nov. 1, compared with a typical window of about four months between the time most Hollywood films open in theaters and debut on home video.

It’s a business decision that will help “Trespass” distributor Millennium Entertainment, an independent outfit that does not have the big marketing bucks of a Hollywood studio, make the most of its advertising dollars.

Cage understands that, but he wishes the movie could have a separate life on the big-screen before it goes to smaller television and computer screens — or even tiny cell-phone screens.

“I like movies to be seen the way the director wanted them to be seen, which

is on the big-screen, with an audience, with their popcorn,” Cage said in an interview alongside Schumacher at September’s Toronto International Film Festival, where “Trespass” premiered.

“I want movies to be an event. I want people to get excited about it and go out for the night with their wife or their date, whatever it may be, and have it be an event. I don’t want it to get smaller and smaller and wind up on a cell phone.”

Smaller distributors such as Magno-lia Pictures and IFC Films often release films to theaters and video on demand around the same time. Some films can be watched at home ahead of their the-atrical release, such as Kirsten Dunst’s “Melancholia,” already available to rent through video services a month before it debuts in U.S. cinemas.

Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK — Normally, the launch of a new Apple device such as the iPhone 4S would make Mike Daisey salivate. But not this year. Daisey, a mono-loguist in the vein of Spalding Gray and a recovering “Apple fanboy,” hasn’t upgraded his phone since flying to China to investigate how those smooth, beautifully designed hand-held gizmos are made.

What he found was horrific labor conditions, impossibly long hours and the use of crippling, repetitive motions. He met very young factory workers whose joints in their hands were dam-aged because they performed the same action thousands of times a shift.

“I was woefully ignorant most of my life. Even though I love the devices deeply, I never had any idea how they were made and never thought about it in the least,” says Daisey, who had assumed robots put together his iPad and iPhone. “I know that people in charge know about these things and chose not to address them,” he adds. “And

that’s hard to swallow when you see the damage it does and you know how little it would take to ameliorate a high degree of hu-man suffering.”

Daisey’s undercover investi-gation forms the backbone of his latest monologue, “The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs,” which he began working on 16 months ago and has had to alter to acknowledge the death this month of the Apple co-founder.

“In a profound way, this will reinvent the monologue,” Daisey says. “The context of it shifts so much that it will be like blowing a wind through it. I think it’s go-ing to stir up a lot of things.”

While the piece specifically targets Apple, most of what he discovered is applicable to all high-tech manufacturers. Daisey has performed the new mono-logue for some 50,000 people from Seattle to Washington, D.C., and it is now at The Public Theater until mid-November.

The death of Jobs hasn’t prompted Daisey to pull any punches. While he considers the man a visionary, he also calls him a “brutal tyrant” who “failed to think different about anything.”

Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK — Although she’s appeared in hit movies, starred on a Disney TV show and sold millions of records, Hilary Duff still feels like she has things to prove in showbiz.

Duff says during her time on “Lizzie McGuire,” the show she starred in for two seasons that made her famous, she “got to do so many fun things and be so physical with my comedy. I had no inhibitions. It was fun for me to be goofy.”

“Then I wanted to sing and that was new but I had so many fans by that point they were all supporting me so I was really confident. Now I’m a little older and I feel I need to re-learn some of those things. I have goals and aspirations but they kind of fall into what

I’ve already accomplished. I feel like I still have work to do within things I’ve already dabbled in.”

One recent success she’s had is in the publishing world. Duff’s a best-selling young adult novelist with her “Elixir” trilogy. The second book, “Devoted” is now in stores. “To put a book out was huge,” she said. “To hear people be like, ‘I didn’t want to give you much credit but I love this book.’ It’s an overwhelm-ing feeling of gratefulness and relief.”

Besides writing, 24-year-old Duff is ex-pecting her first child with pro hockey player Mike Comrie. The two married in 2010. She says she sees fans posting on Twitter that her pregnancy makes them feel old.

“The truth is that I’m very young and things in my life have happened very fast. I guess, why stop now?”

She doesn’t know if the baby is a boy or a girl, but plans to take her husband, mom and sister (actress Haylie Duff) to the appoint-ment to find out. Duff says the suspense is “killing” her and predicts it will be a boy.

Although she’s grown up in the spotlight Duff says being in the public eye can be hard while she’s experiencing the ups and downs of pregnancy.

“Being pregnant every day is a little bit different. Sometimes you’re feeling great and sometimes you just like could cry at the drop of a hat. I handle it as best as I can I think.”

AP Photo/Millennium Entertainment, Alan Markfield

In this image released by Millennium Entertainment, Nicolas Cage, center, is shown in a scene from “Trespass.”

Cage laments lack of screen time for ‘Trespass’Associated Press Writer

TORONTO — Nicolas Cage may be happy he got to work with Nicole Kidman and reunite with director Joel Schumacher on his new thriller “Trespass.” Yet Cage isn’t thrilled that viewers will be able to watch the movie at home the same day it opens in a handful of theaters.

Hilary Duff moving full speed ahead with life

FILE - In this Aug. 10, 2011 file photo, actress Hilary Duff arrives at the grand

opening party for Kendra Scott Jewelry’s Beverly Hills Store benefiting Blessings in a Backpack in West Hollywood, Calif. AP Photo/Matt Sayles, File

Mike Daisey goes after Apple, the late Steve Jobs

AP Photo/The Public Theater, Stan Barouh

In this undated image released by The Public Theater, Mike Daisey is shown in a scene from “The Agony and The Ecstasy of Steve Jobs,” running at The Public Theater in New York from Oct. 11 to Nov. 13.

International Friday, October 14, 2011 13Science

“Human waste is a problem, of course,” said the group’s director, Phinjo Sherpa. “I am merely sug-gesting that if we have public toilets they can be used.” Many groups bring expedition toilet cans, but Phinjo Sherpa said porters were often left with little choice but the nearest snowdrift.

Environmental activists say Ever-est is littered with the detritus of past expeditions, including human waste and mountaineers’ corpses, which can take decades to decom-pose because of the extreme cold. Phinjo Sherpa said installing the

toilets would be discussed as part of a wider waste management plan being prepared by the government that would encompass popular peaks throughout the Everest region.

“If there could be two or three toilets that would be good but this is just at the planning phase. We will have to decide what is a good idea and what isn’t,” he said.

However, the idea has been rejected by some of Eco Himal’s partners within the Nepal-based climbing com-munity. “The ice moves around a lot during the year. If you built toilets at the base camp, the ice would shift and

the structures would fall down,” said Wangchhu Sherpa, president of the Everest Summiteers Association.

Climbers spend tens of thou-sands of dollars trying to reach the 8,848-metre (29,028-foot) summit of Everest, but campaigners say few pay much attention to the rubbish they leave behind.

There is no official figure on how much trash has been left on the mountain, but the debris of 50 years of climbing has given Ever-est the name of the world’s highest dumpster. The privately-funded Eco Everest Expedition, a Nepal-based coalition of environmentalists campaigning to keep the mountain clean, has collected more than 13 tonnes of garbage, 400 kilos of human waste and four bodies since 2008. Government officials say Everest trekkers are expected to bring down all their rubbish themselves.

Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON — Scientists have cracked the genetic code of the Black Death, one of history’s worst plagues, and found that its modern day bacterial descendants haven’t changed much over 600 years. Luckily, we have. The evolution of society and medicine — and our own bodies — has far outpaced the evolution of that deadly bacterium, scientists said.

The 14th century bug Yersinia pestis is nearly identical to the mod-ern day version of the same germ. There are only a few dozen changes among the more than 4 million building blocks of DNA, according to a study published online Wednes-day in the journal Nature.

What that shows is that the Black Death, or plague, was deadly for reasons beyond its DNA, study authors said. It had to do with the circumstances of the world back then.

In its day, the disease killed

between 30 million and 50 million people — about 1 of every 3 Euro-peans. It came at the worst possible time — when the climate was sud-denly getting colder, the world was in the midst of a long war and horrible famine, and people were moving into closer quarters where the disease could infect them and spread easily, scientists say. And it was likely the first time this particular disease had struck humans, attacking people without any innate protection.

“It was literally like the four horseman of the apocalypse that rained on Europe,” said study lead author Johannes Krause of the University of Tubingen in Ger-many. “People literally thought it was the end of the world.”

In devastating the population, it changed the human immune system, basically wiping out people who couldn’t deal with the disease and leaving the stronger to survive, said study co-author Hendrik Poinar of McMaster University in Ontario.

Agence France Presse

An outbreak of listeria in farm-grown cantaloupes has killed 23 people and sickened 116 more in the United States since late July, health authorities said Wednesday. A woman who was pregnant and fell ill with listeriosis after eating a contaminated cantaloupe has also miscarried, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in its

latest update.Illnesses have been reported in

25 states due to the cantaloupes originating from Colorado-based Jensen Farms, the CDC said. A recall was issued on September 14 and all the affected fruit should be off store shelves by now.

“More ill persons may be re-ported because of the time lag between diagnosis and laboratory confirmation and also because up to two months can elapse between eating contaminated food and developing listeriosis,” the CDC warned.

The cases mark the worst US foodborne disease outbreak in more than a decade, and the first time

listeria has been found in whole melons. Investigators are still trying to find out how the contamination occurred.

Listeriosis is particularly dan-gerous to the elderly, those with weakened immune systems and pregnant women because it can cause miscarriage or stillbirth.

Only cantaloupes from Jensen Farms have been implicated in the outbreak, and none were shipped outside the United States.

Listeriosis can cause diarrhea, fever, muscle aches and other flu-like symptoms. In most people, the bacteria spreads from the intestine to the bloodstream, but it can be treated with antibiotics.

An outbreak of listeria in farm-grown cantaloupes has killed 23 people and sickened 116 more in the United States since late July, health authorities said Wednesday.

An outbreak of listeria in farm-Illnesses have been reported in

25 states due to the cantaloupesmelons. Investigators are still tryingto find out how the contamination

AFP Photo/Joe Raedle

AP Photo/Rocky Mountain

Undated handout image provided by Rocky Mountain Laboratories showing an electron micrograph depicting a mass of Yersinia pestis bacteria (the cause of bubonic plague).

IBP/afp

An environmental group is asking the Nepal government to consider installing portable toilets on Mount Everest (C) for climbers caught short at the roof of the world

Agence France Presse

An environmental group is asking the Nepal government to consider installing portable toilets on Mount Everest for climbers caught short at the roof of the world. Eco Himal says the thousands of trekkers who set off from the South Base Camp in Nepal each year would do a better job of keeping the place clean if they and their porters had somewhere civilised to go when nature called.

Friday, October 14, 2011 14 InternationalSport

Cassano, 29, who scored twicefor Italy in a 3-0 win over North-ern Ireland on Tuesday, told RAItelevision that he had alreadymade retirement plans. “I’ll playfor another three or three-and-a-half years,” he said. “I want tohave a good Euro (2012), a goodWorld Cup and a regular place forthe national team.

“I’ve been involved with thenational side for 10 years andhave only 25 caps, I’m always inand out of the team. I’ll quit at 32or 33 at the latest, I’ll get out offootball and enjoy life with myfamily. “Football has been themost beautiful thing in the worldfor me but despite that, I’m ex-hausted. I’m stressed, for the last13 years, whatever I say has beenwrong.”

Last week, Sweden forwardIbrahimovic said that he had start-ed to think about retirement, when

he said he would be able to enjoylife. He also complained he wastired and not enjoying the game asmuch as before. AIC president Da-miano Tommassi told the ANSAnews agency said the problemneeded to be confronted.

“It’s one of our objectives,” hesaid. “We have started a projectto help players, from 17 yearsonwards, to deal with pressure.“They are boys and there toughestgame is to be themselves and nothave to put on a mask.”

the pair’s form would not be af-fected. “I’m not worried,” he toldreporters. “I’m not a psycholo-gist, but I speak to the players

“After 25 years of managementat Milan, I known how to do it.I’ve spoken to Ibrahimovic, heabsolutely wants to play. There’snothing else to comment.

Milan, a modest 15th in the

by injuries this season but shouldat least have Brazil forward Rob-

former Santos, Real Madrid andManchester City forward toldreporters.

Leading pair Juventus andUdinese, who have 11 points eachand are the only unbeaten sides,are both away, Juventus visitingChievo and Udinese at Atalanta.Struggling Inter Milan, who haveonly four points, travel to Cataniafor a Saturday game.

The Lazio-AS Roma derby onSunday will round off the week-end. Roma captain FrancescoTotti is out of the game with athigh strain and Lazio’s Germanystriker Miroslav Klose is doubtfulwith a knee injury.

Reuters

LONDON - Mexico striker Javier Hernandez has signed a new

The 23-year-old, nicknamed “Chicharito”, made a big impact with

all competitions after arriving in July 2010 from his hometown clubChivas de Guadalajara.

His agent Eduardo Hernandez told ESPN Deportes: “We have rene-

Manchester United. “The initial contract was good for Manchester and

and if he could achieve what was expected of him.“Both sides have met their expectations and United were happy to

reward Javier after his very good performances last season.

the different tournaments.“Javier was not badly paid with his initial contract, but it was his

Rooney and Nani. But today, I can say that the contract has just been

to sign a new deal in the last year.His excellent form pushed Dimitar Berbatov out of a regular start-

ing place and the Bulgarian striker’s future at Old Trafford is still tobe decided.

AP Photo/Massimo Pinca

AC Milan Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, center, goes for the ball as Juventus midfielder Andrea Pirlo, right, looks on, during a Serie A soccer match at the Juventus Stadium in Turin, Italy, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2011.

Milan forwards feel the heat after poor startReuters

MILAN - The pressure is starting to tell on Serie A champions AC Milan, where forwardsAntonio Cassano and Zlatan Ibrahimovic have both complained of tiredness and stress. ACMilan chief executive Adriano Galliani, whose side host Palermo on Saturday, said that he wasunworried by the situation, although the Italian Footballers Association (AIC) says it is time tohelp players confront the problem.

AP Photo/Jon Super

Manchester United’s Javier Hernandez walks injured from the pitch after colliding with Stoke City’s goalkeeper As-mir Begovic during their English Premier League soccer match at the Britannia Stadium, Stoke, England, Saturday Sept. 24, 2011.

Hernandez agrees

Friday, October 14, 2011 15International Sport

Top seed Rafael Nadal pro-duced a whirlwind opener to beatSpanish compatriot GuillermoGarcia-Lopez 6-3 6-2, whi ledefending champion Andy Mur-ray got a walkover into the thirdround after his Russian opponentDmitry Tursunov retired with athigh injury.

Frenchman Tsonga, still smart-ing from defeat by Czech TomasBerdych in the Beijing semi-finalson Saturday, had hoped to pick uppoints to help him secure one ofthe eight places in the ATP worldtour finals in London next month.Nishikori, ranked 47th in theworld, had other ideas, however,and, despite needing treatmentfrom the trainer, came back froma break down in the third set tobeat Tsonga, who started the weekranked eighth.

It was Nishikori’s best perfor-mance at an ATP World Masters1000 event and only his secondwin over a top-10 player in 11attempts. “Today my opponentwas just better than me,” Tsonga

said. “I have more points than allmy opponents (in the qualifyingrace) so, of course, for the momentI’m confident. I will take somerest and then I will come back toqualify.”

With an unexpected day off,wo r l d numbe r f ou r Mur r aywatched from the stands as Na-dal whipped through his first set.Nadal, clearly annoyed by noisylatecomers in the stands at the QiZhong Stadium centre court, tiedthe floundering Garcia-Lopez inknots with thundering forehandsand backhand returns.

“I had a comfortable victorywith two sets,” said Nadal. “Ididn’t play my best match butit is unbelievable the conditionscan change from Tokyo to here.The ball is completely different.“Something must change becauseis too dangerous for the shoul-ders,” he said, echoing Murray’scomplaints on Tuesday aboutconstant changes of ball designsduring the Asian swing of theATP tour.

The 25-year-old Nadal, wholost to Murray in Sunday’s Tokyofinal, is eager to turn around what,by his high standards, has been adisappointing season and reclaimthe rankings top spot from Serbia’sNovak Djokovic, who is missingShanghai because of injury.

So far this season, Nadal hastaken three title wins from 10finals, a dip in form from 2010when he took seven from a pos-sible nine. Murray, who had afirst-round bye, will now get histitle defence underway in thethird round when he plays Swit-zerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka, theworld number 19.

Third-seeded Spaniard DavidFerrer overcame tenacious Cana-dian Milos Raonic 7-5 7-6 in thesecond round while, in anotherall-Spanish battle, Juan CarlosFerrero beat 16th seed FernandoVerdasco 4-6 6-3 6-2. Sixth seedBerdych kept up the momentumfrom his Beijing title win to de-feat compatriot Radek Stepanek6-4 6-3.

Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK — CarmeloAnthony was eager to returnto Denver next month. Nownot only could that game belost, but the Knicks’ All-Staris concerned there may notbe any basketball at all thisseason. “Right now, anybodywould be,” he said Wednes-day. “They cancel the first twoweeks of the season, maybe ina couple of days they cancelanother two weeks of the sea-son. So I don’t know how tofeel right now.”

He wanted to play in Den-ver on Nov. 16, just to get thetrip to his first NBA home

Tsonga loses opening match in ShanghaiReuters

SHANGHAI - Fourth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga suffered an unexpected defeat in his openingmatch at the Shanghai Masters on Wednesday when he was beaten 6-7 6-4 6-4 by Japanese KeiNishikori.

AP Photo/Andy Wong

France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga reacts after losing a point to Japan’s Kei Nishikori during their men’s singles match of the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament in Shanghai, China, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2011.

Anthony doesn’t want return to Denver canceled

New York Knicks’ Car-melo Anthony arrives for a meeting with the NBA’s owners’ labor re-lations committee and the players’ union’s ex-ecutive committee on Friday, Sept. 30, 2011 in New York.

out of the way. He knows itcould be a “circus” when hedoes go back, but said: “I can’tshy away from that. I’ve gotto deal with it.” “Obviouslyonce they said the first twoweeks was going to be can-celed, of course the Denvergame was highlighted on thecalendar, not just for me butfor everybody. So right now,that has a chance to be up inflames now.”

The current season openeris Nov. 15, but games slated forthe rest of that month could begone if there is no collectivebargaining agreement soon.The schedule will be rewrittenwhenever the NBA does return,so it’s unknown if the Knickswould still end up in Denveron Nov. 16. “Looks like ev-erything is up in jeopardy,”Anthony said.

Anthony released his MeloM8 on Wednesday, his eighthJordan sneaker and first sincebeing traded to the Knicks inFebruary. Anthony said thesneaker, with a suggested re-tail of $135, was his lightest

model by far.The move to New York has

given him more opportunitiesfor exposure, part of the rea-son he was looking to leaveDenver. He could have becomea free agent this summer andleft through that route, butpushed for a trade to get itdone during the season so hecould get under contract underthe old rules.

And though he took somecriticism from Knicks fanswho would have preferred get-ting him for nothing instead ofa costly trade, he made the cor-rect financial decision giventhe current lockout.

“I think I did the right thing.For the average person outthere who really thought I wasjust trying to get up and justleave for no reason, that reallywas a big key in my decision,”Anthony said. “I knew freeagency was coming, I knew itwould be altered, I knew it’dbe messed up, so imagine ifI’d have stayed. I’d have beena free agent now in limbo. It’dhave just been all bad.”AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews

Friday, October 14, 201116 SportI N T E R N A T I O N A L

Vettel had to settle for third position behind Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso after struggling with the degradation of his softer tyres. Button believes McLaren has raised its game on high-speed tracks where Red Bull has been strongest in the past few years.

“I think our overall pace forgetting the strategy and looking after the tyres has been pretty good on high-speed circuits,” said Button on Thursday in Korea.

“I think our car works well on high-speed circuits and it’s good to see that because that was a weak-

ness of ours if you compare us with Red Bull. At high-speed corners we were always looking at them and go ‘how the hell are they doing that?’. Then we went to Spa and we were very competitive. And it’s the same thing in Suzuka.

“Our car worked very well, and in the first sec-

tor of the lap we were actually quicker than the Red Bulls for the first time in three years. So

I think our car is generally

competi-tive in h i g h -

speed circuits.” Button, who has out-shone team-mate Lewis Hamilton in recent races, downplayed the benefit this year’s tyres have had in his strong season, despite the general belief that his smoother driving skill is helping him.

“I don’t know. I think if we were on last year’s tyres this year I’d be pretty happy anyway, because you still have a lot of tyre work on high-speed circuits,” he said. “I don’t know, maybe it does suit my style more. It’s difficult to know. But at some circuits I’ve really struggled with tyre wear, so it’s not always gone my way.”

The McLaren driver also reckons the Korean Grand Prix will be very hard on tyres, and he thinks drivers could be forced to stop up to five times in the race.

“It’s going to be tough. The softs are pretty tough tyres to do a long run with anyway, so with the supersoft is going to be interesting. You could see a lot of stops here. We can only have five stops, we can’t have any more, but I think we might be using all of them.

“Qualifying is going to be interest-ing, as you don’t want to flat-spot a tyre, because you are going to need them all maybe. And then we have India, which is a fast circuit like Suzuka and at the moment is 35 degrees, so it’s going to be like Suzuka but even hotter, so even tougher on tyres.

“So we have a tough couple of races coming up. It’s not just about sheer speed, it’s whether you can look after the tyres or not.”

MARCO Simoncelli be-lieves he has made a break-

through in race-pace consistency and expects to mount a strong challenge for a podium in Austra-

lia this weekend.After a spectacular start that saw

him qualify on the front row for six straight races, Simoncelli’s form has

tailed off in recent rounds and his third place at Brno remains his sole MotoGP

podium to date.But he believes the pace he showed at Motegi

- where he finished fourth despite a jump-start penalty - proves that he is back to more competitive form. “Now I am feeling motivated and ready to fight again at Phillip Island,” said Simoncelli.

“At Motegi I was able to see once again, that I can fight with the guys at the front and at a circuit where I won 250cc races in 2008 and 2009, I want to show it again.

“I was lacking some race consistency but we have ad-dressed that and if it wasn’t for the jump start at Motegi I would have been fighting for the podium, so that is some-thing I want to make up for at Phillip Island.”

Before Motegi, Simoncelli secured a deal to continue on a works specification Honda with Gresini next year. He tested Honda’s 2012 1000cc bike last week, and was extremely upbeat about the machine. “It was an amazing experience - 50 laps of pure adrenaline,” he said.

“The bike is so much fun and it keeps pulling in fifth and sixth gear. I gave some feedback to the HRC engineers that will hopefully be taken into consideration before the next test at Valencia.”

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Italy’s Marco Simoncelli on his Ducati does wheelie during free practice ahead of Sunday’s MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix at Twin Ring Motegi circuit in Motegi, north of Tokyo, Friday, Sept. 30, 2011.

shone team-mate Lewis Hamilton inrecent races, downplayed the benefit this year’s tyres have had in his strong

McLaren is a match for Red Bull

AP Photo/Kimimasa Mayama, Pool

McLaren driver Jenson Button heads out after a pit stop during the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Ja-pan, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2011.

AP Photo/Shi-zuo Kambayashi

JENSON Button is confident McLaren can now challenge Red Bull on all high-speed circuits, having outpaced the team at the Japanese Grand Prix. Button scored his third win of the season at Suzuka as he outperformed world champion Sebastian Vettel, despite the German starting from pole position.