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Monday, January 16, 2012

16 Pages Number 224th Year

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CITY TEMPERATURE OC

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DENPASAR

JAKARTA

BANDUNG

YOGYAKARTA

SURABAYA

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Continued on page 6

Miss Americaconfronted familypain with pageant

Denpasar targetsIDR 85 billion fromhotel sector

Associated Press

GIGLIO — A third survivor was discovered inside the overturned Costa Concordia cruise ship Sunday, firefighters said.

Spokesman Luca Cari told The As-sociated Press that rescuers had spoken to the person inside the ship but the survivor had not yet been removed. Late Saturday a South Korean couple on their honeymoon were rescued when firefighters in the unsubmerged part of the ship heard their screams.

Three people are confirmed dead after the huge cruise ship ran aground on Friday night, and some 40 remain unaccounted-for. Police divers and

rescue crews on Sunday circled around the wreckage of ship off the coast of the island of Giglio. Crews in dinghies were touching the hull with their hands, near the site of the 160-foot (50-meter) -long gash where water flooded in and caused the ship to fall on its side.

Coast guard officials have said divers will try to enter the belly of the ship in case anyone is still inside.

Late Saturday, firefighters who had been searching the Costa Concordia for dozens who remained missing heard distinct shouts, “one in a male voice, other in a female voice” com-ing from the cruiser liner, Coast guard officer Marcello Fertitta said.

According to Chief of Sector Police office of Kuta, Gede Ganefo, after checking the suspicious black box that found in one of store complex at Ngurah Rai Street, the bomb squad did not found any danger materials.

“We hope that people should not get worried and spreading issue about a bomb exploded in Ngurah Rai Street through SMS or BBM. Because the thing that we found was not containing any bomb materials,” he stated.

Ganefo also explained that police have to close the street to help bomb squad working thoroughly without much interruption. The suspicious thing was found around 9:00 AM local time in front of store complex at Ngurah Rai Street. One of found-ers was reporting his finding to the police.

Bali still safe

Bomb threat only a false alarmed

AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia

Italian firefighters’ scuba divers approach the luxury cruise ship Costa Concordia which ran aground off the tiny Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012.

Survivors found on stricken cruise ship

Antara

DENPASAR - The police ordered people to calm down and not spreading the issue of a bomb in By Pass Ngurah Rai, on Saturday morning. This spreading news was made some people in Bali Island worried because Bali had been hit by bomb twice.

An Indonesian police bomb take away a suspicious luggage near Ngurah Rai

International airport in Denpasar on In-donesia’s resort island of Bali island on January 14, 2012. Despite no immediate

were confirmed the squad took the pack-age away for further examination. AFP PHOTO/SONNY TUMBELAKA

InternationalMonday, January 16, 20122

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

In normal condition, crafters can make up to 500 pieces per day yet due to rain they can only make 300 pieces a day due to the drying up session has to be maximum. If its dried inside the warehouse, the piece of roof won’t hardened and will easily break due to the humidi-ty. Also crafters have to spent extra

IDR 100,000 for renting one time burning session on stove due to if they make it on their own it would be too expensive. Meanwhile the price of each roof did not increase as supplier still keep the usual price of IDR 800 per piece which is a real disadvantage for the crafters especially this kind of weather is

not stopping in the near time. In a month one crafter stated approxi-mately they got a net income of IDR 750,000, in this condition it will keep on decreasing. Sukaria stated he doesn’t have any other jobs so even though the income is not enough, he will keep on mak-ing roofs. (udi)

Denpasar (Bali Post) –Head of Bali Police, General Inspector Drs. Totoy Herawan Indra, stated

the robbery case that took place at Education Quality Guarantor Institution (LPMP) at Cok Agung Tresna Street, East Denpasar, an old robber committed

last Friday (13/1).The suspicion came over seen from their action where their modus was to

forced open a door, tied up victim and took victim’s valuable goods. Totoy

investigated including chasing the crime committers and hoped the case will be revealed soon,” Totoy continued.

Ardana and I Komang Dwi Santika, became the victims that were tied up and had their mouth plastered also threatened by a crescent causing them not able to

did not point to any of the workers have committed this. It was stated the rob-ber characteristics were using eastern Indonesia dialect where some used face covers while some did not. From this robber what’s managed taken were IDR 300 million cash owned by the Head of LPMP which were a support fee that the Head received and placed on the safety box. (kmb21)

Denpasar (Bali Post)—A number of gas station owners admitted to have not received any information

on the restrictions of fuel subsidies for private cars planned to be socialized in the near future. Even, Pertamina had been getting ready to prepare itself in the matter of supply and distribution of Pertamax fuel if the subsidized fuel restriction plan would be really implemented next April 2012.

related to restriction of fuel subsidies for private cars. Even, the addition of underground tank for Pertamax has not been required,” said one of the gas

He said the gas station with Pasti PAS standard of service would certainly have a special tank for Pertamax. Meanwhile, the gas stations that did not sell

-ing a special tank for Pertamax if they did not want to lose in the business competition. One the one hand, gas station should reduce the sale of Premium fuel and multiply the sale of Pertamax. So far, most people still preferred the Premium fuel considering the price disparity between Premium and Pertamax

for IDR 9,000 per liter.Comparable opinion was delivered by another gas station operator, Arta.

According to him, so far there had been no appeal on the preparation of tanks, supplies of Pertamax and others related to the fuel restriction plan that would

he said. According to him, the plan of government to restrict the purchase of subsidized fuels should be deliberated carefully and socialized to gas station owners and society. No less importantly, government should have a mechanism and scheme to restrict the fuel purchase for private car in one day. “So, please

operator of gas station,” he advised. (kmb)

IBP/file

A man is preparing the roof to be dryed.

Heavy rain, roof crafters suffer heavy lossTabanan (Bali Post) –

This rainy season has made roof crafters of Tabanan uneasy as their production de-creased 50 percent and causing losses. Besides weather, crafters also complained on its materials prices increasing as stated by Wayan Sukaria (35), one of the crafters from Banjar Kebon, Nyitdah Village, Kediri. It was stated for clay it cost up to IDR 350,000 per truck which only produced 4,000 pieces of roofs and the most expensive one was the

counted how much capital needed to be spent,” Sukaria explained last Friday (13/1).

Hoping to be well soon, Totok (22) from Glogor Carik Street drank a fever medicine with herb Tolak Angin which inevitably works. The ill got worse and Totok experienced poisoned, causing him brought to Sanglah Hospital last Tues-

Hospital, Totok’s older sibling stated Totok drank the two within 30 minutes. Totok then work as usual yet when he

headache, sick feeling and red

spots on his skin. He was then brought to ehalth community centre where he vomited and unconscious causing him for-warded to Sanglah Hospital and arrived around 10 am local time. Totok is now still hospi-talised, (san)

Medicine poisoned, ended up hospitalised

Education Quality Guarantor

Old Robber Committed It

Fuel subsidy restriction plan:

Lack of socialization, gas stations not yet add tanks of Pertamax

3International Bali News Monday, January 16, 2012

Heavy rains accompanied withstrong winds occurred from earlymorning until late afternoon last

because the irrigation channel on theroadside of Jalan Jalak Putih up toSingaraja-Seririt road section was un-able to accommodate the volume ofwater coming from the south.

deep. Besides, the water also spilledonto theSingaraja-Seririt roadsection,precisely under the archway entranceto the city of Singaraja at BanyuasriVillage. Vehicles passing on the Sing-araja-Seririt road section were forced

ofvehicles from thewest to the east oron thecontrarywasdisturbedbecausethey should move slowly to avoid thepuddleson the roadbody.Meanwhile,the residents were reckless to pass thedeep enough puddles on Jalak Putihposing the main access to a denseresidential area. Luckily, the vehicles

-ing on the Jalan Jalak Putih.

The overflowing water did not

into a lake full of water. More sadly,

just plantedwith riceabout twoweeksago. As inundated by water, the riceplants could not be seen at all.

One of the local farmers at the

BaktiseragaVillage,BulelengSubdis-

irrigationchannel recently repairedbythe local government. Unfortunately,the narrow channel was not enoughto accommodate the volume of waterduring heavy rains. Then, it was ag-gravated by a large amount of wasteclogging up the channel so the water

channel seemed to have been dis-mantled to drain excessive water into

residential area in the east of irrigationchannel. “The drainage is narrow anda lot of garbage is clogging it. The

this. Besides, I do not know this abut-ment seemed tohavebeendismantledso the more water submerged our rice

Similar opinion was disclosed byanother farmer,MadeYasa.Accordingtohim, the irrigationchannelwasverynarrow and was closed with concrete.As a result, it was often clogged bytwig garbage and pieces of wood so

easily. “The channel is too narrow.-

ing water probably was not as seriousas this. The gutter on the right sideof Singaraja-Seririt road section wasoften clogged due to narrow channeland this condition kindled the water

said.Sedana and Yasa claimed to sub-

mit to their fate in response to the

some two weeks old was submerged

subsided, in relatively short time thenewly planted rice would decay andresult in an adequately great loss. “Ido not know if the puddles last untilMonday morning (Jan 16) the riceplant will decay. If it happens, we will

explained both farmers.Until Saturday evening, the

rain was still flushing Buleleng.

Jalak Putih until Singaraja-Seriritroad section began to recede. How-ever, the residents and road usersremained wary if the water would

the thick clouds remained to coverthe sky of Buleleng. (kmb)

Denpasar (Bali Post)—Rabies cases emerged again after some wild dog bite cases were tested

positive for rabies. They happened to a number of residents atYeh KuningVillage, Jembrana Subdistrict and it proved if the rabies cases could nothavebeencompletely resolved inBali.TheHeadofBaliLivestockAgency,Putu Sumantra, said on Friday (Jan 13) that rabies cases in Bali were stillincomplete.Although the virus was still stated to exist in dogs, the numberwas ascertained to have greatly decreased.

“We have worked hard so that Bali can be free from rabies cases atthe end of 2012, not free from bite cases. As long as the dog still exists, Ithink the bite cases will remain to happen. As scheduled, in next Marchthe Livestock Agency will hold another mass vaccination for the thirdphase. It will be followed by population control and the policing of straydogs,” he said.

Even, to suppress the rate of rabies cases in Bali, the LivestockAgencyhad also taken a control measure in the areas found some positive cases indogs by elimination and vaccination to dogs that had not been vaccinated.It was carried out without waiting for a mass vaccination schedule in thehope the virus would not widely spread and could be destroyed.

To further optimize the role and effort of the agency, Sumantra hopedthe people, especially the dog owners and all parties involved, to partici-pate. Some measures that could be made were such as not allowing thepet dogs to roam and actively asking for vaccinations for dogs that hadnot obtained any vaccination. “No matter how hard the efforts we make todeal with rabies cases, without public support will not give optimal result.Of course, we need the cooperation of the community in combating thecase in Bali.At least, when people see a suspected rabies dog they should

agency. By doing so, the handling could be made more quickly,” he said.He also emphasized that immediate information on positive cases in thedogs that had bitten people would make easier the victim’s treatment. Asconsequence, it would not result in death.

and Veterinary Affairs, Bali Livestock Agency, I Wayan Mardiana, saidthat after receiving the report, the rabies prevention team immediatelytook prompt action by providing rabies vaccination to 36 dogs at Beratanand Tegal Cantel Hamlet, Yeh Kuning and euthanasia to 32 wild dogs.Brain samplewasalso taken from6dogs.Additionally, the teamhadgivensocialization to the local village community. “In 2011, we provided thesecond stage of mass vaccination to 21,257 dogs. Later, it was resumedwith a search and could record 35 dogs, while 443 other dogs were giveneuthanasia.Vaccination program in Jembrana has just reached 70 percent.In other words, the remaining 30 percent of the dog population has notbeen vaccinated,” he explained. (bit)

Negara (Bali Post)—

dozens of homes at Munduk Hamlet, Pohsanten Village, Mendoyo

At least 15 houses of local residents at the local hamlet were

during heavy and long rain. It happened because the drain near theSMA 2 Mendoyo senior high school was too narrow. Aside from thenarrow channel, it was also triggered by the existence of abutment

and was not stagnant like that.Another resident, Bayu Negara, emphasized that the area was

Meanwhile, the Headman of Pohsanten, I Ketut Gama, admitted

Other than caused by narrow drainage, it was also kindled by thegrowing settlement and development. He said the house of some 15

condition, the village authority had reported the problems to relevantagency with the request to widen the drainage. (kmb26)

Narrow channels Dozens of

IBP/File

Two men are trying to clean the sewer due to the flood in Singaraja Area.

Heavy rain in Singaraja

at Banyumala submergedSingaraja (Bali Post)—

-

Bali Livestock Agency admits rabies cases in Bali incomplete

News International4 Monday, January 16, 2012

In the fifth attack of its kind in two years, a magnetic bomb was attached to the door of 32-year-old Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan’s car dur-ing the Wednesday morning rush-hour in the capital. His driver was also killed. U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton denied responsibility and Israeli President Shimon Peres said Israel had no role in the attack, to the best of his knowledge.

“We have reliable documents and evidence that this terrorist act was planned, guided and supported by the CIA,” the Iranian foreign ministry said in a letter handed to the Swiss ambassador in Tehran, state TV reported. The Swiss em-bassy represents U.S. interests in a

country where Washington has no diplomatic ties.

The spokesman for Iran’s Joint Armed Forces Staff, Massoud Jazayeri, said: “Our enemies, es-pecially America , Britain and the Zionist regime (Israel), have to be held responsible for their actions.”

Iran in the past has accused Israel of causing a series of spectacular and sometimes bloody mishaps to its nuclear programme. Israeli officials do not comment on any in-volvement in those events, although some have publicly expressed satis-faction at the setbacks.

Feeling the heat from unprec-edented new sanctions, Iran’s clerical establishment has brandished its sword

by threatening to block the main Mid-East oil shipping route, starting to en-rich uranium at an underground bunker and sentencing an Iranian-American citizen to death on spying charges.

State TV said a “letter of con-demnation” had also been sent to Britain, saying the killing of Iranian nuclear scientists began after the head of Britain’s MI6 spy service announced intelligence operations against states seeking nuclear weap-ons. The West says Iran’s nuclear programme is aimed at building a bomb. Tehran says it has the right to peaceful nuclear power.

Tehran has urged the U.N. Secu-rity Council and Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to condemn the latest killing. After years of international sanctions that had little impact on Iran, U.S. President Barack Obama signed new measures on New Year’s Eve that, if fully implemented, would make it impossible for most countries to pay for Iranian oil.

Reuters

BANGKOK - Thai authorities have beefed up security in parts of the capital and other areas popular with tourists after the United States and Israel warned of a possible terrorist attack.

The army was helping the po-lice in providing security, army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha told reporters on Saturday.

“People must be on alert and re-port anything suspicious,” he said.

National Security Council sec-retary-general General Vichien Potphosri said special measures had been put in place in risk areas including Khao San Road, an area popular with backpackers, and parts of the main Sukhumvit road.

“There’s still nothing too wor-rying ... But we need to be on our guard,” he was quoted as saying on Thairath newspaper’s website.

The authorities arrested a Leba-nese suspect this week after being warned by Israel of a possible attack in Bangkok, Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung said

on Friday, adding he was confident the situation was under control. The Swedish foreign ministry said it had been informed by Thai authorities that the Lebanese suspect was car-rying a Swedish passport.

Swedish foreign ministry spokesman Andre Mkandawire said he could not confirm whether the passport actually belonged to the detainee. He said the Swedish embassy in Bangkok was trying to meet the suspect, which would probably not happen before Mon-day. Television channel TNN reported that security had been tightened in the northern town of Chiang Mai and the island of Phuket, both resort areas.

Israel’s Counterterrorism Unit issued a “severe travel warning” to nationals on Friday, advising them against travel to the Thai capital in the near future.

The U.S. embassy in Bangkok told its citizens to be careful in areas of the capital frequented by tourists because of the threat of a possible attack by “foreign terrorists.” It de-clined to elaborate on the threat.

Reuters

WASHINGTON - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Rom-ney has opened a wide lead over his rivals in the South Carolina primary election race, trouncing Newt Gingrich and gaining mo-mentum in his march toward the party’s nomination, a Reuters/Ipsos poll shows.

Romney, a former Massachu-setts governor, could all but quash his rivals’ presidential aspirations with a victory in South Carolina on

January 21 after winning the first state-by-state nominating contests in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Voters in South Carolina - who have favored Republicans in nine of the last 10 presidential elections - appear to have shrugged off attacks on Romney by rivals who accuse him of killing jobs as a private equity executive for Bain Capital in the 1990s.

The poll showed 37 percent of South Carolina Republican voters back Romney. Congressman Ron Paul and former Senator Rick San-

torum tied for second place with 16 percent support.

Gingrich, a former speaker of the House of Representatives, has fallen far back after holding a strong lead in South Carolina in December. He was in fourth place at 12 percent in the Reuters/Ipsos poll.

“In primary races things can change quickly but it does look like Romney is in position to win South Carolina, and if he wins ... that’s sort of the end of the road for most of his challengers,” Ipsos pollster Chris Jackson said.

REUTERS/Chris Keane

Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov-ernor Mitt Romney (L) speaks as his wife Ann Romney (R) watches during a campaign stop at the American Legion Post in Sumpter, South Carolina, January 14, 2012.

Romney opens 21-point lead in South Carolina: Reuters/Ipsos poll

Thailand beefs up security after warning of attack

REUTERS/Chaiwat Subprasom

Tourists walk along Khao San road in Bangkok January 14, 2012. Thai authorities have arrested a Lebanese suspect after being warned by Israel of a possible attack in Bangkok, the deputy prime minister said on Friday, adding that police had stepped up security and he was confident the situation was under control.

REUTERS/Raheb Homavandi

Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad speaks with journalists at Tehran’s Mehrabad airport after his visit to Latin American countries January 14, 2012.

Iran sends rare letter to U.S. over killed scientist

Reuters

TEHRAN - Iran said on Saturday it had evidence Washington was behind the latest killing of one of its nuclear scientists, state television reported, at a time when tensions over the country’s nuclear program have escalated to their highest level ever.

Activities Monday, January 16, 2012 5International

Temple CeremonyCalendar Event for January 4 through 26, 2012

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

4 Jan Buda Paing Wariga Merajan Pasek Gaduh Kayubihi Bangli.

7 Jan Tumpek Uduh/Pengatag Pura Puseh/Pura Desa Batuan Sukawati Pura Pasek Bendesa Kekeran Mengwi Pura Manik Mas Besakih.

8 Jan Purnama Kepitu Ngusaba Ngaed Pr. Benua - Besakih Pura Dalem Desa Camenggaon - Sukawati Pura Suranadhi Lombok Pura Narmada Lombok Pura Segara Ampenan Lombok Mr Agung Dewa Agung Klungkung Sidemen -

Karangasem Pura . Merajan Pasek Gelgel Ababi Mr. Pasek gelgel Tista Pura di Gunung - Tianyar Kubu - Karangasem. Pura Pingit Klenting sari Gerokgak - Singaraja Pura di Gunung - Tianyar Tianyar Merajan Pasek Gelgel Ababi Mr. Pasek gelgel Tista Pura di Gunung - Tianyar Kubu - Karangasem Pura Pingit Klenting sari Gerokgak - Singaraja Pura Payogan Agung Kutai Kartanegara.

11 Jan Buda Wage Warigadean. Pura Kepisah Sumerta Denpasar Pura Pasek Gelgel Pura Pasek Gelgel Pura Puncaksari Penarukan Peninjoan Bangli Pura Bangun Sakti Besakih Pura Antegsari Kaba-Kaba Kediri Tabanan Pura Pesimpangan Batur Pande Kaba-Kaba Kediri

Tabanan

13 Jan Sukra Umanis Warigadean Odalan Ida Ratu di Penataran Agung Besakih

Odalan Ida Ratu Puraus Merajan Salonding Besakih.

15 Jan Redite Pon Julungwangi Pura Panti Pasek Gelgel Gobleg Banjar Singaraja.

17 Jan Anggar Kasih Julungwangi Pura Tirtaharum Tegalwangi Bangli Pura Pasek Tohjiwa Wanasari Tabanan Pura Pasek Tangguntiti Jakatebel Tabanan Pura Pasek Bendesa Sangsit Buleleng Pura Dalem Waturenggong Taro Tegalalang Pura Ibu (Pura Kaja) Wanasari Selemadeg Tabanan Pura Pasek Gelgel Tulikup Pura manik Bingin Sidemen.

18 Jan Buda Umanis Julungwangi Pura Penetaran Gana Bebalang Bangli Pura Dalem Gede Banjar Pande Bangli Pura Puncaksari Sangeh Abiansemal Pura Dadia Agung Pasek Sanak Sapta Resi Sidan

Gianyar Merajan Pasek Tohjiwa Jakatebel Merajan Pasek Prateka Batusesa Odalan di Mr. Jeroan Dauh Cemenggon Pr. Puseh Penegil Darma Kubutambahan Singaraja.

23 Jan Tilem Kepitu Aci Petahuan Pura Ulun Kulkul Besakih Ngusaba Buluh Pura Benua Kawasan Besakih.

26 Jan Wraspati Wage Sungsang Pura Kawitan Tangkas Kori Agung Desa Tangkas

Klungkung Pr. Siang Kangin Tampuagan Tembuku Bangli Odalan Ida Ratu Mas Penataran Agung Besakih Merajan Pasek Gelgel Petemon Merajan Pasek Gelgel MelinggihGelgel Melinggih Odalan Ida Bhatara Bang Tulus Dewa Besakih

IBP

DENPASAR - At Jempiring Restaurant in Aston Denpasar Hotel & Convention Center, their trained chefs take pleasure in creating flavor meals for Aston Denpasar’s February 2012 F&B promotion with “Love is in the Air” theme. It will begin with Cream Asparagus Soup. Classic dish but most favourite soup among guests, made from fresh asparagus served with stick garlic crouton. Then continue to the main course which is Rolled Herb Beef with oriental classic sauce served with mashed potato. Ended with Banana Split, again classic yet delicious.

To accompany all dishes, a few selections of beverages that is inspired by the theme are bornt. Named it Strawberry Heaven, a fresh strawberry with yogurt, sugar, vanilla ice cream and milk, perfect for couple. Secondly Strawberry Coconut Daiquiry and other Healthy Drinks. For a very special day on the 14th, Aston Denpasar Hotel & Convention Center has created a very romantic night for couple that would like to celebrate their love with candlelight dinner under the sky for only Rp. 180,000++ per couple.

Aston Denpasar

Promotions “Love is in the air”

Monday, January 16, 2012 6 News

From page 1

International

The capture of Radda expandsmilitant control outside the southernprovince of Abyan, where they havetaken over several towns since anuprising against President Ali Abdul-lah Saleh began early last year thatculminatedwith apower transfer dealin November.

Residents in Radda, which has apopulation of 60,000, said the groupwas led by Tareq al-Dahab, a sus-pected militant who had been handedoverbySyria toYemenrecentlywhile

brother-in-law of U.S.-born Muslim

cleric linked to al Qaeda who waskilled in an air strike last year.

Yahia Abu Usba, deputy head ofthe Yemeni Socialist Party and aSaleh critic, charged that the securityforces appeared to have done verylittle to stop the militants from enter-ing Radda and warned that al Qaedawas planning to strike at the oil-richMaarib Province next, bringing it

were immediately available for acomment.

The United States and Saudi Ara-bia, the world’s largest oil exporter

which helped broker the Gulf dealthat allowed Saleh to transfer powerto his deputy, Abd-Rabbu MansourHadi,havebeenworried thatalQaedawas expanding its control in the im-poverished Arab state next to key oilshipping lanes.

Saleh critics have accused theoutgoing president, who still wields agreat deal of power through his fam-ily control of security forces despitehandingoverpower,of turningablindeye to themilitants’expansion toshowthat his rule was important to keep alQaeda out. He denies the charges.

Associated Press Writer

MANAMA, Bahrain — Bahrain’s king promised Sunday thatthe strife-wracked Gulf nation will move ahead with political re-forms that widen the powers of the elected parliament to overseegovernments selected by the ruling monarchy.

The reforms are part of recommendations that emerged last yearfrom talks between various political and civil groups on easingtensions in the Sunni-ruled kingdom, which has faced more than11 months of protests by the island’s Shiite majority.

More than 35 people have died in the unrest, which began asan Arab Spring-inspired uprising for greater rights but has shiftedinto a challenge against the authority of the 200-year-old rulingSunni dynasty. Bahrain’s leaders and Gulf Arab allies claim that

nation, which is home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet.

the constitution and grant a greater role to the 40-seat lowerhouse of parliament.

The measures include allowing lawmakers to approve govern-ments proposed by the ruling dynasty and giving greater author-ity to question and remove Cabinet officials. Parliament wouldalso play a larger role in setting the state budget and proposinglaws, he said.

But the changes are unlikely to appease Shiite oppositiongroups. Bahrain’s main Shiite groups have withdrawn fromparliament and boycotted the so-called national dialogue reformtalks last summer.

Shiites account for about 70 percent of Bahrain’s 525,000citizens, but complain they are effectively excluded from keypolitical and security roles. They have called for a governmentthat reflects election results — which would bring Shiites intokey Cabinet posts — rather than ministers hand-picked by themonarchy.

Associated Press Writer

Minister Yoshihiko Noda’s recent

public support ratings, newspaperpolls showed Sunday.

Noda formed a new Cabinet onFriday in a bid to win cooperationfrom theoppositionand support fromvoters to raise the sales tax and rein in

Polls taken immediately after

showed support for Noda and hisnew Cabinet was flat to slightlydown from last month. New Cabi-nets in the past have seen approval

ratings jump at least at the begin-ning, and the latest results signaleda rocky road ahead for Noda’sadministration.

A poll by the Nikkei businessnewspaper showed public approvalfor Noda and his Cabinet was 37percent, almost unchanged from De-cember. The Yomiuri and the Asahisaid their polls showed approvaldipped 5 points to 37 percent and 2points to 29 percent respectively.

Noda’s support numbers havesteadily declined from around 60

-

faces a public frustrated with di-

saster reconstruction efforts and alackluster economy.

The tax issue has further shooedaway supporters.

More than half of those surveyedopposed his plan to raise the con-sumption tax, while less than 40percent supported it.

to reduce its debt burden as thenation ages and its work forceshrinks, putting a greater burdenon the social security and tax sys-tems. He has promised to submita bill by end of March to raise the5 percent consumption tax in twostages, to 8 percent in 2014 and 10percent by 2015.

REUTERS/Mohamed al-Sayaghi

A view of the old Sanaa city in Sanaa January 14, 2012.

Qaeda militants seize town southeast of Yemen capitalReuters

SANAA - Dozens of al Qaeda militants have seized a small town about 170 km (105 miles)southeast of Yemen’s capital Sanaa, a police source and witnesses said on Sunday. They saidthe militants entered the town of Radda in al-Baydah province on Saturday night with littleresistance from a small contingent of police and seized an ancient citadel and mosque.

Bahrain king promises to expand parliament powers

who were brought out in good condition, Prato fire Cmdr. Vin-cenzo Bennardo told The Associated Press from the scene.

The terrifying, chaotic escape from the luxury liner was straightout of a scene from “Titanic” for many of the 4,000-plus pas-

coast late Friday and flipped on its side.Many passengers complained the crew didn’t give them good

directions on how to evacuate and once the emergency becameclear, delayed lowering the lifeboats until the ship was listingtoo heavily for many to be released.

Several other passengers said crew members told passengersfor 45 minutes that there was a simple “technical problem” thathad caused the lights to go off.

Passengers said they had never participated in an evacuationdrill, although one had been scheduled for Saturday. The cruise

Costa Crociera SpA, which is owned by the U.S.-based cruisegiant Carnival Corp., defended the actions of its crew and said itwas cooperating with the investigation. Carnival Corp. issued astatement expressing sympathy that didn’t address the allegationsof delayed evacuation.

The captain, Francesco Schettino, was detained for questioningby prosecutors, investigating him for suspected manslaughter,abandoning ship before all others, and causing a shipwreck, stateTV and Sky TV said. Prosecutor Francesco Verusio was quotedby the ANSA news agency as saying Schettino deliberately chosea sea route that was too close to shore.

France said two of the confirmed victims were Frenchmen; aPeruvian diplomat identified the third victim as Tomas AlbertoCostilla Mendoza, 49, a crewman from Peru. Some 30 peoplewere injured, at least two seriously.

Survivors...

Monday, January 16, 2012 7Indonesia Today International

Antara

JAKARTA - Guruh Soekarnopu-tra, a son of Indonesia`s first president, Soekarno, marked his 59th birthday on Friday with a statement he intends to run for president in 2014.

“I am ready to lead the country. It is not only that I must nominate my-self but people should also do their best to make me the national leader,” Guruh said in a political speech to members of the Pancasila Spirit Movement (GSP) at his residence at Jalan Sriwijaya Raya in Jakarta.

He said he was born to serve God , the nation and the pople while the na-tion was now in “very deplorable con-ditions.” Therefore, he said, “we must return to the revolution , not to reform. The Indonesian revolution stopped when the new order regime began.”

He said the Indonesian nation had actually been free for not more than 14 years because it lost free-dom when the new order regime assumed power in 1967.

Guruh called on the people to free themselves from “the shackles of colonialism”, adding founding father Soekarno`s message was that “Indonesia must be able not only to become prosperous but also a light-house so that we can lead the world and eliminate colonialism.”

Guruh who is a member of the House of Representatives` Commis-sion X on the occasion expressed full support to the idea of making the Esemka car assembled by Solo students a national car.

“We must appreciate the good work of these fellow citizens, If we don`t, who else will,” he said.

The youngest son of Soekarno from his marriage with Fatmawati, Guruh said he was ready to acquire an Esemka himself and asked the government to pay more attention to the domestic product, help to promote it and its marketing.

“Amid the scarcity of domestic automotive products, the Esemka is a new breakthroughn,” he said.

In a statement to ANTARA News in London on Saturday, Sam Zarifi, Amnesty International`s Asia Pacific director, said the local government herded about 335 Shiite evacuees including at least 107 children onto a truck on Thursday and transported them to Nangkrenang which was also looted late last year.

“We are concerned about the conditions in their village - some of them even no longer have a home,” Sam said.

The Shiite evacuees had refused

to return to their homesbefore unless the police gave

them adequate protection and the people who had attacked them were brought to justice.

There were also serious questions about the police`s preparedness to protect the Shiite community from fu-ture religiously-motivated attacks or to act against the attackers, he said.

Last December 29, a madrasah school , a house of worship and a residence of the Shiite community at Nangkrenang, Sampang, Madura

island, were attacked and torched by a crowd off about 500 people some oof whom carried sharp weapons.

Although one day before the ac-tion, local securities already knew it would happen they did not take any measures to prevent it or pro-tect the Shiite community and only took pictures of the riot with the cameras on their cellphones or just watched. The only person arrested by the police over the happening was later set free.

“This was not the fist time the Shiite community was attacked,” Sam said.

“Forcing them to return to an un-safe place without proper protection or the offering an alternative reloca-tion site violates the principles the international community has agreed

on with regard to the rights of inter-nal evacuees,” Sam said.

After the latest attack, Shiite com-munity members were evacuated to temporary shelter in a sports building in Sampang which reportedly lacked a sufficient clean water source and adequate sanitation facilities.

The Shiite community in Madura experienced acts of intimidation and attacks before in 2006 and 2011. They were also reported to have been pressured by anti-Shiite elements to convert to the faith of the majority of Indonesian Muslims, namely the Sunni version of Islam.

Sam said Amnesty International had documented many cases of intimidation and violence against religious minorities in Indonesia by radical Islamic groups.

Among them were instances in which Ahmadiyah community members had to evacuate after their homes were attacked and burned down. In most of the cases, the per-petrators were not penalized.

Sam pointed out religious free-dom or the right to embrace a faith of one`s own choosing was guaran-teed in Article 18 (1) of the Inter-national Convention on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) to which Indonesia was also a party.

Under the ICCPR, Indonesia must guarantee its people`s right to life, security and freedom from torture and other forms of maltreat-ment . The protection must be given indiscriminately, or regardless of among other things, the religion of the people concerned, Sam said.

Antara

PADANG - Twenty-five volca-noes in Indonesia are now showing abnormal activity or have been put in alert or watch status, presidential special aide Andi Arief said here on Saturday.

“According to official data 25 volcanoes are now under alert or watch status and they must be given priority with regard to disaster miti-gation planning at district or city

levels,” he said at a workshop on journalists` role in disaster man-agement.

He said in West Sumatra there were two volcanoes that need to be closely watched, namely Mount Marapi and Mount Talang because they are still under alert status.

Mount Marapi is located in Agam and Tanahdatar districts and rises 2891 meters above sea level and Mount Talang (2597) in Solok district was located around

40 kilometers from the provincial capital Padang.

Apart from the two volcanoes, the government and regional disas-ter management agencies were also giving priority attention to Mount Papandayan in West Java, Mount Karangetan and Lokon in North Sulawesi, Mount Ijen in East Java, Mount Gamalama in North Maluku, Mount Krakatau in Banten and Lampung and Mount Lewoloto in East Nusa Tenggara.

He said “it is not impossible that volcanoes that are now still normal could change to become abnormal due to earthquakes that have hap-pened to trigger magma in the mountains to increase their activity and therefore alertness and readi-ness of the people must continue to be maintained.”

Andi said earthquakes below five on the Richter Scale could trigger magma in the volcanoes to rise and so people must not only be alert

over big but also small tremors.The 4.4 magnitude earthquake

like the one in Singkawang, West Kalimantan, is one of the examples, where people had never predicted before that it could happen there, he said.

“The small magnitude quake is now being studied by research-ers with regard to minimizing the damage in case an eruption happens in the country as there are a lot of volcanoes in Indonesia,” he said.

AFP PHOTO / BUDI SANTOSO

This picture taken on January 13, 2012 shows Yamaha Factory Racing rider Jorge Lorenzo (C) posing with Indonesian fans during a meet and greet in Jakarta. Lorenzo visited Indonesia to meet his fans.

Guruh Soekarnoputra to run for president

Amnesty International urges RI

To protect Shiite minorityAntara

LONDON - Amnesty International has urged the Indonesian gov-ernment to provide protection for hundreds of Shiites who have been forced to return to their village in East Java after being evicted from their homes in Madura by an anti-Shiite mob.

8 InternationalMonday, January 16, 2012

Bali Today

Head of enpasar RevenueServices ( ispenda), IB Subrata,said that to further maximize therevenue from the sector his partywould more tighten the supervi-sion against taxpayers. Even, hewould collect the data of newtaxpayers and better optimize theaudit of taxpayers.

“We’re going to collect the dataof new taxpayers and unrecordedtaxpayers as well as optimize theaudit. Meanwhile, the less opti-mal will be improved and a goodtaxpayer is given rewards. Thiseffort is intended to achieve theset targets,” he said.

Aside from the efforts to pre-vent the tax leakage, his partywould also change the collectionsystem into an online paymentsystem. The new system was

expected to help attain the targetset. In 2011, the tax target couldbe achieved and the achieve-ment even exceeded the target.As known, the target of hoteltax in 2011 amounting to I R80.5 billion could be realized asmuch as I R 92.2 billion, whilethe revenue of restaurant tax wastargeted at I R 33.5 and could berealized at I R 39.3 billion.

“Based on the last year ’sachievement, we are optimistic toreach the target in 2012. Moreover,implementation of the online sys-tem for the tax collection will helpthe management of local revenuesbe more accountable, transparent

At the moment, he said, theRevenue Service had prepared afacility and infrastructure includ-

ing the preparation of humanresources. On that account, inthe launching held in next Febru-ary everything would have beenready. One of the advantages andconveniences for the implementa-tion of online tax system was thattaxpayers could deposit their taxthrough bank transfer, auto debitor ATM. As planned, the bankpartner in the online tax collectionsystem would be BP Bali.

“It denotes a form of serviceand convenience we can providefor taxpayers. In addition, the of-

no longer need to collect taxesfrom door to door. This methodcan also avoid the occurrence ofbribe practice between the taxpay-

explained. (par)

Kalibukbuk, the centre of the Lovina Tourist Resort in NorthBali is continuously developing from a small village into a smalltown. Squeezed between the capital of Singaraja Regency in theeast, and the small town of Seririt in west, it is located on themain road that stretches along the north coast linking Singaraja toGilimanuk on the western tip of Bali, the ferry port to Java.

The development of tourism in Bali, initially in the south,gradually spread to the north when adventurous travelers, lookingfor something different, ventured beyond the chain of hills thatdivides Bali, north and south.

In this chronicle of tourism development in North Bali, one promi-

Tisna, the last king of Buleleng. He was an intellectual who convertedto Christianity, and a noted writer who wrote several novels, including

He believed that in terms of tourism, Bali was unbalanced,too heavy in the south and too light on the north, an unbalancedboat that could capsize. With this vision, he built the first accom-modation in the village of Kaliasem, west of Kalibukbuk in the1970’s. Built on the beach with seafront views, it was borderedby a stream named “Tasik Madu” (Sea of Honey). He named it“Lovina”. It is not confirmed precisely how it got its name, butone story is that it derived from “Lavina”, the name of a smallhotel in India, where he spent the night on his way from Europeto Indonesia.

The idea of developing the area was followed by his sons, thelate Anak Agung Ngurah Ganteng who built “Manggala HomeStay” and Anak Agung Ngurah Sentanu, with “Permata Hotel”both located in the village of Kaliasem.

As it happens in business when somebody proves successful,many people jump on the bandwagon, Lovina was not an excep-tion. Accommodation started to appear with names to lure thewould be tourists including “Seaside Cottages” even though theaccommodation was not on the beach or “bungalow”, despite thebuilding not being bungalows. This idea of attracting tourists goesfurther by naming accommodation and tourist facilities “Lovina”,despite the fact that the location is far from the original. Gradu-ally “Lovina”, as the area began to be known as, was frequentlyvisiting by tourists and travelers alike. The name Lovina had un-officially been stretched to the villages of Kalibukbuk, Anturan,Tukadmungga, Pemaron and Temukus, nobody knew where Lovinabegan and where it ended.

ue to the flourishing unplanned tourism development, theLocal Government started to realise that Lovina needed regulat-ing. The area was issued a Regional Regulation adopting Lovinaas an official Tourist esignated Resort or “Kawasan Wisata”,one among several in Bali, and officially determining the borderscovering five villages, namely Pemaron, Tukadmungga, Anturan,Kalibukbuk, Kaliasem, Temukus and Kayuputih. The resort wasofficially named “KawasanWisata Kalibukbuk” as the village ofKalibukbuk, roughly located in the centre, was the main area ofdevelopment and “Lovina” was not an official name.

The rapid tourism development of Kalibukbuk is not free of anegative side. Traffic jams, pollution, rubbish have increased, butLovina is still peaceful and serene to visit. The calm sea, sunsetand dolphins are the main tourist attractions. Those bold enoughto venture out, can enjoy many tourist attractions beyond LovinaResort such as hiking in the rice fields, the rustic environmentand the simple atmosphere of villages.

The main street of Kalibukbuk is now dotted with variety ofrestaurants, art shops and convenience stores. The small accesspath to Bina Ria Beach is jammed with bars, restaurants, souvenirshops and an imposing dolphin statue, the landmark of Lovina.

Pasha Night Club is the only nightclub in town. Along the mainroad further to the east and west are several cafes, hang out placesfor those who enjoy the night until dawn.

It is no exaggeration to say that the sleepy village of Kalibuk-bnuk has now been transformed into a booming small town. (IBPNyoman Suwela)

IBP/Net

Tourists walking in Sanur Beach, Denpasar City of Bali Island. In 2012, the Denpasar Municipal-ity targets to attain tax revenue worth IDR 85 billion from hotel sector. Such amount increased from the target last year coming to IDR 80.5 billion.

Denpasar targets IDR 85 billion from hotel sector

Tax revenue in 2012

Bali PostD ASAR - In 20 2 the Denpasar Municipality targets to attain ta revenue worth IDR

8 billion from hotel sector. Such amount increased from the target last year coming to IDR80. billion. In the meantime the restaurant ta previously reaching IDR 33. billion in 20also rose to IDR 36 billion this year while the entertainment ta remained the same as last yearamounting to IDR 6.3 billion.

Kalibukbuk From a small village to a small town

Balinese Culture

9International Monday, January 16, 2012

SIAP MEPANGGANG(Grilled Chicken)

OVERVIEW:

This is one of Bali’s most traditional dishes and plays

an important role in many ceremonies.

INGREDIENTS:

4 baby chickens, each 400 gr (13 oz)

1 cup chicken spice paste

2½ cup coconut milk

3¼ cups chicken stock

4 stalks lemon grass, bruised

4 salam leaves

2 lemon leaves

1 tbsp salt

1 tbsp black peppercorns, crushed

PREPARATION:

Cut along the backbone of chicken, open butterfly

style and flatten. Heat heavy saucepan, add spice paste

and sauté for 2 minute over low heat.

Add, chicken stock, lemon grass, salam leaves,

lemon leaves and bring to boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add coconut cream, bring to boild, season with salt and

pepper. Add chickens and simmer until three-quarters

cooked, turning chicken frequently.

Remove from fire and cool chicken in the sauce to

room temperature. Remove chicken from sauce and

dry well in open airy place for 30 minutes. Grill over

charcoal until dark golden brown. Grilled chicken tastes

best when served with peanut sauce, steamed rice and

vegetables.

Helpful hints :

The chickens can be simmered in coconut milk and

then deep-frozen until required. Be sure to dry them

thoroughly after defrosting, either in an airy place or in

front of a fan, before frying.

Antara

DENPASAR – During Janu-ary through November 2011 pe-riod, there was 1,855 tourists fromEngland visited Bali using cruiseships. “The number was the secondbiggest after the tourists from Aus-tralia. The total number of touristsfrom Australia came to Bali on that

period was 93,915 tourists where1,855 was using sea transporta-tion,” said the Head of Bali StatisticDepartment, Gede Suarsa.

The number of tourists fromEngland to Bali increased 6.7%compared to the same period in2010 which was 88,018 tourists.

Meanwhile, the total touristsfrom England visited Bali in 2010

was 96,412 tourists. The numberincrease 2.77% compare to theprevious year.

Suarsa explained that the touristsfrom England was 3.65% from thetotal foreign tourists visited Bali for11 months in 2011 which was 2.57million people or increased 9.55%compare to the same period in 2010which was 2.34 million tourists.

IBP/Net

Tourists debarked from their cruise ship to enjoy the beauty of Bali Island.

1,855 tourists from England using cruise ships

Monday, January 16, 201210 InternationalDestinations

IBP

Beratan Lake is a shallow lake with the high caldera about 1231m above sea level and it is located at Bedugul, the famous tourist destinations in Bali. This lake have wide 3,8 km2 and also its deepness is up to 22 meters. The water volume in this lake is about 0,049 km3, so Beratan Lake is the closed lake. Tourist can access the Beratan Lake through the dock which have been provided or desist around Ulun Danu Beratan Temple. In this place, the visitor can do vari-ous activities like doing recreation to look around in dock or do the other outdoor activities. The various water recreation activities can also be conducted here, for example riding the boat motorize to circle the lake, parasailing, canoeing with the traditional boat, banana boating, water skiing, and others. Fishing activities are also available in this places for who one love fishing in the lake.

Beratan Lake is situated in the plateau area with cool atmosphere surround it. It is an ideal place for relaxation while enjoy the beautiful panorama of lake. The accom-modations are also available in this area where is the perfect place for overnight stay, resting and enjoy the beautiful panoramic of lake with the Ulun Danu Temple as a magnificence. The small scale of agriculture activities are likely conducted around this lake and can be perceived at the same time circle around it. If we encircle it, we can take photograph with the beautiful background view or make the picture sketch face in painting mini studio at the lakeside with a short time as a souvenir.

Beratan Lake

IBP/Net

Monday, January 16, 2012 11

BUSINESSInternational

Other European countries fromAustria to Cyprus assailed ratingsagency Standard & Poor’s after araft of downgrades Friday nightthat renewed questions about thepower such agencies wield. Themove may make it more expensivefor struggling countries to borrowmoney, reduce debts and avoid anew recession.

German Chancellor AngelaMerkel said downgrades of nineeurozone countries underline thefact that Europe has a “long road”

-dence. Her own country, the engineof Europe’s economy, was notdowngraded.

Merkel and French Prime Min-ister Francois Fillon said the down-grades should push European coun-tries to quickly implement a plannedpact to strengthen budget discipline.Germany and France have pilotedrescue efforts for other eurozonecountries as the continent has beenswept up in crisis after crisis overthe past two years.

Fillon struck a somber, measuredtone when responding Saturdayto the downgrade, which wasparticularly wounding to France’sself-image and could hurt bailout

efforts. France is central to thoseefforts, and the downgrade, bypushing up its own borrowing costs,could make it harder for France tohelp others.

Fillon said the downgrade con-firmed his conservative govern-ment’s plans for more reforms tobring down debts, despite worriesthat more austerity measures couldsuffocate growth.

He said the government wouldn’tadjust the budget yet, saying it hadbeen devised with an assumptionof higher borrowing costs. S&Phad warned 15 European nationsin December that they were at riskfor a downgrade.

The downgrade, three monthsbefore France holds presidentialelections, was “an alert that shouldnot be dramatized any more thanit should be underestimated,” hesaid.

Standard & Poor’s strippedFrance of its coveted AAA status,knocking it down one notch to

Germany retained its top-notchrating, but Portugal’s debt wasconsigned to junk.

France’s downgrade to AA+lowers it to the level of U.S. long-

term debt, which S&P downgradedlast summer.

France’s presidential electionscould complicate Europe’s inter-nal discussions. President NicolasSarkozy, who has been at the heartof the debate, is highly unpopularand far from certain of winning asecond term.

The man who tops polls aheadof the April and May elections,Socialist Francois Hollande, saidthe downgrade was a punishmentfor conservative Sarkozy’s poli-cies. He said Saturday that austerity

France’s competitiveness.Elie Cohen, economist with

France’s National Center for Sci-

& Poor’s decision casts doubt onSarkozy’s choices and Europeanleaders’ ability to handle the cri-sis.

“From the moment France wasdowngraded, it boomerangs on(Sarkozy’s) own economic re-cord, and it becomes one factor inthe electoral battle,” Cohen toldAP Television News. Cohen saidFrance’s economic standing hadbeen weakening for a long time, andthe downgrade was overdue.

Reuters

BEIJING -open its huge oil and gas resources to expanded Chinese investment,media reports said on Sunday against a backdrop of growing tension

The Saudi kingdom is China’s biggest source of imported oil, andsecuring energy security was high on Wen’s agenda in Riyadh, in part

“China and Saudi Arabia are both in important stages of develop-ment, and there are broad prospects for enhancing cooperation,” Wenon Saturday told Prince Nayef, who is a senior member of the Saudigovernment, according to Xinhua.

“Both sides must strive together to expand trade and cooperation, up-stream and downstream, in crude oil and natural gas,” saidWen, referringto access to extracting oil and gas and then processing the them.

oil exports to China face pressure from new U.S. sanctions. The U.S.sanctions threat is a particular worry for China, the biggest buyer of

statements and with the spike in oil prices that would ensue from greater

the Eurasia Group who studies Chinese energy investment and policy,said in an emailed research note.

punishment of China’s state-run Zhuhai Zhenrong Corp.On Thursday, the Obama administration invoked U.S. law to sanc-

(U.S.) law is totally unreasonable, and does not conform to the spirit

statement issued on the ministry’s website (www.mfa.gov.cn).“China expresses its strong dissatisfaction and adamant opposi-

The Obama administration said its sanctions against the Chinese

which Western governments say appear aimed at developing the means

and entirely for peaceful ends.-

mercial dispute over contract terms, and has been looking for alterna-tive supplies.

Yet China is unlikely to dramatically boost crude imports from

with the Eurasia Group.-

Saudi imports,” she said.“Wen will therefore need to convey both commercial and diplomatic

realities to SaudiArabia, China’s number one source of crude imports,and ensure that bilateral ties remain on steady footing.”

Wen also said his government wants “strong and reputable” Chinesecompanies to invest in SaudiArabia’s ports, railways and infrastructure,the Chinese Xinhua news agency reported.

China and Saudi Arabia should keep deepening cooperation “in theface of changeable and complicated regional and international trends,”he said, according to Xinhua.

heir to the throne in October. The Xinhua report paraphrased the princeas saying that Saudi Arabia is willing to expand cooperation in energyand infrastructure.

China is already Saudi Arabia’s biggest customer and the kingdomis keen to diversify its economic ties.

People demon-strate with plac-ards in front of the headquarters of Standard & Poor’s on January 14, 2012 in Paris. The possibility of a break-up of the eurozone was not a key fac-tor in a series of ratings changes and downgrades of bloc members, including top rated France, Standard and Poor’s said. (C) the placard reads: “profits in-crease, precarious-ness as well”.

France to pursue reforms after downgrade

AFP PHOTO THOMAS SAMSON

Associated Press

PARIS — France’s prime minister said Saturday his country will push ahead with cost-cutting-

cially beleaguered Europe.

China’s Wen presses Saudi Arabia for oil access

Associated Press Writer

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Actress Heather Locklear was released Friday from a hospital after she was treated in the intensive care unit for an unknown ailment. She was discharged in the afternoon, Los Robles Hospital spokeswoman Kris Carraway-Bowman told The Associated Press. The 50-year-old “Melrose Place” actress was hospitalized Thursday.

The hospital in the Los Angeles suburb of Thousand Oaks said earlier in the day that Locklear was medically stable and being cared for one-on-one in the ICU.

Paramedics transport-ed her from her home in Westlake Village, 35 miles northwest of Los Angeles.

Locklear has been hospitalized several times over the years. In 2009, she pleaded no contest to reckless driving after being ar-rested on suspicion of driving under the influ-ence of prescription medication. Locklear also starred in such TV series as “Dynasty” and “T.J. Hooker.”

Her engagement to “Melrose Place” co-star Jack Wagner re-cently ended. She was previously married to Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora, and they have a daughter together.

Entertainment InternationalMonday, January 16, 201212

While her competitors pushed platforms including promoting the health benefits of milk and protect-ing the environment, Laura Kaep-peler (KEP’-ler) said she wants children of incarcerated adults to feel less alone, to have mentoring and as much of a relationship with their parents as possible.

“There are many of you out there — and I was one of them — but it doesn’t have to define you,” Kaep-peler told The Associated Press after winning the crown and $50,000 scholarship on Saturday night. To win, she said beauty queens and politicians should remember they represent all Americans, sang an opera song and strutted in a white bikini and black evening gown.

Her looks, smarts and personal

vocation impressed a panel of seven celebrity judges enough to give her the next year with the title.

“What happened with my father is not what my year is going to be focused on,” she said. “It’s going to be focused on looking forward and moving to the future because that’s what my family has done and that’s what I’ll encourage others to do, as well.”

Kaeppeler estimated that there are more than 2 million children with a parent in jail. Kaeppeler’s father, Jeff Kaeppeler, told the AP he served 18 months in federal prison for mail fraud, a sentence his daughter said started as she was graduating high school and entering college.

Jeff Kaeppeler said when his

daughter approached the family about making the personal topic her chosen platform, they supported it even though they knew it would be discussed publicly. “It taught us that God can turn anything into good if you let him,” he said. “Laura is totally on board with that idea. She let that drive her and inspire her this past year to get ready for this.

“We’ve seen a miracle,” he said while waiting backstage for a news conference in which his daughter called him her “best friend” and briefly took pictures with him on-stage. “I love you,” he whispered to her as dozens of cameras snapped photos. Miss Oklahoma Betty Thompson came in second, while Miss New York Kaitlyn Monte placed third.

Associated Press Writer

PASADENA, California — Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony were together again on Saturday — at least to promote their new project. The stars, who announced last summer they were ending their marriage after seven years, appeared on a stage Saturday to talk briefly about a new music series they are doing together. “Q’Viva! The Cho-sen” premieres on Univision on Jan. 28.

Anthony reached down to offer his hand and help Lopez climb three stairs to the stage, and later admired the four sparkling rings on her left hand. They sat side by side on director’s chairs.

The two stars, along with Jamie King, travel throughout north and south America to search for artists who will come to the United States and par-ticipate in a live show of Latin music and entertain-ment. It airs in 12 weekly episodes in the U.S. and on Spanish-language stations across Latin America. An English-language version is planned later for Fox.

Anthony and Lopez were working this week to judge some of the contestants, Univision said. “It was like any time that we work together,” said Lopez, who wore a tight blue leather mini-dress for the morning news con-ference. “We have a great time working together.”

Lopez, also a judge on Fox’s “American Idol,” said she’d be open to doing another season if the first one is successful. Anthony said that there’s been a misconception that “Q’Viva! The Chosen” is just a talent show. “We’re not judges,” he said. “We’re show producers. We’re putting together a live show and we’re documenting the process.”

Their time on stage was limited. The news conference began 30 minutes late, and a reporter shouted down a talkative emcee to demand that journalists be allowed to ask questions.

Only two were allowed before Univision began a musical performance. Afterward, the stars were hustled offstage as Adele’s hit about a breakup, “Rolling in the Deep,” was played over the public address system.

Miss America confronted family pain with pageant

Associated Press Writer

LAS VEGAS — The nation’s newest Miss America is a 23-year-old Wisconsin brunette who had long conversations with her family mulling whether or not to make her father’s jail time for mail fraud the heart of her campaign in the beauty pageant.

AP Photo/Eric Jamison

Miss Wisconsin Laura Kaeppeler reacts after being crowned Miss America Saturday Jan. 14, 2012

,at The Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.

Heather Locklear released from LA-area hospital

Lopez, Anthony promoting new project

In this June 7, 2011 photo, Marc Anthony

and Jennifer Lopez at-tend the Samsung Hope for Children Gala in New

York. The stars, who announced last summer

they were ending their marriage after seven years, appeared on a stage Saturday, Jan.

14, 2012, to talk briefly about a new music

series they are doing together.

AP Photo/Peter Kramer

Science Monday, January 16, 2012 13International

Blizzards and extreme cold tem-peratures in the winters of 2009/10 and 2010/11 caused widespread travel chaos in parts of Europe and the United States, leading some to question whether global warming was real. Judah Cohen, lead author of a study published on Friday in the journal Environmental Re-search Letters, and his team found there was a clear trend of strong warming in the Arctic from July to September.

Existing predictions would also expect a warming trend during winter as well. But Cohen and his team found this was not the case for some regions, in a counter-intuitive finding that reveals more about the complexity of the world’s climate system than any flaws in the science of global warming.

“For the last two decades, large-scale cooling trends have existed instead across large stretches of eastern North America and north-

ern Eurasia. We argue that this unforeseen trend is probably not due to internal variability alone,” the scientists say in the study.

Using temperature, rainfall and snow and ice data, the team found that rising summer temperatures in the Arctic meant the atmosphere could hold more moisture, leading to an increase in autumn snowfall in high-latitude areas.

Analysis of data showed the average snow coverage in Eurasia had increased over the past two decades. This additional snow cover in turn has led to a change in the Arctic Oscillation, the main atmospheric pressure pattern that governs winter weather in the far Northern Hemisphere.

Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON — The more astronomers look for other worlds, the more they find that it is a crowded and crazy cosmos. They think planets easily outnumber stars in our galaxy and they are even finding them in the strang-est of places. And they have only begun to count.

Three studies released Wednes-day, in the journal Nature and at the American Astronomical Society’s conference in Austin, Texas, demonstrate an extrasolar real estate boom. One study shows that in our Milky Way, most stars have planets. And since there are a lot of stars in our galaxy — about 100 billion — that means a lot of planets.

“We’re finding an exciting potpourri of things we didn’t even think could exist,” said Harvard University astronomer Lisa Kalte-negger, including planets that mir-ror “Star Wars” Luke Skywalker’s home planet with twin suns and a

mini-star system with a dwarf sun and shrunken planets.

“We’re awash in planets where 17 years ago we weren’t even sure there were planets” outside our solar sys-tem, said Kaltenegger, who wasn’t involved in the new research. As-tronomers are finding other worlds using three different techniques and peering through telescopes in space and on the ground.

Confirmed planets outside our solar system — called exoplanets — now number well over 700, still-to-be-confirmed ones are in the thousands.

NASA’s new Kepler planet-hunting telescope in space is dis-covering exoplanets that are in a zone friendly to life and detecting planets as small as Earth or even tinier. That is moving the field of looking for some kind of life outside Earth from science fiction toward plain science. One study in Nature this week figures that the Milky Way averages at least 1.6 large planets per star. And that is likely a dramatic underestimate.

Associated Press Writer

NEW DELHI — India will celebrate a full year since its last reported case of polio on Friday, a major victory in a global eradica-tion effort that seemed stalled just a few years ago. If no previously undisclosed cases of the crippling disease are discovered, India will no longer be considered polio endemic, leaving only Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria on that list.

“This is a game changer in a huge way,” said Bruce Aylward, head of the World Health Orga-nization’s global polio campaign. The achievement gives a major morale boost to health advocates and donors who had begun to lose

hope of ever defeating the stubborn disease that the world had promised to eradicate by 2000.

It also helps India, which bills itself as one of the world’s emerg-ing powers, shed the embarrassing link to a disease associated with poverty and chaos, one that had been conquered long ago by most of the globe. The government cau-tiously welcomed the milestone as a confirmation of its commitment to fighting the disease and the 120 billion rupees ($2.4 billion) it has spent on the program.

“We are excited and hopeful. At the same time, vigilant and alert,” Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said in a statement. Azad warned that India needed to push forward

with its vaccination campaign to en-sure the elimination of any residual virus and to prevent the import and spread of virus from abroad.

The polio virus, which usually infects children in unsanitary con-ditions, attacks the central nervous system, sometimes causing paraly-sis, muscular atrophy, deformation and, in some cases, death.

With its dense population, poor sanitation, high levels of migration and weak public health system, India had been seen as “the perfect storm of polio,” Aylward said. Even some vaccinated children fell ill with the virus because malnutrition and chronic diarrhea made their bodies too weak to properly process the oral vaccine.

AP Photo/Altaf Qadri

In this Sunday Jan. 23, 2011 photograph, Sanjana Shoba, a polio vaccinator, administers polio vaccine to a child in Tilkeshwar village, some 200 kilometers from Patna, India.

Astronomers see more planets than stars in galaxy

AP Photo/Zdenek Bardon/ProjectSoft, European Souther Observatory

This 2011 handout photo provided by the European Southern Observa-tory, shows the Milky Way above the La Silla Observatory in Chile.

REUTERS/Fayaz Kabli

A view shows the semi-frozen layer of a water reservoir on a cold day on the outskirts of Srinagar Janu-ary 12, 2012.

Warmer summers cause colder winters, scientists sayReuters

SINGAPORE - Warmer summers in the far Northern Hemisphere are disrupting weather patterns and triggering more severe winter weather in the United States and Europe, a team of scientists say, in a finding that could improve long-range weather forecasts.

Monday, January 16, 201214 InternationalSport

Tottenham Hotspur squanderedthe chance to make it a three-waytie at the top when they could onlydraw 1-1 at home to lowly Wolver-hampton Wanderers. The northLondon club stay two points behindthe leaders on 46. Croatian LukaModric equalised for Tottenhamafter Steven Fletcher had givenWolves a surprise lead.

City, who play at bottom clubWigan Athletic on Monday, retaintop spot from United on goal dif-ference. Frank Lampard scored thewinner for fourth-placed Chelsea(40 points) in a 1-0 defeat of Sun-derland but Liverpool, in sixth (35),were frustrated in their quest forChampions League qualificationwhen they drew 0-0 at home toStoke City.

Swansea City on Sunday. At thebottom, Blackburn Rovers climbedout of the relegation zone witha 3-1 victory at home to Fulhamdespite playing more than half thematch with 10 men afterAiyegbeniYakubu was given a red card for arash tackle.

The 37-year-old Scholes, whoprovided one of the season’s mostunexpected turns when he cameout of retirement to play in theFA Cup win against Man City last

Scholes, who announced he washanging up his boots at the end oflast season when he managed just

one goal, was stationed in central

to turn in Rooney’s cross to breakthe deadlock.

GOAL INSTINCT

“It was a bit of a surprise to see(Scholes) pop up at the back post,because at his age and just havingcome back,” manager Alex Fergu-son told Sky Sports. “We had asked

has an instinct and always had theinstinct for a goal and that could bean important one for us.”

Carrick said it was a hugeboost to have Scholes, a veteranof numerous title run-ins back forthe coming months. “He’s such aworld class player and I’ve learntso much off him, as well as otherplayers. Being in my position, I’vewatched him a lot and learnt offhim and tried to add his attributesto my game. It’s great to have himback and it’s given everyone a lift,”he told MUTV.

Even after Scholes had giventhem the lead, however, Boltonoccasionally threatened to drawlevel but United eventually easedto victory and heap some pressureon City’s trip to Wigan.

Welbeck made it 2-0 when hepoked the ball past Adam Bogdanfrom Rooney’s pass, althoughthe striker appeared to hurt hisknee in the process of scoring hiseighth goal of the season and was

wrapped up the points.Tottenham have been tipped as

title contenders after winning 14 oftheir previous 18 league matches toclose in on the Manchester clubsbut stumbled against Wolves. Theyfell behind midway through thefirst half when Fletcher headedthe visitors into the lead from their

despite Modric equalising with arasping shot just after halftime.

win,” Spurs manager Harry Red-knapp, whose side facing a testingmonth ahead starting with an awaytrip to Man City next week, told SkySports. “Wolves were dangerous onthe break. There are no easy gamesin this division but when you don’tget the win you have to make sureyou don’t get beat. It’s a point.”

Chelsea halted Sunderland’srevival under manager MartinO’Neill when Lampard’s bundledearly goal after Fernando Torres’svolley crashed against the barearned the home side a victorythat moved them six points be-hind Tottenham. One huge boostfor Chelsea was Michael Essien’sreturn after six months out with a

came off the bench to help Chel-sea fend off some late Sunderlandpressure.

“To see a player make theswitch so quickly from reserves to

is amazing,” manager Andre VillasBoas told Chelsea’s website.

Reuters

MADRID - Goals from Gonzalo Higuain and Jose Callejon gave RealMadrida2-1comebackwinatRealMallorcaonSaturdayandstretched theiradvantage over second-placed Barcelona to eight points in La Liga. IsraelforwardTomerHemednetteda superbglancingheader togive thehomesidea shock lead six minutes before halftime at their Iberostar stadium before

Callejon grabbed an 85th-minute winner when he ran on to a loose ball

goal to lift Real to 46 points from 18 matches. Barca, who play at Real in

Third-placed Valencia, four points behind Barca, are at home to RealSociedad in Saturday’s late kickoff. “The important thing is that we got

Callejon said in an interview with Spanish television.“Wednesday’sgamewill beavery tough test butweneed to just takeeach

ZARAGOZA PROTEST

Sevilla’s bid to qualify for next season’s Champions League suffered afreshsetbackwhen theyfollowedupa three-match losingrunwitha0-0drawat home to Espanyol earlier on Saturday. The Andalusian club, who havemanaged only 19 goals in 18 games this term, are sixth on 25 points, levelwith both Espanyol and Malaga, who play at Sporting Gijon on Sunday.

ThousandsoffansofbottomclubRealZaragozagatheredtoprotestagainstpresidentAgapito Iglesiasbefore theirmatchathometoGetafeandcontinuedvoicing their complaints about his administration inside the stadium.

The Aragonese club were closing on only a third win of the campaignafter Maurizio Lanzaro put them ahead shortly before halftime but Getafesnatched an equaliser 11 minutes from time when Javier Paredes divertedthe ball into his own net. Struggling Granada’s troubles deepened when theylost 2-1 at home to Rayo Vallecano.

Scholes rolls back years to put United joint top

Manchester United’s Paul Scholes, right, celebrateswith team-mate Danny Welbeck after scoring against Bolton Wanderers during their English Pre-mier League soccer match at Old Trafford, Manchester, England, Sat-urday Jan. 14, 2012. AP Photo/Tim Hales

Reuters

goal for Manchester United in a 3-0 home win against Bolton Wanderers as the championsmoved level on points with leaders Manchester City on Saturday. United had lost their previoustwo league games and there were some jitters when Wayne Rooney’s early penalty was saved

Michael Carrick as United moved alongside City on 48 points.

Real eight clear after gritty win in Mallorca

AP Photo/Manu Mielniezuk

Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos shoots the ball with his head during the Spanish La Liga soccer match against Mallorca at the Iberostar stadium in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012.

Monday, January 16, 2012 15International Sport

The two have always been respect-ful rivals, but the ongoing debate aboutthe overcrowded tennis calendar hasexposed a difference of opinion on theeve of theAustralian Open.

After telling a pre-tournament newsconference Sunday he had no intentionof being the frontman for the players’grievances because it has reflectedbadly on him in the past, Nadal wasthen critical of 16-time Grand Slamwinner Federer in a Spanish-languageinterview.

Responding to the suggestion thatFederer disliked players complainingopenly about problems on the tour be-cause it tarnished the image of tennis,Nadal said he took another view.

“No, I totally disagree,” he said incomments translatedfromSpanish.“Forhimit’sgood tosaynothing.Everythingpositive. ‘It’s all well and good for me, Ilook like a gentleman,’ and the rest canburn themselves.

“Everyone is entitled to have theirown opinions.”

-ray are among the players who havebeen outspoken in recent months onissues including an overcrowded cal-endar and the scheduling of Davis Cupmatches. Some players have talked ofstrike action as recently as Saturday’splayer meeting in Melbourne; Nadalhas said players may have to resort to

“strong action” if there isn’t an “evolu-tion” in the calendar.

Federer and Nadal, who has 10Grand Slam titles, dominated men’stennis for the seven years before NovakDjokovic won three of the four majorsin 2011 and passed them both for theNo. 1 ranking.

They’re both key ambassadors forthe tour, helpingwithpromotionalworkand appearances at tournaments aroundthe globe.

Nadal thinks thatwhenplayershigh-light problems on the tour, the intentionis to make it better, not run it down.

“He (Federer) likes the circuit. I likethecircuit,”Nadalsaid.“It’smuchbetterthan many other sports but that doesn’tmean that it couldn’t bebetter. It doesn’tmean there are some things about the

but there are some things that are bad.That’s all we’re saying.

“And the vast majority of playershave this same opinion. He’s got adifferent opinion ... if the vast majorityhave one opinion, and a small minoritythink differently, maybe it’s them whoare wrong.”

French Open, Federer and Nadal areon the same side of the draw at a major,which means only one of them can

They both start Monday. Third-

seeded Federer, a four-timeAustralianOpen winner, is on Rod LaverArena in

Alexander Kudryavtsev.No. 2-ranked Nadal has the last

match on HisenseArena — the secondshow court at Melbourne Park —against Russian Alex Kuznetsov.

Defending champion Djokovic

champion Kim Clijsters is third matchonRodLaverArenaonMondayagainst

last year but rebounded to win the

Grand Slam singles champion, has a-

vak of Kazakhstan and No. 1-seeded

a maiden major title, facesAustralia’sAnastasia Rodionova.

Slam titles have been won by sixwomen and the draw in Melbourneis wide open, the men’s tournamentis widely tipped to go to one of thetop four.

Since winning the Australian title

the last two years, both times ham-pered by injuries. He has had a soreleft shoulder since late last season andis planning on taking a rest after theAustralian Open.

Agence France Presse

More than 300 people serenaded boxing icon MuhammadAli with a rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday” at a lavish$1,000-a-plate fundraiser and party in his Kentucky home-town.

Ali, who is one of the world’s most recognizable sportsman,turns 70 on Tuesday.

The former three-time world heavyweight champ now suf-fers from Parkinson’s disease which doctors have said couldbe a result of his boxing career.

The fund-raiser was held at the Muhammad Ali Center inLouisville and is part of the facility’s “Seven Days for SevenDecades” programme of community activities.

Ali moved slowly but at times walked on his own as he

by himself, he was assisted by his wife Lonnie.Besides relatives, the guest list included Ali’s former

trainer Angelo Dundee and three American hikers who wereonce jailed in Iran. Ali, who is Muslim, had pushed the Irangovernment for their release.

-formed at the event.

Louisville.In November, the heavyweight great was briefly hospital-

ized in Phoenix, where doctors treated him for dehydration.That came a few days after Ali attended the funeral of his

on November 8.Ali has tried to use his public stature to raise awareness

about his illness and campaign for research funding.He has also continued to involve himself in various chari-

table ventures and campaigned for boxing reform.The Muhammad Ali Center -- which opened in November

2005 -- is a six-story cultural center that celebrates his lifeand career, including his legendary fights against Frazier andGeorge Foreman.

AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama

Spain’s Rafael Nadal gestures during a press conference at the Australian Open tennis champion-ship in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012.

at Australian OpenAssociated Press Writer

MELBOURNE, Australia — Rafael Nadal has criticized Roger Federer for letting other players

rarely making negative comments about tennis.

AFP Photo/Michael Kappeler

File photo shows boxing legend Muhammed Ali in Berlin in 2005. More than 300 people serenaded the boxing icon with a rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday” at a lav-ish $1,000-a-plate fundraiser and party in his Kentucky hometown.

Boxing icon Muhammed Ali serenaded on

McLaren has not been afraid to take risks with its 2012 car despite suffering a major setback during pre-season testing last year with its unsuccessful ‘octopus’ exhaust system.

McLaren Racing managing director Jonathan Neale, speaking in today’s Motorsport Safety Fund Sid Watkins lecture at AUTOSPORT International, insists that the team’s early struggles in 2011 will not force it into taking a more conservative approach with the MP4-27, either in terms of concept or development.

“We’re in the business of taking controlled risk,” said Neale. “F1 is not a

business where you can afford to relax at any moment of time. “At the moment, we have no idea of the competition. There will be various interpretations of the rules as set out by the FIA, as we saw at the beginning of last year.

“Look at what Renault did. They took an innovative approach to where they exited the exhausts by blowing the front of the floor and that stood them in good stead because they stood on the podium at the start of last year. “If you don’t keep that relentless pressure of develop-ment up, you go backwards. Red Bull, Ferrari, ourselves and Mercedes have, over the years, got quite good at that

development.”Neale added that the team has learned

a number of lessons from its up-and-down 2011 season, during which it proved unable to challenge Red Bull for the world championship but still won six grands prix. He stressed the need for McLaren to turn its record of consistently winning races into winning more titles and that taking an aggressive approach is needed to do that.

Despite its regular wins, McLaren has not won the drivers’ championship since 2008 and is without the constructors’ crown since 1998.

“Yes, there is,” he said when asked if lessons had been learned. “If you take a look at the number of races that McLaren has won over a 10 or 15 year period and where we have sat in the championship, we win races every year. There were only three drivers in 2011 who won more than one race and two of them were our drivers.

“But we are frustratingly just shy of that drumbeat of winning champion-ships. Of course, winning matters most, both in races and championships. We’ve been there or thereabouts and McLaren should be fighting for a championship each year.

“It doesn’t always go like that and we have had our stumbles because we take risks. We stumbled badly last year and got into some reliability issues with the car, maybe we took too big a bite on some things that we paid dearly for.

McLaren not afraid to take risks with 2012 F1 car

With a 20-minute cushion despite get-ting stuck in sand dunes yesterday, Peter-hansel had not intended to push hard on today’s run from Nasca to Pisco, but ended up winning the stage almost by accident as all his nearest rivals bogged down in the tough terrain.

“It was not a stage we were trying to win,” Peterhansel insisted. “First and foremost, we wanted to avoid falling into traps, especially after getting stuck in the sand yesterday. It was the toughest stage of the entire Dakar with regard to the dunes.”

His fellow X-raid Mini driver Nani Roma remains second, but is now nearly 43 min-utes adrift after getting stuck in the dunes for over 20 minutes. Roma looks assured of the runner-up spot, with Giniel de Villiers’ Toyota half an hour behind in third.

A similar dune issue de-layed Robby Gordon, and as

the Hummer driver pushed to regain time, he rolled his car. Remarkably Gordon was able to continue to the finish of the stage, though he fell behind Leonid Novitskiy’s Mini and is now back to fifth in the overall standings.

“I was driving at a high pace when I crossed a dune and suddenly the front of my car crashed into the sand,” Gordon ex-plained. “We were stuck and lost 40 to 45 minutes there. In the meanwhile, Stephane overtook us and we set off behind him very quickly. “Then my car did a somersault, but we put it back on its wheels and continued the special! Incredible!

“I wanted to beat the Minis with a big margin today. Actually, there was a moment when we were leading them by 30 minutes. At least we had fun.”

Monday, January 16, 201216 SportI N T E R N A T I O N A L

AP Photo/Martin Mejia

A helicopter flies next to Mini’s driver Stephane Peterhansel and co-driver Jean Paul Cottret, both from France, compete in the 12th stage of the 2012 Argentina-Chile-Peru Dakar Rally between Arequipa and Nazca, Peru, Friday Jan. 13, 2012.

Peterhansel on brink of Dakar Rally win

IBP/ist

Lewis Hamilton

STEPHANE Peterhansel is on the verge of a 10th Dakar Rally victory - and his fourth in the car category - after winning the penultimate stage of the 2012 event and stretching his overall lead to 42 minutes with just Sunday’s short finale stage to go.