NASA Bombs The Moon Creating New Dimple

This is the first image of the Moon taken from the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite on its approach. Two Nasa spacecraft barrelled towards the Moon at twice the speed of a bullet this afternoon

Saturday, 10 October 2009 8:31 AM
KOMPAS.com - It was billed as one of the most ambitious missions in the history of space exploration. But Nasa's audacious attempt to smash two spacecraft into the surface of Moon in the search for water turned into a damp squib for millions of people today.The £49million 'bombing raid' was supposed to create a six-mile high cloud of dust that would be visible from telescopes on the Earth.But live pictures relayed back from the Moon showed no sign of an impact - even though both craft dived into a darkened crater as planned.Nasa scientists were today analysing the data and images sent back to the Earth to find tell trace traces of ice in the debris.Millions of people had watched live on the internet as the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite and its two-tonne Centaur rocket approached the Moon's south pole.The rocket was first to crash, plunging into the pitch-black Cabeus crater at 12.31pm. Nasa hoped it would blast 350 tonnes of rock and dust into a cloud, leaving behind a dimple the third the size of a football pitch. Travelling faster than a bullet, it was supposed to hit with the force of 1.5 tonnes of TNT and create a mini-crater about half the size of an Olympic pool. The second crash, caused by the smaller LCROSS probe, was to be about one-third as strong.The first crash was filmed by the LCROSS probe, which had detached from the rocket the night before. It beamed live information to Earth from its five cameras and four scientific instruments as it flew above the impact zone before it too smashed into the surface four minutes later.Scientists hoped to find evidence of ice at the bottom of dark craters at the Moon's poles, where temperatures are lower than minus 170C.However, the big spectacle Nasa had promised failed to happen. The webcast images of the crater loomed larger and larger as the satellite approached on its collision course, but still showed no sign of debris.Nasa officials said their instruments were working, but the planned live photos were missing. The only evidence of an impact was a small heat signature picked up by the LCROSS probe's infra-red camera.Expectations by the public for live plume video were probably too high and based on pre-crash animations, some of which were not by Nasa, said project manager Dan Andrews.Nasa's director at the Ames Research Centre which monitored the mission Michael Bicay admitted: 'We didn't see a big splashy plume like we wanted to see.'Prior to impact some scientists had claimed that there was chance that it would be clear within an hour of the collision whether there was water on the Moon. Now Nasa say it will probably be two weeks before they have an answer.Another issue regarding the impacts was the poor lighting, said Mr Andrews. Experts said the images could be essentially 'grey against black'.'What matters for us is: What is the nature of the stuff that was kicked up going in?' he said. 'All nine instruments were working fine and we received good data.'Mr Andrews said the science team was poring through the information - including what are supposed to be good images from ground-based telescopes on Earth - to answer the big question: Is there some form of water under the moon's surface that was dislodged?It will probably be two weeks before scientists will be certain about the answer, he said.Before the crash, mission scientists said there was a chance that if it was really moist under the crater, they'd know about water within an hour. That's not the case now, Mr Andrews said.People who got up before dawn to look for the crash at Los Angeles' Griffith Observatory exchanged confused looks instead. Jim Mahon called the celestial show 'anticlimactic'. 'I was hoping we'd see a flash or a flare,' he said.A British expert who helped the American space agency Nasa pick the location near the Moon's south pole said the lunar surface may not have reacted as expected.But Dr Vincent Eke, from the University of Durham, stressed it was still too early to know if the mission had been a success or failure.'If it turns out to be as dull as it looked, I'd imagine the soil just didn't respond as was hoped to being hit,' said Dr Eke. 'It might mean we don't get sufficient data, which would be a shame.'Dr Eke's team discovered strong evidence of hydrogen - a key component of water - within cold permanently shadowed craters at the Moon's poles, where temperatures fall to minus 200C.Finding water, which could be used for drinking, making fuel and providing oxygen, would have major implications for the future of moon exploration.A ready supply of water would make it far more practicable to build lunar bases or launch missions to Mars from the Moon.Dr Eke, who led a study of data from Nasa's 1998 Lunar Prospector mission which revealed hydrogen concentrated in darkened craters, said: 'There's absolutely no doubt that they hit the place they were aiming for, but how material gets thrown out from the surface depends on whether it's rocky or loose. If you hit a sponge, you're not going to see anything.'It sounds like they got an infrared signal, but its too early to predict yet what they're likely to get.'Last month new findings from three spacecraft, including India's Chandrayaan-1 probe, showed that small amounts of water might be chemically bound up with the Moon's soil.Anthony Colaprete, principal investigator for the mission, cautioned: 'We don't anticipate anything about presence or absence of water immediately. It's going to take us some time.'If hydrogen is present as water ice, then the data would imply the top metre of the surface in these craters holds about 200,000 million litres of water in total.Preparation for impact comes as stunning thermal images of the far side of the Moon have been revealed for the first time.The British-made Thermoteknix camera is onboard the LCROSS, and will be one of the instruments that will study the first plume of debris before crashing itself.'The camera has worked flawlessly for nearly 100 days, and counting, in interplanetary space,' said Mr Colaprete.'It provided the first thermal images of the far side of the moon and also images of Earth and the Moon from distances as great as 560,000km and 850,000 km away, respectively.'The MIRICLE camera was developed by pioneering thermal imaging company Thermoteknix Systems, based in Cambridge.Dr Richard Salisbury, managing director of Thermoteknix, said: 'We are delighted to have been selected to play a critical part in Nasa's important mission to find water on the Moon, which is vital for the future of longterm space exploration.'We are all very proud of this achievement.'Sumber : The Daily Mail

World Stocks Lose Gains As Wall Street Flounders

Thursday, 17 September 2009 10:59 PM
LONDON, KOMPAS.com — European stocks lost their earlier gains Thursday as Wall Street floundered on the open, pushing investors to take profits on this week’s rally, which has seen many indexes reach new highs for the year. Germany’s DAX was up 0.1 percent at 5,703.84, Britain’s FTSE 100 gained 0.4 percent to 5,142.83 and France’s CAC-40 was down 0.1 percent to 3,810.78. Asian markets made strong gains, but U.S. indexes were unable to maintain the previous day’s momentum. The Dow Jones industrial average was up 0.1 percent at 9,797.75 and the Standard & Poor’s 500 index traded 0.1 percent lower at 1,068.04. U.S. traders were hesitant to extend this week’s rally, which has been driven largely by strong economic data, on fears that the good news may be priced in by now. The figures have supported the claims by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke that the recession is “very likely over,” although some analysts say markets need more proof of recovery to sustain gains. On Thursday, data showed housing starts rose 1.5 percent in August, about as expected, indicating the sector’s downturn has bottomed out, although experts believe a recovery will be slow because of high foreclosure rates and weak consumer spending. Other upbeat statistics this week included industrial production on Wednesday — a 0.8 percent rise in August, better than expected — and retail sales on Tuesday. After weeks of caution over the valuation of stocks — with investors worrying that gains since March were not justified and economic recovery would be slow — equities have risen steadily this week. Mitul Kotecha, analyst at Calyon, noted that while momentum is strong and stocks may rise further, “equity valuations are increasingly suggesting some caution.” The increased appetite for risk and rise in stocks has had the knock-on effects of weakening the dollar — which is typically bought as a safe haven — and boosting oil prices and commodities. In Ireland, the benchmark index jumped 2.8 percent after the government announced it would acquire euro77 billion ($113 billion) in defaulting property loans from the country’s struggling banks — and pay 30 percent less. The hope is that a “bad bank” would stabilize the financial sector and free up banks to lend normally once again. Shares in Allied Irish Banks soared 21.7 percent and Bank of Ireland rose 12.8 percent on the news. In Asia, indexes generally rose more sharply than their European or U.S. counterparts, driven in part by unprecedented liquidity from government stimulus spending and low interest rates set by central banks. “Asia is outperforming right now, but this is primarily liquidity driving the market up,” said Peter Lai, investment manager at DBS Vickers in Hong Kong. “I feel the upside opportunities are quite limited but the downsides risks are high, and many people may start looking for opportunities to take profits.” Japan’s Nikkei 225 stock average closed up 1.7 percent at 10,443.80 after the central bank raised its assessment of the world’s second-largest economy and kept interest rates at 0.1 percent to nurture a recovery. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 1.7 percent, China’s Shanghai benchmark rose 2 percent and South Korea’s Kospi added 0.7 percent. Elsewhere, Australia’s market jumped 1.4 percent and India’s Sensex was up 0.5 percent. Among other countries whose main stock measures hit new highs for 2009 on Thursday were India, Thailand, Malaysia and Taiwan. Oil prices rose slightly, holding above $72 a barrel. Benchmark crude for October delivery was up 7 cents at $72.58 a barrel by afternoon European time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The dollar rose to 91.33 yen from 90.88 yen late Wednesday in NewYork. The euro gained to $1.4740 from $1.4706.Sumber : AP

The Meaning of Noordin M Top's Death

Thursday, 17 September 2009 10:50 PM
SOLO, KOMPAS.com — Noordin Muhammed Top, a militant mastermind who eluded capture for seven years and terrorized Indonesia with a string of deadly al-Qaida-funded bombings, was killed during a raid Thursday, the Indonesian police chief said. Police hunting for suspects in bombings of two luxury Jakarta hotels raided a hide-out in central Indonesia, sparking an hours-long gunfight that ended at dawn with an explosion. Four suspected militants died, including Noordin, national police Chief Bambang Hendarso Danuri said. Three suspects also were captured. The operation left behind a charred house with no roof and blown-out walls. Noordin’s remains were found inside the house on the outskirts of the town of Solo in central Java, the main Indonesian island, Danuri said. Fingerprints of Noordin’s obtained from authorities in his native Malaysia and stored on a police database matched those of the body, Danuri said. DNA tests have not yet been conducted. The bodies were flown to Jakarta for autopsies. “It is Noordin M. Top,” Danuri told a nationally televised news conference to loud cheers from the audience of reporters, photographers and TV crews. Documents and laptop computers confiscated from the house prove that Noordin “is the leader of al-Qaida in Southeast Asia,” he said. Hundreds of pounds (kilograms) of explosives, M-16 assault rifles, grenades and bombs were removed from the house as ambulances shuttled away the dead and injured.“We asked Noordin M. Top to surrender, but they kept firing,” Danuri said. “That is how he died. ... He even had bullets in his pockets.” Noordin fled to Indonesia in 2002 amid a crackdown on Muslim extremists in Malaysia in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States. He is accused of heading a splinter group of the al-Qaida-funded regional terror group Jemaah Islamiyah and has been implicated in every major attack in Indonesia since 2002, including two separate bombings on the resort island of Bali that together killed 222 people, mostly foreigners. He has also been blamed for a pair of suicide bombings at Jakarta’s J.W. Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels in July, an earlier attack on the Marriott in 2003 and a bombing at the Australian Embassy in 2004. “The most dangerous terrorist in Southeast Asia has been put out of commission,” said Jim Della-Giacoma, Southeast Asia project director for the International Crisis Group think tank. “It would have been better if police had managed to arrest him alive, but it appears that this was not an option,” he said. “Unfortunately, Noordin’s death does not mean an end to terrorism in Indonesia, though it has been dealt a significant blow.” In the Philippines, where authorities are fighting an Islamist insurgency in the south, Noordin’s death was welcomed by authorities as a sign that terrorists cannot hide from the law forever. “It’s a major accomplishment, it’s a big blow to their leadership, to their capability to train new bombers,” said Maj. Gen. Benjamin Dolorfino, who leads assaults against al-Qaida-linked militants. “There are gains being made in the anti-terrrorism campaign in the region.” A spokesman for Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said he was aware of reports of Noordin’s death. “We are awaiting official confirmation from the Indonesian government,” he said. Dozens of Australians were killed in the 2002 bombing of Bali nightclubs. An Indonesian counterterrorism official said the militants killed Thursday included alleged bomb-maker Bagus Budi Pranato. The captured militants included a pregnant woman who is being treated at a hospital, national police spokesman Nanan Sukarna said. She was in stable condition.Sumber : AP

Did Hitler Play Lenin at Chess?

Sunday, 6 September 2009 8:43 AM
KOMPAS.com - Their opposing ideologies would be a central part of the most destructive military clash of the 20th century. But here the battleground was just a chessboard.This remarkable picture supposedly shows Adolf Hitler pitting his wits against Vladimir Lenin. And its owners claim it is based on a real chess game between the men 100 years ago. While historians have cast doubt on its authenticity, the family which owns the picture is convinced they can prove it is genuine.The image is said to have been etched in Vienna by Hitler's art teacher, Emma Lowenstramm. It is also said to be signed on the reverse by the men who would go on to lead their respective nations.Hitler was a 20-year-old jobbing artist in the city in 1909 and Lenin - twice his age - was in exile from Russia. The house where they apparently played the game belonged to a prominent Jewish family.In the run-up to the Second World War the family fled and gave many of their possessions, including the etching and chess set, to their housekeeper.Now the housekeeper's great-great grandson is selling the image and the chess set at auction. Both items have a pre-sale estimate of £40,000.The unnamed vendor is confident they are genuine after his father spent a lifetime attempting to prove their authenticity.He compiled a 300-page document that included results of tests on the paper and the signatures. Richard Westwood-Brookes, of auctioneers Mullock's, said: 'The signatures in pencil are said to have an 80 per cent chance of being genuine.'Some experts, however, have questioned the picture's authenticity. Historian Helen Rappaport, author of Conspirator: Lenin in Exile, said the etching was probably a 'glorious piece of fantasy'.She said there was no evidence Lenin had been in Vienna in 1909, adding that 'he was as bald as a bat by 1894' - unlike the man pictured, who has a full head of hair. The items are to be auctioned in Ludlow, Shropshire, on October 1.Sumber : The Daily Mail

Istanbul-Jakarta Flight Service Offered

Sunday, 6 September 2009 9:21 AM
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Turkish Airlines has opened an Istanbul-Jakarta flight service to increase cooperation between the two countries. "The opening of the service is part of the company’s efforts to widen relations between the two countries," the airline’s chief, Candan Karlitekin, said here on Saturday. He made the statement at the opening of the service, which was also attended by the chairman of the Indonesian People’s Consultative Assembly, Hidayat Nur Wahid. The opening of the service had long been awaited by various parties in the two countries, Karlitekin said adding the route to Jakarta was one of hundreds the airline was serving in the world. He said he was optimistic the service would increase the two countries’ relations in the economic field and also in tourism and make the relations between the two countries and their communities closer. "Indonesia is a big country and potential so that the company has considered it necessary to open flights to Jakarta," he said. For the time being flights would still make a stopover in Singapore but in 2011 there would be direct flights, he said. Hidayat Nur Wahid welcomed the opening of the service and hoped it would make the two countries’ relations closer. "I welcome the opening of the service and hoped it would benefit both Indonesia and Turkey," he said. The Istanbul-Jakarta service will be carried out five times a week namely on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday departing at 11.20 pm local times and arriving at 05.25 pm local times. The Jakarta-Istanbul service will also be carried out five times a week on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday with schedule of departure at 07.15 pm local time and arrival at 05.40 am local time.Sumber : Antara

Terrorist Infiltrated Indonesian Airline

Tuesday, 1 September 2009 6:16 AM
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com — A suspect wanted in connection with hotel suicide bombings in the Indonesian capital infiltrated the national airline in a plot to carry out a “bigger attack,” the police chief said Monday. The suspect, identified only as Syahrir, was recruited by a militant network and had been working as a technician with the airline, Garuda Indonesia, said National Police Chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri. Documents seized by police uncovered the plot to strike Indonesia’s airline sector, he said, without providing details about when or how the attack was supposed to have taken place. Syahrir resigned from the airline and remains at large, Danuri said. The blasts at the J.W. Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels on July 17 killed seven people and wounded more than 50 others, ending a four-year pause in terror attacks in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation. Syahrir is the brother-in-law of a militant suspect shot dead by police earlier this month in an hours-long standoff in Central Java province, Danuri said. The dead suspect, Ibrohim, had been working as a florist at the two hotels for years before smuggling in explosives and the bombers for the July attacks, police say. Danuri declined to provide further information to reporters after making his comments to parliament’s foreign affairs and security committee, but the details appear to support theories by terrorism experts that militants infiltrated potential targets years in advance. Additional evidence was also found about a plot to assassinate President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in retaliation for the execution of three convicted Bali bombers in 2008. Danuri provided no further details. Police were still searching for several suspects in the recent hotel bombings, including the alleged mastermind, Noordin Muhammad Top, said to head a breakaway faction of the regional terrorist network Jemaah Islamiyah. Indonesia suffered bombings between 2002 and 2005 that together killed more than 240 people, most of them foreign tourists on the resort island of Bali. Danuri said 455 suspected militants have been detained in Indonesia since 2002, and 347 received prison sentences ranging from a few months to the death penalty. Some 192 have served prison terms and been released. One of the four fugitives in the Jakarta hotel bombings was a convicted bomb-maker named Urwah who was sentenced to seven years but released and “returned to his old habitat,” Danuri said. Police have said they were investigating the possibility the July bombings were carried out with foreign funding, which terrorism experts believe could indicate links to al-Qaida. Authorities say the terrorism network was involved in four major attacks in Indonesia, including the two Bali bombings in 2002 and 2005, the J.W. Marriott bombing in 2003, and a blast at the Australian Embassy also in Jakarta in 2004.

Philippine police arrest suspected Muslim militant

The Associated Press , Manila Tue, 09/01/2009 10:23 AM World
Police have captured a suspected al-Qaida-linked militant accused of high-profile kidnappings of at least four Americans and dozens of Filipinos in the southern Philippines, officials said Tuesday.Last week's arrest of Hajer Sailani, an alleged member of the Abu Sayyaf, in a shopping mall in southern Cotabato city was the latest success of a crackdown that has netted several militants in the country's south and foiled kidnapping and terror plots, police said.Sailani has been linked to the 2000 kidnapping of American Jeffrey Schilling, a Muslim convert who traveled to an Abu Sayyaf jungle stronghold on southern Jolo Island but was held by the militants on suspicion that he was working for the CIA, police spokesman Leonardo Espina said. Schilling escaped eight months later.Sailani also was allegedly involved in the 2001 kidnapping of three Americans and 17 Filipino tourists at the Dos Palmas resort in southwestern Palawan province, which prompted Washington to deploy U.S. troops to the southern Mindanao region to help the Philippine military rescue them, Espina said.American missionary Gracia Burnham survived the yearlong jungle captivity, but husband Martin was killed in the military rescue in 2002. The third American, Guillermo Sobero, was beheaded by the militants on Basilan Island.Espina said Sailani also played a role in the kidnappings of dozens of teachers, riests and students in two Basilan schools in 2000. Most of the hostages were freed or escaped, but at least two teachers were beheaded.The national police "will not rest until all terrorists and criminals are arrested, accounted for and neutralized," Espina said.Among those arrested recently was inno-Amor Rosalejos Pareja, alleged head of the Rajah Solaiman Movement that officials say was behind the 2004 Manila ferry bombing that killed 116 people in the country's worst terror attack.The Abu Sayyaf, which has more than 300 fighters, is on the U.S. list of terrorist organizations. It is suspected f receiving funds and training from al-Qaida.Although the government has claimed to have crippled the Abu Sayyaf after several U.S.-backed offensives, the group still poses a major threat. It held three Red Cross workers and several others hostage earlier this year, engaged government troops in fierce fighting and planted bombs, including Sunday's blast that wounded two soldiers outside an airport and an air force base on Jolo, about 590 miles (950 kilometers) south of the capital, Manila.

British Steam Supercar Smashes 100-Year-Old Land-Speed Record

HOW IT WORKS: The engine uses propane gas and 12 boilers to generate the 3MW heat needed to create the steam. The steam flows through more than a mile of tubing to a turbine which drives the rear wheels forward

Wednesday, 26 August 2009 9:24 AM
KOMPAS.com - A British-built steam car has smashed a 103-year-old world land speed record for steam-powered vehicles in the United States. The 25ft-long British Steam Car - nicknamed the 'fastest kettle in the world' - reached an average speed of 139.843mph on two runs over a measured mile at the Edwards Air Force Base in California.Driver Charles Burnett beat the previous record of 127mph set by American Fred Marriott in a Stanley steam car at the Daytona Beach Road Course in 1906. Mr Burnett said: 'It was absolutely fantastic. I enjoyed every moment of it. We reached nearly 140mph on the first run before I applied the parachute. The second run went even better and we clocked a speed in excess of 150mph. The car really did handle beautifully." The new international record, which is subject to official confirmation by officials from the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), followed a series of cancellations in the past week due to technical difficulties and bad weather. Mr Burnett piloted the car for both runs, reaching a peak speed of 136mph on the first and 151mph on the second, a team spokesman said.Record officials recognise a land speed record as the average speed of two passes made across the same measured distance in opposing directions within 60 minutes of each other. Mr Burnett is a nephew of Lord Montague of Beaulieu, who made it into the Guinness Book of World Records in 1999 for an offshore water speed record of 137mph.Other members pf the team, based in Lymington, Hampshire, included 48-year-old test driver and father-of-two Don Wales, nephew of the late speed ace Donald Campbell and grandson of Sir Malcolm Campbell. Weighing three tons, the British Steam Car is made from a mixture of lightweight carbon-fibre composite and aluminium wrapped around a steel space frame chassis.It burns Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) in 12 boilers containing nearly two miles of tubing. Demineralised water is pumped into the boilers at up to 50 litres a minute to cool the blistering burners, which produce three megawatts of heat.Steam is superheated to 400C and injected into the turbine at more than twice the speed of sound. The car is brought to a stop by large Goodyear tyres, brake discs and a parachute.Project manager Matt Candy said the team turned the car around for its second run with just eight minutes to spare before they would have breached FIA rules.An overjoyed Mr Candy said: 'The first run took place at 7.27am (local time) when the air temperature was a cool 63 degrees. 'The team turned around the car in 52 minutes, with just eight minutes to spare in preparation for its return run.'The British Steam Car takes 2.5 miles to accelerate and after the measured mile, a further 2.5 miles to decelerate, so each run was over 6.5 miles. The FIA requires that the return run takes place within 60 minutes. Compared to the testing we did in Britain, the British Steam Car ran 12 times the distance and twice the maximum speed - all within one hour. It's been a huge challenge for all.'Watching the triumph in the Mojave Desert was Pam Swanston, wife of the team's late project manager Frank Swanston. She said: 'If only Frank was here today. It was his vision that made it a reality. He would be incredibly proud of the team's achievements and always believed we would succeed. Today we celebrate this record for Frank.'Although the team broke the official world land speed record for a steam-powered vehicle, their efforts fell short of an unofficial record set in 1985. The Barber-Nicholls team reached a speed of 145mph in their vehicle, Steamin' Demon, but no attempt was made to have it officially recognised by the FIA.Before the attempt in California, officials from the British Steam Car said they acknowledged the 1985 attempt as the record to exceed. A spokesman for the British team said they intended to stay on in California in an effort to emulate the Barber-Nicholls speed tomorrow.Sumber : The Daily Mail

South Korea troops on high alert amid North Korea threats

The Associated Press , Seoul Thu, 05/28/2009 11:21 AM World South Korean and U.S. troops facing North Korea boosted their alert level Thursday to the highest category since 2006, after the communist regime threatened military strikes on allied troops in escalating tensions over its nuclear test.North Korea threatened Wednesday to attack any U.S. and South Korean ships that try to intercept its vessels and renounced a 1953 truce halting the Korean War fighting, raising the prospect of a naval clash off the Korean peninsula's west coast.The North was responding to Seoul's decision to join a U.S.-led anti-proliferation program aimed at stopping and inspecting ships suspected of transporting banned weapons, including nuclear technology. South Korea announced it was joining after the North's underground test blast of a nuclear bomb.On Thursday, the South Korea-U.S. combined forces command increased the surveillance to level 2 from the present level 3, Defense Ministry spokesman Won Tae-jae said. He said that was the highest level since 2006, when the North conducted its first-ever nuclear test.The U.S. has 28,500 troops in South Korea as a deterrent against North Korea.Won said the bolstered level means more aviation surveillance assets, intelligence analysts and other intelligence-collecting measures would be deployed to watch North Korea. He refused to disclose further details.The North has long warned it would consider the South's participation in the U.S.-led Proliferation Security Initiative as a declaration of war against North Korea.The North would "deal a decisive and merciless retaliatory blow" to anyone trying to inspect its vessels, according to a North Korean military statement, carried by the official Korean Central News Agency on Wednesday.Key world powers, meanwhile, have proposed a range of expanded U.N. sanctions against North Korea in response to its nuclear as well as measures to give teeth to existing bans and ship searches against the reclusive country, a U.N. diplomat said Wednesday.The five permanent veto-wielding council members - the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France - and the two countries most closely affected by the nuclear test, Japan and South Korea, discussed possible U.N. sanctions and other measures for a new Security Council resolution on Tuesday.The diplomat, who is familiar with the talks but spoke on condition of anonymity because they were closed, said there was a clear commitment to go for sanctions in the new resolution and no reluctance from North Korea's allies, China and Russia. But what measures the 15-member council ultimately agrees to remains to be seen.U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton also said that North Korea faces consequences for its nuclear and missile tests and denouncing its "provocative and belligerent" threats. She also underscored the firmness of the U.S. treaty commitment to defend South Korea and Japan, which are in easy range of North Korean missiles.Pyongyang lashed out at both the U.S. and South Korea, calling Seoul's move to join the Proliferation Security Initiative tantamount to a declaration of war and a violation of the truce keeping the peace between the two Koreas."Full participation in the PSI by a side on the Korean Peninsula where the state of military confrontation is growing acute and there is constant danger of military conflict itself means igniting a war," North Korea's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea said in a statement carried on state media.North Korea's army said it would be "illogical" to honor the 1953 armistice between the two Koreas, given the violations by the U.S. and South Korea, and said it could no longer promise the safety of U.S. and South Korean warships and civilian vessels in the waters near the maritime border.Clinton said North Korea has made a choice to violate U.N. Security Council resolutions, ignore international warnings and abrogate commitments made during six-nation nuclear disarmament talks."There are consequences to such actions," she said, referring to discussions in the United Nations about punishing North Korea for its nuclear and missile tests.She did not provide specifics, saying only that the intent of diplomats was to "try to rein in the North Koreans" and get them to fulfill commitments made in the nuclear talks.Clinton said she was pleased by a unified international condemnation of North Korea that included Russia and China, North Korea's closest major ally and the host of the currently stalled disarmament talks.Despite her tough words, Clinton held out hope that North Korea would return to nuclear disarmament talks and that "we can begin once again to see results from working with the North Koreans toward denuclearization that will benefit, we believe, the people of North Korea, the region and the world."At the White House, spokesman Robert Gibbs played down North Korea's angry rhetoric, saying the threats will only add to its isolation.He said North Korea has threatened to end the armistice many times in the past but the peace has held.The Russian Foreign Ministry said it voiced "serious concern" about the nuclear test to the North Korean ambassador and urged Pyongyang to respect the U.N. resolutions and return to the disarmament talks.The truce signed in 1953 and subsequent military agreements call for both sides to refrain from warfare, but don't cover waters off the west coast. North Korea has used the maritime border dispute to provoke two deadly naval skirmishes - in 1999 and 2002.North Korea now is believed to have enough plutonium for at least a half-dozen weapons, but experts say it still has not mastered the miniaturization technology required to mount a nuclear warhead on a long-range missile.After firing a long-range missile on July 4, 2006, and carrying out its first nuclear test three months later, North Korea agreed in February 2007 to start disabling Yongbyon in exchange for 1 million tons of fuel oil and other concessions. Disablement began in November 2007.The process halted last summer in a dispute with Washington over verifying past atomic activities, and Pyongyang said last month it was quitting the talks altogether.

Barcelona beats Man United 2-0 in Champions final

Winners' high: Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola is thrown in the air in celebration, at the end of the UEFA Champions League final soccer match between Manchester United and Barcelona in Rome, Wednesday (Thursday in Jakarta). Barcelona won 2-0.

Thu, 05/28/2009 8:08 AM Sports Lionel Messi produced something special to help Barcelona beat Manchester United 2-0 in the Champions League final and establish itself as the unofficial best team on the planet.A rare headed goal.Messi usually uses his head to send instructions to his feet on how to humble defenders, and the combination brought him a season-high nine Champions League goals and 38 in total for Barca.The ninth was a looping header over goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar in the 70th minute as Barcelona proved itself the best around by outplaying defending champion United and swinging the pendulum of power back from the English Premier League to La Liga."This is the most important victory of my life," Messi said. 'When the second goal came that calmed us down a lot."Samuel Eto'o put the Spanish champion ahead in the 10th minute at Stadio Olimpico and the triumph completed a sweep of titles for 38-year-old Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola in his first season, after wins in the Spanish league and cup. The former Barcelona star, who started as a ball boy at Camp Nou, joins five others who have won the title both as a player and a coach."When I won as a player I was young and it was magnificent," Guardiola said of his 1992 triumph at Wembley against Sampdoria. "But now winning the treble at the first attempt is marvelous."United was chasing its fourth European Cup title, and fourth trophy this season after winning the Premier League, FIFA Club World Cup and League Cup.But United was thoroughly outplayed by the Spanish side, which has 153 league and cup goals this season.Xavi Hernandez floated a diagonal ball onto the United area to find Messi unmarked, and the 5-foot-7 (1.69-meter) Argentina striker - renowned for his deft dribbling and shooting - used his head to redirect it past Van der Sar.The loss left Man United manager Alex Ferguson at 25 titles in 23 seasons. He failed to match Liverpool's Bob Paisley'sthree titles in the competition."We started the game brightly. We were confident and we could have been in front," Ferguson said. "We had the ball but didn't use it very well. ... We defended fantastically all season but they were two shoddy goals."We didn't play as well as we can, but they ae a good team. We have to give them credit. Xavi and (Andres) Iniesta can keep the ball all night. They made it very difficult."South Korean winger Park Ji-sung became the first Asian to play in a Champions League final. He almost scored for United in the opening minute but his shot was deflected wide after Cristiano Ronaldo's free kick was blocked by the goalkeeper. It was the nearest United came to scoring all night.The victory also marked the first Champions League title for Barcelona striker Thierry Henry, who was on the losing side when Arsenal lost to Barcelona in 2006."Finally, I've been waiting for so long to get this title and now finally today," said Henry, who had been doubtful for the final because of a knee injury. "The last five minutes were the longest of my life."United almost went ahead in the opening minute when a needless foul by Yaya Toure on Anderson handed Ronaldo a free kick. His powerful drive was blocked by the hands of goalkeeper Victor Valdes and Park's rebound was deflected for a corner by Gerard Pique.With Barcelona's dangerous forwards barely getting a touch of the ball in the early stages, there was little danger at the other end until the Spanish champions went ahead with their first attack of the game.Iniesta started the move with a break through midfield and found Eto'o on the right. The striker cut inside a weak tackle by Nemanja Vidic and poked a low angled shot around Van der Sar."I think the credit must go to the good play of the team," Eto'o said. "I think the victory is much more important than the goal."The goal changed the pattern of the play with Barcelona's stars settling into their confident style of interpassing. United, chasing the score, was unable to create any real danger. Ronaldo wanted to shoot at every opportunity, but fired wide and headed over.Ferguson reshaped his attack for the second half, sending on a second striker, Carlos Tevez, and later added Dimitar Berbatov. That left United undermanned in midfield and Barcelona continued to create openings.Barcelona could have added more but Van der Sar saved twice from Carles Puyol and Ronaldo was shown the yellow card for some petulant late challenges on the Barcelona captain.

UN climate talks to include WOC statement

Adianto P. Simamora and Andi Haswidi , The Jakarta Post , Manado Thu, 05/14/2009 9:50 AM World Ocean Conference
Ministerial level talks at the World Ocean Conference are expected to lead to the adoption of the Manado Ocean Declaration (MOD) on Thursday, to urge the United Nations to integrate ocean issues in the UN climate talks in Copenhagen in December.
Senior officials from 80 developed and developing countries have reached an agreement on the crucial role oceans play in climate change, after two days of intensive talks at the WOC.
“In principle, senior officials from all countries at the WOC meeting have agreed on the draft of the MOD,” Indonesian Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Freddy Numberi said Wednesday after opening the Global Ocean Policy Day (GOPD), a side event at the WOC.
“Amendments to the MOD are just a matter of ‘wording’” and comprises about 20 points, he said.Freddy said the officials’ meeting had also agreed on the need for adaptation funds and technology transfer to help developing countries deal with climate change impacts, as drafted in the MOD.
He added the meeting had also agreed on a road map proposed by Indonesia to promote ocean issues at climate change talks before the December talks.
The Copenhagen climate conference – which carries the tag “Seal the Deal” – will bring together world delegates to adopt a new commitment on emissions cuts to replace the existing Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012.
The Kyoto Protocol requires developed nations to cut greenhouse gas emissions by about 5 percent to stabilize carbon in the atmosphere, with the main culprits being the energy and forestry sectors.
Indonesia, one of the largest ocean countries, said it was time to also treat the oceans as carbon sinks.
The declaration will be tabled at the 30th session of the United Nations Framework Climate Change Convention (UNFCCC) in Bonn, Germany, in June. More meetings will follow, again in Bonn in August, then in Bangkok in October, before winding up in Copenhagen.
The UNFCCC is an international treaty on environmental issues related primarily to climate change and rolling back global warming.
About 400 climate scientists at the GOPD acknowledged the crucial role oceans played in climate change.
They include Stephen R. Palumbi from Stanford University, Wang Yamin from Shandong University in Weihai, China, and Jo Ann Leong from the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology.
Prior to the opening of the WOC, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono arrived at the Grand Kawanua main venue for a final check.

Federer beats Nadal for Madrid title

The Associated Press , Madrid Sun, 05/17/2009 11:13 PM Sports Roger Federer has beaten top-ranked Rafael Nadal in a final for the first time in two years to claim the Madrid Open title 6-4, 6-4.Second-ranked Federer broke a sluggish Nadal once in both sets before firing his sixth ace of the match to claim his 15th Masters Series title on the second match point on Sunday.It was only Federer's second victory over his top rival on clay with the other coming at the Hamburg final two years ago. Federer also won here in 2006 when the event was played on indoor hard court.Federer's first title of the season ended Nadal's 33-match clay winning streak going into the French Open, where the Spaniard is going for a fifth straight title.Earlier, top-ranked Dinara Safina of Russia beat Danish teenager Caroline Wozniacki 6-2, 6-4 to win the women's title.

Spain raises to 44 number of swine flu cases

The Associated Press , Madrid Mon, 05/04/2009 4:07 PM World Spain's Health Ministry has raised the number of confirmed cases of swine flu to 44.That number means Spain remains the hardest-hit nation in Europe amid the worldwide outbreak.A ministry statement says four new cases have been confirmed in the northeastern regions of Aragon and Catalonia.It says the four have been allowed leave hospital. In all, 38 of the 44 confirmed cases have returned home. Another 67 people are under observation.The statement says Health Minister Trinidad Jimenez is meeting Monday with the national committee set up to monitor the flu epidemic. He is also meeting with Development Minister Jose Blanco to discuss preventive measures to apply at Spain's airports.

Portugal reports 1st confirmed case of swine flu

The Associated Press , Lisbon Mon, 05/04/2009 7:06 PM National Portugal's health minister says a 30-year-old woman who recently returned from vacation in Mexico is the country's first confirmed case of swine flu.Health Minister Ana Jorge says the woman has recovered but is being kept in isolation at home.Jorge says health officials have located people who have been in contact with the woman since she returned from Mexico.Jorge announced the positive test results from a London laboratory at a news conference Monday.All Portuguese tourists returning from Mexico are being contacted by health officials on board their planes when they land at the country's airports.

World health officials race to stem deadly flu

The Associated Press , Mexico City Tue, 04/28/2009 1:30 PM World World health officials, racing to extinguish a new flu strain that is jumping borders, raised a global alert level to an unprecedented level as the outbreak claimed more lives in Mexico. The U.S. prepared for the worst even as President Barack Obama tried to reassure Americans."At this time, containment is not a feasible option," said Keiji Fukuda, assistant director-general of the World Health Organization, which raised the alert level to Phase 4. With the swine flu having already spread to at least four other countries, authorities around the globe are like firefighters battling a blaze without knowing how far it extends.At the White House, a swine flu update was added to Obama's daily intelligence briefing. Reacting to the first domestic emergency of his presidency, Obama said the outbreak is "not a cause for alarm," even as the U.S. stepped up checks of people entering the country and warned U.S. citizens to avoid nonessential travel to Mexico."We are proceeding as if we are preparatory to a full pandemic," said Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.The European Union health commissioner suggested that Europeans avoid nonessential travel both to Mexico and parts of the United States. Russia, Hong Kong and Taiwan said they would quarantine visitors showing symptoms of the virus.Mexico, where the number of deaths believed caused by swine flu rose on Monday by one-third to 152, is the suspected ground zero of the outbreak. But Mexican Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova late Monday said no one knows where the outbreak began, and implied it may have started in the U.S."I think it is very risky to say, or want to say, what the point of origin or dissemination of it is, given that there had already been cases reported in southern California and Texas," Cordova told a press conference.It's still not clear when the first case occurred, making it impossible thus far to determine where the breakout started.Dr. Nancy Cox of the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said she believes the earliest onset of swine flu in the United States happened on March 28. Cordova said a sample taken from a 4-year-old boy in Mexico's Veracruz state in early April tested positive for swine flu. However it is not known when the boy, who later recovered, became infected.The World Health Organization raised the alert level to Phase 4, meaning there is sustained human-to-human transmission of the virus causing outbreaks in at least one country. Monday was the first time it was raised above Phase 3.Putting an alert at Phases 4 or 5 signals that the virus is becoming increasingly adept at spreading among humans. Phase 6 is for a full-blown pandemic, characterized by outbreaks in at least two regions of the world.Fifty cases - none fatal and most of them mild - were confirmed in the United States. Worldwide there were 79 confirmed cases, including six in Canada, one in Spain and two in Scotland. Thirteen are suspected in New Zealand, and one is suspected in both France and Israel.Symptoms include a fever of more than 100, coughing, joint aches, severe headache and, in some cases, vomiting and diarrhea.Amid the alarm, there was a spot of good news. The number of new cases reported by Mexico's largest government hospitals has been declining the past three days, Cordova said, from 141 on Saturday, to 119 on Sunday and 110 Monday.In a bid to prevent mass contagion, Mexico canceled school nationwide until May 6, and the Mexico City government is considering a complete shutdown, including all public transportation. The Cinco de Mayo parade celebrating Mexico's defeat of a French army on May 5, 1862 and Mexico City's traditional May 1 parade were canceled. More than 100 museums nationwide were closed.At the Mexico City's international airport, families grimly waited for flights out of the capital or country, determined to keep their masks on until they touched ground somewhere else.Three games involving Mexico City soccer clubs were played with no spectators over the weekend. Decio de Maria, secretary general of the Mexican soccer federation, said plans for future matches would be announced on Wednesday."The idea is to look for the fewest number of games that have to be played behind closed doors," he said. "If it's necessary, we'll play all the matches behind closed doors. We don't foresee canceling any games."Many residents of Mexico City wore blue surgical masks, though the CDC said most masks offer little protection. The epidemic in Mexico has been deadly, with many victims in their 30s and 40s - not the very old or young who typically succumb to the flu. So far, no deaths from the new virus have been reported outside Mexico.It could take 4-6 moths before the first batch of vaccines are available, WHO officials said. Some antiflu drugs do work once someone is sick.Napolitano, the U.S. Homeland Security chief, said Washington is dispatching people and equipment to affected areas and stepping up information-sharing at all levels of government and ith other nations.Richard Besser, the CDC's acting director, said his agency is aggressively looking for evidence of the disease spreading and probing for ways to control and prevent it.Flu deaths are nothing new in the United States. The CDC estimates that about 36,000 people died of flu-related cases each year, on average, during the 1990s in the United States. But the new flu strain is a combination of pig, bird and human viruses that humans may have no natural immunity to.Besser said that so far the virus in the United States seems less severe than in Mexico. Only one person has been hospitalize in the U.S."I wouldn't be overly reassured by that," Besser told reporters at CDC headquarters in Atlanta, sounding a cautionary note.The best way to keep the disease from spreading, Besser said, is by taking everyday precautions such as frequent handwashing, covering up coughs and sneezes, and staying away from work or school if not feeling well.Governments in Asia - with memories of previous flu outbreaks - were especially cautious. Singapore, Thailand, Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines dusted off thermal scanners used in the 2003 SARS crisis and were checking for signs of fever among passengers from North America. South Korea, India and Indonesia also announced screening.In Malaysia, health workers in face masks took the temperatures of passengers as they arrived on a flight from Los Angeles.China said anyone experiencing flu-like symptoms within two weeks of arrival had to report to authorities.WHO spokesman Peter Cordingley singled out air travel as an easy way the virus could spread, noting that the WHO estimates that up to 500,000 people are on planes at any time.European and U.S. markets bounced back from early losses as pharmaceutical stocks were lifted by expectations that health authorities will increase stockpiles of anti-viral drugs. Stocks of airlines, hotels and other travel-related companies posted sharper losses.

No travel warning issued on swine flu: Govt

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta Tue, 04/28/2009 4:03 PM National Health Minister Siti Fadilla Supari said Tuesday that the government would not issue any travel warning to prevent Indonesian from going to countries where swine flu has been detected.Siti said the government only remind the people to check their health before going to those countries.“Those who want to go to Mexico better take care themselves,” she said during a press conference at the Health Ministry building in Jakarta.The pandemic has killed over 100 people in Mexico and the World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed 40 cases in the US, six in Canada and one in Spain. Possible cases are being checked as far afield as Israel and New Zealand.The World Health Organization raised the alert level to Phase 4, meaning there is sustained human-to-human transmission of the virus causing outbreaks in at least one country. Monday was the first time it was raised above Phase 3.Putting an alert at Phases 4 or 5 signals that the virus is becoming increasingly adept at spreading among humans. Phase 6 is for a full-blown pandemic, characterized by outbreaks in at least two regions of the world.Siti said the government has prepare Oseltamivir, which was already used for bird flu. The minister said the government still have three million doses of Oseltamivir and would add more if needed.

Thailand extends state of emergency in capital

Tini Tran , The Associated Press , Bangkok Sun, 04/19/2009 6:19 PM World Authorities on Sunday extended a state of emergency in Thailand's capital, saying efforts to restore security were still incomplete after anti-government rioting last week and a brazen attack on a protest leader.Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva met with security agencies to discuss the potential for more protests, riots or attacks in Bangkok, government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said.Officials decided to retain the state of emergency because the situation is still "problematic, but as soon as things have calmed down, it will be lifted immediately," Panitan said."More and more, things are back to normal but there are still elements of concern," he said.In his weekly television address Sunday, Abhisit sought to ease tensions and defended his government's actions in deploying troops to quell the violent protests that had paralyzed the capital. Two people were killed and more than 130 injured during the unrest, which pitted angry protesters against soldiers and residents."What the government did was to restore peace for the benefit of all Thais. More importantly, it was to allow the government to continue working," Abhisit said."What I'd like to reiterate is that nobody has won and nobody has lost from the past events," he said.The anti-government protesters, known as "red shirts," want former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to return to power. Thaksin, who fled overseas to avoid a corruption conviction, was ousted by a 2006 military coup.Police said six or seven men may have been involved in the pre-dawn attack Friday on Sondhi Limthongkul, an outspoken media tycoon and Thaksin opponent.Police spokesman Maj. Gen. Suporn Pansua said investigators were studying a surveillance video taken from an intersection near the attack in an attempt to identify the assailants.Video from the street surveillance camera showed two pickup trucks were following Sondhi's vehicle shortly before the shooting, he said.The assailants opened fire at Sondhi's car with M-16 and AK-47 rifles, riddling the windshield with bullet holes and shattering the windows on one side. Sondhi was slightly injured, while his driver was seriously wounded and an aide in the car also was hurt.Sondhi, a founder of the People's Alliance for Democracy, helped organize and lead rival "yellow-shirt" protesters who helped force Thaksin's ouster in 2006 and then drive his allies from power last year.Sondhi's supporters come mainly from the middle class and educated elite of Thai society, and include royalists, academics and retired military. Thaksin's backers are mainly from the rural poor who like his social welfare programs.Last year's "yellow-shirt" demonstrations, which paralyzed the government for months and occupied the capital's airports for a week, ended after court rulings removed two Thaksin-allied governments, paving the way for Abhisit's rise in December.That prompted the protests by the "red-shirts," who say Abhisit has no popular mandate to rule. Their demonstrations drew up to 100,000 people in Bangkok two weeks ago and forced the cancellation of a regional summit.The protest leaders called off the demonstrations last Tuesday after facing a major military crackdown

Obama declares US not at war with Islam

Tom Raum , The Associated Press , Ankara Mon, 04/06/2009 6:45 PM World Barack Obama, making his first visit to a Muslim nation as U.S. president, declared Monday the United States "is not and will never be at war with Islam."Calling for a greater partnership with the Islamic world in an address to the Turkish parliament, Obama called the country an important U.S. ally in many areas, including the fight against terrorism. He devoted much of his speech to urging a greater bond between Americans and Muslims, portraying terrorist groups such as al Qaida as extremists who did not represent the vast majority of Muslims."Let me say this as clearly as I can," Obama said. "The United States is not and never will be at war with Islam. In fact, our partnership with the Muslim world is critical ... in rolling back a fringe ideology that people of all faiths reject."The U.S. president is trying to mend fences with a Muslim world that felt it had been blamed by America for the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.For instance, at a news conference earlier with Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, he dealt gingerly with the issue of alleged genocide committed by Turks against Armenians during World War I, urging Turks and Armenians to continue a process "that works through the past in a way that is honest, open and constructive."Al Jazeera and Al Arabiyia, two of the biggest Arabic satellite channels, carried Obama's speech live."America's relationship with the Muslim world cannot and will not be based on opposition to al Qaida," he said. "We seek broad engagement based upon mutual interests and mutual respect.""We will convey our deep appreciation for the Islamic faith, which has done so much over so many centuries to shape the world for the better, including my own country," Obama said.The president spoke for about 25 minutes from a small white-marble-and-teak rostrum in the well of a vast, airy chamber packed with Turkish lawmakers who filled the sea of orange leather chairs.Except for a couple instances of polite applause, the room was almost completely silent throughout his speech. There was a more hearty ovation toward the end when Obama said the U.S. supports the Turkish government's battle against PKK, which both consider a terrorist group, and again when he declared that America was not at war with Islam.Obama also heard applause in response to his statement that the U.S. supports Turkey becoming a member of the European Union.Earlier, Obama said he stood by his 2008 assertion that Ottoman Turks had carried out widespread killings of Armenians early in the 20th century, but he stopped short of repeating the word "genocide."Gul said many Turkish Muslims were killed during the same period. Historians, not politicians, Gul said, should decide how to label the events of those times.In his 2008 campaign, Obama said "the Armenian genocide is not an allegation," but rather "a widely documented fact supported by an overwhelming body of historical evidence."Now that he is president, the genocide question may not be Obama's best issue for taking a tough stand that antagonizes a key ally. It is important in U.S. communities with large numbers of Armenian-Americans, but it has a low profile elsewhere.In his speech to the parliament Monday, Obama said the United States strongly supports the full normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia.Obama's visit is being closely watched by an Islamic world that harbored deep distrust of his predecessor, George W. Bush.In talks with Gul and Turkey's prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Obama hoped to sell his strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan. He hoped to find welcoming ears given the new U.S. focus on melding troop increases with civilian efforts to better the lives of people in both countries.Obama recognized past tensions in the U.S.-Turkey relationship, but said things were on the right track now because both countries share common interests and are diverse nations. "We don't consider ourselves Christian, Jewish, Muslim. We consider ourselves a nation bound by a set of ideals and values," Obama said of the United States. "Turkey has similar principals."Obama's trip to Turkey, his final scheduled country visit, ties together themes of earlier stops. He attended the Group of 20 economic summit in London, celebrated NATO's 60th anniversary in Strasbourg, France, and on Saturday visited the Czech Republic, which included a summit of European Union leaders in Prague.Turkey is a member of both the G-20 and NATO and is trying to get into the EU with the help of the U.S.Turkey has the largest army in NATO after the United States. It and tiny Albania, recently admitted, are the only predominantly Muslim members of NATO.In 2003, Turkey opposed the war in Iraq, and U.S. forces were not allowed to go through Turkey to attack Iraq. Now, however, since Obama is withdrawing troops, Turkey has become more cooperative. It is going to be a key country after the U.S. withdrawal in maintaining stability, although it has long had problems with Kurdish militants in north Iraq.Turkey maintains a small military force in Afghanistan, part of the NATO contingent working with U.S. troops to beat back the resurgent Taliban and deny al-Qaida a safe haven along the largely lawless territory that straddles Afghanistan's border with Pakistan. Turkey's participation carries enormous symbolic importance to the Muslim world because of its presence in the fight against Islamic extremism. Albania, one of the poorest nations in Europe, has a small contingent in Afghanistan.Turkey has diplomatic leverage with both Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Legitimacy of election results comes into question

Dicky Christanto , THE JAKARTA POST , JAKARTA Mon, 04/13/2009 9:21 AM Headlines
The brouhaha surrounding the voter lists and the numerous election violations have sparked protests from losing political parties and civil society groups that could undermine the legitimacy of the polls.Politicians, activists and scholars have pointed their fingers at the General Elections Commission (KPU) and the government, with some even taking legal action against them.
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) and the People’s Conscience Party (Hanura), which had agreed to form a coalition in parliament and for the upcoming presidential election, have said they would file a lawsuit against the KPU and the government for omitting many eligible voters from the official voter lists.
Activists from the National Amendment Council estimated the figure of eligible but unregistered voters could reach millions, and called on the KPU to organize another round of voting for these voters.
“At least another election should be organized for those eligible voters who were not registered. This is the responsibility of the KPU and the government,” Chalid Muhammad told a press conference Sunday.
He urged these "disenfranchised" voters to take legal action if another election was not forthcoming.
Effendy Ghazali, who also attended Sunday’s press briefing, estimated the number of eligible but unregistered voters could top 10 million people, assuming 20 voters were left out from each of 528,217 polling stations across the country.
The KPU added 23.3 million more eligible voters to its 2009 voter lists for a total of 171.3 million, compared to 140 million in the 2004 elections.
These new additions, however, left many perplexed, as most of them were simply “ghost” voters or redundant names.
“We found names of infants or names of people who had already passed away,” Effendy said.Elections Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) member Bambang Eka Cahya disagreed and slammed the group as biased. He suggested the activists come up with real data, and not make assumptions.
“Don’t just assume things that you don’t know for sure. I agree there were so many mistakes in this election, but to just make assumptions is just not fair,” he said.
Bawaslu, meanwhile, reported on Sunday that cases of ballot mix-ups, where ballots destined for certain regions went to other regions, made up most of the poll irregularities.
“About 159 cases of ballot mix-ups were registered as of 7 p.m. on Saturday; this is the most rampant form of [election] irregularity,” said Bawaslu member Wahidah Suaib.
The National Amendment Council suggested the government replace KPU members for failing to organize the legislative elections well.
“We don’t want to jeopardize the upcoming presidential election by risking incompetent people organizing the election,” Chalid said.
Hadar Gumay from the Center for Electoral Reform (Cetro), however, disagreed, saying that replacing KPU members was just too risky.
“It would be better for us to wait until the whole election process is over. It is too risky to replace them now, even though I agree these people are incompetent,” he said.

US space tourist blasts off to space station

New frontier tourists: Russian cosmonaut and crew commander Gennady Padalka, left, and American astronaut Michael Barratt, right, crew members of the 19th mission to the International Space Station, ISS, are seen prior the launch of Soyuz-FG rocket at the Russian leased Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Thursday. (AP/Mikhail Metzel)

David Nowak , The Associated Press , Baikonur Fri, 03/27/2009 4:18 PM Travel

A Russian capsule carrying U.S. billionaire space tourist Charles Simonyi sailed into orbit Thursday after blasting off in a roar of fire for the international space station.The Soyuz rocket, with a Russian-American crew, lifted off on schedule from the Baikonur cosmodrome facility into overcast skies over northern Kazakhstan's barren steppe.Simonyi, a 60-year-old software designer who paid $35 million for his second trip on the Soyuz, joined Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka and American astronaut Michael Barratt in the cramped capsule, where they will sit for nearly two days before hooking up Saturday with the station, orbiting some 220 miles (350 kilometers) above the Earth.

Minutes after blast-off, TV cameras from inside the Soyuz showed Padalka and Barratt waving for the camera and giving the thumbs-up OK sign.At viewing stands about a mile (kilometer) away, scores of officials, reporters and relatives watched the launch, including Simonyi's 28-year-old Swedish socialite wife Lisa Persdotter, who wept and clutched at the coat of her mother."I'm very, very happy. It was very, very smooth," she said afterward. "But I'm very emotional," she added.Minutes before liftoff, Persdotter said she had recently quit her work to plan their lives together, which she said would not include any form of space travel after Simonyi returns. "I am so nervous," she said.Barratt's wife, Michelle, watched smiling as the rocket rose into the clouds: "We feel great, it was a great launch." she said afterward.

Also watching was Paul Allen, a co-founder of software giant Microsoft Corp., where Simonyi worked for many years."It's fantastic to see a launch, but when it's one of your friends, it's just something so special.," he said.Asked if he would be interested in going to space sometime, Allen said he would consider it; not on the Russian capsules or U.S. shuttles, but on one of his own crafts. In 2004, Allen used his Microsoft fortunes to bankroll SpaceShipOne, which in 2004 became the first private, manned craft to reach space.Richard Garriot, an American former space tourist, praised the Russian space program for its reliability."It's so amazing about how they do this over here. On time, every time, perfectly," he said.While Barratt and Padalka will join the current station's permanent crew, Simonyi will return to Earth 13 days later — a trip that will make him the first two-time space tourist and, for the foreseeable future, the last.The space station's permanent crew is expanding from three to six, leading Russian officials to rule out space tourism from Baikonur for now.

Against G20 bioenergy

The Jakarta Post Thu, 04/02/2009 1:53 PM National

A number of environmental activists rally at the British Embassy in Central Jakarta, protesting the G20 summit that will pledge to increase areas for plantations for bioenergy. JP/R. Berto Wedhatama

Thousands of protesters, police for NATO summit

David Rising and Scott Sayare , The Associated Press , Baden, Germany Thu, 04/02/2009 9:41 PM World Tens of thousands of demonstrators descended on two southwest German towns and the French city of Strasbourg Thursday to protest a cross-border NATO summit marking the alliance's 60th anniversary.
Twenty-eight world leaders will attend the two-day summit that begins Friday, including President Barack Obama, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
In a bid to prevent violence, France has temporarily reinstated border controls with its immediate neighbors for the meeting.
In Strasbourg, protesters gathered on park benches in the city's famed Old Town, in the "orange zone" where the public is allowed but where security is high.
Small squads of riot police marched through as protesters wrapped in rainbow peace flags distributed fliers and chatted with passers-by.
Gregorio Yong, a Colombian activist, said NATO was "a synonym of war."
German authorities estimate that up to 25,000 protesters will take part in several demonstrations in the German cities of Baden-Baden and Kehl, while France's interior minister has suggested 30,000 to 40,000 could show up in Strasbourg, where a camp has been set up to house demonstrators.
German and French police have said 2,000 to 3,000 members of the violence-prone "black block" - so-called for the black clothes and hoods they wear - are expected.
Some 15,000 German police - including 31 riot squads - and 9,000 French police will be on hand.
Protest organizers have called for peaceful demonstrations to highlight their complaints, including anti-war, anti-globalization, anti-capitalist and disarmament platforms.
The German chapter of the left-wing Attac group, which is calling for the withdrawal of all NATO troops from Afghanistan and an end to the military alliance, climate protection and a "just world economy," was organizing conferences, camps, demonstrations and blockades.
"The world leaders will be confronted with our protest and our call for a peaceful world," said Attac spokeswoman Gudrun Reiss. "We're calling for massive participation."
The Berlin Anti-fascist Left group said it was sending at least 10 busloads of demonstrators.
"It must be made clear to people that there is no peaceful political alternative to the dissolution of NATO," the group said.
After an evening protest Thursday in Baden-Baden, the main demonstration begins Friday at noon in Kehl. The activists plan to march across the Rhine river into Strasbourg, with another protest planned for Saturday.

Taufik Hidayat claims Indian Open badminton title

The Associated Press , Hyderabad, India Sun, 03/29/2009 7:54 PM Sports

Winning party: Indonesia's Taufik Hidayat (right) and Malaysia's Muhammad Hafiz Hashim pose for photographs at the Yonex Sunrise India Open 2009 badminton tournament in Hyderabad, India, on Sunday. Second-seeded Taufik defeated Hashim 21-18, 21-19 on Sunday to clinch the India Open men's singles title. AP/Mahesh Kumar A
Second-seeded Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia defeated Muhammad Hafiz Hashim of Malaysia 21-18, 21-19 on Sunday to clinch the India Open men's singles title, while top-seeded Pi Hongyan of France took the women's event.Taufik, winner of all previous six meetings with Hashim, exuded confidence in his strokes and succeeded in inducing errors from his Malaysian opponent."The score was close; winning a title is always very satisfying," Taufik said.
"This win will give me a lot of confidence for the world championships at this venue in August. There's a bit of drift inside the stadium here, so it takes time to get used to the shuttle in the high tosses. I think, I read the drift much better than him."Pi, ranked fourth in the world, rallied to beat fifth-seeded Julia Wang Pei Xian of Malaysia 17-21, 21-15, 21-14 in the women's final.Pi, whose last title came at the 2006 Singapore Open, is six years older than Wang and used her experience to slow the rallies with high tosses to the back court after having lost the opening game."Wang's a very tough opponent. She beat me two years ago, but here I felt I was in control," Pi said.
"It was tough to come back after losing the first game. I then decided to slow down the game, thinking it would suit me better."In the men's doubles final, the experienced Malaysian duo of Choong Tan Fook and Lee Wan Wah defeated the new Singapore combination of Hendri Kurniawan Saputra and Hendra Wijaya 21-9, 21-11.Ma Jin and Wang Xiao Li of China downed Vita Marissa and Nadya Melati of Indonesia 21-14, 21-13 for the women's doubles title.Marissa also teamed up with Flandy Limpele to beat V. Diju and Jwala Gutta of India in the mixed doubles final.

Rory keen to copy Tiger's playing quality

Indah Setiawati , The Jakarta Post , Bali Tue, 03/03/2009 1:51 PM Sports
In a bid to reach the playing level of world No. 1 golfer Tiger Woods, Indonesian Rory Hidayat Hie exercised his patience, endurance and mettle at the US$1.25 million Enjoy Jakarta Indonesia Open 2009 golf tournament in Pecatu, Bali.
The 20-year-old said his idol, Woods, never backed down when he made mistakes, and stayed focused and always tried to retrieve the momentum by firing more points.
"I have to improve my mental shape, to be more positive. If I make mistakes, I have to be able to come back and quickly fix them," the Indonesian No. 1 golfer said Saturday.
Rory is on the right track, indeed.
Despite a difficult and windy course, he managed to card a respectable 2-under 266 after another even par on Sunday. He was the only one of 13 Indonesians to make the cut.
Last year, three professional local golfers and an amateur stormed to the cut at the Cengkareng Golf Club just outside Jakarta. But this year, the challenge at the New Kuta Golf and Ocean View sent home 75 professional and amateur golfers to see the remaining 69 players vying for the $208,330 top prize.
Rory birdied on the second and sixth holes only to have a bogey on the fifth hole for a 1-under on the front nine. Going back to the clubhouse, two other bogeys at the 13th and 15th holes seemed to cost Rory, but were neutralized by another birdie at the 16th.
The only Indonesian golfer in the event co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the European Tour, Rory shot a 2-under on the first day and made even par in the other rounds.
He fell short of a place in the top 20, but he still pocketed $8,909 after finishing in joint 32nd spot.
Rory, who turns 21 in September, said the ability to up the challenge during his American tour had given him confidence about becoming a professional golf player.
"I felt sure I would be good as a pro," said the soft-spoken young man who was named the 2008 California player of the year.
He owes the achievement partly to his family, especially father Tommy Hidayat.
Tommy, 55, introduced Rory to golf when he was 4. Rory said he was handed a plastic golf stick to practice with on the driving range.
"It looked like he preferred soccer *over golf* at that time. But when he was 10, he showed his talent in golf and played it more seriously," said Tommy, who often caddies for his son on tournaments, including at the Bali event.
Tommy gave Rory tips on reading the wind and advice on the shots, but never insisted on what should be done during the tournament.
"It's really up to him whether to take my advice or not. After all, he is the one playing," Tommy said.
With only a few tournaments at home, Tommy decided to bring Rory to California 10 years ago, along with the whole family.
"You can learn from other players better play at tournaments," Tommy said.
The decision to move was worth it, as Rory, who turned professional last year, won several titles, including the 2008 Southern Highlands Intercollegiate, the 2008 US Stanford Intercollegiate and the 2007 USC Invitational tournament.
He also won the Mercedes-Benz Tour, part of the Asian Tour, on his pro-debut at the Imperial Golf Club in Karawaci, Tangerang, in 2008.
Shortly after that event, he advanced to the final stages of the European Qualifying School, a great achievement never before equalled by any Indonesian golfer.
Rory said he practiced his strokes every single day and always tried to look for things he could improve on to perform better.
"It's the way professional golfers do it, and I have decided to become one," he said.

RI soccer player dies after match

Mon, 03/16/2009 4:27 PM Sports
BALIKPAPAN, Indonesia: Jumadi "Pele" Abdi, center back for soccer club PKT Bontang, died Sunday morning after undergoing surgery and intensive treatment for an abdominal problem caused during a match against Persela Lamongan on Saturday.
During the match, Jumadi collapsed after getting kicked in the lower abdomen by Persela back Deny Tarkas in the 35th minute, and was immediately taken to PKT Bontang Hospital. Doctors said his intestines had ruptured, causing multiple organ infections.
Jumadi played for Pelita Purwakarta and Persita Tangerang in the Main Division. He also played for PKT Bontang in the Super League Division last year. -JP

Indonesian shuttlers seek redemption at Swiss Open

Niken Prathivi , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta Tue, 03/10/2009 2:45 PM Sports
Leaving Birmingham empty-handed following their total failure to reach any of the finals at the recently concluded All England Super Series, Indonesia's shuttlers now turn to the Wilson Swiss Super Series for redemption.
Indonesia's best hopes Nova Widianto and Liliyana Natsir will again bear the burden of winning a title at the tournament, which starts on Tuesday.
Despite their world No. 1 ranking, Nova and Liliyana fell in quarterfinals to the Indonesian-Russian pairing of Flandy Limepele and Anastasia Russkikh.
"Logically, Nova and Liliyana have a bigger winning chance *than the rest of the Indonesian team* because they are world No. 1. I hope the other players can bounce back," Lius Pongoh, an official from the Badminton Association of Indonesian (PBSI), told The Jakarta Post.
"I want the players to be fired up at the Swiss event."
Head coach Christian Hadinata said that despite taking any silverware from the All England, the players would not lose hope of winning a title at the US$200,000 Swiss event.
"We can assess their chances from the draw. They should all put in a better performance than they did at the All England. I really expect we can bring home a title from the Swiss series," said Christian, a former doubles star in the 1970s.
In the main draw, which begins Wednesday, Nova and Liliyana will meet non-seeded David Lindley and Suzanne Rayappan of the UK in the first round. Should the Indonesian pair win that match, they would then meet either Han Sang-hoon and Kim Min-jung or Ko Sung-hyun and Ha Jung-eun of South Korea in the second round.
If Nova and Liliyana advance to the quarterfinals, the top seeds would likely face fifth seeds Thomas Laybourn and Kamilla Rytter Juhl of Denmark. Seventh seeds Sudket Prapakamol and Saralee Thoungthongkam of Thailand and second seeds Lee Yong-dae and Lee Hyo-jung might be the opponents to tackle in the next stages, if the Indonesians make it that far.
In the men's singles, Indonesia will put its hopes in Taufik Hidayat and Simon Santoso, with world No. 5 Sony Dwi Kuncoro cutting short his European trip due to injury.
Taufik, traveling on his own after his decision to drop out of the national camp, reached the semifinals at the All England, where he crashed out at the hands of Malaysian nemesis and world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei.

Indonesia leads Kuwait 2-1 in Asia-Oceania Davis Cup

Blontank Poer , THE JAKARTA POST , SURAKARTA Sun, 03/08/2009 10:06 AM Sports Give me a pound: Christopher Rungkat (right) and Ketut Nesa Arta celebrate winning a point against Mohammad Ghareeb and Mohammad Khaliq Siddiq of Kuwait during the Asia-Oceania Group Two Davis Cup match in Surakarta, Central Java, on Saturday. The home pair won 3-6, 6-1, 6-3, 6-0. JP/Blontank Poer
Indonesia took the lead over Kuwait after Christopher Rungkat and Ketut Nesa Arta won their doubles match in the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group II in Surakarta, Central Java, on Saturday.Christo and Nesa came back from a set down to defeat Mohammad Ghareeb and Mohammad Khaliq Siddiq 3-6, 6-1, 6-3, 6-0.
Indonesia now leads 2-1, following a 1-1 score after the opening day, when the home side’s point was also contributed by Christo.
On Saturday, Christo once again showed his credentials as Indonesia’s number one player. He displayed a flurry of tricky shots, with the opponents failing to get around the incoming ball well.
However, their efforts paid off only after they managed to overcome a dismal start, partly due to Nesa’s nervousness.
“It’s a new experience for Nesa, but he’s the sort who is able to lift his game. He became more relaxed in the later stages,” Christo said.
After the opening debacle, the Indonesian pair was unstoppable, winning the remaining sets and putting the hosts in the driving seat ahead of Sunday’s matches.
The lineup has not been announced yet, but Christo will likely take on Ghareeb, whose world ranking in the top 400 is more than 1,000 places higher than the young Indonesian’s.
“Ghareeb is on 400 in the world, while I’m on 1,495. But that doesn’t matter. I’m ready to win the match. I will prove it on the court,” Christo said.
Team manager Kresno Merdiko said they had been optimistic about winning the doubles encounter.
“Now let’s hope we can win both matches on Sunday,” he said as quoted by Antara.

Davis Cup: Christopher runs hot but Indonesia held to a 1-1 on first day

Blontank Poer , The Jakarta Post Sat, 03/07/2009 12:10 PM Sports
Indonesian No. 1 tennis player Christopher Benjamin Rungkat lived up to expectations to produce a point against Kuwait, but the hosts had to settle for a 1-1 draw at the start of their Davis Cup tie here Friday.
Christopher put on a commanding show in his 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 win over Muhammad Ahmad Rabeea, before Kuwait leveled the score when its No. 1 Mohammad Ghareeb defeated Sunu Wahyu Trijati 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (2).
Indonesia and Kuwait are in the Asia/Oceania Group II of the men’s team tennis competition.
Rabeea lauded Christopher’s win. “He has the skill and was in top form. He played really well,” he said. He added he had no complaints about the heat or the court at the Manahan Tennis Center in Surakarta, Central Java.
In stark contrast to Christopher, Sunu put in a dismal performance, going down easily in the first two sets despite support from the home crowd.
He tried to lift his game in the third set, making the match a tightly contested tussle. But Ghareeb managed to hold off the Indonesian’s resilience to round up the set for his victory.
The two teams will resume play on Saturday in the doubles, with Indonesia deploying Ketut Nesa Artha and Prima Simpatiaji against Ghareeb and Mohammad Khaliq Siddiq.­

Nadal gives Spain 2-0 lead over Serbia

The Associated Press , Benidorm Sat, 03/07/2009 9:24 PM Sports Top-ranked Rafael Nadal routed Janko Tipsarevic 6-1, 6-0, 6-2 Saturday to give defending champion Spain a 2-0 lead in its best-of-five Davis Cup series with Serbia.Nadal broke the 47th-ranked Serbian seven times on the outdoor clay surface, winning 10 straight games at one stage, to put the Spaniards on course to clinching a second-round berth in a single day.Doubles will be played Saturday afternoon with Spain's Tommy Robredo and Feliciano Lopez scheduled to take on Nenad Zimonjic and Novak Djokovic, although Serbia may opt for Viktor Troicki over Djokovic.David Ferrer of Spain upset the third-ranked Djokovic 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (4) in the first singles match at Terra Mitica amusement park.

BPMigas in doubt over five firms tax debts

Aditya Suharmoko and Alfian , THE JAKARTA POST , JAKARTA Sat, 02/21/2009 10:36 AM Business
Upstream oil and gas regulator BPMigas expresses doubt over the validity of a Finance Ministry document stating that five oil and gas contractors owe the state US$113 million in unpaid income tax bills.
“It seems that the Finance Ministry has received inaccurate data from her staff [the director general of budget management],” BPMigas’s chairman R. Priyono said through a SMS on Friday.
According to a document presented at a meeting between Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati and a House of Representatives’ committee Thursday, five oil and gas firms — ExxonMobil Oil Indonesia Inc, Joint Operating Body (JOB) of Pertamina and Golden Spike Raja Blok, Kangean Energy Indonesia Ltd, Santos UK (Kakap 2) Ltd and JOB Kodeco Energy Co. Ltd — owe the state US$113 million in unpaid income tax.
The document states that the biggest debtor is Kangean with US$45 million in debt, followed by JOB Kodeco Energy Co. Ltd with total debt at $32.23 million.
ExxonMobil owes US$22.82 million of unpaid income tax, JOB Pertamina–Golden Spike US$10.62 million and Santos UK US$2.39 million.
Priyono did not give details on the inaccuracy of the document.
“You better ask the directorate general for taxation,” he said.
But, the director general of taxation Darmin Nasution could not give clear answers. He suggested journalists ask his colleague Anny Ratnawati, director general of budget management, for confirmation.
“We are still pressing claims and seeking clarification. Several contractors have begun the payment,” said Anny through SMS.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Development Finance Comtroller (BPKP) Didi Widayadi said that as of December 2008, the five contractors had an obligation to pay a total US$120.94 million in income tax.
“By Dec. 31, the five contractors have paid US$37.45 million. Thus, the remaining unpaid income tax is about US$83.49 million,” Didi said.
ExxonMobil spokesperson Manan Budiman has denied the report, saying that the reportedly $22 million debt mentioned was still under legal dispute.
“ExxonMobil always fulfills its tax obligations,” he said.
Spokesperson for Santos, Dody Mochtar, said the company had paid the income tax. “We paid the US$2.39 million tax by Jan. 31, 2009,” he said.
Pertamina gave the same response. Spokesperson Anang Rizkani Noor said that under the JOB scheme, Pertamina shared responsibility with its partner, the Golden Spike Raja Blok Ltd.
“Pertamina has paid its portion of income tax. Maybe you could confirm with Golden Spike about the unpaid income tax mentioned by the Finance Ministry,” he said.
However, efforts to seek clarification from Kangean, which is the biggest debtor according to the document, were unsuccessful.
Kangean is conducting activities as part of a production-sharing contract, with Energi Mega Persada Tbk (EMP) as a partner.
EMP is a subsidiary of PT Bakrie and Brothers, a business conglomerate controlled by the family of Coordinating Minister for People’s Welfare Aburizal Bakrie.
Indonesia’s oil and gas contracts order private contractors to pay income tax based on as much as 48 percent of their gross revenue, while state-owned Pertamina’s obligation is only 40.5 percent.

Japan to help RI guard rupiah, says Mulyani

Rendi A. Witular , THE JAKARTA POST , PHUKET Sun, 02/22/2009 9:04 AM Headlines
Indonesia and Japan inked Saturday a bilateral cooperation agreement aimed at warding off currency speculators from the ailing rupiah amid the deepening global economic slowdown.
Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati and Japanese Parliamentary Secretary for Finance Shinsuke Suematsu forged the long-awaited deal during a special meeting of finance ministers from member countries of the ASEAN + 3 organization on Thailand’s resort island of Phuket.
Under the deal Japan has agreed to double its existing bilateral swap agreement with Indonesia to US$12 billion, strengthening Indonesia’s foreign currency reserves in case of a sharp depreciation in the rupiah against the U.S. dollar. The latest central bank data shows Indonesia’s foreign exchange reserves currently stand at $50.87 million.
Bank Indonesia (BI) uses the reserves to supply the financial market with the greenback to help ease volatility in the rupiah, which has depreciating to above Rp 12,000 per US dollar. Under the planned revision of the state budget the government has set the currency at an average of Rp 11,000 against the dollar for this year.
While the declining value of the rupiah is in part good for exports, it creates greater harm, especially when it comes to the country’s ability to pay dollar-denominated government and private sector debts, as well as its ability to financing international trade.
Mulyani said the support from Japan would help increase the stability of the Indonesian economy and complement its current, strong foreign reserve position.
“The deal with Japan, which is a very progressive move, will ease speculation on the rupiah because Indonesian foreign currency reserves are getting bigger and stronger. This will boost confidence in the market and in businesses,” Mulyani said.
“Although the Indonesian economy remains sound, there’s still a need for a second-line of defense to fully anticipate the worst from the impact of the global economic crisis,” she said.
The deal is part of the Chiang Mai Initiative, inked in Thailand in 2000, which is aimed at creating a network of bilateral swapping arrangements among ASEAN+3 countries to address short-term liquidity problems in the region and to supplement the existing international financial arrangements.
ASEAN+3 includes the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations — the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos — as well as three East Asian nations — Japan, China, and South Korea.
The ministers are expected to come up with concrete measures to help cushion the region from the fallout from the US-led financial crisis.