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Showing posts from June, 2011

Hiroshima to bid to host 2015 NPT review conference

HIROSHIMA, July 1 (Kyodo) - Hiroshima will seek to host the next U.N. conference to review the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 2015, the 70th anniversary of the 1945 U.S. atomic bombing of the western Japan city, the mayor said Thursday. ''I want policymakers of nations that possess nuclear weapons to visit Hiroshima and listen to the calls for the abolition of nuclear weapons,'' Mayor Kazumi Matsui told reporters. Matsui said Hiroshima will also call on Nagasaki to help host the conference, held every five years to assess implementation of the treaty. An official of the Hiroshima municipal government's peace promotion division said, ''We hope hosting the conference will build momentum to achieving the city's goal of abolishing nuclear weapons by 2020.'' According to the Hiroshima city government, the conference has previously been held at the U.N. headquarters in New York or at the world body's European headquarters in Geneva. The previo...

Allegations Saudi Ambassador to Germany Enslaved Indonesian Maid

The Jakarta Globe A German human rights group has publicly accused a Saudi diplomat in Berlin of treating the Indonesian maid he employed as a slave. Her struggle is now the focus of an attempt to challenge diplomatic immunity in Germany and could place further pressures on the already strained relationship between Saudi Arabia and Indonesia. Dewi Ratnasari, the 30-year-old maid, began working for the Saudi diplomat and his family in April of 2009. For the next year and a half, she worked 18-hour days, seven days a week and never received her monthly wage of 750 euros, the German Institute for Human Rights reported. She told police she was humiliated like a serf, and that she was punched and regularly beaten with a stick by everyone in the diplomats family, including the five-year-old son. The diplomat had confiscated her passport and Dewi (a pseudonym) spoke no German, so she had few options but to remain and work. But in October of 2010 she escaped and sought help from Ban Ying, a B...

Enrique Iglesias coming to Indonesia

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Heres a news that will have all the girls screaming in delight. Enrique Iglesias is coming to Indonesia! As posted on his facebook wall yesterday, Get ready Indonesia! Enrique is headed to Jakarta on July 21st to perform a special showcase for Miss Teen Indonesia 2011. Terima Kasih! Wooohooo! In case you dont know who Enrique Iglesias is, (by which I need to ask you, where have you been living all these while??) heres some background of him, courtesy of Wikipedia: Enrique Miguel Iglesias Preysler (born May 8, 1975), better known as Enrique Iglesias, is a Spanish pop music singer-songwriter. Iglesias started his musical career on Mexican label Fonovisa. This helped turn him into one of the most popular artists in Latin America and in the Hispanic or Latino market in the United States, and the biggest seller of Spanish language albums of the 1990s. Before the turn of the millennium, he made a crossover into the mainstream English language market, signing a unique multi-album deal with Un...

EU, Indonesia to Launch Trade Talks

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Indonesia and the European Union will launch talks for a trade agreement in November that would link Southeast Asias largest economy and the worlds biggest market, a senior Indonesian diplomat said. Trade and business officials lauded the potential of a deal worth an estimated 6.8 billion euros ($9.7 billion) that could make 95 percent of goods traded between the two populous regions move duty-free, free up flows of services and investment and go some way in harmonizing patent and competition rules. Talk of such a deal came as trading powers, abandoning hopes for a global trade accord, increasingly race to secure bilateral treaties with booming markets. We will launch talks in November on the side of the G20 meeting. Its probably the last major free trade agreement well ever launch, Indonesias ambassador to the EU, Arif Havas Oegroseno, said after unveiling a report touting the benefits of a bilateral treaty together with Europes trade commissioner. The report by senior governme...

1 killed in tribal clash

JHAL MAGSI ,One tribesman was killed in an armed clash between two rival groups in Jhal magsi Thursday. According to details a clash took plce between two groups of Magsi tribe in Rangani area of Jhal Magsi today. One person Shahil Khan magsi was killed in the clash. Levies registered a case and started investigation into the incident.

What's next for rescued slaves?

CNN's Mallika Kapur reported on how more than 500 slaves were rescued from a brick kiln in southern India. But what happens to the victims after the rescue? Chennai, India - Beaten with rods, belts and subjected to other forms of abuse, the bonded laborers toiled away in a tiny brick kiln in southern India day after day with little hope of freedom and escape. But on a tip, officials from the government of Tamil Nadu state in India raided the kiln. What they found shocked them: More than 500 people living and working under a brutal and oppressive system. "We worked all the time. We would only stop to eat," says 20-year-old Dambru Jani, who was rescued in the raid. "If we tried to rest, they'd abuse us and force us to work again." Saju Mathew is the national director for the International Justice Mission, the human rights group that assisted the government with the raid. He said that even though India banned bonded labor in 1976, the practice of paying back a...

Bersih Rally a Turning Point for Democracy

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Umno also realizes that it has committed too many wrongs that betray the peoples interest, and more people have come to know of these through the fast growing alternative media. Combined with the growing influence of opposition alliance Pakatan Rakyat, the coming rally could be a powerful demonstration of the peoples will to reclaim sovereignty from the long-reigning kleptocracy through electoral reforms. That is something that Umno does not want to see happening. By Kim Quek Amidst the frenzy of draconian measures to prevent the July 9 Bersih rally from taking place, many Malaysians have begun to wonder: Has Malaysia descended into a state of lawlessness? No sooner had Home Minister declared that wearing the yellow Bersih T-shirt was illegal, the Inspector General of Police up the ante by announcing that even shoes, cars, buses or any medium that promote the Bersih rally are illegal, as this amounts to sedition, and he said the people involved will be arrested. ...

Poll agency invites foreign observers to observe Thai election

UN chief calls for fair election in Thailand

BANGKOK, June 30 - With Thailand's general election around the corner after years of political divisiveness and sporadic demonstrations since the 2006 military coup, United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon on Thursday called for a "fair, credible and transparent" election and that all parties refrain from violence before, during and after the July 3 poll. The UN secretary-general also urged in his statement released today that all parties "accept and respect the will of the people as expressed at the ballot box." Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Thursday expressed confidence in his capacity as Democrat party leader, that his party's popularity keeps increasing in the aftermath of its major election campaign rally at Bangkok's prime commercial area of Ratchaprasong last week. Mr Abhisit is now helping Democrat MP candidates campaigning in Bangkok only days ahead of Sunday's poll. "I still believe that the Democrat Party will come first in the Su...

Malaysia to host Pacific Rim Summit on industrial biotechnology and bioenergy

Sandiaga Uno: Indonesias real thing

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It may seem too good to be true, but Forbes Magazine recently ranked this man, who celebrated his 42nd birthday on Tuesday, the countrys 27th richest person, with a net worth of nearly US$800 million. While he comes from a middle-class family his mother, Mien Rachman Uno is a popular businesswoman and his father Razif Halik Uno used to work for Caltex oil company Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno started his businesses from scratch, and made his fortune in only 12 years. Sandiaga joined the workforce straight after graduating from school in 1992. In 1994, he worked for MP Group Holding Limited as an investment manager. In 1995, he moved to NTI Resources Ltd. in Canada and worked as executive vice president. Unfortunately, the 1997 monetary crisis hit NTI Resources Ltd. hard and left Sandi unemployed. This prompted Sandi to return to Indonesia. Seeing no real future working for someone elses company, he decided to set up his own business. In 1997, he co-founded PT Recapital Advisors with his hi...

Ladies, are you ready for David Archuleta?

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American Idol David Archuleta says he cannot wait to perform at the PONDS Teens Concert in Jakarta on July 16 after he was flooded with messages of support from his Indonesian fans. Im so excited, I would just like to thank you guys for all your support on Twitter and all the excitement that you guys have been showing, the pop singer said in a video posted on the Internet. It means so much and makes it even more exciting to come and I would just like to invite everyone to come [to the concert] for the performance. Archuleta also responded to a number of questions posed by his Indonesian fans. In response to one question, Archuleta told viewers that he was looking forward to seeing a lot of the local Indonesian artists that will be performing. I know its a well-known event for teenagers and I appreciate that its a positive thing for teenagers. I like to be a part of positive things for teenagers, he said. Asked what made him excited about Indonesia, Archuleta said he had been looking fo...

Activists Say Syrian Troops Kill 4 in Northern Villages

Syrian rights activists say government troops have attacked several villages in the country's northwest, killing at least four civilians as part of a months-long crackdown on pro-democracy protests. The activists say Syrian tanks shelled the village of Rameh in Idlib province Wednesday, prompting many residents to flee as soldiers conducted searches for dissidents. They say Syrian forces also rolled into the villages of Ihsim, Marayn, and al-Bara, known for its Roman-era remains. There was no independent confirmation of the violence. Syria has barred foreign journalists from covering its crackdown on protests demanding an end to President Bashar al-Assad's 11-year autocratic rule. Thousands of people in northern Syria have fled the crackdown into neighboring Turkey. Rights activists say at least 1,300 civilians have been killed since the uprising began in March. The Syrian governm...

'Kepala Batas residents' heckle PSM supporters

Pakistan tells US to leave 'drone' attack base

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan told the United States to leave a remote desert air base reportedly used as a hub for covert CIA drone attacks, Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar was quoted by state media as saying Wednesday. His remarks are the latest indication of Pakistan attempting to limit US activities since a clandestine American military raid killed Osama bin Laden on May 2 and plunged ties between the anti-terror allies into chaos. "We have told them (US officials) to leave the air base," national news agency APP quoted Mukhtar as telling a group of journalists in his office. Images said to be of US Predator drones at Shamsi have been published by Google Earth in the past. The air strip is 900 kilometres (560 miles) southwest of the capital Islamabad in Baluchistan province. A US embassy spokeswoman told AFP there were no US military personnel at the Shamsi base. American drone attack...

Pakistan Brigadier arrested over Hizbut Tahrir links likely to be released soon

Islamabad, Brigadier Ali Khan, who is in Pakistani custody over his alleged links to banned extremist organisation Hizb ut-Tahrir (HuT), is likely to be released soon, his family and officials have said. The brigadier and four unnamed majors are in custody for questioning over their suspected ties with HuT, which calls for creating a pan-Islamic caliphate system by ousting what it says the pro-American government in the country. Military officials grilling the brigadier have yet not found enough evidence to formally charge him, said a military official familiar with the development. You need to have very solid evidence to charge-sheet anyone in the military. At the moment there is no such thing against the detained officers, including Brigadier Ali, The Express Tribune quoted the official, as saying on the condition of anonymity. Brigadier Ali is likely to be released soon, he added. It ...

Opposition leader rules out FTA with Japan unless trade imbalances narrowed

TOKYO, June 29 (Yonhap) -- Sohn Hak-kyu, the leader of South Korea's main opposition Democratic Party (DP), said Wednesday that it is difficult to press ahead with a free trade agreement (FTA) with Japan unless large trade imbalances between the two countries are addressed first. "It is hard to push for FTA negotiations under the current circumstances in which trade and technology are imbalanced (between the two nations) and Japan does not make concessions in agriculture and non-tariff barriers," Sohn told Tokyo-based Korean correspondents during his visit to Japan. "It is important to make an environment that can win people's consent," he said. Sohn, 64, considered a 2012 presidential hopeful in the opposition camp, was on a three-day trip to Japan to gain support for South Korea's bid to host its first-ever Winter Olympic Games in 2018 in the eastern alpine city of PyeongChang and to solace residents in tsunami-stricken regions. "We cannot seek an...

Join the GNFI team!

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Good News From Indonesia (GNFI) was founded by Mr. Akhyari Hananto in 2008, who was (and still is) really optimistic about Indonesia and were sick of Indonesians medias broadcasting bad news about this nation. He fought the many mainstream medias negative portrays of Indonesia by posting good news he collected from various sources at his blog. His blog began gaining loyal readers from every corner of the world and many of them joined forces to support the efforts in promoting the good sides of Indonesia. GNFI is your independent and trusted premier source of all kinds of good news from Indonesia. Our vision is clearly defined within good news, with no intervention from political, religious, or any private interest that might harm our independence. In March 2009 GNFI was officially re-launched as GNFI Network at goodnewsfromindonesia.org. Now, GNFI is also on Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube. GNFI aims to be the premier source of good news from Indonesia and the leader in optimism mindse...

Unruly mob has its way at police station

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Families of detained PSM members go through a harrowing experience as pleas for help to diffuse the situation is ignored by officers. KEPALA BATAS: A group of unruly youths caused panic among families of detained PSM members at the northern Seberang Perai (SPU) district police headquarters last night. PSM secretary-general S Arutchelvan led about 40 family members of the 30 detained PSM activists to lodge a second round of police reports at the station at 8.30pm. As the family members were lodging their reports at a mobile police booth outside the headquarters, a group of unruly youths, started to mushroom at the place. The boisterous group began to intimidate the family members and walked menacingly towards PSM supporters gathered outside the police station. Several of youths barged their way through the PSM group and entered the police station. Sensing trouble, Arutchelvan sought police help to provide protection to his people. However, instead of providing protection, he said a poli...

Ibrahim Ali: Bersih rally meant to rescue Anwar

First 3D herpes infection model promises new treatment for cold sores

Washington: A 3D herpes infection model has been developed raising hope for development of effective treatments of the viral infection. Active ingredients and new treatments can be reliably tested with this new model and animal tests could soon be a thing of the past. About 90 percent of the worlds population carry it in them all their lives, once infected, and become sick again in stress situations, Anke Burger-Kentischer of the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB in Stuttgart, said. The 3D herpes infection model created by Burger-Kentischer together with her team and the cell systems department makes it possible for the first time to integrate the complicated dormant stage of the virus into a model of the skin. To date the skin models used for drug testing and to detect the virus have been very simple and unable to simulate the dormancy state of the v...

Hunt for the 'Burka Bandit': Man armed with knife and umbrella dressed as Muslim woman to rob travel agents

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A man who holds up travel agents with a knife while dressed as a woman in a burka has been caught on CCTV. The man, who travels from shop to shop taking 'substantial' amounts of money, was filmed twice in Dunstable, Bedfordshire. Dressed head-to-toe in the Muslim women's outfit, he first threatened two women with a knife on a raid at First Choice travel agents. The man dressed in a burka as a disguise as he stole 'substantial amounts' of money The thief dubbed the 'Burka Bandit' was caught on this CCTV film in August 2009 as he robbed Thomson Travel in Luton, Bedfordshire He was also seen carrying an umbrella but it is unknown if this was another form of disguise or if he used it to threaten his victims. He forced them into a back room where he demanded cash from the safe. The first incident happened in July 2009 and the second in May last year but these images were released last week as part of the Crimewatch Roadshow which is currently touring the countr...

WikiLeaks dedah duta AS ragui penjelasan KL

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(Buletin Online) - Duta Amerika Syarikat ke Malaysia memaklumkan kepada pemerintahnya awal tahun lalu bahawa pegawai-pegawai kedutaan meragui penjelasan pentadbiran Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak mengenai kecurian enjin jet pejuang F-5 milik TUDM pada 2008, demikian menurut maklumat yang didedahkan oleh WikiLeaks. Dokumen yang ditandatangani oleh Duta James Keith itu berkata kedutaannya berkongsi 'kesangsian' yang diluahkan oleh satu siri komen media dalam talian mengenai pendirian Putrajaya bahawa enjin jet itu dicuri oleh dua individu berpangkat rendah dan pihak di peringkat tinggi tidak terlibat sama sekali. 'Kami berkongsi beberapa kesangsian yang dilahirkan oleh blog-blog mengenai kes kerajaan dan penjelasan siapa di sebalik kecurian enjin,' kata dokumen tersebut. 'Dalam (proses) penyelarasan dengan pihak Washington, Post terus menekankan untuk mendapatkan laporan lengkap bagaimana kecurian itu berlaku dan penempatan...

Eye surgeon goes missing

Shahdadpur: Senior eye surgeon Dr Mujahid Ahmed Memon on Tuesday went missing along with his driver and their abandoned car was found near Nawabshah, fuelling rumors that the government doctor might be kidnapped for ransom. As per details, eye surgeon Dr Mujahid Ahmed Memon was going to Government Hospital Shahpur Chakar in his car, when he went missing along with his driver Rajo Bheel. Their empty car was found after 12 hours from Nawabshah. The family suspect the surgeon might be kidnapped for ransom. Local police when contacted refused to comment.

Joint strategy to monitor cross-border movement at Western border greatly help check infiltration

Islamabad: Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani says joint strategy to monitor cross-border movement at Western borders will greatly help check infiltration of undesirable elements damaging efforts to bring about peace and stability in the region. Pakistan desires success of Afghan-owned reconciliation peace process which would positively impact security environment, he said Tuesday while talking to Defence Minister Ch Ahmad Mukhtar at PM Secretariat who briefed on recent developments of security situation on Western borders. Gilani said government will continue to support and help armed forces face security challenges confronting the nation. Mukhtar apprised on upgrading defence and military installations as well as efforts to curb militancy.

China, not Pakistan, is India's main threat: Indian Defence Ministry

New Delhi: ""China, and not Pakistan," is the focus of India Defence Ministry's latest 15-year plan for all the three services. The latest integrated perspective plan, which will be in force from year 2012 to 2027, is aimed at equipping Indian armed forces to move from the current stage of dissuasion to deterrence against China, NDTV reported on Tuesday. According to the plan, by 2020, India wants to have dedicated Mountain Strike Corps, over 90,000 men specifically meant for deployment in Ladakh & Arunachal Pradesh and equipped for offensive operations. To begin with, military wants all the planned roads in these high altitude areas to be completed on priority basis. India is also activating, revamping and upgrading its air bases along China border both in Ladakh & Arunachal Pradesh. This includes at least eight advance-landing grounds. Nyoma air base, barely...

The Philosopher, 1st Hollywood movie to be shot wholly in RI

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The Philosopher, a movie that has immediately attracts the attention of journalists in Indonesia. The reason is the movie is a Hollywood production, involving producers and foreign filmmakers, as well as the cast who have been involved in large-scale Hollywood production. But, the best part is, it will be shot in Indonesia. Yes, The Philosopher will be the first Hollywood movie to be shot wholly in Indonesia! The Philosopher, as it turns out, is a production of SCTV, along with Hollywood producers, George Zakk and Cybill. It will be directed by John Huddles, and holds the lineup of cast consisting of Bonnie Wright (better known as Ginny Weasley from the Harry Potter series), James Darcy (the actor who played Lt. Tom Pullings in Peter Weirs Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World), Daryl Sabara, (who is perhaps best known for playing Juni Cortez in the Spy Kids franchise), Freddy Stroma, Sophie Lowe, Rhys Wakefield (who is best known for his role in James Camerons Sanctum), and...

Lake Toba, 1 of the 10 Most Beautiful Places in Indonesia

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Lake Toba (Indonesian: Danau Toba) is a lake and supervolcano. The lake is 100 kilometres long and 30 kilometres wide, and 505 metres (1,666 ft) at its deepest point. Located in the middle of the northern part of the Indonesian island of Sumatra with a surface elevation of about 900 metres (2,953 ft), the lake stretches from 253?N 9831?E? / ?2.88N 98.52E? / 2.88; 98.52 to 221?N 9906?E? / ?2.35N 99.1E? / 2.35; 99.1. It is the largest lake in Indonesia and the largest volcanic lake in the world. Lake Toba is the site of a supervolcanic eruption that occurred 69,000-77,000 years ago,a massive climate-changing event. The eruption is believed to have had a VEI intensity of 8. It is believed to be the largest explosive eruption anywhere on Earth in the last 25 million years. According to the Toba catastrophe theory to which some anthropologists and archeologists subscribe, it had global consequences, killing most humans then alive and creating a population bottleneck in Central Eastern Afri...

Indonesias Wealthiest

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Fortune has favored Indonesias business barons and captains of industry these past 12 months. Rising commodity prices, strong consumer demand and a raging stock market have combined to push the net worth of the GlobeAsia 150 Richest to new record levels. And after three years, we also have a new number 1. Coal, palm oil, property, consumer goods. Indonesias rich natural resources and fast-growing consumer market have been the backbone for one of the sharpest spikes in the net worth of the super-rich since we started compiling the GlobeAsia 150 Richest Indonesians list in 2007. In the past year, record high global commodity prices have translated into record earnings for those tycoons who have coal mines and vast palm oil plantations. In fact, just about any businessman of stature these days is eyeing a coal mine if he does not have one already, or is looking to expand production. It is no surprise that of the 21 billionaires on this years list, nine have build their fortunes through ow...

Koh unveils statue of MGR

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Minister in the PMs Department takes a break from the Bersih controversy to attend a special ceremony in Taiping. TAIPING: The event must have been a welcome relief for Gerakan president Koh Tsu Koon who together with his other BN colleagues have been preoccupied in recent days with spitting vitriol at the July 9 Bersih rally. Koh took a break from his criticism of the July 9 rally when he attended a special ceremony to unveil a bronze statute of the late South Indian matinee idol and ex-chief minister of Tamil Nadu MGR in Taiping on Saturday. Koh, the Unity and Performance Minister in the PMs Department, recently told organisers of the Bersih rally to resolve election issues through peaceful dialogues and not by taking to the streets. But that must have been furthest from his mind on Saturday. A big fan of the former Tamil Nadu chief minister, Koh unveiled the 5ft 4 inch tall statue (the height of MGR) weighing about 200 kilos in Ulu Sepatang, about 10km from Taiping. With the unveili...

Arrests shows govt wont listen to other views

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Human Rights Watch says the arrest of PSM activists are absurd and calls for their immediate release. KUALA LUMPUR: The arrest of the 30 Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) members last Saturday has drawn international criticism with the Human Rights Watch (HRW) calling for their immediate release. The group was accused of waging war against the king by attempting to resutrect the long vanquished Communist Party of Malaysia (CPM) and have been remanded for seven days. Charging the political opposition with restarting a movement that died with the Cold War 20 years ago is more than a little absurd, said HRWs deputy Asia director, Phil Robertson in a statement today. These arrests show the governments fundamental disregard for the democratic process and its willingness to go to great lengths to frighten Malaysians with political bogeymen from the distant past. HRW noted that while the general elections are not slated for Malaysia until 2013, the government has tightened repression ...

Suhakam: People have right to assemble

The Star KUALA LUMPUR: The Human Rights Commision of Malaysia (Suhakam) says it is the right of the people to assemble and to express their views in a peaceful manner. Commission chairman Tan Sri Hasmy Agam said the right to do so was provided for under Article 10(1) (b) of the Federal Constitution as well as Article 20(1) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We recall the recommendations we made for the Government to respect the freedom of assembly, he said adding that the commission had also recommended to the police to use non-violent methods to control or disperse the crowd during an assembly. The Commission, he said, called on the authorities to allow the peaceful assemblies by Bersih, Umno Youth and Perkasa to allow them to exercise their rights in an orderly and responsible manner. The Commission, he said, would closely monitor the event. In a related development, Bersih 2.0 chairman Datuk S. Ambiga said the funding for the event came from public donations and member n...

Like humans, Bengal finches too communicate using grammar!

London: A new study has shown that birds too have their own set of grammatical rules, a feature previously thought to be specific to humans only. According to Kentaro Abe of Kyoto University, Japan, Bengal finches have their own versions of rules known as syntax. "Songbirds have a spontaneous ability to process syntactic structures in their songs," New Scientist quoted Abe as saying. His team played jumbled "ungrammatical" remixes of finch songs to the birds and measured the response calls, to show a sense of syntax in the animals. Abe said that only his finches have been shown to have a form of grammar in their utterances. Similar claims have been made for whale song, however. In the wild, Bengal finches call back vigorously whenever they hear unfamiliar songs, usually from intruding finches. In the lab, Abe and colleague Dai Watanabe of the Japan Scien...

Ibrahim Ali hauled up for alleged sedition

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(Malaysiakini) Police today questioned Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali for allegedly making a seditious statement in connection with the July 9 Bersih 2.0 rally on free and fair elections. Ibrahim is being investigated under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code over his speech in Kampung Baru on June 19, when he warned Chinese Malaysians to "stock up on food" because "anything could happen" during the rally. On June 22, the PKR Youth wing had lodged a police report at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters over Ibrahim's remarks, which were seen as a threat. Its deputy information chief Rozan Azen Mat Rasip said Ibrahim had committed sedition with an element of violence against the Chinese Malaysian community in a speech at an event in Kuala Lumpur on June 19. Ibrahim later said his remarks were merely ' advice ', and not a threat. 'Malay vs Malay' clash Ibrahim, who came out of the Dang Wangi police station about 2pm after being questioned for...

National laureate probed over 'seditious poem'

WIKILEAKS: Update on the F-5 engine scandal

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A chorus of commentary in online media has expressed incredulity at the Government's position that the thefts were carried out solely by two relatively low-level individuals and that higher-ups in the military and elsewhere were not involved. We share some of the incredulity expressed in the blogosphere about the Government's case and explanation of who was behind the engine thefts. In coordination with Washington, Post is continuing to push for a complete accounting of how the thefts occurred and the ultimate disposition of the engines, and to remind the GOM of the seriousness of the issue and need for remedial actions. THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 KUALA LUMPUR 000012 SIPDIS FOR EAP/MTS AND INR E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/07/2020 TAGS: PM, PGOV, MY SUBJECT: MALAYSIA: UPDATE ON F-5 ENGINE SCANDAL REF: A. 09 KL 1016 -- F-5 FOLLOW UP B. 09 KL 1013 -- MALAYSIAN F-5 ENGINES CASE Classified By: Poli...

Israel Orders Military to Stop Gaza Flotilla

Israel's security cabinet has ordered the country's military to prevent a planned flotilla from reaching the Gaza Strip but to avoid clashes with activists on board. The senior ministers on Monday also instructed Israel's foreign ministry to continue its diplomatic efforts to prevent the flotilla from setting sail to the Palestinian territory, which is under an Israeli blockade. At the same time, Israel dropped its threat to ban journalists from the country for 10 years if they were found on the flotilla. The head of the Israeli government press office had said in a letter to journalists Sunday that the flotilla is being organized by Western and Islamic extremists, and that those taking part would be in violation of Israeli law. Journalists say they should be allowed to cover a legitimate news story. Organizers of the flotilla say as many as 10 ships will carry humanitarian go...

Nan declared flood disaster zone

NAN, June 27 -- The northern province of Nan was declared a disaster zone from floods today as local residents were under pressure and stress due to the emergency. Nan Governor Seni Jitkasem announced the entire province as a disaster zone in order to provide more effective assistance to the flood victims. The water covered 15 districts, with the most serious being the provincial seat (Mueang), Phu Phiang, Tha Wang Pha, Pua, and Wiang Sa districts. The situation was critical at Mueang district as the business centre and hotels were damaged due to the rising waters. Local residents stressed by the floodwaters, threw stones or used slingshots to attack passing vehicles on the flooded roadways raised waves to further damage their homes. Police came to halt the homeowners' angry reactions. Chopaka Jitkasem, wife of the governor and president of the Nan Red Cross Society together with other local leaders and dignitaries used flatbottom boats to distribute relief packages to more than 60...

KCCA Zone-I Girls U-19 team reaches final of T-20

Karachi: KCCA Zone-I reached the final of Medicam Trophy Girls U-19, T-20 KCCA Inter Zonal Cricket Tournament after beating Zone IV by 56 runs yesterday (Sunday) at KCCA Stadium. Areeba Hasan was declared Women of the Match for an all round performance. She scored 42 runs and took 3 wickets for 17 runs. Summarized score: Zone I scored 148/3 in 20 overs (Areeba Hasan 42 runs, Rida Hussain 18 runs, Rahma Hasan runs 14), while Zone IV managed to score 92/5 in 20 overs (Sidra Kamal 21 runs n.o., Erum Kazmi 21 runs, Areeba Hasan 3/17, Ayesha Shareef 2/20).

BNP2TKI launches Halo TKI call center

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Jakarta (ANTARA News) The National Agency for Placement and Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (BNP2TKI) here Monday launched a toll-free call center Halo TKI number 0800-1000. `Halo TKI` number 0800-1000 is accessible by home phone and mobile phone, BNP2TKI Chairman Moh Jumhur Hidayat said here Monday. The call center is operational for 24 hours and is located at BNP2TKI office, MT Haryono Kav 52 Street, South Jakarta. As of July 1, 2011, the toll free call center can be accessed by those using services of all telecommunication providers. The call center also provides free services of short text messages to number 7266 for TKIs overseas as well as at home. All telephone and short text message services will be at the expense of the state budget allocated at BNP2TKI, Jumhur said. Complaints could also be sent by facsimile to number (021) 7981205, or letters mailed to Call Center BNP2TKI, Jalan MT Haryono Kav 52, Pancoran, Jakarta Selatan, or e-mail to halotki@bnp2tki.go.id. BNP2T...