“It is still too early to declare whether there is any crime or not.”
Dhana Widyatmika’s attorney denied all stories published by the media on his client. The attorney said that it is still too early to assess any criminal element in this case.
The attorney also denied Dhana’s cooperation with the companies he handled while he was working in the Directorate General of Taxes.
“It is still too early to declare whether there is any crime or not,” said Attorney Daniel Afredo while assisting Dhana in the AGO office, Friday, March 2.
Daniel said Dhana has various sources of income.
Dhana was only transferred from the Directorate General of Taxes to Jakarta Tax Office for a month. Dhana’s wife, DA, is an employee of the Directorate General of Taxes.
Daniel continued that the AGO has confiscated several of his client’s assets, including his showroom. Meanwhile, the showroom’s director has also been questioned.
When asked about the news on the six companies that Dhana watched over, Daniel could supply answer in details.
“We have no idea about it yet,” said Daniel.
Showing posts with label Information. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Information. Show all posts
Friday, March 2, 2012
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Possibility of North Korea's New Leader Looking for Advice from Megawati
If North Korea's new leader is looking for advice on how to carry on
his family's dynasty, he could turn to Rahul Gandhi, who is on a quest
to become the fourth generation of his family to rule India. Or to
Joseph Kabila, who is celebrating his questionable re-election to the
Congolese presidency he inherited from his father. Or to former
Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri, daughter of the country's
first president.
North Korea's preparations to transfer power to a third generation of the Kim family, following the recent death of Kim Jong Il, is by no means an anomaly: In both democracies and dictatorships, political dynasties abound across the world.
While former President George W. Bush — the son of a president and the grandson of a senator — was never dubbed "the Great Successor," and Pakistan's Benazir Bhutto — who followed in her assassinated father's footsteps — was never said to have been "born of heaven," just like Kim Jong Un they ended up in the family business of running a country.
While some dictators pass on power to their children as a veritable inheritance, dynasties exert a powerful pull in democracies as well. The identity of a party might be deeply linked to a family. A familiar name might give a political scion an edge on the ballot, further strengthened by the family's established political and fundraising machines.
Sometimes the heir is a puppet, a brand name needed to rally the public, while backroom power brokers pull the levers. Or a nation in mourning over the death of its leader might turn to the grieving child for comfort and continuity. Stephen Hess, a Brookings Institution scholar and author of "America's Political Dynasties," sees nothing unusual about politics becoming a family business.
"Aren't bakers more likely to be bakers if their fathers were bakers?" he said in an email.
The most successful dynasty in the world is probably India's Nehru-Gandhi family, which held the prime minister's post for 37 of the country's 64 years of independence and is working on bringing another generation to power.
In the huge, multiethnic tapestry of India, the Gandhis are seen as among the few with a nationwide appeal that cuts across language, region and caste, said historian Ramachandra Guha.
Less than two years after the death of India's first Prime Minister Jawarhalal Nehru, leaders of his Congress party turned to his daughter, Indira Gandhi, to head the country, incorrectly judging her as a weak and pliant puppet.
After her assassination in 1984, the mourning nation looked to her son Rajiv to take her place. After his 1991 assassination, his widow Sonia eventually became the most powerful politician in the ruling party even as she groomed her son, Rahul, to eventually take over.
But Guha believes dynastic politics are waning in the country, with voters more focused on development and other issues. "Rahul Gandhi has by no means shown anything like the popular appeal that his father or grandmother or great grandfather had," he said.
Then there's the Philippines, where President Benigno Aquino, son of former President Corazon Aquino, took over last year from Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, daughter of former President Diosdado Macapagal.
Unlike in many countries, where voters might feel a loyalty to a political party, in the Philippines, they identify with a family that has traditionally looked out for their welfare, said political analyst Ramon Casiple. The dynastic system is so entrenched it survived and thrived during centuries of Spanish and American rule and even the transition to democracy, he said.
When party leaders die in the Philippines, their children nearly always replace them. If the party chooses someone else, the spurned heir often forms a new party, leaving the old one to wither, Casiple said.
"The party is not that strong. It doesn't have an independent life. They depend on the good will of the family on top of it," he said.
The passing of power is a delicate maneuver in authoritarian regimes. While Fidel Castro managed the transition to his brother, Raul, in Cuba, dynastic politics were strongly rejected in the Arab world this year.
Hosni Mubarak's efforts to pass on the Egyptian presidency to his son Gamal were among the main causes behind the wave of street protests that toppled his 29-year authoritarian regime. Before he was overthrown and killed, longtime Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi appeared to be grooming his son Seif al-Islam Gadhafi to take over.
And Syrian President Bashar Assad, who inherited his office upon his father's death in 2000, has been fighting off a rebellion with a crackdown that has killed more than 5,000 people this year, according to U.N. figures.
Perhaps Pakistan might be Kim Jong Un's best bet for finding out how to cope with the surreal experience of being thrust, with little political background, into a leadership role in a mourning nation.
Just three days after the 2007 assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto — herself the daughter of slain Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto — her 19-year-old son Bilawal Zardari was declared the new chairman of her party.
Looking deeply uncomfortable in front of more than a dozen microphones on national television, he answered a single question, saying he would continue his studies at Oxford and talking of political leadership as something that can be willed from generation to generation. "When I return, I promise to lead the party as my mother wanted me to," he said.
Within days, Bilawal Zardari began calling himself Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and over the past four years has become increasingly known simply as Bilawal Bhutto.
North Korea's preparations to transfer power to a third generation of the Kim family, following the recent death of Kim Jong Il, is by no means an anomaly: In both democracies and dictatorships, political dynasties abound across the world.
While former President George W. Bush — the son of a president and the grandson of a senator — was never dubbed "the Great Successor," and Pakistan's Benazir Bhutto — who followed in her assassinated father's footsteps — was never said to have been "born of heaven," just like Kim Jong Un they ended up in the family business of running a country.
While some dictators pass on power to their children as a veritable inheritance, dynasties exert a powerful pull in democracies as well. The identity of a party might be deeply linked to a family. A familiar name might give a political scion an edge on the ballot, further strengthened by the family's established political and fundraising machines.
Sometimes the heir is a puppet, a brand name needed to rally the public, while backroom power brokers pull the levers. Or a nation in mourning over the death of its leader might turn to the grieving child for comfort and continuity. Stephen Hess, a Brookings Institution scholar and author of "America's Political Dynasties," sees nothing unusual about politics becoming a family business.
"Aren't bakers more likely to be bakers if their fathers were bakers?" he said in an email.
The most successful dynasty in the world is probably India's Nehru-Gandhi family, which held the prime minister's post for 37 of the country's 64 years of independence and is working on bringing another generation to power.
In the huge, multiethnic tapestry of India, the Gandhis are seen as among the few with a nationwide appeal that cuts across language, region and caste, said historian Ramachandra Guha.
Less than two years after the death of India's first Prime Minister Jawarhalal Nehru, leaders of his Congress party turned to his daughter, Indira Gandhi, to head the country, incorrectly judging her as a weak and pliant puppet.
After her assassination in 1984, the mourning nation looked to her son Rajiv to take her place. After his 1991 assassination, his widow Sonia eventually became the most powerful politician in the ruling party even as she groomed her son, Rahul, to eventually take over.
But Guha believes dynastic politics are waning in the country, with voters more focused on development and other issues. "Rahul Gandhi has by no means shown anything like the popular appeal that his father or grandmother or great grandfather had," he said.
Then there's the Philippines, where President Benigno Aquino, son of former President Corazon Aquino, took over last year from Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, daughter of former President Diosdado Macapagal.
Unlike in many countries, where voters might feel a loyalty to a political party, in the Philippines, they identify with a family that has traditionally looked out for their welfare, said political analyst Ramon Casiple. The dynastic system is so entrenched it survived and thrived during centuries of Spanish and American rule and even the transition to democracy, he said.
When party leaders die in the Philippines, their children nearly always replace them. If the party chooses someone else, the spurned heir often forms a new party, leaving the old one to wither, Casiple said.
"The party is not that strong. It doesn't have an independent life. They depend on the good will of the family on top of it," he said.
The passing of power is a delicate maneuver in authoritarian regimes. While Fidel Castro managed the transition to his brother, Raul, in Cuba, dynastic politics were strongly rejected in the Arab world this year.
Hosni Mubarak's efforts to pass on the Egyptian presidency to his son Gamal were among the main causes behind the wave of street protests that toppled his 29-year authoritarian regime. Before he was overthrown and killed, longtime Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi appeared to be grooming his son Seif al-Islam Gadhafi to take over.
And Syrian President Bashar Assad, who inherited his office upon his father's death in 2000, has been fighting off a rebellion with a crackdown that has killed more than 5,000 people this year, according to U.N. figures.
Perhaps Pakistan might be Kim Jong Un's best bet for finding out how to cope with the surreal experience of being thrust, with little political background, into a leadership role in a mourning nation.
Just three days after the 2007 assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto — herself the daughter of slain Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto — her 19-year-old son Bilawal Zardari was declared the new chairman of her party.
Looking deeply uncomfortable in front of more than a dozen microphones on national television, he answered a single question, saying he would continue his studies at Oxford and talking of political leadership as something that can be willed from generation to generation. "When I return, I promise to lead the party as my mother wanted me to," he said.
Within days, Bilawal Zardari began calling himself Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and over the past four years has become increasingly known simply as Bilawal Bhutto.
But
when his party won elections in 2008, there was no talk of handing
authority over a nuclear nation rife with political intrigue and wracked
by tensions with a powerful neighbor to someone whose only
qualification was his bloodline. Instead, his father was named
president.
Friday, December 23, 2011
Dutch Historian Seeking Answer to Tan Malaka Grave Mystery
A Dutch historian and researcher is waiting for the result of a DNA test on the remains of a man buried on a hill in Selopanggung village in Kediri district, East Java, to ascertain whether they really belonged to Tan Malaka, a legendary figure in Indonesia’s struggle for independence.
Although officially listed as a national hero, the location of Tan Malaka’s grave has remained a mystery and Harry A Poeze, a Dutch academic who has been studying the Indonesian revolutionary’s role in the country’s pre-independence history, is hoping the DNA test being conducted in a laboratory in Korea will finally solve the riddle.
The DNA test result would be available in January 2012, Poeze told reporters in Jember on Thursday after giving a general lecture titled "Tan Malaka, a Case Study" at Jember University’s Faculty of Letters.
"The DNA test outcome will hopefully answer the decades-old question of where Tan Malaka was buried after his execution and thereby provide further proof of my research findings."
Poeze, who is director of the Royal Dutch Institute for Caribbean and Southeast Asian Studies, had spent 20 years searching for Tan Malaka’s grave and finally come to a spot on a hill in Selopanggung village, Semen subdistrict, Kediri district, East Java, strongly believed to be the grave of the author of the epic literary work titled Madilog (Materialism, Dialectics, Logic).
"According to Zulfikar Kamarudin, one of Tan Malaka’s relatives, the result of the second DNA test at the laboratory in Korea will be announced next January and I am looking forward to it." He said the DNA test result could be either negative,positive or inconclusive.
In case it was negative or inconclusive, he would have to continue his search, he said. But if the DNA test reslt was positive, the Indonesian government would have to decide whether the remains on the hill in Selopanggung village would be moved to the Kalibata Heroes’ Cemetery in Jakarta or a monument be built at Selopanggung, Poeze said.
He said an Indonesian team had previously examined the remains at Selopanggung and in a report issued in March 2010 described them as those of a male of the Minang Mongoloid tribe who was 160-155 cm tall and was buried according to the Islamic faith.
An interesting thing the team had found, he said, was that the man’s two arms were in cross-wise position behind his back, an indication he was shot to death as a prisoner. This jibed with one of the conlusions of his research, Poeze said.
The Dutch academic is also the writer of a book titled "Tan Malaka, the Leftist Movement and Indonesian Revolution."
Although officially listed as a national hero, the location of Tan Malaka’s grave has remained a mystery and Harry A Poeze, a Dutch academic who has been studying the Indonesian revolutionary’s role in the country’s pre-independence history, is hoping the DNA test being conducted in a laboratory in Korea will finally solve the riddle.
The DNA test result would be available in January 2012, Poeze told reporters in Jember on Thursday after giving a general lecture titled "Tan Malaka, a Case Study" at Jember University’s Faculty of Letters.
"The DNA test outcome will hopefully answer the decades-old question of where Tan Malaka was buried after his execution and thereby provide further proof of my research findings."
Poeze, who is director of the Royal Dutch Institute for Caribbean and Southeast Asian Studies, had spent 20 years searching for Tan Malaka’s grave and finally come to a spot on a hill in Selopanggung village, Semen subdistrict, Kediri district, East Java, strongly believed to be the grave of the author of the epic literary work titled Madilog (Materialism, Dialectics, Logic).
"According to Zulfikar Kamarudin, one of Tan Malaka’s relatives, the result of the second DNA test at the laboratory in Korea will be announced next January and I am looking forward to it." He said the DNA test result could be either negative,positive or inconclusive.
In case it was negative or inconclusive, he would have to continue his search, he said. But if the DNA test reslt was positive, the Indonesian government would have to decide whether the remains on the hill in Selopanggung village would be moved to the Kalibata Heroes’ Cemetery in Jakarta or a monument be built at Selopanggung, Poeze said.
He said an Indonesian team had previously examined the remains at Selopanggung and in a report issued in March 2010 described them as those of a male of the Minang Mongoloid tribe who was 160-155 cm tall and was buried according to the Islamic faith.
An interesting thing the team had found, he said, was that the man’s two arms were in cross-wise position behind his back, an indication he was shot to death as a prisoner. This jibed with one of the conlusions of his research, Poeze said.
The Dutch academic is also the writer of a book titled "Tan Malaka, the Leftist Movement and Indonesian Revolution."
Toyota's Plan to Build A New Factory in Indonesia
Japan’s biggest carmaker Toyota said Thursday it would aim to boost global sales by a fifth next year, seeking growth in emerging markets to counter sluggish demand in the crisis-hit developed world.
A dismal 2011, which saw sales shrink six percent, means the Japanese giant is unlikely to retain its spot as global top dog and will be overtaken by General Motors and Volkswagen. The forecasts come weeks after Toyota more than halved its full-year net profit outlook as it grapples with a strong yen, the impact of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, and flooding in Thailand which hit supply chains.
But the company is hoping for a bumper 2012 both at home and abroad, setting ambitious sales and production targets. The automaker expects to sell 8.48 million Toyota and Lexus units worldwide in 2012, up from 7.05 million in 2011, and plans to boost their global production by almost a quarter to a record 8.65 million vehicles, rising to 8.98 million in 2013.
A turbulent 2011, when the global economic slowdown also hit the firm, is expected to show group domestic sales — including subsidiaries Daihatsu and Hino — slumped 19 percent, with a 24 percent fall in Toyota brand sales. Worldwide group sales are expected to show a six percent fall for the year, the company said, down to 7.9 million units.
Toyota spokeswoman Amiko Tomita admitted the 2012 global production target was an ambitious one, and would beat its current record of 8.53 million units for the Toyota brand, which includes Lexus, set in 2007 before the onset of the financial crisis. The 2012 global sales target of 8.48 million would also be a new record, beating the current largest sales of 8.43 million in 2007, she said.
“But what we are envisioning behind these figures is different from the time of 2007,” Tomita said. “We will have more focus on emerging markets.” “We have a global vision to build more balanced business operations in different regions, compared with 2007 when the company focused more on Japan, North America and Europe.”
Toyota said it wanted to further boost its sales in 2013, with a target of 8.95 million units in the year. The car giant has been at the top of the global automakers’ tree by sales for three years after overtaking GM, but looks set to be knocked off its perch.
GM sold 6.79 million vehicles in the first nine months of the year, up 9.2 percent on the year earlier and on target for more than nine million for the full year if it can maintain the pace, Dow Jones Newswires reported. Volkswagen saw its sales jump 14 percent to 7.51 million for the first 11 months of the year and is eyeing a year-end figure in excess of eight million units.
Toyota’s 2011 production was hampered when supply chains were shattered in the wake of the huge tsunami that swamped northeast Japan, while massive flooding in Thailand added to the production gloom. Earlier this month the firm cut its profit outlook to 180 billion yen ($2.3 billion), 54 percent down from its August estimate after the Thai floods forced plant closures and caused supply-chain problems.
It also said that the strong yen, which is sitting near post-war record highs against the dollar, had hit it hard as repatriated earnings were severely reduced. Toyota is seen as particularly sensitive to fluctuations in the yen.
A mood of austerity among Japanese consumers affected appetite for all manner of consumer goods during the year. In March, just days before the natural disaster struck and claimed 20,000 lives, Toyota unveiled its “Global Vision” business plans, aiming to make half its global sales in emerging markets by 2015.
It is looking to increase production abroad to be closer to demand, reduce logistics costs and limit exposure to the Japanese yen. Toyota has strengthened annual production capacity in Argentina by more than 40 percent to 92,000 units, most of which are exported to Brazil and nine other Latin American countries.
It has also announced plans to build a new factory in Indonesia, where it wants to boost annual production to 180,000 units by 2013, and in India a subsidiary based on the outskirts of Bangalore plans to almost double annual production to 310,000 in 2013.
A dismal 2011, which saw sales shrink six percent, means the Japanese giant is unlikely to retain its spot as global top dog and will be overtaken by General Motors and Volkswagen. The forecasts come weeks after Toyota more than halved its full-year net profit outlook as it grapples with a strong yen, the impact of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, and flooding in Thailand which hit supply chains.
But the company is hoping for a bumper 2012 both at home and abroad, setting ambitious sales and production targets. The automaker expects to sell 8.48 million Toyota and Lexus units worldwide in 2012, up from 7.05 million in 2011, and plans to boost their global production by almost a quarter to a record 8.65 million vehicles, rising to 8.98 million in 2013.
A turbulent 2011, when the global economic slowdown also hit the firm, is expected to show group domestic sales — including subsidiaries Daihatsu and Hino — slumped 19 percent, with a 24 percent fall in Toyota brand sales. Worldwide group sales are expected to show a six percent fall for the year, the company said, down to 7.9 million units.
Toyota spokeswoman Amiko Tomita admitted the 2012 global production target was an ambitious one, and would beat its current record of 8.53 million units for the Toyota brand, which includes Lexus, set in 2007 before the onset of the financial crisis. The 2012 global sales target of 8.48 million would also be a new record, beating the current largest sales of 8.43 million in 2007, she said.
“But what we are envisioning behind these figures is different from the time of 2007,” Tomita said. “We will have more focus on emerging markets.” “We have a global vision to build more balanced business operations in different regions, compared with 2007 when the company focused more on Japan, North America and Europe.”
Toyota said it wanted to further boost its sales in 2013, with a target of 8.95 million units in the year. The car giant has been at the top of the global automakers’ tree by sales for three years after overtaking GM, but looks set to be knocked off its perch.
GM sold 6.79 million vehicles in the first nine months of the year, up 9.2 percent on the year earlier and on target for more than nine million for the full year if it can maintain the pace, Dow Jones Newswires reported. Volkswagen saw its sales jump 14 percent to 7.51 million for the first 11 months of the year and is eyeing a year-end figure in excess of eight million units.
Toyota’s 2011 production was hampered when supply chains were shattered in the wake of the huge tsunami that swamped northeast Japan, while massive flooding in Thailand added to the production gloom. Earlier this month the firm cut its profit outlook to 180 billion yen ($2.3 billion), 54 percent down from its August estimate after the Thai floods forced plant closures and caused supply-chain problems.
It also said that the strong yen, which is sitting near post-war record highs against the dollar, had hit it hard as repatriated earnings were severely reduced. Toyota is seen as particularly sensitive to fluctuations in the yen.
A mood of austerity among Japanese consumers affected appetite for all manner of consumer goods during the year. In March, just days before the natural disaster struck and claimed 20,000 lives, Toyota unveiled its “Global Vision” business plans, aiming to make half its global sales in emerging markets by 2015.
It is looking to increase production abroad to be closer to demand, reduce logistics costs and limit exposure to the Japanese yen. Toyota has strengthened annual production capacity in Argentina by more than 40 percent to 92,000 units, most of which are exported to Brazil and nine other Latin American countries.
It has also announced plans to build a new factory in Indonesia, where it wants to boost annual production to 180,000 units by 2013, and in India a subsidiary based on the outskirts of Bangalore plans to almost double annual production to 310,000 in 2013.
Korean-made Submarine to be Built on Indonesian Soil
South Korea clinched a $1.1 billion deal to supply three submarines to Indonesia, beating tenders from France, Germany and Russia, because its offer included technology transfer, authorities said Thursday.
“South Korea has advanced technology and they are open to a technology transfer, while the other countries in the tender were only focused on selling the submarines,” defence ministry spokesman Hartind Asrin told AFP.
South Korea won the tender Tuesday over France, Germany and Russia, according to the ministry, in its largest-ever weapons export deal. It will allow Indonesian company Penataran Angkatan Laut (PAL) to observe how the vessels are built and to assemble the third in Indonesia.
“Under the contract, two submarines will be built in South Korea and the third one will be built at PAL’s facilities in Surabaya in East Java,” Asrin said.
It is the second major defence deal between the two countries. In May, the state-run Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) agreed to export 16 supersonic T-50 Golden Eagle trainer jets worth $400 million to Jakarta.
The 1,400-tonne submarines will have a capacity of 40 personnel and come equipped with eight weapons tubes for torpedoes and guided missiles. Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering will build the vessels, with the first expected to arrive in 2015 and the last built by 2018.
Daewoo has the second-biggest shipyard in the world after South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries. The deal brings the volume of South Korea’s defence exports this year to an all-time record $2.4 billion, more than double the amount from a year ago, South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration said.
The two nations agreed to boost defence industry trade at a bilateral meeting last month, despite a hiccup in bilateral weapons trade earlier this year. South Korea’s spy agency came in for criticism in February following reports that its agents tried to steal commercial secrets from the hotel room of a visiting Indonesian trade delegation.
Newspapers said three agents from the National Intelligence Service entered the room on February 16 in an attempt to steal information on possible Indonesian arms purchases, but were caught by a delegate as they copied files from a laptop computer.
“South Korea has advanced technology and they are open to a technology transfer, while the other countries in the tender were only focused on selling the submarines,” defence ministry spokesman Hartind Asrin told AFP.
South Korea won the tender Tuesday over France, Germany and Russia, according to the ministry, in its largest-ever weapons export deal. It will allow Indonesian company Penataran Angkatan Laut (PAL) to observe how the vessels are built and to assemble the third in Indonesia.
“Under the contract, two submarines will be built in South Korea and the third one will be built at PAL’s facilities in Surabaya in East Java,” Asrin said.
It is the second major defence deal between the two countries. In May, the state-run Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) agreed to export 16 supersonic T-50 Golden Eagle trainer jets worth $400 million to Jakarta.
The 1,400-tonne submarines will have a capacity of 40 personnel and come equipped with eight weapons tubes for torpedoes and guided missiles. Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering will build the vessels, with the first expected to arrive in 2015 and the last built by 2018.
Daewoo has the second-biggest shipyard in the world after South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries. The deal brings the volume of South Korea’s defence exports this year to an all-time record $2.4 billion, more than double the amount from a year ago, South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration said.
The two nations agreed to boost defence industry trade at a bilateral meeting last month, despite a hiccup in bilateral weapons trade earlier this year. South Korea’s spy agency came in for criticism in February following reports that its agents tried to steal commercial secrets from the hotel room of a visiting Indonesian trade delegation.
Newspapers said three agents from the National Intelligence Service entered the room on February 16 in an attempt to steal information on possible Indonesian arms purchases, but were caught by a delegate as they copied files from a laptop computer.
Indonesian Organizations Invited to Help Improve World Literacy
"All Children Reading: A Grand Challenge for Development" invites businesses, social enterprises, entrepreneurs, non-profit organizations and academic institutions in Indonesia to take part in a global competition to improve world literacy through innovative ideas.
The $20 million program aims to support sustainable and cost-effective innovations that will improve children’s literacy in low-income countries, the Australian Embassy here said in its official website on Wednesday.
The US Agency for International Development (USAID), Australia Agency for International Development (AusAID) in partnership with World Vision, and the US Department of Education launched this initiative on November 18, 2011 in Washington, DC.
While national literacy rates are high in Indonesia, there are pockets of disparity. The Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS-RI) 2010 Report places country-wide literacy rates around 93%, but there is substantial variation among provinces, including only 69% literacy in Papua and 88% in South Sulawesi, for example.
Such communities could benefit greatly from the innovative ideas and approaches that are just waiting to be developed. Therefore, these four partners strongly encourage Indonesian organizations to submit proposals. USAID Mission Director Glenn Anders commented, "As part of the US - Indonesia Comprehensive Partnership, we are helping Indonesia improve reading, math and science skills which will lead to better futures for millions of children."
"Indonesia has a strong record on achieving literacy. This is an opportunity to share successes with other countries and trial innovative new approaches," said Jacqui De Lacy, AusAID Senior Representative in Indonesia. "Australia is pleased to be part of an innovative global effort to help children worldwide read and write."
"Our goal is to help children, especially girls, gain access to excellent early childhood and primary education by strengthening community involvement and fostering an effective environment for learning," said Kent Hill, Senior Vice President of International Programs at World Vision.
He said they were hopeful that All Children Reading would not only improve reading instruction, but would instill a passion for reading and a lifelong desire for learning among millions of children in developing nations.
The competition encourages organizations from around the world to submit their ideas on innovations in teaching and learning materials, and better education data to improve decision-making, transparency and accountability.
If Indonesian applicants are successful, pilot programs may be implemented in Indonesia or in other developing countries. The submission period will close on January 31, 2012 at 2 p.m. Eastern Standard time in the US interested applicants can visit www.allchildrenreading.org for additional information.
The $20 million program aims to support sustainable and cost-effective innovations that will improve children’s literacy in low-income countries, the Australian Embassy here said in its official website on Wednesday.
The US Agency for International Development (USAID), Australia Agency for International Development (AusAID) in partnership with World Vision, and the US Department of Education launched this initiative on November 18, 2011 in Washington, DC.
While national literacy rates are high in Indonesia, there are pockets of disparity. The Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS-RI) 2010 Report places country-wide literacy rates around 93%, but there is substantial variation among provinces, including only 69% literacy in Papua and 88% in South Sulawesi, for example.
Such communities could benefit greatly from the innovative ideas and approaches that are just waiting to be developed. Therefore, these four partners strongly encourage Indonesian organizations to submit proposals. USAID Mission Director Glenn Anders commented, "As part of the US - Indonesia Comprehensive Partnership, we are helping Indonesia improve reading, math and science skills which will lead to better futures for millions of children."
"Indonesia has a strong record on achieving literacy. This is an opportunity to share successes with other countries and trial innovative new approaches," said Jacqui De Lacy, AusAID Senior Representative in Indonesia. "Australia is pleased to be part of an innovative global effort to help children worldwide read and write."
"Our goal is to help children, especially girls, gain access to excellent early childhood and primary education by strengthening community involvement and fostering an effective environment for learning," said Kent Hill, Senior Vice President of International Programs at World Vision.
He said they were hopeful that All Children Reading would not only improve reading instruction, but would instill a passion for reading and a lifelong desire for learning among millions of children in developing nations.
The competition encourages organizations from around the world to submit their ideas on innovations in teaching and learning materials, and better education data to improve decision-making, transparency and accountability.
If Indonesian applicants are successful, pilot programs may be implemented in Indonesia or in other developing countries. The submission period will close on January 31, 2012 at 2 p.m. Eastern Standard time in the US interested applicants can visit www.allchildrenreading.org for additional information.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
World Population Will Reach 7 Billion This Year
The world population will reach seven billion later this year, with increases in the number of people in Africa off-setting birth rate drops elsewhere, according to a new French study published Thursday.
Looking much further ahead, the National Institute for Demographic Studies (INED) predicts a continuing rise in the overall population figures until the total stabilises somewhere between 9-10 billion worldwide by the end of the century.
From six billion people, the figure estimated in 1999, the gap between the global birth and death rates has swiftly brought the total figure towards the next billion in just 12 years. INED expects it to take a further 14 years to reach eight billion people before the figures start stabilising, according to the study which pulls together research carried out by the United Nations, the World Bank and several major national institutes.
In historical terms the growth in the global population has been soaring since the 19th century. “It has increased seven-fold over the last two hundred years, topping seven billion in 2011, and is expected to reach nine or 10 billion by the end of the 21st century,” the report said.
Just seven countries now account for half the world’s population, and therefore their demographic shifts have a major effect. China tops the list with over 1.33 billion people, with another 1.17 billion in India.
The other five countries, in order, are the United States, Indonesia, Brazil, Pakistan and Nigeria. INED estimates that between now and 2050 India will become the most populous nation, with Beijing’s one-child policy moderating the Chinese numbers.
While the overall numbers continue to grow, the rate of increase is already dropping, according to INED, standing at 1.1 percent this year from two percent 50 years ago.
This is due to the total fertility rate per women dropping to 2.5 children, half of the figure recorded in 1950. However regional differences are great, with an average of 4.7 children per woman in Africa compared with just 1.6 in Europe.
Looking much further ahead, the National Institute for Demographic Studies (INED) predicts a continuing rise in the overall population figures until the total stabilises somewhere between 9-10 billion worldwide by the end of the century.
From six billion people, the figure estimated in 1999, the gap between the global birth and death rates has swiftly brought the total figure towards the next billion in just 12 years. INED expects it to take a further 14 years to reach eight billion people before the figures start stabilising, according to the study which pulls together research carried out by the United Nations, the World Bank and several major national institutes.
In historical terms the growth in the global population has been soaring since the 19th century. “It has increased seven-fold over the last two hundred years, topping seven billion in 2011, and is expected to reach nine or 10 billion by the end of the 21st century,” the report said.
Just seven countries now account for half the world’s population, and therefore their demographic shifts have a major effect. China tops the list with over 1.33 billion people, with another 1.17 billion in India.
The other five countries, in order, are the United States, Indonesia, Brazil, Pakistan and Nigeria. INED estimates that between now and 2050 India will become the most populous nation, with Beijing’s one-child policy moderating the Chinese numbers.
While the overall numbers continue to grow, the rate of increase is already dropping, according to INED, standing at 1.1 percent this year from two percent 50 years ago.
This is due to the total fertility rate per women dropping to 2.5 children, half of the figure recorded in 1950. However regional differences are great, with an average of 4.7 children per woman in Africa compared with just 1.6 in Europe.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Indosat Posts Net Profit of Rp681.9 Billion
PT Indosat posted a net profit of Rp681.9 billion in the first semester of 2011, up 137.5 percent from Rp287.1 billion in 2010, its president director said.
"The increase in the net profit was generated by the increase in the number of the company’s cellular customers from 37.8 million in the first semester of 2010 to 47.3 million in the first semester of 2011," PT Indosat President Director Harry Sasongko, said here on Monday.
Harry said that up to June 2011, the company booked an income of Rp10.05 trillion, up 4 percent compared with the figure in the corresponding period a year earlier which was Rp9.661 trillion. He said that by taking into account the voluntary separation scheme (VSS) burden in the first semester, the income before depreciation tax interest and amortization (Ebitda) reached Rp4.499 trillion, down 2.1 percent from the previous Rp4.59 trillion.
Thus, the firm posted an Ebitda margin amounting to 44.8 percent, down from 2.8 points from the previous 47.6 percent. The corporate business burden in the June 2011 period jumped up from Rp8.061 trillion to Rp8.713 trillion, so was the case of the business profit which was down 16.5 percent from Rp1.6 trillion to Rp1.337 trillion.
Harry said that of the total corporate income of Rp10.45 trillion, about Rp8.227 trillion came from the cellular business and Rp1.8 trillion from non-cellular phone services.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Umar Patek's Information on Attacks in Indonesia
A top anti-terrorism official says the main suspect in the 2002 Bali bombings is providing investigators with information about other attacks in Indonesia.
Chairul Akbar said Friday that Umar Patek admitted to building bombs for the suicide attacks on two packed Bali nightclubs that killed 202 people, most of them foreign tourists. He also said he made explosives used by Islamist militants in the 2000 Christmas Eve bombings that killed 19 and several other attacks.
Patek was captured Jan. 25 in the Pakistani town of Abbottabad, where Osama bin Laden was killed in a highly secretive U.S. commando attack four months later.
He's been speaking to investigators, however, and officials say he could be deported back to Indonesia soon to stand trial.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Nudity Disappears from German Beaches, Parks
Mostly clothed people relax in Munichs English Garten park. The naked sunbathers who once crowded Germanys Baltic beaches and city parks are becoming an endangered species.
If you're visiting a public park or beach in Germany expecting to see plenty of exposed flesh, you may be in for a surprise.
The naked sunbathers who once crowded Germany's Baltic beaches and city parks are becoming an endangered species due to shifting demographics, the fall of the Berlin Wall, growing prosperity and widening girths.
Much to the chagrin of Free Body Culture (FKK) enthusiasts who have been stripping off their clothing on beaches and parks since the early 1900s, a cold wind has been blowing across Germany for nudists and their numbers are steadily dwindling.
"German society is changing and it's not easy to be a naturist anymore," said Kurt Fischer, president of the German FKK association (DFK). There are some 500,000 registered nudists and a total of seven million Germans sunbathe naked regularly.
"But the numbers are unfortunately falling by about two percent each year," Fischer told a group of reporters in the Foreign Press Association (VAP) while sitting, fully clothed, at a beach bar in Berlin's government quarter. "Times are tough."
The main problem is the shrinking population, Fischer said.
The number of Germans fell by more than 3.2 million over the last three decades even though the country's total population has managed to remain more or less steady at about 82 million thanks to immigration -- often from countries in Eastern Europe and the Balkans as well as Turkey and Arabic countries.
"Our problems are demographic changes and the fact that immigrants aren't interested in social nudity," said Fischer, 70, whose association has such honoured standing in Germany that it is even part of the Olympic Sport Federation (DOSB).
"Germany is relying more and more on immigrants to keep the population steady. But many come from countries with strong religious beliefs. They just aren't into FKK."
Immigrants who arrive from cultures where headscarves are common will not usually be interested in becoming naturists in Germany, he said. Virtues of social nudity
With one of the lowest birth rates in the world, Germany's native population is projected to fall from about 75 million to 50 million by 2050, population researchers say.
The dwindling number of Germans has caused myriad problems -- affecting everything from beer and schnitzel sales to the numbers of schoolchildren. The country's proud nudity traditions are not immune. Fischer said the trend is inexorable.
"It's better that we shrink in a controlled fashion and keep a diverse age-group structure with all age-groups than to try to stay bloated with mostly seniors and few young people," he said.
Fischer added they were using "special trial offers", direct recruitment and other gimmicks to attract young people.
Nude sunbathing has a long tradition in Germany. The Free Body Culture (FKK) movement was founded in the early 20th century and succeeded in taking much of the smut and embarrassment out of nudity.
Even Germany's top model Heidi Klum was quoted in the German media recently extolling the virtues of topless sunbathing and describing difficulties she has pursuing it in places such as the United States and Italy where it's frowned upon or illegal.
"I love to get a sun tan and I don't like white stripes," said Klum. "I don't worry about what other people think." Her parents often ran around in the nude and still do, she said.
In Germany, public nudity on beaches and lakes is by and large tolerated and practitioners face no legal consequences, although some courts have fined some caught hiking nude on public trails or riding bikes or horses while naked.
For decades nudity was a popular way for those living in Communist East Germany to express themselves -- and was a small piece of freedom for those behind the Iron Curtain. East German beaches on the Baltic were always filled with nude bathers.
But that began to gradually fall out of fashion in many areas in the east after the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, and then tensions sometimes flared when some western German tourists unaccustomed to the widespread nudity complained.
"When we moved from western Germany to a town in the east, we noticed there was less of a taboo about nudity," said one American surprised by the ubiquitous nudity in the east. "It really struck me at a nearby lake when people were just naked in the water or getting a tan in the sun and nobody was bothered."
That, however, has also begun to change. "We've got a lot chubbier"
Increasing wealth and fashion-consciousness in Germany and especially the east has hurt the movement as well. "We're all equal in the nude," said Fischer, a westerner who admitted it felt like "torture" for him to sit in his clothes on a bright sunny summer afternoon while talking to journalists.
"When people are naked you can't tell the difference between the man with the doctorate and the man who collects trash. There used to be more of an egalitarian attitude. People now want to distinguish themselves and one way to show off is with fancy swimsuits. It's not easy for the nudist in a society like this."
There are other reasons contributing to decline of the unique German cultural tradition. As a 70-year-old eastern woman named Brigitte pointed out, growing prosperity has led to growing waist sizes.
"In East Germany, there were a lot more people with attractive physiques," said Brigitte, a retired dental assistant and avid naturist who asked that her full name not be used.
"But with the rise in prosperity a lot of people have come apart at the seams and they can't show their bodies in public anymore. We've become a lot chubbier with all this prosperity. It's not really very aesthetic anymore."
Brigitte said she misses the East German era when entire beaches and camping areas were packed with nudists even though parts of West Germany, such as Munich's English Garten park and West Berlin's Tiergarten, have proud FKK traditions.
"I miss those places more and more," she said, admitting that she often feels inhibited about being nude and now wraps a towel around herself until she gets to the water. "You definitely see fewer people in then nude. But I don't think the movement will die out. It's too much fun."
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Indonesian Climbers to Conquer Seventh Summit in 7th Month
After conquering six of the world’s highest mountain peaks, Indonesian mountain climbers grouped in the Seven Summits Expedition Mahitala Unpar, Bandung, left for Alaska, the United States on Saturday, to scale Mount Denali.
The climbers team consisting of Sofyan Arief Fasa, Janathan Ginting, Xaverius Frans and Broery Andrew left for Alaska from Soekarno-Hatta international airport in Tangerang, Banten province, at 02.00 pm western Indonesia standard time (wib) by China Airlines. The climbers grouped in the Seven Summits Expedition Mahitala Unpar (Bandung-based Parahiyangan University) or in short called ISSEMU on May 20, 2011 reached Mount Everest`s peak (8.848 masl) in the Himalayas, coinciding with the 103rd National Awakening Day.
Before reaching the Himalayas, they successfully reached Carstensz Pyramid (4,884 masl) on February 26, 2009 in Indonesia (Australasia), the Kilimanjaro (5,895 meters masl) via Machame on August 10, 2010 in Kenya (Africa), the Elbrus Peak (5,642 masl) in Russia (Europe) on August 24, 2010, Vinson Massive (4,897 masl) in Antarctica on December 13, 2010 and Aconcagua (6,962 masl) in Argentina (South America) on 9 to 29 January 2011.
According to the climbers spokesperson Widyastuti in Jakarta on Saturday (June 18, 2011) the team will conduct acclimatize before scaling the mountain in the North America. The team actually had just arrived in Indonesia on June 2 after completing their expedition to climb to Mount Everest`s peak.
When they arrived home, they were enthusiastically welcomed by their parents, climbers, relatives, students and lecturers of the university. Widyastuti said further that the success of the ISSEMU team was also thanks to the prayers and support of the Indonesian people.
The struggle of the ISSEMU team was started early in April 2011, and the main climbing effort was made on May 12, and the peak of Everest was reached on May 20, 2011 after going through many obstacles posed by bad weather conditions. The Indonesian Red-and-White flag was raised for the first time on six of the highest peaks of the world.
"One peak yet to be reached is Mt Denali’s in Alaska which we hope to accomplish next July," Widyastuti said.
In the meantime, Unpar rector Cicilia Laow wished that the four climbers become the first Indonesian team to hoist the country’s Red-and-White flag on the world’s seven highest mountain peaks. The university has since the beginning fully supported the activities undertaken by Mahitala, in addition to the full support from alumni of one of the leading universities in Bandung.
The university also expected all students involved in the team’s seventh expedition to fully concentrate on the climb. Cicilia Laow expressed hope that after the completion of the climb, all the four climbers should return to their campus. "No more dispensation," she said.
With high spirit and support from all parties such as from the campus, alumni as well as from the sponsor PT Mud King Asia Pacific Raya, the rector hoped the support can accelerate in the realization to be "The Seven Summiters".
Mahitala Unpar is a group of nature loving students set up on April 8, 1974. To date, it has a membership of around 700 people.
Meanwhile, Youth and Sports Minister Andi Mallarangeng when seeing off the team said that he was proud of the achievements of the Indonesian youths. The four Indonesian climbers who are now striving to set foot on the last mountain summit hopefully can reach the seventh mountain peak on the seventh of the month of this year or in line with their expedition planning from June 18 through July 26, 2011.
If the climb is successful then the four climbers deserve the title of "The Seven Summiters".
The climbers team consisting of Sofyan Arief Fasa, Janathan Ginting, Xaverius Frans and Broery Andrew left for Alaska from Soekarno-Hatta international airport in Tangerang, Banten province, at 02.00 pm western Indonesia standard time (wib) by China Airlines. The climbers grouped in the Seven Summits Expedition Mahitala Unpar (Bandung-based Parahiyangan University) or in short called ISSEMU on May 20, 2011 reached Mount Everest`s peak (8.848 masl) in the Himalayas, coinciding with the 103rd National Awakening Day.
Before reaching the Himalayas, they successfully reached Carstensz Pyramid (4,884 masl) on February 26, 2009 in Indonesia (Australasia), the Kilimanjaro (5,895 meters masl) via Machame on August 10, 2010 in Kenya (Africa), the Elbrus Peak (5,642 masl) in Russia (Europe) on August 24, 2010, Vinson Massive (4,897 masl) in Antarctica on December 13, 2010 and Aconcagua (6,962 masl) in Argentina (South America) on 9 to 29 January 2011.
According to the climbers spokesperson Widyastuti in Jakarta on Saturday (June 18, 2011) the team will conduct acclimatize before scaling the mountain in the North America. The team actually had just arrived in Indonesia on June 2 after completing their expedition to climb to Mount Everest`s peak.
When they arrived home, they were enthusiastically welcomed by their parents, climbers, relatives, students and lecturers of the university. Widyastuti said further that the success of the ISSEMU team was also thanks to the prayers and support of the Indonesian people.
The struggle of the ISSEMU team was started early in April 2011, and the main climbing effort was made on May 12, and the peak of Everest was reached on May 20, 2011 after going through many obstacles posed by bad weather conditions. The Indonesian Red-and-White flag was raised for the first time on six of the highest peaks of the world.
"One peak yet to be reached is Mt Denali’s in Alaska which we hope to accomplish next July," Widyastuti said.
In the meantime, Unpar rector Cicilia Laow wished that the four climbers become the first Indonesian team to hoist the country’s Red-and-White flag on the world’s seven highest mountain peaks. The university has since the beginning fully supported the activities undertaken by Mahitala, in addition to the full support from alumni of one of the leading universities in Bandung.
The university also expected all students involved in the team’s seventh expedition to fully concentrate on the climb. Cicilia Laow expressed hope that after the completion of the climb, all the four climbers should return to their campus. "No more dispensation," she said.
With high spirit and support from all parties such as from the campus, alumni as well as from the sponsor PT Mud King Asia Pacific Raya, the rector hoped the support can accelerate in the realization to be "The Seven Summiters".
Mahitala Unpar is a group of nature loving students set up on April 8, 1974. To date, it has a membership of around 700 people.
Meanwhile, Youth and Sports Minister Andi Mallarangeng when seeing off the team said that he was proud of the achievements of the Indonesian youths. The four Indonesian climbers who are now striving to set foot on the last mountain summit hopefully can reach the seventh mountain peak on the seventh of the month of this year or in line with their expedition planning from June 18 through July 26, 2011.
If the climb is successful then the four climbers deserve the title of "The Seven Summiters".
Time for Indonesia to Have Multi Airport System
The time has come for Indonesia to build a multi airport system because it will not only reduce density in the main airport, it will also give an alternative to the metropolitan population in traveling and reduce distance to the airport.
This was a conclusion in a discussion "The need for Multi Airports in several big cities in Indonesia in anticipation of future demands for air transportation", head of the training and development institute of the transportation ministry Denny Siahaan said here Thursday.
Denny also said that a multi airport system can also promote regional economic growth and increase competitiveness among airport managers. He said the building of multi airports is also carried in a decision of Transportation Minister No KM 7 of 2010 on a strategic plan of the Transportation Ministry of 2010-2014, which include the building of a multi airport in Jakarta to support the Soekarno Hatta international airport.
He also stated that the discussion attended by transportation ministry officials, transportation experts, aviation and airport practitioners as well as private companies also drew a conclusion that a multi airport system needs to be built in a metropolitan center, especially with airport hubs with primary service scales, and with more than five million passengers per year.
He said there was an idea to build Halim Perdana Kusuma airport, Budiarto airport in Curug, and Pondok Cabe airport into multi airports. The location of a new airport had also been set in Cikarang and some other areas, as alternatives to accommodate increased demands for air transportation in the future.
An aviation observer and former airport technical director Ir. Yayoen Wahyoe said on the occasion that technical matters need to be considered in building a multi airport namely prioritizing operational delays rather than over capacities. In the meantime, former president director of PT. Angkasa Pura I Fachri Zainuddin said at the discussions that in building multi airports in metropolitan areas in Indonesia need close coordination between the central government, regional administrations, airport authorities, ATC activities, airline businesses and land transportation.
"Another very important consideration is the national space plan and provincial, regency and city space plans," he said.
In the meantime airport director of the transportation ministry Bambang Tjahjono said in 2010 there are 12 airports managed by PT Angkasa Pura I with a total capacity of 30,700,440 people and a movement of 49,237,437 passengers. There are 13 airports run by PT. Angkasa Pura II with a total capacity of 30,815,000 people and a movement of 62,215,834 passengers.
In the meantime, he said the number of passengers in the 2009-2014 period had been projected to grow by 10 pct, in the 2015-2020 period by 8 pct, in the 2021-2030 period by 5 pct, in the 2009-2014 period by 17 pct, in the 2015-2020 period by 10 pct, and in the 2021-2030 period by 10 pct.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Google's Fare Search to Take off
Google's entry into the online travel sector was cleared for takeoff on Friday as the US Justice Department gave the green light to its $US700 million purchase of flight data company ITA Software.
The Justice Department's anti-trust division, however, extracted a number of concessions from Google and imposed conditions on the Internet search giant to allow the controversial acquisition to go ahead.
The proposed legal settlement, which will need the approval of a US District Court, requires Google to notably develop and license ITA's travel software to other companies.
Several online travel sites, including Expedia, Kayak and Travelocity, had sought to block the Google-ITA deal, claiming it would give Google too much control over the lucrative online travel market and lead to higher prices.
The Justice Department agreed that unless modified, the acquisition "would have substantially lessened competition among providers of comparative flight search websites in the United States."
But US deputy assistant attorney general Joseph Wayland said the proposed settlement "promotes robust competition for airfare websites by ensuring those websites will continue to have access to ITA's pricing and shopping software.
"(It) assures that airfare comparison and booking websites will be able to compete effectively, providing benefits to consumers," Wayland said.
ITA, a 500-person firm founded in 1996 by Massachusetts Institute of Technology computer scientists, specializes in organizing airline data, including flight times, availability and prices.
ITA flight data software is used by many US airlines and a number of leading online travel sites, including Expedia's Hotwire and TripAdvisor, Kayak, Orbitz and Microsoft's Bing search engine.
Under the settlement, Google agreed to let ITA customers extend their contracts into 2016 and to let new customers license ITA's QPX software on "fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms" into 2016. Google also must offer ITA's next generation InstaSearch product to the sites.
Google is also barred from entering into agreements with airlines that would restrct sharing of seat and booking class information with its competitors. In addition, Google will be required to build a "firewall" that will prevent it from gaining access to competitors' proprietary software which runs on ITA servers.
Google senior vice president Jeff Huber welcomed the approval of the deal and said "by combining ITA's expertise with Google's technology we'll be able to develop exciting new flight search tools for all our users." FairSearch.org, a coalition of opponents of the acquisition which includes Google rival Microsoft, welcomed the conditions imposed on Google.
"By putting in place strong, ongoing oversight and enforcement tools, the department has ensured that consumers will continue to benefit from vibrant competition and innovation in travel search," FairSearch.org said.
Another group, Consumer Watchdog, expressed concern that even with the conditions on the deal, Google will "ultimately win control of the travel search industry, driving ticket prices up for consumers."
Google has said the ITA acquisition will help it create new tools that will make it easier for consumers to search for travel, compare flight options and prices and drive more customers to online travel agencies. Google has said it has no plans to sell airline tickets or set airfare prices.
Google has drawn increasing government scrutiny as it has grown from a scrappy startup into the dominant player in Internet search and the ITA settlement marks the first time it will be subject to anti-trust supervision.
The US Federal Trade Commission reached a settlement with Google last week over Google Buzz, the social networking tool rolled out last year which spawned a slew of privacy complaints.
Under the settlement announced by the US regulator, Google is required to implement a comprehensive privacy program and will be subject to independent privacy audits every two years for the next 20 years.
Last month, a US judge dealt a setback to Google's plans for a vast digital library and online bookstore, rejecting a copyright settlement hammered out by the Internet giant with authors and publishers.
The Justice Department's anti-trust division, however, extracted a number of concessions from Google and imposed conditions on the Internet search giant to allow the controversial acquisition to go ahead.
The proposed legal settlement, which will need the approval of a US District Court, requires Google to notably develop and license ITA's travel software to other companies.
Several online travel sites, including Expedia, Kayak and Travelocity, had sought to block the Google-ITA deal, claiming it would give Google too much control over the lucrative online travel market and lead to higher prices.
The Justice Department agreed that unless modified, the acquisition "would have substantially lessened competition among providers of comparative flight search websites in the United States."
But US deputy assistant attorney general Joseph Wayland said the proposed settlement "promotes robust competition for airfare websites by ensuring those websites will continue to have access to ITA's pricing and shopping software.
"(It) assures that airfare comparison and booking websites will be able to compete effectively, providing benefits to consumers," Wayland said.
ITA, a 500-person firm founded in 1996 by Massachusetts Institute of Technology computer scientists, specializes in organizing airline data, including flight times, availability and prices.
ITA flight data software is used by many US airlines and a number of leading online travel sites, including Expedia's Hotwire and TripAdvisor, Kayak, Orbitz and Microsoft's Bing search engine.
Under the settlement, Google agreed to let ITA customers extend their contracts into 2016 and to let new customers license ITA's QPX software on "fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms" into 2016. Google also must offer ITA's next generation InstaSearch product to the sites.
Google is also barred from entering into agreements with airlines that would restrct sharing of seat and booking class information with its competitors. In addition, Google will be required to build a "firewall" that will prevent it from gaining access to competitors' proprietary software which runs on ITA servers.
Google senior vice president Jeff Huber welcomed the approval of the deal and said "by combining ITA's expertise with Google's technology we'll be able to develop exciting new flight search tools for all our users." FairSearch.org, a coalition of opponents of the acquisition which includes Google rival Microsoft, welcomed the conditions imposed on Google.
"By putting in place strong, ongoing oversight and enforcement tools, the department has ensured that consumers will continue to benefit from vibrant competition and innovation in travel search," FairSearch.org said.
Another group, Consumer Watchdog, expressed concern that even with the conditions on the deal, Google will "ultimately win control of the travel search industry, driving ticket prices up for consumers."
Google has said the ITA acquisition will help it create new tools that will make it easier for consumers to search for travel, compare flight options and prices and drive more customers to online travel agencies. Google has said it has no plans to sell airline tickets or set airfare prices.
Google has drawn increasing government scrutiny as it has grown from a scrappy startup into the dominant player in Internet search and the ITA settlement marks the first time it will be subject to anti-trust supervision.
The US Federal Trade Commission reached a settlement with Google last week over Google Buzz, the social networking tool rolled out last year which spawned a slew of privacy complaints.
Under the settlement announced by the US regulator, Google is required to implement a comprehensive privacy program and will be subject to independent privacy audits every two years for the next 20 years.
Last month, a US judge dealt a setback to Google's plans for a vast digital library and online bookstore, rejecting a copyright settlement hammered out by the Internet giant with authors and publishers.
Collective Egoism of Indonesian House
The House of Representatives (DPR) needs to reconsider its plan to build a Rp1.1 trillion office tower in response to a storm of protests against the plan, a political observer said.
"This is necessary because of many objections to the plan to build a new House of Representatives (DPR) building. What is more, the building will be very costly," Arie Sujito of Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada University (UGM) said here on Sunday.
If the House pushed through the plan it would mean that the House ignored public aspirations and lacked sensitivity to the condition of the people. Consequently, the people’s confidence in the parliament would decline, he said.
"The DPR is now under the spotlight. The decision to push through the plan to build a new tower implies that the vast majority of DPR members care only about themselves at the expense of the people’s interests," he said.
He stated the construction of a new tower would have no significant impact on the performance of DPR members. The small office of DPR members should not be made an excuse for their lackluster performance.
"What is more, the construction of office rooms for the DPR members will cost Rp800 million each. Some quarters have questioned the higher amount of funds," he said.
The decision to go ahead with the project implied that most of DPR members had been infected by collective egoism. "DPR is considered egoistic because they have paid no attention to the aspirations of the people opposing the plan to build a new tower," he said.
"This is necessary because of many objections to the plan to build a new House of Representatives (DPR) building. What is more, the building will be very costly," Arie Sujito of Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada University (UGM) said here on Sunday.
If the House pushed through the plan it would mean that the House ignored public aspirations and lacked sensitivity to the condition of the people. Consequently, the people’s confidence in the parliament would decline, he said.
"The DPR is now under the spotlight. The decision to push through the plan to build a new tower implies that the vast majority of DPR members care only about themselves at the expense of the people’s interests," he said.
He stated the construction of a new tower would have no significant impact on the performance of DPR members. The small office of DPR members should not be made an excuse for their lackluster performance.
"What is more, the construction of office rooms for the DPR members will cost Rp800 million each. Some quarters have questioned the higher amount of funds," he said.
The decision to go ahead with the project implied that most of DPR members had been infected by collective egoism. "DPR is considered egoistic because they have paid no attention to the aspirations of the people opposing the plan to build a new tower," he said.
Indonesia to Award Its Regions Ready to Anticipate Disasters
Coordinating Minister for People’s Welfare Agung Laksono said the government is considering to give awards to regions for their preparations to anticipate natural disasters.
"So the preparations can be the extent to which the (local) governments have trained the people (to face natural disasters) and the extent to which the people have been prepared for disasters," he said on the sidelines of a working visit in Tanjung Jabung Barat, Jambi province, on Sunday.
The awards are called adipura. Regions that had prepared anticipatory steps to deal with disasters would deserve to receive the awards. The preparations also included guidance to evacuate natural disaster victims, he said.
He asked each region to optimize the function of their regional natural disaster mitigation boards (BPBD). The regions must have maps of disaster-prone areas, such as tsunami-prone areas in the western coast of Sumatra, the southern coast of Java, and the northern part of Papua.
In addition, each region must have training programs to anticipate disasters. Each disaster-prone region must also build paths to evacuate victims.
Jambi Governor Hasan Basri Agus said the local authorities had proposed construction of paths to evacuate victims. "We have proposed it to the National Disaster Mitigation Board," he said.
He said the local authorities would build two paths to evacuate disaster victims. The first one was path leading to Tuo hamlet. The path would be linked to Jangkat, Merangin district and the other was a path leading to Bengkulu from Masqo village, Gunung Raya subdistrict.
"So the preparations can be the extent to which the (local) governments have trained the people (to face natural disasters) and the extent to which the people have been prepared for disasters," he said on the sidelines of a working visit in Tanjung Jabung Barat, Jambi province, on Sunday.
The awards are called adipura. Regions that had prepared anticipatory steps to deal with disasters would deserve to receive the awards. The preparations also included guidance to evacuate natural disaster victims, he said.
He asked each region to optimize the function of their regional natural disaster mitigation boards (BPBD). The regions must have maps of disaster-prone areas, such as tsunami-prone areas in the western coast of Sumatra, the southern coast of Java, and the northern part of Papua.
In addition, each region must have training programs to anticipate disasters. Each disaster-prone region must also build paths to evacuate victims.
Jambi Governor Hasan Basri Agus said the local authorities had proposed construction of paths to evacuate victims. "We have proposed it to the National Disaster Mitigation Board," he said.
He said the local authorities would build two paths to evacuate disaster victims. The first one was path leading to Tuo hamlet. The path would be linked to Jangkat, Merangin district and the other was a path leading to Bengkulu from Masqo village, Gunung Raya subdistrict.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
The Secretive World of Google
The companys motto Dont be evil was described as a lie
A new book released next week lifts the lid on the secretive world of Google, revealing how the founders fell out with Apple's Steve Jobs and what happened in the search engine's exit from China.
'In the Plex' was written by Steven Levy, a technology reporter who says his latest work is 'informed by a two-year deep dive into the company'.
He reveals that when founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page were on the hunt for a chief executive they wanted Steve Jobs to take up the job. The only problem was that Mr Jobs had a much better job at Apple - a much more superior company at the time.
He turned their offer down but because he saw the potential of Google he agreed to mentor Mr Page and Mr Brin, even sharing advisers. Eric Schmidt, the man who eventually took the job as chief executive until last week, was also installed as a board member at Apple.
Problems came when Google bought and started work on the Android mobile phone system. Apple saw it as a direct threat to iPhone and relationships broke down with Mr Jobs feeling betrayed by the pair.
When he saw features like the 'pinch-and-zoom' control to look at websites and images during a visit to Mountain View, California, the home of 'Googleplex', he was apparently furious.
He believed the best ideas from the iPhone had been stolen. Mr Schmidt stayed on the board at Apple but Mr Jobs somehow managed to keep the development of the iPad hidden from him.
'Apple didn't enter the search business, so why did Google get into the phone business?' he said according to the Times.
He also described Google's motto of 'don't be evil' as 'bulls**t'. The book looks at the company's decision to pull out of China in 2009, nine years after the decision to make in-roads into the country.
Hackers, believed to be state-sponsored, broke into Google email accounts so Mr Brin decided it was time to pull out of China. It was in the country that 'the worst moment in Google's history' came about.
An executive was sacked after they gave iPods to Chinese government officials - a customary business practice. The firing led to low morale at the Beijing office.
Mr Schmidt had wanted to stay in the country but he was outvoted and it is believed that the decision had 'long-lasting implications for Schmidt's relationship with the founders'.
He left the company last week and Mr Page took over as chief executive, promoting seven executives, hinting that he wants to take the company on a more innovative footing rather than being driven by profits.
Postponement of Indonesia-Australia FTA Proposed
Industry Minister MS Hidayat has asked that the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) among Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand should be postponed until after a study of its advantage or disadvantage is finished.
"If an FTA is to be concluded, a list of its advantage and disadvantage must be made first and an intensive discourse with the business world must be held," the minister said here on Saturday.
He said that studies, discourse and clear sectors that were to be affected by the FTA, were very important to avoid the emergence of problems after the agreement was signed.
"It should not happen that the FTA would only benefit Australia while the expected investment does not take place in the country," the industry minister said.
He said that the important thing was the substance of the FTA which should bring benefit to and serve the interest of Indonesia.
The industry minister cited the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA) as an example, saying it had caused losses and potential losses to a number of industries, such as textile and textile product (TPT) industries, footwear industry, electronics, wood and rattan-based furniture, toys, machinery, steel, food, drink and cosmetics.
Indicators of losses suffered after the implementation of ACFTA could be seen in reduced production of industry by about 25-60 percent, drop of sales at domestic market by 10-25 percent, reduction in profit by 10-25 percent and cut in manpower by 10-25 percent.
Several industries were also closed down while several others turned their activities from producers to assemblers and packers such as what had happened with machinery industries.
"In order to overcome this problem, the ministry of industry is carrying out coordination to take precautionary measures and increased competitiveness," he said.
"If an FTA is to be concluded, a list of its advantage and disadvantage must be made first and an intensive discourse with the business world must be held," the minister said here on Saturday.
He said that studies, discourse and clear sectors that were to be affected by the FTA, were very important to avoid the emergence of problems after the agreement was signed.
"It should not happen that the FTA would only benefit Australia while the expected investment does not take place in the country," the industry minister said.
He said that the important thing was the substance of the FTA which should bring benefit to and serve the interest of Indonesia.
The industry minister cited the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA) as an example, saying it had caused losses and potential losses to a number of industries, such as textile and textile product (TPT) industries, footwear industry, electronics, wood and rattan-based furniture, toys, machinery, steel, food, drink and cosmetics.
Indicators of losses suffered after the implementation of ACFTA could be seen in reduced production of industry by about 25-60 percent, drop of sales at domestic market by 10-25 percent, reduction in profit by 10-25 percent and cut in manpower by 10-25 percent.
Several industries were also closed down while several others turned their activities from producers to assemblers and packers such as what had happened with machinery industries.
"In order to overcome this problem, the ministry of industry is carrying out coordination to take precautionary measures and increased competitiveness," he said.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
World's First Facebook Bullying Alert System
Concerned: Father-of-four Paddy Clarke came up with the idea after reading a string of cyber-bullying horror storiesA concerned father has developed the world's first bullying alert system for Facebook which scans text and flags up abusive behaviour.
NHS consultant Paddy Clarke's software scans walls and inboxes for trigger words and phrases such as 'gay' and 'fat' and alerts parents when they appear. The father-of-four came up with the idea after reading a string of cyber-bullying horror stories.
Mr Clarke, 48, said he hoped his system - called 'Know Diss' - will keep children safe from online bullies. He said: 'Bullying has now gone from the playground into children's homes.
'Kids feel safe sending an abusive message in their rooms. It is pretty awful.
'Cyber-bullying is very topical at the moment, particularly following some tragic cases where young people have taken their lives because of it.
'It is hard to believe but this software is the only one in the world to search through text on social networking sites to protect children.
'Know Diss is a very simple concept. It is also a partnership between parent and child because one cannot sign up without the other.'
Mr Clarke, a consultant in pain relief at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital in Gloucester, joined forces with friend Alan Saul to design and implement Know Diss, which costs £12 for a yearly subscription.
Together they trawled through sites such as Urban Dictionary and watched the television series Skins to build their comprehensive database of insults. Mr Clarke's program continuously searches through all text on Facebook accounts signed up to the service, including messages, picture comments and posts.
It uses a database of several thousands of words to identify bullying trigger words in a number of spelling variations. Parents and their children must both sign up by email for the software to work. The child is then sent a link for them to click in order to download Know Diss.
When a bullying phrase is detected, it is copied and immediately emailed to the child's parent or 'Facebook guardian' who can decide whether further action is needed. An example of a 'bullying' phrase which would be picked up by the system is: 'Go slash your wrists, fat boy' or words such as 'gay boy'.
When triggered, Know Diss automatically sends an email to the parent which reads: 'The following text has been picked up on your child's Facebook account.
'Go and have a look at it.'
Mr Clarke of Winchcombe, Gloucestershire - who used his own savings to fund the project - added: 'We have an absolutely huge database which includes spelling variations to make Know Diss as accurate as possible.
'Children may initially feel it is being invasive but it does not give the parent the power to read everything on their profile, just the words which are picked up by the software.
'It is very simple. The parent can read through the text which the software finds 'bullying' and decide whether it really is, or just a joke.
'They can also keep track of whether messages come in a series. Bullying tends to operate in a pack mentality online, one person posts and is followed by 50 others.'
Research shows up to half of children have experienced cyber-bullying in the past 12 months - half of those do not report it to an adult. Mr Clarke, whose has three sons and a daughter aged between ten and 20, has already showcased Know Diss at local schools.
And exclusive Cheltenham College is already considering using it to tackle cyber-bullying among pupils. When a child is registered with Know Diss, a small logo will appear on their Facebook wall warning posters they are signed up to the service.
Mr Clarke added: 'With me being a doctor I am always interested in prevention rather than cure.
'Having the logo on the site may prevent young people from cyber bullying someone if they know the message will be picked up by a parent or teacher.'
Currently Know Diss only works on Facebook, but Mr Clarke hopes to hold talks with Twitter and other social networking sites in the future.
A spokesman for Facebook said there were a 'number' of different ways users could protect themselves from cyber bullies.
He said: 'One person determined to harass another will unfortunately find ways to do so, both online and offline.
'On Facebook there are a number of measures people can use to stay safe.
'We encourage people to use our reporting tools, accessible across the entire site, use our blocking tools to prevent unwanted contact, and visit our Safety Centre, which contains tips for young people and parents about how to use Facebook as safely as possible.'
Parents and children can register their email addresses at www.knowdiss.co.uk. The programme also works via smartphones.
Last year, Facebook bowed to pressure and provided a new application which allows young users to report suspicious behaviour. It was announced in July that all users of the social networking site were to be able to access an advice centre from their home page to report suspected grooming or inappropriate sexual behaviour.
It was the result of Facebook and the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre joining forces. In the past, Facebook had been accused of arrogant complacency in the face of soaring complaints about online paedophiles.
Millions Online Customers Addresses Stolen by Hackers
Millions of email addresses belonging to British shoppers have been stolen by criminal hackers. Marks & Spencer yesterday sent warning messages to many online customers who have supplied the store with email addresses.
Britons who use Play.com and TripAdvisor have also been sent similar warnings. Victims of the theft risk being targeted in spam and phishing scams. This could result in them logging on to bogus websites set up by criminal gangs.
Once on these websites, it is feared that personal information, including passwords and bank details, could be stolen. There is also a danger that bugs and malicious spy software could be downloaded to victims’ home computers.
The alerts raise serious questions about security systems operated by major internet brands and their technology partners. They will also shake consumers’ trust in online shopping – and could encourage shoppers to move back to the High Street.
The M&S security failure relates to a U.S. email company, Epsilon, which has been targeted in what has been called the ‘biggest data breach ever’. Epsilon, one of the largest email marketing companies in the world, sends more than 40billion emails annually on behalf of more than 2,500 clients.
The unrelated thefts involving M&S, Play.com and TripAdvisor reflect a growing and lucrative black market in personal email addresses.
M&S sent an email to customers yesterday, warning: ‘We have been informed by Epsilon, a company we use to send emails to our customers, that some M&S customer email addresses have been accessed without authorisation.
‘We wanted to bring this to your attention as it is possible that you may receive spam email messages as a result.
‘We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause you. We take your privacy very seriously, and we will continue to work diligently to protect your personal information.’
M&S stressed that the theft was limited to names and email addresses, rather than other personal information and account details.
However, this is all that criminals need to launch targeted and personalised spam attacks, known as spear phishing.
Britain’s biggest retailer, Tesco, also uses Epsilon. However it categorically denied that its customer details have been hacked.
In December, the computers of U.S. company Silverpop were broken into. It provides email services to Play.com, which sells CDs, DVDs, books and gadgets online.
But Play.com alerted customers to the risk only last week, after it emerged that spear phishing emails have been sent out.
Internet security expert Dr Stefan Fafinski, of the University of Leeds, was caught up in the Play.com theft.
He said: ‘Spammers will have a list of good, known and verifiable email addresses that comes straight out of M&S. Once they have names as well as email addresses, the spammers can personalise the emails they send out to look much more like a genuine company communication.
‘People who open these emails may then follow a link to what looks like an official website.
‘They may be asked to update their billing information, credit card details, the three-digit security code, maybe their mother’s maiden name or the answer to a personal security question.
‘That gives them all the information they would need to steal the identity of the customer and access their accounts.’
He said spam email often comes with attachments which, if opened, can download malicious software. This is something these big data-holding organisations will be very worried about and they will be spending a lot of time trying to close any gaps in security.
He added: ‘Trust is key to shopping online. Clearly that is very badly shaken when you have an event like this.’
M&S refused to say how many email addresses have been stolen. A spokesman said: ‘For commercial reasons we would not disclose the number of customers we hold on our marketing database – but as a precaution we have contacted customers to alert them.’
Following the hacking at TripAdvisor, the travel advice website, its co-founder Steve Kaufer said: ‘Unfortunately, this sort of data theft is becoming more common and we take it extremely seriously.’
Britons who use Play.com and TripAdvisor have also been sent similar warnings. Victims of the theft risk being targeted in spam and phishing scams. This could result in them logging on to bogus websites set up by criminal gangs.
Once on these websites, it is feared that personal information, including passwords and bank details, could be stolen. There is also a danger that bugs and malicious spy software could be downloaded to victims’ home computers.
The alerts raise serious questions about security systems operated by major internet brands and their technology partners. They will also shake consumers’ trust in online shopping – and could encourage shoppers to move back to the High Street.
The M&S security failure relates to a U.S. email company, Epsilon, which has been targeted in what has been called the ‘biggest data breach ever’. Epsilon, one of the largest email marketing companies in the world, sends more than 40billion emails annually on behalf of more than 2,500 clients.
The unrelated thefts involving M&S, Play.com and TripAdvisor reflect a growing and lucrative black market in personal email addresses.
M&S sent an email to customers yesterday, warning: ‘We have been informed by Epsilon, a company we use to send emails to our customers, that some M&S customer email addresses have been accessed without authorisation.
‘We wanted to bring this to your attention as it is possible that you may receive spam email messages as a result.
‘We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause you. We take your privacy very seriously, and we will continue to work diligently to protect your personal information.’
M&S stressed that the theft was limited to names and email addresses, rather than other personal information and account details.
However, this is all that criminals need to launch targeted and personalised spam attacks, known as spear phishing.
Britain’s biggest retailer, Tesco, also uses Epsilon. However it categorically denied that its customer details have been hacked.
In December, the computers of U.S. company Silverpop were broken into. It provides email services to Play.com, which sells CDs, DVDs, books and gadgets online.
But Play.com alerted customers to the risk only last week, after it emerged that spear phishing emails have been sent out.
Internet security expert Dr Stefan Fafinski, of the University of Leeds, was caught up in the Play.com theft.
He said: ‘Spammers will have a list of good, known and verifiable email addresses that comes straight out of M&S. Once they have names as well as email addresses, the spammers can personalise the emails they send out to look much more like a genuine company communication.
‘People who open these emails may then follow a link to what looks like an official website.
‘They may be asked to update their billing information, credit card details, the three-digit security code, maybe their mother’s maiden name or the answer to a personal security question.
‘That gives them all the information they would need to steal the identity of the customer and access their accounts.’
He said spam email often comes with attachments which, if opened, can download malicious software. This is something these big data-holding organisations will be very worried about and they will be spending a lot of time trying to close any gaps in security.
He added: ‘Trust is key to shopping online. Clearly that is very badly shaken when you have an event like this.’
M&S refused to say how many email addresses have been stolen. A spokesman said: ‘For commercial reasons we would not disclose the number of customers we hold on our marketing database – but as a precaution we have contacted customers to alert them.’
Following the hacking at TripAdvisor, the travel advice website, its co-founder Steve Kaufer said: ‘Unfortunately, this sort of data theft is becoming more common and we take it extremely seriously.’
Panin Bank Owner Maintains No Plan to Sell Stake
Customers of Bank Pan Indonesia (PANIN) conduct transactions at the banks branch in Jakarta April 4, 2011. Bank Pan Indonesia, the nations seventh largest lender, is drawing interest from European and Asia-Pacific banks including Australian and New Zealand Banking Group for its founders 46 percent stake, deputy chief executive officer Roosniati Salihin said. To match Interview PANIN.Indonesia's Gunawan family maintained Thursday it has no plan to sell its stake in PT Bank Pan Indonesia, or Panin Bank, despite receiving bids from several offshore investors, a senior official said.
“We have no need to sell Panin Bank,“ Fadjar Gunawan, president director of PT Panin Financial, the largest shareholder of the bank.
“You knew already that since 2008 there are many (investors) asking (about the stake),“ he told Dow Jones Newswires.
Talks have been abound that several international banks have approached the Gunawan family, seeking to buy its stake in Panin Bank in recent years. An official with Korea Development Bank told Dow Jones Newswires in February that the bank sought to establish a holding company with Panin Financial to jointly operate Bank Panin. But the talks collapsed due to differences over financial terms.
Panin Financial, which is controlled by the Gunawan family, owns 44.68% stake in the middle-sized lender based on assets while Australia & New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ.AU) owns 38.82% and the public the remaining 16.5%.
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