Tue, 03 Feb 2004

Bali to host international exhibition

DENPASAR, Bali: Hundreds of local and foreign businesspeople will take part in an international exhibition of equipment, foods, beverages and services in Nusa Dua, Bali.

The event, called Food, Hotel and Tourism Bali 2004, will be held at the beginning of February.

"A total of 219 people have confirmed that they will participate in the three-day exhibition taking place from Feb. 5 to Feb. 7 this year in Nusa Dua, Bali," said the event's project manager, Wiwiek Roberto, on Saturday.

The participants are eager to come to Bali because they see business opportunities on the resort island in the aftermath of the Bali bombings in 2002, Wiwiek said.

She said the event would also include a culinary competition, which would give young chefs the opportunity to exhibit their skills before an international panel of judges.

"Other events will include ice, fruit and vegetable carving and cooking," she said.

I Gede Ardika, the Balinese state minister for culture and tourism, is also expected to attend the event. --Antara

;JP;NDY; ANPAa..r.. across-Batola-fish Barito Kuala to spread 1m fish seeds JP/5/5ACROS3

Regency to stock rivers with fish

BARITO KUALA, South Kalimantan: The Fisheries and Maritime Office in the regency of Barito Kuala in South Kalimantan plans to stock the regency's rivers with over one million fish in 2004.

The head of the office, Achmad Kusnandar, said on Saturday the plan would be accomplished using fish eggs raised by the office.

He said the goal of this effort was to increase the fish stock in the province.

The fisheries office will construct a number of fish beds in the regency, specifically in Desa Sungai Kambat. The funds for this project will come from the 2004 Specially Allocated Fund. The total budget is expected to reach Rp 1.04 billion (US$122,353). --Antara

;JP;NDY; ANPAa..r.. across-airport-Bengkulu Lights stolen at airport replaced JP/5/5ACROS4

Stolen airport lights replaced

BENGKULU: The five runway lights that were stolen on Friday from Fatmawati Airport in Bengkulu have been partly replaced, allowing planes to make night landings at the airport, an official said.

"We replaced two of the stolen runway lights. The airport's landing strip has 70 lights, so that these two additional lights are sufficient to aid in landing," the head of the airport authority, Sadjisman, said on Saturday.

Sadjisman said airport officials had reported the theft to the police, and officers were looking for the thieves.

Whoever stole the lights would have needed the necessary equipment to remove the bolts securing the lights, and it would have taken at least 20 minutes to make off with just one light. --Antara

;JP;NDY; ANPAa..r.. across-Sumatra-tiger Sumatran tiger gives birth at zoo JP/5/5acros1

Sumatran tiger gives birth at zoo

MEDAN, North Sumatra: A female Sumatran tiger gave birth to four cubs last Sunday at the Pematang Siantar Zoo in North Sumatra.

The births are particularly exciting because the Sumatran tiger is on the brink of extinction.

"All four tiger cubs born on Sunday are healthy and expected to survive," Richard, a zoo official, said on Saturday.

Of the four cubs, one is male and three are female. The cubs' mother was donated to the zoo by a Jakarta resident, while the father came to the zoo after being trapped by villagers in Dusun Sumbersari Kampung Rakyat, Labuhan Batu regency here, in December 2000.

On Oct. 28, 2003, another Sumatran tiger at the zoo gave birth to three cubs. --Antara