Long-dormant volcano erupts in Indonesia

By the CNN Wire Staff

August 29, 2010 -- Updated 0741 GMT (1541 HKT)

Mount Sinabung spews thick smoke after erupting in North Sumatra.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Officials say there are no reports of casualties or injuries so far
• Mount Sinabung was inactive for more than 400 years
• State media reports that 12,000 residents have been evacuated from 14 villages

Jakarta, Indonesia (CNN) -- A volcano that had been inactive for more than 400 years erupted in Indonesia early Sunday, causing thousands of people to flee their homes, officials said.

Mount Sinabung in North Sumatra province had been inactive since the 1600s, but spewed volcanic ash nearly a mile into the air Sunday, said Surono, head of the country's volcanology and geology agency.

"We don't know the character of this volcano because it's been dormant for so long," he said.

There were no reports of casualties or injuries.

"The situation is under control. Emergency response teams are already on the scene," said Priyadi Kardono of the National Disaster Management Agency.

Officials have evacuated 12,000 residents living in 14 villages near the volcano, which erupted just after 12:15 a.m. Sunday (1:15 p.m. ET Saturday), the official Antara news agency reported.

"We felt strong tremors last night. It was a volcanic quake," Indonesian Red Cross worker Muhammad Isral told the agency. "After that, the crater of Mount Sinabung spewed glowing lava. And trees in the mount slopes were burnt. It was followed by thick clouds that caused visibility to be only about five meters."

On Saturday, the Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation issued a warning and ordered evacuation of a 6 km (3.7 miles) radius around the volcano.

Surano said investigators are monitoring and studying the volcano. Based on the data they have now, he said, a large, destructive eruption is unlikely.

No hazardous gas had been detected after Sunday's eruption, he said.

CNN's Andy Saputra contributed to this report.

President leads Cabinet meeting on RI-Malaysia ties

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 08/23/2010 4:34 PM | National

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono held on Monday a plenary Cabinet meeting to discuss Indonesia-Malaysia ties following a recent incident in Tenjung Berakit waters in Riau, which has sparked an anti-Malaysia drive.

Yudhoyono said talks on border issues between Indonesia and Malaysia were pressing to solve territorial disputes facing the two neighbors.

The President called for proportional diplomatic measures in dealing with any dispute, but underlined that Indonesia would defend its territorial integrity at all cost.

“This is an era of cooperation, not war. Nevertheless if it concerns our territory and sovereignty we will do whatever we can [to defend national integrity],” Yudhoyono said as quoted by Antara news agency.

Malaysia has released three fishery and maritime patrol officers suspected of trespassing Malaysian territory, while Indonesia set free seven Malaysian fishermen accused of poaching in Indonesian waters. The deal, however, has failed to appease the public and politicians alike, who regretted the compromise.  

The Cabinet meeting also discussed efforts to maintain food security in the wake of global natural disasters, which occurred in, among other countries, China, Pakistan and Nigeria.

Teknik Wawancara Yang Baik

Wawancara merupakan salah satu bagian terpenting dalam tugas jurnalistik. Wawancara merupakan proses pencarian data berupa pendapat/pandangan/pengamatan seseorang yang akan digunakan sebagai salah satu bahan penulisan karya jurnalistik.

Wawancara VS Reportase

Apakah wawancara sama dengan reportase? Jawabannya adalah tidak. Reportase memiliki ruang lingkup yang jauh lebih luas daripada wawancara, sedangkan wawancara merupakan salah satu jenis teknik reportase.Reportase dapat diartikan sebagai proses pengumpulan data yang digunakan untuk penulisan karya jusnalistik. Objek pengumpulan data tersebut dapat berupa manusia, makhluk hidup selain manusia, buku-buku, tempat bersejarah, dan sebagainya. Suatu reportase disebut sebagai wawancara jika objek reportasenya adalah manusia.

Ada beberapa jenis wawancara, yaitu:

1. Man in the street interview. Cara ini dilakukan bila kita ingin mengetahui pendapat umum masyarakat terhadap isu/persoalan yang hendak kita angkat menjadi bahan berita.

2. Casual interview, atau disebut juga wawancara mendadak. Ini adalah jenis wawancara yang dilakukan tanpa persiapan/perencanaan sebelumnya.

3. Personality interview, yaitu wawancara yang dilakukan terhadap figur-figur publik yang terkenal, atau bisa juga terhadap orang-orang yang dianggap memiliki sifat/kebiasaan/prestasi yang unik, yang menarik untuk diangkat sebagai bahan berita.

4. News interview, yaitu wawancara dalam rangka memperoleh informasi dan berita dari sumber-sumber yang mempunyai kredibilitas ataupun reputasi di bidangnya.

Wawancara yang Baik

Agar tugas wawancara kita dapat berhasil, maka hendaknya diperhatikan hal-hal – antara lain – sebagai berikut:

1. Lakukanlah persiapan sebelum melakukan wawancara. Persiapan tersebut menyangkut outline wawancara, penguasaan materi wawancara, pengenalan mengenai sifat/karakter/kebiasaan orang yang hendak kita wawancarai, dan sebagainya.

2. Taatilah peraturan dan norma-norma yang berlaku di tempat pelaksanaan wawancara tersebut. Sopan santun, jenis pakaian yang dikenakan, pengenalan terhadap norma/etika setempat, adalah hal-hal yang juga perlu diperhatikan agar kita dapat beradaptasi dengan lingkungan tempat pelaksanaan wawancara.

3. Jangan mendebat nara sumber. Tugas seorang pewawancara adalah mencari informasi sebanyak-banyaknya dari nara sumber, bukan berdiskusi. Jika Anda tidak setuju dengan pendapatnya, biarkan saja. Jangan didebat. Kalaupun harus didebat, sampaikan dengan nada bertanya, alias jangan terkesan membantah.

Contoh yang baik: “Tetapi apakah hal seperti itu tidak berbahaya bagi pertumbuhan iklim demokrasi itu sendiri, Pak?”

Contoh yang lebih baik lagi: “Tetapi menurut Tuan X, hal seperti itu kan berbahaya bagi pertumbuhan iklim demokrasi itu sendiri. Bagaimana pendapat Bapak?”

Contoh yang tidak baik: “Tetapi hal itu kan dapat berbahaya bagi pertumbuhan iklim demokrasi itu sendiri, Pak.”

4. Hindarilah menanyakan sesuatu yang bersifat umum, dan biasakanlah menanyakan hal-hal yang khusus. Hal ini akan sangat membantu untuk memfokuskan jawaban nara sumber.

5. Ungkapkanlah pertanyaan dengan kalimat yang sesingkat mungkin dan to the point. Selain untuk menghemat waktu, hal ini juga bertujuan agar nara sumber tidak kebingungan mencerna ucapan si pewawancara.

6. Hindari pengajuan dua pertanyaan dalam satu kali bertanya. Hal ini dapat merugikan kita sendiri, karena nara sumber biasanya cenderung untuk menjawab hanya pertanyaan terakhir yang didengarnya.

7. Pewawancara hendaknya pintar menyesuaikan diri terhadap berbagai karakter nara sumber. Untuk nara sumber yang pendiam, pewawancara hendaknya dapat melontarkan ungkapan-ungkapan pemancing yang membuat si nara sumber “buka mulut”. Sedangkan untuk nara sumber yang doyan ngomong, pewawancara hendaknya bisa mengarahkan pembicaraan agar nara sumber hanya bicara mengenai hal-hal yang berhubungan dengan materi wawancara.

8. Pewawancara juga hendaknya bisa menjalin hubungan personal dengan nara sumber, dengan cara memanfaatkan waktu luang yang tersedia sebelum dan sesudah wawancara. Kedua belah pihak dapat ngobrol mengenai hal-hal yang bersifat pribadi, atau hal- hal lain yang berguna untuk mengakrabkan diri. Ini akan sangat membantu proses wawancara itu sendiri, dan juga untuk hubungan baik dengan nara sumber di waktu-waktu yang akan datang.

9. Jika kita mewawancarai seorang tokoh yang memiliki lawan ataupun musuh tertentu, bersikaplah seolah-olah kita memihaknya, walaupun sebenarnya tidak demikian. Seperti kata pepatah, “Jangan bicara tentang kucing di depan seorang pecinta anjing”.

10. Bagi seorang reporter pers yang belum ternama, seperti pers kampus dan sebagainya, kendala terbesar dalam proses wawancara biasanya bukan wawancaranya itu sendiri, melainkan proses untuk menemui nara sumber. Agar kita dapat menemui nara sumber tertentu dengan sukses, diperlukan perjuangan dan kiat-kiat yang kreatif dan tanpa menyerah. Salah satu caranya adalah rajin bertanya kepada orang-orang yang dekat dengan nara sumber. Koreklah informasi sebanyak mungkin mengenai nara sumber tersebut, misalnya nomor teleponnya, alamat villanya, jam berapa saja dia ada di rumah dan di kantor, di mana dia bermain golf, dan sebagainya.

Media Cetak VS Media Elektronik

Bagaimana cara memperoleh/mengumpulkan berita? Caranya adalah melalui reportase, yang bertujuan untuk mengumpulkan sebanyak mungkin data yang berhubungan dengan karya jurnalistik yang akan dibuat. Pihak yang menjadi objek reportase disebut nara sumber. Nara sumber ini bisa berupa manusia, makhluk hidup selain manusia, alam, ataupun benda-benda mati. Jika nara sumbernya berupa manusia, maka reportase tersebut bernama wawancara.

Dengan demikian, ada sedikit perbedaan antara reportase dengan wawancara. Wawancara merupakan bagian dari reportase, dan reportase tidak hanya dapat dilakukan terhadap manusia.

Namun perlu diingat bahwa wawancara untuk media cetak berbeda dengan wawancara untuk media elektronik. Wawancara untuk media elektronik biasanya dikemas semenarik mungkin. Sebelum wawancara berlangsung, seringkali dilakukan briefing antara pewawancara dan nara sumber, yang bertujuan untuk menjaga kelancaran wawancara. Hal ini dilakukan karena wawancara untuk media elektronik merupa kan “produk” tersendiri yang “dijual” kepada pemirsa/pendengar.

Sedangkan dalam media cetak, yang terpenting bagi pembaca adalah tulisan yang dibuat berdasarkan hasil reportase, sehingga proses wawancara tidaklah penting bagi mereka. Karena itu, wawancara untuk media cetak dapat berlangsung tanpa kemasan yang menarik ataupun briefing antara wartawan dengan nara sumber. Satu-satunya persiapan yang perlu dilakukan adalah persiapan wartawan itu sendiri, yang mencakup bahan wawancara dan pengetahuan umum mengenai materi wawancara. Sedangkan proses wawancaranya dapat berlangsung dalam berbagai situasi dan tempat. Bisa di kantor, di restoran sambil makan siang, lewat telepon, sambil berjalan menuju halaman parkir, sambil ngobrol, dan sebagainya (dari berbagai sumber yang direduksi)

Saudi Says Deal Reached on BlackBerry Services

Associated Press, Riyadh | Sat, 08/07/2010 6:20 PM | Headlines

BlackBerry: JP/J. Adiguna

Saudi Arabia and the makers of the BlackBerry smartphone have reached a deal on accessing users' data that will avert a ban on the phone's messenger service, a Saudi official said Saturday. 

The agreement, involving placing a BlackBerry server inside Saudi Arabia, would allow the government to monitor users' messages and allay official fears the service could be used for criminal purposes, the official said. 

The deal could have wide-ranging implications for several other countries, including India and the United Arab Emirates, which have expressed similar concerns over how BlackBerry maker Research in Motion Ltd., handles data. 

The Saudi regulatory official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the details of the deal with the media, said tests were now under way to determine how to install a BlackBerry server inside the country. 

Canadian International Trade Minister Peter Van Loan confirmed Friday to the Associated Press that Canadian officials were in talks with the Canada-based maker and Saudi officials in a bid to avert the ban. RIM has declined to comment on the talks. 

The kingdom is one of a number of countries expressing concern that the device is a security threat because encrypted information sent on the phones is routed through overseas computers - making it impossible for local governments to monitor. 

Critics, however, maintain that Saudi Arabia and other countries are more motivated by the desire to further curb freedom of expression and strengthen already tight controls over the media than by a fear of terrorism. 

The United Arab Emirates has announced it will ban BlackBerry e-mail, messaging and Web browsing starting in October, and Indonesia and India are also demanding greater control over the data.

Igo & Citra Indonesian Idol

Satu di antara mereka, akan dianugerahi gelar The Next Superstar of Indonesian Idol 2010.

MINGGU, 1 AGUSTUS 2010, 00:32 WIB

Siswanto, Nur Farida Ahniar

Indonesian Idol 2010 (indonesianidol.com)

VIVAnews - Finalis dua besar Indonesian Idol, Citra dan Igo, mendapatkan pujian selangit dari para juri karena penampilan memukau mereka di Grand Final Indonesian Idol, malam ini, Sabtu, 31 Juli 2010.

Satu di antara mereka, akan dianugerahi gelar The Next Superstar of Indonesian Idol 2010 yang akan diumumkan pada Sabtu, 7 Agustus 2010, mendatang.

Lagu pertama dibawakan Igo berjudul Andai Aku Bisa (Chrisye). Juri yang terdiri Agnes Monica, Anang, Erwin Gutawa, dan Rossa menilai Igo berkembang pesat belakangan ini.

Anang bahkan berkomentar Igo semakin bersahaja dan dewasa dalam pembawaan lagu.

Sementara Citra tampil membuka acara dengan menyanyikan lagu Pernah Muda (Bunga Citra Lestari). Citra dengan ciri khas jazz-nya membawakannya dengan nada latin.

Erwin Gutawa menilai Citra membawakan lagu itu dengan cara yang tak biasa. Sementara Anang menilai Citra sangat menguasai panggung dan mampu memukau semua yang hadir.

Grand Final Indonesian Idol berlangsung sangat meriah. Acara ini dibuka dengan lagu-lagu daerah yang dinyanyikan secara medley, seperti Gambang Suling, Ayo Mama, Gundul-gundul Pacul, dan Goro Gorone.

• VIVAnews

‘Indonesian Idol’ Builds up to Grand Finale

Dian Kuswandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 07/26/2010 9:24 AM | Headlines

Indonesian Idol is heading for a tense climax with five more days until Indonesia chooses a new idol.

Viewers will have to wait until the grand finale Saturday night to find out whether Indonesia chooses 17-year-old Skolastika Citra Kirana Wulan from Yogyakarta or 16-year-old Elicohen “Igo” Christellgo Pentury from Ambon, Maluku.

In the mean time, both contestants have packed their suitcases, ready to head back to their hometowns to gather more support, and of course, votes.

The two last surviving finalists of the sixth season of Indonesian Idol sang their way into the finale after edging out 18-year-old Gilang Saputra from Bengkulu in last Friday’s Spectacular Show, where contestants had the chance to share the stage with real superstars.

The jazzy Citra won the hearts of the audience with a striking duet with soul singer Tompi. Meanwhile, Igo finished in the top-two after performing with pop sensation Afgan.

“Singing in a duet is very difficult, but you just did an awesome job,” guest judge Armand Maulana, pop-rock band GIGI frontman, told Igo.

Another judge, composer Erwin Gutawa, echoed the sentiment, saying, “after this competition, you should record your own album and you can make hits.”

 That night’s theme of Superstar Duets saw each of the top-three contestant sing two hits — one with the song’s original performers. Igo showed off his smooth vocals when collaborating with Afgan in the mellow number Sadis (Cruel), while Citra belted out a powerful yet relaxed performance with Tompi in Menghujam Jantungku (Into My Heart).

“Awesome. From the way you performed, you look like a singer with tons of hits,” Armand told Citra.

Gilang, on the other hand, shared the stage with his own idol, new heartthrob Sandy Sondhoro, both singing Malam Biru (Blue Night).

“Gilang knows music better than the other contestants,” Erwin said. “And I think you enjoyed your performance with Sandy just now. This song was difficult, and I appreciate your effort.”

Although he was edged out, Gilang said he had no regrets at all.

“I’m happy enough being in the top three,” Gilang said. “Going this far was already a great achievement and a blessing for me.”

The grand finale will take place on July 31 at Central Park, West Jakarta, and will be aired live on RCTI at 8:30 p.m. Although both Citra and Igo will share the red carpet, only one of them will pocket the key to a new car and a recording deal. And Indonesia gets to decide the winner.

Indonesia Considering Rupiah Denomination

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 08/02/2010 4:41 PM | Headlines

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The central bank is deliberating a potential Rupiah denomination in light of decreasing exchange rate valuations against the US dollar in recent years.

Bank Indonesia is considering the possibility of eliminating zero digits in the currency’s nominal value, as reported by kompas.com.

“The central bank is preparing several measures to make Rp 1 feasible,” new Bank Indonesia Governor Darmin Nasution said over the weekend.

The bank has not yet decided how many zero digits would be eliminated, but plans to consult with the House of Representatives before reaching a decision, Darmin said.

“We will publicize the plan by the end of this year,” Darmin said, adding that currency denomination processes generally take four to five years.  

The denomination plans will consider overall economic health, low inflation and price stability, Bank Indonesia deputy governor Budi Rochadi said.

UAE to block BlackBerry services on security fears

The Associated Press, Dubai | Sun, 08/01/2010 8:35 PM | Business

The UAE said Sunday it will block key features on BlackBerry smart phones, citing national security concerns because the devices operate beyond the government's ability to monitor their use.

The decision could block e-mail and Web access for hundreds of thousands of users in the Mideast commercial hub starting in October.

Blackberry data is encrypted and routed overseas, and the measure could be motivated in part by government fears that the messaging system could be exploited by terrorists or other criminals who cannot be monitored by the local authorities.

However, analysts and activists also see it as an attempt to more tightly control the flow of information in the conservative country, a U.S. ally that is home to the Gulf business capital Dubai and the oil-rich emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Government censors already routinely block access to websites and other media deemed to carry content that runs contrary to the natio's conservative Islamic values or could stoke political unrest.

In announcing the ban, the UAE telecommunications watchdog said it will suspend BlackBerry messaging, e-mail and Web browsing services starting October 11. It was unclear if the ban would affect only local users or foreign visitors with roamin services as well.

Regulators say the devices operate outside of laws put in place after their introduction in the country, and that the lack of compliance with local laws raises "judicial, social and national security concerns for the UAE."

The government said it is singling out the BlackBerry, and ot other phones that can access e-mail and the Web, because the devices are the only phones that automatically send users' data to servers overseas.

Emirati authorities are eager to portray an image of the country as a safe, stable society free from the extremism found elsewhere in the region. They have tken steps to crack down on terror financing and efforts by neighbor Iran to sidestep international sanctions over its nuclear program.

Regulators said they have sought compromises with BlackBerry maker Research in Motion on their concerns, but failed to reach an agreement on the issue.

"With no soluton available and in the public interest ... Blackberry Messenger, Blackberry E-mail and Blackberry Web-browsing services will be suspended until an acceptable solution can be developed and applied," Telecommunications Regulatory Authority director-general Mohamed al-Ghanim said in a statement carried on statenews agency WAM.

"The TRA notes that Blackberry appears to be compliant in similar regulatory environments of other countries, which makes noncompliance in the UAE both disappointing and of great concern," he added.

A spokeswoman for Research in Motion said the Canadian company had no immediate commnt.

Other countries, including India and the Gulf state of Bahrain, have also raised concerns about BlackBerry messaging features, but unlike the UAE have not decided to block them outright.

"The UAE doesn't want to take any chances and they want to monitor what is going on in the country," said Sim Simonian, an analyst at Dubai-based investment bank Shuaa Capital who follows telecommunications. "You cannot intercept BlackBerry messages. ... They don't have access to it."

Research in Motion said in a statement last week it "respects both the regulatory requirements of government and the security nd privacy needs of corporations and consumers."

The company declined to disclose details of talks it has had with regulators in the more than 175 countries where it operates, but defended its phones' security features as "widely accepted" by customers and governments.

"This is the irony, that it' the device with the highest security features," Simonian said. "These same security features corporations like have become an issue of national security for the government."

Etisalat and Du, the UAE's two state-run phone companies, said they would comply with the directive and are working on alternative services for their BlackBerry customers.

RIM does not disclose the number of BlackBerry users in the country.

Simonian, the Shuaa analyst, estimated that there are "hundreds of thousands" of Black

Govt intensifies moves to block porn sites

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sat, 07/31/2010 6:36 PM | Headlines

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Tifatul Sembiring: JP/Wendra Ajistyatama

The Ministry of Communication and Information has given Internet café operators one month to install anti-pornography software as part of the government’s efforts to fight pornography in the Internet.

Information Minister Tifatul Sembiring said Saturday the government had also asked Internet Service Providers to install an application which could block customers’ access to adult sites.

For schools that provide Internet access to students and staff, Tifatul said the anti-pornography software was mandatory.

“In accordance with the Law No. 44/2008 on Anti-pornography, the government has the right to block those who fail to follow this instruction,” Tifatul said.

He said the government was collecting keywords which might enable Internet users to access porn sites.

“There are many words which have various meanings, but there are also words that only appear in the country. We need to carefully select the words,” he said.