Readwrotes Blog

     Let us stay: A boy and dozens of residents of Guji Baru village, West Jakarta, stage a protest Wednesday in front of the local city hall to request the West Jakarta mayor revoke an eviction order for their neighborhood. The protesters also urged the administration to issue residents who had been living in Guji Baru for many years with land certificates. Antara/Yudhi Mahatma Antara, Jakarta | Wed, 05/19/2010 6:54 PM | Jakarta 

  Cleaning time: Workers clean a clogged water passage on Jl. Burung at Pinangsia, West Jakarta. Flooding regularly hits the area because of a malfunctioning drainage system. Antara/Yudhi Mahatma

A 24-year-old Arab-American won the title of Miss USA in the annual beauty pageant held Sunday night in Las Vegas. Rima Fakih, a Lebanese immigrant, won the pageant after swimsuit, evening gown and interview competitions. During the competition, she nearly fell while walking in her gown, but she made it without a spill and went on to beat out contestants from all of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Fakih, who moved to the United States as a baby, is believed to be the first Arab-American and Muslim to hold the title of Miss USA. She told pageant organizers that her family celebrates both Catholic and Muslim holidays. Fakih represented the state of Michigan. According to pageant officials, she is a graduate of the University of Michigan, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics. After completing her reign as Miss USA, Fakih plans to attend law school. The Miss USA pageant is not affiliated with the annual Miss America pageant.

Thai authorities have extended a 10-hour curfew to cover 23 provinces, apparently fearing unrest in the Thai capital could spread throughout the country.  Thai authorities say troops in Bangkok are working to restore order after a new assault ended a nine-week, anti-government protest, leaving at least six people dead and scores injured.  The night-time curfew was announced as protesters angry at a government crackdown looted and set fire to buildings in parts of the Thai capital. Government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said soldiers stabilized areas previously occupied by protesters, but acknowledged peace was not yet restored. "We are still facing with a few pockets of trouble in several places in Bangkok," he said. "We would like to ask for your cooperation to remain in your own household." Reports of unrest in other provinces and the curfew extension reveals fears of more violence following clashes with soldiers clearing protesters.  The

   Some catch: Officers from the Bali Police and Conservation Agency (BKSDA) carry a green turtle (Chelonia mydas) rescued in a raid of a warehouse in Denpasar on Wednesday. In the raid, the police arrested Jero Mangku Budha, who was allegedly storing 71 protected green turtles taken from Sulawesi and butchering them for meat. All of the turtles found at the warehouse are thought to be more than 70 years old. JP/Zul Trio Anggono Bali Police officers arrested Jero Mangku Budha, 50, for allegedly stocking 71 protected green turtles in a warehouse on Jl. Pulau Enggano in Pamogan village, Denpasar, Bali, on Wednesday afternoon. Bali police detective chief Sr. Comr. Andi Taqdir said the suspect had also been allegedly selling a traditional dish called nasi lawar in which he put turtle meat. “The suspect opened a nasi lawar stall in front of the warehouse. He said that he was using pork in the dish, but actually he was using turtle meat,” he said, adding that his team had

  Too old for this: A police officer sprays dozens of turtles with water at the Bali Police Headquarters on Wednesday. The police confiscated 71 turtles – all believed to be more than seventy years old – from a suspected illegal trader who had transported the animals from Sulawesi. JP/Zul Trio Anggono