Edition Tuesday, April 9, 2019 | International Bali Post

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Tuesday, April 9, 2019

Iron Maiden’s singer Bruce Dickinson honoured in Sarajevo SARAJEVO - Bruce Dickinson, lead singer with heavy metal group Iron Maiden, received the honorary citizenship of Sarajevo Saturday, in recognition of a concert he played there during the siege of the city.

Dickinson took his band to the Bosnian capital in December 1994, travelling with an aid convoy escorted by UN peacekeepers.

At the time, the city was still caught in the 44-month siege by Bosnian-Serb troops that eventually cost more than 11,000 lives.

“It took a lot of courage and humanity to come to a devastated and besieged Sarajevo in 1994, to say no and to speak out for the halting of the worst war in Europe since World War II,” Igor Gavric, head of the city council, said at the ceremony.

The concert had allowed the people of the city to believe that

they and the city would survive, said the citation.

“We didn’t stop the war but what we did do was we made people feel better about being there -and that’s all musicians can do,” Dickinson told journalists after the ceremony.

“It’s politicians and armies and generals that stop wars. Music speaks to people and makes them feel better about theirs lives et theirs emotions.”

A new generation discovered the concert via a recent documentary about it, “Scream for me, Sarajevo!”, the title taken from what Dickinson shouted to his audience.

During the siege, between 1992 and 1996, the city’s 350,000 residents struggled to get basic necessities and thousands were killed by sniping and shelling. (afp)

e-mail: info_ibp@balipost.co.id online: http://www.internationalbalipost.com. http://epaper.internationalbalipost.com.

Tuesday, April 9, 2019 Dozens of Ethiopian and Eritrean living in Addis Ababa gather for the memorial service to honor Eritrean American rapper, Nipsey Hussle, on April 6, 2019 in Addis Ababa.

Ethiopians bid farewell to slain rapper Nipsey Hussle

President accedes to underscoring unity in diversity in open campaign

KUPANG - Presidential candidate number 01 Joko Widodo seconded Democrat Party Chairman Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s (SBY’s) suggestion to highlight unity in diversity during an open campaign for the upcoming presidential election.

“I agree with the suggestion put forth by Democrat Party Chairman Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) to lay emphasis on unity in diversity during campaigns. Our unity holds immense significance,” Widodo remarked after an open campaign in Kupang, East Nusa

Tenggara Province, on Monday.

Widodo drew the public’s attention to the fact that the elections were merely a five-yearly contest, so the nation’s unity should not affected by it.

The former Solo mayor has followed the practice of showcasing

Indonesia’s abundance of cultural arts and customs during his political campaigns through a cultural carnival.

“I think, we should avoid Tribe, Religion, Race and Customs (SARA) during the campaign,” he emphasized.

SBY, in a letter sent earlier to Democrat Party leaders regarding campaigning for the Prabowo Subianto- Sandiaga Uno pair during a grand campaign in the complex of the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium, Jakarta, Sunday (Apr 7), put forth a suggestion that the campaigns should epitomize diversity and pluralism; avoid expressions of the strength of identity based on religion, ethnicity, and regionalism,

as well as those with ideological nuances, extreme political understanding, and polarization. (ant) News can also be heard in “Bali Image” at Global Radio FM 96.5 from 9.30 until 10.00 am. Listen to Global Radio FM at http:// globalfmbali.listen2myradio.com or live video streaming at http:// radioglobalfmbali.com and http:// ustream.tv/channel/global-fm-bali.

ADDIS ABABA - With poems and speeches, Ethiopians have held an emotional farewell for murdered rapper Nipsey Hussle, whose roots in neighbouring Eritrea won him admirers in both countries.

ELVIS BARUKCIC / AFP

Bruce Dickinson, author, musician and frontman of the hardrock and heavy-metal band Iron Maiden, reacts after being awarded “Honorary Citizen of Sarajevo” in Sarajevo, on April 6, 2019.

Known for his Grammy-nominated debut album, Hussle was shot dead last week in front of the clothing store he owned in the US city of Los Angeles, whose violence-plagued neighbourhoods he had tried to revitalise. On Friday, 29-year-old Eric Holder pleaded not guilty to murder and attempted murder over the shooting that also wounded two other men.

At the Saturday evening memorial in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, Hussle was remembered as a rare entertainer who bridged his American upbringing with his roots in the Horn of Africa.

“When we heard there’s an Eritrean rapper out there, we were fans before we heard his music,” said Ambaye Michael Tesfay, who eulogised Hussle at the event held in a darkened parking lot. “He was an icon for us.”

Before his 2018 debut album “Victory Lap” scored a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Album, Hussle, born Ermias Asghedom, had won the attention of rap fans from both Ethiopia and Eritrea for his embrace of his father’s Eritrean heritage. Eritrea was a province of Ethiopia until 1993, when it voted for independence after a decadeslong independence struggle, but both countries still have close cultural and family ties.

“It’s just really tragic what happened,” said Tezeta Solomon, an Ethiopian living in Los Angeles who attended the memorial in Addis Ababa.

“When he first came out, we were all so excited. To know there was a habesha rapper out there definitely sparked some pride,” she said, using a common term to describe people from the Horn of

Africa. Hussle embraced his Eritrean heritage, visiting the country last year and telling state media, “More than anything I am proud of being Eritrean.”

The relationship between Ethiopia and Eritrea has often been tortuous, and the countries were not on speaking terms for years following a 1998-2000 border war that ground into stalemate.

That ended with the signing of a peace agreement last year that restored ties between the neighbours. The frosty relations did little to dampen Ethiopians’ pride in Hussle’s success.

“We’re all one people,” said Nemany Hailemelekot, an organiser of the memorial.

The crowd of hundreds gathered in the parking lot observed a moment of silence for the slain rapper, who was 33. (afp)

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DEMY SANJAYA / AFP

Incumbent President Joko Widodo (C-L in white) and his running mate for the upcoming election Ma’ruf Amin (C-R in white) parade during a campaign in Tangerang, in the Banten province on April 7, 2019. Some 192 million Indonesians are set to cast a ballot in the world’s third-biggest democracy, with a record 245,000 candidates vying for positions from the presidency and parliamentary seats all the way down to local council jobs.

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Tuesday, April 9, 2019

Bali News

International

Activities

International

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

15

Community networking

A new trend of today’s entrepreneurial style

DENPASAR - Changes in the way of doing entrepreneurship are currently important in the face of competition. Aside from competition among local entrepreneurs, it is also valid for national and international entrepreneurs. One of the new styles of entrepreneurship is building networking from the existing communities. For this reason, building community and mutual networking are very necessary in this era.

Chairman of the Indonesia Young Entrepreneur Association (HIPMI) of Denpasar Chapter, Dewa Wirayudha, stated the next

measure to be taken by HIPMI Denpasar is to try to grow more young entrepreneurs. This is also set forth in the work program of

the HIPMI Denpasar, including in an effort to support industrial competition 4.0 by launching the first educational platform in Bali, namely Starting Pioneer.

“This educational platform is to bring together people having passion to share knowledge with those who are looking for knowledge, so that networking can be created,” he said during the inauguration of the HIPMI management in Denpasar

at the Lumintang Sewaka Dharma Building, Denpasar, recently.

The platform also includes entrepreneurship workshops that make it easier for people to find workshops in Bali.

One of them is training in knitting or weaving in Bali. The workshop is also equipped with training and seminars.

He realized the importance of a network in community because it can provide ideas, innovations in business development and skills.

“We will work together with the city government to be consistent and committed to the development of young entrepreneurs in Denpasar,” he explained.

The inauguration was also attended the Mayor of Denpasar, IB Rai Dharmawijaya Mantra. He hoped that more and more young entrepreneurs will emerge in this region. Local government also supports the development of new businesses pioneered by young entrepreneurs, one of which is by providing supporting facilities.

“The government has been supporting the development of business sector, including the SMEs. This includes guaranteeing small things such as related to licensing and business credit for them, where all of which are not complicated,” said Mayor Rai Dharmawijaya.

In an effort to win the current competition, the government has also admitted to have provided easier process for businesses to obtain legality and licensing. Moreover, he is now preparing a creative economic ecosystem for startups.

“So, there is power of king space and space maker that will collaborate universities, business communities and the government.

The building has been prepared and this year is expected to be realized considering the creative community has been formed for a long time,” he said. He added that later on it will serve the needs of startup such as licensing, marketing advertising, training and others. (kmb42)

Badung transforms rivers into fish pond

MANGUPURA - Badung district government will transform the rivers into the location of fish farming. As planned, this program will be applied in all rivers both in rural and urban areas.

Head of the Badung Fishery Agency, Putu Oka Swadiana, when asked for his confirmation on Sunday (Apr. 7) said that related to the clean program for fish farming, people are expected to maintain the river sanitation, so that later they can become a new tourist destination.

“Related to the clean river program, we have done initial finger-

ling restocking. The distribution is carried out in Subak Lepud, Baha, Badung,” he said.

According to him, the spread of fingerlings is carried out along the rivers. Spread of the fingerlings in public waters (restocking) is an effort to improve the movement to popularize fish consumption for the people of Badung district in order to be healthy and smart.

“Fingerling restocking belongs to medium size consisting of red tilapia and carp. The activity of spreading fingerlings is expected to maintain environmental cleanliness and preservation of fish resources,”

he explained.

Besides, the program also makes rivers or public waters as a source of life as well as makes fish as one of the solutions to improve community nutrition.

“Movement of clean river for fish cultivation is actually for the innovation in the future. Moreover, if possible all the rivers in rural and urban areas can be taken advantage to organize the clean river for these fish,” he said.

He explained the challenge to realize the program is that all the rivers must be free from any content of pesticides, toxic substance

and pollution of garbage. “We are restocking with medium size fingerlings. If this program can be run in the urban rivers, it will be very good. We also expect the role of the community to participate in safeguarding our rivers,” he said.

As is known, the Badung district government has established Fingerling Cultivation Agency (BBI) at Baha village, Mengwi, with the budget worth IDR 10 billion. The construction of BBI is carried out as an effort to increase fingerling production.

At present, Badung averagely produces a total of 3,426,775

fingerlings. In details, a total of 1,350,000 heads are obtained from BBI, while the remaining 2,076,775 heads are from the People’s Hatchery Unit (UPR). Indeed, Badung has two BBIs, namely at Kapal village and Petang village.

However, since the BBI Kapal will be used for the office of Municipality Waterworks (PDAM), the substitute is built at Baha village.

“In 2020, the budget is also increased for the development of the BBI Baha. Additionally, there is a plan to make a large aquarium at the BBI which contains all kinds of fish in Indonesia,” he concluded. (kmb27)

 Founder : K.Nadha,  General Manager :Palgunadi Chief Editor: Gugiek Savindra  Editors:Agus Toni, Daniel Fajry, Mawa, Sueca, Denpasar: Dira Arsana, Giriana Saputra, Subrata, Sumatika, Asmara Putra.

Bangli: Swasrina, Buleleng: Mudiarta, Gianyar: Manik Astajaya, Karangasem: Eka Parananda, Klungkung: Bagiarta. Jakarta: Nikson, Hardianto, Ade Irawan. NTB: Agus Talino, Izzul Khairi, Raka Akriyani. Surabaya: Bambang Wilianto.  Office: Jalan Kepundung 67 A Denpasar 80232. Telephone (0361)225764, Facsimile: 227418, P.O.Box: 3010 Denpasar 80001. Bali Post Jakarta, Advertizing: Jl.Palmerah Barat 21F. Telp 021-5357602, Facsimile: 021-5357605 Jakarta Pusat. NTB: Jalam Bangau No. 15 Cakranegara Telp. (0370) 639543, Facsimile: (0370) 628257. Publisher: PT Bali Post

One journey, two chefs, three hours of delicious edible stories

Unlike any other Chefs’ dinner you have ever attended, this one, to be held at Som Chai restaurant in Seminyak on May 11, 2019, promises to be much more than a meal.

An evening that started months ago when heavy weight Chefs Will Meyrick from Sarong Group and Kevin Cherkas from Cuca restau-

rant landed in southern Kalimantan to discover the stories behind all its delicious traditional dishes. They immersed themselves in the history, recipes, culture and nature of the region and put together their lifetime knowledge and passion for food to proudly bring you their very own Kalimantan inspired creations. A true collabora-

tion built on hours and hours of day long discoveries, late night discussions and early morning trials.

“Will sees a new dish as a child sees a puppy, the excitement and love he has for food is unlike anyone else I have ever met.” – says Kevin about his partner in crime for this adventure. “Kevin grasps the stories behind

dishes; his thought process allows him to see things in a completely new way” - is Will’s view on Kevin’s approach to cuisine.

Guests can expect a jungle inspired soiree full of sensorial surprises including, among many more, the premiere of a short documentary depicting the chefs’ exciting journey and their

behind-thescenes kitchen sessions to jointly create the dishes for this event. But the highlight of the evening will of course be the food: a story-like menu divided in chapters that will convey the soul, flavors and identity of south Kalimantan through the trained taste buds and fearless creativity of the two chefs.

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Tuesday, April 9, 2019

Science

International

In ‘The Perfect Predator,’ viruses vanquish a deadly superbug defeated by their natural predators, viruses called bacteriophages. The nearly century-old treatment had been all but forgotten in the United States, in large part because of the invention of antibiotics, but was being used in parts of the former Soviet Union.

Doctors needed the right phage, one capable of parasitizing the bacteria infecting Patterson. So Strathdee asked a team of scientists to drop everything and check their phage collections while also hunting for environmental samples for a virus that could be turned into an experimental treatment. Within three weeks, two sets of researchers found phages that were a match.

Patterson was treated successfully, and the first phage therapy center in the United States opened last year at UC San Diego.

Strathdee, who did most of the book’s writing, provides clear

explanations of the science and weaves historical vignettes, such as the early days of research on penicillin, throughout her personal narrative.

The book is a real page-turner, though a few things may give readers pause. The first is the mention of Strathdee’s psychic, who appears a few times throughout the book and is later joined by a holistic healer. Then there are “interludes” written by Patterson.

Over time, it becomes clear that these snippets are a peek into Patterson’s hallucinations, but the book would have been stronger if those passages had been clearly introduced, or left out altogether.

The interludes, and Strathdee’s reliance on some unconventional supports, are distracting, but they don’t take away from the book’s strong foundation in science and skillful storytelling. (net)

IBP/net

Cats may be able to distinguish the sound of their own names from the names of other cats — unless they live in cat cafés.

Then it gets more complicated.

Cats recognize their own names

IBP/net

To save a patient infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria, doctors turned to bacteriophages, viruses that attack bacteria (as shown in this illustration).

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

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Tourism vulnerable to drop, district govt promotes seaweed cultivation

CALIFORNIA - Epidemiologist Steffanie Strathdee and her husband, Thomas Patterson, went to Egypt in 2015 expecting to come home with some photos and souvenirs. Instead, Patterson was hit with his own version of the 10 plagues.

At first, doctors in Egypt thought Patterson had pancreatitis. But his health worsened after treatment, and he started hallucinating. Once flown to Germany, he was diagnosed with a multidrug-resistant bacterial infection in his pancreas. He was then airlifted to a hospital at Strathdee’s home institution, the University of California, San Diego. There, Patterson suffered several episodes of septic shock and spent months in a coma.

The Perfect Predator chronicles the couple’s encounter with a bacterium that was resistant to every available antibiotic, and the rush to find an alternative treatment to save Patterson’s life.

During the ordeal, Strathdee used her scientific training to research solutions and stumbled upon phage therapy. The idea is that even the most resistant bacteria can be

Bali News

International

TOKYO - Whether practical, dramatical or pragmatical, domestic cats appear to recognize the familiar sound of their own names and can distinguish them from other words, researchers report April 4 in Scientific Reports.

While dog responses to human behavior and speech have received much attention, researchers are just scratching the surface of human-cat interactions. Research has shown that domestic cats (Felis catus) appear to respond to human facial expressions, and can distinguish between different human voices.

But can cats recognize their own names?

“I think many cat owners feel that cats know their names, or the word ‘food,’” but until now, there was no scientific evidence to back that up, says Atsuko Saito, a psychologist at Sophia University in Tokyo and a cat owner.

So Saito and her colleagues pounced on that research question.

They asked cat owners to say four

nouns of similar length followed by the cat’s name. Cats gradually lost interest with each noun, but then reacted strongly to their names — moving their ears, head or tail, shifting their hind paw position or, of course, meowing. The results held up with cats living alone, with other cats and at a cat café, where customers can hang out with cats.

And when someone other than the owner said the name, the cats still responded to their names more than to other nouns.

One finding did give the team pause. Cat café cats almost always reacted to their names and those of other cats living there. Housecats did so much less frequently. Lots of humans visit cat cafés, and cats’ names are frequently called together, so it may be harder for cats to associate their own names with positive reinforcement in these environments, the researchers write.

As for whether or not a cat understands what a name is, well, only the cat knows that. (net)

SEMARAPURA — The results of the academic study on the Nusa Penida seaweed cultivation become a valuable capital for Klungkung district government to answer the problem of the decline in seaweed production. Results of the study are continuously disseminated to revive the interest of Nusa Penida seaweed farmers. District government wanted the seaweed cultivation to be able to become a strong economic foundation because the surge in tourism is also very vulnerable to plummet.

After at Jungut Batu village and Ped village, presentation on the results of the study was carried out again at the Batumedau Temple, Suana village, Nusa Penida, recently. The study was conducted to revive the production of seaweed cultivation as an economic support in Nusa Penida in addition to the tourism sector having been growing rapidly.

“We know that tourism is a very lucrative sector at the moment.

However, it must be remembered that this sector is also very sensitive and can suddenly be plunged by other factors. I want the people of Nusa Penida to glance at other sectors such as seaweed cultivation that was ever successful in 2000s,” said Regent of Klungkung, Nyoman Suwirta.

Four farmer groups of Suana village with the members of 101 people are enthusiastic enough to listen to the results of the study.

On that occasion, Regent Suwirta delivered that the step to carry out the study was his instruction in 2017 when seaweed production dropped in 2016. Results of the study coming out in 2018 indicated there is no seawater pollution due

to hotel waste affecting seaweed cultivation. Spinosum and Cottoni seaweed having been tested in three different locations, namely Suana, Batununggul and Lembongan villages succeeded well. The interest of farmer groups to re-cultivate seaweed is also high reaching 90 percent.

A farmer group member, I Ketut Mudra Asmara, hoped that Nusa Penida seaweed cultivation will soon rise. If it is materialized, the newly harvested seaweed can be immediately bought without having to be dried up again considering the land for drying has been converted into tourism supporting facilities.

Responding to this, Regent Suwirta promised to prepare a place through a cooperative institution that will buy farmers’ seaweed. The cooperative will accommodate farmers’ harvest yields in large quantities on the land having been prepared.

Seaweed buyers have also been prepared and farmer groups will be coalesced into cooperatives with legal entities. So, if there are unserious members they will face legal consequences. It will also collaborate with the Industry and Cooperatives Agency to provide guidance for seaweed cultivators so that the harvest yields can be properly packaged and have SNI standards.

Klungkung government is also working with the Bali Fishery and Maritime Affairs to help prepare superior seeds and land for warehouses. Nusa Penida has the potential to support seaweed cultivation. He expected the farmer groups can get legal entities so that they can also have access to assistance from the ministry. (kmb31)

IBP/kmb

The clean-up action targeted strategic areas, such as tourism areas, beaches, traditional markets, and temple areas.

In Badung, cleanup action amasses eight trucks of garbage

MANGUPURA — The movement to clean up plastic waste organized simultaneously in Bali on Sunday (Apr. 7) was quite successful. In Badung district, for instance, eight trucks of plastic waste were successfully collected.

IBP/kmb

District government wanted the seaweed cultivation to be able to become a strong economic foundation because the surge in tourism is also very vulnerable to plummet.

Head of the Badung Environment and Sanitation Agency (LHK), I Putu Eka Merthawan, said the clean-up action targeted strategic areas, such as tourism areas, beaches, traditional markets, and temple areas. The movement involved all levels of society, namely the old and young people as well as teenagers.

“They are only eight trucks. It means that we have indeed been consistently doing this kind of activity, so there is not much garbage scattered. The most garbage is collected at Yeh Poh Estuary, Berawa Beach,” he said.

According to him, the clean-up activities are focused on all sub-districts with different loci. In Petang subdistrict, the activities are carried

out on Tukad Bangkung Bridge, Abiansemal area, in the Mambal Market area, Mengwi subdistrict in Pererenan Beach, North Kuta subdistrict, in Yeh Poh Estuary, Berawa Beach, Kuta subdistrict and the mangrove forest area around the Kepiting village. Meanwhile, in South Kuta the activities were centered at Dalam Geger Pemutih Temple at Benoa village.

“In total, the clean-up activities involve the school components, sub-district and village apparatus, community and businessmen,” explained the bureaucrat from Sempidi village, Mengwi.

He explained the simultaneous clean-up activities apply sustainable concept, does not only last a week. “In Badung, we do not do

like that, but sustainably. After today, we will schedule to organize regularly, maybe once a month. We will coordinate with subdistrict government as well,” he said firmly.

Headman of Pererenan, I Made Rai Yasa, stated the clean-up activities in the area are focused along Pererenan Beach stretching along approximately 1 km. “Our clean-up activities begin at 06:30. People are very enthusiastic about taking part in this activity,” he said.

Representing the Pererenan village community, he strongly supported the government’s program to reduce the use of plastic bags. “I am quite confident this program can make Badung region and Bali as a whole cleaner, so as to make people comfortable,” he concluded. (kmb27)

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Bali News

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

International

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

International

Construction of viewing platform looks incomplete and careless

Japan abdication stirs female succession debate

Material remnants scattered on concrete floor BANGLI - The presence of viewing platform built by the Bangli district government in the forest area of the natural tourism park (TWA) in 2018 spending a budget of IDR 800 million looks unfinished and careless. This can be seen from the condition of some parts of the building, especially the floors remaining in the form of concrete, while the wall finishing seems to have not been finished. Besides, on the upper floor of the viewing platform there is also a pile of remaining sand material and a number of building tools left scattered about. As seen on Sunday (Apr. 7), the viewing platform building having been religiously inaugurated around last February has four floors. From the outside, the viewing platform looks good but when viewed closely, especially from inside, it looks to have not been fully accomplished.

The entire floor of the building is still in the form of rough concrete. On the first floor, there are even stairs having not been finished as the stones are still visible.

Even though the project was completed at the end of last year and has been opened to the public, so far the materials in the form of sand and gravel are still left to pile up and scatter.

As seen on the second floor of the local building, the materials, project boards and some building tools in the form of wooden stairs are also still left lying on the third and fourth floors. Although classified as a new building, paint on some parts of the wall has been peeling off.

An officer at one of the climbing point of Abang Erawang, Wayan Bagiarta, said the construction of the viewing platform had delayed and was completed around December.

Meanwhile, the inauguration ceremony was held coincidently with the observation tower at Penelokan

tourist object.

Bagiarta said that after the viewing platform was established, it is not visited by many tourists. If there are visitors, they are mostly just sitting downstairs. “Guests rarely go up to the upper floor. If there are visitors, they are directed by their tour guide,” he said. He added that at night the lights on the platform building are never turned on because many have burned out. “Probably, the bulbs only light up on the lower floor,” he said.

Head of the Bangli Tourism and Culture Office, I Wayan Adnyana, could not have been able to confirm this matter. When the cellphone was contacted, it was not responded.

Meanwhile, Division Head of Tourist Object Development at the Bangli Tourism and Culture Office, Wayan Bona, when contacted last Sunday stated the construction of the viewing platform had been completed at the end of last year. At present, the building is still under maintenance for six months.

Bona claimed the viewing platform whose management was already handed over to the Tourism Management Agency has been visited by many tourists. “It’s amazingly crowded, just like Bedugul,” he said.

When asked about the condition inside the building looking incomplete especially on the floor, Bona claimed the design and budget plan are indeed like that. “For the time being, it indeed looks like that. In the future, we will try to propose it again,” he said.

Meanwhile, when asked about the fact there remains sand material piling up on the second floor of the platform building, this official from Terunyan argued it happens because the resident wishing to ask for the rest of the material has not taken it away.

“The remaining sand will be asked by resident. Maybe it has not been taken until now,” he said. (kmb40)

IBP/kmb40

the condition of some parts of the building, especially the floors remaining in the form of concrete, while the wall finishing seems to have not been finished.

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Disposal of garbage in the forest area of Kintamani has been quite widespread.

IBP/kmb Jonathan KLEIN / AFP

Forest in Kintamani covered by garbage

This aerial photo taken on March 9, 2019 shows a view of a Buddhist temple isolated by coastal erosion in Samut Chin village, off the shore of Samut Prakan.

BANGLI - Disposal of garbage in the forest area of Kintamani has been quite widespread.

This is evident from the amount of garbage successfully cleaned up and transported in the activities of the Bali Plastic Waste Cleanup Movement in Kintamani on Sunday (Apr. 7).

SAMUT CHIN - As sea waters slowly rose around his temple and his neighbours fled inland, Thai abbot Somnuek Atipanyo refused to budge and is today a symbol of the fight to restore the country’s fast-eroding coastlines.

Regent asks people to build awareness of not littering The activity led by Governor of Bali, Wayan Koster, was followed by the Regent of Bangli I Made Gianyar, Deputy Regent Sang Nyoman Sedana Arta, all government employees, Indonesian Military and National Police personnel, students, and the community. The cleanup movement in Kintamani was implemented to spread at several points. One of the points cleaned up was the forest area in front of the office of Kintamani subdistrict head. Plastic waste accumulating in the forest area was collected and transported using plastic sacks and then dumped into a garbage truck.

Head of the Bangli Environmental Agency (DLH), Ida Ayu Yudi Sutha, said that a total of five trucks of garbage were successfully cleaned up and transported in the plastic waste cleanup movement activities in Kintamani last Sunday.

“About 5 of 7 trucks prepared are loaded,” he said. Apart from the forest area, the waste transported is the result of cleaning up activities in the Kintamani market area and Batur Temple parking lot.

Meanwhile, Regent of Bangli, I Made Gianyar, when met amid

the activity asked the community to build a shame habit of littering. According to him, without internal awareness of the community individual not to throw trash carelessly, the waste problem will never be resolved. “If this persists, the government will not be unable to do this. After resolving today’s problem, tomorrow it returns again.

So, the first and foremost, we must build a culture of shame. Let’s build awareness together to manage our respective waste,” he said.

Gianyar gave an example, if there are a thousand smokers and all of them throw cigarette butts carelessly, there will be a thousand garbage problems. On the contrary, if everyone manages his cigarette butts properly by throwing them in place, the waste problem like this will not happen.

Regarding the plastic waste cleanup movement, Regent Made Gianyar stressed that he will follow up on the governor’s direction.

Such activities will be carried out regularly every month to places where there is a problem of plastic waste.

To overcome the waste problem in Bangli, this regent from Bunu-

tin village also added that he will order the Regional Secretary, the Environment Agency and the Legal Division to enforce the local regulation on waste having been made by the Bangli district government.

If necessary, the district government will install CCTV so that if there are residents caught littering they can be dealt firmly.

“Apparently, we can only take this measure. At this rate, this is our problem. State money will run out for resolving this. How much have we spent for clothes, gasoline and consumption? Well, if we are aware of everything, the possibility of developing Bangli, Bali and Indonesia will run faster starting with the awareness of its population and the awareness of its citizens,” said Gianyar.

He hoped the waste problem can be resolved at hamlet and village levels. “If minimized, it will be easier to resolve. Conversely, the more it stacks it will be more difficult to be resolved. Just imagine how much time is required by governor to take care of the garbage! If the whole hamlets take care of the garbage, it will get better. However, they must be provided with incentives,” he added. (kmb40)

Against the tide: Thai ‘floating temple’ defies coastal erosion

A dangerous combination of climate change, industrial farming and rapid urbanisation are endangering the Gulf of Thailand’s coasts, stripping away precious mangrove trees and leaving some buildings like Somnuek’s surrounded by sea water.

In the 30 years since the waters started encroaching, most of his neighbours in the fishing village of Samut Chin moved several hundred meters inland to rebuild their wooden homes.

Standing in his saffron robes near his monastery on stilts -- dubbed the “floating temple” -- the 51-year-old monk points out to sea at the spot where the local school once stood.

“This temple used to be in the middle of the village,” he tells AFP in Samut Chin, about an hour south of Bangkok.

“If we moved it, people wouldn’t even know there had ever been one here,” he says of the temple, accessible only by a small footbridge today.

These shores were once protected by extensive mangrove forests -- the Gulf of Thailand boasts some of the largest in the world -- a natural defence against coastal erosion thanks to their extensive roots that stabilise

the shoreline.

But it’s a been a losing battle to preserve them.

- Replanting in the ‘heart’ Mangrove forests have been cleared for extensive development of shrimp and salt farms, along with new houses and hotels that have popped up thanks to a development boom in recent decades.

Thailand lost almost one third of its vast coastal mangrove forests between 1961 and 2000, according to a report from the nation’s Department of Marine and Coastal Resources and the UN Environment Programme.

Climate change is also having an impact: stronger waves and more ferocious monsoons have wiped out mangroves in the Gulf of Thailand, which is especially vulnerable because its waters are so shallow.

“The waves and tides are higher than before,” said Thanawat Jarupongsakul, who advises Thailand’s government on its policy to combat erosion.

Asian and Caspian coastlines are the two areas in the world most affected by coastal erosion, according to a study published last year in the scientific journal Nature.

It’s a global problem: tens of thousands of square kilometres of land have been lost from coastal erosion around the world -- between 1984 and 2015 the equivalent of the surface area of Haiti was lost, the study said.

In Thailand a quarter of the country’s shores -- or about 700 kilometres (500 miles) -- are eroding, some “severely”, according to data shared with AFP by the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources.

Now there is a push to restore Thailand’s precious mangrove ecosystem through a national voluntary tree replanting scheme, including near Somnuek’s island monastery.

On a recent sunny afternoon, scores of people spent the day wading chest-deep in the sea to replant mangrove trees.

Clad in headscarves and hats, they gingerly reach down into the water to plant young saplings along lines of bamboo poles that help offer some protection against the waves.

“This project is called ‘Planting a forest in people’s hearts,’” said Wason Ditsuwan, who runs the program.

Set up in 2016 by Bangkok city authorities, the project has so far replanted 84 acres of mangroves across the country. (afp)

TOKYO - Japanese Emperor Akihito’s historic abdication later this month has reignited concerns over the future of what is believed to be one of the world’s oldest royal families, given its hereditary, male-only succession rules.

As it stands, the fate of the Japanese imperial family rests on 12-year-old Hisahito, the son of Crown Prince Naruhito’s younger brother and the last eligible male heir. Japan’s centuries-old succession would be broken if Hisahito does not have a male child as the Imperial Household Law, in place since 1947, does not allow women to ascend the Chrysanthemum Throne.

That means Naruhito’s only child, 17-year-old Princess Aiko, is not in line to inherit the throne.

While public attitudes seem to be shifting to change the succession laws to allow women to rule, the chance of concrete reform looks remote.

According to a poll by the Yomiuri Shimbun daily between October and November, nearly two-thirds want the law revised to allow women to be the rightful heir.

“I just wonder why Princess Aiko cannot ascend the throne,” Mizuho, a Tokyo resident in her 30s who only gave her first name, told AFP. “If it’s just because she’s a girl, then I think it’s out of place in the current era,” she said.

“Why don’t we allow female heirs like Queen Elizabeth in the British monarchy?”

Under the current rules, female imperial family members also lose their royal status upon marriage to a commoner, a point highlighted by

the engagement of one of Akihito’s granddaughters, Princess Mako, to her college sweetheart.

- ‘Sun goddess’ Traditionalists are vehemently opposed to any change in the law but there have been as many as eight empresses, with the last one, Gosakuramachi, on the throne about 250 years ago.

And the imperial family, which has a myth-filled history dating back more than 2,600 years, is said to be descended from legendary sun goddess Amaterasu.

When the parliament passed a oneoff rule allowing the ageing emperor to step down in 2017, it also urged the government to “swiftly study” reforms that would allow the sons of royal women to become emperor.

Tokyo has said these discussions will begin soon after May 1, when Naruhito ascends the throne.

But the government has also decided that only male royal adults will attend the main abdication ceremony, during which the new emperor will inherit the traditional regalia such as a sacred sword and jewel.

Politicians are dodging the looming issue of male-only succession because “they do not want to shoulder the responsibility”, Yuji Otabe, professor of Japanese history at Shizuoka University of Welfare, told AFP. “If you think about the heredity system, a woman is also of imperial blood,” he said, voicing concerns about the future of the Japanese royal line if the situation does not change. (afp)

JIJI PRESS / AFP

Japan’s Emperor Akihito (L) and Empress Michiko (R) go for a stroll on the grounds of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on April 7, 2019.

12

International

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

BUSINESS Job gain points to a US economy slowing but hardly stalling WASHINGTON - A month ago, many economists fretted that the 10-year U.S. expansion looked wobbly. But after the government reported Friday that hiring rebounded in March, the economy suddenly looks sturdy again.

Growth has weakened since last year to something closer to the modest pace that has prevailed for most of the nearly decade-long expansion. The jolt from the Trump administration’s 2017 tax cuts and greater government spending last year has faded. And the global economy has swiveled from a driver of the U.S. economy to a headwind.

Yet last month’s solid job gain of 196,000 may also help undercut any lingering fears that a recession might arrive over the next year or so. The economy’s slow but steady pace of growth is likely to keep inflation low and perhaps sustain the expansion, which is set to become the longest on record in July.

By historical measures, the expansion has fallen short of the sometimes-explosive growth that businesses and workers enjoyed in the past but that often led to financial bubbles or economic excesses — and eventually a recession.

“Lackluster means that you’re not overheating,” Josh Wright, chief economist at recruiting software maker iCIMS, said of the current expansion. “It’s more stable, and we’ll have fewer imbalances. It looks like we’ll be able to prolong this recovery even further.”

In its monthly jobs report Friday, the government also said the unemployment rate remained near a fivedecade low of 3.8% in March.

So far this year, job growth has averaged a decent 180,000 a month. That is down, though, from last year’s 223,000 monthly average. And it marks the lowest three-month average gain since November 2017, before the tax cuts took effect.

Wage growth also slipped a bit in March, with average hourly pay increasing 3.2% from a year earlier.

That is down from February’s yearover-year gain of 3.4%, the best in a decade.

“Today’s data paint a picture of resilient U.S. demand that has stepped down to a more moderate pace of growth following last year’s robust gains,” said Jonathan Millar, senior economist at Barclays.

Investors took Friday’s jobs data

in stride. The stock market was up slightly in afternoon trading, extending a rally that has lifted the financial markets this year.

Given that that hiring and wage growth aren’t growing so fast as to threaten high inflation, the Federal Reserve is likely to stay on the sidelines indefinitely, forgoing interest rate hikes, economists said.

As recently as December, Fed officials had forecast that they would raise rates twice this year. But in March, after financial markets turned volatile, inflation showed signs of slipping, and concerns grew about the global economy, the Fed said it would likely keep rates unchanged in 2019.

Yet the jobs data also provides little reason for the Fed to cut rates, analysts said, despite President Donald Trump’s repeated calls for the Fed to do just that. On Friday, Trump went further, urging the Fed to renew the bond-buying program it had used to lower longer-term borrowing rates earlier this decade after the Great Recession. The program was known as “quantitative easing.”

“Our country’s doing unbelievably well economically,” Trump said.

But Fed policymakers “really slowed us down,” and if they dropped rates and resumed buying bonds, “you would see a rocket ship.”

Quantitative easing was an emergency tool that the Fed, under Chairman Ben Bernanke, used to buy trillions in government bonds and other securities. The third and last round was launched in 2012 when the unemployment rate was still 8%.

The Fed’s policies probably contributed to another shortcoming of the current expansion: It has benefited wealthier Americans more than others. That’s because the Fed’s QE program, by holding down rates on Treasury securities, led many investors to put more money into stocks, raising their values.

The stock market has tripled since bottoming a decade ago, benefiting the richest one-tenth of Americans, who own about 80% of the value of U.S. shares. Home

AP Photo/Keith Srakocic,

In this March 7, 2019, file photo visitors to the Pittsburgh veterans job fair meet with recruiters at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. On Friday, April 5, the U.S. government issues the March jobs report. equity, a much more vital source of wealth for the middle-class, has recovered much less.

And many households remain gripped by financial insecurity despite the steady pace of hiring.

Forty percent of workers earn less than $16 an hour, according to government data analyzed by the Economic Policy institute. In March, hiring did pick up in higherpaying sectors, such as professional and business services, which added 37,000 jobs in engineering, IT services, accounting and other fields.

Manufacturers did not fare as well, cutting 6,000 jobs, the sector’s first decline in a year and a half, mostly because of layoffs by General Motors. Construction firms added 16,000 jobs. One factor that may weigh on hiring in the coming months is a dwindling supply of workers in the healthiest job markets. Charles Dunlap, who owns an accounting firm in Houston with a partner, has found it much harder to find a new bookkeeper than he did the last time he filled the position, in late 2016.

Back then, advertising mostly

by word of mouth turned up unsolicited requests for interviews and candidates with advanced degrees.

Now, Dunlap has interviewed only three potential hires this year, despite raising the job’s starting pay about $2 an hour to roughly $15.

“That’s the big challenge these days, just finding staff,” Dunlap said.

Like hiring, growth is also expected to decelerate this year, to about a 2.25% pace, down from 2.9% in 2018, the fastest expansion in three years. In the much more rapid expansion in the 1990s, growth topped 4% for four years.

Consumers have helped drag down growth, with retail sales falling in February and a broader measure of consumer spending slipped in January. Businesses have also reined in their spending on industrial machinery and other equipment and on factories and other buildings.

And in Europe and Asia, weaker economies have reduced demand for U.S. exports. Europe is on the brink of recession, with its factories shrinking in March at the fastest

pace in six years, according to a private survey.

Still, most analysts expect the U.S. economy to survive weakness overseas.

“The U.S. is much more isolated from those factors than other countries,” Millar said. “We have a relatively closed economy.”

Corporate profits also appear to be rebounding after stalling out in the first three months of this year.

Analysts expect S&P 500 companies to report a drop of nearly 4 percent in their firstquarter earnings per share from a year earlier, according to FactSet. It would be the first decline in nearly three years.

But Steve Chiavarone, an equity strategist at Federated Investors, pointed to encouraging reports recently on China’s economy and U.S. manufacturing, along with central banks around the world easing up on interest rates.

“Over the last few days, you’ve seen 2019 and 2020 earnings estimates rise for the first time since September,” Chiavarone said. (ap)

Bali News

International

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

5

Make Badung River into a River Walk

The arrangement of Kumbasari Park and Badung Market has been completed. The inaugural ceremony coincided with full moon of the eight month in Balinese calendar falling on Wednesday (Jan. 31). Mayor of Denpasar, I.B. Rai Dharmawijaya Mantra, inaugurated the Kumbasari Park marked by signing of inscription and putting animal sacrifice into the flow of Badung River. Today, the area becomes a new tourist attraction for the local community and tourists.

Mayor Rai Mantra accompanied by the Chairman of the Commission III of the Denpasar House of Representatives, Eko Supriadi, also spread 10,000 tilapia fingerlings in the flow of Badung River along with relevant agency heads in the city government of Denpasar. This is to preserve the ecosystem of Badung River. Rai Mantra also provided groceries to 140 officers of clean river program (Prokasih), 105 flushing officers and 40 gatekeepers symbolically.

He said the arrangement is meant to make the river clean and transform it into a River Walk concept (a place to walk on the river bank). “Badung River can now be used as a recreation place and have economic impact and educate the public about cleanliness of the future with the increase of selfawareness. So, the river will not be made into a place to dispose of garbage,” he said Arrangement of the Badung River, explained Rai Mantra, is meant to encourage people to keep

the river clean and not to litter.

This does not only transform them to look beautiful, but also makes something that has the potential, as in Bindu River and Tukad River.

Now, they become a new potential and special attraction.

Onwards, the river arrangement will continuously be done by paying

attention to the entire river flow that allows to be reorganized. If possible, they will be made river transportation such as small boats to further facilitate the transportation of river recreation. Besides, it will facilitate the community to traditional markets connected to the river. “So, this River Walk can be used as a potential of

water in all aspects, whether the economic, education, transportation and health aspect. It makes something useless into something valuable,” said Rai Mantra.

Acting Head of the Denpasar Public Works and Spatial Agency, Nyoman Ngurah Jimmy Sidarta, revealed the arrangement of river

banks in essence can change the behavior of people who consider the river as a garbage dump. “With this arrangement, people are expected to no longer throw garbage into the river. Additionally, they can take advantage of the river banks for positive activities,” he explained. (kmb)

Molenteng Hill, ‘Raja Ampat’ of Nusa Penida

Molenteng Hill or often dubbed as the One Thousand Island of Nusa Penida, precisely located at Pelilitan hamlet, Pejukutan, increasingly attracts more travelers. A beautiful sea view and a tree house on the

cliff top give satisfaction to lovers of natural beauty.

“Molenteng Hill is also often dubbed as the Raja Ampat of Bali by visitors. Probably it happens because the attraction is similar to

the Raja Ampat tourist attraction in Papua,” said the operator and owner of the Bukit Molenteng tourist attraction, I Wayan Natih, recently.

Natih said the land area used as the tourist attraction is heritage from his ancestors that is then managed by building several facilities such as a tree house, food stall and convenient gazebo to unwind.

Furthermore, he explained that it was originally not an object designated by the government of Klungkung as tourist attraction. However, in harmony with the increasing number of tourist visits to the location, Natih was inspired to make the land area into a tourist object managed in better way.

“We would like to welcome the arrival of guests to this location in a better way along with good facili-

ties. With various considerations, we decided to make some buildings with supporting facilities for the beauty of this natural grace,” he said.

With a couple of facilities established, since June 2016 this location has been opened into a tourist attraction. After that, he claimed that approximately 150 visitors come every day consisting of local, domestic to foreign travelers.

To support the sustainability of the tourist attraction, Natih charges admission ticket to visitors differently, where local visitor is charged at IDR 5,000 per person and IDR10,000 for foreign visitor.

In addition, visitor is also charged a parking levy of IDR 5,000 per vehicle. And for those wishing to enjoy the natural beauty of tree house must pay IDR 300,000 per night.

He admitted there are some investors often asking him to make cooperation but so far he tends to manage alone the tourist attraction in order that someday it can be passed on to his children and grandchildren.

Currently, he has employed 14 people to help manage the attraction. “We pay their salary from the revenue of admission ticket and it is also used to equip the facilities such as the provision of water and electricity,” he added.

“For sustainability of this attraction, the government has taken a role by helping develop this tourist attraction, especially in the matter of promotion. However, we still find some obstacles today such as the difficult access to get water, electricity and the road still gets less support from the government,” said Natih. (kmb)

6

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

W

International

International

RLD

INDONESIAN INDONESIAN

‘Less shouting, more listening’, plead weary Catalans

- ‘People in the middle’ -

Tensions have soared in the 7.5-million-strong northeastern Spanish region since a banned independence referendum took place on October 1, 2017, followed weeks later by a short-lived declaration of secession.

Hardly a day goes by without pro-independence politicians or supporters of the unity of Spain

badmouthing one another as moderates struggle to be heard above the din.

Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who came to power in June, tried to start formal talks with separatist leaders but was shouted down by right-wingers accusing him of cosying up to those trying to break up Spain... and by separatists who said it wasn’t enough.

He was forced to call early general elections on April 28 after pro-independence lawmakers who helped him come to power refused to back the minority government’s budget.

“We’re at a stage when no one really knows how to get out of this confrontation,” says former union member Jaume Espinalt in Sant Joan de Vilatorrada, a town nestled in the rolling hills of Catalonia’s mainly pro-independence centre.

It’s like “two battering rams with the people in the middle,” adds Espinalt.

He believes there should be “less shouting, more listening” in the divided region where 47.5 percent voted for independence parties in December 2017 regional polls.

- ‘Recurrent theme’ -

In Santpedor, the village where

pro-independence Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola comes from, mayor Xavier Codina acknowledges the issue is a “recurrent theme.”

“Every day, every day,” insists Codina, a staunch backer of secession.

Outside his office, yellow ribbons hang from stone buildings, including the village hall.

These have become a symbol of protest against the imprisonment and trial of separatist leaders and an object of ire for radical antiindependence activists.

“Do you know what I have today? I’ve received notification from the electoral board that I have to take off the yellow ribbon,” says Codina, a small separatist flag perched behind his desk.

The board says the yellow ribbons should be taken off Catalan government buildings ahead of elections, arguing they are partisan.

“I’m going to hang a banner that says ‘freedom.’ That can mean lots of things,” he says, laughing.

It could mean freedom for separatist leaders currently on trial in Madrid’s Supreme Court, which Codina sees as an “injustice” that has only deepened the resolve of independence supporters. (afp)

Roser Vilallonga / CATALAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY / AFP

In this file handout photo released by the Assemblea Nacional Catalana (Catalan National Assembly) on September 11, 2018 people hold letters reading “Independence” during a proindependence demonstration, in Barcelona marking the National Day of Catalonia, the “Diada”.

11

ELECTION 2019

Jokowi visits Cirebon for open campaign Presidential candidate number 01 Joko Widodo was present at the open campaign organized by the Indonesian Coalition Work National Campaign Team in Cirebon District, West Java, Friday.

BARCELONA - As night falls on the Catalan seaside resort of Mataro near Barcelona, one room in the community centre remains brightly-lit as locals debate a way out of the independence crisis.

Opinions on secession differ but all appear to agree on one thing: a year-and-a-half after a failed attempt to break from Spain shook the country and Europe, frontline politicians need to stop shouting and get talking.

That’s the view shared by many Catalans worn out by months of fruitless sparring between pro- and anti-independence camps, who want leaders in separatist-governed Catalonia and Madrid to come to an arrangement.

“There are many, many people in Catalonia who are increasingly convinced that the radical positions on one side and the other bring nothing positive,” says Carles Estape, an independence supporter.

That includes a “huge majority of those in favour of independence,” he adds.

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

IBP/net

Under the Aliyev dynasty which has ruled the oil-rich, ex-Soviet nation with an iron fist for a quarter of a century, Azerbaijan has emerged from post-Soviet political and economic chaos to enjoy an oil production boom.

Poverty, repression in shadow of Azerbaijan’s shiny new skyline

BAKU - In a crowded Baku street, Gyulya Akparova talks proudly about the major transformation of Azerbaijan and its thousand-year-old capital dotted with glittering skyscrapers on the Caspian Sea. Two decades ago, “there were not many parks, nor new buildings”, said the 56-year-old housewife.

Since then, the government “has created normal living conditions so that people can lead a good life,” she said, adding: “There used to be very few tourists, now there are lots of them.”

Another Baku resident, 46-yearold Elsa Jafarova shared her enthusiasm, saying she was proud to show her city to visitors, who explore it “with pleasure”.

But behind Azerbaijan’s glitzy facades, financed by petrodollars, lie widespread poverty and political repression, government critics say.

“Petrodollars got spent on infrastructure projects -- the engines of the country’s development,” prominent economist Natig Jafarli said.

“The spending mostly benefitted central Baku, which has changed dramatically, but this is not the case for the rest of the country,” said Jafarli, who is also executive secretary of the opposition Republican Alternative Party.

- Poverty and petrodollars -

Under the Aliyev dynasty which has ruled the oil-rich, ex-Soviet nation with an iron fist for a quarter of a century, Azerbaijan has

emerged from post-Soviet political and economic chaos to enjoy an oil production boom.

This brought years of two-digit economic growth, peaking at over 20 percent a year between 2004 and 2008 when oil prices were high.

The oil revenues have helped fund the construction, particularly in Baku, where President Ilham Aliyev has built the Flame Tower skyscrapers, a cultural centre designed by the famed British architect Zaha Hadid, as well as new roads and an airport.

The capital’s Old City quarter -- a UNESCO world heritage site -- has also been renovated and attracts crowds of foreign tourists.

And Baku has hosted international events such as the Eurovision Song Contest and Formula 1 Grand Prix motor race.

But poor neighbourhoods outside central Baku are a sorry sight, with decrepit buildings and dismal wastelands.

Official data show that about five percent of the population lives below the poverty line but the real figure is much higher, according to Jafarli, who often appears in independent media in the Caucasus region.

“The indicators used to calculate poverty are wrong. Some date back to the Soviet Union. The reality is different,” he said.

Azerbaijan’s per capita GDP is only half of that of Russia and one tenth of France’s, according to the International Monetary Fund. (afp)

The incumbent president and his wife Iriana arrived at the campaign location at around 10.00 am local time. An open campaign was held in the field of Gebang Mekar Village in Cirebon District, targeting some 20 thousand participants.

The venue is on the north coast of Java Island where several fishermen are engaged in activities. Artist Said Bajuri acted as the host of the open campaign.

Prior to entry on the stage, presidential candidate Jokowi had boarded a 200-meter boat-shaped ornamental car for a parade as part of a campaign.

The Indonesian Democratic PartyStruggle (PDIP) Chairperson Megawati Soekarnoputri, senior PDIP politicians Pramono Anung and Rokhmin Dahuri, as well as West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil, and the Jokowi-Ma’ruf Amin pair’s national campaign team chief Erick Thohir were attendees at the open campaign.

Prior to attending the open campaign, Jokowi held a closed-door meeting with the Cirebon community and religious leaders at a hotel where he was staying. Members of the mass media were barred from the meeting. (ant)

JUNI KRISWANTO / AFP

This picture taken in Ngawi on April 2, 2019 shows Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who is running for the upcoming election, speaking during a campaign rally in Ngawi. Indonesia will hold general elections on April 17.

Boeing cutting production rate of troubled 737 Max jet

Boeing will cut production of its troubled 737 Max airliner this month, underscoring the growing financial risk it faces the longer that its best-selling plane remains grounded after two deadly crashes.

The company said Friday that starting in mid-April it will cut production of the plane to 42 from 52 planes per month so it can focus its attention on fixing the flight-control software that has been implicated in the crashes.

The move was not a complete surprise. Boeing had already suspended deliveries of the Max last month after regulators around the world grounded the jet.

Preliminary reports into accidents in Indonesia and Ethiopia found that faulty sensor readings erroneously triggered an anti-stall system that pushed the plane’s

nose down. Pilots of each plane struggled in vain to regain control over the automated system.

In all, 346 people died in the crashes. Boeing faces a growing number of lawsuits filed by families of the victims.

Boeing also announced it is creating a special board committee to review airplane design and development.

The announcement to cut production comes after Boeing acknowledged that a second software issue has emerged that needs fixing on the Max — a discovery that explained why the aircraft maker had pushed back its ambitious schedule for getting the planes back in the air.

A Boeing spokesman called it a “relatively minor issue” and said the plane maker already has a fix in the works. He said the latest

issue is not part of flight-control software called MCAS that Boeing has been working to upgrade since the first crash.

Chairman and CEO Dennis Muilenburg described the production cut as temporary and a response to the suspension of Max deliveries.

Boeing has delivered fewer than 400 Max jets but has a backlog of more than 4,600 unfilled orders.

The Chicago-based company had hoped to expand Max production this year to 57 planes a month.

Indonesia’s Garuda Airlines has said it will cancel an order for 49 Max jets. Other airlines, including Lion Air, whose Max 8 crashed off the coast of Indonesia on Oct. 29, have raised the possibility of canceling.

A Boeing official said Friday’s announcement about cutting pro-

duction was not due to potential cancellations. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because Boeing does not publicly discuss those details.

In a statement, Muilenburg said the reduction was designed to keep a healthy production system and maintain current employment — in effect, slowing down production now to avoid a deeper cut later, if fixing the plane takes longer than expected.

Analysts say the absence of deliveries will eat into Boeing’s cash flow because it gets most of the cost of a plane upon delivery.

Boeing declined to provide figures, but undelivered Max jets have been stacking up at its Renton, Washington, assembly plant.

Airlines that operate the Max will be squeezed the longer the planes are grounded, particularly

if the interruption extends into the peak summer travel season.

They could buy used 737s, but that would be costly because the comparably sized Boeing 737800 was very popular and in short supply even before the Max problems, according to Jim Williams, publisher of Airfax, a newsletter that tracks transactions involving commercial aircraft.

Williams said that if the Max grounding appears likely to extend into summer it will cause airlines to explore short-term leases, which could push lease rates higher, something that airline analysts say is already happening.

Boeing shares closed at $391.93, down $3.93. In after-hours after news of the production cut, they slipped another $8.98, or 2.3%, to $382.85. (ap)

10

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

Nusa Penida Island SEMARAPURA - Nusa Penida is the largest and most exotic of the three Nusa Islands, thanks to its collection of unique Hindu temples and picturesque natural features of cliff formations and lagoons. Lately, the island’s best known as the new sanctuary of the once endangered Bali Starling following a highly successful captive breeding program of the bird, which is originally an endemic species from the forested region of West Bali National Park. Nusa Penida measures over 200 sq km – significantly larger than the popular Nusa Lembongan and its easily accessible sister island, Nusa Ceningan. Lesser-travelled by visitors compared to the other two, Nusa Penida also features a very limited number of hotels and tourist features. Nevertheless, what it lacks in infrastructure, it makes up for with its unspoiled natural beauty and rare cultural highlights.

Close to Penida’s white sand beach of Crystal Bay, divers en-

joy one of Bali’s best dive sites, where pristine coral reefs and Mola-Mola fish (also known as oceanic sunfish), manta rays, and, if you’re really lucky, even whale sharks are some of its seasonal sights. Besides diving in Nusa Penida, You can also find great visibility for snorkelling right near the shoreline. Some local shops selling refreshments right on the beach make for wonderful chill out spots with sunset views. Among Penida’s most famous temples is Goa Giri Putri, a Balinese Hindu temple set within a limestone cave in the village of Karangsari, which sees a steady flow of pilgrims from the Bali mainland visiting to pay their respects and ask for holy water and blessings. The grand temple complex of Pura Penataran Ped in the northern coastal village of Ped is another popular monument to visit. There are other temples dotted along the island’s coast, but be sure to visit the unique Pura Paluang temple in the

Destination

International

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

International

Warriors clinch top seed in West, Rockets set record for threes

LOS ANGELES - The Golden State Warriors clinched the Western Conference’s top seed with a victory in their final regular-season contest at the Oracle Arena, beating the Los Angeles Clippers 131-104 on Sunday.

village of Karangdawa on Penida’s southwestern cliffs – it has shrines resembling automobiles!

For some natural beauty, visit Atuh Beach, a remote beach on the south-eastern coast of Nusa Penida, bordered by magnificent green hills and peninsular formations. Another popular beach is Pasih Uug, aka Nusa Penida’s

‘broken beach’ that was once a large cave that collapsed to reveal the crashing blue waves from the Indian Ocean beneath. Nearby, is Angel’s Billabong, with its vast lagoon revealed by waves after a high tide. Some visitors brave the descent for a dip and some out-of-this-world holiday photos, but mind you that it’s treacher-

ous, and it’s claimed lives in the past. From the Bali mainland, boats mostly depart from the Padangbai seaport in East Bali, but you can also hop on a boat from Sanur. Most visitors usually visit Lembongan and Ceningan first, then add a boat ride to Penida as an extended tour on their Nusa Islands trip. (IBP/net)

Stephen Curry led the charge with 27 points and Kevin Durant added 16 as the Warriors won their fifth straight game.

They wore throwback “We Believe” jerseys in a move designed to honor the past at Oracle, which has been their home venue for 47 years.

The team is moving across the bay from Oakland to a facility in San Francisco where they will play next season.

“Let me just say that for 47 years, Warriors fans have stuck with us through thick and thin,” Kerr told the crowd moments after the final buzzer. “Let’s be honest, most of those years have been a little thin.”

The win gives them home field advantage throughout the West playoffs.

The Warriors’ first-round opponent, which will be the eighth seed in the West, is yet to be de-

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Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors drives to the basket against the LA Clippers on April 7, 2019 at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California.

termined.

There is a chance it could be the Clippers when the playoffs begin next Saturday. They are battling Oklahoma City (47-33) and San Antonio (47-34) -- both won on Sunday -- for the sixth, seventh and eighth playoff spots in the West.

Elsewhere, the Houston Rockets continued their three-point assault on the NBA as they drained a record 27 from beyond the arc in a 149113 win over the Phoenix Suns.

The Rockets broke their own league single-game record with the help of 30 points from James Harden.

It came just five days after they tied the mark, initially set against the Los Angeles Lakers in January, with 26 against the Sacramento Kings. They now have four of the top 10 three-point games.

The Rockets made 27 of 57 threes and seven players hit at least two threes, including Eric Gordon who had a career-high eight, Harden who had five, and P.J. Tucker with four.

Austin Rivers broke the record with 69 seconds remaining after Gary Clark had tied it two minutes earlier. Elsewhere, the Miami Heat edged closer to being eliminated from the playoffs for the second time in three seasons on Sunday after a 117-109 defeat to the Toronto Raptors.

Miami entered the game with their destiny still in their own hands, knowing that victories in their three final regular season fixtures would carry them into the postseason.

But an agonizing loss -- they were leading by 13 at one point in the first half -- means Miami were now sweating on results elsewhere to have any chance of progressing.

Sunday’s loss left Miami with 38 wins and 42 defeats for the season.

Miami icon Dwyane Wade, who could grace an NBA court for the last time when the regular season draws to a close on Wednesday, finished with 21 points. (afp)

YORICK JANSENS / BELGA / AFP

Italian rider Alberto Bettiol of EF Education First Pro Cycling celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the 103rd edition of the ‘Ronde van Vlaanderen - Tour des Flandres - Tour of Flanders’ one day cycling race, 270,1 km from Antwerp to Oudenaarde, in Oudenaarde on April 7, 2019.

Bettiol clinches first title with Tour of Flanders win

OUDENAARDE - Italian Alberto Bettiol won the gruelling Tour of Flanders on Sunday, riding home alone for a maiden career victory after breaking away with 18 kilometres to go.

Dane Kasper Asgreen escaped the chasing group in the final straight to finish second with Norwegian Alexander Kristoff third.

Bettiol, a 25-year-old who rides for American team EF First Education, attacked on the approach to the third and final ascent of the Oude Kwaremont.

Belgian Olympic champion Greg Van Avermaet tried to give chase but could not keep pace as Bettiol shot up the two-kilometrelong cobbled climb.

“I don’t believe it,” the Tuscan rider told Eurosport, saying he had followed instructions from Andreas Klier, the sporting director in the team car.

“I was feeling really good, Andreas Klier told me: ‘if you can go, go’,” said Bettiol. “I closed my eyes and I just went.”

Klier, he said, told him: “Keep on pushing! Keep on pushing!”

The chasing group contained many of the race favourites but none were prepared to lead the chase. Instead, Bettiol’s teammates Sebastian Langeveld and Sep Vanmarcke were able stay close to

the front and slow the pursuit.

“The last 14 kilometres were the longest of my life,” said Bettiol.

“I knew Sebastian was there protecting me,” he added.

Bettiol is the first Italian to win the of the 266-kilometre slog from Antwerp to Oudenarde, one of the five one-day monuments, since Alessandro Ballan in 2007.

Mathieu van der Poel finished fourth despite a nasty slow-motion crash with a little more than 60 kilometres to go.

The Dutch rider punctured and, as he braked and wrestled his bike to the side of the road, his front wheel locked and he flew over the handlebars. Despite a nasty bang to his left arm, he caught the leaders after a furious 15-kilometre pursuit.

Defending champion Niki Terpstra was less fortunate.

Dutchman Terpstra hit the tarmac with several other riders 160km from the finish and was knocked unconscious.

Terpstra stayed down for several minutes. His Direct Energie team said he had been taken to hospital and that, because he had been unconscious for more than two minutes, doctors ruled him out of the next cycling monument, Paris-Roubaix in seven days’ time. (afp)

8

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

‘Feel the power’: Error-prone Lloris backs Spurs to rock Man City

Hugo Lloris has endured a mistake-filled season, but the Tottenham goalkeeper knows his costly blunders will be forgotten if he can lead his side to Champions League success against Manchester City.

Lloris will captain Tottenham in Tuesday’s All-English quarter-final first leg showdown with City at the north London club’s new stadium.

And the France star will be firmly in the spotlight on what promises to be a busy evening given City’s attacking prowess.

Lloris has been well below his best for much of this term, with his latest clanger coming in the last minute of a damaging 2-1 defeat at Liverpool last weekend when he sparked a Toby Alderweireld own goal by spilling Mohamed Salah’s header. The 32-year-old has shown alarmingly bad judgement all season.

In Tottenham’s 2-2 group stage draw against PSV Eindhoven, Lloris suffered a rush of blood as he needlessly sprinted outside his penalty area to foul Hirving Lozano, earning a straight red card that inspired the Dutch side to snatch a last equaliser.

Lloris had already been at fault for Barcelona’s opening goal in the 4-2 group stage defeat at Wembley, which saw Tottenham fall behind with barely a minute on the clock.

The France captain was also embarrassed in last year’s World Cup final by Croatia’s Mario Mandzukic, although that blunder was ignored as his country carried home the trophy.

In the midst of these howlers, Lloris was arrested for drink-driving in London, an offence that earned him a 20-month driving ban and £50,000 fine.

Despite such a wretched run of form, Lloris has retained the support of Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Reports in recent weeks claim Pochettino has no intention of looking for another keeper at the end of the season, such is his faith in Lloris.

Part of that belief is grounded in Lloris’s role as an influential figure in the dressing room.

- Rallying cry -

Paul ELLIS / AFP

Tottenham Hotspur’s French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris punches the ball during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on March 31, 2019.

That leadership earned him the captain’s armband and was on show as he issued a rallying cry to his team-mates ahead of the City clash.

With Tottenham bidding to reach their first European semi-final since the 1984 UEFA Cup, Lloris knows the team will need the vocal backing of the home support to rattle City.

Pep Guardiola’s Premier League title chasers are eyeing an unprecedented quadruple after reaching the FA Cup final and winning the League Cup already this season.

It should be a raucous occasion as Tottenham finally deliver on their much-derided promise that their £1 billion abode would be the only place in London to watch Champions League action this season.

When Tottenham spent over half of this season playing at their temporary Wembley home due to delays in finishing the new arena, it appeared the PR boast, splashed on posters all around London, would come back to bite them.

But the sparkling 62,062-capacity stadium was opened amid much pomp for the 2-0 win over Crystal Palace on Wednesday.

Now Lloris wants Tottenham to tap into the crowd’s passion in the same way Liverpool fed off the Anfield atmosphere in last season’s Champions League quarter-final win over City. “At some moments in the game, we feel the power,” Lloris said.

“I think this can be a help for the team. We will need the crowd for every game. “Of course, this is a big moment for the club. To be part of a quarter-final for the Champions League is a great opportunity.”

Lloris is well aware City imploded twice last season when faced with the intensity of the Anfield effect and he believes a repeat is possible in the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

“The target is to make City’s life harder. To be ready to compete from the first minute,” Lloris said.

“We know we’re going to have the help of the crowd and so we have just to enjoy the moment. “When I say to enjoy, I mean to enjoy running, defending, attacking, to enjoy everything that can be decisive.” (afp)

9

PSG title party delayed after spectacular Choupo-Moting miss PARIS — With star striker Kylian Mbappe on the bench, Paris Saint-Germain didn’t much look like a team that wanted to seal the French league title on Sunday.

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, who started in place of Mbappe, had one of the worst misses seen at the stadium, as PSG’s title celebrations were delayed for at least another week after a 2-2 draw against Strasbourg.

Amid disbelieving looks from teammates, with the score at 1-1 in the first half, Choupo-Moting accidentally prevented a goal for his team despite the ball being about to cross the goal-line.

Turning from hero to villain after scoring the opener, and under pressure, the forward stopped a chip over the Strasbourg goalkeeper from Christopher Nkunku, and gently nudged the ball onto the

post before it was cleared.

“I thought that the defender was maybe going to take the ball and, after, I hesitated to take the ball, I asked myself if I was offside and everything went very quickly,” Choupo-Moting said. “I touched the ball but it went onto the post and that is a real shame because I think that Nkunku’s effort was going in on its own. I am sorry for that but we need to continue and keep our

FRANCK FIFE / AFP

Paris Saint-Germain’s Cameroon forward Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting kicks the ballthe French L1 football match Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) vs Strasbourg, on April 7, 2019 at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris.

heads up.”

Without many of its star players, the Parisian club dropped points at home for the first time this season.

PSG coach Thomas Tuchel decided to leave Mbappe on the bench until the 59th minute, a surprising decision especially after the league’s top scorer found the net in his seven previous league matches, and in the absence of injured forwards Angel Di Maria, Neymar and Edinson Cavani.

“We are using him too much,” Tuchel said trying to justify his decision. “Everybody is surprised but he played nine consecutive matches, with the scoring duties.

We need to protect the players. It was necessary because Kylian felt a muscular (problem) over the past three matches.”

After Lille’s draw at Reims earlier in the day, PSG would have wrapped up a sixth league trophy in seven seasons with a win but instead needed a late equalizer from Thilo Kehrer to avoid an embarrassing loss.

PSG has a 20-point lead over Lille and will be crowned next week if it beats its northern rival away.

Strasbourg coach Thierry Laurey opted for a very defensive side that struggled to string passes together and rarely took the ball out of its own half during the first 20 minutes.

In an eventful game, ChoupoMoting put the hosts ahead in the 13th minute when Colin Dagba beat the offside trap down the right side to deliver a precise cross for

the Cameroon international, who scored with a calm finish.

PSG could not hold onto its lead for long, though, as Strasbourg gradually got into the match to find space between the Parisian lines.

Nuno Da Costa made the most of a quick counterattack ignited by Lionel Carole down the left flank to level in the 26th with a precise shot from inside the box.

After Choupo-Moting’s blunder, Strasbourg kept pushing and earned a corner kick in the 38th that PSG defenders failed to clear properly.

Waiting outside the box, Anthony Goncalves calmly walked toward the ball and hammered it back to silence the Parc des Princes with a powerful strike that left goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon stranded.

Tuchel was dismissed 12 minutes into the second half for an outburst of anger that followed a dangerous tackle from Kenny Lala on Nkunku. Choupo-Moting left the pitch soon after to make way for Mbappe in the final half-hour.

The France international threatened immediately with a series of dribbles on the right side of the box as PSG accelerated the pace in search of an equalizer. He created danger on the other side of the area a few minutes later but his effort was stopped by Strasbourg ‘keeper Matz Sels.

Daniel Alves then hit the crossbar with a right-footed volley and Kehrer finally snatched the equalizer from a corner in the 82nd minute when he planted a header into the back of the net after being left unmarked. (ap)

Sarri questions ‘strange’ Chelsea fixture list

Maurizio Sarri has questioned the Premier League’s “strange” decision to schedule Chelsea’s West Ham clash for Monday, just three days before their Europa League away match against Slavia Prague.

Chelsea, who are battling for a top-four finish, face a pivotal week, hosting West Ham before heading to Prague for Thursday’s game, then making the testing league trip to title-chasing Liverpool on Sunday.

And Sarri thinks Premier League bosses ought to do more to boost English teams’ chances in Europe.

“I am not able to understand the decision of the Premier League because we have to go to Prague as an English team,” he said.

“So I’m not able to understand

why we have to play on Monday.

It’s very strange. I think they could have done more for the English teams in Europe.

“In Serie A teams play on Friday. Teams involved in the Europa League away from home, they can ask to play their next Serie A match on Monday. “But this is the situation and we need only to adapt to this situation.” (afp) Chelsea’s Italian head coach Maurizio Sarri gestures on the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Chelsea and Brighton and Hove Albion at Stamford Bridge in London on April 3, 2019.

Glyn KIRK / AFP

8

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

‘Feel the power’: Error-prone Lloris backs Spurs to rock Man City

Hugo Lloris has endured a mistake-filled season, but the Tottenham goalkeeper knows his costly blunders will be forgotten if he can lead his side to Champions League success against Manchester City.

Lloris will captain Tottenham in Tuesday’s All-English quarter-final first leg showdown with City at the north London club’s new stadium.

And the France star will be firmly in the spotlight on what promises to be a busy evening given City’s attacking prowess.

Lloris has been well below his best for much of this term, with his latest clanger coming in the last minute of a damaging 2-1 defeat at Liverpool last weekend when he sparked a Toby Alderweireld own goal by spilling Mohamed Salah’s header. The 32-year-old has shown alarmingly bad judgement all season.

In Tottenham’s 2-2 group stage draw against PSV Eindhoven, Lloris suffered a rush of blood as he needlessly sprinted outside his penalty area to foul Hirving Lozano, earning a straight red card that inspired the Dutch side to snatch a last equaliser.

Lloris had already been at fault for Barcelona’s opening goal in the 4-2 group stage defeat at Wembley, which saw Tottenham fall behind with barely a minute on the clock.

The France captain was also embarrassed in last year’s World Cup final by Croatia’s Mario Mandzukic, although that blunder was ignored as his country carried home the trophy.

In the midst of these howlers, Lloris was arrested for drink-driving in London, an offence that earned him a 20-month driving ban and £50,000 fine.

Despite such a wretched run of form, Lloris has retained the support of Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Reports in recent weeks claim Pochettino has no intention of looking for another keeper at the end of the season, such is his faith in Lloris.

Part of that belief is grounded in Lloris’s role as an influential figure in the dressing room.

- Rallying cry -

Paul ELLIS / AFP

Tottenham Hotspur’s French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris punches the ball during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on March 31, 2019.

That leadership earned him the captain’s armband and was on show as he issued a rallying cry to his team-mates ahead of the City clash.

With Tottenham bidding to reach their first European semi-final since the 1984 UEFA Cup, Lloris knows the team will need the vocal backing of the home support to rattle City.

Pep Guardiola’s Premier League title chasers are eyeing an unprecedented quadruple after reaching the FA Cup final and winning the League Cup already this season.

It should be a raucous occasion as Tottenham finally deliver on their much-derided promise that their £1 billion abode would be the only place in London to watch Champions League action this season.

When Tottenham spent over half of this season playing at their temporary Wembley home due to delays in finishing the new arena, it appeared the PR boast, splashed on posters all around London, would come back to bite them.

But the sparkling 62,062-capacity stadium was opened amid much pomp for the 2-0 win over Crystal Palace on Wednesday.

Now Lloris wants Tottenham to tap into the crowd’s passion in the same way Liverpool fed off the Anfield atmosphere in last season’s Champions League quarter-final win over City. “At some moments in the game, we feel the power,” Lloris said.

“I think this can be a help for the team. We will need the crowd for every game. “Of course, this is a big moment for the club. To be part of a quarter-final for the Champions League is a great opportunity.”

Lloris is well aware City imploded twice last season when faced with the intensity of the Anfield effect and he believes a repeat is possible in the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

“The target is to make City’s life harder. To be ready to compete from the first minute,” Lloris said.

“We know we’re going to have the help of the crowd and so we have just to enjoy the moment. “When I say to enjoy, I mean to enjoy running, defending, attacking, to enjoy everything that can be decisive.” (afp)

9

PSG title party delayed after spectacular Choupo-Moting miss PARIS — With star striker Kylian Mbappe on the bench, Paris Saint-Germain didn’t much look like a team that wanted to seal the French league title on Sunday.

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, who started in place of Mbappe, had one of the worst misses seen at the stadium, as PSG’s title celebrations were delayed for at least another week after a 2-2 draw against Strasbourg.

Amid disbelieving looks from teammates, with the score at 1-1 in the first half, Choupo-Moting accidentally prevented a goal for his team despite the ball being about to cross the goal-line.

Turning from hero to villain after scoring the opener, and under pressure, the forward stopped a chip over the Strasbourg goalkeeper from Christopher Nkunku, and gently nudged the ball onto the

post before it was cleared.

“I thought that the defender was maybe going to take the ball and, after, I hesitated to take the ball, I asked myself if I was offside and everything went very quickly,” Choupo-Moting said. “I touched the ball but it went onto the post and that is a real shame because I think that Nkunku’s effort was going in on its own. I am sorry for that but we need to continue and keep our

FRANCK FIFE / AFP

Paris Saint-Germain’s Cameroon forward Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting kicks the ballthe French L1 football match Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) vs Strasbourg, on April 7, 2019 at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris.

heads up.”

Without many of its star players, the Parisian club dropped points at home for the first time this season.

PSG coach Thomas Tuchel decided to leave Mbappe on the bench until the 59th minute, a surprising decision especially after the league’s top scorer found the net in his seven previous league matches, and in the absence of injured forwards Angel Di Maria, Neymar and Edinson Cavani.

“We are using him too much,” Tuchel said trying to justify his decision. “Everybody is surprised but he played nine consecutive matches, with the scoring duties.

We need to protect the players. It was necessary because Kylian felt a muscular (problem) over the past three matches.”

After Lille’s draw at Reims earlier in the day, PSG would have wrapped up a sixth league trophy in seven seasons with a win but instead needed a late equalizer from Thilo Kehrer to avoid an embarrassing loss.

PSG has a 20-point lead over Lille and will be crowned next week if it beats its northern rival away.

Strasbourg coach Thierry Laurey opted for a very defensive side that struggled to string passes together and rarely took the ball out of its own half during the first 20 minutes.

In an eventful game, ChoupoMoting put the hosts ahead in the 13th minute when Colin Dagba beat the offside trap down the right side to deliver a precise cross for

the Cameroon international, who scored with a calm finish.

PSG could not hold onto its lead for long, though, as Strasbourg gradually got into the match to find space between the Parisian lines.

Nuno Da Costa made the most of a quick counterattack ignited by Lionel Carole down the left flank to level in the 26th with a precise shot from inside the box.

After Choupo-Moting’s blunder, Strasbourg kept pushing and earned a corner kick in the 38th that PSG defenders failed to clear properly.

Waiting outside the box, Anthony Goncalves calmly walked toward the ball and hammered it back to silence the Parc des Princes with a powerful strike that left goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon stranded.

Tuchel was dismissed 12 minutes into the second half for an outburst of anger that followed a dangerous tackle from Kenny Lala on Nkunku. Choupo-Moting left the pitch soon after to make way for Mbappe in the final half-hour.

The France international threatened immediately with a series of dribbles on the right side of the box as PSG accelerated the pace in search of an equalizer. He created danger on the other side of the area a few minutes later but his effort was stopped by Strasbourg ‘keeper Matz Sels.

Daniel Alves then hit the crossbar with a right-footed volley and Kehrer finally snatched the equalizer from a corner in the 82nd minute when he planted a header into the back of the net after being left unmarked. (ap)

Sarri questions ‘strange’ Chelsea fixture list

Maurizio Sarri has questioned the Premier League’s “strange” decision to schedule Chelsea’s West Ham clash for Monday, just three days before their Europa League away match against Slavia Prague.

Chelsea, who are battling for a top-four finish, face a pivotal week, hosting West Ham before heading to Prague for Thursday’s game, then making the testing league trip to title-chasing Liverpool on Sunday.

And Sarri thinks Premier League bosses ought to do more to boost English teams’ chances in Europe.

“I am not able to understand the decision of the Premier League because we have to go to Prague as an English team,” he said.

“So I’m not able to understand

why we have to play on Monday.

It’s very strange. I think they could have done more for the English teams in Europe.

“In Serie A teams play on Friday. Teams involved in the Europa League away from home, they can ask to play their next Serie A match on Monday. “But this is the situation and we need only to adapt to this situation.” (afp) Chelsea’s Italian head coach Maurizio Sarri gestures on the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Chelsea and Brighton and Hove Albion at Stamford Bridge in London on April 3, 2019.

Glyn KIRK / AFP

10

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

Nusa Penida Island SEMARAPURA - Nusa Penida is the largest and most exotic of the three Nusa Islands, thanks to its collection of unique Hindu temples and picturesque natural features of cliff formations and lagoons. Lately, the island’s best known as the new sanctuary of the once endangered Bali Starling following a highly successful captive breeding program of the bird, which is originally an endemic species from the forested region of West Bali National Park. Nusa Penida measures over 200 sq km – significantly larger than the popular Nusa Lembongan and its easily accessible sister island, Nusa Ceningan. Lesser-travelled by visitors compared to the other two, Nusa Penida also features a very limited number of hotels and tourist features. Nevertheless, what it lacks in infrastructure, it makes up for with its unspoiled natural beauty and rare cultural highlights.

Close to Penida’s white sand beach of Crystal Bay, divers en-

joy one of Bali’s best dive sites, where pristine coral reefs and Mola-Mola fish (also known as oceanic sunfish), manta rays, and, if you’re really lucky, even whale sharks are some of its seasonal sights. Besides diving in Nusa Penida, You can also find great visibility for snorkelling right near the shoreline. Some local shops selling refreshments right on the beach make for wonderful chill out spots with sunset views. Among Penida’s most famous temples is Goa Giri Putri, a Balinese Hindu temple set within a limestone cave in the village of Karangsari, which sees a steady flow of pilgrims from the Bali mainland visiting to pay their respects and ask for holy water and blessings. The grand temple complex of Pura Penataran Ped in the northern coastal village of Ped is another popular monument to visit. There are other temples dotted along the island’s coast, but be sure to visit the unique Pura Paluang temple in the

Destination

International

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

International

Warriors clinch top seed in West, Rockets set record for threes

LOS ANGELES - The Golden State Warriors clinched the Western Conference’s top seed with a victory in their final regular-season contest at the Oracle Arena, beating the Los Angeles Clippers 131-104 on Sunday.

village of Karangdawa on Penida’s southwestern cliffs – it has shrines resembling automobiles!

For some natural beauty, visit Atuh Beach, a remote beach on the south-eastern coast of Nusa Penida, bordered by magnificent green hills and peninsular formations. Another popular beach is Pasih Uug, aka Nusa Penida’s

‘broken beach’ that was once a large cave that collapsed to reveal the crashing blue waves from the Indian Ocean beneath. Nearby, is Angel’s Billabong, with its vast lagoon revealed by waves after a high tide. Some visitors brave the descent for a dip and some out-of-this-world holiday photos, but mind you that it’s treacher-

ous, and it’s claimed lives in the past. From the Bali mainland, boats mostly depart from the Padangbai seaport in East Bali, but you can also hop on a boat from Sanur. Most visitors usually visit Lembongan and Ceningan first, then add a boat ride to Penida as an extended tour on their Nusa Islands trip. (IBP/net)

Stephen Curry led the charge with 27 points and Kevin Durant added 16 as the Warriors won their fifth straight game.

They wore throwback “We Believe” jerseys in a move designed to honor the past at Oracle, which has been their home venue for 47 years.

The team is moving across the bay from Oakland to a facility in San Francisco where they will play next season.

“Let me just say that for 47 years, Warriors fans have stuck with us through thick and thin,” Kerr told the crowd moments after the final buzzer. “Let’s be honest, most of those years have been a little thin.”

The win gives them home field advantage throughout the West playoffs.

The Warriors’ first-round opponent, which will be the eighth seed in the West, is yet to be de-

Place Your Add Here

It is for Job Vacancy, Property, Selling or Buying Please contact Gugiek : 08123840500

Noah Graham / NBAE / Getty Images / AFP

Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors drives to the basket against the LA Clippers on April 7, 2019 at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California.

termined.

There is a chance it could be the Clippers when the playoffs begin next Saturday. They are battling Oklahoma City (47-33) and San Antonio (47-34) -- both won on Sunday -- for the sixth, seventh and eighth playoff spots in the West.

Elsewhere, the Houston Rockets continued their three-point assault on the NBA as they drained a record 27 from beyond the arc in a 149113 win over the Phoenix Suns.

The Rockets broke their own league single-game record with the help of 30 points from James Harden.

It came just five days after they tied the mark, initially set against the Los Angeles Lakers in January, with 26 against the Sacramento Kings. They now have four of the top 10 three-point games.

The Rockets made 27 of 57 threes and seven players hit at least two threes, including Eric Gordon who had a career-high eight, Harden who had five, and P.J. Tucker with four.

Austin Rivers broke the record with 69 seconds remaining after Gary Clark had tied it two minutes earlier. Elsewhere, the Miami Heat edged closer to being eliminated from the playoffs for the second time in three seasons on Sunday after a 117-109 defeat to the Toronto Raptors.

Miami entered the game with their destiny still in their own hands, knowing that victories in their three final regular season fixtures would carry them into the postseason.

But an agonizing loss -- they were leading by 13 at one point in the first half -- means Miami were now sweating on results elsewhere to have any chance of progressing.

Sunday’s loss left Miami with 38 wins and 42 defeats for the season.

Miami icon Dwyane Wade, who could grace an NBA court for the last time when the regular season draws to a close on Wednesday, finished with 21 points. (afp)

YORICK JANSENS / BELGA / AFP

Italian rider Alberto Bettiol of EF Education First Pro Cycling celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the 103rd edition of the ‘Ronde van Vlaanderen - Tour des Flandres - Tour of Flanders’ one day cycling race, 270,1 km from Antwerp to Oudenaarde, in Oudenaarde on April 7, 2019.

Bettiol clinches first title with Tour of Flanders win

OUDENAARDE - Italian Alberto Bettiol won the gruelling Tour of Flanders on Sunday, riding home alone for a maiden career victory after breaking away with 18 kilometres to go.

Dane Kasper Asgreen escaped the chasing group in the final straight to finish second with Norwegian Alexander Kristoff third.

Bettiol, a 25-year-old who rides for American team EF First Education, attacked on the approach to the third and final ascent of the Oude Kwaremont.

Belgian Olympic champion Greg Van Avermaet tried to give chase but could not keep pace as Bettiol shot up the two-kilometrelong cobbled climb.

“I don’t believe it,” the Tuscan rider told Eurosport, saying he had followed instructions from Andreas Klier, the sporting director in the team car.

“I was feeling really good, Andreas Klier told me: ‘if you can go, go’,” said Bettiol. “I closed my eyes and I just went.”

Klier, he said, told him: “Keep on pushing! Keep on pushing!”

The chasing group contained many of the race favourites but none were prepared to lead the chase. Instead, Bettiol’s teammates Sebastian Langeveld and Sep Vanmarcke were able stay close to

the front and slow the pursuit.

“The last 14 kilometres were the longest of my life,” said Bettiol.

“I knew Sebastian was there protecting me,” he added.

Bettiol is the first Italian to win the of the 266-kilometre slog from Antwerp to Oudenarde, one of the five one-day monuments, since Alessandro Ballan in 2007.

Mathieu van der Poel finished fourth despite a nasty slow-motion crash with a little more than 60 kilometres to go.

The Dutch rider punctured and, as he braked and wrestled his bike to the side of the road, his front wheel locked and he flew over the handlebars. Despite a nasty bang to his left arm, he caught the leaders after a furious 15-kilometre pursuit.

Defending champion Niki Terpstra was less fortunate.

Dutchman Terpstra hit the tarmac with several other riders 160km from the finish and was knocked unconscious.

Terpstra stayed down for several minutes. His Direct Energie team said he had been taken to hospital and that, because he had been unconscious for more than two minutes, doctors ruled him out of the next cycling monument, Paris-Roubaix in seven days’ time. (afp)

6

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

W

International

International

RLD

INDONESIAN INDONESIAN

‘Less shouting, more listening’, plead weary Catalans

- ‘People in the middle’ -

Tensions have soared in the 7.5-million-strong northeastern Spanish region since a banned independence referendum took place on October 1, 2017, followed weeks later by a short-lived declaration of secession.

Hardly a day goes by without pro-independence politicians or supporters of the unity of Spain

badmouthing one another as moderates struggle to be heard above the din.

Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who came to power in June, tried to start formal talks with separatist leaders but was shouted down by right-wingers accusing him of cosying up to those trying to break up Spain... and by separatists who said it wasn’t enough.

He was forced to call early general elections on April 28 after pro-independence lawmakers who helped him come to power refused to back the minority government’s budget.

“We’re at a stage when no one really knows how to get out of this confrontation,” says former union member Jaume Espinalt in Sant Joan de Vilatorrada, a town nestled in the rolling hills of Catalonia’s mainly pro-independence centre.

It’s like “two battering rams with the people in the middle,” adds Espinalt.

He believes there should be “less shouting, more listening” in the divided region where 47.5 percent voted for independence parties in December 2017 regional polls.

- ‘Recurrent theme’ -

In Santpedor, the village where

pro-independence Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola comes from, mayor Xavier Codina acknowledges the issue is a “recurrent theme.”

“Every day, every day,” insists Codina, a staunch backer of secession.

Outside his office, yellow ribbons hang from stone buildings, including the village hall.

These have become a symbol of protest against the imprisonment and trial of separatist leaders and an object of ire for radical antiindependence activists.

“Do you know what I have today? I’ve received notification from the electoral board that I have to take off the yellow ribbon,” says Codina, a small separatist flag perched behind his desk.

The board says the yellow ribbons should be taken off Catalan government buildings ahead of elections, arguing they are partisan.

“I’m going to hang a banner that says ‘freedom.’ That can mean lots of things,” he says, laughing.

It could mean freedom for separatist leaders currently on trial in Madrid’s Supreme Court, which Codina sees as an “injustice” that has only deepened the resolve of independence supporters. (afp)

Roser Vilallonga / CATALAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY / AFP

In this file handout photo released by the Assemblea Nacional Catalana (Catalan National Assembly) on September 11, 2018 people hold letters reading “Independence” during a proindependence demonstration, in Barcelona marking the National Day of Catalonia, the “Diada”.

11

ELECTION 2019

Jokowi visits Cirebon for open campaign Presidential candidate number 01 Joko Widodo was present at the open campaign organized by the Indonesian Coalition Work National Campaign Team in Cirebon District, West Java, Friday.

BARCELONA - As night falls on the Catalan seaside resort of Mataro near Barcelona, one room in the community centre remains brightly-lit as locals debate a way out of the independence crisis.

Opinions on secession differ but all appear to agree on one thing: a year-and-a-half after a failed attempt to break from Spain shook the country and Europe, frontline politicians need to stop shouting and get talking.

That’s the view shared by many Catalans worn out by months of fruitless sparring between pro- and anti-independence camps, who want leaders in separatist-governed Catalonia and Madrid to come to an arrangement.

“There are many, many people in Catalonia who are increasingly convinced that the radical positions on one side and the other bring nothing positive,” says Carles Estape, an independence supporter.

That includes a “huge majority of those in favour of independence,” he adds.

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

IBP/net

Under the Aliyev dynasty which has ruled the oil-rich, ex-Soviet nation with an iron fist for a quarter of a century, Azerbaijan has emerged from post-Soviet political and economic chaos to enjoy an oil production boom.

Poverty, repression in shadow of Azerbaijan’s shiny new skyline

BAKU - In a crowded Baku street, Gyulya Akparova talks proudly about the major transformation of Azerbaijan and its thousand-year-old capital dotted with glittering skyscrapers on the Caspian Sea. Two decades ago, “there were not many parks, nor new buildings”, said the 56-year-old housewife.

Since then, the government “has created normal living conditions so that people can lead a good life,” she said, adding: “There used to be very few tourists, now there are lots of them.”

Another Baku resident, 46-yearold Elsa Jafarova shared her enthusiasm, saying she was proud to show her city to visitors, who explore it “with pleasure”.

But behind Azerbaijan’s glitzy facades, financed by petrodollars, lie widespread poverty and political repression, government critics say.

“Petrodollars got spent on infrastructure projects -- the engines of the country’s development,” prominent economist Natig Jafarli said.

“The spending mostly benefitted central Baku, which has changed dramatically, but this is not the case for the rest of the country,” said Jafarli, who is also executive secretary of the opposition Republican Alternative Party.

- Poverty and petrodollars -

Under the Aliyev dynasty which has ruled the oil-rich, ex-Soviet nation with an iron fist for a quarter of a century, Azerbaijan has

emerged from post-Soviet political and economic chaos to enjoy an oil production boom.

This brought years of two-digit economic growth, peaking at over 20 percent a year between 2004 and 2008 when oil prices were high.

The oil revenues have helped fund the construction, particularly in Baku, where President Ilham Aliyev has built the Flame Tower skyscrapers, a cultural centre designed by the famed British architect Zaha Hadid, as well as new roads and an airport.

The capital’s Old City quarter -- a UNESCO world heritage site -- has also been renovated and attracts crowds of foreign tourists.

And Baku has hosted international events such as the Eurovision Song Contest and Formula 1 Grand Prix motor race.

But poor neighbourhoods outside central Baku are a sorry sight, with decrepit buildings and dismal wastelands.

Official data show that about five percent of the population lives below the poverty line but the real figure is much higher, according to Jafarli, who often appears in independent media in the Caucasus region.

“The indicators used to calculate poverty are wrong. Some date back to the Soviet Union. The reality is different,” he said.

Azerbaijan’s per capita GDP is only half of that of Russia and one tenth of France’s, according to the International Monetary Fund. (afp)

The incumbent president and his wife Iriana arrived at the campaign location at around 10.00 am local time. An open campaign was held in the field of Gebang Mekar Village in Cirebon District, targeting some 20 thousand participants.

The venue is on the north coast of Java Island where several fishermen are engaged in activities. Artist Said Bajuri acted as the host of the open campaign.

Prior to entry on the stage, presidential candidate Jokowi had boarded a 200-meter boat-shaped ornamental car for a parade as part of a campaign.

The Indonesian Democratic PartyStruggle (PDIP) Chairperson Megawati Soekarnoputri, senior PDIP politicians Pramono Anung and Rokhmin Dahuri, as well as West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil, and the Jokowi-Ma’ruf Amin pair’s national campaign team chief Erick Thohir were attendees at the open campaign.

Prior to attending the open campaign, Jokowi held a closed-door meeting with the Cirebon community and religious leaders at a hotel where he was staying. Members of the mass media were barred from the meeting. (ant)

JUNI KRISWANTO / AFP

This picture taken in Ngawi on April 2, 2019 shows Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who is running for the upcoming election, speaking during a campaign rally in Ngawi. Indonesia will hold general elections on April 17.

Boeing cutting production rate of troubled 737 Max jet

Boeing will cut production of its troubled 737 Max airliner this month, underscoring the growing financial risk it faces the longer that its best-selling plane remains grounded after two deadly crashes.

The company said Friday that starting in mid-April it will cut production of the plane to 42 from 52 planes per month so it can focus its attention on fixing the flight-control software that has been implicated in the crashes.

The move was not a complete surprise. Boeing had already suspended deliveries of the Max last month after regulators around the world grounded the jet.

Preliminary reports into accidents in Indonesia and Ethiopia found that faulty sensor readings erroneously triggered an anti-stall system that pushed the plane’s

nose down. Pilots of each plane struggled in vain to regain control over the automated system.

In all, 346 people died in the crashes. Boeing faces a growing number of lawsuits filed by families of the victims.

Boeing also announced it is creating a special board committee to review airplane design and development.

The announcement to cut production comes after Boeing acknowledged that a second software issue has emerged that needs fixing on the Max — a discovery that explained why the aircraft maker had pushed back its ambitious schedule for getting the planes back in the air.

A Boeing spokesman called it a “relatively minor issue” and said the plane maker already has a fix in the works. He said the latest

issue is not part of flight-control software called MCAS that Boeing has been working to upgrade since the first crash.

Chairman and CEO Dennis Muilenburg described the production cut as temporary and a response to the suspension of Max deliveries.

Boeing has delivered fewer than 400 Max jets but has a backlog of more than 4,600 unfilled orders.

The Chicago-based company had hoped to expand Max production this year to 57 planes a month.

Indonesia’s Garuda Airlines has said it will cancel an order for 49 Max jets. Other airlines, including Lion Air, whose Max 8 crashed off the coast of Indonesia on Oct. 29, have raised the possibility of canceling.

A Boeing official said Friday’s announcement about cutting pro-

duction was not due to potential cancellations. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because Boeing does not publicly discuss those details.

In a statement, Muilenburg said the reduction was designed to keep a healthy production system and maintain current employment — in effect, slowing down production now to avoid a deeper cut later, if fixing the plane takes longer than expected.

Analysts say the absence of deliveries will eat into Boeing’s cash flow because it gets most of the cost of a plane upon delivery.

Boeing declined to provide figures, but undelivered Max jets have been stacking up at its Renton, Washington, assembly plant.

Airlines that operate the Max will be squeezed the longer the planes are grounded, particularly

if the interruption extends into the peak summer travel season.

They could buy used 737s, but that would be costly because the comparably sized Boeing 737800 was very popular and in short supply even before the Max problems, according to Jim Williams, publisher of Airfax, a newsletter that tracks transactions involving commercial aircraft.

Williams said that if the Max grounding appears likely to extend into summer it will cause airlines to explore short-term leases, which could push lease rates higher, something that airline analysts say is already happening.

Boeing shares closed at $391.93, down $3.93. In after-hours after news of the production cut, they slipped another $8.98, or 2.3%, to $382.85. (ap)

12

International

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

BUSINESS Job gain points to a US economy slowing but hardly stalling WASHINGTON - A month ago, many economists fretted that the 10-year U.S. expansion looked wobbly. But after the government reported Friday that hiring rebounded in March, the economy suddenly looks sturdy again.

Growth has weakened since last year to something closer to the modest pace that has prevailed for most of the nearly decade-long expansion. The jolt from the Trump administration’s 2017 tax cuts and greater government spending last year has faded. And the global economy has swiveled from a driver of the U.S. economy to a headwind.

Yet last month’s solid job gain of 196,000 may also help undercut any lingering fears that a recession might arrive over the next year or so. The economy’s slow but steady pace of growth is likely to keep inflation low and perhaps sustain the expansion, which is set to become the longest on record in July.

By historical measures, the expansion has fallen short of the sometimes-explosive growth that businesses and workers enjoyed in the past but that often led to financial bubbles or economic excesses — and eventually a recession.

“Lackluster means that you’re not overheating,” Josh Wright, chief economist at recruiting software maker iCIMS, said of the current expansion. “It’s more stable, and we’ll have fewer imbalances. It looks like we’ll be able to prolong this recovery even further.”

In its monthly jobs report Friday, the government also said the unemployment rate remained near a fivedecade low of 3.8% in March.

So far this year, job growth has averaged a decent 180,000 a month. That is down, though, from last year’s 223,000 monthly average. And it marks the lowest three-month average gain since November 2017, before the tax cuts took effect.

Wage growth also slipped a bit in March, with average hourly pay increasing 3.2% from a year earlier.

That is down from February’s yearover-year gain of 3.4%, the best in a decade.

“Today’s data paint a picture of resilient U.S. demand that has stepped down to a more moderate pace of growth following last year’s robust gains,” said Jonathan Millar, senior economist at Barclays.

Investors took Friday’s jobs data

in stride. The stock market was up slightly in afternoon trading, extending a rally that has lifted the financial markets this year.

Given that that hiring and wage growth aren’t growing so fast as to threaten high inflation, the Federal Reserve is likely to stay on the sidelines indefinitely, forgoing interest rate hikes, economists said.

As recently as December, Fed officials had forecast that they would raise rates twice this year. But in March, after financial markets turned volatile, inflation showed signs of slipping, and concerns grew about the global economy, the Fed said it would likely keep rates unchanged in 2019.

Yet the jobs data also provides little reason for the Fed to cut rates, analysts said, despite President Donald Trump’s repeated calls for the Fed to do just that. On Friday, Trump went further, urging the Fed to renew the bond-buying program it had used to lower longer-term borrowing rates earlier this decade after the Great Recession. The program was known as “quantitative easing.”

“Our country’s doing unbelievably well economically,” Trump said.

But Fed policymakers “really slowed us down,” and if they dropped rates and resumed buying bonds, “you would see a rocket ship.”

Quantitative easing was an emergency tool that the Fed, under Chairman Ben Bernanke, used to buy trillions in government bonds and other securities. The third and last round was launched in 2012 when the unemployment rate was still 8%.

The Fed’s policies probably contributed to another shortcoming of the current expansion: It has benefited wealthier Americans more than others. That’s because the Fed’s QE program, by holding down rates on Treasury securities, led many investors to put more money into stocks, raising their values.

The stock market has tripled since bottoming a decade ago, benefiting the richest one-tenth of Americans, who own about 80% of the value of U.S. shares. Home

AP Photo/Keith Srakocic,

In this March 7, 2019, file photo visitors to the Pittsburgh veterans job fair meet with recruiters at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. On Friday, April 5, the U.S. government issues the March jobs report. equity, a much more vital source of wealth for the middle-class, has recovered much less.

And many households remain gripped by financial insecurity despite the steady pace of hiring.

Forty percent of workers earn less than $16 an hour, according to government data analyzed by the Economic Policy institute. In March, hiring did pick up in higherpaying sectors, such as professional and business services, which added 37,000 jobs in engineering, IT services, accounting and other fields.

Manufacturers did not fare as well, cutting 6,000 jobs, the sector’s first decline in a year and a half, mostly because of layoffs by General Motors. Construction firms added 16,000 jobs. One factor that may weigh on hiring in the coming months is a dwindling supply of workers in the healthiest job markets. Charles Dunlap, who owns an accounting firm in Houston with a partner, has found it much harder to find a new bookkeeper than he did the last time he filled the position, in late 2016.

Back then, advertising mostly

by word of mouth turned up unsolicited requests for interviews and candidates with advanced degrees.

Now, Dunlap has interviewed only three potential hires this year, despite raising the job’s starting pay about $2 an hour to roughly $15.

“That’s the big challenge these days, just finding staff,” Dunlap said.

Like hiring, growth is also expected to decelerate this year, to about a 2.25% pace, down from 2.9% in 2018, the fastest expansion in three years. In the much more rapid expansion in the 1990s, growth topped 4% for four years.

Consumers have helped drag down growth, with retail sales falling in February and a broader measure of consumer spending slipped in January. Businesses have also reined in their spending on industrial machinery and other equipment and on factories and other buildings.

And in Europe and Asia, weaker economies have reduced demand for U.S. exports. Europe is on the brink of recession, with its factories shrinking in March at the fastest

pace in six years, according to a private survey.

Still, most analysts expect the U.S. economy to survive weakness overseas.

“The U.S. is much more isolated from those factors than other countries,” Millar said. “We have a relatively closed economy.”

Corporate profits also appear to be rebounding after stalling out in the first three months of this year.

Analysts expect S&P 500 companies to report a drop of nearly 4 percent in their firstquarter earnings per share from a year earlier, according to FactSet. It would be the first decline in nearly three years.

But Steve Chiavarone, an equity strategist at Federated Investors, pointed to encouraging reports recently on China’s economy and U.S. manufacturing, along with central banks around the world easing up on interest rates.

“Over the last few days, you’ve seen 2019 and 2020 earnings estimates rise for the first time since September,” Chiavarone said. (ap)

Bali News

International

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

5

Make Badung River into a River Walk

The arrangement of Kumbasari Park and Badung Market has been completed. The inaugural ceremony coincided with full moon of the eight month in Balinese calendar falling on Wednesday (Jan. 31). Mayor of Denpasar, I.B. Rai Dharmawijaya Mantra, inaugurated the Kumbasari Park marked by signing of inscription and putting animal sacrifice into the flow of Badung River. Today, the area becomes a new tourist attraction for the local community and tourists.

Mayor Rai Mantra accompanied by the Chairman of the Commission III of the Denpasar House of Representatives, Eko Supriadi, also spread 10,000 tilapia fingerlings in the flow of Badung River along with relevant agency heads in the city government of Denpasar. This is to preserve the ecosystem of Badung River. Rai Mantra also provided groceries to 140 officers of clean river program (Prokasih), 105 flushing officers and 40 gatekeepers symbolically.

He said the arrangement is meant to make the river clean and transform it into a River Walk concept (a place to walk on the river bank). “Badung River can now be used as a recreation place and have economic impact and educate the public about cleanliness of the future with the increase of selfawareness. So, the river will not be made into a place to dispose of garbage,” he said Arrangement of the Badung River, explained Rai Mantra, is meant to encourage people to keep

the river clean and not to litter.

This does not only transform them to look beautiful, but also makes something that has the potential, as in Bindu River and Tukad River.

Now, they become a new potential and special attraction.

Onwards, the river arrangement will continuously be done by paying

attention to the entire river flow that allows to be reorganized. If possible, they will be made river transportation such as small boats to further facilitate the transportation of river recreation. Besides, it will facilitate the community to traditional markets connected to the river. “So, this River Walk can be used as a potential of

water in all aspects, whether the economic, education, transportation and health aspect. It makes something useless into something valuable,” said Rai Mantra.

Acting Head of the Denpasar Public Works and Spatial Agency, Nyoman Ngurah Jimmy Sidarta, revealed the arrangement of river

banks in essence can change the behavior of people who consider the river as a garbage dump. “With this arrangement, people are expected to no longer throw garbage into the river. Additionally, they can take advantage of the river banks for positive activities,” he explained. (kmb)

Molenteng Hill, ‘Raja Ampat’ of Nusa Penida

Molenteng Hill or often dubbed as the One Thousand Island of Nusa Penida, precisely located at Pelilitan hamlet, Pejukutan, increasingly attracts more travelers. A beautiful sea view and a tree house on the

cliff top give satisfaction to lovers of natural beauty.

“Molenteng Hill is also often dubbed as the Raja Ampat of Bali by visitors. Probably it happens because the attraction is similar to

the Raja Ampat tourist attraction in Papua,” said the operator and owner of the Bukit Molenteng tourist attraction, I Wayan Natih, recently.

Natih said the land area used as the tourist attraction is heritage from his ancestors that is then managed by building several facilities such as a tree house, food stall and convenient gazebo to unwind.

Furthermore, he explained that it was originally not an object designated by the government of Klungkung as tourist attraction. However, in harmony with the increasing number of tourist visits to the location, Natih was inspired to make the land area into a tourist object managed in better way.

“We would like to welcome the arrival of guests to this location in a better way along with good facili-

ties. With various considerations, we decided to make some buildings with supporting facilities for the beauty of this natural grace,” he said.

With a couple of facilities established, since June 2016 this location has been opened into a tourist attraction. After that, he claimed that approximately 150 visitors come every day consisting of local, domestic to foreign travelers.

To support the sustainability of the tourist attraction, Natih charges admission ticket to visitors differently, where local visitor is charged at IDR 5,000 per person and IDR10,000 for foreign visitor.

In addition, visitor is also charged a parking levy of IDR 5,000 per vehicle. And for those wishing to enjoy the natural beauty of tree house must pay IDR 300,000 per night.

He admitted there are some investors often asking him to make cooperation but so far he tends to manage alone the tourist attraction in order that someday it can be passed on to his children and grandchildren.

Currently, he has employed 14 people to help manage the attraction. “We pay their salary from the revenue of admission ticket and it is also used to equip the facilities such as the provision of water and electricity,” he added.

“For sustainability of this attraction, the government has taken a role by helping develop this tourist attraction, especially in the matter of promotion. However, we still find some obstacles today such as the difficult access to get water, electricity and the road still gets less support from the government,” said Natih. (kmb)

4

Bali News

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

International

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

International

Construction of viewing platform looks incomplete and careless

Japan abdication stirs female succession debate

Material remnants scattered on concrete floor BANGLI - The presence of viewing platform built by the Bangli district government in the forest area of the natural tourism park (TWA) in 2018 spending a budget of IDR 800 million looks unfinished and careless. This can be seen from the condition of some parts of the building, especially the floors remaining in the form of concrete, while the wall finishing seems to have not been finished. Besides, on the upper floor of the viewing platform there is also a pile of remaining sand material and a number of building tools left scattered about. As seen on Sunday (Apr. 7), the viewing platform building having been religiously inaugurated around last February has four floors. From the outside, the viewing platform looks good but when viewed closely, especially from inside, it looks to have not been fully accomplished.

The entire floor of the building is still in the form of rough concrete. On the first floor, there are even stairs having not been finished as the stones are still visible.

Even though the project was completed at the end of last year and has been opened to the public, so far the materials in the form of sand and gravel are still left to pile up and scatter.

As seen on the second floor of the local building, the materials, project boards and some building tools in the form of wooden stairs are also still left lying on the third and fourth floors. Although classified as a new building, paint on some parts of the wall has been peeling off.

An officer at one of the climbing point of Abang Erawang, Wayan Bagiarta, said the construction of the viewing platform had delayed and was completed around December.

Meanwhile, the inauguration ceremony was held coincidently with the observation tower at Penelokan

tourist object.

Bagiarta said that after the viewing platform was established, it is not visited by many tourists. If there are visitors, they are mostly just sitting downstairs. “Guests rarely go up to the upper floor. If there are visitors, they are directed by their tour guide,” he said. He added that at night the lights on the platform building are never turned on because many have burned out. “Probably, the bulbs only light up on the lower floor,” he said.

Head of the Bangli Tourism and Culture Office, I Wayan Adnyana, could not have been able to confirm this matter. When the cellphone was contacted, it was not responded.

Meanwhile, Division Head of Tourist Object Development at the Bangli Tourism and Culture Office, Wayan Bona, when contacted last Sunday stated the construction of the viewing platform had been completed at the end of last year. At present, the building is still under maintenance for six months.

Bona claimed the viewing platform whose management was already handed over to the Tourism Management Agency has been visited by many tourists. “It’s amazingly crowded, just like Bedugul,” he said.

When asked about the condition inside the building looking incomplete especially on the floor, Bona claimed the design and budget plan are indeed like that. “For the time being, it indeed looks like that. In the future, we will try to propose it again,” he said.

Meanwhile, when asked about the fact there remains sand material piling up on the second floor of the platform building, this official from Terunyan argued it happens because the resident wishing to ask for the rest of the material has not taken it away.

“The remaining sand will be asked by resident. Maybe it has not been taken until now,” he said. (kmb40)

IBP/kmb40

the condition of some parts of the building, especially the floors remaining in the form of concrete, while the wall finishing seems to have not been finished.

13

Disposal of garbage in the forest area of Kintamani has been quite widespread.

IBP/kmb Jonathan KLEIN / AFP

Forest in Kintamani covered by garbage

This aerial photo taken on March 9, 2019 shows a view of a Buddhist temple isolated by coastal erosion in Samut Chin village, off the shore of Samut Prakan.

BANGLI - Disposal of garbage in the forest area of Kintamani has been quite widespread.

This is evident from the amount of garbage successfully cleaned up and transported in the activities of the Bali Plastic Waste Cleanup Movement in Kintamani on Sunday (Apr. 7).

SAMUT CHIN - As sea waters slowly rose around his temple and his neighbours fled inland, Thai abbot Somnuek Atipanyo refused to budge and is today a symbol of the fight to restore the country’s fast-eroding coastlines.

Regent asks people to build awareness of not littering The activity led by Governor of Bali, Wayan Koster, was followed by the Regent of Bangli I Made Gianyar, Deputy Regent Sang Nyoman Sedana Arta, all government employees, Indonesian Military and National Police personnel, students, and the community. The cleanup movement in Kintamani was implemented to spread at several points. One of the points cleaned up was the forest area in front of the office of Kintamani subdistrict head. Plastic waste accumulating in the forest area was collected and transported using plastic sacks and then dumped into a garbage truck.

Head of the Bangli Environmental Agency (DLH), Ida Ayu Yudi Sutha, said that a total of five trucks of garbage were successfully cleaned up and transported in the plastic waste cleanup movement activities in Kintamani last Sunday.

“About 5 of 7 trucks prepared are loaded,” he said. Apart from the forest area, the waste transported is the result of cleaning up activities in the Kintamani market area and Batur Temple parking lot.

Meanwhile, Regent of Bangli, I Made Gianyar, when met amid

the activity asked the community to build a shame habit of littering. According to him, without internal awareness of the community individual not to throw trash carelessly, the waste problem will never be resolved. “If this persists, the government will not be unable to do this. After resolving today’s problem, tomorrow it returns again.

So, the first and foremost, we must build a culture of shame. Let’s build awareness together to manage our respective waste,” he said.

Gianyar gave an example, if there are a thousand smokers and all of them throw cigarette butts carelessly, there will be a thousand garbage problems. On the contrary, if everyone manages his cigarette butts properly by throwing them in place, the waste problem like this will not happen.

Regarding the plastic waste cleanup movement, Regent Made Gianyar stressed that he will follow up on the governor’s direction.

Such activities will be carried out regularly every month to places where there is a problem of plastic waste.

To overcome the waste problem in Bangli, this regent from Bunu-

tin village also added that he will order the Regional Secretary, the Environment Agency and the Legal Division to enforce the local regulation on waste having been made by the Bangli district government.

If necessary, the district government will install CCTV so that if there are residents caught littering they can be dealt firmly.

“Apparently, we can only take this measure. At this rate, this is our problem. State money will run out for resolving this. How much have we spent for clothes, gasoline and consumption? Well, if we are aware of everything, the possibility of developing Bangli, Bali and Indonesia will run faster starting with the awareness of its population and the awareness of its citizens,” said Gianyar.

He hoped the waste problem can be resolved at hamlet and village levels. “If minimized, it will be easier to resolve. Conversely, the more it stacks it will be more difficult to be resolved. Just imagine how much time is required by governor to take care of the garbage! If the whole hamlets take care of the garbage, it will get better. However, they must be provided with incentives,” he added. (kmb40)

Against the tide: Thai ‘floating temple’ defies coastal erosion

A dangerous combination of climate change, industrial farming and rapid urbanisation are endangering the Gulf of Thailand’s coasts, stripping away precious mangrove trees and leaving some buildings like Somnuek’s surrounded by sea water.

In the 30 years since the waters started encroaching, most of his neighbours in the fishing village of Samut Chin moved several hundred meters inland to rebuild their wooden homes.

Standing in his saffron robes near his monastery on stilts -- dubbed the “floating temple” -- the 51-year-old monk points out to sea at the spot where the local school once stood.

“This temple used to be in the middle of the village,” he tells AFP in Samut Chin, about an hour south of Bangkok.

“If we moved it, people wouldn’t even know there had ever been one here,” he says of the temple, accessible only by a small footbridge today.

These shores were once protected by extensive mangrove forests -- the Gulf of Thailand boasts some of the largest in the world -- a natural defence against coastal erosion thanks to their extensive roots that stabilise

the shoreline.

But it’s a been a losing battle to preserve them.

- Replanting in the ‘heart’ Mangrove forests have been cleared for extensive development of shrimp and salt farms, along with new houses and hotels that have popped up thanks to a development boom in recent decades.

Thailand lost almost one third of its vast coastal mangrove forests between 1961 and 2000, according to a report from the nation’s Department of Marine and Coastal Resources and the UN Environment Programme.

Climate change is also having an impact: stronger waves and more ferocious monsoons have wiped out mangroves in the Gulf of Thailand, which is especially vulnerable because its waters are so shallow.

“The waves and tides are higher than before,” said Thanawat Jarupongsakul, who advises Thailand’s government on its policy to combat erosion.

Asian and Caspian coastlines are the two areas in the world most affected by coastal erosion, according to a study published last year in the scientific journal Nature.

It’s a global problem: tens of thousands of square kilometres of land have been lost from coastal erosion around the world -- between 1984 and 2015 the equivalent of the surface area of Haiti was lost, the study said.

In Thailand a quarter of the country’s shores -- or about 700 kilometres (500 miles) -- are eroding, some “severely”, according to data shared with AFP by the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources.

Now there is a push to restore Thailand’s precious mangrove ecosystem through a national voluntary tree replanting scheme, including near Somnuek’s island monastery.

On a recent sunny afternoon, scores of people spent the day wading chest-deep in the sea to replant mangrove trees.

Clad in headscarves and hats, they gingerly reach down into the water to plant young saplings along lines of bamboo poles that help offer some protection against the waves.

“This project is called ‘Planting a forest in people’s hearts,’” said Wason Ditsuwan, who runs the program.

Set up in 2016 by Bangkok city authorities, the project has so far replanted 84 acres of mangroves across the country. (afp)

TOKYO - Japanese Emperor Akihito’s historic abdication later this month has reignited concerns over the future of what is believed to be one of the world’s oldest royal families, given its hereditary, male-only succession rules.

As it stands, the fate of the Japanese imperial family rests on 12-year-old Hisahito, the son of Crown Prince Naruhito’s younger brother and the last eligible male heir. Japan’s centuries-old succession would be broken if Hisahito does not have a male child as the Imperial Household Law, in place since 1947, does not allow women to ascend the Chrysanthemum Throne.

That means Naruhito’s only child, 17-year-old Princess Aiko, is not in line to inherit the throne.

While public attitudes seem to be shifting to change the succession laws to allow women to rule, the chance of concrete reform looks remote.

According to a poll by the Yomiuri Shimbun daily between October and November, nearly two-thirds want the law revised to allow women to be the rightful heir.

“I just wonder why Princess Aiko cannot ascend the throne,” Mizuho, a Tokyo resident in her 30s who only gave her first name, told AFP. “If it’s just because she’s a girl, then I think it’s out of place in the current era,” she said.

“Why don’t we allow female heirs like Queen Elizabeth in the British monarchy?”

Under the current rules, female imperial family members also lose their royal status upon marriage to a commoner, a point highlighted by

the engagement of one of Akihito’s granddaughters, Princess Mako, to her college sweetheart.

- ‘Sun goddess’ Traditionalists are vehemently opposed to any change in the law but there have been as many as eight empresses, with the last one, Gosakuramachi, on the throne about 250 years ago.

And the imperial family, which has a myth-filled history dating back more than 2,600 years, is said to be descended from legendary sun goddess Amaterasu.

When the parliament passed a oneoff rule allowing the ageing emperor to step down in 2017, it also urged the government to “swiftly study” reforms that would allow the sons of royal women to become emperor.

Tokyo has said these discussions will begin soon after May 1, when Naruhito ascends the throne.

But the government has also decided that only male royal adults will attend the main abdication ceremony, during which the new emperor will inherit the traditional regalia such as a sacred sword and jewel.

Politicians are dodging the looming issue of male-only succession because “they do not want to shoulder the responsibility”, Yuji Otabe, professor of Japanese history at Shizuoka University of Welfare, told AFP. “If you think about the heredity system, a woman is also of imperial blood,” he said, voicing concerns about the future of the Japanese royal line if the situation does not change. (afp)

JIJI PRESS / AFP

Japan’s Emperor Akihito (L) and Empress Michiko (R) go for a stroll on the grounds of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on April 7, 2019.

14

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

Science

International

In ‘The Perfect Predator,’ viruses vanquish a deadly superbug defeated by their natural predators, viruses called bacteriophages. The nearly century-old treatment had been all but forgotten in the United States, in large part because of the invention of antibiotics, but was being used in parts of the former Soviet Union.

Doctors needed the right phage, one capable of parasitizing the bacteria infecting Patterson. So Strathdee asked a team of scientists to drop everything and check their phage collections while also hunting for environmental samples for a virus that could be turned into an experimental treatment. Within three weeks, two sets of researchers found phages that were a match.

Patterson was treated successfully, and the first phage therapy center in the United States opened last year at UC San Diego.

Strathdee, who did most of the book’s writing, provides clear

explanations of the science and weaves historical vignettes, such as the early days of research on penicillin, throughout her personal narrative.

The book is a real page-turner, though a few things may give readers pause. The first is the mention of Strathdee’s psychic, who appears a few times throughout the book and is later joined by a holistic healer. Then there are “interludes” written by Patterson.

Over time, it becomes clear that these snippets are a peek into Patterson’s hallucinations, but the book would have been stronger if those passages had been clearly introduced, or left out altogether.

The interludes, and Strathdee’s reliance on some unconventional supports, are distracting, but they don’t take away from the book’s strong foundation in science and skillful storytelling. (net)

IBP/net

Cats may be able to distinguish the sound of their own names from the names of other cats — unless they live in cat cafés.

Then it gets more complicated.

Cats recognize their own names

IBP/net

To save a patient infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria, doctors turned to bacteriophages, viruses that attack bacteria (as shown in this illustration).

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

3

Tourism vulnerable to drop, district govt promotes seaweed cultivation

CALIFORNIA - Epidemiologist Steffanie Strathdee and her husband, Thomas Patterson, went to Egypt in 2015 expecting to come home with some photos and souvenirs. Instead, Patterson was hit with his own version of the 10 plagues.

At first, doctors in Egypt thought Patterson had pancreatitis. But his health worsened after treatment, and he started hallucinating. Once flown to Germany, he was diagnosed with a multidrug-resistant bacterial infection in his pancreas. He was then airlifted to a hospital at Strathdee’s home institution, the University of California, San Diego. There, Patterson suffered several episodes of septic shock and spent months in a coma.

The Perfect Predator chronicles the couple’s encounter with a bacterium that was resistant to every available antibiotic, and the rush to find an alternative treatment to save Patterson’s life.

During the ordeal, Strathdee used her scientific training to research solutions and stumbled upon phage therapy. The idea is that even the most resistant bacteria can be

Bali News

International

TOKYO - Whether practical, dramatical or pragmatical, domestic cats appear to recognize the familiar sound of their own names and can distinguish them from other words, researchers report April 4 in Scientific Reports.

While dog responses to human behavior and speech have received much attention, researchers are just scratching the surface of human-cat interactions. Research has shown that domestic cats (Felis catus) appear to respond to human facial expressions, and can distinguish between different human voices.

But can cats recognize their own names?

“I think many cat owners feel that cats know their names, or the word ‘food,’” but until now, there was no scientific evidence to back that up, says Atsuko Saito, a psychologist at Sophia University in Tokyo and a cat owner.

So Saito and her colleagues pounced on that research question.

They asked cat owners to say four

nouns of similar length followed by the cat’s name. Cats gradually lost interest with each noun, but then reacted strongly to their names — moving their ears, head or tail, shifting their hind paw position or, of course, meowing. The results held up with cats living alone, with other cats and at a cat café, where customers can hang out with cats.

And when someone other than the owner said the name, the cats still responded to their names more than to other nouns.

One finding did give the team pause. Cat café cats almost always reacted to their names and those of other cats living there. Housecats did so much less frequently. Lots of humans visit cat cafés, and cats’ names are frequently called together, so it may be harder for cats to associate their own names with positive reinforcement in these environments, the researchers write.

As for whether or not a cat understands what a name is, well, only the cat knows that. (net)

SEMARAPURA — The results of the academic study on the Nusa Penida seaweed cultivation become a valuable capital for Klungkung district government to answer the problem of the decline in seaweed production. Results of the study are continuously disseminated to revive the interest of Nusa Penida seaweed farmers. District government wanted the seaweed cultivation to be able to become a strong economic foundation because the surge in tourism is also very vulnerable to plummet.

After at Jungut Batu village and Ped village, presentation on the results of the study was carried out again at the Batumedau Temple, Suana village, Nusa Penida, recently. The study was conducted to revive the production of seaweed cultivation as an economic support in Nusa Penida in addition to the tourism sector having been growing rapidly.

“We know that tourism is a very lucrative sector at the moment.

However, it must be remembered that this sector is also very sensitive and can suddenly be plunged by other factors. I want the people of Nusa Penida to glance at other sectors such as seaweed cultivation that was ever successful in 2000s,” said Regent of Klungkung, Nyoman Suwirta.

Four farmer groups of Suana village with the members of 101 people are enthusiastic enough to listen to the results of the study.

On that occasion, Regent Suwirta delivered that the step to carry out the study was his instruction in 2017 when seaweed production dropped in 2016. Results of the study coming out in 2018 indicated there is no seawater pollution due

to hotel waste affecting seaweed cultivation. Spinosum and Cottoni seaweed having been tested in three different locations, namely Suana, Batununggul and Lembongan villages succeeded well. The interest of farmer groups to re-cultivate seaweed is also high reaching 90 percent.

A farmer group member, I Ketut Mudra Asmara, hoped that Nusa Penida seaweed cultivation will soon rise. If it is materialized, the newly harvested seaweed can be immediately bought without having to be dried up again considering the land for drying has been converted into tourism supporting facilities.

Responding to this, Regent Suwirta promised to prepare a place through a cooperative institution that will buy farmers’ seaweed. The cooperative will accommodate farmers’ harvest yields in large quantities on the land having been prepared.

Seaweed buyers have also been prepared and farmer groups will be coalesced into cooperatives with legal entities. So, if there are unserious members they will face legal consequences. It will also collaborate with the Industry and Cooperatives Agency to provide guidance for seaweed cultivators so that the harvest yields can be properly packaged and have SNI standards.

Klungkung government is also working with the Bali Fishery and Maritime Affairs to help prepare superior seeds and land for warehouses. Nusa Penida has the potential to support seaweed cultivation. He expected the farmer groups can get legal entities so that they can also have access to assistance from the ministry. (kmb31)

IBP/kmb

The clean-up action targeted strategic areas, such as tourism areas, beaches, traditional markets, and temple areas.

In Badung, cleanup action amasses eight trucks of garbage

MANGUPURA — The movement to clean up plastic waste organized simultaneously in Bali on Sunday (Apr. 7) was quite successful. In Badung district, for instance, eight trucks of plastic waste were successfully collected.

IBP/kmb

District government wanted the seaweed cultivation to be able to become a strong economic foundation because the surge in tourism is also very vulnerable to plummet.

Head of the Badung Environment and Sanitation Agency (LHK), I Putu Eka Merthawan, said the clean-up action targeted strategic areas, such as tourism areas, beaches, traditional markets, and temple areas. The movement involved all levels of society, namely the old and young people as well as teenagers.

“They are only eight trucks. It means that we have indeed been consistently doing this kind of activity, so there is not much garbage scattered. The most garbage is collected at Yeh Poh Estuary, Berawa Beach,” he said.

According to him, the clean-up activities are focused on all sub-districts with different loci. In Petang subdistrict, the activities are carried

out on Tukad Bangkung Bridge, Abiansemal area, in the Mambal Market area, Mengwi subdistrict in Pererenan Beach, North Kuta subdistrict, in Yeh Poh Estuary, Berawa Beach, Kuta subdistrict and the mangrove forest area around the Kepiting village. Meanwhile, in South Kuta the activities were centered at Dalam Geger Pemutih Temple at Benoa village.

“In total, the clean-up activities involve the school components, sub-district and village apparatus, community and businessmen,” explained the bureaucrat from Sempidi village, Mengwi.

He explained the simultaneous clean-up activities apply sustainable concept, does not only last a week. “In Badung, we do not do

like that, but sustainably. After today, we will schedule to organize regularly, maybe once a month. We will coordinate with subdistrict government as well,” he said firmly.

Headman of Pererenan, I Made Rai Yasa, stated the clean-up activities in the area are focused along Pererenan Beach stretching along approximately 1 km. “Our clean-up activities begin at 06:30. People are very enthusiastic about taking part in this activity,” he said.

Representing the Pererenan village community, he strongly supported the government’s program to reduce the use of plastic bags. “I am quite confident this program can make Badung region and Bali as a whole cleaner, so as to make people comfortable,” he concluded. (kmb27)

2

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

Bali News

International

Activities

International

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

15

Community networking

A new trend of today’s entrepreneurial style

DENPASAR - Changes in the way of doing entrepreneurship are currently important in the face of competition. Aside from competition among local entrepreneurs, it is also valid for national and international entrepreneurs. One of the new styles of entrepreneurship is building networking from the existing communities. For this reason, building community and mutual networking are very necessary in this era.

Chairman of the Indonesia Young Entrepreneur Association (HIPMI) of Denpasar Chapter, Dewa Wirayudha, stated the next

measure to be taken by HIPMI Denpasar is to try to grow more young entrepreneurs. This is also set forth in the work program of

the HIPMI Denpasar, including in an effort to support industrial competition 4.0 by launching the first educational platform in Bali, namely Starting Pioneer.

“This educational platform is to bring together people having passion to share knowledge with those who are looking for knowledge, so that networking can be created,” he said during the inauguration of the HIPMI management in Denpasar

at the Lumintang Sewaka Dharma Building, Denpasar, recently.

The platform also includes entrepreneurship workshops that make it easier for people to find workshops in Bali.

One of them is training in knitting or weaving in Bali. The workshop is also equipped with training and seminars.

He realized the importance of a network in community because it can provide ideas, innovations in business development and skills.

“We will work together with the city government to be consistent and committed to the development of young entrepreneurs in Denpasar,” he explained.

The inauguration was also attended the Mayor of Denpasar, IB Rai Dharmawijaya Mantra. He hoped that more and more young entrepreneurs will emerge in this region. Local government also supports the development of new businesses pioneered by young entrepreneurs, one of which is by providing supporting facilities.

“The government has been supporting the development of business sector, including the SMEs. This includes guaranteeing small things such as related to licensing and business credit for them, where all of which are not complicated,” said Mayor Rai Dharmawijaya.

In an effort to win the current competition, the government has also admitted to have provided easier process for businesses to obtain legality and licensing. Moreover, he is now preparing a creative economic ecosystem for startups.

“So, there is power of king space and space maker that will collaborate universities, business communities and the government.

The building has been prepared and this year is expected to be realized considering the creative community has been formed for a long time,” he said. He added that later on it will serve the needs of startup such as licensing, marketing advertising, training and others. (kmb42)

Badung transforms rivers into fish pond

MANGUPURA - Badung district government will transform the rivers into the location of fish farming. As planned, this program will be applied in all rivers both in rural and urban areas.

Head of the Badung Fishery Agency, Putu Oka Swadiana, when asked for his confirmation on Sunday (Apr. 7) said that related to the clean program for fish farming, people are expected to maintain the river sanitation, so that later they can become a new tourist destination.

“Related to the clean river program, we have done initial finger-

ling restocking. The distribution is carried out in Subak Lepud, Baha, Badung,” he said.

According to him, the spread of fingerlings is carried out along the rivers. Spread of the fingerlings in public waters (restocking) is an effort to improve the movement to popularize fish consumption for the people of Badung district in order to be healthy and smart.

“Fingerling restocking belongs to medium size consisting of red tilapia and carp. The activity of spreading fingerlings is expected to maintain environmental cleanliness and preservation of fish resources,”

he explained.

Besides, the program also makes rivers or public waters as a source of life as well as makes fish as one of the solutions to improve community nutrition.

“Movement of clean river for fish cultivation is actually for the innovation in the future. Moreover, if possible all the rivers in rural and urban areas can be taken advantage to organize the clean river for these fish,” he said.

He explained the challenge to realize the program is that all the rivers must be free from any content of pesticides, toxic substance

and pollution of garbage. “We are restocking with medium size fingerlings. If this program can be run in the urban rivers, it will be very good. We also expect the role of the community to participate in safeguarding our rivers,” he said.

As is known, the Badung district government has established Fingerling Cultivation Agency (BBI) at Baha village, Mengwi, with the budget worth IDR 10 billion. The construction of BBI is carried out as an effort to increase fingerling production.

At present, Badung averagely produces a total of 3,426,775

fingerlings. In details, a total of 1,350,000 heads are obtained from BBI, while the remaining 2,076,775 heads are from the People’s Hatchery Unit (UPR). Indeed, Badung has two BBIs, namely at Kapal village and Petang village.

However, since the BBI Kapal will be used for the office of Municipality Waterworks (PDAM), the substitute is built at Baha village.

“In 2020, the budget is also increased for the development of the BBI Baha. Additionally, there is a plan to make a large aquarium at the BBI which contains all kinds of fish in Indonesia,” he concluded. (kmb27)

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One journey, two chefs, three hours of delicious edible stories

Unlike any other Chefs’ dinner you have ever attended, this one, to be held at Som Chai restaurant in Seminyak on May 11, 2019, promises to be much more than a meal.

An evening that started months ago when heavy weight Chefs Will Meyrick from Sarong Group and Kevin Cherkas from Cuca restau-

rant landed in southern Kalimantan to discover the stories behind all its delicious traditional dishes. They immersed themselves in the history, recipes, culture and nature of the region and put together their lifetime knowledge and passion for food to proudly bring you their very own Kalimantan inspired creations. A true collabora-

tion built on hours and hours of day long discoveries, late night discussions and early morning trials.

“Will sees a new dish as a child sees a puppy, the excitement and love he has for food is unlike anyone else I have ever met.” – says Kevin about his partner in crime for this adventure. “Kevin grasps the stories behind

dishes; his thought process allows him to see things in a completely new way” - is Will’s view on Kevin’s approach to cuisine.

Guests can expect a jungle inspired soiree full of sensorial surprises including, among many more, the premiere of a short documentary depicting the chefs’ exciting journey and their

behind-thescenes kitchen sessions to jointly create the dishes for this event. But the highlight of the evening will of course be the food: a story-like menu divided in chapters that will convey the soul, flavors and identity of south Kalimantan through the trained taste buds and fearless creativity of the two chefs.

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

16 Pages Number 72 11th year

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

Price: Rp 3.000,-

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

Iron Maiden’s singer Bruce Dickinson honoured in Sarajevo SARAJEVO - Bruce Dickinson, lead singer with heavy metal group Iron Maiden, received the honorary citizenship of Sarajevo Saturday, in recognition of a concert he played there during the siege of the city.

Dickinson took his band to the Bosnian capital in December 1994, travelling with an aid convoy escorted by UN peacekeepers.

At the time, the city was still caught in the 44-month siege by Bosnian-Serb troops that eventually cost more than 11,000 lives.

“It took a lot of courage and humanity to come to a devastated and besieged Sarajevo in 1994, to say no and to speak out for the halting of the worst war in Europe since World War II,” Igor Gavric, head of the city council, said at the ceremony.

The concert had allowed the people of the city to believe that

they and the city would survive, said the citation.

“We didn’t stop the war but what we did do was we made people feel better about being there -and that’s all musicians can do,” Dickinson told journalists after the ceremony.

“It’s politicians and armies and generals that stop wars. Music speaks to people and makes them feel better about theirs lives et theirs emotions.”

A new generation discovered the concert via a recent documentary about it, “Scream for me, Sarajevo!”, the title taken from what Dickinson shouted to his audience.

During the siege, between 1992 and 1996, the city’s 350,000 residents struggled to get basic necessities and thousands were killed by sniping and shelling. (afp)

e-mail: info_ibp@balipost.co.id online: http://www.internationalbalipost.com. http://epaper.internationalbalipost.com.

Tuesday, April 9, 2019 Dozens of Ethiopian and Eritrean living in Addis Ababa gather for the memorial service to honor Eritrean American rapper, Nipsey Hussle, on April 6, 2019 in Addis Ababa.

Ethiopians bid farewell to slain rapper Nipsey Hussle

President accedes to underscoring unity in diversity in open campaign

KUPANG - Presidential candidate number 01 Joko Widodo seconded Democrat Party Chairman Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s (SBY’s) suggestion to highlight unity in diversity during an open campaign for the upcoming presidential election.

“I agree with the suggestion put forth by Democrat Party Chairman Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) to lay emphasis on unity in diversity during campaigns. Our unity holds immense significance,” Widodo remarked after an open campaign in Kupang, East Nusa

Tenggara Province, on Monday.

Widodo drew the public’s attention to the fact that the elections were merely a five-yearly contest, so the nation’s unity should not affected by it.

The former Solo mayor has followed the practice of showcasing

Indonesia’s abundance of cultural arts and customs during his political campaigns through a cultural carnival.

“I think, we should avoid Tribe, Religion, Race and Customs (SARA) during the campaign,” he emphasized.

SBY, in a letter sent earlier to Democrat Party leaders regarding campaigning for the Prabowo Subianto- Sandiaga Uno pair during a grand campaign in the complex of the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium, Jakarta, Sunday (Apr 7), put forth a suggestion that the campaigns should epitomize diversity and pluralism; avoid expressions of the strength of identity based on religion, ethnicity, and regionalism,

as well as those with ideological nuances, extreme political understanding, and polarization. (ant) News can also be heard in “Bali Image” at Global Radio FM 96.5 from 9.30 until 10.00 am. Listen to Global Radio FM at http:// globalfmbali.listen2myradio.com or live video streaming at http:// radioglobalfmbali.com and http:// ustream.tv/channel/global-fm-bali.

ADDIS ABABA - With poems and speeches, Ethiopians have held an emotional farewell for murdered rapper Nipsey Hussle, whose roots in neighbouring Eritrea won him admirers in both countries.

ELVIS BARUKCIC / AFP

Bruce Dickinson, author, musician and frontman of the hardrock and heavy-metal band Iron Maiden, reacts after being awarded “Honorary Citizen of Sarajevo” in Sarajevo, on April 6, 2019.

Known for his Grammy-nominated debut album, Hussle was shot dead last week in front of the clothing store he owned in the US city of Los Angeles, whose violence-plagued neighbourhoods he had tried to revitalise. On Friday, 29-year-old Eric Holder pleaded not guilty to murder and attempted murder over the shooting that also wounded two other men.

At the Saturday evening memorial in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, Hussle was remembered as a rare entertainer who bridged his American upbringing with his roots in the Horn of Africa.

“When we heard there’s an Eritrean rapper out there, we were fans before we heard his music,” said Ambaye Michael Tesfay, who eulogised Hussle at the event held in a darkened parking lot. “He was an icon for us.”

Before his 2018 debut album “Victory Lap” scored a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Album, Hussle, born Ermias Asghedom, had won the attention of rap fans from both Ethiopia and Eritrea for his embrace of his father’s Eritrean heritage. Eritrea was a province of Ethiopia until 1993, when it voted for independence after a decadeslong independence struggle, but both countries still have close cultural and family ties.

“It’s just really tragic what happened,” said Tezeta Solomon, an Ethiopian living in Los Angeles who attended the memorial in Addis Ababa.

“When he first came out, we were all so excited. To know there was a habesha rapper out there definitely sparked some pride,” she said, using a common term to describe people from the Horn of

Africa. Hussle embraced his Eritrean heritage, visiting the country last year and telling state media, “More than anything I am proud of being Eritrean.”

The relationship between Ethiopia and Eritrea has often been tortuous, and the countries were not on speaking terms for years following a 1998-2000 border war that ground into stalemate.

That ended with the signing of a peace agreement last year that restored ties between the neighbours. The frosty relations did little to dampen Ethiopians’ pride in Hussle’s success.

“We’re all one people,” said Nemany Hailemelekot, an organiser of the memorial.

The crowd of hundreds gathered in the parking lot observed a moment of silence for the slain rapper, who was 33. (afp)

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Incumbent President Joko Widodo (C-L in white) and his running mate for the upcoming election Ma’ruf Amin (C-R in white) parade during a campaign in Tangerang, in the Banten province on April 7, 2019. Some 192 million Indonesians are set to cast a ballot in the world’s third-biggest democracy, with a record 245,000 candidates vying for positions from the presidency and parliamentary seats all the way down to local council jobs.