Edition Monday, March 12, 2018 | Internasional Bali Post

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

16 Pages Number 68 10th year

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Monday, March 12, 2018

Nun fighting sale of convent to Katy Perry dies in court LOS ANGELES - An 89-yearold Roman Catholic nun who has battled pop star Katy Perry for years over the sale of a Los Angeles convent collapsed and died during a court appearance, according to media reports and supporters.

Sister Catherine Rose Holzman, one of two aging nuns who were fighting the sale of the 8-acre (3-hectare) convent, died on Friday during related legal proceedings in Los Angeles County Court, Fox affiliate KTTV reported.

“To Katy Perry, please stop. It’s not doing anyone any good except hurting a lot of people,” Holzman had earlier told KTTV as she entered the courthouse with Sister Rita Callanan.

On Saturday a website set up to back the nuns’ legal battle carried a picture of Holzman with the caption, “Rest with the angels our most precious treasure.”

A spokeswoman for Perry, one

of the world’s top-selling pop stars, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Los Angeles County medical examiner and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles did not respond to queries about the cause of death.

At the center of the legal dispute is the property Holzman and other members of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary had once lived in.

Holzman and Cullanan, among five nuns who had lived at the convent, had sought to sell the property for $15.5 million to restaurateur Dana Hollister, who wanted to convert the property into a hotel.

The Archdiocese of Los Angeles sued to block the sale in 2015, arguing the nuns did not have authority to sell the property to Hollister.

A judge ruled in 2016 that the sale was invalid, paving the way for Perry to buy the site from the archdiocese. (rtr)

Monday, March 12, 2018

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Ogoh-ogoh in Denpasar

Obliged to feature bhutakala theme

Zodwa Wabantu

SERIES of the Pengerupukan night, the day before Nyepi of Caka New Year 1940, Denpasar municipality through the Denpasar Culture Agency will hold an ogoh-ogoh (papier mâché demon) parade contest.

Implementation of this activity is a concrete manifestation of the Denpasar municipality’s commitment to continuously providing the widest opportunities for younger generation to show off their creativity.

IBP/net

Zambia deports racey South African dancer Zodwa Wabantu

Head of the Denpasar Culture Agency, IGN Bagus Mataram, accompanied by Division Head of Culture, I Made Wedana, recently said that Denpasar as the city with a cultural vision in accordance with the second mission is empowering the community based on local genius through creative culture in order to support the mission, namely carrying out the ogoh-ogoh contest among the sekaa taruna (customary village youth club). “As a culture-minded city, of course the ogoh-ogoh contest is one of the creative economic activities in accordance with the mission of Denpasar as a culture-based creative city,” he said.

Execution of the current ogoh-ogoh contest, he said, obliges all the participating ogoh-ogoh to feature the theme of bhutakala (evil spirit). From the contest, there will be 32 winners with the composition of eight clubs in each subdistrict and they are entitled to get coaching money valued at IDR 10 million. Nevertheless, the clubs having been nominated for two consecutive years will be disqualified or excluded from the assessment.

The aspects becoming the assessment points include the composition, creativity and expression. The most important is the obstacles in the use of eco-friendly materials. The 32 nominations will be returned to customary village to carry out the Pengerupukan night. To maintain conduciveness, security and local wisdom in welcoming the Nyepi feast day of Caka 1940 in 2018, Mataram asserted that ogoh-ogoh musical accompaniment must use traditional musical instruments, such as baleganjur, tektek and other arts and should be escorted by respective pecalang or customary village security guards.

LUSAKA - Zambia on Saturday deported a controversial female South African dancer, Zodwa Wabantu, who is popularly known for performing without underwear, on the grounds that her performance would “undermine national values”.

REUTERS/Danny Moloshok/File Photo

Singer Katy Perry

Zambia is a very conservative country whose constitution explicitly states that it is a Christian nation, in contrast with more liberal South Africa.

“Zodwa has been deported,” her Zambian promoter Lucky Munakampe told Reuters. Munakampe

said she had flown out at 0520 GMT on a South African Airways flight.

The dancer had been due to perform on Saturday in Lusaka at the launch of a music album organised by a local entertainment company, Sunset Sound Production.

The organisers of the show said

in a statement earlier this week that Zambia’s National Arts Council had rejected their application.

“The Council stated that... Zodwa’s performances were not in the public interest and undermined our national values,” the statement said. (rtr)

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182 pieces of ogoh-ogoh participate in contest At least 182 pieces of ogoh-ogoh will participate in the contest held by the Culture Agency this year.

Continued to page 6

Ogoh-ogoh from Banjar Kedaton, Kesiman, Denpasar. The giant puppet will be showed during the Pengerupukan, a day before Nyepi.

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.

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Monday, March 12, 2018

Bali News

Ministry of Transportation does not know World Bank’s studies

DENPASAR - Other than Udayana University, Ministry of Transportation equally did not know anything about the results of the studies conducted by the World Bank. On the contrary, the Ministry of Transportation continues to follow up the governor’s letter dated October 16, 2017 regarding the proposal of airport location in Buleleng. This was revealed in a meeting between Commission III of the Bali House of Representatives and the Directorate of Airports, Ministry of Transportation in Jakarta on Friday (Mar. 9).

“The Ministry of Communications has never heard and followed any presentation of the World Bank’s studies,” said Coordinator of Commission III who is also Deputy Chairman of the Bali House of Representatives, I Nyoman Sugawa Korry, when confirmed via phone last Saturday.

According to Sugawa Korry, Chairman of the Commission III of the Bali House of Representatives, Nengah Tamba, initially conveyed the chronology of the emergence of confusion related to the airport plan in Buleleng. It especially happened after the statement of Coordinating Minister of Marine Affairs, Luhut Binsar Panjaitan, stating if the airport development in Buleleng is not feasible. One of the reasons is that the central government will expand the Ngurah Rai Airport. However, the Ministry of Transportation is

even following up on the governor’s letter.

“Buleleng airport program has also been included in the Provincial Regional Spatial Layout (RTRW), National Spatial Layou (Government Regulation No. 13/2017) and Minister of Transportation Regulation No. 69/2013 on the order of national airport affairs,” added this Golkar politician.

Sugawa Korry added that the Ministry of Transportation is also currently following up the tender process of feasibility study of the airport location in Buleleng as well as the studies on the government and private sector cooperation. From the explanation, he concluded that the process at the Ministry of Transportation still continues.

“There is no cancellation. Logically, the feasibility study and the study of cooperation between the government and the entrepreneurs become an important input for Minister of Transportation as well as coordination with the Coordinating Minister and even with the President,” he explained.

Sugawa Korry claimed to have coordinated with the chairman and members of Commission III to discuss further about the issue with the Coordinating Minister of Marine Affairs.

When confirmed separately, Chairman of Commission III of the Bali House of Representatives, I Nengah Tamba, justified the coordination plan with Minister Luhut. The coordination is planned to be made on March 13. “The airport development in North Bali is a must and should be done immediately,” he added. (kmab32)

International

IBP/file

Monday, March 12, 2018

15

Here is the reason for delaying North Bali airport JAKARTA - The delay of the North Bali airport had become a question in some circles of society in Bali. Not many know the reason why the central government delayed the construction of the airport alleged to make the economy of North Bali grow to match the economic development of South Bali.

Chairman of Bali Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), AAN Alit Wiraputra, after meeting the Coordinating Minister of Marine Affairs, Luhut Binsar Panjaitan, said that central government did not reject or cancel the construction of the North Bali airport.

“However, there are studies conducted by the World Bank stating if the construction of North Bali airport is not yet feasible to carry out. If there is no recommendation from the World Bank, no one will dare to invest the funds for the development. This is the reason why central government postponed the construction of the airport in Buleleng,” said Wiraputra in Jakarta, on Friday (Mar. 9).

Related to the assessment considering that the development of North Bali airport is not feasible, Wiraputra admitted to understand the problem. Moreover, he added, the study has been conducted by the World Bank by involving consultants from Udayana University. “Maybe if one day South Bali has been considered too crowded, the feasibility of the airport in North Bali will be examined again,” he added.

He considered what the local government needs to do now is to accelerate road access from South Bali to North Bali.

In addition, Benoa will also be developed into a tourism and container harbor. “There is also an input about the Tanah Ampo Harbor which is expanded to be a passenger harbor,” he added.

At the meeting, it was revealed that the plan to build road access from South Bali to North Bali will start this year. “The legal instrument is available and it just needs to disseminate to the community. Whether it will be built a paid road or not, obviously this year the development process is expected to have started,” he said while hoping the government can involve the large cooperative in Bali in the development process. (kmb)

French ambassador suggests direct flight between Paris and Bali

I Nyoman Sugawa Korry

Activities

International

Nusa Dua - French Ambassador to Indonesia Jean-Charles Berthonnet said he hopes there would be direct flight between Paris and Bali to facilitate French tourists wanting to visit Bali. “Perhaps Garuda could serve the direct flight. The absence of direct flight is one of the main factors that the number of French tourists to the country remain small,” the ambassador said here on Sunday.

He said French tourists visit Indonesia including Bali have to transit in one of other cities in southeast Asia like Singapore and Bangkok or cities in Middle East. He said Bali is well known among tourist all over the world especially for its natural beauty and cultures.

According to the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) the number of French tourists visiting Indonesia 256,000 in 2016 up from 208,000 in 2015. The number of foreign tourist visiting that island in 2017 totaled 5.7 million , up 15.6 percent from 2016. Chinese were the largest in number reaching 1.3 million, followed by Australians 1.09 million and Indians 272,000 in 2017. (ant)

 Founder : K.Nadha,  General Manager :Palgunadi Chief Editor: Gugiek Savindra  Editors:Agus Toni, Daniel Fajry, Mawa, Sueca, Sugiartha, Yudi Winanto Denpasar: Dira Arsana, Giriana Saputra, Subrata, Sumatika, Asmara Putra. Bangli: Suasrina, Buleleng: Dewa kusuma, Gianyar: Manik Astajaya, Karangasem: Budana, Klungkung: Dewa Farendra. 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

Brunch Adventura : An Italian, Family Brunch Adventure

Prego, The Westin Resort Nusa Dua’s popular Italian Restaurant, has long been known for its Sunday Brunch. Taking on the theme of fun (rather than fine) dining, the Prego Brunch was the perfect family Sunday. Now, in a move to liven things up even more, Prego presents Brunch Adventura – adding more family fun, food and entertainment on the weekend.

From 11.30am-3pm, Brunch Adventura welcomes all with it’s “come as you are” approach to weekends.

With it’s bright, open concept, full outdoor garden and even a swimming pool environment, it’s not wander this Italian restaurant has been so popular with families. Everyone is invited to eat, play and swim.

Of course food comes first and

there is an extensive buffet at Prego that has all taste preferences covered.

With Italian food the focus you can be sure the favourite pasta (cooked to order!) and pizzas are there – an easy choice for the children – but this extends to a rich charcuterie and meats station, live grill and a whole section for the cheese lovers. A full salad bar is surely on hand, along side a display of mini appetisers for those who love to taste and savour many flavours for brunch. Italian Chef Alessandro Molini also comes around each week with his giant Pentolo cooking up a delicious dose of family-style pasta.

For dessert, the Italian classics like Cannoli and tiramisu sit along side the favourites for the kids, including the chocolate fountain.

Dessert would go amiss without a

selection of Italian Gelato, which Prego serves, perfect for those hot sunny days.

The restaurant has a host of games, gimmicks and activities throughout the brunch so that the children can stay entertained for the afternoon. From tug o’ war to relay races, a supervised play area means parents and children can both have fun. Another exciting activity for the young ones is the Superchefs program, which is all about learning to appreciate good food and enjoying life in the kitchen!

Each Sunday, Prego Associates continue to show off their signature dance moves with an energetic routine that has everyone up on their feet. Pipo the squirrel makes regular appearances for fun photo opportuni-

ties and a magician visits each table to perform a collection of amazing tricks.

This value-for-money brunch experience emphasizes the importance of spending quality time together

as a family. It is priced at just IDR 420,000++ per person including a welcome cocktail, soft drinks and selected ice tea blends. Kids get to eat for free and SPG members are entitled to a generous 20% discount.

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Monday, March 12, 2018

Traveling

International

Kurentovanje in Ptuj, Slovenia is one of the world’s top 10 carnivals

THE city of Ptuj is the oldest settlement in Slovenia. It sits on the banks of the River Drava, dominated by its medieval castle. In Roman times it had a population of over 40,000, twice what is now, but it gradually diminished during centuries of Hapsburg rule. Still, the old town is delightful with cobbled streets home to Churches, Monasteries and pastel coloured restaurants and cafes.

Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Sunday afternoon sees the International Carnival Parade which involves more than 2500 participants and I take my place in front of the ornate town hall, where a band is playing Slovenian folk music. VIP’s sitting in the stand include the Slovenian Prime Minister. We wait patiently for the parade to begin.

What is the Kurent Festival?

The Parade is led by the prince of the carnival with his princess, surrounded by guards dressed in 17th century blue and grey. Behind them is a marching band in crusader costumes, mainly young girls. Next comes a group of men in red tunics, blue aprons and black hats, decorated with flowers. They pause in front of the town hall and their guards crack their whips, frightening the crowd.

Following them are tractors full of smoking gypsies, foresters hauling logs, spearmen tossing their ribbon covered spears in the air and a troupe of pantomime horses, known as

The Kurentovanje, or Kurent Festival, is one of the world’s top ten carnivals and kicks out winter and welcomes spring. It’s the Slovenian version of Mardi Gras and has its origins long before the Romans, in the distant mists of Celtic times.

It fell out of favour but was revived in 1960 in an attempt to keep the traditions alive. It certainly worked. The event spans the ten days before Shrove Tuesday and attracted many thousands of visitors. In 2017 UNESCO inscribed it on their list of Intangible

The Parade

Rusa. Each is operated by two men and create a bit of stir by spraying the prime minister with water, much to the disquiet of his body guards. Still this is carnival and there’s nothing they can do about it.

The Kurenti

What we’ve come to see are the Kurenti and suddenly there are hundreds of them, lopsidedly twirling, like spinning tops gone wrong.

Each Kurent has a coat of shaggy sheepskins, topped with an ornate mask, and wears five large cowbells around his waist. Ears are made of bird wings, adorned with ribbons, the nose is elongated and the moustache is made of maize.

White beans, threaded on a string, serve as teeth and a long red tongue of red cloth or leather spills down the front. Heavy boots and red or green leggings complete the ensemble and they brandish a long stave, studded with hedgehog spikes, to drive the devil forward. Each group of Kurents has at least one of these, standing out

in their bright red costume.

As they dance, the cow bells make an enormous din, momentarily silenced as they pause and form a circle, expanding and contracting.

Some Kurents break off and approach the crowd, begging young girls for handkerchiefs to be added to their clubs. You certainly don’t want to mess with them as the masks turn them into shaggy giants and they’re certainly a force to be reckoned with.

After the Kurents have passed it’s the turn of the international troupes.

Macedonia has the Meckari, the Czech Republic brings Mystique, France has the intriguing Mülhüser Waggis and the Sitnan are from Slovakia, without forgetting Rain Dance from Macedonia. Serbia has the Cheerful Ice-creams, the Happy Blossoms and Bullfighters and Belgium brings the Sangliers d’Arlon, all dressed in boar skins. (net)

Bali News

International

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Monday, March 12, 2018

Nyepi package must introduce catur brata penyepian If any rah-rah, hotel license to be revoked

DENPASAR — Hotels in Bali are allowed to sell Nyepi Package to tourists as long as the package does not contain any rah-rah elements. On the contrary, the package should introduce to tourists about the catur brata penyepian or four abstinences.

“For example, guests do not turn on lights nor go out of hotel. It is meant to show off to guests that Nyepi celebration in Bali is like this. Let them experience the catur brata penyepian. If there are guests wishing to enjoy such condition, it’s okay. Moreover, it is good,” said Chairman of Commission I of the Bali House of Representatives, Ketut Tama Tenaya, in Denpasar, last week.

But if on the contrary, continued Tama, hotels should be subject to strict sanctions. For example, the Nyepi Package offered by hotels even takes guests out of the hotel. Or even facilitate for a fun event.

“If there is such activity, they are even wandering around, enjoying disco, having party and rah-rah, that’s a bad example. It is nonsense if the airport can stop, while guests at the hotel even wander or make noises. I asked to revoke the hotel’s permit. It must be dealt with firmly,” explained this PDI-P politician.

Tama expected the hotel management has the awareness to introduce more about Nyepi to tourists.

Certainly, this will provide a more positive image for Bali tourism.

Besides, the customary village having pecalang is also expected to actively supervise the hotels in their area.

Meanwhile, Governor of Bali, Made Mangku Pastika, will consider to revoke the hotel’s permission performing rah-rah during Nyepi. His office also urged the hotels to respect the traditions of Hindu culture and religion namely by informing guests to enjoy such tranquil atmosphere.

“It’s okay to sell Nyepi Package, but do not make rah-rah. All this time, there is misunderstanding where people avoid Nyepi and go to hotel. After that, they make rah-rah, enjoy loud music or bright lights. I have this activity adjusted. It would be quite wonderful if all participate in the Nyepi celebration, including big hotels,” he said.

According to Pastika, hotels should respect the traditions, cultures and religions practiced by the Balinese. Not even on the contrary as it can destroy because it is the ‘selling point’ owned by Bali so far. “We are worried if the products will not even recover. We have the most unique place in the world.

Bali cannot sell multi-storey hotels, what we sell is uniqueness of Bali.

What is the uniqueness? Here it is.

Nyepi cannot be found elsewhere all over the world. Let’s respect it,” he explained. (kmb32)

IBP/olo

Subak Babakan Bayu at Sangkaragung village is one of the subak (irrigation cooperative) groups in Jembrana which has a distinction.

Tolerance of Subak Babakan Bayu members

Jointly hold ngusaba and land thanksgiving ritual

SUBAK Babakan Bayu at Sangkaragung village is one of the subak (irrigation cooperative) groups in Jembrana which has a distinction. In contrast to subak in general, this subak with an area of up to tens of hectares has hundreds of Hindu and Muslim members. Since decades ago, the pattern of joint cultivation through subak organization has been running harmoniously and with high tolerance.

IBP/kmb

The package should introduce to tourists about the catur brata penyepian or four abstinences.

This habit has been running for generations since their predecessors came and settled in the suburbs of the Samblong River. Both villages within Jembrana subdistrict are located side by side. Air Kuning sits right on the coast while Sangkaragung on the Northern side. Thus, the area of paddy fields owned are located adjacent and incorporated in one Subak Babakan Bayu.

In terms of subak organizational aspect, hundreds of members remain to be led by a klian subak. Although the ratio of members is predominantly Muslim of Air Kuning, it still follows the awig-awig (bylaws) that Subak Babakan Bayu has agreed upon. “The administrative authority is divided into two. The Hindus are led by myself, while the Muslim colleagues are held

by Deputy Klian, Mr. Sarmin,” said Chief of Subak Babakan Bayu, Ketut Suara, 60, when met last week.

In addition to managing subak jointly, in expressing gratitude for the harvest obtained they have their own way. All subak members are involved as seen during the ngusaba on full moon early March. Subak

members are entirely involved under one subak organization. Then, contribution of activities is calculated based on the land area owned per 100 square meters.

When holding ceremony, all subak members are coordinated by the chief and deputy chief. They are just distinguished in terms of the food menu served at the subak meeting hall.

“Each member plays its own role but still in one subak organization. It has been running from the past time,” said Suara having served as subak chief for 25 years. In addition to having subak temple adjacent to meeting hall, amid the paddy field also sits a place of worship for Muslims frequently used by subak members. Surau or langgar is used to worship when they come down to paddy fields and as gathering place for thanksgiving after the harvest. They call it land thanksgiving graced by slaughtering four-legged cattle.

Deputy Chief of Subak, Sarmin, 65, said the ritual of land thanksgiving is usually done every five years. This year is the time to implement the ritual and organize in the surau in the middle of paddy field.

During this ritual, all subak members participate to follow like on the ngusaba ritual. Surau is used daily by subak members who perform worship at noon and in the afternoon. “Langgar is long and used for farmers at Air Kuning, especially subak members wishing to worship while in the fields,” said Mustari, 65, a member of Subak Babakan Bayu. This tolerance in one subak organization, according to him, has been running for a long time and inherited from generation to generation. (olo)

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Monday, March 12, 2018

Bali News

International

Monday, March 12, 2018

International

China eyes “black tech” to boost security as parliament meets

Nyepi celebration is inseparable from the existence of ogoh-ogoh.

BEIJING - At a highway check point on the outskirts of Beijing, local police are this week testing out a new security tool: smart glasses that can pick up facial features and car registration plates, and match them in real-time with a database of suspects.

The AI-powered glasses, made

by LLVision, scan the faces of vehicle occupants and the plates,

flagging with a red box and warning sign to the wearer when any match up with a centralised “blacklist”.

The test - which coincides with the annual meeting of China’s parliament in central Beijing - un-

The making of ogoh-ogoh must be based on philosophy

IBP/eka

SEMARAPURA — Nyepi celebration is inseparable from the existence of ogoh-ogoh. Almost all the villages seem to be presenting this gigantic doll without exception for Klungkung district. In harmony with the development times, it is not only paraded on Pengrupukan Day but also put into competition.

Moreover, some people present it in a parade. To welcome it, the community especially sekaa taruna (customary village youth club) shows their totality in the making. They are very ambitious to get maximum results that make people amazed when watching. Amidst this, the making is not only concerned with the arts but must also be appropriate with tattva (philosophy) with refer-

ence to the knowledge and religious philosophy.

“Ogoh-ogoh must refer to philosophy. It should be able to characterize bhuta kala (evil spirits),” said Chairman of Hindu Dharma Council of Indonesia (PHDI) Klungkung, I Putu Suarta, on Saturday (Mar. 10).

The man who is also the Chief of Klungkung Municipal Police and Fire Department, conveyed the

making of ogoh-ogoh has received monitoring from customary village since the beginning. This is also emphasized by Customary Village Medium Assembly. Amid the celebration of the regional leadership election, no ogoh-ogoh is allowed to have political nuance. “The making of ogoh-ogoh beyond the style is prohibited. It must be in accordance with the provisions and it has been

disseminated,” he said.

Ogoh-ogoh, he said, does not only enliven the festival falling every year but also to slow down human bad attitude that must be melted as symbolized by the burning on the Pengrupukan, the day before Nyepi.

“This meaning must be understood, not just make it,” he said.

The important meaning of ogohogoh has also been emphasized in the contest. The Art Division Head in the Klungkung Culture Agency, Komang Sukarya, explained the character can be taken from various epics such as Mahabharata, Ramayana, chronicles

or others. Those containing political elements are strictly prohibited. “The material must also be eco-friendly and without the use of wear Styrofoam,” he said.

This year’s contest is only followed by seven participants, less than the previous year. It suspected to happen due to budget constraints.

In this competition, the district government provides a budget of IDR 9 million for participant in Klungkung mainland and IDR 12 million for Nusa Penida. He stated such amount has increased from previous years. (sos)

Related to internet disconnection on Nyepi

People must be mentally ready if approved

BANGLI — The appeal to disconnect internet network during the celebration of Nyepi Day falling on Saturday (Mar. 17) starting at 06:00 until Sunday (Mar. 18) at 06:00 by Hindu Dharma Council of Indonesia (PHDI) is assessed positively by Chairman of PHDI Bangli, I Nyoman Sukra. With disconnection of the internet network, the Hindu community can implement catur brata penyepian (four abstinences) solemnly.

“Necessarily, this problem should not be debated. It is just a proposal.

Later on, the proposal could be ap-

13

proved and could not. So far, it is still waiting for approval from the Ministry of Communications and Informatics. If the proposal is indeed approved, all the communities must be mentally ready to accept it.

Relevant authorities will not make decisions that can disrupt many parties,” he said.

According to Sukra, the disconnection of internet network on Nyepi is considered positive because the community cannot access YouTube or Facebook and other social media.

So far, many people take selfie photos to be uploaded onto social media

where one of them is on Facebook.

Perhaps, to avoid it, the PHDI called for an appeal to disconnect the internet network on Nyepi Day. By that way, people can be more focused to implement the catur brata penyepian.

“This appeal indeed results in pros and cons in society. It is for private internet only while for security, health and disaster problems and other issues, it should keep running as usual,” he said while communicating via telephone can still be done.

He explained though there is such appeal his party has not dis-

seminated it to the community because he remains to wait for the decision whether it will be approved or not. If approved, it will be disseminated to the community.

Actually, his council would like to disseminate to chief of customary village, headman and hamlet chief to forward the information on the celebration of Nyepi Day. However, to invite headmen, Sukra already asked for help to the district government through National and Political Unity Office (Kesbangpol) to disseminate the agreement made. The measure is taken considering that PHDI has

no budget for consumption. When inviting headmen and hamlet chiefs, at least they should be served with consumption.

“Apparently it is not good when inviting communities without providing them with drinking and snack, it’s a pity. On that account, we ask for the help of district government to facilitate. We have indeed submitted the assistance to the district government to facilitate. However, there has been no follow-up so far whereas the Nyepi has been just around the corner,” said Nyoman Sukra. (kmb41)

IBP/net

Local police testing out a new security tool: smart glasses that can pick up facial features and car registration plates, and match them in real-time with a database of suspects.

derscores a major push by China’s leaders to leverage technology to boost security in the country.

That drive has led to growing concerns that China is developing a sophisticated surveillance state that will lead to intensifying crackdowns on dissent. “(China’s) leadership once felt a degree of trepidation over the advancement of the internet and communication technologies,” said David Bandurski, co-director of the China Media Project, a media studies research project at the University of Hong Kong.

“It now sees them as absolutely indispensable tools of social and political control.”

Wu Fei, chief executive of LLVision, said people should not be worried about privacy concerns because China’s authorities were using the equipment for “noble causes”, catching suspects and fugitives from the law.

“We trust the government,” he told Reuters at the company’s headquarters in Beijing.

Reuters was able to verify that the glasses were being used in tests by the police to help identify suspect individuals and vehicles in the Beijing area in recent days.

China, under President Xi Jinping, is making a major push to use artificial intelligence, facial recognition and big data technology to track and control behaviour

that goes against the interests of the ruling Communist Party online and in the wider world.

Xi is expected to cement his power base this weekend as a reform to remove term limits is pushed through. That would in effect allow him to stay in his post indefinitely.

Delegates and visitors entering the Great Hall of the People, the venue for the parliament, the National People’s Congress, have to go through facial scanners. The same happened to those attending the related advisory body, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.

“This year, security at the two sessions has some freshly-baked ‘black tech’ coming online,” wrote the state-run Science and Technology Daily newspaper, using a comic-book term in China for futuristic surveillance gadgets.

The paper said cameras at the event had been upgraded to capture, analyse and compare suspicious faces in around two seconds, powered by a system called “Skynet” - which has a national database of blacklisted individuals.

“The plot of sci-fi film ‘Minority Report’ is now basically becoming a part of daily life,” the newspaper added, referring to the Tom Cruise movie set in a futuristic society where crimes are solved and punished before they even happen. (rtr)

Japan’s Finance Ministry to admit altering land-sale documents - source

TOKYO - Japan’s Finance Ministry will admit altering documents involved in a controversial sale of state-owned land, a person with direct knowledge of the matter said on Saturday, raising the heat on the finance minister and threatening to erode Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s popularity.f The ministry plans to report to parliament on Monday that it has found instances where content was deleted from documents submitted to lawmakers, the source told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

Telephone calls seeking ministry comment went unanswered.

An admission would deal a fresh blow to Abe, who has struggled for months to draw a line under suspicion that a school operator used ties with Abe’s wife to get a discounted deal on land in the western city of Osaka.

It would also ratchet up the pressure on Finance Minister Taro Aso, who said he had no intention to step down over the affair which led to the resignation on Friday of the National Tax Agency chief, Nobuhisa

Sagawa.

On the day of Sagawa’s resignation, media said police were investigating as a possible suicide the death of an official at a finance ministry bureau that handled the land deal.

The government’s chief spokesman said he had been notified about the death but declined to give details.

The scandal regained fresh momentum last week with opposition parties turning up the heat after the Asahi newspaper said some documents about the land sale might have been doctored.

Abe has denied that he or his wife did favors for the operator of the school, Moritomo Gakuen. Abe’s grip on power has not appeared at risk so far, because his ruling coalition has big majorities in both houses of parliament.

But falling support could complicate his bid for a third term as Liberal Democratic Party leader in a September party vote. Reelection would put him on track to become Japan’s longest-serving premier. (rtr)

Kyodo/via REUTERS

Nobuhisa Sagawa, Director-General of the Ministry of Finance Financial Bureau, answers a question next to Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Finance Minister Taro Aso during a lower house session at the parliament in Tokyo, Japan February 24, 2017. Picture taken February 24, 2017.

12

International

Monday, March 12, 2018

BUSINESS U.S. economy creates 313,000 jobs in February; wage growth slows

WASHINGTON - The U.S. economy added the biggest number of jobs in more than 1-1/2 years in February, but a slowdown in wage growth pointed to only a gradual increase in inflation this year. Nonfarm payrolls jumped by 313,000 jobs last month, boosted by the largest rise in construction jobs since 2007, the Labor Department said on Friday.

The payrolls gain was the most since July 2016 and triple the roughly 100,000 jobs the economy needs to create each month to keep up with growth in the working-age population.

Data for December and January were revised to show the economy creating 54,000 more jobs than previously reported.

The labor market is benefiting from strong domestic demand, an improvement in global growth, and robust U.S. business sentiment following passage of the Trump administration’s $1.5 trillion tax cut package. The tax cuts came into effect in January. The blowout payrolls number cemented expectations the Federal Reserve will increase interest rates at its March 20-21 policy meeting. Sluggish wage growth, however, left economists divided on whether the U.S. central bank would upgrade its rate forecast for this year to four hikes from three.

“While the employment gains unequivocally suggest underlying strength in the economy, wage gains remain muted enough for the Fed to continue with an only gradual normalization of the policy stance.

Stock markets are reacting accordingly,” said Harm Bandholz, chief U.S. economist at UniCredit Bank in New York.

Average hourly earnings edged up four cents, or 0.1 percent, to $26.75 in

February, a slowdown from the 0.3 percent rise in January. That lowered the year-on-year increase in average hourly earnings to 2.6 percent from 2.8 percent in January. The unemployment rate was unchanged at a 17-year low of 4.1 percent in February for a fifth straight month as 806,000 people entered the labor force in a sign of confidence in the job market.

The average workweek rebounded to 34.5 hours after falling to 34.4 hours in January.

Speculation that the central bank would upgrade its rate projections was stoked by Fed Chairman Jerome Powell when he told lawmakers last week that “my personal outlook for the economy has strengthened since December.” Although Powell said there was no evidence of the economy overheating, he added “the thing we don’t want to have happen is to get behind the curve.”

Some economists expect the Fed to raise borrowing costs four times this year, arguing that wage growth was actually running stronger than suggested by average hourly earnings, which tend to be volatile on a monthly basis. Average hourly earnings for production and non-supervisory workers, which economists say are better measured, increased 0.3 percent in February.

“In spite of the modestly softer

February figure, for the first two months of the quarter, the headline average hourly earnings number is increasing at a 3.3 percent annual rate, which would make it the strongest quarter of the expansion,” said Michael Feroli, an economist at JPMorgan in New York.

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast payrolls rising by 200,000 jobs last month and the unemployment rate falling to 4.0 percent.

Average hourly earnings had been expected to increase 0.2 percent in February. Stocks on Wall Street rallied on the tepid wages data, with the Nasdaq Composite index hitting a record high. U.S. Treasury yields rose as investors focused on the robust payrolls number. The dollar slipped against a basket of currencies.

CONSTRUCTION SHINES The employment report suggested the economy remained strong despite weak consumer spending, home sales and industrial production and a wider trade deficit in January that prompted economists to lower their first-quarter growth estimates.

Gross domestic product estimates for the January-March quarter are around a 2 percent annualized rate.

The economy grew at a 2.5 percent pace in the fourth quarter. But revisions to December data on construc-

tion spending, factory orders and wholesale inventory have suggested the fourth-quarter growth estimate could be raised to a 3.0 percent pace.

The full impact of the tax cuts and a planned increase in government spending has yet to be felt, and the hot job market could heighten fears of the economy overheating.

“The economy is simply too strong,” said Chris Rupkey, chief economist at MUFG in New York.

“There’s no reason whatsoever for the Fed to have a stimulative monetary policy at this stage of the business cycle.”

Economists expect the unemployment rate to fall to 3.5 percent this year. The labor force participation rate, or the proportion of workingage Americans who have a job or are looking for one, rose three-tenths of a percentage point to a five-month high of 63.0 percent in February. An even broader gauge of labor market

health, the percentage of workingage Americans with a job, increased to 60.4 percent last month from 60.1 percent in January.

Employment gains were led by the construction sector, which added 61,000 jobs, the most since March 2007. Hiring at construction sites was likely boosted by unseasonably mild weather in February.

Manufacturing payrolls increased by 31,000 jobs, rising for a seventh straight month. Retail payrolls jumped by 50,300, the largest increase since February 2016. Government employment increased by 26,000 jobs last month, with hiring of teachers by local governments accounting for the bulk of the rise. There were also increases in payrolls for professional and business services, leisure and hospitality as well as healthcare and social assistance. Financial sector payrolls increased by 28,000 last month, the most since October 2005. (rtr)

Trade war between U.S. and Europe can still be avoided - Germany

REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq/Pool

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer (L) and Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Hiroshige Seko take part in a meeting with European Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom to discuss steel overcapacity, in Brussels, Belgium March 10, 2018.

BERLIN - A trade war between Europe and the United States can still be averted, German Economy Minister Brigitte Zypries said on Saturday, adding she hoped that talks in Brussels this weekend could help to prevent an escalation. U.S. President Donald Trump set import tariffs on Thursday of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminium but is under heavy pressure from allies including the European Union and Japan to dilute the measures.

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer was due to meet EU trade chief Cecilia Malmstrom and

separately with Japanese Trade Minister Hiroshige Seko on Saturday for long-planned talks that have taken on added urgency amid concerns that Trump’s move could provoke a global trade war.

Zypries told Deutschlandfunk radio that so far no tariffs had been imposed and it was too early to talk about a looming trade war. “But we’ve reached a situation in which the preliminary skirmishes have become serious,” she added.

Zypries said the EU’s Malmstrom was trying to solve the dispute through negotiations, adding:

“There are still talks going on, things are in flux, so if you want you could say it’s still about diplomacy and not war.”

The minister said Trump’s proposed tariffs would violate the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and that Germany would coordinate closely with the European Commission on how to react if Trump pushed ahead. “Of course, we would have to take proceedings against him at the WTO,” Zypries said. “And in addition, we will have to think about counter-measures.” (rtr)

Bali News

International

Monday, March 12, 2018

Bade Tower of A.A. Niang Agung Breaks MURI Record

5

Nine – Tiered bade tower with the height of 27.5 meters delivered the corpse of A.A. Niang Agung to Dalem Puri Ubud cemetery, Friday (Mar. 2/). Thousands of residents spilled following the procession of cremation ceremony of Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardana Sukawati’s mother. People and foreign tourists unceasingly immortalized the rare moment. Moreover, it also broke the record from the Indonesia Record Museum (MURI) as the highest bade in the world.

Appeared to be present at the Ubud Grand Palace were the former (fifth) President Megawati Soekarno Putri and several ministers, including Susi Pujiastuti (Minister of Fisheries and Marine Affairs), A.A. Ngurah Puspayoga (Minister of Cooperatives and the SMEs), Arief Yahya (Minister of Tourism), Cahyo Kumolo (Minister of Home Affairs) and Basuki Hadimuljono (Minister Public Works and Housing). When the cremation (pelebon) procession took place they seemed freely watching the atmosphere of preparation around the catus pata (central intersection) by sitting on the ancak saji of the Ubud Grand Palace.

5 palebon Puri Agung Ubud However, before the procession began the officers from MURI Record announced if the bade made for second wife of Tjokorda Gede Agung Sukawati achieved the world’s record as the highest with the height of 27.5 meters, weighing up to 11 tons and carried by 3,910 people to Dalem Puri cemetery of Ubud. “This is our offering for the deceased, and this Bade was made for 1.5 months by my younger brother Tjokorda Gede Raka Sukawati with a number of devotional workers at this Ubud Grand Palace,” said Tjokorda Artha Ardana Sukawati while giving a speech after receiving the MURI award.

Chief of Ubud customary village, Tjokorda Raka Kerthyasa Sukawati, subsequently gave command, so the procession started by raising the corpse to bade passing through a traktag or bamboo movable bridge. Tjokorda Gede Raka Sukawati accompanied by a number of relatives of royal palace was sitting in a place of the corpse on bade. Meanwhile, under Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardana Sukawati, Tjokorda Gde Putra Sukawati, Tjokorda Gde Putra

Antara Foto/Nyoman Budhiana via REUTERS

The Balinese pull a sarcophagus at a cemetery during the royal cremation of Ubud royal family member Anak Agung Niang Agung in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia March 2, 2018 in this photo taken by Antara Foto. Picture taken March 2, 2018.

Nindia and grandsons of the late, Cokorda Ichiro Sukawati and other relatives of the royal palace. In the meantime, Cokorda Ngurah Suyadya alias Cok Wah was riding the ox sarcophagus heading for Dalem Puri cemetery.

When the magnificent bade began to move, thousands of people and tourists who were present cheered them. Every 50 meters or one relay this bade stopped to change bade bearer. Along the road section to Dalam Puri cemetery there were a total of eight times of relay.

Interestingly, amid the change of the bearers was seen the Bali Police Chief Petrus Golose, trying to take part in carrying bade. This two-star general carried bade on the shoulder by lifting pole carrier on the front. Bali Police Chief was accompanied by Director of Bali Police Traffic Affairs, A.A. Sudana who only participated in one relay.

This cremation procession also attracted the attention of the people and a thousand foreign tourists. Due to their curiousness, many of them

climbed to the top of the building so as to watch the cremation procession with the highest bade.

Due to being high and large, such bade was damaged in the wings.

This damage occurred because the wings of bade hit a tree. Before arriving at Dalem Puri cemetery, it also stopped as hampered by a large tree. The people carrying bade slightly turned to avoid the tree.

When arriving at the cemetery, suddenly Tjokorda Gede Raka Sukawati occupying the corpse on bade was fainted. Fortunately, a number of relatives directly held the bade architect. Then, a number of residents carried the senior figure of royal palace familiarly addressed as Cok De to pass the bamboo bridge at the cemetery. “He (Cok De—Ed) just feels happy and touched, this joy mixed making him so,” said Cokorda Ichiro Sukawati, the son of Tjokorda Gde Putra Sukawati. Cok De had fainted while still occupying the corpse on bade, but has arrived at the cemetery. Few moments after carried down, this lecturer at Udayana University also said to have awakened. “After that

he has returned to be fine. It is okay he already recovered,” he said.

Anak Agung Niang Agung, the mother of Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardana Sukawati alias Cok Ace, died at BROS Hospital, Denpasar, on Sunday (Jan. 14). She, the second wife of the late Tjokorda Gde Agung Sukawati, died at the age of 96 years.

“My mother died on Sunday morning around 05:00,” said Cok Ace. He said that A.A. Niang Agung who entered old age had been back and forth to hospital for several times. Three days before her death, the deceased was brought back to BROS Hospital. “According to doctor, her sickness purely happened due to age factor, where some parts of the organs have not been working properly. Lastly, she had lung problems with symptoms of shortness of breath, until she finally died,” explained this former regent of Gianyar.

The corpse of A.A. Niang Agung was then taken to Ubud Palace on Sunday morning around 10:00.

Ubud community with a number of children who at that time were learning to dance at Ancak

Saji of Ubud Palace immediately welcomed the deceased’s corpse.

“I think it is natural that the community enthusiastically welcomed because she is the last wife of the late my father who finally passed away as well,” he said.

Cok Ace explained that A.A. Niang Agung is the second wife of his late father Tjokorda Gde Agung Sukawati, while the first wife is the late A.A. Niang Mengwi who died in 2000 at the age of 80 years old.

The third wife who is Cok Ace’s own mother, the late A.A. Niang Rai, died in 2011 at the age of 76. “She is the second wife of the deceased father, though she is not my biological mother, I have been considered like her son. Along with other relatives, I consider she is like my own mother,” he explained.

In her lifetime, A.A. Niang Agung only had a daughter, namely Tjokorda Istri Sri Atun Sukawati.

Until now, the deceased left ten grandchildren. “They include me and my brothers. My mother has ten grandchildren that she very much cherished,” he added. (kmb)

6

Monday, March 12, 2018

RLD

W

Trump says N. Korea talks could fail or bring ‘greatest deal’

MOON TOWNSHIP - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday his planned meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un could fizzle without an agreement or it could result in “the greatest deal for the world” to ease nuclear tensions between the two countries.

“I may leave fast” if progress does not seem possible, Trump said at a campaign rally for Republican congressional candidate Rick Saccone in western Pennsylvania. Trump said he believes North Korea wants to make peace and that, “I think it’s time.”

A time and place to meet has not yet been set, although the meeting is supposed to happen by the end of May. “Who knows what’s going to happen?” said Trump, who added that if the meeting takes place, “I may leave fast or we may sit down and make the greatest deal for the world.”

Trump made the shocking decision on Thursday to meet with Kim after the North Korean leader’s invitation was relayed by a South Korean delegation who visited the White House. The move abruptly reversed decades of U.S. policy aimed at preventing North Korea from developing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

Earlier in Washington, Trump sought to rally international support for a potential summit, saying North Korea had agreed to not conduct another missile test until after proposed meetings had taken place.

“North Korea has not conducted a Missile Test since November 28, 2017 and has promised not to do so through our meetings. I believe they will honor that commitment!” Trump wrote on Twitter.

Trump’s comments aligned with what a South Korean official stated on Thursday about the possible talks. Trump’s tweet made no mention of nuclear tests, however.

It was not immediately clear which meetings Trump was referring to or their timing. South Korean officials said this week that Trump had agreed to an invitation from Kim to meet by May. The White House has been under fire for agreeing to talks and responded to the criticism on Friday by warning that no summit would occur unless Pyongyang took “concrete actions” over its nuclear program.

Trump also took to Twitter on Saturday to characterize the leaders of China and Japan as supportive of the potential dialogue, yet did little to clear up confusion over the preconditions and timing of any talks.

Chinese President Xi Jinping “told me he appreciates that the U.S. is working to solve the problem

Ogoh-ogoh...

From page 1

Of the total number, 48 participants are from North Denpasar subdistrict, West Denpasar (38), South Denpasar (38) and East Denpasar (58).

A member of the jury team, Dr. Ketut Sudita, who met amid the assessment of ogoh-ogoh at Yang

diplomatically rather than going with the ominous alternative,” Trump wrote on Twitter. “China continues to be helpful!”

Trump also tweeted on Saturday: “Spoke to Prime Minister Abe of Japan, who is very enthusiastic about talks with North Korea.”

The United States has long said it wants any talks to aim at Pyongyang abandoning its nuclear weapons and missile programs.

Hopes for a breakthrough had risen on Thursday when Trump said he was ready to meet with Kim, who had invited Trump to what would be unprecedented talks between leaders of the two nations.

Trump and Kim prompted jitters around the world last year as they exchanged bellicose insults over the North’s attempts to develop a nuclear weapon capable of hitting the United States. Pyongyang has pursued its nuclear program in defiance of United Nations Security Council resolutions.

Tensions eased around last month’s Winter Olympics in South Korea, laying the groundwork for what would be the biggest foreign policy gamble for Trump since he took office in January 2017.

The head of South Korea’s National Security Office, Chung Eui-yong, said in Washington on Thursday he briefed Trump about a meeting South Korean officials held with Kim this week. He said Kim had “committed to denuclearization” and to suspending nuclear and missile tests.

“I told President Trump that, in our meeting, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he is committed to denuclearization. Kim pledged that North Korea will refrain from any further nuclear or missile tests” (rtr)

REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

U.S. President Donald Trump.

Batu Kauh, Dangin Puri Kelod village, said that appearance of ogoh-ogoh this year experiences many developments if compared to previous years. They are more varied in terms of design and figures taken from the existing stories.

In other words, the design of figure displayed in the form ogoh-ogoh is taken from a story.

Sudita also assessed the making of ogoh-ogoh this time is mostly

International

worked on in mutual assistance.

Since the materials used must be from wickerwork, it must be worked on by many people. In contrast to a few years ago, many ogoh-ogoh makers used Styrofoam or cork. “Such materials can only be done by one person. We very much appreciate to the mutual assistance emerging in the making of the ogoh-ogoh this time,” said Sudita. (ara)

UK police identify over 200 witnesses in nerve agent attack - minister

SALISBURY - British police have identified more than 200 witnesses and are looking at more than 240 pieces of evidence in their investigation into a nerve agent attack on a Russian ex-spy and his daughter, interior minister Amber Rudd said on Saturday.

Former double agent Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33, have been in hospital in a critical condition since Sunday, when they were found unconscious on a bench in the southern English cathedral city of Salisbury.

“The two victims remain in hospital and they’re critical but stable,” Rudd told reporters after chairing a meeting of the government’s Cobra security committee.

Skripal betrayed dozens of Russian agents to British intelligence before his arrest in Moscow in 2004. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison in 2006, and in 2010 was given refuge in Britain after being exchanged for Russian spies.

Many in British media and politics have speculated that Russia could have played a part in the attack on Skripal, but Rudd reiterated that it was too early to say who was responsible, and police should be given the time and space to determine the facts.

The Kremlin has denied any involvement in the incident and accused the British media of whipping up anti-Russian hysteria.

In Salisbury, normally a quiet city, military vehicles and troops in protective suits and gas masks were seen working at several of the sites associated with the Skripal investigation.

At an ambulance station a short distance from the city centre, troops in light grey overalls, purple gloves and gas masks covered ambulances with black tarpaulins as they prepared to remove them.

At the hospital where the Skripals were being treated another team used an army truck to remove a police car.

TRACES OF NERVE AGENT

The BBC reported late on Saturday that traces of the nerve agent had been found at Zizzi, an Italian restaurant where the Skripals had a meal before they were found unconscious. A police spokesman declined to comment on the report.

The restaurant, which has been closed to the public since Sunday, was one of the sites being investigated by forensic teams. The BBC, without citing a source, reported that the authorities did not think anyone else who had been there was at risk from the nerve agent.

Rudd said that Nick Bailey, a police officer who became unwell after taking part in the early response to the attack, remained seriously ill but was talking and engaging with his family.

Wiltshire Police, the local force, issued a statement on Bailey’s behalf in which he thanked the public for messages of support he had received.

“He does not consider himself a ‘hero’, he states he was merely doing his job,” the statement said.

Rudd said more than 250 counter terrorism police, from eight out of Britain’s 11 specialist units, were involved in the investigation, which was proceeding with “speed and professionalism”.

The military have been providing support since Friday and Rudd said the police would continue to be given all the resources they needed to conduct the investigation.

There was also a flurry of activity at the cemetery in Salisbury where Skripal’s wife and son are buried, with forensic teams active in several parts of the site.

Skripal’s son, Alexander, died in July last year at the age of 43.

British media reported that he died while in St Petersburg, Russia.

Skripal’s wife, Liudmila, died of cancer at 60, in 2012.

British police have previously said they knew which exact nerve agent was used against Skripal and his daughter, but they have not made that information public.

The attack has been likened to the assassination of former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko, a critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who died in London in 2006 after drinking green tea laced with radioactive polonium-210.

A British public inquiry found that Putin had probably ordered Litvinenko’s murder. Britain has named two Russian suspects but Russia has refused to extradite them. (rtr)

International

Monday, March 12, 2018

11

Indonesia to hand over luxury yacht to U.S. amid 1MDB probe

JAKARTA - Indonesia is making preparations to hand over a luxury yacht seized in Bali last month to U.S. authorities targeting assets allegedly bought with money siphoned off from a Malaysian state fund, a police official said on Thursday.

The Cayman Islands-flagged Equanimity was impounded by Indonesia amid a multi-billion dollar corruption investigation launched by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and tied to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). Indonesian police and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) were “preparing paperwork” for a hand over of the ship, said Daniel Silitonga, deputy director of economic and special crimes at Indonesia’s criminal investigation bureau.

Silitonga said authorities had taken the vessel’s logbook but a search had not found any money on board. Police have also questioned the captain and crew but had found no link to an investigation into money laundering, said Agung Setya, director of economic and special crimes at Indonesia’s criminal investigation bureau.

1MDB is at the centre of money-laundering probes in at least six countries, including the United States, Switzerland and Singapore. A total of $4.5 billion was misappropriated from 1MDB by high-level officials of the fund and their associates, according to civil lawsuits filed by the DOJ. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak set up 1MDB in 2009 and previously served as chairman of its advisory board. He and the fund have denied any wrongdoing. Among assets sought under the DOJ investigation is Equanimity, a $250 million yacht bought by Malaysian financier Jho Low, named as a key figure in the U.S. lawsuits which say he used proceeds diverted from 1MDB to buy it. Low’s whereabouts are unknown and his Hong Kong company has not responded to requests for comment.

A spokesperson for Low was quoted in Malaysian media last week as saying it was “disappointing that, rather than reflecting on the deeply flawed and politically motivated allegations, the DOJ is continuing with its pattern of global over reach - all based on entirely unsupported claims of wrongdoing”.

Malaysian Inspector-General of Police Mohamad Fuzi Harun said in a statement that the seizure of Equanimity in Indonesia was a U.S. court civil forfeiture action against Low and not against 1MDB. “The Royal Malaysian Police has also not received any information from Indonesian authorities or the Federal Bureau of Investigation regarding the seizure of the Equanimity in Indonesian waters on Feb 28. The RMP has also not been contacted by any other party to assist in the investigation regarding the yacht.” (rtr)

Antara Foto/Wira Suryantala/ via REUTERS/File Photo

A seized luxury yacht sought by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) as part of a multi-billion dollar corruption investigation is seen off the shore of Banoa, on the resort island of Bali, Indonesia February 28, 2018 in this photo taken by Antara Foto.

REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan

A police officer rides his motorcycle past a countdown clock for the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia March 8, 2018.

Indonesia confident on Asian Games preparations, traffic concerns remain

JAKARTA - Indonesia is confident over its readiness to host this year’s Asian Games, though ensuring athletes and fans can get to venues through Jakarta’s traffic-clogged streets remains a challenge, the head of the country’s organising committee said. Erick Thohir, an Indonesian businessman and chairman of Italian soccer club Inter Milan, was brought in to lead the committee in 2015 amid concerns over a ballooning budget and whether some venues would be prepared in time.

“We are confident we can have the Asian games... now the challenge is more on transportation issues,” Thohir said in an interview at the committee’s Jakarta headquarters as he looked forward to the Aug. 18-Sept.

2 event.

Indonesia’s preparations received a thumbs-up from the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) in January following a two-day inspection of facilities for the first staging of the event in two cities, Jakarta and Palembang on Sumatra island. Even so, challenges surfaced during a dress rehearsal event held last month.

“From the invitation tournament, we have had good feedback about the food, athletes’ villages. Complaints still come from the traffic,” Thohir added. Jakarta, consistently ranked as having among the world’s worst traffic congestion, is building a subway in the teeming capital. But it will not be ready until 2019, so organisers have proposed closing schools near venues

to curb traffic.

Thohir said that toll roads and bus lanes could also be set aside for special use during the Games.

Around 10,000 athletes from 45 nations are expected to compete across 40 sports at the Games. Indonesia was including combat sports such as jujitsu and pencak silat in the programme in a nod to the popularity of mixed martial arts, said Thohir. Jet ski and paragliding have also been added.

Thohir said the budget for the Games was now “secured” at 6.6 trillion rupiah ($479 million), down roughly a quarter from an earlier proposed figure. This had been achieved by postponing plans for an Asian Youth Games, renovating existing venues rather than building new ones, and attracting more sponsorship, he said. The organising team had also been limited in size to around the 400s rather than the usual thousands for such events, while there would be 13,000 volunteers, he said.

For security, Indonesia would deploy the police and military during the Games, including having on hand the bomb squad and sniper teams, said Army Lieutenant General Muhammad Herindra.

The Southeast Asian country last held the Asian Games in 1962 and Indonesian Vice-President Jusuf Kalla said it was important for home athletes to perform well.

“We finished in 17th place in the last Asian Games in Incheon in 2014. We are aiming to get into the top 10, in order to do that we will need at least 16 gold medals,” Kalla told reporters on Thursday. (rtr)

10

Destination

Monday, March 12, 2018

International

Monday, March 12, 2018

International

Verdasco upsets Dimitrov, Federer debut marred by rain

CALIFORNIA - Spanish veteran Fernando Verdasco used his powerful serve to upset third seed Grigor Dimitrov 7-6(4) 4-6 6-3 at the BNP Paribas Open on Saturday while Roger Federer’s tournament debut was hampered by rain.

Iboe Soelastri’s Cooking Class at Hotel Tugu Bali

MANGUPURA - Iboe Soelastri’s cooking class at Hotel Tugu Bali should be on your shortlist of things to do in Canggu, especially if you’re keen on trying out local flavours and learning about the exotic spices and ingredients, age-old techniques and preparations that make up heritage Indonesian cuisine. The best thing about Iboe Soelastri’s cooking class is that, after a tour of the island’s traditional markets, you are then taken back in time in an immersive, classically-designed kitchen complete with wood-fired stoves, antique wooden furnishings and earthenware of old. Your itinerary starts with a guided tour of a traditional Balinese market, namely the Badung market in the heart of Denpasar, an approximate half-hour drive east from Canggu. Here, in the largest market

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on the island, you’ll learn about the many different kinds of produce sourced locally from the highland farmlands in central Bali, from fresh greens to tropical fruits and spices such as mangoes, mangosteen, young jackfruit, chillies, lemongrass and cloves, some of which will be purchased and used back at Iboe Soelastri’s cooking class.

Back at Waroeng Tugu, the classical kitchen for Iboe Soelastri’s cooking class at Hotel Tugu Bali, you don your aprons while admiring the dedicated venue’s setting that mimics traditional Javanese and Balinese kitchens of yesteryear. Instead of modern electric or gas stoves, at the end of this large pavilion are sets of traditional terracotta rice steamers sitting on wood fire-fed earthen pits. The open kitchen lay-

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out also boasts old-fashioned utensils such as clay vessels, mortar and pestles, woven baskets and carved wooden fruit bowls.

Malang (East Java)-born Iboe Soelastri is a well-seasoned chef, owing much of her expertise to her grandmother who inspired her interest in traditional recipes from a very young age. Her programme lets you choose from a selection of traditional Javanese and Balinese dishes from her extensive list – usually five recipes per session.

She and her team guide you through the preparation of spices, including slicing and chopping up chillies and stone-grinding tomatoes and ginger with pestles; no blenders or 200-watt food processors here! Such slow and manual processes are known to result in much preserved flavours and consistent textures. (net)

Hotel Reservations Personnel needed in Jimbaran-Bali.Very Well Spoken And Written English is a must.Experience Work ing in the hospitality Industry is a plus.

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Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Roger Federer (SUI) during his second round match against Federico Delbonis (not pictured) in the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

Shiffrin retains overall World Cup title

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BAVARIA - American Mikaela Shiffrin claimed a second successive overall Alpine skiing World Cup title when she finished third in the giant slalom race at Ofterschwang on Friday.

Fourth after the first leg, Olympic giant slalom champion Shiffrin rose one place while Swiss Wendy Holdener, the only woman who still had a mathematical chance of depriving her of the title, was back in 14th place.

Holdener needed a top two finish to have any hope of keeping the title race alive.

With five races of the season left, Shiffrin has 1,573 points, 603 points ahead of Holdener. Winners of each race receive 100 points.

“It’s an incredible moment right now,” said Shiffrin.

“After last year when I won the overall, some people were saying it was sort of fake ‘because the other girls weren’t there and there was nobody to challenge her.’

“So to have the overall this year locked in already before we go to (the World Cup) finals (in Are, Sweden), it feels like a confirmation for me.”

Shiffrin is only the second American female skier to win multiple overall titles, behind speed specialist Lindsey Vonn who has won four.

Shiffrin has enjoyed a dominant season, topping the World Cup podium 11 times, although her one gold at the Olympics was less than many expected.

Norway’s Ragnhild Mowinckel claimed her first World Cup victory having won two silvers at the Olympics.

Giant slalom standings leader Viktoria Rebensburg of Germany was second, 0.66 seconds behind, just missing the victory that would have guaranteed her the title in the event.

Shiffrin also leads the slalom standings with two races left and can wrap that up on Saturday with a 10th place or better in Ofterschwang. (rtr)

Verdasco’s first serve proved nearly unplayable in the deciding set of the second round match as he improved his career head-to-head record against Dimitrov to 2-2.

The 34-old, who has seven career titles, pounded down 12 aces, including six in the deciding set.

Dimitrov won the ATP Finals in November, and three weeks ago lost to Federer in the final of the Rotterdam tournament.

The two-hour-plus match delayed the start of the evening session on centre court, where top seed Federer finally made his first appearance in the event, up against 67th-ranked Argentine Federico Delbonis.

The defending champion, at 36 the oldest men’s world number one, took little time breaking left-hander Delbonis in the fourth game, and claimed the first set 6-3.

But rain, a rarity in the desert, stopped play at 2-2 in the second set.

Earlier, fifth seed Dominic Thiem narrowly avoided the same fate as Dimitrov, the Austrian edging hard-hitting Greek teenager Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2 3-6 6-3.

Thiem has already won a tour-leading 17 matches this season, but he had to work hard to beat 19-year-old Tsitsipas, who reached the quarter-finals in Dubai last week and is ranked 71st in the world.

South African seventh seed Kevin Anderson also prevailed in his second round match, 7-5 6-4 over Russian Evgeny Donskoy.

Seeded losers included Italian No. 16 Fabio Fognini, 4-6 7-6(2) 6-4 against Jeremy Chardy of France, and Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas, hammered 6-0 6-3 by young Croat Borna Coric. (rtr)

Mikaela Shiffrin

8

Monday, March 12, 2018

Monday, March 12, 2018

Sp rt Coutinho, Valverde heap praise on improved Dembele

MADRID - Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele earned the praise of coach Ernesto Valverde and his team mates after making the most of Lionel Messi’s absence with an inspired performance in his side’s 2-0 win at basement club Malaga on Saturday. The Frenchman has flattered to deceive on the whole since signing for Barca from Borussia Dortmund for an eyewatering 105 million euros ($129 million) last August despite only having under two seasons under his belt as a professional.

The forward has received criticism from the Spanish media, who have questioned whether he has the mentality to succeed at Barca, but he responded with a brilliant display against Malaga after Messi missed the trip to attend the birth of his son. Dembele was a constant threat to Malaga down the right-hand side and he set up Philippe Coutinho’s sumptuous second goal, toying with a defender before laying the ball on for the Brazilian to score with a backheel.

“Dembele is a brilliant player and today he demonstrated that,” Coutinho told reporters. “The move was perfect.” The 20-year-old was Barca’s record signing when he arrived and was tasked with filling the shoes

of the recently departed Neymar.

He had to contend with four months on the sidelines after rupturing his hamstring in his first Liga start against Getafe in September and had another injury setback in January which forced him out for another four weeks.

Dembele returned to the side in February but the arrival of Coutinho, who eclipsed him as the team’s most expensive signing, meant more competition for places and the youngster was an unused substitute in the Champions League last-16 first leg at Chelsea and the title showdown against Atletico Madrid.

“Today things went his way more than in other games but the good thing about him is that he always wants to take on opponents,” Barca coach Valverde said. “He tries to dribble and he also gives us an extra edge such as with the second goal today due to his ability to cut inside and give assists.”

Midfielder Ivan Rakitic said Dembele had the backing of the squad and that they had never doubted his quality. “He didn’t need a game like this as we all know he is a magnificent player,” the Croatian said. “We know he’s just come back from an important injury, especially for the type of player he is. We keep on giving him support, we like him a lot.”(rtr)

Bayern close in on title and send Hamburg nearer to relegation

REUTERS/Toby Melville

Chelsea’s Willian celebrates scoring their first goal

Willian is Chelsea’s main man ahead of Barca showdown LONDON - Having spent much of his time at Chelsea operating in Eden Hazard’s shadow, Willian has emerged as a leading light in the team ahead of their Champions League showdown with Barcelona.

The La Liga leaders are well aware of Willian’s talent. The Brazil international shone in the Champions League last-16 first leg at Stamford Bridge when his brilliance deserved more than his solitary goal in the 1-1 draw.

Two super strikes came out off the post, he created four chances for team mates and constantly put the opposition on the back foot with his penetrative dribbling.

Willian’s goalscoring form continued in Chelsea’s next match at Manchester United and the Brazilian made it 13 for the season in all competitions - a career-best - in Chelsea’s 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace on Saturday. “Do you want to talk about Willian? Top, cream of the crop, he’s amazing,” United manager Jose Mourinho said after his side’s win over Chelsea two weeks ago.

Willian hasn’t always been in form that garnered praise from opposition managers. After being granted compassionate leave following the death of his mother in

October, 2016, Willian struggled to remain an automatic first choice at Chelsea.

Of his 29 Premier League appearances this season, 13 have been off the bench, but the form he has shown recently has ensured he is at the forefront of manager Antonio Conte’s thoughts.

“You just can’t leave him out of the team,” former Chelsea striker Chris Sutton told BT Sport after Chelsea’s win over Palace. “He (Willian) has great ball retention, drives with the ball so well.

If it is Willian or Pedro (against Barcelona), the answer has to be Willian.” That threat on the ball could help Chelsea produce a shock turnaround in the second leg in the Nou Camp on Wednesday.

Against Manchester United and Palace Willian completed eight dribbles in each match, having not completed over seven in any other Premier League game this season.

Such a stat indicates the Brazilian is confident enough to take the game to Barcelona and try to put them on the back foot.

If he can find an end product to his penetrative runs and earn a little more luck than he got at Stamford Bridge in the first leg, Willian could help Chelsea spring a surprise. (rtr)

Lille fans invade pitch, aim kicks at players

Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele in action with Girona’s Bernardo Espinosa

REUTERS/Sergio Perez

9

PARIS - Lille fans ran on to the pitch and attacked their own players after their struggling team drew 1-1 with Montpellier in Ligue 1 on Saturday.

TV footage showed supporters running towards the Lille players and aiming kicks at some of them.

“Invading the pitch and target-

ing the players will not help,” Lille coach Christophe Galtier said.

“If our fans think that putting physical pressure on the players will make things better, I can tell them that no, it will not help this team improve.” Lille are second bottom, one point from safety, in the Ligue 1 standings. (rtr)

BERLIN - Bayern Munich closed in on a sixth successive title and sent Hamburg SV closer to a first-ever relegation from the Bundesliga with a 6-0 rout of the beleaguered Dinos on Saturday.

Robert Lewandowski scored a hat-trick and missed a penalty as he reached 100 Bundesliga goals for Bayern in an embarrassingly one-sided match which was over as a contest after 20 minutes.

It was a sadly familiar story for Hamburg who have conceded 50 goals in their last eight Bundesliga games at Bayern, including two 6-0 defeats, two 8-0 losses and one 9-2 reverse.

Leaders Bayern stayed 20 points clear of Schalke 04, who won 1-0 at Mainz 05 on Friday, with eight games to go and are only two wins away from clinching the title. They

could even wrap it up next week if they win at RB Leipzig and other results go in their favour.

Hamburg, the only ever-present team in the Bundesliga’s 55-year history, will now have to pull off a great escape to keep their proud record intact. They are 17th in the 18-team table and seven points adrift of Mainz in the relegation playoff spot. “That’s not the football I want to see,” Hamburg coach Bernd Hollerbach said. “We saw what happens when you give Bayern bit of space. You can always lose to Bayern, but I didn’t like the manner of our defeat.”

Hamburg held out for eight minutes before Gotoku Sakai’s tackle on Arjen Robben succeeded only in sending the ball to the feet of Franck Ribery and the Frenchman rounded Christian Mathenia

to open the scoring. Four minutes later, Robben found Joshua Kimmich in space on the right and his cross was headed in by Lewandowski for the second.

It was all too easy for Bayern who added a third in the 19th minute. Jerome Boateng picked out David Alaba with a long pass forward and the Austrian side-footed the ball into the path of Lewandowski for the Pole to score first-time.

Robben got in on the act in the 55th minute with a left-foot shot from the edge of the area and Ribery slalomed his way through the Hamburg defence for his second and Bayern’s fifth.

Lewandowksi missed a chance for his hat-trick as he sent his penalty over in the 86th minute but he made amends when the hosts were awarded another spot-kick

Villa beat Wolves to boost promotion hopes

LONDON - Championship leaders Wolverhampton Wanderers’ promotion charge was halted as Midlands rivals Aston Villa handed out a 4-1 thrashing at a spirited Villa Park on Saturday.

Albert Adomah put Villa in front after seven minutes after a goalmouth scramble but the lead lasted only 12 minutes as Diogo Jota levelled for Wolves from Matt Doherty’s cross.

James Chester restored Villa’s lead when he prodded in a Robert Snodgrass free kick and Lewis Grabban made it 3-1 five minutes later with another close-range effort.

When Icelandic midfielder Birkir Bjarnason toe-poked a shot past Wolves keeper John Ruddy in the 84th minute, the Villa fans could celebrate a victory that pushes them closer to the automatic promotion places.

They are now four points behind Cardiff City, who beat struggling Birmingham City 3-2 and seven behind Wolves.

Fourth-placed Fulham’s fine run of form continued as they beat Preston North End 2-1 away thanks to a stoppage time winner from Aleksandar Mitrovic. Fulham are now unbeaten in 15 games.

Derby County and Middlesbrough make up the playoff spots in fifth and sixth respectively.

Middlesbrough beat Barnsley 3-1 while Derby, who also have 61 points, face Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

Bottom club Sunderland lost 1-0 at Queens Park Rangers and are four points behind fourth-from-bottom Barnsley.

Action Images/Andrew Couldridge Hull City eased their relegation fears as they hit back Aston Villa’s Robert Snodgrass celebrates from 3-1 down to beat Norwich City 4-3 -- Abel Hernandez after the match netting two penalties before Harry Wilson’s winner. (rtr)

shortly afterwards. Bayern have 66 points with Schalke 04 on 46 while Bayer Leverkusen moved up to third with 44 by beating Borussia Moenchengladbach 2-0 with goals from Lucas Alario and Julian Brandt. Hoffenheim added to VfL Wolfsburg’s problems with a 3-0 win which left their opponents in 15th place and ahead of Mainz only

on goal difference.Nico Schulz and Serge Gnabry scored for seventhplaced Hoffenheim before Joshua Guilavogui put through his own net.

Michael Gregoritsch scored twice to lead Augsburg to a 3-1 win at Hannover 96, who replied with a long-range effort from Salif Sane, while Hertha Berlin and Freiburg played out a goalless draw. (rtr)

REUTERS/Michael Dalde

Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski in action

8

Monday, March 12, 2018

Monday, March 12, 2018

Sp rt Coutinho, Valverde heap praise on improved Dembele

MADRID - Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele earned the praise of coach Ernesto Valverde and his team mates after making the most of Lionel Messi’s absence with an inspired performance in his side’s 2-0 win at basement club Malaga on Saturday. The Frenchman has flattered to deceive on the whole since signing for Barca from Borussia Dortmund for an eyewatering 105 million euros ($129 million) last August despite only having under two seasons under his belt as a professional.

The forward has received criticism from the Spanish media, who have questioned whether he has the mentality to succeed at Barca, but he responded with a brilliant display against Malaga after Messi missed the trip to attend the birth of his son. Dembele was a constant threat to Malaga down the right-hand side and he set up Philippe Coutinho’s sumptuous second goal, toying with a defender before laying the ball on for the Brazilian to score with a backheel.

“Dembele is a brilliant player and today he demonstrated that,” Coutinho told reporters. “The move was perfect.” The 20-year-old was Barca’s record signing when he arrived and was tasked with filling the shoes

of the recently departed Neymar.

He had to contend with four months on the sidelines after rupturing his hamstring in his first Liga start against Getafe in September and had another injury setback in January which forced him out for another four weeks.

Dembele returned to the side in February but the arrival of Coutinho, who eclipsed him as the team’s most expensive signing, meant more competition for places and the youngster was an unused substitute in the Champions League last-16 first leg at Chelsea and the title showdown against Atletico Madrid.

“Today things went his way more than in other games but the good thing about him is that he always wants to take on opponents,” Barca coach Valverde said. “He tries to dribble and he also gives us an extra edge such as with the second goal today due to his ability to cut inside and give assists.”

Midfielder Ivan Rakitic said Dembele had the backing of the squad and that they had never doubted his quality. “He didn’t need a game like this as we all know he is a magnificent player,” the Croatian said. “We know he’s just come back from an important injury, especially for the type of player he is. We keep on giving him support, we like him a lot.”(rtr)

Bayern close in on title and send Hamburg nearer to relegation

REUTERS/Toby Melville

Chelsea’s Willian celebrates scoring their first goal

Willian is Chelsea’s main man ahead of Barca showdown LONDON - Having spent much of his time at Chelsea operating in Eden Hazard’s shadow, Willian has emerged as a leading light in the team ahead of their Champions League showdown with Barcelona.

The La Liga leaders are well aware of Willian’s talent. The Brazil international shone in the Champions League last-16 first leg at Stamford Bridge when his brilliance deserved more than his solitary goal in the 1-1 draw.

Two super strikes came out off the post, he created four chances for team mates and constantly put the opposition on the back foot with his penetrative dribbling.

Willian’s goalscoring form continued in Chelsea’s next match at Manchester United and the Brazilian made it 13 for the season in all competitions - a career-best - in Chelsea’s 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace on Saturday. “Do you want to talk about Willian? Top, cream of the crop, he’s amazing,” United manager Jose Mourinho said after his side’s win over Chelsea two weeks ago.

Willian hasn’t always been in form that garnered praise from opposition managers. After being granted compassionate leave following the death of his mother in

October, 2016, Willian struggled to remain an automatic first choice at Chelsea.

Of his 29 Premier League appearances this season, 13 have been off the bench, but the form he has shown recently has ensured he is at the forefront of manager Antonio Conte’s thoughts.

“You just can’t leave him out of the team,” former Chelsea striker Chris Sutton told BT Sport after Chelsea’s win over Palace. “He (Willian) has great ball retention, drives with the ball so well.

If it is Willian or Pedro (against Barcelona), the answer has to be Willian.” That threat on the ball could help Chelsea produce a shock turnaround in the second leg in the Nou Camp on Wednesday.

Against Manchester United and Palace Willian completed eight dribbles in each match, having not completed over seven in any other Premier League game this season.

Such a stat indicates the Brazilian is confident enough to take the game to Barcelona and try to put them on the back foot.

If he can find an end product to his penetrative runs and earn a little more luck than he got at Stamford Bridge in the first leg, Willian could help Chelsea spring a surprise. (rtr)

Lille fans invade pitch, aim kicks at players

Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele in action with Girona’s Bernardo Espinosa

REUTERS/Sergio Perez

9

PARIS - Lille fans ran on to the pitch and attacked their own players after their struggling team drew 1-1 with Montpellier in Ligue 1 on Saturday.

TV footage showed supporters running towards the Lille players and aiming kicks at some of them.

“Invading the pitch and target-

ing the players will not help,” Lille coach Christophe Galtier said.

“If our fans think that putting physical pressure on the players will make things better, I can tell them that no, it will not help this team improve.” Lille are second bottom, one point from safety, in the Ligue 1 standings. (rtr)

BERLIN - Bayern Munich closed in on a sixth successive title and sent Hamburg SV closer to a first-ever relegation from the Bundesliga with a 6-0 rout of the beleaguered Dinos on Saturday.

Robert Lewandowski scored a hat-trick and missed a penalty as he reached 100 Bundesliga goals for Bayern in an embarrassingly one-sided match which was over as a contest after 20 minutes.

It was a sadly familiar story for Hamburg who have conceded 50 goals in their last eight Bundesliga games at Bayern, including two 6-0 defeats, two 8-0 losses and one 9-2 reverse.

Leaders Bayern stayed 20 points clear of Schalke 04, who won 1-0 at Mainz 05 on Friday, with eight games to go and are only two wins away from clinching the title. They

could even wrap it up next week if they win at RB Leipzig and other results go in their favour.

Hamburg, the only ever-present team in the Bundesliga’s 55-year history, will now have to pull off a great escape to keep their proud record intact. They are 17th in the 18-team table and seven points adrift of Mainz in the relegation playoff spot. “That’s not the football I want to see,” Hamburg coach Bernd Hollerbach said. “We saw what happens when you give Bayern bit of space. You can always lose to Bayern, but I didn’t like the manner of our defeat.”

Hamburg held out for eight minutes before Gotoku Sakai’s tackle on Arjen Robben succeeded only in sending the ball to the feet of Franck Ribery and the Frenchman rounded Christian Mathenia

to open the scoring. Four minutes later, Robben found Joshua Kimmich in space on the right and his cross was headed in by Lewandowski for the second.

It was all too easy for Bayern who added a third in the 19th minute. Jerome Boateng picked out David Alaba with a long pass forward and the Austrian side-footed the ball into the path of Lewandowski for the Pole to score first-time.

Robben got in on the act in the 55th minute with a left-foot shot from the edge of the area and Ribery slalomed his way through the Hamburg defence for his second and Bayern’s fifth.

Lewandowksi missed a chance for his hat-trick as he sent his penalty over in the 86th minute but he made amends when the hosts were awarded another spot-kick

Villa beat Wolves to boost promotion hopes

LONDON - Championship leaders Wolverhampton Wanderers’ promotion charge was halted as Midlands rivals Aston Villa handed out a 4-1 thrashing at a spirited Villa Park on Saturday.

Albert Adomah put Villa in front after seven minutes after a goalmouth scramble but the lead lasted only 12 minutes as Diogo Jota levelled for Wolves from Matt Doherty’s cross.

James Chester restored Villa’s lead when he prodded in a Robert Snodgrass free kick and Lewis Grabban made it 3-1 five minutes later with another close-range effort.

When Icelandic midfielder Birkir Bjarnason toe-poked a shot past Wolves keeper John Ruddy in the 84th minute, the Villa fans could celebrate a victory that pushes them closer to the automatic promotion places.

They are now four points behind Cardiff City, who beat struggling Birmingham City 3-2 and seven behind Wolves.

Fourth-placed Fulham’s fine run of form continued as they beat Preston North End 2-1 away thanks to a stoppage time winner from Aleksandar Mitrovic. Fulham are now unbeaten in 15 games.

Derby County and Middlesbrough make up the playoff spots in fifth and sixth respectively.

Middlesbrough beat Barnsley 3-1 while Derby, who also have 61 points, face Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

Bottom club Sunderland lost 1-0 at Queens Park Rangers and are four points behind fourth-from-bottom Barnsley.

Action Images/Andrew Couldridge Hull City eased their relegation fears as they hit back Aston Villa’s Robert Snodgrass celebrates from 3-1 down to beat Norwich City 4-3 -- Abel Hernandez after the match netting two penalties before Harry Wilson’s winner. (rtr)

shortly afterwards. Bayern have 66 points with Schalke 04 on 46 while Bayer Leverkusen moved up to third with 44 by beating Borussia Moenchengladbach 2-0 with goals from Lucas Alario and Julian Brandt. Hoffenheim added to VfL Wolfsburg’s problems with a 3-0 win which left their opponents in 15th place and ahead of Mainz only

on goal difference.Nico Schulz and Serge Gnabry scored for seventhplaced Hoffenheim before Joshua Guilavogui put through his own net.

Michael Gregoritsch scored twice to lead Augsburg to a 3-1 win at Hannover 96, who replied with a long-range effort from Salif Sane, while Hertha Berlin and Freiburg played out a goalless draw. (rtr)

REUTERS/Michael Dalde

Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski in action

10

Destination

Monday, March 12, 2018

International

Monday, March 12, 2018

International

Verdasco upsets Dimitrov, Federer debut marred by rain

CALIFORNIA - Spanish veteran Fernando Verdasco used his powerful serve to upset third seed Grigor Dimitrov 7-6(4) 4-6 6-3 at the BNP Paribas Open on Saturday while Roger Federer’s tournament debut was hampered by rain.

Iboe Soelastri’s Cooking Class at Hotel Tugu Bali

MANGUPURA - Iboe Soelastri’s cooking class at Hotel Tugu Bali should be on your shortlist of things to do in Canggu, especially if you’re keen on trying out local flavours and learning about the exotic spices and ingredients, age-old techniques and preparations that make up heritage Indonesian cuisine. The best thing about Iboe Soelastri’s cooking class is that, after a tour of the island’s traditional markets, you are then taken back in time in an immersive, classically-designed kitchen complete with wood-fired stoves, antique wooden furnishings and earthenware of old. Your itinerary starts with a guided tour of a traditional Balinese market, namely the Badung market in the heart of Denpasar, an approximate half-hour drive east from Canggu. Here, in the largest market

Looking for Experienced Villa Manager&Cook PleasaCall9075771 Email:info@bali-properties.net

B.BP.001.02.18.0001364

Divine Diva Clothing Seminyak Looking for Shop Manager must be experienced in social media Marketing,Customer Communication,English 90%.Send cv to: divinediva_189@hotmail.com

B.BP.001.02.18.0001376

Looking Bar Manager,Bar Staff,Host /Hostess,Cashier,Cooks,Waiter/ ess,Stewards,Jl.Arjuna Legian Krm CV:info@hoipolloibali.com

B.BP.001.01.18.0001035

on the island, you’ll learn about the many different kinds of produce sourced locally from the highland farmlands in central Bali, from fresh greens to tropical fruits and spices such as mangoes, mangosteen, young jackfruit, chillies, lemongrass and cloves, some of which will be purchased and used back at Iboe Soelastri’s cooking class.

Back at Waroeng Tugu, the classical kitchen for Iboe Soelastri’s cooking class at Hotel Tugu Bali, you don your aprons while admiring the dedicated venue’s setting that mimics traditional Javanese and Balinese kitchens of yesteryear. Instead of modern electric or gas stoves, at the end of this large pavilion are sets of traditional terracotta rice steamers sitting on wood fire-fed earthen pits. The open kitchen lay-

Sales/Marketing,for HealthCare /Beauty Care, Experience, National Area,Apply to: versaindustries4@gmail. com

B.BP.031.01.18.0000667

Kuta:Spv Bar,Bartender,Waiters SPA,CS,Kasir,Cook,08123807241

B.BP.001.02.18.0001346

Cr waiter/waitress experienced Speak good English,New Coffee &Green Food,Healthy Juices etc 9-5 hrs,6working days.Send CV juwitaariana@gmail.com immediate start Seminyak

B.BP.001.02.18.0001377

out also boasts old-fashioned utensils such as clay vessels, mortar and pestles, woven baskets and carved wooden fruit bowls.

Malang (East Java)-born Iboe Soelastri is a well-seasoned chef, owing much of her expertise to her grandmother who inspired her interest in traditional recipes from a very young age. Her programme lets you choose from a selection of traditional Javanese and Balinese dishes from her extensive list – usually five recipes per session.

She and her team guide you through the preparation of spices, including slicing and chopping up chillies and stone-grinding tomatoes and ginger with pestles; no blenders or 200-watt food processors here! Such slow and manual processes are known to result in much preserved flavours and consistent textures. (net)

Hotel Reservations Personnel needed in Jimbaran-Bali.Very Well Spoken And Written English is a must.Experience Work ing in the hospitality Industry is a plus.

Please send Cover letter and CV to hr@ lotus-hotel.com

B.BP.001.01.18.0001103

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Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Roger Federer (SUI) during his second round match against Federico Delbonis (not pictured) in the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

Shiffrin retains overall World Cup title

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BAVARIA - American Mikaela Shiffrin claimed a second successive overall Alpine skiing World Cup title when she finished third in the giant slalom race at Ofterschwang on Friday.

Fourth after the first leg, Olympic giant slalom champion Shiffrin rose one place while Swiss Wendy Holdener, the only woman who still had a mathematical chance of depriving her of the title, was back in 14th place.

Holdener needed a top two finish to have any hope of keeping the title race alive.

With five races of the season left, Shiffrin has 1,573 points, 603 points ahead of Holdener. Winners of each race receive 100 points.

“It’s an incredible moment right now,” said Shiffrin.

“After last year when I won the overall, some people were saying it was sort of fake ‘because the other girls weren’t there and there was nobody to challenge her.’

“So to have the overall this year locked in already before we go to (the World Cup) finals (in Are, Sweden), it feels like a confirmation for me.”

Shiffrin is only the second American female skier to win multiple overall titles, behind speed specialist Lindsey Vonn who has won four.

Shiffrin has enjoyed a dominant season, topping the World Cup podium 11 times, although her one gold at the Olympics was less than many expected.

Norway’s Ragnhild Mowinckel claimed her first World Cup victory having won two silvers at the Olympics.

Giant slalom standings leader Viktoria Rebensburg of Germany was second, 0.66 seconds behind, just missing the victory that would have guaranteed her the title in the event.

Shiffrin also leads the slalom standings with two races left and can wrap that up on Saturday with a 10th place or better in Ofterschwang. (rtr)

Verdasco’s first serve proved nearly unplayable in the deciding set of the second round match as he improved his career head-to-head record against Dimitrov to 2-2.

The 34-old, who has seven career titles, pounded down 12 aces, including six in the deciding set.

Dimitrov won the ATP Finals in November, and three weeks ago lost to Federer in the final of the Rotterdam tournament.

The two-hour-plus match delayed the start of the evening session on centre court, where top seed Federer finally made his first appearance in the event, up against 67th-ranked Argentine Federico Delbonis.

The defending champion, at 36 the oldest men’s world number one, took little time breaking left-hander Delbonis in the fourth game, and claimed the first set 6-3.

But rain, a rarity in the desert, stopped play at 2-2 in the second set.

Earlier, fifth seed Dominic Thiem narrowly avoided the same fate as Dimitrov, the Austrian edging hard-hitting Greek teenager Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2 3-6 6-3.

Thiem has already won a tour-leading 17 matches this season, but he had to work hard to beat 19-year-old Tsitsipas, who reached the quarter-finals in Dubai last week and is ranked 71st in the world.

South African seventh seed Kevin Anderson also prevailed in his second round match, 7-5 6-4 over Russian Evgeny Donskoy.

Seeded losers included Italian No. 16 Fabio Fognini, 4-6 7-6(2) 6-4 against Jeremy Chardy of France, and Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas, hammered 6-0 6-3 by young Croat Borna Coric. (rtr)

Mikaela Shiffrin

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Monday, March 12, 2018

RLD

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Trump says N. Korea talks could fail or bring ‘greatest deal’

MOON TOWNSHIP - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday his planned meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un could fizzle without an agreement or it could result in “the greatest deal for the world” to ease nuclear tensions between the two countries.

“I may leave fast” if progress does not seem possible, Trump said at a campaign rally for Republican congressional candidate Rick Saccone in western Pennsylvania. Trump said he believes North Korea wants to make peace and that, “I think it’s time.”

A time and place to meet has not yet been set, although the meeting is supposed to happen by the end of May. “Who knows what’s going to happen?” said Trump, who added that if the meeting takes place, “I may leave fast or we may sit down and make the greatest deal for the world.”

Trump made the shocking decision on Thursday to meet with Kim after the North Korean leader’s invitation was relayed by a South Korean delegation who visited the White House. The move abruptly reversed decades of U.S. policy aimed at preventing North Korea from developing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

Earlier in Washington, Trump sought to rally international support for a potential summit, saying North Korea had agreed to not conduct another missile test until after proposed meetings had taken place.

“North Korea has not conducted a Missile Test since November 28, 2017 and has promised not to do so through our meetings. I believe they will honor that commitment!” Trump wrote on Twitter.

Trump’s comments aligned with what a South Korean official stated on Thursday about the possible talks. Trump’s tweet made no mention of nuclear tests, however.

It was not immediately clear which meetings Trump was referring to or their timing. South Korean officials said this week that Trump had agreed to an invitation from Kim to meet by May. The White House has been under fire for agreeing to talks and responded to the criticism on Friday by warning that no summit would occur unless Pyongyang took “concrete actions” over its nuclear program.

Trump also took to Twitter on Saturday to characterize the leaders of China and Japan as supportive of the potential dialogue, yet did little to clear up confusion over the preconditions and timing of any talks.

Chinese President Xi Jinping “told me he appreciates that the U.S. is working to solve the problem

Ogoh-ogoh...

From page 1

Of the total number, 48 participants are from North Denpasar subdistrict, West Denpasar (38), South Denpasar (38) and East Denpasar (58).

A member of the jury team, Dr. Ketut Sudita, who met amid the assessment of ogoh-ogoh at Yang

diplomatically rather than going with the ominous alternative,” Trump wrote on Twitter. “China continues to be helpful!”

Trump also tweeted on Saturday: “Spoke to Prime Minister Abe of Japan, who is very enthusiastic about talks with North Korea.”

The United States has long said it wants any talks to aim at Pyongyang abandoning its nuclear weapons and missile programs.

Hopes for a breakthrough had risen on Thursday when Trump said he was ready to meet with Kim, who had invited Trump to what would be unprecedented talks between leaders of the two nations.

Trump and Kim prompted jitters around the world last year as they exchanged bellicose insults over the North’s attempts to develop a nuclear weapon capable of hitting the United States. Pyongyang has pursued its nuclear program in defiance of United Nations Security Council resolutions.

Tensions eased around last month’s Winter Olympics in South Korea, laying the groundwork for what would be the biggest foreign policy gamble for Trump since he took office in January 2017.

The head of South Korea’s National Security Office, Chung Eui-yong, said in Washington on Thursday he briefed Trump about a meeting South Korean officials held with Kim this week. He said Kim had “committed to denuclearization” and to suspending nuclear and missile tests.

“I told President Trump that, in our meeting, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he is committed to denuclearization. Kim pledged that North Korea will refrain from any further nuclear or missile tests” (rtr)

REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

U.S. President Donald Trump.

Batu Kauh, Dangin Puri Kelod village, said that appearance of ogoh-ogoh this year experiences many developments if compared to previous years. They are more varied in terms of design and figures taken from the existing stories.

In other words, the design of figure displayed in the form ogoh-ogoh is taken from a story.

Sudita also assessed the making of ogoh-ogoh this time is mostly

International

worked on in mutual assistance.

Since the materials used must be from wickerwork, it must be worked on by many people. In contrast to a few years ago, many ogoh-ogoh makers used Styrofoam or cork. “Such materials can only be done by one person. We very much appreciate to the mutual assistance emerging in the making of the ogoh-ogoh this time,” said Sudita. (ara)

UK police identify over 200 witnesses in nerve agent attack - minister

SALISBURY - British police have identified more than 200 witnesses and are looking at more than 240 pieces of evidence in their investigation into a nerve agent attack on a Russian ex-spy and his daughter, interior minister Amber Rudd said on Saturday.

Former double agent Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33, have been in hospital in a critical condition since Sunday, when they were found unconscious on a bench in the southern English cathedral city of Salisbury.

“The two victims remain in hospital and they’re critical but stable,” Rudd told reporters after chairing a meeting of the government’s Cobra security committee.

Skripal betrayed dozens of Russian agents to British intelligence before his arrest in Moscow in 2004. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison in 2006, and in 2010 was given refuge in Britain after being exchanged for Russian spies.

Many in British media and politics have speculated that Russia could have played a part in the attack on Skripal, but Rudd reiterated that it was too early to say who was responsible, and police should be given the time and space to determine the facts.

The Kremlin has denied any involvement in the incident and accused the British media of whipping up anti-Russian hysteria.

In Salisbury, normally a quiet city, military vehicles and troops in protective suits and gas masks were seen working at several of the sites associated with the Skripal investigation.

At an ambulance station a short distance from the city centre, troops in light grey overalls, purple gloves and gas masks covered ambulances with black tarpaulins as they prepared to remove them.

At the hospital where the Skripals were being treated another team used an army truck to remove a police car.

TRACES OF NERVE AGENT

The BBC reported late on Saturday that traces of the nerve agent had been found at Zizzi, an Italian restaurant where the Skripals had a meal before they were found unconscious. A police spokesman declined to comment on the report.

The restaurant, which has been closed to the public since Sunday, was one of the sites being investigated by forensic teams. The BBC, without citing a source, reported that the authorities did not think anyone else who had been there was at risk from the nerve agent.

Rudd said that Nick Bailey, a police officer who became unwell after taking part in the early response to the attack, remained seriously ill but was talking and engaging with his family.

Wiltshire Police, the local force, issued a statement on Bailey’s behalf in which he thanked the public for messages of support he had received.

“He does not consider himself a ‘hero’, he states he was merely doing his job,” the statement said.

Rudd said more than 250 counter terrorism police, from eight out of Britain’s 11 specialist units, were involved in the investigation, which was proceeding with “speed and professionalism”.

The military have been providing support since Friday and Rudd said the police would continue to be given all the resources they needed to conduct the investigation.

There was also a flurry of activity at the cemetery in Salisbury where Skripal’s wife and son are buried, with forensic teams active in several parts of the site.

Skripal’s son, Alexander, died in July last year at the age of 43.

British media reported that he died while in St Petersburg, Russia.

Skripal’s wife, Liudmila, died of cancer at 60, in 2012.

British police have previously said they knew which exact nerve agent was used against Skripal and his daughter, but they have not made that information public.

The attack has been likened to the assassination of former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko, a critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who died in London in 2006 after drinking green tea laced with radioactive polonium-210.

A British public inquiry found that Putin had probably ordered Litvinenko’s murder. Britain has named two Russian suspects but Russia has refused to extradite them. (rtr)

International

Monday, March 12, 2018

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Indonesia to hand over luxury yacht to U.S. amid 1MDB probe

JAKARTA - Indonesia is making preparations to hand over a luxury yacht seized in Bali last month to U.S. authorities targeting assets allegedly bought with money siphoned off from a Malaysian state fund, a police official said on Thursday.

The Cayman Islands-flagged Equanimity was impounded by Indonesia amid a multi-billion dollar corruption investigation launched by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and tied to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). Indonesian police and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) were “preparing paperwork” for a hand over of the ship, said Daniel Silitonga, deputy director of economic and special crimes at Indonesia’s criminal investigation bureau.

Silitonga said authorities had taken the vessel’s logbook but a search had not found any money on board. Police have also questioned the captain and crew but had found no link to an investigation into money laundering, said Agung Setya, director of economic and special crimes at Indonesia’s criminal investigation bureau.

1MDB is at the centre of money-laundering probes in at least six countries, including the United States, Switzerland and Singapore. A total of $4.5 billion was misappropriated from 1MDB by high-level officials of the fund and their associates, according to civil lawsuits filed by the DOJ. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak set up 1MDB in 2009 and previously served as chairman of its advisory board. He and the fund have denied any wrongdoing. Among assets sought under the DOJ investigation is Equanimity, a $250 million yacht bought by Malaysian financier Jho Low, named as a key figure in the U.S. lawsuits which say he used proceeds diverted from 1MDB to buy it. Low’s whereabouts are unknown and his Hong Kong company has not responded to requests for comment.

A spokesperson for Low was quoted in Malaysian media last week as saying it was “disappointing that, rather than reflecting on the deeply flawed and politically motivated allegations, the DOJ is continuing with its pattern of global over reach - all based on entirely unsupported claims of wrongdoing”.

Malaysian Inspector-General of Police Mohamad Fuzi Harun said in a statement that the seizure of Equanimity in Indonesia was a U.S. court civil forfeiture action against Low and not against 1MDB. “The Royal Malaysian Police has also not received any information from Indonesian authorities or the Federal Bureau of Investigation regarding the seizure of the Equanimity in Indonesian waters on Feb 28. The RMP has also not been contacted by any other party to assist in the investigation regarding the yacht.” (rtr)

Antara Foto/Wira Suryantala/ via REUTERS/File Photo

A seized luxury yacht sought by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) as part of a multi-billion dollar corruption investigation is seen off the shore of Banoa, on the resort island of Bali, Indonesia February 28, 2018 in this photo taken by Antara Foto.

REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan

A police officer rides his motorcycle past a countdown clock for the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia March 8, 2018.

Indonesia confident on Asian Games preparations, traffic concerns remain

JAKARTA - Indonesia is confident over its readiness to host this year’s Asian Games, though ensuring athletes and fans can get to venues through Jakarta’s traffic-clogged streets remains a challenge, the head of the country’s organising committee said. Erick Thohir, an Indonesian businessman and chairman of Italian soccer club Inter Milan, was brought in to lead the committee in 2015 amid concerns over a ballooning budget and whether some venues would be prepared in time.

“We are confident we can have the Asian games... now the challenge is more on transportation issues,” Thohir said in an interview at the committee’s Jakarta headquarters as he looked forward to the Aug. 18-Sept.

2 event.

Indonesia’s preparations received a thumbs-up from the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) in January following a two-day inspection of facilities for the first staging of the event in two cities, Jakarta and Palembang on Sumatra island. Even so, challenges surfaced during a dress rehearsal event held last month.

“From the invitation tournament, we have had good feedback about the food, athletes’ villages. Complaints still come from the traffic,” Thohir added. Jakarta, consistently ranked as having among the world’s worst traffic congestion, is building a subway in the teeming capital. But it will not be ready until 2019, so organisers have proposed closing schools near venues

to curb traffic.

Thohir said that toll roads and bus lanes could also be set aside for special use during the Games.

Around 10,000 athletes from 45 nations are expected to compete across 40 sports at the Games. Indonesia was including combat sports such as jujitsu and pencak silat in the programme in a nod to the popularity of mixed martial arts, said Thohir. Jet ski and paragliding have also been added.

Thohir said the budget for the Games was now “secured” at 6.6 trillion rupiah ($479 million), down roughly a quarter from an earlier proposed figure. This had been achieved by postponing plans for an Asian Youth Games, renovating existing venues rather than building new ones, and attracting more sponsorship, he said. The organising team had also been limited in size to around the 400s rather than the usual thousands for such events, while there would be 13,000 volunteers, he said.

For security, Indonesia would deploy the police and military during the Games, including having on hand the bomb squad and sniper teams, said Army Lieutenant General Muhammad Herindra.

The Southeast Asian country last held the Asian Games in 1962 and Indonesian Vice-President Jusuf Kalla said it was important for home athletes to perform well.

“We finished in 17th place in the last Asian Games in Incheon in 2014. We are aiming to get into the top 10, in order to do that we will need at least 16 gold medals,” Kalla told reporters on Thursday. (rtr)

12

International

Monday, March 12, 2018

BUSINESS U.S. economy creates 313,000 jobs in February; wage growth slows

WASHINGTON - The U.S. economy added the biggest number of jobs in more than 1-1/2 years in February, but a slowdown in wage growth pointed to only a gradual increase in inflation this year. Nonfarm payrolls jumped by 313,000 jobs last month, boosted by the largest rise in construction jobs since 2007, the Labor Department said on Friday.

The payrolls gain was the most since July 2016 and triple the roughly 100,000 jobs the economy needs to create each month to keep up with growth in the working-age population.

Data for December and January were revised to show the economy creating 54,000 more jobs than previously reported.

The labor market is benefiting from strong domestic demand, an improvement in global growth, and robust U.S. business sentiment following passage of the Trump administration’s $1.5 trillion tax cut package. The tax cuts came into effect in January. The blowout payrolls number cemented expectations the Federal Reserve will increase interest rates at its March 20-21 policy meeting. Sluggish wage growth, however, left economists divided on whether the U.S. central bank would upgrade its rate forecast for this year to four hikes from three.

“While the employment gains unequivocally suggest underlying strength in the economy, wage gains remain muted enough for the Fed to continue with an only gradual normalization of the policy stance.

Stock markets are reacting accordingly,” said Harm Bandholz, chief U.S. economist at UniCredit Bank in New York.

Average hourly earnings edged up four cents, or 0.1 percent, to $26.75 in

February, a slowdown from the 0.3 percent rise in January. That lowered the year-on-year increase in average hourly earnings to 2.6 percent from 2.8 percent in January. The unemployment rate was unchanged at a 17-year low of 4.1 percent in February for a fifth straight month as 806,000 people entered the labor force in a sign of confidence in the job market.

The average workweek rebounded to 34.5 hours after falling to 34.4 hours in January.

Speculation that the central bank would upgrade its rate projections was stoked by Fed Chairman Jerome Powell when he told lawmakers last week that “my personal outlook for the economy has strengthened since December.” Although Powell said there was no evidence of the economy overheating, he added “the thing we don’t want to have happen is to get behind the curve.”

Some economists expect the Fed to raise borrowing costs four times this year, arguing that wage growth was actually running stronger than suggested by average hourly earnings, which tend to be volatile on a monthly basis. Average hourly earnings for production and non-supervisory workers, which economists say are better measured, increased 0.3 percent in February.

“In spite of the modestly softer

February figure, for the first two months of the quarter, the headline average hourly earnings number is increasing at a 3.3 percent annual rate, which would make it the strongest quarter of the expansion,” said Michael Feroli, an economist at JPMorgan in New York.

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast payrolls rising by 200,000 jobs last month and the unemployment rate falling to 4.0 percent.

Average hourly earnings had been expected to increase 0.2 percent in February. Stocks on Wall Street rallied on the tepid wages data, with the Nasdaq Composite index hitting a record high. U.S. Treasury yields rose as investors focused on the robust payrolls number. The dollar slipped against a basket of currencies.

CONSTRUCTION SHINES The employment report suggested the economy remained strong despite weak consumer spending, home sales and industrial production and a wider trade deficit in January that prompted economists to lower their first-quarter growth estimates.

Gross domestic product estimates for the January-March quarter are around a 2 percent annualized rate.

The economy grew at a 2.5 percent pace in the fourth quarter. But revisions to December data on construc-

tion spending, factory orders and wholesale inventory have suggested the fourth-quarter growth estimate could be raised to a 3.0 percent pace.

The full impact of the tax cuts and a planned increase in government spending has yet to be felt, and the hot job market could heighten fears of the economy overheating.

“The economy is simply too strong,” said Chris Rupkey, chief economist at MUFG in New York.

“There’s no reason whatsoever for the Fed to have a stimulative monetary policy at this stage of the business cycle.”

Economists expect the unemployment rate to fall to 3.5 percent this year. The labor force participation rate, or the proportion of workingage Americans who have a job or are looking for one, rose three-tenths of a percentage point to a five-month high of 63.0 percent in February. An even broader gauge of labor market

health, the percentage of workingage Americans with a job, increased to 60.4 percent last month from 60.1 percent in January.

Employment gains were led by the construction sector, which added 61,000 jobs, the most since March 2007. Hiring at construction sites was likely boosted by unseasonably mild weather in February.

Manufacturing payrolls increased by 31,000 jobs, rising for a seventh straight month. Retail payrolls jumped by 50,300, the largest increase since February 2016. Government employment increased by 26,000 jobs last month, with hiring of teachers by local governments accounting for the bulk of the rise. There were also increases in payrolls for professional and business services, leisure and hospitality as well as healthcare and social assistance. Financial sector payrolls increased by 28,000 last month, the most since October 2005. (rtr)

Trade war between U.S. and Europe can still be avoided - Germany

REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq/Pool

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer (L) and Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Hiroshige Seko take part in a meeting with European Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom to discuss steel overcapacity, in Brussels, Belgium March 10, 2018.

BERLIN - A trade war between Europe and the United States can still be averted, German Economy Minister Brigitte Zypries said on Saturday, adding she hoped that talks in Brussels this weekend could help to prevent an escalation. U.S. President Donald Trump set import tariffs on Thursday of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminium but is under heavy pressure from allies including the European Union and Japan to dilute the measures.

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer was due to meet EU trade chief Cecilia Malmstrom and

separately with Japanese Trade Minister Hiroshige Seko on Saturday for long-planned talks that have taken on added urgency amid concerns that Trump’s move could provoke a global trade war.

Zypries told Deutschlandfunk radio that so far no tariffs had been imposed and it was too early to talk about a looming trade war. “But we’ve reached a situation in which the preliminary skirmishes have become serious,” she added.

Zypries said the EU’s Malmstrom was trying to solve the dispute through negotiations, adding:

“There are still talks going on, things are in flux, so if you want you could say it’s still about diplomacy and not war.”

The minister said Trump’s proposed tariffs would violate the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and that Germany would coordinate closely with the European Commission on how to react if Trump pushed ahead. “Of course, we would have to take proceedings against him at the WTO,” Zypries said. “And in addition, we will have to think about counter-measures.” (rtr)

Bali News

International

Monday, March 12, 2018

Bade Tower of A.A. Niang Agung Breaks MURI Record

5

Nine – Tiered bade tower with the height of 27.5 meters delivered the corpse of A.A. Niang Agung to Dalem Puri Ubud cemetery, Friday (Mar. 2/). Thousands of residents spilled following the procession of cremation ceremony of Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardana Sukawati’s mother. People and foreign tourists unceasingly immortalized the rare moment. Moreover, it also broke the record from the Indonesia Record Museum (MURI) as the highest bade in the world.

Appeared to be present at the Ubud Grand Palace were the former (fifth) President Megawati Soekarno Putri and several ministers, including Susi Pujiastuti (Minister of Fisheries and Marine Affairs), A.A. Ngurah Puspayoga (Minister of Cooperatives and the SMEs), Arief Yahya (Minister of Tourism), Cahyo Kumolo (Minister of Home Affairs) and Basuki Hadimuljono (Minister Public Works and Housing). When the cremation (pelebon) procession took place they seemed freely watching the atmosphere of preparation around the catus pata (central intersection) by sitting on the ancak saji of the Ubud Grand Palace.

5 palebon Puri Agung Ubud However, before the procession began the officers from MURI Record announced if the bade made for second wife of Tjokorda Gede Agung Sukawati achieved the world’s record as the highest with the height of 27.5 meters, weighing up to 11 tons and carried by 3,910 people to Dalem Puri cemetery of Ubud. “This is our offering for the deceased, and this Bade was made for 1.5 months by my younger brother Tjokorda Gede Raka Sukawati with a number of devotional workers at this Ubud Grand Palace,” said Tjokorda Artha Ardana Sukawati while giving a speech after receiving the MURI award.

Chief of Ubud customary village, Tjokorda Raka Kerthyasa Sukawati, subsequently gave command, so the procession started by raising the corpse to bade passing through a traktag or bamboo movable bridge. Tjokorda Gede Raka Sukawati accompanied by a number of relatives of royal palace was sitting in a place of the corpse on bade. Meanwhile, under Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardana Sukawati, Tjokorda Gde Putra Sukawati, Tjokorda Gde Putra

Antara Foto/Nyoman Budhiana via REUTERS

The Balinese pull a sarcophagus at a cemetery during the royal cremation of Ubud royal family member Anak Agung Niang Agung in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia March 2, 2018 in this photo taken by Antara Foto. Picture taken March 2, 2018.

Nindia and grandsons of the late, Cokorda Ichiro Sukawati and other relatives of the royal palace. In the meantime, Cokorda Ngurah Suyadya alias Cok Wah was riding the ox sarcophagus heading for Dalem Puri cemetery.

When the magnificent bade began to move, thousands of people and tourists who were present cheered them. Every 50 meters or one relay this bade stopped to change bade bearer. Along the road section to Dalam Puri cemetery there were a total of eight times of relay.

Interestingly, amid the change of the bearers was seen the Bali Police Chief Petrus Golose, trying to take part in carrying bade. This two-star general carried bade on the shoulder by lifting pole carrier on the front. Bali Police Chief was accompanied by Director of Bali Police Traffic Affairs, A.A. Sudana who only participated in one relay.

This cremation procession also attracted the attention of the people and a thousand foreign tourists. Due to their curiousness, many of them

climbed to the top of the building so as to watch the cremation procession with the highest bade.

Due to being high and large, such bade was damaged in the wings.

This damage occurred because the wings of bade hit a tree. Before arriving at Dalem Puri cemetery, it also stopped as hampered by a large tree. The people carrying bade slightly turned to avoid the tree.

When arriving at the cemetery, suddenly Tjokorda Gede Raka Sukawati occupying the corpse on bade was fainted. Fortunately, a number of relatives directly held the bade architect. Then, a number of residents carried the senior figure of royal palace familiarly addressed as Cok De to pass the bamboo bridge at the cemetery. “He (Cok De—Ed) just feels happy and touched, this joy mixed making him so,” said Cokorda Ichiro Sukawati, the son of Tjokorda Gde Putra Sukawati. Cok De had fainted while still occupying the corpse on bade, but has arrived at the cemetery. Few moments after carried down, this lecturer at Udayana University also said to have awakened. “After that

he has returned to be fine. It is okay he already recovered,” he said.

Anak Agung Niang Agung, the mother of Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardana Sukawati alias Cok Ace, died at BROS Hospital, Denpasar, on Sunday (Jan. 14). She, the second wife of the late Tjokorda Gde Agung Sukawati, died at the age of 96 years.

“My mother died on Sunday morning around 05:00,” said Cok Ace. He said that A.A. Niang Agung who entered old age had been back and forth to hospital for several times. Three days before her death, the deceased was brought back to BROS Hospital. “According to doctor, her sickness purely happened due to age factor, where some parts of the organs have not been working properly. Lastly, she had lung problems with symptoms of shortness of breath, until she finally died,” explained this former regent of Gianyar.

The corpse of A.A. Niang Agung was then taken to Ubud Palace on Sunday morning around 10:00.

Ubud community with a number of children who at that time were learning to dance at Ancak

Saji of Ubud Palace immediately welcomed the deceased’s corpse.

“I think it is natural that the community enthusiastically welcomed because she is the last wife of the late my father who finally passed away as well,” he said.

Cok Ace explained that A.A. Niang Agung is the second wife of his late father Tjokorda Gde Agung Sukawati, while the first wife is the late A.A. Niang Mengwi who died in 2000 at the age of 80 years old.

The third wife who is Cok Ace’s own mother, the late A.A. Niang Rai, died in 2011 at the age of 76. “She is the second wife of the deceased father, though she is not my biological mother, I have been considered like her son. Along with other relatives, I consider she is like my own mother,” he explained.

In her lifetime, A.A. Niang Agung only had a daughter, namely Tjokorda Istri Sri Atun Sukawati.

Until now, the deceased left ten grandchildren. “They include me and my brothers. My mother has ten grandchildren that she very much cherished,” he added. (kmb)

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Monday, March 12, 2018

Bali News

International

Monday, March 12, 2018

International

China eyes “black tech” to boost security as parliament meets

Nyepi celebration is inseparable from the existence of ogoh-ogoh.

BEIJING - At a highway check point on the outskirts of Beijing, local police are this week testing out a new security tool: smart glasses that can pick up facial features and car registration plates, and match them in real-time with a database of suspects.

The AI-powered glasses, made

by LLVision, scan the faces of vehicle occupants and the plates,

flagging with a red box and warning sign to the wearer when any match up with a centralised “blacklist”.

The test - which coincides with the annual meeting of China’s parliament in central Beijing - un-

The making of ogoh-ogoh must be based on philosophy

IBP/eka

SEMARAPURA — Nyepi celebration is inseparable from the existence of ogoh-ogoh. Almost all the villages seem to be presenting this gigantic doll without exception for Klungkung district. In harmony with the development times, it is not only paraded on Pengrupukan Day but also put into competition.

Moreover, some people present it in a parade. To welcome it, the community especially sekaa taruna (customary village youth club) shows their totality in the making. They are very ambitious to get maximum results that make people amazed when watching. Amidst this, the making is not only concerned with the arts but must also be appropriate with tattva (philosophy) with refer-

ence to the knowledge and religious philosophy.

“Ogoh-ogoh must refer to philosophy. It should be able to characterize bhuta kala (evil spirits),” said Chairman of Hindu Dharma Council of Indonesia (PHDI) Klungkung, I Putu Suarta, on Saturday (Mar. 10).

The man who is also the Chief of Klungkung Municipal Police and Fire Department, conveyed the

making of ogoh-ogoh has received monitoring from customary village since the beginning. This is also emphasized by Customary Village Medium Assembly. Amid the celebration of the regional leadership election, no ogoh-ogoh is allowed to have political nuance. “The making of ogoh-ogoh beyond the style is prohibited. It must be in accordance with the provisions and it has been

disseminated,” he said.

Ogoh-ogoh, he said, does not only enliven the festival falling every year but also to slow down human bad attitude that must be melted as symbolized by the burning on the Pengrupukan, the day before Nyepi.

“This meaning must be understood, not just make it,” he said.

The important meaning of ogohogoh has also been emphasized in the contest. The Art Division Head in the Klungkung Culture Agency, Komang Sukarya, explained the character can be taken from various epics such as Mahabharata, Ramayana, chronicles

or others. Those containing political elements are strictly prohibited. “The material must also be eco-friendly and without the use of wear Styrofoam,” he said.

This year’s contest is only followed by seven participants, less than the previous year. It suspected to happen due to budget constraints.

In this competition, the district government provides a budget of IDR 9 million for participant in Klungkung mainland and IDR 12 million for Nusa Penida. He stated such amount has increased from previous years. (sos)

Related to internet disconnection on Nyepi

People must be mentally ready if approved

BANGLI — The appeal to disconnect internet network during the celebration of Nyepi Day falling on Saturday (Mar. 17) starting at 06:00 until Sunday (Mar. 18) at 06:00 by Hindu Dharma Council of Indonesia (PHDI) is assessed positively by Chairman of PHDI Bangli, I Nyoman Sukra. With disconnection of the internet network, the Hindu community can implement catur brata penyepian (four abstinences) solemnly.

“Necessarily, this problem should not be debated. It is just a proposal.

Later on, the proposal could be ap-

13

proved and could not. So far, it is still waiting for approval from the Ministry of Communications and Informatics. If the proposal is indeed approved, all the communities must be mentally ready to accept it.

Relevant authorities will not make decisions that can disrupt many parties,” he said.

According to Sukra, the disconnection of internet network on Nyepi is considered positive because the community cannot access YouTube or Facebook and other social media.

So far, many people take selfie photos to be uploaded onto social media

where one of them is on Facebook.

Perhaps, to avoid it, the PHDI called for an appeal to disconnect the internet network on Nyepi Day. By that way, people can be more focused to implement the catur brata penyepian.

“This appeal indeed results in pros and cons in society. It is for private internet only while for security, health and disaster problems and other issues, it should keep running as usual,” he said while communicating via telephone can still be done.

He explained though there is such appeal his party has not dis-

seminated it to the community because he remains to wait for the decision whether it will be approved or not. If approved, it will be disseminated to the community.

Actually, his council would like to disseminate to chief of customary village, headman and hamlet chief to forward the information on the celebration of Nyepi Day. However, to invite headmen, Sukra already asked for help to the district government through National and Political Unity Office (Kesbangpol) to disseminate the agreement made. The measure is taken considering that PHDI has

no budget for consumption. When inviting headmen and hamlet chiefs, at least they should be served with consumption.

“Apparently it is not good when inviting communities without providing them with drinking and snack, it’s a pity. On that account, we ask for the help of district government to facilitate. We have indeed submitted the assistance to the district government to facilitate. However, there has been no follow-up so far whereas the Nyepi has been just around the corner,” said Nyoman Sukra. (kmb41)

IBP/net

Local police testing out a new security tool: smart glasses that can pick up facial features and car registration plates, and match them in real-time with a database of suspects.

derscores a major push by China’s leaders to leverage technology to boost security in the country.

That drive has led to growing concerns that China is developing a sophisticated surveillance state that will lead to intensifying crackdowns on dissent. “(China’s) leadership once felt a degree of trepidation over the advancement of the internet and communication technologies,” said David Bandurski, co-director of the China Media Project, a media studies research project at the University of Hong Kong.

“It now sees them as absolutely indispensable tools of social and political control.”

Wu Fei, chief executive of LLVision, said people should not be worried about privacy concerns because China’s authorities were using the equipment for “noble causes”, catching suspects and fugitives from the law.

“We trust the government,” he told Reuters at the company’s headquarters in Beijing.

Reuters was able to verify that the glasses were being used in tests by the police to help identify suspect individuals and vehicles in the Beijing area in recent days.

China, under President Xi Jinping, is making a major push to use artificial intelligence, facial recognition and big data technology to track and control behaviour

that goes against the interests of the ruling Communist Party online and in the wider world.

Xi is expected to cement his power base this weekend as a reform to remove term limits is pushed through. That would in effect allow him to stay in his post indefinitely.

Delegates and visitors entering the Great Hall of the People, the venue for the parliament, the National People’s Congress, have to go through facial scanners. The same happened to those attending the related advisory body, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.

“This year, security at the two sessions has some freshly-baked ‘black tech’ coming online,” wrote the state-run Science and Technology Daily newspaper, using a comic-book term in China for futuristic surveillance gadgets.

The paper said cameras at the event had been upgraded to capture, analyse and compare suspicious faces in around two seconds, powered by a system called “Skynet” - which has a national database of blacklisted individuals.

“The plot of sci-fi film ‘Minority Report’ is now basically becoming a part of daily life,” the newspaper added, referring to the Tom Cruise movie set in a futuristic society where crimes are solved and punished before they even happen. (rtr)

Japan’s Finance Ministry to admit altering land-sale documents - source

TOKYO - Japan’s Finance Ministry will admit altering documents involved in a controversial sale of state-owned land, a person with direct knowledge of the matter said on Saturday, raising the heat on the finance minister and threatening to erode Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s popularity.f The ministry plans to report to parliament on Monday that it has found instances where content was deleted from documents submitted to lawmakers, the source told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

Telephone calls seeking ministry comment went unanswered.

An admission would deal a fresh blow to Abe, who has struggled for months to draw a line under suspicion that a school operator used ties with Abe’s wife to get a discounted deal on land in the western city of Osaka.

It would also ratchet up the pressure on Finance Minister Taro Aso, who said he had no intention to step down over the affair which led to the resignation on Friday of the National Tax Agency chief, Nobuhisa

Sagawa.

On the day of Sagawa’s resignation, media said police were investigating as a possible suicide the death of an official at a finance ministry bureau that handled the land deal.

The government’s chief spokesman said he had been notified about the death but declined to give details.

The scandal regained fresh momentum last week with opposition parties turning up the heat after the Asahi newspaper said some documents about the land sale might have been doctored.

Abe has denied that he or his wife did favors for the operator of the school, Moritomo Gakuen. Abe’s grip on power has not appeared at risk so far, because his ruling coalition has big majorities in both houses of parliament.

But falling support could complicate his bid for a third term as Liberal Democratic Party leader in a September party vote. Reelection would put him on track to become Japan’s longest-serving premier. (rtr)

Kyodo/via REUTERS

Nobuhisa Sagawa, Director-General of the Ministry of Finance Financial Bureau, answers a question next to Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Finance Minister Taro Aso during a lower house session at the parliament in Tokyo, Japan February 24, 2017. Picture taken February 24, 2017.

14

Monday, March 12, 2018

Traveling

International

Kurentovanje in Ptuj, Slovenia is one of the world’s top 10 carnivals

THE city of Ptuj is the oldest settlement in Slovenia. It sits on the banks of the River Drava, dominated by its medieval castle. In Roman times it had a population of over 40,000, twice what is now, but it gradually diminished during centuries of Hapsburg rule. Still, the old town is delightful with cobbled streets home to Churches, Monasteries and pastel coloured restaurants and cafes.

Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Sunday afternoon sees the International Carnival Parade which involves more than 2500 participants and I take my place in front of the ornate town hall, where a band is playing Slovenian folk music. VIP’s sitting in the stand include the Slovenian Prime Minister. We wait patiently for the parade to begin.

What is the Kurent Festival?

The Parade is led by the prince of the carnival with his princess, surrounded by guards dressed in 17th century blue and grey. Behind them is a marching band in crusader costumes, mainly young girls. Next comes a group of men in red tunics, blue aprons and black hats, decorated with flowers. They pause in front of the town hall and their guards crack their whips, frightening the crowd.

Following them are tractors full of smoking gypsies, foresters hauling logs, spearmen tossing their ribbon covered spears in the air and a troupe of pantomime horses, known as

The Kurentovanje, or Kurent Festival, is one of the world’s top ten carnivals and kicks out winter and welcomes spring. It’s the Slovenian version of Mardi Gras and has its origins long before the Romans, in the distant mists of Celtic times.

It fell out of favour but was revived in 1960 in an attempt to keep the traditions alive. It certainly worked. The event spans the ten days before Shrove Tuesday and attracted many thousands of visitors. In 2017 UNESCO inscribed it on their list of Intangible

The Parade

Rusa. Each is operated by two men and create a bit of stir by spraying the prime minister with water, much to the disquiet of his body guards. Still this is carnival and there’s nothing they can do about it.

The Kurenti

What we’ve come to see are the Kurenti and suddenly there are hundreds of them, lopsidedly twirling, like spinning tops gone wrong.

Each Kurent has a coat of shaggy sheepskins, topped with an ornate mask, and wears five large cowbells around his waist. Ears are made of bird wings, adorned with ribbons, the nose is elongated and the moustache is made of maize.

White beans, threaded on a string, serve as teeth and a long red tongue of red cloth or leather spills down the front. Heavy boots and red or green leggings complete the ensemble and they brandish a long stave, studded with hedgehog spikes, to drive the devil forward. Each group of Kurents has at least one of these, standing out

in their bright red costume.

As they dance, the cow bells make an enormous din, momentarily silenced as they pause and form a circle, expanding and contracting.

Some Kurents break off and approach the crowd, begging young girls for handkerchiefs to be added to their clubs. You certainly don’t want to mess with them as the masks turn them into shaggy giants and they’re certainly a force to be reckoned with.

After the Kurents have passed it’s the turn of the international troupes.

Macedonia has the Meckari, the Czech Republic brings Mystique, France has the intriguing Mülhüser Waggis and the Sitnan are from Slovakia, without forgetting Rain Dance from Macedonia. Serbia has the Cheerful Ice-creams, the Happy Blossoms and Bullfighters and Belgium brings the Sangliers d’Arlon, all dressed in boar skins. (net)

Bali News

International

3

Monday, March 12, 2018

Nyepi package must introduce catur brata penyepian If any rah-rah, hotel license to be revoked

DENPASAR — Hotels in Bali are allowed to sell Nyepi Package to tourists as long as the package does not contain any rah-rah elements. On the contrary, the package should introduce to tourists about the catur brata penyepian or four abstinences.

“For example, guests do not turn on lights nor go out of hotel. It is meant to show off to guests that Nyepi celebration in Bali is like this. Let them experience the catur brata penyepian. If there are guests wishing to enjoy such condition, it’s okay. Moreover, it is good,” said Chairman of Commission I of the Bali House of Representatives, Ketut Tama Tenaya, in Denpasar, last week.

But if on the contrary, continued Tama, hotels should be subject to strict sanctions. For example, the Nyepi Package offered by hotels even takes guests out of the hotel. Or even facilitate for a fun event.

“If there is such activity, they are even wandering around, enjoying disco, having party and rah-rah, that’s a bad example. It is nonsense if the airport can stop, while guests at the hotel even wander or make noises. I asked to revoke the hotel’s permit. It must be dealt with firmly,” explained this PDI-P politician.

Tama expected the hotel management has the awareness to introduce more about Nyepi to tourists.

Certainly, this will provide a more positive image for Bali tourism.

Besides, the customary village having pecalang is also expected to actively supervise the hotels in their area.

Meanwhile, Governor of Bali, Made Mangku Pastika, will consider to revoke the hotel’s permission performing rah-rah during Nyepi. His office also urged the hotels to respect the traditions of Hindu culture and religion namely by informing guests to enjoy such tranquil atmosphere.

“It’s okay to sell Nyepi Package, but do not make rah-rah. All this time, there is misunderstanding where people avoid Nyepi and go to hotel. After that, they make rah-rah, enjoy loud music or bright lights. I have this activity adjusted. It would be quite wonderful if all participate in the Nyepi celebration, including big hotels,” he said.

According to Pastika, hotels should respect the traditions, cultures and religions practiced by the Balinese. Not even on the contrary as it can destroy because it is the ‘selling point’ owned by Bali so far. “We are worried if the products will not even recover. We have the most unique place in the world.

Bali cannot sell multi-storey hotels, what we sell is uniqueness of Bali.

What is the uniqueness? Here it is.

Nyepi cannot be found elsewhere all over the world. Let’s respect it,” he explained. (kmb32)

IBP/olo

Subak Babakan Bayu at Sangkaragung village is one of the subak (irrigation cooperative) groups in Jembrana which has a distinction.

Tolerance of Subak Babakan Bayu members

Jointly hold ngusaba and land thanksgiving ritual

SUBAK Babakan Bayu at Sangkaragung village is one of the subak (irrigation cooperative) groups in Jembrana which has a distinction. In contrast to subak in general, this subak with an area of up to tens of hectares has hundreds of Hindu and Muslim members. Since decades ago, the pattern of joint cultivation through subak organization has been running harmoniously and with high tolerance.

IBP/kmb

The package should introduce to tourists about the catur brata penyepian or four abstinences.

This habit has been running for generations since their predecessors came and settled in the suburbs of the Samblong River. Both villages within Jembrana subdistrict are located side by side. Air Kuning sits right on the coast while Sangkaragung on the Northern side. Thus, the area of paddy fields owned are located adjacent and incorporated in one Subak Babakan Bayu.

In terms of subak organizational aspect, hundreds of members remain to be led by a klian subak. Although the ratio of members is predominantly Muslim of Air Kuning, it still follows the awig-awig (bylaws) that Subak Babakan Bayu has agreed upon. “The administrative authority is divided into two. The Hindus are led by myself, while the Muslim colleagues are held

by Deputy Klian, Mr. Sarmin,” said Chief of Subak Babakan Bayu, Ketut Suara, 60, when met last week.

In addition to managing subak jointly, in expressing gratitude for the harvest obtained they have their own way. All subak members are involved as seen during the ngusaba on full moon early March. Subak

members are entirely involved under one subak organization. Then, contribution of activities is calculated based on the land area owned per 100 square meters.

When holding ceremony, all subak members are coordinated by the chief and deputy chief. They are just distinguished in terms of the food menu served at the subak meeting hall.

“Each member plays its own role but still in one subak organization. It has been running from the past time,” said Suara having served as subak chief for 25 years. In addition to having subak temple adjacent to meeting hall, amid the paddy field also sits a place of worship for Muslims frequently used by subak members. Surau or langgar is used to worship when they come down to paddy fields and as gathering place for thanksgiving after the harvest. They call it land thanksgiving graced by slaughtering four-legged cattle.

Deputy Chief of Subak, Sarmin, 65, said the ritual of land thanksgiving is usually done every five years. This year is the time to implement the ritual and organize in the surau in the middle of paddy field.

During this ritual, all subak members participate to follow like on the ngusaba ritual. Surau is used daily by subak members who perform worship at noon and in the afternoon. “Langgar is long and used for farmers at Air Kuning, especially subak members wishing to worship while in the fields,” said Mustari, 65, a member of Subak Babakan Bayu. This tolerance in one subak organization, according to him, has been running for a long time and inherited from generation to generation. (olo)

2

Monday, March 12, 2018

Bali News

Ministry of Transportation does not know World Bank’s studies

DENPASAR - Other than Udayana University, Ministry of Transportation equally did not know anything about the results of the studies conducted by the World Bank. On the contrary, the Ministry of Transportation continues to follow up the governor’s letter dated October 16, 2017 regarding the proposal of airport location in Buleleng. This was revealed in a meeting between Commission III of the Bali House of Representatives and the Directorate of Airports, Ministry of Transportation in Jakarta on Friday (Mar. 9).

“The Ministry of Communications has never heard and followed any presentation of the World Bank’s studies,” said Coordinator of Commission III who is also Deputy Chairman of the Bali House of Representatives, I Nyoman Sugawa Korry, when confirmed via phone last Saturday.

According to Sugawa Korry, Chairman of the Commission III of the Bali House of Representatives, Nengah Tamba, initially conveyed the chronology of the emergence of confusion related to the airport plan in Buleleng. It especially happened after the statement of Coordinating Minister of Marine Affairs, Luhut Binsar Panjaitan, stating if the airport development in Buleleng is not feasible. One of the reasons is that the central government will expand the Ngurah Rai Airport. However, the Ministry of Transportation is

even following up on the governor’s letter.

“Buleleng airport program has also been included in the Provincial Regional Spatial Layout (RTRW), National Spatial Layou (Government Regulation No. 13/2017) and Minister of Transportation Regulation No. 69/2013 on the order of national airport affairs,” added this Golkar politician.

Sugawa Korry added that the Ministry of Transportation is also currently following up the tender process of feasibility study of the airport location in Buleleng as well as the studies on the government and private sector cooperation. From the explanation, he concluded that the process at the Ministry of Transportation still continues.

“There is no cancellation. Logically, the feasibility study and the study of cooperation between the government and the entrepreneurs become an important input for Minister of Transportation as well as coordination with the Coordinating Minister and even with the President,” he explained.

Sugawa Korry claimed to have coordinated with the chairman and members of Commission III to discuss further about the issue with the Coordinating Minister of Marine Affairs.

When confirmed separately, Chairman of Commission III of the Bali House of Representatives, I Nengah Tamba, justified the coordination plan with Minister Luhut. The coordination is planned to be made on March 13. “The airport development in North Bali is a must and should be done immediately,” he added. (kmab32)

International

IBP/file

Monday, March 12, 2018

15

Here is the reason for delaying North Bali airport JAKARTA - The delay of the North Bali airport had become a question in some circles of society in Bali. Not many know the reason why the central government delayed the construction of the airport alleged to make the economy of North Bali grow to match the economic development of South Bali.

Chairman of Bali Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), AAN Alit Wiraputra, after meeting the Coordinating Minister of Marine Affairs, Luhut Binsar Panjaitan, said that central government did not reject or cancel the construction of the North Bali airport.

“However, there are studies conducted by the World Bank stating if the construction of North Bali airport is not yet feasible to carry out. If there is no recommendation from the World Bank, no one will dare to invest the funds for the development. This is the reason why central government postponed the construction of the airport in Buleleng,” said Wiraputra in Jakarta, on Friday (Mar. 9).

Related to the assessment considering that the development of North Bali airport is not feasible, Wiraputra admitted to understand the problem. Moreover, he added, the study has been conducted by the World Bank by involving consultants from Udayana University. “Maybe if one day South Bali has been considered too crowded, the feasibility of the airport in North Bali will be examined again,” he added.

He considered what the local government needs to do now is to accelerate road access from South Bali to North Bali.

In addition, Benoa will also be developed into a tourism and container harbor. “There is also an input about the Tanah Ampo Harbor which is expanded to be a passenger harbor,” he added.

At the meeting, it was revealed that the plan to build road access from South Bali to North Bali will start this year. “The legal instrument is available and it just needs to disseminate to the community. Whether it will be built a paid road or not, obviously this year the development process is expected to have started,” he said while hoping the government can involve the large cooperative in Bali in the development process. (kmb)

French ambassador suggests direct flight between Paris and Bali

I Nyoman Sugawa Korry

Activities

International

Nusa Dua - French Ambassador to Indonesia Jean-Charles Berthonnet said he hopes there would be direct flight between Paris and Bali to facilitate French tourists wanting to visit Bali. “Perhaps Garuda could serve the direct flight. The absence of direct flight is one of the main factors that the number of French tourists to the country remain small,” the ambassador said here on Sunday.

He said French tourists visit Indonesia including Bali have to transit in one of other cities in southeast Asia like Singapore and Bangkok or cities in Middle East. He said Bali is well known among tourist all over the world especially for its natural beauty and cultures.

According to the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) the number of French tourists visiting Indonesia 256,000 in 2016 up from 208,000 in 2015. The number of foreign tourist visiting that island in 2017 totaled 5.7 million , up 15.6 percent from 2016. Chinese were the largest in number reaching 1.3 million, followed by Australians 1.09 million and Indians 272,000 in 2017. (ant)

 Founder : K.Nadha,  General Manager :Palgunadi Chief Editor: Gugiek Savindra  Editors:Agus Toni, Daniel Fajry, Mawa, Sueca, Sugiartha, Yudi Winanto Denpasar: Dira Arsana, Giriana Saputra, Subrata, Sumatika, Asmara Putra. Bangli: Suasrina, Buleleng: Dewa kusuma, Gianyar: Manik Astajaya, Karangasem: Budana, Klungkung: Dewa Farendra. 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

Brunch Adventura : An Italian, Family Brunch Adventure

Prego, The Westin Resort Nusa Dua’s popular Italian Restaurant, has long been known for its Sunday Brunch. Taking on the theme of fun (rather than fine) dining, the Prego Brunch was the perfect family Sunday. Now, in a move to liven things up even more, Prego presents Brunch Adventura – adding more family fun, food and entertainment on the weekend.

From 11.30am-3pm, Brunch Adventura welcomes all with it’s “come as you are” approach to weekends.

With it’s bright, open concept, full outdoor garden and even a swimming pool environment, it’s not wander this Italian restaurant has been so popular with families. Everyone is invited to eat, play and swim.

Of course food comes first and

there is an extensive buffet at Prego that has all taste preferences covered.

With Italian food the focus you can be sure the favourite pasta (cooked to order!) and pizzas are there – an easy choice for the children – but this extends to a rich charcuterie and meats station, live grill and a whole section for the cheese lovers. A full salad bar is surely on hand, along side a display of mini appetisers for those who love to taste and savour many flavours for brunch. Italian Chef Alessandro Molini also comes around each week with his giant Pentolo cooking up a delicious dose of family-style pasta.

For dessert, the Italian classics like Cannoli and tiramisu sit along side the favourites for the kids, including the chocolate fountain.

Dessert would go amiss without a

selection of Italian Gelato, which Prego serves, perfect for those hot sunny days.

The restaurant has a host of games, gimmicks and activities throughout the brunch so that the children can stay entertained for the afternoon. From tug o’ war to relay races, a supervised play area means parents and children can both have fun. Another exciting activity for the young ones is the Superchefs program, which is all about learning to appreciate good food and enjoying life in the kitchen!

Each Sunday, Prego Associates continue to show off their signature dance moves with an energetic routine that has everyone up on their feet. Pipo the squirrel makes regular appearances for fun photo opportuni-

ties and a magician visits each table to perform a collection of amazing tricks.

This value-for-money brunch experience emphasizes the importance of spending quality time together

as a family. It is priced at just IDR 420,000++ per person including a welcome cocktail, soft drinks and selected ice tea blends. Kids get to eat for free and SPG members are entitled to a generous 20% discount.

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

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

16 Pages Number 68 10th year

Price: Rp 3.000,-

Monday, March 12, 2018

Nun fighting sale of convent to Katy Perry dies in court LOS ANGELES - An 89-yearold Roman Catholic nun who has battled pop star Katy Perry for years over the sale of a Los Angeles convent collapsed and died during a court appearance, according to media reports and supporters.

Sister Catherine Rose Holzman, one of two aging nuns who were fighting the sale of the 8-acre (3-hectare) convent, died on Friday during related legal proceedings in Los Angeles County Court, Fox affiliate KTTV reported.

“To Katy Perry, please stop. It’s not doing anyone any good except hurting a lot of people,” Holzman had earlier told KTTV as she entered the courthouse with Sister Rita Callanan.

On Saturday a website set up to back the nuns’ legal battle carried a picture of Holzman with the caption, “Rest with the angels our most precious treasure.”

A spokeswoman for Perry, one

of the world’s top-selling pop stars, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Los Angeles County medical examiner and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles did not respond to queries about the cause of death.

At the center of the legal dispute is the property Holzman and other members of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary had once lived in.

Holzman and Cullanan, among five nuns who had lived at the convent, had sought to sell the property for $15.5 million to restaurateur Dana Hollister, who wanted to convert the property into a hotel.

The Archdiocese of Los Angeles sued to block the sale in 2015, arguing the nuns did not have authority to sell the property to Hollister.

A judge ruled in 2016 that the sale was invalid, paving the way for Perry to buy the site from the archdiocese. (rtr)

Monday, March 12, 2018

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

Ogoh-ogoh in Denpasar

Obliged to feature bhutakala theme

Zodwa Wabantu

SERIES of the Pengerupukan night, the day before Nyepi of Caka New Year 1940, Denpasar municipality through the Denpasar Culture Agency will hold an ogoh-ogoh (papier mâché demon) parade contest.

Implementation of this activity is a concrete manifestation of the Denpasar municipality’s commitment to continuously providing the widest opportunities for younger generation to show off their creativity.

IBP/net

Zambia deports racey South African dancer Zodwa Wabantu

Head of the Denpasar Culture Agency, IGN Bagus Mataram, accompanied by Division Head of Culture, I Made Wedana, recently said that Denpasar as the city with a cultural vision in accordance with the second mission is empowering the community based on local genius through creative culture in order to support the mission, namely carrying out the ogoh-ogoh contest among the sekaa taruna (customary village youth club). “As a culture-minded city, of course the ogoh-ogoh contest is one of the creative economic activities in accordance with the mission of Denpasar as a culture-based creative city,” he said.

Execution of the current ogoh-ogoh contest, he said, obliges all the participating ogoh-ogoh to feature the theme of bhutakala (evil spirit). From the contest, there will be 32 winners with the composition of eight clubs in each subdistrict and they are entitled to get coaching money valued at IDR 10 million. Nevertheless, the clubs having been nominated for two consecutive years will be disqualified or excluded from the assessment.

The aspects becoming the assessment points include the composition, creativity and expression. The most important is the obstacles in the use of eco-friendly materials. The 32 nominations will be returned to customary village to carry out the Pengerupukan night. To maintain conduciveness, security and local wisdom in welcoming the Nyepi feast day of Caka 1940 in 2018, Mataram asserted that ogoh-ogoh musical accompaniment must use traditional musical instruments, such as baleganjur, tektek and other arts and should be escorted by respective pecalang or customary village security guards.

LUSAKA - Zambia on Saturday deported a controversial female South African dancer, Zodwa Wabantu, who is popularly known for performing without underwear, on the grounds that her performance would “undermine national values”.

REUTERS/Danny Moloshok/File Photo

Singer Katy Perry

Zambia is a very conservative country whose constitution explicitly states that it is a Christian nation, in contrast with more liberal South Africa.

“Zodwa has been deported,” her Zambian promoter Lucky Munakampe told Reuters. Munakampe

said she had flown out at 0520 GMT on a South African Airways flight.

The dancer had been due to perform on Saturday in Lusaka at the launch of a music album organised by a local entertainment company, Sunset Sound Production.

The organisers of the show said

in a statement earlier this week that Zambia’s National Arts Council had rejected their application.

“The Council stated that... Zodwa’s performances were not in the public interest and undermined our national values,” the statement said. (rtr)

You can find International Bali Post at: 1 Kuta Beach Club Jl. Bakung Sari Kuta 2 Wen Dys Kuta the Coffe Bear Jl. Pantai Kuta 3 Seminyak Paradiso Bali Hotel Jl. Camplung Tanduk 4 Ramayana Resort&Spa Jl. Bakung Sari Kuta 5 The Lokha Legian Resort&Spa Jl. Padma Legian Kuta 6 66 Corner Live Sport Emtertaiment Jl. Doble Six/Werkudara 23 7 Leghawa Grill Jl. D.Tamblingan No. 51 8 Retno Barr dan Restoran Jl. D.Tamblingan No.126 A Sanur 9 Elkomedor Jl. D.Tamblingan 140

10 Malaika Scret 11 Snack Shack 12 Warung Lokal 13 Cokro Cafee 14 T.J.Bar 15 J & N Kebab 16 Goanna Bar 17 Batu Jimbar 18 Ramayana Cafee

Jl. D.Poso No 68 Jl. D.Poso No. 50D Jl. D.Poso No. 39 Jl. D.Poso Sanur Jl. D.Poso Sanur Jl. D.Poso Sanur Jl. D.Poso Sanur Jl. D.Tamblingan Sanur Jl. D.Tamblingan

19 Smirnof Cafee Jl. D.Tamblingan Sanur 20 Legwa Hotel Jl. D.Tamblingan Sanur 21 Nu Laser Cafee Jl. D.Tamblingan Sanur 22 Ganesa Book Jl. D.Tamblingan Sanur 23 All For Daiving Jl. D.Tamblingan Sanur 24 Barocca Jl.Petitenget 17 DKerobokan 25 Lantern Jl.Petitenget 17E Kerobokan 26 Shearlock Jl.Petitenget 17C Kerobokan Klod 27 Cafe Degan Jl.Petitenget 9 Kerobokan Klod

28 Kopi Made Jl. Raya Puputan No. 106 Dps 29 Dimsum Manan Jl. Raya Niti Mandala Renon No 148 30 Furama Jl. Raya Niti Mandala No. 148 Renon 31 Warung Subah Renon Jl. Mohamad Yamin No.18 32 Ayam Betutu khas Gilimanuk Jl. Merdeka No.88 Renon 33 Bali Bakery Jl. Hayam Wuruk 184 Denpasar

182 pieces of ogoh-ogoh participate in contest At least 182 pieces of ogoh-ogoh will participate in the contest held by the Culture Agency this year.

Continued to page 6

Ogoh-ogoh from Banjar Kedaton, Kesiman, Denpasar. The giant puppet will be showed during the Pengerupukan, a day before Nyepi.

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.