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Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Cuaron’s ‘Roma’ a top winner at Critics’ Choice Awards

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Wednesday, January 16, 2019

SANTA MONICA - Hollywood’s award season was in full swing late Sunday, with Alfonso Cuaron’s “Roma” - an ode to the director’s childhood in 1970s Mexico City - the big winner at the Critics’ Choice Awards.

“Roma” won trophies for best picture, best foreignlanguage film, and for both director and cinematography for Cuaron.

“This bunch of Mexicans are not as bad as sometimes they are portrayed,” said Cuaron, a reference to President Donald Trump’s hardline rhetoric on immigration.

Shot in black and white, and filmed in Spanish and the indigenous Mixtec language, “Roma” is a semiautobiographical chronicle of a year in the life of Cuaron’s family and his childhood nanny.

“Roma” - the title a reference to a posh Mexico City neighborhood -- earlier won two Golden Globes and is a leading contender for an Oscar

at the Academy Awards ceremony in February.

Christian Bale, who portrayed former US vice president Dick Cheney in “Vice,” won awards in the Best Actor and Best Actor in a Comedy categories, while Glenn Close (“The Wife”) and Lady Gaga (“A Star is Born”) jointly won in the Best Actress category.

Mahershala Ali (“Green Book”) walked away with a Best Supporting Actor win, while Regina King (“If Beale Street Could Talk”) won for Best Supporting Actress. (afp)

Maroon 5 announced as Super Bowl half-time performers

IBP/net

Maroon 5

NEW YORK - Three-time Grammy Award-winning band Maroon 5 was named Sunday as the headline act of next month’s Super Bowl 53 half-time show, a performance that has aroused controversy and protest petitions.

The league and pop music band announced they will perform in the National Football League championship spectacle on February 3 at MercedesBenz Stadium in Atlanta.

They will be joined by Atlanta native Big Boi and Grammy-nominated rapper Travis Scott. Maroon 5 had been long rumored to be playing the feature slot on one of the most watched US television shows of any year.

But it comes after more than 75,000 people signed an online petition for the band not to play the Super Bowl to support Colin Kaepernick, the former NFL quarterback who started kneeling protests during pre-game US anthem performances as a way to protest racial and social injustice and police

brutality.

Kaepernick, a former star for the San Francisco 49ers, has not played in the league since 2016. He filed a grievance against the NFL and club owners last year, claiming they have conspired not to hire him.

US President Donald Trump made the kneeling protest a major issue, calling anyone who did it a “son of a bitch” and saying they should be fired.

Other artists reportedly turned down the halftime show in support of Kaepernick.

Billboard reported Sunday, citing unnamed sources, that Scott signed on to perform only after the NFL agreed to join him in donating to a social justice cause.

Past Super Bowl performers have included Justin Timberlake, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Katy Perry, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, The Who, Prince, the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, U2 and Michael Jackson. (afp)

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AP Photo/Andy Wong

In this Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019, photo, a Huawei employee talks to an invited guest near the “CloudEngine 16800 Built for the AI Era” after its official launch

by Huawei at a hotel in Beijing.

‘Hostage politics’: Death sentence heightens China, Canada tensions

China on Tuesday vociferously defended a court’s decision to impose the death penalty on a convicted Canadian drug smuggler, escalating a diplomatic row that experts say has descended into a high-stakes game of “hostage politics”.

China’s foreign ministry blasted Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s “irresponsible remarks” after he criticised the death sentence imposed on 36-year-old Robert Lloyd Schellenberg.

Beijing and Ottawa have been squabbling since last month, when Canada arrested the chief financial officer of top Chinese telecom company Huawei on a US extradition request related to Iran sanctions violations.

In a move observers see as retaliation, Chinese authorities detained two Canadian citizens -- a former diplomat and a business consultant -- on suspicion of endangering national security.

Then authorities revisited the little-known case of Robert Lloyd Schellenberg, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison in November for drug offences.

A month later, an upper court took up his appeal and ordered a hasty retrial in the northeastern port city of Dalian after ruling that the punishment was too lenient.

The timing and swiftness of Schellenberg’s sentence, and the inclusion of new evidence presenting him as a key player in a plan to ship 222 kilograms (490 pounds) of methamphetamine to Australia, raised suspicion among observers.

“Playing hostage politics, China rushes the retrial of a Canadian

suspect and sentences him to death in a fairly transparent attempt to pressure Canada,” Human Rights Watch executive director Kenneth Roth said in a tweet.

Donald Clarke, a George Washington University professor specialising in Chinese law, coined an even grimmer term for the situation: “death threat diplomacy”.

“The Chinese government is not even trying to pretend that there was a fair trial here,” he said. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed “extreme concern” that China had “chosen to arbitrarily” apply the death penalty.

But Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying

denied Beijing had politicised Schellenberg’s case, calling on Canada to “respect China’s judicial sovereignty... and stop making such irresponsible remarks.”

Ottawa had issued a new travel advisory urging citizens to “exercise a high degree of caution in China due to the risk of arbitrary enforcement of local laws.”

Hua countered: “Canada should remind its own citizens to definitely not engage in drug smuggling in China”. The court in Liaoning on said its actions were “in compliance with the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Law,” the state-run Legal Daily reported.

- Suspect timing China executes one or two foreigners every year -- nearly all for drug offences, according to John

Kamm, director of the US-based Dui Hua Foundation rights group.

Experts said retrials are rare in China, especially ones calling for a harsher sentence, but rights groups note that courts are not independent and can be influenced by the ruling Communist Party.

“What’s unusual is how this case shifted from extremely slow handling to suddenly rapid fire movement,” said Margaret Lewis, a law professor at Seton Hall University.

Continued to page 6 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.

2

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Bali News

International

Supermarkets obliged to sell local products at least 25 percent

The tourists are coming to Bali through Ngurah Rai International Airport

IBP/Yudi Karnaedi

Tourist contributions included in airfare

Parliament questions about how to identify travelers

DENPASAR - The discussion on the Regional Bylaw Bill on the Contribution of Tourists to Conservation of Nature and Culture in Bali is going to be held on Tuesday (Jan. 15). Many things will be questioned by the Special Committee in the Bali House of Representatives to the executive regarding the regional regulation bill.

“Tomorrow (Tuesday—Ed) many questions may arise, especially great questions, the matter of legal instrument with the failure of the previous contribution plan,” said Chairperson of the Special Committee for Regional Contributions, I Ketut Suwandhi, when confirmed on Monday (Jan. 14 ) The next question, continued Suwandhi, concerns the identification of tourists subject to contributions. Considering the contribution is only applied to tourists, namely foreign tourists, worth USD 10 or around IDR150,000 and domestic tourists will be charged at IDR 25,000. “Although the value is different, how can we distinguish them between a tourist or homecomer, or businessman, office worker, et cetera?” explained this Golkar politician.

Suwandhi added the way to collect contributions also requires clarity. If only making cooperation with airlines, what about tourists coming to Bali via land and sea line. This will also be a question mark. Plus other questions that might appeared previously at the Bali House of Representatives’ Plenary Session.

“Hopefully, this can run smoothly as

well as be agreed by the ministry (central government—Ed) and by the airline itself for the collection system because this is also important to increase regional revenue for the development of Bali,” he said.

In the previous plenary session, all factions in the Bali House of Representatives gave a general view regarding the regional bill. One of the Golkar Party factions suggested the executives to optimize regional agencies in imposing tourist contributions rather than being carried out by the Tourist Contribution Fund Management Agency (BPKW).

PDI-P faction expected the results of levies can also be used for subak empowerment program, as well as regional strengthening in special mitigation and contingency plans for tourists. Panca Bayu faction requested the governor to provide an explanation for tourists that the contribution is related to the efforts to restore, conserve and revitalize the natural and cultural environment of Bali.

Democratic Party and Gerindra Faction both gave input so that the regional regulation also governs sanctions for

third parties if they are proven not to follow and implement the regulations agreed. In addition, the Gerindra Faction specifically requested that there is a clear arrangement that allocation of regional revenue from the implementation of the regional regulation is actually used for the purpose of this regulation. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party Faction suggested that domestic tourist contributions will be delayed or reconsidered.

Separately interviewed, the Governor of Bali Wayan Koster did not deny that in other countries such contributions only apply to foreign tourists.

Therefore, the input of the parliament will be considered in preparing the regional bylaw. Later on, the amount of contribution will be included in airfare.

In this case, the provincial government of Bali cooperates with airlines.

“Let’s be applied first to tourists travelling by air. Later on it can be expanded as most foreign tourists come by air. It becomes regionally generated revenue. They (tourists) are happy because this is for strengthening Balinese culture,” he said. (kmb32)

SEMARAPURA - Klungkung district government seems to have a long-term plan behind its policy of limiting operating hours of supermarket, especially chained stores until 22:00.

Local government would like to restore economic rotation in the region because supermarkets or chain stores are considered to only capture the money of residents in Klungkung, and are used to expand their business in other regions. Additionally, in the future, the Klungkung government plans to require every supermarket to accommodate local products of Klungkung at least amounting to 25 percent.

This was conveyed by Regent of Klungkung, Nyoman Suwirta, when responding to a variety of citizen’s complaints regarding the new policy on Monday (Jan. 14). According to him, many things have not been understood by citizens. So, he considered it natural if later on various reactions emerge resulted by the policy. One of the important points of this policy is how to stop these chain stores from capturing money from Klungkung residents, then take it outside to develop their business outside Klungkung, even outside Bali. This economic turnaround is very influential in the regional gini ratio.

In addition, as a holding company, this chain store company has no contribution to the regional government. For example, there is no CSR contribution that can be given to local governments. “If the chain stores are pressed, then this will be an opportunity for local supermarkets. If residents shop there, surely the economy will be centered in Klungkung. So, our region certainly develops. This must be understood as a big goal, other than protecting traditional market and protect young people frequently wandering at midnight.

Having arranged this, all Klungkung MSME products will have the opportunity to be accommodated in every supermarket. Every local product owned by MSMEs must have standards in order to be able to compete against external products.

To prepare for this, Regent Suwirta has instructed all relevant agencies to carry out coaching so that they are ready to seize the opportunity. “As the first step, we will take action with appeals, so that supermarkets want to accommodate local products of Klungkung residents. Then, it will be regulated in the regent decree. However, the readiness as the weakness of our local products must be prepared with maturity,” said Regent Suwirta.

Regent Suwirta stressed this plan had been sparked for a long time. However, the right moment has arrived with the efforts to control the outside-owned chain stores. So, the Industry, Trade and Cooperatives Agency is able to boost the MSME sector, and they are ready to capture the opportunities for local market having begun to open up. “If the supermarkets are owned by local people and local products are available, so the workforce is also attempted to recruit local people. So, there is no more unfair treatment, for employees, such as the one experienced by local employees working in the chain stores that was only employed at the beginning of the operations,” he said.

Closed immediately

Another peculiarity regarding the existence of this chain store is the licensing aspect. When making site inspection to the chain stores, the employees were unable to presence their license to Regent Suwirta. The employee claimed to have a license, but is brought by his superior. Regent Suwirta is suspicious, they only have one license but used for many store operations. This can be seen from several stores having the same style but using different names adjusted to the name of the area.

To ensure this, Regent Suwirta will come back down. If indeed they only have one license, and is used for many store operations, the existence of the modern chain store will be instantly closed at that time. (kmb31)

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Activities

International

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Traditional Sunday Roast at Courtyard Seminyak

Come by to the Courtyard by Marriott Bali Seminyak Resort every Sunday for a sumptuous feast of Britain’s traditional and bestloved meals such as Crispy Pork Belly, Roasted Beef and Roasted Chicken all served with Yorkshire pudding, roasted herbs potato, roasted pumpkin, carrot, & green bean, cauliflower gratin, caramelized onion and homemade gravy sauce.Every Sunday, Seminyak Meat Shop 2PM – 8.30PM.Food Only IDR 200K++/person With a Glass of Local House Wine IDR 250K++/person.

For more info, call +62361 8499600 or email seminyak.fb@ courtyard.com.Set only blocks from the beach, Courtyard Bali Seminyak Resort welcomes hotel guests with deluxe amenities and award-winning service. Legendary Potato Head Beach and the Beach Club are only moments drive away, as are the tempting restaurants and bars of Eat Street. Relax and recharge in our well-appointed hotel rooms and suites, which offer premium bedding, rain showers, working desks, free Wi-Fi and private balconies or terraces with direct

pool access. Upgrade to a suite to enjoy extra living space, ideal for those traveling with family.

Numerous delicious dining options await you. Pamper yourself with a spa appointment, take the plunge in one of our three-tier pool, work out in our modern gym and treat the family to time at the Kids Club. If you are planning an event, you’ll love our ballroom, intimate studios, garden space and private rooftop venue, as well as our expert planning services and custom catering.

We look forward to welcoming you to Courtyard Bali Seminyak Resort.

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Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Technology

International

Elon Musk shows off prototype of Marsbound rocket, Starship will be -- but is shorter.

Its first test flights -- suborbital “hops” reaching several miles (kilometers) in the air before landing back on Earth -- could come in March or April.

An orbital prototype is expected in June. That version will be paired with a massive rocket booster known as the Super Heavy.

SpaceX has said the duo could one day transport people from city to city on Earth, as well as propel

passengers around the Moon, to the lunar surface, and even to Mars and back.

SpaceX currently launches regular supply missions to the astronauts living at the International Space Station, using its Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon cargo capsule.

The company is working on a new Dragon crew capsule that could start carrying people to the orbiting outpost later this year. (afp)

This image released by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on January 11, 2019, shows the test version of the Starship Hopper, which awaits its first flight test in Texas in the coming weeks.

The prototype was built in Boca Chica, along the Gulf Coast of Texas

Elon MUSK / AFP

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

3

Realizing quality tourism

Alipay supports rupiah transactions for Chinese tourists

WASHINGTON - SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has unveiled the first pictures of a retro-looking, steely rocket called Starship that may one day carry people to the Moon and Mars.

Musk posted pictures on Twitter late Thursday of the Starship Hopper prototype, which awaits its first flight test in Texas in the coming weeks.

“Starship test flight rocket just finished assembly at the @SpaceX Texas launch site. This is an actual picture, not a rendering,” he wrote.

The prototype built in Boca Chica, along the Gulf Coast of Texas, is nine yards (eight meters) in diameter -- like the future rocket

Bali News

International

Robyn Beck / AFP

In this file photo taken on January 9, 2019, the WaterGen GEN350 medium-scale atmospheric water generator is displayed at CES 2019 on January 9, 2019 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Tech to the rescue: New products aim to improve disaster relief

LAS VEGAS - After catastrophic wildfires in southern California late last year, the Israeli startup Watergen sent in its devices which pull clean water out of the atmosphere for firefighters and relief workers.

The machines, which have been deployed in other global disaster areas, were among the technologies on display at the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show to highlight innovations which can be used in various kinds of relief efforts.

“We clean the air because it’s much easier to clean air than it is to clean water,” said Yehuda Kaploun, president of Watergen USA, who was demonstrating the device at the annual Las Vegas extravaganza which ends Friday after showcasing futuristic innovations.

Watergen claims its technology -- offered in a commercial-size Gen350 and a consumer version known as Genny -- has many applications for emergency response and helping the many millions who lack potable water.

The exhibits showcased a broad array of “tech for good” services which use robotics, drones, artificial intelligence and the like.

- Robotic legs, treacherous terrain -

The show’s “Resilience Marketplace” included technology assisting with emergency preparedness and response, and panel discussions at the event also addressed these issues.

CES this year also included a conference panel on how technology can help “create more resilient communities” by tackling problems including poverty, health, education, and sustainability.

“Disaster recovery and public safety is an area in the drone industry experiencing exponential growth with a multitude of real-world appli-

cations,” said Ben Marcus, chairman or AirMap, which allows operators to manage drones for emergency response.

“When used for public safety, drones are cheaper, faster, and more effective in keeping people out of harm’s way.”

Taiwan-based startup Uupsafety won a CES award for its technology which monitors firefighters with smart wearables that connect to command centers.

Japanese automaker Honda showed its prototype autonomous work vehicle which could be used in a variety of situations including search and rescue, firefighting and snow removal.

“We’ve been testing (the vehicle) in real-world scenarios to demonstrate the value and capabilities of this unique machine,” said Honda executive Pete Wendt.

Honda said it has tested the vehicle in Colorado wildfires, relieving the physical strain of firefighters carrying supplies and water, and using a mode that allowed it to autonomously follow the crews.

South Korea’s Hyundai went a step further, unveiling a vehicle with robotic legs to let it walk or crawl over treacherous terrain.

Hyundai billed its Elevate as an unprecedented “Ultimate Mobility Vehicle” that combines technology from electric cars with robotics.

“What if a car designed with robotics could save lives in disasters?” said Hyundai executive John Suh, who heads the company’s Cradle arm devoted to innovation.

The concept vehicle can drive at highway speeds with the legs retracted but if needed can climb over a 1.5-meter (five-foot) wall, in what the automaker called “a new paradigm of mobility.” (afp)

MANGUPURA — Chinese tourists traveling to Bali are expected to use rupiah in their transaction.

By using rupiah when making transactions, of course it will be recorded as a state income. This was conveyed by President Director of PT Alto Halo Digital International (AHDI), Rudi Ramli, in the dissemination of Alipay transaction usage in Kuta on Friday (Jan. 11).

According to him, to support this, one of the online payment platforms owned by the giant Alibaba group, Alipay, continues to disseminate transactions using Alipay to support the development of quality Bali tourism. With Alipay transactions, tourists from China who travel to Bali will transact in rupiah and not in the form of Renminbi (RMB), the currency of the People’s Republic of China.

Previously, Rudi said the ‘mafia’ running tourism business in Bali were free to carry out illegal practices with RMB transactions without the rupiah exchange rate so that all the transactions occurred directly between banks in China.

As a result, he said, the process of transactions carried out in Indonesia, especially in Bali, had no impact on the regional economy and the increase in foreign exchange.

At present, the implementation in the field, according to Rudi, many ‘merchants” enforce transactions by using Alipay platform.

“We recommend all shops to use

Alipay. We prepare the method of payment, and go to stores remaining to use transactions with RMB (Chinese currency). Thus, Bank Indonesia will talk to them in order to use rupiah transactions at merchants such as hotels, restaurants, spas, and shop stores because Chinese tourists prefer to make payment by using mobile phone, and this is all supported by Alipay,” said Rudi.

He will support the creation of quality Bali tourism because Alipay transactions have the ability to block transactions at merchants that remain to use transactions of the Chinese currency (RMB).

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) of Bali Chapter, A.A. Ngurah Alit Wiraputra, said that currently it is time to apply transaction system by means of Alipay, including in Bali. He said that for the Bali region, in the future the visit of Asian tourists including those from China will be quite large. As a result, it becomes challenge and an opportunity for Bali.

With the transactions by using Alipay, said Alit, all transactions are digitally recorded, so that it possibly becomes an official and ideal payment system. “Whether liking it or not, it’s been the time. With Alipay transactions, the country can make savings in terms of printing money,” he said. (kmb23)

IBP/kmb

Some spiritual servants (pepatih) seem to have fallen into trance in the ngerebong procession held at Kesiman.

Ngerebong tradition at Kesiman

KESIMAN remains to be known to loyally apply the royal traditions. Thousands of residents of customary village on Sunday (Jan. 13) held ngerebong procession. This regular procession is held every six months (210 days) of Wuku Medangsia centered in the Agung Petilan Kesiman Temple.

IBP/kmb

Chinese tourists traveling to Bali are expected to use rupiah in their transaction.

Kesiman residents are also known to hold their customs firmly.

So, the tradition is never abolished as said by Chief of Kesiman customary village, I Made Karim.

He said the procession does not only mean to neutralize the earth but also maintain the balance of the macrocosm and microcosm and unifying means of the people.

So, the ngerebong procession was followed by spiritual servants (pepatih) and sanctified effigies consisting of barong, rangda from Singgi, Sanur, Tohpati and Bekul and surrounding area.

Likewise there is opinion interpreting ngerebong as spinning.

People believe that on the day all the deities are gathering. The tradition is centralized at Petilan Temple. So this temple is better known as the Pengerebongan Temple.

This tradition is also considered an ancient one to avoid calamities or disasters. It belongs to the Bhuta Yadnya ceremony aiming to neutralize evil forces (bhuta) in order to become a good power (deity) so as not to disturb humanity, especially at Kesiman.

Made Karim revealed the Ngerebong procession itself aims to remind the Hindus through the sacred ritual to continuously maintain harmony in human relations with God, humans and fellow humans and humans with nature.

The ritual started in the morning by taking out the sanctified effigies in all the temples across Kesiman.

It was resumed with the Nyanjan and Nuwur procession. It is meant to invoke the sacred power of the deities characterized by trance of the spiritual servants and the sanc-

tified effigies surrounded the Petilan Temple for three times. Both male and female spiritual servants stabbed kris dagger on their chest, neck and even the crown. Strangely, none of them was bleeding from the blast of the kris dagger. Likewise, this procession is called ngurek or stabbing.

After the ngerebong, all the temple priests led by Mangku Gede Dalem performed a procession known as Ngider Bhuana by circumnavigating the wantilan hall for three times. At that time, all the temple priests, prasanak and manca at Kesiman were showing off their loyalty to Bhatara Dalem. This ceremony was held according to the procession style of Kesiman. After the procession was over, all the sanctified effigies returned to their abode at respective temple. (sue)

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Bali News

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

International

Regent Suwirta ‘breaks’ 24-hour supermarkets must also begin to understand, whose modern shop is networked, where their cash flow goes and what impact it has on the local economy in the long term.

Regent Suwirta did not only think of it. He also anticipated the basic needs at night, especially the urgent ones like the needs of hospital patients. He has instructed the local director to optimize the role of cooperatives in that place. So, there is no need for a 24-hour supermarket. The hospital cooperative must take the opportunity. “Let us try to organize the life of our generation apart from those who have not been able to resolve the problem. Let us also try to save our generation,” he said.

Previously, following up on Regent Circular No.510 / 227 / DISKOP on the Arrangement of Working Hours of Shopping Centers and Supermarkets, Regent Suwirta accompanied by Chief of Klungkung Municipal Police, I Putu Suarta, also carried out monitoring against shopping centers and supermarkets in the Klungkung region. As a result, there are still many supermarkets or mini markets that do not heed the circular based on Klungkung District Regulation No. 13/2018 dated December 19, 2018 concerning the Structuring and Guidance of the People’s Market, Shopping Centers and Supermarkets.

Actually, businessmen of mini market, hypermart, department stores and supermarkets have been informed regarding the opening hours from Monday to Friday until 22:00, on Saturdays and Sundays open until 23:00, while on religious holidays, national holidays and finalization of financial report until 00:00. Some of them argued to have not known about the circular and claimed to have not received it. Without compromise on the grounds of the owner, Regent Suwirta immediately acted decisively by asking to close at that time because it had passed the deadline. (kmb31)

IBP/kmb31

Shopping centers or supermarkets in Klungkung are currently not allowed to open 24 hours.

13

Antarctica ice loss increases six fold since 1979: study

District govt wants to protect traditional markets and young generation SEMARAPURA - Shopping centers or supermarkets in Klungkung are currently not allowed to open 24 hours. This is as an impact of the enactment of Klungkung Regional Regulation No. 3/2018, followed up by the Regent Circular No.510 / 227 / DISKOP concerning the Setting of Working Hours of Shopping Centers and Supermarkets in Klungkung. Regent Suwirta stated on Sunday (Jan. 13), this is an effort to protect the existence of traditional markets and stop economic circulation benefiting outsiders. Besides, it poses an effort to protect younger generation from promiscuity.

Since this policy took effect last week, many parties have begun to debate because it is considered able to lead to new unemployment, and makes it difficult for the urban community to meet urgent basic needs at night. Many people also questioned about the intention of the district government and parliament to take such policy so that at the maximum retail / supermarket will be open until 22:00. “If nightclubs are closed, it makes more sense. But if the 24-hour shop is closed by force, it seems too excessive,” said a resident of Kemoning, Gede A. Suhendra.

Regent Suwirta responded openly to every complaint of his citizens.

If the impact of employee cuts is questionable, he challenged to check directly, how many people of Klungkung do actually work in the 24-hour shop? “If there are Klungkung people who are out of work because of the store closure at 22:00, tell them to meet me,” said Suwirta.

He asked his citizens to think twice. When looked deeper into the modern 24-hour chain store, actually they have no economic cycle in Klungkung. He considered it dangerous because it actually goes to further weaken the local economic conditions. So, he also reminded that traditional market needs to be saved.

According to him, the community

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

International

TAMPA - Global warming is melting ice in Antarctica faster than ever before -- about six times more per year now than 40 years ago -- leading to increasingly high sea levels worldwide, scientists warned Monday.

IBP/kmb

Communities concerned with plastic waste when carrying out the Plastic Waste Cleanup Movement (GEDASAMTIK).

Plastic waste cleanup action at Lempuyang Temple

HINDUS and tourists are requested not to dispose of plastic waste in the area of Lempuyang Temple. Piles of layered plastic waste in the Lempuyang hill area which is also a sacred area of Sad Kahyangan Lempuyang Luhur Temple, Abang subdistrict, become the finding and challenge of students, pupil and youth, communities concerned with plastic waste, national police/Indonesian military, and Balinese people when carrying out the Plastic Waste Cleanup Movement (GEDASAMTIK) on Saturday (Jan. 12).

By utilizing the moment of the Panca Bali Krama ritual in Lempuyang Temple, thousands of people thronged the Lempuyang hilly area to move and clean up the forest area from the threat of plastic waste being rampant in every inch of the Lempuyang hilly area.

The Plastic Waste Cleanup Movement initiated by the Regional Leadership of KMHDI Bali and Peradah Bali went smoothly, even though the GEDASAMTIK participants had to drain their energy to climb the Lempuyang hill steps where the participants started from Penataran Lempuyang Temple and passed the Lempuyang Madya Temple, the Pasar Agung and the highest is Lempuyang Luhur.

“GEDASAMTIK aims at cleaning the Lempuyang sacred area from the threat of plastic waste such as drink bottles, packaging of snacks, plastic bags, packets of noodle pop, candy wraps and flip flops made of

rubber we found around the Lempuyang,” said Committee Chairman of GEDASAMTIK, I Ketut Bagus Arjana Wira Putra, on Saturday (Jan. 12).

According to him, without starting from now on the presence of plastic waste in Lempuyang and the awareness of everyone not to dispose of plastic waste in the area, we can imagine that forest ecosystems will be gradually damaged, springs in the region will be polluted and unhealthy to be consumed, the growth of green trees there will also be hampered.

The more worrying is the nature tourism activities in Lempuyang that will slowly not be visited due to Lempuyang has lost its aesthetics due to piles of plastic waste.

“Actually what is happening now is the hill area or the Mount Lempuyang has become one of the sources of regional revenue (PAD) of Karangasem district with the charging of admission tickets for tourists

visiting the area,” said Putra before Chairman of the KMHDI Bali, I Gusti Kirana Dana and Chairman of Peradah Bali, Komang Agus Widiantara. He added that in the cleanup activities tourists visiting the object gave much appreciation to the actions of caring for the environment.

Moreover, some tourists helped carry sack bags filled with plastic trash to the truck of the Environment and Sanitation Agency.

Previously, the activities were followed by participants consisting of police and military personnel, Peradah Bali, KMHDI Bali, KMHD STIKOM, Trash Hero, Plastic Island, Geberpasti, Round Table, Bali Cleanup, Marine Debris Guard Udayana, Karangasem Youth Forum, Bali Hindu Youth Alliance, Karangasem Youth, Brotherhood, FA KMHDI, Satyam Eva Jayate Ashram, Small Climber, Batu Keben as well as junior high and senior high school students in Abang subdistrict. (kmb)

Already, Antarctic melting has raised global sea levels more than half an inch (1.4 centimeters) between 1979 and 2017, said the report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer-reviewed US journal.

And the pace of melting is expected to lead to disastrous sea level rise in the years to come, according to lead author Eric Rignot, chair of Earth system science at the University of California, Irvine.

“As the Antarctic ice sheet continues to melt away, we expect multi-meter sea level rise from Antarctica in the coming centuries,” Rignot said.

A rise of 1.8 meters (six feet) by 2100, as some scientists forecast in worst-case scenarios, would flood many coastal cities that are home to millions of people around the world, previous research has shown.

For the current study, researchers embarked on the longest-ever assessment of ice mass in the Antarctic, across 18 geographic regions. Data came from high-resolution aerial photographs taken by NASA planes, along with satellite radar from multiple space agencies.

Researchers discovered that from 1979 to 1990, Antarctica shed an average of 40 billion tons of ice mass annually.

By the years 2009 to 2017, the ice loss had increased more than sixfold, to 252 billion tons per year.

Chris LARSEN / NASA / AFP

This file NASA image released on December 20, 2017 and acquired on November 29, 2017 by Operation IceBridge during a flight to Victoria Land, shows an iceberg floating in Antarctica’s McMurdo Sound.

Even more worrying, researchers found that areas that were once considered “stable and immune to change” in East Antarctica, are shedding quite a lot of ice, too, said the study.

“The Wilkes Land sector of East Antarctica has, overall, always been an important participant in the mass loss, even as far back as the 1980s, as our research has shown,” Rignot said.

“This region is probably more sensitive to climate than has traditionally been assumed, and that’s important to know, because it holds even more ice than West Antarctica and the Antarctic Peninsula together.” (afp)

Thailand to make it rain as pollution chokes Bangkok

Romeo GACAD / AFP

A woman wears a face mask on the way to work while smog blankets Bangkok on January 14, 2019.

BANGKOK - Thailand is set to deploy rainmaking planes to seed clouds in an effort to tackle the pall of pollution that has shrouded the capital in recent weeks.

The weather modification technique involves dispersing chemicals into the air to aid cloud condensation, which should in theory result in rain.

“The Department of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation... expects the rainmaking to be done tomorrow (Tuesday) but it depends on wind and humidity levels,” Pralong Dumrongthai, director-general of Thailand’s Pollution Control Department, told reporters.

As Thais woke up Monday morning to another day of murky air blanketing its bustling construction-filled capital, environment group Greenpeace said Bangkok was currently the 10th most polluted in the world, rivalling some

cities in China.

Reasons for the persistent smog include combustion exhaust from Bangkok’s traffic-strewn roads, the burning of fields from farmers outside the city, and pollutants from factories. Public discontent has surfaced on Thai social media and television, with pollution-related hashtags trending and TV hosts advising viewers on the types of face masks they should wear.

Air Visual, an independent online air quality index (AQI) monitor, pegged Bangkok at “unhealthy” levels measuring 156 AQI on Monday -- though numbers have often crept higher in the last two months.

But the Pollution Department played down the dangers of the persistent haze, which the government judges using a different set of measurements to see the concentration of harmful microscopic particles known as PM2.5.

He said Bangkok had recent peak PM2.5 levels of 102 micrograms per cubic metre and on Monday was sitting under 90.

“Our PM figure is high but it is not a crisis yet,” he said. “We are not in the range of 120-150 where all people have to wear masks all the time when they are out.”

But Greenpeace’s Thailand director Tara Buakamsri said immediate action should be taken by the authorities, like reducing the number of cars and closing schools in high-risk areas.

“The pollution issues are more and more frequent in Bangkok. We need smarter air quality management.”

In recent weeks, municipal workers have sprayed water along the roads and into the air in Bangkok to help clear the smog, while authorities have urged people to stay indoors. (afp)

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International

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Bali News

International

BUSINESS

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

5

Strong economy does little to lift department store sales

NEW YORK - It was supposed to be a great holiday shopping season.

Many investors had expected department stores to enjoy robust sales in light of a U.S. economy buoyed by low unemployment, higher wages, strong consumer confidence and cheap gas.

So when Macy’s and Kohl’s reported lackluster numbers on Thursday, they were taken aback, sending retail stocks into a tailspin and calling into question whether such mall-based chains can compete in a changing landscape where shoppers are shifting more of their spending online.

Macy’s saw only a slight increase of 1.1 percent in sales during November-December at stores opened at least year. And while sales were strong during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the company said sales fell off noticeably until the week of Christmas.

Meanwhile, Kohl’s reported a small sales growth that showed a dramatic slowdown from a year ago. Comparable sales rose 1.2 percent, versus 6.9 percent in the previous year. Shares of Macy’s plummeted nearly 18 percent Thursday, suffering its worst one-day decline. Kohl’s stock closed down nearly 5 percent. Even Target’s stock took a hit, falling nearly 3 percent despite showing strong holiday sales.

Earlier this week, J.C. Penney, one of the stragglers in the department store sector, reported a drop in comparable store sales of 3.5 percent for November and December. But because Macy’s is considered a barometer of spending, particularly for the middle class and for mall spending, investors may be looking for deeper meaning in its performance.

“Macy’s report spooked investors because investors expected it to be a great holiday season across the board,” said Neil Saunders, managing director at GlobalData Retail, a retail research firm. “Now, they’re questioning how good the holiday season was. There is a lot of uncertainty out there.”

Adding to the uncertainty is that investors will not be getting December’s monthly retail sales data next week from the Commerce Department if the government shutdown is still

Sweet Memories in Edelweiss Park

Numerous tourist attractions in Karangasem were thronged by visitors on Umanis Galungan.

One of them is the Edelweiss tourist attraction located at Temukus hamlet, Besakih, Rendang, crowded by visitors taking advantage of their holidays on Thursday (Dec. 27).

AP Photo/John Minchillo, File

In this Nov. 23, 2018, file photo shoppers browse the aisles during a Black Friday sale at a Target store in Newport, Ky. Target on Thursday, Jan. 10, 2019, posted strong online growth in November and December. Sales for merchandise ordered online and picked up at stores surged 60 percent. in effect, as most observers expect. Saunders said investors are also worried that a recovery among traditional stores like Macy’s is losing momentum, raising concerns that they might have to ramp up investments even more to increase sales.

Analysts say factors like a shift to online spending and consumer preferences for socalled experiences like spas and restaurants have hurt impulse spending that likely put a dent in December’s figures for Macy’s and Kohl’s. Online sellers are relentlessly growing their share of retail sales. In November, e-commerce and catalog sales jumped 10.8 percent from a year earlier, according to Commerce Department data, more than double the overall sales increase of 4.2 percent. Department store sales slipped 0.2

percent during the same period.

And Marshal Cohen, chief industry adviser at NPD Group, estimates that as much as 40 percent of shoppers bought experiences as gifts this holiday season, up from 25 percent just a few years ago.

Analysts also point to factors that hit Macy’s in particular. Some believe, for instance, the company may not have done enough to make its merchandise and marketing compelling for customers as it tried to compete against online players like Amazon.

Target, on the other hand, bucked the trend by posting strong online growth in November and December. Sales for merchandise ordered online and picked up at stores surged 60 percent. That is key to Target’s campaign to hold online retailers like Amazon at bay,

particularly during the competitive holiday season, because shoppers can dodge shipping fees. Target Corp. said Thursday that sales at stores open at least a year increased 5.7 percent in the period, up from 3.4 percent a year earlier. Comparable online sales climbed 29 percent.

The company still expects full-year adjusted earnings in a range of $5.30 to $5.50 per share. Analysts polled by FactSet foresee $5.39 per share. The maintained outlook may have disappointed investors.

Macy’s on Thursday lowered its fiscal 2018 earnings outlook to $3.95 to $4 per share from its prior per-share earnings for $4.10 to $4.30 per share. That’s well below the per-share projections of $4.23 from industry analysts. (ap)

German economy slowed in 2018, but dodges year-end recession FRANKFURT - Germany’s economic growth eased to 1.5 percent last year amid signs of a wider global slowdown, though the figures suggest Europe’s largest economy at least escaped a feared recession in the fourth quarter.

The figure announced Thursday by the

government statistics agency was down from 2.2 percent in 2017 and is the weakest in five years.

German output fell in the third quarter by 0.2 percent, but the dip was attributed to temporary factors such as bottlenecks registering cars under new emissions test-

ing rules. Worsening economic data had raised fears that Germany may have turned another quarter of contraction in the fourth quarter, for which figures will be reported Feb. 14. Two straight quarters of falling output is one definition of a recession.

But the statistics agency said there were

“signs of a slight recovery” in the fourth quarter compared with the third. Agency official Tanja Mucha said that “we are not assuming a minus” in the fourth quarter. She cautioned that the figures are still preliminary. It was the ninth straight year of annual economic growth in Germany. (ap)

Moreover, the large number of visitors caused traffic jam along about three kilometers towards the tourist attraction. Visitors who took advantage of the Umanis Galungan holiday period had come to visit the tourist attraction from the morning. In the afternoon, the number of visitors continued to arrive one after another.

Visitors came by riding a motor-

cycle or a car. Aside from children coming with their families, there were also young men and women with their partners. Families were also busy visiting tourist attractions that offer natural beauty with the expanse of edelweiss and marigold flowers.

Moreover, due to flocking visitors, the parking space provided was unable to accommodate all

the vehicles that arrived. Such condition made the road to both objects have traffic congestion.

Nevertheless, it did not dampen visitors’ intentions. They remained patient in order to be able to enjoy the attraction located about 4 km from the summit of Mount Agung currently still at level III (Watch).

Research and Development

Division Head of Edelweiss Park, I Nengah Sueca, revealed that visitors had continued to arrive from the morning. Until these days, along the road there are still vehicles of visitors going to the edelweiss attraction.

“Visitors are very crowded. The arrival of visitors is most crowded since this tourist attraction was built. Parking space is fully occupied, therefore vehicles cannot go up due to traffic jams,” he said On that account, visitors then

parked their car on the road side.

Only motorbikes could go up. In terms of the number of visitors, they were tripled from normal days. When calculated, it can reach a thousand more,” he said. Chief of Temukus customary village, I Nengah Sindia, said that crowded visitors have started to come one day before Galungan.

Currently, visitors are quite a lot compared to on ordinary days. On normal days, the number of visits ranges from 400 to 500 but now it is more than 1,000 guests. (kmb)

Kamasan Painting Comes with a Message of Life

Kamasan painting has been familiar in the ears of Balinese people. This artwork has long been a wealth of Klungkung district.

Apart from its classical appearance, this painting is rich in puppet and animal stories. It is really meaningful. At Kamasan village can be found many centers of the painting activities. There are also galleries where a number of works created by the artists have been displayed since several years ago. It applies classic colors of red and brownish perfectly combined. Some paintings offer a jungle feel following a pre-established pattern. They look very lively and beautiful to look at.

The work is not just an expression of the art but there is a message of life. What is scratched is not a common thing. It presents a series

of pictures depicting a number of characters contained in the story.

One of the themes is heroic attractions on the battlefield. It’s like giving a moral message. It is adopted from various stories, such as Mahabharata and Ramayana epic. Occasionally, the artists also express his idea inspired by animal or tantric tales.

The painter Mangku Muriati Mura said that in the midst of the art development, the appearance of other paintings is very possible.

Nevertheless, he does not get dissolved in that situation. His great desire to maintain the art is believed to have emerged since the kingdom era that will not fade over the times.

The norms are not neglected. Everything is still followed. “We still preserve them all,” he said, not long ago.

This painting is not solely concerned with aesthetics but more than it, where it also offers strong philosophical values. His work is combined with religious elements or teachings quoted from the palmleaf manuscripts. “We must understand the meaning, not just some scratches,” he said.

Another painter, Kadek Natha, explained that in harmony with the development of times, Kamasan paint coloring began to use acrylic because natural materials are increasingly difficult to obtain.

However, the classic impression never fades. It remains to looks sharp and has divine inspiration.

“Pere is one of natural dyes, a kind of stone obtained from Sakenan. Its color is yellowish brown, but now many painters have switched from this color,” he explained.

Profession as painter has been pursued since he was in elementary school. His works have been widely sold. The price is fantastic and comparable to the complexity. “There is a painting sold for IDR 9 million, even more. The

cheaper is also available,” he said.

His paintings are no longer just scratched on canvas, but many of them have been used as hotel room ornaments. “Many hotels ask me to paint in classical style,” said Natha. (kmb)

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Wednesday, January 16, 2019

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International

RLD

Massive US teachers’ strike affects half million pupils

LOS ANGELES - More than 30,000 public school teachers in Los Angeles walked off the job on Monday to press their demands for better pay, smaller class sizes and more educators.

The strike -- the first in 30 years -- is affecting some 500,000 students in the nation’s second largest school district, with intense negotiations in past weeks failing to lead to a breakthrough.

The action is being watched closely by teaching unions across the country that are engaged in labor negotiations and also considering strikes.

“Here we are on a rainy day in the richest country in the world, in the richest state in the country, in a state that’s blue (Democrat) as it can be -- and in a city rife with millionaires -- where teachers have to go on strike to get the basics for our students,” Alex Caputo-Pearl, the head of the United Teachers Los Angeles union, told a news conference.

“Here we are in a fight for the soul of public education,” Caputo-Pearl added.

“The question is: do we starve our public neighborhood schools so that they (become) privatized, or do we re-invest in our public neighborhood schools for our students and for a thriving city?”

Although the teachers’ union and the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) agree that class sizes -- some at more than 40 -- must shrink, teacher salaries must improve and more support staff are needed, they differ on funding.

School district officials insist they have taken great pains to avert a strike and negotiate with the union and say the district simply doesn’t have enough money to meet all of the demands. A revised offer submitted on Friday and calling for roughly $24 million more in funding and 1,200 more teachers for the upcoming school year was rejected.

- ‘We’d like to resolve this’ -

Frederic J. BROWN / AFP

Thousands of teachers march in the rain through Los Angeles, California on January 14, 2019, on the first day of the first teachers strike in 30 years targeting the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD).

LAUSD superintendent Austin Beutner on Monday said his office had reached out to the governor’s office and the mayor’s office to see if they could help broker a deal.

He said the teachers’ demands would cost about $3 billion and push district into insolvency.

“We remain committed to resolve the contract negotiations as soon as possible,” Beutner told reporters. “We urge (the union) to resume bargaining with us anytime, anywhere, 24-7. We’d like to resolve this.”

Despite the walkout, the 1,240 schools in the sprawling district remain open, he said, with classes taught by administrators and substitute teachers.

Last spring, a strike by teachers in the state of West Virginia over low wages and rising health care costs set off a wave of similar action in several other states and garnered strong public support. (afp)

International

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

INDONESIAN INDONESIAN

exchanging barbs since the Brazilian won elections at the end of last year.

“Bolsonaro is a modern day Hitler.

He is. What he doesn’t have is courage and his own decisions because he’s the puppet of a sect,” said Maduro, referring to Bolsonaro’s conservative evangelical Christian support base.

Bolsonaro has accused Maduro of being a “dictator” and described him

Hostage politics...

more glaring,” she said.

The rare decision to allow three foreign journalists, including one from AFP, to attend the hearing makes it “clear that the Chinese government wants (the) international spotlight on this case.”

“The timing is suspect and certainly his nationality makes it all the

Schellenberg, who claimed he was innocent and framed by an acquaintance, has 10 days to appeal to the same high court that rejected his first appeal. Lewis said the court was likely to confirm the sentence and the case would move up to the Supreme People’s Court.

From page 1

- Meng at home -

as illegitimate when the Venezuelan leader was sworn in on Thursday.

Maduro won an election in May that was boycotted by the opposition and dismissed as a fraud by the United States, European Union and many Latin American countries.

He was sworn in by the Supreme Court, made up of regime loyalists, rather than the opposition controlled

National Assembly, as Venezuela’s constitution demands.

Parliament has been sidelined since the Supreme Court stripped it of its powers in 2017, shortly after the opposition gained a majority in late 2016. Maduro then created the Constituent Assembly to replace the National Assembly.

Brazil’s foreign ministry said it

The top court could confirm the death penalty, give him a two-year suspended death sentence that would be converted into a long prison term or reduce his punishment, she said.

Clarke said: “My prediction is that the Supreme People’s Court will sit on the review decision for as long as Meng’s fate remains undetermined.”

The fate of the other two Cana-

dians, who have been held in undisclosed locations, remains a mystery.

Last week, Trudeau accused China of “arbitrarily and unfairly” detaining former diplomat Michael Kovrig and business consultant Michael Spavor, who were rounded up nine days after Canada arrested Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou.

The Chinese foreign ministry rejected Trudeau’s assertion that

recognized the original legislature as Venezuela’s “democratically elected” body with “executive authority.”

Its president, Juan Guaido, has said Venezuela’s constitution allows him to assume power and set up a “transitional government” ahead of new elections, but Maduro retains the support of the military high command. (afp)

Kovrig, who now works for the International Crisis Group, still enjoyed diplomatic immunity.

Meng, meanwhile, was granted bail by a Canadian court last month, allowing her to wait for the US extradition hearing in a Vancouver house. Beijing on Tuesday repeated its calls for her immediate release, calling on Canada to correct its “severe mistake”. (afp)

ELECTION 2019

Government of Jokowi seen to have committed to enforcing human rights

JAKARTA - The government of Joko Widodo is considered to have committed to the agenda of advancing, fulfilling and upholding human rights as stated in Nawa Cita which reads “Respecting human rights and equitable resolution of cases of past human rights violations”.

“This idea is then poured into the government work program as stated in the 2015-2019 RPJMN,” said Chairman of the National Collective Team for the Jokowi-Ma`ruf Grassroots Team, M Ridha Saleh, in Jakarta on Sunday.

According to him, the agenda for the promotion, fulfillment and enforcement of human r i g h t s b y t h e s ta t e mu s t b e understood in the norms and large contexts of human rights,

namely the promotion, fulfillment and enforcement of civil political rights and economic and social rights.

The former Commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission mentioned that the National Human Rights Com-

mission as a state institution tasked with the work to create conducive conditions for respect, protection and fulfillment of human rights has recorded several progress in the fulfillment of human rights throughout the four years of President Joko Widodo`s and Vice President Jusuf Kalla`s government.

Others, in the fields of education, health and restitution of rights to indigenous territories.

“Although in the midst of continuous government efforts and working hard to realize re-

Venezuela’s Maduro brands Brazil’s Bolsonaro a ‘modern Hitler’

CARACAS- Leftist Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Monday branded far-right Brazil counterpart Jair Bolsonaro a “modern day Hitler” supported by evangelical Christians.

Maduro was delivering his annual address to the Constituent Assembly, four days after he was sworn in for a highly-controversial second term.

He and Bolsonaro have been

11

IBP/ant

spect, protection and fulfillment of human rights, we certainly realize that there are still various problems that arise incidentally and structurally against the rights of citizens in fighting for rights and justice,” Ridha said.

He asserted that the government is not ignorant in human rights matters, as in the case of alleged gross human rights violations of the past, the government has made a political scheme called a fair resolution of past gross human rights violations that are outside the law enforcement process as mandated in the Act Law No. 26 of 2000 concerning the Human Rights Court.

These considerations were made, so that victims and families of victims of past gross violations of human rights could continue to voice and provide input to the government to avoid denial of justice.

Therefore, said Ridha, Jokowi in this matter had never intervened in law (law enforcement authorities) to request a stop.

“On the contrary the president has summoned and ordered the Attorney General to immediately review and resolve it,” Ridha said.

In conflits over natural resources, the public gave a sharp spotlight on the act of criminal-

izing the state against a number of citizens and peasant activists in conflict with large plantations, mining and a number of other sectors that are suspected to occur, due to structural problems that intersect with agrarian policies and resources natural power.

However, he continued, it is necessary to know that criminalization caused by incidental events and agrarian conflicts and natural resources is structural, the government has made special and serious efforts to accelerate a number of programs that provide certainty of access to livelihood resources, fulfillment of rights citizenship rights.

“Currently the government through the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) is finalizing a policy to protect seekers and defenders of justice, especially in the Agraria and Natural Resources sector,” he said.

Therefore, in respecting, ptecting and fulfilling human rights, the current government must continue because it still runs in the corridors and constitutional principles.

“Although there are still shortcomings, they still pay attention and do not neglect the rights of every citizen,” he said. (ant)

National speech on Indonesia to win “victory and peace” : Sandiaga

JAKARTA - Candidate for vice president, Sandiaga Salahuddin said the national speech he will hold on Monday at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC), Central Jakarta, with the main issue on Indonesia will win “Victory and Peace”.

“The national speech about Indonesia wins `victory and peace`,” said Sandiaga at the DPP Prosper-

ous Justice Party (PKS) on Jalan TB Simatupang, South Jakarta, Sunday.

He explained that Indonesia is a country rich in abundant natural resources (SDA) and smart (smart) Human Resources (HR) “One special emphasis is needed, so that we can manifest the realization of the promises of our nation`s founders,” Sandiaga said.

The vision of the pair Prabowo Subianto - Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno is Fair and Prosperous, in accordance with Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution.

The 2019 presidential election was followed by two pairs of candidates namely number 01 JokowiMa`ruf Amin and serial number 02 Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno. (ant)

IBP/ant

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Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Destination

International

Tibumana Waterfall BANGLI - Tibumana waterfall is twin waterfalls located in Banjar Bangun Lemah Kawan, Apuan Village, Susut Sub-district, Bangli regency, Bali island Indonesia, approximately 40 km or 1.5 hour from the city of Denpasar. This is one of the best places of interest in Bali for those who love nature. If you are on holiday in Bali and you love photography, you may try your skills to shoot the beautiful view of Tibumana waterfalls. Tibumana Waterfall Bali is one of the islands best kept secrets. An easy walk down and a beautiful swimming spot. If you’re staying in Central Bali and searching for waterfalls near Ubud, Tibumana is super easy to get to. We visited after our trip to Tukad Cepung Waterfall and it was an easy ride.

The drive up to the waterfall is beautiful. With the windy palm tree roads and a scenic rice fields filled drive. From the car park it’s just an easy 10 minute walk down to the falls itself. So overall, definitely one of the easiest Bali waterfalls to get to. Tibumana Waterfall is definitely one of the Bali waterfalls

that is still kind of a secret.

There are a number of tourists that flock to Tibumana but it seems to be more of a favourite among locals. Along with Tukad Cepung Waterfall, these two waterfalls near Ubud are well worth a visit on a sunny day. The road into Tibumana is spectacular and one of the best palm tree covered roads we’ve seen in Bali. Once parked up, the trail up to the Tibumana Waterfall itself is a simple one. The short ten minute walk over bamboo bridges is mainly flat, safe and well maintained so if you’re visiting with little ones, you can plod along with ease.

There are a couple of locals that observe from a hut beside the falls, watching over for the safety of visitors. So rest assured, Tibumana Waterfall is definitely a safe place to swim. If you’re into photography or even just on a Bali waterfalls hunt Tibumana is the perfect place to capture some awesome shots. So whether you’re looking to cool off for the day, or fancy an adventure, you should definitely add Tibumana to your list of things to do in Ubud. (IBP/net)

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

International

Murray’s agony: ‘It’s so sore I even hate walking the dogs’

MELBOURNE - Andy Murray has opened up about the personal agony of his battered right hip after losing an epic Australian Open five-setter, saying he can’t even enjoy simple pleasures like walking his dogs.

The Scot fought to the bitter end in what could prove his final match before losing a four-hour thriller to 22nd seed Roberto Bautista Agut on Monday night.

He now faces a heart-wrenching dilemma -- having to decide over the next week whether to battle on through the pain for an emotional farewell at Wimbledon or undergo major surgery knowing it may mean he can never play tennis again.

“I mean, I’ll probably decide in the next week or so. But that’s what I was saying the other day, that this might be my last match,” the 31-year-old three-time Grand Slam champion told a news conference in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

“If I go ahead with the operation and I don’t recover well from it, then I don’t play again,” added the Scot who has won two Wimbledons, a US Open, the Davis Cup and two Olympic golds in his storied career.

“I’m aware of that. That is the decision that I have to make.

“It will improve my quality of life, I’ll be in less pain doing just, you know, normal things like walking around and putting your shoes and socks on and things.”

The former world number one tried to describe his pain, which has become almost unbearable.

“Just now, like, going to walk my dogs, playing football with my friends, is like the worst thing I can think of doing,” he revealed.

“I hate it because it’s so sore and it’s uncomfortable.”

Murray said he would talk to his team, his surgeon John O’Donnell and other players who have had similar operations, such as American doubles great Bob Bryan, before making up his mind.

Greg Wood / AFP

Britain’s Andy Murray addresses media representatives at a press conference after defeat in his first round men’s singles match against Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut on day one of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne early January 15, 2019.

- I trained ‘too hard’ “I just don’t really know yet. But, you know, if today was my last match, look, it was a brilliant way to finish, as well. That’s something that I’ll probably take into consideration.

“It was an amazing atmosphere. I literally gave everything that I had on the court, fought as best as I could, and performed a lot better than what I should have done without the amount I’ve been able to practise and train.

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Wimbledon in 77 years and the first player to win two Olympic singles golds.

“Like some people have said the last few days, I got everything out of my game and stuff. But I feel like I should have done better, you know, I could have done things differently.

“There’s matches here, for example, that I would love to play again, have another opportunity to do that,” Murray said, referring to his record of reaching the Melbourne final five times but never lifting the trophy. (afp)

Peterhansel sees stars in ‘tough’ Dakar stage win

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“I’d be okay with that being my last match.”

Murray added with a touch of poignancy that he would harbour some regrets if he was forced away from the game he loves.

“I practised hard. I trained hard, probably too hard at certain stages in my career,” he said.

“That was something that I would change and do differently if I could go back,” added Murray, despite achievements such as becoming the first British man to win

Franck FIFE / AFP

Mini’s French driver Stephane Peterhansel gets out of his car at the end of the Dakar Rally Stage 7 around San Juan de Marcona, in Peru, on January 14, 2019.

SAN JUAN DE MARCONA - Stephane Peterhansel recovered from an early accident that left his head spinning, to win Monday’s seventh stage of the Dakar Rally ahead of Nani Roma with Carlos Sainz in third after 387km of rolling, desert terrain.

Overall leader Nasser Al-Attiyah finished fourth, while Peugeot driver Sebastien Loeb had a day to forget, finishing more than 30 minutes down after suffering an early electrical problem in the stage that began and ended in San Juan de Marcona.

“That was a really hard stage, tough,” said the Frenchman. “It wasn’t perfect and in fact we (he and his co-driver) have yet to race a perfect stage.”

“Early in the race we flew over a dune and suffered such a violent impact I saw stars,” said the Mini man who suffered a broken bonnet in the incident.

“But in the end the others did worse than we did.”

“And this race isn’t finished yet,” said Peterhansel, second with three stages remaining. “Anything can happen to anyone.”

Peterhansel, a 13-time winner who is known as ‘Mr Dakar’, lost more than 20 minutes on Sunday but this was his second stage win on this year’s itinerary.

Toyota’s Al-Attiyah retains his large overall lead with 29 minutes and 16sec advantage on Peterhansel with Roma at 37min 59sec.

Earlier, KTM’s Sam Sunderland won the motorbike race ahead of Chile’s Jose Ignacio Cornejo Flormino on a Honda while American Ricky Brabec took the overall lead after finishing third. (afp)

8

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Tensions high as Juventus target first title of 2019 in Saudi Arabia

Man City ready to pounce on any Liverpool slip-ups, says Guardiola

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus target their first title of 2019 in the Italian Super Cup on Wednesday against a backdrop of controversy and protests over human rights issues and ticket restrictions imposed on female fans by hosts Saudi Arabia.

The one-off match is normally between the reigning Serie A and Italian Cup champions. As Juventus won both trophies last season they will take on AC Milan, the losing Cup finalists, at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, in Jeddah.

It will the 10th time the Super Cup final has been played abroad in 31 editions, with the United States, China and Qatar hosting previous matches.

But not since the 2002 choice of the Libyan capital Tripoli has there been such heated dis-

cussion.

Human rights and other issues have overshadowed the buildup, with Amnesty International urging both teams to shun the match over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

Anger was further inflamed when Serie A released information on how to get tickets, saying some category of seats were only available for men and that women could only gain access by buying tickets in “family” areas in the 60,000-seater stadium.

Matteo Salvini, Italy’s deputy prime minister, condemned the restrictions as “disgusting”.

“To have the Italian Supercoppa being played in an Islamic country where women cannot go to the stadium unless they are accompanied by a man is sad.

It’s disgusting. I won’t watch the game,” said Salvini, a passionate AC Milan fan.

The head of the Serie A, Gaetano Micciche, defended the decision to play in Saudi Arabia as an historic one. “Until last year, women (in Saudi Arabia) could not attend any sporting event,” he said.

“We are working to ensure that in the next games that we play in the

In this file photo taken on December 29, 2018 Juventus’ Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after opening the scoring during the Italian Serie A football match Juventus vs Sampdoria at the Juventus stadium in Turin.

country, women can access all the stadium seats.”

Riyadh, long known for imposing harsh restrictions on women, last year eased decades-old rules separating the sexes to allow women to enter football stadiums for the first time.

- ‘Different type of game’ -

Juventus’s Brazilian defender Alex Sandro said he was expecting “a different type of game”. “I’ve been there (Jeddah) with Brazil already and I think the Saudis have taken a step forward.

“They have a different fan base and culture, but I think it’ll be a good final.”

Qatari broadcaster beIN Sports also asked Italian football bosses to call off the match amid claims that Saudi-backed channels are pirating live feeds of games, including Serie A fixtures. Qatar is under a Saudi-led economic boycott amid tensions in the region.

On the pitch, seven-time reigning Italian league champions Juventus -- powered by Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo -- will be looking to continue to steamroller their rivals.

Massimiliano Allegri’s side are unbeaten so far in Serie A, and will be pushing for their first title of the season, which they hope will also include the Champions League.

Ronaldo is top of the Serie A scorers chart with 14 goals since arriving last summer from Real Madrid on a 110-millioneuro ($126 million) deal.

But Juventus’s record is mixed in recent Super Cups having won just one of the last four editions -- losing to AC Milan in 2016 and Lazio last year. Both Juventus and AC Milan have won seven Super Cup titles each since the trophy was first awarded in 1988.

The game in Jeddah could also be a farewell one for AC Milan forward Gonzalo Higuain, who will be looking for revenge against his parent club Juventus ahead of a touted move to Chelsea.

Higuain -- who moved to Milan to make way for Ronaldo -- missed a penalty and was sent off when AC Milan lost 2-0 to Juventus the last time the two sides met in the league last November. (afp)

9

Anne LEVASSEUR / AFP

Paris Saint Germain’s Brazilian defender Thiago Silva gives an interview to AFP at the Qatari capital Doha on January 14, 2019.

At 34, Silva is again dominant in the PSG defence

At 34, veteran centre-back Thiago Silva has re-emerged this season as the pillar of the Paris SaintGermain defence as the French champions prepare for an assault in Europe.

The PSG captain spoke to AFP in Qatar as his side prepares for a second half of the season in which they will resume their campaign for a long-coveted first Champions League trophy with a last-16 tie against resurgent Manchester United.

“I think I’ve already enjoyed some good times in my career,” he said, when asked about his

form this season. “But at this age it is better. You always have quality, and time gives you the experience. When you put the two things together, you go up a level.”

Thiago Silva was one of the scapegoats in 2017 when PSG blew a 4-0 first-leg lead in second round against Barcelona, collapsing 6-1 as they conceded three times after the 88th minute.

“I heard a lot of things: ‘I’m not a leader, I’m not this or that’,” he said. “It wounds you, but after that it’s also the kind of thing that motivates you the most.” (afp)

Pep Guardiola said his Manchester City team will be poised to pounce if Premier League leaders Liverpool falter, following a comfortable 3-0 win over Wolves on Monday that left City four points behind Jurgen Klopp’s side.

Two first-half goals from Gabriel Jesus, either side of a straight red card for Wolves’ French defender Willy Boly, allowed City to demonstrate that they had banished their shaky December form.

The City manager was in no mood to analyse the table and insisted he is interested only in his own team’s performances. “We cannot play the games against Liverpool, we cannot do anything about them,” said Guardiola.

“All we can do is win our games and be there. We’ve spoken to our players about it and the fact we cannot control what they can do. All we can do is be there and maybe one day they fail. But if they don’t lose, then they’ll be champions.

“We’ve done incredible numbers after last season, but one team has done better than us so far. All we can do is be there until the end and the results will dictate who will win.”

Two weeks into 2019, City have scored a remarkable 21 goals in

four home games this year and have hit 99 in all competitions already in the current campaign.

Jesus had scored just three times in his 16 league games coming into the new year but his two-goal performance against Nuno Espirito Santo’s team continued his rich vein of recent form.

He scored once in the seven-goal FA Cup win over Rotherham and hit four in last week’s 9-0 League Cup humiliation of Burton, and now has seven goals in his past three outings, although City’s task was made easier by a straight red card shown to Boly in the 19th minute.

Jesus’s opener came in the 10th minute after a magnificent 40-yard pass from defender Aymeric Laporte exposed the Wolves defence and sent Leroy Sane sprinting down the left.

The German’s low cross was judged to perfection, as was Jesus’s run, as he slid in and steered the ball into an open goal. Boly’s rash challenge, an out-of control, onefooted lunge at Bernardo Silva, may not have been malicious but was deserving of a red soon after.

“It was quite a bad tackle but I’m fine,” said Bernardo. “Yes, he did apologise at the end of the game.

These things happen.”

-- ‘Magician’s ball’ --

With Wolves down to 10 men, Jesus’s second of the evening, from a 39th-minute penalty, made it hard to see Wolves forcing their way back.

Again, referee Craig Pawson appeared to have made the right decision as Raheem Sterling played a one-two only to be brought down

by Ryan Bennett’s clumsy challenge. Jesus took a stuttering runup for his spot kick, but there was nothing hesitant in his confident finish into the bottom right corner.

Kevin De Bruyne, surprisingly left on the bench after his angry reaction to being substituted in last week’s thrashing of Burton, was brought on just after the hour.

And, in a lively performance, it was his cross, following a 78thminute short corner that was deflected into his own goal by Conor Coady. “I don’t have a magician’s ball to discover when I’m going to lose points,” said Guardiola.

“But I said to the players, ‘don’t look at the calendar for the Liverpool games -- forget about it,’ because normally when this happens, in my experience, you lose your games, and after that it’s over.” (afp)

Real Sociedad continue surge up La Liga

Real Sociedad continued their revival since changing coaches by beating visiting Espanyol, 3-2, on Monday, despite finishing the game with 10 men.

Since firing Asier Garitano at the end of December, the San Sebastian club, under interim manager Imanol Alguacil, have taken seven points from three matches and climbed to eight in the table.

The victory meant they overtook Espanyol who dropped to 10th, a point behind.

Mikel Merino put the home team ahead after three minutes.

Five minutes later Brazilian Willian Jose doubled the lead from the penalty spot.

Espanyol’s Brazilian defender replied with a headed goal in the 32nd minute and Diego Llorente levelled on the counter attacked in added time at the end of the first half.

Wilian Jose put Real Sociedad back ahead after 62 minutes, set up by Merino.

Merino’s eventful match ended early when he received a second yellow card, for dangerous play, with 11 minutes left. (afp)

Lindsey PARNABY / AFP

Manchester City’s Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus celebrates after scoring their second goal from the penalty spot during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on January 14, 2019.

8

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Tensions high as Juventus target first title of 2019 in Saudi Arabia

Man City ready to pounce on any Liverpool slip-ups, says Guardiola

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus target their first title of 2019 in the Italian Super Cup on Wednesday against a backdrop of controversy and protests over human rights issues and ticket restrictions imposed on female fans by hosts Saudi Arabia.

The one-off match is normally between the reigning Serie A and Italian Cup champions. As Juventus won both trophies last season they will take on AC Milan, the losing Cup finalists, at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, in Jeddah.

It will the 10th time the Super Cup final has been played abroad in 31 editions, with the United States, China and Qatar hosting previous matches.

But not since the 2002 choice of the Libyan capital Tripoli has there been such heated dis-

cussion.

Human rights and other issues have overshadowed the buildup, with Amnesty International urging both teams to shun the match over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

Anger was further inflamed when Serie A released information on how to get tickets, saying some category of seats were only available for men and that women could only gain access by buying tickets in “family” areas in the 60,000-seater stadium.

Matteo Salvini, Italy’s deputy prime minister, condemned the restrictions as “disgusting”.

“To have the Italian Supercoppa being played in an Islamic country where women cannot go to the stadium unless they are accompanied by a man is sad.

It’s disgusting. I won’t watch the game,” said Salvini, a passionate AC Milan fan.

The head of the Serie A, Gaetano Micciche, defended the decision to play in Saudi Arabia as an historic one. “Until last year, women (in Saudi Arabia) could not attend any sporting event,” he said.

“We are working to ensure that in the next games that we play in the

In this file photo taken on December 29, 2018 Juventus’ Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after opening the scoring during the Italian Serie A football match Juventus vs Sampdoria at the Juventus stadium in Turin.

country, women can access all the stadium seats.”

Riyadh, long known for imposing harsh restrictions on women, last year eased decades-old rules separating the sexes to allow women to enter football stadiums for the first time.

- ‘Different type of game’ -

Juventus’s Brazilian defender Alex Sandro said he was expecting “a different type of game”. “I’ve been there (Jeddah) with Brazil already and I think the Saudis have taken a step forward.

“They have a different fan base and culture, but I think it’ll be a good final.”

Qatari broadcaster beIN Sports also asked Italian football bosses to call off the match amid claims that Saudi-backed channels are pirating live feeds of games, including Serie A fixtures. Qatar is under a Saudi-led economic boycott amid tensions in the region.

On the pitch, seven-time reigning Italian league champions Juventus -- powered by Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo -- will be looking to continue to steamroller their rivals.

Massimiliano Allegri’s side are unbeaten so far in Serie A, and will be pushing for their first title of the season, which they hope will also include the Champions League.

Ronaldo is top of the Serie A scorers chart with 14 goals since arriving last summer from Real Madrid on a 110-millioneuro ($126 million) deal.

But Juventus’s record is mixed in recent Super Cups having won just one of the last four editions -- losing to AC Milan in 2016 and Lazio last year. Both Juventus and AC Milan have won seven Super Cup titles each since the trophy was first awarded in 1988.

The game in Jeddah could also be a farewell one for AC Milan forward Gonzalo Higuain, who will be looking for revenge against his parent club Juventus ahead of a touted move to Chelsea.

Higuain -- who moved to Milan to make way for Ronaldo -- missed a penalty and was sent off when AC Milan lost 2-0 to Juventus the last time the two sides met in the league last November. (afp)

9

Anne LEVASSEUR / AFP

Paris Saint Germain’s Brazilian defender Thiago Silva gives an interview to AFP at the Qatari capital Doha on January 14, 2019.

At 34, Silva is again dominant in the PSG defence

At 34, veteran centre-back Thiago Silva has re-emerged this season as the pillar of the Paris SaintGermain defence as the French champions prepare for an assault in Europe.

The PSG captain spoke to AFP in Qatar as his side prepares for a second half of the season in which they will resume their campaign for a long-coveted first Champions League trophy with a last-16 tie against resurgent Manchester United.

“I think I’ve already enjoyed some good times in my career,” he said, when asked about his

form this season. “But at this age it is better. You always have quality, and time gives you the experience. When you put the two things together, you go up a level.”

Thiago Silva was one of the scapegoats in 2017 when PSG blew a 4-0 first-leg lead in second round against Barcelona, collapsing 6-1 as they conceded three times after the 88th minute.

“I heard a lot of things: ‘I’m not a leader, I’m not this or that’,” he said. “It wounds you, but after that it’s also the kind of thing that motivates you the most.” (afp)

Pep Guardiola said his Manchester City team will be poised to pounce if Premier League leaders Liverpool falter, following a comfortable 3-0 win over Wolves on Monday that left City four points behind Jurgen Klopp’s side.

Two first-half goals from Gabriel Jesus, either side of a straight red card for Wolves’ French defender Willy Boly, allowed City to demonstrate that they had banished their shaky December form.

The City manager was in no mood to analyse the table and insisted he is interested only in his own team’s performances. “We cannot play the games against Liverpool, we cannot do anything about them,” said Guardiola.

“All we can do is win our games and be there. We’ve spoken to our players about it and the fact we cannot control what they can do. All we can do is be there and maybe one day they fail. But if they don’t lose, then they’ll be champions.

“We’ve done incredible numbers after last season, but one team has done better than us so far. All we can do is be there until the end and the results will dictate who will win.”

Two weeks into 2019, City have scored a remarkable 21 goals in

four home games this year and have hit 99 in all competitions already in the current campaign.

Jesus had scored just three times in his 16 league games coming into the new year but his two-goal performance against Nuno Espirito Santo’s team continued his rich vein of recent form.

He scored once in the seven-goal FA Cup win over Rotherham and hit four in last week’s 9-0 League Cup humiliation of Burton, and now has seven goals in his past three outings, although City’s task was made easier by a straight red card shown to Boly in the 19th minute.

Jesus’s opener came in the 10th minute after a magnificent 40-yard pass from defender Aymeric Laporte exposed the Wolves defence and sent Leroy Sane sprinting down the left.

The German’s low cross was judged to perfection, as was Jesus’s run, as he slid in and steered the ball into an open goal. Boly’s rash challenge, an out-of control, onefooted lunge at Bernardo Silva, may not have been malicious but was deserving of a red soon after.

“It was quite a bad tackle but I’m fine,” said Bernardo. “Yes, he did apologise at the end of the game.

These things happen.”

-- ‘Magician’s ball’ --

With Wolves down to 10 men, Jesus’s second of the evening, from a 39th-minute penalty, made it hard to see Wolves forcing their way back.

Again, referee Craig Pawson appeared to have made the right decision as Raheem Sterling played a one-two only to be brought down

by Ryan Bennett’s clumsy challenge. Jesus took a stuttering runup for his spot kick, but there was nothing hesitant in his confident finish into the bottom right corner.

Kevin De Bruyne, surprisingly left on the bench after his angry reaction to being substituted in last week’s thrashing of Burton, was brought on just after the hour.

And, in a lively performance, it was his cross, following a 78thminute short corner that was deflected into his own goal by Conor Coady. “I don’t have a magician’s ball to discover when I’m going to lose points,” said Guardiola.

“But I said to the players, ‘don’t look at the calendar for the Liverpool games -- forget about it,’ because normally when this happens, in my experience, you lose your games, and after that it’s over.” (afp)

Real Sociedad continue surge up La Liga

Real Sociedad continued their revival since changing coaches by beating visiting Espanyol, 3-2, on Monday, despite finishing the game with 10 men.

Since firing Asier Garitano at the end of December, the San Sebastian club, under interim manager Imanol Alguacil, have taken seven points from three matches and climbed to eight in the table.

The victory meant they overtook Espanyol who dropped to 10th, a point behind.

Mikel Merino put the home team ahead after three minutes.

Five minutes later Brazilian Willian Jose doubled the lead from the penalty spot.

Espanyol’s Brazilian defender replied with a headed goal in the 32nd minute and Diego Llorente levelled on the counter attacked in added time at the end of the first half.

Wilian Jose put Real Sociedad back ahead after 62 minutes, set up by Merino.

Merino’s eventful match ended early when he received a second yellow card, for dangerous play, with 11 minutes left. (afp)

Lindsey PARNABY / AFP

Manchester City’s Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus celebrates after scoring their second goal from the penalty spot during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on January 14, 2019.

10

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Destination

International

Tibumana Waterfall BANGLI - Tibumana waterfall is twin waterfalls located in Banjar Bangun Lemah Kawan, Apuan Village, Susut Sub-district, Bangli regency, Bali island Indonesia, approximately 40 km or 1.5 hour from the city of Denpasar. This is one of the best places of interest in Bali for those who love nature. If you are on holiday in Bali and you love photography, you may try your skills to shoot the beautiful view of Tibumana waterfalls. Tibumana Waterfall Bali is one of the islands best kept secrets. An easy walk down and a beautiful swimming spot. If you’re staying in Central Bali and searching for waterfalls near Ubud, Tibumana is super easy to get to. We visited after our trip to Tukad Cepung Waterfall and it was an easy ride.

The drive up to the waterfall is beautiful. With the windy palm tree roads and a scenic rice fields filled drive. From the car park it’s just an easy 10 minute walk down to the falls itself. So overall, definitely one of the easiest Bali waterfalls to get to. Tibumana Waterfall is definitely one of the Bali waterfalls

that is still kind of a secret.

There are a number of tourists that flock to Tibumana but it seems to be more of a favourite among locals. Along with Tukad Cepung Waterfall, these two waterfalls near Ubud are well worth a visit on a sunny day. The road into Tibumana is spectacular and one of the best palm tree covered roads we’ve seen in Bali. Once parked up, the trail up to the Tibumana Waterfall itself is a simple one. The short ten minute walk over bamboo bridges is mainly flat, safe and well maintained so if you’re visiting with little ones, you can plod along with ease.

There are a couple of locals that observe from a hut beside the falls, watching over for the safety of visitors. So rest assured, Tibumana Waterfall is definitely a safe place to swim. If you’re into photography or even just on a Bali waterfalls hunt Tibumana is the perfect place to capture some awesome shots. So whether you’re looking to cool off for the day, or fancy an adventure, you should definitely add Tibumana to your list of things to do in Ubud. (IBP/net)

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

International

Murray’s agony: ‘It’s so sore I even hate walking the dogs’

MELBOURNE - Andy Murray has opened up about the personal agony of his battered right hip after losing an epic Australian Open five-setter, saying he can’t even enjoy simple pleasures like walking his dogs.

The Scot fought to the bitter end in what could prove his final match before losing a four-hour thriller to 22nd seed Roberto Bautista Agut on Monday night.

He now faces a heart-wrenching dilemma -- having to decide over the next week whether to battle on through the pain for an emotional farewell at Wimbledon or undergo major surgery knowing it may mean he can never play tennis again.

“I mean, I’ll probably decide in the next week or so. But that’s what I was saying the other day, that this might be my last match,” the 31-year-old three-time Grand Slam champion told a news conference in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

“If I go ahead with the operation and I don’t recover well from it, then I don’t play again,” added the Scot who has won two Wimbledons, a US Open, the Davis Cup and two Olympic golds in his storied career.

“I’m aware of that. That is the decision that I have to make.

“It will improve my quality of life, I’ll be in less pain doing just, you know, normal things like walking around and putting your shoes and socks on and things.”

The former world number one tried to describe his pain, which has become almost unbearable.

“Just now, like, going to walk my dogs, playing football with my friends, is like the worst thing I can think of doing,” he revealed.

“I hate it because it’s so sore and it’s uncomfortable.”

Murray said he would talk to his team, his surgeon John O’Donnell and other players who have had similar operations, such as American doubles great Bob Bryan, before making up his mind.

Greg Wood / AFP

Britain’s Andy Murray addresses media representatives at a press conference after defeat in his first round men’s singles match against Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut on day one of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne early January 15, 2019.

- I trained ‘too hard’ “I just don’t really know yet. But, you know, if today was my last match, look, it was a brilliant way to finish, as well. That’s something that I’ll probably take into consideration.

“It was an amazing atmosphere. I literally gave everything that I had on the court, fought as best as I could, and performed a lot better than what I should have done without the amount I’ve been able to practise and train.

Please contact Gugiek : 08123840500

Wimbledon in 77 years and the first player to win two Olympic singles golds.

“Like some people have said the last few days, I got everything out of my game and stuff. But I feel like I should have done better, you know, I could have done things differently.

“There’s matches here, for example, that I would love to play again, have another opportunity to do that,” Murray said, referring to his record of reaching the Melbourne final five times but never lifting the trophy. (afp)

Peterhansel sees stars in ‘tough’ Dakar stage win

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“I’d be okay with that being my last match.”

Murray added with a touch of poignancy that he would harbour some regrets if he was forced away from the game he loves.

“I practised hard. I trained hard, probably too hard at certain stages in my career,” he said.

“That was something that I would change and do differently if I could go back,” added Murray, despite achievements such as becoming the first British man to win

Franck FIFE / AFP

Mini’s French driver Stephane Peterhansel gets out of his car at the end of the Dakar Rally Stage 7 around San Juan de Marcona, in Peru, on January 14, 2019.

SAN JUAN DE MARCONA - Stephane Peterhansel recovered from an early accident that left his head spinning, to win Monday’s seventh stage of the Dakar Rally ahead of Nani Roma with Carlos Sainz in third after 387km of rolling, desert terrain.

Overall leader Nasser Al-Attiyah finished fourth, while Peugeot driver Sebastien Loeb had a day to forget, finishing more than 30 minutes down after suffering an early electrical problem in the stage that began and ended in San Juan de Marcona.

“That was a really hard stage, tough,” said the Frenchman. “It wasn’t perfect and in fact we (he and his co-driver) have yet to race a perfect stage.”

“Early in the race we flew over a dune and suffered such a violent impact I saw stars,” said the Mini man who suffered a broken bonnet in the incident.

“But in the end the others did worse than we did.”

“And this race isn’t finished yet,” said Peterhansel, second with three stages remaining. “Anything can happen to anyone.”

Peterhansel, a 13-time winner who is known as ‘Mr Dakar’, lost more than 20 minutes on Sunday but this was his second stage win on this year’s itinerary.

Toyota’s Al-Attiyah retains his large overall lead with 29 minutes and 16sec advantage on Peterhansel with Roma at 37min 59sec.

Earlier, KTM’s Sam Sunderland won the motorbike race ahead of Chile’s Jose Ignacio Cornejo Flormino on a Honda while American Ricky Brabec took the overall lead after finishing third. (afp)

6

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

W

International

RLD

Massive US teachers’ strike affects half million pupils

LOS ANGELES - More than 30,000 public school teachers in Los Angeles walked off the job on Monday to press their demands for better pay, smaller class sizes and more educators.

The strike -- the first in 30 years -- is affecting some 500,000 students in the nation’s second largest school district, with intense negotiations in past weeks failing to lead to a breakthrough.

The action is being watched closely by teaching unions across the country that are engaged in labor negotiations and also considering strikes.

“Here we are on a rainy day in the richest country in the world, in the richest state in the country, in a state that’s blue (Democrat) as it can be -- and in a city rife with millionaires -- where teachers have to go on strike to get the basics for our students,” Alex Caputo-Pearl, the head of the United Teachers Los Angeles union, told a news conference.

“Here we are in a fight for the soul of public education,” Caputo-Pearl added.

“The question is: do we starve our public neighborhood schools so that they (become) privatized, or do we re-invest in our public neighborhood schools for our students and for a thriving city?”

Although the teachers’ union and the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) agree that class sizes -- some at more than 40 -- must shrink, teacher salaries must improve and more support staff are needed, they differ on funding.

School district officials insist they have taken great pains to avert a strike and negotiate with the union and say the district simply doesn’t have enough money to meet all of the demands. A revised offer submitted on Friday and calling for roughly $24 million more in funding and 1,200 more teachers for the upcoming school year was rejected.

- ‘We’d like to resolve this’ -

Frederic J. BROWN / AFP

Thousands of teachers march in the rain through Los Angeles, California on January 14, 2019, on the first day of the first teachers strike in 30 years targeting the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD).

LAUSD superintendent Austin Beutner on Monday said his office had reached out to the governor’s office and the mayor’s office to see if they could help broker a deal.

He said the teachers’ demands would cost about $3 billion and push district into insolvency.

“We remain committed to resolve the contract negotiations as soon as possible,” Beutner told reporters. “We urge (the union) to resume bargaining with us anytime, anywhere, 24-7. We’d like to resolve this.”

Despite the walkout, the 1,240 schools in the sprawling district remain open, he said, with classes taught by administrators and substitute teachers.

Last spring, a strike by teachers in the state of West Virginia over low wages and rising health care costs set off a wave of similar action in several other states and garnered strong public support. (afp)

International

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

INDONESIAN INDONESIAN

exchanging barbs since the Brazilian won elections at the end of last year.

“Bolsonaro is a modern day Hitler.

He is. What he doesn’t have is courage and his own decisions because he’s the puppet of a sect,” said Maduro, referring to Bolsonaro’s conservative evangelical Christian support base.

Bolsonaro has accused Maduro of being a “dictator” and described him

Hostage politics...

more glaring,” she said.

The rare decision to allow three foreign journalists, including one from AFP, to attend the hearing makes it “clear that the Chinese government wants (the) international spotlight on this case.”

“The timing is suspect and certainly his nationality makes it all the

Schellenberg, who claimed he was innocent and framed by an acquaintance, has 10 days to appeal to the same high court that rejected his first appeal. Lewis said the court was likely to confirm the sentence and the case would move up to the Supreme People’s Court.

From page 1

- Meng at home -

as illegitimate when the Venezuelan leader was sworn in on Thursday.

Maduro won an election in May that was boycotted by the opposition and dismissed as a fraud by the United States, European Union and many Latin American countries.

He was sworn in by the Supreme Court, made up of regime loyalists, rather than the opposition controlled

National Assembly, as Venezuela’s constitution demands.

Parliament has been sidelined since the Supreme Court stripped it of its powers in 2017, shortly after the opposition gained a majority in late 2016. Maduro then created the Constituent Assembly to replace the National Assembly.

Brazil’s foreign ministry said it

The top court could confirm the death penalty, give him a two-year suspended death sentence that would be converted into a long prison term or reduce his punishment, she said.

Clarke said: “My prediction is that the Supreme People’s Court will sit on the review decision for as long as Meng’s fate remains undetermined.”

The fate of the other two Cana-

dians, who have been held in undisclosed locations, remains a mystery.

Last week, Trudeau accused China of “arbitrarily and unfairly” detaining former diplomat Michael Kovrig and business consultant Michael Spavor, who were rounded up nine days after Canada arrested Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou.

The Chinese foreign ministry rejected Trudeau’s assertion that

recognized the original legislature as Venezuela’s “democratically elected” body with “executive authority.”

Its president, Juan Guaido, has said Venezuela’s constitution allows him to assume power and set up a “transitional government” ahead of new elections, but Maduro retains the support of the military high command. (afp)

Kovrig, who now works for the International Crisis Group, still enjoyed diplomatic immunity.

Meng, meanwhile, was granted bail by a Canadian court last month, allowing her to wait for the US extradition hearing in a Vancouver house. Beijing on Tuesday repeated its calls for her immediate release, calling on Canada to correct its “severe mistake”. (afp)

ELECTION 2019

Government of Jokowi seen to have committed to enforcing human rights

JAKARTA - The government of Joko Widodo is considered to have committed to the agenda of advancing, fulfilling and upholding human rights as stated in Nawa Cita which reads “Respecting human rights and equitable resolution of cases of past human rights violations”.

“This idea is then poured into the government work program as stated in the 2015-2019 RPJMN,” said Chairman of the National Collective Team for the Jokowi-Ma`ruf Grassroots Team, M Ridha Saleh, in Jakarta on Sunday.

According to him, the agenda for the promotion, fulfillment and enforcement of human r i g h t s b y t h e s ta t e mu s t b e understood in the norms and large contexts of human rights,

namely the promotion, fulfillment and enforcement of civil political rights and economic and social rights.

The former Commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission mentioned that the National Human Rights Com-

mission as a state institution tasked with the work to create conducive conditions for respect, protection and fulfillment of human rights has recorded several progress in the fulfillment of human rights throughout the four years of President Joko Widodo`s and Vice President Jusuf Kalla`s government.

Others, in the fields of education, health and restitution of rights to indigenous territories.

“Although in the midst of continuous government efforts and working hard to realize re-

Venezuela’s Maduro brands Brazil’s Bolsonaro a ‘modern Hitler’

CARACAS- Leftist Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Monday branded far-right Brazil counterpart Jair Bolsonaro a “modern day Hitler” supported by evangelical Christians.

Maduro was delivering his annual address to the Constituent Assembly, four days after he was sworn in for a highly-controversial second term.

He and Bolsonaro have been

11

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spect, protection and fulfillment of human rights, we certainly realize that there are still various problems that arise incidentally and structurally against the rights of citizens in fighting for rights and justice,” Ridha said.

He asserted that the government is not ignorant in human rights matters, as in the case of alleged gross human rights violations of the past, the government has made a political scheme called a fair resolution of past gross human rights violations that are outside the law enforcement process as mandated in the Act Law No. 26 of 2000 concerning the Human Rights Court.

These considerations were made, so that victims and families of victims of past gross violations of human rights could continue to voice and provide input to the government to avoid denial of justice.

Therefore, said Ridha, Jokowi in this matter had never intervened in law (law enforcement authorities) to request a stop.

“On the contrary the president has summoned and ordered the Attorney General to immediately review and resolve it,” Ridha said.

In conflits over natural resources, the public gave a sharp spotlight on the act of criminal-

izing the state against a number of citizens and peasant activists in conflict with large plantations, mining and a number of other sectors that are suspected to occur, due to structural problems that intersect with agrarian policies and resources natural power.

However, he continued, it is necessary to know that criminalization caused by incidental events and agrarian conflicts and natural resources is structural, the government has made special and serious efforts to accelerate a number of programs that provide certainty of access to livelihood resources, fulfillment of rights citizenship rights.

“Currently the government through the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) is finalizing a policy to protect seekers and defenders of justice, especially in the Agraria and Natural Resources sector,” he said.

Therefore, in respecting, ptecting and fulfilling human rights, the current government must continue because it still runs in the corridors and constitutional principles.

“Although there are still shortcomings, they still pay attention and do not neglect the rights of every citizen,” he said. (ant)

National speech on Indonesia to win “victory and peace” : Sandiaga

JAKARTA - Candidate for vice president, Sandiaga Salahuddin said the national speech he will hold on Monday at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC), Central Jakarta, with the main issue on Indonesia will win “Victory and Peace”.

“The national speech about Indonesia wins `victory and peace`,” said Sandiaga at the DPP Prosper-

ous Justice Party (PKS) on Jalan TB Simatupang, South Jakarta, Sunday.

He explained that Indonesia is a country rich in abundant natural resources (SDA) and smart (smart) Human Resources (HR) “One special emphasis is needed, so that we can manifest the realization of the promises of our nation`s founders,” Sandiaga said.

The vision of the pair Prabowo Subianto - Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno is Fair and Prosperous, in accordance with Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution.

The 2019 presidential election was followed by two pairs of candidates namely number 01 JokowiMa`ruf Amin and serial number 02 Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno. (ant)

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International

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Bali News

International

BUSINESS

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

5

Strong economy does little to lift department store sales

NEW YORK - It was supposed to be a great holiday shopping season.

Many investors had expected department stores to enjoy robust sales in light of a U.S. economy buoyed by low unemployment, higher wages, strong consumer confidence and cheap gas.

So when Macy’s and Kohl’s reported lackluster numbers on Thursday, they were taken aback, sending retail stocks into a tailspin and calling into question whether such mall-based chains can compete in a changing landscape where shoppers are shifting more of their spending online.

Macy’s saw only a slight increase of 1.1 percent in sales during November-December at stores opened at least year. And while sales were strong during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the company said sales fell off noticeably until the week of Christmas.

Meanwhile, Kohl’s reported a small sales growth that showed a dramatic slowdown from a year ago. Comparable sales rose 1.2 percent, versus 6.9 percent in the previous year. Shares of Macy’s plummeted nearly 18 percent Thursday, suffering its worst one-day decline. Kohl’s stock closed down nearly 5 percent. Even Target’s stock took a hit, falling nearly 3 percent despite showing strong holiday sales.

Earlier this week, J.C. Penney, one of the stragglers in the department store sector, reported a drop in comparable store sales of 3.5 percent for November and December. But because Macy’s is considered a barometer of spending, particularly for the middle class and for mall spending, investors may be looking for deeper meaning in its performance.

“Macy’s report spooked investors because investors expected it to be a great holiday season across the board,” said Neil Saunders, managing director at GlobalData Retail, a retail research firm. “Now, they’re questioning how good the holiday season was. There is a lot of uncertainty out there.”

Adding to the uncertainty is that investors will not be getting December’s monthly retail sales data next week from the Commerce Department if the government shutdown is still

Sweet Memories in Edelweiss Park

Numerous tourist attractions in Karangasem were thronged by visitors on Umanis Galungan.

One of them is the Edelweiss tourist attraction located at Temukus hamlet, Besakih, Rendang, crowded by visitors taking advantage of their holidays on Thursday (Dec. 27).

AP Photo/John Minchillo, File

In this Nov. 23, 2018, file photo shoppers browse the aisles during a Black Friday sale at a Target store in Newport, Ky. Target on Thursday, Jan. 10, 2019, posted strong online growth in November and December. Sales for merchandise ordered online and picked up at stores surged 60 percent. in effect, as most observers expect. Saunders said investors are also worried that a recovery among traditional stores like Macy’s is losing momentum, raising concerns that they might have to ramp up investments even more to increase sales.

Analysts say factors like a shift to online spending and consumer preferences for socalled experiences like spas and restaurants have hurt impulse spending that likely put a dent in December’s figures for Macy’s and Kohl’s. Online sellers are relentlessly growing their share of retail sales. In November, e-commerce and catalog sales jumped 10.8 percent from a year earlier, according to Commerce Department data, more than double the overall sales increase of 4.2 percent. Department store sales slipped 0.2

percent during the same period.

And Marshal Cohen, chief industry adviser at NPD Group, estimates that as much as 40 percent of shoppers bought experiences as gifts this holiday season, up from 25 percent just a few years ago.

Analysts also point to factors that hit Macy’s in particular. Some believe, for instance, the company may not have done enough to make its merchandise and marketing compelling for customers as it tried to compete against online players like Amazon.

Target, on the other hand, bucked the trend by posting strong online growth in November and December. Sales for merchandise ordered online and picked up at stores surged 60 percent. That is key to Target’s campaign to hold online retailers like Amazon at bay,

particularly during the competitive holiday season, because shoppers can dodge shipping fees. Target Corp. said Thursday that sales at stores open at least a year increased 5.7 percent in the period, up from 3.4 percent a year earlier. Comparable online sales climbed 29 percent.

The company still expects full-year adjusted earnings in a range of $5.30 to $5.50 per share. Analysts polled by FactSet foresee $5.39 per share. The maintained outlook may have disappointed investors.

Macy’s on Thursday lowered its fiscal 2018 earnings outlook to $3.95 to $4 per share from its prior per-share earnings for $4.10 to $4.30 per share. That’s well below the per-share projections of $4.23 from industry analysts. (ap)

German economy slowed in 2018, but dodges year-end recession FRANKFURT - Germany’s economic growth eased to 1.5 percent last year amid signs of a wider global slowdown, though the figures suggest Europe’s largest economy at least escaped a feared recession in the fourth quarter.

The figure announced Thursday by the

government statistics agency was down from 2.2 percent in 2017 and is the weakest in five years.

German output fell in the third quarter by 0.2 percent, but the dip was attributed to temporary factors such as bottlenecks registering cars under new emissions test-

ing rules. Worsening economic data had raised fears that Germany may have turned another quarter of contraction in the fourth quarter, for which figures will be reported Feb. 14. Two straight quarters of falling output is one definition of a recession.

But the statistics agency said there were

“signs of a slight recovery” in the fourth quarter compared with the third. Agency official Tanja Mucha said that “we are not assuming a minus” in the fourth quarter. She cautioned that the figures are still preliminary. It was the ninth straight year of annual economic growth in Germany. (ap)

Moreover, the large number of visitors caused traffic jam along about three kilometers towards the tourist attraction. Visitors who took advantage of the Umanis Galungan holiday period had come to visit the tourist attraction from the morning. In the afternoon, the number of visitors continued to arrive one after another.

Visitors came by riding a motor-

cycle or a car. Aside from children coming with their families, there were also young men and women with their partners. Families were also busy visiting tourist attractions that offer natural beauty with the expanse of edelweiss and marigold flowers.

Moreover, due to flocking visitors, the parking space provided was unable to accommodate all

the vehicles that arrived. Such condition made the road to both objects have traffic congestion.

Nevertheless, it did not dampen visitors’ intentions. They remained patient in order to be able to enjoy the attraction located about 4 km from the summit of Mount Agung currently still at level III (Watch).

Research and Development

Division Head of Edelweiss Park, I Nengah Sueca, revealed that visitors had continued to arrive from the morning. Until these days, along the road there are still vehicles of visitors going to the edelweiss attraction.

“Visitors are very crowded. The arrival of visitors is most crowded since this tourist attraction was built. Parking space is fully occupied, therefore vehicles cannot go up due to traffic jams,” he said On that account, visitors then

parked their car on the road side.

Only motorbikes could go up. In terms of the number of visitors, they were tripled from normal days. When calculated, it can reach a thousand more,” he said. Chief of Temukus customary village, I Nengah Sindia, said that crowded visitors have started to come one day before Galungan.

Currently, visitors are quite a lot compared to on ordinary days. On normal days, the number of visits ranges from 400 to 500 but now it is more than 1,000 guests. (kmb)

Kamasan Painting Comes with a Message of Life

Kamasan painting has been familiar in the ears of Balinese people. This artwork has long been a wealth of Klungkung district.

Apart from its classical appearance, this painting is rich in puppet and animal stories. It is really meaningful. At Kamasan village can be found many centers of the painting activities. There are also galleries where a number of works created by the artists have been displayed since several years ago. It applies classic colors of red and brownish perfectly combined. Some paintings offer a jungle feel following a pre-established pattern. They look very lively and beautiful to look at.

The work is not just an expression of the art but there is a message of life. What is scratched is not a common thing. It presents a series

of pictures depicting a number of characters contained in the story.

One of the themes is heroic attractions on the battlefield. It’s like giving a moral message. It is adopted from various stories, such as Mahabharata and Ramayana epic. Occasionally, the artists also express his idea inspired by animal or tantric tales.

The painter Mangku Muriati Mura said that in the midst of the art development, the appearance of other paintings is very possible.

Nevertheless, he does not get dissolved in that situation. His great desire to maintain the art is believed to have emerged since the kingdom era that will not fade over the times.

The norms are not neglected. Everything is still followed. “We still preserve them all,” he said, not long ago.

This painting is not solely concerned with aesthetics but more than it, where it also offers strong philosophical values. His work is combined with religious elements or teachings quoted from the palmleaf manuscripts. “We must understand the meaning, not just some scratches,” he said.

Another painter, Kadek Natha, explained that in harmony with the development of times, Kamasan paint coloring began to use acrylic because natural materials are increasingly difficult to obtain.

However, the classic impression never fades. It remains to looks sharp and has divine inspiration.

“Pere is one of natural dyes, a kind of stone obtained from Sakenan. Its color is yellowish brown, but now many painters have switched from this color,” he explained.

Profession as painter has been pursued since he was in elementary school. His works have been widely sold. The price is fantastic and comparable to the complexity. “There is a painting sold for IDR 9 million, even more. The

cheaper is also available,” he said.

His paintings are no longer just scratched on canvas, but many of them have been used as hotel room ornaments. “Many hotels ask me to paint in classical style,” said Natha. (kmb)

4

Bali News

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

International

Regent Suwirta ‘breaks’ 24-hour supermarkets must also begin to understand, whose modern shop is networked, where their cash flow goes and what impact it has on the local economy in the long term.

Regent Suwirta did not only think of it. He also anticipated the basic needs at night, especially the urgent ones like the needs of hospital patients. He has instructed the local director to optimize the role of cooperatives in that place. So, there is no need for a 24-hour supermarket. The hospital cooperative must take the opportunity. “Let us try to organize the life of our generation apart from those who have not been able to resolve the problem. Let us also try to save our generation,” he said.

Previously, following up on Regent Circular No.510 / 227 / DISKOP on the Arrangement of Working Hours of Shopping Centers and Supermarkets, Regent Suwirta accompanied by Chief of Klungkung Municipal Police, I Putu Suarta, also carried out monitoring against shopping centers and supermarkets in the Klungkung region. As a result, there are still many supermarkets or mini markets that do not heed the circular based on Klungkung District Regulation No. 13/2018 dated December 19, 2018 concerning the Structuring and Guidance of the People’s Market, Shopping Centers and Supermarkets.

Actually, businessmen of mini market, hypermart, department stores and supermarkets have been informed regarding the opening hours from Monday to Friday until 22:00, on Saturdays and Sundays open until 23:00, while on religious holidays, national holidays and finalization of financial report until 00:00. Some of them argued to have not known about the circular and claimed to have not received it. Without compromise on the grounds of the owner, Regent Suwirta immediately acted decisively by asking to close at that time because it had passed the deadline. (kmb31)

IBP/kmb31

Shopping centers or supermarkets in Klungkung are currently not allowed to open 24 hours.

13

Antarctica ice loss increases six fold since 1979: study

District govt wants to protect traditional markets and young generation SEMARAPURA - Shopping centers or supermarkets in Klungkung are currently not allowed to open 24 hours. This is as an impact of the enactment of Klungkung Regional Regulation No. 3/2018, followed up by the Regent Circular No.510 / 227 / DISKOP concerning the Setting of Working Hours of Shopping Centers and Supermarkets in Klungkung. Regent Suwirta stated on Sunday (Jan. 13), this is an effort to protect the existence of traditional markets and stop economic circulation benefiting outsiders. Besides, it poses an effort to protect younger generation from promiscuity.

Since this policy took effect last week, many parties have begun to debate because it is considered able to lead to new unemployment, and makes it difficult for the urban community to meet urgent basic needs at night. Many people also questioned about the intention of the district government and parliament to take such policy so that at the maximum retail / supermarket will be open until 22:00. “If nightclubs are closed, it makes more sense. But if the 24-hour shop is closed by force, it seems too excessive,” said a resident of Kemoning, Gede A. Suhendra.

Regent Suwirta responded openly to every complaint of his citizens.

If the impact of employee cuts is questionable, he challenged to check directly, how many people of Klungkung do actually work in the 24-hour shop? “If there are Klungkung people who are out of work because of the store closure at 22:00, tell them to meet me,” said Suwirta.

He asked his citizens to think twice. When looked deeper into the modern 24-hour chain store, actually they have no economic cycle in Klungkung. He considered it dangerous because it actually goes to further weaken the local economic conditions. So, he also reminded that traditional market needs to be saved.

According to him, the community

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

International

TAMPA - Global warming is melting ice in Antarctica faster than ever before -- about six times more per year now than 40 years ago -- leading to increasingly high sea levels worldwide, scientists warned Monday.

IBP/kmb

Communities concerned with plastic waste when carrying out the Plastic Waste Cleanup Movement (GEDASAMTIK).

Plastic waste cleanup action at Lempuyang Temple

HINDUS and tourists are requested not to dispose of plastic waste in the area of Lempuyang Temple. Piles of layered plastic waste in the Lempuyang hill area which is also a sacred area of Sad Kahyangan Lempuyang Luhur Temple, Abang subdistrict, become the finding and challenge of students, pupil and youth, communities concerned with plastic waste, national police/Indonesian military, and Balinese people when carrying out the Plastic Waste Cleanup Movement (GEDASAMTIK) on Saturday (Jan. 12).

By utilizing the moment of the Panca Bali Krama ritual in Lempuyang Temple, thousands of people thronged the Lempuyang hilly area to move and clean up the forest area from the threat of plastic waste being rampant in every inch of the Lempuyang hilly area.

The Plastic Waste Cleanup Movement initiated by the Regional Leadership of KMHDI Bali and Peradah Bali went smoothly, even though the GEDASAMTIK participants had to drain their energy to climb the Lempuyang hill steps where the participants started from Penataran Lempuyang Temple and passed the Lempuyang Madya Temple, the Pasar Agung and the highest is Lempuyang Luhur.

“GEDASAMTIK aims at cleaning the Lempuyang sacred area from the threat of plastic waste such as drink bottles, packaging of snacks, plastic bags, packets of noodle pop, candy wraps and flip flops made of

rubber we found around the Lempuyang,” said Committee Chairman of GEDASAMTIK, I Ketut Bagus Arjana Wira Putra, on Saturday (Jan. 12).

According to him, without starting from now on the presence of plastic waste in Lempuyang and the awareness of everyone not to dispose of plastic waste in the area, we can imagine that forest ecosystems will be gradually damaged, springs in the region will be polluted and unhealthy to be consumed, the growth of green trees there will also be hampered.

The more worrying is the nature tourism activities in Lempuyang that will slowly not be visited due to Lempuyang has lost its aesthetics due to piles of plastic waste.

“Actually what is happening now is the hill area or the Mount Lempuyang has become one of the sources of regional revenue (PAD) of Karangasem district with the charging of admission tickets for tourists

visiting the area,” said Putra before Chairman of the KMHDI Bali, I Gusti Kirana Dana and Chairman of Peradah Bali, Komang Agus Widiantara. He added that in the cleanup activities tourists visiting the object gave much appreciation to the actions of caring for the environment.

Moreover, some tourists helped carry sack bags filled with plastic trash to the truck of the Environment and Sanitation Agency.

Previously, the activities were followed by participants consisting of police and military personnel, Peradah Bali, KMHDI Bali, KMHD STIKOM, Trash Hero, Plastic Island, Geberpasti, Round Table, Bali Cleanup, Marine Debris Guard Udayana, Karangasem Youth Forum, Bali Hindu Youth Alliance, Karangasem Youth, Brotherhood, FA KMHDI, Satyam Eva Jayate Ashram, Small Climber, Batu Keben as well as junior high and senior high school students in Abang subdistrict. (kmb)

Already, Antarctic melting has raised global sea levels more than half an inch (1.4 centimeters) between 1979 and 2017, said the report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer-reviewed US journal.

And the pace of melting is expected to lead to disastrous sea level rise in the years to come, according to lead author Eric Rignot, chair of Earth system science at the University of California, Irvine.

“As the Antarctic ice sheet continues to melt away, we expect multi-meter sea level rise from Antarctica in the coming centuries,” Rignot said.

A rise of 1.8 meters (six feet) by 2100, as some scientists forecast in worst-case scenarios, would flood many coastal cities that are home to millions of people around the world, previous research has shown.

For the current study, researchers embarked on the longest-ever assessment of ice mass in the Antarctic, across 18 geographic regions. Data came from high-resolution aerial photographs taken by NASA planes, along with satellite radar from multiple space agencies.

Researchers discovered that from 1979 to 1990, Antarctica shed an average of 40 billion tons of ice mass annually.

By the years 2009 to 2017, the ice loss had increased more than sixfold, to 252 billion tons per year.

Chris LARSEN / NASA / AFP

This file NASA image released on December 20, 2017 and acquired on November 29, 2017 by Operation IceBridge during a flight to Victoria Land, shows an iceberg floating in Antarctica’s McMurdo Sound.

Even more worrying, researchers found that areas that were once considered “stable and immune to change” in East Antarctica, are shedding quite a lot of ice, too, said the study.

“The Wilkes Land sector of East Antarctica has, overall, always been an important participant in the mass loss, even as far back as the 1980s, as our research has shown,” Rignot said.

“This region is probably more sensitive to climate than has traditionally been assumed, and that’s important to know, because it holds even more ice than West Antarctica and the Antarctic Peninsula together.” (afp)

Thailand to make it rain as pollution chokes Bangkok

Romeo GACAD / AFP

A woman wears a face mask on the way to work while smog blankets Bangkok on January 14, 2019.

BANGKOK - Thailand is set to deploy rainmaking planes to seed clouds in an effort to tackle the pall of pollution that has shrouded the capital in recent weeks.

The weather modification technique involves dispersing chemicals into the air to aid cloud condensation, which should in theory result in rain.

“The Department of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation... expects the rainmaking to be done tomorrow (Tuesday) but it depends on wind and humidity levels,” Pralong Dumrongthai, director-general of Thailand’s Pollution Control Department, told reporters.

As Thais woke up Monday morning to another day of murky air blanketing its bustling construction-filled capital, environment group Greenpeace said Bangkok was currently the 10th most polluted in the world, rivalling some

cities in China.

Reasons for the persistent smog include combustion exhaust from Bangkok’s traffic-strewn roads, the burning of fields from farmers outside the city, and pollutants from factories. Public discontent has surfaced on Thai social media and television, with pollution-related hashtags trending and TV hosts advising viewers on the types of face masks they should wear.

Air Visual, an independent online air quality index (AQI) monitor, pegged Bangkok at “unhealthy” levels measuring 156 AQI on Monday -- though numbers have often crept higher in the last two months.

But the Pollution Department played down the dangers of the persistent haze, which the government judges using a different set of measurements to see the concentration of harmful microscopic particles known as PM2.5.

He said Bangkok had recent peak PM2.5 levels of 102 micrograms per cubic metre and on Monday was sitting under 90.

“Our PM figure is high but it is not a crisis yet,” he said. “We are not in the range of 120-150 where all people have to wear masks all the time when they are out.”

But Greenpeace’s Thailand director Tara Buakamsri said immediate action should be taken by the authorities, like reducing the number of cars and closing schools in high-risk areas.

“The pollution issues are more and more frequent in Bangkok. We need smarter air quality management.”

In recent weeks, municipal workers have sprayed water along the roads and into the air in Bangkok to help clear the smog, while authorities have urged people to stay indoors. (afp)

14

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Technology

International

Elon Musk shows off prototype of Marsbound rocket, Starship will be -- but is shorter.

Its first test flights -- suborbital “hops” reaching several miles (kilometers) in the air before landing back on Earth -- could come in March or April.

An orbital prototype is expected in June. That version will be paired with a massive rocket booster known as the Super Heavy.

SpaceX has said the duo could one day transport people from city to city on Earth, as well as propel

passengers around the Moon, to the lunar surface, and even to Mars and back.

SpaceX currently launches regular supply missions to the astronauts living at the International Space Station, using its Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon cargo capsule.

The company is working on a new Dragon crew capsule that could start carrying people to the orbiting outpost later this year. (afp)

This image released by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on January 11, 2019, shows the test version of the Starship Hopper, which awaits its first flight test in Texas in the coming weeks.

The prototype was built in Boca Chica, along the Gulf Coast of Texas

Elon MUSK / AFP

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

3

Realizing quality tourism

Alipay supports rupiah transactions for Chinese tourists

WASHINGTON - SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has unveiled the first pictures of a retro-looking, steely rocket called Starship that may one day carry people to the Moon and Mars.

Musk posted pictures on Twitter late Thursday of the Starship Hopper prototype, which awaits its first flight test in Texas in the coming weeks.

“Starship test flight rocket just finished assembly at the @SpaceX Texas launch site. This is an actual picture, not a rendering,” he wrote.

The prototype built in Boca Chica, along the Gulf Coast of Texas, is nine yards (eight meters) in diameter -- like the future rocket

Bali News

International

Robyn Beck / AFP

In this file photo taken on January 9, 2019, the WaterGen GEN350 medium-scale atmospheric water generator is displayed at CES 2019 on January 9, 2019 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Tech to the rescue: New products aim to improve disaster relief

LAS VEGAS - After catastrophic wildfires in southern California late last year, the Israeli startup Watergen sent in its devices which pull clean water out of the atmosphere for firefighters and relief workers.

The machines, which have been deployed in other global disaster areas, were among the technologies on display at the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show to highlight innovations which can be used in various kinds of relief efforts.

“We clean the air because it’s much easier to clean air than it is to clean water,” said Yehuda Kaploun, president of Watergen USA, who was demonstrating the device at the annual Las Vegas extravaganza which ends Friday after showcasing futuristic innovations.

Watergen claims its technology -- offered in a commercial-size Gen350 and a consumer version known as Genny -- has many applications for emergency response and helping the many millions who lack potable water.

The exhibits showcased a broad array of “tech for good” services which use robotics, drones, artificial intelligence and the like.

- Robotic legs, treacherous terrain -

The show’s “Resilience Marketplace” included technology assisting with emergency preparedness and response, and panel discussions at the event also addressed these issues.

CES this year also included a conference panel on how technology can help “create more resilient communities” by tackling problems including poverty, health, education, and sustainability.

“Disaster recovery and public safety is an area in the drone industry experiencing exponential growth with a multitude of real-world appli-

cations,” said Ben Marcus, chairman or AirMap, which allows operators to manage drones for emergency response.

“When used for public safety, drones are cheaper, faster, and more effective in keeping people out of harm’s way.”

Taiwan-based startup Uupsafety won a CES award for its technology which monitors firefighters with smart wearables that connect to command centers.

Japanese automaker Honda showed its prototype autonomous work vehicle which could be used in a variety of situations including search and rescue, firefighting and snow removal.

“We’ve been testing (the vehicle) in real-world scenarios to demonstrate the value and capabilities of this unique machine,” said Honda executive Pete Wendt.

Honda said it has tested the vehicle in Colorado wildfires, relieving the physical strain of firefighters carrying supplies and water, and using a mode that allowed it to autonomously follow the crews.

South Korea’s Hyundai went a step further, unveiling a vehicle with robotic legs to let it walk or crawl over treacherous terrain.

Hyundai billed its Elevate as an unprecedented “Ultimate Mobility Vehicle” that combines technology from electric cars with robotics.

“What if a car designed with robotics could save lives in disasters?” said Hyundai executive John Suh, who heads the company’s Cradle arm devoted to innovation.

The concept vehicle can drive at highway speeds with the legs retracted but if needed can climb over a 1.5-meter (five-foot) wall, in what the automaker called “a new paradigm of mobility.” (afp)

MANGUPURA — Chinese tourists traveling to Bali are expected to use rupiah in their transaction.

By using rupiah when making transactions, of course it will be recorded as a state income. This was conveyed by President Director of PT Alto Halo Digital International (AHDI), Rudi Ramli, in the dissemination of Alipay transaction usage in Kuta on Friday (Jan. 11).

According to him, to support this, one of the online payment platforms owned by the giant Alibaba group, Alipay, continues to disseminate transactions using Alipay to support the development of quality Bali tourism. With Alipay transactions, tourists from China who travel to Bali will transact in rupiah and not in the form of Renminbi (RMB), the currency of the People’s Republic of China.

Previously, Rudi said the ‘mafia’ running tourism business in Bali were free to carry out illegal practices with RMB transactions without the rupiah exchange rate so that all the transactions occurred directly between banks in China.

As a result, he said, the process of transactions carried out in Indonesia, especially in Bali, had no impact on the regional economy and the increase in foreign exchange.

At present, the implementation in the field, according to Rudi, many ‘merchants” enforce transactions by using Alipay platform.

“We recommend all shops to use

Alipay. We prepare the method of payment, and go to stores remaining to use transactions with RMB (Chinese currency). Thus, Bank Indonesia will talk to them in order to use rupiah transactions at merchants such as hotels, restaurants, spas, and shop stores because Chinese tourists prefer to make payment by using mobile phone, and this is all supported by Alipay,” said Rudi.

He will support the creation of quality Bali tourism because Alipay transactions have the ability to block transactions at merchants that remain to use transactions of the Chinese currency (RMB).

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) of Bali Chapter, A.A. Ngurah Alit Wiraputra, said that currently it is time to apply transaction system by means of Alipay, including in Bali. He said that for the Bali region, in the future the visit of Asian tourists including those from China will be quite large. As a result, it becomes challenge and an opportunity for Bali.

With the transactions by using Alipay, said Alit, all transactions are digitally recorded, so that it possibly becomes an official and ideal payment system. “Whether liking it or not, it’s been the time. With Alipay transactions, the country can make savings in terms of printing money,” he said. (kmb23)

IBP/kmb

Some spiritual servants (pepatih) seem to have fallen into trance in the ngerebong procession held at Kesiman.

Ngerebong tradition at Kesiman

KESIMAN remains to be known to loyally apply the royal traditions. Thousands of residents of customary village on Sunday (Jan. 13) held ngerebong procession. This regular procession is held every six months (210 days) of Wuku Medangsia centered in the Agung Petilan Kesiman Temple.

IBP/kmb

Chinese tourists traveling to Bali are expected to use rupiah in their transaction.

Kesiman residents are also known to hold their customs firmly.

So, the tradition is never abolished as said by Chief of Kesiman customary village, I Made Karim.

He said the procession does not only mean to neutralize the earth but also maintain the balance of the macrocosm and microcosm and unifying means of the people.

So, the ngerebong procession was followed by spiritual servants (pepatih) and sanctified effigies consisting of barong, rangda from Singgi, Sanur, Tohpati and Bekul and surrounding area.

Likewise there is opinion interpreting ngerebong as spinning.

People believe that on the day all the deities are gathering. The tradition is centralized at Petilan Temple. So this temple is better known as the Pengerebongan Temple.

This tradition is also considered an ancient one to avoid calamities or disasters. It belongs to the Bhuta Yadnya ceremony aiming to neutralize evil forces (bhuta) in order to become a good power (deity) so as not to disturb humanity, especially at Kesiman.

Made Karim revealed the Ngerebong procession itself aims to remind the Hindus through the sacred ritual to continuously maintain harmony in human relations with God, humans and fellow humans and humans with nature.

The ritual started in the morning by taking out the sanctified effigies in all the temples across Kesiman.

It was resumed with the Nyanjan and Nuwur procession. It is meant to invoke the sacred power of the deities characterized by trance of the spiritual servants and the sanc-

tified effigies surrounded the Petilan Temple for three times. Both male and female spiritual servants stabbed kris dagger on their chest, neck and even the crown. Strangely, none of them was bleeding from the blast of the kris dagger. Likewise, this procession is called ngurek or stabbing.

After the ngerebong, all the temple priests led by Mangku Gede Dalem performed a procession known as Ngider Bhuana by circumnavigating the wantilan hall for three times. At that time, all the temple priests, prasanak and manca at Kesiman were showing off their loyalty to Bhatara Dalem. This ceremony was held according to the procession style of Kesiman. After the procession was over, all the sanctified effigies returned to their abode at respective temple. (sue)

2

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Bali News

International

Supermarkets obliged to sell local products at least 25 percent

The tourists are coming to Bali through Ngurah Rai International Airport

IBP/Yudi Karnaedi

Tourist contributions included in airfare

Parliament questions about how to identify travelers

DENPASAR - The discussion on the Regional Bylaw Bill on the Contribution of Tourists to Conservation of Nature and Culture in Bali is going to be held on Tuesday (Jan. 15). Many things will be questioned by the Special Committee in the Bali House of Representatives to the executive regarding the regional regulation bill.

“Tomorrow (Tuesday—Ed) many questions may arise, especially great questions, the matter of legal instrument with the failure of the previous contribution plan,” said Chairperson of the Special Committee for Regional Contributions, I Ketut Suwandhi, when confirmed on Monday (Jan. 14 ) The next question, continued Suwandhi, concerns the identification of tourists subject to contributions. Considering the contribution is only applied to tourists, namely foreign tourists, worth USD 10 or around IDR150,000 and domestic tourists will be charged at IDR 25,000. “Although the value is different, how can we distinguish them between a tourist or homecomer, or businessman, office worker, et cetera?” explained this Golkar politician.

Suwandhi added the way to collect contributions also requires clarity. If only making cooperation with airlines, what about tourists coming to Bali via land and sea line. This will also be a question mark. Plus other questions that might appeared previously at the Bali House of Representatives’ Plenary Session.

“Hopefully, this can run smoothly as

well as be agreed by the ministry (central government—Ed) and by the airline itself for the collection system because this is also important to increase regional revenue for the development of Bali,” he said.

In the previous plenary session, all factions in the Bali House of Representatives gave a general view regarding the regional bill. One of the Golkar Party factions suggested the executives to optimize regional agencies in imposing tourist contributions rather than being carried out by the Tourist Contribution Fund Management Agency (BPKW).

PDI-P faction expected the results of levies can also be used for subak empowerment program, as well as regional strengthening in special mitigation and contingency plans for tourists. Panca Bayu faction requested the governor to provide an explanation for tourists that the contribution is related to the efforts to restore, conserve and revitalize the natural and cultural environment of Bali.

Democratic Party and Gerindra Faction both gave input so that the regional regulation also governs sanctions for

third parties if they are proven not to follow and implement the regulations agreed. In addition, the Gerindra Faction specifically requested that there is a clear arrangement that allocation of regional revenue from the implementation of the regional regulation is actually used for the purpose of this regulation. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party Faction suggested that domestic tourist contributions will be delayed or reconsidered.

Separately interviewed, the Governor of Bali Wayan Koster did not deny that in other countries such contributions only apply to foreign tourists.

Therefore, the input of the parliament will be considered in preparing the regional bylaw. Later on, the amount of contribution will be included in airfare.

In this case, the provincial government of Bali cooperates with airlines.

“Let’s be applied first to tourists travelling by air. Later on it can be expanded as most foreign tourists come by air. It becomes regionally generated revenue. They (tourists) are happy because this is for strengthening Balinese culture,” he said. (kmb32)

SEMARAPURA - Klungkung district government seems to have a long-term plan behind its policy of limiting operating hours of supermarket, especially chained stores until 22:00.

Local government would like to restore economic rotation in the region because supermarkets or chain stores are considered to only capture the money of residents in Klungkung, and are used to expand their business in other regions. Additionally, in the future, the Klungkung government plans to require every supermarket to accommodate local products of Klungkung at least amounting to 25 percent.

This was conveyed by Regent of Klungkung, Nyoman Suwirta, when responding to a variety of citizen’s complaints regarding the new policy on Monday (Jan. 14). According to him, many things have not been understood by citizens. So, he considered it natural if later on various reactions emerge resulted by the policy. One of the important points of this policy is how to stop these chain stores from capturing money from Klungkung residents, then take it outside to develop their business outside Klungkung, even outside Bali. This economic turnaround is very influential in the regional gini ratio.

In addition, as a holding company, this chain store company has no contribution to the regional government. For example, there is no CSR contribution that can be given to local governments. “If the chain stores are pressed, then this will be an opportunity for local supermarkets. If residents shop there, surely the economy will be centered in Klungkung. So, our region certainly develops. This must be understood as a big goal, other than protecting traditional market and protect young people frequently wandering at midnight.

Having arranged this, all Klungkung MSME products will have the opportunity to be accommodated in every supermarket. Every local product owned by MSMEs must have standards in order to be able to compete against external products.

To prepare for this, Regent Suwirta has instructed all relevant agencies to carry out coaching so that they are ready to seize the opportunity. “As the first step, we will take action with appeals, so that supermarkets want to accommodate local products of Klungkung residents. Then, it will be regulated in the regent decree. However, the readiness as the weakness of our local products must be prepared with maturity,” said Regent Suwirta.

Regent Suwirta stressed this plan had been sparked for a long time. However, the right moment has arrived with the efforts to control the outside-owned chain stores. So, the Industry, Trade and Cooperatives Agency is able to boost the MSME sector, and they are ready to capture the opportunities for local market having begun to open up. “If the supermarkets are owned by local people and local products are available, so the workforce is also attempted to recruit local people. So, there is no more unfair treatment, for employees, such as the one experienced by local employees working in the chain stores that was only employed at the beginning of the operations,” he said.

Closed immediately

Another peculiarity regarding the existence of this chain store is the licensing aspect. When making site inspection to the chain stores, the employees were unable to presence their license to Regent Suwirta. The employee claimed to have a license, but is brought by his superior. Regent Suwirta is suspicious, they only have one license but used for many store operations. This can be seen from several stores having the same style but using different names adjusted to the name of the area.

To ensure this, Regent Suwirta will come back down. If indeed they only have one license, and is used for many store operations, the existence of the modern chain store will be instantly closed at that time. (kmb31)

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Activities

International

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Traditional Sunday Roast at Courtyard Seminyak

Come by to the Courtyard by Marriott Bali Seminyak Resort every Sunday for a sumptuous feast of Britain’s traditional and bestloved meals such as Crispy Pork Belly, Roasted Beef and Roasted Chicken all served with Yorkshire pudding, roasted herbs potato, roasted pumpkin, carrot, & green bean, cauliflower gratin, caramelized onion and homemade gravy sauce.Every Sunday, Seminyak Meat Shop 2PM – 8.30PM.Food Only IDR 200K++/person With a Glass of Local House Wine IDR 250K++/person.

For more info, call +62361 8499600 or email seminyak.fb@ courtyard.com.Set only blocks from the beach, Courtyard Bali Seminyak Resort welcomes hotel guests with deluxe amenities and award-winning service. Legendary Potato Head Beach and the Beach Club are only moments drive away, as are the tempting restaurants and bars of Eat Street. Relax and recharge in our well-appointed hotel rooms and suites, which offer premium bedding, rain showers, working desks, free Wi-Fi and private balconies or terraces with direct

pool access. Upgrade to a suite to enjoy extra living space, ideal for those traveling with family.

Numerous delicious dining options await you. Pamper yourself with a spa appointment, take the plunge in one of our three-tier pool, work out in our modern gym and treat the family to time at the Kids Club. If you are planning an event, you’ll love our ballroom, intimate studios, garden space and private rooftop venue, as well as our expert planning services and custom catering.

We look forward to welcoming you to Courtyard Bali Seminyak Resort.

15

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

16 Pages Number 18 11th year

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

Price: Rp 3.000,-

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Cuaron’s ‘Roma’ a top winner at Critics’ Choice Awards

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

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

SANTA MONICA - Hollywood’s award season was in full swing late Sunday, with Alfonso Cuaron’s “Roma” - an ode to the director’s childhood in 1970s Mexico City - the big winner at the Critics’ Choice Awards.

“Roma” won trophies for best picture, best foreignlanguage film, and for both director and cinematography for Cuaron.

“This bunch of Mexicans are not as bad as sometimes they are portrayed,” said Cuaron, a reference to President Donald Trump’s hardline rhetoric on immigration.

Shot in black and white, and filmed in Spanish and the indigenous Mixtec language, “Roma” is a semiautobiographical chronicle of a year in the life of Cuaron’s family and his childhood nanny.

“Roma” - the title a reference to a posh Mexico City neighborhood -- earlier won two Golden Globes and is a leading contender for an Oscar

at the Academy Awards ceremony in February.

Christian Bale, who portrayed former US vice president Dick Cheney in “Vice,” won awards in the Best Actor and Best Actor in a Comedy categories, while Glenn Close (“The Wife”) and Lady Gaga (“A Star is Born”) jointly won in the Best Actress category.

Mahershala Ali (“Green Book”) walked away with a Best Supporting Actor win, while Regina King (“If Beale Street Could Talk”) won for Best Supporting Actress. (afp)

Maroon 5 announced as Super Bowl half-time performers

IBP/net

Maroon 5

NEW YORK - Three-time Grammy Award-winning band Maroon 5 was named Sunday as the headline act of next month’s Super Bowl 53 half-time show, a performance that has aroused controversy and protest petitions.

The league and pop music band announced they will perform in the National Football League championship spectacle on February 3 at MercedesBenz Stadium in Atlanta.

They will be joined by Atlanta native Big Boi and Grammy-nominated rapper Travis Scott. Maroon 5 had been long rumored to be playing the feature slot on one of the most watched US television shows of any year.

But it comes after more than 75,000 people signed an online petition for the band not to play the Super Bowl to support Colin Kaepernick, the former NFL quarterback who started kneeling protests during pre-game US anthem performances as a way to protest racial and social injustice and police

brutality.

Kaepernick, a former star for the San Francisco 49ers, has not played in the league since 2016. He filed a grievance against the NFL and club owners last year, claiming they have conspired not to hire him.

US President Donald Trump made the kneeling protest a major issue, calling anyone who did it a “son of a bitch” and saying they should be fired.

Other artists reportedly turned down the halftime show in support of Kaepernick.

Billboard reported Sunday, citing unnamed sources, that Scott signed on to perform only after the NFL agreed to join him in donating to a social justice cause.

Past Super Bowl performers have included Justin Timberlake, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Katy Perry, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, The Who, Prince, the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, U2 and Michael Jackson. (afp)

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AP Photo/Andy Wong

In this Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019, photo, a Huawei employee talks to an invited guest near the “CloudEngine 16800 Built for the AI Era” after its official launch

by Huawei at a hotel in Beijing.

‘Hostage politics’: Death sentence heightens China, Canada tensions

China on Tuesday vociferously defended a court’s decision to impose the death penalty on a convicted Canadian drug smuggler, escalating a diplomatic row that experts say has descended into a high-stakes game of “hostage politics”.

China’s foreign ministry blasted Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s “irresponsible remarks” after he criticised the death sentence imposed on 36-year-old Robert Lloyd Schellenberg.

Beijing and Ottawa have been squabbling since last month, when Canada arrested the chief financial officer of top Chinese telecom company Huawei on a US extradition request related to Iran sanctions violations.

In a move observers see as retaliation, Chinese authorities detained two Canadian citizens -- a former diplomat and a business consultant -- on suspicion of endangering national security.

Then authorities revisited the little-known case of Robert Lloyd Schellenberg, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison in November for drug offences.

A month later, an upper court took up his appeal and ordered a hasty retrial in the northeastern port city of Dalian after ruling that the punishment was too lenient.

The timing and swiftness of Schellenberg’s sentence, and the inclusion of new evidence presenting him as a key player in a plan to ship 222 kilograms (490 pounds) of methamphetamine to Australia, raised suspicion among observers.

“Playing hostage politics, China rushes the retrial of a Canadian

suspect and sentences him to death in a fairly transparent attempt to pressure Canada,” Human Rights Watch executive director Kenneth Roth said in a tweet.

Donald Clarke, a George Washington University professor specialising in Chinese law, coined an even grimmer term for the situation: “death threat diplomacy”.

“The Chinese government is not even trying to pretend that there was a fair trial here,” he said. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed “extreme concern” that China had “chosen to arbitrarily” apply the death penalty.

But Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying

denied Beijing had politicised Schellenberg’s case, calling on Canada to “respect China’s judicial sovereignty... and stop making such irresponsible remarks.”

Ottawa had issued a new travel advisory urging citizens to “exercise a high degree of caution in China due to the risk of arbitrary enforcement of local laws.”

Hua countered: “Canada should remind its own citizens to definitely not engage in drug smuggling in China”. The court in Liaoning on said its actions were “in compliance with the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Law,” the state-run Legal Daily reported.

- Suspect timing China executes one or two foreigners every year -- nearly all for drug offences, according to John

Kamm, director of the US-based Dui Hua Foundation rights group.

Experts said retrials are rare in China, especially ones calling for a harsher sentence, but rights groups note that courts are not independent and can be influenced by the ruling Communist Party.

“What’s unusual is how this case shifted from extremely slow handling to suddenly rapid fire movement,” said Margaret Lewis, a law professor at Seton Hall University.

Continued to page 6 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.