Edition Tuesday, December 19, 2017 | International Bali Post

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Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Weinstein denies blacklisting actresses Ashley Judd, Mira Sorvino LOS ANGELES - Harvey Weinstein on Friday denied barring actresses Ashley Judd and Mira Sorvino from working on the movie adaptation of “The Lord of the Rings” or blacklisting them from further projects.

Weinstein, who has been accused of sexual harassment by more than 50 women, including Judd and Sorvino, was responding to remarks by “Lord of the Rings” director Peter Jackson.

Reuters is unable to independently confirm the misconduct allegations and Weinstein has denied having non-consensual sex with anyone.

In an interview with New Zealand website Stuff on Thursday, Jackson said he expressed interest in casting Judd and Sorvino in the movie while pitching the project to Weinstein’s production company Miramax.

“I recall Miramax telling us they were a nightmare to work with and we should avoid them at all costs.

This was probably in 1998,” Jackson said.

“At the time, we had no reason to question what these guys were telling us... I now suspect we were fed false information about both of these tal-

ented women - and as a direct result their names were removed from our casting list,” he added.

The “Lord of the Rings” movie trilogy later went to New Line Cinema and released in 2001.

Weinstein’s spokeswoman Holly Baird said in a statement that Harvey and his bother Bob “had no input into the casting whatsoever” on “Lord of the Rings.”

The statement said that Judd was subsequently cast by Weinstein in two other movies - “Frida” and “Crossing Over.”

It added that Sorvino called Weinstein earlier this year to ask if her husband, actor Christopher Backus, could be cast in the TV series “Six” that he was producing “and Mr. Weinstein cast him.”

Judd, responding on Twitter on Friday, recalled having detailed talks with Jackson about “Lord of the Rings” but “then I abruptly never heard from him again.”

Sorvino said on Twitter that she “burst out crying” when she read Jackson’s remarks, calling them “confirmation that Harvey Weinstein derailed my career, something I suspected but was unsure.” (rtr)

REUTERS/Mike Segar

Producer Harvey Weinstein stands in the audience ahead of the first presidential debate between U.S. presidential nominee Donald trump and U.S. presidential nominee Hillary Clinton at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, U.S., September 26, 2016. Picture taken September 26, 2016.

Tuesday, December 19, 2017 Actors Daisy Ridley and Mark Hamill pose for photographers as they arrive for the European Premiere of ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’, at the Royal Albert Hall in central London, Britain December 12, 2017.

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

Power restored to Atlanta airport after daylong outage paralyzes travel

One of the heaviest travel weeks of the year began with the cancellation of more than 1,000 flights on Sunday at the world’s busiest airport in Atlanta, where a power outage that lasted nearly 11 hours left passengers stranded in darkened terminals or in aircraft idling on tarmacs. The early afternoon outage paralyzed operations at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport before power was finally restored at 11:45 p.m. Sunday EST for flight operations, wreaking havoc on holiday travel plans for thousands of people hit by airline cancellations extending into Monday.

‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ opens with galactic $450 mln box office

Delta said it was cancelling about 300 flights on Monday, on top of the 900 Sunday cancellations as a result of the Atlanta outage. United Air Lines also warned on social media that travel on Monday may be affected.

The incident on Sunday led the Federal Aviation Administration to ground flights bound for Atlanta. American Airlines and Southwest Airlines were also among the major carriers that suspended operations at the airport on Sunday.

Southwest canceled 70 departures on Sunday.

Georgia Power, the utility that provides electricity to the sprawling airport, said the failure was linked to a fire in an underground facility that damaged substations serving Hartsfield. The blaze, possibly started when a piece of gear failed, damaged access to a backup system, the company said.

All passengers had safely disembarked from aircraft by approximately 10 p.m., or nine hours after the outage began, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed said on Twitter. Photo and videos posted on social media showed passengers huddled in partial darkness inside crowded terminals. Some said they sat on planes for hours.

“Stuck on a plane at Atlanta Airport as the power is out there ... bedlam inside and boredom out here!” Jack Harris wrote on Twitter. The FAA said earlier that it was staffed to handle the expected resumption of commercial traffic on Monday. Some stranded passengers found lodging in local hotels, and the city was providing shelter at the Georgia International Convention Center. By early Monday, airport officials said on social media that they had served more than 5,000 meals for passengers.

“We’re just focusing on the comfort of our passengers,” Reed told a news conference on Sunday. “We know they have had a very, very long and difficult day. Delta, hit hard because of its hub in Atlanta, said customers flying to or from the airport could make a one-time change to travel plans within certain guidelines. Other airlines also offered waiver for flight changes. Delta said its flight schedule in Atlanta was expected to return to normal by Monday afternoon.

For all carriers, more than 1,170 flights in or out of Hartsfield were scratched Sunday, airline tracking service FlightAware said. The airport serves on average about 275,000 passengers each day, according to its website.(rtr)

LOS ANGELES - “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” burst into theaters with a staggering $450 million in global ticket sales in its opening weekend, confirming that the celebrated space adventure franchise remained a powerful force at the box office.

The eighth movie in the “Star Wars” saga created by George Lucas in 1977 collected $220 million in the United States and Canada, according to box office estimates released by comScore on Sunday.

The total ranked second only to the $248 million for “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” two years ago.

The debut marks another major success for Walt Disney Co , which bought “Star Wars” producer Lucasfilm in 2012 and reinvigorated the story set in a galaxy far, far away.

“There are very few brands that can sustain this kind of enthusiasm and relevance,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for comScore. “This supercharges the potential for all the other ‘Star Wars’ properties down the line.”

At least five more “Star Wars” movies are in the works at Disney,

including one about a young Han Solo due for release next May, followed by “Episode IX” in December 2019.

“Last Jedi” features actress Carrie Fisher’s final performance as Leia, the beloved princess who became a general leading resistance forces against the evil First Order.

Fisher died of a heart attack in December 2016.

The film also gives a prominent role to original “Star Wars” hero Luke Skywalker, portrayed by Mark Hamill.

International sales for “Last Jedi” were the third biggest for films that did not include the Chinese market during their debut weekends, Disney said. “Last Jedi” opens Jan. 5 in China, the second largest movie market.

Positive fan reaction suggested

strong ticket sales over the coming holidays, said Dave Hollis, Disney president of worldwide theatrical distribution. Audiences awarded the film an “A” grade in polling by CinemaScore.

Box office analysts did not expect “Last Jedi” to repeat the opening weekend numbers of “Force Awakens.” The 2015 movie had been subject to unprecedented interest because it was the first new “Star Wars” film in a decade.

It eventually took in more than $2 billion worldwide.

Disney will take over distribution rights to all past “Star Wars” films as part of its $52 billion deal last week to buy film and some television businesses from TwentyFirst Century Fox Inc Fox had released the first six “Star Wars” movies made by Lucas. (rtr)

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The Atlanta’s airport is pictured during the power outage, in Atlanta, U.S., December 17, 2017 in this picture obtained from social media.

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

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Bali News

No significant lava addition in the crater

PVMBG still analyzes gas content of drone monitoring

AMLAPURA - Until now, the volcanic activities of Mount Agung remains quite high.

This highest mountain in Bali stays in a critical phase. Blow of smoke is still coming out of the crater. This indicates the potential for eruption will still occur. This was revealed by the Mitigation Division Head of Volcanic Monitoring for Eastern Region at the PVMBG, Devy Kamil Syahbana, on Sunday (Dec. 17).

Devy Syahbana revealed that so far the activities of Mount Agung remains quite high. Blow of white and gray smoke with the intensity of thin to medium and height of 1,000 meters above the peak of the crater can still be observed. Based on the data within the past 12 hours, there are 21 times of blast, 5 times of low frequency earthquake, 4 deep volcanic earthquakes and 1 local tectonic earthquake. It means that effusive eruptions, gusts and smoke emission are still happening and indicate there is still pressure of energy in the body of Mount Agung. “The blast of smoke tends to blow westward in the direction of the wind, while at night fire is sometimes observed,” he said.

He explained that so far in terms of lava volume at the bottom of the crater there is no significant change.

Small possibilities of lava can meet the crater in a short time if the rate of increase remains like today.

“The largest rate of lava growth occurs in the period November 25-30, 2017. Within 5 days, the lava coming out about 20 million cubic meters or about one-third of the volume of the crater. Until now the growth slows down,” he said.

His division makes cooperation again with the Aeroterrascan to fly drone in order to monitor the crater visually and try to measure the gas in roder to know the evolution of magmatic gas concentration over time, whether it tends to decrease, remain (fluctuate) or tend to increase after the eruption some days ago. He said the first drone flight already got the results. However, with the help of one point his division cannot determine whether the trend of gas has increased, fluctuated or decreased after the effusive eruption.

“To ensure, we have to take samples of gas for several times. Now, (Sunday—Ed) the Aeroterrascan team is re-flying the drone to detect the gas content.

We are still analyzing the gas content resulted from several times of recording obtained by using drone including the addition of the latest results. Having been issued, we will inform the results,” said Devy Syahbana. (kmb41)

REUTERS/Darren Whiteside

The full-moon is seen along with Mount Agung volcano, from Amed in Karangasem Regency, Bali, Indonesia, December 4, 2017.

International

Tourism shaken by Mount Agung eruption

Employers may not sacrifice workers

DENPASAR - Tourism sector can be said to be very shaken by the eruption of Mount Agung. It can be seen from drastic decrease in the number of tourist visits, followed by a decrease in hotel occupancy rates. The entrepreneurs getting involved in this industry began to complain. Some have even laid off their workers.

Chairman of the Bali Labor Union Federation, Wayan Suyasa, said in Denpasar on Sunday (Dec. 17) the workers should not be victimized in this issue. Entrepreneurs must see how their devotion is because some workers has been serving in a hotel or other accommodation up to tens of years.

Undeniably, the tourism industry is currently losing money due to the eruption of Mount Agung.

“However, let us think more clearly. So far, the company has also gained many profits, so do not just complain after this once incident and then sacrificed the workers that have been loyal so far,” said the man who is also Chairman of the Commission 1 of the Badung House of Representatives.

According to Suyasa, labor unions, businessmen and the government must sit together to overcome this problem. There should be a win-win solution for all relevant parties. Thus,

massive layoff can be prevented and employers can still pay in accordance with the established regional wage standard considering that 80 percent of the income of Balinese people depends on tourism sector. “Hopefully, there is no reduction or even delay of salary because it is not in accordance with the provisions,” he explained.

On the other hand, Suyasa appreciated to the measures of the governor of Bali because he has invited the Consul General and explained the real condition of Bali. Hopefully, the consul general will proceed to their home country. However, the role of the community especially the users of social media is also expected by disseminating positive information about the condition of Bali and stop disseminating fake news about the condition of Mount Agung.

Head of the Badung Manpower and Energy and Mineral Resources, Luh Made Wiratmi, said massive fake news about Mount Agung in social media mostly affected the working sector in Bali. Therefore, the whole community, especially young people, is asked not to participate in disseminating incorrect information. “It has a huge impact on tourism because it is very sensitive,” he added. (kmb32)

Arrested in Lombok, fugitive inmate in depression

MANGUPURA - Due to hard work of the Badung Police Criminal Investigation Unit, finally the fugitive of Kerobokan Prison inmate, Christian Beasley, could be captured on Friday (Dec. 15). The arrest was less than a week after the perpetrator escaped. Christian was arrested in the alley heading for Indah Home Stay, Senggigi, Lombok, NTB. When arrested, the perpetrator had depression.

Chief of Badung Police, Yudith Satriya Hananta, said on Sunday (Dec. 17) that after knowing the perpetrator got depression, he was immediately calmed down. Thanks to the appropriate performance, his condition has improved.

Based on results of initial examination, the perpetrator admitted to escape from the cell by way of breaking the ceiling. “The details will be advised later. Our members are still deepening into this case,” he pleaded.

The perpetrator was arrested at 21:30. After being arrested in Lombok, the inmate of this drug case was immediately taken to Bali. Upon

arrival at the Badung Police, the perpetrator was examined intensively.

“The perpetrator is still undergoing examination, especially about the escape. All is possible due to the hard work of our members,” said Yudith.

As reported, the hunt for the inmate of Kerobokan Prison, North Kuta, Christian Beasley, is being conducted by the ranks of Bali Police. In addition, the Bali exit like the airport and harbors is heavily guarded. Police also examined witnesses, including interrogating the girl friend of the perpetrator.

Related to the case, the officers have examined eight wardens. Based on the results of the examination against the wardens, it is known that mother of the perpetrator had made a visit to the prison.

In relatively short time, police managed to meet the girl friend of the perpetrator and immediately interrogated her. Similar examination was also conducted against the perpetrator’s roommates in prison. (kmb36)

 Founder : K.Nadha,  General Manager :Palgunadi Chief Editor: Gugiek Savindra  Editors:Agus Toni, Daniel Fajry, Mawa, Sueca, Sugiartha, Yudi Winanto Denpasar: Dira Arsana, Giriana Saputra, Subrata, Sumatika, Asmara Putra. Bangli: Suasrina, Buleleng: Dewa kusuma, Gianyar: Manik Astajaya, Karangasem: Budana, Klungkung: Dewa Farendra. Jakarta: Nikson, Hardianto, Ade Irawan. NTB: Agus Talino, Izzul Khairi, Raka Akriyani. Surabaya: Bambang Wilianto.  Office: Jalan Kepundung 67 A Denpasar 80232. Telephone (0361)225764, Facsimile: 227418, P.O.Box: 3010 Denpasar 80001. Bali Post Jakarta, Advertizing: Jl.Palmerah Barat 21F. Telp 021-5357602, Facsimile: 021-5357605 Jakarta Pusat. NTB: Jalam Bangau No. 15 Cakranegara Telp. (0370) 639543, Facsimile: (0370) 628257. Publisher: PT Bali Post

Activities

International

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

15

Dining at b Hotel Bali & Spa – Mongolian Nights & Friyeay Satay

The next time you’re craving for a delicious lip-smacking dining experience in the heart of bustling Kuta, do head on down to b Hotel Bali & Spa for some steaming hot, fresh-off-the-grill Mongolian BBQ dinner that takes place every Wednesday at the ho-

tel’s Pangi Restaurant from 6pm to 9pm.

The next time you’re craving for a delicious lip-smacking dining experience in the heart of bustling Kuta, do head on down to b Hotel Bali & Spa. Taking place every Friday, Friyeay Satay nights is

EVERY MONDAY Movie Monday19:00-21:00 Genius Cafe- Home to the entrepreneur Beach CLub Mertasari Beach (Next to Mercure), Sanur EVERY TUESDAY Ecstatic contact dance: Transformative journey Paradiso Ubud, Jalan Goutama Selatan, Ubud 100k includes dinner EVERY WEDNESDAY DEep Dive Dance Guided improvised movement 19:00-21:00 Paradiso Ubud Jalan Goutama Selatan, Ubud 100k EVERY THURSDAY African Drums with Catur SAng Klang Wijaya 16:00-18:00 Experience the healing power of drumming, all levels welcome

BY DONATION SUNDAY MARKETS 10AM 1PM Sunday Market at Batu Jimbar Jl. Danau Tablingan , Sanur 10AM-4PM The Sands Beach Club and Restaurant Sunday MArket Jl. Danau Tamblingan, No 27, Sanur 9:30AM-1PM Sunday Market @ Warung Sopa Jl. Sugriwas no36, Padang Tegal, Ubud 9AM-2PM Samadi Sunday Market Jalan. Padang Linjong 39, Canggu, 9AM-2PM Wednesday and Sunday Ubud Organik Market Jl. Raya Pengosekan across from Zens Hotel Tebesaya, Ubud 12PM-10PM Sunday Food Festival & Bazaar Byrdhouse Beach Club, Sanur 10AM-6PM, Mercure,last sunday of every month, jl. ,Mertasari, Sanur, fashion food and and kids activities The Coffee Spot, Jalan Peigenet 888X,Seminyak, last Sunday of every month, garage sale clothing, books, and hand-made jewellery

a great opportunity to feast on a very popular Indonesian favourite - various types of Satays including diced or sliced chicken, beef, Fish and other meats with their own uniquely made sauces.

Priced at IDR 100K ner per adult, enjoy an all-you-can-eat

buffet inspired by traditional, time-honoured Indonesian recipes, along with an extensive selection of signature taste from across the Indonesian Archipelago at Pangi restaurant every Friday nights from 6pm to 9pm. Children below 12 years old eat for free.

Enjoy 20% discount when you order wine by the glass. For more information about Friyeay Satay Nights or to find out more on hotel rates, accommodations, events and facilities, please contact +62 361 846 5757 or email reservation@ bhotelbali.com.

14

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Science

International

U.S., Russian, Japanese crew blasts off for space station KAZAKHSTAN - A trio of U.S. and Japanese astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut blasted off from Kazakhstan on Sunday for a two-day trip to the International Space Station, a NASA TV broadcast showed.

Commander Anton Shkaplerov of Roscosmos and flight engineers Norishige Kanai of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Scott Tingle of NASA lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 1:21 p.m. local time (0721 GMT/0221 EST).

The crew will gradually approach the station, which

orbits about 250 miles (400 km) above Earth, for two days before docking.

Shkaplerov, Kanai and Tingle will join Alexander Misurkin of Roscosmos and Mark Vande Hei and Joe Acaba of NASA, who have been aboard the orbital outpost since September.

Onboard cameras showed crew members making thumbs-up gestures after the blast-off. Also visible was a stuffed dog toy chosen by Shkaplerov’s daughter to be the spacecraft’s zero-gravity indicator.

Soyuz was safely in orbit about 10 minutes after the launch. (rtr)

REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

3

Adversity of Bali tourism

Achievement of national target may be disrupted

DENPASAR — The adversity of Bali tourism due to Mount Agung eruption disaster potentially destabilizes the national economy. The targets set by central government may be disrupted. Therefore, the attention of central government is very much expected to find the best solution.

IBP/net

The Pentagon is less clear about whether the UFO program continues to hover somewhere in the vast universe of the US defense establishment.

Does Pentagon still have a UFO program? The answer is a bit mysterious

The Soyuz MS-07 spacecraft carrying the crew of Norishige Kanai of Japan, Anton Shkaplerov of Russia and Scott Tingle of the U.S. blasts off to the International Space Station (ISS) from the launchpad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan December 17, 2017.

Bali News

International

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon acknowledged on Saturday that its long-secret UFO investigation program ended in 2012, when U.S. defense officials shifted attention and funding to other priorities.

But as to whether the Advanced Aviation Threat Identification Program has continued to investigate UFO sightings since its funding ended five years ago could rank as an unexplained phenomenon.

The New York Times reported on Saturday that the hush-hush program, tasked with investigating sightings of unidentified flying objects, or UFOs, ran from 2007 to 2012 with $22 million in annual funding secretly tucked away in U.S. Defense Department budgets worth hundreds of billions of dollars.

Its initial funding came largely at the request of former Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid, the Nevada Democrat long known for his enthusiasm for space phenomena, the newspaper said.

Yet according to its backers, the program remains in existence and officials continue to investigate UFO episodes brought to their attention by service members, the newspaper said.

The Pentagon openly acknowledged the fate of the program in response to a Reuters query.

“The Advanced Aviation Threat Identification Program ended in the 2012 timeframe,” Pentagon spokeswoman Laura Ochoa said in an email.

“It was determined that there were other, higher priority issues that merited funding and it was in the best interest of the DoD to make a change,” she said.

But the Pentagon was less clear about whether the UFO program continues to hover somewhere in the vast universe of the U.S. defense establishment.

“The DoD takes seriously all threats and potential threats to our people, our assets, and our mission and takes action whenever credible information is developed,” Ochoa said.

What is less in doubt is former senator Reid’s enthusiasm for UFOs and his likely role in launching the Pentagon initiative to identify advanced aviation threats.

“If you’ve talked to Harry Reid for > 60 seconds then it’s the least surprising thing ever that he loves UFOs and got an earmark to study them,” former Reid spokeswoman Kristen Orthman said in a message on Twitter.

Or as Reid himself said in a tweet that linked to the Times’ story: “The truth is out there. Seriously.” (rtr)

“When Chairman and we in Commission II accepted the Bali Tourism Society Alliance yesterday, there was a discourse to ask for the attention of central government on the possibility of economic shocks having an impact on the national targets without immediate action according to conditions and reality during this eruption disaster,” said a member of Commission II of the Bali House of Representatives, A.A. Ngurah Adhi Ardhana, when confirmed on Friday (Dec.15).

According to Adhi Ardhana, central government needs to evaluate the previous planning according to the current situation. It is meant to save the Bali’s economy and national target as the basis for consideration. As representative of Commission II, he also encouraged the Bali House of Representatives to make recommendation and encourage local government to do something in order to address this situation.

“There are four things certainly requiring the help of central government. Firstly, preparation of the implementation of funds related to social networks including tourism that we have indeed planned and set to be prepared in the Regional Budget Plan 2018,” he explained.

Therefore, continued Adhi Ardhana, local government can organize and coordinate the problems caused by the eruption disaster. This includes the convenience and diversion of transport for tourists.

Secondly, it is related to technical implementation and the same standards related to the delivery of reliable information.

“For example, the aviation security standards should use the data of the National Weather Service (BMKG) rather than that of Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG). As currently happened, many parties equated the alert level 4 of Mount Agung (issued by PVMBG—Ed) to the air flight situation,” explained this PDI-P politician.

Thirdly, continued Adhi Ardhana, it is creating security and survival of tourism industry hit by the eruptions by creating fiscal space, namely providing concession policy related to banking affairs. Fourthly, it is creating the sense of security and comfort for potential tourists that want to come to Bali. “Certainly it can be done by conducting or directing the national and international scale activities as a

form of proof of security and comfort during this disaster condition,” he said.

Previously, Chairman of the Bali Tourism Society Alliance, Gusti Kade Sutawa, said the alliance wants a safe and convenient overland transportation to take tourists to the nearest airport especially in case the Ngurah Rai Airport is closed again due to volcanic ashes of Mount Agung. It includes the technical matters because condition of Mengwi Terminal is considered inadequate and not representative.

“We also appeal to the provision of crisis center which prepares all the possibilities with SOPs so there will be no

longer sporadic, panic, and other movements,” he added.

Sutawa also asked the governor to give a statement to the national and international media regarding the actual conditions of Mount Agung. It includes inviting the airlines and Consul General to inform that Bali remains safe to be visited.

The public in particular is also asked to help spread positive news related to the eruptions and participate in promotional measure entitled “Bali Safe” in print, electronic and social media. “This must be attempted so that tourist-supplying countries could invoke their travel ban or travel warning issued,” he explained. (kmb32)

IBP/kmb

Local government can organize and coordinate the problems caused by the eruption disaster. This includes the convenience and diversion of transport for tourists.

Tourism players: Christmas and New Year holiday uncertain to boost tourist visit

BANGLI — Tourist visit to Bangli during the upcoming holiday season of Christmas and New Year is predicted to be not as busy as last year. This is considering the current condition of tourism in Bali that suffers from the impact of Mount Agung eruption in Karangasem. “We’re not very optimistic. Overall, Bali is currently experiencing a decline in tourist arrivals,” said this owner of Klumpu Bali, Putu Winastra, on Friday (Dec. 15).

The man who is also Deputy Head of Promotion at the Indonesia Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) of Bangli predicted that tourist visit to Bangli particularly to Kintamani possibly remains to exist. However, the number is not as much as before. The tourist visit, added Winastra, is dominated by

domestic tourists. Meanwhile, the visit of foreign tourists, especially from Europe, will be probably a little because during the period of December-January is low season. During these months, most European tourists prefer to spend Christmas and New Year holidays in their home country.

Winastra said, when compared to the same period last year, the current tourist visit is experiencing a drastic decline. In the mid of this December, there are usually 1-2 tourists or groups who stay at the hotel under his management. “Now, there is really no guest. It is none from November,” he said.

In the midst of lonely tourist visit, Winastra added that currently he would like to take advantage of the time to make improvement to the existing tourist facilities at his

business premises.

He put a great hope that Penglipuran Festival activities to be held at Penglipuran customary village in the near future can bring in new hope to the tourism of Bangli. The condition of Mount Agung remaining on warning alert level is also expected not to experience turmoil again and can be normal so that tourism in Bangli and Bali in general can be recovered.

To draw the interest of tourists, Winastra admitted that his organization will make promotion in the near future.

“For example, we will try to give promotion to tourists for three-night stay but pay only two nights. So, we will make a promotion that can attract tourists,” added the man who is also the Secretary of the ASITA Bali. (kmb40)

4

Bali News

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

International

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

International

DLH Gianyar inspects waste management

Myanmar wields colonial-era law against Reuters journalists

Several Ubud tourism businessmen and households netted GIANYAR — The Gianyar Environment Agency (DLH) conducted a waste management inspection around Padangtegal customary village, Ubud, on Sunday (Dec. 17). As the result, dozens of tourism entrepreneurs including local residents were caught disposing of their waste carelessly, such as to the sewer up to the irrigation of paddy fields. The offenders will be summoned for further coaching.

The inspection on Sunday morning involved a joint team consisting of Padangtegal customary village, headman of Ubud, the officer of Gianyar Municipal Police, Legal Affairs of the Gianyar district government as well as military and police personnel. Together they walked and checked one by one the tourism entrepreneur to people’s homes. “This inspection is meant to provide good guidance for business players, restaurants, hotels and households in relation to waste management,” said the Head of DLH Gianyar, Wayan Kujus Pawitra.

Checking results of the joint team found waste disposal to the drain and paddy field irrigation channel. Based on the data, such action is done by approximately 80 restaurateurs, minimarkets to household waste. “Many people are still throwing their waste away, either to sewer, the ditch and some are to paddy field irrigation. It’s a pity on paddy field as getting polluted and dangerous because the waste cannot be sure what elements they contain,” he said.

The perpetrators performing this action were recorded by DLH Gianyar for further summons. “It has been recorded and the photos have been taken. Later, those who did waste disposal carelessly will

be summoned. At least, this week will be held a meeting to provide them with coaching,” he said.

In addition to registering the perpetrators of the haphazard waste disposal, through this activity Kujus Pawitra also took time to disseminate so that every tourism entrepreneur or household should prepare waste management properly. “For example, they can make a unit of waste management in the yard or parking lot,” he said.

Kujus Pawitra added that for the time being the activity is focused at Padangtegal customary village, Ubud, because in this customary village has a policy having concern in the environmental care. “Surely, the Padangtegal customary village will be an example for other customary villages to participate in preserving the environment because a beautiful and healthy environment is an asset that will continue to be inherited,” said this official from Lebih village.

Meanwhile, Chief of Padangtegal customary village, Made Gandra, admitted there are still residents or tourism business owners that deliberately dispose of waste carelessly.

“So, we are making coordination with DLH to handle this problem because we are in the traditional village is committed to organize the environment,” he said.

According to him, if drained carelessly to the sewer, the waste will generate stench and trigger inconvenience to local people, especially tourists. Meanwhile, the waste discharged into paddy field irrigation channel is clearly a threat to agriculture. “Later, we will make data collection again, how many people commit the careless waste disposal at this Padangtegal customary village,” he said. (kmb35)

IBP/kmb35

The Gianyar Environment Agency (DLH) conducted a waste management inspection around Padangtegal customary village, Ubud, on Sunday (Dec. 17).

13

IBP/gik

In the room measuring two times three meters, both are busy with their respective activity.

Stories of a couple in evacuation

Husband opens electronic repair shop, wife weaves plastic basket

AMLAPURA — Refugees of Mount Agung have many ways to survive. Armed with a little skill from the village of origin on the slopes of Mount Agung, the refugees kill their time. A couple of refugees at Manggis Market, Manggis, takes advantage of their skills to survive. The husband opens an electronic repair shop, while his wife makes sokasi or basket from plastic.

The couple are Wayan Redana and Luh Kari. When met at their refuge in a row of kiosk stalls, at Manggis Market on Sunday (Dec. 17), this couple from Bambang Biaung hamlet, Duda, Selat, admitted to evacuate for the second time on November 27. The couple is a little lucky because they get a more permanent shelter than other refugees.

In the room measuring two times three meters, both are busy with their respective activity. Redana gets in touch with various electronic equipments owned by local residents. Meanwhile, Luh Kari is working on a basket. Her hand movements are very fast indicating that she’s used to doing it. Although two of her five children occasionally disturbs, Luh Kari appears to finish a medium-sized basket quickly. “A day I can make three baskets,” said Luh Kari briefly.

The basket made by Luh Kari

looks different from usual ones.

The material is made of thin colorful plastic. It is brought in directly from Lombok. Apparently, she is inspired to make it having previously made similar crafts while working in Lombok. After seeing the ready-made basket, the plastic basket plaited seems to be used to protect similar basket made from bamboo made previously. “By this way, the basket will last longer while the price is also relatively cheap, only IDR 25,000,” said Luh Kari while nurturing her two toddlers.

This basket is in high demand in the market. Collectors coming from Karangasem and Klungkung took turns to take her weaving products to the evacuation site at Manggis Market. “At first, I was confused about what to do, but, thanks to this skill. Now, I am not too depressed in evacuation,” she said.

Likewise, her husband is fixing electronic items such as televisions, DVD players and others where it has become a habit when he was at home village. Although the result is not much, according to him, it can help the expenditure of his family during the stay in the evacuation.

“Inevitably, we have to evacuate because our house was a lava path.

When digging a hole for our house foundation, it seemed very hard,” she said.

Although both are able to adapt to this situation, Redana and Luh Kari hoped this situation quickly passed and they can go home soon.

“Despite being here, I occasionally go home to see the condition of the house. Just make sure that nothing is damaged and lost,” said Redana, while adding that volcanic ashes in the area is thick enough that made the whole plants around the area dead. (gik)

REUTERS/Drazen Jorgic

A general view of Gwadar port in Gwadar, Pakistan October 4, 2017. Picture taken October 4, 2017.

Hoping to extend maritime reach, China lavishes aid on Pakistan town

GWADAR - China is lavishing vast amounts of aid on a small Pakistani fishing town to win over locals and build a commercial deep-water port that the United States and India suspect may also one day serve the Chinese navy.

Beijing has built a school, sent doctors and pledged about $500 million in grants for an airport, hospital, college and badly-needed water infrastructure for Gwadar, a dusty town whose harbour juts out into the Arabian Sea, overlooking some of the world’s busiest oil and gas shipping lanes.

The grants include $230 million for a new international airport, one of the largest such disbursements China has made abroad, according to researchers and Pakistani officials. The handouts for the Gwadar project is a departure from Beijing’s usual approach in other countries. China has traditionally derided Western-style aid in favour of infrastructure projects for which it normally provides loans through Chinese state-owned commercial and development banks.

“The concentration of grants is quite striking,” said Andrew Small, an author of a book on China-Pakistan relations and a Washingtonbased researcher at the German Marshall Fund think tank.

“China largely doesn’t do aid or grants, and when it has done them, they have tended to be modest.”

Pakistan has welcomed the aid with open hands. However, Beijing’s unusual largesse has also fuelled suspicions in the United States and India that Gwadar is part of China’s future geostrategic plans to challenge U.S. naval dominance.

“It all suggests that Gwadar, for a lot of people in China, is not just a commercial proposition over the longer term,” Small said.

In a statement sent to Reuters, China’s Foreign Ministry said the port was a commercial project which secured financing from numerous channels and was not aimed at any third party.

“Gwadar port is a mutually beneficial, win-win cooperation project, which will not only benefit the development of the local economy and an improvement in livelihoods, but will also benefit regional interconnectivity and joint development,” the ministry said.

Beijing and Islamabad see Gwadar as the future jewel in the crown of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship of Beijing’s Belt and Road initiative to build a new “Silk Road” of land and

maritime trade routes across more than 60 countries in Asia, Europe and Africa.

The plan is to turn Gwadar into a trans-shipment hub and megaport to be built alongside special economic zones from which export-focused industries will ship goods worldwide. A web of energy pipelines, roads and rail links will connect Gwadar to China’s western regions.

Port trade is expected to grow from 1.2 million tonnes in 2018 to about 13 million tonnes by 2022, Pakistani officials say. At the harbour, three new cranes have been installed and dredging will next year deepen the port depth to 20 metres at five berths.

But the challenges are stark.

Gwadar has no access to drinking water, power blackouts are common and separatist insurgents threaten attacks against Chinese projects in Gwadar and the rest of Baluchistan, a mineral-rich province that is still Pakistan’s poorest region.

Security is tight, with Chinese and other foreign visitors driven around in convoys of soldiers and armed police. (rtr)

YANGON - Myanmar has accused Reuters reporters Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27, of breaching the country’s Official Secrets Act, a little-used hangover from colonial rule. Sam Zarifi, secretary general of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), said the law can ensnare working journalists “at any time”.

The two reporters were arrested on Tuesday evening after they were invited to meet police officers for dinner in the north of Yangon.

The Ministry of Information said they had “illegally acquired information with the intention to share it with foreign media”, and published a photo of the pair in handcuffs standing behind a table with documents laid on it.

Zarifi of the Geneva-based ICJ - a human rights group made up of 60 senior international judges, lawyers and legal academics - said the definition of an official secret in the act is “incredibly broad”.

“Just about anyone in possession of unpublished government documents could find themselves facing prosecution and the harsh penalties a conviction may carry,” Zarifi said. “Under this law many good journalists could be prosecuted at any time.”

In India, where the same law also remains on the statute book, courts have ruled that it even applies to parliamentary papers such as budget proposals if they are leaked before they are presented in the legislature.

ORIGINS OF THE OFFICIAL SECRETS ACT The law dates back to 1923, when Myanmar, then known as Burma, was a province of British India. At the time British administrators worried that rival powers could seek to exploit anti-colonial unrest in its South Asian empire.

The act, which amended earlier anti-spying legislation, was controversial in India even at the time, according to a history published in 2009 by the United Service Institution of India, a New Delhi-based think tank.

British military officers pushed for the stronger law over concerns about an “increase in Bolshevik activity”, along with geopolitical threats including “the possibility of racial war between Japan and the USA affecting India”, the history said.

USE OF THE ACT Legal experts say prosecutions under the act have been rare in Myanmar in recent decades.

The military junta that ruled until 2011 frequently used other laws or the Penal Code - also inherited from the colonial era - to lock up its critics alongside common criminals.

The sprawling code was drafted in 1860, and gives magistrates more than 500 sections under which to charge alleged offenders.

In 1990, a military court sentenced two leaders of the then opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) to 10 years in prison under the Official Secrets Act after they passed an official letter to foreign embassies. The prosecution was part of a broad crackdown following an election won by the NLD that the junta ignored.

They were freed in 1992, in an amnesty, according to a New York Times report at the time.

Reports of at least two other cases brought under the act are recorded in the online archives of the Asian Human Rights Commission in 2009 and 2010. (rtr)

WHAT THE ACT SAYS The Official Secrets Act covers trespassing in prohibited areas, handling documents deemed secret and communicating with “foreign agents”. It carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.

REUTERS/Stringer

File photo of Reuters journalist Wa Lone Reuters journalist Wa Lone, who was arrested in Myanmar, is seen in this August 31, 2014 photo. Picture taken August 31, 2014.

12

International

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Bali News

International

BUSINESS

mato said.

The dollar also failed to get support from subdued U.S. Treasury yields. The long-term Treasury yield has been confined to a narrow 2.34-2.42 percent range over the past week. “As long as U.S. yields don’t climb higher, the dollar cannot mount a sustained rise.

The market only sees the Federal Reserve raising rates about twice next year, rather than the three hikes the Fed projected,” said Koji Fukaya, president of FPG Securities in Tokyo.

“The debt market may need more convincing that three hikes are in the works in 2018,” Fukaya said. The euro was little changed at $1.1758 after slipping 0.2 percent on Friday.

On Friday, Germany’s Social Democrats (SPD) agreed to open exploratory talks on forming a government with Chancellor Angela Merkel, providing a chance to end a rare period of political deadlock in Europe’s largest economy. The euro did not draw much support though as the talks between the German parties are not expected to begin in earnest until January.

The pound remained on the defensive after sliding about one percent against the dollar on Friday, on profit taking after news Brexit negotiations would move to the second round in January. Sterling was largely flat at $1.3337. The Australian dollar added 0.2 percent to $0.7658 The New Zealand dollar retained its upward momentum from the previous week, when it rose 2.25 percent against the dollar.

The kiwi added 0.25 percent on the day to $0.7009..(rtr)

REUTERS/Mariana Bazo

A money changer holds U.S. dollar bills at a street in downtown Lima, Peru, December 15, 2017.

5

Buddha Statue at Kerta Village Gianyar

Dollar steady after U.S. tax bill moves closer to ratification TOKYO - The dollar held modest gains against its peers on Monday, having received a lift after U.S. tax reform efforts moved another step closer to ratification over the weekend. The U.S. currency had edged higher after Republicans on the House-Senate negotiating committee on Friday put the finishing touches on a sweeping tax overhaul that involves large corporate tax cuts.

Top Republicans are confident Congress will now pass the tax bill this week, with a Senate vote as early as Tuesday and President Donald Trump aiming to sign the bill by week’s end. The dollar’s gains, however, were limited as investors adopted a wait-and-see approach until the deal was sealed.

It was effectively flat at 112.645 yen following Friday’s rise of 0.2 percent. The dollar index against a basket of six major currencies stood little changed at 93.890 after gaining 0.5 percent on Friday.

“The Senate and House will now vote on the tax bill this week and there appears to be some residual concern that all might not go smoothly, especially with some senators facing health issues,” said Masafumi Yamamoto, chief currency strategist at Mizuho Securities. Senators Thad Cochran and John McCain have been ill in recent weeks and have missed votes.

“The U.S. government also faces a shutdown if it does not extend a spending deal beyond Dec. 22.

While the tax bill is likely to be passed and a government shutdown is also likely to be averted, both these concerns have to be assuaged before the dollar can rise,” Yama-

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Hunting for Wooden Handicrafts at Gelulung Morning Market, Sukawati

IBP/kmb

Iran economy’s recovery strengthening but bank reform is urgent, IMF says

IBP/net

DUBAI - Iran’s economy is starting to recover more rapidly from years of international sanctions but the country urgently needs to shore up its banks, a senior International Monetary Fund official said on Monday. Gross domestic product growth soared to 12.5 percent in the year through last March 20, but that was almost entirely due to a leap in oil exports, after most sanctions were removed under a deal with world powers on Tehran’s nuclear programme.

Oil exports are no longer growing nearly as fast. But the economic recovery is now beginning to extend to non-oil areas, said Catriona Purfield, head of an IMF team which held annual consultations with the Iranian government this month.

“Growth has begun to broaden to the non-oil sector,” Purfield said in a statement, predicting GDP would expand 4.2 percent in the current fiscal year and that growth could rise towards 4.5 percent in subsequent years with financial reforms.

Official statistics in Iran are often incomplete and released only slowly, and the policy-making process can be opaque, so Iran’s consultations with the IMF provide one of the clearest glimpses into its economy.

The country’s recovery has been slowed by tensions with the United States, where President Donald Trump has raised the possibility that sanctions could be reimposed

or new sanctions introduced. This has deterred many banks and other foreign companies from operating in Iran.

Purfield said that given such uncertainty and the increasing vulnerability of Iran’s financial system, the government urgently needed to restructure and recapitalise banks and credit institutions. “An asset quality review, related-party lending assessment, and a time-bound action plan to recapitalise banks and address non-performing loans should start immediately,” she said, adding that the cost of recapitalising banks could be covered with longterm government bond issues.

Iranian banks were weakened during the sanctions years by a sluggish economy, government interference in lending decisions, lax regulation and excessive competition with unlicensed financial institutions.

Authorities are now discussing how to deal with tens of billions of dollars of bad debt, but efforts to ad-

dress the problem have been slowed by its cost and complexity.

The government of President Hassan Rouhani has also submitted to parliament amendments which it says would strengthen legislation against money laundering and the financing of terrorism.

The IMF urged Tehran to pass the amendments by an end-January 2018 deadline set by the Financial Action Task Force, a global body fighting illicit money flows. This would help Iran re-integrate into the global financial system, the IMF said. Iran’s central bank has been intervening in the foreign exchange market to support the rial currency in the face of the international uncertainty.

But the IMF urged the central bank to let exchange rates move more freely and to abolish a dual system of official and market rates, saying this would prevent Iran’s foreign reserves from running down and make the economy more competitive.(rtr)

If you are a hobbyist of wooden craft, try to stop at Gelulung Morning Market, Sukawati.

This handicraft art market is located in the west of Sukawati Art Market, about 12 km from Denpasar. This market opens from 06:30 to 11:30, so it is called morning market. The excellence is the knick-knacks or handicrafts and souvenirs made of wood that are not offered by other art markets.

Various kinds of handicrafts are sold here, such as the statue of Lord Ganesha, Lord Shiva, farmers, Balinese dancers, barong, mask, trees, birds and other animals. There are also statue of abstract style, paintings and knick-knacks for women such as bracelets, necklaces and rings. In addition, visitors can also find musical instruments of bronze, bamboo, coconut shell, cow leather and wooden fruits.

Although not being a part of the Sukawati art market, this morning market also sells mask, headdress, dance costume, beach clothes, and some other Bali products. Since it is a traditional market, the goods are sold at cheap price. Nevertheless, visitors should be good at bargaining when wishing to buy.

Visitors to this market are mostly art shop owners, merchants of Bali souvenir or the hotel management.

They take handicraft products in large quantities to be resold. Foreign tourists often visit this market

to buy souvenirs and be brought to their home country. “Morning Market becomes a favorite of foreign tourists for selling various Bali souvenirs at cheap prices,” said Nyoman Warti, a souvenir merchant.

Chief of Gelulung customary village, Wayan Parwata, said the Gelulung Morning Market has about 600 kiosks, but not all of them are sold. This market has existed long time ago, not a part of the Sukawati art market. Originally, this market was pioneered by many handicraft merchants from various regions in Gianyar that wanted to sell their products at Sukawati art market. They came early in the morning before the art market was opened. They sold haphazardly, so it looked chaotic and dirty.

Seeing such conditions, the merchants in the art market complained and drove them away. The handicraft merchants were then moved to the west of the art market, precisely

at the vacant land of Gelulung field around 1988. The handicraft merchants were then allowed to sell in the morning or before Sukawati art market opened. “The merchants at this art market buy handicraft to be resold in Sukawati Market, so they can not open until noon or may only sell if the art market is closed,” said Parwata.

After experiencing the development, it made cooperation with the government of Gianyar district in 1991, so there is a levy of 20 percent to the district government and 80 percent to Gelulung customary village. It is for market operating costs such as the development and improvement of the market.

“The number of buyers currently declines compared to the previous years. Honestly, now we are losing with sophisticated technology because guests can buy products through the internet so that they do not have to come to the market,” he said. (kmb)

Buddha statue located at Marga Tengah, Kerta, Payangan, Gianyar, has become a tourist attraction.

Local and surrounding communities often visit this statue to simply relax. Children, teenagers and old people often spend their spare time in the area of Buddha statue. Especially on school holidays, national holidays and feast holiday, this attraction is thronged by an ocean of visitors.

Location of the statue is indeed unique namely on a broad plateau.

Being in the area of tangerine orchard and forest village, it offers cool atmosphere. Rows of green tangerine orchard look so beautiful to the eye. Natural sounds such as singing of birds, bee sucking nectar of flowers and cattle population in the middle of the moor will make visitors feel at peace. Butterflies, lizards, dragonflies and other animals seem chirpy.

Chief of Marga Tengah customary village, I Wayan Candri, said that the Buddha statue is actually a private property but no one knows its designation. The statue has existed since the 2000s, which may be planned for spiritual activities.

However, lately the statue was neglected so it is overgrown by many weeds. “Villagers then take advantage of it as tourist attraction,” he said.

Though it has not been established as a tourist attraction, added Candri, the Buddha statue has been visited by many people espe-

cially on national holidays, school holidays and Hindu feast holidays such as Galungan, Kuningan and Ngembak Geni (Nyepi). Local community takes advantage of it a place to unwind. “Surrounding residents also frequently visit this place,” he said.

Buddha statue overlooks the east, like meditating at sunrise to look for enlightenment. Sitting position with the hands in meditation position is commonly called as the cosmic mudra. Both hands overlap.

Left hand is placed over the right hand, where the tip of the thumb touches each other to make an oval shape symbolizing reflection.

The Buddha statue is a symbol of Buddhism posing a spiritual expression. Other than as a means for the Buddhists to recall the services of Siddhartha Buddha Gautama as a leading teacher having showed off the way to spiritual freedom, spiritually the statue is considered to have a strong suggestion for the Buddhists. Therefore, many local people also meditate at this place.

The existence of the Buddha statue is certainly very supportive to Kerta village to become a tangerine agro-tourism. This statue will become an alternative tourist attraction, other than tangerine agro being initiated by the village.

Moreover, Kerta village has already owned a flower garden having been a famous tourist attraction among foreign travelers. (kmb)

6

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

W

RLD

U.S. helped thwart major attack in St. Petersburg -U.S., Russia say

MOSCOW - The United States provided intelligence to Russia that helped thwart a potentially deadly bomb attack in St. Petersburg, U.S. and Russian officials said on Sunday, in a rare public show of cooperation despite deep strains between the two countries.

Russian President Vladimir Putin telephoned U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday to thank him for the tip-off, which the Kremlin said helped prevent a militant bomb attack on a cathedral in the Russian city, as well as other sites.

The White House did not disclose details about the plot itself, but said the attack “could have killed large numbers of people.” Neither the Kremlin nor the White House identified the would-be attackers.

The U.S. warning allowed Russian law enforcement agencies to arrest the suspects before they could carry out their plans, the White House and Kremlin said.

Relations between Washington and Moscow have been damaged by disagreements over the wars in Ukraine and Syria, although Trump pledged during his election campaign to pursue better ties with Moscow.

That has been complicated by U.S. allegations denied by Russia - that the Kremlin meddled in last year’s U.S. presidential election to help Trump win.

Russian officials say Putin believes Trump is not to blame for the tensions.

The phone call on Sunday between Trump and Putin was at least the second such call in the past week.

On Thursday, Putin and Trump discussed the crisis in North Korea.

International

CATHEDRAL THREAT

The foiled attack was to have been carried out on Kazansky Cathedral, in Russia’s second city of St. Petersburg, and on other locations in the city where large numbers of people gather, the Kremlin statement said. The cathedral is a popular tourist site.

The White House seized on the foiled plot in St. Petersburg as a sign of what Moscow and Washington could do if they cooperate.

“Both leaders agreed that this serves as an example of the positive things that can occur when our countries work together,” the White House said, adding Trump appreciated the call from Putin.

Russian media reported last week that the Federal Security Service had detained followers of the Islamic State group who had been planning a suicide bomb attack on Kazansky Cathedral on Saturday.

The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence did not immediately respond to requests for additional details on the foiled plot.

Putin said Russia would alert U.S. authorities if it received information about any attack being planned on the United States, the Kremlin said.

Russia has repeatedly been the target of attacks

by Islamist militant groups, including an attack in April that killed 14 people when an explosion tore through a train carriage in a metro tunnel in St. Petersburg.

Russian police detained several suspects in that attack from mainly Muslim states in ex-Soviet central Asia. (rtr)

Sputnik/Mikhail Klimentyev/Sputnik via REUTERS

Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses servicemen as he visits the Hmeymim air base in Latakia Province, Syria December 11, 2017. The United States provided intelligence to Russia that helped thwart a potentially deadly bomb attack in St. Petersburg, U.S. and Russian officials said on Sunday.

REUTERS/Ivan Alvarado TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Presidential candidate Sebastian Pinera gestures after winning the presidential election, in Santiago, Chile, December 17, 2017.

Billionaire Pinera recaptures Chile presidency with resounding win

SANTIAGO - Conservative Sebastian Pinera won Chile’s presidential election by a widerthan-forecast margin on Sunday, pledging to jump-start economic growth in the world’s top copper exporter and opt for more businessfriendly policies than his center-left predecessor.

Chile’s electoral authority called the election for former president Pinera, who won 54.58 percent of votes compared with 45.42 percent for the center-left Alejandro Guillier, in a race that had been considered a toss-up.

In the end, the 68-year-old Pinera, who governed from 2010 to 2014, won more votes than any president since Chile’s return to democracy in 1990. It was also the biggest ever loss for the center-left coalition that has dominated Chile’s politics since the end of Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship.

Neither Pinera nor Guillier marked a dramatic shift from Chile’s long-standing free-market economic model, but Pinera’s victory underscores an increasing tilt to the right in South America following the rise of conservative leaders in Peru, Argentina and Brazil. He is due to be sworn in on March 11.

“Despite our great differences, there are large points of agreement,” Pinera said of Guillier as his supporters waved Chilean flags in downtown Santiago. In the streets of Santiago’s wealthy neighborhoods, where Pinera took some 90 percent of votes, residents blared their horns in support.

In his concession speech, Guillier called his nine-point loss a “harsh defeat” and urged his supporters to defend the progressive reforms of outgoing President Michelle Bachelet’s second term.

Pinera defeated Guillier, a former TV anchorman and current senator, by painting his policies as extreme in a country known for its moderation, and likening him to Venezuela’s socialist President Nicolas Maduro. Guillier had championed Bachelet’s agenda of reducing inequality by making education more affordable and overhauling the tax code.

The investor favorite in the $250 billion economy, Pinera’s proposals are seen as pro mining in a country where copper is king.

He has pledged support and stable funding for Chile’s state-run miner Codelco, and has promised to slash red tape which had bogged down projects under Bachelet.

The campaign exposed deepening rifts among Chile’s once bedrock center-left, an opening Pinera leveraged to rally more centrist voters around his proposals to cut corporate taxes and double economic growth.

After a far leftist party made unexpected gains in November’s first round, Pinera seized on the division, campaigning on a platform of scaling back and “perfecting” Bachelet’s tax and labor laws.

Bachelet’s policies were seen by many in the business community as crimping investment at a time slumping copper prices were weighing on the economy.

“I voted for him for the economy,” said Jose Oyaneder, a 54-yearold salesman at campaign headquarters. “When he was president my (business) was quite good and I hope this time it’s the same.”

The results were tabulated in just over two hours after nearly 7 million Chileans cast ballots in a country of 17 million people where voting is not mandatory. (rtr)

International

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

11

Indonesia promotes tourism in five Gulf countries MANAMA- The Indonesian Tourism Ministry is intensifying promotion of Indonesian tourist destinations in five Gulf countries, namely Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, and Oman.

The five countries were potential to send tourists to Indonesia, Rita Sofia Abdul Haris, head of the tourism travel and introduction to the markets of Europe, the Middle East, America, and Africa, said here, Sunday.

Indonesia had carried out tourism promotion to the Middle East countries since long time ago, but the promotion was stopped in 2011 due to budget shortage.

“In 2017, we resume the promotion,” she said, adding that Bahrain is quite potential tourism market and is located near Saudi, therefore many Saudis often visit Bahrain.

By holding a tourism promotion event in Bahrain, Indonesia does not only target the people of Bahrain, but also Saudis and other foreigners in Bahrain.

Saudi tourists are big spenders, and a Saudi tourist could spend up to US$2,300 per visit, compared to other foreign tourists such as from Malaysia which is US$500 per visit per person, she remarked.

Indonesian Ambassador to Bahrain Nur Syahrir Rajardjo said that currently the number of Bahrain tourists to Indonesia is quite small, but is increasing.

In 2016, 1,641 people visited Indonesia, and during the JanuaryOctober 2017, it increased to 2,470.

Of the 1.5 million population of Bahrain, 40 percent are indigenous people of Bahrain, and 60 percent are expatriates, the ambassador said.(ant)

REUTERS/Darren Whiteside

A protester holds a sign during a rally to condemn U.S. President Donald Trumps’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, at Monas, the national monument, in Jakarta, Indonesia, December 17, 2017.

Pro-Palestine rally calls for boycott and review of us business, investment in Indonesia

JAKARTA- A major pro-Palestine rally held in the National Monument (Monas) area, here, Sunday, issued a petition calling for boycott of US and Israel products and review of US business an investment in Indonesia if President Donald Trump does not revoke his decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel capital.

BPM/net

Mount Bromo, one of the tourism attarction in Indonesia

Anwar Abbas, secretary general of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) read out the 10-point petition that will be presented to the US ambassador to Indonesia on Monday.

Dubbed “Indonesia United for Palestine”, the rally demanded Trump to cancel and revoke his unilateral and illegal decision on Jerusalem because it has violated human rights, hurt justice, and jeopardized peace efforts. If Trump does not immediately revoke his policy, the US will lose legitimacy as a peace broker, Anwar Abbas said.

The Indonesian protesters in the petition call on the world community to reject Trump`s move and urge member nations of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) particularly those having diplomatic relations with Israel, to cut the ties.

They call on the United Nations (UN) to hold an extraordinary meeting to freeze the US` UN memberships or to relocate the UN Headquarters out of the US, if the US administration does not cancel its

Jerusalem decision.

The Indonesian House of Representatives should form a special committee to review the US businesses and investment in Indonesia, Abbas said while reading out the seventh point of the petition.

Besides, they also call on Indonesia and other countries in the world to increase assistance for Palestine, particularly in the fields of education, health and development. In the tenth or final point, they pray for the freedom of Palestine.

Several hundreds of thousands of Indonesians joined the rally in support of Palestine following the US Administration`s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

The rally was attended by many Muslim mass organizations, a number of prominent figures such as Ma`ruf Amin, chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), Zulkifli Hasan, chairman of the People`s Consultative Assembly, former sports and youth affairs minister Adhyaksa Dault, Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, politicians like Hidayat Nur Wahid, Fadli Zon and Fachri Hamzah, and prominent ulemas like Bachtiar Nasir, AA Gymnastiar and Zaitun Rasmin. The Jakarta Police said that some 20 thousand police officers were deployed to guard the pro-Palestine rally. (ant)

10

Destination

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

International

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

International

Frenchman Gabart sets new round-the-world record

PARIS – Frenchman Francois Gabart set a world record for sailing around the world alone on Sunday, completing his journey in 42 days and 16 hours.

Tirta Pingit Sebatu

GIANYAR - Holy water believed to have the power to cleanse the soul (melukat) The Island of the Gods has seemingly endless activities for tourists, with nature tourism and culture tourism the Island of a Thousand Temples also offers spiritual tourism with places like Pasiraman Pura Dalem Pingit Temple and Kusti Sebatu Temple known to many people.

The Island of the Gods has seemingly endless activities for tourists, with nature tourism and culture tourism the Island of a Thousand Temples also offers spiritual tourism with places like Pasiraman Pura Dalem Pingit Temple and Kusti Sebatu Temple known to many people as Tirta Pingit Sebatu purification

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temple.

Located in Sebatu Hamlet, Tegallalang, Ginayar, Pasiraman Dalem Pingit Sebatu is one of several temples where one can purifiy one’s soul with holy water. Although this temple is not as renown as Tirta Empul Temple in Tampaksiring, since it was first discovered in 2007, Pingit Sebatu Temple has become quite popular, especially amongst Balinese Hindus.

Sometime in 2007, a foreign visitor was looking for a quite place to bath near the village and found this small waterfall nestled amongst the trees. At the time the villagers did not use this place for purification purposes. The strange thing about this water was that when the foreigner

went to bath in the small waterfall, the water changed color and became milky white. Word spread amongst the villagers and the village chief and head priest of Sebatu Village got wind of the strange tale and requested an indication about whether this place should be officially designated as holy.

Believe it or not people who come here to purify themselves in the waters of Sebatu can see the water change color -though it does not always turn white, sometimes the water turns brown or yellowish.

To get to Genah Melukat Tirta Pingit takes about 1 hour from Tegallalang. After reaching Sebatu Village there is a fork in the road where there is a sign that reads “Genah Melukat”

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on the right. About 2 km further, after after Gunung Kawi Sebatu, one reaches the rather large parking lot that is not far from the waterfall.

About 200 meters away one reaches the 150 steps that lead down to Genah Melukat Tirta Pingit Sebatu. The walk down is quite pleasant with a fresh natural countryside atmosphere and the soft sound of rushing water coming out of the waterspouts and also directly out of the earth as it cascades over the rocks.

Before reaching the purification site, there are three bamboo waterspouts with a small shrine where Balinese Hindus will usually stop to ask for permission to enter the site and offer canang (flower offerings) and incense in thanks. The purification

site is located lower down still.

Before entering the temple site of Tirta Pingit, Balinese Hindus will pray again asking for permission to purify themselves in the holy water.

The water used for the purification is crystal clear and drinkable so it is not surprising that many people will fill jerry cans of the holy water or buy water from locals who sell it already bottled, to bring home with them.

On auspicious days like on the full moon, Tirta Pingit Temple is filled with Balinese Hindus who come to purify themselves (melukat). There are also many visitors –both domestic and foreign who also come here to purify themselves in this water that is believed to have the holy power to cleanse the soul. (kmb)

The time beat the previous record set last year by his compatriot Thomas Coville by more than six days.

On his trimaran Macif, Gabart crossed the finish line at 0145GMT in Ouessant, off France’s western coast. “It’s crazy, quite surreal, I’m stunned,” said the 34-year-old, who began his journey on Nov. 4.

Gabart broke the record set by his countryman Thomas Coville last year.

The record was held at one stage

by British national Dame Ellen MacArthur.

Gabart’s new record has yet to be verified by the World Sailing Speed Record Council, which will check the ship’s GPS data before confirming the result.

He crossed the finish line near the western limit of the English Channel at about 01:45 GMT, before turning his ship homeward.

Capturing the drama just ahead of the finish, Gabart said in a video recorded in front of an on-board computer monitor: “The little blue bit is us, the red line is the finish.

We should cross it any time now, the computer says 30 seconds.”

Then he reported: “I’ve just crossed the finish line. It’s pretty crazy. It’s pretty unreal. I’m a bit overwhelmed. Just now I couldn’t move I was at such a loss about what to do next. I’m in the dark.

There are cargo ships and fishing boats around me. It’s a pretty weird

REUTERS/Stephane Mahe

French skipper Francois Gabart celebrates as he sails the trimaran Macif into Brest harbour following his successful solo, non-stop around the world record of 42 days, 16 hours, 40 minutes and 35 seconds, in Brest, France, December 17, 2017. atmosphere and at the same time it’s pretty extraordinary...

“I’m proud and happy to have made this pretty voyage around the planet.”

As he arrived in the town of Brest in France’s north-west several hours later, his yacht was

B.BP.001.11.17.0000810

B.BP.004.11.17.0000615

record, Gabart broke several others for solo racing, including the fastest navigation of the Pacific and the longest distance covered in 24 hours - 1,575km (851 miles).

But his 30m (98ft) boat was also custom-designed for the purpose, using the latest technology,

and reached speeds of 35 knots (65km/h) during the journey, it said.

Gabart posted photos and video on social media frequently during his 42 days at sea, sharing his sunset views or his success at fishing with fans. (rtr/afp)

LONDON - Britain’s Olympic and world champion Mo Farah capped his final season as a track athlete by winning the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award on Sunday.

The distance runner, who won his sixth world championships gold medal in London this year when he triumphed in the 10,000 metres, was named the winner ahead of second-placed superbike rider Jonathan Rea and para athlete Jonnie Peacock.

Pre-event favourites, world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua and Formula One world title holder Lewis Hamilton, failed to make the top three.

Farah, who was born in Somalia and moved to Britain at the age of eight, won 5,000m and 10,000m

gold at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics as well as six world titles in those distances.

The 34-year-old, who ended his track career this year to concentrate on road running, looked stunned when he was awarded the trophy by his step-daughter Rihanna in a studio in London.

He was denied the chance to tell viewers how he felt as the BBC’s live satellite link to the ceremony in Liverpool’s Echo Arena cut out seconds later.

After the show went off air, Farah, appearing close to tears, spoke to those inside the arena saying he was shocked to win due to the quality of the other athletes.

“It is pretty amazing and hard to think about. I didn’t imagine I was

every going to win this but... anything can happen. If you work hard you can achieve your dreams.

Farah crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year

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escorted into port by a host of local boats in celebration of his accomplishment.

Gabart’s success is partly down to good luck with weather, which can dramatically influence sailing speeds. AFP news agency reports that, while chasing the global speed

Action Images via Reuters / Matthew Childs Livepic

Great Britain’s Mo Farah

Other winners included: Overseas Sports Personality of the Year - Swiss Roger Federer for winning a record eighth Wimbledon tennis title and taking his overall grand slam tally to a record 19 Lifetime Achievement - retired Olympic heptathlete champion Jessica Ennis-Hill Coach of the Year - Benke Blomkvist, Stephen Maguire and Christian Malcolm for guiding Britain’s men’s 4x100m team to world gold. Team of the Year - England women’s cricket team for winning the World Cup by beating India in the final. (rtr)

8

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Sp rt

Klopp wants more consistency from Liverpool players

Barcelona’s Paulinho celebrates scoring their fourth goal

REUTERS/Albert Gea

Barca extend Liga lead before Clasico by thrashing Deportivo

BARCELONA - Barcelona moved six points clear at the top of La Liga by easing to a 4-0 win at home to Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday with doubles from Luis Suarez and Paulinho ahead of next week’s ‘Clasico’ against champions Real Madrid. Suarez slotted a generous cutback from Lionel Messi into an open goal in the 29th minute to deservedly put Barca ahead, while Brazil international Paulinho got the second in the 41st, tapping in on the rebound after Messi had hit the post.

Messi had a frustrating night in front of goal and was unable to add to his 14 league goals this season as he hit the woodwork three times and had a penalty saved by former youth team mate Ruben Martinez with the score at 3-0.

Suarez then scored his fourth goal in three league games by firing home a Sergi Roberto cross inside the area two minutes into the second half and Paulinho completed the rout in the 75th, pouncing after Jordi Alba’s shot had come off the post. Barca lead the standings on 42 points, six ahead of Atletico Madrid and eight in front of third-placed Valencia.

They are 11 clear of Real, who have a game in hand after missing this weekend’s action due to playing in the Club World Cup, where they beat Brazilians Gremio 1-0 in Saturday’s final.

“We go into next week’s game (against Real) feeling very happy and the best way to prepare for a game of that level is to win and feel confident and we are feeling great,” Barca coach Ernesto Valverde told reporters.

“It’s a very difficult game against a huge rival and we are very excited about playing it. I don’t think a win (against Real) would assure us of the title because Atletico are six points behind. What is clear is that seasons are very long and no-one wins the title at this stage.” Barca forward Paco Alcacer went off injured in the first half and will miss the ‘Clasico’ after being ruled out for three weeks.

La Liga’s lack of goal-line technology or a video assistant referee (VAR) came under the spotlight again near the end of the first half when Suarez’s stylish ‘rabona’ shot from close range appeared to cross the goal-line before Martinez punched it away. The Catalans were denied a goal three weeks ago when Messi’s shot in a 1-1 draw with Valencia clearly crossed the goal-line. (rtr)

LONDON - Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp called for more consistency from his players after a sparkling 4-0 win at Bournemouth on Sunday followed a goalless stalemate at home to relegationthreatened West Bromwich Albion in midweek. Philippe Coutinho, Dejan Lovren, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino all scored at the Vitality Stadium to lift Liverpool to fourth place and extend the club’s unbeaten run in the Premier League to nine games.

Klopp was pleased with “pretty much everything” about the display but said his side must perform at the same level in every match. “I’m not here to celebrate my squad,” Klopp told Sky Sports. “I like them all – that’s why they are at Liverpool.

At the West Brom game, they were exactly the same players but they didn’t hit the target.

“I don’t change my mind (about the players). They are good -- that’s why they are at Liverpool -- but they need to be consistently good because we are Liverpool. “We are consistent, but we have to be

even more consistent in decisive moments. We had a few games like the West Brom game -- not performance-wise, but result-wise.”

Brazilian playmaker Coutinho enhanced his reputation by slaloming through the Bournemouth defence and scoring with a cool finish into the bottom corner after 20 minutes.

The 25-year-old is a target for Barcelona and Klopp said he was trying to structure his Liverpool squad in a way that will ensure a player is not missed if he is unavailable.

“He is a fantastic player, but the job of LFC is to play without Phil Coutinho, to play without Sadio Mane, to play without Mo Salah,” he said. “That makes the quality of a squad.

“Today, he (Coutinho) played really well and helped us a lot, but about the transfer, we have nothing to say about that. Nothing positive and nothing negative, until something happens. But that’s still a few weeks and months away.” (rtr)

Hertha stun hosts Leipzig as Bundesliga breaks for winter BERLIN - RB Leipzig suffered their first home loss of the season on Sunday, going 3-2 down to 10man Hertha Berlin, to leave leaders Bayern Munich with a comfortable 11-point advantage going into the winter break. Leipzig had hoped to reclaim second spot and cut Bayern’s lead to 10 but instead now drop to fifth on 28 with the Bundesliga resuming on Jan. 12.

They were already trailing 2-0 by the 31st minute with Davie Selke and Salomon Kalou on target for the visitors, who were down to 10 men since the seventh minute following the dismissal of Jordan Torunarigha.

Selke grabbed his second goal six minutes after the restart and had a golden chance for a hat-trick when he charged through with only

Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs

keeper Peter Gulacsi to beat, but he only managed to hit the post.

Willi Orban’s glancing header gave the hosts some hope and Marcel Halstenberg headed in another in stoppage time but Hertha hung on for only their second win on the road this season. Jamaican winger Leon Bailey scored twice on the break but Bayer Leverkusen drew 4-4 at Hanover 96 in a pulsating

match.

The 20-year-old, a major transfer target for several top Premier League clubs, single-handedly pulled Leverkusen back from 3-2 down after coming on as a substitute, drilling in two almost identical goals in the 47th and 67th minutes.

Hanover’s Julian Korb snatched an 83rd minute equaliser but the result stretched Leverkusen’s unbeaten run to 12 league games and kept them in fourth on 28 points.

Bayern Munich are top on 41 after their 1-0 victory at VfB Stuttgart. (rtr)

Clinical Lyon beat Marseille to cement third place

PARIS - Olympique Lyonnais cemented third place in Ligue 1 with a 2-0 home win against Olympique de Marseille on Sunday. Nabil Fekir and Mariano Diaz struck each side of the interval to put OL on 38 points from 18 games, three points ahead of fourth-placed Marseille.

Monaco are second, above Lyon on goal difference, after they thrashed St Etienne 4-0 away on Friday.

Paris St Germain are the runaway leaders with 47 points following their 4-1 win at Rennes on

Saturday.

Lyon took the lead after just six minutes when Steve Mandanda failed to handle Fekir’s 35-metre free kick as the hosts got off to a dream start.

Marseille had lost only one of their last 15 away games in Ligue 1, and they still dominated with Valere Germain coming close on two occasions.

The hosts, however, held them off until the interval and could feel lucky they had a one-goal advan-

Olympique Lyonnais fans before the match

Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho hits the post from a free kick

9

tage at the Groupama stadium as they only had one shot on target.

Lyon keeper Anthony Lopes was instrumental in his team’s performance as he produced several first-class stops.

Mandanda also made a super save but parried the ball into the path of Benjamin Cornet who crossed for Diaz, the Dominican doubling Lyon’s tally six minutes into the second half. The Provence side now lead fifth-placed Nantes by five points. (rtr)

REUTERS/Emmanuel Foudrot

REUTERS/Axel Schmidt

Hertha Berlin’s Alexander Esswein speaks with Rune Jarstein

8

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Sp rt

Klopp wants more consistency from Liverpool players

Barcelona’s Paulinho celebrates scoring their fourth goal

REUTERS/Albert Gea

Barca extend Liga lead before Clasico by thrashing Deportivo

BARCELONA - Barcelona moved six points clear at the top of La Liga by easing to a 4-0 win at home to Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday with doubles from Luis Suarez and Paulinho ahead of next week’s ‘Clasico’ against champions Real Madrid. Suarez slotted a generous cutback from Lionel Messi into an open goal in the 29th minute to deservedly put Barca ahead, while Brazil international Paulinho got the second in the 41st, tapping in on the rebound after Messi had hit the post.

Messi had a frustrating night in front of goal and was unable to add to his 14 league goals this season as he hit the woodwork three times and had a penalty saved by former youth team mate Ruben Martinez with the score at 3-0.

Suarez then scored his fourth goal in three league games by firing home a Sergi Roberto cross inside the area two minutes into the second half and Paulinho completed the rout in the 75th, pouncing after Jordi Alba’s shot had come off the post. Barca lead the standings on 42 points, six ahead of Atletico Madrid and eight in front of third-placed Valencia.

They are 11 clear of Real, who have a game in hand after missing this weekend’s action due to playing in the Club World Cup, where they beat Brazilians Gremio 1-0 in Saturday’s final.

“We go into next week’s game (against Real) feeling very happy and the best way to prepare for a game of that level is to win and feel confident and we are feeling great,” Barca coach Ernesto Valverde told reporters.

“It’s a very difficult game against a huge rival and we are very excited about playing it. I don’t think a win (against Real) would assure us of the title because Atletico are six points behind. What is clear is that seasons are very long and no-one wins the title at this stage.” Barca forward Paco Alcacer went off injured in the first half and will miss the ‘Clasico’ after being ruled out for three weeks.

La Liga’s lack of goal-line technology or a video assistant referee (VAR) came under the spotlight again near the end of the first half when Suarez’s stylish ‘rabona’ shot from close range appeared to cross the goal-line before Martinez punched it away. The Catalans were denied a goal three weeks ago when Messi’s shot in a 1-1 draw with Valencia clearly crossed the goal-line. (rtr)

LONDON - Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp called for more consistency from his players after a sparkling 4-0 win at Bournemouth on Sunday followed a goalless stalemate at home to relegationthreatened West Bromwich Albion in midweek. Philippe Coutinho, Dejan Lovren, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino all scored at the Vitality Stadium to lift Liverpool to fourth place and extend the club’s unbeaten run in the Premier League to nine games.

Klopp was pleased with “pretty much everything” about the display but said his side must perform at the same level in every match. “I’m not here to celebrate my squad,” Klopp told Sky Sports. “I like them all – that’s why they are at Liverpool.

At the West Brom game, they were exactly the same players but they didn’t hit the target.

“I don’t change my mind (about the players). They are good -- that’s why they are at Liverpool -- but they need to be consistently good because we are Liverpool. “We are consistent, but we have to be

even more consistent in decisive moments. We had a few games like the West Brom game -- not performance-wise, but result-wise.”

Brazilian playmaker Coutinho enhanced his reputation by slaloming through the Bournemouth defence and scoring with a cool finish into the bottom corner after 20 minutes.

The 25-year-old is a target for Barcelona and Klopp said he was trying to structure his Liverpool squad in a way that will ensure a player is not missed if he is unavailable.

“He is a fantastic player, but the job of LFC is to play without Phil Coutinho, to play without Sadio Mane, to play without Mo Salah,” he said. “That makes the quality of a squad.

“Today, he (Coutinho) played really well and helped us a lot, but about the transfer, we have nothing to say about that. Nothing positive and nothing negative, until something happens. But that’s still a few weeks and months away.” (rtr)

Hertha stun hosts Leipzig as Bundesliga breaks for winter BERLIN - RB Leipzig suffered their first home loss of the season on Sunday, going 3-2 down to 10man Hertha Berlin, to leave leaders Bayern Munich with a comfortable 11-point advantage going into the winter break. Leipzig had hoped to reclaim second spot and cut Bayern’s lead to 10 but instead now drop to fifth on 28 with the Bundesliga resuming on Jan. 12.

They were already trailing 2-0 by the 31st minute with Davie Selke and Salomon Kalou on target for the visitors, who were down to 10 men since the seventh minute following the dismissal of Jordan Torunarigha.

Selke grabbed his second goal six minutes after the restart and had a golden chance for a hat-trick when he charged through with only

Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs

keeper Peter Gulacsi to beat, but he only managed to hit the post.

Willi Orban’s glancing header gave the hosts some hope and Marcel Halstenberg headed in another in stoppage time but Hertha hung on for only their second win on the road this season. Jamaican winger Leon Bailey scored twice on the break but Bayer Leverkusen drew 4-4 at Hanover 96 in a pulsating

match.

The 20-year-old, a major transfer target for several top Premier League clubs, single-handedly pulled Leverkusen back from 3-2 down after coming on as a substitute, drilling in two almost identical goals in the 47th and 67th minutes.

Hanover’s Julian Korb snatched an 83rd minute equaliser but the result stretched Leverkusen’s unbeaten run to 12 league games and kept them in fourth on 28 points.

Bayern Munich are top on 41 after their 1-0 victory at VfB Stuttgart. (rtr)

Clinical Lyon beat Marseille to cement third place

PARIS - Olympique Lyonnais cemented third place in Ligue 1 with a 2-0 home win against Olympique de Marseille on Sunday. Nabil Fekir and Mariano Diaz struck each side of the interval to put OL on 38 points from 18 games, three points ahead of fourth-placed Marseille.

Monaco are second, above Lyon on goal difference, after they thrashed St Etienne 4-0 away on Friday.

Paris St Germain are the runaway leaders with 47 points following their 4-1 win at Rennes on

Saturday.

Lyon took the lead after just six minutes when Steve Mandanda failed to handle Fekir’s 35-metre free kick as the hosts got off to a dream start.

Marseille had lost only one of their last 15 away games in Ligue 1, and they still dominated with Valere Germain coming close on two occasions.

The hosts, however, held them off until the interval and could feel lucky they had a one-goal advan-

Olympique Lyonnais fans before the match

Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho hits the post from a free kick

9

tage at the Groupama stadium as they only had one shot on target.

Lyon keeper Anthony Lopes was instrumental in his team’s performance as he produced several first-class stops.

Mandanda also made a super save but parried the ball into the path of Benjamin Cornet who crossed for Diaz, the Dominican doubling Lyon’s tally six minutes into the second half. The Provence side now lead fifth-placed Nantes by five points. (rtr)

REUTERS/Emmanuel Foudrot

REUTERS/Axel Schmidt

Hertha Berlin’s Alexander Esswein speaks with Rune Jarstein

10

Destination

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

International

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

International

Frenchman Gabart sets new round-the-world record

PARIS – Frenchman Francois Gabart set a world record for sailing around the world alone on Sunday, completing his journey in 42 days and 16 hours.

Tirta Pingit Sebatu

GIANYAR - Holy water believed to have the power to cleanse the soul (melukat) The Island of the Gods has seemingly endless activities for tourists, with nature tourism and culture tourism the Island of a Thousand Temples also offers spiritual tourism with places like Pasiraman Pura Dalem Pingit Temple and Kusti Sebatu Temple known to many people.

The Island of the Gods has seemingly endless activities for tourists, with nature tourism and culture tourism the Island of a Thousand Temples also offers spiritual tourism with places like Pasiraman Pura Dalem Pingit Temple and Kusti Sebatu Temple known to many people as Tirta Pingit Sebatu purification

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temple.

Located in Sebatu Hamlet, Tegallalang, Ginayar, Pasiraman Dalem Pingit Sebatu is one of several temples where one can purifiy one’s soul with holy water. Although this temple is not as renown as Tirta Empul Temple in Tampaksiring, since it was first discovered in 2007, Pingit Sebatu Temple has become quite popular, especially amongst Balinese Hindus.

Sometime in 2007, a foreign visitor was looking for a quite place to bath near the village and found this small waterfall nestled amongst the trees. At the time the villagers did not use this place for purification purposes. The strange thing about this water was that when the foreigner

went to bath in the small waterfall, the water changed color and became milky white. Word spread amongst the villagers and the village chief and head priest of Sebatu Village got wind of the strange tale and requested an indication about whether this place should be officially designated as holy.

Believe it or not people who come here to purify themselves in the waters of Sebatu can see the water change color -though it does not always turn white, sometimes the water turns brown or yellowish.

To get to Genah Melukat Tirta Pingit takes about 1 hour from Tegallalang. After reaching Sebatu Village there is a fork in the road where there is a sign that reads “Genah Melukat”

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on the right. About 2 km further, after after Gunung Kawi Sebatu, one reaches the rather large parking lot that is not far from the waterfall.

About 200 meters away one reaches the 150 steps that lead down to Genah Melukat Tirta Pingit Sebatu. The walk down is quite pleasant with a fresh natural countryside atmosphere and the soft sound of rushing water coming out of the waterspouts and also directly out of the earth as it cascades over the rocks.

Before reaching the purification site, there are three bamboo waterspouts with a small shrine where Balinese Hindus will usually stop to ask for permission to enter the site and offer canang (flower offerings) and incense in thanks. The purification

site is located lower down still.

Before entering the temple site of Tirta Pingit, Balinese Hindus will pray again asking for permission to purify themselves in the holy water.

The water used for the purification is crystal clear and drinkable so it is not surprising that many people will fill jerry cans of the holy water or buy water from locals who sell it already bottled, to bring home with them.

On auspicious days like on the full moon, Tirta Pingit Temple is filled with Balinese Hindus who come to purify themselves (melukat). There are also many visitors –both domestic and foreign who also come here to purify themselves in this water that is believed to have the holy power to cleanse the soul. (kmb)

The time beat the previous record set last year by his compatriot Thomas Coville by more than six days.

On his trimaran Macif, Gabart crossed the finish line at 0145GMT in Ouessant, off France’s western coast. “It’s crazy, quite surreal, I’m stunned,” said the 34-year-old, who began his journey on Nov. 4.

Gabart broke the record set by his countryman Thomas Coville last year.

The record was held at one stage

by British national Dame Ellen MacArthur.

Gabart’s new record has yet to be verified by the World Sailing Speed Record Council, which will check the ship’s GPS data before confirming the result.

He crossed the finish line near the western limit of the English Channel at about 01:45 GMT, before turning his ship homeward.

Capturing the drama just ahead of the finish, Gabart said in a video recorded in front of an on-board computer monitor: “The little blue bit is us, the red line is the finish.

We should cross it any time now, the computer says 30 seconds.”

Then he reported: “I’ve just crossed the finish line. It’s pretty crazy. It’s pretty unreal. I’m a bit overwhelmed. Just now I couldn’t move I was at such a loss about what to do next. I’m in the dark.

There are cargo ships and fishing boats around me. It’s a pretty weird

REUTERS/Stephane Mahe

French skipper Francois Gabart celebrates as he sails the trimaran Macif into Brest harbour following his successful solo, non-stop around the world record of 42 days, 16 hours, 40 minutes and 35 seconds, in Brest, France, December 17, 2017. atmosphere and at the same time it’s pretty extraordinary...

“I’m proud and happy to have made this pretty voyage around the planet.”

As he arrived in the town of Brest in France’s north-west several hours later, his yacht was

B.BP.001.11.17.0000810

B.BP.004.11.17.0000615

record, Gabart broke several others for solo racing, including the fastest navigation of the Pacific and the longest distance covered in 24 hours - 1,575km (851 miles).

But his 30m (98ft) boat was also custom-designed for the purpose, using the latest technology,

and reached speeds of 35 knots (65km/h) during the journey, it said.

Gabart posted photos and video on social media frequently during his 42 days at sea, sharing his sunset views or his success at fishing with fans. (rtr/afp)

LONDON - Britain’s Olympic and world champion Mo Farah capped his final season as a track athlete by winning the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award on Sunday.

The distance runner, who won his sixth world championships gold medal in London this year when he triumphed in the 10,000 metres, was named the winner ahead of second-placed superbike rider Jonathan Rea and para athlete Jonnie Peacock.

Pre-event favourites, world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua and Formula One world title holder Lewis Hamilton, failed to make the top three.

Farah, who was born in Somalia and moved to Britain at the age of eight, won 5,000m and 10,000m

gold at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics as well as six world titles in those distances.

The 34-year-old, who ended his track career this year to concentrate on road running, looked stunned when he was awarded the trophy by his step-daughter Rihanna in a studio in London.

He was denied the chance to tell viewers how he felt as the BBC’s live satellite link to the ceremony in Liverpool’s Echo Arena cut out seconds later.

After the show went off air, Farah, appearing close to tears, spoke to those inside the arena saying he was shocked to win due to the quality of the other athletes.

“It is pretty amazing and hard to think about. I didn’t imagine I was

every going to win this but... anything can happen. If you work hard you can achieve your dreams.

Farah crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year

B.BP.001.11.17.0000581

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escorted into port by a host of local boats in celebration of his accomplishment.

Gabart’s success is partly down to good luck with weather, which can dramatically influence sailing speeds. AFP news agency reports that, while chasing the global speed

Action Images via Reuters / Matthew Childs Livepic

Great Britain’s Mo Farah

Other winners included: Overseas Sports Personality of the Year - Swiss Roger Federer for winning a record eighth Wimbledon tennis title and taking his overall grand slam tally to a record 19 Lifetime Achievement - retired Olympic heptathlete champion Jessica Ennis-Hill Coach of the Year - Benke Blomkvist, Stephen Maguire and Christian Malcolm for guiding Britain’s men’s 4x100m team to world gold. Team of the Year - England women’s cricket team for winning the World Cup by beating India in the final. (rtr)

6

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

W

RLD

U.S. helped thwart major attack in St. Petersburg -U.S., Russia say

MOSCOW - The United States provided intelligence to Russia that helped thwart a potentially deadly bomb attack in St. Petersburg, U.S. and Russian officials said on Sunday, in a rare public show of cooperation despite deep strains between the two countries.

Russian President Vladimir Putin telephoned U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday to thank him for the tip-off, which the Kremlin said helped prevent a militant bomb attack on a cathedral in the Russian city, as well as other sites.

The White House did not disclose details about the plot itself, but said the attack “could have killed large numbers of people.” Neither the Kremlin nor the White House identified the would-be attackers.

The U.S. warning allowed Russian law enforcement agencies to arrest the suspects before they could carry out their plans, the White House and Kremlin said.

Relations between Washington and Moscow have been damaged by disagreements over the wars in Ukraine and Syria, although Trump pledged during his election campaign to pursue better ties with Moscow.

That has been complicated by U.S. allegations denied by Russia - that the Kremlin meddled in last year’s U.S. presidential election to help Trump win.

Russian officials say Putin believes Trump is not to blame for the tensions.

The phone call on Sunday between Trump and Putin was at least the second such call in the past week.

On Thursday, Putin and Trump discussed the crisis in North Korea.

International

CATHEDRAL THREAT

The foiled attack was to have been carried out on Kazansky Cathedral, in Russia’s second city of St. Petersburg, and on other locations in the city where large numbers of people gather, the Kremlin statement said. The cathedral is a popular tourist site.

The White House seized on the foiled plot in St. Petersburg as a sign of what Moscow and Washington could do if they cooperate.

“Both leaders agreed that this serves as an example of the positive things that can occur when our countries work together,” the White House said, adding Trump appreciated the call from Putin.

Russian media reported last week that the Federal Security Service had detained followers of the Islamic State group who had been planning a suicide bomb attack on Kazansky Cathedral on Saturday.

The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence did not immediately respond to requests for additional details on the foiled plot.

Putin said Russia would alert U.S. authorities if it received information about any attack being planned on the United States, the Kremlin said.

Russia has repeatedly been the target of attacks

by Islamist militant groups, including an attack in April that killed 14 people when an explosion tore through a train carriage in a metro tunnel in St. Petersburg.

Russian police detained several suspects in that attack from mainly Muslim states in ex-Soviet central Asia. (rtr)

Sputnik/Mikhail Klimentyev/Sputnik via REUTERS

Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses servicemen as he visits the Hmeymim air base in Latakia Province, Syria December 11, 2017. The United States provided intelligence to Russia that helped thwart a potentially deadly bomb attack in St. Petersburg, U.S. and Russian officials said on Sunday.

REUTERS/Ivan Alvarado TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Presidential candidate Sebastian Pinera gestures after winning the presidential election, in Santiago, Chile, December 17, 2017.

Billionaire Pinera recaptures Chile presidency with resounding win

SANTIAGO - Conservative Sebastian Pinera won Chile’s presidential election by a widerthan-forecast margin on Sunday, pledging to jump-start economic growth in the world’s top copper exporter and opt for more businessfriendly policies than his center-left predecessor.

Chile’s electoral authority called the election for former president Pinera, who won 54.58 percent of votes compared with 45.42 percent for the center-left Alejandro Guillier, in a race that had been considered a toss-up.

In the end, the 68-year-old Pinera, who governed from 2010 to 2014, won more votes than any president since Chile’s return to democracy in 1990. It was also the biggest ever loss for the center-left coalition that has dominated Chile’s politics since the end of Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship.

Neither Pinera nor Guillier marked a dramatic shift from Chile’s long-standing free-market economic model, but Pinera’s victory underscores an increasing tilt to the right in South America following the rise of conservative leaders in Peru, Argentina and Brazil. He is due to be sworn in on March 11.

“Despite our great differences, there are large points of agreement,” Pinera said of Guillier as his supporters waved Chilean flags in downtown Santiago. In the streets of Santiago’s wealthy neighborhoods, where Pinera took some 90 percent of votes, residents blared their horns in support.

In his concession speech, Guillier called his nine-point loss a “harsh defeat” and urged his supporters to defend the progressive reforms of outgoing President Michelle Bachelet’s second term.

Pinera defeated Guillier, a former TV anchorman and current senator, by painting his policies as extreme in a country known for its moderation, and likening him to Venezuela’s socialist President Nicolas Maduro. Guillier had championed Bachelet’s agenda of reducing inequality by making education more affordable and overhauling the tax code.

The investor favorite in the $250 billion economy, Pinera’s proposals are seen as pro mining in a country where copper is king.

He has pledged support and stable funding for Chile’s state-run miner Codelco, and has promised to slash red tape which had bogged down projects under Bachelet.

The campaign exposed deepening rifts among Chile’s once bedrock center-left, an opening Pinera leveraged to rally more centrist voters around his proposals to cut corporate taxes and double economic growth.

After a far leftist party made unexpected gains in November’s first round, Pinera seized on the division, campaigning on a platform of scaling back and “perfecting” Bachelet’s tax and labor laws.

Bachelet’s policies were seen by many in the business community as crimping investment at a time slumping copper prices were weighing on the economy.

“I voted for him for the economy,” said Jose Oyaneder, a 54-yearold salesman at campaign headquarters. “When he was president my (business) was quite good and I hope this time it’s the same.”

The results were tabulated in just over two hours after nearly 7 million Chileans cast ballots in a country of 17 million people where voting is not mandatory. (rtr)

International

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

11

Indonesia promotes tourism in five Gulf countries MANAMA- The Indonesian Tourism Ministry is intensifying promotion of Indonesian tourist destinations in five Gulf countries, namely Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, and Oman.

The five countries were potential to send tourists to Indonesia, Rita Sofia Abdul Haris, head of the tourism travel and introduction to the markets of Europe, the Middle East, America, and Africa, said here, Sunday.

Indonesia had carried out tourism promotion to the Middle East countries since long time ago, but the promotion was stopped in 2011 due to budget shortage.

“In 2017, we resume the promotion,” she said, adding that Bahrain is quite potential tourism market and is located near Saudi, therefore many Saudis often visit Bahrain.

By holding a tourism promotion event in Bahrain, Indonesia does not only target the people of Bahrain, but also Saudis and other foreigners in Bahrain.

Saudi tourists are big spenders, and a Saudi tourist could spend up to US$2,300 per visit, compared to other foreign tourists such as from Malaysia which is US$500 per visit per person, she remarked.

Indonesian Ambassador to Bahrain Nur Syahrir Rajardjo said that currently the number of Bahrain tourists to Indonesia is quite small, but is increasing.

In 2016, 1,641 people visited Indonesia, and during the JanuaryOctober 2017, it increased to 2,470.

Of the 1.5 million population of Bahrain, 40 percent are indigenous people of Bahrain, and 60 percent are expatriates, the ambassador said.(ant)

REUTERS/Darren Whiteside

A protester holds a sign during a rally to condemn U.S. President Donald Trumps’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, at Monas, the national monument, in Jakarta, Indonesia, December 17, 2017.

Pro-Palestine rally calls for boycott and review of us business, investment in Indonesia

JAKARTA- A major pro-Palestine rally held in the National Monument (Monas) area, here, Sunday, issued a petition calling for boycott of US and Israel products and review of US business an investment in Indonesia if President Donald Trump does not revoke his decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel capital.

BPM/net

Mount Bromo, one of the tourism attarction in Indonesia

Anwar Abbas, secretary general of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) read out the 10-point petition that will be presented to the US ambassador to Indonesia on Monday.

Dubbed “Indonesia United for Palestine”, the rally demanded Trump to cancel and revoke his unilateral and illegal decision on Jerusalem because it has violated human rights, hurt justice, and jeopardized peace efforts. If Trump does not immediately revoke his policy, the US will lose legitimacy as a peace broker, Anwar Abbas said.

The Indonesian protesters in the petition call on the world community to reject Trump`s move and urge member nations of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) particularly those having diplomatic relations with Israel, to cut the ties.

They call on the United Nations (UN) to hold an extraordinary meeting to freeze the US` UN memberships or to relocate the UN Headquarters out of the US, if the US administration does not cancel its

Jerusalem decision.

The Indonesian House of Representatives should form a special committee to review the US businesses and investment in Indonesia, Abbas said while reading out the seventh point of the petition.

Besides, they also call on Indonesia and other countries in the world to increase assistance for Palestine, particularly in the fields of education, health and development. In the tenth or final point, they pray for the freedom of Palestine.

Several hundreds of thousands of Indonesians joined the rally in support of Palestine following the US Administration`s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

The rally was attended by many Muslim mass organizations, a number of prominent figures such as Ma`ruf Amin, chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), Zulkifli Hasan, chairman of the People`s Consultative Assembly, former sports and youth affairs minister Adhyaksa Dault, Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, politicians like Hidayat Nur Wahid, Fadli Zon and Fachri Hamzah, and prominent ulemas like Bachtiar Nasir, AA Gymnastiar and Zaitun Rasmin. The Jakarta Police said that some 20 thousand police officers were deployed to guard the pro-Palestine rally. (ant)

12

International

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Bali News

International

BUSINESS

mato said.

The dollar also failed to get support from subdued U.S. Treasury yields. The long-term Treasury yield has been confined to a narrow 2.34-2.42 percent range over the past week. “As long as U.S. yields don’t climb higher, the dollar cannot mount a sustained rise.

The market only sees the Federal Reserve raising rates about twice next year, rather than the three hikes the Fed projected,” said Koji Fukaya, president of FPG Securities in Tokyo.

“The debt market may need more convincing that three hikes are in the works in 2018,” Fukaya said. The euro was little changed at $1.1758 after slipping 0.2 percent on Friday.

On Friday, Germany’s Social Democrats (SPD) agreed to open exploratory talks on forming a government with Chancellor Angela Merkel, providing a chance to end a rare period of political deadlock in Europe’s largest economy. The euro did not draw much support though as the talks between the German parties are not expected to begin in earnest until January.

The pound remained on the defensive after sliding about one percent against the dollar on Friday, on profit taking after news Brexit negotiations would move to the second round in January. Sterling was largely flat at $1.3337. The Australian dollar added 0.2 percent to $0.7658 The New Zealand dollar retained its upward momentum from the previous week, when it rose 2.25 percent against the dollar.

The kiwi added 0.25 percent on the day to $0.7009..(rtr)

REUTERS/Mariana Bazo

A money changer holds U.S. dollar bills at a street in downtown Lima, Peru, December 15, 2017.

5

Buddha Statue at Kerta Village Gianyar

Dollar steady after U.S. tax bill moves closer to ratification TOKYO - The dollar held modest gains against its peers on Monday, having received a lift after U.S. tax reform efforts moved another step closer to ratification over the weekend. The U.S. currency had edged higher after Republicans on the House-Senate negotiating committee on Friday put the finishing touches on a sweeping tax overhaul that involves large corporate tax cuts.

Top Republicans are confident Congress will now pass the tax bill this week, with a Senate vote as early as Tuesday and President Donald Trump aiming to sign the bill by week’s end. The dollar’s gains, however, were limited as investors adopted a wait-and-see approach until the deal was sealed.

It was effectively flat at 112.645 yen following Friday’s rise of 0.2 percent. The dollar index against a basket of six major currencies stood little changed at 93.890 after gaining 0.5 percent on Friday.

“The Senate and House will now vote on the tax bill this week and there appears to be some residual concern that all might not go smoothly, especially with some senators facing health issues,” said Masafumi Yamamoto, chief currency strategist at Mizuho Securities. Senators Thad Cochran and John McCain have been ill in recent weeks and have missed votes.

“The U.S. government also faces a shutdown if it does not extend a spending deal beyond Dec. 22.

While the tax bill is likely to be passed and a government shutdown is also likely to be averted, both these concerns have to be assuaged before the dollar can rise,” Yama-

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Hunting for Wooden Handicrafts at Gelulung Morning Market, Sukawati

IBP/kmb

Iran economy’s recovery strengthening but bank reform is urgent, IMF says

IBP/net

DUBAI - Iran’s economy is starting to recover more rapidly from years of international sanctions but the country urgently needs to shore up its banks, a senior International Monetary Fund official said on Monday. Gross domestic product growth soared to 12.5 percent in the year through last March 20, but that was almost entirely due to a leap in oil exports, after most sanctions were removed under a deal with world powers on Tehran’s nuclear programme.

Oil exports are no longer growing nearly as fast. But the economic recovery is now beginning to extend to non-oil areas, said Catriona Purfield, head of an IMF team which held annual consultations with the Iranian government this month.

“Growth has begun to broaden to the non-oil sector,” Purfield said in a statement, predicting GDP would expand 4.2 percent in the current fiscal year and that growth could rise towards 4.5 percent in subsequent years with financial reforms.

Official statistics in Iran are often incomplete and released only slowly, and the policy-making process can be opaque, so Iran’s consultations with the IMF provide one of the clearest glimpses into its economy.

The country’s recovery has been slowed by tensions with the United States, where President Donald Trump has raised the possibility that sanctions could be reimposed

or new sanctions introduced. This has deterred many banks and other foreign companies from operating in Iran.

Purfield said that given such uncertainty and the increasing vulnerability of Iran’s financial system, the government urgently needed to restructure and recapitalise banks and credit institutions. “An asset quality review, related-party lending assessment, and a time-bound action plan to recapitalise banks and address non-performing loans should start immediately,” she said, adding that the cost of recapitalising banks could be covered with longterm government bond issues.

Iranian banks were weakened during the sanctions years by a sluggish economy, government interference in lending decisions, lax regulation and excessive competition with unlicensed financial institutions.

Authorities are now discussing how to deal with tens of billions of dollars of bad debt, but efforts to ad-

dress the problem have been slowed by its cost and complexity.

The government of President Hassan Rouhani has also submitted to parliament amendments which it says would strengthen legislation against money laundering and the financing of terrorism.

The IMF urged Tehran to pass the amendments by an end-January 2018 deadline set by the Financial Action Task Force, a global body fighting illicit money flows. This would help Iran re-integrate into the global financial system, the IMF said. Iran’s central bank has been intervening in the foreign exchange market to support the rial currency in the face of the international uncertainty.

But the IMF urged the central bank to let exchange rates move more freely and to abolish a dual system of official and market rates, saying this would prevent Iran’s foreign reserves from running down and make the economy more competitive.(rtr)

If you are a hobbyist of wooden craft, try to stop at Gelulung Morning Market, Sukawati.

This handicraft art market is located in the west of Sukawati Art Market, about 12 km from Denpasar. This market opens from 06:30 to 11:30, so it is called morning market. The excellence is the knick-knacks or handicrafts and souvenirs made of wood that are not offered by other art markets.

Various kinds of handicrafts are sold here, such as the statue of Lord Ganesha, Lord Shiva, farmers, Balinese dancers, barong, mask, trees, birds and other animals. There are also statue of abstract style, paintings and knick-knacks for women such as bracelets, necklaces and rings. In addition, visitors can also find musical instruments of bronze, bamboo, coconut shell, cow leather and wooden fruits.

Although not being a part of the Sukawati art market, this morning market also sells mask, headdress, dance costume, beach clothes, and some other Bali products. Since it is a traditional market, the goods are sold at cheap price. Nevertheless, visitors should be good at bargaining when wishing to buy.

Visitors to this market are mostly art shop owners, merchants of Bali souvenir or the hotel management.

They take handicraft products in large quantities to be resold. Foreign tourists often visit this market

to buy souvenirs and be brought to their home country. “Morning Market becomes a favorite of foreign tourists for selling various Bali souvenirs at cheap prices,” said Nyoman Warti, a souvenir merchant.

Chief of Gelulung customary village, Wayan Parwata, said the Gelulung Morning Market has about 600 kiosks, but not all of them are sold. This market has existed long time ago, not a part of the Sukawati art market. Originally, this market was pioneered by many handicraft merchants from various regions in Gianyar that wanted to sell their products at Sukawati art market. They came early in the morning before the art market was opened. They sold haphazardly, so it looked chaotic and dirty.

Seeing such conditions, the merchants in the art market complained and drove them away. The handicraft merchants were then moved to the west of the art market, precisely

at the vacant land of Gelulung field around 1988. The handicraft merchants were then allowed to sell in the morning or before Sukawati art market opened. “The merchants at this art market buy handicraft to be resold in Sukawati Market, so they can not open until noon or may only sell if the art market is closed,” said Parwata.

After experiencing the development, it made cooperation with the government of Gianyar district in 1991, so there is a levy of 20 percent to the district government and 80 percent to Gelulung customary village. It is for market operating costs such as the development and improvement of the market.

“The number of buyers currently declines compared to the previous years. Honestly, now we are losing with sophisticated technology because guests can buy products through the internet so that they do not have to come to the market,” he said. (kmb)

Buddha statue located at Marga Tengah, Kerta, Payangan, Gianyar, has become a tourist attraction.

Local and surrounding communities often visit this statue to simply relax. Children, teenagers and old people often spend their spare time in the area of Buddha statue. Especially on school holidays, national holidays and feast holiday, this attraction is thronged by an ocean of visitors.

Location of the statue is indeed unique namely on a broad plateau.

Being in the area of tangerine orchard and forest village, it offers cool atmosphere. Rows of green tangerine orchard look so beautiful to the eye. Natural sounds such as singing of birds, bee sucking nectar of flowers and cattle population in the middle of the moor will make visitors feel at peace. Butterflies, lizards, dragonflies and other animals seem chirpy.

Chief of Marga Tengah customary village, I Wayan Candri, said that the Buddha statue is actually a private property but no one knows its designation. The statue has existed since the 2000s, which may be planned for spiritual activities.

However, lately the statue was neglected so it is overgrown by many weeds. “Villagers then take advantage of it as tourist attraction,” he said.

Though it has not been established as a tourist attraction, added Candri, the Buddha statue has been visited by many people espe-

cially on national holidays, school holidays and Hindu feast holidays such as Galungan, Kuningan and Ngembak Geni (Nyepi). Local community takes advantage of it a place to unwind. “Surrounding residents also frequently visit this place,” he said.

Buddha statue overlooks the east, like meditating at sunrise to look for enlightenment. Sitting position with the hands in meditation position is commonly called as the cosmic mudra. Both hands overlap.

Left hand is placed over the right hand, where the tip of the thumb touches each other to make an oval shape symbolizing reflection.

The Buddha statue is a symbol of Buddhism posing a spiritual expression. Other than as a means for the Buddhists to recall the services of Siddhartha Buddha Gautama as a leading teacher having showed off the way to spiritual freedom, spiritually the statue is considered to have a strong suggestion for the Buddhists. Therefore, many local people also meditate at this place.

The existence of the Buddha statue is certainly very supportive to Kerta village to become a tangerine agro-tourism. This statue will become an alternative tourist attraction, other than tangerine agro being initiated by the village.

Moreover, Kerta village has already owned a flower garden having been a famous tourist attraction among foreign travelers. (kmb)

4

Bali News

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

International

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

International

DLH Gianyar inspects waste management

Myanmar wields colonial-era law against Reuters journalists

Several Ubud tourism businessmen and households netted GIANYAR — The Gianyar Environment Agency (DLH) conducted a waste management inspection around Padangtegal customary village, Ubud, on Sunday (Dec. 17). As the result, dozens of tourism entrepreneurs including local residents were caught disposing of their waste carelessly, such as to the sewer up to the irrigation of paddy fields. The offenders will be summoned for further coaching.

The inspection on Sunday morning involved a joint team consisting of Padangtegal customary village, headman of Ubud, the officer of Gianyar Municipal Police, Legal Affairs of the Gianyar district government as well as military and police personnel. Together they walked and checked one by one the tourism entrepreneur to people’s homes. “This inspection is meant to provide good guidance for business players, restaurants, hotels and households in relation to waste management,” said the Head of DLH Gianyar, Wayan Kujus Pawitra.

Checking results of the joint team found waste disposal to the drain and paddy field irrigation channel. Based on the data, such action is done by approximately 80 restaurateurs, minimarkets to household waste. “Many people are still throwing their waste away, either to sewer, the ditch and some are to paddy field irrigation. It’s a pity on paddy field as getting polluted and dangerous because the waste cannot be sure what elements they contain,” he said.

The perpetrators performing this action were recorded by DLH Gianyar for further summons. “It has been recorded and the photos have been taken. Later, those who did waste disposal carelessly will

be summoned. At least, this week will be held a meeting to provide them with coaching,” he said.

In addition to registering the perpetrators of the haphazard waste disposal, through this activity Kujus Pawitra also took time to disseminate so that every tourism entrepreneur or household should prepare waste management properly. “For example, they can make a unit of waste management in the yard or parking lot,” he said.

Kujus Pawitra added that for the time being the activity is focused at Padangtegal customary village, Ubud, because in this customary village has a policy having concern in the environmental care. “Surely, the Padangtegal customary village will be an example for other customary villages to participate in preserving the environment because a beautiful and healthy environment is an asset that will continue to be inherited,” said this official from Lebih village.

Meanwhile, Chief of Padangtegal customary village, Made Gandra, admitted there are still residents or tourism business owners that deliberately dispose of waste carelessly.

“So, we are making coordination with DLH to handle this problem because we are in the traditional village is committed to organize the environment,” he said.

According to him, if drained carelessly to the sewer, the waste will generate stench and trigger inconvenience to local people, especially tourists. Meanwhile, the waste discharged into paddy field irrigation channel is clearly a threat to agriculture. “Later, we will make data collection again, how many people commit the careless waste disposal at this Padangtegal customary village,” he said. (kmb35)

IBP/kmb35

The Gianyar Environment Agency (DLH) conducted a waste management inspection around Padangtegal customary village, Ubud, on Sunday (Dec. 17).

13

IBP/gik

In the room measuring two times three meters, both are busy with their respective activity.

Stories of a couple in evacuation

Husband opens electronic repair shop, wife weaves plastic basket

AMLAPURA — Refugees of Mount Agung have many ways to survive. Armed with a little skill from the village of origin on the slopes of Mount Agung, the refugees kill their time. A couple of refugees at Manggis Market, Manggis, takes advantage of their skills to survive. The husband opens an electronic repair shop, while his wife makes sokasi or basket from plastic.

The couple are Wayan Redana and Luh Kari. When met at their refuge in a row of kiosk stalls, at Manggis Market on Sunday (Dec. 17), this couple from Bambang Biaung hamlet, Duda, Selat, admitted to evacuate for the second time on November 27. The couple is a little lucky because they get a more permanent shelter than other refugees.

In the room measuring two times three meters, both are busy with their respective activity. Redana gets in touch with various electronic equipments owned by local residents. Meanwhile, Luh Kari is working on a basket. Her hand movements are very fast indicating that she’s used to doing it. Although two of her five children occasionally disturbs, Luh Kari appears to finish a medium-sized basket quickly. “A day I can make three baskets,” said Luh Kari briefly.

The basket made by Luh Kari

looks different from usual ones.

The material is made of thin colorful plastic. It is brought in directly from Lombok. Apparently, she is inspired to make it having previously made similar crafts while working in Lombok. After seeing the ready-made basket, the plastic basket plaited seems to be used to protect similar basket made from bamboo made previously. “By this way, the basket will last longer while the price is also relatively cheap, only IDR 25,000,” said Luh Kari while nurturing her two toddlers.

This basket is in high demand in the market. Collectors coming from Karangasem and Klungkung took turns to take her weaving products to the evacuation site at Manggis Market. “At first, I was confused about what to do, but, thanks to this skill. Now, I am not too depressed in evacuation,” she said.

Likewise, her husband is fixing electronic items such as televisions, DVD players and others where it has become a habit when he was at home village. Although the result is not much, according to him, it can help the expenditure of his family during the stay in the evacuation.

“Inevitably, we have to evacuate because our house was a lava path.

When digging a hole for our house foundation, it seemed very hard,” she said.

Although both are able to adapt to this situation, Redana and Luh Kari hoped this situation quickly passed and they can go home soon.

“Despite being here, I occasionally go home to see the condition of the house. Just make sure that nothing is damaged and lost,” said Redana, while adding that volcanic ashes in the area is thick enough that made the whole plants around the area dead. (gik)

REUTERS/Drazen Jorgic

A general view of Gwadar port in Gwadar, Pakistan October 4, 2017. Picture taken October 4, 2017.

Hoping to extend maritime reach, China lavishes aid on Pakistan town

GWADAR - China is lavishing vast amounts of aid on a small Pakistani fishing town to win over locals and build a commercial deep-water port that the United States and India suspect may also one day serve the Chinese navy.

Beijing has built a school, sent doctors and pledged about $500 million in grants for an airport, hospital, college and badly-needed water infrastructure for Gwadar, a dusty town whose harbour juts out into the Arabian Sea, overlooking some of the world’s busiest oil and gas shipping lanes.

The grants include $230 million for a new international airport, one of the largest such disbursements China has made abroad, according to researchers and Pakistani officials. The handouts for the Gwadar project is a departure from Beijing’s usual approach in other countries. China has traditionally derided Western-style aid in favour of infrastructure projects for which it normally provides loans through Chinese state-owned commercial and development banks.

“The concentration of grants is quite striking,” said Andrew Small, an author of a book on China-Pakistan relations and a Washingtonbased researcher at the German Marshall Fund think tank.

“China largely doesn’t do aid or grants, and when it has done them, they have tended to be modest.”

Pakistan has welcomed the aid with open hands. However, Beijing’s unusual largesse has also fuelled suspicions in the United States and India that Gwadar is part of China’s future geostrategic plans to challenge U.S. naval dominance.

“It all suggests that Gwadar, for a lot of people in China, is not just a commercial proposition over the longer term,” Small said.

In a statement sent to Reuters, China’s Foreign Ministry said the port was a commercial project which secured financing from numerous channels and was not aimed at any third party.

“Gwadar port is a mutually beneficial, win-win cooperation project, which will not only benefit the development of the local economy and an improvement in livelihoods, but will also benefit regional interconnectivity and joint development,” the ministry said.

Beijing and Islamabad see Gwadar as the future jewel in the crown of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship of Beijing’s Belt and Road initiative to build a new “Silk Road” of land and

maritime trade routes across more than 60 countries in Asia, Europe and Africa.

The plan is to turn Gwadar into a trans-shipment hub and megaport to be built alongside special economic zones from which export-focused industries will ship goods worldwide. A web of energy pipelines, roads and rail links will connect Gwadar to China’s western regions.

Port trade is expected to grow from 1.2 million tonnes in 2018 to about 13 million tonnes by 2022, Pakistani officials say. At the harbour, three new cranes have been installed and dredging will next year deepen the port depth to 20 metres at five berths.

But the challenges are stark.

Gwadar has no access to drinking water, power blackouts are common and separatist insurgents threaten attacks against Chinese projects in Gwadar and the rest of Baluchistan, a mineral-rich province that is still Pakistan’s poorest region.

Security is tight, with Chinese and other foreign visitors driven around in convoys of soldiers and armed police. (rtr)

YANGON - Myanmar has accused Reuters reporters Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27, of breaching the country’s Official Secrets Act, a little-used hangover from colonial rule. Sam Zarifi, secretary general of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), said the law can ensnare working journalists “at any time”.

The two reporters were arrested on Tuesday evening after they were invited to meet police officers for dinner in the north of Yangon.

The Ministry of Information said they had “illegally acquired information with the intention to share it with foreign media”, and published a photo of the pair in handcuffs standing behind a table with documents laid on it.

Zarifi of the Geneva-based ICJ - a human rights group made up of 60 senior international judges, lawyers and legal academics - said the definition of an official secret in the act is “incredibly broad”.

“Just about anyone in possession of unpublished government documents could find themselves facing prosecution and the harsh penalties a conviction may carry,” Zarifi said. “Under this law many good journalists could be prosecuted at any time.”

In India, where the same law also remains on the statute book, courts have ruled that it even applies to parliamentary papers such as budget proposals if they are leaked before they are presented in the legislature.

ORIGINS OF THE OFFICIAL SECRETS ACT The law dates back to 1923, when Myanmar, then known as Burma, was a province of British India. At the time British administrators worried that rival powers could seek to exploit anti-colonial unrest in its South Asian empire.

The act, which amended earlier anti-spying legislation, was controversial in India even at the time, according to a history published in 2009 by the United Service Institution of India, a New Delhi-based think tank.

British military officers pushed for the stronger law over concerns about an “increase in Bolshevik activity”, along with geopolitical threats including “the possibility of racial war between Japan and the USA affecting India”, the history said.

USE OF THE ACT Legal experts say prosecutions under the act have been rare in Myanmar in recent decades.

The military junta that ruled until 2011 frequently used other laws or the Penal Code - also inherited from the colonial era - to lock up its critics alongside common criminals.

The sprawling code was drafted in 1860, and gives magistrates more than 500 sections under which to charge alleged offenders.

In 1990, a military court sentenced two leaders of the then opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) to 10 years in prison under the Official Secrets Act after they passed an official letter to foreign embassies. The prosecution was part of a broad crackdown following an election won by the NLD that the junta ignored.

They were freed in 1992, in an amnesty, according to a New York Times report at the time.

Reports of at least two other cases brought under the act are recorded in the online archives of the Asian Human Rights Commission in 2009 and 2010. (rtr)

WHAT THE ACT SAYS The Official Secrets Act covers trespassing in prohibited areas, handling documents deemed secret and communicating with “foreign agents”. It carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.

REUTERS/Stringer

File photo of Reuters journalist Wa Lone Reuters journalist Wa Lone, who was arrested in Myanmar, is seen in this August 31, 2014 photo. Picture taken August 31, 2014.

14

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Science

International

U.S., Russian, Japanese crew blasts off for space station KAZAKHSTAN - A trio of U.S. and Japanese astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut blasted off from Kazakhstan on Sunday for a two-day trip to the International Space Station, a NASA TV broadcast showed.

Commander Anton Shkaplerov of Roscosmos and flight engineers Norishige Kanai of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Scott Tingle of NASA lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 1:21 p.m. local time (0721 GMT/0221 EST).

The crew will gradually approach the station, which

orbits about 250 miles (400 km) above Earth, for two days before docking.

Shkaplerov, Kanai and Tingle will join Alexander Misurkin of Roscosmos and Mark Vande Hei and Joe Acaba of NASA, who have been aboard the orbital outpost since September.

Onboard cameras showed crew members making thumbs-up gestures after the blast-off. Also visible was a stuffed dog toy chosen by Shkaplerov’s daughter to be the spacecraft’s zero-gravity indicator.

Soyuz was safely in orbit about 10 minutes after the launch. (rtr)

REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

3

Adversity of Bali tourism

Achievement of national target may be disrupted

DENPASAR — The adversity of Bali tourism due to Mount Agung eruption disaster potentially destabilizes the national economy. The targets set by central government may be disrupted. Therefore, the attention of central government is very much expected to find the best solution.

IBP/net

The Pentagon is less clear about whether the UFO program continues to hover somewhere in the vast universe of the US defense establishment.

Does Pentagon still have a UFO program? The answer is a bit mysterious

The Soyuz MS-07 spacecraft carrying the crew of Norishige Kanai of Japan, Anton Shkaplerov of Russia and Scott Tingle of the U.S. blasts off to the International Space Station (ISS) from the launchpad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan December 17, 2017.

Bali News

International

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon acknowledged on Saturday that its long-secret UFO investigation program ended in 2012, when U.S. defense officials shifted attention and funding to other priorities.

But as to whether the Advanced Aviation Threat Identification Program has continued to investigate UFO sightings since its funding ended five years ago could rank as an unexplained phenomenon.

The New York Times reported on Saturday that the hush-hush program, tasked with investigating sightings of unidentified flying objects, or UFOs, ran from 2007 to 2012 with $22 million in annual funding secretly tucked away in U.S. Defense Department budgets worth hundreds of billions of dollars.

Its initial funding came largely at the request of former Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid, the Nevada Democrat long known for his enthusiasm for space phenomena, the newspaper said.

Yet according to its backers, the program remains in existence and officials continue to investigate UFO episodes brought to their attention by service members, the newspaper said.

The Pentagon openly acknowledged the fate of the program in response to a Reuters query.

“The Advanced Aviation Threat Identification Program ended in the 2012 timeframe,” Pentagon spokeswoman Laura Ochoa said in an email.

“It was determined that there were other, higher priority issues that merited funding and it was in the best interest of the DoD to make a change,” she said.

But the Pentagon was less clear about whether the UFO program continues to hover somewhere in the vast universe of the U.S. defense establishment.

“The DoD takes seriously all threats and potential threats to our people, our assets, and our mission and takes action whenever credible information is developed,” Ochoa said.

What is less in doubt is former senator Reid’s enthusiasm for UFOs and his likely role in launching the Pentagon initiative to identify advanced aviation threats.

“If you’ve talked to Harry Reid for > 60 seconds then it’s the least surprising thing ever that he loves UFOs and got an earmark to study them,” former Reid spokeswoman Kristen Orthman said in a message on Twitter.

Or as Reid himself said in a tweet that linked to the Times’ story: “The truth is out there. Seriously.” (rtr)

“When Chairman and we in Commission II accepted the Bali Tourism Society Alliance yesterday, there was a discourse to ask for the attention of central government on the possibility of economic shocks having an impact on the national targets without immediate action according to conditions and reality during this eruption disaster,” said a member of Commission II of the Bali House of Representatives, A.A. Ngurah Adhi Ardhana, when confirmed on Friday (Dec.15).

According to Adhi Ardhana, central government needs to evaluate the previous planning according to the current situation. It is meant to save the Bali’s economy and national target as the basis for consideration. As representative of Commission II, he also encouraged the Bali House of Representatives to make recommendation and encourage local government to do something in order to address this situation.

“There are four things certainly requiring the help of central government. Firstly, preparation of the implementation of funds related to social networks including tourism that we have indeed planned and set to be prepared in the Regional Budget Plan 2018,” he explained.

Therefore, continued Adhi Ardhana, local government can organize and coordinate the problems caused by the eruption disaster. This includes the convenience and diversion of transport for tourists.

Secondly, it is related to technical implementation and the same standards related to the delivery of reliable information.

“For example, the aviation security standards should use the data of the National Weather Service (BMKG) rather than that of Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG). As currently happened, many parties equated the alert level 4 of Mount Agung (issued by PVMBG—Ed) to the air flight situation,” explained this PDI-P politician.

Thirdly, continued Adhi Ardhana, it is creating security and survival of tourism industry hit by the eruptions by creating fiscal space, namely providing concession policy related to banking affairs. Fourthly, it is creating the sense of security and comfort for potential tourists that want to come to Bali. “Certainly it can be done by conducting or directing the national and international scale activities as a

form of proof of security and comfort during this disaster condition,” he said.

Previously, Chairman of the Bali Tourism Society Alliance, Gusti Kade Sutawa, said the alliance wants a safe and convenient overland transportation to take tourists to the nearest airport especially in case the Ngurah Rai Airport is closed again due to volcanic ashes of Mount Agung. It includes the technical matters because condition of Mengwi Terminal is considered inadequate and not representative.

“We also appeal to the provision of crisis center which prepares all the possibilities with SOPs so there will be no

longer sporadic, panic, and other movements,” he added.

Sutawa also asked the governor to give a statement to the national and international media regarding the actual conditions of Mount Agung. It includes inviting the airlines and Consul General to inform that Bali remains safe to be visited.

The public in particular is also asked to help spread positive news related to the eruptions and participate in promotional measure entitled “Bali Safe” in print, electronic and social media. “This must be attempted so that tourist-supplying countries could invoke their travel ban or travel warning issued,” he explained. (kmb32)

IBP/kmb

Local government can organize and coordinate the problems caused by the eruption disaster. This includes the convenience and diversion of transport for tourists.

Tourism players: Christmas and New Year holiday uncertain to boost tourist visit

BANGLI — Tourist visit to Bangli during the upcoming holiday season of Christmas and New Year is predicted to be not as busy as last year. This is considering the current condition of tourism in Bali that suffers from the impact of Mount Agung eruption in Karangasem. “We’re not very optimistic. Overall, Bali is currently experiencing a decline in tourist arrivals,” said this owner of Klumpu Bali, Putu Winastra, on Friday (Dec. 15).

The man who is also Deputy Head of Promotion at the Indonesia Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) of Bangli predicted that tourist visit to Bangli particularly to Kintamani possibly remains to exist. However, the number is not as much as before. The tourist visit, added Winastra, is dominated by

domestic tourists. Meanwhile, the visit of foreign tourists, especially from Europe, will be probably a little because during the period of December-January is low season. During these months, most European tourists prefer to spend Christmas and New Year holidays in their home country.

Winastra said, when compared to the same period last year, the current tourist visit is experiencing a drastic decline. In the mid of this December, there are usually 1-2 tourists or groups who stay at the hotel under his management. “Now, there is really no guest. It is none from November,” he said.

In the midst of lonely tourist visit, Winastra added that currently he would like to take advantage of the time to make improvement to the existing tourist facilities at his

business premises.

He put a great hope that Penglipuran Festival activities to be held at Penglipuran customary village in the near future can bring in new hope to the tourism of Bangli. The condition of Mount Agung remaining on warning alert level is also expected not to experience turmoil again and can be normal so that tourism in Bangli and Bali in general can be recovered.

To draw the interest of tourists, Winastra admitted that his organization will make promotion in the near future.

“For example, we will try to give promotion to tourists for three-night stay but pay only two nights. So, we will make a promotion that can attract tourists,” added the man who is also the Secretary of the ASITA Bali. (kmb40)

2

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Bali News

No significant lava addition in the crater

PVMBG still analyzes gas content of drone monitoring

AMLAPURA - Until now, the volcanic activities of Mount Agung remains quite high.

This highest mountain in Bali stays in a critical phase. Blow of smoke is still coming out of the crater. This indicates the potential for eruption will still occur. This was revealed by the Mitigation Division Head of Volcanic Monitoring for Eastern Region at the PVMBG, Devy Kamil Syahbana, on Sunday (Dec. 17).

Devy Syahbana revealed that so far the activities of Mount Agung remains quite high. Blow of white and gray smoke with the intensity of thin to medium and height of 1,000 meters above the peak of the crater can still be observed. Based on the data within the past 12 hours, there are 21 times of blast, 5 times of low frequency earthquake, 4 deep volcanic earthquakes and 1 local tectonic earthquake. It means that effusive eruptions, gusts and smoke emission are still happening and indicate there is still pressure of energy in the body of Mount Agung. “The blast of smoke tends to blow westward in the direction of the wind, while at night fire is sometimes observed,” he said.

He explained that so far in terms of lava volume at the bottom of the crater there is no significant change.

Small possibilities of lava can meet the crater in a short time if the rate of increase remains like today.

“The largest rate of lava growth occurs in the period November 25-30, 2017. Within 5 days, the lava coming out about 20 million cubic meters or about one-third of the volume of the crater. Until now the growth slows down,” he said.

His division makes cooperation again with the Aeroterrascan to fly drone in order to monitor the crater visually and try to measure the gas in roder to know the evolution of magmatic gas concentration over time, whether it tends to decrease, remain (fluctuate) or tend to increase after the eruption some days ago. He said the first drone flight already got the results. However, with the help of one point his division cannot determine whether the trend of gas has increased, fluctuated or decreased after the effusive eruption.

“To ensure, we have to take samples of gas for several times. Now, (Sunday—Ed) the Aeroterrascan team is re-flying the drone to detect the gas content.

We are still analyzing the gas content resulted from several times of recording obtained by using drone including the addition of the latest results. Having been issued, we will inform the results,” said Devy Syahbana. (kmb41)

REUTERS/Darren Whiteside

The full-moon is seen along with Mount Agung volcano, from Amed in Karangasem Regency, Bali, Indonesia, December 4, 2017.

International

Tourism shaken by Mount Agung eruption

Employers may not sacrifice workers

DENPASAR - Tourism sector can be said to be very shaken by the eruption of Mount Agung. It can be seen from drastic decrease in the number of tourist visits, followed by a decrease in hotel occupancy rates. The entrepreneurs getting involved in this industry began to complain. Some have even laid off their workers.

Chairman of the Bali Labor Union Federation, Wayan Suyasa, said in Denpasar on Sunday (Dec. 17) the workers should not be victimized in this issue. Entrepreneurs must see how their devotion is because some workers has been serving in a hotel or other accommodation up to tens of years.

Undeniably, the tourism industry is currently losing money due to the eruption of Mount Agung.

“However, let us think more clearly. So far, the company has also gained many profits, so do not just complain after this once incident and then sacrificed the workers that have been loyal so far,” said the man who is also Chairman of the Commission 1 of the Badung House of Representatives.

According to Suyasa, labor unions, businessmen and the government must sit together to overcome this problem. There should be a win-win solution for all relevant parties. Thus,

massive layoff can be prevented and employers can still pay in accordance with the established regional wage standard considering that 80 percent of the income of Balinese people depends on tourism sector. “Hopefully, there is no reduction or even delay of salary because it is not in accordance with the provisions,” he explained.

On the other hand, Suyasa appreciated to the measures of the governor of Bali because he has invited the Consul General and explained the real condition of Bali. Hopefully, the consul general will proceed to their home country. However, the role of the community especially the users of social media is also expected by disseminating positive information about the condition of Bali and stop disseminating fake news about the condition of Mount Agung.

Head of the Badung Manpower and Energy and Mineral Resources, Luh Made Wiratmi, said massive fake news about Mount Agung in social media mostly affected the working sector in Bali. Therefore, the whole community, especially young people, is asked not to participate in disseminating incorrect information. “It has a huge impact on tourism because it is very sensitive,” he added. (kmb32)

Arrested in Lombok, fugitive inmate in depression

MANGUPURA - Due to hard work of the Badung Police Criminal Investigation Unit, finally the fugitive of Kerobokan Prison inmate, Christian Beasley, could be captured on Friday (Dec. 15). The arrest was less than a week after the perpetrator escaped. Christian was arrested in the alley heading for Indah Home Stay, Senggigi, Lombok, NTB. When arrested, the perpetrator had depression.

Chief of Badung Police, Yudith Satriya Hananta, said on Sunday (Dec. 17) that after knowing the perpetrator got depression, he was immediately calmed down. Thanks to the appropriate performance, his condition has improved.

Based on results of initial examination, the perpetrator admitted to escape from the cell by way of breaking the ceiling. “The details will be advised later. Our members are still deepening into this case,” he pleaded.

The perpetrator was arrested at 21:30. After being arrested in Lombok, the inmate of this drug case was immediately taken to Bali. Upon

arrival at the Badung Police, the perpetrator was examined intensively.

“The perpetrator is still undergoing examination, especially about the escape. All is possible due to the hard work of our members,” said Yudith.

As reported, the hunt for the inmate of Kerobokan Prison, North Kuta, Christian Beasley, is being conducted by the ranks of Bali Police. In addition, the Bali exit like the airport and harbors is heavily guarded. Police also examined witnesses, including interrogating the girl friend of the perpetrator.

Related to the case, the officers have examined eight wardens. Based on the results of the examination against the wardens, it is known that mother of the perpetrator had made a visit to the prison.

In relatively short time, police managed to meet the girl friend of the perpetrator and immediately interrogated her. Similar examination was also conducted against the perpetrator’s roommates in prison. (kmb36)

 Founder : K.Nadha,  General Manager :Palgunadi Chief Editor: Gugiek Savindra  Editors:Agus Toni, Daniel Fajry, Mawa, Sueca, Sugiartha, Yudi Winanto Denpasar: Dira Arsana, Giriana Saputra, Subrata, Sumatika, Asmara Putra. Bangli: Suasrina, Buleleng: Dewa kusuma, Gianyar: Manik Astajaya, Karangasem: Budana, Klungkung: Dewa Farendra. Jakarta: Nikson, Hardianto, Ade Irawan. NTB: Agus Talino, Izzul Khairi, Raka Akriyani. Surabaya: Bambang Wilianto.  Office: Jalan Kepundung 67 A Denpasar 80232. Telephone (0361)225764, Facsimile: 227418, P.O.Box: 3010 Denpasar 80001. Bali Post Jakarta, Advertizing: Jl.Palmerah Barat 21F. Telp 021-5357602, Facsimile: 021-5357605 Jakarta Pusat. NTB: Jalam Bangau No. 15 Cakranegara Telp. (0370) 639543, Facsimile: (0370) 628257. Publisher: PT Bali Post

Activities

International

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

15

Dining at b Hotel Bali & Spa – Mongolian Nights & Friyeay Satay

The next time you’re craving for a delicious lip-smacking dining experience in the heart of bustling Kuta, do head on down to b Hotel Bali & Spa for some steaming hot, fresh-off-the-grill Mongolian BBQ dinner that takes place every Wednesday at the ho-

tel’s Pangi Restaurant from 6pm to 9pm.

The next time you’re craving for a delicious lip-smacking dining experience in the heart of bustling Kuta, do head on down to b Hotel Bali & Spa. Taking place every Friday, Friyeay Satay nights is

EVERY MONDAY Movie Monday19:00-21:00 Genius Cafe- Home to the entrepreneur Beach CLub Mertasari Beach (Next to Mercure), Sanur EVERY TUESDAY Ecstatic contact dance: Transformative journey Paradiso Ubud, Jalan Goutama Selatan, Ubud 100k includes dinner EVERY WEDNESDAY DEep Dive Dance Guided improvised movement 19:00-21:00 Paradiso Ubud Jalan Goutama Selatan, Ubud 100k EVERY THURSDAY African Drums with Catur SAng Klang Wijaya 16:00-18:00 Experience the healing power of drumming, all levels welcome

BY DONATION SUNDAY MARKETS 10AM 1PM Sunday Market at Batu Jimbar Jl. Danau Tablingan , Sanur 10AM-4PM The Sands Beach Club and Restaurant Sunday MArket Jl. Danau Tamblingan, No 27, Sanur 9:30AM-1PM Sunday Market @ Warung Sopa Jl. Sugriwas no36, Padang Tegal, Ubud 9AM-2PM Samadi Sunday Market Jalan. Padang Linjong 39, Canggu, 9AM-2PM Wednesday and Sunday Ubud Organik Market Jl. Raya Pengosekan across from Zens Hotel Tebesaya, Ubud 12PM-10PM Sunday Food Festival & Bazaar Byrdhouse Beach Club, Sanur 10AM-6PM, Mercure,last sunday of every month, jl. ,Mertasari, Sanur, fashion food and and kids activities The Coffee Spot, Jalan Peigenet 888X,Seminyak, last Sunday of every month, garage sale clothing, books, and hand-made jewellery

a great opportunity to feast on a very popular Indonesian favourite - various types of Satays including diced or sliced chicken, beef, Fish and other meats with their own uniquely made sauces.

Priced at IDR 100K ner per adult, enjoy an all-you-can-eat

buffet inspired by traditional, time-honoured Indonesian recipes, along with an extensive selection of signature taste from across the Indonesian Archipelago at Pangi restaurant every Friday nights from 6pm to 9pm. Children below 12 years old eat for free.

Enjoy 20% discount when you order wine by the glass. For more information about Friyeay Satay Nights or to find out more on hotel rates, accommodations, events and facilities, please contact +62 361 846 5757 or email reservation@ bhotelbali.com.

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Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Weinstein denies blacklisting actresses Ashley Judd, Mira Sorvino LOS ANGELES - Harvey Weinstein on Friday denied barring actresses Ashley Judd and Mira Sorvino from working on the movie adaptation of “The Lord of the Rings” or blacklisting them from further projects.

Weinstein, who has been accused of sexual harassment by more than 50 women, including Judd and Sorvino, was responding to remarks by “Lord of the Rings” director Peter Jackson.

Reuters is unable to independently confirm the misconduct allegations and Weinstein has denied having non-consensual sex with anyone.

In an interview with New Zealand website Stuff on Thursday, Jackson said he expressed interest in casting Judd and Sorvino in the movie while pitching the project to Weinstein’s production company Miramax.

“I recall Miramax telling us they were a nightmare to work with and we should avoid them at all costs.

This was probably in 1998,” Jackson said.

“At the time, we had no reason to question what these guys were telling us... I now suspect we were fed false information about both of these tal-

ented women - and as a direct result their names were removed from our casting list,” he added.

The “Lord of the Rings” movie trilogy later went to New Line Cinema and released in 2001.

Weinstein’s spokeswoman Holly Baird said in a statement that Harvey and his bother Bob “had no input into the casting whatsoever” on “Lord of the Rings.”

The statement said that Judd was subsequently cast by Weinstein in two other movies - “Frida” and “Crossing Over.”

It added that Sorvino called Weinstein earlier this year to ask if her husband, actor Christopher Backus, could be cast in the TV series “Six” that he was producing “and Mr. Weinstein cast him.”

Judd, responding on Twitter on Friday, recalled having detailed talks with Jackson about “Lord of the Rings” but “then I abruptly never heard from him again.”

Sorvino said on Twitter that she “burst out crying” when she read Jackson’s remarks, calling them “confirmation that Harvey Weinstein derailed my career, something I suspected but was unsure.” (rtr)

REUTERS/Mike Segar

Producer Harvey Weinstein stands in the audience ahead of the first presidential debate between U.S. presidential nominee Donald trump and U.S. presidential nominee Hillary Clinton at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, U.S., September 26, 2016. Picture taken September 26, 2016.

Tuesday, December 19, 2017 Actors Daisy Ridley and Mark Hamill pose for photographers as they arrive for the European Premiere of ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’, at the Royal Albert Hall in central London, Britain December 12, 2017.

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

Power restored to Atlanta airport after daylong outage paralyzes travel

One of the heaviest travel weeks of the year began with the cancellation of more than 1,000 flights on Sunday at the world’s busiest airport in Atlanta, where a power outage that lasted nearly 11 hours left passengers stranded in darkened terminals or in aircraft idling on tarmacs. The early afternoon outage paralyzed operations at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport before power was finally restored at 11:45 p.m. Sunday EST for flight operations, wreaking havoc on holiday travel plans for thousands of people hit by airline cancellations extending into Monday.

‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ opens with galactic $450 mln box office

Delta said it was cancelling about 300 flights on Monday, on top of the 900 Sunday cancellations as a result of the Atlanta outage. United Air Lines also warned on social media that travel on Monday may be affected.

The incident on Sunday led the Federal Aviation Administration to ground flights bound for Atlanta. American Airlines and Southwest Airlines were also among the major carriers that suspended operations at the airport on Sunday.

Southwest canceled 70 departures on Sunday.

Georgia Power, the utility that provides electricity to the sprawling airport, said the failure was linked to a fire in an underground facility that damaged substations serving Hartsfield. The blaze, possibly started when a piece of gear failed, damaged access to a backup system, the company said.

All passengers had safely disembarked from aircraft by approximately 10 p.m., or nine hours after the outage began, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed said on Twitter. Photo and videos posted on social media showed passengers huddled in partial darkness inside crowded terminals. Some said they sat on planes for hours.

“Stuck on a plane at Atlanta Airport as the power is out there ... bedlam inside and boredom out here!” Jack Harris wrote on Twitter. The FAA said earlier that it was staffed to handle the expected resumption of commercial traffic on Monday. Some stranded passengers found lodging in local hotels, and the city was providing shelter at the Georgia International Convention Center. By early Monday, airport officials said on social media that they had served more than 5,000 meals for passengers.

“We’re just focusing on the comfort of our passengers,” Reed told a news conference on Sunday. “We know they have had a very, very long and difficult day. Delta, hit hard because of its hub in Atlanta, said customers flying to or from the airport could make a one-time change to travel plans within certain guidelines. Other airlines also offered waiver for flight changes. Delta said its flight schedule in Atlanta was expected to return to normal by Monday afternoon.

For all carriers, more than 1,170 flights in or out of Hartsfield were scratched Sunday, airline tracking service FlightAware said. The airport serves on average about 275,000 passengers each day, according to its website.(rtr)

LOS ANGELES - “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” burst into theaters with a staggering $450 million in global ticket sales in its opening weekend, confirming that the celebrated space adventure franchise remained a powerful force at the box office.

The eighth movie in the “Star Wars” saga created by George Lucas in 1977 collected $220 million in the United States and Canada, according to box office estimates released by comScore on Sunday.

The total ranked second only to the $248 million for “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” two years ago.

The debut marks another major success for Walt Disney Co , which bought “Star Wars” producer Lucasfilm in 2012 and reinvigorated the story set in a galaxy far, far away.

“There are very few brands that can sustain this kind of enthusiasm and relevance,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for comScore. “This supercharges the potential for all the other ‘Star Wars’ properties down the line.”

At least five more “Star Wars” movies are in the works at Disney,

including one about a young Han Solo due for release next May, followed by “Episode IX” in December 2019.

“Last Jedi” features actress Carrie Fisher’s final performance as Leia, the beloved princess who became a general leading resistance forces against the evil First Order.

Fisher died of a heart attack in December 2016.

The film also gives a prominent role to original “Star Wars” hero Luke Skywalker, portrayed by Mark Hamill.

International sales for “Last Jedi” were the third biggest for films that did not include the Chinese market during their debut weekends, Disney said. “Last Jedi” opens Jan. 5 in China, the second largest movie market.

Positive fan reaction suggested

strong ticket sales over the coming holidays, said Dave Hollis, Disney president of worldwide theatrical distribution. Audiences awarded the film an “A” grade in polling by CinemaScore.

Box office analysts did not expect “Last Jedi” to repeat the opening weekend numbers of “Force Awakens.” The 2015 movie had been subject to unprecedented interest because it was the first new “Star Wars” film in a decade.

It eventually took in more than $2 billion worldwide.

Disney will take over distribution rights to all past “Star Wars” films as part of its $52 billion deal last week to buy film and some television businesses from TwentyFirst Century Fox Inc Fox had released the first six “Star Wars” movies made by Lucas. (rtr)

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The Atlanta’s airport is pictured during the power outage, in Atlanta, U.S., December 17, 2017 in this picture obtained from social media.

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.