Edisi 20 Februari 2015 | International Bali Post

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

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Friday, February 20, 2015

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Oscar spotlight draws attention to industry diversity issue

NEW YORK — It was a year ago that Lupita Nyong’o, shortly before winning the Academy Award for best supporting actress in “12 Years a Slave,” gave a speech about what she called “dark beauty.”

Nyong’o, who so dazzled Hollywood and the Oscar-viewing public through awards season, spoke tenderly of receiving a letter from a girl who had been about to lighten her skin before Nyong’o’s success, she said, “saved me.” The letter struck Nyong’o because she recognized herself in that girl: “I remember a time when I too felt unbeautiful. I put on the TV and only saw pale skin.”

The Mexican-born, Kenyanraised actress was a central part last year to an Academy Awards flush with faces uncommon to the Oscar podium.

What a difference a year makes.

This year’s Oscars repeat a stubborn pattern that has plagued the

Academy Awards throughout its history: Whenever change seems to come, a frustrating hangover follows. “Every 10 years, we have the same conversation,” Spike Lee, a regular witness to the sporadic progress, has said.

Seldom have such fits and starts been starker than this Oscars, coming a year after a richly diverse Oscar crop. In Sunday’s Academy Awards, all 20 acting nominees are white, a result that prompted some to declare that they would boycott this year’s ceremony.

The lack of nominations for “Selma” director Ava DuVernay and star David Oyelowo were a particular flashpoint, viewed by many as unjust oversights not only because they merited honoring, but

because their absences furthered an ignoble Oscar history.

“I was surprised but then I wasn’t,” said Darnell Hunt, a UCLA professor and director of the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies, who co-authored a 2014 diversity report on the film and TV industries. “What we saw in terms of the nominations this year was business as usual. What we got was more or less an accurate reflection of the way the industry is structured and the way the academy is populated.”

An Associated Press survey of the academy’s voting history since the first Academy Awards in 1929 shows gradual progress but not nearly at a rate to match the ever-increasing diversity of the American public. In those 87 years, nine black actors have won Oscars, four Latinos and three Asians, a record that doesn’t even speak to other categories like best director,

Vanilla Ice released after being charged in Florida burglary

Frank Micelotta/Invision/AP, File

where only one woman (Kathryn Bigelow) has won.

The number of non-whites to be nominated for best actor or best actress has nearly doubled in just the last two decades, but the 9.4 percent of non-white acting nominees over the academy’s history is about four times less than the percentage of the non-white population.

Not all of this can be laid at the film academy’s feet, but some of it can. The 6,000-plus membership of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences was found to be 94 percent white and 77 percent male in a 2012 Los Angeles Times investigation.

Since becoming president of the academy, Cheryl Boone Isaacs has worked to diversify the organization’s ranks, though change comes slowly considering membership is for life.

But the academy is a reflection of

LANTANA, Florida — Vanilla Ice has been released from custody in Florida after being arrested and charged with breaking into and stealing from an abandoned home.

Police in Lantana say the recording artist and home-improvement-show host had been renovating a home next to the victim’s. They said some of the stolen items were found at his property.

Vanilla Ice, whose real name is Robert Van Winkle, rose to fame with the hit “Ice Ice Baby.” He also hosts DIY Network’s “The Vanilla Ice Project.”

The 47-year-old was charged Wednesday with burglary of a residence and grand theft and taken into custody. He was released from the jail Wednesday night on a $6,000 bond.

He told TV station WPTV that the situation was a “misunderstanding” that’s been “blown out of proportion.” (ap)

Friday, February 20

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Thai prosecutor presses criminal charges against ex-premier Page 6

Schalke win right tonic for Real after stumble Ancelotti

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Millions at risk from rapid sea rise in swampy Sundarbans Page 13

Australian tourists disapprove to tourism boycott

DENPASAR - Australian tourists visiting Bali have expressed their disagreement to the tour- through the legal process, he said.

“Indonesia praised the UN secism boycott, which is a mark of protest over the imminent executions of Bali Nine ringleaders, retary general’s effort to communiMyuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan.

John Shearer/Invision/AP, File

In this March 2, 2014 file photo, Lupita Nyong’o accepts the award for best actress in a supporting role for “12 Years a Slave” during the Oscars in Los Angeles. the film industry; it can only reward the films that get made. What this year’s all-white acting nominees did was lay bare the enormous, hulking iceberg of the movie business’ diversity problems. (ap)

Two technicians seriously injured on James Bond set in Austria

VIENNA - Two British technicians were seriously injured in a failed stunt on the set of the James Bond film “Spectre” in the Austrian Alps, police said on Wednesday.

A car crashed into a platform on the set on Tuesday, pinning one of the technicians against the platform, and throwing another one off it, local police chief Herbert Juen said.

The two were airlifted to a local hospital. A third victim, also British, was treated on set for minor injuries.

The crew has been filming in the Austrian Alps since early January. The 24th film in the Bond film series, “Spectre” is slated for release later this year.

Actor Daniel Craig is once again cast in the role of the famous fictional British spy. Austrian actor Cristoph Waltz plays his nemesis. (afp)

“I do not agree with the boycott because I still love Bali,” Coally Ann, an Australian tourist stated.

Meanwhile, Julia Ann, who is Coally’s sister, also supports tourism in Bali.

“We will continue to support tourism in Bali,” she noted.

However, they are protesting on humanitarian grounds against the execution sentence awarded to the two Australians.

“We do not agree with the death penalty. That is not correct because they are human beings,” she noted.

Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan were granted death sentence in 2006 for leading a drug traffick-

ing group known as the Bali Nine.

They were arrested in 2005 at an airport and hotel in Bali for smuggling 8.2 kilograms of heroin.

“We have been following the current news. We are very sad about the death penalty,” she stated.

The Australian government had appealed to the Indonesian government to spare the lives of the two citizens on death row.

The death penalty in Indonesia, especially imposed on drug offenders, does not contradict human rights and the international law, noted Desra Percaya, the Permanent Representative of Indonesia to the United Nations (UN).

The abolishment of death pen-

alty is not a universal standard in human rights, and the discussion in the UN forum is still ongoing and has not yet reached a consensus, Desra noted.

“Every country has its unique challenges. The implementation of death penalty is the government’s response to the unique challenges faced by Indonesia,” the ambassador stated.

He also pointed out that the imposition of death penalty in Indonesia is not considered as extra-judicial killings or arbitrary executions that violate the human right norms.

The death penalty in Indonesia is an action that has been imposed

cate directly with the government but deplored the approach, which is based on a narrow understanding,” Desra remarked.

“This approach could impact the integrity of the UN secretary general as discussion on the issue of death penalty is still ongoing,” he affirmed.

Meanwhile, Reuters reported that United Nations SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon appealed to Indonesia not to execute the prisoners on death row for drug crimes, including the citizens of Australia, Brazil, France, Ghana, Indonesia, Nigeria, and the Philippines.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Ban had spoken to Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Mar-

sudi on Thursday “to express his concern at the recent application of capital punishment in Indonesia.”

“The UN opposes the death penalty under all circumstances,” Dujarric noted in a statement on Friday.

“The secretary general has appealed to the Indonesian authorities that the executions of the remaining prisoners on death row for drugrelated offenses should not be carried out,” Dujarric stated.

The preamble of the UN Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, 1988, admits that drugs pose a serious threat to the health and welfare of human beings and adversely affect the economic, cultural, and political foundations of the society. (ant)

News can also be heard in “Bali Image” at Global Radio FM 96.5 from 9.30 until 10.00 am. Listen to Global Radio FM at http:// globalfmbali.listen2myradio.com or live video streaming at http://radioglobalfmbali.com and http:// ustream.tv/channel/global-fm-bali.

ANTARA FOTO/Fikri Yusuf

Foreign tourists visited Legian Beach, Badung Regency on Monday. Australian tourists visiting Bali have expressed their disagreement to the tourism boycott, which is a mark of protest over the imminent executions of Bali Nine ringleaders, Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan.

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International

Friday, February 20, 2015

Bali News

Unclear, plans for land of former ‘Tiara Grosir’

Farmers are happy about the plan to remove the tax from farmland.

IBP/File

Farmers welcome exemption of land and property tax Bangli — The Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning, Ferry Mursyidan Baldan, plans to exempt modest homes, place of worships and social buildings from paying land and property taxes per year starting in 2016. This news has been welcomed by many people, including one farmer from Bangli County. ing costs. The costs of running a farm, compared to the results obtained often results in losses, especially with elevated living expenses. The tax exemption will allow famers to get the head above water.

Rencana said the tax exemption for farmers was also very closely related to the government food self-sufficiency program that is being intensified. Farmers will now be able to focus on agriculture without having to think about how they are gong to pay their taxes.

“This plan is a very suitable implementation of the gov-

ernments efforts to encourage food security. The tax exemption will allow farmers to be more vivacious in managing their agricultural land” he explained.

He added that the policy of exempting land and property taxes is expected to indirectly to save agricultural land from land conversion and could also stimulate farmers to work on their land. This way, farmers would not be tempted to sell their land, but would instead prefer to work on and develop the existing agricultural potential of their land. (sos)

businesses. However, in principle, the former Tiara Grosir would be used as a traditional market.

Furthermore, he explained there was possibility that the development and management of the former land of Tiara Grosir would be handed over to PD Pasar because it did not violate any rules. Similarly, the development would be possibly implemented by local government through PD Pasar by equity participation mechanism. However, so far it had not been discussed.

Similarly, regarding the target, Jimmy did not provide any certainty. He just said it would be soon realized. “Obviously it will be done as soon as possible.

With clarity of the land status, we can try as soon as possible,” he said.

When confirmed separately, the Head of the Denpasar Spatial Planning and Housing Agency (DTRP), I Made Kusuma Diputra, stated that so far his party had not prepared the DED, although the master plan already existed.

“The DED has not been prepared because there is no further discussion about it. If there is, of course the budgeting has been included in the main regional budget 2015,” he said.

Meanwhile, Managing Director of PD Pasar, I Made Westra, said the application to manage the land of ex Tiara Grosir filed by his party had not got any response from the mayor. He admitted if his position was still waiting.

He said that to arrange the land of ex Tiara Grosir could be possibly handed over in whole to the PD Pasar. However, the problem lay in the matter of funding because it was estimated to require approximately IDR 70 billion. To that end, there was possibility if his party would look for investors. (kmb25)

IBP/Wawan

The former Tiara Grosir land. The plans for the use of the former Tiara Grosir land remain unclear until now.

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Friday, February 20, 2015

15

Neo to open in Bandung

JAKARTA – Set to welcome guests as of June 2015, Archipelago International has recently announced plans to open a 13th Hotel NEO in Indonesia. As the first Hotel NEO to open in Bandung, West Java, the new Hotel NEO Dipati Ukur - Bandung is slated to become the city’s most comprehensive boutique budget hotel.

Bandung is already a popular weekend destination for residents of Jakarta. The cooler climate of the highland plantation area, the varieties of food, the cheaper fashion shops, golf courses, and the zoo, are some of the big attractions to the city.

To cater to the growing number of twenty-first century tourists, Hotel NEO Dipati Ukur – Bandung will feature 88 funky, stylish and smoke-free rooms with a choice of double or twin beds. Rooms will be outfitted with top of the line beds with high knot count cotton linens for a refreshing night’s sleep, cutting edge flat-screen satellite TVs, individual control air-conditioning, mini-bars, safes and en suite bathrooms with large standing showers.

WiFi access will be fast, reliable and of course free and available throughout the entire hotel. Additionally, three well-equipped meeting rooms and an authentic café shop specializing in homemade noodle dishes will make this latest NEO one of Bandung’s most comprehensive boutique budget hotels.

Hotel NEO Dipati Ukur - Bandung will be geared towards guests who favor an active and healthy lifestyle.

Since its introduction, Hotel NEO is committed to providing its guests and associates with a 100% smoke-free environment, and is proud to boast one of the most thorough smoke-free hotel policies in the industry.

Hotel NEO Dipati Ukur – Bandung is located on Jalan Dipatiukur close to Dago, one of the iconic areas of Bandung city. The Paris Van Java Shopping Mall is reachable within 30 minutes by car, as is Bandung Airport. The Bandung train is just 20 minutes from the hotel and 30 minutes

IBP/Courtesy of Archipelago International

to the Rumah Mode Factory Outlet.

“Bandung is fast becoming one of Indonesia’s most up and coming cities. With a great range of tourists flocking to the area for the food and shopping culture, our contemporary and stylish NEO brand is destined to fit right in, and we look forward to increasing our presence in Bandung further in the future.” Said Mr John Flood, President and CEO of Archipelago International.

Profile

Kahar Salamun

Importance of HR investment

A good hotel accommodation does not only rely on the building luxury and international standard, but also on the investment in human resources. By doing so, the services extended will be very professional. It was stated by Kahar Salamun, a hotelier.

Every hotel in Bali, explained this calm man, had known how to improve the performance of hotel management. Besides, they should also consider every aspect, both in terms of the IBP/kmb

Chief of Subak Sidembunut, Bangli, Sang Ketut Rencana, expressed on Tuesday (Feb 17), that the new measures would likely reduce the tax burden that farmers and other members of society bear. The tax exemption is expected to stimulate the vivacity of farming communities. “We are responding positively to such a plan as will reduce the burden of farmers he burden of farmers and other members of society” he said.

He also said that general costs incurred by farmers are very high, particularly operat-

Denpasar — So far plans for the use of the former Tiara Grosir land remain unclear. The Municipality of Denpasar has not yet decided on the details about the use of the land, including the 1.5 hectares that had caused a dispute in the past. The municipality argued that it was necessary to review the situation.

“We are still discussing and studying the matter” said the Assistant to Development Administration of Denpasar Regional Secretariat, Nyoman Ngurah Jimmy Sidhartha, in Denpasar, on Tuesday (Feb 17).

Jimmy said the study is conducted by a special team consisting of a number of related agencies such as the Spatial Planning and Housing Agency (DTRP), Legal Division, Licensing Office and PD Pasar regional enterprise. So far, the team had established the draft of detailed engineering design (DED) to help them decide on an appropriate development strategy and activities for the land.

“We are looking at the application of the PD Pasar and the DTRP or anything else that might be suitable for that location. In principle, it should be functional. Obviously iwhatever the project, it should support the democratic economy” he said.

How about the proposal of PD Pasar?

Jimmy reiterated that the function of the former Tiara Grosir land needed to be reviewed. In the near future, the team would hold another meeting debate the issue. Nevertheless, he said, there was a possibility of building a SME center to support community-based economy. The land of the former Tiara Grosir is quite extensive. So, it was still possible to build SME centers, a traditional culinary center or other

Activities

International

product and service. “Investment in human resources is the key. At the end of the day, the winner is the man that gives investment on human resources. It’s the focus,” said Kahar.

On that account, explained Kahar, hotel should make communication to the employees by providing training for 4 hours per month for each staff. Aside from for the staff, similar measure should also be undertaken for the community and the environment. Behind the glamour and glitz of Kuta, there remained many things in need of improvement. “Therefore, the measure to improve the quality of human beings needs to be done,” he said.

All hotels should participate to build human resources and the environment.

“Now, we see the development in Bali has been growing rapidly. Without the support of skilled human resources, then this situation cannot be balanced,” he said.

Kahar also said the presence of so many hotels in Bali had made each hotel should compete through their services and products. “Do not only talk

about the improvement of people’s quality.

The most important thing here is how a company like hotel has a positive impact and benefit on the community and the environment,” he said.

In the effort to improve the human quality of the All Seasons Legian Bali, added Kahar, as a part of the Accor group it had already owned a worldwide program.

One of them was the Planet 21 posing an incremental program that did not only organized blood donation and go green, but also participated in negating the use of plastic by the use of biodegradable plastic.

To reduce the water discharge, his party also performed a water-saving campaign.

Each guest was directed to hang their towels after taking a bath so as not to be washed every day.

In this regard, his party had acquired a land to build a training location for skill improvement such as in the matter of language and hospitality skills. “The training is provided free of charge. We get the funds from several fundraising events and participants will be taught by volunteer teachers,” he concluded. (ocha)

Balinese Temple Ceremony Every Temple and Shrine has a special date for it annual Ceremony, or “ Odalan “, every 210 days according to Balinese calendar, including the smaller ancestral shrine which each family possesses. Because of this practically every few days a ceremony of festival of some kind takes place in some Village in Bali. There are also times when the entire island celebrated the same Holiday, such as at Galungan, Kuningan, Nyepi day, Saraswati day, Tumpek Landep day, Pagerwesi day, Tumpek Wayang day etc.

The dedication or inauguration day of a Temple is considered its birth day and celebration always takes place on the same day if the wuku or 210 day calendar is used. When new moon is used then the celebration always happens on new moon or full moon. The day of course can differ the religious celebration of a temple lasts at least one full day with some temple celebrating for three days while the celebration of Besakih temple, the Mother Temple, is never less than 7 days and most of the time it lasts for 11 days, depending on the importance of the occasion.

The celebration is very colorful. The shrine are dressed with pieces of cloths and sometimes with brocade, sailings, decorations of carved wood and sometimes painted with gold and Chinese coins, very beautifully arranged, are hung in the four corners of the shrine. In front of shrine are placed red, white or black umbrellas depending which Gods are worshipped in the shrines.

In front of important shrine one sees, besides these umbrellas soars, tridents and other weapons, the “umbulumbul”, long flags, all these are prerogatives or attributes of Holiness. In front of the Temple gate put up “Penjor”, long bamboo poles, decorated beautifully ornaments of young coconut leaves, rice and other products of the land.

Most beautiful to see are the girls in their colorful attire, carrying offerings, arrangements of all kinds fruits and colored cakes, to the Temple. Every visitor admires the grace with which the carry their load on their heads.

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Friday, February 20, 2015

Fashion

AP Photo/Jason DeCrow

The Victoria Beckham Fall 2015 collection is modeled during Fashion Week, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in New York.

A cuppa on a freezing day, at Victoria Beckham

NEW YORK - Every Brit knows there’s nothing like a cuppa on a bitter cold day. And so, guests at Victoria Beckham’s runway show Sunday morning were treated to hot tea — in glass cups — as they arrived at Cipriani Wall Street on the coldest New York City day in years.

As for the fashions, they were warm, too, but the fall-winter fabrics were given a sexy twist, falling closer to the body than usual. Beckham also used slits and cutouts to bare a little more skin that one normally sees in winter

fashions. Draping was fanciful, including a very pretty saronglike effect from the waist down on some dresses.

Beckham, in a post-show interview, said if there were one word to describe the collection, it would

be “Bounce.”

“By bounce, I mean fabrics that are young and fresh,” Beckham said backstage, where she greeted her handsomely dressed sons, her young daughter, and hubby David Beckham, in a sleek long topcoat.

Marchesa goes Gatsby NEW YORK - In smoky gray tulle, long black fringe and strands of silver beading against white, the Marchesa designers Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig brought on an opium dream that might just waft its way onto

a red carpet very, very soon.

The duo Wednesday staged their fall show in two small rooms at the baroque St. Regis hotel, a perfect old New York backdrop for a Gatsbyinspired look in silk, Chantilly lace

and poppy flower details, the latter an ode to the mother source of their drug of choice.

“It’s very opulent. It’s very decadent,” Craig said in a pre-show interview.

“I love the texture,” Beckham continued. “They’re light as well.

It’s very important that, yes, these things look good on the catwalk, but I’m selling clothes all around the world. I have to take into account the weight of fabrics. So that bouncy fabric is really nice and wearable. “ Beckham professed to having a little more fun this time around.

“I wanted to play,” she said. “So I have lots of very sexy, tightly fitted dresses. You know I did have a little bit of fun and I think you can see that.” She’s hearing, she said, that her clothes are starting to draw a younger customer, as well as her usual fan base.

“I think I’ve come a long way,” she said. “I’m really proud of myself and my team.” (ap)

Chapman added of their models’ softly waved hair, smudgy eye makeup and dark lips: “We were seeing a little bit Fitzgerald. ... The hair wants to feel like they’ve been partying Gatsby all night.”

Soon Chapman herself, married to film producer Harvey Weinstein, will be doing her own partying. She said she just picked out her Oscars outfit

and will have one eye on the TV to watch for Marchesa gowns on the red carpet as she’s dressing for the awards show Sunday.

“It’s nerve-racking,” she said of red carpet season. “We’ll never, never say someone’s in our dress until we see a picture of them, because you don’t know.”

Chapman went with black and gold and floral from this collection for her Oscars look, and she’ll be wearing custom Marchesa from the brand’s first jewelry line.

For now, the two were happy in their fashion week haze of crystal embroidery, ostrich feather fringe and a few plunging necklines fit to party the night away.

Blake Lively and Weinstein were on hand for Marchesa’s return to New York Fashion Week after the two showed in London last season.

“It was nice just to go for our 10th anniversary back to London and show in front of our friends and family, but we’re happy to be back,” Chapman smiled.

But not for long as she hustles her way to Los Angeles for Sunday’s Academy Awards.

“Georgina’s leaving straight after the show to fly to LA, so it’s a little hectic,” Craig said.

Chapman laughed: “Straight to the airport.” (ap)

AP Photo/Kathy Willens

Models walk the runway in the Marchesa Fall 2015 fashion show in New York, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2015.

Bali News

International

International

Friday, February 20, 2015

3

More Chinese tourists forecast to arrive during Imlek

DENPASAR - The Indonesian Tourism Industry Association’s (GIPI’s) Bali chapter has forecast an increase of up to 12 percent in the number of Chinese tourists visiting Bali during the Lunar New Year, locally known as Imlek.

“During the long Imlek holidays, the number of Chinese tourists always surges at an average of 12 percent,” GIPI’s Bali chapter Chairman Ida Bagus Ngurah Wijaya stated on Thursday.

Due to the influx of Chinese tourists, the occupancy rate of the island’s hotels is also expected to increase during the current, supposedly lean season.

However, Ngurah stated that Chinese tourists usually do not stay long in Bali.

A Chinese tourist, on an average, spends less than US$100 per day and stays for up to two or three days on Bali Island.

“Chinese tourists are still categorized under mass tourism and not yet under medium or high tourism,” he noted.

China is a potential market for Indonesia. On an average, more than 100 million Chinese travel overseas every year.

Seven international airways serving 34 international routes have increased their flight frequency during the Imlek holidays.

Foreign airlines offering flights from China to Indonesia are Hong Kong Airlines, Cathay Pacific, China

Eastern, and China Southern. Chartered flights, with a total capacity of 8,364 seats, are being operated by Xianmen Airlines and Execujet.

Almost one million Chinese tourists visited Indonesia last year, and for this year, Indonesia has set a target

to double the number of Chinese visitors.

China is currently the fourth-largest source of tourism for Indonesia by contributing a total of 883,725 Chinese tourists between January and November 2014. The largest source of tour-

ism for Indonesia is Singapore (1.32 million), followed by Malaysia (1.12 million), and Australia (996,032).

“If our expectation in 2014 was to receive one million Chinese tourists, we are optimistic that the number of Chinese tourists visiting Indonesia will

DENPASAR - Balinese modern minimalist house with uniqueness can be seen from the ethnic elements integrated with modernity in today’s society. Stylishly designed in Balinese custom, the house will give more values to every minimalist house. The exterior design featured on the walls of the house is without plastering in combination with Balinese natural texture of paint color adapted to brick natural color. In addition, several replicas of typical Balinese carvings on the exterior design will remain to preserve its Balinese nuance. This kind of house design can be applied to all types of minimalist house buildings.

“When tourists are coming to Bali, they still like modern Balinese house. When coming here (Bali— Ed), they will surely look for a house with Balinese characteristic.

Exterior of the house is minimalist, while the interior will apply Balinese style,” said Chairman of the Indonesia Association of Interior Designers (HDII) of Bali and NTB Chapter, I Made Gede Sumayasa.

Sometimes, tourists having a home or villa on this Island of the Gods combined the concept of modern Balinese house with technology.

It was very common in their home country where technology was applied to the home key. “Tourists like best to see Balinese traditional house. On that account, they often combine it with modern concept,” said Sumayasa.

In terms of interior design favored today, many people used wood. But sometimes they also added with iron or aluminum. “But for housing, people mostly use plywood because it’s cheaper than wood,” said the man familiarly ad-

dressed as Mangku.

Meanwhile, for interior elements, people had already started to use parquet as substitute of tiles or ceramic. He pointed out the office lobby of the Karangsem regent had entirely applied parquet.

According to him, the traditional Balinese house should be retained, though the current condition seemed very difficult. Although dominated by modern style house, he affirmed that some parts of the house remained to feature Balinese elements. “For example, it remains to apply some carvings. In private residence, it still preserves the presence of north pavilion, south pavilion and east pavilion,” he said.

He worried that such concept was difficult to maintain when entering into a housing complex.

Other than restricted land area, the design of buildings had been

determined by developer, let alone in urban areas where the price of land already soared. “It is difficult to maintain such condition in urban areas because the price of land is expensive. But at least, the Balinese style must be presented,” said Sumayasa.

Moreover, many migrants today purchased a house in Bali and the law on property did not set forth such matters. Therefore, he hoped the government to issue a policy that maintained the Balinese traditional house. If it was not carried out, the housing development would be very difficult to control and increasingly abandoned the Balinese traditional house. “It also becomes a dilemma to my architect colleagues in Bali because it is difficult to arrange. In this case, there must be the attention of the government,” he said. (rah)

Chinese celebrated Imlek by praying at Klenteng Dharmayana Kuta on Thursday. The Indonesian Tourism Industry Association’s (GIPI’s) Bali chapter has forecast an increase of up to 12 percent in the number of Chinese tourists visiting Bali during the Lunar New Year, locally known as Imlek.

Balinese modern house liked best by tourists

reach two million by the end of 2015,” Indonesian Tourism Minister Arief Yahya recently stated. (ant)

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Friday, February 20, 2015

Bali News

International

Kuta community deplores Australian govt’s threat

Mangupura — The Australian government’s threat to ban its citizens from visiting Indonesia, does not seem to have impacted the number of Australians tourists, especially Kuta, which until now have not been affects. Locals in Kuta however still feel uncomfortable with the threat.

Kuta community leader, IGN Sudiarsa, revealed on Tuesday (Feb 17) that based on his observations, Kuta tourism was still in a normal condition relative to last year. “Although the numbers of visitors remains mediocre, it is normal for this time of year. Febuary and March are in fact the low season for” said the chief of Legian customary village.

Sudiarsa added that the Kuta community feels that the Australian governements threat seemd excessive especially considering that the death penalty for the two Australian citizens is in accordance with Indonesian laws. However, Sudiarsa is confident that Australian citizens would be mature enough to address the issue as it relates to drug-related crimes.

Legian customary village also hopes that the Australian government’s threat to issue a travel warning would not affect the number of Australian tourists visiting Bali. This especially considering that many Australians feel that Bali and especially Kuta as their second home.(kmb25)

Fish market kiosk at Anturan idle

Fogging is one of the effort to reduce the spread of dengue fever.

IBP/File

Dengue cases on the rise, suspected of taking one life

Amlapura — The number of patients with Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DBD) receiving treatment at Karangasem Hospital has increased recently, with 70 dengue patients having been treated since the new-year. One patient, from Datah Village died after undergoing treatment at this Hospital.

Apparently, after having been hospitalized for two weeks, the victim perished. However according to Ayu Dharmayanti, a spokesperson of the Karangasem Hospital, there had been no patient named Ni Komang A from Datah village, Abang subdistrict. According to her, the only patient from Datah village, Abang subdistrict was named Ni Luh Putu.

The patient in fact died from dengue shock syndrome (DSS), not dengue fever as was alleged.

“The patient did not suffer dengue fever, but had experienced dengue shock syndrome (DSS)” confirmed Sang Ayu Dharmayani, on Tuesday (Feb 17).

According to her, when a patient is suspected of being dengue postitive positive the medical team immediately seeks to confirm that this is in fact the case by conducting various medical examinations: “It took about a week to ascertain the exact cause of illness” she said.

Head of the Karangasem Hospital Medical Record Unit, I Nyoman Sumatra, admitted to have received information regarding the dengue victim, but did not want to confirm whether the victim really died of dengue or not. “Officials from the Karangasem Health Agency will go to Datah village to ascertain the cause” explained Nyoman

Sumatra.

Sumantra also confirmed that the number of dengue cases in Karangasem had increased in 2015 compared o the same time last year. “The total number of dengue patients for this January was 41 people and for February -up until today (Tuesday), 29 people have been afflicted” he explained. January 2014 saw 32 dengue patients, and 29 for the month of February The numbers for the rest of the year are as follows: March 39 people, April 25, May 50, June 26, July 30, August 18, September 9, October 10, November 9 and in December 15 people were treated for dengue. (dwa)

Traders prefer to peddle at SingarajaSeririt roadside

SINGARAJA - ozens of housewives posing fishmongers decided to peddle at Seririt-Singaraja roadside precisely at Anturan village, Buleleng subdistrict. In contrast, the kiosks at traditional market having been built by local government even did not function or turned idle.

It is said the location of the traditional market is not strategic, precisely on the edge of the road leading to cemetery of local village. Such condition makes traders worried if their fish cannot be sold, so that they are now peddling at roadside.

As field observation of Bali Post on Tuesday (Feb 17), traders began to open from noon through the evening. Fresh sea fish catches of fishermen of Anturan village was widely peddled by fishmongers.

Since the roadside location occupied by fishmongers was passed through by crowded traffic, the market condition was so dangerous. At the road section, there were two locations of traders namely in the west of Public Health Center of Anturan village and another at the junction leading to Hotel Celuk Agung. Meanwhile, the traditional market already built by government was located quite away from crowded road and exactly on the side of the road leading to cemetery.

Actually the fishmongers had occupied the traditional market kiosks.

Unfortunately, it did not last long and they were forced to leave the kiosks as deemed unprofitable.

One of the fishmongers, Mrs. Luh Mas, said when met last Tuesday that peddling at roadside was far more profitable than at traditional market kiosks. She claimed that in once market day she could always sell out her fresh fish. On the contrary, when peddling at traditional market kiosk the buyers were always deserted, so that their fresh fish was foul causing her to suffer losses. Other than due to deserted buyers, the location of traditional market was at roadside leading to cemetery, so that local people believed if the location was dirty, so that buyers were reluctant to shop at the market.

“Here, the buyers are more crowded and our fish always sells out. At the market there were no people shopping. Moreover, it is located at roadside leading to local cemetery. Local people believe if the location is considered dirty,” she said.

Meanwhile, addressing the idleness of the traditional fish market at Anturan village, the official promised to make coordination with relevant parties. Moreover, the asset and management of traditional fish market built by the Buleleng Fisheries and Maritime Resources Agency had been handed over to village authority. (kmb38)

Friday, February 20, 2015

International

13

Controversy in Uruguay over new lives of Guantanamo refugees

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay — Controversy is flaring over the six Guantanamo detainees taken in by Uruguay for resettlement, with even the man who pushed through the plan, President Jose Mujica, seeming to criticize them for lacking a work ethic.

The men were locked up for more than a dozen years at the U.S. Navy base in Cuba before they were brought to Montevideo in December. Mujica agreed to accept them as a humanitarian gesture and said they would be given help getting established in a country of 3.3 million people with a total Muslim population of perhaps 300.

The government has offered them a residential facility to study Spanish, learn about Uruguayan culture and integrate to their new home. But Syrian refugee Abu Wa’el Dhiab recently complained that the men have “walked out of a prison to enter another one.”

In a TV interview, Dhiab expressed thanks to Uruguay, but said it needs a plan for helping the ex-detainees, who need “their families, a home, a job and some sort of income that allows them to build a future.” A labor union that has been helping the men says, however, that they have turned down job offers.

Mujica recently visited the home where five of the six men are staying and asked them to start working. After his visit, the president said on his radio program that the former detainees are far from the ancestors of Uruguayans, who he said were gritty, hard-working immigrants. “If these people were humble people of the desert, poor people, they’d surely be stronger and more primitive, but they’re not,” Mujica said of the former prisoners. “Through their hands, features and family histories, it seems to me that they’re middle class.”

Some opposition lawmakers have opposed the resettlement plan from the beginning, but one legislator, Sen. Ope Pasquet of the Colorado Party, defended the men Wednesday.

“The Guantanamo six were jailed for more than 10 years in dreadful conditions,” he wrote on his Twitter account.

“The psychological damage must be terrible. Making them work now? Premature.”

The six men were detained as suspected militants with ties to al-Qaeda in 2002 but were never charged. They had been cleared for release since 2009 but could not be sent home and the U.S. struggled to find countries willing to take them. (ap)

AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico, File

FILE - In this Friday, Dec. 12, 2014 photo, former Guantanamo prisoners, from left, Adel bin Muhammad El Ouerghi from Tunisia, Ali Husain Shaaban from Syria, Abedlhadi Omar Faraj from Syria, Ahmed Adnan Ajuri from Syria, and Palestinian Mohammed Abdullah Taha Mattan interact with journalists standing under the balcony of the home where they’re living in Montevideo, Uruguay.

AP Photo/Bikas Das

In this Jan. 31, 2015 photo, a ferry carrying tourists moves towards a jetty at Bali village in the Sundarbans, India. Thousands are homeless as seas rise twice as fast as the global average and water eats away at the islands or subsumes them altogether in this vast region called the Sundarbans, straddling India and Bangladesh.

Millions at risk from rapid sea rise in swampy Sundarbans

BALI ISLAND, India — The tiny hut sculpted out of mud at the edge of the sea is barely large enough for Bokul Mondol and his family to lie down. The water has taken everything else from them, and one day it almost certainly will take this, too. Saltwater long ago engulfed the 5 acres where Mondol once grew rice and tended fish ponds, as his ancestors had on Bali Island for some 200 years. His thatch-covered hut, built on public land, is the fifth he has had to build in the last five years as the sea creeps in.

“Every year we have to move a little further inland,” he said.

Seas are rising more than twice as fast as the global average here in the Sundarbans, a low-lying delta region of about 200 islands in the Bay of Bengal where some 13 million impoverished Indians and Bangladeshis live. Tens of thousands like Mondol have already been left homeless, and scientists predict much of the Sundarbans could be underwater in 15 to 25 years.

That could force a singularly massive exodus of millions of “climate refugees,” creating enormous challenges for India and Bangladesh that neither country has prepared for. “This big-time climate migration is looming on the horizon,” said Tapas Paul, a New Delhi-based environmental specialist with the World Bank, which is spending hundreds of millions of dollars assessing and preparing a plan for the Sundarbans region.

“If all the people of the Sundarbans have to migrate, this would be the largest-ever migration in the history of mankind,” Paul said.

The largest to date occurred dur-

ing the India-Pakistan partition in 1947, when 10 million people or more migrated from one country to the other.

Mondol has no idea where he would go. His family of six is now entirely dependent on neighbors who have not lost their land. Some days they simply don’t eat. “For 10 years I was fighting with the sea, until finally everything was gone,” he says, staring blankly at the water lapping at the muddy coast. “We live in constant fear of flooding. If the island is lost, we will all die.”

On their own, the Sundarbans’ impoverished residents have little chance of moving before catastrophe hits. Facing constant threats from roving tigers and crocodiles, deadly swarms of giant honeybees and poisonous snakes, they struggle to eke out a living by farming, shrimping, fishing and collecting honey from the forests.

Each year, with crude tools and bare hands, they build mud embankments to keep saltwater and wild animals from invading their crops. And each year swollen rivers, monsoon rains and floods

wash many of those banks and mudpacked homes back into the sea.

Most struggle on far less than $1 a day. With 5 million people on the Indian side and 8 million in Bangladesh, the Sundarbans population is far greater than any of the small island nations that also face dire threats from rising sea levels.

Losing the 26,000-square-kilometer (10,000-square-mile) region — an area about the size of Haiti — would also take an environmental toll. The Sundarbans region is teeming with wildlife, including the world’s only population of mangrove forest tigers. The freshwater swamps and their tangles of mangrove forests act as a natural buffer protecting India’s West Bengal state and Bangladesh from cyclones.

With rising temperatures melting polar ice and expanding oceans, seas have been rising globally at an average rate of about 3 millimeters a year — a rate scientists say is likely to speed up. The latest projections suggest seas could rise on average up to about 1 meter (3.3 feet) this century. (ap)

12

International

Friday, February 20, 2015

Bali News

International

BUSINESS

Oil prices retreat ahead of stockpile report

HONG KONG - Oil prices fell Thursday ahead of the release of a closely watched report that that “the declining trend will continue in Asia”. is forecast to show a surge in US stockpiles to 33-year high, adding to a global supply glut.

US benchmark West Texas Intermediate fell $1.46 to $50.68 while Brent eased 98 cents to $69.55.

The weekly report by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) is expected to show supplies

increased by three million barrels to 420.9 million in the week to through February 13, according to a survey by Bloomberg News.

The figure from the EIA -part of the Department of Energy -- would mark the highest in

weekly records since August 1982, Bloomberg said.

Ken Hasegawa, energy desk manager at Newedge brokerage in Japan, said the expected jump in stockpiles was “having negative impact on the market” and added

Last week’s report showed that US crude inventories already reached their highest levels on record for this time of the year.

Crude prices lost about 60 percent of their value to about $40 between June and late January owing to an oversupply in world

markets, a weak global economy and a strong dollar.

And while they have been climbing in recent weeks on news that the number of US oil rigs in operation has fallen and energy giants are cutting back on investment, markets-watchers say volatility is likely to continue for some time. (afp)

since 2009 to 1.2 million vehicles in 2014, and the sector represented 11.2 percent of all British exports last year, a new record.

The rude health of the British motor industry has not escaped

the notice of Prime Minister David Cameron, who goes to the polls seeking re-election on May 7 and praised the sector’s performance during a visit to a Rolls-Royce plant on Wednesday. (afp)

British car exports to China up five-fold

LONDON - British car exports to China have increased five-fold since 2009, according to figures released Thursday by a British industry body, driven by a demand for luxury brands such as Rolls-Royce

and Jaguar.

The number of cars manufactured in Britain and exported to China stood at 137,410 in 2014, a 14.5 percent increase on the previous year and five times

the number shifted in 2009, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said in a statement.

British car exports to all destinations have increased by 54 percent

In Europe, cheaper goods help consumer but also pose risks

AP Photo/Luca Bruno

In this Thursday, Jan. 15, 2015 photo, customers gather inside a shop during sales in Milan, Italy. In Milan’s teeming shopping district, something unusual is happening this winter: Italians are spending money.

MILAN — In Milan’s teeming commercial district, something unusual is happening this winter — Italians are shopping. It’s a big relief for store owners after a six-year decline in sales due to recession.

Still, Renato Borghi, the president of the Italian fashion federation, is uneasy: shoppers, he notes, are relying on the seasonal discounts.

If they start expecting lower prices, the industry is in for trouble.

“The Italian consumer is checking prices and waiting,” said Borghi, whose organization represents some 130,000 retailers.

“This is a tendency that is causing us concern.”

Across Europe, companies are discounting to attract shoppers traumatized by years of recession and high unemployment. That’s helping cash-strapped families and even giving retail sales and the economy a much-needed boost. Growth figures recently published for the fourth quarter were stronger than expected, in part thanks to higher spending.

Weak prices, however, are a double-edged sword.

They also carry the risk of deflation, when consumers start

anticipating discounts and put off purchases in hopes of better bargains. If that becomes a habit, it can sink an economy for years. As prices drop, companies earn less, invest less and hold back on wages, making households even thriftier.

It’s too early to tell if the region is sliding into deflation, economists say, but the risk is big enough that the European Central Bank unleashed a 1 trillion euro ($1.14 trillion) stimulus program last month for the 19-country eurozone.

The bank acted aggressively because once an economy is in deflation, it can be mighty hard to get it out. Japan has been in deflation for over two decades during which its economy has struggled to grow.

By last count, inflation in the eurozone was negative — with prices falling 0.6 percent annually in January. Even excluding the slump in energy costs, prices for other goods are falling or remain weak.

The key for Europe will be whether customers will be willing to pay higher prices in coming months.

The risks vary sharply from country to country. (ap)

IBP/File Photo

A Joged Bumbung dancer dance with one of spectators during her performance. To get rid of negative impression on one’s of the Balinese arts, an artist from Tabanan, Made Wihartawan, even suggested the government to impose a sanction on Joged Bumbung dancer or the troupe whose performance had gone out of the basic movement.

When dancing erotically, Joged dance troupe to be imposed with sanctions

TABANAN - Even though many people do not agree, even the government has forbidden, the performance of Joged Bumbung in erotic style can still be seen.

Actually the Culture Agency, both in the provincial and county level, has provided guidance and socialization on the ban of the porn and vulgar Joged Bumbung, but it seems to be ignored. The economic reason remains the motivation of the dancers.

To get rid of negative impression on one’s of the Balinese arts, an artist from Tabanan, Made Wihartawan, even suggested the government to impose a sanction on Joged Bumbung dancer or the troupe whose performance had gone out of the basic movement.

According to him, the negative impression of the dance had an impact on the art troupe remaining to keep the existing style. “The sanctions can include a ban from making a performance or fine worth millions of rupiahs. It is also to foster a deterrent effect,” he said when met amidst the coaching of Joged Bumbung throughout Tabanan County, in the Tabanan government, Tuesday (Feb 10).

Nevertheless, he admitted it was difficult to remove such impression because the people liking to join the dance (ngibing) often kindled the dancer to leave her basic movement. “Here the dancers must be agile because there are two techniques that can be used to avoid the rogue co-dancer namely by using headdress and fan,” he explained.

One of the joged dancers named Komang Nuasih Dewi, 29, said that during she got involved in the dance performance for five years she often discovered rogue individuals joining the dancer. “To be honest, if there are such kinds of dancer, I am upset, angry and sad. Fortunately, they can be avoided with swerving movement,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Tabanan Education and Culture Agency, Wayan Adnyana, said that

Tabanan owned approximately 30 Joged Bumbung troupes spreading across 10 subdistricts. He also recognized that there were joged dancers still leaving the specified movement style. Moreover, the development of joged in Bali, especially in Tabanan, was very rapid.

“Coaching has been made continuously. But, there are still joged dancers featuring erotic movement.

Commonly they are driven by economic reasons, namely to make them more in demand,” he said.

He added that in line with the development of globalization, he admitted that many joged performances were affected by foreign cultures so that their creation increased but going out of the existing basic movement. “Unfortunately, such kind of joged dance is even muchloved by young people. And that’s what we will nurture so that the art community can return to its original basic movement,” he said.

Attempting to restore the image of joged bumbung, Tabanan government itself through related agency had been doing a variety of activities to preserve the existing joged basic movement such as through the joged competition in 2009 and mass joged dance performance on Jalan Gajah Mada in 2012. According to him, the joged going out of the basic movement was feared to harm the image of the art having been living and growing on the Island of the Gods. Not only that, in essence and philosophically the Joged Bumbung having been widely known from time immemorial was not just an entertainment art. But it was filled with the aesthetic, sublime and spiritual elements that should be upheld.

“It is not just the duty of the county government but also that of province to restore it to ethical and quality Joged Bumbung as ever before.

Fostering the joged to make it worth watching is meant to prevent the change in the basic movement will not affect the behavior of young generation,” he concluded. (kmb28)

Friday, February 20, 2015

5

Painting along 1 km, 500 to 1,000 local painters engaged

GIANYAR - Canvas along one kilometer will be spread in the area of Kebo Iwa Stadium to the area of Car Free Day, Gianyar Urban Park. The canvas will invite about 500 to 1,000 local painters to brush their colors on white canvas.

It was revealed when some senior painters of Gianyar such as Ketut Budiana, Made Kedol Subrata, Tjokorda Gde Raka, Wayan Karja, I Made Supena, I Made Mertanadi and Pande Ketut Bawa gathered and discussed to enliven the anniversary of Gianyar town next April 2015.

The painting demo along 1 km would involve a number of potential painters of Gianyar and those having got their fame. All the participants were expected from junior high, high and vocational school students, alumni of the fine art vocational school, self-taught painters, painting studio and the disabled persons. The elements of the subdistrict Advisory Council & Development of Culture (Listibya) would also be

involved to hunt painters in their respective region. “Participants of the junior high school are those having outstanding achievement, at least as champion in the subdistrict level,” said Committee Chairman, Nyoman Arjawa.

The paintings that would adorn the canvas would not be contested.

If there would be no change, the painting demo would take place at Kebo Iwa Stadium Gianyar and surrounding areas coinciding with the Car Free Day, Sunday (Apr 12).

“It is just the initial preparation, we’ll finalize it again in subsequent meetings,” said this former member of the Gianyar House.

Meanwhile, the Head of Gianyar Culture Agency, IGN Wijana, said the painting along 1 km was the idea

of Gianyar regent aiming to raise the potential of Gianyar as the warehouse of the arts and empower the potential and senior painters. “This activity is not a show-off but rather aiming to provide space for painters to express their inspirations so that their works will be better known,” said Ngurah Wijana.

Similar expectation was also delivered by Made Kedol Subrata. The works to be produced later would reflect Gianyar as the town becoming the warehouse of the arts. “The works of the art come down from the heart. Thus, this event is not only a ceremonial one but actually produces the works with taksu (divine vibration) and it can be proud of,” he said. (dar)

IBP/Dharmada

Canvas along one kilometer will be spread in the area of Kebo Iwa Stadium to the area of Car Free Day, Gianyar Urban Park. The canvas will invite about 500 to 1,000 local painters to brush their colors on white canvas. It was revealed when some senior painters of Gianyar such as Ketut Budiana, Made Kedol Subrata, Tjokorda Gde Raka, Wayan Karja, I Made Supena, I Made Mertanadi and Pande Ketut Bawa gathered and discussed to enliven the anniversary of Gianyar town next April 2015.

6

Friday, February 20, 2015

W

RLD

AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit

In this Thursday, Jan. 22, 2015 photo, Thailand’s former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra arrives at parliament in Bangkok, Thailand. Thailand’s attorney general on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2015, pressed criminal charges against former Prime Minister Yingluck for negligence related to her government’s money-losing rice subsidy scheme, a move likely to prolong conflicts in a divided nation plagued by political turmoil and coups.

Thai prosecutor presses criminal charges against ex-premier

BANGKOK — Thailand’s attorney general on Thursday pressed criminal charges against former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra for negligence related to her government’s moneylosing rice subsidy program, a move likely to prolong conflicts in a divided nation plagued by political turmoil and coups.

Prosecutors from the Office of the Attorney General submitted 20 boxes of the case’s documents to the Supreme Court’s criminal division for political title holders, accusing Yingluck of dereliction in overseeing a rice subsidy program that lost billions of dollars and temporarily cost Thailand its crown as the world’s top rice exporter.

The move is widely seen as another attempt to cripple the political machine of Yingluck’s brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was overthrown in a coup in 2006, and to prevent his allies from returning to power. Yingluck was ousted by

a court decision shortly before the military staged a coup last May and seized power from her elected government.

Thursday’s accusations came one month after Yingluck was impeached on similar grounds by the military-appointed legislature, which means she was also banned from politics for five years. The Supreme Court will set up a ninejudge panel, which will decide March 19 whether to accept the case and formally indict Yingluck.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission on Wednesday recommended that the Finance Ministry sue Yingluck for compensation for

damage caused by the rice program and suggested the amount should be at least 600 billion baht ($18.4 billion).

The rice-buying program, a flagship policy that helped Yingluck’s Pheu Thai Party win elections in 2011, had accumulated losses of at least $4.46 billion since it was introduced in 2011, as the Thai government stockpiled rice to avoid even bigger losses.

Under the program, farmers were paid about 50 percent above what they would get on the world market. The anti-graft body alleged that Yingluck failed to stop massive losses to state coffers. (ap)

International

Libya to UN Security Council: Lift arms embargo to fight IS UNITED NATIONS — Libya’s foreign minister on Wednesday demanded that the U.N. Security Council lift an arms embargo so his country can fight the Islamic State group as it establishes a presence in north Africa and moves closer to Europe. Foreign Minister Mohammed al Dairi spoke to an emergency session of the council amid regional alarm after the Islamic State group over the weekend posted a video of the beheadings of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians in Libya.

Al Dairi stressed that Libya is not asking for international intervention. But he said the international community has a “legal and moral responsibility to lend urgent support” and that the region, including the Mediterranean, is in danger.

“If we fail to have arms provided to us, this can only play into the hands of extremists,” he said. He told reporters he wanted to see the same attention paid the danger in Libya as has been paid to Iraq and Syria, where a U.S.-led coalition is battling the Islamic State group.

The foreign minister of neighboring Egypt, Sameh Shoukry, called for a naval blockade on arms heading to areas of Libya outside the control of “legitimate authorities.” He did not rule out troops on the ground in Libya and said his country was seeking international support “by all means.”

Jordan was circulating a draft resolution on the issue to fellow council members later Wednesday. Aside from the call to lift the arms embargo, the draft resolution also calls on militias to withdraw from Tripoli to allow the return of the “legitimate government,” and it condemns any attempt to supply arms to non-state actors.

Egypt responded strongly to the beheadings, carrying out airstrikes against Islamic State group positions in Libya and saying it was in self-defense. Shoukry has said those airstrikes could continue.

Energy rich Libya is wracked by the worst fighting since longruling dictator Moammar Gadhafi was overthrown in 2011. Two rival governments and parliaments — each backed by different militias — rule in the country’s eastern and western regions. After Islamic and tribal militias took over the capital, Tripoli, the elected parliament has been forced to function in the eastern city of Tobruk.

On Tuesday, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi had called on the United Nations to approve a new coalition for airstrikes in Libya, where the extremists have set up their first major affiliate outside of Iraq and Syria. But U.N. diplomats said Egypt’s initial demands eased during talks later Tuesday.

It’s possible for Libya to apply for weapons imports under an exemption in the arms embargo for the Libyan government, but the U.N. committee that considers such requests has been cautious about giving approval amid concern that weapons might be leaked to armed groups. The U.N. embargo has been in place since 2011.

Countries in the region have been stepping up to offer support since the video of the beheadings emerged. Both Italy and Algeria during the council meeting expressed their willingness to participate in international efforts. (ap)

International

Friday, February 20, 2015

INDONESIA Indonesia to release AirAsia investigation report by August

JAKARTA - Indonesia will release the final report into last year’s AirAsia plane crash by August, the transport minister told AFP this week. The Airbus 320-200 went down in the Java Sea on December 28 in stormy weather with 162 people on board, during what was supposed to be a short trip from the Indonesian city of Surabaya to Singapore. “(The NTSC) promised (the final report) will be released

by August,” transport minister Ignasius Jonan told AFP in an interview, referring to the National Transportation Safety Committee which is conducting the investigation.

The NTSC reports to the president and coordinates with the transport ministry.

Jonan said that the parties involved in the investigation, including plane manufacturer Airbus and AirAsia, must accept the committee’s findings and not

interfere in the inquiry.

“I have instructed the NTSC that the report must be as independent as possible,” he said.

ICAO has stated the investigation should aim at preventing future accidents, not apportioning blame or liability.

The minister refused to reveal anything further about the investigation, pending publication of the final report.

The NTSC has so far shed little light on what caused QZ8501 to crash, or what occurred in the moments before the tragedy.

The committee has confirmed French co-pilot Remi Plesel was flying the plane, not former fighter jet pilot Captain Iriyanto.

It also found the plane climbed from 32,000 feet to well above

37,000 feet in 30 seconds, likely in an attempt to avoid a menacing storm. It then quickly returned to 32,000 feet before “gradually” descending towards the sea.

So far more than 100 bodies or body parts have been recovered from the sea.

Under International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) guidelines, the state conducting the investigation should release a final report within a year of the accident. (afp)

Chinese in Palembang, Semarang Threats have no flock to temples for Imlek place in diplomacy, Indonesia tells Australia

JAKARTA - Thousands of Chinese Indonesians in Palembang, South Sumatra, and Semarang, Central Java, undeterred by the downpours, thronged temples in Palembang, South Sumatra, and Semarang, Central Java, to celebrate Lunar New Year, or Imlek, Thursday morning.

Heavy rains since early morning did not dampen the spirits of the Chinese worshipers to visit the Goddess Khuang In Temple to pray for their ancestors, Deputy Chairman of the Goddess Khuang In Temple Chandra Husin stated in Palembang, Thursday.

The Chinese people believe that rains during Imlek would bring good luck, he said.

In Semarang, the Chinese locals celebrated the 2566th New Year by offering prayers at temples, particularly in Tay Kak Sie Temple.

Tay Kak Sie Temple, one of the oldest temples in the city, was built in 1746, noted Gunawan, the spokesman of the temple.

Imlek is the most important traditional festival celebrated among families in China.

Imlek incorporates the customs,

beliefs, and practices brought to Indonesia by the Chinese immigrants who still follow the practices handed down from their parents.

Since 2002, Chinese New Year has been marked as a national day on the Indonesian calendar, and so, several government offices, schools, universities, and companies are closed during the celebration, which falls on February 19, this year.

According to Chinese zodiac, 2015 is the Year of the Wood Sheep, starting from February 19, 2015, and lasting until February 7, 2016. (ant)

Lighting kills 3 in Nepal, snow storm sweeps trekking route KATHMANDU, Nepal — Police said lighting struck a mountain village in northeast Nepal killing at least three people while a snow storm on a popular trekking route struck a group of hikers.

Police said Thursday that lighting struck Waku village Wednesday night, killing the three people. The village is just south of Mount Everest.

Separately, a snow storm on a trekking route caught a group of five Chinese and one Canadian hikers, also on Wednesday. They were rescued by local villagers and suffered only minor injuries. They were on the popular Annapurna trekking route. It was early in the trekking season and not many trekkers were on the route. (ap)

11

REUTERS/Darren Whiteside

People pray at Petak Sembilan temple on Chinese Lunar New Year in Jakarta February 19, 2015.

The Chinese Lunar New Year on February 19 will welcome the Year of the Sheep (also known as the Year of the Goat or Ram).

JAKARTA - Indonesia’s foreign ministry told Australia Wednesday that nobody responds well to threats as tensions mount over the looming execution of two Australian drug smugglers.

As diplomatic efforts intensify to save Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, Prime Minister Tony Abbott asked Indonesia to remember the one billion dollars in Australian aid in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami that killed 170,000 Indonesians.

“We sent a significant contingent of our armed forces to help in Indonesia with humanitarian relief,” he told reporters in Australia earlier Wednesday.

“I would say to the Indonesian people and the Indonesian government -- we in Australia are always there to help you and we hope that you might reciprocate in this way at this time.”

Abbott said he continued to make “the strongest possible personal representations” to Indonesian President Joko Widodo and warned he would feel “grievously let down” if his pleas for clemency were ignored.

Abbott’s comments were not warmly received in Jakarta, which has repeatedly insisted its decision to execute the two ringleaders of the so-called Bali Nine heroin smuggling operation was not directed at Australia.

Foreign ministry spokesman Arrmanatha Nasir said he hoped the prime minister’s remarks did not reflect “the true colours of Australians”.

“What I know is this: threats are not part of diplomatic language and from what I know no one responds well to threats,” Nasir told reporters in response to Abbott’s tsunami aid remarks.

Indonesian authorities have confirmed the Australians will be among the next set of prisoners to face the firing squad, but have remained tight-lipped about when the executions will take place and which other foreign convicts will join them. (afp)

10

Friday, February 20, 2015

Beratan Lake Beratan Lake is a shallow lake with the high caldera about 1231m above sea level and it is located at Bedugul, the famous tourist destinations in Bali. This lake have wide 3,8 km2 and also its deepness is up to 22 meters.

The water volume in this lake is about 0,049 km3, so Beratan Lake is the closed lake. Tourist can access the Beratan Lake through the dock which have been provided or desist around Ulun Danu Beratan Temple. In

Destination this place, the visitor can do various activities like doing recreation to look around in dock or do the other outdoor activities.

The various water recreation activities can also be conducted here, for example riding the boat motorize to circle the lake, parasailing, canoeing with the traditional boat, banana boating, water skiing, and others. Fishing activities are also available

International

in this places for who one love fishing in the lake.

Beratan Lake is situated in the plateau area with cool atmosphere surround it. It is an ideal place for relaxation while enjoy the beautiful panorama of lake.

The accommodations are also available in this area where is the perfect place for overnight stay, resting and enjoy the beautiful panoramic of lake with the Ulun

International

Danu Temple as a magnificence.

The small scale of agriculture activities are likely conducted around this lake and can be perceived at the same time circle around it. If we encircle it, we can take photograph with the beautiful background view or make the picture sketch face in painting mini studio at the lakeside with a short time as a souvenir.

IBP/File Photo

Sports

Friday, February 20, 2015

7

Wehrlein to test for Force India

Mercedes reserve driver Pascal Wehrlein will get another chance to drive a Formula 1 car when he drives a 2014-spec Force India at this week’s Barcelona test. The 20-year-old, who also races for Mercedes in DTM and tested the German marque’s Formula 1 car at last year’s season-ending test in Abu Dhabi, will drive on Thursday and Saturday.

Force India’s regular drivers Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg are scheduled to drive on Friday and Sunday. The team says its primary focus will be on evaluation of the 2015-spec Pirelli tyres with last year’s car as its new challenger will not be ready to hit the track until the second Barcelona test.

Wehrlein’s association with Force India, which uses Mercedes engines, will continue during the season, with the reigning world champion team announcing the German will take part in the two in-season tests as well. “As a young driver, any time you can spend in the car is extremely important and you can learn a lot,” said Wehrlein.

“I know the simulator already, but I don´t have much experience on the track. “My first goal in Spain will be to do a great job together with the team, to learn as much as possible and to give good feedback to the engineers.” Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff added: “Pascal impressed us with his approach to the Abu Dhabi test last year and I am sure his feedback will be useful to Force India also.

“It is also a valuable opportunity for him to work with another team and gain more experience.” Force India team boss Vijay Mallya thanked Mercedes for the opportunity to run one of its rising stars in testing.

“Pascal is an exciting young talent who has already proved he has what it takes to be successful at the highest level,” he said. “As a reserve driver for Mercedes, he’s clearly destined for a career in Formula 1 and I’m sure the test will be a positive experience on both sides.

“This is also a clear demonstration of our strong working relationship with our engine partner, Mercedes-Benz, and I thank them for their collaboration.”

The second four-day pre-season test starts on Thursday, February 19 and lasts four days. The third and final test follows on February 26 with the season starting in Melbourne, Australia on March 15.(net)

AP Photo/Matt York

Phoenix Suns guard Goran Dragic (1), of Slovenia, passes to Markieff Morris (11) as Utah Jazz guard Dante Exum, of Australia, defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Feb. 6, 2015, in Phoenix.

Suns’ Dragic: ‘I don’t trust them anymore’

PHOENIX — Fed up with his role on a team crowded with point guards, Goran Dragic said he has made up his mind to leave the Phoenix Suns, preferably by Thursday’s trade deadline. If not then, he has made it clear there is no way he would re-sign with the team when he becomes a free agent after this season.

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“I don’t trust them anymore,” Dragic said after the Suns practiced on Wednesday. The 28-yearold guard’s points and assists are down considerably from last season, when he was third team allNBA. He said he doesn’t like his role of “standing in the corner” and wants to go to a team where he can “be a point guard, like in the past I was my whole life.”

“To be a point guard, to run the team and have the ball in my hands and try to make plays for others,” Dragic said. “That’s who I am.” He often found himself playing the off guard or on the

wing in deference to the Suns’ other point guards, Eric Bledsoe and Isaiah Thomas. Sometimes all three were on the court together.

“Last year was great. This year it’s different,” Dragic said. “...

Standing in the corner, it’s not my game.” Dragic’s agent, Bill Duffy, told the Suns on Tuesday that there was nothing they could do to keep his client with the team.

Now the Suns are up against the wall, trying to make a deal before Thursday’s deadline or see Dragic walk as a free agent

with no compensation to the team when the season ends.

Dragic, in his seventh NBA season, is averaging 16.2 points per game, down from his careerbest 20.3 last season, and 4.1 assists, down from 5.9 last year.

This is the personable Slovenian’s second stint with the Suns.

He was drafted by San Antonio, on behalf of Phoenix, as the 15th pick overall in 2008. The Suns sent him to Houston during the 2010-11 season. He returned to sign a four-year, $30 million contract in 2012, with the ability to opt out after three years.(ap)

8

International

Friday, February 20, 2015

Sp rt

Schalke win right tonic for Real after stumble - Ancelotti

MADRID - Real Madrid’s 2-0 Champions League success at Schalke 04 on Wednesday was the perfect tonic for the holders after a difficult start to the year, according to coach Carlo Ancelotti. Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo ended a brief goal drought with Real’s opening goal in the last 16, first leg in Gelsenkirchen and Brazil fullback Marcelo cracked in a second to put the La Liga giants within touching distance of the quarter-finals.

The comfortable victory helped dispel doubts about their form after they were knocked out of the King’s Cup and thrashed 4-0 in La Liga by their city neighbours Atletico Madrid in recent weeks.

“We needed a game like that, with that kind of attitude and performance,” Ancelotti told a news conference.

“And everything worked out well in the end,” added the Italian, who led Real to a record-extending 10th European crown in his first season in charge in 2013-14.

“The team were serious and efficient and the opposition were pegged back from the start. Once we got the first goal, we controlled the game.” Real’s next outing is a La Liga match at struggling Elche on Sunday, when Ronaldo will have a chance to show he really does have his scoring touch back.

The FIFA Ballon d’Or winner had drawn a blank in three consecutive matches before Wednesday and had come under fire for throwing a birthday party hours after the humbling La Liga re-

verse at Atletico. “It’s normal that when Cristiano scores 60 goals a season and then goes for three or four weeks without scoring people speculate that something’s wrong,” Ronaldo’s Real and Portugal team mate Pepe told reporters.

“But I just focus on the work that he always does to help the team,” added the centre back.

“He is like he always is. Happy, encouraging his team mates and that is what we ask for, that he transmits his happiness to the dressing room.”

International

Friday, February 20, 2015

Porto hold Basel amid controversy over disallowed goal

Real are a point clear of Barcelona at the top of La Liga with just over half the season played.

Barca, who have a superior goal difference, can climb above their great rivals if they avoid defeat at home to Malaga on Saturday. (rtr)

BASEL - Porto hit back with a late Danilo penalty to hold FC Basel to a 1-1 draw in the Champions League on Wednesday amid controversy over a goal for the Portuguese visitors which was disallowed after a long delay and consultation between match officials. Basel, who progressed through the group stage at the expense of Liverpool, led for three quarters of the round of 16 first leg after Derlis Gonzalez gave them an 11th minute lead on a freezing night.

Two-times winners Porto kept their unbeaten record in this year’s competition intact when fullback Danilo stroked home a penalty with 11 minutes to play after a handball by 36-year-old former Argentina defender Walter Samuel. But the game’s talking point was the disallowed Porto goal early in the second half.

The visitors had finished celebrating and were back on the

halfway line waiting for the re-start when referee Mark Clattenburg, after a long consultation with his linesman, disallowed Casemiro’s goal for offside. Television replays suggested that two Porto players were offside when Casemiro headed in the rebound after Maicon’s header was parried by Basel goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik, but it was the delay which angered the Porto players and coach Julen Lopategui.

“It was difficult for us to get going again when the decision was changed after such a long time,” said Porto coach Lopategui. “We reacted very well.” “We were clearly superior to a very good team and in very adverse circumstances,” he added “They scored with their only shot on goal, they were 100 percent efficient which is very unusual.”

Clattenburg had a busy night elsewhere as he booked nine players, five from the Swiss champions and four from their opponents. Ba-

sel scored with the first chance of the game in the 11th minute. Fabian Frei chipped a perfectly weighted ball over the Porto defence and found Gonzalez who held of his marker and prodded the ball past Porto goalkeeper Fabiano.

But Basel lost their bite after the Paraguayan went off injured in the 25th minute and often looked like the away team as they played on the counter attack. Porto dominated possession but often appeared to be going nowhere as they passed the ball around in the first half.

Vaclik made his first difficult save in the 55th minute as Cristian Tello raced through and Colombia forward Jackson Martinez saw his only chance in a quiet performance land on the roof of the net. The game petered out after Danilo’s equaliser with the two teams apparently happy to wait for the return leg on March 10 to settle matters.(rtr)

AP Photo/Frank Augstein

Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo gives thumbs-up after winning 2-0 during the Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match between FC Schalke 04 and Real Madrid on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2015 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.

Manchester United’s manager Louis van Gaal takes his seat before the English FA Cup Fifth Round soccer match between Preston and Manchester United at Deepdale Stadium in Preston, England, Monday Feb. 16, 2015.

Van Gaal warned

by English FA after referee comments

Chelsea fans in Paris prevent black man from boarding train

PARIS — With a racist song ringing in his ears, a black man trying to board a subway train in Paris stands back after twice being pushed away by a group of Chelsea soccer fans. It happened Tuesday at Richelieu Drouout metro station, a short time before Chelsea played Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. On Wednesday, the Paris prosecutor’s office opened an investigation into racially-motivated violence on public transport.

In a video of the incident posted online by the Guardian newspaper, the man dressed in a long overcoat and with a bag hanging from his left shoulder tries to board the train and is pushed away. He then pushes back and says in French “Can I get on or what?” before again being shoved away. A black woman walked away from the chanters moments later.

The carriage, mixed with Parisian commuters and English football fans making their way to the game, is packed. But there is enough

standing space for one more person, as is evident when the man steps inside before being pushed away the first time. The fans — some of whom chanted “Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea” — then sing “we’re racist, we’re racist, and that’s the way we like it.”

At about that time, several Paris transport officials walk past the group, but do not intervene, and the black woman leaves the adjacent carriage.

The identities of the men in the video, including the victim, have not yet been established, prosecutor’s office spokeswoman Agnes Thibault-Lecuivre told The Associated Press. The maximum penalty possible according to the French criminal code is three years in prison and a 45,000 euro ($51,000) fine.

Christiane Taubira, the French justice minister, referred to the video on the floor of the National Assembly on Wednesday, saying racism has no place in France. London’s Metropolitan Police said

9

LONDON — Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has been given a warning by England’s Football Association for implying that a referee was biased against his team during an FA Cup match.

Van Gaal said after United’s 0-0 draw with fourth-tier Cambridge on Jan. 23 that “every aspect of the match is against us — the pitch, the referee.

Everything that you can think about this is against you.”

The FA said Wednesday that Van Gaal was found to have breached FA Rules in relation to media comments and was warned as to his future conduct.

The Dutchman had contested the disrepute charge. (ap)

it will examine the footage to see if any banning orders can be applied, and will assist French authorities to “identify the people involved.” Chelsea, which has appealed for witnesses, said it would also take action — including banning orders — if possible.

“Such behavior is abhorrent and has no place in football or society,” the English club said in a statement.

“We will support any criminal action against those involved.” (ap)

West Ham signs Brazilian striker Nene till end of season

AP Photo, Keystone/Georgios Kefalas

Porto’s Danilo cheers after scoring during a Champions League round of sixteen first leg soccer match between Switzerland’s FC Basel 1893 and Portugal’s FC Porto in the St. Jakob-Park stadium in Basel, Switzerland, on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2015.

LONDON — West Ham says that is has signed Brazilian forward Nene until the end of the season, subject to the Premier League club securing his international clearance.

The 33-year-old former Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain striker has spent the past two years at Qatari club Al-Gharafa. He started his career in Brazil and Spain. Nene told the club’s website that it was “a really good challenge for me, to come to a competition like the Premier League. It’s the most competitive in the world.” (ap)

8

International

Friday, February 20, 2015

Sp rt

Schalke win right tonic for Real after stumble - Ancelotti

MADRID - Real Madrid’s 2-0 Champions League success at Schalke 04 on Wednesday was the perfect tonic for the holders after a difficult start to the year, according to coach Carlo Ancelotti. Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo ended a brief goal drought with Real’s opening goal in the last 16, first leg in Gelsenkirchen and Brazil fullback Marcelo cracked in a second to put the La Liga giants within touching distance of the quarter-finals.

The comfortable victory helped dispel doubts about their form after they were knocked out of the King’s Cup and thrashed 4-0 in La Liga by their city neighbours Atletico Madrid in recent weeks.

“We needed a game like that, with that kind of attitude and performance,” Ancelotti told a news conference.

“And everything worked out well in the end,” added the Italian, who led Real to a record-extending 10th European crown in his first season in charge in 2013-14.

“The team were serious and efficient and the opposition were pegged back from the start. Once we got the first goal, we controlled the game.” Real’s next outing is a La Liga match at struggling Elche on Sunday, when Ronaldo will have a chance to show he really does have his scoring touch back.

The FIFA Ballon d’Or winner had drawn a blank in three consecutive matches before Wednesday and had come under fire for throwing a birthday party hours after the humbling La Liga re-

verse at Atletico. “It’s normal that when Cristiano scores 60 goals a season and then goes for three or four weeks without scoring people speculate that something’s wrong,” Ronaldo’s Real and Portugal team mate Pepe told reporters.

“But I just focus on the work that he always does to help the team,” added the centre back.

“He is like he always is. Happy, encouraging his team mates and that is what we ask for, that he transmits his happiness to the dressing room.”

International

Friday, February 20, 2015

Porto hold Basel amid controversy over disallowed goal

Real are a point clear of Barcelona at the top of La Liga with just over half the season played.

Barca, who have a superior goal difference, can climb above their great rivals if they avoid defeat at home to Malaga on Saturday. (rtr)

BASEL - Porto hit back with a late Danilo penalty to hold FC Basel to a 1-1 draw in the Champions League on Wednesday amid controversy over a goal for the Portuguese visitors which was disallowed after a long delay and consultation between match officials. Basel, who progressed through the group stage at the expense of Liverpool, led for three quarters of the round of 16 first leg after Derlis Gonzalez gave them an 11th minute lead on a freezing night.

Two-times winners Porto kept their unbeaten record in this year’s competition intact when fullback Danilo stroked home a penalty with 11 minutes to play after a handball by 36-year-old former Argentina defender Walter Samuel. But the game’s talking point was the disallowed Porto goal early in the second half.

The visitors had finished celebrating and were back on the

halfway line waiting for the re-start when referee Mark Clattenburg, after a long consultation with his linesman, disallowed Casemiro’s goal for offside. Television replays suggested that two Porto players were offside when Casemiro headed in the rebound after Maicon’s header was parried by Basel goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik, but it was the delay which angered the Porto players and coach Julen Lopategui.

“It was difficult for us to get going again when the decision was changed after such a long time,” said Porto coach Lopategui. “We reacted very well.” “We were clearly superior to a very good team and in very adverse circumstances,” he added “They scored with their only shot on goal, they were 100 percent efficient which is very unusual.”

Clattenburg had a busy night elsewhere as he booked nine players, five from the Swiss champions and four from their opponents. Ba-

sel scored with the first chance of the game in the 11th minute. Fabian Frei chipped a perfectly weighted ball over the Porto defence and found Gonzalez who held of his marker and prodded the ball past Porto goalkeeper Fabiano.

But Basel lost their bite after the Paraguayan went off injured in the 25th minute and often looked like the away team as they played on the counter attack. Porto dominated possession but often appeared to be going nowhere as they passed the ball around in the first half.

Vaclik made his first difficult save in the 55th minute as Cristian Tello raced through and Colombia forward Jackson Martinez saw his only chance in a quiet performance land on the roof of the net. The game petered out after Danilo’s equaliser with the two teams apparently happy to wait for the return leg on March 10 to settle matters.(rtr)

AP Photo/Frank Augstein

Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo gives thumbs-up after winning 2-0 during the Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match between FC Schalke 04 and Real Madrid on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2015 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.

Manchester United’s manager Louis van Gaal takes his seat before the English FA Cup Fifth Round soccer match between Preston and Manchester United at Deepdale Stadium in Preston, England, Monday Feb. 16, 2015.

Van Gaal warned

by English FA after referee comments

Chelsea fans in Paris prevent black man from boarding train

PARIS — With a racist song ringing in his ears, a black man trying to board a subway train in Paris stands back after twice being pushed away by a group of Chelsea soccer fans. It happened Tuesday at Richelieu Drouout metro station, a short time before Chelsea played Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. On Wednesday, the Paris prosecutor’s office opened an investigation into racially-motivated violence on public transport.

In a video of the incident posted online by the Guardian newspaper, the man dressed in a long overcoat and with a bag hanging from his left shoulder tries to board the train and is pushed away. He then pushes back and says in French “Can I get on or what?” before again being shoved away. A black woman walked away from the chanters moments later.

The carriage, mixed with Parisian commuters and English football fans making their way to the game, is packed. But there is enough

standing space for one more person, as is evident when the man steps inside before being pushed away the first time. The fans — some of whom chanted “Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea” — then sing “we’re racist, we’re racist, and that’s the way we like it.”

At about that time, several Paris transport officials walk past the group, but do not intervene, and the black woman leaves the adjacent carriage.

The identities of the men in the video, including the victim, have not yet been established, prosecutor’s office spokeswoman Agnes Thibault-Lecuivre told The Associated Press. The maximum penalty possible according to the French criminal code is three years in prison and a 45,000 euro ($51,000) fine.

Christiane Taubira, the French justice minister, referred to the video on the floor of the National Assembly on Wednesday, saying racism has no place in France. London’s Metropolitan Police said

9

LONDON — Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has been given a warning by England’s Football Association for implying that a referee was biased against his team during an FA Cup match.

Van Gaal said after United’s 0-0 draw with fourth-tier Cambridge on Jan. 23 that “every aspect of the match is against us — the pitch, the referee.

Everything that you can think about this is against you.”

The FA said Wednesday that Van Gaal was found to have breached FA Rules in relation to media comments and was warned as to his future conduct.

The Dutchman had contested the disrepute charge. (ap)

it will examine the footage to see if any banning orders can be applied, and will assist French authorities to “identify the people involved.” Chelsea, which has appealed for witnesses, said it would also take action — including banning orders — if possible.

“Such behavior is abhorrent and has no place in football or society,” the English club said in a statement.

“We will support any criminal action against those involved.” (ap)

West Ham signs Brazilian striker Nene till end of season

AP Photo, Keystone/Georgios Kefalas

Porto’s Danilo cheers after scoring during a Champions League round of sixteen first leg soccer match between Switzerland’s FC Basel 1893 and Portugal’s FC Porto in the St. Jakob-Park stadium in Basel, Switzerland, on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2015.

LONDON — West Ham says that is has signed Brazilian forward Nene until the end of the season, subject to the Premier League club securing his international clearance.

The 33-year-old former Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain striker has spent the past two years at Qatari club Al-Gharafa. He started his career in Brazil and Spain. Nene told the club’s website that it was “a really good challenge for me, to come to a competition like the Premier League. It’s the most competitive in the world.” (ap)

10

Friday, February 20, 2015

Beratan Lake Beratan Lake is a shallow lake with the high caldera about 1231m above sea level and it is located at Bedugul, the famous tourist destinations in Bali. This lake have wide 3,8 km2 and also its deepness is up to 22 meters.

The water volume in this lake is about 0,049 km3, so Beratan Lake is the closed lake. Tourist can access the Beratan Lake through the dock which have been provided or desist around Ulun Danu Beratan Temple. In

Destination this place, the visitor can do various activities like doing recreation to look around in dock or do the other outdoor activities.

The various water recreation activities can also be conducted here, for example riding the boat motorize to circle the lake, parasailing, canoeing with the traditional boat, banana boating, water skiing, and others. Fishing activities are also available

International

in this places for who one love fishing in the lake.

Beratan Lake is situated in the plateau area with cool atmosphere surround it. It is an ideal place for relaxation while enjoy the beautiful panorama of lake.

The accommodations are also available in this area where is the perfect place for overnight stay, resting and enjoy the beautiful panoramic of lake with the Ulun

International

Danu Temple as a magnificence.

The small scale of agriculture activities are likely conducted around this lake and can be perceived at the same time circle around it. If we encircle it, we can take photograph with the beautiful background view or make the picture sketch face in painting mini studio at the lakeside with a short time as a souvenir.

IBP/File Photo

Sports

Friday, February 20, 2015

7

Wehrlein to test for Force India

Mercedes reserve driver Pascal Wehrlein will get another chance to drive a Formula 1 car when he drives a 2014-spec Force India at this week’s Barcelona test. The 20-year-old, who also races for Mercedes in DTM and tested the German marque’s Formula 1 car at last year’s season-ending test in Abu Dhabi, will drive on Thursday and Saturday.

Force India’s regular drivers Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg are scheduled to drive on Friday and Sunday. The team says its primary focus will be on evaluation of the 2015-spec Pirelli tyres with last year’s car as its new challenger will not be ready to hit the track until the second Barcelona test.

Wehrlein’s association with Force India, which uses Mercedes engines, will continue during the season, with the reigning world champion team announcing the German will take part in the two in-season tests as well. “As a young driver, any time you can spend in the car is extremely important and you can learn a lot,” said Wehrlein.

“I know the simulator already, but I don´t have much experience on the track. “My first goal in Spain will be to do a great job together with the team, to learn as much as possible and to give good feedback to the engineers.” Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff added: “Pascal impressed us with his approach to the Abu Dhabi test last year and I am sure his feedback will be useful to Force India also.

“It is also a valuable opportunity for him to work with another team and gain more experience.” Force India team boss Vijay Mallya thanked Mercedes for the opportunity to run one of its rising stars in testing.

“Pascal is an exciting young talent who has already proved he has what it takes to be successful at the highest level,” he said. “As a reserve driver for Mercedes, he’s clearly destined for a career in Formula 1 and I’m sure the test will be a positive experience on both sides.

“This is also a clear demonstration of our strong working relationship with our engine partner, Mercedes-Benz, and I thank them for their collaboration.”

The second four-day pre-season test starts on Thursday, February 19 and lasts four days. The third and final test follows on February 26 with the season starting in Melbourne, Australia on March 15.(net)

AP Photo/Matt York

Phoenix Suns guard Goran Dragic (1), of Slovenia, passes to Markieff Morris (11) as Utah Jazz guard Dante Exum, of Australia, defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Feb. 6, 2015, in Phoenix.

Suns’ Dragic: ‘I don’t trust them anymore’

PHOENIX — Fed up with his role on a team crowded with point guards, Goran Dragic said he has made up his mind to leave the Phoenix Suns, preferably by Thursday’s trade deadline. If not then, he has made it clear there is no way he would re-sign with the team when he becomes a free agent after this season.

Rip Curl SEminyak bth Segera: 1.IT Support,pend.min.D3/S1 T. Informatika IPK min.2,75;2.

Acct,Finance Staf,S1/D3 Akunt IPK min 2,75,pglmn 1Th;3.Spv Gudang,D3/S1,pglmn 2th.Krm lmrn ke Jl.Nakula Barat No.10 E-F Kuta.Walk in Interview Hr Krj Jm 13-16 H.085733019009/ rec.bestari@gmail.com

B.BP.004.02.15.0001829

Spa Urgent:Dubai,Rusia,dll(RESmi)081337327057/081999913777

A.BP.001.01.15.0005801

****Villa in Ubud looking for Engineering Staf,Min 1yr Exprn Max 28yrs old please Send your CV to:erli@mutiarabali.com

Month,Must Work as a Team,For Interview Call:Febe 087 860 774 610 Your Future is with us www.classicholidaysbali.com

Looking Staff Villa in Ubud Eng&Exp Can Drive 081339732000

PT RBS Wok Chef Needed Australia & Spa 081236759368

A.BP.001.02.15.0003329

B.BP.120.02.15.0001595

Need Urgently Spa Therapist with high Salary Please Call 081238197307 or 082147950160

B.BP.104.02.15.0001751

Outdoor Marketing Team Female English Speaking,No Experience Required,Rp 12Juta/

B.BP.004.02.15.0001759

A.BP.176.02.15.0003255

Therapists for SPA in Poland Needed.For min 2years contract Please Email you CV marta@balicafe.pl

A.BP.001.02.15.0002952

Ubud Waiter,Bar,Cook,Chef,Shop decko@decko.com Sms

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“I don’t trust them anymore,” Dragic said after the Suns practiced on Wednesday. The 28-yearold guard’s points and assists are down considerably from last season, when he was third team allNBA. He said he doesn’t like his role of “standing in the corner” and wants to go to a team where he can “be a point guard, like in the past I was my whole life.”

“To be a point guard, to run the team and have the ball in my hands and try to make plays for others,” Dragic said. “That’s who I am.” He often found himself playing the off guard or on the

wing in deference to the Suns’ other point guards, Eric Bledsoe and Isaiah Thomas. Sometimes all three were on the court together.

“Last year was great. This year it’s different,” Dragic said. “...

Standing in the corner, it’s not my game.” Dragic’s agent, Bill Duffy, told the Suns on Tuesday that there was nothing they could do to keep his client with the team.

Now the Suns are up against the wall, trying to make a deal before Thursday’s deadline or see Dragic walk as a free agent

with no compensation to the team when the season ends.

Dragic, in his seventh NBA season, is averaging 16.2 points per game, down from his careerbest 20.3 last season, and 4.1 assists, down from 5.9 last year.

This is the personable Slovenian’s second stint with the Suns.

He was drafted by San Antonio, on behalf of Phoenix, as the 15th pick overall in 2008. The Suns sent him to Houston during the 2010-11 season. He returned to sign a four-year, $30 million contract in 2012, with the ability to opt out after three years.(ap)

6

Friday, February 20, 2015

W

RLD

AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit

In this Thursday, Jan. 22, 2015 photo, Thailand’s former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra arrives at parliament in Bangkok, Thailand. Thailand’s attorney general on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2015, pressed criminal charges against former Prime Minister Yingluck for negligence related to her government’s money-losing rice subsidy scheme, a move likely to prolong conflicts in a divided nation plagued by political turmoil and coups.

Thai prosecutor presses criminal charges against ex-premier

BANGKOK — Thailand’s attorney general on Thursday pressed criminal charges against former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra for negligence related to her government’s moneylosing rice subsidy program, a move likely to prolong conflicts in a divided nation plagued by political turmoil and coups.

Prosecutors from the Office of the Attorney General submitted 20 boxes of the case’s documents to the Supreme Court’s criminal division for political title holders, accusing Yingluck of dereliction in overseeing a rice subsidy program that lost billions of dollars and temporarily cost Thailand its crown as the world’s top rice exporter.

The move is widely seen as another attempt to cripple the political machine of Yingluck’s brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was overthrown in a coup in 2006, and to prevent his allies from returning to power. Yingluck was ousted by

a court decision shortly before the military staged a coup last May and seized power from her elected government.

Thursday’s accusations came one month after Yingluck was impeached on similar grounds by the military-appointed legislature, which means she was also banned from politics for five years. The Supreme Court will set up a ninejudge panel, which will decide March 19 whether to accept the case and formally indict Yingluck.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission on Wednesday recommended that the Finance Ministry sue Yingluck for compensation for

damage caused by the rice program and suggested the amount should be at least 600 billion baht ($18.4 billion).

The rice-buying program, a flagship policy that helped Yingluck’s Pheu Thai Party win elections in 2011, had accumulated losses of at least $4.46 billion since it was introduced in 2011, as the Thai government stockpiled rice to avoid even bigger losses.

Under the program, farmers were paid about 50 percent above what they would get on the world market. The anti-graft body alleged that Yingluck failed to stop massive losses to state coffers. (ap)

International

Libya to UN Security Council: Lift arms embargo to fight IS UNITED NATIONS — Libya’s foreign minister on Wednesday demanded that the U.N. Security Council lift an arms embargo so his country can fight the Islamic State group as it establishes a presence in north Africa and moves closer to Europe. Foreign Minister Mohammed al Dairi spoke to an emergency session of the council amid regional alarm after the Islamic State group over the weekend posted a video of the beheadings of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians in Libya.

Al Dairi stressed that Libya is not asking for international intervention. But he said the international community has a “legal and moral responsibility to lend urgent support” and that the region, including the Mediterranean, is in danger.

“If we fail to have arms provided to us, this can only play into the hands of extremists,” he said. He told reporters he wanted to see the same attention paid the danger in Libya as has been paid to Iraq and Syria, where a U.S.-led coalition is battling the Islamic State group.

The foreign minister of neighboring Egypt, Sameh Shoukry, called for a naval blockade on arms heading to areas of Libya outside the control of “legitimate authorities.” He did not rule out troops on the ground in Libya and said his country was seeking international support “by all means.”

Jordan was circulating a draft resolution on the issue to fellow council members later Wednesday. Aside from the call to lift the arms embargo, the draft resolution also calls on militias to withdraw from Tripoli to allow the return of the “legitimate government,” and it condemns any attempt to supply arms to non-state actors.

Egypt responded strongly to the beheadings, carrying out airstrikes against Islamic State group positions in Libya and saying it was in self-defense. Shoukry has said those airstrikes could continue.

Energy rich Libya is wracked by the worst fighting since longruling dictator Moammar Gadhafi was overthrown in 2011. Two rival governments and parliaments — each backed by different militias — rule in the country’s eastern and western regions. After Islamic and tribal militias took over the capital, Tripoli, the elected parliament has been forced to function in the eastern city of Tobruk.

On Tuesday, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi had called on the United Nations to approve a new coalition for airstrikes in Libya, where the extremists have set up their first major affiliate outside of Iraq and Syria. But U.N. diplomats said Egypt’s initial demands eased during talks later Tuesday.

It’s possible for Libya to apply for weapons imports under an exemption in the arms embargo for the Libyan government, but the U.N. committee that considers such requests has been cautious about giving approval amid concern that weapons might be leaked to armed groups. The U.N. embargo has been in place since 2011.

Countries in the region have been stepping up to offer support since the video of the beheadings emerged. Both Italy and Algeria during the council meeting expressed their willingness to participate in international efforts. (ap)

International

Friday, February 20, 2015

INDONESIA Indonesia to release AirAsia investigation report by August

JAKARTA - Indonesia will release the final report into last year’s AirAsia plane crash by August, the transport minister told AFP this week. The Airbus 320-200 went down in the Java Sea on December 28 in stormy weather with 162 people on board, during what was supposed to be a short trip from the Indonesian city of Surabaya to Singapore. “(The NTSC) promised (the final report) will be released

by August,” transport minister Ignasius Jonan told AFP in an interview, referring to the National Transportation Safety Committee which is conducting the investigation.

The NTSC reports to the president and coordinates with the transport ministry.

Jonan said that the parties involved in the investigation, including plane manufacturer Airbus and AirAsia, must accept the committee’s findings and not

interfere in the inquiry.

“I have instructed the NTSC that the report must be as independent as possible,” he said.

ICAO has stated the investigation should aim at preventing future accidents, not apportioning blame or liability.

The minister refused to reveal anything further about the investigation, pending publication of the final report.

The NTSC has so far shed little light on what caused QZ8501 to crash, or what occurred in the moments before the tragedy.

The committee has confirmed French co-pilot Remi Plesel was flying the plane, not former fighter jet pilot Captain Iriyanto.

It also found the plane climbed from 32,000 feet to well above

37,000 feet in 30 seconds, likely in an attempt to avoid a menacing storm. It then quickly returned to 32,000 feet before “gradually” descending towards the sea.

So far more than 100 bodies or body parts have been recovered from the sea.

Under International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) guidelines, the state conducting the investigation should release a final report within a year of the accident. (afp)

Chinese in Palembang, Semarang Threats have no flock to temples for Imlek place in diplomacy, Indonesia tells Australia

JAKARTA - Thousands of Chinese Indonesians in Palembang, South Sumatra, and Semarang, Central Java, undeterred by the downpours, thronged temples in Palembang, South Sumatra, and Semarang, Central Java, to celebrate Lunar New Year, or Imlek, Thursday morning.

Heavy rains since early morning did not dampen the spirits of the Chinese worshipers to visit the Goddess Khuang In Temple to pray for their ancestors, Deputy Chairman of the Goddess Khuang In Temple Chandra Husin stated in Palembang, Thursday.

The Chinese people believe that rains during Imlek would bring good luck, he said.

In Semarang, the Chinese locals celebrated the 2566th New Year by offering prayers at temples, particularly in Tay Kak Sie Temple.

Tay Kak Sie Temple, one of the oldest temples in the city, was built in 1746, noted Gunawan, the spokesman of the temple.

Imlek is the most important traditional festival celebrated among families in China.

Imlek incorporates the customs,

beliefs, and practices brought to Indonesia by the Chinese immigrants who still follow the practices handed down from their parents.

Since 2002, Chinese New Year has been marked as a national day on the Indonesian calendar, and so, several government offices, schools, universities, and companies are closed during the celebration, which falls on February 19, this year.

According to Chinese zodiac, 2015 is the Year of the Wood Sheep, starting from February 19, 2015, and lasting until February 7, 2016. (ant)

Lighting kills 3 in Nepal, snow storm sweeps trekking route KATHMANDU, Nepal — Police said lighting struck a mountain village in northeast Nepal killing at least three people while a snow storm on a popular trekking route struck a group of hikers.

Police said Thursday that lighting struck Waku village Wednesday night, killing the three people. The village is just south of Mount Everest.

Separately, a snow storm on a trekking route caught a group of five Chinese and one Canadian hikers, also on Wednesday. They were rescued by local villagers and suffered only minor injuries. They were on the popular Annapurna trekking route. It was early in the trekking season and not many trekkers were on the route. (ap)

11

REUTERS/Darren Whiteside

People pray at Petak Sembilan temple on Chinese Lunar New Year in Jakarta February 19, 2015.

The Chinese Lunar New Year on February 19 will welcome the Year of the Sheep (also known as the Year of the Goat or Ram).

JAKARTA - Indonesia’s foreign ministry told Australia Wednesday that nobody responds well to threats as tensions mount over the looming execution of two Australian drug smugglers.

As diplomatic efforts intensify to save Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, Prime Minister Tony Abbott asked Indonesia to remember the one billion dollars in Australian aid in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami that killed 170,000 Indonesians.

“We sent a significant contingent of our armed forces to help in Indonesia with humanitarian relief,” he told reporters in Australia earlier Wednesday.

“I would say to the Indonesian people and the Indonesian government -- we in Australia are always there to help you and we hope that you might reciprocate in this way at this time.”

Abbott said he continued to make “the strongest possible personal representations” to Indonesian President Joko Widodo and warned he would feel “grievously let down” if his pleas for clemency were ignored.

Abbott’s comments were not warmly received in Jakarta, which has repeatedly insisted its decision to execute the two ringleaders of the so-called Bali Nine heroin smuggling operation was not directed at Australia.

Foreign ministry spokesman Arrmanatha Nasir said he hoped the prime minister’s remarks did not reflect “the true colours of Australians”.

“What I know is this: threats are not part of diplomatic language and from what I know no one responds well to threats,” Nasir told reporters in response to Abbott’s tsunami aid remarks.

Indonesian authorities have confirmed the Australians will be among the next set of prisoners to face the firing squad, but have remained tight-lipped about when the executions will take place and which other foreign convicts will join them. (afp)

12

International

Friday, February 20, 2015

Bali News

International

BUSINESS

Oil prices retreat ahead of stockpile report

HONG KONG - Oil prices fell Thursday ahead of the release of a closely watched report that that “the declining trend will continue in Asia”. is forecast to show a surge in US stockpiles to 33-year high, adding to a global supply glut.

US benchmark West Texas Intermediate fell $1.46 to $50.68 while Brent eased 98 cents to $69.55.

The weekly report by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) is expected to show supplies

increased by three million barrels to 420.9 million in the week to through February 13, according to a survey by Bloomberg News.

The figure from the EIA -part of the Department of Energy -- would mark the highest in

weekly records since August 1982, Bloomberg said.

Ken Hasegawa, energy desk manager at Newedge brokerage in Japan, said the expected jump in stockpiles was “having negative impact on the market” and added

Last week’s report showed that US crude inventories already reached their highest levels on record for this time of the year.

Crude prices lost about 60 percent of their value to about $40 between June and late January owing to an oversupply in world

markets, a weak global economy and a strong dollar.

And while they have been climbing in recent weeks on news that the number of US oil rigs in operation has fallen and energy giants are cutting back on investment, markets-watchers say volatility is likely to continue for some time. (afp)

since 2009 to 1.2 million vehicles in 2014, and the sector represented 11.2 percent of all British exports last year, a new record.

The rude health of the British motor industry has not escaped

the notice of Prime Minister David Cameron, who goes to the polls seeking re-election on May 7 and praised the sector’s performance during a visit to a Rolls-Royce plant on Wednesday. (afp)

British car exports to China up five-fold

LONDON - British car exports to China have increased five-fold since 2009, according to figures released Thursday by a British industry body, driven by a demand for luxury brands such as Rolls-Royce

and Jaguar.

The number of cars manufactured in Britain and exported to China stood at 137,410 in 2014, a 14.5 percent increase on the previous year and five times

the number shifted in 2009, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said in a statement.

British car exports to all destinations have increased by 54 percent

In Europe, cheaper goods help consumer but also pose risks

AP Photo/Luca Bruno

In this Thursday, Jan. 15, 2015 photo, customers gather inside a shop during sales in Milan, Italy. In Milan’s teeming shopping district, something unusual is happening this winter: Italians are spending money.

MILAN — In Milan’s teeming commercial district, something unusual is happening this winter — Italians are shopping. It’s a big relief for store owners after a six-year decline in sales due to recession.

Still, Renato Borghi, the president of the Italian fashion federation, is uneasy: shoppers, he notes, are relying on the seasonal discounts.

If they start expecting lower prices, the industry is in for trouble.

“The Italian consumer is checking prices and waiting,” said Borghi, whose organization represents some 130,000 retailers.

“This is a tendency that is causing us concern.”

Across Europe, companies are discounting to attract shoppers traumatized by years of recession and high unemployment. That’s helping cash-strapped families and even giving retail sales and the economy a much-needed boost. Growth figures recently published for the fourth quarter were stronger than expected, in part thanks to higher spending.

Weak prices, however, are a double-edged sword.

They also carry the risk of deflation, when consumers start

anticipating discounts and put off purchases in hopes of better bargains. If that becomes a habit, it can sink an economy for years. As prices drop, companies earn less, invest less and hold back on wages, making households even thriftier.

It’s too early to tell if the region is sliding into deflation, economists say, but the risk is big enough that the European Central Bank unleashed a 1 trillion euro ($1.14 trillion) stimulus program last month for the 19-country eurozone.

The bank acted aggressively because once an economy is in deflation, it can be mighty hard to get it out. Japan has been in deflation for over two decades during which its economy has struggled to grow.

By last count, inflation in the eurozone was negative — with prices falling 0.6 percent annually in January. Even excluding the slump in energy costs, prices for other goods are falling or remain weak.

The key for Europe will be whether customers will be willing to pay higher prices in coming months.

The risks vary sharply from country to country. (ap)

IBP/File Photo

A Joged Bumbung dancer dance with one of spectators during her performance. To get rid of negative impression on one’s of the Balinese arts, an artist from Tabanan, Made Wihartawan, even suggested the government to impose a sanction on Joged Bumbung dancer or the troupe whose performance had gone out of the basic movement.

When dancing erotically, Joged dance troupe to be imposed with sanctions

TABANAN - Even though many people do not agree, even the government has forbidden, the performance of Joged Bumbung in erotic style can still be seen.

Actually the Culture Agency, both in the provincial and county level, has provided guidance and socialization on the ban of the porn and vulgar Joged Bumbung, but it seems to be ignored. The economic reason remains the motivation of the dancers.

To get rid of negative impression on one’s of the Balinese arts, an artist from Tabanan, Made Wihartawan, even suggested the government to impose a sanction on Joged Bumbung dancer or the troupe whose performance had gone out of the basic movement.

According to him, the negative impression of the dance had an impact on the art troupe remaining to keep the existing style. “The sanctions can include a ban from making a performance or fine worth millions of rupiahs. It is also to foster a deterrent effect,” he said when met amidst the coaching of Joged Bumbung throughout Tabanan County, in the Tabanan government, Tuesday (Feb 10).

Nevertheless, he admitted it was difficult to remove such impression because the people liking to join the dance (ngibing) often kindled the dancer to leave her basic movement. “Here the dancers must be agile because there are two techniques that can be used to avoid the rogue co-dancer namely by using headdress and fan,” he explained.

One of the joged dancers named Komang Nuasih Dewi, 29, said that during she got involved in the dance performance for five years she often discovered rogue individuals joining the dancer. “To be honest, if there are such kinds of dancer, I am upset, angry and sad. Fortunately, they can be avoided with swerving movement,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Tabanan Education and Culture Agency, Wayan Adnyana, said that

Tabanan owned approximately 30 Joged Bumbung troupes spreading across 10 subdistricts. He also recognized that there were joged dancers still leaving the specified movement style. Moreover, the development of joged in Bali, especially in Tabanan, was very rapid.

“Coaching has been made continuously. But, there are still joged dancers featuring erotic movement.

Commonly they are driven by economic reasons, namely to make them more in demand,” he said.

He added that in line with the development of globalization, he admitted that many joged performances were affected by foreign cultures so that their creation increased but going out of the existing basic movement. “Unfortunately, such kind of joged dance is even muchloved by young people. And that’s what we will nurture so that the art community can return to its original basic movement,” he said.

Attempting to restore the image of joged bumbung, Tabanan government itself through related agency had been doing a variety of activities to preserve the existing joged basic movement such as through the joged competition in 2009 and mass joged dance performance on Jalan Gajah Mada in 2012. According to him, the joged going out of the basic movement was feared to harm the image of the art having been living and growing on the Island of the Gods. Not only that, in essence and philosophically the Joged Bumbung having been widely known from time immemorial was not just an entertainment art. But it was filled with the aesthetic, sublime and spiritual elements that should be upheld.

“It is not just the duty of the county government but also that of province to restore it to ethical and quality Joged Bumbung as ever before.

Fostering the joged to make it worth watching is meant to prevent the change in the basic movement will not affect the behavior of young generation,” he concluded. (kmb28)

Friday, February 20, 2015

5

Painting along 1 km, 500 to 1,000 local painters engaged

GIANYAR - Canvas along one kilometer will be spread in the area of Kebo Iwa Stadium to the area of Car Free Day, Gianyar Urban Park. The canvas will invite about 500 to 1,000 local painters to brush their colors on white canvas.

It was revealed when some senior painters of Gianyar such as Ketut Budiana, Made Kedol Subrata, Tjokorda Gde Raka, Wayan Karja, I Made Supena, I Made Mertanadi and Pande Ketut Bawa gathered and discussed to enliven the anniversary of Gianyar town next April 2015.

The painting demo along 1 km would involve a number of potential painters of Gianyar and those having got their fame. All the participants were expected from junior high, high and vocational school students, alumni of the fine art vocational school, self-taught painters, painting studio and the disabled persons. The elements of the subdistrict Advisory Council & Development of Culture (Listibya) would also be

involved to hunt painters in their respective region. “Participants of the junior high school are those having outstanding achievement, at least as champion in the subdistrict level,” said Committee Chairman, Nyoman Arjawa.

The paintings that would adorn the canvas would not be contested.

If there would be no change, the painting demo would take place at Kebo Iwa Stadium Gianyar and surrounding areas coinciding with the Car Free Day, Sunday (Apr 12).

“It is just the initial preparation, we’ll finalize it again in subsequent meetings,” said this former member of the Gianyar House.

Meanwhile, the Head of Gianyar Culture Agency, IGN Wijana, said the painting along 1 km was the idea

of Gianyar regent aiming to raise the potential of Gianyar as the warehouse of the arts and empower the potential and senior painters. “This activity is not a show-off but rather aiming to provide space for painters to express their inspirations so that their works will be better known,” said Ngurah Wijana.

Similar expectation was also delivered by Made Kedol Subrata. The works to be produced later would reflect Gianyar as the town becoming the warehouse of the arts. “The works of the art come down from the heart. Thus, this event is not only a ceremonial one but actually produces the works with taksu (divine vibration) and it can be proud of,” he said. (dar)

IBP/Dharmada

Canvas along one kilometer will be spread in the area of Kebo Iwa Stadium to the area of Car Free Day, Gianyar Urban Park. The canvas will invite about 500 to 1,000 local painters to brush their colors on white canvas. It was revealed when some senior painters of Gianyar such as Ketut Budiana, Made Kedol Subrata, Tjokorda Gde Raka, Wayan Karja, I Made Supena, I Made Mertanadi and Pande Ketut Bawa gathered and discussed to enliven the anniversary of Gianyar town next April 2015.

4

Friday, February 20, 2015

Bali News

International

Kuta community deplores Australian govt’s threat

Mangupura — The Australian government’s threat to ban its citizens from visiting Indonesia, does not seem to have impacted the number of Australians tourists, especially Kuta, which until now have not been affects. Locals in Kuta however still feel uncomfortable with the threat.

Kuta community leader, IGN Sudiarsa, revealed on Tuesday (Feb 17) that based on his observations, Kuta tourism was still in a normal condition relative to last year. “Although the numbers of visitors remains mediocre, it is normal for this time of year. Febuary and March are in fact the low season for” said the chief of Legian customary village.

Sudiarsa added that the Kuta community feels that the Australian governements threat seemd excessive especially considering that the death penalty for the two Australian citizens is in accordance with Indonesian laws. However, Sudiarsa is confident that Australian citizens would be mature enough to address the issue as it relates to drug-related crimes.

Legian customary village also hopes that the Australian government’s threat to issue a travel warning would not affect the number of Australian tourists visiting Bali. This especially considering that many Australians feel that Bali and especially Kuta as their second home.(kmb25)

Fish market kiosk at Anturan idle

Fogging is one of the effort to reduce the spread of dengue fever.

IBP/File

Dengue cases on the rise, suspected of taking one life

Amlapura — The number of patients with Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DBD) receiving treatment at Karangasem Hospital has increased recently, with 70 dengue patients having been treated since the new-year. One patient, from Datah Village died after undergoing treatment at this Hospital.

Apparently, after having been hospitalized for two weeks, the victim perished. However according to Ayu Dharmayanti, a spokesperson of the Karangasem Hospital, there had been no patient named Ni Komang A from Datah village, Abang subdistrict. According to her, the only patient from Datah village, Abang subdistrict was named Ni Luh Putu.

The patient in fact died from dengue shock syndrome (DSS), not dengue fever as was alleged.

“The patient did not suffer dengue fever, but had experienced dengue shock syndrome (DSS)” confirmed Sang Ayu Dharmayani, on Tuesday (Feb 17).

According to her, when a patient is suspected of being dengue postitive positive the medical team immediately seeks to confirm that this is in fact the case by conducting various medical examinations: “It took about a week to ascertain the exact cause of illness” she said.

Head of the Karangasem Hospital Medical Record Unit, I Nyoman Sumatra, admitted to have received information regarding the dengue victim, but did not want to confirm whether the victim really died of dengue or not. “Officials from the Karangasem Health Agency will go to Datah village to ascertain the cause” explained Nyoman

Sumatra.

Sumantra also confirmed that the number of dengue cases in Karangasem had increased in 2015 compared o the same time last year. “The total number of dengue patients for this January was 41 people and for February -up until today (Tuesday), 29 people have been afflicted” he explained. January 2014 saw 32 dengue patients, and 29 for the month of February The numbers for the rest of the year are as follows: March 39 people, April 25, May 50, June 26, July 30, August 18, September 9, October 10, November 9 and in December 15 people were treated for dengue. (dwa)

Traders prefer to peddle at SingarajaSeririt roadside

SINGARAJA - ozens of housewives posing fishmongers decided to peddle at Seririt-Singaraja roadside precisely at Anturan village, Buleleng subdistrict. In contrast, the kiosks at traditional market having been built by local government even did not function or turned idle.

It is said the location of the traditional market is not strategic, precisely on the edge of the road leading to cemetery of local village. Such condition makes traders worried if their fish cannot be sold, so that they are now peddling at roadside.

As field observation of Bali Post on Tuesday (Feb 17), traders began to open from noon through the evening. Fresh sea fish catches of fishermen of Anturan village was widely peddled by fishmongers.

Since the roadside location occupied by fishmongers was passed through by crowded traffic, the market condition was so dangerous. At the road section, there were two locations of traders namely in the west of Public Health Center of Anturan village and another at the junction leading to Hotel Celuk Agung. Meanwhile, the traditional market already built by government was located quite away from crowded road and exactly on the side of the road leading to cemetery.

Actually the fishmongers had occupied the traditional market kiosks.

Unfortunately, it did not last long and they were forced to leave the kiosks as deemed unprofitable.

One of the fishmongers, Mrs. Luh Mas, said when met last Tuesday that peddling at roadside was far more profitable than at traditional market kiosks. She claimed that in once market day she could always sell out her fresh fish. On the contrary, when peddling at traditional market kiosk the buyers were always deserted, so that their fresh fish was foul causing her to suffer losses. Other than due to deserted buyers, the location of traditional market was at roadside leading to cemetery, so that local people believed if the location was dirty, so that buyers were reluctant to shop at the market.

“Here, the buyers are more crowded and our fish always sells out. At the market there were no people shopping. Moreover, it is located at roadside leading to local cemetery. Local people believe if the location is considered dirty,” she said.

Meanwhile, addressing the idleness of the traditional fish market at Anturan village, the official promised to make coordination with relevant parties. Moreover, the asset and management of traditional fish market built by the Buleleng Fisheries and Maritime Resources Agency had been handed over to village authority. (kmb38)

Friday, February 20, 2015

International

13

Controversy in Uruguay over new lives of Guantanamo refugees

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay — Controversy is flaring over the six Guantanamo detainees taken in by Uruguay for resettlement, with even the man who pushed through the plan, President Jose Mujica, seeming to criticize them for lacking a work ethic.

The men were locked up for more than a dozen years at the U.S. Navy base in Cuba before they were brought to Montevideo in December. Mujica agreed to accept them as a humanitarian gesture and said they would be given help getting established in a country of 3.3 million people with a total Muslim population of perhaps 300.

The government has offered them a residential facility to study Spanish, learn about Uruguayan culture and integrate to their new home. But Syrian refugee Abu Wa’el Dhiab recently complained that the men have “walked out of a prison to enter another one.”

In a TV interview, Dhiab expressed thanks to Uruguay, but said it needs a plan for helping the ex-detainees, who need “their families, a home, a job and some sort of income that allows them to build a future.” A labor union that has been helping the men says, however, that they have turned down job offers.

Mujica recently visited the home where five of the six men are staying and asked them to start working. After his visit, the president said on his radio program that the former detainees are far from the ancestors of Uruguayans, who he said were gritty, hard-working immigrants. “If these people were humble people of the desert, poor people, they’d surely be stronger and more primitive, but they’re not,” Mujica said of the former prisoners. “Through their hands, features and family histories, it seems to me that they’re middle class.”

Some opposition lawmakers have opposed the resettlement plan from the beginning, but one legislator, Sen. Ope Pasquet of the Colorado Party, defended the men Wednesday.

“The Guantanamo six were jailed for more than 10 years in dreadful conditions,” he wrote on his Twitter account.

“The psychological damage must be terrible. Making them work now? Premature.”

The six men were detained as suspected militants with ties to al-Qaeda in 2002 but were never charged. They had been cleared for release since 2009 but could not be sent home and the U.S. struggled to find countries willing to take them. (ap)

AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico, File

FILE - In this Friday, Dec. 12, 2014 photo, former Guantanamo prisoners, from left, Adel bin Muhammad El Ouerghi from Tunisia, Ali Husain Shaaban from Syria, Abedlhadi Omar Faraj from Syria, Ahmed Adnan Ajuri from Syria, and Palestinian Mohammed Abdullah Taha Mattan interact with journalists standing under the balcony of the home where they’re living in Montevideo, Uruguay.

AP Photo/Bikas Das

In this Jan. 31, 2015 photo, a ferry carrying tourists moves towards a jetty at Bali village in the Sundarbans, India. Thousands are homeless as seas rise twice as fast as the global average and water eats away at the islands or subsumes them altogether in this vast region called the Sundarbans, straddling India and Bangladesh.

Millions at risk from rapid sea rise in swampy Sundarbans

BALI ISLAND, India — The tiny hut sculpted out of mud at the edge of the sea is barely large enough for Bokul Mondol and his family to lie down. The water has taken everything else from them, and one day it almost certainly will take this, too. Saltwater long ago engulfed the 5 acres where Mondol once grew rice and tended fish ponds, as his ancestors had on Bali Island for some 200 years. His thatch-covered hut, built on public land, is the fifth he has had to build in the last five years as the sea creeps in.

“Every year we have to move a little further inland,” he said.

Seas are rising more than twice as fast as the global average here in the Sundarbans, a low-lying delta region of about 200 islands in the Bay of Bengal where some 13 million impoverished Indians and Bangladeshis live. Tens of thousands like Mondol have already been left homeless, and scientists predict much of the Sundarbans could be underwater in 15 to 25 years.

That could force a singularly massive exodus of millions of “climate refugees,” creating enormous challenges for India and Bangladesh that neither country has prepared for. “This big-time climate migration is looming on the horizon,” said Tapas Paul, a New Delhi-based environmental specialist with the World Bank, which is spending hundreds of millions of dollars assessing and preparing a plan for the Sundarbans region.

“If all the people of the Sundarbans have to migrate, this would be the largest-ever migration in the history of mankind,” Paul said.

The largest to date occurred dur-

ing the India-Pakistan partition in 1947, when 10 million people or more migrated from one country to the other.

Mondol has no idea where he would go. His family of six is now entirely dependent on neighbors who have not lost their land. Some days they simply don’t eat. “For 10 years I was fighting with the sea, until finally everything was gone,” he says, staring blankly at the water lapping at the muddy coast. “We live in constant fear of flooding. If the island is lost, we will all die.”

On their own, the Sundarbans’ impoverished residents have little chance of moving before catastrophe hits. Facing constant threats from roving tigers and crocodiles, deadly swarms of giant honeybees and poisonous snakes, they struggle to eke out a living by farming, shrimping, fishing and collecting honey from the forests.

Each year, with crude tools and bare hands, they build mud embankments to keep saltwater and wild animals from invading their crops. And each year swollen rivers, monsoon rains and floods

wash many of those banks and mudpacked homes back into the sea.

Most struggle on far less than $1 a day. With 5 million people on the Indian side and 8 million in Bangladesh, the Sundarbans population is far greater than any of the small island nations that also face dire threats from rising sea levels.

Losing the 26,000-square-kilometer (10,000-square-mile) region — an area about the size of Haiti — would also take an environmental toll. The Sundarbans region is teeming with wildlife, including the world’s only population of mangrove forest tigers. The freshwater swamps and their tangles of mangrove forests act as a natural buffer protecting India’s West Bengal state and Bangladesh from cyclones.

With rising temperatures melting polar ice and expanding oceans, seas have been rising globally at an average rate of about 3 millimeters a year — a rate scientists say is likely to speed up. The latest projections suggest seas could rise on average up to about 1 meter (3.3 feet) this century. (ap)

14

Friday, February 20, 2015

Fashion

AP Photo/Jason DeCrow

The Victoria Beckham Fall 2015 collection is modeled during Fashion Week, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in New York.

A cuppa on a freezing day, at Victoria Beckham

NEW YORK - Every Brit knows there’s nothing like a cuppa on a bitter cold day. And so, guests at Victoria Beckham’s runway show Sunday morning were treated to hot tea — in glass cups — as they arrived at Cipriani Wall Street on the coldest New York City day in years.

As for the fashions, they were warm, too, but the fall-winter fabrics were given a sexy twist, falling closer to the body than usual. Beckham also used slits and cutouts to bare a little more skin that one normally sees in winter

fashions. Draping was fanciful, including a very pretty saronglike effect from the waist down on some dresses.

Beckham, in a post-show interview, said if there were one word to describe the collection, it would

be “Bounce.”

“By bounce, I mean fabrics that are young and fresh,” Beckham said backstage, where she greeted her handsomely dressed sons, her young daughter, and hubby David Beckham, in a sleek long topcoat.

Marchesa goes Gatsby NEW YORK - In smoky gray tulle, long black fringe and strands of silver beading against white, the Marchesa designers Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig brought on an opium dream that might just waft its way onto

a red carpet very, very soon.

The duo Wednesday staged their fall show in two small rooms at the baroque St. Regis hotel, a perfect old New York backdrop for a Gatsbyinspired look in silk, Chantilly lace

and poppy flower details, the latter an ode to the mother source of their drug of choice.

“It’s very opulent. It’s very decadent,” Craig said in a pre-show interview.

“I love the texture,” Beckham continued. “They’re light as well.

It’s very important that, yes, these things look good on the catwalk, but I’m selling clothes all around the world. I have to take into account the weight of fabrics. So that bouncy fabric is really nice and wearable. “ Beckham professed to having a little more fun this time around.

“I wanted to play,” she said. “So I have lots of very sexy, tightly fitted dresses. You know I did have a little bit of fun and I think you can see that.” She’s hearing, she said, that her clothes are starting to draw a younger customer, as well as her usual fan base.

“I think I’ve come a long way,” she said. “I’m really proud of myself and my team.” (ap)

Chapman added of their models’ softly waved hair, smudgy eye makeup and dark lips: “We were seeing a little bit Fitzgerald. ... The hair wants to feel like they’ve been partying Gatsby all night.”

Soon Chapman herself, married to film producer Harvey Weinstein, will be doing her own partying. She said she just picked out her Oscars outfit

and will have one eye on the TV to watch for Marchesa gowns on the red carpet as she’s dressing for the awards show Sunday.

“It’s nerve-racking,” she said of red carpet season. “We’ll never, never say someone’s in our dress until we see a picture of them, because you don’t know.”

Chapman went with black and gold and floral from this collection for her Oscars look, and she’ll be wearing custom Marchesa from the brand’s first jewelry line.

For now, the two were happy in their fashion week haze of crystal embroidery, ostrich feather fringe and a few plunging necklines fit to party the night away.

Blake Lively and Weinstein were on hand for Marchesa’s return to New York Fashion Week after the two showed in London last season.

“It was nice just to go for our 10th anniversary back to London and show in front of our friends and family, but we’re happy to be back,” Chapman smiled.

But not for long as she hustles her way to Los Angeles for Sunday’s Academy Awards.

“Georgina’s leaving straight after the show to fly to LA, so it’s a little hectic,” Craig said.

Chapman laughed: “Straight to the airport.” (ap)

AP Photo/Kathy Willens

Models walk the runway in the Marchesa Fall 2015 fashion show in New York, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2015.

Bali News

International

International

Friday, February 20, 2015

3

More Chinese tourists forecast to arrive during Imlek

DENPASAR - The Indonesian Tourism Industry Association’s (GIPI’s) Bali chapter has forecast an increase of up to 12 percent in the number of Chinese tourists visiting Bali during the Lunar New Year, locally known as Imlek.

“During the long Imlek holidays, the number of Chinese tourists always surges at an average of 12 percent,” GIPI’s Bali chapter Chairman Ida Bagus Ngurah Wijaya stated on Thursday.

Due to the influx of Chinese tourists, the occupancy rate of the island’s hotels is also expected to increase during the current, supposedly lean season.

However, Ngurah stated that Chinese tourists usually do not stay long in Bali.

A Chinese tourist, on an average, spends less than US$100 per day and stays for up to two or three days on Bali Island.

“Chinese tourists are still categorized under mass tourism and not yet under medium or high tourism,” he noted.

China is a potential market for Indonesia. On an average, more than 100 million Chinese travel overseas every year.

Seven international airways serving 34 international routes have increased their flight frequency during the Imlek holidays.

Foreign airlines offering flights from China to Indonesia are Hong Kong Airlines, Cathay Pacific, China

Eastern, and China Southern. Chartered flights, with a total capacity of 8,364 seats, are being operated by Xianmen Airlines and Execujet.

Almost one million Chinese tourists visited Indonesia last year, and for this year, Indonesia has set a target

to double the number of Chinese visitors.

China is currently the fourth-largest source of tourism for Indonesia by contributing a total of 883,725 Chinese tourists between January and November 2014. The largest source of tour-

ism for Indonesia is Singapore (1.32 million), followed by Malaysia (1.12 million), and Australia (996,032).

“If our expectation in 2014 was to receive one million Chinese tourists, we are optimistic that the number of Chinese tourists visiting Indonesia will

DENPASAR - Balinese modern minimalist house with uniqueness can be seen from the ethnic elements integrated with modernity in today’s society. Stylishly designed in Balinese custom, the house will give more values to every minimalist house. The exterior design featured on the walls of the house is without plastering in combination with Balinese natural texture of paint color adapted to brick natural color. In addition, several replicas of typical Balinese carvings on the exterior design will remain to preserve its Balinese nuance. This kind of house design can be applied to all types of minimalist house buildings.

“When tourists are coming to Bali, they still like modern Balinese house. When coming here (Bali— Ed), they will surely look for a house with Balinese characteristic.

Exterior of the house is minimalist, while the interior will apply Balinese style,” said Chairman of the Indonesia Association of Interior Designers (HDII) of Bali and NTB Chapter, I Made Gede Sumayasa.

Sometimes, tourists having a home or villa on this Island of the Gods combined the concept of modern Balinese house with technology.

It was very common in their home country where technology was applied to the home key. “Tourists like best to see Balinese traditional house. On that account, they often combine it with modern concept,” said Sumayasa.

In terms of interior design favored today, many people used wood. But sometimes they also added with iron or aluminum. “But for housing, people mostly use plywood because it’s cheaper than wood,” said the man familiarly ad-

dressed as Mangku.

Meanwhile, for interior elements, people had already started to use parquet as substitute of tiles or ceramic. He pointed out the office lobby of the Karangsem regent had entirely applied parquet.

According to him, the traditional Balinese house should be retained, though the current condition seemed very difficult. Although dominated by modern style house, he affirmed that some parts of the house remained to feature Balinese elements. “For example, it remains to apply some carvings. In private residence, it still preserves the presence of north pavilion, south pavilion and east pavilion,” he said.

He worried that such concept was difficult to maintain when entering into a housing complex.

Other than restricted land area, the design of buildings had been

determined by developer, let alone in urban areas where the price of land already soared. “It is difficult to maintain such condition in urban areas because the price of land is expensive. But at least, the Balinese style must be presented,” said Sumayasa.

Moreover, many migrants today purchased a house in Bali and the law on property did not set forth such matters. Therefore, he hoped the government to issue a policy that maintained the Balinese traditional house. If it was not carried out, the housing development would be very difficult to control and increasingly abandoned the Balinese traditional house. “It also becomes a dilemma to my architect colleagues in Bali because it is difficult to arrange. In this case, there must be the attention of the government,” he said. (rah)

Chinese celebrated Imlek by praying at Klenteng Dharmayana Kuta on Thursday. The Indonesian Tourism Industry Association’s (GIPI’s) Bali chapter has forecast an increase of up to 12 percent in the number of Chinese tourists visiting Bali during the Lunar New Year, locally known as Imlek.

Balinese modern house liked best by tourists

reach two million by the end of 2015,” Indonesian Tourism Minister Arief Yahya recently stated. (ant)

2

International

Friday, February 20, 2015

Bali News

Unclear, plans for land of former ‘Tiara Grosir’

Farmers are happy about the plan to remove the tax from farmland.

IBP/File

Farmers welcome exemption of land and property tax Bangli — The Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning, Ferry Mursyidan Baldan, plans to exempt modest homes, place of worships and social buildings from paying land and property taxes per year starting in 2016. This news has been welcomed by many people, including one farmer from Bangli County. ing costs. The costs of running a farm, compared to the results obtained often results in losses, especially with elevated living expenses. The tax exemption will allow famers to get the head above water.

Rencana said the tax exemption for farmers was also very closely related to the government food self-sufficiency program that is being intensified. Farmers will now be able to focus on agriculture without having to think about how they are gong to pay their taxes.

“This plan is a very suitable implementation of the gov-

ernments efforts to encourage food security. The tax exemption will allow farmers to be more vivacious in managing their agricultural land” he explained.

He added that the policy of exempting land and property taxes is expected to indirectly to save agricultural land from land conversion and could also stimulate farmers to work on their land. This way, farmers would not be tempted to sell their land, but would instead prefer to work on and develop the existing agricultural potential of their land. (sos)

businesses. However, in principle, the former Tiara Grosir would be used as a traditional market.

Furthermore, he explained there was possibility that the development and management of the former land of Tiara Grosir would be handed over to PD Pasar because it did not violate any rules. Similarly, the development would be possibly implemented by local government through PD Pasar by equity participation mechanism. However, so far it had not been discussed.

Similarly, regarding the target, Jimmy did not provide any certainty. He just said it would be soon realized. “Obviously it will be done as soon as possible.

With clarity of the land status, we can try as soon as possible,” he said.

When confirmed separately, the Head of the Denpasar Spatial Planning and Housing Agency (DTRP), I Made Kusuma Diputra, stated that so far his party had not prepared the DED, although the master plan already existed.

“The DED has not been prepared because there is no further discussion about it. If there is, of course the budgeting has been included in the main regional budget 2015,” he said.

Meanwhile, Managing Director of PD Pasar, I Made Westra, said the application to manage the land of ex Tiara Grosir filed by his party had not got any response from the mayor. He admitted if his position was still waiting.

He said that to arrange the land of ex Tiara Grosir could be possibly handed over in whole to the PD Pasar. However, the problem lay in the matter of funding because it was estimated to require approximately IDR 70 billion. To that end, there was possibility if his party would look for investors. (kmb25)

IBP/Wawan

The former Tiara Grosir land. The plans for the use of the former Tiara Grosir land remain unclear until now.

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Friday, February 20, 2015

15

Neo to open in Bandung

JAKARTA – Set to welcome guests as of June 2015, Archipelago International has recently announced plans to open a 13th Hotel NEO in Indonesia. As the first Hotel NEO to open in Bandung, West Java, the new Hotel NEO Dipati Ukur - Bandung is slated to become the city’s most comprehensive boutique budget hotel.

Bandung is already a popular weekend destination for residents of Jakarta. The cooler climate of the highland plantation area, the varieties of food, the cheaper fashion shops, golf courses, and the zoo, are some of the big attractions to the city.

To cater to the growing number of twenty-first century tourists, Hotel NEO Dipati Ukur – Bandung will feature 88 funky, stylish and smoke-free rooms with a choice of double or twin beds. Rooms will be outfitted with top of the line beds with high knot count cotton linens for a refreshing night’s sleep, cutting edge flat-screen satellite TVs, individual control air-conditioning, mini-bars, safes and en suite bathrooms with large standing showers.

WiFi access will be fast, reliable and of course free and available throughout the entire hotel. Additionally, three well-equipped meeting rooms and an authentic café shop specializing in homemade noodle dishes will make this latest NEO one of Bandung’s most comprehensive boutique budget hotels.

Hotel NEO Dipati Ukur - Bandung will be geared towards guests who favor an active and healthy lifestyle.

Since its introduction, Hotel NEO is committed to providing its guests and associates with a 100% smoke-free environment, and is proud to boast one of the most thorough smoke-free hotel policies in the industry.

Hotel NEO Dipati Ukur – Bandung is located on Jalan Dipatiukur close to Dago, one of the iconic areas of Bandung city. The Paris Van Java Shopping Mall is reachable within 30 minutes by car, as is Bandung Airport. The Bandung train is just 20 minutes from the hotel and 30 minutes

IBP/Courtesy of Archipelago International

to the Rumah Mode Factory Outlet.

“Bandung is fast becoming one of Indonesia’s most up and coming cities. With a great range of tourists flocking to the area for the food and shopping culture, our contemporary and stylish NEO brand is destined to fit right in, and we look forward to increasing our presence in Bandung further in the future.” Said Mr John Flood, President and CEO of Archipelago International.

Profile

Kahar Salamun

Importance of HR investment

A good hotel accommodation does not only rely on the building luxury and international standard, but also on the investment in human resources. By doing so, the services extended will be very professional. It was stated by Kahar Salamun, a hotelier.

Every hotel in Bali, explained this calm man, had known how to improve the performance of hotel management. Besides, they should also consider every aspect, both in terms of the IBP/kmb

Chief of Subak Sidembunut, Bangli, Sang Ketut Rencana, expressed on Tuesday (Feb 17), that the new measures would likely reduce the tax burden that farmers and other members of society bear. The tax exemption is expected to stimulate the vivacity of farming communities. “We are responding positively to such a plan as will reduce the burden of farmers he burden of farmers and other members of society” he said.

He also said that general costs incurred by farmers are very high, particularly operat-

Denpasar — So far plans for the use of the former Tiara Grosir land remain unclear. The Municipality of Denpasar has not yet decided on the details about the use of the land, including the 1.5 hectares that had caused a dispute in the past. The municipality argued that it was necessary to review the situation.

“We are still discussing and studying the matter” said the Assistant to Development Administration of Denpasar Regional Secretariat, Nyoman Ngurah Jimmy Sidhartha, in Denpasar, on Tuesday (Feb 17).

Jimmy said the study is conducted by a special team consisting of a number of related agencies such as the Spatial Planning and Housing Agency (DTRP), Legal Division, Licensing Office and PD Pasar regional enterprise. So far, the team had established the draft of detailed engineering design (DED) to help them decide on an appropriate development strategy and activities for the land.

“We are looking at the application of the PD Pasar and the DTRP or anything else that might be suitable for that location. In principle, it should be functional. Obviously iwhatever the project, it should support the democratic economy” he said.

How about the proposal of PD Pasar?

Jimmy reiterated that the function of the former Tiara Grosir land needed to be reviewed. In the near future, the team would hold another meeting debate the issue. Nevertheless, he said, there was a possibility of building a SME center to support community-based economy. The land of the former Tiara Grosir is quite extensive. So, it was still possible to build SME centers, a traditional culinary center or other

Activities

International

product and service. “Investment in human resources is the key. At the end of the day, the winner is the man that gives investment on human resources. It’s the focus,” said Kahar.

On that account, explained Kahar, hotel should make communication to the employees by providing training for 4 hours per month for each staff. Aside from for the staff, similar measure should also be undertaken for the community and the environment. Behind the glamour and glitz of Kuta, there remained many things in need of improvement. “Therefore, the measure to improve the quality of human beings needs to be done,” he said.

All hotels should participate to build human resources and the environment.

“Now, we see the development in Bali has been growing rapidly. Without the support of skilled human resources, then this situation cannot be balanced,” he said.

Kahar also said the presence of so many hotels in Bali had made each hotel should compete through their services and products. “Do not only talk

about the improvement of people’s quality.

The most important thing here is how a company like hotel has a positive impact and benefit on the community and the environment,” he said.

In the effort to improve the human quality of the All Seasons Legian Bali, added Kahar, as a part of the Accor group it had already owned a worldwide program.

One of them was the Planet 21 posing an incremental program that did not only organized blood donation and go green, but also participated in negating the use of plastic by the use of biodegradable plastic.

To reduce the water discharge, his party also performed a water-saving campaign.

Each guest was directed to hang their towels after taking a bath so as not to be washed every day.

In this regard, his party had acquired a land to build a training location for skill improvement such as in the matter of language and hospitality skills. “The training is provided free of charge. We get the funds from several fundraising events and participants will be taught by volunteer teachers,” he concluded. (ocha)

Balinese Temple Ceremony Every Temple and Shrine has a special date for it annual Ceremony, or “ Odalan “, every 210 days according to Balinese calendar, including the smaller ancestral shrine which each family possesses. Because of this practically every few days a ceremony of festival of some kind takes place in some Village in Bali. There are also times when the entire island celebrated the same Holiday, such as at Galungan, Kuningan, Nyepi day, Saraswati day, Tumpek Landep day, Pagerwesi day, Tumpek Wayang day etc.

The dedication or inauguration day of a Temple is considered its birth day and celebration always takes place on the same day if the wuku or 210 day calendar is used. When new moon is used then the celebration always happens on new moon or full moon. The day of course can differ the religious celebration of a temple lasts at least one full day with some temple celebrating for three days while the celebration of Besakih temple, the Mother Temple, is never less than 7 days and most of the time it lasts for 11 days, depending on the importance of the occasion.

The celebration is very colorful. The shrine are dressed with pieces of cloths and sometimes with brocade, sailings, decorations of carved wood and sometimes painted with gold and Chinese coins, very beautifully arranged, are hung in the four corners of the shrine. In front of shrine are placed red, white or black umbrellas depending which Gods are worshipped in the shrines.

In front of important shrine one sees, besides these umbrellas soars, tridents and other weapons, the “umbulumbul”, long flags, all these are prerogatives or attributes of Holiness. In front of the Temple gate put up “Penjor”, long bamboo poles, decorated beautifully ornaments of young coconut leaves, rice and other products of the land.

Most beautiful to see are the girls in their colorful attire, carrying offerings, arrangements of all kinds fruits and colored cakes, to the Temple. Every visitor admires the grace with which the carry their load on their heads.

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

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

16 Pages Number 47 7th year

Price: Rp 3.000,-

Friday, February 20, 2015

WEATHER FORECAST 23 - 32 Dps

Oscar spotlight draws attention to industry diversity issue

NEW YORK — It was a year ago that Lupita Nyong’o, shortly before winning the Academy Award for best supporting actress in “12 Years a Slave,” gave a speech about what she called “dark beauty.”

Nyong’o, who so dazzled Hollywood and the Oscar-viewing public through awards season, spoke tenderly of receiving a letter from a girl who had been about to lighten her skin before Nyong’o’s success, she said, “saved me.” The letter struck Nyong’o because she recognized herself in that girl: “I remember a time when I too felt unbeautiful. I put on the TV and only saw pale skin.”

The Mexican-born, Kenyanraised actress was a central part last year to an Academy Awards flush with faces uncommon to the Oscar podium.

What a difference a year makes.

This year’s Oscars repeat a stubborn pattern that has plagued the

Academy Awards throughout its history: Whenever change seems to come, a frustrating hangover follows. “Every 10 years, we have the same conversation,” Spike Lee, a regular witness to the sporadic progress, has said.

Seldom have such fits and starts been starker than this Oscars, coming a year after a richly diverse Oscar crop. In Sunday’s Academy Awards, all 20 acting nominees are white, a result that prompted some to declare that they would boycott this year’s ceremony.

The lack of nominations for “Selma” director Ava DuVernay and star David Oyelowo were a particular flashpoint, viewed by many as unjust oversights not only because they merited honoring, but

because their absences furthered an ignoble Oscar history.

“I was surprised but then I wasn’t,” said Darnell Hunt, a UCLA professor and director of the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies, who co-authored a 2014 diversity report on the film and TV industries. “What we saw in terms of the nominations this year was business as usual. What we got was more or less an accurate reflection of the way the industry is structured and the way the academy is populated.”

An Associated Press survey of the academy’s voting history since the first Academy Awards in 1929 shows gradual progress but not nearly at a rate to match the ever-increasing diversity of the American public. In those 87 years, nine black actors have won Oscars, four Latinos and three Asians, a record that doesn’t even speak to other categories like best director,

Vanilla Ice released after being charged in Florida burglary

Frank Micelotta/Invision/AP, File

where only one woman (Kathryn Bigelow) has won.

The number of non-whites to be nominated for best actor or best actress has nearly doubled in just the last two decades, but the 9.4 percent of non-white acting nominees over the academy’s history is about four times less than the percentage of the non-white population.

Not all of this can be laid at the film academy’s feet, but some of it can. The 6,000-plus membership of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences was found to be 94 percent white and 77 percent male in a 2012 Los Angeles Times investigation.

Since becoming president of the academy, Cheryl Boone Isaacs has worked to diversify the organization’s ranks, though change comes slowly considering membership is for life.

But the academy is a reflection of

LANTANA, Florida — Vanilla Ice has been released from custody in Florida after being arrested and charged with breaking into and stealing from an abandoned home.

Police in Lantana say the recording artist and home-improvement-show host had been renovating a home next to the victim’s. They said some of the stolen items were found at his property.

Vanilla Ice, whose real name is Robert Van Winkle, rose to fame with the hit “Ice Ice Baby.” He also hosts DIY Network’s “The Vanilla Ice Project.”

The 47-year-old was charged Wednesday with burglary of a residence and grand theft and taken into custody. He was released from the jail Wednesday night on a $6,000 bond.

He told TV station WPTV that the situation was a “misunderstanding” that’s been “blown out of proportion.” (ap)

Friday, February 20

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

, 2015

Thai prosecutor presses criminal charges against ex-premier Page 6

Schalke win right tonic for Real after stumble Ancelotti

Page 8

Millions at risk from rapid sea rise in swampy Sundarbans Page 13

Australian tourists disapprove to tourism boycott

DENPASAR - Australian tourists visiting Bali have expressed their disagreement to the tour- through the legal process, he said.

“Indonesia praised the UN secism boycott, which is a mark of protest over the imminent executions of Bali Nine ringleaders, retary general’s effort to communiMyuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan.

John Shearer/Invision/AP, File

In this March 2, 2014 file photo, Lupita Nyong’o accepts the award for best actress in a supporting role for “12 Years a Slave” during the Oscars in Los Angeles. the film industry; it can only reward the films that get made. What this year’s all-white acting nominees did was lay bare the enormous, hulking iceberg of the movie business’ diversity problems. (ap)

Two technicians seriously injured on James Bond set in Austria

VIENNA - Two British technicians were seriously injured in a failed stunt on the set of the James Bond film “Spectre” in the Austrian Alps, police said on Wednesday.

A car crashed into a platform on the set on Tuesday, pinning one of the technicians against the platform, and throwing another one off it, local police chief Herbert Juen said.

The two were airlifted to a local hospital. A third victim, also British, was treated on set for minor injuries.

The crew has been filming in the Austrian Alps since early January. The 24th film in the Bond film series, “Spectre” is slated for release later this year.

Actor Daniel Craig is once again cast in the role of the famous fictional British spy. Austrian actor Cristoph Waltz plays his nemesis. (afp)

“I do not agree with the boycott because I still love Bali,” Coally Ann, an Australian tourist stated.

Meanwhile, Julia Ann, who is Coally’s sister, also supports tourism in Bali.

“We will continue to support tourism in Bali,” she noted.

However, they are protesting on humanitarian grounds against the execution sentence awarded to the two Australians.

“We do not agree with the death penalty. That is not correct because they are human beings,” she noted.

Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan were granted death sentence in 2006 for leading a drug traffick-

ing group known as the Bali Nine.

They were arrested in 2005 at an airport and hotel in Bali for smuggling 8.2 kilograms of heroin.

“We have been following the current news. We are very sad about the death penalty,” she stated.

The Australian government had appealed to the Indonesian government to spare the lives of the two citizens on death row.

The death penalty in Indonesia, especially imposed on drug offenders, does not contradict human rights and the international law, noted Desra Percaya, the Permanent Representative of Indonesia to the United Nations (UN).

The abolishment of death pen-

alty is not a universal standard in human rights, and the discussion in the UN forum is still ongoing and has not yet reached a consensus, Desra noted.

“Every country has its unique challenges. The implementation of death penalty is the government’s response to the unique challenges faced by Indonesia,” the ambassador stated.

He also pointed out that the imposition of death penalty in Indonesia is not considered as extra-judicial killings or arbitrary executions that violate the human right norms.

The death penalty in Indonesia is an action that has been imposed

cate directly with the government but deplored the approach, which is based on a narrow understanding,” Desra remarked.

“This approach could impact the integrity of the UN secretary general as discussion on the issue of death penalty is still ongoing,” he affirmed.

Meanwhile, Reuters reported that United Nations SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon appealed to Indonesia not to execute the prisoners on death row for drug crimes, including the citizens of Australia, Brazil, France, Ghana, Indonesia, Nigeria, and the Philippines.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Ban had spoken to Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Mar-

sudi on Thursday “to express his concern at the recent application of capital punishment in Indonesia.”

“The UN opposes the death penalty under all circumstances,” Dujarric noted in a statement on Friday.

“The secretary general has appealed to the Indonesian authorities that the executions of the remaining prisoners on death row for drugrelated offenses should not be carried out,” Dujarric stated.

The preamble of the UN Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, 1988, admits that drugs pose a serious threat to the health and welfare of human beings and adversely affect the economic, cultural, and political foundations of the society. (ant)

News can also be heard in “Bali Image” at Global Radio FM 96.5 from 9.30 until 10.00 am. Listen to Global Radio FM at http:// globalfmbali.listen2myradio.com or live video streaming at http://radioglobalfmbali.com and http:// ustream.tv/channel/global-fm-bali.

ANTARA FOTO/Fikri Yusuf

Foreign tourists visited Legian Beach, Badung Regency on Monday. Australian tourists visiting Bali have expressed their disagreement to the tourism boycott, which is a mark of protest over the imminent executions of Bali Nine ringleaders, Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan.