Edition Monday, April 22, 2019 | International Bali Post

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Monday, April 22, 2019

Pop superstar Adele splits from husband

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Monday, April 22, 2019

LONDON - Global superstar Adele, one of the world’s top recording artists, has split from her husband, UK media reported Saturday, citing the British singer’s representatives.

Pop diva Adele, 30, married charity entrepreneur Simon Konecki in 2016 after five years together. They have a son, Angelo, born in 2012.

“Adele and her partner have separated,” Benny Tarantini and Carl Fysh said in a statement, according to British media.

“They are committed to raising their son together lovingly. As always they ask for privacy.

There will be no further comment.”

Adele, who boasts 15 Grammy Awards, is one of Britain’s most successful pop exports.

With sales topping more than 100 million records, the north Londoner is one of the world’s best-selling music artists.

Her three studio albums “19” (2008), “21” (2011) and “25” (2015) were each huge hits worldwide. (afp) In this file photo taken on February 15, 2016 singer Adele (R) and her husband, charity entrepreneur Simon Konecki (2R) attend The 58th GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.

K-pop phenomenon BTS first Korean act to top UK chart

Steven Ferdman/Getty Images/AFP

V, Suga, RM, Jungkook, Jin, Jimin, J-Hope of BTS visit The Elvis Duran Z100 Morning Show at Z100 Studio on April 12, 2019 in New York City.

LONDON - K-pop sensation BTS scored another record on Friday, becoming the first Korean act to top Britain’s album chart.

The floppy-haired seven-piece’s latest album “Map of the soul: Persona” went straight in at number one, days after their single “Boy With Luv” broke the YouTube record for the most views in 24 hours

with 74.6 million hits.

The track is also the band’s first ever British Top 15 single, charting at number 13 on Friday.

The band, known for their boyish good looks and meticulously choreographed dance moves, will play two sold out nights at London’s iconic Wembley Stadium, on June 1 and 2.

Earlier this year the septet,

whose name is short for Bangtan Sonyeondan, which translates as Bulletproof Boy Scouts, became the first K-pop band to top the US album charts.

Some 800,000 tourists were believed to have chosen South Korea as their destination last year because of BTS -- more than seven percent of the total visitors to the country. (afp)

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Bali volcano erupts again

DENPASAR - Mount Agung on Indonesia’s resort island of Bali has erupted again, spewing volcanic ash into the sky to a height of two kilometres, an official said.

The eruption comes as Australians flock to the island for school holidays but flights have not been impacted with Denpasar airport still operational.

The active volcano erupted at 3.21am on Sunday and the thick ash column was blown to the southwest, causing a drizzle of volcanic ash in Karangasem, Bangli and Klunglung districts, Sutopo

Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for the national disaster mitigation agency, said.

There were no immediate reports of casualties but the volcano’s status remains on alert or level three of four possible levels and authorities continue to impose a four-kilometre exclusion zone.

On Sunday afternoon an AirAsia spokesman said Bali airport was

still operational and there were no disruptions to its services at this stage.

A Jetstar spokeswoman said they were monitoring the situation but all alerts had been lifted and it was ‘business as usual’.

Mount Agung’s crater glows red from the lava as it spews volcanic smoke.

Two other volcanoes popular

with tourists on the island of Java also continue to erupt.

Mount Bromo in East Java and Mount Merapi in Yogyakarta remain on standby, with exclusion zones also in place.

“This a normal situation of an active volcano and there is no need for the public to panic, as long as they remain outside the danger zone. Don’t try to get closer to the crater to document the volcanic activity in the crater,” Nugroho said.

Foreign climbers have tried

to ignore the danger zone status and attempted to climb Mount Agung, causing rescuers to scour the mountain in a bid to evacuate them. (afp) News can also be heard in “Bali Image” at Global Radio FM 96.5 from 9.30 until 10.00 am. Listen to Global Radio FM at http:// globalfmbali.listen2myradio.com or live video streaming at http:// radioglobalfmbali.com and http:// ustream.tv/channel/global-fm-bali.

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Monday, April 22, 2019

Bali News

International

Bali’s Kartini increasingly gets interested in politics

DENPASAR - On April 21 the Indonesian people commemorated Kartini Day. This commemoration is carried out every year by the Indonesian people for a great woman named Raden Ajeng (RA) Kartini. RA Kartini is remembered because she has inspired all women in Indonesia. She is a symbol of the existence and struggle of women in Indonesia to obtain the same rights and women’s emancipation fighters in order to be able to participate in developing the nation and the state. Thanks to RA Kartini’s struggle, until now women in Indonesia are aligned with others, especially in politics.

If seen from the 1945 Constitution, it has regulated 30-percent representation of women in general elections. This means that women’s political rights have been

calculated and respected in order to realize the ideals of democracy in Indonesia.

“By prioritizing the rights of women, constitutionally the state

gives the same portion to women to engage in politics, especially to be elected and elect in elections.

In the history, Indonesia was once led by the first female president of

the Republic of Indonesia. This indicates there is no discrimination against women in Indonesia,” said Dr. Dewa Gede Sudika Mangku, Secretary of the Law and Citizenship Department of the Undiksha Singaraja, on Saturday (Apr. 20).

With this signal, the women in Indonesia and Bali are expected to participate in nation-building through political participation.

Through this path, they can fight for their rights. Moreover, Balinese women are said to be strong and resilient and have very noble responsibilities, spiritual values and high work ethic. Besides, at present these values are always held firmly

by Balinese women.

“Participation of Balinese women in politics has emerged and been increasing. So far, they have been literate in political education.

This can be seen from their participation in becoming members of political parties or running for legislative candidates in the 2019 simultaneous elections. “Indeed,

this is still relatively small, but Balinese women have modern thinking by participating in political system, where they have the opportunity to participate in determining political policies, especially for the development of women’s empowerment affairs in the future,” he said.

Furthermore, the spirit born by RA Kartini has been able to provide positive energy for Balinese women to continuously work and fight for the rights of their people. This positive signal will help bring about a good change to development in Bali that will one day be led by a woman. That’s where the meaning of ‘After Rains Comes Sunshine’ (the book written by Kartini) can be implemented. “Hopefully, the Kartini Day falling on April 21 will provide positive energy for this country towards a civilized direction to continue fighting for women’s rights in the world, Indonesia and especially in Bali,” he concluded. (win)

Criteria of illegal villas and enforcement of regulations not strict

DENPASAR - Illegal villas have become classic problems in Bali but their presence is quite disturbing the existence of Bali tourism. The problems occurred is the absence of clear criteria regarding villas and illegal villas. In addition, the existing regulations have not yet been explicitly applied.

Chairman of Bali Vila Association (BVA), I Gede Sukarta, said the problems related to illegal villas need the existence of Governor Regulation on the standardization of villas. However, it is acknowledged there is no new study regarding the Governor Regulations governing the existence of villas.

Previously, he and Jero Mangku Suteja had standardized the villa for several times. In Badung, there has also been a regulation, namely Regent Regulation No. 5/2015.

“In the past, there were criteria for star and non-star villas.

However, now after the issuance of regulation of the Ministry of Tourism Number 29/2014, there are many changes - such as who is responsible for standardizing star and non-star villas. The domain is now not in the realm of government, but in private institution, LSU

(business certification agency),” he explained on Thursday (Apr. 18) in the technical meeting of the BVA Anniversary Cup 2019 at Kilo Restaurant, Seminyak.

Originally, the villa was a single house without a swimming pool and there were only bedrooms, bathroom and kitchen. Foreign guests, especially from Australia, tried to improve the quality of the accommodation. “Since the landscape is quite extensive, a private swimming pool is created along with kitchen, rooms and bathrooms to be upgraded and becomes a villa,” he said.

The villa is then chosen by tourists because it is safer than hotels having a large number of in-house guests. “So, they are more likely to stay at a safe villa,” he said.

As time goes on, villas are sold to foreigners but the nominees are Balinese. Then, it was made into a villa or a luxury house called a villa as well. Property like this does have taxpayer identification number (NPWP) but does not have complete operational permit. “But the building permit (IMB) is available, that’s what is called illegal villa,” he explained.

The absence of firmness about the criteria of illegal villa has been unable to answer the number of illegal villas in Bali. “Due to the definition of illegal villa, it can be declared legal when it pays a hotel and restaurant tax because it has tax identification number but is not completed with operational permit.

There is no principle permit, but it has building permit. Moreover, the marketing system is through OTA. This is the problem we face,” he added.

He hoped after the issuance of the Governor Regulation, the execution must also be firm. The existing villas are also expected to be a member of BVA in order to cooperate in implementing villa standards and improve the quality of Bali tourism.

A member of BVA who was also a former BVA Chairman, Jero Mangku Suteja, added the challenges of the association are not easy, where one of which is open competition between large- and small-scale accommodation, having and not having licenses as well as those paying and not paying taxes. Thus, it makes competition in the field unfair.

The growth of accommodation facilities is facilitated by several online agencies such as Airbnb, Agoda Homes et cetera which are very massive in nature, where unfair competition began. “Houses of residents that do not have permits and do not pay taxes also participate in the open markets so the market share of villas and hotels is eroded by them,” he said.

This is the reason why the occupancy rate of 4-star and 5-star hotels reaches 55 percent to 60 percent. Meanwhile, villas of certain level reach 80 percent. “Maybe it’s at certain price, but when talking

about high end price, the occupancy is struggling. If the occupancy is 70 percent, it is good,” he said.

Another challenge is the presence of nomadic travelers having become a trend where they are looking for a cheap accommodation to live in. One of them is a house, including a boarding house.

BVA Secretary General, Yoga Iswara, hoped that villas in Bali can join so that standards and goals of quality tourism can be achieved.

Currently, the BVA members only amount to approximately 300, but only 160 of them are active. (kmb42)

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International

Activities

Monday, April 22, 2019

Best Western Ubud holds blood donation BEST Western Premier Agung Resort Ubud organized a blood donation at the local hotel lobby on Saturday (Apr. 13). This social action commenced with a fun walk with the routes in the Ubud village area and a distance of about 6 km. It did not only involve staff and employees of the Best Western Premier Agung Resort Ubud, but also the Best Western Group in Bali as well as neighboring hotels and entrepreneurs in the hotel environment.

In addition to blood donation, the event in collaboration with Red Cross (PMI) of Gianyar district was also filled with general health checkup.

Such regular blood donation activities are held every three months carried out in rotation between the Best Western groups. In relation to the activities, it also holds social action every three months with the target to collect 59 bags of blood. Besides, it also has a program to visit orphanages,” (BTN/kmb)

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Monday, April 22, 2019

Traveling

International

Bali News

International

Things to see and do on the Costa del Sol

JUST over two hours flight from the UK, the Costa del Sol is the popular short-haul option thanks tomore than 300 days of sunshine a year. Nowhere else on earth can you find beaches, history, culture, sports, fantastic cities, the great outdoors and even skiing, all in one compact destination. Here’s our roundup: Skiing and sunbathing in one place

We all associate the Costa del Sol with the sparkling Mediterranean Sea lapping against fantastic sandy beaches, and it’s certainly a great place to soak up the sun and enjoy the world-renowned nightlife. However, what many people don’t know is that Andalucía as a region also offers Europe’s Southern-most ski resort, with great skiing from December to the beginning of May. This winter wonderland is just a stone’s throw from the Costa del Sol and on a good day you can even see the sea from the slopes.

In fact it’s so close that you could combine skiing with a day on the beach to recover before you head home. It’s even possible to be on the slopes in the morning and then within two hours drive be enjoying a long afternoon of warm sunshine on the coast.

The Sierra Nevada (Snowy Mountain Range) near Granada offers plenty of sunshine, good snow and a varied mix of runs for beginners and intermediates, plus a handful of more challenging runs.

Although it is not a huge resort, there are wide slopes, quick and

efficient lifts, and good restaurants and bars to rest those weary feet.

The après-ski is quite legendary too!

Terrific towns and picturesque pueblos

This area of Spain has been slammed for its concrete tower blocks and non-existent town planning. However, for every Torremolinos there are several stunning white villages nestled into the hillsides, not to mention vibrant, Spanish towns and cities with great architecture.

Marbella is a fantastic town with lots of charm, a predominantly Spanish population, a beautiful beachside promenade and tons of bars and restaurants. It is often confused with the nearby Puerto Banus and thought to be an expensive, flashy place, but in fact this is a very real, working Spanish town and merits a visit.

Marbella’s hidden gem is its historic and picturesque Old Town, or casco antiguo. This has changed little over the centuries and still features ancient architecture, a maze of narrow cobbled streets with charming white washed houses, and beautiful plazas adorned with fountains.

At the centre is Orange Square, a beautiful Andalucian square, full of orange trees and sweetly scented tropical plants.

The Old Town is full of unusual shops and galleries, little chapels and churches, not to mention a fantastic selection of bars, cafés and eateries, and is a great place to explore.

The picturesque Pueblos Blan-

cos white villages are a typically Andalucian feature and have been well-preserved, yet little explored by most tourists. If you are able to hire a car then you can spend several days driving around the stunning countryside, exploring these little villages and stepping back into Andalucia’s past.

One of the most breathtaking places to visit is the mountaintop city of Ronda, located less than an hour’s drive from the coast. This city is set above a gorge (El Tajo) giving dramatic views and the stone bridge that spans the gorge offers the perfect place to take in the stunning scenery. The old town dates back to Moorish rule and is full of history and charm.

Closer to coast and more popular with tourists is the beautiful village of Mijas Pueblo. Located just a 20-minute drive inland, this village has remained relatively unspoilt by tourism maintaining its Spanish charm and offers spectacular panoramic views of the coast from its many view points. Wander the cobbled streets and sample the local delicacies, there are also many specialist shops around the town including handmade leather and ceramics. Every Wednesday the town hall puts on a popular flamenco show at midday in the main square.

High Octane Fun

If you’re a fan of outdoor adventure activities, there’s plenty to get your adrenaline pumping in the Costa del Sol. Think quad biking, go-carting, hiking and every watersport imaginable. The newest adventure on the block is Fly4Re-

al’s outdoor skydiving simulator.

Situated above the municipality of Campillos in Malaga, it is suitable for anyone aged five to 95.

The Fly4Real simulator recreates the freefall portion of a skydive by allowing you to fly on a column of air. Guided by professional instructors, you will learn to hold your body in the air as the wind rushes up at you. As the experience is outdoors, you will also be able

Monday, April 22, 2019

3

Kintamani dog breeders hope govt’s attention

to get some fabulous Instagramworthy shots as you soar in the sunshine.

There are various skydiving packages available, ranging from a 24,000 ft freefall (one hour experience, two minutes in the air) to a 72,000 ft freefall (two flights, six minutes in the air). The first flight experiences will be available from May 2019. Prices start at €52. (net)

BANGLI - Kintamani dog breeders at Sukawana village, Kintamani, expected more attention given by the government to the existence of Kintamani dogs. Moreover, at this time the dog with the characteristic of thick fur on the neck and known to be intelligent has received recognition as a world race dog from the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI).

IBP/kmb

The threat against the sustainability of Jatiluwih area amid the intense development of tourism and the behavior of local people seems to have been predicted by the local government and the legislative ranks.

To watch out preservation of Jatiluwih, regent to draft a regulation

TABANAN — The threat against the sustainability of Jatiluwih area amid the intense development of tourism and the behavior of local people seems to have been predicted by the local government and the legislative ranks. However, it is recognized that so far there have been no clear rules being able to provide a comprehensive legal instrument in the region.

Even though there is a green belt regulation having been used as a guideline for relevant agencies in terms of supervision, it is still considered weak because the scope is not broad enough.

Related to this matter, Regent of Tabanan, Ni Putu Eka Wiryastuti, will soon draft a regent regulation as a basis for preserving the Jatiluwih area. Recently, the Jatiluwih area was disturbed by the presence of a helipad built by the management of Jatiluwih attraction without any coordination with the local government. Moreover, it received direct attention from the Ministry of Education and Culture.

“It is true there is a letter from the Ministry of Education and Culture regarding the existence of the helipad that is not allowed.

Personally, I did not know if there is a helipad, but we received the letter in January and it was already followed up in February. Now, it has been re-greened,” explained Regent Eka on Friday (Apr. 19).

Nevertheless, Regent Eka claimed the letter inspired her to be more focused in the effort to pre-

serve the Jatiluwih area. “Whatever they do in the future must first be coordinated with the local government, so that it does not violate the rules and does not result in bad image for the region,” he concluded.

Related to the existence of the helipad, she admitted that subak, management and headman had also agreed to make the location for center point or emergency point if an evacuation process is needed.

There are no functions for helipad any longer, and last February it had been planted with flowers and regreened, and even taken advantage for selfie spot,” she explained.

When asked about the information at issue that she did not respond to the letter filed by the central government, Regent Eka confirmed that she had followed up after receiving the letter. “I was thought to ignore it, whereas it was already followed up. And there is no more helipad function at the location,” she said firmly.

Now, she is even in the process of drafting regent regulation as a legal basis in carrying out supervision along with sanctions that can be applied if the rules are violated.

“We are making the rules that any development should be equipped with permission from the local government, so the development will not last haphazardly. On the one hand, I am grateful for the letter, so that we can supervise together and fix together. Do not let the repaired thing be even made complicated,” he concluded. (kmb28)

One of the Kintamani dog breeders at Sukawana village, Ketut Nonog, when contacted on Friday (Apr. 19) claimed to have heard the news about the recognition of Kintamani dog as a dog of world race. As a farmer and Kintamani community, he is certainly quite proud of the recognition of the FCI. Nevertheless, as a breeder, he hoped the recognition having been obtained by the Kintamani dog does not stop as limited as recognition. Both district and provincial governments are expected to be able to give more attention to the existence and development of Kintamani dogs whose natural

habitat is located at Paket hamlet, Sukawana. The attention intended is both in the form of guidance to farmers and feeding assistance.

Nonog revealed that until now the breeding of Kintamani dogs at Sukawana village is still carried out by most farmers in traditional way, namely by letting them go.

Farmers choose not to keep it in cages because of constraints on the high cost of feed and care that is not comparable to the selling price.

“Since it’s expensive, they are left wild. The food provided is not guaranteed, namely only cassava and sometimes leftovers. Breeders have no attention to their food so that the quality is good,” said the

man who is also the headman of Sukawana.

In order to maintain the quality of the Kintamani dogs in their natural habitat, he really hoped the government can help and pay attention to the Kintamani dog breeders at his village. Kintamani dog breeders groups all this time are expected to be given regular guidance. “If really wishing to feature the Kintamani dog, we hope the attention in terms of maintenance and food provision.

It is no need to provide with financial assistance, food provision is enough because the cost of feed and care is very expensive,” he hoped. (kmb40)

IBP/kmb

The dog with the characteristic of thick fur on the neck and known to be intelligent has received recognition as a world race dog from the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI).

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Bali News

Monday, April 22, 2019

International

Dozens of female surfers participate in ‘Kartini Go Surf’

MANGUPURA - Dozens of female surfers from Bali and overseas participated in Kartini Go Surf activities on Kuta Beach on Saturday (Apr. 20).

The activity held by the Army Family Association (Hipakad) of Bali Chapter with the Magic Wave is in a series of welcoming the Kartini Day 2019 and a form of appreciation to women’s emancipation.

Committee Chairman, Herry Boedi Oetomo, representing the Bali Chapter Chairman stated the event becomes interesting because participating female surfers put on kebaya and cloth while surfing the beach. In the future, he hoped the event can take place routinely and becomes a national and even international event.

The activity took the theme “With the Spirit of Kartini, We Increase the Nationalism and Do the Best, Courageous, Sincere and Sincere in Realizing Bali Santi and Jagadhita.” In addition to commemorating Kartini Day, the event is also to encourage female surfers to accommodate the interests and talents of younger generation who are fond of surfing as well as helping the government program to train the community.

“This event is also a means to spur the development of surfing, especially for women. Besides, through this event we want to convey the message that Bali is very safe

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Thailand marijuana festival has visitors on a high

BURIRAM - A Buddhist monk fishes out a vial of cannabis oil from his robe and puts a drop under his tongue -- one of many people flocking to a weed festival in northeastern Thailand, where excitement is building over a medical marijuana boom.

IBP/kmb

Female surfers from Bali and overseas participated in Kartini Go Surf activities on Kuta Beach on Saturday (Apr. 20). to visit so that tourist visits can increase,” he affirmed. Meanwhile, Mrs. Bayu Panji, Operations Section Head of the 163/Wirasatya Military Resort Command, representing the spouse of Commander of the 163/Wirasatya Military Resort, said that through this activity, the future surfers of Bali can be known

both nationally and internationally. “We hope that female surfers of Bali can go international,” she hoped when met after officially opening the Kartini Go Surf marked with the release of balloons.

One of the South Korean participants, Mina Jo, 28, claimed to be happy for being

able to participate. According to her, Bali has a very good natural beauty. She told that surfing by using kebaya is indeed very difficult.

When surfing, she usually wears a bikini, but now uses kebaya. “It’s very difficult to surf with kebaya. To move while surfing is also very difficult,” she told. (kmb23)

After the eruption of Mount Agung

Lempuyang Temple increasingly thronged by tourists

SINCE volcanic activities have increased in September 2017, the name of Lempuyang Temple is increasingly popular. From the Penataran Lempuyang Temple, the highest mountain scenery in Bali is clearly seen so that it becomes one of the photo spots for tourists.

Moreover, when Mount Agung erupts and smokes it adds to the accuracy of the photos taken from the Penataran Lempuyang.

Now, after more than a year

Monday, April 22, 2019

International

since the first Mount Agung activity increased, tourists’ interest in coming to the Penataran Agung Temple has not diminished. On an ordinary day, the number of both domestic and foreign tourist even reaches an average of 600 people.

This was stated by the Lempuyang Guide Group Management, Wayan Wardana, when met on Friday (Apr. 19).

Wardana continued that drastic increase in visitors to Lempuyang

IBP/kmb

From the Penataran Lempuyang Temple, the highest mountain scenery in Bali is clearly seen so that it becomes one of the photo spots for tourists.

Temple had indeed begun since the eruption of Mount Agung after photos of tourists with the background of erupting Mount Agung circulated. So, during holiday season like August the visit can reach thousands of people every day.

According to Wardana, to enter the temple, visitors simply donate voluntarily. This has been implemented for a long time, long before the rise of Lempuyang Temple during the eruption of Mount Agung.

Meanwhile, rental fee of sarong use for tourists is IDR 10,000. “To enter the temple, tourist must use clothes or sarong to maintain the sanctity of the temple,” said Wardana.

In addition, a total of 20 officers at Lempuyang Temple in charge for one shift have different assignments. Their duties are divided into attendant of donation counter, rental of sarongs, instructor for the use of sarongs, prohibition sign escort inside the temple, and others.

According to Wardana, it aims to keep visitors from not going too far like going up to the shrines.

Meanwhile, one of the guides from Ubud, Yan De, said that currently the shooting queue at

Lempuyang Temple starts to be arranged. For example, tourists have now been provided with a place to queue. Thus, no tourists mill about or grab one another to take pictures with the background of Mount Agung which often occurred before the queuing was arranged.

Tourists are also patient enough to wait for their turn to take pictures, as the tourists guided by Yan De who have been waiting for almost two hours.

Yan De stated that one of the things he wanted from Lempuyang Temple is to maintain and preserve traditional culture. He regretted the existence of stones in the form of westernized ‘love’ which tarnished traditional culture. “This has made it look artificial, does not preserve the culture or originality of Lempuyang Temple as a place of worship,” said Yan De. A tourist being guided by Yan De, Alex, from Singapore, said that Lempuyang Temple is very beautiful and exotic. However, Alex is quite confused with the donation system at Lempuyang Temple because at the beginning he had paid a donation. However, when

taking pictures at the temple, the officers also asked to pay. “I think it has been included in the previous donation,” he said.

In addition, Alex also added that Lempuyang Temple still retains its religious aspect as a temple, a place of prayer. With the increasing number of tourists, Lempuyang is just seen as a spot to take photos.

Meanwhile, attendant in the innermost courtyard of the Lempuyang Temple, Wayan Budiasa, said the presence of photo spot at the temple does not reduce the solemnity of pilgrims coming to Lempuyang Temple. Tourists are only allowed to make a visit until the end of the stairs and not allowed to enter into the innermost courtyard if they only intend to take pictures. “Travelers wishing to pray can enter the innermost courtyard, but those who only want to take pictures are not allowed,” added Budiasa.

In addition to the usual photo spots, Lempuyang is also used as a place to propose by tourists. As being captured on camera, there was man kneeling in front of his partner while thrusting a ring. (kmb)

Thailand became the first country in Southeast Asia to legalise marijuana for medical purposes last year, joining a growing list of governments including Canada, Australia, Israel and more than half the US states.

The global market is forecast to reach tens of billions in under a decade, but slow-moving implementation of the Thai law has lagged behind a wave of local enthusiasm.

A political party has endorsed the plant’s benefits while marijuana-themed conferences and panels have sprung up across Thailand, with the three-day festival in Buriram town being the latest showcase for the drug’s uses.

The “Pan Buriram” (Buriram Strain) festival, ending Sunday, is a first for the sleepy town located about five hours northeast of Bangkok and known mainly for its football and motorsports competitions.

Monk Chaivisit Visitvekin, 67, was one of thousands who showed up and stood in line to file documents with the Ministry of Health as part of an amnesty for those already using cannabis for pain relief.

He said he was taking it for shoulder pain among other ailments.

“I used it before and had no side effects,” he said.

The atmosphere on the festival’s opening day reflected the mix of caution and excitement over the legalisation of medical marijuana in junta-run Thailand.

Armed police lingered as Bob Marley songs pumped out over stereos, vendors sold rolling papers and pipes, and the pungent whiff of marijuana filled the outer fringes of the grounds.

Lecturers addressed attendees on everything from “the four cannabis varieties” to “quality control” in air-conditioned tents that displayed large marijuana plants.

Vendors also showed off fertilisers as well as lighting and greenhouse equipment for those seeking to grow the plant, while people milled around stands selling T-shirts with marijuana leaf designs and rode on horses around the grounds.

Recent graduate Surrerat Ruangnoy said she used marijuana to help treat migraines, adding that she hoped the traditional stigma surrounding the drug would ease as a result of such events.

“At the festival I saw old people and I took pictures and will show them to my parents,” the 26-yearold said. “Generally, Thai parents are conservative and they don’t understand.”

Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / AFP

People wait to register their prescriptions for medicinal cannabis oil during the second day of the inaugural Pan Ram weed festival in the Thai northeastern province of Buriram on April 20, 2019.

- ‘Cannabis stigma’ Buriram is the northeastern stronghold of the Bhumjaithai Party, which ran in last month’s election on a platform of legalising marijuana and allowing households to grow six plants each.

The mega-wealthy Newin Chidchob, a founding member of Bhumjaithai who remains influential in the party and runs the town’s sporting empire, presided over the

festival.

He told AFP Saturday that the purpose of the event is to help Thais “understand and get access to the benefits of cannabis”.

Bhumjaithai is seen as a key coalition partner in the next government after the March 24 vote in which both the junta-backed party and its main rival claimed victory.

Full election results are expected

by May 9, but Bhumjaithai has said

it will not join any government that does not support its policies.

Though Thai authorities plan to tightly regulate the marijuana sector for the first five years, Newin predicted the next government would speed up the process.

He also pointed to the longstanding use of marijuana in traditional medicine amid ongoing disputes over the plant’s actual health benefits. (afp)

Australia orders urgent review after spate of dingo attacks

IBP/net

Australia on Sunday ordered a urgent review into the management of dingoes on a popular tourist island after a spate of attacks by the wild dogs this year.

SYDNEY - Australia on Sunday ordered a urgent review into the management of dingoes on a popular tourist island after a spate of attacks by the wild dogs this year.

The Queensland state government announced the review three days after a father rescued his toddler from a dingo’s jaws. The boy had been dragged from a parked campervan in a remote part of Fraser Island off the Queensland coast.

The 14-month-old’s skull was fractured and he suffered multiple puncture wounds to his neck and head, his parents told national broadcaster ABC. Queensland’s Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch said she was bringing forward a review into dingo management on the island.

“The management of dingoes on K’gari (Fraser Island) is complex, and the government is committed to supporting a sustainable and healthy dingo population, while minimising the risks to human safety and dingo welfare,” she said in a statement.

The number of rangers patrolling the island would be boosted, while more efforts would be made to educate visitors about the dangers of dingoes, Enoch added.

The attack on the toddler is the third this year on World Heritagelisted Fraser Island, the world’s largest sand island and a popular tourist destination that attracts up to 400,000 visitors each year.

Two dingoes were put down in March after a French mother and son were mauled on the island.

In January, a six-year-old boy was attacked as he ran up a dune on the island.

Authorities have warned visitors in the past that dingoes are wild animals and need to be treated with caution.

Native to Australia, dingoes came under the spotlight with the disappearance of baby Azaria Chamberlain at Uluru, or Ayers Rock, in 1980 for which her mother Lindy was convicted of murder and her father, Michael, of being an accessory.

The convictions were overturned in 1988 after the chance discovery of a piece of Azaria’s clothing near a dingo lair.

A court ruling in 2012 found that a dingo snatched their baby from a tent. (afp)

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International

Monday, April 22, 2019

BUSINESS China to complete $545 mn modernisation for Tajik smelter

China’s state-owned engineering company CMEC will modernise Tajikistan’s flagship aluminium smelter in a $545 million deal, a representative for the smelter told AFP Friday.

A representative for Talco confirmed to AFP via telephone that “the contract between CMEC (China Machinery Engineering Corporation) and Talco was signed on April 15,” though without details on how Talco would finance the deal.

Tajikistan’s Talco aluminium smelter is a key industrial asset in an impoverished and mostly agrarian country of 9 million bordering China.

But annual production of the smelter fell 7.2 percent in 2018, and its Soviet-era equipment is in sore need of upgrading.

The poorest country to emerge from the wreckage of the Soviet Union in 1991, Tajikistan has looked to soft loans from China’s stateowned Export-Import Bank of China to facilitate Beijing’s investments in the economy.

It now reportedly owes the bank more than $1.2 billion, equivalent to nearly a fifth of the national GDP. Chinese companies have also acquired rights to a number of mineral concessions in Tajikistan in recent years, some of which were granted to pay for the investment loans.

Talco last year launched a mining venture with Chinese company Tibet Huayu Mining Co. Ltd expected to annually produce 1.5 tonnes of gold and 16,000 tonnes of antimony. (afp)

US home construction continues to fall in March

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images/AFP

People look at a home for sale during an open house on April 16, 2019 in San Francisco, California. In the wake of several tech company IPOs, San Francisco is bracing for its already expensive real estate market to get even more expensive.

New home building dipped again in March after plunging in February, with declines in singlefamily and apartment construction spread over most of the country, according to US government data released Friday.

And while permits for new home construction also declined last month, the data show the backlog of projects waiting to get underway has surged to the highest in 12 years, likely reflecting continued labor shortages that for months have crimped building.

Construction of new homes dipped 0.3 percent compared to February, to an annual rate of 1.139 million, the lowest in nearly two years and more than 14 percent below March 2018, the Commerce Department reported.

It was a disappointing result since economists had forecast a pickup after the dismal figures in February.

Building of single-family homes was down 0.4 percent from the prior month, while apartment construction dropped 3.4 percent, and both categories showed double digit declines for the latest 12 months, according to the data.

The western United States was the only region to see an overall increase in construction, surging more than 34 percent, as California starts to rebuild from massive wildfires.

New building permits issued in March fell 1.7 percent compared to the prior month, and dropped nearly eight percent from a year ago -- the West again providing the

only exception.

However, projects that have been authorized but not started has held at 197,000 for three months, the highest level since June 2007 and 23 percent more than March 2018. Economist Conrad DeQuadros, of RDQ Economics said the “construction worker shortage is likely the main reason for this backlog,” and is a factor mentioned in many economic reports from industry as well as from the Federal Reserve’s “beige book” survey of the economy.

However, “We believe that the growth of households, in part due to a solid labor market, will support stronger demand for housing units and we look for a pickup in construction activity in the months ahead.” (afp)

Bali News

International

Monday, April 22, 2019

Ghana Waterfall Awaits You

5

Pejeng Kangin village, Tampaksiring, is now beginning to develop the potential of Gana Waterfall. This endeavor is carried out by arranging the road access heading for the object. All this time, there is not indeed road access to the waterfall object having alluring panorama.

Headman of Pejeng Kangin, I Gede Purniadi, clarified that his village does have beautiful objects that are not inferior to waterfalls elsewhere. The pristine waterfall is located near the Gana Temple at local village. “Since the waterfall sits near Gana Temple, it is called the Gana Waterfall,” he said not long ago.

According to him, the water flow of the waterfall sources from the Bukit Empelan of Pejeng, a tributary of Tukad Pakerisan’s river flow. Although it is believed to be a good object to take selfie, so far there is no direct access to this location. “Unfortunately, there is no road access to the location yet,” he said.

Though having had no proper access, the headman and other residents are optimistic to develop the waterfall as a tourist attraction. “There is entry access along about 400 meters from the parking lot belonging to village temple’s property. But no access is available yet to get to the location of the waterfall,” he explained.

Local residents have started to clean up the location by walking along the existing paths and cliffs.

He and the residents carried out cleanup in the area of ??the waterfall from drifted wooden twigs.

Likewise, plastic waste under the waterfall is taken up.

“By and large, we do mutual assistance on Fridays, but we also do extra activities on Wednesdays.

This is our step in making people aware of waste, and we are embarrassed later after getting the predicate as tourism village but plastic waste remains scattered,” he said.

He also revealed the budget required to build the road access to the location of Gana Waterfall is estimated to reach approximately IDR 250 million, namely for the making of pathway of 1.5 meters wide and 400 meters long.

Other than having the waterfall

tourism, the village also has other potential like the Kerobokan Cliff Temple, trekking and cycling paths in paddy fields with a track length of about 10 kilometers. “We already have the tourism potential.

Now, we are necessary to develop human resource potential and the

budget,” he added.

Purniadi affirmed that his village government is seriously promoting the tourist objects at his village by establishing a tourism awareness group (Pokdarwis). “We have established the Pokdarwis,” he concluded. (kmb)

Bulun Baon Vegetable, a Typical Ancient Menu

Have you ever tasted Bulun Baon vegetable? This kind of vegetable is mostly consumed by old people at villages. Apart from having different taste, this leaf-

based cuisine was once a favorite food among Balinese people in the past. Young people, especially the millennial, do not know much about it, much less like it because

it feels strange.

Lately, Bulun Baon vegetable became a classy food at hotels or restaurants. This traditional menu is widely consumed by foreign tourists, especially those who love yoga. The taste has certainly been adjusted, so that it can be enjoyed by foreign tourists. In the presentation, of course it is combined with other menus, so that it becomes more enjoyable.

One of the hotels serving the Bulun Baon vegetable is Kenderan Restaurant located at Dedary Kriyamaha Villa by Pramana Experience.

Bulun Baon is the preferred menu for its in-house guests. “This type of food is an attractive choice for tourists, especially those who are so interested in Balinese culture,” said Manager of Dedary Kriyamaha Villa, I Putu Eka Richmawan.

This menu is quite popular among

in-house guests. In fact, tourists who are very enthusiastic about Balinese culture try more traditional dishes, one of which is the Bulun Baon vegetable. It happens because the taste is very typical. “We have to adjust it pursuant to the appetite of guests that are not familiar with spicy taste.

Thus, the amount of spices used in the presentation of Bulun Baon vegetable is also adjusted,” said restaurant chef at Dedary Kriyamaha, I Made Aryana.

Aryana said the seasoning used in the making of this vegetable is base genep (Balinese complete seasoning) whose measure is adjusted so as not to be spicy. The Balinese grounded seasoning is then cooked and mixed with coconut milk and chopped eel. “This is what we call the kalasan lindung which we will use to mix birah leaves,” he explained.

Bulun Baon leaves take advantage of boiled young birah leaves.

To keep giving the green shades to the leaves and to remove bitter taste, it uses salt water when boiling. After cooking, it is immediately put into ice water. “It is meant to cool it down quickly, so the color of the leaves does not turn brown,” he explained.

Decoction of the bulun baon leaves is then combined with the seasoning of kalasan lindung, grated coconut, fried shallot and kalasan spices. The seasoning blend in use is also able to eliminate bitter taste of the bulun baon leaves.

Having mixed well, it is ready to be served with other menus, such as yam rice, palem yuyu (crab in grated coconut sauce), snail satay and raw condiment. Serving of this menu is started with the purple taro soup. (kmb)

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Monday, April 22, 2019

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International

International

RLD

INDONESIAN INDONESIAN

Saudis grapple with ever-shifting ‘red lines’

Indonesia condemns Sri Lanka’s church and hotel bombings

RIYADH - Two Saudis vent their opinions publicly. One is detained, the other is acquitted after the right to free speech is invoked. Such inconsistencies are provoking confusion over the kingdom’s ever-shifting “red lines”.

Sex, religion and politics were once clearly delineated as no-go areas in Saudi Arabia, part of an unwritten but well-known social code of conduct for staying out of trouble in the absolute monarchy.

But as fast-paced social reforms shake up the petro-state and aggressive nationalism takes root, inconsistent state responses to perceived transgressions are muddying public understanding of where the boundaries lie.

This month, a criminal court in Jeddah acquitted an unnamed Snapchat influencer accused of insulting fellow Saudis, saying every citizen had the right to express his opinion, local media reported without offering specific details.

The much-hyped case, which followed a broad government crackdown on dissenters and critics, drew both cheers and bewilderment in the kingdom.

“Freedom of expression guaranteed,” screamed a headline in bold red letters in the pro-government Okaz daily.

That freedom did not appear to

be guaranteed to academic Anas alMazrou, who campaigners say was detained last month after he voiced solidarity with jailed women activists during a panel discussion at the Riyadh book fair.

Saudi Arabia’s media ministry did not respond to a request to explain the contradiction, one of many across to kingdom.

In February, a comedian was summoned by prosecutors and apparently forced to apologise for poking fun at the now-toothless religious police.

But observers say other comedians have gotten away with it.

- ‘Push and pull’ -

One Jeddah cafe was recently shut down by authorities for not enforcing gender segregation.

But that prompted perplexity among the managers of other venues, where in recent years the sexes have been allowed to mingle.

Last year, officials arrested a hotel worker who appeared in what they described as an “offensive” video, eating breakfast with a female co-worker.

That left office workers who routinely share meals scratching their heads.

“The system is full of contradictions. It has no definite shape, and we don’t know what is right and what is wrong,” said Noah alGhamdi, a civil engineer.

“Maybe you do something spontaneous and one official doesn’t like it and decides to crush you,” he wrote on Twitter.

Saudi political cartoonist Jabertoon recently captured the sentiment in a cartoon depicting a puzzled citizen boxed in by zigzagging red lines and being grilled by an official.

All this has raised questions over what is acceptable as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman carries out a sweeping liberalisation drive, which one official said aims to drag the kingdom “kicking and screaming into the 21st century”.

The overhaul, popular with the youth, has ended decades-long bans on women driving and cinemas, and allowed mixed-gender concerts for the first time -- at the risk of riling hardliners. (afp)

Amer HILABI / AFP

In this file photo taken on March 30, 2018 Saudi women attend a concert by Egyptian pop sensation Tamer Hosny in the western city of Jeddah. As fast-paced social reforms shake up the petro-state and aggressive nationalism takes root, inconsistent state responses to perceived transgressions are muddying public understanding of where the boundaries lie.

Monday, April 22, 2019

IBP/net

Despite state and EU subsidies, Extremadura remains a mainly agricultural region.

Extremadura, Spain’s forgotten region

VILLAFRANCA DE LOS BARROS - Positioned on the edge of a railway line, Villafranca de los Barros should be in prime position to move goods from its three factories. There is a slight problem though -- close to no trains come through.

So it is that products are transported by truck from this town in southwestern Extremadura, Spain’s poorest region and also its worst connected, a major bugbear ahead of general elections on April 28.

Although nestled in the midst of vineyards, Villafranca depends more on the industrial sector than on agriculture.

While Extremadura as a whole is experiencing a population drain, it has managed to maintain this 13,000-strong town thanks to three factories -- one that makes bottles, the other cooking grills and a third that recycles aluminium.

But “the trains are slow and few and far between,” says Joaquin Rodriguez, deputy mayor of the sun-baked town.

Spain’s dense network of highspeed trains is famous in Europe.

But its tentacles have yet to reach Extremadura, on the border with Portugal.

The trains that link the two provincial capitals, Badajoz and Caceres, to Madrid are antiquated and often break down.

To top it all, they’re expensive, says Juan Carlos Lopez Duque, spokesman for the association Milana Bonita which campaigns for better trains -- an issue that has taken centre stage before the elections.

“It’s cheaper to take the plane to the Canary Islands,” a Spanish archipelago some 1,200 kilometres (750 miles) south of the mainland, he says.

Public Works Minister Jose Luis

Abalos has promised that by 2020, hybrid trains will connect the region with the rest of Spain.

These trains can go up to 200 kilometres an hour and are powered by electricity and diesel, which is useful where there are no electrified rail lines, like in Extremadura.

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Government strongly condemned the coordinated bombings striking several churches and hotels in Sri Lanka on Sunday morning.

The government and the people of Indonesia conveyed deep condolences to the victims and their families.

As revealed by a press statement made available to ANTARA on Sunday, the Indonesian Embassy in Colombo kept monitoring the progress of the situation and had coordinated with local security authorities, hospitals and local Indonesian citizen associations.

The Indonesian Foreign Ministry confirmed that none of Indonesian citizens felt victims of these bombing attacks.

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ELECTION 2019

There are around 374 Indonesian citizens in Sri Lanka, where 140 of them domiciled in the capital city of Colombo.

The Indonesian Government believes that the Sri Lankan Government could handle the situation well, and was also willing to provide the necessary assistance.

The Indonesian Government also calls on its citizens in Sri Lanka to remain vigilant and cautious and follow directions from the local security authorities.

For families and relatives pf the Indonesians living in Sri Lanka who are willing to have further information and consular assistance, they can contact the KBRI Colombo hotline at +94772773127. (ant)

- Neglected -

The region was neglected during the 1939-1975 dictatorship of Francisco Franco, says Cesar Ramos Esteban, a socialist lawmaker in Caceres.

And 44 years later, despite state and EU subsidies, Extremadura remains a mainly agricultural region.

Spain’s best cured ham, the world-famous “Jamon Iberico,” comes from pigs that have fed off the green pastures of Extremadura.

Tomatoes are grown on its southern plains, making it the fruit’s biggest producer in Spain.

It is the least developed region in Spain with the lowest GDP per capita and the highest unemployment -- 23.1 percent compared to the national average of 14.4 percent.

The successive regional governments, most of them socialist, have tried to ensure that everyone has access to public services no matter where they live, says Cesar Ramos.

He adds that in a region of one million people -- with a further 700,000 from the region living outside its borders -- they have battled to avoid villages dying off.

In Casas de Don Antonio, a village 40 kilometres south of Caceres where hundreds of white houses creep up a hill to group around the church, only 85 residents remain.

But there is a doctor, nurse and a medicine depot, says Pedro Macarino, 82, as he plays cards with three other retirees in the village’s last cafe, which doubles as a shop. (afp)

Re-voting at prison KM 18, Bintan Timur Sub- districtt, Bintan District.

IBP/ant

Re-voting on Bintan added three polling stations

TANJUNGPINANG - The number of polling stations (TPS) in re-voting in Bintan district, Riau Islands province is increased to four from three previously.

IBP/ant/rtr

The Indonesian government strongly condemned the bombings in various locations in Sri Lanka on April 21, 2019, at around 09.00 local time.

Chairman of the Bintan District Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) Febriadinata, in Bintan, Sunday, said the initial voting was at TPS 02 Ekang Village Anculai, District Teluk Bintan, and the number has been raised by three in Kijang Kota Sub-District, East Bintan District.

Febriadinata,said the sub-district election supervisory committee (Panwascam) found an error, so that he recommended the Bintan District Election Commission (KPU) to carry out re-voting.

Panwascam found people who

did not meet the requirements as voters voting for presidential and vice presidential candidates. In TPS 02, Ekang Anculai Village.

“There are three re-voting at polling station 12, polling station 13 and polling station 73 in Kijang Kota Village, Bintan Subdistrict, because it was found that nine people did not meet the requirements for voting, “he said.

In addition, he said, the Bintan KPU stipulated further voting.

Further voting for the selection of Bintan District DPRD in District 2 in Tambelan Subdistrict namely

Kukup Village is in TPS 2 and 3, and Pengikik Village in TPS 1.

Further voting is carried out because the ballots in the three polling stations are exchanged. The ballots exchanged at the three polling stations occurred due to negligence of officers since packing the electoral logistics before being transported by boat to Tambelan.

“We have reminded to ensure that all election logistics are not exchanged and are safe. KPU Bintan officers are safe, then logistics is transported to Tambelan, “ he said. (ant)

10

Destination

Monday, April 22, 2019

International

Nadal admits ‘hard to return to court’ after Monte Carlo shocker

Catur Muka Statue

DENPASAR - If you visit every town in Bali, you will see so many statues. Sometime the statue be the icon or landmark of its town self.

Have you seen the statue stands on cross road in front of Denpasar Mayor’s office? It called by Catur Muka Statue which is one of famous statue in Bali. Catur Muka Statue is the depiction of God

Brahma, the Almighty Creator. The statue stands on the cross roads in front of the Denpasar Mayor’s office. It is called Catur Muka (Four Faces) because it has four heads facing out to the four quarters of the compass and establihsed in 1973.

The statue was created by a craftsmen led by the locally renowned artist I Gusti Nyoman Lempad from

Monday, April 22, 2019

International

MONTE CARLO - Rafael Nadal admitted that it will be “hard to return to the practice court” after a shock semifinal defeat by Fabio Fognini ended his bid for a record-extending 12th Monte Carlo Masters title on Saturday.

Ubud village.

The four face of this granite statue are facing the four cardinal directions towards Jalan Soerapatti, Jalan Udayana, Jalan Veteran and Jalan Gajah Mada.

This location is also at the center of society and Denpasar Festival activities are held here. From the statue location, visitors can

visit several interesting place such as Puputan Badung Square, Jagatnatha Temple Denpasar, Bali Museum, and Kumbasari Traditional Market.

This 9 meters huge granite statue has four heads which each of them faces and guards the street of Surapati, Udayana, Veteran, and Gajah Mada. It is also said that the

four heads represent God’s power.

The first head signifies the fact that God is infinitely big. The second head signifies that God is the King of the kings of this world and the next. The third head signifies the fact that God is tireless and never stops working.

This statue became the activity center of Denpasar people like events and festival, and the most famous festival held in this place is Denpasar Festival. Around this statue, the visitor can find other places of interest in Denpasar like Jagatnatha Temple, Puputan Badung Field, Kumbasari Traditional Market, and Museum Bali. Visit Catur Muka Statue, the Landmark of Denpasar could become an attractive destination for your holiday in Bali. Catur Muka statue is now equipped with the dancing fountains. Even at night, the fountain’s colored like a rainbow.

(IBP/net)

The 17-time Grand Slam champion starts his Barcelona Open title defence on Wednesday, as he also fights to keep his world-number-two ranking before the French Open gets underway next month.

The 32-year-old said he played “one of my worst matches in 14 years on clay” in losing 6-4, 6-2 to Italian Fognini, having been forced to save three match points at 5-0 in the second set. “It will be hard to return to the practice court,” a subdued Nadal said after his fourth loss to Fognini, three of which have come on his beloved clay.

“I lost an opportunity in a very important event for me. I’m sad for that.”

Nadal has struggled with knee injuries this season, and was playing his first event since withdrawing before an Indian Wells semifinal against Roger Federer last month.

“There was little chance for me to start the clay-court season in a perfect way,” he insisted. “It was a bad day, the kind of day where the feeling is not there at all. It’s difficult to find positive ways today.”

Nadal was close to losing his first set to love in Monte Carlo since the 2005 final, where he beat Guillermo Coria in four sets.

“I was lucky to win two (second-set) games to avoid an even worse score,” he admitted.

“I’m thinking about how bad I played today, (trying to) understand the things.

“Coming back from injuries, winning and winning and winning is not easy. “(It’s been a) year and a half of not having the chance to play tournaments in a row (due to injury).”

YANN COATSALIOU / AFP

Spain’s Rafael Nadal hits a return to Italy’s Fabio Fognini during the semi final tennis match of the Monte-Carlo ATP Masters Series tournament on April 20, 2019 in Monaco.

- Nadal facing rankings slip Nadal, who will be favourite to win a 12th French Open crown at Roland Garros, has plenty of ranking points on the line before heading to Paris, with titles to defend in Barcelona and Rome. A slip outside the top two could set up a potential meeting with old rival Novak Djokovic, winner of the last three

Please contact Gugiek : 08123840500

The Spanish great is yet to win an ATP title this season. The last year he reached May without a tournament victory was in 2004.

Fognini will face unheralded Serbian Dusan Lajovic in Sunday’s final -- the first time since 2004 that neither Nadal, Djokovic nor Roger Federer have made it to the last day in the Principality. (afp)

Crawford stops Khan to retain WBO welterweight title

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Grand Slam tournaments, before the final.

The ‘king of clay’ will have to bounce back quickly next week to allay fears he is now vulnerable on the red dirt.

“I played one of my worst matches on clay in 14 years,” he said.

“It’s difficult to find any positives -- I deserved to lose.”

Al Bello/Getty Images/AFP

Terence Crawford punches Amir Khan during their WBO welterweight title fight at Madison Square Garden on April 20, 2019 in New York City.

NEW YORK - American Terence Crawford retained his WBO welterweight title Saturday, stopping Amir Khan in the sixth round when the Englishman was unable to continue because of an accidental low blow.

Crawford, who was making the second defense of his title, had little trouble controlling the fight and winning by a technical knockout against the overmatched Khan.

Crawford has now won nine of his last 11 fights by stoppage and Saturday’s surprise ending happened after he hit Khan with a hard left to the groin 47 seconds into the sixth round at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Khan buckled and was in obvious pain as he went over to his corner. During the injury stoppage, Khan’s trainer Virgil Hunter asked

his boxer if he wanted to continue and Khan said no. Khan could have taken a five-minute break to regain his composure but chose not to.

Crawford denied it was a low blow but the referee saw it differently.

“It wasn’t a low blow,” Crawford said. “I was rushing a little.

Trying to box more and catch him in the trenches.”

Three division world champion Crawford improved to 35 wins and no losses. Crawford, who is considered one of the best poundfor-pound fighters in the world, sent Khan to the canvas in the first round with an overhand right followed by a left to the temple. He delivered a similar overhand punch in the last 10 seconds of the round which wobbled Khan’s legs again.

The next couple of rounds saw

the 146-pound Crawford throwing almost all his punches at Khan’s head. By the fourth round, Crawford was in complete control and Khan’s swollen face was showing the marks of getting hit with clean punches.

Crawford started going to the body in the fourth and in the fifth he got his jab working again, popping Khan’s head back with a series of quick shots. Khan wasn’t Crawford’s first choice. He wanted to fight International Boxing Federation champ Errol Spence and reiterated that on Saturday.

“The only one fight they are talking about is Spence. Whenever he is ready, I am here,” said Crawford.

“The only thing I can do is fight (the) person they put in front of me.

We are going to make it happen, sooner or later.” (afp)

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Monday, April 22, 2019

Monday, April 22, 2019

9

Kante warns Chelsea to curb their second half slumps

Marco Bertorello / AFP

Juventus’ Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo acknowledges fans and celebrates after Juventus secured its 8th consecutive Italian 2018/19 “Scudetto” Serie A championships, after winning the Italian Serie A football match Juventus vs Fiorentina on April 20, 2019 at the Juventus stadium in Turin.

Ronaldo the future but Juventus need more to conquer Europe

LONDON - N’Golo Kante has warned Chelsea to cut out their sloppy second halfs as the Blues look to boost their bid to finish in the Premier League’s top four against Burnley on Monday.

Maurizio Sarri’s side advanced to the Europa League semi-finals on Thursday with a 4-3 win over Slavia Prague.

But what should have been a stroll into the last four after the hosts raced into a 4-1 half-time lead ended up as a tense finish when Chelsea let Slavia score twice early in the second half.

It is not the first time Chelsea have shown a lack of concentration after the interval this term, with Liverpool scoring twice in the second half to beat them 2-0 just days earlier.

Everton did exactly the same in another Chelsea defeat in March and France midfielder Kante admits his team can’t afford to continue that alarming trend if they are to qualify for next season’s Champions League via a top four finish.

Fifth-placed Chelsea are behind fourth placed Arsenal on goal dif-

ference, leaving the west Londoners with no margin for error when Burnley visit Stamford Bridge.

That gap will extend to three points if Arsenal beat Crystal Palace on Sunday, while sixth placed Manchester United could also leapfrog the Blues if they win at Everton on Sunday.

Chelsea’s target is to climb above third-placed Tottenham, who are just one point above them and lost to Manchester City on Saturday.

Insisting Chelsea are working to resolve those second half shortcomings, Kante said: “It’s just something that has happened many times this season and something we need to manage a bit better. But we still have to work on that.”

Chelsea are chasing a top four finish, but if they fall short, winning the Europa League would offer a secondary route into the Champions League.

And Kante believes completing that Europa League mission would turn Chelsea’s turbulent first season under Sarri’s leadership into a success. (afp)

PAU BARRENA / AFP

Barcelona’s Argentinian forward Lionel Messi vies with Real Sociedad’s Argentinian goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli during the Spanish league football match between FC Barcelona and Real Sociedad at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on April 20, 2019.

MILAN - Massimiliano Allegri insisted that Cristiano Ronaldo was the future of Juventus and the Portuguese superstar said he was “1,000 percent committed to staying” but despite sealing an eighth consecutive Serie A title the Turin giants need to find more if they want to conquer Europe next season.

Allegri’s side claimed an eighth consecutive Scudetto -- the 35th in their history -- on Saturday to help ease some of the pain of their shock Champions League quarterfinal exit at the Juventus Stadium to Ajax on Tuesday.

A come-from-behind 2-1 win over Fiorentina was enough to give Juventus a 20-point lead on nearest rivals Napoli with five games to play.

“The exit from the Champions League hurts, but this title says it all about what we managed to do -- eighth in a row with five games to spare,” said Allegri.

“Now let’s enjoy the party, then I’ll meet club management and we’ll talk and analyse what didn’t work this season.”

The Italian club have overtaken

French club Lyon for the record of consecutive victories in the top five European leagues.

But again they have been unable to turn their domestic domination to Europe, winning their last Champions League title in 1996 and losing five finals since.

The club spent 100 million euros ($117 million) on five-time Champions League winner Ronaldo last summer, hailing the 34-year-old record goal scorer as the missing piece in their jigsaw.

But this season they won less than the previous campaign, lifting Serie A and the Italian SuperCup but ending their four-year Coppa Italia reign.

Juventus have lost only two matches, against Genoa on March 17 and SPAL last week-

end, when they could have won the title with a record six games to spare.

The Juventus coach estimated that the title had been in the bag since February 2 when Paulo Dybala scored the only goal in a win over Bologna.

“That success was crucial because it came at a delicate moment, caught between the challenge with Atletico Madrid and the direct clash of Naples,” said Allegri.

The 51-year-old blamed “too many injuries and unforeseen events” and the players being unable to react to setbacks.

In recent weeks the club has been hit by injuries to Dybala, defender Giorgio Chiellini, Sami Khedira, Mario Mandzukic, and Douglas Costa. (afp)

Barca on cusp of La Liga triumph after win over Real Sociedad

Paul ELLIS / AFP

Chelsea’s French midfielder N’Golo Kante runs with the ball during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Chelsea at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on April 14, 2019.

Barcelona are closing in on their eighth La Liga title in 11 years after Clement Lenglet and Jordi Alba both scored in a 2-1 win over Real Sociedad on Saturday.

Victory means Barca only have to beat Alaves on Tuesday and then Levante next Saturday to be crowned champions at Camp Nou, while three points against Alaves will be enough on its own if Atletico Madrid then lose to Valencia on Wednesday.

Whether in three days or seven, it is now surely only a matter of when rather than if Ernesto Valverde’s side successfully defend their trophy, despite Atletico keeping the gap to nine points after they edged past Eibar earlier on Saturday.

“We have to get it out of our

heads that we are nine points clear,” Valverde said. “We now have three days until we play again and it will be difficult.”

Wrapping it up early though would allow Barcelona the luxury of focusing completely on the Champions League, which could give them an advantage over their semi-final opponents Liverpool, who seem to be embroiled in a Premier League race to the finish with Manchester City.

But this was no stroll, with Real Sociedad pulling level in the second half thanks to Juanmi’s equaliser, even if parity lasted less than two minutes.

Lionel Messi might not have scored but it was his cute pass that teed up the excellent Alba to score the winner after Lenglet had earlier

powered in a header from Ousmane Dembele’s cross.

- Barcelona racing towards title -

Barcelona stumbled out of the blocks this season but they are now tearing down the home straight.

This was their 21st league game without defeat while Real Madrid sit 16 points behind them ahead of their game at home to Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.

“You always look at the matches of Real Madrid because you always consider them a rival,” Valverde said. “In their case, they may be thinking about next season.”

It was a surprise when Messi failed to score with two free-kicks in the first half while Sociedad could have been in front but Juanmi

was denied by Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Willian Jose spurned the rebound.

There was nothing complicated about Lenglet’s opener, the Frenchman rising high above two defenders and heading into the corner for his first league goal in a Barcelona shirt.

Ter Stegen and Alba were fortunate not to be punished for a mix-up and then La Real did score, in the 62nd minute, as Juanmi slid to connect with Mikel Merino’s brilliant through ball.

But in the 64th minute, Barca were ahead again as Messi weaved one way and then the other before finding Alba to his left. The defender jinked inside and drove a shot into the far corner.

Earlier, Atletico Madrid had needed Thomas Lemar to come off the bench and find an 85th-

minute winner against Eibar as they stretched their lead over Real Madrid to seven points.

Without Antoine Griezmann and Diego Costa, who were both suspended, Diego Simeone’s side looked set for a stalemate that would have given Real at least a sniff of second place.

Instead Lemar, on as a substitute, tucked in Koke’s cross to deliver another timely boost to Atleti’s morale, in the same week their star goalkeeper Jan Oblak extended his contract with the club until 2023.

Lemar’s goal will have done the Frenchman’s confidence no harm either, after a difficult debut season following his 60 million-euro move from Monaco last summer.

Simeone will expect more next term. (afp)

8

Monday, April 22, 2019

Monday, April 22, 2019

9

Kante warns Chelsea to curb their second half slumps

Marco Bertorello / AFP

Juventus’ Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo acknowledges fans and celebrates after Juventus secured its 8th consecutive Italian 2018/19 “Scudetto” Serie A championships, after winning the Italian Serie A football match Juventus vs Fiorentina on April 20, 2019 at the Juventus stadium in Turin.

Ronaldo the future but Juventus need more to conquer Europe

LONDON - N’Golo Kante has warned Chelsea to cut out their sloppy second halfs as the Blues look to boost their bid to finish in the Premier League’s top four against Burnley on Monday.

Maurizio Sarri’s side advanced to the Europa League semi-finals on Thursday with a 4-3 win over Slavia Prague.

But what should have been a stroll into the last four after the hosts raced into a 4-1 half-time lead ended up as a tense finish when Chelsea let Slavia score twice early in the second half.

It is not the first time Chelsea have shown a lack of concentration after the interval this term, with Liverpool scoring twice in the second half to beat them 2-0 just days earlier.

Everton did exactly the same in another Chelsea defeat in March and France midfielder Kante admits his team can’t afford to continue that alarming trend if they are to qualify for next season’s Champions League via a top four finish.

Fifth-placed Chelsea are behind fourth placed Arsenal on goal dif-

ference, leaving the west Londoners with no margin for error when Burnley visit Stamford Bridge.

That gap will extend to three points if Arsenal beat Crystal Palace on Sunday, while sixth placed Manchester United could also leapfrog the Blues if they win at Everton on Sunday.

Chelsea’s target is to climb above third-placed Tottenham, who are just one point above them and lost to Manchester City on Saturday.

Insisting Chelsea are working to resolve those second half shortcomings, Kante said: “It’s just something that has happened many times this season and something we need to manage a bit better. But we still have to work on that.”

Chelsea are chasing a top four finish, but if they fall short, winning the Europa League would offer a secondary route into the Champions League.

And Kante believes completing that Europa League mission would turn Chelsea’s turbulent first season under Sarri’s leadership into a success. (afp)

PAU BARRENA / AFP

Barcelona’s Argentinian forward Lionel Messi vies with Real Sociedad’s Argentinian goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli during the Spanish league football match between FC Barcelona and Real Sociedad at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on April 20, 2019.

MILAN - Massimiliano Allegri insisted that Cristiano Ronaldo was the future of Juventus and the Portuguese superstar said he was “1,000 percent committed to staying” but despite sealing an eighth consecutive Serie A title the Turin giants need to find more if they want to conquer Europe next season.

Allegri’s side claimed an eighth consecutive Scudetto -- the 35th in their history -- on Saturday to help ease some of the pain of their shock Champions League quarterfinal exit at the Juventus Stadium to Ajax on Tuesday.

A come-from-behind 2-1 win over Fiorentina was enough to give Juventus a 20-point lead on nearest rivals Napoli with five games to play.

“The exit from the Champions League hurts, but this title says it all about what we managed to do -- eighth in a row with five games to spare,” said Allegri.

“Now let’s enjoy the party, then I’ll meet club management and we’ll talk and analyse what didn’t work this season.”

The Italian club have overtaken

French club Lyon for the record of consecutive victories in the top five European leagues.

But again they have been unable to turn their domestic domination to Europe, winning their last Champions League title in 1996 and losing five finals since.

The club spent 100 million euros ($117 million) on five-time Champions League winner Ronaldo last summer, hailing the 34-year-old record goal scorer as the missing piece in their jigsaw.

But this season they won less than the previous campaign, lifting Serie A and the Italian SuperCup but ending their four-year Coppa Italia reign.

Juventus have lost only two matches, against Genoa on March 17 and SPAL last week-

end, when they could have won the title with a record six games to spare.

The Juventus coach estimated that the title had been in the bag since February 2 when Paulo Dybala scored the only goal in a win over Bologna.

“That success was crucial because it came at a delicate moment, caught between the challenge with Atletico Madrid and the direct clash of Naples,” said Allegri.

The 51-year-old blamed “too many injuries and unforeseen events” and the players being unable to react to setbacks.

In recent weeks the club has been hit by injuries to Dybala, defender Giorgio Chiellini, Sami Khedira, Mario Mandzukic, and Douglas Costa. (afp)

Barca on cusp of La Liga triumph after win over Real Sociedad

Paul ELLIS / AFP

Chelsea’s French midfielder N’Golo Kante runs with the ball during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Chelsea at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on April 14, 2019.

Barcelona are closing in on their eighth La Liga title in 11 years after Clement Lenglet and Jordi Alba both scored in a 2-1 win over Real Sociedad on Saturday.

Victory means Barca only have to beat Alaves on Tuesday and then Levante next Saturday to be crowned champions at Camp Nou, while three points against Alaves will be enough on its own if Atletico Madrid then lose to Valencia on Wednesday.

Whether in three days or seven, it is now surely only a matter of when rather than if Ernesto Valverde’s side successfully defend their trophy, despite Atletico keeping the gap to nine points after they edged past Eibar earlier on Saturday.

“We have to get it out of our

heads that we are nine points clear,” Valverde said. “We now have three days until we play again and it will be difficult.”

Wrapping it up early though would allow Barcelona the luxury of focusing completely on the Champions League, which could give them an advantage over their semi-final opponents Liverpool, who seem to be embroiled in a Premier League race to the finish with Manchester City.

But this was no stroll, with Real Sociedad pulling level in the second half thanks to Juanmi’s equaliser, even if parity lasted less than two minutes.

Lionel Messi might not have scored but it was his cute pass that teed up the excellent Alba to score the winner after Lenglet had earlier

powered in a header from Ousmane Dembele’s cross.

- Barcelona racing towards title -

Barcelona stumbled out of the blocks this season but they are now tearing down the home straight.

This was their 21st league game without defeat while Real Madrid sit 16 points behind them ahead of their game at home to Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.

“You always look at the matches of Real Madrid because you always consider them a rival,” Valverde said. “In their case, they may be thinking about next season.”

It was a surprise when Messi failed to score with two free-kicks in the first half while Sociedad could have been in front but Juanmi

was denied by Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Willian Jose spurned the rebound.

There was nothing complicated about Lenglet’s opener, the Frenchman rising high above two defenders and heading into the corner for his first league goal in a Barcelona shirt.

Ter Stegen and Alba were fortunate not to be punished for a mix-up and then La Real did score, in the 62nd minute, as Juanmi slid to connect with Mikel Merino’s brilliant through ball.

But in the 64th minute, Barca were ahead again as Messi weaved one way and then the other before finding Alba to his left. The defender jinked inside and drove a shot into the far corner.

Earlier, Atletico Madrid had needed Thomas Lemar to come off the bench and find an 85th-

minute winner against Eibar as they stretched their lead over Real Madrid to seven points.

Without Antoine Griezmann and Diego Costa, who were both suspended, Diego Simeone’s side looked set for a stalemate that would have given Real at least a sniff of second place.

Instead Lemar, on as a substitute, tucked in Koke’s cross to deliver another timely boost to Atleti’s morale, in the same week their star goalkeeper Jan Oblak extended his contract with the club until 2023.

Lemar’s goal will have done the Frenchman’s confidence no harm either, after a difficult debut season following his 60 million-euro move from Monaco last summer.

Simeone will expect more next term. (afp)

10

Destination

Monday, April 22, 2019

International

Nadal admits ‘hard to return to court’ after Monte Carlo shocker

Catur Muka Statue

DENPASAR - If you visit every town in Bali, you will see so many statues. Sometime the statue be the icon or landmark of its town self.

Have you seen the statue stands on cross road in front of Denpasar Mayor’s office? It called by Catur Muka Statue which is one of famous statue in Bali. Catur Muka Statue is the depiction of God

Brahma, the Almighty Creator. The statue stands on the cross roads in front of the Denpasar Mayor’s office. It is called Catur Muka (Four Faces) because it has four heads facing out to the four quarters of the compass and establihsed in 1973.

The statue was created by a craftsmen led by the locally renowned artist I Gusti Nyoman Lempad from

Monday, April 22, 2019

International

MONTE CARLO - Rafael Nadal admitted that it will be “hard to return to the practice court” after a shock semifinal defeat by Fabio Fognini ended his bid for a record-extending 12th Monte Carlo Masters title on Saturday.

Ubud village.

The four face of this granite statue are facing the four cardinal directions towards Jalan Soerapatti, Jalan Udayana, Jalan Veteran and Jalan Gajah Mada.

This location is also at the center of society and Denpasar Festival activities are held here. From the statue location, visitors can

visit several interesting place such as Puputan Badung Square, Jagatnatha Temple Denpasar, Bali Museum, and Kumbasari Traditional Market.

This 9 meters huge granite statue has four heads which each of them faces and guards the street of Surapati, Udayana, Veteran, and Gajah Mada. It is also said that the

four heads represent God’s power.

The first head signifies the fact that God is infinitely big. The second head signifies that God is the King of the kings of this world and the next. The third head signifies the fact that God is tireless and never stops working.

This statue became the activity center of Denpasar people like events and festival, and the most famous festival held in this place is Denpasar Festival. Around this statue, the visitor can find other places of interest in Denpasar like Jagatnatha Temple, Puputan Badung Field, Kumbasari Traditional Market, and Museum Bali. Visit Catur Muka Statue, the Landmark of Denpasar could become an attractive destination for your holiday in Bali. Catur Muka statue is now equipped with the dancing fountains. Even at night, the fountain’s colored like a rainbow.

(IBP/net)

The 17-time Grand Slam champion starts his Barcelona Open title defence on Wednesday, as he also fights to keep his world-number-two ranking before the French Open gets underway next month.

The 32-year-old said he played “one of my worst matches in 14 years on clay” in losing 6-4, 6-2 to Italian Fognini, having been forced to save three match points at 5-0 in the second set. “It will be hard to return to the practice court,” a subdued Nadal said after his fourth loss to Fognini, three of which have come on his beloved clay.

“I lost an opportunity in a very important event for me. I’m sad for that.”

Nadal has struggled with knee injuries this season, and was playing his first event since withdrawing before an Indian Wells semifinal against Roger Federer last month.

“There was little chance for me to start the clay-court season in a perfect way,” he insisted. “It was a bad day, the kind of day where the feeling is not there at all. It’s difficult to find positive ways today.”

Nadal was close to losing his first set to love in Monte Carlo since the 2005 final, where he beat Guillermo Coria in four sets.

“I was lucky to win two (second-set) games to avoid an even worse score,” he admitted.

“I’m thinking about how bad I played today, (trying to) understand the things.

“Coming back from injuries, winning and winning and winning is not easy. “(It’s been a) year and a half of not having the chance to play tournaments in a row (due to injury).”

YANN COATSALIOU / AFP

Spain’s Rafael Nadal hits a return to Italy’s Fabio Fognini during the semi final tennis match of the Monte-Carlo ATP Masters Series tournament on April 20, 2019 in Monaco.

- Nadal facing rankings slip Nadal, who will be favourite to win a 12th French Open crown at Roland Garros, has plenty of ranking points on the line before heading to Paris, with titles to defend in Barcelona and Rome. A slip outside the top two could set up a potential meeting with old rival Novak Djokovic, winner of the last three

Please contact Gugiek : 08123840500

The Spanish great is yet to win an ATP title this season. The last year he reached May without a tournament victory was in 2004.

Fognini will face unheralded Serbian Dusan Lajovic in Sunday’s final -- the first time since 2004 that neither Nadal, Djokovic nor Roger Federer have made it to the last day in the Principality. (afp)

Crawford stops Khan to retain WBO welterweight title

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Grand Slam tournaments, before the final.

The ‘king of clay’ will have to bounce back quickly next week to allay fears he is now vulnerable on the red dirt.

“I played one of my worst matches on clay in 14 years,” he said.

“It’s difficult to find any positives -- I deserved to lose.”

Al Bello/Getty Images/AFP

Terence Crawford punches Amir Khan during their WBO welterweight title fight at Madison Square Garden on April 20, 2019 in New York City.

NEW YORK - American Terence Crawford retained his WBO welterweight title Saturday, stopping Amir Khan in the sixth round when the Englishman was unable to continue because of an accidental low blow.

Crawford, who was making the second defense of his title, had little trouble controlling the fight and winning by a technical knockout against the overmatched Khan.

Crawford has now won nine of his last 11 fights by stoppage and Saturday’s surprise ending happened after he hit Khan with a hard left to the groin 47 seconds into the sixth round at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Khan buckled and was in obvious pain as he went over to his corner. During the injury stoppage, Khan’s trainer Virgil Hunter asked

his boxer if he wanted to continue and Khan said no. Khan could have taken a five-minute break to regain his composure but chose not to.

Crawford denied it was a low blow but the referee saw it differently.

“It wasn’t a low blow,” Crawford said. “I was rushing a little.

Trying to box more and catch him in the trenches.”

Three division world champion Crawford improved to 35 wins and no losses. Crawford, who is considered one of the best poundfor-pound fighters in the world, sent Khan to the canvas in the first round with an overhand right followed by a left to the temple. He delivered a similar overhand punch in the last 10 seconds of the round which wobbled Khan’s legs again.

The next couple of rounds saw

the 146-pound Crawford throwing almost all his punches at Khan’s head. By the fourth round, Crawford was in complete control and Khan’s swollen face was showing the marks of getting hit with clean punches.

Crawford started going to the body in the fourth and in the fifth he got his jab working again, popping Khan’s head back with a series of quick shots. Khan wasn’t Crawford’s first choice. He wanted to fight International Boxing Federation champ Errol Spence and reiterated that on Saturday.

“The only one fight they are talking about is Spence. Whenever he is ready, I am here,” said Crawford.

“The only thing I can do is fight (the) person they put in front of me.

We are going to make it happen, sooner or later.” (afp)

6

Monday, April 22, 2019

W

International

International

RLD

INDONESIAN INDONESIAN

Saudis grapple with ever-shifting ‘red lines’

Indonesia condemns Sri Lanka’s church and hotel bombings

RIYADH - Two Saudis vent their opinions publicly. One is detained, the other is acquitted after the right to free speech is invoked. Such inconsistencies are provoking confusion over the kingdom’s ever-shifting “red lines”.

Sex, religion and politics were once clearly delineated as no-go areas in Saudi Arabia, part of an unwritten but well-known social code of conduct for staying out of trouble in the absolute monarchy.

But as fast-paced social reforms shake up the petro-state and aggressive nationalism takes root, inconsistent state responses to perceived transgressions are muddying public understanding of where the boundaries lie.

This month, a criminal court in Jeddah acquitted an unnamed Snapchat influencer accused of insulting fellow Saudis, saying every citizen had the right to express his opinion, local media reported without offering specific details.

The much-hyped case, which followed a broad government crackdown on dissenters and critics, drew both cheers and bewilderment in the kingdom.

“Freedom of expression guaranteed,” screamed a headline in bold red letters in the pro-government Okaz daily.

That freedom did not appear to

be guaranteed to academic Anas alMazrou, who campaigners say was detained last month after he voiced solidarity with jailed women activists during a panel discussion at the Riyadh book fair.

Saudi Arabia’s media ministry did not respond to a request to explain the contradiction, one of many across to kingdom.

In February, a comedian was summoned by prosecutors and apparently forced to apologise for poking fun at the now-toothless religious police.

But observers say other comedians have gotten away with it.

- ‘Push and pull’ -

One Jeddah cafe was recently shut down by authorities for not enforcing gender segregation.

But that prompted perplexity among the managers of other venues, where in recent years the sexes have been allowed to mingle.

Last year, officials arrested a hotel worker who appeared in what they described as an “offensive” video, eating breakfast with a female co-worker.

That left office workers who routinely share meals scratching their heads.

“The system is full of contradictions. It has no definite shape, and we don’t know what is right and what is wrong,” said Noah alGhamdi, a civil engineer.

“Maybe you do something spontaneous and one official doesn’t like it and decides to crush you,” he wrote on Twitter.

Saudi political cartoonist Jabertoon recently captured the sentiment in a cartoon depicting a puzzled citizen boxed in by zigzagging red lines and being grilled by an official.

All this has raised questions over what is acceptable as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman carries out a sweeping liberalisation drive, which one official said aims to drag the kingdom “kicking and screaming into the 21st century”.

The overhaul, popular with the youth, has ended decades-long bans on women driving and cinemas, and allowed mixed-gender concerts for the first time -- at the risk of riling hardliners. (afp)

Amer HILABI / AFP

In this file photo taken on March 30, 2018 Saudi women attend a concert by Egyptian pop sensation Tamer Hosny in the western city of Jeddah. As fast-paced social reforms shake up the petro-state and aggressive nationalism takes root, inconsistent state responses to perceived transgressions are muddying public understanding of where the boundaries lie.

Monday, April 22, 2019

IBP/net

Despite state and EU subsidies, Extremadura remains a mainly agricultural region.

Extremadura, Spain’s forgotten region

VILLAFRANCA DE LOS BARROS - Positioned on the edge of a railway line, Villafranca de los Barros should be in prime position to move goods from its three factories. There is a slight problem though -- close to no trains come through.

So it is that products are transported by truck from this town in southwestern Extremadura, Spain’s poorest region and also its worst connected, a major bugbear ahead of general elections on April 28.

Although nestled in the midst of vineyards, Villafranca depends more on the industrial sector than on agriculture.

While Extremadura as a whole is experiencing a population drain, it has managed to maintain this 13,000-strong town thanks to three factories -- one that makes bottles, the other cooking grills and a third that recycles aluminium.

But “the trains are slow and few and far between,” says Joaquin Rodriguez, deputy mayor of the sun-baked town.

Spain’s dense network of highspeed trains is famous in Europe.

But its tentacles have yet to reach Extremadura, on the border with Portugal.

The trains that link the two provincial capitals, Badajoz and Caceres, to Madrid are antiquated and often break down.

To top it all, they’re expensive, says Juan Carlos Lopez Duque, spokesman for the association Milana Bonita which campaigns for better trains -- an issue that has taken centre stage before the elections.

“It’s cheaper to take the plane to the Canary Islands,” a Spanish archipelago some 1,200 kilometres (750 miles) south of the mainland, he says.

Public Works Minister Jose Luis

Abalos has promised that by 2020, hybrid trains will connect the region with the rest of Spain.

These trains can go up to 200 kilometres an hour and are powered by electricity and diesel, which is useful where there are no electrified rail lines, like in Extremadura.

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Government strongly condemned the coordinated bombings striking several churches and hotels in Sri Lanka on Sunday morning.

The government and the people of Indonesia conveyed deep condolences to the victims and their families.

As revealed by a press statement made available to ANTARA on Sunday, the Indonesian Embassy in Colombo kept monitoring the progress of the situation and had coordinated with local security authorities, hospitals and local Indonesian citizen associations.

The Indonesian Foreign Ministry confirmed that none of Indonesian citizens felt victims of these bombing attacks.

11

ELECTION 2019

There are around 374 Indonesian citizens in Sri Lanka, where 140 of them domiciled in the capital city of Colombo.

The Indonesian Government believes that the Sri Lankan Government could handle the situation well, and was also willing to provide the necessary assistance.

The Indonesian Government also calls on its citizens in Sri Lanka to remain vigilant and cautious and follow directions from the local security authorities.

For families and relatives pf the Indonesians living in Sri Lanka who are willing to have further information and consular assistance, they can contact the KBRI Colombo hotline at +94772773127. (ant)

- Neglected -

The region was neglected during the 1939-1975 dictatorship of Francisco Franco, says Cesar Ramos Esteban, a socialist lawmaker in Caceres.

And 44 years later, despite state and EU subsidies, Extremadura remains a mainly agricultural region.

Spain’s best cured ham, the world-famous “Jamon Iberico,” comes from pigs that have fed off the green pastures of Extremadura.

Tomatoes are grown on its southern plains, making it the fruit’s biggest producer in Spain.

It is the least developed region in Spain with the lowest GDP per capita and the highest unemployment -- 23.1 percent compared to the national average of 14.4 percent.

The successive regional governments, most of them socialist, have tried to ensure that everyone has access to public services no matter where they live, says Cesar Ramos.

He adds that in a region of one million people -- with a further 700,000 from the region living outside its borders -- they have battled to avoid villages dying off.

In Casas de Don Antonio, a village 40 kilometres south of Caceres where hundreds of white houses creep up a hill to group around the church, only 85 residents remain.

But there is a doctor, nurse and a medicine depot, says Pedro Macarino, 82, as he plays cards with three other retirees in the village’s last cafe, which doubles as a shop. (afp)

Re-voting at prison KM 18, Bintan Timur Sub- districtt, Bintan District.

IBP/ant

Re-voting on Bintan added three polling stations

TANJUNGPINANG - The number of polling stations (TPS) in re-voting in Bintan district, Riau Islands province is increased to four from three previously.

IBP/ant/rtr

The Indonesian government strongly condemned the bombings in various locations in Sri Lanka on April 21, 2019, at around 09.00 local time.

Chairman of the Bintan District Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) Febriadinata, in Bintan, Sunday, said the initial voting was at TPS 02 Ekang Village Anculai, District Teluk Bintan, and the number has been raised by three in Kijang Kota Sub-District, East Bintan District.

Febriadinata,said the sub-district election supervisory committee (Panwascam) found an error, so that he recommended the Bintan District Election Commission (KPU) to carry out re-voting.

Panwascam found people who

did not meet the requirements as voters voting for presidential and vice presidential candidates. In TPS 02, Ekang Anculai Village.

“There are three re-voting at polling station 12, polling station 13 and polling station 73 in Kijang Kota Village, Bintan Subdistrict, because it was found that nine people did not meet the requirements for voting, “he said.

In addition, he said, the Bintan KPU stipulated further voting.

Further voting for the selection of Bintan District DPRD in District 2 in Tambelan Subdistrict namely

Kukup Village is in TPS 2 and 3, and Pengikik Village in TPS 1.

Further voting is carried out because the ballots in the three polling stations are exchanged. The ballots exchanged at the three polling stations occurred due to negligence of officers since packing the electoral logistics before being transported by boat to Tambelan.

“We have reminded to ensure that all election logistics are not exchanged and are safe. KPU Bintan officers are safe, then logistics is transported to Tambelan, “ he said. (ant)

12

International

Monday, April 22, 2019

BUSINESS China to complete $545 mn modernisation for Tajik smelter

China’s state-owned engineering company CMEC will modernise Tajikistan’s flagship aluminium smelter in a $545 million deal, a representative for the smelter told AFP Friday.

A representative for Talco confirmed to AFP via telephone that “the contract between CMEC (China Machinery Engineering Corporation) and Talco was signed on April 15,” though without details on how Talco would finance the deal.

Tajikistan’s Talco aluminium smelter is a key industrial asset in an impoverished and mostly agrarian country of 9 million bordering China.

But annual production of the smelter fell 7.2 percent in 2018, and its Soviet-era equipment is in sore need of upgrading.

The poorest country to emerge from the wreckage of the Soviet Union in 1991, Tajikistan has looked to soft loans from China’s stateowned Export-Import Bank of China to facilitate Beijing’s investments in the economy.

It now reportedly owes the bank more than $1.2 billion, equivalent to nearly a fifth of the national GDP. Chinese companies have also acquired rights to a number of mineral concessions in Tajikistan in recent years, some of which were granted to pay for the investment loans.

Talco last year launched a mining venture with Chinese company Tibet Huayu Mining Co. Ltd expected to annually produce 1.5 tonnes of gold and 16,000 tonnes of antimony. (afp)

US home construction continues to fall in March

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images/AFP

People look at a home for sale during an open house on April 16, 2019 in San Francisco, California. In the wake of several tech company IPOs, San Francisco is bracing for its already expensive real estate market to get even more expensive.

New home building dipped again in March after plunging in February, with declines in singlefamily and apartment construction spread over most of the country, according to US government data released Friday.

And while permits for new home construction also declined last month, the data show the backlog of projects waiting to get underway has surged to the highest in 12 years, likely reflecting continued labor shortages that for months have crimped building.

Construction of new homes dipped 0.3 percent compared to February, to an annual rate of 1.139 million, the lowest in nearly two years and more than 14 percent below March 2018, the Commerce Department reported.

It was a disappointing result since economists had forecast a pickup after the dismal figures in February.

Building of single-family homes was down 0.4 percent from the prior month, while apartment construction dropped 3.4 percent, and both categories showed double digit declines for the latest 12 months, according to the data.

The western United States was the only region to see an overall increase in construction, surging more than 34 percent, as California starts to rebuild from massive wildfires.

New building permits issued in March fell 1.7 percent compared to the prior month, and dropped nearly eight percent from a year ago -- the West again providing the

only exception.

However, projects that have been authorized but not started has held at 197,000 for three months, the highest level since June 2007 and 23 percent more than March 2018. Economist Conrad DeQuadros, of RDQ Economics said the “construction worker shortage is likely the main reason for this backlog,” and is a factor mentioned in many economic reports from industry as well as from the Federal Reserve’s “beige book” survey of the economy.

However, “We believe that the growth of households, in part due to a solid labor market, will support stronger demand for housing units and we look for a pickup in construction activity in the months ahead.” (afp)

Bali News

International

Monday, April 22, 2019

Ghana Waterfall Awaits You

5

Pejeng Kangin village, Tampaksiring, is now beginning to develop the potential of Gana Waterfall. This endeavor is carried out by arranging the road access heading for the object. All this time, there is not indeed road access to the waterfall object having alluring panorama.

Headman of Pejeng Kangin, I Gede Purniadi, clarified that his village does have beautiful objects that are not inferior to waterfalls elsewhere. The pristine waterfall is located near the Gana Temple at local village. “Since the waterfall sits near Gana Temple, it is called the Gana Waterfall,” he said not long ago.

According to him, the water flow of the waterfall sources from the Bukit Empelan of Pejeng, a tributary of Tukad Pakerisan’s river flow. Although it is believed to be a good object to take selfie, so far there is no direct access to this location. “Unfortunately, there is no road access to the location yet,” he said.

Though having had no proper access, the headman and other residents are optimistic to develop the waterfall as a tourist attraction. “There is entry access along about 400 meters from the parking lot belonging to village temple’s property. But no access is available yet to get to the location of the waterfall,” he explained.

Local residents have started to clean up the location by walking along the existing paths and cliffs.

He and the residents carried out cleanup in the area of ??the waterfall from drifted wooden twigs.

Likewise, plastic waste under the waterfall is taken up.

“By and large, we do mutual assistance on Fridays, but we also do extra activities on Wednesdays.

This is our step in making people aware of waste, and we are embarrassed later after getting the predicate as tourism village but plastic waste remains scattered,” he said.

He also revealed the budget required to build the road access to the location of Gana Waterfall is estimated to reach approximately IDR 250 million, namely for the making of pathway of 1.5 meters wide and 400 meters long.

Other than having the waterfall

tourism, the village also has other potential like the Kerobokan Cliff Temple, trekking and cycling paths in paddy fields with a track length of about 10 kilometers. “We already have the tourism potential.

Now, we are necessary to develop human resource potential and the

budget,” he added.

Purniadi affirmed that his village government is seriously promoting the tourist objects at his village by establishing a tourism awareness group (Pokdarwis). “We have established the Pokdarwis,” he concluded. (kmb)

Bulun Baon Vegetable, a Typical Ancient Menu

Have you ever tasted Bulun Baon vegetable? This kind of vegetable is mostly consumed by old people at villages. Apart from having different taste, this leaf-

based cuisine was once a favorite food among Balinese people in the past. Young people, especially the millennial, do not know much about it, much less like it because

it feels strange.

Lately, Bulun Baon vegetable became a classy food at hotels or restaurants. This traditional menu is widely consumed by foreign tourists, especially those who love yoga. The taste has certainly been adjusted, so that it can be enjoyed by foreign tourists. In the presentation, of course it is combined with other menus, so that it becomes more enjoyable.

One of the hotels serving the Bulun Baon vegetable is Kenderan Restaurant located at Dedary Kriyamaha Villa by Pramana Experience.

Bulun Baon is the preferred menu for its in-house guests. “This type of food is an attractive choice for tourists, especially those who are so interested in Balinese culture,” said Manager of Dedary Kriyamaha Villa, I Putu Eka Richmawan.

This menu is quite popular among

in-house guests. In fact, tourists who are very enthusiastic about Balinese culture try more traditional dishes, one of which is the Bulun Baon vegetable. It happens because the taste is very typical. “We have to adjust it pursuant to the appetite of guests that are not familiar with spicy taste.

Thus, the amount of spices used in the presentation of Bulun Baon vegetable is also adjusted,” said restaurant chef at Dedary Kriyamaha, I Made Aryana.

Aryana said the seasoning used in the making of this vegetable is base genep (Balinese complete seasoning) whose measure is adjusted so as not to be spicy. The Balinese grounded seasoning is then cooked and mixed with coconut milk and chopped eel. “This is what we call the kalasan lindung which we will use to mix birah leaves,” he explained.

Bulun Baon leaves take advantage of boiled young birah leaves.

To keep giving the green shades to the leaves and to remove bitter taste, it uses salt water when boiling. After cooking, it is immediately put into ice water. “It is meant to cool it down quickly, so the color of the leaves does not turn brown,” he explained.

Decoction of the bulun baon leaves is then combined with the seasoning of kalasan lindung, grated coconut, fried shallot and kalasan spices. The seasoning blend in use is also able to eliminate bitter taste of the bulun baon leaves.

Having mixed well, it is ready to be served with other menus, such as yam rice, palem yuyu (crab in grated coconut sauce), snail satay and raw condiment. Serving of this menu is started with the purple taro soup. (kmb)

4

Bali News

Monday, April 22, 2019

International

Dozens of female surfers participate in ‘Kartini Go Surf’

MANGUPURA - Dozens of female surfers from Bali and overseas participated in Kartini Go Surf activities on Kuta Beach on Saturday (Apr. 20).

The activity held by the Army Family Association (Hipakad) of Bali Chapter with the Magic Wave is in a series of welcoming the Kartini Day 2019 and a form of appreciation to women’s emancipation.

Committee Chairman, Herry Boedi Oetomo, representing the Bali Chapter Chairman stated the event becomes interesting because participating female surfers put on kebaya and cloth while surfing the beach. In the future, he hoped the event can take place routinely and becomes a national and even international event.

The activity took the theme “With the Spirit of Kartini, We Increase the Nationalism and Do the Best, Courageous, Sincere and Sincere in Realizing Bali Santi and Jagadhita.” In addition to commemorating Kartini Day, the event is also to encourage female surfers to accommodate the interests and talents of younger generation who are fond of surfing as well as helping the government program to train the community.

“This event is also a means to spur the development of surfing, especially for women. Besides, through this event we want to convey the message that Bali is very safe

13

Thailand marijuana festival has visitors on a high

BURIRAM - A Buddhist monk fishes out a vial of cannabis oil from his robe and puts a drop under his tongue -- one of many people flocking to a weed festival in northeastern Thailand, where excitement is building over a medical marijuana boom.

IBP/kmb

Female surfers from Bali and overseas participated in Kartini Go Surf activities on Kuta Beach on Saturday (Apr. 20). to visit so that tourist visits can increase,” he affirmed. Meanwhile, Mrs. Bayu Panji, Operations Section Head of the 163/Wirasatya Military Resort Command, representing the spouse of Commander of the 163/Wirasatya Military Resort, said that through this activity, the future surfers of Bali can be known

both nationally and internationally. “We hope that female surfers of Bali can go international,” she hoped when met after officially opening the Kartini Go Surf marked with the release of balloons.

One of the South Korean participants, Mina Jo, 28, claimed to be happy for being

able to participate. According to her, Bali has a very good natural beauty. She told that surfing by using kebaya is indeed very difficult.

When surfing, she usually wears a bikini, but now uses kebaya. “It’s very difficult to surf with kebaya. To move while surfing is also very difficult,” she told. (kmb23)

After the eruption of Mount Agung

Lempuyang Temple increasingly thronged by tourists

SINCE volcanic activities have increased in September 2017, the name of Lempuyang Temple is increasingly popular. From the Penataran Lempuyang Temple, the highest mountain scenery in Bali is clearly seen so that it becomes one of the photo spots for tourists.

Moreover, when Mount Agung erupts and smokes it adds to the accuracy of the photos taken from the Penataran Lempuyang.

Now, after more than a year

Monday, April 22, 2019

International

since the first Mount Agung activity increased, tourists’ interest in coming to the Penataran Agung Temple has not diminished. On an ordinary day, the number of both domestic and foreign tourist even reaches an average of 600 people.

This was stated by the Lempuyang Guide Group Management, Wayan Wardana, when met on Friday (Apr. 19).

Wardana continued that drastic increase in visitors to Lempuyang

IBP/kmb

From the Penataran Lempuyang Temple, the highest mountain scenery in Bali is clearly seen so that it becomes one of the photo spots for tourists.

Temple had indeed begun since the eruption of Mount Agung after photos of tourists with the background of erupting Mount Agung circulated. So, during holiday season like August the visit can reach thousands of people every day.

According to Wardana, to enter the temple, visitors simply donate voluntarily. This has been implemented for a long time, long before the rise of Lempuyang Temple during the eruption of Mount Agung.

Meanwhile, rental fee of sarong use for tourists is IDR 10,000. “To enter the temple, tourist must use clothes or sarong to maintain the sanctity of the temple,” said Wardana.

In addition, a total of 20 officers at Lempuyang Temple in charge for one shift have different assignments. Their duties are divided into attendant of donation counter, rental of sarongs, instructor for the use of sarongs, prohibition sign escort inside the temple, and others.

According to Wardana, it aims to keep visitors from not going too far like going up to the shrines.

Meanwhile, one of the guides from Ubud, Yan De, said that currently the shooting queue at

Lempuyang Temple starts to be arranged. For example, tourists have now been provided with a place to queue. Thus, no tourists mill about or grab one another to take pictures with the background of Mount Agung which often occurred before the queuing was arranged.

Tourists are also patient enough to wait for their turn to take pictures, as the tourists guided by Yan De who have been waiting for almost two hours.

Yan De stated that one of the things he wanted from Lempuyang Temple is to maintain and preserve traditional culture. He regretted the existence of stones in the form of westernized ‘love’ which tarnished traditional culture. “This has made it look artificial, does not preserve the culture or originality of Lempuyang Temple as a place of worship,” said Yan De. A tourist being guided by Yan De, Alex, from Singapore, said that Lempuyang Temple is very beautiful and exotic. However, Alex is quite confused with the donation system at Lempuyang Temple because at the beginning he had paid a donation. However, when

taking pictures at the temple, the officers also asked to pay. “I think it has been included in the previous donation,” he said.

In addition, Alex also added that Lempuyang Temple still retains its religious aspect as a temple, a place of prayer. With the increasing number of tourists, Lempuyang is just seen as a spot to take photos.

Meanwhile, attendant in the innermost courtyard of the Lempuyang Temple, Wayan Budiasa, said the presence of photo spot at the temple does not reduce the solemnity of pilgrims coming to Lempuyang Temple. Tourists are only allowed to make a visit until the end of the stairs and not allowed to enter into the innermost courtyard if they only intend to take pictures. “Travelers wishing to pray can enter the innermost courtyard, but those who only want to take pictures are not allowed,” added Budiasa.

In addition to the usual photo spots, Lempuyang is also used as a place to propose by tourists. As being captured on camera, there was man kneeling in front of his partner while thrusting a ring. (kmb)

Thailand became the first country in Southeast Asia to legalise marijuana for medical purposes last year, joining a growing list of governments including Canada, Australia, Israel and more than half the US states.

The global market is forecast to reach tens of billions in under a decade, but slow-moving implementation of the Thai law has lagged behind a wave of local enthusiasm.

A political party has endorsed the plant’s benefits while marijuana-themed conferences and panels have sprung up across Thailand, with the three-day festival in Buriram town being the latest showcase for the drug’s uses.

The “Pan Buriram” (Buriram Strain) festival, ending Sunday, is a first for the sleepy town located about five hours northeast of Bangkok and known mainly for its football and motorsports competitions.

Monk Chaivisit Visitvekin, 67, was one of thousands who showed up and stood in line to file documents with the Ministry of Health as part of an amnesty for those already using cannabis for pain relief.

He said he was taking it for shoulder pain among other ailments.

“I used it before and had no side effects,” he said.

The atmosphere on the festival’s opening day reflected the mix of caution and excitement over the legalisation of medical marijuana in junta-run Thailand.

Armed police lingered as Bob Marley songs pumped out over stereos, vendors sold rolling papers and pipes, and the pungent whiff of marijuana filled the outer fringes of the grounds.

Lecturers addressed attendees on everything from “the four cannabis varieties” to “quality control” in air-conditioned tents that displayed large marijuana plants.

Vendors also showed off fertilisers as well as lighting and greenhouse equipment for those seeking to grow the plant, while people milled around stands selling T-shirts with marijuana leaf designs and rode on horses around the grounds.

Recent graduate Surrerat Ruangnoy said she used marijuana to help treat migraines, adding that she hoped the traditional stigma surrounding the drug would ease as a result of such events.

“At the festival I saw old people and I took pictures and will show them to my parents,” the 26-yearold said. “Generally, Thai parents are conservative and they don’t understand.”

Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / AFP

People wait to register their prescriptions for medicinal cannabis oil during the second day of the inaugural Pan Ram weed festival in the Thai northeastern province of Buriram on April 20, 2019.

- ‘Cannabis stigma’ Buriram is the northeastern stronghold of the Bhumjaithai Party, which ran in last month’s election on a platform of legalising marijuana and allowing households to grow six plants each.

The mega-wealthy Newin Chidchob, a founding member of Bhumjaithai who remains influential in the party and runs the town’s sporting empire, presided over the

festival.

He told AFP Saturday that the purpose of the event is to help Thais “understand and get access to the benefits of cannabis”.

Bhumjaithai is seen as a key coalition partner in the next government after the March 24 vote in which both the junta-backed party and its main rival claimed victory.

Full election results are expected

by May 9, but Bhumjaithai has said

it will not join any government that does not support its policies.

Though Thai authorities plan to tightly regulate the marijuana sector for the first five years, Newin predicted the next government would speed up the process.

He also pointed to the longstanding use of marijuana in traditional medicine amid ongoing disputes over the plant’s actual health benefits. (afp)

Australia orders urgent review after spate of dingo attacks

IBP/net

Australia on Sunday ordered a urgent review into the management of dingoes on a popular tourist island after a spate of attacks by the wild dogs this year.

SYDNEY - Australia on Sunday ordered a urgent review into the management of dingoes on a popular tourist island after a spate of attacks by the wild dogs this year.

The Queensland state government announced the review three days after a father rescued his toddler from a dingo’s jaws. The boy had been dragged from a parked campervan in a remote part of Fraser Island off the Queensland coast.

The 14-month-old’s skull was fractured and he suffered multiple puncture wounds to his neck and head, his parents told national broadcaster ABC. Queensland’s Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch said she was bringing forward a review into dingo management on the island.

“The management of dingoes on K’gari (Fraser Island) is complex, and the government is committed to supporting a sustainable and healthy dingo population, while minimising the risks to human safety and dingo welfare,” she said in a statement.

The number of rangers patrolling the island would be boosted, while more efforts would be made to educate visitors about the dangers of dingoes, Enoch added.

The attack on the toddler is the third this year on World Heritagelisted Fraser Island, the world’s largest sand island and a popular tourist destination that attracts up to 400,000 visitors each year.

Two dingoes were put down in March after a French mother and son were mauled on the island.

In January, a six-year-old boy was attacked as he ran up a dune on the island.

Authorities have warned visitors in the past that dingoes are wild animals and need to be treated with caution.

Native to Australia, dingoes came under the spotlight with the disappearance of baby Azaria Chamberlain at Uluru, or Ayers Rock, in 1980 for which her mother Lindy was convicted of murder and her father, Michael, of being an accessory.

The convictions were overturned in 1988 after the chance discovery of a piece of Azaria’s clothing near a dingo lair.

A court ruling in 2012 found that a dingo snatched their baby from a tent. (afp)

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Monday, April 22, 2019

Traveling

International

Bali News

International

Things to see and do on the Costa del Sol

JUST over two hours flight from the UK, the Costa del Sol is the popular short-haul option thanks tomore than 300 days of sunshine a year. Nowhere else on earth can you find beaches, history, culture, sports, fantastic cities, the great outdoors and even skiing, all in one compact destination. Here’s our roundup: Skiing and sunbathing in one place

We all associate the Costa del Sol with the sparkling Mediterranean Sea lapping against fantastic sandy beaches, and it’s certainly a great place to soak up the sun and enjoy the world-renowned nightlife. However, what many people don’t know is that Andalucía as a region also offers Europe’s Southern-most ski resort, with great skiing from December to the beginning of May. This winter wonderland is just a stone’s throw from the Costa del Sol and on a good day you can even see the sea from the slopes.

In fact it’s so close that you could combine skiing with a day on the beach to recover before you head home. It’s even possible to be on the slopes in the morning and then within two hours drive be enjoying a long afternoon of warm sunshine on the coast.

The Sierra Nevada (Snowy Mountain Range) near Granada offers plenty of sunshine, good snow and a varied mix of runs for beginners and intermediates, plus a handful of more challenging runs.

Although it is not a huge resort, there are wide slopes, quick and

efficient lifts, and good restaurants and bars to rest those weary feet.

The après-ski is quite legendary too!

Terrific towns and picturesque pueblos

This area of Spain has been slammed for its concrete tower blocks and non-existent town planning. However, for every Torremolinos there are several stunning white villages nestled into the hillsides, not to mention vibrant, Spanish towns and cities with great architecture.

Marbella is a fantastic town with lots of charm, a predominantly Spanish population, a beautiful beachside promenade and tons of bars and restaurants. It is often confused with the nearby Puerto Banus and thought to be an expensive, flashy place, but in fact this is a very real, working Spanish town and merits a visit.

Marbella’s hidden gem is its historic and picturesque Old Town, or casco antiguo. This has changed little over the centuries and still features ancient architecture, a maze of narrow cobbled streets with charming white washed houses, and beautiful plazas adorned with fountains.

At the centre is Orange Square, a beautiful Andalucian square, full of orange trees and sweetly scented tropical plants.

The Old Town is full of unusual shops and galleries, little chapels and churches, not to mention a fantastic selection of bars, cafés and eateries, and is a great place to explore.

The picturesque Pueblos Blan-

cos white villages are a typically Andalucian feature and have been well-preserved, yet little explored by most tourists. If you are able to hire a car then you can spend several days driving around the stunning countryside, exploring these little villages and stepping back into Andalucia’s past.

One of the most breathtaking places to visit is the mountaintop city of Ronda, located less than an hour’s drive from the coast. This city is set above a gorge (El Tajo) giving dramatic views and the stone bridge that spans the gorge offers the perfect place to take in the stunning scenery. The old town dates back to Moorish rule and is full of history and charm.

Closer to coast and more popular with tourists is the beautiful village of Mijas Pueblo. Located just a 20-minute drive inland, this village has remained relatively unspoilt by tourism maintaining its Spanish charm and offers spectacular panoramic views of the coast from its many view points. Wander the cobbled streets and sample the local delicacies, there are also many specialist shops around the town including handmade leather and ceramics. Every Wednesday the town hall puts on a popular flamenco show at midday in the main square.

High Octane Fun

If you’re a fan of outdoor adventure activities, there’s plenty to get your adrenaline pumping in the Costa del Sol. Think quad biking, go-carting, hiking and every watersport imaginable. The newest adventure on the block is Fly4Re-

al’s outdoor skydiving simulator.

Situated above the municipality of Campillos in Malaga, it is suitable for anyone aged five to 95.

The Fly4Real simulator recreates the freefall portion of a skydive by allowing you to fly on a column of air. Guided by professional instructors, you will learn to hold your body in the air as the wind rushes up at you. As the experience is outdoors, you will also be able

Monday, April 22, 2019

3

Kintamani dog breeders hope govt’s attention

to get some fabulous Instagramworthy shots as you soar in the sunshine.

There are various skydiving packages available, ranging from a 24,000 ft freefall (one hour experience, two minutes in the air) to a 72,000 ft freefall (two flights, six minutes in the air). The first flight experiences will be available from May 2019. Prices start at €52. (net)

BANGLI - Kintamani dog breeders at Sukawana village, Kintamani, expected more attention given by the government to the existence of Kintamani dogs. Moreover, at this time the dog with the characteristic of thick fur on the neck and known to be intelligent has received recognition as a world race dog from the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI).

IBP/kmb

The threat against the sustainability of Jatiluwih area amid the intense development of tourism and the behavior of local people seems to have been predicted by the local government and the legislative ranks.

To watch out preservation of Jatiluwih, regent to draft a regulation

TABANAN — The threat against the sustainability of Jatiluwih area amid the intense development of tourism and the behavior of local people seems to have been predicted by the local government and the legislative ranks. However, it is recognized that so far there have been no clear rules being able to provide a comprehensive legal instrument in the region.

Even though there is a green belt regulation having been used as a guideline for relevant agencies in terms of supervision, it is still considered weak because the scope is not broad enough.

Related to this matter, Regent of Tabanan, Ni Putu Eka Wiryastuti, will soon draft a regent regulation as a basis for preserving the Jatiluwih area. Recently, the Jatiluwih area was disturbed by the presence of a helipad built by the management of Jatiluwih attraction without any coordination with the local government. Moreover, it received direct attention from the Ministry of Education and Culture.

“It is true there is a letter from the Ministry of Education and Culture regarding the existence of the helipad that is not allowed.

Personally, I did not know if there is a helipad, but we received the letter in January and it was already followed up in February. Now, it has been re-greened,” explained Regent Eka on Friday (Apr. 19).

Nevertheless, Regent Eka claimed the letter inspired her to be more focused in the effort to pre-

serve the Jatiluwih area. “Whatever they do in the future must first be coordinated with the local government, so that it does not violate the rules and does not result in bad image for the region,” he concluded.

Related to the existence of the helipad, she admitted that subak, management and headman had also agreed to make the location for center point or emergency point if an evacuation process is needed.

There are no functions for helipad any longer, and last February it had been planted with flowers and regreened, and even taken advantage for selfie spot,” she explained.

When asked about the information at issue that she did not respond to the letter filed by the central government, Regent Eka confirmed that she had followed up after receiving the letter. “I was thought to ignore it, whereas it was already followed up. And there is no more helipad function at the location,” she said firmly.

Now, she is even in the process of drafting regent regulation as a legal basis in carrying out supervision along with sanctions that can be applied if the rules are violated.

“We are making the rules that any development should be equipped with permission from the local government, so the development will not last haphazardly. On the one hand, I am grateful for the letter, so that we can supervise together and fix together. Do not let the repaired thing be even made complicated,” he concluded. (kmb28)

One of the Kintamani dog breeders at Sukawana village, Ketut Nonog, when contacted on Friday (Apr. 19) claimed to have heard the news about the recognition of Kintamani dog as a dog of world race. As a farmer and Kintamani community, he is certainly quite proud of the recognition of the FCI. Nevertheless, as a breeder, he hoped the recognition having been obtained by the Kintamani dog does not stop as limited as recognition. Both district and provincial governments are expected to be able to give more attention to the existence and development of Kintamani dogs whose natural

habitat is located at Paket hamlet, Sukawana. The attention intended is both in the form of guidance to farmers and feeding assistance.

Nonog revealed that until now the breeding of Kintamani dogs at Sukawana village is still carried out by most farmers in traditional way, namely by letting them go.

Farmers choose not to keep it in cages because of constraints on the high cost of feed and care that is not comparable to the selling price.

“Since it’s expensive, they are left wild. The food provided is not guaranteed, namely only cassava and sometimes leftovers. Breeders have no attention to their food so that the quality is good,” said the

man who is also the headman of Sukawana.

In order to maintain the quality of the Kintamani dogs in their natural habitat, he really hoped the government can help and pay attention to the Kintamani dog breeders at his village. Kintamani dog breeders groups all this time are expected to be given regular guidance. “If really wishing to feature the Kintamani dog, we hope the attention in terms of maintenance and food provision.

It is no need to provide with financial assistance, food provision is enough because the cost of feed and care is very expensive,” he hoped. (kmb40)

IBP/kmb

The dog with the characteristic of thick fur on the neck and known to be intelligent has received recognition as a world race dog from the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI).

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Monday, April 22, 2019

Bali News

International

Bali’s Kartini increasingly gets interested in politics

DENPASAR - On April 21 the Indonesian people commemorated Kartini Day. This commemoration is carried out every year by the Indonesian people for a great woman named Raden Ajeng (RA) Kartini. RA Kartini is remembered because she has inspired all women in Indonesia. She is a symbol of the existence and struggle of women in Indonesia to obtain the same rights and women’s emancipation fighters in order to be able to participate in developing the nation and the state. Thanks to RA Kartini’s struggle, until now women in Indonesia are aligned with others, especially in politics.

If seen from the 1945 Constitution, it has regulated 30-percent representation of women in general elections. This means that women’s political rights have been

calculated and respected in order to realize the ideals of democracy in Indonesia.

“By prioritizing the rights of women, constitutionally the state

gives the same portion to women to engage in politics, especially to be elected and elect in elections.

In the history, Indonesia was once led by the first female president of

the Republic of Indonesia. This indicates there is no discrimination against women in Indonesia,” said Dr. Dewa Gede Sudika Mangku, Secretary of the Law and Citizenship Department of the Undiksha Singaraja, on Saturday (Apr. 20).

With this signal, the women in Indonesia and Bali are expected to participate in nation-building through political participation.

Through this path, they can fight for their rights. Moreover, Balinese women are said to be strong and resilient and have very noble responsibilities, spiritual values and high work ethic. Besides, at present these values are always held firmly

by Balinese women.

“Participation of Balinese women in politics has emerged and been increasing. So far, they have been literate in political education.

This can be seen from their participation in becoming members of political parties or running for legislative candidates in the 2019 simultaneous elections. “Indeed,

this is still relatively small, but Balinese women have modern thinking by participating in political system, where they have the opportunity to participate in determining political policies, especially for the development of women’s empowerment affairs in the future,” he said.

Furthermore, the spirit born by RA Kartini has been able to provide positive energy for Balinese women to continuously work and fight for the rights of their people. This positive signal will help bring about a good change to development in Bali that will one day be led by a woman. That’s where the meaning of ‘After Rains Comes Sunshine’ (the book written by Kartini) can be implemented. “Hopefully, the Kartini Day falling on April 21 will provide positive energy for this country towards a civilized direction to continue fighting for women’s rights in the world, Indonesia and especially in Bali,” he concluded. (win)

Criteria of illegal villas and enforcement of regulations not strict

DENPASAR - Illegal villas have become classic problems in Bali but their presence is quite disturbing the existence of Bali tourism. The problems occurred is the absence of clear criteria regarding villas and illegal villas. In addition, the existing regulations have not yet been explicitly applied.

Chairman of Bali Vila Association (BVA), I Gede Sukarta, said the problems related to illegal villas need the existence of Governor Regulation on the standardization of villas. However, it is acknowledged there is no new study regarding the Governor Regulations governing the existence of villas.

Previously, he and Jero Mangku Suteja had standardized the villa for several times. In Badung, there has also been a regulation, namely Regent Regulation No. 5/2015.

“In the past, there were criteria for star and non-star villas.

However, now after the issuance of regulation of the Ministry of Tourism Number 29/2014, there are many changes - such as who is responsible for standardizing star and non-star villas. The domain is now not in the realm of government, but in private institution, LSU

(business certification agency),” he explained on Thursday (Apr. 18) in the technical meeting of the BVA Anniversary Cup 2019 at Kilo Restaurant, Seminyak.

Originally, the villa was a single house without a swimming pool and there were only bedrooms, bathroom and kitchen. Foreign guests, especially from Australia, tried to improve the quality of the accommodation. “Since the landscape is quite extensive, a private swimming pool is created along with kitchen, rooms and bathrooms to be upgraded and becomes a villa,” he said.

The villa is then chosen by tourists because it is safer than hotels having a large number of in-house guests. “So, they are more likely to stay at a safe villa,” he said.

As time goes on, villas are sold to foreigners but the nominees are Balinese. Then, it was made into a villa or a luxury house called a villa as well. Property like this does have taxpayer identification number (NPWP) but does not have complete operational permit. “But the building permit (IMB) is available, that’s what is called illegal villa,” he explained.

The absence of firmness about the criteria of illegal villa has been unable to answer the number of illegal villas in Bali. “Due to the definition of illegal villa, it can be declared legal when it pays a hotel and restaurant tax because it has tax identification number but is not completed with operational permit.

There is no principle permit, but it has building permit. Moreover, the marketing system is through OTA. This is the problem we face,” he added.

He hoped after the issuance of the Governor Regulation, the execution must also be firm. The existing villas are also expected to be a member of BVA in order to cooperate in implementing villa standards and improve the quality of Bali tourism.

A member of BVA who was also a former BVA Chairman, Jero Mangku Suteja, added the challenges of the association are not easy, where one of which is open competition between large- and small-scale accommodation, having and not having licenses as well as those paying and not paying taxes. Thus, it makes competition in the field unfair.

The growth of accommodation facilities is facilitated by several online agencies such as Airbnb, Agoda Homes et cetera which are very massive in nature, where unfair competition began. “Houses of residents that do not have permits and do not pay taxes also participate in the open markets so the market share of villas and hotels is eroded by them,” he said.

This is the reason why the occupancy rate of 4-star and 5-star hotels reaches 55 percent to 60 percent. Meanwhile, villas of certain level reach 80 percent. “Maybe it’s at certain price, but when talking

about high end price, the occupancy is struggling. If the occupancy is 70 percent, it is good,” he said.

Another challenge is the presence of nomadic travelers having become a trend where they are looking for a cheap accommodation to live in. One of them is a house, including a boarding house.

BVA Secretary General, Yoga Iswara, hoped that villas in Bali can join so that standards and goals of quality tourism can be achieved.

Currently, the BVA members only amount to approximately 300, but only 160 of them are active. (kmb42)

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International

Activities

Monday, April 22, 2019

Best Western Ubud holds blood donation BEST Western Premier Agung Resort Ubud organized a blood donation at the local hotel lobby on Saturday (Apr. 13). This social action commenced with a fun walk with the routes in the Ubud village area and a distance of about 6 km. It did not only involve staff and employees of the Best Western Premier Agung Resort Ubud, but also the Best Western Group in Bali as well as neighboring hotels and entrepreneurs in the hotel environment.

In addition to blood donation, the event in collaboration with Red Cross (PMI) of Gianyar district was also filled with general health checkup.

Such regular blood donation activities are held every three months carried out in rotation between the Best Western groups. In relation to the activities, it also holds social action every three months with the target to collect 59 bags of blood. Besides, it also has a program to visit orphanages,” (BTN/kmb)

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Monday, April 22, 2019

Pop superstar Adele splits from husband

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

Monday, April 22, 2019

LONDON - Global superstar Adele, one of the world’s top recording artists, has split from her husband, UK media reported Saturday, citing the British singer’s representatives.

Pop diva Adele, 30, married charity entrepreneur Simon Konecki in 2016 after five years together. They have a son, Angelo, born in 2012.

“Adele and her partner have separated,” Benny Tarantini and Carl Fysh said in a statement, according to British media.

“They are committed to raising their son together lovingly. As always they ask for privacy.

There will be no further comment.”

Adele, who boasts 15 Grammy Awards, is one of Britain’s most successful pop exports.

With sales topping more than 100 million records, the north Londoner is one of the world’s best-selling music artists.

Her three studio albums “19” (2008), “21” (2011) and “25” (2015) were each huge hits worldwide. (afp) In this file photo taken on February 15, 2016 singer Adele (R) and her husband, charity entrepreneur Simon Konecki (2R) attend The 58th GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.

K-pop phenomenon BTS first Korean act to top UK chart

Steven Ferdman/Getty Images/AFP

V, Suga, RM, Jungkook, Jin, Jimin, J-Hope of BTS visit The Elvis Duran Z100 Morning Show at Z100 Studio on April 12, 2019 in New York City.

LONDON - K-pop sensation BTS scored another record on Friday, becoming the first Korean act to top Britain’s album chart.

The floppy-haired seven-piece’s latest album “Map of the soul: Persona” went straight in at number one, days after their single “Boy With Luv” broke the YouTube record for the most views in 24 hours

with 74.6 million hits.

The track is also the band’s first ever British Top 15 single, charting at number 13 on Friday.

The band, known for their boyish good looks and meticulously choreographed dance moves, will play two sold out nights at London’s iconic Wembley Stadium, on June 1 and 2.

Earlier this year the septet,

whose name is short for Bangtan Sonyeondan, which translates as Bulletproof Boy Scouts, became the first K-pop band to top the US album charts.

Some 800,000 tourists were believed to have chosen South Korea as their destination last year because of BTS -- more than seven percent of the total visitors to the country. (afp)

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Bali volcano erupts again

DENPASAR - Mount Agung on Indonesia’s resort island of Bali has erupted again, spewing volcanic ash into the sky to a height of two kilometres, an official said.

The eruption comes as Australians flock to the island for school holidays but flights have not been impacted with Denpasar airport still operational.

The active volcano erupted at 3.21am on Sunday and the thick ash column was blown to the southwest, causing a drizzle of volcanic ash in Karangasem, Bangli and Klunglung districts, Sutopo

Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for the national disaster mitigation agency, said.

There were no immediate reports of casualties but the volcano’s status remains on alert or level three of four possible levels and authorities continue to impose a four-kilometre exclusion zone.

On Sunday afternoon an AirAsia spokesman said Bali airport was

still operational and there were no disruptions to its services at this stage.

A Jetstar spokeswoman said they were monitoring the situation but all alerts had been lifted and it was ‘business as usual’.

Mount Agung’s crater glows red from the lava as it spews volcanic smoke.

Two other volcanoes popular

with tourists on the island of Java also continue to erupt.

Mount Bromo in East Java and Mount Merapi in Yogyakarta remain on standby, with exclusion zones also in place.

“This a normal situation of an active volcano and there is no need for the public to panic, as long as they remain outside the danger zone. Don’t try to get closer to the crater to document the volcanic activity in the crater,” Nugroho said.

Foreign climbers have tried

to ignore the danger zone status and attempted to climb Mount Agung, causing rescuers to scour the mountain in a bid to evacuate them. (afp) 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.