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Thursday, January 24, 2019

Oscars race kicks into high gear with nominations reveal

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Thursday, January 24, 2019

LOS ANGELES - Will “Black Panther” get a best picture nod? Will “Roma” be Netflix’s first contender for the Academy’s top prizes? Will “A Star Is Born” rebound from a thumping at the Golden Globes?

All will be revealed on Tuesday morning before dawn in Los Angeles, when the nominations for the Oscars -- Hollywood’s most coveted awards -- are unveiled, just over a month before they are distributed.

So far, the awards season has been a bit surprising, with prizes sprayed among a variety of films.

So Tuesday’s announcement should give the race to the Academy Awards on February 24 a bit more clarity.

One of the most buzzed-about films is “Roma” from Alfonso Cuaron -- a black and white ode to his childhood in 1970s Mexico City that took home two Golden Globes, including best director.

The film was produced by streaming giant Netflix, which has come under criticism from its more traditional rivals for its strategy of massive online distribution of original content -- and screenings in only a few cinemas.

“Roma” would be the first Netflix film to vie for glory in major Oscar categories.

Also atop the list is “A Star Is Born,” the latest iteration of the classic musical romance led by the powerhouse duo of actor-director Bradley Cooper and pop diva Lady Gaga.

It disappointed at the Globes with only a win for best original song, but Gaga’s best actress win (in a tie with Glenn Close in “The Wife”) at the Critics’ Choice Awards gave the film a bit more momentum.

Civil rights dramedy and surprise three-time Globes winner “Green Book” moved up in the conversation over the weekend when it won best film at the Producers

Guild of America awards.

Twenty times out of 29, the PGA award winner has gone on to take the best picture Oscar, including “The Shape of Water” last year.

Also in the mix are a wide variety of films including offbeat royal romp “The Favourite,” Dick Cheney biopic “Vice” and superhero blockbuster “Black Panther.”

For many pundits, the thousands of voters in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are at a crossroads: do they go with Cuaron’s auteur masterpiece, or a quality crowd-pleaser that raked in oodles of money?

“The Oscars have a choice now.

Two choices, actually. Adapt or die,” said long-time Oscar watcher Sasha Stone, who runs Awards Daily.

“That adaptation can take them in one direction or it can take them in another direction,” she predicted. “’Black Panther’ offers a choice.

It ticks off enough boxes to make people feel okay about themselves supporting it,” she said, referring to the Marvel film’s mainly black cast, black director and boffo box-office numbers.

“The other path is pure cinema: to reward the artistic achievement of Alfonso Cuaron’s ‘Roma’... It says that they’re now saying okay to the hybrid cinema future of streaming + theatrical.”

- Controversy Last year, the awards season was marked by the Harvey Weinstein scandal, and the birth of the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements against sexual misconduct and harassment in the workplace.

FREDERIC J. BROWN / AFP

In this file photo taken on February 24, 2016 Rick Roberts works on touching up a base amid statues of the Oscar awaiting finishing up at a Hollywood back lot in Hollywood, California ahead this weekend’s 88th Academy Awards.

This year, multiple controversies are plaguing the Oscars -- none of them related to last year’s bombshell.

In August, the Academy -under fire for being too elitist -- announced it would add a “best popular film” award. But many saw the new category as a booby prize for blockbusters like “Black Panther” that would keep them out of contention for top honors.

The plan was scrapped a month later.

Then actor-comedian Kevin Hart had perhaps the briefest tenure ever as Oscars host -- a few days.

He withdrew after homophobic tweets he had written years ago

sparked a crippling backlash on social media.

By all accounts, with many stars reportedly unwilling to grasp the poisoned chalice, the Academy has opted to go forward without a host.

Of course, on Oscars night, the focus will revert to the nominees, and the red carpet glamour.

In the best actor category, Christian Bale looks to be the frontrunner for his uncanny portrayal of Cheney in “Vice.”

But Rami Malek’s Golden Globe win for his work as Freddie Mercury in Queen biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody” put him into the conversation. Viggo Mortensen (“Green

Book”) and Cooper (“Star”) are also contenders.

For best actress, Close’s momentum is soaring after her twin Globe and Critics’ Choice wins for “The Wife,” in which she plays a woman author whose marriage boils over when her writer husband wins the Nobel Prize.

But Gaga and Olivia Colman, who plays Queen Anne in “The Favourite,” are expected to give her a fight.

The nominations will be announced on Tuesday starting at 5:20 am Pacific time (1320 GMT).

Actors Tracee Ellis Ross and Kumail Nanjiani will do the honors. (afp)

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Rocks covered in ice are seen on Coney Island Beach on a cold winter day in New York on January 22, 2019. The hight temperature in New York was about 30F (-1C)

Greenland ice melts four times faster in a decade: study

Greenland’s melting ice, which causes sea levels to rise, disappeared four times faster in 2013 than in 2003 and is noticeable across the Arctic island, not just on glaciers, researchers warned on Tuesday.

“While 111 cubic kilometres of ice disappeared per year in 2003, 10 years later this figure had almost quadrupled to 428 cubic kilometres,” the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) Space Lab said in a statement.

Its researchers contributed to a study on changes to Greenland’s ice sheet, published in the US journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

“These are notable and surprising changes we are seeing in the ice melt pattern,” DTU professor

Shfaqat Abbas Khan said. Until now, most of Greenland’s ice melt was observed on the ice cap, predominantly on the glaciers in the island’s northwest and southeast.

But most of the ice loss from 2003 to 2013 was from Greenland’s southwest region, which is largely devoid of large glaciers.

Michael Bevis, a professor at Ohio State University and lead author of the PNAS paper, said the ice now appeared to be melting from the surface mass, “melting inland

from the coastline.”

That means that in the southwestern part of Greenland, growing rivers of water are streaming into the ocean. “We knew we had one big problem with increasing rates of ice discharge by some large outlet glaciers,” Bevis said.

“But now we recognise a second serious problem: Increasingly, large amounts of ice mass are going to leave as meltwater, as rivers that flow into the sea.”

He warned this would have ma-

jor implications, causing additional sea level rise. “We are watching the ice sheet hit a tipping point,” he said, which would condemn the entire giant ice block to melting over a time scale of hundreds, or several thousand, years.

The Greenland ice sheet -- up to three kilometres thick -- contains enough frozen water to raise global sea levels some six metres (yards).

The melting ice observed in the study is caused by rising land temperatures, and in part, the fact that the ice comes into contact with waters that are increasingly warmer.

“As the atmosphere’s tempera-

ture gradually rises, we will immediately notice an acceleration of the ice melt,” Khan said.

While the amount varies from region to region, sea levels rose worldwide by an average of 20 centimetres (about eight inches) in the 20th century. They are currently rising by about 3.3 millimetres per year. (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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Thursday, January 24, 2019

Bali News

International

Activities

International

Walter Spies changes the face of Bali

Thursday, January 24, 2019

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January 19, 2019 marks 100 years since the death of Walter Spies who perished aboard a Dutch ship in the Indian Ocean as a German prisoner of war. Regardless of what might be said of the legal ambiguity of this wartime incident or even of the ambiguities of this man’s personal life, or even what he has come to represent over the years, Walter Spies was unarguably a creative, diligent and cleaver artist who had a tremendous impact not only on art production in Bali but also on tourism on this enchanted island – most notably in the branding of Ubud as a center of art and culture to foreigners throughout the world.

The impact that Spies has had as an artist, cultural liaison and symbolic figure on the art, life and economy of Bali continue to be felt to this day and is certainly worthy of being remembered and honored for the countless benefits that his man wittingly or unwittingly, single handedly or collaboratively brought to the island.

Although it is likely owing in large part to the privilege afforded to Europeans under colonial rule that he was able to gain access to people of local influence and be accorded a certain degree of power himself, Walter Spies was certainly a friendly, flexible and talented man in his own right. No amount of privilege could account for the influence he had and the symbolic place he has in the writing of art and tourism history.

Arriving in was is now Indonesia, by circumstances that are not entirely clear, he found himself in the role of conductor for the Sultan of Yogyakarta palace’s western orchestra. During his two years serving in this capacity, he came in contact with a visiting royal dignitary from Bali who was serving as a Dutch civil servant and who suggested that Spies visit the Royal Palace of Ubud and gave him a letter of introduction to the king.

To make a long story short, in a few short years of living in Bali under the wing of the Ubud Royal Palace, Walter Spies had learned to play gamelan tunes on the piano, worked with a local choreographer to create a new style of dance, had shifted his style of painting to better reflect the landscape and culture he was now living in and had learned enough about the culture and customs of Bali that he was organizing cultural shows which drew hundreds of foreigners to Ubud at a time when there were seldom any foreigners visitors at all.

He soon became a important cultural liaison for wealthy foreign visitors to the island. These visitors also represented a new market for Bali as a tourism destination but also for painting as a commodity. Balinese artists who had previously only produced works in the context of their religiocultural customs were now starting to produce works specifically to be sold.

The style of art being produced was also undergoing distinct and lasting shits due to the new socio-economic context and also due to the approach to art that Spies demonstrated in his open-air studio which is credited as having a massive impact on the creative license that Balinese

artists felt, opening Balinese painting to previously unexplored territory.

While increasingly easy access to cheaper art materials, books, and foreign culture more generally most certainly contributed to the massive shift in art making that started at this time and while the Ubud Royal Palace was also actively serving as a doorway through which foreign visitors could come to know Bali, it is clear that the presence of Walter Spies both as an artist and as a symbolic point of reference, his visual descriptions of Bali that he actively shared with Europeans, his active participation with both local and foreign artists, his involvement in the establishment of the Pita Maha artists Guild, forever changed the face of art and tourism in Bali.

On January 19th, 2019 a bust of this important figure was officially inaugurated on the grounds of Arma Museum and Resort in recognition of the tremendous contribution that Walter Spies made to Bali throughout his time on this island.

As founder of Arma Museum stated during the inauguration: “it is no exaggeration to say that Bali would not be what it is today without the contributions of Walter Spies. While Bali has certainly been exposed to other cultures for centuries and has become enriched by these exchanges, the contribution that Walter Spies made to Bali has brought a distinctly large, positive and lasting impact that we are honoring today with the inauguration of this statue”.

Bearing witness to the veritably impactful influence that Walter Spies has had on present-day Bali, amongst those who came to witness the inauguration of his bust were: German philanthropist and culture writer Pak Henri who arranged for the bust of Walter Spies to be created and inaugurated at Arma, the aged Mater painter of what is now known as Modern Traditional Balinese painting Pak Wayan Pendet, innovative master painter Pak I Ketut Budiana, founder of the formidable Neka Museum and Komaneka gallery Pak Neka, renown Mater dancer and representative of Peliatan’s royal house resident French writer and cultural researcher Jean Couteau, Indonesian academic sociologist Bu Inez, Balinese gallery owners, tourists and artists from China, Japan, Germany, Canada and elsewhere and many others whose current livelihood depends on the vibrant tourism industry in Bali that Walter Spies was instrumental in developing.(kmb)

Beautiful model from Republic of Belarus tried in cannabis cases

DENPASAR -After being arrested at Ngurah Rai International Airport on October 14, 2018, a beautiful model from the Republic of Belarus, defendant Hanna Liakhava, 25, was tried in the cannabis case on Monday (Jan. 21).

Public Prosecutor Raka Arimbawa

in front of the panel of judges led by Novita Riama, stated the defendant without legal rights already produced, imported, exported or distributed first class narcotics in the form of cannabis plants weighing 0.10 grams net.

The prosecutor added the beautiful model flew to Bali by China Eastern

with flight number MU 5029 from Shanghai to Denpasar. Arriving at Ngurah Rai Airport, the defendant’s gesture carrying a suitcase was suspicious. So, the Ngurah Rai Customs and Excise officers carried out checks on the body, including the defendant’s luggage by using X-rays. For lug-

gage, in the suitcase was identified and found plastic clips containing brownish green leaves suspected to be cannabis stored in two small tubes.

For the evidence, the suspect along with the evidence were secured. The beautiful model claimed to have purchased the cannabis in

Spain while on vacation there. The defendant bought it for her own consumption. She has been used to consume cannabis since the age of 14 years. For her actions, the defendant is charged with Article 113 of the Narcotics Law and Article 127 of the same law. (kmb37)

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Marriott International Has Trained 500,000 Hotel Workers to Recognize the Signs of Human Trafficking

Marriott International today announced that, as of this month, it has successfully trained 500,000 hotel workers to spot the signs of human trafficking in its hotels and how to respond if they do, marking a watershed moment in the global fight against this multinational crime.

“Human trafficking is a horrific form of modern slavery that entraps millions of people around the world,” said Arne Sorenson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Marriott International.

“By educating and empowering our global workforce to say something if they see something, we are

not just standing up for the most vulnerable in society, we are also protecting our associates and guests as well as living up to a core company value -- serving our world.”

Marriott launched its mandatory human trafficking awareness training program for on-property staff in both managed and franchised properties in January 2017, underscoring ongoing efforts under the company’s robust sustainability and social impact platform, Serve 360: Doing Good in Every Direction.

As part of National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, Marriott is pleased to report that thousands of associates have stepped forward to understand and

stop the exploitation.

“Hotels can unfortunately be unwilling venues for this unconscionable crime – and as a global hotel company that cares about human rights, we’re proud to be training hotel workers across the Marriott system to spot the signs,” said Dr. David Rodriguez, Chief Global Human Resources Officer, Marriott International. “There is no easy fix, but combatting modern-day slavery starts with awareness – and we now have a significant number of people capable of recognizing suspicious behavior and reporting it to management and, in some cases, law enforcement.

Training has resulted in rescues Since launching the program, Marriott’s training has directly resulted in young people being removed from dangerous situations.

To develop and test its human trafficking awareness training program, Marriott spent nearly a year collaborating with ECPATUSA and Polaris – two leading non-profits that specialize in combatting human trafficking. The company arranged for the program to be translated from English into 16 additional languages and also made sure it could be taken either online or in a classroom setting, so it can be accessed and understood in the 130 countries and territo-

ries where Marriott operates. The instruction is also broken down by role because the signs that a front desk clerk sees may differ from those that a housekeeper or bartender sees.

The International Labour Organization projects that worldwide more than 40 million people are subjected to modern slavery – and UNICEF estimates that about 25 percent of trafficking globally involves children. Polaris, which runs the National Human Trafficking Hotline in the United States, estimates there are hundreds of thousands of sex and forced-labor trafficking victims in the United States.

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Health

Thursday, January 24, 2019

International

Bali News

International

Planetary diet for longer life: Less meat, more vegetables

Thursday, January 24, 2019

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MASSACHUSETTS - Here’s what to eat to save yourself and the planet: less meat and sugar, more fruits and vegetables, a global commission of experts says in a new report out Wednesday.

If everyone on the planet switched to a diet 50 percent lower in red meat and sugar than the average western diet, and much heavier in fruits and vegetables, about 11 million fewer people would die prematurely every year, the commission calculates.

And it would help save the planet, by forcing agriculture over to more sustainable methods that would pollute less and add less to global warming and climate change, the EAT-Lancet Commission said.

“Current diets are pushing the Earth beyond its planetary boundaries, while causing ill health. This puts both people and the planet at risk,” the commission said in a statement.

The commission, made up of 37 experts in nutrition, agriculture, economics, health and government, studied the problem for three years.

Their report recommends radical changes in what people eat.

“The world’s diets must change dramatically,” Dr. Walter Willett, a Harvard University nutrition expert who was part of the commission, said in a statement.

“To be healthy, diets must have an appropriate calorie intake and consist of a variety of plant-based foods, low amounts of animal-based foods, unsaturated rather than saturated fats, and few refined grains, highly processed foods, and added sugars.

The food group intake ranges that we suggest allow flexibility to accommodate various food types, agricultural systems, cultural traditions, and individual dietary preferences — including numerous omnivore, vegetarian, and vegan diets.”

Close to a billion people still get too little to eat, the report noted.

The commission broke down a precise diet that would provide optimal calories and nutrients, based on 2,500 calories per day. (net)

IBP/net

Lancet commission says people around the world need to radically change the way they eat, moving to diets that emphasize plant foods. They’ve created a visual representation of what that looks like.

Just a little pot may change teen brain, study finds LOW levels of marijuana use — as few as one or two times — may change the teen brain, according to a new study.

The study, which looked at the brains of 46 14-year-old girls and boys from Ireland, England, France and Germany, found that teenagers who reported using recreational marijuana just once or twice displayed increased

volume on MRI images in numerous brain regions involved in emotion-related processing, learning and forming memories.

The results of the study were published Monday in the Journal of Neuroscience.

“Most people would likely assume that one or two uses (joints) would have no impact, so we were curious to study this

IBP/net

Teenagers who reported using recreational marijuana just once or twice displayed increased volume on MRI images in numerous brain regions involved in emotion-related processing, learning and forming memories.

IBP/ina

The closed road access due to landslides is very difficult for residents to engage in activities.

— and especially to investigate if first uses may actually produce brain changes that affect future behavior like subsequent use,” Hugh Garavan, lead author of the study and a professor of psychiatry at the University of Vermont School of Medicine, said in an email to NBC News.

The study did not say what the increased brain matter volume means, but the researchers noted that the enlargement of gray matter contradicts normal adolescent development.

“At the age at which we studied these kids (age 14), cortical regions are going through a process of thinning,” he said, suggesting that this is a “sculpting” process that makes the brain and its connections more efficient.

“So, one possibility is that the cannabis use has disrupted this pruning process, resulting in larger volumes (i.e., a disruption of typical maturation) in the cannabis users. Another possibility is that the cannabis use has led to a growth in neurons and in the connections between them.”

It’s not the first research to find that cannabis use may cause changes to the teen brain.

A recent study found that teen brains are more vulnerable to the effects of marijuana than

alcohol. And in June, University of Pennsylvania scientists discovered that young people who used marijuana frequently were more likely than nonusers to have slightly lower scores on tests of memory, learning new information, and higher-level problem solving and information processing.

According to the most recent data released by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 32.6 percent of 10th graders reported using marijuana at least once during their lifetime.

So far, 10 states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational marijuana use.

Legalization seems imminent in several other states, including New York and New Jersey.

Marijuana has shown considerable promise for treating medical conditions including pain, muscle spasms, seizure disorders and nausea from cancer chemotherapy. At least some of those benefits are thought to come from cannabidiol, a chemical component of the marijuana plant not thought to produce mind-altering effects. But experts believe that more research is needed to determine how and why the brain is affected by early marijuana use amid changing so-

cietal attitudes toward the drug.

Experts note that these findings are insightful, although preliminary.

The enlargement of gray matter “doesn’t seem to have a major impact on brain functioning,” said David Nutt, professor of neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College in London, “so while this study alone is not able to prove small amounts of cannabis negatively affect the brains of adolescents, this area of research is important and certainly worthy of further study.” Studies looking at whether alcohol and other psychoactive substances have unwanted brain effects in young people are also merited, he said. Garavan says the overall takeaway is unclear, as the study did not look into large cognitive or mental health differences between users and nonusers.

There’s also a possibility that larger brains could be a random finding, so the findings need to be confirmed.

“As is always the case, more research is needed to replicate these effects, to try to understand the mechanisms, and critically, to unearth what additional factors may identify which cannabis-using kids show these effects and which ones don’t,” said Garavan. (net)

Agricultural products of citizens bought more cheaply

BANGLI — Economic activities of residents at three villages are now hampered due to landslide incident in the Buahan village area, Kintamani, last Thursday. Because the only road access is buried by landslides, residents at the three affected villages namely the Abang Batudinding, Abang Songan and Terunyan are forced to go outside the village and market their farming products by crossing the lake.

A resident of Terunyan village, Ketut Jaksa, when contacted on Sunday (Jan. 20) said that the closed road access due to landslides is very difficult for residents to engage in activities. To get out of the village, they have no choice but to cross the lake by using a boat. “It is complicated as

we have to take a boat when to go out,” he said.

This condition was also acknowledged to be quite influential on farmers’ income. Since land route cannot be traversed, the prices of agricultural commodities are currently bought at lower prices by collectors. “Because

the terrain is rather difficult and complicated, collectors certainly ask to buy them at lower prices,” he said. Most of the crops of farmers in their villages are sold to collectors in the form of chili.

Similar condition was also recognized by another resident, I Wayan Asli. He stated the impact

of landslides in the area of Buahan village caused the harvest results of farmers to be purchased at lower prices. Large chili, for example, usually sold for IDR 17,000 per kilogram, currently is only sold for IDR 14,000 per kilogram. “It’s purchased at cheaper price because of the consideration of transportation difficulty. Before the landslide, collectors bought the crops directly to farmers by bringing vehicles, but now they still have to take a boat,” said Asli.

Despite the decline, he admitted it us not to be too detrimental to farmers. For farmers living at Cemaralandung hamlet, the selling price of chili at IDR 14,000 per kilogram is still classified to be normal.

Nevertheless, he still hoped the handling of the Bukit Abang landslide materials at Buahan village can be immediately accomplished. So, the residents are no longer isolated and can carry out their normal activities as ever before. (kmb40)

dents appreciated to their appearance as a tangible manifestation of cultural preservation.

Presentation of the Barong Bangkung by the kindergarten opened the perspective of the local government to their current existence. Regent of Klungkung, I Nyoman Suwirta, immediately instructed the Culture Office to carry out coaching thoroughly.

In particular, Barong Bangkung art is performed by a group of children during Galungan and Kuningan holidays.

Like his experience, Regent Suwirta had noticed a group of children featuring (ngelawang) Barong Bangkung dance at the intersection.

Barong Bangkung supposed to be danced, the accessories were even kept and put on the roadside after some of them went around while carrying a can (container of money)

to hold people’s donation. This is considered to be disturbing traffic.

“In the future, it should not happen, do not perform Ngelawang show at traffic light because it disrupts traffic. Culture Service should provide coaching and ngelawang tradition should go to one home to another,” he said.

In addition, children’s dance performances on the CFDs using adult music also received the highlight from Regent Suwirta.

He considered it inappropriate for children of their age. In the future, the regent hoped that relevant ranks should provide guidance and adjust the music to the appearance of children.

In principle, Regent Suwirta asked the relevant agencies to be responsive to seeing community art activities and innovating for empowerment. (kmb31)

Child Barong Bangkung appears to entertain at CFD

IBP/kmb31

The children’s performance received the attention of residents participating in the CFD that morning.

SEMARAPURA — Every Sunday morning, Semarapura town especially around the Puputan Klungkung Square, is filled with hundreds of residents. They enliven the Car Free Day (CFD) agenda held every Sunday. There was something different from the CFD implementation on Sunday (Jan. 20), namely the appearance of Child Barong Bangkung art from Hindu Dharma Widya Kindergarten of Klungkung.

The children’s performance received the attention of residents participating in the CFD that morning. They included the Regent of Klungkung, I Nyoman Suwirta, along with a number of Klungkung district officials regularly and cohesively enliven the CFD every week. The appearance of the children was quite entertaining on stage. Many resi-

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Bali News

Thursday, January 24, 2019

International

Bali seeks not to be dependent on tourism DENPASAR - The economic structure of Bali has been sustained by tourism. This tertiary sector contributes the most in the formation of GRDP, especially from providing accommodation, meals and drinks.

During the period of 2005 to 2017, the tertiary sector contributed 69.36 percent of Bali’s GRDP. It has far away left the primary sector only reaching 15.32 percent and the secondary sector amounting to 15.30 percent.

“Right now, we are very dependent on tourism. When tourism is threatened by volcanic eruptions, other natural disasters, security or terrorists, tourism will immediately drop. “The community’s economy plummets and the income plummets as well, it has an impact on welfare,” said the Head of the Revenue Service and R & D Agency, I Wayan Wiasthana Ika Putra, in the initial discussion of the Regional Planning Plan for Bali Province 2005-2025 and Regional Regulation on Bali Provincial Planning (RPJMD) 2018 -2023 in the Deliberation Body Meeting Room of the Bali Parliament on Monday (Jan. 21).

According to Ika Putra, the government is now trying to make Bali not only dependent on tourism. In this case, tourism continues to be encouraged to rise, have quality, and produce through tourist contributions. However, the primary and secondary sectors namely agriculture and small industries must be able to pursue the progress of tourism. Hence, the contribution of the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors in the formation of the GRDP is more balanced.

“If the agriculture and small industries are strong, when tourism comes down, Bali’s economy will

be safe. So, it does not to reduce tourism. Thus, the contribution of Bali’s GRDP will not become dependent on tourism alone,” he explained.

Ika Putra added that Bali’s agriculture lags behind when tourism develops in Bali supported by possible global conditions. All prospective farmers turn to tourism. Likewise, agricultural lands become tourist accommodation.

Although the government has tried to make policies that favor the agriculture, in fact it is unable to stem the rapid pace of tourism.

“Now, the governor brings empowerment to farmers, small and medium industries, as well as the customary communities. Tourism continues to move forward, but this must be able to catch up. It has been set forth in the regional mid-term development plan or RPJMD,” he added.

Empowerment programs, continued Ika Putra, also become an effort to alleviate poverty. Other than providing assistance directly touching the poor people in the form of home refurbishment and others, as reported earlier that Governor of Bali Wayan Koster already corrected the poverty rate from the target of 4.2 percent to 1.0-1.5 percent in his five years of leadership.

“With the establishment of economic institutions, the management of customary cooperatives and tourism continuously encouraged, the income raised, and so on we can achieve it (poverty alleviation— Ed). So, he (the governor—Ed) has been consistent with that and we are optimistic to achieve it. Of course, we build synergy with the district / municipality,” he affirmed. (kmb32)

IBP/kmb

The economic structure of Bali has been sustained by tourism.

Thursday, January 24, 2019

International

13

All shook up: How Elvis keeps Aussie outback town alive

PARKES - Once a year Parkes, a sleepy mining town in rural Australia, explodes into colour and song -- a veritable Graceland in the outback hosting a five-day extravaganza to celebrate ‘the King’.

Tegallalang village to be designated as tourism villages.

IBP/kmb

Constrained by Budget

Only 10 proposed tourism villages verified

GIANYAR - After establishing nine tourism villages in 2017, the Gianyar Tourism Office this year returns to accept proposal from twenty villages submitting the applications to be designated as tourism villages. However, due to budget constraints, out of the twenty villages only ten will be verified.

Division Head of Tourism Resources, AA Istri Dwi Hari Hidayati, stated on Monday (Jan. 21) that based on proposals from the villages, and requests from the ranks of the Gianyar parliament, there are actually 20 villages wishing to be designated into tourism villages. But due to limited budget, only 10 villages will be verified.

The ten villages are the Buahan Kaja, Tegallalang, Petulu, Pejeng Kangin, Lodtunduh, Singapadu, Celuk, Lebih, Keramas, and Sidan village.

“We have made a letter, and there will be a verification preparation meeting with the team and related agencies such as the Bappeda, DPMD, Cooperative Agency, Industry and Trade Agency, Public Works and Spatial Planning Agency and Regional Handicraft Council. If there is no obstacle, the meeting will be held on January 30,” he said.

Regarding the verification, continued Sri Hidayati, it is a follow-up of Regent Regulation No. 27/2016 concerning the Procedures for Determining Tourism Village of

Gianyar District. Prior to being determined into a tourism village, there are a number of indicators that must be verified to determine the score whether the villages meets the criteria for tourism village. “At the earliest early February, the team will come down to do verification.

Eight criteria will be verified such as nature, physical environment, culture, infrastructure, institutions, human resources, community life planning and accessibility,” he explained.

When asked about the continuation of the nine tourism villages having been set in 2017, Sri Hidayati stated they would continue to be evaluated specifically regarding the problems found in the development and the solutions.

“We have organized workshops for the nine villages regarding proper village issues, and the average problem faced is human resources.

This is not yet optimal how to build community commitment,” he concluded.

Moreover, the coaching of tourism village development has often been done. However, the demand

for human resource competency certificate to oversee the existence of tourism villages is urgently needed in order to be recognized considering that local guides are the front guard.

Meanwhile, when contacted separately the Head of Gianyar Tourism Office, AA Ari Brahmanta, stated there are actually many tourism potentials that can be developed. Tourism Office continuously tries to encourage villages to develop their tourism potential. “From the office, we always encourage villages to develop their tourism potential. In reality, all villages have tourism village potential, depending on their human resources,” he said.

Aside from boosting tourism villages, the Tourism Office at this time also continues to look for potential destinations to be developed into new tourist objects or destinations to support tourism villages.

One of the studies carried out is the development of a waterfall tourist attraction in the customary village of Patemon, Pejeng Kelod. (kmb28)

PETER PARKS / AFP

This photo taken on January 10, 2019 shows Elvis fans posing at Central Station in Sydney before boarding a train to the Parkes Elvis Festival, some 300 kilometres (190 miles) west of Sydney in outback Australia.

Die-hard fans don their polyester jumpsuits, thick black wigs and gold-coloured necklaces, hopping on the “Elvis Express” and “Blue Suede Express” trains to the event, now billed as the southern hemisphere’s biggest tribute to the superstar.

The town’s transformation extends beyond the superficial -- organisers estimate this year’s Parkes Elvis Festival generated Aus$13 million (US$9.3 million) for the local economy as more than 27,000 people visited attending some 200 themed events.

“It’s just crazy,” said North Parkes Motel owner Andrew Porter of the frenzied growth in tourists.

“It’s just gotten busier and busier over the years.

It’s helped the whole economy,” he added.

Elvis, who died in 1977 aged 42, never travelled to Australia and the event, held to coincide with his January birthday, runs at the height of summer when temperatures top 40 degree Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).

But neither fact deters the fans: What was a sleepy summer period has turned into full occupancy during the festival. Accommodation is fully booked years in advance, caravan parks fill up quickly and sporting fields are packed with tents.

“A lot of people do come here and they spend a hell of a lot of money. I know that for a fact,” said Elvis Lennox, who changed his name from Neville Steven and has a huge collection of memorabilia that he exhibits in a private museum. (afp)

Thai king signs decree approving first election since coup

BANGKOK - Thailand’s king has issued a royal decree endorsing the first general election since a 2014 coup, with a date for the long-delayed poll expected later Wednesday.

The election will be the first in the kingdom since the military toppled the administration of Yingluck Shinawatra, rewriting the constitution, muzzling all dissent and appointing key junta allies across the bureaucracy.

“It’s a suitable time to hold an election of members of parliament,” said the decree by 66-yearold King Maha Vajiralongkorn, published in the Royal Gazette on Wednesday and countersigned by junta leader Prayut Chan-O-Cha. Thailand’s history is pockmarked by coups, short-lived civilian governments and political crises.

The junta had said polls would be held no later than the end of

February, but the late signing by the king may mean the vote is held back for several weeks, with March 24 floated as a likely date.

The Election Commission said it will announce the election date on Wednesday afternoon.

The decree is set to ignite campaign season in a country where colourful and boisterous political rallies have often tipped into deadly violence.

The office of Prayut, who is also prime minister, called for an “environment of orderliness, civility and unity” -- although violence is unlikely among a public tired of political conflict.

An array of new parties -- including some aligned to the military, others to the still powerful Shinawatra clan -- have already begun meetings and recruitment as a blizzard of names are tossed up as likely future prime ministers.

Those include Prayut, who has

spent months touring the country as he rebrands himself from a gruff man-in-Khaki to an avuncular civilian leader with a common touch.

Yet he is deeply unpopular among many Thais, who have wearied of his hectoring style as well as a junta accused of running down the economy and doing little to address graft, poor education standards and the kingdom’s chasmic social inequality.

Even if the junta’s rivals do well in elections, any new civilian government is expected to be hamstrung by the military-scripted constitution.

It allows for a fully appointed upper house and embeds 20-year strategies governing everything from the economy to education.

“You can call it hybrid democracy,” said Somjai Phagaphasvivat, a political analyst at Thammasat University. (afp)

Panupong CHANGCHAI / THAI NEWS PIX / AFP

This file photo taken on May 14, 2018 shows Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn presiding over the annual royal ploughing ceremony outside Bangkok’s royal palace.

12

International

Thursday, January 24, 2019

BUSINESS

Bali News

International

Thursday, January 24, 2019

5

Ngrebeg Has Three Meanings, What Are They?

Ngerebeg tradition or better known as makotek held every Tumpek Kuningan (ten days after Galungan) at Munggu customary village, Mengwi, Badung, has the meaning as a tribute to the heroes, repellent of negative things and a means to unite the citizens. This was confirmed by chief of Munggu customary village, I Made Rai Sujana, amid the ngerebeg procession at the local Desa and Puseh Temple of local village, Saturday (Jan. 5).

AP Photo/Markus Schreiber

An armed Swiss police officer stands guard on the roof of a hotel near the congress center where the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, WEF, take place in in Davos, Monday, Jan. 21, 2019.

World economy forecast to slow in 2019 amid trade tensions DAVOS - The world economy absorbed more bad news Monday: The International Monetary Fund cut its growth forecast for 2019. And China, the world’s second-biggest economy, said it had slowed to its weakest pace since 1990.

The IMF cut its estimate for global growth this year to 3.5 percent, from the 3.7 percent it had predicted in October and down from 2018’s 3.7 percent. The fund cited heightened trade tensions and rising interest rates.

“After two years of solid expansion, the world economy is growing more slowly than expected and risks are rising,” said IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde as she presented the forecasts at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

The IMF is not alone in its pes-

simism. The World Bank, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and other forecasters have also downgraded their world growth estimates. Among the key concerns is the Chinese economy.

The country is slowing just as its leadership tries to turn it into a more modern economy by reducing its reliance on manufacturing and exports and increasing consumer spending.

The country reported Monday growth of 6.6 percent in 2018, the weakest since 1990. Demand for Chinese exports weakened last year and the IMF expects China’s growth

to decelerate again this year — to 6.2 percent.

The IMF left its prediction for U.S. growth this year unchanged at 2.5 percent — though a continuation of the partial 31-day shutdown of the federal government poses a risk.

The IMF trimmed the outlook for the 19 countries that use the euro as their currency to 1.6 percent from 1.8 percent. Germany got a big downgrade from the IMF, the result of weaker demand for German exports and problems in the country’s auto industry.

Britain’s messy divorce from the

European Union and Italy’s ongoing financial struggles also pose threats to growth in Europe.

Emerging-market countries are forecast to slow to 4.5 percent from 4.6 percent in 2018. That is partly a result of China’s deceleration, which pinches developing countries that supply it with raw materials such as copper and iron ore.

“China’s growth slowdown could be faster than expected especially if trade tensions continue, and this can trigger abrupt sell-offs in financial and commodity markets” — something that happened when Chinese growth sputtered in 2015, said IMF chief economist Gita Gopinath.

Under President Donald Trump the United States has imposed import

taxes on steel, aluminum and hundreds of Chinese products, drawing retaliation from China and other U.S. trading partners.

“Higher trade uncertainty will further dampen investment and disrupt global supply chains,” Gopinath said. Rising interest rates in the U.S. and elsewhere are also pinching emerging-market governments and companies that borrowed heavily when rates were ultra-low in the aftermath of the 2007-2009 Great Recession. As the debts roll over, those borrowers have to refinance at higher rates. A rising dollar is also making things harder for emerging-market borrowers who took out loans denominated in the U.S. currency. (ap)

EU fines Mastercard 570 mln euros in anti-trust action

The European Union has fined global credit card giant Mastercard 570 million euros ($647 million) for limiting competition between banks offering cheaper payment fees.

“By preventing merchants from shopping around for better conditions offered by banks in other member states, Mastercard’s rules artificially raised the costs of card payments, harming consumers and retailers,” EU competition commis-

sioner Margrethe Vestager said.

After Visa, Mastercard is the second largest credit card issuer in the European market. It has been the subject of an EU anti-trust investigation since April 2013, and has cooperated with the probe.

When a customer pays a retailer with a credit card, the store’s bank pays a fee to the cardholder’s bank.

The retailer’s bank passes on this fee to the store, which increases

costs for customers.

Prior to 2015, the level of these “interchange fees” varied widely across Europe, but Mastercard’s rules at the time obliged banks receiving card payments to apply the fee set in their home country.

“This led to higher prices for retailers and consumers, to limited cross-border competition and to an artificial segmentation of the single market,” the EU Commission said in a statement.

“On this basis, the Commission concluded that Mastercard’s rules prevented retailers from benefitting from lower fees and restricted competition between banks cross border, in breach of EU antitrust rules.

“The infringement ended when Mastercard amended its rules in view of the entry into force of the Interchange Fee Regulation.”

The fine would have been higher, but Brussels reduced it by 10

percent to thank Mastercard for cooperating.

The company did not dispute the fine. “This decision relates to historic practices only, covers a limited period of time of less than two years and will not require any modification of Mastercard’s current business practices,” it said.

“Mastercard sees the closure of this anti-trust chapter as an important milestone for the company,” it added. (ap)

He explained the meanings of the procession starting from the Mengwi kingdom headquartered at Munggu with the king named Ida Cokorda Nyoman Sakti Munggu.

When defending his territory in Blambangan, East Java, before the Mengwi troops named goak selem or black crow troops left the kingdom, right on the Tumpek Kuningan Day, the king of Mengwi performed a meditation at Dalem Kahyangan Wisesa Temple, Munggu. The king got a revelation from his meditation.

The return of his troops with victory or success in the war was then commemorated with the tradition of ngerebeg. “Therefore, on Tumpek Kuningan, the tradition of ngerebeg continues to be commemorated at Munggu customary village as a tribute to the victory of Mengwi’s royal war, as the respect for the heroes,” he explained.

Related to the tradition as disaster repellent, he told that it was initially carried out with a spear. Then, during the Dutch colonial period the tradition was banned because it was thought to be a rebellion. As a result, this tradition had not been organized for several times. Then, outbreaks of disease or plague

attacked villagers, even many people died.

This condition made some customary and religious leaders negotiate with the Dutch administration and finally the tradition was allowed to be held again. However, the facilities used are not spears, but replaced with pulet wooden stick. “Since then, the tradition of ngerebeg formerly used spears was replaced with a pulet wooden stick, with the length of 3.5 meters. Based on such

belief, the ngerebeg tradition serves as catastrophe repellent or keeps away from negative things,” he explained.

The third meaning of the tradition is as a means to unite citizens. This tradition is followed by almost all men aged 14 years and over from 12 hamlets at Munggu customary village. They mutually mingle while carrying wooden sticks and walking around the village area. When they arrive in several places such

as road intersection they gather and unite the end of the stick to form the pyramid.

Once in a while, a young man will climb up the pile of the sticks. “So, this tradition is to unite young people from 12 hamlets across the Munggu customary village. By carrying out the ngerebeg tradition, they will definitely do positive things and strengthen the sense of unity among the youth,” he concluded. (kmb)

Bebek Timbungan, A New Restaurant Serving Balinese Traditional Menus

Haven’t found any classic and delicious traditional menus while traveling in Bali? Simply try dropping in to Bebek Timbungan – a Balinese Heritage Cuisine. It is located on Jalan Sunset Road, Sunset One Dewaruci Shops, Kuta.

The restaurant featuring traditional ambience is very close to the tourist area of ??Kuta and souvenir shops.

Besides, it’s only 10 minute’s drive from Ngurah Rai Airport.

Bebek Timbungan offers various types of traditional menus prepared

in accordance with the appetite of tourists. However, the most special menu is Bebek Timbungan, one of the famous duck dishes and the oldest menu in Bali. In the past, this timbungan was only served in Balinese traditional rituals. “In the Dharma Caruban manuscript, one of the most traditional Balinese menus in the ritual ceremony is the timbungan,” said Head Chef Ida Bagus Udiana in the launching of the Bebek Timbungan on Thursday (Nov. 14).

The word timbungan is derived from embung or timbung meaning bamboo. So, Bebek Timbungan is a duck meat dish cooked with basa genep (Balinese basic seasoning) using bamboo blades. “Bebek Timbungan Restaurant – Balinese Heritage Cuisine wants to introduce the Duck Timbungan as a prominent menu. “The presence of this restaurant originates from a desire to continuously preserve the philosophy of diversity in Balinese

specialties,” he added.

Vice President of Secret Garden Village, Ana Dewi Permana, said the high demand for the Bebek Timbungan menu at the previous restaurant located at Secret Garden Village Bali was the background for the opening of this Bebek Timbungan – Balinese Heritage Cuisine restaurant. “We are ready to serve quality traditional foodies, so that Duck Timbungan is opened every day from 10:00 through 23:00 local time,” she explained.

As a restaurant that upholds the ancestral heritage, Bebek Timbungan is committed to serving a special menu served by maintaining the composition and processing method in accordance with the recipes of the ancient ancestors.

It presents a variety of traditional Balinese menus in the nuance of modern Balinese-style interiors.

According to Ana Dewi, Bebek Timbungan is a restaurant that should be visited with family,

friends or partners. “During the opening of this new outlet, Bebek Timbungann – Balinese Heritage Cuisine provides a special promotion for visitors in the form of ‘age-appropriate discount’ that lasts until the end of 2018. Just by presenting ID card, visitors can enjoy discounts according to the age listed,” she said.

Bebek Timbungan presents the genuine Balinese atmosphere. The interior is designed with a natural atmosphere both in color and material. The building complies with the character of Balinese showing off warm, humble and has an elegant vivacity. “This two-floored restaurant is equipped with meeting facilities accommodating 215 seats.

Other facilities include a sound system and special lower floor to enjoy various menus. Eating here will feel really Balinese ambience because all the ornaments are in accordance with nature,” concluded Ana Dewi. (kmb)

6

Thursday, January 24, 2019

W

RLD

International

International

After a month of shutdown, US federal workers turn to food banks

NEW YORK - Most never needed help from a food pantry.

But a month since the US government shutdown began, dozens of federal employees have been lining up in Brooklyn for basics.

Customs, tax and emergency management officials are all among the crowd, having gone unemployed since December 22.

Others deemed “essential” like transportation workers or prison guards are forced to continue working without pay, taking advantage of their lunch breaks to stock up.

Volunteers are manning distribution tables in the lobby of the New York borough’s Barclays Center, which usually hosts concerts or sporting events rather than charity drives.

Those in need first register and then fill plastic bags with canned goods, potatoes, chicken, grapes and basic toiletries.

“I came here to grab some goods, to be honest,” said Antoinette Peek-Williams, an employee of the Homeland Security Department, who came an hour by subway from Harlem.

“Any way I can save money and put towards something else -- that’s what I am trying to do.”

Since the budget impasse began, the 62-year-old lives “day to day -- watching what I eat, watching what I spend, not spending.”

“Praying that they make a decision sooner than later.”

She hopes to return to work on February 1 -- an optimism of which she’s no longer so certain.

“I am a person where the glass is always half-full,” said the mother of a college student.

“I have to stay hopeful,” she said. “If you don’t have hope, you don’t have anything.”

It’s a sentiment echoed by Chante Johnson, a tax administrator.

But “it’s getting rough,” the 48-year-old said. “It’s coming, like, to the end of everything.” (afp)

- ‘Coup d’etat’ Maduro responded by accusing the US, through Pence, of trying to engineer a coup.

INDONESIAN INDONESIAN

TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP

Furloughed federal workers gather bags of food and milk as the Food Bank For NYC holds food distribution for federal workers impacted by the government shutdown in Brooklyn, New York January 22, 2019.

Venezuela’s government ominously predicted there would be violence against opposition protesters, although claiming it would be self-inflicted in a bid to portray the regime as brutal.

Venezuela’s Communications Minister Jorge Rodriguez even said Monday’s mutiny, in which soldiers took over a command post in the north of Caracas and called on the public to head to the streets in repudiation of Maduro, was merely a ruse to steal weapons.

US Senator Marco Rubio warned of manipulation by Venezuela’s intelligence service, urging them to “reconsider the plan they have for tomorrow before it’s too late.”

Monday’s mutiny was quickly put down.

Twenty-seven soldiers were arrested and Rodriguez claimed they confessed to handing out weapons to opposition activists “so they can carry out acts of violence, (cause) injuries and deaths during the protest.”

The mutiny sparked at least 30 small protests in different parts of Caracas, according to a nongovernmental organization monitoring social conflict. Police used tear gas against some of the demonstrators.

“We leave the violence to others,” Guaido said.

“Tomorrow is about reuniting as a people to tell the world about the steps we’re going to take to end the usurpation, to achieve a transitional government and a free election.”

Although Guaido insists he has the backing of the constitution in his bid to overthrow Maduro, the National Assembly has been impotent since 2017 when the Supreme Court, dominated by regime loyalists, stripped it of all its powers.

Guaido has acknowledged as much. He says he needs the help of the people and the military to achieve his aims. (afp)

11

ELECTION 2019

Prabowo-Sandi pair pledges to protect and revitalize Indonesia’s traditional markets

SAMARINDA - Former businessman and vice presidential candidate Sandiaga Uno pledged to protect and revitalize traditional markets if the Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno pair were to win the presidential election in April.

Tensions rising in Venezuela ahead of rival protests

CARACAS - Opposition supporters and regime loyalists in Venezuela are set to hold competing mass street rallies on Wednesday, two days after a failed mutiny by soldiers hoping to spark a movement that would overthrow President Nicolas Maduro.

“We have a historic appointment with our country, with the future of our children,” said National Assembly president Juan Guaido, the driving force behind the opposition protest.

“Venezuelan military, tomorrow we have a historic appointment with the people,” he said Tuesday during a session of the legislature, which the regime has stripped of power.

Guaido, 35, called for the demonstration earlier this month after Maduro was sworn in for a second term of office over objections from both the opposition and large sections of the international community.

Maduro earned his second term by winning snap elections in May that were boycotted by the opposition and dismissed as a fraud by the European Union, the United States and many Latin American countries.

The opposition protest aims to support Guaido’s bid to set up a transitional government ahead of new elections.

He received support on Tuesday from US VicePresident Mike Pence, whose country has sanctioned top regime figures.

Pence wrote on Twitter: “As the good people of Venezuela make your voices heard tomorrow, on behalf of the American people, we say: estamos con ustedes. We are with you.”

Thursday, January 24, 2019

“One of our programs is to protect and revitalize traditional markets and boost the development of community markets` cooperatives and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) for saving our people’s economic sector,” he informed journalists here.

Speaking on the sidelines of his visit to Segiri Market here to meet with traders and community members, Uno noted that the PrabowoSandi leadership will attempt to stabilize rising and fluctuating prices of basic commodities at traditional markets.

The relatively stable prices of staple foods will later help maintain the purchasing power of the people at large and boost the people`s economic activities, Uno remarked, adding that

he will also work towards driving the economy for sustainable growth in society.

In boosting sustainable growth of the people`s economy, the former Jakarta deputy governor noted that the millennials will be encouraged to become trained entrepreneurs to help create job opportunities for others.

The “OK OCE” movement for creating “One Center for Entrepreneurship” for one city and district will be pushed to boost the growth and development of SMEs and business clusters based on each of the regions` business potentials.

If the region has vast potentials in plantations, the agropreneurs will be pushed to become well-developed there,

he noted.

“We are going to strengthen the village cooperatives` role in nurturing and developing the spirit of entrepreneurship among young people as part of the OK OCE movement to accelerate the economic growth of villages,” he stated.

F a i r economic growth w i l l also be pushed to increase in the country to

reduce economic disparity.

Hence, the Probowo-Sandi pair will allocate budgets for boosting the development of competitive sectors, such as agriculture, forestry, fishery, tourism, marine, cattle breeding, and creative industry and economy, he stated.

Uno, running mate of Chief Patron of the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Prabowo Subianto for the 2019 Presidential Election, due to be held on Apr 17, received a warm and cheerful welcome from crowds of people at the Segiri traditional market.

During his visit to the market, he conversed with local traders and accommodated his supporters` request to take a selfie and shake hands with him.(ant)

Ministry to clarify plan to close Komodo National Park

Federico Parra / AFP

Riot police clash with anti-government demonstrators in the neighborhood of Los Mecedores, in Caracas, on January 21, 2019.

JAKARTA - The Forestry and Environment Ministry will summon the East Nusa Tenggara administration to discuss its plan to close Komodo National Park for a year.

“We will invite the East Nusa Tenggara government. It will not be good if the decision (to close the national park) is taken unilaterally,” Forestry and Environment Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar

stated here on Monday, Jan 21.

The ministry will learn from the local government and Tourism Ministry regarding the issue and seek a solution, including the transition period, she revealed.

Currently, the Komodo National Park is under the management of the Forestry and Environment Ministry.

“I have urged the Director General (of Natural Resource

Conservation and Ecosystem) to check this issue, as the authority to manage the national park is with the central government,” she noted.

The local administration can discuss it with the central government for inputs on the management of the national park.

“Hopefully, this week (the meeting). I have called for this meeting since last Friday,” she

added.

Earlier on Friday, East Nusa Te n g g a r a G o v e r n o r Vi k t o r Bungtilu Laiskodat remarked that his administration had planned to shut down Komodo National Park for a year to increase the population of komodo dragons and its prey deer.

The governor stated that the habitat for komodo in West Manggarai District has steadily de-

creased, and the giant lizards have shrunk in size due to the declining population of deer.

However, Laiskodat confirmed on Monday that only Komodo Island will be closed, while other islands in the national park will remain open to tourists.

The park includes the three larger islands of Komodo, Padar, and Rinca, as well as 26 smaller ones.(ant)

10

Destination

Thursday, January 24, 2019

International

Thursday, January 24, 2019

International

World weightlifting body revokes Chanu’s doping ban

Brahmavihara-Arama

Buddhist Monastery and mini Borobudur in North Bali

SINGARAJA - BrahmaviharaArama is Bali’s largest Buddhist monastery, located up in the hills of Banjar, only 1.5km west of the Banjar Hot Springs. Opened in 1970, Brahmavihara-Arama comprises a hectare of hillside, with numerous meditation rooms, libraries, beauti-

ful gardens, and an impressive mini replica of the world’s largest Buddhist archaeological site, Borobudur on its highest grounds. The monastery is an approximate 20km drive from the Singaraja main town, and a 10km from the major beach resort of Lovina. Up from the Jalan Raya Seririt-Singaraja

main road is a quaint street lined with Alphonse Lavallée vineyards that provide a scenic intro to this uphill attraction. After a few minutes, the community of Dusun Abian comes to view, and clear signposts show you directions to the famous hot springs and to the monastery.

Parking is opposite the site’s entrance, which features Balinese architecture with a rising Balinese-style bell tower housing a metal bell instead of the traditional wooden kul-kul.

Inside the front office are Buddhist calendars, posters, and printed shirts depicting the landmark, available for visitors in exchange for ‘donations’.

Another gate has a flight of stairs lined with guardian statues, with each step marked with aspects from Buddhist ‘eightfold path of enlightenment’. Its name, given by the monastery’s late founding father, Bhante Giri, consists

of three words: Brahma, Vihara and Arama, which when combined, mean ‘a place for self-cultivation’. Tall pine trees, trimmed lawns, well-maintained flower gardens and its high altitude all add up to the sense of peace you can enjoy here. Several main sections include the Uposatha Gara, which is a restful and quiet meditation room in the western section, with walls depicting Prince Siddhartha Gautama’s birth, and a statue of the Buddha in his state of reaching Nirvana. The room also serves as a main venue for new bikhu or Buddhist ‘monk’ initiations.

The Dharmasala, located in the monastery’s eastern part, is a study where the bhiku conduct their prayers, lectures, and other solemn activities. A short walk along a footpath in the western part of the complex leads you to a

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Bodi tree mini-garden that features a large tree with a sitting Buddha image underneath, and a mural that depicts his path towards Nirvana.

Throughout the gardens, you will encounter various Buddha figures in different postures. Most notable are two gold-plated bronze statues which were gifts from Thailand and Sri Lanka in 1977. The site is also a meditation place for Buddhist pilgrims during the holy day of Vesak or Asada. This important Buddhist observance is when the monastery grounds and mini Borobudur are at its most attractive with monks in procession. Proper attire as common in Balinese Hindu temple visits applies, namely a sarong and sash around the waist, which are available at the front office and free for use during your visit. (IBP/net)

Peter PARKS / AFP

France’s Lucas Pouille celebrates his victory against Canada’s Milos Raonic during their men’s singles quarter-final match on day ten of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 23, 2019.

Pouille beats Raonic to reach first Slam semi-final

NEW DELHI - The International Weightlifting Federation Wednesday revoked the provisional suspension of India’s Commonwealth Games double gold medallist Sanjita Chanu who faced a fouryear ban for a failed dope test.

Chanu’s sample, taken out-ofcompetition in the United States before the World Championships in November 2017, had tested positive for an anabolic steroid.

The result was declared two months after Chanu won gold in the women’s 53kg class at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia in March last year.

Chanu, 25, claimed innocence and appealed for an inquiry.

The IWF said while it was revoking her suspension, the result of her case would be announced in due course of time.

“On the basis of the information at its disposal, the IWF has decided that the provisional suspension of the athlete (Sanjita Chanu) shall be

lifted...,” IWF’s legal counsel Eva Nyirfa said.

“The IWF Hearing Panel will render its decision on the athlete’s case in due course,” Nyirfa said in an email addressed to the the Indian Wrestling Federation and Chanu.

Chanu said the news had come as a “big relief” after a traumatic eight months of uncertainty during which she missed the Asian Games and the World Championships.

“It is a big relief for me and I now want to compete in the World Championships this year,” Chanu, who also won gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, told AFP over the phone.

The head of India’s wrestling body Sahdev Yadav who had vowed to fight Chanu’s case said he was hopeful the star weightlifter would come out clean soon.

“The case has not ended but she can train for now if she wants,” Yadav told AFP. (afp)

MELBOURNE - Lucas Pouille became the first Frenchman to reach the semi-finals of the Australian Open since Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in 2010 when he stunned Canada’s 16th seed Milos Raonic on Wednesday.

Pouille, the 28th seed, fought back from a break down in the first set to win 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 6-7 (2/7), 6-4 and reach the last four of a Slam for the first time.

The 24-year-old had never won a match at Melbourne Park before this year but will on Friday face either Novak Djokovic or Kei Nishikori for a place in the final.

Pouille recently recruited 2006 Melbourne Park champion Amelie Mauresmo to his team after a splitting with long-time coach Emmanuel Planque in the off-season.

But the world number 31 came into Melbourne in poor form: he had lost all three of his singles matches at the Hopman Cup and suffered a first-round exit at the Sydney International.

“I’m very happy,” Pouille said.

“I was trying to forget the start of the year.

“I just kept working hard. All the matches I decided to take step by step, give everything on every point and here I am.

“Last year I lost a bit of joy being on the court,” he added. “I started a new adventure with my team, with Amelie. I enjoy being on the court again and that is the most important.”

Former world number three Raonic raced to a 3-0 lead after breaking Pouille’s first service game as the Frenchman seemed to take a few minutes to adjust to the magnitude of the occasion on Rod Laver Arena.

Pouille soon settled into the match so effectively that he not only broke back at 5-3 down but he also held break points again at 5-5.

Raonic resisted to take it to a tiebreak but Pouille had the momentum and secured the set on the back of 18 winners to only five unforced errors.

“I really wanted to return as much as possible and make him play, take care of my serve and not put too much pressure on myself,” said Pouille. “I just enjoyed the

moment.”

Pouille had equalled his best Slam performance by reaching the quarter-final and was aiming to become the first Frenchman to reach the last four at any major since Gael Monfils at the 2016 US Open.

An early break in the second put him in the driving seat.

Raonic had to dig deep at 3-3, 15-40 in the third set with his famed huge serve coming to the rescue. Four first serves staved off the danger.

He saved two more at 4-4 and in the inevitable tiebreak.

A ripping forehand return to Raonic put him 3-0 clear in the tiebreak and he ran away with it 7-2 to get a foothold.

But Pouille put Raonic’s serve under increasing pressure in the fourth set and gained his first match point with the Canadian serving at 4-5. That was repelled as was another, but on the third Pouille finally broke Raonic’s resolve to close out the match in 3hr 2min. (afp)

ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP

In this file photo taken on July 24, 2014, India’s gold medalist Sanjita Chanu Khumukcham celebrates with her medal on the podium at the medal ceremony for the women’s weightlifting 48kg class at the SECC Precinct during the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

8

Thursday, January 24, 2019

Thursday, January 24, 2019

Pressure on Brazil, Argentina as Copa America draw looms

LOIC VENANCE / AFP

FC Nantes football club supporters gather in Nantes after it was announced that the plane Argentinian forward Emiliano Sala was flying on vanished during a flight from Nantes in western France to Cardiff in Wales, on January 22, 2019.

Cardiff striker Sala ‘concerned about plane’ in final audio message

Cardiff City’s record new signing Emiliano Sala expressed concern about his plane shortly before the light aircraft disappeared over the Channel, according to an audio message sent to friends and relatives.

The Argentine striker, signed on Saturday from French club Nantes for a reported fee of 17 million euros ($19.3 million), was flying to Cardiff aboard the plane that disappeared from radar around 20 kilometres (12 miles) north of the island of Guernsey on Monday night.

“I’m on a plane that looks like it’s going to fall apart, and I’m leaving for Cardiff,” Sala said in a WhatsApp audio message carried

by Argentine media.

“If in an hour and a half you have no news from me, I don’t know if they will send people to look for me, because they will not find me, you know. Dad, I’m so scared,” he added.

Sala is missing presumed dead after the single-engine Piper PA-46 Malibu aircraft disappeared.

A 15-hour search Tuesday covering a 1,155 square-mile (3,000 square-kilometre) area in the Channel spotted “a number of floating objects in the water”, Guernsey

police said.

“We have found no signs of those on board. If they did land on the water, the chances of survival are at this stage, unfortunately, slim,” police said.

The search was set to resume at sunrise Wednesday. French civil aviation authorities had confirmed that 28-year-old Sala “was on board the plane”. It is thought there was one other passenger on the aircraft.

Police on Guernsey, which sits just off the north coast of France, said the pilot had requested to lower his altitude shortly before air traffic control in neighbouring Jersey lost contact with the plane.

- ‘Fearing the worst’ One of the rescuers searching for the missing plane earlier admitted they were “fearing the worst”, thoughts echoed by Sala’s father Horacio.

“Sadly we are fearing the worst... the sea temperature is so cold at the moment,” John Fitzger-

ald, chief officer of Channel Islands Air Search, told AFP. A tearful Horacio Sala told the press in Progreso, where the player’s family lives, that as “the hours go by and I don’t know anything, it makes me fear the worst”.

“I don’t know anything. Nobody spoke to me, not a call from the embassy, the club, nobody,” he said.

“All I want is for you to find him.”

The player’s mother, Mercedes, claimed in an interview with Argentine television channel C5N that the plane belonged to Cardiff chairman Mehmet Dalman.

Sala, who had been at Nantes since 2015 and had scored 13 goals in all competitions this season, had signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with relegation-threatened Cardiff subject to receiving international clearance.

“We were very shocked upon hearing the news that the plane had gone missing. We expected Emiliano to arrive last night into Cardiff and today was due to be his first day

with the team,” the Premier League club’s executive director Ken Choo said in a statement. “We continue to pray for positive news.”

Argentine football legend Diego Maradona expressed sadness but said he was hoping the plane had simply gone astray.

“I hope it went to the wrong airport and we find him alive, that’s all,” he said in an audio message on the Instagram account of journalist Martin Arevalo. “It’s a terrible misfortune when such things happen.”

Cardiff called off a training session planned for Tuesday, and stunned supporters gathered outside the club’s ground to lay flowers and scarves.

With his former teammates in shock, Nantes had their French Cup tie against third-tier side Entente Sannois Saint-Gratien postponed from Wednesday until Sunday.

- Fans hold vigil Meanwhile, hundreds of fans of his former team gathered for a vigil in the western French city on Tuesday evening, placing flowers, scarves and flags on the water

fountain and chanting the striker’s name at Place Royale.

“I still have hope, he is a fighter,” said Nantes president Waldemar Kita in a tweet published by the Ligue 1 club.

When he put pen to paper at relegation-threatened Cardiff on Saturday, Sala, who also has Italian nationality, said in a statement: “I’m very happy to be here. It gives me great pleasure and I can’t wait to start training, meet my new teammates and get down to work.

“For me it feels special (to be the club’s record signing). I have come here wanting to work and to help my team-mates and the club.” Sala’s last post on Instagram showed him surrounded by players from Nantes. “La ultima ciao (the last goodbye),” he wrote.

Sala began his footballing career at French club Bordeaux, who he joined in 2010, and had loan spells at other French clubs including Orleans, Niort and Caen.

He joined Nantes in 2015 for one million euros and had scored 42 Ligue 1 goals in three and a half seasons at the Stade de la Beaujoire.(afp)

They may boast seven World Cup victories between them and two of the game’s biggest stars in Lionel Messi and Neymar, but Argentina and hosts Brazil will be under immense pressure when the Copa America begins in June.

First they have a nerve-wracking wait ahead of Thursday’s draw in Rio de Janeiro to see who they will face in the group stages.

Argentina haven’t lifted a major tournament trophy in 26 years and while it has only been a dozen years for hosts Brazil, the trauma of their 2014 World Cup humiliation on home soil is still fresh in their collective memory.

The 7-1 thrashing inflicted

by Germany in the semi-finals left a wound that only trophies could heal.

The two South American giants can ill afford a false step in such a competitive tournament.

Brazil failed to even make it out of the group stages last time around, their only victory coming against Haiti, while a 1-0 defeat to Peru sent them packing.

They haven’t gone beyond the quarter-finals since last lifting the trophy in 2007.

As for Argentina, they have lost four of the last five finals, three of those in penalty shootouts, meaning Barcelona great Messi has never won a major international honor with his country.

Messi’s participation is far from certain, though, as he hasn’t played for his country since Argentina were dumped out of the World Cup at the last 16 stage in Russia by eventual winners France.

They have played six friendlies since then, but Messi has stayed in Barcelona each time, allegedly to rest.

“I’m convinced that if he’s selected, he’ll play. It depends on the coach,” Argentinian federation president Claudio Tapia told TyCSports TV channel.

Messi has retired from international duties before, following Argentina’s penalty shoot-out loss to Chile in the Centenary final in the United States in 2016, only to

Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP

Paris Saint-Germain’s Brazilian forward Neymar (R) vies with Guingamp’s Congolese defender Jordan Ikoko (L) during the French L1 football match Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) vs Guingamp (EAG), on January 19, 2019 at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris.

reverse his decision a few months later to help guide a struggling Argentina to Russia.

Their World Cup campaign was a farce amid rumors of internal disputes between the coach, Jorge Sampaoli, and the players.

Sampaoli has gone to be replaced by interim boss Lionel Scaloni, but so far Messi, who hasn’t claimed to be retired this time, has stayed away.

- ‘We have to win’ The pressure will be greatest on Brazil coach Tite, though, after he signed a new contract despite the Selecao’s quarter-final elimination

by Belgium at the World Cup. He’s launched something of a revolution in terms of personnel since Russia. “We have to win,” he told Estadao newspaper in November.

But he’s not planning on ditching an expansive style based around vibrant young players in favor of a more pragmatic approach to trying to win the trophy.

“I’ll take the risk of losing and being fired,” rather than compromising on his playing principles, he said.

The two powerhouse sides will be top seeds in the draw -- Brazil are ranked third in the FIFA world list, with Argentina 11th -- so at least they should be faced with a favorable pool.

But as Brazil found out last time in finishing below Peru and Ecuador in their pool, there are no weak teams in South America.

Uruguay, the other top seeds, are the most successful team in the competition’s history with 15 titles, one more than Argentina.

Boasting the likes of Edinson Cavani of Paris Saint Germain and Barcelona’s Luis Suarez, they reached the World Cup quarterfinals last year, only to lose to France.

Those players have won this competition before having last won the Copa in 2011.

Reigning two-time champions Chile will be in the pot of second seeds but led by Manchester United winger Alexis Sanchez they retain the kind of fire-power needed to go all the way once again.

Copa America it may be but this edition will have a distinctly Asian feel to it. With one eye on the next World Cup in Qatar, the Gulf kingdom has been invited to the tournament for the first time, alongside Japan, who were also invitees in 1999, when they failed to win a game.(afp)

Alonso urges Chelsea to hit back in Spurs showdown

Marcos Alonso has challenged his Chelsea team-mates to prove they are motivated to arrest their alarming slide in Thursday’s League Cup semi-final showdown against Tottenham.

Furious with the latest in a growing list of punchless displays, Blues boss Maurizio Sarri launching a scathing attack on his Chelsea stars after Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Arsenal.

Questioning their mental strength and revealing he finds it “extremely difficult” to motivate his players, Sarri risked alienating a squad that had already rebelled against his predecessor Antonio Conte last season.

The Italian’s blast was entirely understandable after so many tepid efforts from Chelsea this term.

But Sarri must shoulder some of the blame himself after making a pair of tactical decisions that have contributed to Chelsea’s malaise. Deploying Eden Hazard as a central striker has neutered the Belgian playmaker, who has been far more effective in his natural wide role.

That move was born out of Sarri’s frustration at the misfiring form of his other forwards Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud.

The former Napoli boss hopes to sign his old striker Gonzalo Higuain later this week, but that isn’t his only problem.

Since bringing Jorginho with him from Napoli, Sarri has felt compelled to use the midfielder in the holding role previously occupied so effectively by N’Golo Kante.

Now Kante is a fish out of water on the right side of a threeman midfield, leaving him tasked with attacking duties that aren’t his strength.

Making matters worse, Jorginho is becoming a target for frustrated Chelsea fans after failing to live up to his reputation as the man who makes his manager’s ‘Sarri-ball’ vision come to life.

Sarri reportedly called a clearthe-air meeting with his squad on Monday in a bid to resolve any lingering bad feeling after his remarkably blunt assessment of their performances.

- ‘Silly mistakes’ And, amid suggestions several players are unhappy with Sarri’s tactics, Chelsea left-back Alonso

9

claimed the team must heed their manager’s criticism and use it to salvage their season in the second leg against Tottenham.

“When you lose, you learn.

We have to analyse the game and improve quickly because there is no time to think. We have to perform again in four days,” Alonso said.

“It was a good opportunity (against Arsenal). We wasted it and now we have to work even harder to stay in a Champions League position and win games.

It has to motivate us.

“We made silly mistakes.

We provoked them to gain confidence and come to press us because we were making mistakes.”

Chelsea have lost their last three games against Tottenham dating back to last season, with two of those defeats coming under Sarri.

The Blues saw their unbeaten start to the Premier League season come to thudding halt when Mauricio Pochettino’s side romped to a 3-1 win at Wembley in November.

The League Cup first leg was a much tighter affair that left Sarri bemoaning the use of VAR after Harry Kane was controversially judged to be onside in the buildup to the penalty decision that settled the game in Tottenham’s favour.

Since then, Chelsea have laboured to an unconvincing 2-1 win over Newcastle before shooting themselves in the foot in the listless flop at Arsenal.

They might be facing Tottenham at the right time however as their London rivals are hampered by injuries to Kane and Dele Alli.

Kane will be sidelined until March with an ankle problem, while Alli suffered a hamstring injury in Sunday’s 2-1 win at Fulham.

But Tottenham midfielder Eric Dier, just back from surgery to remove his appendix, insists his side won’t be feeling sorry for themselves when they arrive at Stamford Bridge.

Tottenham, chasing their first trophy since 2008, are likely to start with Fernando Llorente up front in Kane’s absence, while Dier could fill in for Alli.

“Every team gets injuries; we have to deal with it, we’re not sulking about it or feeling sorry for ourselves,” Dier said.(afp)

8

Thursday, January 24, 2019

Thursday, January 24, 2019

Pressure on Brazil, Argentina as Copa America draw looms

LOIC VENANCE / AFP

FC Nantes football club supporters gather in Nantes after it was announced that the plane Argentinian forward Emiliano Sala was flying on vanished during a flight from Nantes in western France to Cardiff in Wales, on January 22, 2019.

Cardiff striker Sala ‘concerned about plane’ in final audio message

Cardiff City’s record new signing Emiliano Sala expressed concern about his plane shortly before the light aircraft disappeared over the Channel, according to an audio message sent to friends and relatives.

The Argentine striker, signed on Saturday from French club Nantes for a reported fee of 17 million euros ($19.3 million), was flying to Cardiff aboard the plane that disappeared from radar around 20 kilometres (12 miles) north of the island of Guernsey on Monday night.

“I’m on a plane that looks like it’s going to fall apart, and I’m leaving for Cardiff,” Sala said in a WhatsApp audio message carried

by Argentine media.

“If in an hour and a half you have no news from me, I don’t know if they will send people to look for me, because they will not find me, you know. Dad, I’m so scared,” he added.

Sala is missing presumed dead after the single-engine Piper PA-46 Malibu aircraft disappeared.

A 15-hour search Tuesday covering a 1,155 square-mile (3,000 square-kilometre) area in the Channel spotted “a number of floating objects in the water”, Guernsey

police said.

“We have found no signs of those on board. If they did land on the water, the chances of survival are at this stage, unfortunately, slim,” police said.

The search was set to resume at sunrise Wednesday. French civil aviation authorities had confirmed that 28-year-old Sala “was on board the plane”. It is thought there was one other passenger on the aircraft.

Police on Guernsey, which sits just off the north coast of France, said the pilot had requested to lower his altitude shortly before air traffic control in neighbouring Jersey lost contact with the plane.

- ‘Fearing the worst’ One of the rescuers searching for the missing plane earlier admitted they were “fearing the worst”, thoughts echoed by Sala’s father Horacio.

“Sadly we are fearing the worst... the sea temperature is so cold at the moment,” John Fitzger-

ald, chief officer of Channel Islands Air Search, told AFP. A tearful Horacio Sala told the press in Progreso, where the player’s family lives, that as “the hours go by and I don’t know anything, it makes me fear the worst”.

“I don’t know anything. Nobody spoke to me, not a call from the embassy, the club, nobody,” he said.

“All I want is for you to find him.”

The player’s mother, Mercedes, claimed in an interview with Argentine television channel C5N that the plane belonged to Cardiff chairman Mehmet Dalman.

Sala, who had been at Nantes since 2015 and had scored 13 goals in all competitions this season, had signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with relegation-threatened Cardiff subject to receiving international clearance.

“We were very shocked upon hearing the news that the plane had gone missing. We expected Emiliano to arrive last night into Cardiff and today was due to be his first day

with the team,” the Premier League club’s executive director Ken Choo said in a statement. “We continue to pray for positive news.”

Argentine football legend Diego Maradona expressed sadness but said he was hoping the plane had simply gone astray.

“I hope it went to the wrong airport and we find him alive, that’s all,” he said in an audio message on the Instagram account of journalist Martin Arevalo. “It’s a terrible misfortune when such things happen.”

Cardiff called off a training session planned for Tuesday, and stunned supporters gathered outside the club’s ground to lay flowers and scarves.

With his former teammates in shock, Nantes had their French Cup tie against third-tier side Entente Sannois Saint-Gratien postponed from Wednesday until Sunday.

- Fans hold vigil Meanwhile, hundreds of fans of his former team gathered for a vigil in the western French city on Tuesday evening, placing flowers, scarves and flags on the water

fountain and chanting the striker’s name at Place Royale.

“I still have hope, he is a fighter,” said Nantes president Waldemar Kita in a tweet published by the Ligue 1 club.

When he put pen to paper at relegation-threatened Cardiff on Saturday, Sala, who also has Italian nationality, said in a statement: “I’m very happy to be here. It gives me great pleasure and I can’t wait to start training, meet my new teammates and get down to work.

“For me it feels special (to be the club’s record signing). I have come here wanting to work and to help my team-mates and the club.” Sala’s last post on Instagram showed him surrounded by players from Nantes. “La ultima ciao (the last goodbye),” he wrote.

Sala began his footballing career at French club Bordeaux, who he joined in 2010, and had loan spells at other French clubs including Orleans, Niort and Caen.

He joined Nantes in 2015 for one million euros and had scored 42 Ligue 1 goals in three and a half seasons at the Stade de la Beaujoire.(afp)

They may boast seven World Cup victories between them and two of the game’s biggest stars in Lionel Messi and Neymar, but Argentina and hosts Brazil will be under immense pressure when the Copa America begins in June.

First they have a nerve-wracking wait ahead of Thursday’s draw in Rio de Janeiro to see who they will face in the group stages.

Argentina haven’t lifted a major tournament trophy in 26 years and while it has only been a dozen years for hosts Brazil, the trauma of their 2014 World Cup humiliation on home soil is still fresh in their collective memory.

The 7-1 thrashing inflicted

by Germany in the semi-finals left a wound that only trophies could heal.

The two South American giants can ill afford a false step in such a competitive tournament.

Brazil failed to even make it out of the group stages last time around, their only victory coming against Haiti, while a 1-0 defeat to Peru sent them packing.

They haven’t gone beyond the quarter-finals since last lifting the trophy in 2007.

As for Argentina, they have lost four of the last five finals, three of those in penalty shootouts, meaning Barcelona great Messi has never won a major international honor with his country.

Messi’s participation is far from certain, though, as he hasn’t played for his country since Argentina were dumped out of the World Cup at the last 16 stage in Russia by eventual winners France.

They have played six friendlies since then, but Messi has stayed in Barcelona each time, allegedly to rest.

“I’m convinced that if he’s selected, he’ll play. It depends on the coach,” Argentinian federation president Claudio Tapia told TyCSports TV channel.

Messi has retired from international duties before, following Argentina’s penalty shoot-out loss to Chile in the Centenary final in the United States in 2016, only to

Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP

Paris Saint-Germain’s Brazilian forward Neymar (R) vies with Guingamp’s Congolese defender Jordan Ikoko (L) during the French L1 football match Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) vs Guingamp (EAG), on January 19, 2019 at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris.

reverse his decision a few months later to help guide a struggling Argentina to Russia.

Their World Cup campaign was a farce amid rumors of internal disputes between the coach, Jorge Sampaoli, and the players.

Sampaoli has gone to be replaced by interim boss Lionel Scaloni, but so far Messi, who hasn’t claimed to be retired this time, has stayed away.

- ‘We have to win’ The pressure will be greatest on Brazil coach Tite, though, after he signed a new contract despite the Selecao’s quarter-final elimination

by Belgium at the World Cup. He’s launched something of a revolution in terms of personnel since Russia. “We have to win,” he told Estadao newspaper in November.

But he’s not planning on ditching an expansive style based around vibrant young players in favor of a more pragmatic approach to trying to win the trophy.

“I’ll take the risk of losing and being fired,” rather than compromising on his playing principles, he said.

The two powerhouse sides will be top seeds in the draw -- Brazil are ranked third in the FIFA world list, with Argentina 11th -- so at least they should be faced with a favorable pool.

But as Brazil found out last time in finishing below Peru and Ecuador in their pool, there are no weak teams in South America.

Uruguay, the other top seeds, are the most successful team in the competition’s history with 15 titles, one more than Argentina.

Boasting the likes of Edinson Cavani of Paris Saint Germain and Barcelona’s Luis Suarez, they reached the World Cup quarterfinals last year, only to lose to France.

Those players have won this competition before having last won the Copa in 2011.

Reigning two-time champions Chile will be in the pot of second seeds but led by Manchester United winger Alexis Sanchez they retain the kind of fire-power needed to go all the way once again.

Copa America it may be but this edition will have a distinctly Asian feel to it. With one eye on the next World Cup in Qatar, the Gulf kingdom has been invited to the tournament for the first time, alongside Japan, who were also invitees in 1999, when they failed to win a game.(afp)

Alonso urges Chelsea to hit back in Spurs showdown

Marcos Alonso has challenged his Chelsea team-mates to prove they are motivated to arrest their alarming slide in Thursday’s League Cup semi-final showdown against Tottenham.

Furious with the latest in a growing list of punchless displays, Blues boss Maurizio Sarri launching a scathing attack on his Chelsea stars after Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Arsenal.

Questioning their mental strength and revealing he finds it “extremely difficult” to motivate his players, Sarri risked alienating a squad that had already rebelled against his predecessor Antonio Conte last season.

The Italian’s blast was entirely understandable after so many tepid efforts from Chelsea this term.

But Sarri must shoulder some of the blame himself after making a pair of tactical decisions that have contributed to Chelsea’s malaise. Deploying Eden Hazard as a central striker has neutered the Belgian playmaker, who has been far more effective in his natural wide role.

That move was born out of Sarri’s frustration at the misfiring form of his other forwards Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud.

The former Napoli boss hopes to sign his old striker Gonzalo Higuain later this week, but that isn’t his only problem.

Since bringing Jorginho with him from Napoli, Sarri has felt compelled to use the midfielder in the holding role previously occupied so effectively by N’Golo Kante.

Now Kante is a fish out of water on the right side of a threeman midfield, leaving him tasked with attacking duties that aren’t his strength.

Making matters worse, Jorginho is becoming a target for frustrated Chelsea fans after failing to live up to his reputation as the man who makes his manager’s ‘Sarri-ball’ vision come to life.

Sarri reportedly called a clearthe-air meeting with his squad on Monday in a bid to resolve any lingering bad feeling after his remarkably blunt assessment of their performances.

- ‘Silly mistakes’ And, amid suggestions several players are unhappy with Sarri’s tactics, Chelsea left-back Alonso

9

claimed the team must heed their manager’s criticism and use it to salvage their season in the second leg against Tottenham.

“When you lose, you learn.

We have to analyse the game and improve quickly because there is no time to think. We have to perform again in four days,” Alonso said.

“It was a good opportunity (against Arsenal). We wasted it and now we have to work even harder to stay in a Champions League position and win games.

It has to motivate us.

“We made silly mistakes.

We provoked them to gain confidence and come to press us because we were making mistakes.”

Chelsea have lost their last three games against Tottenham dating back to last season, with two of those defeats coming under Sarri.

The Blues saw their unbeaten start to the Premier League season come to thudding halt when Mauricio Pochettino’s side romped to a 3-1 win at Wembley in November.

The League Cup first leg was a much tighter affair that left Sarri bemoaning the use of VAR after Harry Kane was controversially judged to be onside in the buildup to the penalty decision that settled the game in Tottenham’s favour.

Since then, Chelsea have laboured to an unconvincing 2-1 win over Newcastle before shooting themselves in the foot in the listless flop at Arsenal.

They might be facing Tottenham at the right time however as their London rivals are hampered by injuries to Kane and Dele Alli.

Kane will be sidelined until March with an ankle problem, while Alli suffered a hamstring injury in Sunday’s 2-1 win at Fulham.

But Tottenham midfielder Eric Dier, just back from surgery to remove his appendix, insists his side won’t be feeling sorry for themselves when they arrive at Stamford Bridge.

Tottenham, chasing their first trophy since 2008, are likely to start with Fernando Llorente up front in Kane’s absence, while Dier could fill in for Alli.

“Every team gets injuries; we have to deal with it, we’re not sulking about it or feeling sorry for ourselves,” Dier said.(afp)

10

Destination

Thursday, January 24, 2019

International

Thursday, January 24, 2019

International

World weightlifting body revokes Chanu’s doping ban

Brahmavihara-Arama

Buddhist Monastery and mini Borobudur in North Bali

SINGARAJA - BrahmaviharaArama is Bali’s largest Buddhist monastery, located up in the hills of Banjar, only 1.5km west of the Banjar Hot Springs. Opened in 1970, Brahmavihara-Arama comprises a hectare of hillside, with numerous meditation rooms, libraries, beauti-

ful gardens, and an impressive mini replica of the world’s largest Buddhist archaeological site, Borobudur on its highest grounds. The monastery is an approximate 20km drive from the Singaraja main town, and a 10km from the major beach resort of Lovina. Up from the Jalan Raya Seririt-Singaraja

main road is a quaint street lined with Alphonse Lavallée vineyards that provide a scenic intro to this uphill attraction. After a few minutes, the community of Dusun Abian comes to view, and clear signposts show you directions to the famous hot springs and to the monastery.

Parking is opposite the site’s entrance, which features Balinese architecture with a rising Balinese-style bell tower housing a metal bell instead of the traditional wooden kul-kul.

Inside the front office are Buddhist calendars, posters, and printed shirts depicting the landmark, available for visitors in exchange for ‘donations’.

Another gate has a flight of stairs lined with guardian statues, with each step marked with aspects from Buddhist ‘eightfold path of enlightenment’. Its name, given by the monastery’s late founding father, Bhante Giri, consists

of three words: Brahma, Vihara and Arama, which when combined, mean ‘a place for self-cultivation’. Tall pine trees, trimmed lawns, well-maintained flower gardens and its high altitude all add up to the sense of peace you can enjoy here. Several main sections include the Uposatha Gara, which is a restful and quiet meditation room in the western section, with walls depicting Prince Siddhartha Gautama’s birth, and a statue of the Buddha in his state of reaching Nirvana. The room also serves as a main venue for new bikhu or Buddhist ‘monk’ initiations.

The Dharmasala, located in the monastery’s eastern part, is a study where the bhiku conduct their prayers, lectures, and other solemn activities. A short walk along a footpath in the western part of the complex leads you to a

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Bodi tree mini-garden that features a large tree with a sitting Buddha image underneath, and a mural that depicts his path towards Nirvana.

Throughout the gardens, you will encounter various Buddha figures in different postures. Most notable are two gold-plated bronze statues which were gifts from Thailand and Sri Lanka in 1977. The site is also a meditation place for Buddhist pilgrims during the holy day of Vesak or Asada. This important Buddhist observance is when the monastery grounds and mini Borobudur are at its most attractive with monks in procession. Proper attire as common in Balinese Hindu temple visits applies, namely a sarong and sash around the waist, which are available at the front office and free for use during your visit. (IBP/net)

Peter PARKS / AFP

France’s Lucas Pouille celebrates his victory against Canada’s Milos Raonic during their men’s singles quarter-final match on day ten of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 23, 2019.

Pouille beats Raonic to reach first Slam semi-final

NEW DELHI - The International Weightlifting Federation Wednesday revoked the provisional suspension of India’s Commonwealth Games double gold medallist Sanjita Chanu who faced a fouryear ban for a failed dope test.

Chanu’s sample, taken out-ofcompetition in the United States before the World Championships in November 2017, had tested positive for an anabolic steroid.

The result was declared two months after Chanu won gold in the women’s 53kg class at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia in March last year.

Chanu, 25, claimed innocence and appealed for an inquiry.

The IWF said while it was revoking her suspension, the result of her case would be announced in due course of time.

“On the basis of the information at its disposal, the IWF has decided that the provisional suspension of the athlete (Sanjita Chanu) shall be

lifted...,” IWF’s legal counsel Eva Nyirfa said.

“The IWF Hearing Panel will render its decision on the athlete’s case in due course,” Nyirfa said in an email addressed to the the Indian Wrestling Federation and Chanu.

Chanu said the news had come as a “big relief” after a traumatic eight months of uncertainty during which she missed the Asian Games and the World Championships.

“It is a big relief for me and I now want to compete in the World Championships this year,” Chanu, who also won gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, told AFP over the phone.

The head of India’s wrestling body Sahdev Yadav who had vowed to fight Chanu’s case said he was hopeful the star weightlifter would come out clean soon.

“The case has not ended but she can train for now if she wants,” Yadav told AFP. (afp)

MELBOURNE - Lucas Pouille became the first Frenchman to reach the semi-finals of the Australian Open since Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in 2010 when he stunned Canada’s 16th seed Milos Raonic on Wednesday.

Pouille, the 28th seed, fought back from a break down in the first set to win 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 6-7 (2/7), 6-4 and reach the last four of a Slam for the first time.

The 24-year-old had never won a match at Melbourne Park before this year but will on Friday face either Novak Djokovic or Kei Nishikori for a place in the final.

Pouille recently recruited 2006 Melbourne Park champion Amelie Mauresmo to his team after a splitting with long-time coach Emmanuel Planque in the off-season.

But the world number 31 came into Melbourne in poor form: he had lost all three of his singles matches at the Hopman Cup and suffered a first-round exit at the Sydney International.

“I’m very happy,” Pouille said.

“I was trying to forget the start of the year.

“I just kept working hard. All the matches I decided to take step by step, give everything on every point and here I am.

“Last year I lost a bit of joy being on the court,” he added. “I started a new adventure with my team, with Amelie. I enjoy being on the court again and that is the most important.”

Former world number three Raonic raced to a 3-0 lead after breaking Pouille’s first service game as the Frenchman seemed to take a few minutes to adjust to the magnitude of the occasion on Rod Laver Arena.

Pouille soon settled into the match so effectively that he not only broke back at 5-3 down but he also held break points again at 5-5.

Raonic resisted to take it to a tiebreak but Pouille had the momentum and secured the set on the back of 18 winners to only five unforced errors.

“I really wanted to return as much as possible and make him play, take care of my serve and not put too much pressure on myself,” said Pouille. “I just enjoyed the

moment.”

Pouille had equalled his best Slam performance by reaching the quarter-final and was aiming to become the first Frenchman to reach the last four at any major since Gael Monfils at the 2016 US Open.

An early break in the second put him in the driving seat.

Raonic had to dig deep at 3-3, 15-40 in the third set with his famed huge serve coming to the rescue. Four first serves staved off the danger.

He saved two more at 4-4 and in the inevitable tiebreak.

A ripping forehand return to Raonic put him 3-0 clear in the tiebreak and he ran away with it 7-2 to get a foothold.

But Pouille put Raonic’s serve under increasing pressure in the fourth set and gained his first match point with the Canadian serving at 4-5. That was repelled as was another, but on the third Pouille finally broke Raonic’s resolve to close out the match in 3hr 2min. (afp)

ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP

In this file photo taken on July 24, 2014, India’s gold medalist Sanjita Chanu Khumukcham celebrates with her medal on the podium at the medal ceremony for the women’s weightlifting 48kg class at the SECC Precinct during the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

6

Thursday, January 24, 2019

W

RLD

International

International

After a month of shutdown, US federal workers turn to food banks

NEW YORK - Most never needed help from a food pantry.

But a month since the US government shutdown began, dozens of federal employees have been lining up in Brooklyn for basics.

Customs, tax and emergency management officials are all among the crowd, having gone unemployed since December 22.

Others deemed “essential” like transportation workers or prison guards are forced to continue working without pay, taking advantage of their lunch breaks to stock up.

Volunteers are manning distribution tables in the lobby of the New York borough’s Barclays Center, which usually hosts concerts or sporting events rather than charity drives.

Those in need first register and then fill plastic bags with canned goods, potatoes, chicken, grapes and basic toiletries.

“I came here to grab some goods, to be honest,” said Antoinette Peek-Williams, an employee of the Homeland Security Department, who came an hour by subway from Harlem.

“Any way I can save money and put towards something else -- that’s what I am trying to do.”

Since the budget impasse began, the 62-year-old lives “day to day -- watching what I eat, watching what I spend, not spending.”

“Praying that they make a decision sooner than later.”

She hopes to return to work on February 1 -- an optimism of which she’s no longer so certain.

“I am a person where the glass is always half-full,” said the mother of a college student.

“I have to stay hopeful,” she said. “If you don’t have hope, you don’t have anything.”

It’s a sentiment echoed by Chante Johnson, a tax administrator.

But “it’s getting rough,” the 48-year-old said. “It’s coming, like, to the end of everything.” (afp)

- ‘Coup d’etat’ Maduro responded by accusing the US, through Pence, of trying to engineer a coup.

INDONESIAN INDONESIAN

TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP

Furloughed federal workers gather bags of food and milk as the Food Bank For NYC holds food distribution for federal workers impacted by the government shutdown in Brooklyn, New York January 22, 2019.

Venezuela’s government ominously predicted there would be violence against opposition protesters, although claiming it would be self-inflicted in a bid to portray the regime as brutal.

Venezuela’s Communications Minister Jorge Rodriguez even said Monday’s mutiny, in which soldiers took over a command post in the north of Caracas and called on the public to head to the streets in repudiation of Maduro, was merely a ruse to steal weapons.

US Senator Marco Rubio warned of manipulation by Venezuela’s intelligence service, urging them to “reconsider the plan they have for tomorrow before it’s too late.”

Monday’s mutiny was quickly put down.

Twenty-seven soldiers were arrested and Rodriguez claimed they confessed to handing out weapons to opposition activists “so they can carry out acts of violence, (cause) injuries and deaths during the protest.”

The mutiny sparked at least 30 small protests in different parts of Caracas, according to a nongovernmental organization monitoring social conflict. Police used tear gas against some of the demonstrators.

“We leave the violence to others,” Guaido said.

“Tomorrow is about reuniting as a people to tell the world about the steps we’re going to take to end the usurpation, to achieve a transitional government and a free election.”

Although Guaido insists he has the backing of the constitution in his bid to overthrow Maduro, the National Assembly has been impotent since 2017 when the Supreme Court, dominated by regime loyalists, stripped it of all its powers.

Guaido has acknowledged as much. He says he needs the help of the people and the military to achieve his aims. (afp)

11

ELECTION 2019

Prabowo-Sandi pair pledges to protect and revitalize Indonesia’s traditional markets

SAMARINDA - Former businessman and vice presidential candidate Sandiaga Uno pledged to protect and revitalize traditional markets if the Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno pair were to win the presidential election in April.

Tensions rising in Venezuela ahead of rival protests

CARACAS - Opposition supporters and regime loyalists in Venezuela are set to hold competing mass street rallies on Wednesday, two days after a failed mutiny by soldiers hoping to spark a movement that would overthrow President Nicolas Maduro.

“We have a historic appointment with our country, with the future of our children,” said National Assembly president Juan Guaido, the driving force behind the opposition protest.

“Venezuelan military, tomorrow we have a historic appointment with the people,” he said Tuesday during a session of the legislature, which the regime has stripped of power.

Guaido, 35, called for the demonstration earlier this month after Maduro was sworn in for a second term of office over objections from both the opposition and large sections of the international community.

Maduro earned his second term by winning snap elections in May that were boycotted by the opposition and dismissed as a fraud by the European Union, the United States and many Latin American countries.

The opposition protest aims to support Guaido’s bid to set up a transitional government ahead of new elections.

He received support on Tuesday from US VicePresident Mike Pence, whose country has sanctioned top regime figures.

Pence wrote on Twitter: “As the good people of Venezuela make your voices heard tomorrow, on behalf of the American people, we say: estamos con ustedes. We are with you.”

Thursday, January 24, 2019

“One of our programs is to protect and revitalize traditional markets and boost the development of community markets` cooperatives and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) for saving our people’s economic sector,” he informed journalists here.

Speaking on the sidelines of his visit to Segiri Market here to meet with traders and community members, Uno noted that the PrabowoSandi leadership will attempt to stabilize rising and fluctuating prices of basic commodities at traditional markets.

The relatively stable prices of staple foods will later help maintain the purchasing power of the people at large and boost the people`s economic activities, Uno remarked, adding that

he will also work towards driving the economy for sustainable growth in society.

In boosting sustainable growth of the people`s economy, the former Jakarta deputy governor noted that the millennials will be encouraged to become trained entrepreneurs to help create job opportunities for others.

The “OK OCE” movement for creating “One Center for Entrepreneurship” for one city and district will be pushed to boost the growth and development of SMEs and business clusters based on each of the regions` business potentials.

If the region has vast potentials in plantations, the agropreneurs will be pushed to become well-developed there,

he noted.

“We are going to strengthen the village cooperatives` role in nurturing and developing the spirit of entrepreneurship among young people as part of the OK OCE movement to accelerate the economic growth of villages,” he stated.

F a i r economic growth w i l l also be pushed to increase in the country to

reduce economic disparity.

Hence, the Probowo-Sandi pair will allocate budgets for boosting the development of competitive sectors, such as agriculture, forestry, fishery, tourism, marine, cattle breeding, and creative industry and economy, he stated.

Uno, running mate of Chief Patron of the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Prabowo Subianto for the 2019 Presidential Election, due to be held on Apr 17, received a warm and cheerful welcome from crowds of people at the Segiri traditional market.

During his visit to the market, he conversed with local traders and accommodated his supporters` request to take a selfie and shake hands with him.(ant)

Ministry to clarify plan to close Komodo National Park

Federico Parra / AFP

Riot police clash with anti-government demonstrators in the neighborhood of Los Mecedores, in Caracas, on January 21, 2019.

JAKARTA - The Forestry and Environment Ministry will summon the East Nusa Tenggara administration to discuss its plan to close Komodo National Park for a year.

“We will invite the East Nusa Tenggara government. It will not be good if the decision (to close the national park) is taken unilaterally,” Forestry and Environment Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar

stated here on Monday, Jan 21.

The ministry will learn from the local government and Tourism Ministry regarding the issue and seek a solution, including the transition period, she revealed.

Currently, the Komodo National Park is under the management of the Forestry and Environment Ministry.

“I have urged the Director General (of Natural Resource

Conservation and Ecosystem) to check this issue, as the authority to manage the national park is with the central government,” she noted.

The local administration can discuss it with the central government for inputs on the management of the national park.

“Hopefully, this week (the meeting). I have called for this meeting since last Friday,” she

added.

Earlier on Friday, East Nusa Te n g g a r a G o v e r n o r Vi k t o r Bungtilu Laiskodat remarked that his administration had planned to shut down Komodo National Park for a year to increase the population of komodo dragons and its prey deer.

The governor stated that the habitat for komodo in West Manggarai District has steadily de-

creased, and the giant lizards have shrunk in size due to the declining population of deer.

However, Laiskodat confirmed on Monday that only Komodo Island will be closed, while other islands in the national park will remain open to tourists.

The park includes the three larger islands of Komodo, Padar, and Rinca, as well as 26 smaller ones.(ant)

12

International

Thursday, January 24, 2019

BUSINESS

Bali News

International

Thursday, January 24, 2019

5

Ngrebeg Has Three Meanings, What Are They?

Ngerebeg tradition or better known as makotek held every Tumpek Kuningan (ten days after Galungan) at Munggu customary village, Mengwi, Badung, has the meaning as a tribute to the heroes, repellent of negative things and a means to unite the citizens. This was confirmed by chief of Munggu customary village, I Made Rai Sujana, amid the ngerebeg procession at the local Desa and Puseh Temple of local village, Saturday (Jan. 5).

AP Photo/Markus Schreiber

An armed Swiss police officer stands guard on the roof of a hotel near the congress center where the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, WEF, take place in in Davos, Monday, Jan. 21, 2019.

World economy forecast to slow in 2019 amid trade tensions DAVOS - The world economy absorbed more bad news Monday: The International Monetary Fund cut its growth forecast for 2019. And China, the world’s second-biggest economy, said it had slowed to its weakest pace since 1990.

The IMF cut its estimate for global growth this year to 3.5 percent, from the 3.7 percent it had predicted in October and down from 2018’s 3.7 percent. The fund cited heightened trade tensions and rising interest rates.

“After two years of solid expansion, the world economy is growing more slowly than expected and risks are rising,” said IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde as she presented the forecasts at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

The IMF is not alone in its pes-

simism. The World Bank, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and other forecasters have also downgraded their world growth estimates. Among the key concerns is the Chinese economy.

The country is slowing just as its leadership tries to turn it into a more modern economy by reducing its reliance on manufacturing and exports and increasing consumer spending.

The country reported Monday growth of 6.6 percent in 2018, the weakest since 1990. Demand for Chinese exports weakened last year and the IMF expects China’s growth

to decelerate again this year — to 6.2 percent.

The IMF left its prediction for U.S. growth this year unchanged at 2.5 percent — though a continuation of the partial 31-day shutdown of the federal government poses a risk.

The IMF trimmed the outlook for the 19 countries that use the euro as their currency to 1.6 percent from 1.8 percent. Germany got a big downgrade from the IMF, the result of weaker demand for German exports and problems in the country’s auto industry.

Britain’s messy divorce from the

European Union and Italy’s ongoing financial struggles also pose threats to growth in Europe.

Emerging-market countries are forecast to slow to 4.5 percent from 4.6 percent in 2018. That is partly a result of China’s deceleration, which pinches developing countries that supply it with raw materials such as copper and iron ore.

“China’s growth slowdown could be faster than expected especially if trade tensions continue, and this can trigger abrupt sell-offs in financial and commodity markets” — something that happened when Chinese growth sputtered in 2015, said IMF chief economist Gita Gopinath.

Under President Donald Trump the United States has imposed import

taxes on steel, aluminum and hundreds of Chinese products, drawing retaliation from China and other U.S. trading partners.

“Higher trade uncertainty will further dampen investment and disrupt global supply chains,” Gopinath said. Rising interest rates in the U.S. and elsewhere are also pinching emerging-market governments and companies that borrowed heavily when rates were ultra-low in the aftermath of the 2007-2009 Great Recession. As the debts roll over, those borrowers have to refinance at higher rates. A rising dollar is also making things harder for emerging-market borrowers who took out loans denominated in the U.S. currency. (ap)

EU fines Mastercard 570 mln euros in anti-trust action

The European Union has fined global credit card giant Mastercard 570 million euros ($647 million) for limiting competition between banks offering cheaper payment fees.

“By preventing merchants from shopping around for better conditions offered by banks in other member states, Mastercard’s rules artificially raised the costs of card payments, harming consumers and retailers,” EU competition commis-

sioner Margrethe Vestager said.

After Visa, Mastercard is the second largest credit card issuer in the European market. It has been the subject of an EU anti-trust investigation since April 2013, and has cooperated with the probe.

When a customer pays a retailer with a credit card, the store’s bank pays a fee to the cardholder’s bank.

The retailer’s bank passes on this fee to the store, which increases

costs for customers.

Prior to 2015, the level of these “interchange fees” varied widely across Europe, but Mastercard’s rules at the time obliged banks receiving card payments to apply the fee set in their home country.

“This led to higher prices for retailers and consumers, to limited cross-border competition and to an artificial segmentation of the single market,” the EU Commission said in a statement.

“On this basis, the Commission concluded that Mastercard’s rules prevented retailers from benefitting from lower fees and restricted competition between banks cross border, in breach of EU antitrust rules.

“The infringement ended when Mastercard amended its rules in view of the entry into force of the Interchange Fee Regulation.”

The fine would have been higher, but Brussels reduced it by 10

percent to thank Mastercard for cooperating.

The company did not dispute the fine. “This decision relates to historic practices only, covers a limited period of time of less than two years and will not require any modification of Mastercard’s current business practices,” it said.

“Mastercard sees the closure of this anti-trust chapter as an important milestone for the company,” it added. (ap)

He explained the meanings of the procession starting from the Mengwi kingdom headquartered at Munggu with the king named Ida Cokorda Nyoman Sakti Munggu.

When defending his territory in Blambangan, East Java, before the Mengwi troops named goak selem or black crow troops left the kingdom, right on the Tumpek Kuningan Day, the king of Mengwi performed a meditation at Dalem Kahyangan Wisesa Temple, Munggu. The king got a revelation from his meditation.

The return of his troops with victory or success in the war was then commemorated with the tradition of ngerebeg. “Therefore, on Tumpek Kuningan, the tradition of ngerebeg continues to be commemorated at Munggu customary village as a tribute to the victory of Mengwi’s royal war, as the respect for the heroes,” he explained.

Related to the tradition as disaster repellent, he told that it was initially carried out with a spear. Then, during the Dutch colonial period the tradition was banned because it was thought to be a rebellion. As a result, this tradition had not been organized for several times. Then, outbreaks of disease or plague

attacked villagers, even many people died.

This condition made some customary and religious leaders negotiate with the Dutch administration and finally the tradition was allowed to be held again. However, the facilities used are not spears, but replaced with pulet wooden stick. “Since then, the tradition of ngerebeg formerly used spears was replaced with a pulet wooden stick, with the length of 3.5 meters. Based on such

belief, the ngerebeg tradition serves as catastrophe repellent or keeps away from negative things,” he explained.

The third meaning of the tradition is as a means to unite citizens. This tradition is followed by almost all men aged 14 years and over from 12 hamlets at Munggu customary village. They mutually mingle while carrying wooden sticks and walking around the village area. When they arrive in several places such

as road intersection they gather and unite the end of the stick to form the pyramid.

Once in a while, a young man will climb up the pile of the sticks. “So, this tradition is to unite young people from 12 hamlets across the Munggu customary village. By carrying out the ngerebeg tradition, they will definitely do positive things and strengthen the sense of unity among the youth,” he concluded. (kmb)

Bebek Timbungan, A New Restaurant Serving Balinese Traditional Menus

Haven’t found any classic and delicious traditional menus while traveling in Bali? Simply try dropping in to Bebek Timbungan – a Balinese Heritage Cuisine. It is located on Jalan Sunset Road, Sunset One Dewaruci Shops, Kuta.

The restaurant featuring traditional ambience is very close to the tourist area of ??Kuta and souvenir shops.

Besides, it’s only 10 minute’s drive from Ngurah Rai Airport.

Bebek Timbungan offers various types of traditional menus prepared

in accordance with the appetite of tourists. However, the most special menu is Bebek Timbungan, one of the famous duck dishes and the oldest menu in Bali. In the past, this timbungan was only served in Balinese traditional rituals. “In the Dharma Caruban manuscript, one of the most traditional Balinese menus in the ritual ceremony is the timbungan,” said Head Chef Ida Bagus Udiana in the launching of the Bebek Timbungan on Thursday (Nov. 14).

The word timbungan is derived from embung or timbung meaning bamboo. So, Bebek Timbungan is a duck meat dish cooked with basa genep (Balinese basic seasoning) using bamboo blades. “Bebek Timbungan Restaurant – Balinese Heritage Cuisine wants to introduce the Duck Timbungan as a prominent menu. “The presence of this restaurant originates from a desire to continuously preserve the philosophy of diversity in Balinese

specialties,” he added.

Vice President of Secret Garden Village, Ana Dewi Permana, said the high demand for the Bebek Timbungan menu at the previous restaurant located at Secret Garden Village Bali was the background for the opening of this Bebek Timbungan – Balinese Heritage Cuisine restaurant. “We are ready to serve quality traditional foodies, so that Duck Timbungan is opened every day from 10:00 through 23:00 local time,” she explained.

As a restaurant that upholds the ancestral heritage, Bebek Timbungan is committed to serving a special menu served by maintaining the composition and processing method in accordance with the recipes of the ancient ancestors.

It presents a variety of traditional Balinese menus in the nuance of modern Balinese-style interiors.

According to Ana Dewi, Bebek Timbungan is a restaurant that should be visited with family,

friends or partners. “During the opening of this new outlet, Bebek Timbungann – Balinese Heritage Cuisine provides a special promotion for visitors in the form of ‘age-appropriate discount’ that lasts until the end of 2018. Just by presenting ID card, visitors can enjoy discounts according to the age listed,” she said.

Bebek Timbungan presents the genuine Balinese atmosphere. The interior is designed with a natural atmosphere both in color and material. The building complies with the character of Balinese showing off warm, humble and has an elegant vivacity. “This two-floored restaurant is equipped with meeting facilities accommodating 215 seats.

Other facilities include a sound system and special lower floor to enjoy various menus. Eating here will feel really Balinese ambience because all the ornaments are in accordance with nature,” concluded Ana Dewi. (kmb)

4

Bali News

Thursday, January 24, 2019

International

Bali seeks not to be dependent on tourism DENPASAR - The economic structure of Bali has been sustained by tourism. This tertiary sector contributes the most in the formation of GRDP, especially from providing accommodation, meals and drinks.

During the period of 2005 to 2017, the tertiary sector contributed 69.36 percent of Bali’s GRDP. It has far away left the primary sector only reaching 15.32 percent and the secondary sector amounting to 15.30 percent.

“Right now, we are very dependent on tourism. When tourism is threatened by volcanic eruptions, other natural disasters, security or terrorists, tourism will immediately drop. “The community’s economy plummets and the income plummets as well, it has an impact on welfare,” said the Head of the Revenue Service and R & D Agency, I Wayan Wiasthana Ika Putra, in the initial discussion of the Regional Planning Plan for Bali Province 2005-2025 and Regional Regulation on Bali Provincial Planning (RPJMD) 2018 -2023 in the Deliberation Body Meeting Room of the Bali Parliament on Monday (Jan. 21).

According to Ika Putra, the government is now trying to make Bali not only dependent on tourism. In this case, tourism continues to be encouraged to rise, have quality, and produce through tourist contributions. However, the primary and secondary sectors namely agriculture and small industries must be able to pursue the progress of tourism. Hence, the contribution of the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors in the formation of the GRDP is more balanced.

“If the agriculture and small industries are strong, when tourism comes down, Bali’s economy will

be safe. So, it does not to reduce tourism. Thus, the contribution of Bali’s GRDP will not become dependent on tourism alone,” he explained.

Ika Putra added that Bali’s agriculture lags behind when tourism develops in Bali supported by possible global conditions. All prospective farmers turn to tourism. Likewise, agricultural lands become tourist accommodation.

Although the government has tried to make policies that favor the agriculture, in fact it is unable to stem the rapid pace of tourism.

“Now, the governor brings empowerment to farmers, small and medium industries, as well as the customary communities. Tourism continues to move forward, but this must be able to catch up. It has been set forth in the regional mid-term development plan or RPJMD,” he added.

Empowerment programs, continued Ika Putra, also become an effort to alleviate poverty. Other than providing assistance directly touching the poor people in the form of home refurbishment and others, as reported earlier that Governor of Bali Wayan Koster already corrected the poverty rate from the target of 4.2 percent to 1.0-1.5 percent in his five years of leadership.

“With the establishment of economic institutions, the management of customary cooperatives and tourism continuously encouraged, the income raised, and so on we can achieve it (poverty alleviation— Ed). So, he (the governor—Ed) has been consistent with that and we are optimistic to achieve it. Of course, we build synergy with the district / municipality,” he affirmed. (kmb32)

IBP/kmb

The economic structure of Bali has been sustained by tourism.

Thursday, January 24, 2019

International

13

All shook up: How Elvis keeps Aussie outback town alive

PARKES - Once a year Parkes, a sleepy mining town in rural Australia, explodes into colour and song -- a veritable Graceland in the outback hosting a five-day extravaganza to celebrate ‘the King’.

Tegallalang village to be designated as tourism villages.

IBP/kmb

Constrained by Budget

Only 10 proposed tourism villages verified

GIANYAR - After establishing nine tourism villages in 2017, the Gianyar Tourism Office this year returns to accept proposal from twenty villages submitting the applications to be designated as tourism villages. However, due to budget constraints, out of the twenty villages only ten will be verified.

Division Head of Tourism Resources, AA Istri Dwi Hari Hidayati, stated on Monday (Jan. 21) that based on proposals from the villages, and requests from the ranks of the Gianyar parliament, there are actually 20 villages wishing to be designated into tourism villages. But due to limited budget, only 10 villages will be verified.

The ten villages are the Buahan Kaja, Tegallalang, Petulu, Pejeng Kangin, Lodtunduh, Singapadu, Celuk, Lebih, Keramas, and Sidan village.

“We have made a letter, and there will be a verification preparation meeting with the team and related agencies such as the Bappeda, DPMD, Cooperative Agency, Industry and Trade Agency, Public Works and Spatial Planning Agency and Regional Handicraft Council. If there is no obstacle, the meeting will be held on January 30,” he said.

Regarding the verification, continued Sri Hidayati, it is a follow-up of Regent Regulation No. 27/2016 concerning the Procedures for Determining Tourism Village of

Gianyar District. Prior to being determined into a tourism village, there are a number of indicators that must be verified to determine the score whether the villages meets the criteria for tourism village. “At the earliest early February, the team will come down to do verification.

Eight criteria will be verified such as nature, physical environment, culture, infrastructure, institutions, human resources, community life planning and accessibility,” he explained.

When asked about the continuation of the nine tourism villages having been set in 2017, Sri Hidayati stated they would continue to be evaluated specifically regarding the problems found in the development and the solutions.

“We have organized workshops for the nine villages regarding proper village issues, and the average problem faced is human resources.

This is not yet optimal how to build community commitment,” he concluded.

Moreover, the coaching of tourism village development has often been done. However, the demand

for human resource competency certificate to oversee the existence of tourism villages is urgently needed in order to be recognized considering that local guides are the front guard.

Meanwhile, when contacted separately the Head of Gianyar Tourism Office, AA Ari Brahmanta, stated there are actually many tourism potentials that can be developed. Tourism Office continuously tries to encourage villages to develop their tourism potential. “From the office, we always encourage villages to develop their tourism potential. In reality, all villages have tourism village potential, depending on their human resources,” he said.

Aside from boosting tourism villages, the Tourism Office at this time also continues to look for potential destinations to be developed into new tourist objects or destinations to support tourism villages.

One of the studies carried out is the development of a waterfall tourist attraction in the customary village of Patemon, Pejeng Kelod. (kmb28)

PETER PARKS / AFP

This photo taken on January 10, 2019 shows Elvis fans posing at Central Station in Sydney before boarding a train to the Parkes Elvis Festival, some 300 kilometres (190 miles) west of Sydney in outback Australia.

Die-hard fans don their polyester jumpsuits, thick black wigs and gold-coloured necklaces, hopping on the “Elvis Express” and “Blue Suede Express” trains to the event, now billed as the southern hemisphere’s biggest tribute to the superstar.

The town’s transformation extends beyond the superficial -- organisers estimate this year’s Parkes Elvis Festival generated Aus$13 million (US$9.3 million) for the local economy as more than 27,000 people visited attending some 200 themed events.

“It’s just crazy,” said North Parkes Motel owner Andrew Porter of the frenzied growth in tourists.

“It’s just gotten busier and busier over the years.

It’s helped the whole economy,” he added.

Elvis, who died in 1977 aged 42, never travelled to Australia and the event, held to coincide with his January birthday, runs at the height of summer when temperatures top 40 degree Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).

But neither fact deters the fans: What was a sleepy summer period has turned into full occupancy during the festival. Accommodation is fully booked years in advance, caravan parks fill up quickly and sporting fields are packed with tents.

“A lot of people do come here and they spend a hell of a lot of money. I know that for a fact,” said Elvis Lennox, who changed his name from Neville Steven and has a huge collection of memorabilia that he exhibits in a private museum. (afp)

Thai king signs decree approving first election since coup

BANGKOK - Thailand’s king has issued a royal decree endorsing the first general election since a 2014 coup, with a date for the long-delayed poll expected later Wednesday.

The election will be the first in the kingdom since the military toppled the administration of Yingluck Shinawatra, rewriting the constitution, muzzling all dissent and appointing key junta allies across the bureaucracy.

“It’s a suitable time to hold an election of members of parliament,” said the decree by 66-yearold King Maha Vajiralongkorn, published in the Royal Gazette on Wednesday and countersigned by junta leader Prayut Chan-O-Cha. Thailand’s history is pockmarked by coups, short-lived civilian governments and political crises.

The junta had said polls would be held no later than the end of

February, but the late signing by the king may mean the vote is held back for several weeks, with March 24 floated as a likely date.

The Election Commission said it will announce the election date on Wednesday afternoon.

The decree is set to ignite campaign season in a country where colourful and boisterous political rallies have often tipped into deadly violence.

The office of Prayut, who is also prime minister, called for an “environment of orderliness, civility and unity” -- although violence is unlikely among a public tired of political conflict.

An array of new parties -- including some aligned to the military, others to the still powerful Shinawatra clan -- have already begun meetings and recruitment as a blizzard of names are tossed up as likely future prime ministers.

Those include Prayut, who has

spent months touring the country as he rebrands himself from a gruff man-in-Khaki to an avuncular civilian leader with a common touch.

Yet he is deeply unpopular among many Thais, who have wearied of his hectoring style as well as a junta accused of running down the economy and doing little to address graft, poor education standards and the kingdom’s chasmic social inequality.

Even if the junta’s rivals do well in elections, any new civilian government is expected to be hamstrung by the military-scripted constitution.

It allows for a fully appointed upper house and embeds 20-year strategies governing everything from the economy to education.

“You can call it hybrid democracy,” said Somjai Phagaphasvivat, a political analyst at Thammasat University. (afp)

Panupong CHANGCHAI / THAI NEWS PIX / AFP

This file photo taken on May 14, 2018 shows Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn presiding over the annual royal ploughing ceremony outside Bangkok’s royal palace.

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Health

Thursday, January 24, 2019

International

Bali News

International

Planetary diet for longer life: Less meat, more vegetables

Thursday, January 24, 2019

3

MASSACHUSETTS - Here’s what to eat to save yourself and the planet: less meat and sugar, more fruits and vegetables, a global commission of experts says in a new report out Wednesday.

If everyone on the planet switched to a diet 50 percent lower in red meat and sugar than the average western diet, and much heavier in fruits and vegetables, about 11 million fewer people would die prematurely every year, the commission calculates.

And it would help save the planet, by forcing agriculture over to more sustainable methods that would pollute less and add less to global warming and climate change, the EAT-Lancet Commission said.

“Current diets are pushing the Earth beyond its planetary boundaries, while causing ill health. This puts both people and the planet at risk,” the commission said in a statement.

The commission, made up of 37 experts in nutrition, agriculture, economics, health and government, studied the problem for three years.

Their report recommends radical changes in what people eat.

“The world’s diets must change dramatically,” Dr. Walter Willett, a Harvard University nutrition expert who was part of the commission, said in a statement.

“To be healthy, diets must have an appropriate calorie intake and consist of a variety of plant-based foods, low amounts of animal-based foods, unsaturated rather than saturated fats, and few refined grains, highly processed foods, and added sugars.

The food group intake ranges that we suggest allow flexibility to accommodate various food types, agricultural systems, cultural traditions, and individual dietary preferences — including numerous omnivore, vegetarian, and vegan diets.”

Close to a billion people still get too little to eat, the report noted.

The commission broke down a precise diet that would provide optimal calories and nutrients, based on 2,500 calories per day. (net)

IBP/net

Lancet commission says people around the world need to radically change the way they eat, moving to diets that emphasize plant foods. They’ve created a visual representation of what that looks like.

Just a little pot may change teen brain, study finds LOW levels of marijuana use — as few as one or two times — may change the teen brain, according to a new study.

The study, which looked at the brains of 46 14-year-old girls and boys from Ireland, England, France and Germany, found that teenagers who reported using recreational marijuana just once or twice displayed increased

volume on MRI images in numerous brain regions involved in emotion-related processing, learning and forming memories.

The results of the study were published Monday in the Journal of Neuroscience.

“Most people would likely assume that one or two uses (joints) would have no impact, so we were curious to study this

IBP/net

Teenagers who reported using recreational marijuana just once or twice displayed increased volume on MRI images in numerous brain regions involved in emotion-related processing, learning and forming memories.

IBP/ina

The closed road access due to landslides is very difficult for residents to engage in activities.

— and especially to investigate if first uses may actually produce brain changes that affect future behavior like subsequent use,” Hugh Garavan, lead author of the study and a professor of psychiatry at the University of Vermont School of Medicine, said in an email to NBC News.

The study did not say what the increased brain matter volume means, but the researchers noted that the enlargement of gray matter contradicts normal adolescent development.

“At the age at which we studied these kids (age 14), cortical regions are going through a process of thinning,” he said, suggesting that this is a “sculpting” process that makes the brain and its connections more efficient.

“So, one possibility is that the cannabis use has disrupted this pruning process, resulting in larger volumes (i.e., a disruption of typical maturation) in the cannabis users. Another possibility is that the cannabis use has led to a growth in neurons and in the connections between them.”

It’s not the first research to find that cannabis use may cause changes to the teen brain.

A recent study found that teen brains are more vulnerable to the effects of marijuana than

alcohol. And in June, University of Pennsylvania scientists discovered that young people who used marijuana frequently were more likely than nonusers to have slightly lower scores on tests of memory, learning new information, and higher-level problem solving and information processing.

According to the most recent data released by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 32.6 percent of 10th graders reported using marijuana at least once during their lifetime.

So far, 10 states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational marijuana use.

Legalization seems imminent in several other states, including New York and New Jersey.

Marijuana has shown considerable promise for treating medical conditions including pain, muscle spasms, seizure disorders and nausea from cancer chemotherapy. At least some of those benefits are thought to come from cannabidiol, a chemical component of the marijuana plant not thought to produce mind-altering effects. But experts believe that more research is needed to determine how and why the brain is affected by early marijuana use amid changing so-

cietal attitudes toward the drug.

Experts note that these findings are insightful, although preliminary.

The enlargement of gray matter “doesn’t seem to have a major impact on brain functioning,” said David Nutt, professor of neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College in London, “so while this study alone is not able to prove small amounts of cannabis negatively affect the brains of adolescents, this area of research is important and certainly worthy of further study.” Studies looking at whether alcohol and other psychoactive substances have unwanted brain effects in young people are also merited, he said. Garavan says the overall takeaway is unclear, as the study did not look into large cognitive or mental health differences between users and nonusers.

There’s also a possibility that larger brains could be a random finding, so the findings need to be confirmed.

“As is always the case, more research is needed to replicate these effects, to try to understand the mechanisms, and critically, to unearth what additional factors may identify which cannabis-using kids show these effects and which ones don’t,” said Garavan. (net)

Agricultural products of citizens bought more cheaply

BANGLI — Economic activities of residents at three villages are now hampered due to landslide incident in the Buahan village area, Kintamani, last Thursday. Because the only road access is buried by landslides, residents at the three affected villages namely the Abang Batudinding, Abang Songan and Terunyan are forced to go outside the village and market their farming products by crossing the lake.

A resident of Terunyan village, Ketut Jaksa, when contacted on Sunday (Jan. 20) said that the closed road access due to landslides is very difficult for residents to engage in activities. To get out of the village, they have no choice but to cross the lake by using a boat. “It is complicated as

we have to take a boat when to go out,” he said.

This condition was also acknowledged to be quite influential on farmers’ income. Since land route cannot be traversed, the prices of agricultural commodities are currently bought at lower prices by collectors. “Because

the terrain is rather difficult and complicated, collectors certainly ask to buy them at lower prices,” he said. Most of the crops of farmers in their villages are sold to collectors in the form of chili.

Similar condition was also recognized by another resident, I Wayan Asli. He stated the impact

of landslides in the area of Buahan village caused the harvest results of farmers to be purchased at lower prices. Large chili, for example, usually sold for IDR 17,000 per kilogram, currently is only sold for IDR 14,000 per kilogram. “It’s purchased at cheaper price because of the consideration of transportation difficulty. Before the landslide, collectors bought the crops directly to farmers by bringing vehicles, but now they still have to take a boat,” said Asli.

Despite the decline, he admitted it us not to be too detrimental to farmers. For farmers living at Cemaralandung hamlet, the selling price of chili at IDR 14,000 per kilogram is still classified to be normal.

Nevertheless, he still hoped the handling of the Bukit Abang landslide materials at Buahan village can be immediately accomplished. So, the residents are no longer isolated and can carry out their normal activities as ever before. (kmb40)

dents appreciated to their appearance as a tangible manifestation of cultural preservation.

Presentation of the Barong Bangkung by the kindergarten opened the perspective of the local government to their current existence. Regent of Klungkung, I Nyoman Suwirta, immediately instructed the Culture Office to carry out coaching thoroughly.

In particular, Barong Bangkung art is performed by a group of children during Galungan and Kuningan holidays.

Like his experience, Regent Suwirta had noticed a group of children featuring (ngelawang) Barong Bangkung dance at the intersection.

Barong Bangkung supposed to be danced, the accessories were even kept and put on the roadside after some of them went around while carrying a can (container of money)

to hold people’s donation. This is considered to be disturbing traffic.

“In the future, it should not happen, do not perform Ngelawang show at traffic light because it disrupts traffic. Culture Service should provide coaching and ngelawang tradition should go to one home to another,” he said.

In addition, children’s dance performances on the CFDs using adult music also received the highlight from Regent Suwirta.

He considered it inappropriate for children of their age. In the future, the regent hoped that relevant ranks should provide guidance and adjust the music to the appearance of children.

In principle, Regent Suwirta asked the relevant agencies to be responsive to seeing community art activities and innovating for empowerment. (kmb31)

Child Barong Bangkung appears to entertain at CFD

IBP/kmb31

The children’s performance received the attention of residents participating in the CFD that morning.

SEMARAPURA — Every Sunday morning, Semarapura town especially around the Puputan Klungkung Square, is filled with hundreds of residents. They enliven the Car Free Day (CFD) agenda held every Sunday. There was something different from the CFD implementation on Sunday (Jan. 20), namely the appearance of Child Barong Bangkung art from Hindu Dharma Widya Kindergarten of Klungkung.

The children’s performance received the attention of residents participating in the CFD that morning. They included the Regent of Klungkung, I Nyoman Suwirta, along with a number of Klungkung district officials regularly and cohesively enliven the CFD every week. The appearance of the children was quite entertaining on stage. Many resi-

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Thursday, January 24, 2019

Bali News

International

Activities

International

Walter Spies changes the face of Bali

Thursday, January 24, 2019

15

January 19, 2019 marks 100 years since the death of Walter Spies who perished aboard a Dutch ship in the Indian Ocean as a German prisoner of war. Regardless of what might be said of the legal ambiguity of this wartime incident or even of the ambiguities of this man’s personal life, or even what he has come to represent over the years, Walter Spies was unarguably a creative, diligent and cleaver artist who had a tremendous impact not only on art production in Bali but also on tourism on this enchanted island – most notably in the branding of Ubud as a center of art and culture to foreigners throughout the world.

The impact that Spies has had as an artist, cultural liaison and symbolic figure on the art, life and economy of Bali continue to be felt to this day and is certainly worthy of being remembered and honored for the countless benefits that his man wittingly or unwittingly, single handedly or collaboratively brought to the island.

Although it is likely owing in large part to the privilege afforded to Europeans under colonial rule that he was able to gain access to people of local influence and be accorded a certain degree of power himself, Walter Spies was certainly a friendly, flexible and talented man in his own right. No amount of privilege could account for the influence he had and the symbolic place he has in the writing of art and tourism history.

Arriving in was is now Indonesia, by circumstances that are not entirely clear, he found himself in the role of conductor for the Sultan of Yogyakarta palace’s western orchestra. During his two years serving in this capacity, he came in contact with a visiting royal dignitary from Bali who was serving as a Dutch civil servant and who suggested that Spies visit the Royal Palace of Ubud and gave him a letter of introduction to the king.

To make a long story short, in a few short years of living in Bali under the wing of the Ubud Royal Palace, Walter Spies had learned to play gamelan tunes on the piano, worked with a local choreographer to create a new style of dance, had shifted his style of painting to better reflect the landscape and culture he was now living in and had learned enough about the culture and customs of Bali that he was organizing cultural shows which drew hundreds of foreigners to Ubud at a time when there were seldom any foreigners visitors at all.

He soon became a important cultural liaison for wealthy foreign visitors to the island. These visitors also represented a new market for Bali as a tourism destination but also for painting as a commodity. Balinese artists who had previously only produced works in the context of their religiocultural customs were now starting to produce works specifically to be sold.

The style of art being produced was also undergoing distinct and lasting shits due to the new socio-economic context and also due to the approach to art that Spies demonstrated in his open-air studio which is credited as having a massive impact on the creative license that Balinese

artists felt, opening Balinese painting to previously unexplored territory.

While increasingly easy access to cheaper art materials, books, and foreign culture more generally most certainly contributed to the massive shift in art making that started at this time and while the Ubud Royal Palace was also actively serving as a doorway through which foreign visitors could come to know Bali, it is clear that the presence of Walter Spies both as an artist and as a symbolic point of reference, his visual descriptions of Bali that he actively shared with Europeans, his active participation with both local and foreign artists, his involvement in the establishment of the Pita Maha artists Guild, forever changed the face of art and tourism in Bali.

On January 19th, 2019 a bust of this important figure was officially inaugurated on the grounds of Arma Museum and Resort in recognition of the tremendous contribution that Walter Spies made to Bali throughout his time on this island.

As founder of Arma Museum stated during the inauguration: “it is no exaggeration to say that Bali would not be what it is today without the contributions of Walter Spies. While Bali has certainly been exposed to other cultures for centuries and has become enriched by these exchanges, the contribution that Walter Spies made to Bali has brought a distinctly large, positive and lasting impact that we are honoring today with the inauguration of this statue”.

Bearing witness to the veritably impactful influence that Walter Spies has had on present-day Bali, amongst those who came to witness the inauguration of his bust were: German philanthropist and culture writer Pak Henri who arranged for the bust of Walter Spies to be created and inaugurated at Arma, the aged Mater painter of what is now known as Modern Traditional Balinese painting Pak Wayan Pendet, innovative master painter Pak I Ketut Budiana, founder of the formidable Neka Museum and Komaneka gallery Pak Neka, renown Mater dancer and representative of Peliatan’s royal house resident French writer and cultural researcher Jean Couteau, Indonesian academic sociologist Bu Inez, Balinese gallery owners, tourists and artists from China, Japan, Germany, Canada and elsewhere and many others whose current livelihood depends on the vibrant tourism industry in Bali that Walter Spies was instrumental in developing.(kmb)

Beautiful model from Republic of Belarus tried in cannabis cases

DENPASAR -After being arrested at Ngurah Rai International Airport on October 14, 2018, a beautiful model from the Republic of Belarus, defendant Hanna Liakhava, 25, was tried in the cannabis case on Monday (Jan. 21).

Public Prosecutor Raka Arimbawa

in front of the panel of judges led by Novita Riama, stated the defendant without legal rights already produced, imported, exported or distributed first class narcotics in the form of cannabis plants weighing 0.10 grams net.

The prosecutor added the beautiful model flew to Bali by China Eastern

with flight number MU 5029 from Shanghai to Denpasar. Arriving at Ngurah Rai Airport, the defendant’s gesture carrying a suitcase was suspicious. So, the Ngurah Rai Customs and Excise officers carried out checks on the body, including the defendant’s luggage by using X-rays. For lug-

gage, in the suitcase was identified and found plastic clips containing brownish green leaves suspected to be cannabis stored in two small tubes.

For the evidence, the suspect along with the evidence were secured. The beautiful model claimed to have purchased the cannabis in

Spain while on vacation there. The defendant bought it for her own consumption. She has been used to consume cannabis since the age of 14 years. For her actions, the defendant is charged with Article 113 of the Narcotics Law and Article 127 of the same law. (kmb37)

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Marriott International Has Trained 500,000 Hotel Workers to Recognize the Signs of Human Trafficking

Marriott International today announced that, as of this month, it has successfully trained 500,000 hotel workers to spot the signs of human trafficking in its hotels and how to respond if they do, marking a watershed moment in the global fight against this multinational crime.

“Human trafficking is a horrific form of modern slavery that entraps millions of people around the world,” said Arne Sorenson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Marriott International.

“By educating and empowering our global workforce to say something if they see something, we are

not just standing up for the most vulnerable in society, we are also protecting our associates and guests as well as living up to a core company value -- serving our world.”

Marriott launched its mandatory human trafficking awareness training program for on-property staff in both managed and franchised properties in January 2017, underscoring ongoing efforts under the company’s robust sustainability and social impact platform, Serve 360: Doing Good in Every Direction.

As part of National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, Marriott is pleased to report that thousands of associates have stepped forward to understand and

stop the exploitation.

“Hotels can unfortunately be unwilling venues for this unconscionable crime – and as a global hotel company that cares about human rights, we’re proud to be training hotel workers across the Marriott system to spot the signs,” said Dr. David Rodriguez, Chief Global Human Resources Officer, Marriott International. “There is no easy fix, but combatting modern-day slavery starts with awareness – and we now have a significant number of people capable of recognizing suspicious behavior and reporting it to management and, in some cases, law enforcement.

Training has resulted in rescues Since launching the program, Marriott’s training has directly resulted in young people being removed from dangerous situations.

To develop and test its human trafficking awareness training program, Marriott spent nearly a year collaborating with ECPATUSA and Polaris – two leading non-profits that specialize in combatting human trafficking. The company arranged for the program to be translated from English into 16 additional languages and also made sure it could be taken either online or in a classroom setting, so it can be accessed and understood in the 130 countries and territo-

ries where Marriott operates. The instruction is also broken down by role because the signs that a front desk clerk sees may differ from those that a housekeeper or bartender sees.

The International Labour Organization projects that worldwide more than 40 million people are subjected to modern slavery – and UNICEF estimates that about 25 percent of trafficking globally involves children. Polaris, which runs the National Human Trafficking Hotline in the United States, estimates there are hundreds of thousands of sex and forced-labor trafficking victims in the United States.

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

16 Pages Number 24 11th year

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

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Thursday, January 24, 2019

Oscars race kicks into high gear with nominations reveal

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Thursday, January 24, 2019

LOS ANGELES - Will “Black Panther” get a best picture nod? Will “Roma” be Netflix’s first contender for the Academy’s top prizes? Will “A Star Is Born” rebound from a thumping at the Golden Globes?

All will be revealed on Tuesday morning before dawn in Los Angeles, when the nominations for the Oscars -- Hollywood’s most coveted awards -- are unveiled, just over a month before they are distributed.

So far, the awards season has been a bit surprising, with prizes sprayed among a variety of films.

So Tuesday’s announcement should give the race to the Academy Awards on February 24 a bit more clarity.

One of the most buzzed-about films is “Roma” from Alfonso Cuaron -- a black and white ode to his childhood in 1970s Mexico City that took home two Golden Globes, including best director.

The film was produced by streaming giant Netflix, which has come under criticism from its more traditional rivals for its strategy of massive online distribution of original content -- and screenings in only a few cinemas.

“Roma” would be the first Netflix film to vie for glory in major Oscar categories.

Also atop the list is “A Star Is Born,” the latest iteration of the classic musical romance led by the powerhouse duo of actor-director Bradley Cooper and pop diva Lady Gaga.

It disappointed at the Globes with only a win for best original song, but Gaga’s best actress win (in a tie with Glenn Close in “The Wife”) at the Critics’ Choice Awards gave the film a bit more momentum.

Civil rights dramedy and surprise three-time Globes winner “Green Book” moved up in the conversation over the weekend when it won best film at the Producers

Guild of America awards.

Twenty times out of 29, the PGA award winner has gone on to take the best picture Oscar, including “The Shape of Water” last year.

Also in the mix are a wide variety of films including offbeat royal romp “The Favourite,” Dick Cheney biopic “Vice” and superhero blockbuster “Black Panther.”

For many pundits, the thousands of voters in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are at a crossroads: do they go with Cuaron’s auteur masterpiece, or a quality crowd-pleaser that raked in oodles of money?

“The Oscars have a choice now.

Two choices, actually. Adapt or die,” said long-time Oscar watcher Sasha Stone, who runs Awards Daily.

“That adaptation can take them in one direction or it can take them in another direction,” she predicted. “’Black Panther’ offers a choice.

It ticks off enough boxes to make people feel okay about themselves supporting it,” she said, referring to the Marvel film’s mainly black cast, black director and boffo box-office numbers.

“The other path is pure cinema: to reward the artistic achievement of Alfonso Cuaron’s ‘Roma’... It says that they’re now saying okay to the hybrid cinema future of streaming + theatrical.”

- Controversy Last year, the awards season was marked by the Harvey Weinstein scandal, and the birth of the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements against sexual misconduct and harassment in the workplace.

FREDERIC J. BROWN / AFP

In this file photo taken on February 24, 2016 Rick Roberts works on touching up a base amid statues of the Oscar awaiting finishing up at a Hollywood back lot in Hollywood, California ahead this weekend’s 88th Academy Awards.

This year, multiple controversies are plaguing the Oscars -- none of them related to last year’s bombshell.

In August, the Academy -under fire for being too elitist -- announced it would add a “best popular film” award. But many saw the new category as a booby prize for blockbusters like “Black Panther” that would keep them out of contention for top honors.

The plan was scrapped a month later.

Then actor-comedian Kevin Hart had perhaps the briefest tenure ever as Oscars host -- a few days.

He withdrew after homophobic tweets he had written years ago

sparked a crippling backlash on social media.

By all accounts, with many stars reportedly unwilling to grasp the poisoned chalice, the Academy has opted to go forward without a host.

Of course, on Oscars night, the focus will revert to the nominees, and the red carpet glamour.

In the best actor category, Christian Bale looks to be the frontrunner for his uncanny portrayal of Cheney in “Vice.”

But Rami Malek’s Golden Globe win for his work as Freddie Mercury in Queen biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody” put him into the conversation. Viggo Mortensen (“Green

Book”) and Cooper (“Star”) are also contenders.

For best actress, Close’s momentum is soaring after her twin Globe and Critics’ Choice wins for “The Wife,” in which she plays a woman author whose marriage boils over when her writer husband wins the Nobel Prize.

But Gaga and Olivia Colman, who plays Queen Anne in “The Favourite,” are expected to give her a fight.

The nominations will be announced on Tuesday starting at 5:20 am Pacific time (1320 GMT).

Actors Tracee Ellis Ross and Kumail Nanjiani will do the honors. (afp)

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Rocks covered in ice are seen on Coney Island Beach on a cold winter day in New York on January 22, 2019. The hight temperature in New York was about 30F (-1C)

Greenland ice melts four times faster in a decade: study

Greenland’s melting ice, which causes sea levels to rise, disappeared four times faster in 2013 than in 2003 and is noticeable across the Arctic island, not just on glaciers, researchers warned on Tuesday.

“While 111 cubic kilometres of ice disappeared per year in 2003, 10 years later this figure had almost quadrupled to 428 cubic kilometres,” the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) Space Lab said in a statement.

Its researchers contributed to a study on changes to Greenland’s ice sheet, published in the US journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

“These are notable and surprising changes we are seeing in the ice melt pattern,” DTU professor

Shfaqat Abbas Khan said. Until now, most of Greenland’s ice melt was observed on the ice cap, predominantly on the glaciers in the island’s northwest and southeast.

But most of the ice loss from 2003 to 2013 was from Greenland’s southwest region, which is largely devoid of large glaciers.

Michael Bevis, a professor at Ohio State University and lead author of the PNAS paper, said the ice now appeared to be melting from the surface mass, “melting inland

from the coastline.”

That means that in the southwestern part of Greenland, growing rivers of water are streaming into the ocean. “We knew we had one big problem with increasing rates of ice discharge by some large outlet glaciers,” Bevis said.

“But now we recognise a second serious problem: Increasingly, large amounts of ice mass are going to leave as meltwater, as rivers that flow into the sea.”

He warned this would have ma-

jor implications, causing additional sea level rise. “We are watching the ice sheet hit a tipping point,” he said, which would condemn the entire giant ice block to melting over a time scale of hundreds, or several thousand, years.

The Greenland ice sheet -- up to three kilometres thick -- contains enough frozen water to raise global sea levels some six metres (yards).

The melting ice observed in the study is caused by rising land temperatures, and in part, the fact that the ice comes into contact with waters that are increasingly warmer.

“As the atmosphere’s tempera-

ture gradually rises, we will immediately notice an acceleration of the ice melt,” Khan said.

While the amount varies from region to region, sea levels rose worldwide by an average of 20 centimetres (about eight inches) in the 20th century. They are currently rising by about 3.3 millimetres per year. (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.