Edisi 26 Desember 2013 | International Bali Post

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Thursday, December 26, 2013

Debbie Allen’s twist on ‘The Nutcracker’ wins Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK — It’s not yet Christmas, but Debbie Allen has already gotten a nice present — the Goldstar National Nutcracker Award.

The ticket discounter has declared the award-winning director and choreographer’s school the winner of the 7th annual contest that crowns the best version of “The Nutcracker” in the land.

The Debbie Allen Dance Academy’s show, “The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker” that was mounted earlier this month in Los Angeles, beat out nearly 60 other productions of “The Nutcracker.” It’s Allen’s second time winning the award.

Her show begins when young Kara Johnson receives a nutcracker filled with hot chocolate, falls asleep and the nutcracker comes alive. Written and directed by the “Fame” star, the show stars Allen

LOS ANGELES — Sylvester Stallone returns to the well of fan fiction by teaming with his onetime iconic-onscreen-pugilist rival, Robert De Niro, in “Grudge Match.” Essentially recasting “Grumpy Old Men” with the senescent specters of Rocky Balboa and Jake LaMotta, the result is sporadically amusing, with some chuckles, sight gags and crowd-pleasing supporting turns from Alan Arkin and Kevin Hart. Yet it’s all so overcooked that it defeats its own purpose.

AP Photo/Warner Bros. Pictures, Ben Rothstein

This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Robert De Niro as Billy “The Kid” McDonnen in a scene from “Grudge Match.”

Hollywood frequently rummaging through its creative dumpster for neverending sequels and remakes, but the latter-day careers of Stallone and De Niro are special cases indeed, with the two stars - 67 and 70, respectively - essaying a series of roles that are not only informed by, but practically senseless without, knowledge of their filmographies. This tendency toward lazily coasting on familiarity hits a pinnacle for both in “Grudge Match,” where the stunt casting is far funnier in theory than in execution.

As a Jim Lampley-narrated mini-documentary informs us at the outset, Henry “Razor” Sharp (Stallone) and Billy “the Kid” McDonnen (De Niro) were once the fiercest rivals in boxing, with McDonnen beating Sharp in a classic bout, and Sharp taking the spoils against an out-of-shape McDonnen in the rematch.

A third, score-settling grudge match was scheduled to take place 30 years ago, but Sharp abruptly retired from boxing shortly before the opening bell.

Since then, the soft-spoken Sharp has retreated into life as a foundry-floor

WEATHER FORECAST 23 - 32 Dps

and Carlo Imperato and had an original score by Mariah Carey, Arturo Sandoval, Chau-Giang Thi Nguyen, James Ingram and Thump.

Voting for the Goldstar National Nutcracker Award is determined by Goldstar members who rate and review “The Nutcracker” productions they recently attended. Allen’s academy, which was founded by Allen and Norman Nixon in 2001, will also win a cash prize.

‘Grudge Match’ is no knockout Associated Press Writer

Entertainment

factotum in the scrappier outskirts of Pittsburgh, while the peacocking McDonnen has parlayed his waning fame into a chain of steakhouses and car dealerships. In need of money to keep his aging trainer (Arkin) in a nursing home, Sharp agrees to throw some punches in a motion-capture suit for a videogame, leading to a confrontation with the similarly green-suited McDonnen in the studio. A ludicrous brawl breaks out between the two, and camera-phone footage of the punch-up goes viral.

Sensing an opportunity, fast-talking aspiring fight promoter Dante Slate Jr. (Hart) convinces the two paunchy punchers to finally reschedule their “Grudgement Day” bout, a televised spectacle that falls somewhere between “Celebrity Boxing” and Ali vs. Inoki on the dignity scale.

Ostentatious callbacks to “Rocky” and “Raging Bull” take the form of Stallone quaffing raw eggs and strolling through a meat locker, while De Niro performs a chintzy nightclub comedy act. As it turns out, Sharp’s abrupt retirement was sparked by McDonnen’s dalliances with his then-girlfriend (Kim Basinger), who abruptly reappears on the scene three decades later precisely as McDonnen’s estranged son, B.J. (Jon Bernthal), emerges to connect with his old man, quickly becoming his trainer.

The rest of the film (directed by Peter Segal from a script by Tim Kelleher and Rodney Rothman) ambles forward with a series of training montages interrupted by old-man-falls-down slapstick interrupted by sappy drama, with hit-andmiss set pieces occasionally compensating for the pic’s dreary lack of narrative propulsion. Considering how much of “Rocky V” and “Rocky Balboa” focused on the inherent sadness of an aged fighter enduring yet more punishment, “Grudge Match” is quite glib about the potentially fatal fight at its center, while it rarely passes up an opportunity to slather on pathos elsewhere via a cherubic little kid (Camden Gray) and images of laid-off industrial workers.

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

Thursday, December 26, 2013 Queen’s Christmas message: time to reflect

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Arsenal, Chelsea draw 0-0 in Premier League

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Ice storm leaves 500K without power in US, Canada

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New Year’s celebration

Roads to Kuta closed

Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP, File

FILE - This May 3, 2013 file photo shows Debbie Allen at the Geffen gala at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. The ticket discounter Goldstar has declared the director and choreographer the winner of the 7th annual contest that crowns the nation’s best version of “The Nutcracker.”

IBP/File Photo

The file photo shows Balinese artists performed and celebrated New Year 2013. The New Year 2014 celebration in Bali, especially in Kuta, is estimated to be crowded by people.

By all means, police will focus on security and traffic arrangement in that tourist village.

Bali Post

DENPASAR - The New Year 2014 celebration in Bali, especially in Kuta, is estimated to be crowded by people. By all means, police will focus on security and traffic arrangement in that tourist village. Even, some road sections leading to Kuta will be closed from 4:00 p.m. until the celebration ends. Not only that, the Traffic Affairs of Denpasar Metro Police then provides parking space in 11 points around Kuta area.

It was delivered by Traffic Affairs Head of Denpasar Metro Police, I Nyoman Nuryana. He explained there were 9 points of road section that would be closed.

In essence, all the flows leading to Kuta area would be closed, namely the intersection of Merta Nadi, Jalan Kunti, Jalan Nakula,

Jalan Patih Jelantik and Kuta Traffic Light. Meanwhile, people who would go to Kuta would be directed to single entrance at the roundabout of Ngurah Rai Statue.

Traffic flows coming from the north (Kerobokan and Jalan Imam Bonjol) would be routed through Jalan Sunset Road-Dewa Ruci,

Jalan Bypass Ngurah Rai-statue of the roundabout -- Air Port-Jalan Raya Tuban Kediri and Jalan Dewi Sartika. Meanwhile, the traffic flows from the east (Sanur) would be diverted to Dewa Ruci - Jalan Bypass Ngurah Rai – statue of roundabout - Airport - Jalan Raya Tuban Kuta and Jalan Dewi Sartika.

In the meantime, the flows from the south (South Kuta) would be directed to Jalan Bypass Ngurah Rai – statue of roundabout--Airport, Jalan Raya Tuban – Jalan Raya Kuta-Jalan Kediri and Jalan Dewi Sartika. People wishing to come out of Kuta would be directed to pass through Jalan Raya Kuta – Jalan Setiabudi-- Dewa Ruci Intersection

– Jalan Bypass Ngurah Rai. Meanwhile, those wishing to go northerly would be directed to Jalan Raya Kuta-Jalan Sunset Road - Jalan Imam Bonjol.

Furthermore, from the direction of Legian Kaja – Seminyak would be routed through Jalan Nakula, Jalan Kunti and Seminyak Utara- Jalan Sunset Road. “People or the hotel guests who are working and staying in the vehicle-free zone, we urge to enter before 4:00 p.m. because the closure will begin at 4:00 p.m.

Meanwhile, the vehicle sterilization will be carried out at 2:00 p.m.,” said Nuryana to reporters, Tuesday.

This former Chief of Registration and Identification Section of

Denpasar Metro Police explained that other than road closure, it would also be provided with parking space.

It would be provided at 11 locations namely on Jalan Patih Jelantik – Jalan Dewi Sri (provided with tow truck), Central Park (vehicle of Sanitation and Landscaping Agency-DKP), Dewa Ruci Intersection (Fire Brigade), intersection of Kuta Art Market (ambulance), Tuban Traffic Light (Fire Brigade), Krisna Oleh-Oleh (bus park space), Panin Bank (hold 40 units of motorcycle/ VVIP), Ace Shop (150 units of vehicles), Tri Sakti Square (500 units of motorcycle) as well as Krishna Oleh-Oleh and Jalan Sunset Road (bus parking space). (kmb21)

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International

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Bali News Illegal cafés rampant in Nusa Penida

Damaging moral, municipal police must not be sluggish Bali Post

SEMARAPURA - The existence of illegal cafes is increasingly threatening the social, customary and cultural order. After targeting a number of towns in Bali, the illegal cafés are now increasingly widespread to the islands of Nusa Penida. Such condition was protested by a number of community leaders of Nusa Penida. They asked for Municipal Police to immediately discipline them so as not to further damage the moral of Nusa Penida community.

Chairman of Nusa Penida Care Forum, Nengah Setar, said on Monday (Dec 23), the presence of illegal café was very disturbing residents. Being uncontrolled, it was increasingly widespread to every nook and cranny of villages. “Please do not let them be established carelessly. All illegal cafés are veiled. Relevant official, please inspect them,” he said. All this time, Setar assessed the prosecution of illegal cafés in Nusa Penida was minimal. This

condition harmed the moral of Nusa Penida community, particularly among young people.

Then, the impact was felt by society. On that account, teenagers who frequently consumed alcoholic drink in the cafés were said to often trigger violence.

This situation sparked wider violence, such as murder and family disharmony because many of the residents fell in love with café girls. “I am concerned to read and watch the news on a higher priest

(Ida Pedanda) who was stabbed by his own son to death just because of asking for money to buy alcoholic drink. This case has become a caution for Nusa Penida community. We have unanimously rejected the café entry into Nusa Penida,” he said while adding the presence of café had been rampant in public roadside of Ped village eastwardly.

In addition, all this time Nusa Penida was also considered a sacred area with the presence of some

kahyangan jagat or public temples, such as the Penataran Ped, Puncak Mundi to Batu Medawu Temple.

Supposedly, the entire community of Nusa Penida and local government strictly prohibited the entry of cafe into the area. Moreover, it had been left to proliferate. According to another public figure of Nusa Penida, Wayan Tageg, the situation should be addressed immediately by relevant authorities, so the area of Nusa Penida could preserve its purity. “Its existence remarkably threatens the social, customary and cultural order. If people frequently go to cafe, their family will definitely be abandoned,” he said.

The Head of Klungkung Municipal Police, Nyoman Sucitra, recognized there were many cafés

in Nusa Penida. However, he could not ascertain whether those cafés had been licensed or not because the authority lay in the licensing office. “Migrants have indeed been frequently inspected, but we do not know if the cafés have licensed or not. It is the authority of Licensing Office,” he said.

Nevertheless, his party was ready to crack down on if according to the data in the Licensing Office those cafés were not licensed. To that end, Sucitra would make coordination with the Head of Licensing Office in order to immediately take steps.

He also hoped that Nusa Penida could be free from the presence of illegal cafés because its existence was feared to damage public morality. (kmb31)

Protest against CCTV, inmates of Kerobokan threat to rampage Bali Post

MANGUPURA - Various ideas considered to be able to monitor the occupants of the correctional institution sometimes are not agreed by the occupants. On the one hand, such idea makes easier to monitor the prison, but it is protested by the occupants as they feel disturbed. Such problem is at issue in the Kerobokan Prison belonging to Denpasar Class II A category. The inmates and other detainees protested over the installation of the CCTV at a number of points scattered in the prison. They rallied in order the prison authority dismantled the CCTVs. Otherwise, the inmates threatened to rampage.

Such heating condition was justified by one of the occupants of the prison undergoing a trial in Denpasar District Court on Monday (Dec 23). “My friends indeed protested against the policy of the head of prison. Even, if their demand is not heeded, our friends threatened to run amok inside,” said a reliable source. Currently, the inmates tried to ‘remind’ the head of prison Farid Junaedi with posters and peaceful actions in prison. However, said the source, in case of no response, a larger demonstration would be made.

Other than protesting the CCTV supposedly existing in the block, the inmates also asked the prison authority to dismantle the CCTV in the visit room. They did not agree to the installation because their meeting with family would be monitored by the CCTV. “Yes, the CCTV in the visit room was also protested. Even, there were inmates screaming, threatening and saying if the prison wanted a heating condition as ever happened before,” said the source asking not to publish the name.

Meanwhile, the Head of Kerobokan Prison, Farid Junaedi, when asked for his confirmation via phone denied if that there was a rally in prison. “Nothing happened, there’s no rally,” he said. How about the inspection? “Similarly, there was no weapon inspection,” said the official replacing Gusti Wiratna. Though denied, he admitted about the installation of CCTV at 12 points.

“The installation was made about a week ago,” he said. The installation was not in the block, but outside of the block. On the phone, Farid replied so hastily. Before completing the question on the phone, he directly signaled to conclude the conversation.

Additional information obtained told that other than the matter of CCTV, there were

also the demands of the inmates. Among others, the inmates wanted to return the schedule of visit to Saturday.

Previously, the Head of Kerobokan Prison, Farid Junaedi, had made a vow of peace where

IBP/File

the prison was free from legal violations. At that time, the inmates were willing to submit voluntarily their various sharp weapons.

Even, some of the weapons had been cut or destroyed. (110)

 Founder : K.Nadha,  General Manager :Palgunadi Chief Editor: Diah Dewi Juniarti  Editors: Gugiek Savindra,Alit Susrini, Alit Sumertha, Daniel Fajry, Mawa, Sri Hartini, Suana, Sueca, Sugiartha, Yudi Winanto Denpasar: Dira Arsana, Giriana Saputra, Subrata, Sumatika, Asmara Putra. Bangli: Suasrina, Buleleng: Adnyana, Gianyar: Agung Dharmada, Karangasem: Budana, Klungkung: Bagiarta. Jakarta: Nikson, Hardianto, Ade Irawan. NTB: Agus Talino, Izzul Khairi, Raka Akriyani. Surabaya: Bambang Wilianto.  Development: Alit Purnata, Mas Ruscitadewi.  Office: Jalan Kepundung 67 A Denpasar 80232. Telephone (0361)225764, Facsimile: 227418, P.O.Box: 3010 Denpasar 80001. Bali Post Jakarta, Advertizing: Jl.Palmerah Barat 21F. Telp 021-5357602, Facsimile: 021-5357605 Jakarta Pusat. NTB: Jalam Bangau No. 15 Cakranegara Telp.

(0370) 639543, Facsimile: (0370) 628257. Publisher: PT Bali Post

Thursday, December 26, 2013

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Hard Rock Hotel Bali visits Denpasar orphanages IBP

KUTA - Band Members of Hard Rock Hotel Bali enlivened its long-serving and inspiring brand mantra, “Take Time to be Kind” in a recent food drive project with visits to two orphanages in Denpasar, Wednesday, December 18, 2013. This is part of the global initiative against children hunger and poverty – “IMAGINE There’s No Hunger” by Hard Rock International and Yoko Ono Lennon Foundation.

In the spirit of the Festive Season, more than 120 children and caretakers were served the food from the “All is One” effort by staff and guests of the Hotel.

Hard Rock Hotel Bali adapted the global program with the Balinese culture by promoting “SING CAN CAN”, a food drive initiative held among the Band Members and guests to donate minimum one piece of canned food to help the underprivileged children. “Sing Can Can” derives from “Sing Ken Ken”, a local Balinese phrase “don’t worry”. The Hotel hopes to spread the positive spirit amongst the children by raising funds to

finance their school fees and daily pocket money for school meals. “We believe in supporting grass root projects like this.

We are touched and pleased at the same time to personally meet the children. Hard Rock Hotel Bali encourages everyone to contribute and we hope that our effort may spread the awareness to help the needy,” explains Andrew Khoo, M.I.H, General Manager.

Hard Rock International’s IMAG-

INE There’s No Hunger 2013 campaign was also launched in Bali earlier this year, highlighting community visits to Denpasar and Sarbagita Landfill by Hamish Dodds, President & CEO of Hard Rock International and Kotak, Indonesia’s leading rock band. Rock stars and fans alike are encouraged to contribute by purchasing the signature IMAGINE merchandise items including charity bracelet, t-shirt and charity pin to support the campaign. Dedicated to the brand’s “All is One” core value, proceeds from Hard Rock’s global campaign will directly benefit WhyHunger, a leader in building the global movement to end hunger and poverty, and its grassroots partners around the globe in hopes of finding longterm solutions through sustainable agriculture.

Calendar Event for January 1 through February 26, 2014 1 Jan Buda Kliwon Matal, Kajeng Kliwon And Tilem Sasih Kenam Pura Desa Sukawati Sukawati Pura Pasek Gelgel Gelgel Bebetin Pura Maspahit Sesetan Pura Padharman Arya Kanuruhan Besakih 11 Jan Tumpek Kandang Pura Desa Gianyar Pura Luhur Dalem Sagening Kediri Tabanan Pura Sang Hyang Tegal Tegalalang

The condition of Kerobokan Prison

Activities

International

15 Jan Purnama Sasih Kapitu Pura Dalem Tarukan Cemenggaon Sukawati Pura Penataran Dalem Ketut Pejeng Kaja Gianyar Pura Puseh Manakaji Peninjauan Bangli Pura Taman Limut Pengosekan Mas Ubud Pura Benua Besakih Pura Gunung Rena Sidemen Karangasem Pura Pasek Gelgel Abadi Karangasem Pura Pucak Gunung Mangun Kubu Karangasem 16 Jan Kajeng Kliwon Uwudan

17 Jan Hari Bhatara Sri 21 Jan Anggara Kasih Prangbakat Pura Bukit Buluh Gunaksa Klungkung Pura Tirtha Sidamala Bebalang Bangli Pura Gunung Pangsong Lombok Pura Dalem Benawah Gianyar Pura Dalem Bitra Gianyar Pura Pura Hyang Haluh/Jenggala Besakih

Pura Tengkulak Tulikup Gianyar Pura Taman Sari Ubud Pura Penataran Badung

Pura Penataran Giri Purwo Tegal Delimo Banyuwangi Pura jala Sidhi amerta Juanda Surabaya

29 Jan Hari Siwaratri

19 Feb Buda Cemeng Kelawu Pura Penataran Agung Teluk Padang Karangasem Pura Melanting Camenggaon Sukawati Pura Penataran ped Nusa Penida Pura Gaduhan Jagat Singakerta Ubud Pura Masceti Sanding Tampak Siring Pura Penataran Batu Lepang Kamasan Kelungkung Pura Paibon Pasek Gelgel Kedonganan Kuta Pura Guwa Besakih Pura Basukian Besakih Pura Jati Ubud Pura Melanting Ubud Pura Dalem Peed Nusa Penida Pura Sad Kayangan Nusa Penida Pura Penataran Agung Gunung Karangasem

30 Jan Tilem Sasih Kepitu Pura Buana Kawan Besakih Pura Ulun Kulkul Besakih 31 Jan Kajeng Kliwon Enyitan 5 Feb Buda Kliwon Ugu Pura Dalem Tarukan Peninjauan Tembuku Bangli Pura Pemayun Banyuning Tengah Buleleng Pura Kayangan Tiga Seririt Buleleng Pura Agung Gunung Raung Taro Tegalalang 6 Feb Pura Dalem Puri Besakih 14 Feb Purnama Sasih Kawulu Pura Dalem Batur Bangli Pura Ida Ratu Pasek Besakih Pura Dalem Suci Sidemen Karangasem Pura Buana Kawan Besakih 15 Feb Tumpek Wayang & Kajeng Kliwon Uwudan Pura Majapahit Jembrana Pura Panti Gelgel Pengembungan Sesetan Pura Pedarman Dalem Sukawati Besakih Pura Pedarman Mengwi Besakih Pura Pedarman Kaba-kaba Besakih Pura Pedarman Dalem Bakas Besakih Pura Pedarman Dinasti Dalem Besakih

21 Feb Hari Bhatara Sri 25 Feb Anggara Kasih Dukut Pura Dalem Batuyang Batubulan Pura Pasek Gelgel Mengening Kediri Tabanan Pura Pasek Undagi Krambitan Tabanan Pura Pucak Taman bedulu Gianyar Pura Puser Jagat Nusa Penida Pura Dalem Purwa Kawan Bangli Pura Desa Ketewel Gianyar 26 Feb Pura Agung Pasek gelgel Sibang Kaja Abian Semal Pura Dalem Samprangan Gianyar

IBP/Courtesy of Hard Rock

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

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

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

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

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

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Thursday, December 26, 2013

Lifestyle

International

Korean noodle shop helps Memphis break character Associated Press Writer

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — This Mississippi River city is proud of its barbecue, its fried chicken, its soul food. But the food scene here is often stereotyped because of it. Those foods are what tourists typically obsess over, standing in line at Central BBQ for smoky ribs or Gus’s Fried Chicken for juicy drumsticks.

When told that there’s a place in Memphis that makes standout Korean food like soups and noodle dishes with meat and seafood, some may scoff.

But Crazy Noodle is real, and it might be proof that people in intensely Southern cities like Memphis, where collard greens are made correctly and macaroni and cheese is listed on some menus as a vegetable dish, are welcoming the cuisine of immigrant communities. Owner Ji Choi estimates that 60 percent of her customers are regulars. It’s a hidden gem for tourists seeking to avoid the barbecue and the out-of-towners.

“My restaurant is very small, compared to other big restaurants, but it’s very fun,” Choi said. Crazy Noodle is located next to a convenience store and food market, owned by Choi’s relatives. The market also makes food to order and also sells premade items including sandwiches and wraps.

The restaurant has an open kitchen where patrons can watch dishes being prepared. The windowsills are decorated with miniature dolls and action figures, donated by regular customers in the roughly two years the restaurant has been open.

Choi and her small team of chefs turn out mouthwatering, and often spicy, dishes like Korean chicken soup, with a sweet-spicy broth and loads of chicken noodles, mushrooms and vegetables. Other brothy dishes include the mandou-gok — a soup with onions, carrots, eggs, seaweed flakes, mushrooms and tender, luscious dumplings instead of noodles — and yuk-gae-jang, featuring beef, turnip and mushrooms in a spicy beef broth. The soups are great for people with colds. Or hangovers.

Bali News

International

AP Photo/Adrian Sainz

Years after holiday slayings, traditions help heal Associated Press Writer

AP Photo/Nick Ut, File

FILE - In this Dec. 29, 2008 file photo, a woman and a girl visit a memorial set up near the ruins of the Ortega family home in Covina, Calif. Bruce Pardo, dressed as Santa, shot indiscriminately at partygoers and destroyed his former in-laws’ house with a homemade blowtorch, ultimately leaving nine people dead before killing himself.

LOS ANGELES — Five years after a man dressed as Santa Claus massacred nine members of her family on Christmas Eve, the surviving daughter of the Ortega clan worked to master her mother’s pozole recipe to serve at a traditional family dinner that’s now forever tinged with tragedy.

The recipe was one from Leticia Yuzefpolsky’s childhood and a reminder of festive meals she hadn’t enjoyed since Bruce Pardo walked through the door of her parents’ suburban Los Angeles home five years ago, killed her family and burned the place down. In a matter of minutes, Yuzefpolsky lost nearly everyone she’d looked up to: her parents, two brothers and two sisters. Her two sisters-in-law and 17-year-old nephew also died.

But she was far from alone in her losses.

Thirteen sons and daughters lost at least one parent that night in Covina, a suburb about 20 miles (30 kilometers) northeast of Los Angeles. Yuzefpolsky, the youngest of five children, became the reluctant matriarch, maintaining the tight-knit family’s traditions and happier memories. The remaining family meets for dinner, exchanges gifts and shares memories.

A Christmas Day trip to church now is followed by a trip to the cemetery. Pardo, her

former brother-in-law, had carried a small arsenal of guns and fuel to torch the family’s home that Christmas Eve. It was part of a plan triggered by his ex-wife’s decision to divorce him. An FBI profile found that his actions were likely spurred by extreme narcissism and obsessive compulsive disorder.

When Pardo was severely burned in the attack, he ditched his elaborate getaway plan and killed himself with a gunshot to the mouth.

Meanwhile, Yuzefpolsky’s family scrambled to pick up the pieces. With his parents dead, one nephew became the guardian of his three minor siblings. Yuzefpolsky and her husband took in her sister’s youngest daughter.

Her then-8-year-old daughter Katrina was wounded by a gunshot to the cheek after Santa came to the door. Yuzefpolsky worked to save Christmas for her kids — telling them that wasn’t the real Santa — and calling friends from the hospital to make sure gifts were put under their tree. The kids were later sent to a camp that helps with grief.

For Yuzefpolsky, now 41, years of therapy have helped, though she still suffers from some anxiety and nightmares. “I lost my identity completely,” Yuzefpolsky said. “I always used to tease them that I have five sets of parents ... everyone telling me what to do and how to do it. I can’t even tell you how much I miss them.”

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Bali’s economic growth

Consumption contributes 69.05 percent Bali Post

DENPASAR - Household and government consumption has the highest contribution to the achievement of economic growth of Bali in 2013. The sector is capable of supporting up to 69.05 percent throughout the year compared to other sectors.

Chief Representative of Bank Indonesia for Region III Bali-Nusra, Benny Siswanto, recently said the relatively large portion of consumption and high investment growth over 15 percent were able to cover the negative net export condition of the Bali’s economy.

“Until approaching the end of this year, the household and government consumption reaches 69.05 percent. Meanwhile, the investment sector of Bali, mainly in the form of infrastructure development, also played a role. It played a very vital role in supporting the economic growth of Bali,” he said.

He said, aside from the support of consumption sector, the economic growth of Bali was also supported by the relatively robust bank loan to the level of loan growth over 25 percent in 2013. The third-party saving rate was estimated to reach more than 15 percent in 2013.

“The banking of Bali has also undertaken the intermediation function well as demonstrated by the LDR ratio that consistently lies above 75 percent since the middle of the second year,” he said.

He described the performance of banks in Bali and Nusa Tenggara region also contributed to the financing of regional economic activity. This was evident from the development in the banking performance in the region as reflected in the asset growth of approximately 20 percent.

“The growth of bank loan is over 20 percent and third party deposit is about 18 percent by the end of 2013. Thus, we have confidence the banking sector will continue to support the economic growth in the region,” he affirmed. (kmb27)

This Dec. 22, 2013 photo shows chef Adam Adkins preparing a dish of sweet potato noodles, carrots, mushrooms and onions in a spicy sauce in the open kitchen at Crazy Noodle restaurant in Memphis, Tenn.

Thursday, December 26, 2013

ANTARA FOTO/Nyoman Budhiana

Domestic tourists spending their holiday at Kuta Beach, Bali Island recently. Household and government consumption has the highest contribution to the achievement of economic growth of Bali in 2013. The sector is capable of supporting up to 69.05 percent throughout the year compared to other sectors.

Christmas celebration

Badung Police prepare hundreds of personnel

Bali Post

MANGUPURA - The ranks of Badung Police have prepared a security pattern ahead of Christmas and New Year. However, especially for the security of Christmas,

various regular strategies have been applied in the field, such as disseminating an appeal letter on the church security within the Badung Police jurisdiction and every customary village was urged to contribute

AP Photo/Dita Alangkara

Members of Indonesian Police bomb squad are deployed to anticipate terror attacks prior to the Christmas Eve mass.

together to secure the Christmas celebration. “For the security of Christmas, hundreds of personnel will be deployed to secure and guard 32 churches,” said Chief of Badung Police, Komang Suartana, accompanied by the Operations Division Head of Badung Police, Ketut Suharta.

Ketut Suartana explained that 200 special personnel were deployed for securing Christmas, consisting of 120 personnel of Badung Police and 80 personnel from each subdistrict police. In addition, several personnel would be standby at the office. “For personnel in the field, we will also team up with pecalang (customary security guard) and the officers of Pamswakarsa (civilian security guard) and military personnel,” he explained.

Related to the existence of church in Badung Police jurisdiction, Suartana said there were 32 churches. In details, in Petang subdistrict occurred a church, Mengwi (11 churches) and North Kuta Police area (20 churches). For the guard and security, it would be adjusted to situation in the field.

If the number of congregation exceeded 2,000, a total of 6 personnel would be assigned. “Checking in

the 32 churches has been made by intelligence,” he added.

To intensify the security, the Badung Police also provided advanced equipment in the form of metal detector. It would be allocated in churches with a fairly large amount of congregations. Meanwhile, the personnel would begin to be deployed in the field after the troop rally. “Metal detectors have been prepared, but condition of the field will be checked first,” said the Police Chief.

The security pattern applied was by disseminating appeal letter to churches. Later on, the letter would be given to the head of churches and read in front of the congregations.

Primarily, it would be focused on the inspection of luggage owned by church congregation such as bags. “If any suspicious item is found, we ask to quickly report it to us. Similar measure should also be applied when founding any people with suspicious gestures,” he explained.

Further, he said that his party would set up a post at vulnerable points. The posts would be used to conduct surveillance, patrol and personnel placement because the guard would not only be focused

in the church. However, it was also focused on highways and crowded tourist attraction. “At a number of road sections will be enforced an open-close system in order to avoid congestion,” he added.

To anticipate terrorists, said Suartana, it had been prepared a special supervision in several critical points. Intelligence had also been deployed to detect the shortcuts of terrorists. “To anticipate terrorists, we have prepared a special strategy,” he said, while adding that Canggu area was considered prone to terrorism because the community was heterogeneous.

Suartana also added there was replacement of subdistrict police chief positions in the Badung Police jurisdiction, namely for the Mengwi subdistrict police chief Ida Ayu Wikarniti replaced by Nengah Sumadi and Abiansemal police chief I Gede Putu Astawa replaced

by I Nyoman Kuat. Handover of the office was conducted in the hall of Badung Police on Monday. “We congratulate the new officials and hopefully they can make adaptation and are ready to secure the Christmas and New Year in the Badung Police jurisdiction,” he hoped. (nik)

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Thursday, December 26, 2013

Bali News

International

Sidewalk collapses, pedestrian access disturbed Bali Post

MANGUPURA - Heavy rain flushing over in the past few days caused the sidewalk in the area of Jalan I Gusti Ngurah Rai, Mengwi, to collapse. The sidewalk located near the Beringkit Market collapsing on Sunday (Dec 22) made the pedestrian access disturbed.

The collapse of sidewalk occurred to dozens of meters in

length. Function of the sidewalk is vital for pedestrians, while the

traffic in the region was averagely pretty busy. Without sidewalk, the pedestrian safety was worried to be threatened.

When asked for his confirmation on Monday (Dec 23), the Acting Head of Badung Highways and Irrigation Agency, Ida Bagus Surya Suamba, explained that it

belonged to national road section so that the authority to fix the sidewalk was the Highway Authority for Region VIII. Nevertheless, his party claimed to make coordination about matter to relevant authority.

Meanwhile, the Head of Highway Authority for Region VIII,

Munir, claimed to have received a report related to the collapse of the sidewalk. His party promised to immediately come down to check.

He said if the damage was not too severe, the possibility of repairs could be carried out in 2014 considering the fiscal year 2013 would end. (kmb25)

ASITA expects shuttle bus to provide transport service to Batur Bali Post

BANGLI - As a matter of fact, the Kintamani tourist area was very potential to be developed.

However, the obstacle encountered all this time was the existence of quarry and the traffic of trucks transporting sand material along the Penelokan tourist track. If it could be disciplined, it was not impossible the number of tourist arrival would increase. It was revealed by Chairman of the Association of the

Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA) of Bali, Ketut Ardana, in the discussion on the Lake Batur cleanup activity at Songan, Sunday (Dec 22).

According to Ardana, if later on the discourse of Bangli Regent Made Gianyar who would discipline the quarry area from the operation of heavy equipment and the effort to tighten the operating schedule of trucks transporting the material could be successful, then it could be ascertained that the num-

ber of tourists visiting Kintamani would increase. All this time, most travelers coming to Kintamani only visited Penelokan area. Only a few tourists wanted to come down to the area of Lake Batur.

“If the arrangement plan can work, then we from the ASITA will be able to direct much more travelers to Kintamani. Moreover, there are still opportunities for us to take travelers to come down,” said Ardana.

Ardana added if all plans of the

The beautiful scenery of Batur Mountain in Bangli Regency

regent could work smoothly, in the future his party expected there would be shuttle bus transporting travelers from Penelokan leading to the area of Lake Batur. The tourist buses were also expected to be equipped with a guidance which could explain about the existence of Geopark.

“Actually, there are still opportunities for us to take down travelers.

If possible, provide them also with a bus that can take them down accompanied by guidance. No tour

guide is required. It is enough to be equipped with guidance played in tape recorder along the way of travelers. Of course, it will also productive for the other community,” he added.

Responding to the statement, the Regent of Bangli Made Gianyar promised to discipline the quarry in the near future. As per the initial plan, the heavy equipment having been widely operated by sand miners would be immediately disciplined starting next January. The regent also promised to re-tighten the regulation and supervision against the operating schedules of the trucks transporting quarry materials and they would only be allowed to operate at particular time.

“Yesterday, we already tested. Starting in the second week of next January, we will re- tighten the regulation and oversight. I hope, the road can be orderly like yesterday, when the president came here,” he said.

Meanwhile, related to the expectation of the ASITA regarding the existence of special transport for tourists, the regent also claimed to have been working on. However, the regent emphasized the plan of policing it. He had confidence if the discipline to be in force since next January could work, the procurement of special transportation for travelers such as bus would also be considered by private sector. “If it indeed has worked, private sector will also prepare it. So, the government is unnecessary to set up the transportation,” said IBP/File Gianyar. (ina)

International

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Ice storm leaves 500K without power in US, Canada Associated Press Writer

AUGUSTA, Maine — Repair crews worked around the clock to restore power to nearly half a million customers who faced a cold and dark Christmas in parts of the central and northeastern United States and into eastern Canada after a weekend ice storm. At least 24 deaths have been linked to the storm. It appears the bad weather isn’t ready to take a break. The U.S. National Weather Service said more snow is forecast to roll into the Great Lakes and Midwest by Wednesday morning.

In Canada, five people were reported dead from apparent carbon monoxide poisoning. Police said two people in Ontario died after using a gas generator to heat their blacked-out home northeast of Toronto. Police in Quebec said carbon monoxide poisoning was believed to be the cause of three deaths in a chalet on the province’s North Shore. Earlier, five people were killed in eastern Canada in highway crashes blamed on severe weather conditions.

In the U.S., the nationwide death toll from the storm reached at least 14 on Tuesday, when a 50-year-old man in Knox, Maine, was overcome by carbon monoxide fumes from a generator. It was the second reported death attributed to fumes from a generator during the storm.

Police in Michigan also attributed two deaths in a traffic collision that happened Monday to the storm.

As temperatures plunged into the low single digits (below minus 15

Celsius) in Toronto — where nearly 80,000 customers remained without power late Tuesday — authorities reported a dramatic jump in calls for suspected carbon monoxide poisoning, responding to 110 calls in a 24-hour period. Officials said they typically see 20 such calls a day.

“We’re looking at approximately six times as many calls,” Toronto Mayor Rob Ford said as the city issued an extreme cold weather alert.

“I understand they want to keep warm but you cannot do this. This is deadly.” Fire officials warned residents not to use any appliance that burns inside a home, and even cautioned against using a lot of candles.

In Toronto, where 300,000 customers lost power at the height of the storm, crews from Ottawa, Windsor, Manitoba and Michigan were helping local teams with their efforts.

Elsewhere in Ontario, more than 44,000 customers were still without

power early Wednesday. In Quebec, some 28,000 customers remained without power. In New Brunswick, just over 29,000 customers were still in the dark, and about 300 were without power in Nova Scotia. Canadian utility officials warned that some customers could be without power until Saturday. Some U.S. states kept emergency shelters open for people without power.

Utility crews respond to a downed power line at the intersection of Dorset Street and Kennedy Drive in South Burlington, Vt., on Monday, Dec. 23, 2013. From Michigan to Maine, hundreds of thousands remain without power days after a massive ice storm _ which one utility called the largest Christmas-week storm in its history _ blacked out homes and businesses in the Great Lakes and Northeast.

AP Photo/Burlington Free Press, Glenn Russell

Thai prime minister proposes reform council Associated Press Writer

AP Photo/Thai Spokesman Office

In this photo released by the Thai Spokesman Office, Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra speaks at a news conference after a cabinet meeting at an Air Force base in Bangkok, Thailand, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2013.

BANGKOK — The Thai prime minister on Wednesday proposed the formation of a reform council to mollify a protest movement seeking to topple her government, but demonstrators immediately rejected her idea. Yingluck Shinawatra’s announcement allowed her to portray herself as being committed to reconciliation with her foes, who are vowing to step up their ongoing civil disobedience to disrupt elections scheduled on Feb. 2.

The developments only served to highlight the seeming intractable nature of a crisis that is splitting the country and paralyzing governance. The longer the stalemate the more chance of serious street violence and a military coup.

Yingluck said the council would not be a government body, and its 499 members would be appointed by an independent commission, including the commander of the armed forces, business and academic leaders and economists. It would be tasked with amending the constitution and addressing corruption and money in politics and ensuring electoral reform.

Akanat Promphan, a spokesman for the protesters, said any proposal that allowed Yingluck to stay in power or carry out the elections, which her party is seen as sure to win, was unacceptable.

He said the council as proposed would be under the influence of Yingluck. “It is certain that she will interfere with the proposed council,” he told media.

Yingluck made the announcement in Bangkok, the main power center of the protest movement. She has not been in the capital since Sunday. Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban, a former deputy prime minister, has called on followers to prevent her from working and living in the capital by besieging her home and government buildings.

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International

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Bali News

International

BUSINESS

Thursday, December 26, 2013

After Christmas begins before the holiday

Artists performed Balinese dance call Merak Angelo a creation dance that combine Balinese traditional dance with modern dance during the celebration of Christmas at Palasari, Jembrana on Wedensday, December 25, 2013.

Associated Press

NEW YORK — On the last day of shopping before Christmas Day, U.S. retailers seemed to be turning their attention to the day after the holiday.

Amazon.com already is offering after-Christmas deals of up to 70 percent off clothes and 60 percent off some electronics. Old Navy is running TV ads that its “after-holiday sale starts early” with discounts of up to 75 percent off. And CVS, which opened at 7 a.m. on Christmas Eve, was selling a wine cabinet for $10 off at $39.99 and three fleece throws (blankets) for $9.99.

Usually stores wait until the day after Christmas to offer deep discounts of up to 70 percent or more on clothes, shoes and other holiday merchandise that didn’t sell. But this year, Americans who are still worried about the economy and other concerns have held tightly to their purse strings. And sales at stores have fallen for the past three consecutive weeks.

The earlier “after Christmas” deals come as retailers are feeling more pressure to attract Americans into stores during the final week of what’s typically the busiest shopping period of the year. The two-month period that begins on Nov. 1 is important for retailers because they can make up to 40 percent of their annual sales during that time.

Sales at U.S. stores dropped 3.1 percent to $42.7 billion for the week that ended on Sunday compared with the same week last year, according to ShopperTrak, which tracks data at 40,000 locations. That follows a decline of 2.9 percent and 0.8 percent during the first and second weeks of the month, respectively.

Stores had a problem even getting Americans into stores, let alone getting them to spend. The number of shoppers fell 21.2 percent during the week that ended on Sunday, according to ShopperTrak.

Karen McDonald, a spokeswoman at Taubman Centers, which owns or operates 28 malls, estimated that business for the week that ended Sunday was unchanged to mid-single digit percentage growth compared with a year ago. McDonald said business “was just OK.” Overall, ShopperTrak estimates that holiday sales at stores so far are up 2 percent to $218.4 billion compared with the same period last year. That’s below the 2.4 percent forecast for the two-month period, but the company is standing by that estimate with a little over a week left before the season ends. The National Retail Federation, the largest U.S. retail group, also said it’s sticking with its forecast that sales in stores and online will be up 3.9 percent to $602.1 billion.

In order to get that growth, stores have tried all they can to lure shoppers in. That includes rolling out discounts that are usually reserved for after Christmas.

But some analysts doubt the discounts will be enough to save the season for stores. Research firm Retail Metrics predicts December revenue in stores open at least one year, a key retail metric, will rise 2.8 percent, just slightly higher than last year’s 2.6 percent increase.

“Our store checks coupled with numerous other reports from over the weekend suggest the final Super Saturday weekend, while busy, did not generate the final crush of shoppers necessary to save this holiday season from being ‘ho-hum,’” said Ken Perkins, the president of Retail Metrics.

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AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano, File

In this Feb. 4, 2013 file photo, a man searches for coins in his pocket to buy groceries in Buenos Aires, Argentina. JP Morgan estimates the peso will be worth 45 percent less by this time next year.

Argentine faces deteriorating economy Associated Press

BUENOS AIRES — President Cristina Fernandez has tried to reinvent her image since her return from skull surgery. She’s put aside the all-black wardrobe she wore for three years mourning her late husband Nestor Kirchner, and reshuffled her Cabinet. This week, her economy minister announced a new stimulus program.

Analysts, however, say what she really needs to do, and quickly, is take politically painful steps to contain inflation by dialing back government spending.

Restoring Argentina’s sense of pride and sovereignty after its 2001 economic collapse has been the central goal of the Kirchners’ “victorious decade” in the presidency. They renegotiated or paid off nearly all of Argentina’s defaulted debt in ways that removed the supervision of international lending organizations, nationalized the pension system, retook control of the national airline and oil company, and dug deep into the treasury to redirect revenue to the poor.

But the years of 7 percent growth are over. Fernandez now “faces a rapidly deteriorating economy that demands profound and urgent measures, and there are no pleasant alternatives in sight,” said Ignacio Fidanza, who directs lapo-

liticaonline.com, a website focused on Argentine politics.

Inflation has been at least 26 percent this year, more than twice the widely discredited official rate, private economists say. This forces rounds and rounds of wage and price negotiations that scare off investors and spark social unrest, like the provincial police strikes that set off looting across the country this month.

Governors promised pay raises that reached nearly 60 percent in some provinces to get officers back in the streets after the mob violence killed 13 people.

A 50 percent average raise for police would cost about $2.3 billion in 2014, but the officers represent just 15 percent of Argentina’s 2 million provincial government employees, and with at least 28 percent inflation expected in the coming year, the rest won’t be satisfied with less.

If all 2 million get 30 percent raises on

average, it would cost the equivalent of $10 billion in today’s pesos, estimates Diego Giacomini, chief economist with the Economia y Regiones consultancy.

Printing more pesos isn’t a sustainable alternative: JP Morgan estimates the peso will be worth 45 percent less by this time next year. Economists figure Argentina’s primary fiscal deficit, before making debt payments, grew to 2.6 percent of GDP this year. That’s better than the U.S deficit of 4.1 percent of GDP, but Argentina can’t attract international loans at market rates. Instead, it uses Central Bank reserves to buy fuel overseas, meet foreign debt payments and finance economic stimulus programs, reducing the reserves by nearly $13 billion this year, to $31 billion.

In all, the government had to spend $13 billion this year importing oil and natural gas, costing nearly $48 in hard currency for every $100 that agricultural exports brought into the economy, the Fundacion Mediterranea consultancy says.

“The ceiling that the debt once put on growth is now imposed by the energy deficit,” said Ramiro Castineira, an analyst with the Econometrica firm in Buenos Aires.

Adequate electricity supply to face Christmas and New Year Bali Post

DENPASAR - As usual ahead of the year end, many important events are organized in Bali. Hotel occupancy rate increases dramatically. This will result in an increase in electrical energy consumption, especially on the New Year’s Eve 2014.

As known, the electric power supply of Bali is only 790 MW, sourcing from the Pesanggaran diesel- and gas-fueled power plant (250MW), Gilimanuk gas-fueled power plant

(130MW), Pemaron diesel- and gas-fueled power plant (210MW) and Java-Bali submarine cables (2x100MW). Meanwhile, the highest peak in November reached 721 MW.

ANTARA FOTO/Dhoni Setiawan

The electricity supply for Christmas and New Year adequate. To keep Bali remains luminous, people must participate in making efficiency in the use of electricity.

Is that enough to serve the people of Bali on Christmas and New Year celebration?

Spokesperson of PLN Bali, Wayan Redika, explained that in recent rainy season the average peak load indeed decreased to 650 MW. This occurred because communities and the tourism industry reduced their air conditioner usage. When asked about the readiness of PLN in serving Christmas and New Year, Redika explained if the electricity supply was adequate.

Besides, his party had also been in standby condition to support services on Christmas and New Year. “Our electricity supply is adequate, though it cannot be considered ideal,” said Redika, Monday (Dec 24).

According to Redika, it could be assumed ideal when the power supply was at least equivalent to the largest power plant, namely to the Gilimanuk gas-fueled power plant with the capacity of 130 MW. “To keep Bali remains luminous, people must participate in making efficiency in the use of electricity,” added Redika.

Meanwhile, the rainy season should also become a common concern. Communities were expected to be alert to electrical hazards during rainy season. If there was something suspicious related to electricity, people were encouraged to immediately report to it the Contact Center 123.

ANTARA FOTO/Nyoman Budhiana

Strolling unethically on Turtle Island

Get ready to be approached by white-haired grandpa

IBP

NUSA DUA - When traveling to the Pudut Island or better known as Turtle Island, do not attempt to bring evil thoughts, act unethically, let alone steal any property. Residents of the island can get angry. Even, they do not hesitate to disrupt your comfort. A white-haired old man with a long beard and magical aura will be ready to approach you.

According to Nyoman Suada, an attendant in the nature tourism area, the old grandfather was believed to be a resident (of spiritual realm) in the Suwung Deluang Temple. The temple, estimated to have been hundreds of years old, was used to venerate Lord Dalem Sakti. “In addition to be sacred, the temple is also known to be haunted,” he said.

Other than being evil-minded, sleeping on the island area should also be ethical, in accordance with the applicable norms at location. Legs should face west and head face east or legs face south and head face north.

“If violated, or sleep around haphazardly, he will get angry and come to expose himself,” said Suada. Sleeping at the nightfall (around 6 p.m.) or midday (promptly at 12:00 noon) was not allowed. The grandpa could come at night or during

midday in tranquil atmosphere, so it would look scary.

Formerly, explained Suada, a grandfather serving as attendant at the local Deluang Sari tourist attraction slept and ignored the rules, so then he was visited by a huge bearded man. “But lately, such incident rarely happened.

People do their activity normally, pray together to invoke safety and security,” he said.

This temple still lies in the area of Turtle Island, about a hundred meters from the location of sea turtle conservation.

To reach the temple, visitors must pass through a wooden bridge along two hundred meters above the swamp. The temple is supported by Deluang Sari group because it is the closest to the temple. Local people believe if this old temple is very sacred and plays an important role in maintaining the region.

Other than members of the four groups (Deluang Sari, Mooncot, Bulih Bali and Lecceria) in charge of taking care of the turtle and the mangrove forest tourist area, many Tanjung Benoa residents and community from outside Badung also pray in the temple. They come on piodalan or temple anniversary falling on Anggarakasih Tambir.

Beyond the temple ceremony, people also worship on full moon and new moon to invoke safety. (ocha)

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Thursday, December 26, 2013

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International

Snowden ‘an indoor cat’ in Moscow, says he’s ‘won’

International

Thursday, December 26, 2013

INDONESIA Indonesia sets 9,2 million of foreign tourists in 2014

Associated Press Writer

AP Photo/David Goldman

Shipley Smith, 7, left, is chased by his brother Slaton, 10, around a Christmas tree after posing for their family holiday card at Cobb County’s Cumberland Mall, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2013, in Atlanta.

Queen’s Christmas message: time to reflect Associated Press Writer

LONDON — Queen Elizabeth II will focus on reflection in her annual Christmas broadcast Wednesday, saying it is important to “pause and take stock” of big events amid life’s distractions. In the prerecorded broadcast, Elizabeth will stress the need to “get the balance right between action and reflection.”

“With so many distractions, it is easy to forget to pause and take stock,” she will say in the message, which was recorded earlier this month in the blue drawing room at Buckingham Palace.

Seated at a table decorated with pictures of her immediate family, the 87-year-old monarch will touch on prominent events over the past year — from the service that marked the 60th anniversary of her coronation to the birth of Prince

George, son of Prince William and his wife, Kate. The birth of a baby “gives everyone the chance to contemplate the future with renewed happiness and hope,” she will say.

The queen’s message — latest in a royal tradition that began with a radio address by King George V in 1932 — also will contemplate the role of the Commonwealth and look ahead to the Commonwealth Games being staged in Glasgow next year.

It will air at 1500 GMT (10 a.m.

EST), after she and members of the royal family attend a traditional church service on her sprawling Sandringham estate in Norfolk.

The queen has made a prerecorded Christmas broadcast on radio since 1952 and on television since 1957. She writes the messages herself and the broadcasts mark a rare occasion on which the queen voices her own opinion without government consultation.

LONDON — Keeping a mostly low-profile as a U.S. fugitive in Moscow, former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden has suddenly resurfaced in the media, saying he is confident his personal “mission is already accomplished” and he has “already won” after leaking NSA secrets. The challenge now, he believes, is to stress the importance of privacy and urge an end to mass government surveillance.

Snowden gave a more than 14-hour interview to The Washington Post, which says it’s the first he has conducted in person since arriving in the Russian capital in June. He follows that up by speaking directly to the British public in a televised message that will be broadcast Wednesday as an alternative to the queen’s annual Christmas speech.

Snowden told the Post he was satisfied because journalists have been able to tell the story of the U.S. government’s collection of bulk Internet and phone records, an activity that has grown dramatically in the decade since the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. “For me, in terms of personal satisfaction, the mission’s already accomplished,” he said in the interview, which was published online Monday night.

“I already won.”

“As soon as the journalists were able to work, everything that I had been trying to do was validated,” Snowden told the Post. “Because, remember, I didn’t want to change society. I wanted to give society a chance to determine if it should change itself.” Snowden also gave insight into his life in Russia, suggesting that he’s not getting out much by being “an indoor cat.”

Now, Snowden will set out why he believes mass surveillance by governments is wrong and note the importance of the debate his disclosures have ignited.

“The conversation occurring today will determine the amount of trust we can place both in the technology that surrounds us and the government that regulates it,” he says, according to excerpts from the message released by Channel 4. “Together we can find a better balance, end mass surveillance and remind the government that if it really wants to know how we feel asking is always cheaper than spying.”

The queen delivers Britain’s “Royal Christmas Message,” but Channel 4 has used its annual alternative version to give a platform to people as diverse as Iran’s then-President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad in 2008, and fictional characters including Ali G. and Marge Simpson in 1999 and 2004, respectively.

In his U.K. message, Snowden calls modern surveillance more invasive than any envisioned by “1984” author George Orwell, saying that children today will grow up without knowing what it means to have an unrecorded or private moment. “That’s a problem because privacy matters, privacy is what allows us to determine who we are and who we want to be,” he says.

Associated Press Writer

KABUL, Afghanistan — The U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan says its compound was hit by indirect fire just before dawn on Christmas Day. It says no Americans were injured. An embassy official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations,

says the attack happened at around 6:40 a.m. Wednesday, when “two rounds of indirect fire impacted the U.S. Embassy compound.”

Indirect fire can refer to either mortars or rockets.

The Taliban claimed they fired four rockets at the embassy on Wednesday and inflicted heavy casualties. But the insurgents

often exaggerate their claims.

Meanwhile, a roadside bombing in eastern Kabul wounded three Afghan policemen Wednesday.

Kabul police chief, Mohammad Zahir, says one suspect was arrested over that attack. He says police later uncovered an unexploded bomb in the same area and successfully neutralized it.

Antara

ANTARA FOTO/Fanny Octavianus

On the occasion of Christmas Eve, the situation in Jakarta was peaceful and conducive on Tuesday, a police officer stated. “The situation during Christmas Eve was conducive.

Christians observe Christmas peacefully Antara

JAKARTA - Indonesia said Tuesday it will allow increased overseas investment in a range of sectors, as it seeks to boost slowing growth and lure back foreigners who fled during recent market turmoil.

Foreign investors in Southeast Asia’s top economy will be given increased access in areas including power plants, ports and airports, and the pharmaceuticals industry.

The move comes after economic growth slipped to its slowest pace in nearly four years and foreign investors dumped Indonesian stocks and the rupiah in recent months as the US moved to reduce its stimulus programme.

“We want to maintain Indonesia’s economic growth, which we anticipate will be impacted as the global economy slows,” Chief Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa told reporters, as he announced the changes.

They involve a revision of the so-called “negative investment list”, which limits overseas investment in areas considered sensitive.

Foreigners will be allowed investments of up to 100 percent in power plants built under public-private partnerships and with capacity of more than 10 megawatts, said Mahendra Siregar, the head of Indonesia’s investment coordinating board.

This is up from a previous cap of 95 percent.

They will be allowed to invest up to 49 percent in airports and up to 95 percent in sea ports and tolls roads, he said.

Foreigners will also be allowed to take stakes in pharmaceutical companies of up to 85 percent, up from 75 percent.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono must sign a decree for the changes to take effect but Rajasa said he hoped this would happen in the near future.

Foreign direct investment has been a key driver of the vast Indonesian archipelago’s prolonged economic boom and hit a record of almost $23 billion in 2012, according to Dow Jones Newswires.

But foreign investment growth has eased in recent quarters as economic growth slows. Annual growth is expected to come in at less than six percent for the first time in four years in 2013.

JAKARTA - On the occasion of Christmas Eve, the situation in Jakarta was peaceful and conducive on Tuesday, a police officer stated. “The situation during Christmas Eve was conducive. There was no disturbance or act of terror,” Senior Commissioner Rikwanto, a spokesman of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police, noted here on Wednesday. of securing the capital city during Christmas.

On the occasion of Christmas, government has granted special remission to a total of 8,429 Christian convicts, including the 161 people who were immediately released on Christmas day.

The special remission was granted to those who have shown good

behavior and obedience while serving the sentences in prison, stated the law and human rights ministry’s director general of correction, Handoyo Sudrajat.The government reduced their time in prison by 15 days up to two months.

The number of prisoners and convicts in Indonesia stands at 161,566 people.

TV station building catches fire Antara

AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File

FILE - A large television screen shows a news report on Edward Snowden, a former U.S. National Security Agency contractor who leaked top-secret documents about sweeping U.S. surveillance programs, outside a shopping mall in Hong Kong on Sunday, June 23, 2013.

JAKARTA - Indonesia estimates around 9.2 million international tourist arrivals in 2014, which is up by around 7.5 percent as compared to 8.6 million foreign visitors in 2013, stated Tourism Affairs Minister.

“In 2014, 16 key destinations are expected to attract around 9.2 million foreign tourists,” Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Mari Elka Pangestu stated.

Meanwhile, during 2013, foreign tourist arrivals to Indonesia reached 8,637,275 visitors or grew 7.37 percent as compared to 8.04 million foreign visitors in 2012, she noted.

According to the minister, the target was based on the predicted 5.52 percent foreign visitor growth in November 2013, as well as the assumption of an increase in foreign tourist visits in December 2013, which was estimated at 0.53 percent.

“In terms of domestic tourist trips during 2013, the number of trips is estimated at 248, with an average spending on each trip reaching Rp711 thousand,” Minister Mari stated.

On the occasion, Mari also spoke about the development of the creative economic sector, with its growth of 5.76 percent above the national economic growth of 5.74 percent.

Government to ease curbs on foreign investment

So far, Christians celebrated Christmas in the capital city peacefully, he added.

The Jakarta Police has intensified its security measures to ensure peaceful Christmas celebrations on Tuesday and Wednesday.

A 5.8 thousand-member joint security team, comprising police and military personnel, is in charge

US Embassy in Kabul attacked on Christmas Day

11

JAKARTA - A section of the studio building of Television One (TV One) in Pulogadung area, East Jakarta, caught fire on Tuesday, at around 5 p.m. halting TV broadcast, which resumed at 6:18 p.m., stated an official.

“Fire brigade personnel are

still spraying water for the cooling phase,” the fire brigade office operator Priyo remarked.

He added that as many as 18 fire engines were deployed to extinguish the fire.

Meanwhile, Editor-in-Chief of TV One, Karni Ilyas also informed about the fire incident through his

twitter account.

“Dear viewers: we apologize that our TV One broadcast for this evening has been interrupted, and it may totally go off. Our studio has caught fire,” Karni stated.

So far, there was no immediate report on any loss of material or life.

Agence France-Presse

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Destination

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Sports

International

International

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Bad luck, bad play leave NBA weak Christmas slate Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK — If the NBA had a Christmas wish, it might be for a different holiday schedule. The one that was drawn up seemed strong enough when it was released, a potentially dynamite five-game treat packed with superstar scorers and championship contenders.

Mertasari Beach IBP

SANUR - Mertasari Beach is located facing north, unlike the Sanur Beach facing west. So, to see the position of sunrise is not in the middle of the beach, but it emerges from the side of coastline. This beach is located on Jalan Tirta Empul, Sanur, or can be reached through Jalan Pengembak, Sanur. To access the beach can be made through Jalan Danau Poso, Sanur then turn southwards to Jalan Pengembak and straight to the beach. However, people more frequently access it through Jalan Danau Poso and then turn southward into Jalan Sekar Waru and then turn right to the T-junction and encounter a large banyan tree in the middle and then

turn left. Ultimately, you will arrive on Mertasari Beach.

Mertasari Beach is an ideal place for relaxing, while bathing, swimming or sunbathing on the white sand.

In the late 1976, this beach was used to sunbathe by tourists while facing east at sunrise. When exploring the coast, we will see many travelers lying down along the white sandy beach, bathing in sunlight or they call it sunbathing. On certain days, Mertasari Beach will be thronged by a myriad of visitors. Moreover, on Umanis Kuningan that coincides with Sunday, it will be very crowded. Hindu people of Bali will cross to Serangan Island to pray at Sakenan Temple. So, do not to miss this rare opportunity.

IBP/File Photo

But like an old Christmas sweater, it doesn’t look nearly as good now that time has passed. Back luck and bad play have wrecked a number of teams the league picked to showcase. Derrick Rose, Kobe Bryant and Brook Lopez are all sitting out, as are Indiana and Portland, who share the NBA’s best record.

But hey, there’s two 9-18 teams and one that’s 10-16. The Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers got the marquee time slot, but it’s certainly no marquee attraction now that it won’t feature a LeBron JamesBryant duel. “That’s probably not the matchup they wanted,” Clippers

AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) shoots over Chicago Bulls forwards Tony Snell (20) and Carlos Boozer (5) during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game in Oklahoma City, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2013.

Oklahoma City won 107-95.

coach Doc Rivers said.

The schedule is such a letdown that not until the fourth game will two winning teams meet, when Houston visits San Antonio. Rivers’ team travels to Golden State in the nightcap. Before that, Chicago, Brooklyn and New York all get TV time, all chosen for the honor long before anyone could have known they would sometimes look unwatchable.

“Those things are done way ahead of time. You just hope for the best matchups. Unfortunately, the Derrick Rose injury puts Chicago in a tough spot. Brooklyn and New York have not played particularly well,” said Jeff Van Gundy, who will work the Heat-Lakers game as a television commentator.

“But I still think people will watch. It’s Christmas Day, and people still care deeply about the Bulls and about the Knicks, even though they haven’t played particularly well of late.” Christmas is something

of a second opening day for the NBA, often the first time a national audience begins paying attention as football nears its conclusion. The league decided to capitalize a few years back by increasing to a fivegame schedule.

The Christmas games have averaged more than 33 million U.S. viewers over the last three years, so Van Gundy is probably right about the fans still tuning in, even for a matchup that looks as ugly as those sleeved jerseys the players will be wearing.

“On the NFL, I’ve seen plenty of weak Thanksgiving games, but we still watch,” Rivers said. “Now it’s becoming basketball on Christmas.

That’s the good part, that the NBA has found that niche.”

After Chicago (10-16) and Brooklyn (9-18) meet in the opener, Oklahoma City visits New York, matching the NBA’s top two scorers in Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony — provided Anthony’s left ankle is OK after he sprained it Monday at Orlando. The Knicks are a Christmas tradition, making their league-high 49th appearance, and the league hopes they’ll provide a big audience despite their 9-18 record.

Red Bull expects Daniel Ricciardo to surprise in Formula 1 Red Bull boss Christian Horner believes Daniel Ricciardo will surprise people with his performances when he partners four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel at the team next season.

The Australian was promoted from Toro Rosso following Mark Webber’s decision to quit Formula 1 and spearhead Porsche’s return to top-line sportscar racing at Le Mans.

Horner reckons Ricciardo has the right mindset to race for Red Bull, and will be capable of replicating his stellar 2013 qualifying performances for Toro Rosso, where he regularly got a midfield car through to the final segment of qualifying.

“I think he could be a bit of a surprise because he is very quick,” said Horner.

“He is going to have a lot to learn but I think he will surprise quite a few people with the pace he has.

“He has dragged massive qualifying performances out of the Toro Rosso, which obviously is sub-standard, and he has continued to impress us with how he has raced, how he has delivered and performed with the tools at his disposal.

“If you look at the pressure points with him, even if his weekend doesn’t get off to a great start he recovers it.

“He seems to have the ability not to panic, but to put it together when it counts.

“Sometimes he’s had difficult Fridays, or even Saturday mornings, but when qualifying starts, nine times out of 10 he is there.” Horner also expects Ricciardo will not find it difficult to settle in with his new team, despite the distraction of massive rule-changes for 2014.

“It is probably the right time in many respects,” added Horner.

“It’s a change in so many aspects that now is the time to change the driver. “Of course, he is pretty well known to us anyway so it’s not like introducing a complete stranger.”

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Thursday, December 26, 2013

International

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Arsenal, Chelsea draw 0-0 in Premier League Associated Press Writer

LONDON — Arsene Wenger failed for the 10th time to get the better of Jose Mourinho as Arsenal was held to a 0-0 draw by Chelsea on Monday, missing a chance to return to the top of the Premier League. The London derby, played with rain swirling around the Emirates Stadium, failed to produce the drama expected, with few attempts on goal.

Fulham completes loan for Clint Dempsey Associated Press Writer

T U K W I L A , Wa s h i n g t o n — United States captain Clint Dempsey will be returning to Fulham on a two-month loan from the Seattle Sounders. Dempsey passed a medical test with the Cottagers last week, and the loan was com-

including 50 goals in 184 Premier League matches. He spent a season at Tottenham before moving to Major League Soccer in August and joining the Sounders. Dempsey appeared in 12 games for Seattle and finished with a disappointing one goal and one assist in his first season back in MLS.

Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsey, right attempts to take the ball past Chelsea’s Ramires during their English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Chelsea at the Emirates stadium in London, Monday, Dec. 23, 2013.

though, will be the failure of a Chelsea striker to score a first league away goal since last December, with Fernando Torres ineffective up front.

“It’s not just a problem with the

strikers — it’s also a problem of the other people not transforming half-chances into chances for goals,” Mourinho said. “And we had half a dozen of those today, not aggressive, sharp or attacking

SAO PAULO - The most expensive of the 12 stadiums built or revamped for the 2014 World Cup has a leaking roof less than eight months after it was finished, the stadium’s operators said on Tuesday. Secopa, the local government agency that runs the Mane Garrincha National Stadium in Brasilia, will ask the company that rebuilt it to explain why parts of the roof let in rain during last weekend’s women’s match between Brazil and Chile.

Local media reported that almost the entire lower ring of the stands was soaked although Secopa played down the problem,

saying the leaks were not serious and would not affect any of the matches being played there during next year’s World Cup. “Because it is a new, grandiose and complex stadium, some small points are still being corrected and tested but there is nothing that compromises the running of the stadium or the holding of events there,” Secopa said in a statement.

The stadium comes with a five-year guarantee and any repair work will be paid for by the builders, Secopa added. The national stadium in the capital Brasilia cost more than 1.2 billion real ($508.99 million). It will stage six World Cup matches

including a quarter-final and the third-place playoff.

The venue was inaugurated in May and hosted the opening match of the Confederations Cup between Brazil and Japan in June.

It has held 17 major events since then, including several first division football matches, stadium officials said.

The uproar over the scandal of a leaky roof at the 73,000 seat arena is not the first time construction work at Brazilian stadiums has been called into question. The Joao Havelange stadium in Rio was closed earlier this year, six years after it was built for the Pan American Games.

Egyptian clubs will make a belated start to their domestic soccer season on Tuesday, hopeful of completing it after security issues cut short the last two campaigns.

The 2013-14 season marks the return of Al Masry for the first time since the Port Said stadium riot in February last year when 74 people, mostly fans of opponents Al Ahli, were killed.

Spectators were crushed when panicked crowds tried to escape from the stadium

after a pitch invasion by supporters of Al Masry. Others fell or were thrown from terraces. The violent clashes shocked Egypt and resulted in the 2011-12 season being immediately halted and a host of sanctions for the Port Said club.

Club football then suffered a near yearlong standstill before a new season belatedly got underway, only for it to be halted in July after the army ousted the country’s president Mohamed Mursi with one round of the 2012-13 regular season left. The 22 clubs in the top flight will be divided

into two groups with play-offs at the end of the season to determine the champions.

All games will be played behind closed doors, the Egyptian Football Association announced.

Al Masry have been ordered to play their matches at Suez, while military stadiums in Cairo will host the games of African champions Al Ahli and their arch rivals Zamalek, both of whom command passionate followings. The pair have been placed in separate groups.

The opening fixture on Tuesday pits

people to score.”

Instead the defenders thwarted Arsenal. “Arsenal showed on the pitch ... frustration because they couldn’t create or penetrate,” Mourinho said.

Petrojet against Talae El-Gaish, with five matches scheduled for Dec. 25 and four more on Dec. 26 in the first round of action.

Thursday’s kick off comes after a series of start dates for the new season had been put back. “It has been incredibly difficult to prepare,” said El Gouna’s German coach Rainer Zobel in an interview with the Kicker soccer magazine. “We’ve had several false starts to the season in August, then September and lastly December 6. It has been a long, long wait.”

Liverpool’s Luis Suarez reacts during their English Premier League soccer match against Cardiff City at Anfield in Liverpool, northern England December 21, 2013.

Suarez is best player in world, says Gerrard Reuters

Egypt domestic league prepares for belated start Reuters

REUTERS/Phil Noble

Reuters

sion was to shackle an Arsenal team that hasn’t been beaten at home in the league since the opening day of the season. And the Portuguese coach succeeded with his well-organized side, prompting Arsenal fans to boo the visitors and chant “Boring, boring Chelsea.”

“I agree,” Mourinho said. “I played against them 10 times and I never lost ... it was very important not to lose because if we lose we are five points behind the leader and with a point we are two points behind both leaders.”

The concern for Mourinho,

pleted Tuesday. No dates were announced for when Dempsey would join Fulham or return to Seattle. But the expectation is he would come back before the Sounders opener in March against defending MLS champion Sporting Kansas City.

Dempsey scored 60 goals in 225 games for Fulham from 2007-12,

Most expensive Brazil World Cup stadium has leaking roof AP Photo/Alastair Grant

“They defended well, were well organized, and we didn’t find our zippy movements to play between the lines as we can,” said Wenger, whose side lost 6-3 at Manchester City in its last game.

“I feel we were a bit edgy because we conceded six at Man City and that played in our heads at the start. In the second half we took control of the game and had two or three chances where we could have done better.”

Chelsea came closest in the first half when Frank Lampard’s shot struck the crossbar, while Arsenal only threatened Petr Cech’s goal in the closing minutes when Olivier Giroud shot wide from a tight angle.

It meant that in Mourinho’s two stints as Chelsea manager, Wenger has now endured five draws and five losses. “It is a solid point but two points dropped at home,” Wenger said.

Arsenal is ahead in the Premier League, only behind leader Liverpool on goal difference and two points ahead of fourthplaced Chelsea. Mourinho’s mis-

9

Thursday, December 26, 2013

AP Photo/Ferdinand Ostrop, File

FILE - This is a Friday, Dec. 13, 2013 file photo of clouds are seen over the Estadio das Dunas in Natal, Brazil, Friday, Dec. 13, 2013.

England captain Steven Gerrard has acclaimed Liverpool team mate Luis Suarez as the best player in the world on current form. In 12 appearances this season the red-hot Uruguay striker has scored 19 goals to fire Liverpool to the top of the Premier League. That is six more than his nearest rival, Argentina and Manchester City forward Sergio Augero.

Suarez’s prolific streak has earned him a new long-term contract at Anfield where he has overcome widespread misgivings after several controversial incidents including one last season when he bit the arm of Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic. “On current form he’s the best player in the world,” Gerrard said of Suarez.

“Lionel Messi’s out injured and Cristiano Ronaldo’s had a bit of an injury of late,” the Liverpool skipper told Sky Sports television, referring to the number one players at Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively. “He (Suarez) is certainly the best striker out there. He’s proving that with his minutes-to-goals ratio.”

The Ivanovic incident resulted in a 10-match domestic suspension that meant the Liverpool striker missed the start of this season. The 27-year-old Suarez has this season become the first Liverpool player to score at least twice in five consecutive home matches. He is on course to surpass the Premier League record of 34 goals shared by former England strikers Andy Cole and Alan Shearer.

Cole achieved his haul with Newcastle United in 1993-94. Shearer’s was with Blackburn Rovers in 1994-95. “He will certainly push it close,” said Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers after Suarez bagged two goals in a 3-1 win over Cardiff City on Saturday. “He looks like he can score a hat-trick in every game.” Liverpool visit Manchester City, who are one point behind the leaders in third place, on Thursday.

8

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Thursday, December 26, 2013

International

Sp rt

Arsenal, Chelsea draw 0-0 in Premier League Associated Press Writer

LONDON — Arsene Wenger failed for the 10th time to get the better of Jose Mourinho as Arsenal was held to a 0-0 draw by Chelsea on Monday, missing a chance to return to the top of the Premier League. The London derby, played with rain swirling around the Emirates Stadium, failed to produce the drama expected, with few attempts on goal.

Fulham completes loan for Clint Dempsey Associated Press Writer

T U K W I L A , Wa s h i n g t o n — United States captain Clint Dempsey will be returning to Fulham on a two-month loan from the Seattle Sounders. Dempsey passed a medical test with the Cottagers last week, and the loan was com-

including 50 goals in 184 Premier League matches. He spent a season at Tottenham before moving to Major League Soccer in August and joining the Sounders. Dempsey appeared in 12 games for Seattle and finished with a disappointing one goal and one assist in his first season back in MLS.

Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsey, right attempts to take the ball past Chelsea’s Ramires during their English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Chelsea at the Emirates stadium in London, Monday, Dec. 23, 2013.

though, will be the failure of a Chelsea striker to score a first league away goal since last December, with Fernando Torres ineffective up front.

“It’s not just a problem with the

strikers — it’s also a problem of the other people not transforming half-chances into chances for goals,” Mourinho said. “And we had half a dozen of those today, not aggressive, sharp or attacking

SAO PAULO - The most expensive of the 12 stadiums built or revamped for the 2014 World Cup has a leaking roof less than eight months after it was finished, the stadium’s operators said on Tuesday. Secopa, the local government agency that runs the Mane Garrincha National Stadium in Brasilia, will ask the company that rebuilt it to explain why parts of the roof let in rain during last weekend’s women’s match between Brazil and Chile.

Local media reported that almost the entire lower ring of the stands was soaked although Secopa played down the problem,

saying the leaks were not serious and would not affect any of the matches being played there during next year’s World Cup. “Because it is a new, grandiose and complex stadium, some small points are still being corrected and tested but there is nothing that compromises the running of the stadium or the holding of events there,” Secopa said in a statement.

The stadium comes with a five-year guarantee and any repair work will be paid for by the builders, Secopa added. The national stadium in the capital Brasilia cost more than 1.2 billion real ($508.99 million). It will stage six World Cup matches

including a quarter-final and the third-place playoff.

The venue was inaugurated in May and hosted the opening match of the Confederations Cup between Brazil and Japan in June.

It has held 17 major events since then, including several first division football matches, stadium officials said.

The uproar over the scandal of a leaky roof at the 73,000 seat arena is not the first time construction work at Brazilian stadiums has been called into question. The Joao Havelange stadium in Rio was closed earlier this year, six years after it was built for the Pan American Games.

Egyptian clubs will make a belated start to their domestic soccer season on Tuesday, hopeful of completing it after security issues cut short the last two campaigns.

The 2013-14 season marks the return of Al Masry for the first time since the Port Said stadium riot in February last year when 74 people, mostly fans of opponents Al Ahli, were killed.

Spectators were crushed when panicked crowds tried to escape from the stadium

after a pitch invasion by supporters of Al Masry. Others fell or were thrown from terraces. The violent clashes shocked Egypt and resulted in the 2011-12 season being immediately halted and a host of sanctions for the Port Said club.

Club football then suffered a near yearlong standstill before a new season belatedly got underway, only for it to be halted in July after the army ousted the country’s president Mohamed Mursi with one round of the 2012-13 regular season left. The 22 clubs in the top flight will be divided

into two groups with play-offs at the end of the season to determine the champions.

All games will be played behind closed doors, the Egyptian Football Association announced.

Al Masry have been ordered to play their matches at Suez, while military stadiums in Cairo will host the games of African champions Al Ahli and their arch rivals Zamalek, both of whom command passionate followings. The pair have been placed in separate groups.

The opening fixture on Tuesday pits

people to score.”

Instead the defenders thwarted Arsenal. “Arsenal showed on the pitch ... frustration because they couldn’t create or penetrate,” Mourinho said.

Petrojet against Talae El-Gaish, with five matches scheduled for Dec. 25 and four more on Dec. 26 in the first round of action.

Thursday’s kick off comes after a series of start dates for the new season had been put back. “It has been incredibly difficult to prepare,” said El Gouna’s German coach Rainer Zobel in an interview with the Kicker soccer magazine. “We’ve had several false starts to the season in August, then September and lastly December 6. It has been a long, long wait.”

Liverpool’s Luis Suarez reacts during their English Premier League soccer match against Cardiff City at Anfield in Liverpool, northern England December 21, 2013.

Suarez is best player in world, says Gerrard Reuters

Egypt domestic league prepares for belated start Reuters

REUTERS/Phil Noble

Reuters

sion was to shackle an Arsenal team that hasn’t been beaten at home in the league since the opening day of the season. And the Portuguese coach succeeded with his well-organized side, prompting Arsenal fans to boo the visitors and chant “Boring, boring Chelsea.”

“I agree,” Mourinho said. “I played against them 10 times and I never lost ... it was very important not to lose because if we lose we are five points behind the leader and with a point we are two points behind both leaders.”

The concern for Mourinho,

pleted Tuesday. No dates were announced for when Dempsey would join Fulham or return to Seattle. But the expectation is he would come back before the Sounders opener in March against defending MLS champion Sporting Kansas City.

Dempsey scored 60 goals in 225 games for Fulham from 2007-12,

Most expensive Brazil World Cup stadium has leaking roof AP Photo/Alastair Grant

“They defended well, were well organized, and we didn’t find our zippy movements to play between the lines as we can,” said Wenger, whose side lost 6-3 at Manchester City in its last game.

“I feel we were a bit edgy because we conceded six at Man City and that played in our heads at the start. In the second half we took control of the game and had two or three chances where we could have done better.”

Chelsea came closest in the first half when Frank Lampard’s shot struck the crossbar, while Arsenal only threatened Petr Cech’s goal in the closing minutes when Olivier Giroud shot wide from a tight angle.

It meant that in Mourinho’s two stints as Chelsea manager, Wenger has now endured five draws and five losses. “It is a solid point but two points dropped at home,” Wenger said.

Arsenal is ahead in the Premier League, only behind leader Liverpool on goal difference and two points ahead of fourthplaced Chelsea. Mourinho’s mis-

9

Thursday, December 26, 2013

AP Photo/Ferdinand Ostrop, File

FILE - This is a Friday, Dec. 13, 2013 file photo of clouds are seen over the Estadio das Dunas in Natal, Brazil, Friday, Dec. 13, 2013.

England captain Steven Gerrard has acclaimed Liverpool team mate Luis Suarez as the best player in the world on current form. In 12 appearances this season the red-hot Uruguay striker has scored 19 goals to fire Liverpool to the top of the Premier League. That is six more than his nearest rival, Argentina and Manchester City forward Sergio Augero.

Suarez’s prolific streak has earned him a new long-term contract at Anfield where he has overcome widespread misgivings after several controversial incidents including one last season when he bit the arm of Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic. “On current form he’s the best player in the world,” Gerrard said of Suarez.

“Lionel Messi’s out injured and Cristiano Ronaldo’s had a bit of an injury of late,” the Liverpool skipper told Sky Sports television, referring to the number one players at Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively. “He (Suarez) is certainly the best striker out there. He’s proving that with his minutes-to-goals ratio.”

The Ivanovic incident resulted in a 10-match domestic suspension that meant the Liverpool striker missed the start of this season. The 27-year-old Suarez has this season become the first Liverpool player to score at least twice in five consecutive home matches. He is on course to surpass the Premier League record of 34 goals shared by former England strikers Andy Cole and Alan Shearer.

Cole achieved his haul with Newcastle United in 1993-94. Shearer’s was with Blackburn Rovers in 1994-95. “He will certainly push it close,” said Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers after Suarez bagged two goals in a 3-1 win over Cardiff City on Saturday. “He looks like he can score a hat-trick in every game.” Liverpool visit Manchester City, who are one point behind the leaders in third place, on Thursday.

10

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Thursday, December 26, 2013

Sports

International

International

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Bad luck, bad play leave NBA weak Christmas slate Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK — If the NBA had a Christmas wish, it might be for a different holiday schedule. The one that was drawn up seemed strong enough when it was released, a potentially dynamite five-game treat packed with superstar scorers and championship contenders.

Mertasari Beach IBP

SANUR - Mertasari Beach is located facing north, unlike the Sanur Beach facing west. So, to see the position of sunrise is not in the middle of the beach, but it emerges from the side of coastline. This beach is located on Jalan Tirta Empul, Sanur, or can be reached through Jalan Pengembak, Sanur. To access the beach can be made through Jalan Danau Poso, Sanur then turn southwards to Jalan Pengembak and straight to the beach. However, people more frequently access it through Jalan Danau Poso and then turn southward into Jalan Sekar Waru and then turn right to the T-junction and encounter a large banyan tree in the middle and then

turn left. Ultimately, you will arrive on Mertasari Beach.

Mertasari Beach is an ideal place for relaxing, while bathing, swimming or sunbathing on the white sand.

In the late 1976, this beach was used to sunbathe by tourists while facing east at sunrise. When exploring the coast, we will see many travelers lying down along the white sandy beach, bathing in sunlight or they call it sunbathing. On certain days, Mertasari Beach will be thronged by a myriad of visitors. Moreover, on Umanis Kuningan that coincides with Sunday, it will be very crowded. Hindu people of Bali will cross to Serangan Island to pray at Sakenan Temple. So, do not to miss this rare opportunity.

IBP/File Photo

But like an old Christmas sweater, it doesn’t look nearly as good now that time has passed. Back luck and bad play have wrecked a number of teams the league picked to showcase. Derrick Rose, Kobe Bryant and Brook Lopez are all sitting out, as are Indiana and Portland, who share the NBA’s best record.

But hey, there’s two 9-18 teams and one that’s 10-16. The Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers got the marquee time slot, but it’s certainly no marquee attraction now that it won’t feature a LeBron JamesBryant duel. “That’s probably not the matchup they wanted,” Clippers

AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) shoots over Chicago Bulls forwards Tony Snell (20) and Carlos Boozer (5) during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game in Oklahoma City, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2013.

Oklahoma City won 107-95.

coach Doc Rivers said.

The schedule is such a letdown that not until the fourth game will two winning teams meet, when Houston visits San Antonio. Rivers’ team travels to Golden State in the nightcap. Before that, Chicago, Brooklyn and New York all get TV time, all chosen for the honor long before anyone could have known they would sometimes look unwatchable.

“Those things are done way ahead of time. You just hope for the best matchups. Unfortunately, the Derrick Rose injury puts Chicago in a tough spot. Brooklyn and New York have not played particularly well,” said Jeff Van Gundy, who will work the Heat-Lakers game as a television commentator.

“But I still think people will watch. It’s Christmas Day, and people still care deeply about the Bulls and about the Knicks, even though they haven’t played particularly well of late.” Christmas is something

of a second opening day for the NBA, often the first time a national audience begins paying attention as football nears its conclusion. The league decided to capitalize a few years back by increasing to a fivegame schedule.

The Christmas games have averaged more than 33 million U.S. viewers over the last three years, so Van Gundy is probably right about the fans still tuning in, even for a matchup that looks as ugly as those sleeved jerseys the players will be wearing.

“On the NFL, I’ve seen plenty of weak Thanksgiving games, but we still watch,” Rivers said. “Now it’s becoming basketball on Christmas.

That’s the good part, that the NBA has found that niche.”

After Chicago (10-16) and Brooklyn (9-18) meet in the opener, Oklahoma City visits New York, matching the NBA’s top two scorers in Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony — provided Anthony’s left ankle is OK after he sprained it Monday at Orlando. The Knicks are a Christmas tradition, making their league-high 49th appearance, and the league hopes they’ll provide a big audience despite their 9-18 record.

Red Bull expects Daniel Ricciardo to surprise in Formula 1 Red Bull boss Christian Horner believes Daniel Ricciardo will surprise people with his performances when he partners four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel at the team next season.

The Australian was promoted from Toro Rosso following Mark Webber’s decision to quit Formula 1 and spearhead Porsche’s return to top-line sportscar racing at Le Mans.

Horner reckons Ricciardo has the right mindset to race for Red Bull, and will be capable of replicating his stellar 2013 qualifying performances for Toro Rosso, where he regularly got a midfield car through to the final segment of qualifying.

“I think he could be a bit of a surprise because he is very quick,” said Horner.

“He is going to have a lot to learn but I think he will surprise quite a few people with the pace he has.

“He has dragged massive qualifying performances out of the Toro Rosso, which obviously is sub-standard, and he has continued to impress us with how he has raced, how he has delivered and performed with the tools at his disposal.

“If you look at the pressure points with him, even if his weekend doesn’t get off to a great start he recovers it.

“He seems to have the ability not to panic, but to put it together when it counts.

“Sometimes he’s had difficult Fridays, or even Saturday mornings, but when qualifying starts, nine times out of 10 he is there.” Horner also expects Ricciardo will not find it difficult to settle in with his new team, despite the distraction of massive rule-changes for 2014.

“It is probably the right time in many respects,” added Horner.

“It’s a change in so many aspects that now is the time to change the driver. “Of course, he is pretty well known to us anyway so it’s not like introducing a complete stranger.”

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Thursday, December 26, 2013

W

RLD

International

Snowden ‘an indoor cat’ in Moscow, says he’s ‘won’

International

Thursday, December 26, 2013

INDONESIA Indonesia sets 9,2 million of foreign tourists in 2014

Associated Press Writer

AP Photo/David Goldman

Shipley Smith, 7, left, is chased by his brother Slaton, 10, around a Christmas tree after posing for their family holiday card at Cobb County’s Cumberland Mall, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2013, in Atlanta.

Queen’s Christmas message: time to reflect Associated Press Writer

LONDON — Queen Elizabeth II will focus on reflection in her annual Christmas broadcast Wednesday, saying it is important to “pause and take stock” of big events amid life’s distractions. In the prerecorded broadcast, Elizabeth will stress the need to “get the balance right between action and reflection.”

“With so many distractions, it is easy to forget to pause and take stock,” she will say in the message, which was recorded earlier this month in the blue drawing room at Buckingham Palace.

Seated at a table decorated with pictures of her immediate family, the 87-year-old monarch will touch on prominent events over the past year — from the service that marked the 60th anniversary of her coronation to the birth of Prince

George, son of Prince William and his wife, Kate. The birth of a baby “gives everyone the chance to contemplate the future with renewed happiness and hope,” she will say.

The queen’s message — latest in a royal tradition that began with a radio address by King George V in 1932 — also will contemplate the role of the Commonwealth and look ahead to the Commonwealth Games being staged in Glasgow next year.

It will air at 1500 GMT (10 a.m.

EST), after she and members of the royal family attend a traditional church service on her sprawling Sandringham estate in Norfolk.

The queen has made a prerecorded Christmas broadcast on radio since 1952 and on television since 1957. She writes the messages herself and the broadcasts mark a rare occasion on which the queen voices her own opinion without government consultation.

LONDON — Keeping a mostly low-profile as a U.S. fugitive in Moscow, former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden has suddenly resurfaced in the media, saying he is confident his personal “mission is already accomplished” and he has “already won” after leaking NSA secrets. The challenge now, he believes, is to stress the importance of privacy and urge an end to mass government surveillance.

Snowden gave a more than 14-hour interview to The Washington Post, which says it’s the first he has conducted in person since arriving in the Russian capital in June. He follows that up by speaking directly to the British public in a televised message that will be broadcast Wednesday as an alternative to the queen’s annual Christmas speech.

Snowden told the Post he was satisfied because journalists have been able to tell the story of the U.S. government’s collection of bulk Internet and phone records, an activity that has grown dramatically in the decade since the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. “For me, in terms of personal satisfaction, the mission’s already accomplished,” he said in the interview, which was published online Monday night.

“I already won.”

“As soon as the journalists were able to work, everything that I had been trying to do was validated,” Snowden told the Post. “Because, remember, I didn’t want to change society. I wanted to give society a chance to determine if it should change itself.” Snowden also gave insight into his life in Russia, suggesting that he’s not getting out much by being “an indoor cat.”

Now, Snowden will set out why he believes mass surveillance by governments is wrong and note the importance of the debate his disclosures have ignited.

“The conversation occurring today will determine the amount of trust we can place both in the technology that surrounds us and the government that regulates it,” he says, according to excerpts from the message released by Channel 4. “Together we can find a better balance, end mass surveillance and remind the government that if it really wants to know how we feel asking is always cheaper than spying.”

The queen delivers Britain’s “Royal Christmas Message,” but Channel 4 has used its annual alternative version to give a platform to people as diverse as Iran’s then-President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad in 2008, and fictional characters including Ali G. and Marge Simpson in 1999 and 2004, respectively.

In his U.K. message, Snowden calls modern surveillance more invasive than any envisioned by “1984” author George Orwell, saying that children today will grow up without knowing what it means to have an unrecorded or private moment. “That’s a problem because privacy matters, privacy is what allows us to determine who we are and who we want to be,” he says.

Associated Press Writer

KABUL, Afghanistan — The U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan says its compound was hit by indirect fire just before dawn on Christmas Day. It says no Americans were injured. An embassy official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations,

says the attack happened at around 6:40 a.m. Wednesday, when “two rounds of indirect fire impacted the U.S. Embassy compound.”

Indirect fire can refer to either mortars or rockets.

The Taliban claimed they fired four rockets at the embassy on Wednesday and inflicted heavy casualties. But the insurgents

often exaggerate their claims.

Meanwhile, a roadside bombing in eastern Kabul wounded three Afghan policemen Wednesday.

Kabul police chief, Mohammad Zahir, says one suspect was arrested over that attack. He says police later uncovered an unexploded bomb in the same area and successfully neutralized it.

Antara

ANTARA FOTO/Fanny Octavianus

On the occasion of Christmas Eve, the situation in Jakarta was peaceful and conducive on Tuesday, a police officer stated. “The situation during Christmas Eve was conducive.

Christians observe Christmas peacefully Antara

JAKARTA - Indonesia said Tuesday it will allow increased overseas investment in a range of sectors, as it seeks to boost slowing growth and lure back foreigners who fled during recent market turmoil.

Foreign investors in Southeast Asia’s top economy will be given increased access in areas including power plants, ports and airports, and the pharmaceuticals industry.

The move comes after economic growth slipped to its slowest pace in nearly four years and foreign investors dumped Indonesian stocks and the rupiah in recent months as the US moved to reduce its stimulus programme.

“We want to maintain Indonesia’s economic growth, which we anticipate will be impacted as the global economy slows,” Chief Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa told reporters, as he announced the changes.

They involve a revision of the so-called “negative investment list”, which limits overseas investment in areas considered sensitive.

Foreigners will be allowed investments of up to 100 percent in power plants built under public-private partnerships and with capacity of more than 10 megawatts, said Mahendra Siregar, the head of Indonesia’s investment coordinating board.

This is up from a previous cap of 95 percent.

They will be allowed to invest up to 49 percent in airports and up to 95 percent in sea ports and tolls roads, he said.

Foreigners will also be allowed to take stakes in pharmaceutical companies of up to 85 percent, up from 75 percent.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono must sign a decree for the changes to take effect but Rajasa said he hoped this would happen in the near future.

Foreign direct investment has been a key driver of the vast Indonesian archipelago’s prolonged economic boom and hit a record of almost $23 billion in 2012, according to Dow Jones Newswires.

But foreign investment growth has eased in recent quarters as economic growth slows. Annual growth is expected to come in at less than six percent for the first time in four years in 2013.

JAKARTA - On the occasion of Christmas Eve, the situation in Jakarta was peaceful and conducive on Tuesday, a police officer stated. “The situation during Christmas Eve was conducive. There was no disturbance or act of terror,” Senior Commissioner Rikwanto, a spokesman of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police, noted here on Wednesday. of securing the capital city during Christmas.

On the occasion of Christmas, government has granted special remission to a total of 8,429 Christian convicts, including the 161 people who were immediately released on Christmas day.

The special remission was granted to those who have shown good

behavior and obedience while serving the sentences in prison, stated the law and human rights ministry’s director general of correction, Handoyo Sudrajat.The government reduced their time in prison by 15 days up to two months.

The number of prisoners and convicts in Indonesia stands at 161,566 people.

TV station building catches fire Antara

AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File

FILE - A large television screen shows a news report on Edward Snowden, a former U.S. National Security Agency contractor who leaked top-secret documents about sweeping U.S. surveillance programs, outside a shopping mall in Hong Kong on Sunday, June 23, 2013.

JAKARTA - Indonesia estimates around 9.2 million international tourist arrivals in 2014, which is up by around 7.5 percent as compared to 8.6 million foreign visitors in 2013, stated Tourism Affairs Minister.

“In 2014, 16 key destinations are expected to attract around 9.2 million foreign tourists,” Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Mari Elka Pangestu stated.

Meanwhile, during 2013, foreign tourist arrivals to Indonesia reached 8,637,275 visitors or grew 7.37 percent as compared to 8.04 million foreign visitors in 2012, she noted.

According to the minister, the target was based on the predicted 5.52 percent foreign visitor growth in November 2013, as well as the assumption of an increase in foreign tourist visits in December 2013, which was estimated at 0.53 percent.

“In terms of domestic tourist trips during 2013, the number of trips is estimated at 248, with an average spending on each trip reaching Rp711 thousand,” Minister Mari stated.

On the occasion, Mari also spoke about the development of the creative economic sector, with its growth of 5.76 percent above the national economic growth of 5.74 percent.

Government to ease curbs on foreign investment

So far, Christians celebrated Christmas in the capital city peacefully, he added.

The Jakarta Police has intensified its security measures to ensure peaceful Christmas celebrations on Tuesday and Wednesday.

A 5.8 thousand-member joint security team, comprising police and military personnel, is in charge

US Embassy in Kabul attacked on Christmas Day

11

JAKARTA - A section of the studio building of Television One (TV One) in Pulogadung area, East Jakarta, caught fire on Tuesday, at around 5 p.m. halting TV broadcast, which resumed at 6:18 p.m., stated an official.

“Fire brigade personnel are

still spraying water for the cooling phase,” the fire brigade office operator Priyo remarked.

He added that as many as 18 fire engines were deployed to extinguish the fire.

Meanwhile, Editor-in-Chief of TV One, Karni Ilyas also informed about the fire incident through his

twitter account.

“Dear viewers: we apologize that our TV One broadcast for this evening has been interrupted, and it may totally go off. Our studio has caught fire,” Karni stated.

So far, there was no immediate report on any loss of material or life.

Agence France-Presse

12

International

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Bali News

International

BUSINESS

Thursday, December 26, 2013

After Christmas begins before the holiday

Artists performed Balinese dance call Merak Angelo a creation dance that combine Balinese traditional dance with modern dance during the celebration of Christmas at Palasari, Jembrana on Wedensday, December 25, 2013.

Associated Press

NEW YORK — On the last day of shopping before Christmas Day, U.S. retailers seemed to be turning their attention to the day after the holiday.

Amazon.com already is offering after-Christmas deals of up to 70 percent off clothes and 60 percent off some electronics. Old Navy is running TV ads that its “after-holiday sale starts early” with discounts of up to 75 percent off. And CVS, which opened at 7 a.m. on Christmas Eve, was selling a wine cabinet for $10 off at $39.99 and three fleece throws (blankets) for $9.99.

Usually stores wait until the day after Christmas to offer deep discounts of up to 70 percent or more on clothes, shoes and other holiday merchandise that didn’t sell. But this year, Americans who are still worried about the economy and other concerns have held tightly to their purse strings. And sales at stores have fallen for the past three consecutive weeks.

The earlier “after Christmas” deals come as retailers are feeling more pressure to attract Americans into stores during the final week of what’s typically the busiest shopping period of the year. The two-month period that begins on Nov. 1 is important for retailers because they can make up to 40 percent of their annual sales during that time.

Sales at U.S. stores dropped 3.1 percent to $42.7 billion for the week that ended on Sunday compared with the same week last year, according to ShopperTrak, which tracks data at 40,000 locations. That follows a decline of 2.9 percent and 0.8 percent during the first and second weeks of the month, respectively.

Stores had a problem even getting Americans into stores, let alone getting them to spend. The number of shoppers fell 21.2 percent during the week that ended on Sunday, according to ShopperTrak.

Karen McDonald, a spokeswoman at Taubman Centers, which owns or operates 28 malls, estimated that business for the week that ended Sunday was unchanged to mid-single digit percentage growth compared with a year ago. McDonald said business “was just OK.” Overall, ShopperTrak estimates that holiday sales at stores so far are up 2 percent to $218.4 billion compared with the same period last year. That’s below the 2.4 percent forecast for the two-month period, but the company is standing by that estimate with a little over a week left before the season ends. The National Retail Federation, the largest U.S. retail group, also said it’s sticking with its forecast that sales in stores and online will be up 3.9 percent to $602.1 billion.

In order to get that growth, stores have tried all they can to lure shoppers in. That includes rolling out discounts that are usually reserved for after Christmas.

But some analysts doubt the discounts will be enough to save the season for stores. Research firm Retail Metrics predicts December revenue in stores open at least one year, a key retail metric, will rise 2.8 percent, just slightly higher than last year’s 2.6 percent increase.

“Our store checks coupled with numerous other reports from over the weekend suggest the final Super Saturday weekend, while busy, did not generate the final crush of shoppers necessary to save this holiday season from being ‘ho-hum,’” said Ken Perkins, the president of Retail Metrics.

5

AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano, File

In this Feb. 4, 2013 file photo, a man searches for coins in his pocket to buy groceries in Buenos Aires, Argentina. JP Morgan estimates the peso will be worth 45 percent less by this time next year.

Argentine faces deteriorating economy Associated Press

BUENOS AIRES — President Cristina Fernandez has tried to reinvent her image since her return from skull surgery. She’s put aside the all-black wardrobe she wore for three years mourning her late husband Nestor Kirchner, and reshuffled her Cabinet. This week, her economy minister announced a new stimulus program.

Analysts, however, say what she really needs to do, and quickly, is take politically painful steps to contain inflation by dialing back government spending.

Restoring Argentina’s sense of pride and sovereignty after its 2001 economic collapse has been the central goal of the Kirchners’ “victorious decade” in the presidency. They renegotiated or paid off nearly all of Argentina’s defaulted debt in ways that removed the supervision of international lending organizations, nationalized the pension system, retook control of the national airline and oil company, and dug deep into the treasury to redirect revenue to the poor.

But the years of 7 percent growth are over. Fernandez now “faces a rapidly deteriorating economy that demands profound and urgent measures, and there are no pleasant alternatives in sight,” said Ignacio Fidanza, who directs lapo-

liticaonline.com, a website focused on Argentine politics.

Inflation has been at least 26 percent this year, more than twice the widely discredited official rate, private economists say. This forces rounds and rounds of wage and price negotiations that scare off investors and spark social unrest, like the provincial police strikes that set off looting across the country this month.

Governors promised pay raises that reached nearly 60 percent in some provinces to get officers back in the streets after the mob violence killed 13 people.

A 50 percent average raise for police would cost about $2.3 billion in 2014, but the officers represent just 15 percent of Argentina’s 2 million provincial government employees, and with at least 28 percent inflation expected in the coming year, the rest won’t be satisfied with less.

If all 2 million get 30 percent raises on

average, it would cost the equivalent of $10 billion in today’s pesos, estimates Diego Giacomini, chief economist with the Economia y Regiones consultancy.

Printing more pesos isn’t a sustainable alternative: JP Morgan estimates the peso will be worth 45 percent less by this time next year. Economists figure Argentina’s primary fiscal deficit, before making debt payments, grew to 2.6 percent of GDP this year. That’s better than the U.S deficit of 4.1 percent of GDP, but Argentina can’t attract international loans at market rates. Instead, it uses Central Bank reserves to buy fuel overseas, meet foreign debt payments and finance economic stimulus programs, reducing the reserves by nearly $13 billion this year, to $31 billion.

In all, the government had to spend $13 billion this year importing oil and natural gas, costing nearly $48 in hard currency for every $100 that agricultural exports brought into the economy, the Fundacion Mediterranea consultancy says.

“The ceiling that the debt once put on growth is now imposed by the energy deficit,” said Ramiro Castineira, an analyst with the Econometrica firm in Buenos Aires.

Adequate electricity supply to face Christmas and New Year Bali Post

DENPASAR - As usual ahead of the year end, many important events are organized in Bali. Hotel occupancy rate increases dramatically. This will result in an increase in electrical energy consumption, especially on the New Year’s Eve 2014.

As known, the electric power supply of Bali is only 790 MW, sourcing from the Pesanggaran diesel- and gas-fueled power plant (250MW), Gilimanuk gas-fueled power plant

(130MW), Pemaron diesel- and gas-fueled power plant (210MW) and Java-Bali submarine cables (2x100MW). Meanwhile, the highest peak in November reached 721 MW.

ANTARA FOTO/Dhoni Setiawan

The electricity supply for Christmas and New Year adequate. To keep Bali remains luminous, people must participate in making efficiency in the use of electricity.

Is that enough to serve the people of Bali on Christmas and New Year celebration?

Spokesperson of PLN Bali, Wayan Redika, explained that in recent rainy season the average peak load indeed decreased to 650 MW. This occurred because communities and the tourism industry reduced their air conditioner usage. When asked about the readiness of PLN in serving Christmas and New Year, Redika explained if the electricity supply was adequate.

Besides, his party had also been in standby condition to support services on Christmas and New Year. “Our electricity supply is adequate, though it cannot be considered ideal,” said Redika, Monday (Dec 24).

According to Redika, it could be assumed ideal when the power supply was at least equivalent to the largest power plant, namely to the Gilimanuk gas-fueled power plant with the capacity of 130 MW. “To keep Bali remains luminous, people must participate in making efficiency in the use of electricity,” added Redika.

Meanwhile, the rainy season should also become a common concern. Communities were expected to be alert to electrical hazards during rainy season. If there was something suspicious related to electricity, people were encouraged to immediately report to it the Contact Center 123.

ANTARA FOTO/Nyoman Budhiana

Strolling unethically on Turtle Island

Get ready to be approached by white-haired grandpa

IBP

NUSA DUA - When traveling to the Pudut Island or better known as Turtle Island, do not attempt to bring evil thoughts, act unethically, let alone steal any property. Residents of the island can get angry. Even, they do not hesitate to disrupt your comfort. A white-haired old man with a long beard and magical aura will be ready to approach you.

According to Nyoman Suada, an attendant in the nature tourism area, the old grandfather was believed to be a resident (of spiritual realm) in the Suwung Deluang Temple. The temple, estimated to have been hundreds of years old, was used to venerate Lord Dalem Sakti. “In addition to be sacred, the temple is also known to be haunted,” he said.

Other than being evil-minded, sleeping on the island area should also be ethical, in accordance with the applicable norms at location. Legs should face west and head face east or legs face south and head face north.

“If violated, or sleep around haphazardly, he will get angry and come to expose himself,” said Suada. Sleeping at the nightfall (around 6 p.m.) or midday (promptly at 12:00 noon) was not allowed. The grandpa could come at night or during

midday in tranquil atmosphere, so it would look scary.

Formerly, explained Suada, a grandfather serving as attendant at the local Deluang Sari tourist attraction slept and ignored the rules, so then he was visited by a huge bearded man. “But lately, such incident rarely happened.

People do their activity normally, pray together to invoke safety and security,” he said.

This temple still lies in the area of Turtle Island, about a hundred meters from the location of sea turtle conservation.

To reach the temple, visitors must pass through a wooden bridge along two hundred meters above the swamp. The temple is supported by Deluang Sari group because it is the closest to the temple. Local people believe if this old temple is very sacred and plays an important role in maintaining the region.

Other than members of the four groups (Deluang Sari, Mooncot, Bulih Bali and Lecceria) in charge of taking care of the turtle and the mangrove forest tourist area, many Tanjung Benoa residents and community from outside Badung also pray in the temple. They come on piodalan or temple anniversary falling on Anggarakasih Tambir.

Beyond the temple ceremony, people also worship on full moon and new moon to invoke safety. (ocha)

4

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Bali News

International

Sidewalk collapses, pedestrian access disturbed Bali Post

MANGUPURA - Heavy rain flushing over in the past few days caused the sidewalk in the area of Jalan I Gusti Ngurah Rai, Mengwi, to collapse. The sidewalk located near the Beringkit Market collapsing on Sunday (Dec 22) made the pedestrian access disturbed.

The collapse of sidewalk occurred to dozens of meters in

length. Function of the sidewalk is vital for pedestrians, while the

traffic in the region was averagely pretty busy. Without sidewalk, the pedestrian safety was worried to be threatened.

When asked for his confirmation on Monday (Dec 23), the Acting Head of Badung Highways and Irrigation Agency, Ida Bagus Surya Suamba, explained that it

belonged to national road section so that the authority to fix the sidewalk was the Highway Authority for Region VIII. Nevertheless, his party claimed to make coordination about matter to relevant authority.

Meanwhile, the Head of Highway Authority for Region VIII,

Munir, claimed to have received a report related to the collapse of the sidewalk. His party promised to immediately come down to check.

He said if the damage was not too severe, the possibility of repairs could be carried out in 2014 considering the fiscal year 2013 would end. (kmb25)

ASITA expects shuttle bus to provide transport service to Batur Bali Post

BANGLI - As a matter of fact, the Kintamani tourist area was very potential to be developed.

However, the obstacle encountered all this time was the existence of quarry and the traffic of trucks transporting sand material along the Penelokan tourist track. If it could be disciplined, it was not impossible the number of tourist arrival would increase. It was revealed by Chairman of the Association of the

Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA) of Bali, Ketut Ardana, in the discussion on the Lake Batur cleanup activity at Songan, Sunday (Dec 22).

According to Ardana, if later on the discourse of Bangli Regent Made Gianyar who would discipline the quarry area from the operation of heavy equipment and the effort to tighten the operating schedule of trucks transporting the material could be successful, then it could be ascertained that the num-

ber of tourists visiting Kintamani would increase. All this time, most travelers coming to Kintamani only visited Penelokan area. Only a few tourists wanted to come down to the area of Lake Batur.

“If the arrangement plan can work, then we from the ASITA will be able to direct much more travelers to Kintamani. Moreover, there are still opportunities for us to take travelers to come down,” said Ardana.

Ardana added if all plans of the

The beautiful scenery of Batur Mountain in Bangli Regency

regent could work smoothly, in the future his party expected there would be shuttle bus transporting travelers from Penelokan leading to the area of Lake Batur. The tourist buses were also expected to be equipped with a guidance which could explain about the existence of Geopark.

“Actually, there are still opportunities for us to take down travelers.

If possible, provide them also with a bus that can take them down accompanied by guidance. No tour

guide is required. It is enough to be equipped with guidance played in tape recorder along the way of travelers. Of course, it will also productive for the other community,” he added.

Responding to the statement, the Regent of Bangli Made Gianyar promised to discipline the quarry in the near future. As per the initial plan, the heavy equipment having been widely operated by sand miners would be immediately disciplined starting next January. The regent also promised to re-tighten the regulation and supervision against the operating schedules of the trucks transporting quarry materials and they would only be allowed to operate at particular time.

“Yesterday, we already tested. Starting in the second week of next January, we will re- tighten the regulation and oversight. I hope, the road can be orderly like yesterday, when the president came here,” he said.

Meanwhile, related to the expectation of the ASITA regarding the existence of special transport for tourists, the regent also claimed to have been working on. However, the regent emphasized the plan of policing it. He had confidence if the discipline to be in force since next January could work, the procurement of special transportation for travelers such as bus would also be considered by private sector. “If it indeed has worked, private sector will also prepare it. So, the government is unnecessary to set up the transportation,” said IBP/File Gianyar. (ina)

International

W

RLD

Thursday, December 26, 2013

13

Ice storm leaves 500K without power in US, Canada Associated Press Writer

AUGUSTA, Maine — Repair crews worked around the clock to restore power to nearly half a million customers who faced a cold and dark Christmas in parts of the central and northeastern United States and into eastern Canada after a weekend ice storm. At least 24 deaths have been linked to the storm. It appears the bad weather isn’t ready to take a break. The U.S. National Weather Service said more snow is forecast to roll into the Great Lakes and Midwest by Wednesday morning.

In Canada, five people were reported dead from apparent carbon monoxide poisoning. Police said two people in Ontario died after using a gas generator to heat their blacked-out home northeast of Toronto. Police in Quebec said carbon monoxide poisoning was believed to be the cause of three deaths in a chalet on the province’s North Shore. Earlier, five people were killed in eastern Canada in highway crashes blamed on severe weather conditions.

In the U.S., the nationwide death toll from the storm reached at least 14 on Tuesday, when a 50-year-old man in Knox, Maine, was overcome by carbon monoxide fumes from a generator. It was the second reported death attributed to fumes from a generator during the storm.

Police in Michigan also attributed two deaths in a traffic collision that happened Monday to the storm.

As temperatures plunged into the low single digits (below minus 15

Celsius) in Toronto — where nearly 80,000 customers remained without power late Tuesday — authorities reported a dramatic jump in calls for suspected carbon monoxide poisoning, responding to 110 calls in a 24-hour period. Officials said they typically see 20 such calls a day.

“We’re looking at approximately six times as many calls,” Toronto Mayor Rob Ford said as the city issued an extreme cold weather alert.

“I understand they want to keep warm but you cannot do this. This is deadly.” Fire officials warned residents not to use any appliance that burns inside a home, and even cautioned against using a lot of candles.

In Toronto, where 300,000 customers lost power at the height of the storm, crews from Ottawa, Windsor, Manitoba and Michigan were helping local teams with their efforts.

Elsewhere in Ontario, more than 44,000 customers were still without

power early Wednesday. In Quebec, some 28,000 customers remained without power. In New Brunswick, just over 29,000 customers were still in the dark, and about 300 were without power in Nova Scotia. Canadian utility officials warned that some customers could be without power until Saturday. Some U.S. states kept emergency shelters open for people without power.

Utility crews respond to a downed power line at the intersection of Dorset Street and Kennedy Drive in South Burlington, Vt., on Monday, Dec. 23, 2013. From Michigan to Maine, hundreds of thousands remain without power days after a massive ice storm _ which one utility called the largest Christmas-week storm in its history _ blacked out homes and businesses in the Great Lakes and Northeast.

AP Photo/Burlington Free Press, Glenn Russell

Thai prime minister proposes reform council Associated Press Writer

AP Photo/Thai Spokesman Office

In this photo released by the Thai Spokesman Office, Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra speaks at a news conference after a cabinet meeting at an Air Force base in Bangkok, Thailand, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2013.

BANGKOK — The Thai prime minister on Wednesday proposed the formation of a reform council to mollify a protest movement seeking to topple her government, but demonstrators immediately rejected her idea. Yingluck Shinawatra’s announcement allowed her to portray herself as being committed to reconciliation with her foes, who are vowing to step up their ongoing civil disobedience to disrupt elections scheduled on Feb. 2.

The developments only served to highlight the seeming intractable nature of a crisis that is splitting the country and paralyzing governance. The longer the stalemate the more chance of serious street violence and a military coup.

Yingluck said the council would not be a government body, and its 499 members would be appointed by an independent commission, including the commander of the armed forces, business and academic leaders and economists. It would be tasked with amending the constitution and addressing corruption and money in politics and ensuring electoral reform.

Akanat Promphan, a spokesman for the protesters, said any proposal that allowed Yingluck to stay in power or carry out the elections, which her party is seen as sure to win, was unacceptable.

He said the council as proposed would be under the influence of Yingluck. “It is certain that she will interfere with the proposed council,” he told media.

Yingluck made the announcement in Bangkok, the main power center of the protest movement. She has not been in the capital since Sunday. Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban, a former deputy prime minister, has called on followers to prevent her from working and living in the capital by besieging her home and government buildings.

14

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Lifestyle

International

Korean noodle shop helps Memphis break character Associated Press Writer

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — This Mississippi River city is proud of its barbecue, its fried chicken, its soul food. But the food scene here is often stereotyped because of it. Those foods are what tourists typically obsess over, standing in line at Central BBQ for smoky ribs or Gus’s Fried Chicken for juicy drumsticks.

When told that there’s a place in Memphis that makes standout Korean food like soups and noodle dishes with meat and seafood, some may scoff.

But Crazy Noodle is real, and it might be proof that people in intensely Southern cities like Memphis, where collard greens are made correctly and macaroni and cheese is listed on some menus as a vegetable dish, are welcoming the cuisine of immigrant communities. Owner Ji Choi estimates that 60 percent of her customers are regulars. It’s a hidden gem for tourists seeking to avoid the barbecue and the out-of-towners.

“My restaurant is very small, compared to other big restaurants, but it’s very fun,” Choi said. Crazy Noodle is located next to a convenience store and food market, owned by Choi’s relatives. The market also makes food to order and also sells premade items including sandwiches and wraps.

The restaurant has an open kitchen where patrons can watch dishes being prepared. The windowsills are decorated with miniature dolls and action figures, donated by regular customers in the roughly two years the restaurant has been open.

Choi and her small team of chefs turn out mouthwatering, and often spicy, dishes like Korean chicken soup, with a sweet-spicy broth and loads of chicken noodles, mushrooms and vegetables. Other brothy dishes include the mandou-gok — a soup with onions, carrots, eggs, seaweed flakes, mushrooms and tender, luscious dumplings instead of noodles — and yuk-gae-jang, featuring beef, turnip and mushrooms in a spicy beef broth. The soups are great for people with colds. Or hangovers.

Bali News

International

AP Photo/Adrian Sainz

Years after holiday slayings, traditions help heal Associated Press Writer

AP Photo/Nick Ut, File

FILE - In this Dec. 29, 2008 file photo, a woman and a girl visit a memorial set up near the ruins of the Ortega family home in Covina, Calif. Bruce Pardo, dressed as Santa, shot indiscriminately at partygoers and destroyed his former in-laws’ house with a homemade blowtorch, ultimately leaving nine people dead before killing himself.

LOS ANGELES — Five years after a man dressed as Santa Claus massacred nine members of her family on Christmas Eve, the surviving daughter of the Ortega clan worked to master her mother’s pozole recipe to serve at a traditional family dinner that’s now forever tinged with tragedy.

The recipe was one from Leticia Yuzefpolsky’s childhood and a reminder of festive meals she hadn’t enjoyed since Bruce Pardo walked through the door of her parents’ suburban Los Angeles home five years ago, killed her family and burned the place down. In a matter of minutes, Yuzefpolsky lost nearly everyone she’d looked up to: her parents, two brothers and two sisters. Her two sisters-in-law and 17-year-old nephew also died.

But she was far from alone in her losses.

Thirteen sons and daughters lost at least one parent that night in Covina, a suburb about 20 miles (30 kilometers) northeast of Los Angeles. Yuzefpolsky, the youngest of five children, became the reluctant matriarch, maintaining the tight-knit family’s traditions and happier memories. The remaining family meets for dinner, exchanges gifts and shares memories.

A Christmas Day trip to church now is followed by a trip to the cemetery. Pardo, her

former brother-in-law, had carried a small arsenal of guns and fuel to torch the family’s home that Christmas Eve. It was part of a plan triggered by his ex-wife’s decision to divorce him. An FBI profile found that his actions were likely spurred by extreme narcissism and obsessive compulsive disorder.

When Pardo was severely burned in the attack, he ditched his elaborate getaway plan and killed himself with a gunshot to the mouth.

Meanwhile, Yuzefpolsky’s family scrambled to pick up the pieces. With his parents dead, one nephew became the guardian of his three minor siblings. Yuzefpolsky and her husband took in her sister’s youngest daughter.

Her then-8-year-old daughter Katrina was wounded by a gunshot to the cheek after Santa came to the door. Yuzefpolsky worked to save Christmas for her kids — telling them that wasn’t the real Santa — and calling friends from the hospital to make sure gifts were put under their tree. The kids were later sent to a camp that helps with grief.

For Yuzefpolsky, now 41, years of therapy have helped, though she still suffers from some anxiety and nightmares. “I lost my identity completely,” Yuzefpolsky said. “I always used to tease them that I have five sets of parents ... everyone telling me what to do and how to do it. I can’t even tell you how much I miss them.”

3

Bali’s economic growth

Consumption contributes 69.05 percent Bali Post

DENPASAR - Household and government consumption has the highest contribution to the achievement of economic growth of Bali in 2013. The sector is capable of supporting up to 69.05 percent throughout the year compared to other sectors.

Chief Representative of Bank Indonesia for Region III Bali-Nusra, Benny Siswanto, recently said the relatively large portion of consumption and high investment growth over 15 percent were able to cover the negative net export condition of the Bali’s economy.

“Until approaching the end of this year, the household and government consumption reaches 69.05 percent. Meanwhile, the investment sector of Bali, mainly in the form of infrastructure development, also played a role. It played a very vital role in supporting the economic growth of Bali,” he said.

He said, aside from the support of consumption sector, the economic growth of Bali was also supported by the relatively robust bank loan to the level of loan growth over 25 percent in 2013. The third-party saving rate was estimated to reach more than 15 percent in 2013.

“The banking of Bali has also undertaken the intermediation function well as demonstrated by the LDR ratio that consistently lies above 75 percent since the middle of the second year,” he said.

He described the performance of banks in Bali and Nusa Tenggara region also contributed to the financing of regional economic activity. This was evident from the development in the banking performance in the region as reflected in the asset growth of approximately 20 percent.

“The growth of bank loan is over 20 percent and third party deposit is about 18 percent by the end of 2013. Thus, we have confidence the banking sector will continue to support the economic growth in the region,” he affirmed. (kmb27)

This Dec. 22, 2013 photo shows chef Adam Adkins preparing a dish of sweet potato noodles, carrots, mushrooms and onions in a spicy sauce in the open kitchen at Crazy Noodle restaurant in Memphis, Tenn.

Thursday, December 26, 2013

ANTARA FOTO/Nyoman Budhiana

Domestic tourists spending their holiday at Kuta Beach, Bali Island recently. Household and government consumption has the highest contribution to the achievement of economic growth of Bali in 2013. The sector is capable of supporting up to 69.05 percent throughout the year compared to other sectors.

Christmas celebration

Badung Police prepare hundreds of personnel

Bali Post

MANGUPURA - The ranks of Badung Police have prepared a security pattern ahead of Christmas and New Year. However, especially for the security of Christmas,

various regular strategies have been applied in the field, such as disseminating an appeal letter on the church security within the Badung Police jurisdiction and every customary village was urged to contribute

AP Photo/Dita Alangkara

Members of Indonesian Police bomb squad are deployed to anticipate terror attacks prior to the Christmas Eve mass.

together to secure the Christmas celebration. “For the security of Christmas, hundreds of personnel will be deployed to secure and guard 32 churches,” said Chief of Badung Police, Komang Suartana, accompanied by the Operations Division Head of Badung Police, Ketut Suharta.

Ketut Suartana explained that 200 special personnel were deployed for securing Christmas, consisting of 120 personnel of Badung Police and 80 personnel from each subdistrict police. In addition, several personnel would be standby at the office. “For personnel in the field, we will also team up with pecalang (customary security guard) and the officers of Pamswakarsa (civilian security guard) and military personnel,” he explained.

Related to the existence of church in Badung Police jurisdiction, Suartana said there were 32 churches. In details, in Petang subdistrict occurred a church, Mengwi (11 churches) and North Kuta Police area (20 churches). For the guard and security, it would be adjusted to situation in the field.

If the number of congregation exceeded 2,000, a total of 6 personnel would be assigned. “Checking in

the 32 churches has been made by intelligence,” he added.

To intensify the security, the Badung Police also provided advanced equipment in the form of metal detector. It would be allocated in churches with a fairly large amount of congregations. Meanwhile, the personnel would begin to be deployed in the field after the troop rally. “Metal detectors have been prepared, but condition of the field will be checked first,” said the Police Chief.

The security pattern applied was by disseminating appeal letter to churches. Later on, the letter would be given to the head of churches and read in front of the congregations.

Primarily, it would be focused on the inspection of luggage owned by church congregation such as bags. “If any suspicious item is found, we ask to quickly report it to us. Similar measure should also be applied when founding any people with suspicious gestures,” he explained.

Further, he said that his party would set up a post at vulnerable points. The posts would be used to conduct surveillance, patrol and personnel placement because the guard would not only be focused

in the church. However, it was also focused on highways and crowded tourist attraction. “At a number of road sections will be enforced an open-close system in order to avoid congestion,” he added.

To anticipate terrorists, said Suartana, it had been prepared a special supervision in several critical points. Intelligence had also been deployed to detect the shortcuts of terrorists. “To anticipate terrorists, we have prepared a special strategy,” he said, while adding that Canggu area was considered prone to terrorism because the community was heterogeneous.

Suartana also added there was replacement of subdistrict police chief positions in the Badung Police jurisdiction, namely for the Mengwi subdistrict police chief Ida Ayu Wikarniti replaced by Nengah Sumadi and Abiansemal police chief I Gede Putu Astawa replaced

by I Nyoman Kuat. Handover of the office was conducted in the hall of Badung Police on Monday. “We congratulate the new officials and hopefully they can make adaptation and are ready to secure the Christmas and New Year in the Badung Police jurisdiction,” he hoped. (nik)

2

International

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Bali News Illegal cafés rampant in Nusa Penida

Damaging moral, municipal police must not be sluggish Bali Post

SEMARAPURA - The existence of illegal cafes is increasingly threatening the social, customary and cultural order. After targeting a number of towns in Bali, the illegal cafés are now increasingly widespread to the islands of Nusa Penida. Such condition was protested by a number of community leaders of Nusa Penida. They asked for Municipal Police to immediately discipline them so as not to further damage the moral of Nusa Penida community.

Chairman of Nusa Penida Care Forum, Nengah Setar, said on Monday (Dec 23), the presence of illegal café was very disturbing residents. Being uncontrolled, it was increasingly widespread to every nook and cranny of villages. “Please do not let them be established carelessly. All illegal cafés are veiled. Relevant official, please inspect them,” he said. All this time, Setar assessed the prosecution of illegal cafés in Nusa Penida was minimal. This

condition harmed the moral of Nusa Penida community, particularly among young people.

Then, the impact was felt by society. On that account, teenagers who frequently consumed alcoholic drink in the cafés were said to often trigger violence.

This situation sparked wider violence, such as murder and family disharmony because many of the residents fell in love with café girls. “I am concerned to read and watch the news on a higher priest

(Ida Pedanda) who was stabbed by his own son to death just because of asking for money to buy alcoholic drink. This case has become a caution for Nusa Penida community. We have unanimously rejected the café entry into Nusa Penida,” he said while adding the presence of café had been rampant in public roadside of Ped village eastwardly.

In addition, all this time Nusa Penida was also considered a sacred area with the presence of some

kahyangan jagat or public temples, such as the Penataran Ped, Puncak Mundi to Batu Medawu Temple.

Supposedly, the entire community of Nusa Penida and local government strictly prohibited the entry of cafe into the area. Moreover, it had been left to proliferate. According to another public figure of Nusa Penida, Wayan Tageg, the situation should be addressed immediately by relevant authorities, so the area of Nusa Penida could preserve its purity. “Its existence remarkably threatens the social, customary and cultural order. If people frequently go to cafe, their family will definitely be abandoned,” he said.

The Head of Klungkung Municipal Police, Nyoman Sucitra, recognized there were many cafés

in Nusa Penida. However, he could not ascertain whether those cafés had been licensed or not because the authority lay in the licensing office. “Migrants have indeed been frequently inspected, but we do not know if the cafés have licensed or not. It is the authority of Licensing Office,” he said.

Nevertheless, his party was ready to crack down on if according to the data in the Licensing Office those cafés were not licensed. To that end, Sucitra would make coordination with the Head of Licensing Office in order to immediately take steps.

He also hoped that Nusa Penida could be free from the presence of illegal cafés because its existence was feared to damage public morality. (kmb31)

Protest against CCTV, inmates of Kerobokan threat to rampage Bali Post

MANGUPURA - Various ideas considered to be able to monitor the occupants of the correctional institution sometimes are not agreed by the occupants. On the one hand, such idea makes easier to monitor the prison, but it is protested by the occupants as they feel disturbed. Such problem is at issue in the Kerobokan Prison belonging to Denpasar Class II A category. The inmates and other detainees protested over the installation of the CCTV at a number of points scattered in the prison. They rallied in order the prison authority dismantled the CCTVs. Otherwise, the inmates threatened to rampage.

Such heating condition was justified by one of the occupants of the prison undergoing a trial in Denpasar District Court on Monday (Dec 23). “My friends indeed protested against the policy of the head of prison. Even, if their demand is not heeded, our friends threatened to run amok inside,” said a reliable source. Currently, the inmates tried to ‘remind’ the head of prison Farid Junaedi with posters and peaceful actions in prison. However, said the source, in case of no response, a larger demonstration would be made.

Other than protesting the CCTV supposedly existing in the block, the inmates also asked the prison authority to dismantle the CCTV in the visit room. They did not agree to the installation because their meeting with family would be monitored by the CCTV. “Yes, the CCTV in the visit room was also protested. Even, there were inmates screaming, threatening and saying if the prison wanted a heating condition as ever happened before,” said the source asking not to publish the name.

Meanwhile, the Head of Kerobokan Prison, Farid Junaedi, when asked for his confirmation via phone denied if that there was a rally in prison. “Nothing happened, there’s no rally,” he said. How about the inspection? “Similarly, there was no weapon inspection,” said the official replacing Gusti Wiratna. Though denied, he admitted about the installation of CCTV at 12 points.

“The installation was made about a week ago,” he said. The installation was not in the block, but outside of the block. On the phone, Farid replied so hastily. Before completing the question on the phone, he directly signaled to conclude the conversation.

Additional information obtained told that other than the matter of CCTV, there were

also the demands of the inmates. Among others, the inmates wanted to return the schedule of visit to Saturday.

Previously, the Head of Kerobokan Prison, Farid Junaedi, had made a vow of peace where

IBP/File

the prison was free from legal violations. At that time, the inmates were willing to submit voluntarily their various sharp weapons.

Even, some of the weapons had been cut or destroyed. (110)

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(0370) 639543, Facsimile: (0370) 628257. Publisher: PT Bali Post

Thursday, December 26, 2013

15

Hard Rock Hotel Bali visits Denpasar orphanages IBP

KUTA - Band Members of Hard Rock Hotel Bali enlivened its long-serving and inspiring brand mantra, “Take Time to be Kind” in a recent food drive project with visits to two orphanages in Denpasar, Wednesday, December 18, 2013. This is part of the global initiative against children hunger and poverty – “IMAGINE There’s No Hunger” by Hard Rock International and Yoko Ono Lennon Foundation.

In the spirit of the Festive Season, more than 120 children and caretakers were served the food from the “All is One” effort by staff and guests of the Hotel.

Hard Rock Hotel Bali adapted the global program with the Balinese culture by promoting “SING CAN CAN”, a food drive initiative held among the Band Members and guests to donate minimum one piece of canned food to help the underprivileged children. “Sing Can Can” derives from “Sing Ken Ken”, a local Balinese phrase “don’t worry”. The Hotel hopes to spread the positive spirit amongst the children by raising funds to

finance their school fees and daily pocket money for school meals. “We believe in supporting grass root projects like this.

We are touched and pleased at the same time to personally meet the children. Hard Rock Hotel Bali encourages everyone to contribute and we hope that our effort may spread the awareness to help the needy,” explains Andrew Khoo, M.I.H, General Manager.

Hard Rock International’s IMAG-

INE There’s No Hunger 2013 campaign was also launched in Bali earlier this year, highlighting community visits to Denpasar and Sarbagita Landfill by Hamish Dodds, President & CEO of Hard Rock International and Kotak, Indonesia’s leading rock band. Rock stars and fans alike are encouraged to contribute by purchasing the signature IMAGINE merchandise items including charity bracelet, t-shirt and charity pin to support the campaign. Dedicated to the brand’s “All is One” core value, proceeds from Hard Rock’s global campaign will directly benefit WhyHunger, a leader in building the global movement to end hunger and poverty, and its grassroots partners around the globe in hopes of finding longterm solutions through sustainable agriculture.

Calendar Event for January 1 through February 26, 2014 1 Jan Buda Kliwon Matal, Kajeng Kliwon And Tilem Sasih Kenam Pura Desa Sukawati Sukawati Pura Pasek Gelgel Gelgel Bebetin Pura Maspahit Sesetan Pura Padharman Arya Kanuruhan Besakih 11 Jan Tumpek Kandang Pura Desa Gianyar Pura Luhur Dalem Sagening Kediri Tabanan Pura Sang Hyang Tegal Tegalalang

The condition of Kerobokan Prison

Activities

International

15 Jan Purnama Sasih Kapitu Pura Dalem Tarukan Cemenggaon Sukawati Pura Penataran Dalem Ketut Pejeng Kaja Gianyar Pura Puseh Manakaji Peninjauan Bangli Pura Taman Limut Pengosekan Mas Ubud Pura Benua Besakih Pura Gunung Rena Sidemen Karangasem Pura Pasek Gelgel Abadi Karangasem Pura Pucak Gunung Mangun Kubu Karangasem 16 Jan Kajeng Kliwon Uwudan

17 Jan Hari Bhatara Sri 21 Jan Anggara Kasih Prangbakat Pura Bukit Buluh Gunaksa Klungkung Pura Tirtha Sidamala Bebalang Bangli Pura Gunung Pangsong Lombok Pura Dalem Benawah Gianyar Pura Dalem Bitra Gianyar Pura Pura Hyang Haluh/Jenggala Besakih

Pura Tengkulak Tulikup Gianyar Pura Taman Sari Ubud Pura Penataran Badung

Pura Penataran Giri Purwo Tegal Delimo Banyuwangi Pura jala Sidhi amerta Juanda Surabaya

29 Jan Hari Siwaratri

19 Feb Buda Cemeng Kelawu Pura Penataran Agung Teluk Padang Karangasem Pura Melanting Camenggaon Sukawati Pura Penataran ped Nusa Penida Pura Gaduhan Jagat Singakerta Ubud Pura Masceti Sanding Tampak Siring Pura Penataran Batu Lepang Kamasan Kelungkung Pura Paibon Pasek Gelgel Kedonganan Kuta Pura Guwa Besakih Pura Basukian Besakih Pura Jati Ubud Pura Melanting Ubud Pura Dalem Peed Nusa Penida Pura Sad Kayangan Nusa Penida Pura Penataran Agung Gunung Karangasem

30 Jan Tilem Sasih Kepitu Pura Buana Kawan Besakih Pura Ulun Kulkul Besakih 31 Jan Kajeng Kliwon Enyitan 5 Feb Buda Kliwon Ugu Pura Dalem Tarukan Peninjauan Tembuku Bangli Pura Pemayun Banyuning Tengah Buleleng Pura Kayangan Tiga Seririt Buleleng Pura Agung Gunung Raung Taro Tegalalang 6 Feb Pura Dalem Puri Besakih 14 Feb Purnama Sasih Kawulu Pura Dalem Batur Bangli Pura Ida Ratu Pasek Besakih Pura Dalem Suci Sidemen Karangasem Pura Buana Kawan Besakih 15 Feb Tumpek Wayang & Kajeng Kliwon Uwudan Pura Majapahit Jembrana Pura Panti Gelgel Pengembungan Sesetan Pura Pedarman Dalem Sukawati Besakih Pura Pedarman Mengwi Besakih Pura Pedarman Kaba-kaba Besakih Pura Pedarman Dalem Bakas Besakih Pura Pedarman Dinasti Dalem Besakih

21 Feb Hari Bhatara Sri 25 Feb Anggara Kasih Dukut Pura Dalem Batuyang Batubulan Pura Pasek Gelgel Mengening Kediri Tabanan Pura Pasek Undagi Krambitan Tabanan Pura Pucak Taman bedulu Gianyar Pura Puser Jagat Nusa Penida Pura Dalem Purwa Kawan Bangli Pura Desa Ketewel Gianyar 26 Feb Pura Agung Pasek gelgel Sibang Kaja Abian Semal Pura Dalem Samprangan Gianyar

IBP/Courtesy of Hard Rock

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

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

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

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

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

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

16 Pages Number 10 6th year

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

Price: Rp 3.000,-

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Debbie Allen’s twist on ‘The Nutcracker’ wins Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK — It’s not yet Christmas, but Debbie Allen has already gotten a nice present — the Goldstar National Nutcracker Award.

The ticket discounter has declared the award-winning director and choreographer’s school the winner of the 7th annual contest that crowns the best version of “The Nutcracker” in the land.

The Debbie Allen Dance Academy’s show, “The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker” that was mounted earlier this month in Los Angeles, beat out nearly 60 other productions of “The Nutcracker.” It’s Allen’s second time winning the award.

Her show begins when young Kara Johnson receives a nutcracker filled with hot chocolate, falls asleep and the nutcracker comes alive. Written and directed by the “Fame” star, the show stars Allen

LOS ANGELES — Sylvester Stallone returns to the well of fan fiction by teaming with his onetime iconic-onscreen-pugilist rival, Robert De Niro, in “Grudge Match.” Essentially recasting “Grumpy Old Men” with the senescent specters of Rocky Balboa and Jake LaMotta, the result is sporadically amusing, with some chuckles, sight gags and crowd-pleasing supporting turns from Alan Arkin and Kevin Hart. Yet it’s all so overcooked that it defeats its own purpose.

AP Photo/Warner Bros. Pictures, Ben Rothstein

This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Robert De Niro as Billy “The Kid” McDonnen in a scene from “Grudge Match.”

Hollywood frequently rummaging through its creative dumpster for neverending sequels and remakes, but the latter-day careers of Stallone and De Niro are special cases indeed, with the two stars - 67 and 70, respectively - essaying a series of roles that are not only informed by, but practically senseless without, knowledge of their filmographies. This tendency toward lazily coasting on familiarity hits a pinnacle for both in “Grudge Match,” where the stunt casting is far funnier in theory than in execution.

As a Jim Lampley-narrated mini-documentary informs us at the outset, Henry “Razor” Sharp (Stallone) and Billy “the Kid” McDonnen (De Niro) were once the fiercest rivals in boxing, with McDonnen beating Sharp in a classic bout, and Sharp taking the spoils against an out-of-shape McDonnen in the rematch.

A third, score-settling grudge match was scheduled to take place 30 years ago, but Sharp abruptly retired from boxing shortly before the opening bell.

Since then, the soft-spoken Sharp has retreated into life as a foundry-floor

WEATHER FORECAST 23 - 32 Dps

and Carlo Imperato and had an original score by Mariah Carey, Arturo Sandoval, Chau-Giang Thi Nguyen, James Ingram and Thump.

Voting for the Goldstar National Nutcracker Award is determined by Goldstar members who rate and review “The Nutcracker” productions they recently attended. Allen’s academy, which was founded by Allen and Norman Nixon in 2001, will also win a cash prize.

‘Grudge Match’ is no knockout Associated Press Writer

Entertainment

factotum in the scrappier outskirts of Pittsburgh, while the peacocking McDonnen has parlayed his waning fame into a chain of steakhouses and car dealerships. In need of money to keep his aging trainer (Arkin) in a nursing home, Sharp agrees to throw some punches in a motion-capture suit for a videogame, leading to a confrontation with the similarly green-suited McDonnen in the studio. A ludicrous brawl breaks out between the two, and camera-phone footage of the punch-up goes viral.

Sensing an opportunity, fast-talking aspiring fight promoter Dante Slate Jr. (Hart) convinces the two paunchy punchers to finally reschedule their “Grudgement Day” bout, a televised spectacle that falls somewhere between “Celebrity Boxing” and Ali vs. Inoki on the dignity scale.

Ostentatious callbacks to “Rocky” and “Raging Bull” take the form of Stallone quaffing raw eggs and strolling through a meat locker, while De Niro performs a chintzy nightclub comedy act. As it turns out, Sharp’s abrupt retirement was sparked by McDonnen’s dalliances with his then-girlfriend (Kim Basinger), who abruptly reappears on the scene three decades later precisely as McDonnen’s estranged son, B.J. (Jon Bernthal), emerges to connect with his old man, quickly becoming his trainer.

The rest of the film (directed by Peter Segal from a script by Tim Kelleher and Rodney Rothman) ambles forward with a series of training montages interrupted by old-man-falls-down slapstick interrupted by sappy drama, with hit-andmiss set pieces occasionally compensating for the pic’s dreary lack of narrative propulsion. Considering how much of “Rocky V” and “Rocky Balboa” focused on the inherent sadness of an aged fighter enduring yet more punishment, “Grudge Match” is quite glib about the potentially fatal fight at its center, while it rarely passes up an opportunity to slather on pathos elsewhere via a cherubic little kid (Camden Gray) and images of laid-off industrial workers.

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

Thursday, December 26, 2013 Queen’s Christmas message: time to reflect

Page 6

Arsenal, Chelsea draw 0-0 in Premier League

Page 8

Ice storm leaves 500K without power in US, Canada

Page 13

New Year’s celebration

Roads to Kuta closed

Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP, File

FILE - This May 3, 2013 file photo shows Debbie Allen at the Geffen gala at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. The ticket discounter Goldstar has declared the director and choreographer the winner of the 7th annual contest that crowns the nation’s best version of “The Nutcracker.”

IBP/File Photo

The file photo shows Balinese artists performed and celebrated New Year 2013. The New Year 2014 celebration in Bali, especially in Kuta, is estimated to be crowded by people.

By all means, police will focus on security and traffic arrangement in that tourist village.

Bali Post

DENPASAR - The New Year 2014 celebration in Bali, especially in Kuta, is estimated to be crowded by people. By all means, police will focus on security and traffic arrangement in that tourist village. Even, some road sections leading to Kuta will be closed from 4:00 p.m. until the celebration ends. Not only that, the Traffic Affairs of Denpasar Metro Police then provides parking space in 11 points around Kuta area.

It was delivered by Traffic Affairs Head of Denpasar Metro Police, I Nyoman Nuryana. He explained there were 9 points of road section that would be closed.

In essence, all the flows leading to Kuta area would be closed, namely the intersection of Merta Nadi, Jalan Kunti, Jalan Nakula,

Jalan Patih Jelantik and Kuta Traffic Light. Meanwhile, people who would go to Kuta would be directed to single entrance at the roundabout of Ngurah Rai Statue.

Traffic flows coming from the north (Kerobokan and Jalan Imam Bonjol) would be routed through Jalan Sunset Road-Dewa Ruci,

Jalan Bypass Ngurah Rai-statue of the roundabout -- Air Port-Jalan Raya Tuban Kediri and Jalan Dewi Sartika. Meanwhile, the traffic flows from the east (Sanur) would be diverted to Dewa Ruci - Jalan Bypass Ngurah Rai – statue of roundabout - Airport - Jalan Raya Tuban Kuta and Jalan Dewi Sartika.

In the meantime, the flows from the south (South Kuta) would be directed to Jalan Bypass Ngurah Rai – statue of roundabout--Airport, Jalan Raya Tuban – Jalan Raya Kuta-Jalan Kediri and Jalan Dewi Sartika. People wishing to come out of Kuta would be directed to pass through Jalan Raya Kuta – Jalan Setiabudi-- Dewa Ruci Intersection

– Jalan Bypass Ngurah Rai. Meanwhile, those wishing to go northerly would be directed to Jalan Raya Kuta-Jalan Sunset Road - Jalan Imam Bonjol.

Furthermore, from the direction of Legian Kaja – Seminyak would be routed through Jalan Nakula, Jalan Kunti and Seminyak Utara- Jalan Sunset Road. “People or the hotel guests who are working and staying in the vehicle-free zone, we urge to enter before 4:00 p.m. because the closure will begin at 4:00 p.m.

Meanwhile, the vehicle sterilization will be carried out at 2:00 p.m.,” said Nuryana to reporters, Tuesday.

This former Chief of Registration and Identification Section of

Denpasar Metro Police explained that other than road closure, it would also be provided with parking space.

It would be provided at 11 locations namely on Jalan Patih Jelantik – Jalan Dewi Sri (provided with tow truck), Central Park (vehicle of Sanitation and Landscaping Agency-DKP), Dewa Ruci Intersection (Fire Brigade), intersection of Kuta Art Market (ambulance), Tuban Traffic Light (Fire Brigade), Krisna Oleh-Oleh (bus park space), Panin Bank (hold 40 units of motorcycle/ VVIP), Ace Shop (150 units of vehicles), Tri Sakti Square (500 units of motorcycle) as well as Krishna Oleh-Oleh and Jalan Sunset Road (bus parking space). (kmb21)