16 Pages Number 65 11th year
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Thursday, March 28, 2019
Jordan Peele’s ‘Us’ shatters box office
Thursday, March 28, 2019
US county declares state of emergency amid measles outbreak
LOS ANGELES - Jordan Peele’s new thriller, “Us,” blasted its way to the top of the North American box office over the weekend with $71.1 million in ticket sales, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said on Monday. The opening marked one of the best launches ever for a horror film and cemented Peele’s draw as one of Hollywood’s top filmmakers following his Oscar-winning film debut “Get Out.” The Universal production, which stars Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke and Elisabeth Moss in the story of a family that encounters horrifying versions of themselves, had the second-best launch of the year, trailing only blockbuster “Captain Marvel,” Exhibitor Relations said. Peele impressed Hollywood with his first production, “Get Out,” another horror film with heavy social commentary that won an
Oscar as Best Original Screenplay and was the 10th most profitable film of 2017. The new film has a 94 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, rare praise for a horror flick. “Us” pushed Disney’s “Captain Marvel” down to second place, at $34.3 million for the weekend, but that female-led blockbuster had little to complain about. With Brie Larson starring as a former fighter pilot with superpowers, the film has taken in a combined $910 million at home and abroad. In third spot was Paramount’s animation “Wonder Park,” at $8.8 million. The film, about an amusement park based on a young girl’s
imaginings, is voiced by Brianna Denski, Jennifer Garner, Matthew Broderick and John Oliver. Fourth spot went to CBS/Lionsgate’s teen drama “Five Feet Apart,” at $8.5 million. It stars Haley Lu Richardson and Cole Sprouse as teens who fall in love but must keep their distance while being treated for cystic fibrosis. And in fifth was “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World,” at $6.5 million. It tells the story of young Hiccup and his dragon Toothless on a quest for a dragon utopia. Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera and Cate Blanchett provide the voices. (afp)
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images/AFP
Jordan Peele, Lupita Nyong’o and Winston Duke attend the “US” premiere at Museum of Modern Art on March 19, 2019 in New York City.
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This handout picture released on March 25, 2019 shows Dutch art detective Arthur Brand posing with stolen Picasso painting “Buste de Femme (Dora Maar)” on March 14, 2019 at his Amsterdam home.
Stolen Picasso unearthed by ‘Indiana Jones of art’
THE HAGUE - A Dutch art detective dubbed the “Indiana Jones of the Art World” has struck again, finding a Picasso painting worth 25 million euros stolen from a Saudi sheikh’s yacht on the French Riviera in 1999. Arthur Brand said he had handed back the 1938 masterpiece entitled “Portrait of Dora Maar”, also known as “Buste de Femme (Dora Maar)” to an insurance company earlier this month. The discovery of the rare portrait of Maar, one of Pablo Picasso’s most influential mistresses, is the culmination of a four-year investigation into the burglary on the luxury yacht Coral Island, as she lay anchored in Antibes. Two decades after its theft and with no clues to its whereabouts, the French police were stumped -and the portrait, which once hung
in the Spanish master’s home until his death in 1973, was feared lost forever. But after a four-year trail which led through the Dutch criminal underworld, two intermediaries turned up on Brand’s Amsterdam doorstep 10 days ago with the missing picture. “They had the Picasso, now valued at 25 million euros wrapped in a sheet and black rubbish bags with them,” Brand told AFP. It was yet another success for Brand, who hit the headlines last year for returning a stolen 1,600-year-old mosaic to Cyprus. He won world fame in 2015 after finding “Hitler’s Horses”, two bronze statues made by Nazi sculptor Joseph Thorak -- a discovery about which he had a book out earlier this month. (afp)
A New York county hit by a measles outbreak declared a state of emergency Tuesday and banned non-vaccinated minors from public places in a bid to prevent the onceeliminated disease from spreading. The measure, which defines a public place as anywhere “more than 10 persons are intended to congregate” -- including public transport -- was announced by officials in Rockland County, 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of New York City. Due to come into effect at midnight Wednesday for 30 days, it appears to be the most radical step by US officials following outbreaks in several regions blamed on an anti-vaccination movement. “We must do everything in our power to end this outbreak and protect the health of those who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons and that of children too young to be vaccinated,” said county executive Ed Day. Day also criticized the “resistance” of some locals to health inspectors. “They’ve been told ‘we’re not discussing this, do not come back,’ when visiting the homes of infected individuals as part of their investigations,” he said, branding such responses “unacceptable and irresponsible.” Rockland County, with a population of over 300,000, has registered 153 cases of measles, which was declared officially eliminated in 2000. Despite major vaccination campaigns since the outbreak began in October, around 27 percent of minors aged one to 18 remain unvaccinated, Day said. The worst affected neighborhoods are those with a high ultra-Orthodox Jewish population, where many oppose vaccines on religious grounds. Vaccinations are in theory required to go to school in the United States, but 47 of the 50 states -- including New York -- allow exemptions, notably for religious reasons. (afp) News can also be heard in “Bali Image” at Global Radio FM 96.5 from 9.30 until 10.00 am. Listen to Global Radio FM at http://globalfmbali.listen2myradio. com or live video streaming at http://radioglobalfmbali. com and http://ustream.tv/channel/global-fm-bali.
In this file photo taken on March 30, 2016 a nurse injects a boy with a measles vaccine in a pediatric polyclinic in Kiev. Eleven people have died and more than 30,000 have been infected this year in a major outbreak of measles in Ukraine, the European country worst hit by the disease, Kiev said on March 18, 2019.
Sergei SUPINSKY / AFP
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Bali News
Thursday, March 28, 2019
International
Drug users indicated to choose hotels
DENPASAR - There is a tendency of drug users to consume drugs in tranquil or solitary places like hotels and villas. Like Badung district having strategic location and the center of tourist accommodation, it is very possible to rampant drug trafficking.
IBP/net
“To that end, we in the National Narcotics Agency (BNNP) of Bali are trying to fortify tourism workers so that they do not fall ill in using drugs. Last Friday (Mar. 22), I met with employees of the Ramada Hotel, Kuta, to disseminate the hazards of drugs,” said the Head of BNNP Bali, I Putu Gede Suastawa, on Tuesday (Mar. 26). Moreover, the Badung district area has many nightspots of entertainment and hotels or other accommodations that sometimes become one of the points used by drug users. For this reason, the BNNP Bali invited tourism workers, especially hotel employees, to oversee the circulation of narcotics. Therefore, it did not spread widely in the Badung region which is becoming the center of tourism for the Island of the Gods. “At this time, there is a tendency for people to consume drugs at quiet and solitary places as many hotels and villas are built near cliffs and far from residential areas,” said Suastawa, accompanied by Division Head of Prevention and Community Empowerment (P2M), I Ketut Suandika. Therefore, the BNNP expected an active role from businessmen as well as hotel and lodging workers to participate in supervising their guests. If there is something suspicious, immediately inform the BNNP Bali. “So far, there is no safe place from drug trafficking. On that account, the role and supervision of various levels of society is very necessary,” he said. Moreover, currently there are 73 new types of narcotics in Indonesia, and people are expected to never try using any type of drugs. When consuming drugs, 10 percent of the human brain is damaged. “There are three properties of drugs, namely habitual, tolerant and addictive,” he said. Currently, private sector workers are in the top rank of drug users due to several factors, namely financial ability, job pressure and doping to increase work stamina. High stress level also triggers individuals to use drugs. In addition, there is misinformation stating that drugs can increase stamina and provide a sense of pleasure and confidence for its users, making people tempted. “These all are not true. Instead, using drugs will even damage both health and the future. Don’t believe in such misleading issues,” said the one-star general from Mengwi, Badung. (kmb36)
Chaotic development of wantilan
Residents take psychical solution at Dalem Temple SEMARAPURA - The chaos about the development of the village hall is taken seriously by the authority of Selat customary village, Klungkung subdistrict. This issue had been discussed seriously in the meeting of the local customary village recently. On that occasion, it was agreed that the community will conduct a joint prayer or mangening-ngening at Dalem Temple of Selat village on Tuesday (Mar. 26). The residents expected the individual resident having a bad intention to cause the village situation chaotic by making an anonymous letter to law enforcement officials could immediately realize its actions and stop making the situation in customary villages
increasingly rowdy. Chief of Selat customary village, Kadek Jawi, stated on Tuesday (Mar. 26) the anonymous letter mentions there were irregularities in the construction of village hall or the customary village wantilan was very troubling. Thus, the allegation in the anonymous letter would not become more libelous, so the customary village discussed it in the official village meeting and agreed to hold mengeningening. This procession implies that anyone intending not to be good in that matter, especially the maker of anonymous letter, is considered to spread slander. “Whoever the person is he or she must account it for psychically,” said Kadek Jiwa.
Moreover, the law enforcement officials coming down to the location so far have not found any suspicion of the corruption in the development phase. The mengening-ening procession was attended by all the people of the Selat customary village. A local leader of Selat customary village, Putu Tika Winawan, added the procession is right to be carried out, so as not to arbitrarily spread slander that cannot be accounted for. So, those who have bad intentions will find not good way of life. On the contrary, those who sincerely seek to build the village can be given facilities for the development process. “We are rural community having customs and religion that
underlie our actions. Every act must be accounted for physically and psychically,” said the former Deputy Chairperson of the Klungkung House of Representatives. Previously, the wantilan building of the Selat customary village, Klungkung subdistrict, having just been completed at the end of 2018, had been considered problematic as the building funded by the Ministry of Education and Culture worth IDR 400 million has been seen cracking, even the concrete beam supporting the roof looks curved. The local customary village is worried that the wantilan, which has not been finished, already collapsed before being used officially by the community.
Seeing the very worrying condition of the wantilan, the concrete supporting frame of the roof was fitted with steel support to hold the roof so that it will not collapse if there is another earthquake. Cracks on the wantilan hall are said to have been caused by several times earthquake shock. The worst is a series of impacts from the earthquake in Lombok. According to information at the local village, construction of the village wantilan hall had been fussed by one of the local residents. Moreover, it had been made an anonymous letter to be sent to the Bali Prosecutor’s Office, recently. Unfortunately, the letter did not indicate the name of the sender. (kmb31)
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International
Activities
Thursday, March 28, 2019
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Thursday, March 28, 2019
Health
International
Women are diagnosed years later than men for same diseases, study finds
FOR a wide range of diseases, diagnosis comes later in life for women than for men, according to a large Danish study. Researchers don’t know whether the later diagnoses are due to genetics, the environment, possible biases in the healthcare system - or some combination of reasons. The study of health data from 6.9 million Danish people found that across hundreds of diseases, women on average were diagnosed when they were about four years older than the age at which the conditions were recognized in men. “We’re not just looking at one disease here, we’re looking at all diseases and we are looking at an entire population, from cradle to grave,” lead author Søren Brunak from the University of Copenhagen told Reuters Health by phone. On average, women received cancer diagnoses 2.5 years after men. They received diagnoses for metabolic diseases like diabetes 4.5 years later. “(This) actually surprised us quite a lot,” Brunak said. “Men generally have a tendency to get to the doctor later... So presumably the difference in onset is even larger.” Brunak and his team considered incidence rates of diseases in the 18 broad categories of the ICD-10 diagnosis system managed by the
World Health Organization. The study wasn’t designed to explain the causes of the differences. Another limitation is that researchers only looked at diagnoses made in hospitalized patients. Dr. Noel Bairey Merz, director of the Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center at the Cedars-Sinai Smidt Heart Institute, who was not involved in the study, pointed out to Reuters Health that the study therefore lacks information on age at diagnosis for people who didn’t require hospitalization. “On the other hand,” she said, “being hospitalized is a sign of a serious illness, so (that) adds significance to the diagnosis and supports that disease onset may be later in women.” Brunak’s study, published in Nature Communications, showed that the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis was a notable exception to the trend. Here, women were typically diagnosed before they suffered a fracture, while the opposite was true for men. “I am fascinated by this study, which generally confirms all that I present in my Stanford course on Sex and Gender in Human Physi-
ology and Disease,” said Marcia Stefanick, Director of Stanford University’s Women’s Health and Sex Differences in Medicine Center. “When men get diseases that most healthcare professionals consider ‘women’s diseases,’ they are diagnosed at later, more serious stages, and vice versa,” Stefanick, who was not involved with the study, told Reuters Health in an email. “For example, women are diagnosed later for heart disease, not only because it is still largely considered a ‘man’s disease’, but also because our diagnostic tests are male-biased, in terms in terms of ‘typical’ being the male presentation. All medical schools and healthcare training should emphasize both biological sex differences and gender biases so healthcare professionals are aware of unconscious biases.” Bairey Merz agreed, adding that more research is needed to determine if the gender differences in age at diagnosis are “real” and whether they are linked to gender bias, actual biological sex differences or random error associations. (net)
IBP/net
On average, women received cancer diagnoses 2.5 years after men. They received diagnoses for metabolic diseases like diabetes 4.5 years later.
Bali News
International
Thursday, March 28, 2019
3
When campaigning in Bali
Prabowo promises anti-corruption officials
IBP/net
After marijuana use was legalized in Colorado in 2012, ER visits linked to cannabis use tripled over the next five years at one of the state’s largest hospitals, according to a new analysis.
Marijuana linked to increase in ER visits at Colorado hospital
COLORADO - After marijuana use was legalized in Colorado in 2012, ER visits linked to cannabis use tripled over the next five years at one of the state’s largest hospitals, according to a new analysis. Psychiatric ER visits were more common after people consumed marijuana edibles, compared to smoking or inhaling cannabis products. The researchers examined nearly 10,000 patients at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital from 2012 to 2016, finding that while sales of edibles are lower than inhaled pot products, people eating marijuana candies or food were more likely to show up at the ER with severe panic attacks or other sudden mental disorders. Inhaled marijuana caused a higher rate of hospitalizations, mostly due to cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, a severe vomiting condition associated with heavy cannabis use. “About 10 percent of cannabisrelated ED visits were associated with edible forms of weeds, but only 0.32 percent of total cannabis sales were for edible products. That’s 33 times higher than what we expected,” said Dr. Andrew Monte, lead author of the study and associate professor of emergency medicine and emergency toxicology at the University Of Colorado School Of Medicine. “Acute psychiatric visits like acute panic attacks, acute psychosis, and acute-on chronic conditions such as acute exacerbations of schizophrenia were also much more commonly associated with cannabis edibles,” said Monte. The study was published Monday in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Monte believes that people who consume marijuana edibles may be ingesting unsafe levels because they don’t feel the immediate high. The effect of edible cannabis products is typically not felt until 2 to 3 hours after ingesting, so ample time needs to be given before re-dosing with more of the drug, Monte added. “So some users over-consume edible cannabis products, resulting in adverse effects,” he said. The market for cannabis edibles is growing. According to a report
from Arcview Market Research and BDS Analytics, edibles spending in Canada and the United States topped $1 billion in 2017 and is projected to grow more than $4.1 billion by 2022. As the industry grows, more research needs to be done to see if edible marijuana use is a direct cause of negative psychiatric events, experts say. One of the major limitations of the study is that it is observational, meaning that it does not prove that use of marijuana edibles is the exact cause of psychosis or causes an exacerbation of psychiatric symptoms, or some other illness. Prior research indicates that people predisposed to psychosis or other psychiatric disorders may be at higher risk for adverse events following cannabis exposure, but doctors caution that claiming a cause-and-effect between marijuana use and onset of psychosis may be an exaggeration. “Studies such as these are unable to say whether it is the use of stronger forms of cannabis or edibles that is the cause of these patients having psychosis or other conditions that result in an emergency visit, but it also cannot be ruled out,” said Dr. Amir Englund, a post-doctoral researcher in Psychopharmacology, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology & Neuroscience, at King’s College London, who was not involved in the study. Another limitation is that the study only looked at one hospital, so it’s unclear whether this is a larger trend. Still, the concerns about marijuana’s link to psychiatric ER visits should be taken seriously, Monte says. The findings come on the heels of a study published last week citing that daily use of high potency marijuana may be linked to higher rates of psychosis. “Ultimately, we urge consumers to use cannabis in moderation, use low doses if unfamiliar with a product, and avoid riskier behaviors such as driving after using cannabis,” Monte told NBC News. “Those who use edibles should use a much lower dose and should not re-dose until at least four hours later.” (net)
DENPASAR — Presidential candidate number 02, Prabowo Subianto, accused the elite in Jakarta of failing to protect the wealth of Indonesia. As a result, much wealth of the nations flows overseas. “This is the essence of Indonesia’s problem. Our wealth is not in Indonesia. Our wealth flows out or our wealth is taken out,” he said while campaigning at Kompyang Sujana Square, Denpasar, on Tuesday (Mar. 26). Prabowo who campaigned without his counterpart, VP candidate Sandiaga Uno, said there must be changes related to the problem. He even formed a team consisting of the nation’s best experts coming from all religions and ethnic. They are not only smart, reliable, and capable, but also have a clean heart. “We don’t need people who have titles in a row, but their intelligence is not used to make people’s welfare. It is better to find an ordinary person, but his heart defends his own people,” he affirmed. If elected a president, Prabowo promised to only recruit anticorruption officials. This former General Commander of Special
Forces Command (Kopassus) claimed to be fed up with the amount of corruption in Indonesia. He is not willing to see the people difficult. Meanwhile, a handful of people actually dissipate because of corruption over Indonesia’s natural wealth. He even feels happy if he is hated by corruptors. “I will call, interview and ask for their commitment. They must sign and swear they will not enrich themselves, their families, and their comrades. If they are ready not to commit corruption, they will be elected as ministers, deputy ministers, director generals and directors of state-owned enterprises. Do not think the state company belongs to their ancestors because it belongs to people,” he said. Prabowo also denied that he supported radical Islam. On the contrary, his candidacy was claimed to have received the support from all religious leaders. Since the age of 18 years, this 68-year-old man claimed to have sworn that he is ready to sacrifice his life and body for the people and nation of Indonesia. (kmb32)
IBP/kmb
Since last week, mangosteen farmers in Jembrana have complained about the plummeting selling price.
Selling price of mangosteen at farmer level drops
NEGARA — Since last week, mangosteen farmers in Jembrana have complained about the plummeting selling price. Two weeks ago the price was able to reach IDR 15,000 per kilogram, but now it has dropped to IDR 7,000 per kilogram. It is not yet known exactly why the selling price dropped at the farmer level.
IBP/kmb
Presidential candidate number 02, Prabowo Subianto, accused the elite in Jakarta of failing to protect the wealth of Indonesia.
Aside from affecting farmers, the people who work as fruit pickers are also affected. Moreover, many people around the area rely on their livelihood on the cost of harvesting mangosteen. When the price reached IDR 15,000, the harvesting cost was also reasonable for daily income of the residents. Some pickers could even earn as much as IDR 200,000 per day. As soon as the selling price dropped from the middlemen, the cost of picking also dropped. The price of mangosteen has fallen since the last week, slowing down from IDR 10,000 per kilogram and dropped again last Tuesday to IDR 7,000 per kilogram. “The price just rose two weeks ago, but now it has fallen consider-
ably. If this happens, we are powerless,” said Ida Bagus Mantri, one of the mangosteen farmers. Indeed, there are several types of mangosteen having first quality whose price remains good, but their price also remarkably dropped. Similar condition also affected durian which is also a prominent fruit commodity of Jembrana. At the beginning of the last harvest, the price of one small durian could reach IDR 20,000. Now, it has dropped dramatically to the range of IDR 5,000 and IDR.3,000 per small size item. Durians of Jembrana especially in the Masehe Hills, Pendem-Batuagung to Dangin Tukadaya and Mendoyo are harvested by waiting until they fall to the ground.
Not a few farmers intentionally stay overnight in their garden as wishing to wait for the durian to fall from the tree. But at prices of being far from expectation, residents are now just waiting the next day. Farmers claimed to resign to facing fluctuating prices that tend to harm them. “This has always happened from long time ago. Every harvest season, the price is uncertain and never the same,” complained Yuli, another farmer. According to farmers, it is required the interference from the government to maintain the stability of the prices of this farmer’s product. Like irrigated paddy field, it has the lowest price limit for sales during the harvest period. (kmb26)
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Bali News
Thursday, March 28, 2019
International
Kalisada flash flood causes 10 ha of rice to face harvest failure
SINGARAJA — Farmers at Subak Kalisada, Seririt subdistrict, are ensured to experience crop failure. This happens because their two-week old rice was submerged by flash floods on Saturday (Mar. 23). In addition to rice, the other commodities like chili and eggplant belonging to farmers at Kalisada village were also hit by the same disaster. Meanwhile, based on temporary calculation, the total material losses experienced by farmers at this village are more than tens of millions. Acting Head of the Buleleng Agriculture Agency, Made Sumiarta, stated in his office on Tuesday (Mar. 27) that after the disaster occurred his agency together with the Field Agricultural Extension (PPL) in Seririt subdistrict conducted a search and recorded agricultural commodity damage due to the flash floods. From the data collection, the two-week old rice plants at Subak Kalisada in the area of 10 hectares were severely damaged. Moreover, due to such flash flood the rice is certain to fail the harvest. In the normal situation, farmers are estimated to get an average yield of IDR 6 million per hectare, so the total losses of farmers at this village will reach IDR 60 million. In addition to rice, Sumiarta delivered that similar thing also happened to corn, chili and eggplant farmers. Based on the data, five hectares of ready-to-harvest corn were severely damaged. Meanwhile, damage to chilies and eggplants reached three hectares respectively. “After coming down to location, the damage to rice is the most severe, and crops fail because young rice seeds were washed away during the floods. As calculation, all the farmers at the village suffered a total loss of tens of millions,” he said. Responding to the impact of the flash flood, Sumiarta claimed to have soon coordinating with
the Buleleng Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD). Based on the coordination, the measures will be taken to deal with the emergency response. Especially for agricultural commodity damage, he promised to allocate assistance for rice and corn, chili and eggplant seeds. “Mainly for the damage to the plants, we prepare seed assis-
tance and ensure that we will make data collection and coordinate the BPBD because this is related to natural disasters,” he said. On the other hand, Sumiarta said, the impact of flash flood did not only damage agricultural crops. It also damaged irrigation channel at Kalisada Subak and the surroundings. From the temporary data
collection, he found the irrigation channel is damaged along about 500 meters. The damage is ranging from the broken irrigation channel as eroded by floods and collapse due to landslides. For the damage to agricultural infrastructure, Sumiarta admitted that his staff had been tasked with calculating budgetary needs to improve the irrigation channel. It is done promptly as it can disrupt farmers themselves if being left for a long time. “We will recalculate and the amount of budget needed will be coordinated with BPBD and the leaders so as to be able to be repaired with emergency
response funds,” he said. As reported previously, flash floods hit Tegal Lenga hamlet, Kalisada, Seririt. Rainwater from local drain at the roadside of Jalan Seririt - Gilimanuk spilled over to soak 150 units of houses, farmland and other public facilities. The flood flow increased after the water from the Tukad Saba watershed in the upstream village overflowed. The watershed has been shallow for many years because of the sedimentation of rocks and soil, so that the water overflowed to soak people’s houses with a water level of about 1.5 meters. (kmb28)
Thursday, March 28, 2019
International
13
Seven Thai parties form coalition to thwart junta
BANGKOK - Seven political parties formed a coalition in Thailand on Wednesday, vowing to thwart a military-backed proxy in a bid to end years of junta rule following the country’s first election since a 2014 coup. A junta-aligned party and its main rival have both claimed the right to govern the country after Sunday’s vote, prompting a political standoff. Questions over irregularities are swirling following invalidated ballots and accusations of skewed numbers, with a fully tally of official results not expected to be confirmed for several weeks. The Pheu Thai party, affiliated with self-exiled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, joined forces with six other parties in a bid to halt military-backed factions from staying in government. “We want to stop the regime from hanging onto power,” Pheu Thai’s prime ministerial candidate Sudarat Keyuraphan told reporters. “Pro-democracy parties received the most trust and consensus by the people,” she added, conceding that final results have not yet been released. Thailand has been ruled by a junta since a 2014 putsch led by general Prayut Chan-O-Cha, the prime ministerial candidate for the Phalang Pracharat Party.
His party stunned the pro-democracy camp by winning the popular vote on Sunday with 7.6 million ballots, according to preliminary results. Its main rival Pheu Thai got 400,000 fewer votes, but is now aiming to take the majority of seats in the lower house with its newlyformed coalition. The seven-party bloc claimed it would take 255 out of the 500 lower house seats that are up for grabs, but with all official results not expected until May 9 the numbers are not ironclad. But the party still cannot elect a prime minister without commanding at least half of all 750 seats in the lower and upper houses. The balance of power is stacked in the junta’s favour thanks to a charter it drafted creating 250 military-appointed upper house seats. That means non-military parties like Pheu Thai need an avalanche of votes in order to elect a prime minister. The coalition formed Wednesday does not include two other high-profile parties -- Bhumjaithai and the Democrat Party -- who together have around 70 seats so far and whose allegiances are still up for grabs, with Phalang Pracharat expected to seek its own allied bloc. (afp)
NARINDER NANU / AFP
Indian men watch the live broadcast of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi address to the nation on televisions displayed in an electronic store, in Amritsar on March 27, 2019.
Modi declares India a “space superpower” as satellite downed by missile
NEW DELHI - India said Wednesday it shot down a low-orbiting satellite in a missile test that proved the nation was among the world’s most advanced space superpowers. IBP/kmb
In addition to rice, the other commodities like chili and eggplant belonging to farmers at Kalisada village were also hit by the same disaster.
People confused how to cast ballots
IBP/eka
The General Election 2019 has been around the corner. However, many people, especially in Badung district, remain confused about the way to cast ballots.
MANGUPURA — The General Election 2019 has been around the corner. However, many people, especially in Badung district, remain confused about the way to cast ballots. This condition was justified by the Chairman of the Badung Electoral Commission (KPU), Wayan Semara Cipta. Moreover, people who are 70 years old have difficulty in opening ballot papers. “Well ... many residents are still confused about casting ballots because they are so large and they also have to give votes for five times,” said Semara Cipta, on Tuesday (Mar. 26). According to him, each ballot should be folded five times, so that when opening the five ballots obtained and closing them again, the community can spend two
minutes. Seeing the condition, he is worried that voters will become more confused. “In this General Election 2019, they received five ballots, namely the ballots of president / vice president, House of Representatives for the RI, province as well as the district or municipality. It is for the first time in the history of elections in Indonesia will be held simultaneously, so we fear the elderly cannot use their right to vote quickly and well,” he explained. The difficulty of voting was acknowledged by the man familiarly addressed as Kayun as found when he made an example of voting amid the dissemination organized by Electoral Commission (KPU) of Badung in 2019 through a music concert. Apparently, the commu-
nity is very difficult to open and close the ballots. “When we in the Badung Electoral Commission organize dissemination of General Election 2019 through a music concert, we see that people got difficulty to close the ballots. It turns out it takes two minutes,” he explained. With these findings, the dissemination was intensified. Moreover, he said that KPU Badung had given specimens of ballots to the Subdistrict Electoral Committee (PPK) and the Voting Committee (PPS) including political parties. “Right now, the PPS is intensively conducting dissemination and simulations at each hamlet. Probably, each hamlet will have several polling stations by directly showing off ballots,” he concluded. (kmb27)
Romeo GACAD / AFP
Future Forward Party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit (C) speaks during a joint press conference with other political party leaders in Bangkok on March 27, 2019. Several anti-junta parties formed a coalition in Thailand on March 27, vowing to thwart a military-backed party in a bid to end years of junta rule following the country’s first vote since a 2014 coup.
In a rare address to the nation just weeks out from a national election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India had joined the United States, Russia and China in accomplishing the feat. A missile fired from a testing facility in Odisha, eastern India, downed the live satellite in orbit at around 300 kilometres (185 miles) in “a difficult operation” that lasted around three minutes, the prime minister said. “This is a proud moment for India,” the prime minister said, in his first televised national address since late 2016. “India has registered its name in the list of space superpowers. Until now, only three countries had achieved this feat.” It comes a month after Indian and Pakistani fighter jets engaged in a dogfight over the disputed border in Kashmir, in a serious military escalation between the nuclear-armed rivals. An Indian jet was shot down and a pilot captured by Pakistan, which had launched retaliatory air raids after Indian planes bombed Pakistani territory for the first time
in decades. Modi said the missile test against the satellite was peaceful, and not designed to create “an atmosphere of war”. “I want to assure the world community that the new capability is not against anyone. This is to secure and defend the fast-growing India.” But analysts said the test would not go unnoticed in China and Pakistan, India’s chief rivals in the nuclear-armed region, and could be interpreted as a show of New Delhi’s advancing military capabilities. “This is less about shooting down satellites and more about proving high-altitude ‘hit-to-kill’ proficiency, which is the core competency required to get good at a range of things -- including defence against nuclear-capable ballistic missiles,” Ankit Panda, of the Federation of American Scientists, told AFP. “This is how the message is going to be perceived in Islamabad.” - Star wars -
The United States and former Soviet Union carried out their first
successful anti-satellite missile tests in 1985, and China in 2007. All are now said to be working on so-called Star Wars laser arms to destroy satellites. With satellites increasingly important because of their intelligence gathering role -- and major nations seeking to gain a foothold in space -- the United States in 2014 rejected a Russian-Chinese proposal for a treaty to ban weapons in space, saying it was “fundamentally flawed” because of the lack of weapons verification measures. India’s foreign ministry said the country “has no intention of entering into an arms race in outer space”. “We have always maintained that space must be used only for peaceful purposes,” the ministry said. “At the same time, the government is committed to ensuring the country’s national security interests and is alert to threats from emerging technologies.” Modi said the test did not violate any international treaties and was for the betterment and safety of India’s 1.3 billion people. (afp)
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International
Thursday, March 28, 2019
Bali News
International
Pharmaceutical Roche latest to add to Brazil’s economic woes
Roche said the move will take place within the next five years because that factory is not financially sustainable. Several big businesses have shown concerns about the future of the once booming Brazilian economy. The South American nation has hit strong headwinds since 2014, with few encouraging signs of a recovery since new President Jair Bolsonaro took office on Jan. 1.
Roche said its layoffs in Rio will only begin next year. Its medicines in the South American country will be imported once the manufacturing unit is shut down and the company will keep its administrative units in Sao Paulo and Goias states. The company employs 1,200 people in Brazil, including 440 at the Rio factory. The unit produces drugs like anti-anxiety medicines Lexotan and Valium, tranquilizer Rivotril and
sedative Dormonid. Also on Tuesday, airline Avianca Brasil, which filed for bankruptcy in December, announced the shutdown 21 of its routes in April and closure of its office at Rio’s international airport. In February, carmaker Ford closed its truck factory in Sao Bernardo do Campo, outside Sao Paulo. More than 3,200 people worked in that operation when the announcement was made and most of them are expected to be laid off in November. Authorities are trying to find a buyer for the plant, but have failed so far. Workers at the Volkswagen plant
in the same city accepted a cut in their benefits just to keep their jobs, a rare move that the local union agreed with. Several other companies in financial difficulties have suggested they will not make big investments anytime soon, including companies that in 2017 promised to make new hires because of more flexible labor laws approved by Congress. The Getulio Vargas Foundation think tank published a study on Monday saying the average growth of the Brazilian economy between 2011 and 2020 could be the worst since it started measuring in 1901, at 0.9
AP Photo/Andre Penner
Unemployed line up to attend a job fair organized by the local government and a trade union, in downtown Sao Paulo, Brazil, Tuesday, March 26, 2019. The Getulio Vargas Foundation think tank published a study on Monday saying the average growth of the Brazilian economy between 2011 and 2020 could to be the worst since it started measuring in 1901, at 0.9 percent a year.
percent a year. From 2011 to 2018, it has averaged 0.6 percent growth. The once-bullish Sao Paulo stock market, meanwhile, is now jittery about prospects for a major overhaul of the pension system meant to help the economy improve. Far-right President Bolsonaro backs the measure, which would delay or trim benefits for tens of millions, but it faces increasing resistance in Congress. Economist Andre Perfeito said in a research note to clients that “the longer Brazil’s economy remains weak, the more difficult it will be for Bolsonaro to get the reform approved in Congress.” Brazil’s government has boasted that February’s job figure is a sign a that recovery could come after all. More than 173,000 jobs were created, it said, the best figure in five years. Still, almost 13 million Brazilians are unemployed, also according with government figures. The economic crisis is often dramatized in the shape of colossal lines outside job centers in major cities any time new openings appear. More than 15,000 people showed up at a center in Sao Paulo after 6,000 jobs were announced. The positions offered included telemarketing operator, salesman and supermarket cashier. Thirty-eight-year-old Gerson Alcantara, who has been unemployed for six months, was one of the people in line from the early hours of the day. He has already worked as a security officer and a driver, but said he would take any job he is offered. He is not hopeful about the future, though. “The crisis has gotten a lot worse,” Alcantara said. Asked if the approval of a pension reform by Congress would make the country’s economy recover, he was skeptical. “That will only improve things for the rich,” Alcantara said. (ap)
ECB could compensate for side effects of negative rates: Draghi
The European Central Bank is looking at ways to mitigate any side effects brought by negative interest rates, its chief Mario Draghi said Wednesday, as banks complain that they have been penalised by the measure aimed at boosting growth. In a bid to keep cash flowing to the economy, the ECB has held
interest rates at record lows. To encourage banks to lend, the Frankfurt institution has also kept the current rate on deposits at minus 0.4 percent -- meaning banks have to pay to park liquidity at the ECB. But banks have complained that the expansionary measure was eating up their bottom line. “We will continue monitoring
how banks can maintain healthy earning conditions while net interest margins are compressed,” said ECB chief Draghi at a conference in Frankfurt. “And, if necessary, we need to reflect on possible measures that can preserve the favourable implications of negative rates for the economy, while mitigating the side
effects, if any.” One possible mitigation measure could be the introduction of a threshold above which banks would start paying negative interest rates to keep liquidity at the ECB, AFP learnt. Its advantage is that it would allow the overall interest rate to remain unchanged, thereby main-
taining its positive impact on the economy. Draghi stressed however that low profitability at banks is “not an inevitable consequence of negative rates”. Rather, he cited ECB analysis that found that the best performing banks in the eurozone share traits including their ability to slash the ratio between cost and income. (afp)
5
Sunrise at Grembeng Culali, Have You Been There?
BUSINESS
SAO PAULO — Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche said Tuesday it will stop producing medicines at its Rio de Janeiro unit in Brazil, a new blow to a country whose economy appears to be in its most sluggish decade in 120 years.
Thursday, March 28, 2019
Only few people know if on the Culali route of Kintamani all this time having been the traffic lane of sand-transporting trucks keeps a magnificent place to enjoy the beauty of sunrise. It is named the Grembeng Culali or Culali Valley. At the location, visitors can enjoy the charm of sunrise against the backdrop of mountains and lake.
IBP/kmb
Heritage City Tour, Foreign Tourists Learn to Plait Ketupat
Well, it is really fun and indeed absorbing! Traveling in Denpasar city through Heritage City Tour program can bring in unique experience. Every destination you visit reveals a long, classic and full of messages. Moreover, there are programs taking visitors to have a closer look at and learn Balinese culture that will certainly enrich travel experience on the Island of the Gods. This unique experience must be inherent throughout the ages because it is instilled with sincere sense bringing about ethics as well as a sense of brotherhood. Look at the number of foreign tourists participating in the activities that take advantage of the activities of Heritage City Tour at Jero Kuta Palace and Belaluan hamlet area as the part of the Denpasar City Tour on Tuesday (Jan. 10). Dozens of tourists enjoyed a variety of cultural attractions usually done by Balinese people. By boarding a gig, the traditional means of transportation in Denpasar they look around the existing objects, such as temples, palaces and traditional markets. After arriving at Jero Kuta Palace and Belaluan hamlet, the tourists are served with various art attractions such as dance, gamelan music to mejejahitan (offering preparation). They do not only see, but also take the opportunity to learn to dance, have majejahitan (making canang oblation), plait ketupat (rice bag) and make penjor. “This has been running continuously in the Denpasar City Tour program,” said Kadek Jango Pramartha, a cartoonist of Denpasar from Belaluan Sadmertha hamlet posing the activity coordinator. For this year, explained Jango,
it is followed by 18 students from the University of Western Australia (UWA) with the program entitled ‘Bali Studio Visa 2270’ as an activity to know more about Bali taking place on January 8-18, 2018. “Previously, the foreign tourists get the opportunity to attend training and introduction to the activities at Sadmerta hamlet, such as painting, dancing, playing gamelan to activities with the involvement of local youth club,” he said. Similar activities are also done at Jero Kuta Palace, Denpasar. However, it is begun with a melukat (purificatory rite) at Padang Galak followed by a cartoon presentation, learning to make offering at Jero Kuta Palace and saying prayers together at Maospahit Temple. “These Australian tourists would like to know more closely about the object of the Denpasar City Tour. They observe and study the architecture of the existing buildings and witness the people’s activities,” he explained. Meanwhile, the Head of the Denpasar Tourism Office, Dezire Mulyani, said the Denpasar City Tour area continues to be developed by Mayor Rai Mantra and Deputy Mayor Jaya Negara where one of them in the establishment of Denpasar Art Space as an art exhibition venue that can be enjoyed by foreign tourists. Visitors can look around the city tour objects highlighting the architecture of temple, palace and market. “Implementation of the tourism program in Denpasar City is inseparable from the participation of the whole community in terms of conservation activities, and strengthening the culture, infrastructure, sanitation, social, security and order to education,” she explained. (kmb)
To reach the location is not too difficult. From the four-way intersection of Batur village, visitors just need to go down to the Culali line. Less than half a kilometer away, there is signboard saying ‘Grembeng Culali.’ It is not far from a restaurant and Batur Mountain View Inn. Several spots have been provided in the Grembeng Culali to enjoy the beauty of the Batur caldera. In addition, there are bamboo platforms, bamboo boats and several gazebos. The owner of Grembeng Culali, I Ketut Suantika, said it is presented to tourists wishing to enjoy nature tourism. From Grembeng Culali which has an area of ??about 0.40 hectare, visitors can enjoy alluring panoramic view of the Batur cal-
dera, such as mountains, lake and stretches of black stone (black lava) around the Mount Batur from the morning until the afternoon. In the morning, visitors coming to the location can enjoy the charm of sunrise with the background of three mountains at once namely Mount Batur, Mount Abang and Mount Agung as well as Lake Batur. The landscape becomes more attractive because of the expanse of clouds covering the caldera. “The no less interesting is the view of the black lava which is very beautiful in the afternoon,” he explained. He said that since it was opened a few months ago, Grembeng Culali had quite a lot of visitors. Averagely, there are approximately 2 to 20 people per day. To be able to
enjoy the beauty of the natural panorama of Grembeng Culali, visitors are only charged an entrance fee of IDR 10,000 per person. “Most of the visitors are local people. Visitors are usually busy during holidays, such as Galungan, Kuningan, and other holidays,” he said. This man who is also Chief of Subak Culali said that tourism potential at Culali is actually quite large. If arranged and managed properly, it is not inferior to other places. “Just like a beautiful girl, it hasn’t been touched by makeup yet,” he added. To draw more tourist visits, Suantika admitted to continuously develop the Grembeng Culali by adding several facilities such as swings and gazebos. (kmb)
IBP/kmb
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Thursday, March 28, 2019
W
RLD
Louai Beshara / AFP
A picture taken from the Syrian town Ain al-Tineh shows the Druze town of Majdal Shams in the Israeli- annexed Golan Heights on March 26, 2019.
US Golan move stymies Arab states, may boost Iran: analysts
International
International
Crisis drives the S.Africa to Zimbabwe cargo shuttle
JOHANNESBURG - Towering piles of oil, tyres, biscuits, microwaves and toilet paper filled a small and damp Johannesburg basement -- all destined for Zimbabwe. The items are loaded onto trailers attached to minibuses which make the 550-kilometre (340-mile) journey north to the border. Within 48 hours, each shipment is delivered to addresses in Zimbabwe after being “couriered” over the frontier, sometimes illicitly. As Zimbabwe’s economic situation has dramatically deteriorated, pushing inflation above 50 percent, shortages of household essentials have become widespread. “When the situation is bad that side, things are better for us,” said Charles, one of the deliverymen who makes a weekly round trip with precariously loaded trailers. He manages orders from individuals and small businesses via WhatsApp before dispatching items northward. Charles (not his real name) and hundreds like him across South Af-
rica offer a uniquely Zimbabwean “personal shopper” service. Known in the local Ndebele language as “malayitsha” (transporters), they mostly fly below the radar and do not declare their wares to Zimbabwean customs. “We sell and carry everything,” added Charles, who delivers in the western Bulawayo region. Others that AFP met also deliver to the capital Harare. Food, alcohol, sanitary products, furniture, electrical appliances, coffins and even salt licks for livestock flow across the border daily. Gas and fuel, in high demand since prices doubled in January, are also a staple of the malayitshas despite the risk of explosions. “It is dangerous. As long as they are ready to pay, I carry. If I say ‘I don’t carry this’, my kids will go on an empty stomach,” said Charles, who has two children in Zimbabwe but spends much of his time in South Africa where he also has two children. (afp)
Thursday, March 28, 2019
INDONESIAN INDONESIAN
11
ELECTION 2019
Bodybags, rats, waste: Disaster response turns to VR for grim training
A Thai policewoman trudges through waste and ruined buildings looking for bodies -- but she needs only a joystick and a virtual reality headset for the grim task, as technology comes to the aid of disaster management training. As around 40 police officers watch her progress on a large screen, officer Chanika Sookreang’s digital double goes from body to body in the ruined city, photographing tattoos, faces -- anything that can later be used to establish who the victim was. “VR is good as it allows us to be trained before we go to the actual scene,” says Chanika, who has firsthand experience in relief work from the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) developed the new “game” and is testing it out for the first time on teams in Thailand’s Chonburi province in a bid to recreate the daunting challenge of
identifying bodies, which can help in repatriating them to families. Dozens of forensic experts from the Red Cross are stationed around the world to help countries respond to tsunamis, earthquakes and other disasters. Training for refugee camps and high-risk disaster hotspots like Indonesia have long relied on heavy mannequin models. But a former Swiss army officer turned video gaming enthusiast has recruited graphic designers from the gaming industry to help create the ICRC’s first Virtual Reality unit in Bangkok, which will allow teams to reach a wider audience. “If you do training in a classroom, like how to put a body into a bodybag, it is excellent because you can have the weight,” says Christian Rouffaer, head of the VR team. By contrast, the new simulation is “weightless, but what you will have is all the risk factors” compli-
cating search-and-rescue missions such as the presence of animals and dangling electrical cables, he tells AFP. In one sequence a rat scurries across the ground as the rescuer tries to retrieve the corpse of a woman, whose arm comes detached when the body is flipped over. - ‘Lost Forever’ -
To make the training more realistic, the ICRC team worked with forensics specialist Ivett Kovari. She explains that she came up with the idea for the rat “because that’s what happens in reality”. In the field, responders have to search for remains, take notes and photographs, and transport bodies. A diligent inventory of the victim’s belongings from phones and jewellery to family photos and ID cards is also crucial, Kovari tells participants in Thailand, warning
that otherwise “this information is going to be lost forever”. Virtual reality is increasingly sought after for skills training, from hospitals to industry. Disaster zone rescue is the latest in a series of VR simulations from the Red Cross. Trainees can already visit overcrowded prison cells to check on conditions -- one of the group’s global mandates -- or plunge into the chaotic world of a refugee camp to assess needs of those displaced by conflict. Some are even intended for mainstream use, such as an immersive first aid game created at the request of the British Red Cross. Another game looking at earthquake response is currently in production. A decade ago the ICRC produced research on gamers committing war crimes in the virtual world, which sparked ridicule. But the uproar led to the agency
working with the creators of war video game “Arma 3” to create a new iteration that included a more humanitarian perspective, from the workers on the ground to the complex rules of engagement in conflict. Countries like Thailand, which lack big budgets for quick relief response, are keen to take advantage of VR’s cost-saving measures. The head of Thailand’s disaster victim identification department Nithi Bundhuwong attended the training in Chonburi and was enthusiastic about a virtual crime scene immersion program he showed off on his smartphone. “In the past, training was based on repeating (the same exercise) again and again, and it was a waste of time and money,” he tells AFP. “Thanks to virtual reality, we can simulate different scenarios” from crime scenes to the chaos of a natural disaster, he added. (afp)
CAIRO - The US move on the Golan has left fractious Arab nations scrambling for a united response to a decision taken by a key ally, which may only end up benefiting Iran, analysts said. Angry reactions have poured in from Arab capitals after US President Donald Trump on Monday formally announced US recognition of Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights. But the seemingly united front is only a veneer masking the deep dilemma for Arab governments left trying to deal with Washington’s “fait accompli”, analysts said. Those Arab states who are “allies of the United States are the most embarrassed because they have gone to great lengths to get closer to Donald Trump,” said Karim Bitar, senior fellow at the Paris-based Institute for International and Strategic Affairs. Some Arab countries, including regional powerhouse and Iran foe Saudi Arabia, have been cosying up to Washington, hoping to influence a long-awaited Middle East peace plan due to be presented in the coming months. But with the Trump administration shredding long-accepted regional conventions, Arab allies are left in an increasingly humiliating position. “It is rather Iran and its allies who feel comfortable in the idea that nothing can be expected from this American administration,” added Bitar. Indeed Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday denounced
Trump’s move as tantamount to “colonialism” something that is “unprecedented in the present century”. - ‘Iran filling a void’ -
With Arab states long fractured, Tehran has increasingly sought to spread its influence in the region. While most Arab governments have shunned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad over the country’s devastating civil war, Tehran has been a steadfast ally helping the regime now gain the upper hand as the conflict enters its ninth year. And in Yemen it is supporting Huthi rebels fighting a Saudi-led military coalition which is backing the country’s beleaguered government. Trump’s decision could be seen as a “God-send” for Iran which will “try to capitalise on the US-Israeli move to try to fill the void of official Arab leadership” in the region, said Fawaz Gerges, an international relations expert at the London School of Economics. Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 ArabIsraeli war, and annexed it in 1981, in a move that was never recognised by the international community. It has always been assumed that
the fate of the strategic plateau would be negotiated as part of a wider peace deal between Israel and Syria. The Arab League, due to hold its annual summit in Tunis on Sunday, slammed Trump’s announcement as “null and void in substance and form”. Arab governments including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Jordan and Lebanon have all condemned the US move. But while they have been left fuming by Trump’s casual short-circuiting of the accepted precepts of a future Middle East peace, they are powerless to take any meaningful action. “Official Arab condemnation does not carry much weight. The Arab state system is dysfunctional and even broken,” said Gerges. Rubbing salt into the wounds, Trump’s Golan move comes hot on the heels of his earlier incendiary decision, breaking with the decades-long status quo to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel last year. Perhaps worryingly for the Palestinians, who claim east Jerusalem as the capital of their promised future state, the US decision to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem has sparked vows from other countries to follow suit. (afp)
IBP/net
As Zimbabwe’s economic situation has dramatically deteriorated, pushing inflation above 50 percent, shortages of household essentials have become widespread.
NETHY DHARMA SOMBA / AFP
askets containing the remains of unidentified flash flood victims are buried in a mass grave in Sentani on March 27, 2019. Twenty unidentified bodies in the March 16 flash flood that killed 112 people in Indonesia’s restive Papua province were buried in a mass grave on March 27, an official said.
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Thursday, March 28, 2019
Destination
International
Telaga Waja Rafting Whitewater Rafting in East Bali
AMLAPURA - The Telaga Waja River in East Bali is a favourite ‘class II and III’ rapid that is perfect for those looking for adventure in the Bali outback, with moderate difficulty and various natural and cultural highlights along its 14km course. It is a great way for families and friends to spend a day out on inflatable rafts carrying up to four, and to experience a different side of Bali. This course lets you immerse yourself in the green valley surroundings of Rendang village with fresh mountain air, occasional sightings of wild exotic birds and pure excitement. The river is a two-hour ride from Kuta and Denpasar, located amongst
a hilly region in the Karangasem regency. The name of the valley and river, Telaga Waja, means ‘steel pond’ in Balinese, owing to the once steady flow of red-hot lava resembling molten steel from the past eruption of Mount Agung. The name aptly fits the current day rafting, as Telaga Waja is indeed Bali’s most challenging river course. The solidified volcanic emission transformed into an assortment of magnificent boulders now scattered over its paddies and riverbeds. Various tour companies operate along this river, each with different starting and finish points. Generally, you start early in the morning towards the base at Ren-
dang village, just before 10:00 when your expedition kicks off. Concealed from the main road, the valley is down a narrow flight of stairs. Upon arrival at the base of operations, you are divided into groups of no more than four each, and a professional guide will hand out all your rafting equipment for the day—helmets, life jackets and paddles. A safety briefing and paddling practice session ensues. As in any paddling sport, you are an effective part of the crew, working as a team under the command of the guide who mainly navigates at the rear end of the raft. Everyone paddles. Our guide told us the basics. Commands, shouted over the roar of rushing water, include “Forward!”, “Back-paddle!” and, “Stop!” Along the way, the raft encounters certain obstacles. “Duck!” requires everyone to lower their heads to avoid log and thatched bamboo bridges or rogue branches along the way. A boulder in the stream occasionally lodges the raft in mid-action, bringing all to a complete halt. In this case, the command is, “Shake your bon bons!” or “Rock the boat!” Of course everyone enjoys shouting along to Ricky Martin’s tune. (IBP/net)
Thursday, March 28, 2019
International
Bosh ‘at peace’ with retirement as Heat retire his number
MIAMI - Chris Bosh, who joined LeBron James and Dwyane Wade as the Miami Heat’s “Big Three” before blood clots ended his NBA career, saw his jersey No. 1 retired by the Heat on Tuesday. Bosh turned up with his two NBA championship rings to be feted at AmericanAirlines Arena, where his jersey was raised to the rafters to hang alongside those of Heat greats Alonzo Mourning, Tim Hardaway and Shaquille O’Neal. No doubt those of Wade, James and Udonis Haslem will one day join them. In the meantime Wade, playing what he says is his final NBA season, was content to introduce Bosh during the halftime ceremony, which followed video montages of some of Bosh’s signature moments in a Heat uniform. Bosh, who turned 35 on Sunday, said that in 2016, after blood clots returned in his leg after first appearing on his lungs, he would not have contemplated a night like Tuesday. “I didn’t even think of retirement,” he said. “I was more so concentrated on what was next for the team, what was next for myself, the next practice the next day, the next game, to get better. That was my mindset at the time. “For everything to happen so fast, it just shows you how things can change. “I’m humbled, I’m grateful for the experience that I’ve had here and in the league as a whole, and I have a different mindset now. “Although we all do something and we get to experience things,
you’ve got to cherish it because you never know when it’s going to stop.” For a time Bosh stubbornly resisted the idea that he would have to retire, but he said that now he is “100 percent at peace” with retirement. Bosh spent his first seven seasons with the Toronto Raptors, and when he joined superstars James and Wade in Miami in 2010 he was no longer the face of a franchise. His individual stats declined as he became one of a leading trio, but the Heat contended for titles and Heat coach Erik Spoelstra still appreciates the adjustment Bosh made. “You’re talking about somebody that was 25, 26 years old that was face of the franchise for his team that drafted him, goes into free agency, could’ve gotten full max contracts from multiple teams, but he chose to come here, sacrificed financially and -- just as importantly -- sacrificed a role,” Spoelstra said. Bosh said that even more than the titles, he’ll remember the camaraderie of his Heat years. “A lot of the older guys say, ‘Oh yeah, you’re going to remember the bus rides,’ and it’s true,” he said. “Because those are the times when guys are trying to figure things out, picking guys up when guys are down, usually getting through the tough moments and having those moments of vulnerability with some of the best to play the game and share those experiences -- not only do that, but prevail.” (afp)
Alik KEPLICZ / AFP
In this file photo taken on March 3, 2019, Hong Kong’s Sarah Lee reacts during the awards ceremony after winning the gold medal in the women’s keirin at the UCI Track Cycling World Championship in Pruszkow.
I nearly quit, reveals Hong Kong cycling queen Lee
HONG KONG - Newly crowned track cycling world champion Sarah Lee has revealed how she considered retiring after her Rio Olympics flop -- but said she is now revived and gunning for next year’s Tokyo Games.
Issac Baldizon / NBAE / Getty Images / AFP
NBA legend Chris Bosh addresses the crowd during his jersey retirement ceremony at halftime of the game between the Orlando Magic and the Miami Heat on March 26, 2019 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida.
Speaking after being named Hong Kong’s best athlete for a record fifth time, the 31-year-old said she now feels better than ever after bouncing back from some difficult times. “I really feel amazing,” Lee told AFP after being handed her award by the city’s Chief Executive Carrie Lam at a glitzy ceremony late on Tuesday. “I feel it’s a dream in my life because I stopped cycling for about three months to think about whether I should still stay here or just retire and help the others to develop. “And then finally I decided to stay, and I feel better than I have ever been before.” Lee wrote herself into Hong Kong’s history books by winning the city’s first ever Olympic cycling
medal -- only their third overall -- with a bronze in the keirin at London 2012. Four years later, however, she left Rio empty-handed after crashing out of the keirin semi-final race while jostling for position. Shortly afterwards, Lee was rocked by the sudden death of her coach and personal starter Pu Linjun from a heart attack in October 2016. Following a period of soulsearching, she rediscovered her form in 2018, picking up two golds at the Asian Games in Indonesia, a silver at the world championships in the Netherlands and two golds on the World Cup series. And she has made a blistering start to 2019, completing the sprint and keirin double at the track world championships in Pruszkow, Po-
land in early March. “I just feel unbelievable for myself,” she said. “But also I think it’s a chance, and with some luck I hope that next year I still can keep my ability and I hope I can get a good result in the Olympics.” Despite her success on the track, 2018 was a difficult year for Lee after her friend and two-time Olympic champion Kristina Vogel was left paralysed after a crash in training. Lee said the experience has given her extra motivation to perform on the track. “We are really good friends,” she said. “I didn’t know what I can say, so I’m trying my best in my career and I will salute and support her with my heart.” (afp)
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Thursday, March 28, 2019
Thursday, March 28, 2019
Quagliarella becomes oldest Italy scorer in 6-0 Liechtenstein rout
Fabio Quagliarella became the oldest ever player to score for Italy as the 36-year-old converted two penalties in a crushing 6-0 Euro 2020 qualifying win by the Azzurri over Liechtenstein on Tuesday. Italy top Group J with six points after also beating Finland 2-0 in Udine on Saturday with goals from youngsters Nicolo Barella, 22, and 19-year-old Moise Kean. Bosnia threw away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Greece and both are behind Italy on four points followed by Finland on three. Serie A top scorer Quagliarella has earned his recall to Roberto Mancini’s new-look Italy thanks to his 21 goals in 28 league games, two more than Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo has managed for Juventus.
And he marked his return for the Azzurri after nearly nine years by converting a penalty on 35 minutes, adding a second, also from the spot, just before the break. The Sampdoria player becomes the oldest player ever to score for Italy aged 36 years and 54 days, overtaking Christian Panucci, who scored aged 35 years in 2008. “It’s a wonderful evening,” said Quagliarella. “I want to thank my teammates. After the two goals they encouraged me to get a third one too, but it didn’t happen.
“I thank Jorginho and (Leonardo) Bonucci because they’re the penalty takers and they told me to kick. “They said: ‘The evening is yours, you kick it’.” Stefano Sensi had headed Italy in front after 17 minutes with Marco Verratti adding a second after 32 minutes. Kean, 19, nodded in his second Italy goal on 69 minutes with substitute Leonardo Pavoletti, 30, who got his first Italy start in the second half to replace Quagliarella, adding a sixth minutes afterwards. - ‘Mission accomplished’ -
Mancini made seven changes to the side that beat Finland with defender Cristiano Piccini and for-
ward Stephan El Shaarawy injured. Sensi and Quagliarella stepped in for Barella and Ciro Immobile, alongside Kean who was given his second Italy start. The veteran striker was denied early before Leonardo Spinazzola set up Senzi to head in for his first senior Italy goal after 17 minutes. Verratti broke through to curl in the second after 32 minutes for his second goal in the Azzurri jersey. Italy were awarded a penalty for a Nicolas Hasler handball and Quagliarella made no mistake. A searing Kean effort clipped the bar before Liechtenstein’s Daniel Kaufmann was sent off for handling a Verratti clearance with Quagliarella taking the second
Gabriel Jesus brace hands Brazil 3-1 win in Czech Republic
penalty on 43 minutes. Pavoletti got his senior Azzurri debut and Quagliarella received a standing ovation as he left the Stadio Tardini pitch. “This standing ovation is a memory I will always cherish,” said Quagliarella. “I also thank Mancini who gave me this opportunity.” Four minutes later the Cagliari forward completed the rout off a rebound as Italy -- European champions in 1968 and runners-up in 2000 and 2012 -- kept their unbeaten run in qualifiers going back nearly 13 years. “Mission accomplished,” said Mancini. “The result was obvious, but it was important that we score goals.” (afp)
Sina Schuldt / dpa / AFP
Bayern Munich’s German defender Mats Hummels takes part in a training session of the German first division Bundesliga football club FC Bayern Munich in Munich, southern Germany on March 19, 2019.
Hummels ‘not resentful’ over Loew decision
Miguel MEDINA / AFP
Italy’s forward Fabio Quagliarella shoots to score his second penalty during the Euro 2020 Group J qualifying football match Italy vs Liechtenstein on March 26, 2019 at the Ennio-Tardini stadium in Parma.
9
Bayern Munich defender Mats Hummels has said he does not bear a grudge over Germany coach Joachim Loew’s decision to axe him and teammates Thomas Mueller and Jerome Boateng. “I myself do things that other people aren’t happy with, so I am not resentful about decisions other people make which have an effect on me,” Hummels said in an interview with Sport Bild magazine on Wednesday. Loew’s decision to send the experienced Bayern trio into international retirement sent shockwaves through German football three weeks ago. The Germany coach faced heavy criticism for the way he had communicated the decision, with Mueller saying that Loew had shown a lack of class. Hummels, though, struck a more conciliatory tone on Wednesday.
“It was impossible for Loew to find the perfect way of informing us,” he said. “It was probably difficult for him to find a way in which we could all leave the discussion feeling like everything had been done in the right way.” The 30-year-old admitted that Loew’s decision had been difficult to take, but said that he is not looking back in anger at his international career. “I did feel snubbed in a way. Thomas, Jerome and I all felt that there could have been a bit more appreciation for us. But my eight years playing for Germany were great.” He did confess, however, that he has one major regret from those eight years. In last summer’s humiliating World Cup defeat by South Korea, Hummels missed a golden opportunity to score late
in the game. Had his header found the net, Germany would in all likelihood have avoided a painful group-stage exit. “I’ve discussed that moment time and again with my friends. The header against South Korea had such an enormous effect, not only on the World Cup but also on what is happening now. “If I had scored, then we would have gone through and a lot of things would have turned out differently.” While he has not ruled out a return to international duty, Hummels said he is now looking to put the past behind him and focus on Bayern’s Bundesliga title defence, which continues away to Freiburg on Saturday. “The Mats Hummels who plays for Germany has been pushed aside in my head for the time being,” he said. (afp)
Substitute Gabriel Jesus scored twice in the closing minutes to help Brazil come from behind to beat the Czech Republic 3-1 in a friendly in Prague on Tuesday. The Manchester City striker first slammed home a cross from David Neres who had sprinted down the left flank following a superb pass from Danilo on 83 minutes. And then in the 90th minute, Jesus scored on a rebound of his own shot after a series of clinical passes inside the Czech box. The Czechs took the lead in the 37th minute when midfielder David Pavelka found himself in possession behind a leaky Brazil defence and slammed the ball in past Alisson. Roberto Firmino equalised four minutes after half-time, picking up a pass aimed at Czech sweeper Marek Suchy inside the box and firing home. “I’m super happy with Gabriel Jesus, I’m glad I gave him a chance in the second half,” said Brazil coach Tite, praising the 72ndminute substitute for his offensive drive. The Selecao dominated the opening minutes, but the Czechs soon levelled the game. Czech striker Patrick Schick had the first shot on goal of the game, forcing a diving save from Alisson at his right post with a low
left-footed free kick deflected by the wall. The Czechs kept trying their luck from long range, but Vladimir Darida fired past the post and Filip Novak saw his attempt stopped by Alisson. Brazil had a lone shot on goal in the first-half but Czech keeper Jiri Pavlenka had little trouble parrying away Casemiro’s free kick. In the second period, Philippe Coutinho saw his low shot cleared by a diving Pavlenka while substitute Neres fired into the Bremen keeper from close range. “The Czechs were more creative in the first-half, we lacked this aspect,” said Tite. “The first-half was tough, I was upset with the passing, but second-half substitutions allowed us to combine better.” Both teams entered the game with mixed feelings. The Czechs were digesting a 5-0 loss to England in a Euro 2020 qualifier at Wembley on Saturday, their worst defeat in memory. And Brazil, preparing to host this year’s Copa America which starts on June 14, were held to a 1-1 draw by Panama in a friendly in Porto on the same day. “Of course we will assess all players’ performances in these two games -- but we still have time before the final nomination for the Copa America,” said Tite. (afp)
JOE KLAMAR / AFP
Brazil’s Gabriel Jesus runs after the ball during the friendly football match between the Czech Republic and Brazil at the Sinobo Arena in Prague, Czech Republic on March 26, 2019.
8
Thursday, March 28, 2019
Thursday, March 28, 2019
Quagliarella becomes oldest Italy scorer in 6-0 Liechtenstein rout
Fabio Quagliarella became the oldest ever player to score for Italy as the 36-year-old converted two penalties in a crushing 6-0 Euro 2020 qualifying win by the Azzurri over Liechtenstein on Tuesday. Italy top Group J with six points after also beating Finland 2-0 in Udine on Saturday with goals from youngsters Nicolo Barella, 22, and 19-year-old Moise Kean. Bosnia threw away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Greece and both are behind Italy on four points followed by Finland on three. Serie A top scorer Quagliarella has earned his recall to Roberto Mancini’s new-look Italy thanks to his 21 goals in 28 league games, two more than Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo has managed for Juventus.
And he marked his return for the Azzurri after nearly nine years by converting a penalty on 35 minutes, adding a second, also from the spot, just before the break. The Sampdoria player becomes the oldest player ever to score for Italy aged 36 years and 54 days, overtaking Christian Panucci, who scored aged 35 years in 2008. “It’s a wonderful evening,” said Quagliarella. “I want to thank my teammates. After the two goals they encouraged me to get a third one too, but it didn’t happen.
“I thank Jorginho and (Leonardo) Bonucci because they’re the penalty takers and they told me to kick. “They said: ‘The evening is yours, you kick it’.” Stefano Sensi had headed Italy in front after 17 minutes with Marco Verratti adding a second after 32 minutes. Kean, 19, nodded in his second Italy goal on 69 minutes with substitute Leonardo Pavoletti, 30, who got his first Italy start in the second half to replace Quagliarella, adding a sixth minutes afterwards. - ‘Mission accomplished’ -
Mancini made seven changes to the side that beat Finland with defender Cristiano Piccini and for-
ward Stephan El Shaarawy injured. Sensi and Quagliarella stepped in for Barella and Ciro Immobile, alongside Kean who was given his second Italy start. The veteran striker was denied early before Leonardo Spinazzola set up Senzi to head in for his first senior Italy goal after 17 minutes. Verratti broke through to curl in the second after 32 minutes for his second goal in the Azzurri jersey. Italy were awarded a penalty for a Nicolas Hasler handball and Quagliarella made no mistake. A searing Kean effort clipped the bar before Liechtenstein’s Daniel Kaufmann was sent off for handling a Verratti clearance with Quagliarella taking the second
Gabriel Jesus brace hands Brazil 3-1 win in Czech Republic
penalty on 43 minutes. Pavoletti got his senior Azzurri debut and Quagliarella received a standing ovation as he left the Stadio Tardini pitch. “This standing ovation is a memory I will always cherish,” said Quagliarella. “I also thank Mancini who gave me this opportunity.” Four minutes later the Cagliari forward completed the rout off a rebound as Italy -- European champions in 1968 and runners-up in 2000 and 2012 -- kept their unbeaten run in qualifiers going back nearly 13 years. “Mission accomplished,” said Mancini. “The result was obvious, but it was important that we score goals.” (afp)
Sina Schuldt / dpa / AFP
Bayern Munich’s German defender Mats Hummels takes part in a training session of the German first division Bundesliga football club FC Bayern Munich in Munich, southern Germany on March 19, 2019.
Hummels ‘not resentful’ over Loew decision
Miguel MEDINA / AFP
Italy’s forward Fabio Quagliarella shoots to score his second penalty during the Euro 2020 Group J qualifying football match Italy vs Liechtenstein on March 26, 2019 at the Ennio-Tardini stadium in Parma.
9
Bayern Munich defender Mats Hummels has said he does not bear a grudge over Germany coach Joachim Loew’s decision to axe him and teammates Thomas Mueller and Jerome Boateng. “I myself do things that other people aren’t happy with, so I am not resentful about decisions other people make which have an effect on me,” Hummels said in an interview with Sport Bild magazine on Wednesday. Loew’s decision to send the experienced Bayern trio into international retirement sent shockwaves through German football three weeks ago. The Germany coach faced heavy criticism for the way he had communicated the decision, with Mueller saying that Loew had shown a lack of class. Hummels, though, struck a more conciliatory tone on Wednesday.
“It was impossible for Loew to find the perfect way of informing us,” he said. “It was probably difficult for him to find a way in which we could all leave the discussion feeling like everything had been done in the right way.” The 30-year-old admitted that Loew’s decision had been difficult to take, but said that he is not looking back in anger at his international career. “I did feel snubbed in a way. Thomas, Jerome and I all felt that there could have been a bit more appreciation for us. But my eight years playing for Germany were great.” He did confess, however, that he has one major regret from those eight years. In last summer’s humiliating World Cup defeat by South Korea, Hummels missed a golden opportunity to score late
in the game. Had his header found the net, Germany would in all likelihood have avoided a painful group-stage exit. “I’ve discussed that moment time and again with my friends. The header against South Korea had such an enormous effect, not only on the World Cup but also on what is happening now. “If I had scored, then we would have gone through and a lot of things would have turned out differently.” While he has not ruled out a return to international duty, Hummels said he is now looking to put the past behind him and focus on Bayern’s Bundesliga title defence, which continues away to Freiburg on Saturday. “The Mats Hummels who plays for Germany has been pushed aside in my head for the time being,” he said. (afp)
Substitute Gabriel Jesus scored twice in the closing minutes to help Brazil come from behind to beat the Czech Republic 3-1 in a friendly in Prague on Tuesday. The Manchester City striker first slammed home a cross from David Neres who had sprinted down the left flank following a superb pass from Danilo on 83 minutes. And then in the 90th minute, Jesus scored on a rebound of his own shot after a series of clinical passes inside the Czech box. The Czechs took the lead in the 37th minute when midfielder David Pavelka found himself in possession behind a leaky Brazil defence and slammed the ball in past Alisson. Roberto Firmino equalised four minutes after half-time, picking up a pass aimed at Czech sweeper Marek Suchy inside the box and firing home. “I’m super happy with Gabriel Jesus, I’m glad I gave him a chance in the second half,” said Brazil coach Tite, praising the 72ndminute substitute for his offensive drive. The Selecao dominated the opening minutes, but the Czechs soon levelled the game. Czech striker Patrick Schick had the first shot on goal of the game, forcing a diving save from Alisson at his right post with a low
left-footed free kick deflected by the wall. The Czechs kept trying their luck from long range, but Vladimir Darida fired past the post and Filip Novak saw his attempt stopped by Alisson. Brazil had a lone shot on goal in the first-half but Czech keeper Jiri Pavlenka had little trouble parrying away Casemiro’s free kick. In the second period, Philippe Coutinho saw his low shot cleared by a diving Pavlenka while substitute Neres fired into the Bremen keeper from close range. “The Czechs were more creative in the first-half, we lacked this aspect,” said Tite. “The first-half was tough, I was upset with the passing, but second-half substitutions allowed us to combine better.” Both teams entered the game with mixed feelings. The Czechs were digesting a 5-0 loss to England in a Euro 2020 qualifier at Wembley on Saturday, their worst defeat in memory. And Brazil, preparing to host this year’s Copa America which starts on June 14, were held to a 1-1 draw by Panama in a friendly in Porto on the same day. “Of course we will assess all players’ performances in these two games -- but we still have time before the final nomination for the Copa America,” said Tite. (afp)
JOE KLAMAR / AFP
Brazil’s Gabriel Jesus runs after the ball during the friendly football match between the Czech Republic and Brazil at the Sinobo Arena in Prague, Czech Republic on March 26, 2019.
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Thursday, March 28, 2019
Destination
International
Telaga Waja Rafting Whitewater Rafting in East Bali
AMLAPURA - The Telaga Waja River in East Bali is a favourite ‘class II and III’ rapid that is perfect for those looking for adventure in the Bali outback, with moderate difficulty and various natural and cultural highlights along its 14km course. It is a great way for families and friends to spend a day out on inflatable rafts carrying up to four, and to experience a different side of Bali. This course lets you immerse yourself in the green valley surroundings of Rendang village with fresh mountain air, occasional sightings of wild exotic birds and pure excitement. The river is a two-hour ride from Kuta and Denpasar, located amongst
a hilly region in the Karangasem regency. The name of the valley and river, Telaga Waja, means ‘steel pond’ in Balinese, owing to the once steady flow of red-hot lava resembling molten steel from the past eruption of Mount Agung. The name aptly fits the current day rafting, as Telaga Waja is indeed Bali’s most challenging river course. The solidified volcanic emission transformed into an assortment of magnificent boulders now scattered over its paddies and riverbeds. Various tour companies operate along this river, each with different starting and finish points. Generally, you start early in the morning towards the base at Ren-
dang village, just before 10:00 when your expedition kicks off. Concealed from the main road, the valley is down a narrow flight of stairs. Upon arrival at the base of operations, you are divided into groups of no more than four each, and a professional guide will hand out all your rafting equipment for the day—helmets, life jackets and paddles. A safety briefing and paddling practice session ensues. As in any paddling sport, you are an effective part of the crew, working as a team under the command of the guide who mainly navigates at the rear end of the raft. Everyone paddles. Our guide told us the basics. Commands, shouted over the roar of rushing water, include “Forward!”, “Back-paddle!” and, “Stop!” Along the way, the raft encounters certain obstacles. “Duck!” requires everyone to lower their heads to avoid log and thatched bamboo bridges or rogue branches along the way. A boulder in the stream occasionally lodges the raft in mid-action, bringing all to a complete halt. In this case, the command is, “Shake your bon bons!” or “Rock the boat!” Of course everyone enjoys shouting along to Ricky Martin’s tune. (IBP/net)
Thursday, March 28, 2019
International
Bosh ‘at peace’ with retirement as Heat retire his number
MIAMI - Chris Bosh, who joined LeBron James and Dwyane Wade as the Miami Heat’s “Big Three” before blood clots ended his NBA career, saw his jersey No. 1 retired by the Heat on Tuesday. Bosh turned up with his two NBA championship rings to be feted at AmericanAirlines Arena, where his jersey was raised to the rafters to hang alongside those of Heat greats Alonzo Mourning, Tim Hardaway and Shaquille O’Neal. No doubt those of Wade, James and Udonis Haslem will one day join them. In the meantime Wade, playing what he says is his final NBA season, was content to introduce Bosh during the halftime ceremony, which followed video montages of some of Bosh’s signature moments in a Heat uniform. Bosh, who turned 35 on Sunday, said that in 2016, after blood clots returned in his leg after first appearing on his lungs, he would not have contemplated a night like Tuesday. “I didn’t even think of retirement,” he said. “I was more so concentrated on what was next for the team, what was next for myself, the next practice the next day, the next game, to get better. That was my mindset at the time. “For everything to happen so fast, it just shows you how things can change. “I’m humbled, I’m grateful for the experience that I’ve had here and in the league as a whole, and I have a different mindset now. “Although we all do something and we get to experience things,
you’ve got to cherish it because you never know when it’s going to stop.” For a time Bosh stubbornly resisted the idea that he would have to retire, but he said that now he is “100 percent at peace” with retirement. Bosh spent his first seven seasons with the Toronto Raptors, and when he joined superstars James and Wade in Miami in 2010 he was no longer the face of a franchise. His individual stats declined as he became one of a leading trio, but the Heat contended for titles and Heat coach Erik Spoelstra still appreciates the adjustment Bosh made. “You’re talking about somebody that was 25, 26 years old that was face of the franchise for his team that drafted him, goes into free agency, could’ve gotten full max contracts from multiple teams, but he chose to come here, sacrificed financially and -- just as importantly -- sacrificed a role,” Spoelstra said. Bosh said that even more than the titles, he’ll remember the camaraderie of his Heat years. “A lot of the older guys say, ‘Oh yeah, you’re going to remember the bus rides,’ and it’s true,” he said. “Because those are the times when guys are trying to figure things out, picking guys up when guys are down, usually getting through the tough moments and having those moments of vulnerability with some of the best to play the game and share those experiences -- not only do that, but prevail.” (afp)
Alik KEPLICZ / AFP
In this file photo taken on March 3, 2019, Hong Kong’s Sarah Lee reacts during the awards ceremony after winning the gold medal in the women’s keirin at the UCI Track Cycling World Championship in Pruszkow.
I nearly quit, reveals Hong Kong cycling queen Lee
HONG KONG - Newly crowned track cycling world champion Sarah Lee has revealed how she considered retiring after her Rio Olympics flop -- but said she is now revived and gunning for next year’s Tokyo Games.
Issac Baldizon / NBAE / Getty Images / AFP
NBA legend Chris Bosh addresses the crowd during his jersey retirement ceremony at halftime of the game between the Orlando Magic and the Miami Heat on March 26, 2019 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida.
Speaking after being named Hong Kong’s best athlete for a record fifth time, the 31-year-old said she now feels better than ever after bouncing back from some difficult times. “I really feel amazing,” Lee told AFP after being handed her award by the city’s Chief Executive Carrie Lam at a glitzy ceremony late on Tuesday. “I feel it’s a dream in my life because I stopped cycling for about three months to think about whether I should still stay here or just retire and help the others to develop. “And then finally I decided to stay, and I feel better than I have ever been before.” Lee wrote herself into Hong Kong’s history books by winning the city’s first ever Olympic cycling
medal -- only their third overall -- with a bronze in the keirin at London 2012. Four years later, however, she left Rio empty-handed after crashing out of the keirin semi-final race while jostling for position. Shortly afterwards, Lee was rocked by the sudden death of her coach and personal starter Pu Linjun from a heart attack in October 2016. Following a period of soulsearching, she rediscovered her form in 2018, picking up two golds at the Asian Games in Indonesia, a silver at the world championships in the Netherlands and two golds on the World Cup series. And she has made a blistering start to 2019, completing the sprint and keirin double at the track world championships in Pruszkow, Po-
land in early March. “I just feel unbelievable for myself,” she said. “But also I think it’s a chance, and with some luck I hope that next year I still can keep my ability and I hope I can get a good result in the Olympics.” Despite her success on the track, 2018 was a difficult year for Lee after her friend and two-time Olympic champion Kristina Vogel was left paralysed after a crash in training. Lee said the experience has given her extra motivation to perform on the track. “We are really good friends,” she said. “I didn’t know what I can say, so I’m trying my best in my career and I will salute and support her with my heart.” (afp)
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Thursday, March 28, 2019
W
RLD
Louai Beshara / AFP
A picture taken from the Syrian town Ain al-Tineh shows the Druze town of Majdal Shams in the Israeli- annexed Golan Heights on March 26, 2019.
US Golan move stymies Arab states, may boost Iran: analysts
International
International
Crisis drives the S.Africa to Zimbabwe cargo shuttle
JOHANNESBURG - Towering piles of oil, tyres, biscuits, microwaves and toilet paper filled a small and damp Johannesburg basement -- all destined for Zimbabwe. The items are loaded onto trailers attached to minibuses which make the 550-kilometre (340-mile) journey north to the border. Within 48 hours, each shipment is delivered to addresses in Zimbabwe after being “couriered” over the frontier, sometimes illicitly. As Zimbabwe’s economic situation has dramatically deteriorated, pushing inflation above 50 percent, shortages of household essentials have become widespread. “When the situation is bad that side, things are better for us,” said Charles, one of the deliverymen who makes a weekly round trip with precariously loaded trailers. He manages orders from individuals and small businesses via WhatsApp before dispatching items northward. Charles (not his real name) and hundreds like him across South Af-
rica offer a uniquely Zimbabwean “personal shopper” service. Known in the local Ndebele language as “malayitsha” (transporters), they mostly fly below the radar and do not declare their wares to Zimbabwean customs. “We sell and carry everything,” added Charles, who delivers in the western Bulawayo region. Others that AFP met also deliver to the capital Harare. Food, alcohol, sanitary products, furniture, electrical appliances, coffins and even salt licks for livestock flow across the border daily. Gas and fuel, in high demand since prices doubled in January, are also a staple of the malayitshas despite the risk of explosions. “It is dangerous. As long as they are ready to pay, I carry. If I say ‘I don’t carry this’, my kids will go on an empty stomach,” said Charles, who has two children in Zimbabwe but spends much of his time in South Africa where he also has two children. (afp)
Thursday, March 28, 2019
INDONESIAN INDONESIAN
11
ELECTION 2019
Bodybags, rats, waste: Disaster response turns to VR for grim training
A Thai policewoman trudges through waste and ruined buildings looking for bodies -- but she needs only a joystick and a virtual reality headset for the grim task, as technology comes to the aid of disaster management training. As around 40 police officers watch her progress on a large screen, officer Chanika Sookreang’s digital double goes from body to body in the ruined city, photographing tattoos, faces -- anything that can later be used to establish who the victim was. “VR is good as it allows us to be trained before we go to the actual scene,” says Chanika, who has firsthand experience in relief work from the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) developed the new “game” and is testing it out for the first time on teams in Thailand’s Chonburi province in a bid to recreate the daunting challenge of
identifying bodies, which can help in repatriating them to families. Dozens of forensic experts from the Red Cross are stationed around the world to help countries respond to tsunamis, earthquakes and other disasters. Training for refugee camps and high-risk disaster hotspots like Indonesia have long relied on heavy mannequin models. But a former Swiss army officer turned video gaming enthusiast has recruited graphic designers from the gaming industry to help create the ICRC’s first Virtual Reality unit in Bangkok, which will allow teams to reach a wider audience. “If you do training in a classroom, like how to put a body into a bodybag, it is excellent because you can have the weight,” says Christian Rouffaer, head of the VR team. By contrast, the new simulation is “weightless, but what you will have is all the risk factors” compli-
cating search-and-rescue missions such as the presence of animals and dangling electrical cables, he tells AFP. In one sequence a rat scurries across the ground as the rescuer tries to retrieve the corpse of a woman, whose arm comes detached when the body is flipped over. - ‘Lost Forever’ -
To make the training more realistic, the ICRC team worked with forensics specialist Ivett Kovari. She explains that she came up with the idea for the rat “because that’s what happens in reality”. In the field, responders have to search for remains, take notes and photographs, and transport bodies. A diligent inventory of the victim’s belongings from phones and jewellery to family photos and ID cards is also crucial, Kovari tells participants in Thailand, warning
that otherwise “this information is going to be lost forever”. Virtual reality is increasingly sought after for skills training, from hospitals to industry. Disaster zone rescue is the latest in a series of VR simulations from the Red Cross. Trainees can already visit overcrowded prison cells to check on conditions -- one of the group’s global mandates -- or plunge into the chaotic world of a refugee camp to assess needs of those displaced by conflict. Some are even intended for mainstream use, such as an immersive first aid game created at the request of the British Red Cross. Another game looking at earthquake response is currently in production. A decade ago the ICRC produced research on gamers committing war crimes in the virtual world, which sparked ridicule. But the uproar led to the agency
working with the creators of war video game “Arma 3” to create a new iteration that included a more humanitarian perspective, from the workers on the ground to the complex rules of engagement in conflict. Countries like Thailand, which lack big budgets for quick relief response, are keen to take advantage of VR’s cost-saving measures. The head of Thailand’s disaster victim identification department Nithi Bundhuwong attended the training in Chonburi and was enthusiastic about a virtual crime scene immersion program he showed off on his smartphone. “In the past, training was based on repeating (the same exercise) again and again, and it was a waste of time and money,” he tells AFP. “Thanks to virtual reality, we can simulate different scenarios” from crime scenes to the chaos of a natural disaster, he added. (afp)
CAIRO - The US move on the Golan has left fractious Arab nations scrambling for a united response to a decision taken by a key ally, which may only end up benefiting Iran, analysts said. Angry reactions have poured in from Arab capitals after US President Donald Trump on Monday formally announced US recognition of Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights. But the seemingly united front is only a veneer masking the deep dilemma for Arab governments left trying to deal with Washington’s “fait accompli”, analysts said. Those Arab states who are “allies of the United States are the most embarrassed because they have gone to great lengths to get closer to Donald Trump,” said Karim Bitar, senior fellow at the Paris-based Institute for International and Strategic Affairs. Some Arab countries, including regional powerhouse and Iran foe Saudi Arabia, have been cosying up to Washington, hoping to influence a long-awaited Middle East peace plan due to be presented in the coming months. But with the Trump administration shredding long-accepted regional conventions, Arab allies are left in an increasingly humiliating position. “It is rather Iran and its allies who feel comfortable in the idea that nothing can be expected from this American administration,” added Bitar. Indeed Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday denounced
Trump’s move as tantamount to “colonialism” something that is “unprecedented in the present century”. - ‘Iran filling a void’ -
With Arab states long fractured, Tehran has increasingly sought to spread its influence in the region. While most Arab governments have shunned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad over the country’s devastating civil war, Tehran has been a steadfast ally helping the regime now gain the upper hand as the conflict enters its ninth year. And in Yemen it is supporting Huthi rebels fighting a Saudi-led military coalition which is backing the country’s beleaguered government. Trump’s decision could be seen as a “God-send” for Iran which will “try to capitalise on the US-Israeli move to try to fill the void of official Arab leadership” in the region, said Fawaz Gerges, an international relations expert at the London School of Economics. Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 ArabIsraeli war, and annexed it in 1981, in a move that was never recognised by the international community. It has always been assumed that
the fate of the strategic plateau would be negotiated as part of a wider peace deal between Israel and Syria. The Arab League, due to hold its annual summit in Tunis on Sunday, slammed Trump’s announcement as “null and void in substance and form”. Arab governments including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Jordan and Lebanon have all condemned the US move. But while they have been left fuming by Trump’s casual short-circuiting of the accepted precepts of a future Middle East peace, they are powerless to take any meaningful action. “Official Arab condemnation does not carry much weight. The Arab state system is dysfunctional and even broken,” said Gerges. Rubbing salt into the wounds, Trump’s Golan move comes hot on the heels of his earlier incendiary decision, breaking with the decades-long status quo to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel last year. Perhaps worryingly for the Palestinians, who claim east Jerusalem as the capital of their promised future state, the US decision to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem has sparked vows from other countries to follow suit. (afp)
IBP/net
As Zimbabwe’s economic situation has dramatically deteriorated, pushing inflation above 50 percent, shortages of household essentials have become widespread.
NETHY DHARMA SOMBA / AFP
askets containing the remains of unidentified flash flood victims are buried in a mass grave in Sentani on March 27, 2019. Twenty unidentified bodies in the March 16 flash flood that killed 112 people in Indonesia’s restive Papua province were buried in a mass grave on March 27, an official said.
12
International
Thursday, March 28, 2019
Bali News
International
Pharmaceutical Roche latest to add to Brazil’s economic woes
Roche said the move will take place within the next five years because that factory is not financially sustainable. Several big businesses have shown concerns about the future of the once booming Brazilian economy. The South American nation has hit strong headwinds since 2014, with few encouraging signs of a recovery since new President Jair Bolsonaro took office on Jan. 1.
Roche said its layoffs in Rio will only begin next year. Its medicines in the South American country will be imported once the manufacturing unit is shut down and the company will keep its administrative units in Sao Paulo and Goias states. The company employs 1,200 people in Brazil, including 440 at the Rio factory. The unit produces drugs like anti-anxiety medicines Lexotan and Valium, tranquilizer Rivotril and
sedative Dormonid. Also on Tuesday, airline Avianca Brasil, which filed for bankruptcy in December, announced the shutdown 21 of its routes in April and closure of its office at Rio’s international airport. In February, carmaker Ford closed its truck factory in Sao Bernardo do Campo, outside Sao Paulo. More than 3,200 people worked in that operation when the announcement was made and most of them are expected to be laid off in November. Authorities are trying to find a buyer for the plant, but have failed so far. Workers at the Volkswagen plant
in the same city accepted a cut in their benefits just to keep their jobs, a rare move that the local union agreed with. Several other companies in financial difficulties have suggested they will not make big investments anytime soon, including companies that in 2017 promised to make new hires because of more flexible labor laws approved by Congress. The Getulio Vargas Foundation think tank published a study on Monday saying the average growth of the Brazilian economy between 2011 and 2020 could be the worst since it started measuring in 1901, at 0.9
AP Photo/Andre Penner
Unemployed line up to attend a job fair organized by the local government and a trade union, in downtown Sao Paulo, Brazil, Tuesday, March 26, 2019. The Getulio Vargas Foundation think tank published a study on Monday saying the average growth of the Brazilian economy between 2011 and 2020 could to be the worst since it started measuring in 1901, at 0.9 percent a year.
percent a year. From 2011 to 2018, it has averaged 0.6 percent growth. The once-bullish Sao Paulo stock market, meanwhile, is now jittery about prospects for a major overhaul of the pension system meant to help the economy improve. Far-right President Bolsonaro backs the measure, which would delay or trim benefits for tens of millions, but it faces increasing resistance in Congress. Economist Andre Perfeito said in a research note to clients that “the longer Brazil’s economy remains weak, the more difficult it will be for Bolsonaro to get the reform approved in Congress.” Brazil’s government has boasted that February’s job figure is a sign a that recovery could come after all. More than 173,000 jobs were created, it said, the best figure in five years. Still, almost 13 million Brazilians are unemployed, also according with government figures. The economic crisis is often dramatized in the shape of colossal lines outside job centers in major cities any time new openings appear. More than 15,000 people showed up at a center in Sao Paulo after 6,000 jobs were announced. The positions offered included telemarketing operator, salesman and supermarket cashier. Thirty-eight-year-old Gerson Alcantara, who has been unemployed for six months, was one of the people in line from the early hours of the day. He has already worked as a security officer and a driver, but said he would take any job he is offered. He is not hopeful about the future, though. “The crisis has gotten a lot worse,” Alcantara said. Asked if the approval of a pension reform by Congress would make the country’s economy recover, he was skeptical. “That will only improve things for the rich,” Alcantara said. (ap)
ECB could compensate for side effects of negative rates: Draghi
The European Central Bank is looking at ways to mitigate any side effects brought by negative interest rates, its chief Mario Draghi said Wednesday, as banks complain that they have been penalised by the measure aimed at boosting growth. In a bid to keep cash flowing to the economy, the ECB has held
interest rates at record lows. To encourage banks to lend, the Frankfurt institution has also kept the current rate on deposits at minus 0.4 percent -- meaning banks have to pay to park liquidity at the ECB. But banks have complained that the expansionary measure was eating up their bottom line. “We will continue monitoring
how banks can maintain healthy earning conditions while net interest margins are compressed,” said ECB chief Draghi at a conference in Frankfurt. “And, if necessary, we need to reflect on possible measures that can preserve the favourable implications of negative rates for the economy, while mitigating the side
effects, if any.” One possible mitigation measure could be the introduction of a threshold above which banks would start paying negative interest rates to keep liquidity at the ECB, AFP learnt. Its advantage is that it would allow the overall interest rate to remain unchanged, thereby main-
taining its positive impact on the economy. Draghi stressed however that low profitability at banks is “not an inevitable consequence of negative rates”. Rather, he cited ECB analysis that found that the best performing banks in the eurozone share traits including their ability to slash the ratio between cost and income. (afp)
5
Sunrise at Grembeng Culali, Have You Been There?
BUSINESS
SAO PAULO — Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche said Tuesday it will stop producing medicines at its Rio de Janeiro unit in Brazil, a new blow to a country whose economy appears to be in its most sluggish decade in 120 years.
Thursday, March 28, 2019
Only few people know if on the Culali route of Kintamani all this time having been the traffic lane of sand-transporting trucks keeps a magnificent place to enjoy the beauty of sunrise. It is named the Grembeng Culali or Culali Valley. At the location, visitors can enjoy the charm of sunrise against the backdrop of mountains and lake.
IBP/kmb
Heritage City Tour, Foreign Tourists Learn to Plait Ketupat
Well, it is really fun and indeed absorbing! Traveling in Denpasar city through Heritage City Tour program can bring in unique experience. Every destination you visit reveals a long, classic and full of messages. Moreover, there are programs taking visitors to have a closer look at and learn Balinese culture that will certainly enrich travel experience on the Island of the Gods. This unique experience must be inherent throughout the ages because it is instilled with sincere sense bringing about ethics as well as a sense of brotherhood. Look at the number of foreign tourists participating in the activities that take advantage of the activities of Heritage City Tour at Jero Kuta Palace and Belaluan hamlet area as the part of the Denpasar City Tour on Tuesday (Jan. 10). Dozens of tourists enjoyed a variety of cultural attractions usually done by Balinese people. By boarding a gig, the traditional means of transportation in Denpasar they look around the existing objects, such as temples, palaces and traditional markets. After arriving at Jero Kuta Palace and Belaluan hamlet, the tourists are served with various art attractions such as dance, gamelan music to mejejahitan (offering preparation). They do not only see, but also take the opportunity to learn to dance, have majejahitan (making canang oblation), plait ketupat (rice bag) and make penjor. “This has been running continuously in the Denpasar City Tour program,” said Kadek Jango Pramartha, a cartoonist of Denpasar from Belaluan Sadmertha hamlet posing the activity coordinator. For this year, explained Jango,
it is followed by 18 students from the University of Western Australia (UWA) with the program entitled ‘Bali Studio Visa 2270’ as an activity to know more about Bali taking place on January 8-18, 2018. “Previously, the foreign tourists get the opportunity to attend training and introduction to the activities at Sadmerta hamlet, such as painting, dancing, playing gamelan to activities with the involvement of local youth club,” he said. Similar activities are also done at Jero Kuta Palace, Denpasar. However, it is begun with a melukat (purificatory rite) at Padang Galak followed by a cartoon presentation, learning to make offering at Jero Kuta Palace and saying prayers together at Maospahit Temple. “These Australian tourists would like to know more closely about the object of the Denpasar City Tour. They observe and study the architecture of the existing buildings and witness the people’s activities,” he explained. Meanwhile, the Head of the Denpasar Tourism Office, Dezire Mulyani, said the Denpasar City Tour area continues to be developed by Mayor Rai Mantra and Deputy Mayor Jaya Negara where one of them in the establishment of Denpasar Art Space as an art exhibition venue that can be enjoyed by foreign tourists. Visitors can look around the city tour objects highlighting the architecture of temple, palace and market. “Implementation of the tourism program in Denpasar City is inseparable from the participation of the whole community in terms of conservation activities, and strengthening the culture, infrastructure, sanitation, social, security and order to education,” she explained. (kmb)
To reach the location is not too difficult. From the four-way intersection of Batur village, visitors just need to go down to the Culali line. Less than half a kilometer away, there is signboard saying ‘Grembeng Culali.’ It is not far from a restaurant and Batur Mountain View Inn. Several spots have been provided in the Grembeng Culali to enjoy the beauty of the Batur caldera. In addition, there are bamboo platforms, bamboo boats and several gazebos. The owner of Grembeng Culali, I Ketut Suantika, said it is presented to tourists wishing to enjoy nature tourism. From Grembeng Culali which has an area of ??about 0.40 hectare, visitors can enjoy alluring panoramic view of the Batur cal-
dera, such as mountains, lake and stretches of black stone (black lava) around the Mount Batur from the morning until the afternoon. In the morning, visitors coming to the location can enjoy the charm of sunrise with the background of three mountains at once namely Mount Batur, Mount Abang and Mount Agung as well as Lake Batur. The landscape becomes more attractive because of the expanse of clouds covering the caldera. “The no less interesting is the view of the black lava which is very beautiful in the afternoon,” he explained. He said that since it was opened a few months ago, Grembeng Culali had quite a lot of visitors. Averagely, there are approximately 2 to 20 people per day. To be able to
enjoy the beauty of the natural panorama of Grembeng Culali, visitors are only charged an entrance fee of IDR 10,000 per person. “Most of the visitors are local people. Visitors are usually busy during holidays, such as Galungan, Kuningan, and other holidays,” he said. This man who is also Chief of Subak Culali said that tourism potential at Culali is actually quite large. If arranged and managed properly, it is not inferior to other places. “Just like a beautiful girl, it hasn’t been touched by makeup yet,” he added. To draw more tourist visits, Suantika admitted to continuously develop the Grembeng Culali by adding several facilities such as swings and gazebos. (kmb)
IBP/kmb
4
Bali News
Thursday, March 28, 2019
International
Kalisada flash flood causes 10 ha of rice to face harvest failure
SINGARAJA — Farmers at Subak Kalisada, Seririt subdistrict, are ensured to experience crop failure. This happens because their two-week old rice was submerged by flash floods on Saturday (Mar. 23). In addition to rice, the other commodities like chili and eggplant belonging to farmers at Kalisada village were also hit by the same disaster. Meanwhile, based on temporary calculation, the total material losses experienced by farmers at this village are more than tens of millions. Acting Head of the Buleleng Agriculture Agency, Made Sumiarta, stated in his office on Tuesday (Mar. 27) that after the disaster occurred his agency together with the Field Agricultural Extension (PPL) in Seririt subdistrict conducted a search and recorded agricultural commodity damage due to the flash floods. From the data collection, the two-week old rice plants at Subak Kalisada in the area of 10 hectares were severely damaged. Moreover, due to such flash flood the rice is certain to fail the harvest. In the normal situation, farmers are estimated to get an average yield of IDR 6 million per hectare, so the total losses of farmers at this village will reach IDR 60 million. In addition to rice, Sumiarta delivered that similar thing also happened to corn, chili and eggplant farmers. Based on the data, five hectares of ready-to-harvest corn were severely damaged. Meanwhile, damage to chilies and eggplants reached three hectares respectively. “After coming down to location, the damage to rice is the most severe, and crops fail because young rice seeds were washed away during the floods. As calculation, all the farmers at the village suffered a total loss of tens of millions,” he said. Responding to the impact of the flash flood, Sumiarta claimed to have soon coordinating with
the Buleleng Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD). Based on the coordination, the measures will be taken to deal with the emergency response. Especially for agricultural commodity damage, he promised to allocate assistance for rice and corn, chili and eggplant seeds. “Mainly for the damage to the plants, we prepare seed assis-
tance and ensure that we will make data collection and coordinate the BPBD because this is related to natural disasters,” he said. On the other hand, Sumiarta said, the impact of flash flood did not only damage agricultural crops. It also damaged irrigation channel at Kalisada Subak and the surroundings. From the temporary data
collection, he found the irrigation channel is damaged along about 500 meters. The damage is ranging from the broken irrigation channel as eroded by floods and collapse due to landslides. For the damage to agricultural infrastructure, Sumiarta admitted that his staff had been tasked with calculating budgetary needs to improve the irrigation channel. It is done promptly as it can disrupt farmers themselves if being left for a long time. “We will recalculate and the amount of budget needed will be coordinated with BPBD and the leaders so as to be able to be repaired with emergency
response funds,” he said. As reported previously, flash floods hit Tegal Lenga hamlet, Kalisada, Seririt. Rainwater from local drain at the roadside of Jalan Seririt - Gilimanuk spilled over to soak 150 units of houses, farmland and other public facilities. The flood flow increased after the water from the Tukad Saba watershed in the upstream village overflowed. The watershed has been shallow for many years because of the sedimentation of rocks and soil, so that the water overflowed to soak people’s houses with a water level of about 1.5 meters. (kmb28)
Thursday, March 28, 2019
International
13
Seven Thai parties form coalition to thwart junta
BANGKOK - Seven political parties formed a coalition in Thailand on Wednesday, vowing to thwart a military-backed proxy in a bid to end years of junta rule following the country’s first election since a 2014 coup. A junta-aligned party and its main rival have both claimed the right to govern the country after Sunday’s vote, prompting a political standoff. Questions over irregularities are swirling following invalidated ballots and accusations of skewed numbers, with a fully tally of official results not expected to be confirmed for several weeks. The Pheu Thai party, affiliated with self-exiled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, joined forces with six other parties in a bid to halt military-backed factions from staying in government. “We want to stop the regime from hanging onto power,” Pheu Thai’s prime ministerial candidate Sudarat Keyuraphan told reporters. “Pro-democracy parties received the most trust and consensus by the people,” she added, conceding that final results have not yet been released. Thailand has been ruled by a junta since a 2014 putsch led by general Prayut Chan-O-Cha, the prime ministerial candidate for the Phalang Pracharat Party.
His party stunned the pro-democracy camp by winning the popular vote on Sunday with 7.6 million ballots, according to preliminary results. Its main rival Pheu Thai got 400,000 fewer votes, but is now aiming to take the majority of seats in the lower house with its newlyformed coalition. The seven-party bloc claimed it would take 255 out of the 500 lower house seats that are up for grabs, but with all official results not expected until May 9 the numbers are not ironclad. But the party still cannot elect a prime minister without commanding at least half of all 750 seats in the lower and upper houses. The balance of power is stacked in the junta’s favour thanks to a charter it drafted creating 250 military-appointed upper house seats. That means non-military parties like Pheu Thai need an avalanche of votes in order to elect a prime minister. The coalition formed Wednesday does not include two other high-profile parties -- Bhumjaithai and the Democrat Party -- who together have around 70 seats so far and whose allegiances are still up for grabs, with Phalang Pracharat expected to seek its own allied bloc. (afp)
NARINDER NANU / AFP
Indian men watch the live broadcast of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi address to the nation on televisions displayed in an electronic store, in Amritsar on March 27, 2019.
Modi declares India a “space superpower” as satellite downed by missile
NEW DELHI - India said Wednesday it shot down a low-orbiting satellite in a missile test that proved the nation was among the world’s most advanced space superpowers. IBP/kmb
In addition to rice, the other commodities like chili and eggplant belonging to farmers at Kalisada village were also hit by the same disaster.
People confused how to cast ballots
IBP/eka
The General Election 2019 has been around the corner. However, many people, especially in Badung district, remain confused about the way to cast ballots.
MANGUPURA — The General Election 2019 has been around the corner. However, many people, especially in Badung district, remain confused about the way to cast ballots. This condition was justified by the Chairman of the Badung Electoral Commission (KPU), Wayan Semara Cipta. Moreover, people who are 70 years old have difficulty in opening ballot papers. “Well ... many residents are still confused about casting ballots because they are so large and they also have to give votes for five times,” said Semara Cipta, on Tuesday (Mar. 26). According to him, each ballot should be folded five times, so that when opening the five ballots obtained and closing them again, the community can spend two
minutes. Seeing the condition, he is worried that voters will become more confused. “In this General Election 2019, they received five ballots, namely the ballots of president / vice president, House of Representatives for the RI, province as well as the district or municipality. It is for the first time in the history of elections in Indonesia will be held simultaneously, so we fear the elderly cannot use their right to vote quickly and well,” he explained. The difficulty of voting was acknowledged by the man familiarly addressed as Kayun as found when he made an example of voting amid the dissemination organized by Electoral Commission (KPU) of Badung in 2019 through a music concert. Apparently, the commu-
nity is very difficult to open and close the ballots. “When we in the Badung Electoral Commission organize dissemination of General Election 2019 through a music concert, we see that people got difficulty to close the ballots. It turns out it takes two minutes,” he explained. With these findings, the dissemination was intensified. Moreover, he said that KPU Badung had given specimens of ballots to the Subdistrict Electoral Committee (PPK) and the Voting Committee (PPS) including political parties. “Right now, the PPS is intensively conducting dissemination and simulations at each hamlet. Probably, each hamlet will have several polling stations by directly showing off ballots,” he concluded. (kmb27)
Romeo GACAD / AFP
Future Forward Party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit (C) speaks during a joint press conference with other political party leaders in Bangkok on March 27, 2019. Several anti-junta parties formed a coalition in Thailand on March 27, vowing to thwart a military-backed party in a bid to end years of junta rule following the country’s first vote since a 2014 coup.
In a rare address to the nation just weeks out from a national election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India had joined the United States, Russia and China in accomplishing the feat. A missile fired from a testing facility in Odisha, eastern India, downed the live satellite in orbit at around 300 kilometres (185 miles) in “a difficult operation” that lasted around three minutes, the prime minister said. “This is a proud moment for India,” the prime minister said, in his first televised national address since late 2016. “India has registered its name in the list of space superpowers. Until now, only three countries had achieved this feat.” It comes a month after Indian and Pakistani fighter jets engaged in a dogfight over the disputed border in Kashmir, in a serious military escalation between the nuclear-armed rivals. An Indian jet was shot down and a pilot captured by Pakistan, which had launched retaliatory air raids after Indian planes bombed Pakistani territory for the first time
in decades. Modi said the missile test against the satellite was peaceful, and not designed to create “an atmosphere of war”. “I want to assure the world community that the new capability is not against anyone. This is to secure and defend the fast-growing India.” But analysts said the test would not go unnoticed in China and Pakistan, India’s chief rivals in the nuclear-armed region, and could be interpreted as a show of New Delhi’s advancing military capabilities. “This is less about shooting down satellites and more about proving high-altitude ‘hit-to-kill’ proficiency, which is the core competency required to get good at a range of things -- including defence against nuclear-capable ballistic missiles,” Ankit Panda, of the Federation of American Scientists, told AFP. “This is how the message is going to be perceived in Islamabad.” - Star wars -
The United States and former Soviet Union carried out their first
successful anti-satellite missile tests in 1985, and China in 2007. All are now said to be working on so-called Star Wars laser arms to destroy satellites. With satellites increasingly important because of their intelligence gathering role -- and major nations seeking to gain a foothold in space -- the United States in 2014 rejected a Russian-Chinese proposal for a treaty to ban weapons in space, saying it was “fundamentally flawed” because of the lack of weapons verification measures. India’s foreign ministry said the country “has no intention of entering into an arms race in outer space”. “We have always maintained that space must be used only for peaceful purposes,” the ministry said. “At the same time, the government is committed to ensuring the country’s national security interests and is alert to threats from emerging technologies.” Modi said the test did not violate any international treaties and was for the betterment and safety of India’s 1.3 billion people. (afp)
14
Thursday, March 28, 2019
Health
International
Women are diagnosed years later than men for same diseases, study finds
FOR a wide range of diseases, diagnosis comes later in life for women than for men, according to a large Danish study. Researchers don’t know whether the later diagnoses are due to genetics, the environment, possible biases in the healthcare system - or some combination of reasons. The study of health data from 6.9 million Danish people found that across hundreds of diseases, women on average were diagnosed when they were about four years older than the age at which the conditions were recognized in men. “We’re not just looking at one disease here, we’re looking at all diseases and we are looking at an entire population, from cradle to grave,” lead author Søren Brunak from the University of Copenhagen told Reuters Health by phone. On average, women received cancer diagnoses 2.5 years after men. They received diagnoses for metabolic diseases like diabetes 4.5 years later. “(This) actually surprised us quite a lot,” Brunak said. “Men generally have a tendency to get to the doctor later... So presumably the difference in onset is even larger.” Brunak and his team considered incidence rates of diseases in the 18 broad categories of the ICD-10 diagnosis system managed by the
World Health Organization. The study wasn’t designed to explain the causes of the differences. Another limitation is that researchers only looked at diagnoses made in hospitalized patients. Dr. Noel Bairey Merz, director of the Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center at the Cedars-Sinai Smidt Heart Institute, who was not involved in the study, pointed out to Reuters Health that the study therefore lacks information on age at diagnosis for people who didn’t require hospitalization. “On the other hand,” she said, “being hospitalized is a sign of a serious illness, so (that) adds significance to the diagnosis and supports that disease onset may be later in women.” Brunak’s study, published in Nature Communications, showed that the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis was a notable exception to the trend. Here, women were typically diagnosed before they suffered a fracture, while the opposite was true for men. “I am fascinated by this study, which generally confirms all that I present in my Stanford course on Sex and Gender in Human Physi-
ology and Disease,” said Marcia Stefanick, Director of Stanford University’s Women’s Health and Sex Differences in Medicine Center. “When men get diseases that most healthcare professionals consider ‘women’s diseases,’ they are diagnosed at later, more serious stages, and vice versa,” Stefanick, who was not involved with the study, told Reuters Health in an email. “For example, women are diagnosed later for heart disease, not only because it is still largely considered a ‘man’s disease’, but also because our diagnostic tests are male-biased, in terms in terms of ‘typical’ being the male presentation. All medical schools and healthcare training should emphasize both biological sex differences and gender biases so healthcare professionals are aware of unconscious biases.” Bairey Merz agreed, adding that more research is needed to determine if the gender differences in age at diagnosis are “real” and whether they are linked to gender bias, actual biological sex differences or random error associations. (net)
IBP/net
On average, women received cancer diagnoses 2.5 years after men. They received diagnoses for metabolic diseases like diabetes 4.5 years later.
Bali News
International
Thursday, March 28, 2019
3
When campaigning in Bali
Prabowo promises anti-corruption officials
IBP/net
After marijuana use was legalized in Colorado in 2012, ER visits linked to cannabis use tripled over the next five years at one of the state’s largest hospitals, according to a new analysis.
Marijuana linked to increase in ER visits at Colorado hospital
COLORADO - After marijuana use was legalized in Colorado in 2012, ER visits linked to cannabis use tripled over the next five years at one of the state’s largest hospitals, according to a new analysis. Psychiatric ER visits were more common after people consumed marijuana edibles, compared to smoking or inhaling cannabis products. The researchers examined nearly 10,000 patients at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital from 2012 to 2016, finding that while sales of edibles are lower than inhaled pot products, people eating marijuana candies or food were more likely to show up at the ER with severe panic attacks or other sudden mental disorders. Inhaled marijuana caused a higher rate of hospitalizations, mostly due to cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, a severe vomiting condition associated with heavy cannabis use. “About 10 percent of cannabisrelated ED visits were associated with edible forms of weeds, but only 0.32 percent of total cannabis sales were for edible products. That’s 33 times higher than what we expected,” said Dr. Andrew Monte, lead author of the study and associate professor of emergency medicine and emergency toxicology at the University Of Colorado School Of Medicine. “Acute psychiatric visits like acute panic attacks, acute psychosis, and acute-on chronic conditions such as acute exacerbations of schizophrenia were also much more commonly associated with cannabis edibles,” said Monte. The study was published Monday in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Monte believes that people who consume marijuana edibles may be ingesting unsafe levels because they don’t feel the immediate high. The effect of edible cannabis products is typically not felt until 2 to 3 hours after ingesting, so ample time needs to be given before re-dosing with more of the drug, Monte added. “So some users over-consume edible cannabis products, resulting in adverse effects,” he said. The market for cannabis edibles is growing. According to a report
from Arcview Market Research and BDS Analytics, edibles spending in Canada and the United States topped $1 billion in 2017 and is projected to grow more than $4.1 billion by 2022. As the industry grows, more research needs to be done to see if edible marijuana use is a direct cause of negative psychiatric events, experts say. One of the major limitations of the study is that it is observational, meaning that it does not prove that use of marijuana edibles is the exact cause of psychosis or causes an exacerbation of psychiatric symptoms, or some other illness. Prior research indicates that people predisposed to psychosis or other psychiatric disorders may be at higher risk for adverse events following cannabis exposure, but doctors caution that claiming a cause-and-effect between marijuana use and onset of psychosis may be an exaggeration. “Studies such as these are unable to say whether it is the use of stronger forms of cannabis or edibles that is the cause of these patients having psychosis or other conditions that result in an emergency visit, but it also cannot be ruled out,” said Dr. Amir Englund, a post-doctoral researcher in Psychopharmacology, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology & Neuroscience, at King’s College London, who was not involved in the study. Another limitation is that the study only looked at one hospital, so it’s unclear whether this is a larger trend. Still, the concerns about marijuana’s link to psychiatric ER visits should be taken seriously, Monte says. The findings come on the heels of a study published last week citing that daily use of high potency marijuana may be linked to higher rates of psychosis. “Ultimately, we urge consumers to use cannabis in moderation, use low doses if unfamiliar with a product, and avoid riskier behaviors such as driving after using cannabis,” Monte told NBC News. “Those who use edibles should use a much lower dose and should not re-dose until at least four hours later.” (net)
DENPASAR — Presidential candidate number 02, Prabowo Subianto, accused the elite in Jakarta of failing to protect the wealth of Indonesia. As a result, much wealth of the nations flows overseas. “This is the essence of Indonesia’s problem. Our wealth is not in Indonesia. Our wealth flows out or our wealth is taken out,” he said while campaigning at Kompyang Sujana Square, Denpasar, on Tuesday (Mar. 26). Prabowo who campaigned without his counterpart, VP candidate Sandiaga Uno, said there must be changes related to the problem. He even formed a team consisting of the nation’s best experts coming from all religions and ethnic. They are not only smart, reliable, and capable, but also have a clean heart. “We don’t need people who have titles in a row, but their intelligence is not used to make people’s welfare. It is better to find an ordinary person, but his heart defends his own people,” he affirmed. If elected a president, Prabowo promised to only recruit anticorruption officials. This former General Commander of Special
Forces Command (Kopassus) claimed to be fed up with the amount of corruption in Indonesia. He is not willing to see the people difficult. Meanwhile, a handful of people actually dissipate because of corruption over Indonesia’s natural wealth. He even feels happy if he is hated by corruptors. “I will call, interview and ask for their commitment. They must sign and swear they will not enrich themselves, their families, and their comrades. If they are ready not to commit corruption, they will be elected as ministers, deputy ministers, director generals and directors of state-owned enterprises. Do not think the state company belongs to their ancestors because it belongs to people,” he said. Prabowo also denied that he supported radical Islam. On the contrary, his candidacy was claimed to have received the support from all religious leaders. Since the age of 18 years, this 68-year-old man claimed to have sworn that he is ready to sacrifice his life and body for the people and nation of Indonesia. (kmb32)
IBP/kmb
Since last week, mangosteen farmers in Jembrana have complained about the plummeting selling price.
Selling price of mangosteen at farmer level drops
NEGARA — Since last week, mangosteen farmers in Jembrana have complained about the plummeting selling price. Two weeks ago the price was able to reach IDR 15,000 per kilogram, but now it has dropped to IDR 7,000 per kilogram. It is not yet known exactly why the selling price dropped at the farmer level.
IBP/kmb
Presidential candidate number 02, Prabowo Subianto, accused the elite in Jakarta of failing to protect the wealth of Indonesia.
Aside from affecting farmers, the people who work as fruit pickers are also affected. Moreover, many people around the area rely on their livelihood on the cost of harvesting mangosteen. When the price reached IDR 15,000, the harvesting cost was also reasonable for daily income of the residents. Some pickers could even earn as much as IDR 200,000 per day. As soon as the selling price dropped from the middlemen, the cost of picking also dropped. The price of mangosteen has fallen since the last week, slowing down from IDR 10,000 per kilogram and dropped again last Tuesday to IDR 7,000 per kilogram. “The price just rose two weeks ago, but now it has fallen consider-
ably. If this happens, we are powerless,” said Ida Bagus Mantri, one of the mangosteen farmers. Indeed, there are several types of mangosteen having first quality whose price remains good, but their price also remarkably dropped. Similar condition also affected durian which is also a prominent fruit commodity of Jembrana. At the beginning of the last harvest, the price of one small durian could reach IDR 20,000. Now, it has dropped dramatically to the range of IDR 5,000 and IDR.3,000 per small size item. Durians of Jembrana especially in the Masehe Hills, Pendem-Batuagung to Dangin Tukadaya and Mendoyo are harvested by waiting until they fall to the ground.
Not a few farmers intentionally stay overnight in their garden as wishing to wait for the durian to fall from the tree. But at prices of being far from expectation, residents are now just waiting the next day. Farmers claimed to resign to facing fluctuating prices that tend to harm them. “This has always happened from long time ago. Every harvest season, the price is uncertain and never the same,” complained Yuli, another farmer. According to farmers, it is required the interference from the government to maintain the stability of the prices of this farmer’s product. Like irrigated paddy field, it has the lowest price limit for sales during the harvest period. (kmb26)
2
Bali News
Thursday, March 28, 2019
International
Drug users indicated to choose hotels
DENPASAR - There is a tendency of drug users to consume drugs in tranquil or solitary places like hotels and villas. Like Badung district having strategic location and the center of tourist accommodation, it is very possible to rampant drug trafficking.
IBP/net
“To that end, we in the National Narcotics Agency (BNNP) of Bali are trying to fortify tourism workers so that they do not fall ill in using drugs. Last Friday (Mar. 22), I met with employees of the Ramada Hotel, Kuta, to disseminate the hazards of drugs,” said the Head of BNNP Bali, I Putu Gede Suastawa, on Tuesday (Mar. 26). Moreover, the Badung district area has many nightspots of entertainment and hotels or other accommodations that sometimes become one of the points used by drug users. For this reason, the BNNP Bali invited tourism workers, especially hotel employees, to oversee the circulation of narcotics. Therefore, it did not spread widely in the Badung region which is becoming the center of tourism for the Island of the Gods. “At this time, there is a tendency for people to consume drugs at quiet and solitary places as many hotels and villas are built near cliffs and far from residential areas,” said Suastawa, accompanied by Division Head of Prevention and Community Empowerment (P2M), I Ketut Suandika. Therefore, the BNNP expected an active role from businessmen as well as hotel and lodging workers to participate in supervising their guests. If there is something suspicious, immediately inform the BNNP Bali. “So far, there is no safe place from drug trafficking. On that account, the role and supervision of various levels of society is very necessary,” he said. Moreover, currently there are 73 new types of narcotics in Indonesia, and people are expected to never try using any type of drugs. When consuming drugs, 10 percent of the human brain is damaged. “There are three properties of drugs, namely habitual, tolerant and addictive,” he said. Currently, private sector workers are in the top rank of drug users due to several factors, namely financial ability, job pressure and doping to increase work stamina. High stress level also triggers individuals to use drugs. In addition, there is misinformation stating that drugs can increase stamina and provide a sense of pleasure and confidence for its users, making people tempted. “These all are not true. Instead, using drugs will even damage both health and the future. Don’t believe in such misleading issues,” said the one-star general from Mengwi, Badung. (kmb36)
Chaotic development of wantilan
Residents take psychical solution at Dalem Temple SEMARAPURA - The chaos about the development of the village hall is taken seriously by the authority of Selat customary village, Klungkung subdistrict. This issue had been discussed seriously in the meeting of the local customary village recently. On that occasion, it was agreed that the community will conduct a joint prayer or mangening-ngening at Dalem Temple of Selat village on Tuesday (Mar. 26). The residents expected the individual resident having a bad intention to cause the village situation chaotic by making an anonymous letter to law enforcement officials could immediately realize its actions and stop making the situation in customary villages
increasingly rowdy. Chief of Selat customary village, Kadek Jawi, stated on Tuesday (Mar. 26) the anonymous letter mentions there were irregularities in the construction of village hall or the customary village wantilan was very troubling. Thus, the allegation in the anonymous letter would not become more libelous, so the customary village discussed it in the official village meeting and agreed to hold mengeningening. This procession implies that anyone intending not to be good in that matter, especially the maker of anonymous letter, is considered to spread slander. “Whoever the person is he or she must account it for psychically,” said Kadek Jiwa.
Moreover, the law enforcement officials coming down to the location so far have not found any suspicion of the corruption in the development phase. The mengening-ening procession was attended by all the people of the Selat customary village. A local leader of Selat customary village, Putu Tika Winawan, added the procession is right to be carried out, so as not to arbitrarily spread slander that cannot be accounted for. So, those who have bad intentions will find not good way of life. On the contrary, those who sincerely seek to build the village can be given facilities for the development process. “We are rural community having customs and religion that
underlie our actions. Every act must be accounted for physically and psychically,” said the former Deputy Chairperson of the Klungkung House of Representatives. Previously, the wantilan building of the Selat customary village, Klungkung subdistrict, having just been completed at the end of 2018, had been considered problematic as the building funded by the Ministry of Education and Culture worth IDR 400 million has been seen cracking, even the concrete beam supporting the roof looks curved. The local customary village is worried that the wantilan, which has not been finished, already collapsed before being used officially by the community.
Seeing the very worrying condition of the wantilan, the concrete supporting frame of the roof was fitted with steel support to hold the roof so that it will not collapse if there is another earthquake. Cracks on the wantilan hall are said to have been caused by several times earthquake shock. The worst is a series of impacts from the earthquake in Lombok. According to information at the local village, construction of the village wantilan hall had been fussed by one of the local residents. Moreover, it had been made an anonymous letter to be sent to the Bali Prosecutor’s Office, recently. Unfortunately, the letter did not indicate the name of the sender. (kmb31)
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Jordan Peele’s ‘Us’ shatters box office
Thursday, March 28, 2019
US county declares state of emergency amid measles outbreak
LOS ANGELES - Jordan Peele’s new thriller, “Us,” blasted its way to the top of the North American box office over the weekend with $71.1 million in ticket sales, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said on Monday. The opening marked one of the best launches ever for a horror film and cemented Peele’s draw as one of Hollywood’s top filmmakers following his Oscar-winning film debut “Get Out.” The Universal production, which stars Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke and Elisabeth Moss in the story of a family that encounters horrifying versions of themselves, had the second-best launch of the year, trailing only blockbuster “Captain Marvel,” Exhibitor Relations said. Peele impressed Hollywood with his first production, “Get Out,” another horror film with heavy social commentary that won an
Oscar as Best Original Screenplay and was the 10th most profitable film of 2017. The new film has a 94 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, rare praise for a horror flick. “Us” pushed Disney’s “Captain Marvel” down to second place, at $34.3 million for the weekend, but that female-led blockbuster had little to complain about. With Brie Larson starring as a former fighter pilot with superpowers, the film has taken in a combined $910 million at home and abroad. In third spot was Paramount’s animation “Wonder Park,” at $8.8 million. The film, about an amusement park based on a young girl’s
imaginings, is voiced by Brianna Denski, Jennifer Garner, Matthew Broderick and John Oliver. Fourth spot went to CBS/Lionsgate’s teen drama “Five Feet Apart,” at $8.5 million. It stars Haley Lu Richardson and Cole Sprouse as teens who fall in love but must keep their distance while being treated for cystic fibrosis. And in fifth was “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World,” at $6.5 million. It tells the story of young Hiccup and his dragon Toothless on a quest for a dragon utopia. Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera and Cate Blanchett provide the voices. (afp)
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images/AFP
Jordan Peele, Lupita Nyong’o and Winston Duke attend the “US” premiere at Museum of Modern Art on March 19, 2019 in New York City.
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STRINGER / AFP
This handout picture released on March 25, 2019 shows Dutch art detective Arthur Brand posing with stolen Picasso painting “Buste de Femme (Dora Maar)” on March 14, 2019 at his Amsterdam home.
Stolen Picasso unearthed by ‘Indiana Jones of art’
THE HAGUE - A Dutch art detective dubbed the “Indiana Jones of the Art World” has struck again, finding a Picasso painting worth 25 million euros stolen from a Saudi sheikh’s yacht on the French Riviera in 1999. Arthur Brand said he had handed back the 1938 masterpiece entitled “Portrait of Dora Maar”, also known as “Buste de Femme (Dora Maar)” to an insurance company earlier this month. The discovery of the rare portrait of Maar, one of Pablo Picasso’s most influential mistresses, is the culmination of a four-year investigation into the burglary on the luxury yacht Coral Island, as she lay anchored in Antibes. Two decades after its theft and with no clues to its whereabouts, the French police were stumped -and the portrait, which once hung
in the Spanish master’s home until his death in 1973, was feared lost forever. But after a four-year trail which led through the Dutch criminal underworld, two intermediaries turned up on Brand’s Amsterdam doorstep 10 days ago with the missing picture. “They had the Picasso, now valued at 25 million euros wrapped in a sheet and black rubbish bags with them,” Brand told AFP. It was yet another success for Brand, who hit the headlines last year for returning a stolen 1,600-year-old mosaic to Cyprus. He won world fame in 2015 after finding “Hitler’s Horses”, two bronze statues made by Nazi sculptor Joseph Thorak -- a discovery about which he had a book out earlier this month. (afp)
A New York county hit by a measles outbreak declared a state of emergency Tuesday and banned non-vaccinated minors from public places in a bid to prevent the onceeliminated disease from spreading. The measure, which defines a public place as anywhere “more than 10 persons are intended to congregate” -- including public transport -- was announced by officials in Rockland County, 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of New York City. Due to come into effect at midnight Wednesday for 30 days, it appears to be the most radical step by US officials following outbreaks in several regions blamed on an anti-vaccination movement. “We must do everything in our power to end this outbreak and protect the health of those who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons and that of children too young to be vaccinated,” said county executive Ed Day. Day also criticized the “resistance” of some locals to health inspectors. “They’ve been told ‘we’re not discussing this, do not come back,’ when visiting the homes of infected individuals as part of their investigations,” he said, branding such responses “unacceptable and irresponsible.” Rockland County, with a population of over 300,000, has registered 153 cases of measles, which was declared officially eliminated in 2000. Despite major vaccination campaigns since the outbreak began in October, around 27 percent of minors aged one to 18 remain unvaccinated, Day said. The worst affected neighborhoods are those with a high ultra-Orthodox Jewish population, where many oppose vaccines on religious grounds. Vaccinations are in theory required to go to school in the United States, but 47 of the 50 states -- including New York -- allow exemptions, notably for religious reasons. (afp) News can also be heard in “Bali Image” at Global Radio FM 96.5 from 9.30 until 10.00 am. Listen to Global Radio FM at http://globalfmbali.listen2myradio. com or live video streaming at http://radioglobalfmbali. com and http://ustream.tv/channel/global-fm-bali.
In this file photo taken on March 30, 2016 a nurse injects a boy with a measles vaccine in a pediatric polyclinic in Kiev. Eleven people have died and more than 30,000 have been infected this year in a major outbreak of measles in Ukraine, the European country worst hit by the disease, Kiev said on March 18, 2019.
Sergei SUPINSKY / AFP