Edisi 31 Juli 2015 | International Bali Post

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16 Pages Number 155 7th year

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Friday, July 31, 2015

Stallone puts ‘Rocky,’ ‘Rambo’ memorabilia up for auction

Chiabella James/Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions

In this image released by Paramount Pictures, Rebecca Ferguson, left, and Tom Cruise appear in a scene from “Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation.”

Mission accomplished for Cruise in new ‘MI’ flick

There’s some interesting talk in the cleverly satisfying script of “Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation” about the element of luck. As in: How much is luck a factor in the success of Ethan Hunt and his IMF cohorts? After all, in the last movie they merely saved us from a nuclear holocaust. Was it talent, work, or dumb luck?

Whatever you decide about that, let’s be clear about this: When it comes to Tom Cruise and his durability as an action hero, luck has little to do with it. The guy’s an action star extraordinaire, and it’s not luck or chance but work and smarts and yes, some swashbuckling derring-do that get him there.

Whatever you may think of Cruise and his complex off-screen persona, let’s give him this: At age 53, he and his Ethan Hunt are, if anything, getting more fun to watch. And they make “Rogue Nation” not merely a serviceable summer flick, but an entertainment well worth your

inflated ticket price.

Let’s give kudos to a few other folks, too, starting with directorwriter Christopher McQuarrie, who, like each director in the franchise, puts his own stamp on the proceedings. McQuarrie (“The Usual Suspects”) does this with both a wry script that often makes fun of what’s happening, and some seriously entertaining action pieces, including a complicated assassination sequence set in Vienna’s glittering opera house during a lavish production of Puccini’s “Turandot.” (Parents: here’s a chance to get some opera into your kids’ summer — sort

of like hiding the broccoli in the brownie mix.)

Also invaluable is returning “MI” vet Simon Pegg as Benji, the wise-cracking (and safe-cracking) computer whiz who provides a crucial dose not only of humor but also of humanity here. Welcome newcomers include Alec Baldwin, as a pompous CIA boss with deliciously dry delivery, and Rebecca Ferguson, making the most and then some of the obligatory female role. Ferguson is — get this — Swedish-born, named Ilsa here, and, yes, shows up in Casablanca, too. (ap)

LOS ANGELES — Sylvester Rocky, but this time he’s coach to a Stallone is parting with memorabilia young star boxer played by Michael from the “Rocky” and “Rambo” B. Jordan. movies, but he’s keeping the two “By no means is this a ‘Rocky characters alive onscreen.

7,’” Stallone said. “This is a jourThe 69-year-old entertainer an- ney for Michael B. Jordan, who nounced Thursday that he’ll put is brilliant in the movie, and Ryan hundreds of props and costumes Coogler, (for whom) this is a very from his 40-year career up for auc- personal film.” tion in October, with a portion of the When Coogler first approached proceeds benefiting military chariStallone about the film, he ties. Some of the items Stallone declined, saying he felt has agreed to sell include Rocky had “run his Rambo’s Army jacket course.” and Rocky’s gloves, After makrobe and boxing ing “Fruitvale trunks.

Station,” the Stallone isn’t filmmaker saying goodbye returned to to the characters. discuss the I n s t e a d , h e ’s role again. set to become “I’ve nevRocky Balboa er seen someagain onscreen one who was in “Creed” so persisthis fall and tent,” Stalis working lone said. on another He ought “Rambo” to know, installment. after holdStallone said today’s ing out to play fascination with cinethe titular character matic superheroes leaves in his breakthrough little room for the “lone script, “Rocky,” wolf” or “man against back in 1976. the odds” characters he At work now likes to play. on a screenplay “That’s kind of why for a new “RamI’m still around, because bo” film, Stallone Heritage Auctions via AP I embrace that and it’s admitted, “It reThis photo provided become kind of a rarally is not fun.”

by Heritage Auctions ity and there’s not many shows the Rocky BalHe still thinks of us left,” he said in a the character is boa boxing ring robe recent interview. “Will worn by actor Sylvester compelling — that come around again?

“Where Rocky is Stallone in the 1985 I don’t think so. Not in the height of opfilm, “Rocky IV,” is its purest form... So I timism, this guy among the costumes embrace it and that’s is the height of and personal items why I want to continue pessimism,” he to do it until my body consigned by Stallone said — but finds to Heritage Auctions for w r i t i n g m o r e explodes.”

First up is “Creed,” a public auction in Los challenging than Angeles and online, by writer-director Ryan any other artistic October 14-15, 2015.

Coogler. Stallone is discipline. (ap)

WEATHER FORECAST 23 - 32 Dps

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Friday, July 31, 2015 US official: Plane debris in Indian Ocean same type as MH370 Page 6

Paris Saint-Germain beats Manchester United 2-0 Page 8

For North Korea, Iran-style nuclear deal not an option Page 13

Denpasar has 11 points prone to floods

DENPASAR - Denpasar belonging to lowland area is often hit by floods. As evidence, a number of locations in Denpasar are frequently hit by floods. Various efforts to mitigate the threat continue to be made, where so far it still leaves at least 11 points of flood, like at Sanur, Jalan Teuku Umar as well as in front of Mitra 10.

It was conveyed by the Head of the Denpasar Public Works Agency, I Ketut Winarta, at the Denpasar parliamentary building, Tuesday (Jul. 29). Previously, a number of

legislators questioned about the handling of flooding threat in the city considering that all this time Denpasar is always haunted by the threat of flooding during rainy

season. “Until now, no matter how small the flood disaster in Denpasar must be anticipated and get the attention from relevant agencies,” said a legislator of the Denpasar House, I.B. Ketut Kiana.

Kiana also mentioned that some drainage improvements are not done thoroughly as happened to Jalan Gunung Sari, Sanur Kauh.

“We also receive complaints from residents about the discontinued

project at Sanur Kauh,” said the people’s representative from Sanur Kaja.

Related to these questions, Winarta said that his party had made a number of breakthroughs to cope with the flood disaster. In addition to dredging some drains, his party has also made canal being able to suppress floods. As evidence, until now flooding points have reduced from 18 to 11 points. “We continue

to make this effort so that it can reduce the threat of puddles and flooding in Denpasar,” said Winarta. (kmb12) 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.

IBP/Wawan

Traffic jam causing by flood occurred during rainy season in Denpasar. Denpasar belonging to lowland area is often hit by floods. As evidence, a number of locations in Denpasar are frequently hit by floods.

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International

Friday, July 31, 2015

Bali News

The Hindus pray in Tanah Lot

White Burley tobacco cultivation hampered by seedlings

IBP/File

Piodalan at Tanah Lot Temple flooded by pilgrims and travelers TABANAN - Thousands of Hindu pilgrims thronged the Tanah Lot Temple at Kediri, Tabanan to attend a series of piodalan or temple birthday, Wednesday (Jul. 29). In addition to Tanah Lot Temple, similar ceremony also took place at the Batu Bolong and Penataran Temple equally located at Tanah Lot. Operations Manager of Tanah Lot attraction, I Ketut Toya Adnyana, explained that other than being crowded by pilgrims, the Tanah Lot tourist attraction is also thronged by travelers. Aside from the Tanah Lot attraction, they also get interested in the procession of temple birthday taking place at three temples located in the area of Tanah Lot. “The convoy of pilgrims increases the beauty of Tanah Lot. Not infrequently, travelers are hunting the rare moment to capture some pictures,” he said.

Tourist arrival continued to increase by the afternoon. Moreover, travelers mingled with the pilgrims

on the shoreline to capture the amazing moment. “This piodalan ceremony even adds to the tourist attraction. On that account, many travelers are waiting for the ceremony in order to enjoy the tourist area of Tanah Lot,” said Toya.

To help smooth the ceremonial process and traffic of pilgrims, all parties at the Tanah Lot attraction are deployed and assisted by customary youth of Beraban village.

“They pay devotional work in turn and already started it on Sunday (Jul. 26),” said Toya. According to him, each customary hamlet at Beraban customary village deploys their customary youth to pay devotional

work at the Tanah Lot Temple.

The birthday ceremony at the Tanah Lot Temple itself has been held from one o’clock in the morning, Wednesday (Jul. 29) officiated over by temple priest of Beraban customary village. Peak of the crowds habitually happens at one o’clock in the afternoon till night. In the meantime, one day earlier, Tuesday (Jul. 28), was held the purificatory rite for the deities to north spring of the Tanah Lot Temple. The ceremony was held at three o’clock in the afternoon to purify all the sanctified effigies and ritual paraphernalia to be used in temple birthday on the following day. (kmb24)

SINGARAJA - White Burley tobacco cultivation in Buleleng is still experiencing serious obstacle. Farmers starting to get interested in developing this cigar ingredient tobacco face difficulty to get supplies of seedling in this season. Nevertheless, approximately 50 hectares of land have been planted with White Burley tobacco spreading across Sawan, Buleleng and Sukasada subdistrict.

Some farmers have started the planting of seedlings since the beginning of May 2015. In this year’s planting season, farmers have trouble in getting supplies of White Burley tobacco seedlings.

Farmers only rely on the supplies of seedlings from the maker in Banyuwangi, East Java. In the meantime, local farmers have never tried to produce seedlings independently. Actually, if they produce seedlings independently, it can alleviate their operational costs.

It is evidenced by the price of tobacco seedling prepared in Banyuwangi reaches IDR 150,000 each. Due to long distance, the delivery of seedlings from Banyuwangi has a risk of death if to be planted in Buleleng. In addition, in this planting season the farmers in Buleleng lack of seedling supply. Of the 50 hectares of land available, only 30 hectares can be filled with the seedling supply from Banyuwangi.

In the meantime, the seedlings need for 20 hectares of land are met by the independent nursery made by local farmers facilitated by the Buleleng Forestry and Agriculture Agency.

The Division Head of Plantation, Nyoman Partayasa, with permission from the Head of the Buleleng Plantation and Forestry Agency, Ketut Nerda, admitted at his office last Wednesday that farmers in the region still find difficulty in obtaining supplies of White Burley tobacco seedlings. He added that farmers have actually been taught and facilitated about the techniques and the tobacco seeds have been prepared by the agency. However, since farmers have the habit of buying seedlings ready to be planted, the independent preparation of seedlings has not been done optimally. By independent nurseries in the area, farmers can reduce their operating capital. In addition, the death risk of the seedlings during the planting time will be prevented. Over this condition, lately through group counseling to farmers the agency has strived to sensitize farmers related to self-production of the White Burley tobacco seedlings.

“Farmers still rely on the purchase from Banyuwangi. Due to high demand in this year’s planting season, we finally lack of seedlings.

This problem may not happen again and we will strive to sensitize farmers to produce their seedling independently,” he said.

On the other hand, Partayasa said that the development of White Burley tobacco in Buleleng these days is constantly increasing. It is in appropriate with the data from 2013 where farmers just made a pilot project on two hectares of land.

In 2014, the acreage increased to 17 hectares and this year increases again to 50 hectares. The addition of this land area shows that farmers are keen to cultivate White Burley tobacco. Besides, farmers have also proved that in terms of price this tobacco is quite expensive namely around IDR 37,000 per kg. Other than having relatively good price, the production cost is also much cheaper than that of Virginia tobacco. He cited that one hectare of land only needs production cost as much as IDR 35 million.

In the meantime, the total production reaches 1.5 tons per hectare, so that farmers get total sales revenue worth IDR 55.5 million.

Then, when it is reduced with the production cost worth IDR 35 million, farmers obtain profits as much as IDR 20.5 million. “The production cost is low because tobacco is dried by drying and does not need an oven and LPG stove. This hefty profit encourages our farmers to develop it and the demand of manufacture is also high, so that this opportunity must be captured by our farmers,” added Partayasa. (kmb38)

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

Activities

International

15

Friday, July 31, 2015

Club Bali Suites @ Legian Beach new look

LEGIAN - “Just imagine that we are dealing with slovenly, smelly, messy and uncomfortable people, it is inconvenient, right?” It is revealed by Sales Manager of Club Bali Suites @ Legian Beach, Indriani Kusuma while giving a grooming training.

IBP/kmb

As a 4+ star accommodation, the Club Bali Suites @ Legian Beach recently held a grooming training program for all employees.

This activity is positively welcomed and fully supported by the General Manager, Wahyu A. Bayuaji.

Indriani conveyed that grooming training aims to equalize the performance of employees in accordance with international hotel standards. “As tourism players dealing directly with guests, the appearance is very important to support professionalism at workplace,” she explained friendly.

In the future, the Club Bali Suites @ Legian Beach claimed as the best family accommodation in Legian area will also hold a Beauty Class to broaden the insight of the employees in applying beauty care and accessories. “Elegant, neat and fragrant appearance does not only reflect good corporate image, but also increases the added value and confidence for everyone,” she said.

PROFILE

André Kretschmann

GM of The Legian Bali

LEGIAN - The general manager who opened the iconic Chedi Muscat for GHM in 2003 is returning to the luxury hotel group’s fold this month as he takes charge of The Legian Bali.

André Kretschmann moves to the acclaimed 68 all-suite resort with its 11-villa sister property in Seminyak – The Club at The Legian – after six years as an area general manager for the Cheval Blanc Group across Southeast Asia, the Middle East and the Indian Ocean.

From 1995 to 2005, Kretschmann was a mainstay at GHM, where he managed properties in Jakarta, on Phuket, in Oman and on Sri Lanka.

“André spent a good deal of his career with us at GHM, and really helped define the image of a GHM manager,” said GHM President Hans R. Jenni, who co-founded the group with Adrian Zecha in 1992.

On the verge of its 20th Anniversary, The Legian endures as one of the most highly regarded hotels on Bali, typically landing among top-3 or top-5 lists of the island’s 1,000plus hotels. The resort was also recently inducted into TripAdvisor’s

Hall of Fame after being awarded with the popular travel review site’s Certificate of Excellence for five consecutive years.

Under the watch of Kretschmann’s predecessor, the hotel opened a new, 30-metre infinity lap pool just above the famed sands of Seminyak, renovated its three-bedroom oceanfront beach house, opened up

new streams of natural light into the hotel rooms and refurbished the spa and wellness facility.

Kretschmann’s career in hospitality took flight in his native Germany in the late 1970s. In the mid-1980s, he moved abroad to London and then Paris before relocating to Asia where he’s worked for the past 20 years.

IBP/Courtesy of GHM

Balinese Temple Ceremony

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

The dedication or inauguration day of a Temple is considered its birth day and celebration always takes place on the same day if the wuku or 210 day calendar is used. When new moon is used then the celebration always happens on new moon or full moon.

The day of course can differ the religious celebration of a temple lasts at least one full day with some temple celebrating for three days while the celebration of Besakih temple, the Mother Temple, is never less than 7 days and most of the time it lasts for 11 days, depending on the importance of the occasion.

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

In front of important shrine one sees, besides these umbrellas soars, tridents and other weapons, the “umbul-umbul”, long flags, all these are prerogatives or attributes of Holiness. In front of the Temple gate put up “Penjor”, long bamboo poles, decorated beautifully ornaments of young coconut leaves, rice and other products of the land. Most beautiful to see are the girls in their colorful attire, carrying offerings, arrangements of all kinds fruits and colored cakes, to the Temple. Every visitor admires the grace with which the carry their load on their heads.

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Friday, July 31, 2015

Fashion

International

Converse rolling out first Chuck Taylor update in 98 years

NEW YORK — Converse Chuck Taylor All Star fans rejoice! Your favorite sneaker is receiving its first construction update since debuting 98 years ago.

The idea behind the All Star II is comfort, Converse said in a statement Thursday.

The update is made of durable Tencel canvas, as opposed to the cotton kind, with higher tech shock absorption in Nike Lunarlon for the footbed.

There’s foam padding inside at the ankle, nonslip padded tongues and perforated micro-suede liners along the interior sides.

For the exterior, the iconic circle patch is embroidered on and eyelets will be colored to match the shoe. In addition, the sole is slightly higher than traditional Chucks.

The easily recognizable rubber toe cap will remain.

The new shoe goes on sale July 28 in black, white, red and blue. (ap)

Bali News

International

Friday, July 31, 2015

3

Australian Ambassador visits Bali

DENPASAR - Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Paul Grigson commences a three-day visit to Bali on Thursday to meet political leaders and members of the Indonesian and Australian business, arts, and alumni communities.

AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File

Jane Birkin asks Hermes to take her name off croc handbag

Converse via AP

PARIS — British singer Jane Birkin has asked Hermes to take her name off the crocodile-skin versions of the iconic Birkin handbag, after being contacted by animal rights group PETA over “cruel” slaughtering practices.

A PETA video from June shows several reptiles at a Texas farm that supplies crocodile skins to Hermes left twitching in a bloody ice container to die after being shot with a captive bolt gun and cut with a knife.

Birkin said in a statement obtained Wednesday that she was “alerted to the cruel practices ... to make Hermes handbags carrying my name” and has “asked Hermes to de-baptize the Birkin Croco until better practices in line with international norms can be put in place.”

The Birkin bag was created in 1984 by Hermes in honor of the famed singer and ex-girlfriend of Serge Gainsbourg, and is, still today, one of the world’s most exclusive luxury items.

The bag is beloved by stars such as Victoria Beckham and comes in calf, ostrich, lizard as well as crocodile. It can cost between $10,000 and over $100,000, with waiting lists to buy it famously stretching into the years.

PETA said it takes three crocodile belly skins to make one handbag. In their expose, at the Lone Star Alligator Farms, PETA shows abattoir employees referring to live crocodiles and alligators as “watch straps.”

No publicly listed phone number for Lone Star Alligator Farms in Winnie, Texas, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) east of Houston, could immediately be located Wednesday.

Steve Lightfoot, a spokesman for the Texas Parks & Wildlife Depart-

ment, which regulates the commercial production and harvesting of alligators in Texas, said that Lone Star Alligator Farms has a current permit and is operating legally.

PETA filed a complaint on Feb. 25 with the TPWD seeking revocation of Lone Star Alligator Farms’ permit, which the agency declined to do following an unannounced facility inspection March 2 by several state game wardens.

“Our folks did indicate this site was fairly impeccable as far as the conditions, the record-keeping,” Lightfoot said.

The game wardens found some minor code violations, related to height of a structure and one alligator with a mild bacterial infection, leading to misdemeanor citations, Lightfoot said.

“We don’t have any issues with Lone Star Alligator Farms,” Lightfoot said Wednesday about the status of the company.

The PETA investigation, however, found “filthy conditions” at the facility, said Kathy Guillermo, a senior vice president for the animal rights group.

“Our investigator in Texas spent most of the day standing in knee deep, filthy, putrid water that had as many as 55 alligators in it, when according to the state’s own statute it should have no more than six,” Guillermo said.

Contacted by The Associated Press, Hermes said it “respects and shares (Birkin’s) emotions” and was “shocked by the images recently broadcast.” An investigation, it says, is underway.

While the fashion powerhouse acknowledges that the Texas farm supplies it with crocodile skins, Hermes says they aren’t used specifically for the Birkin bag. Hermes also uses croc for watchstraps and other bags. (ap)

Grigson’s visit to Bali is aimed to develop business opportunities in the tourism sector.

According to the media release, during the visit, Ambassador Grigson will meet Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika and Prince of Ubud Ida Tjokorda Putra.

“Australians have a special fondness for Bali, and with almost a million Australians visiting each year, it is an island full of warm memories, largely due to the friendly nature and generosity of the Balinese people,” Grigson remarked.

The Australian ambassador to Indonesia will also visit the Konservasi Sawah Foundation, supported by the Australian ConsulateGeneral’s Direct Aid Program (DAP).

Founded in 2013, the Konservasi Sawah Foundation works to conserve land and generate economic opportunities for Balinese farmers.

An Ambassador’s Award will also be presented to Chairman and Managing Director of the Bali Hai Group Richard Chandler in recognition of the company’s success in the tourism sector over the last 25 years. (r)

IBP/Net

Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Paul Grigson commences a three-day visit to Bali on Thursday to meet political leaders and members of the Indonesian and Australian business, arts, and alumni communities.

Coffee plant of Pupuan must be preserved TABANAN - Pupuan belongs to one of the coffee producers whose quality cannot be denied. The robusta coffee of Pupuan has even become a national champion for the best coffee quality. Despite having potential, the robusta coffee of Pupuan still requires certification so that its selling price can be increased.

By all means, the increase in the selling price will certainly have an impact on the welfare of farmers and the preservation of coffee plants in Pupuan.

The Head of the Tabanan Forestry and Plantation Agency, Roemi Liestyowati, explained that currently the process of certification is still go-

ing on. By teaming up with academicians from the Udayana University, the study on the type and soil nutrient in Pupuan will be carried out. Examination of soil nutrients is considered important because Pupuan robusta coffee has unique characteristic of the same kind in Indonesia. “Pupuan robusta coffee has slightly different

IBP/Wira

Pupuan belongs to one of the coffee producers whose quality cannot be denied. The robusta coffee of Pupuan has even become a national champion for the best coffee quality.

color and distinctive fragrance. So, we need more researches on the specifications,” said Roemi.

The certification will assure quality of coffee produced, so that it directly increases the selling price. Thus, the increase in farmers’ income will make them more prosperous. Indirectly, it will also prevent land conversion and the coffee plantations can be preserved.

Moreover, the coffee plant is one of the vertical plants functioning to absorb and store water in Tabanan.

“Coffee plant in Tabanan becomes one of the plants functioning as water absorbent so that no drought will occur at downstream. On that account, the coffee plant needs to be preserved,” said Roemi. The area of coffee plantation in Pupuan alone reaches approximately 7,800 hectares.

In the meantime, Chairman of the Association of the Pupuan Coffee Productive Business Unit, Wayan Dira, explained that Pupuan robusta coffee has started to be interested by Korean exporters. As evidence, his party already delivered six containers of coffee to Korea, Wednesday (Jul. 29). “Actually the exporter requested ten containers. However, we can only meet the demand gradually,” he said.

Regarding the certification, added Dira, robusta coffee is currently under process, while the Arabica coffee has been certified for the area of 100 hectares. He

acknowledged that the certification indicates if the quality of coffee produced is guaranteed. Of course, it will have an impact on the selling price of the coffee. To that end, he hoped the government to assist and facilitate farmers in the certification process. (kmb24)

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Bali News

Friday, July 31, 2015

International

Friday, July 31, 2015

International

Hundreds of illegal NFE institutions found in Tabanan

TABANAN - Increasingly widespread indications of illegal non-formal education (NFE) in some areas of Tabanan get special attention from the Tabanan Education Council. As planned, in the near future the Education Council will conduct a monitoring against the education institutions feared to harm learners.

Chairman of the Education Council, Wayan Madra, recently said that there are at least hundreds of NFE with unclear license. They mostly proliferate in urban areas like in the town of Tabanan.

“We do not prohibit the existence of non-formal education.

But at least, the clarity related to the institution must be able to be accounted for. Thus, the learners

will not be harmed. Moreover, we have seen they have amounted to hundreds of institution,” he said.

He pointed out that many teachers open courses or tutoring beyond school hours and charge certain amount of fee beyond school tuition. Not infrequently, the students that do not attend the courses or extra lessons are often sequestered during the lesson at

school.

“It’s not good, and should be corrected. There is tendency that teachers more easily give the way to resolve questions during the course or tutoring, while school hours posing formal education are often not maximized,” he explained.

Not only that, the other large NFEs also mushrooming along Jalan Bypass Soekarno will also be targeted. In the next monitoring, the education council wants to know the extent of the correlation between the educational institutions to relevant agencies such as

the Education Agency, especially in terms of reporting. “Do not let the Agency Head sign certificate but having no correlation to the Education Agency,” he said.

If in the monitoring his party gets findings, the Education Agency will make recommendation to the Education Agency for immediate action. “We recommend closing the illegal educational institutions,” he said.

As has been known, the Educational Council as the originator of the Education Clinic in Tabanan County is recently aggressive to handle a wide variety of education

IBP/File

The newly married couple carry out ceremony

AMLAPURA - Early marriage or young marriage rate in Karangasem is high. This young marriage triggers high rate of maternal mortality in Karangasem.

It was announced by the Head of Women Empowerment and Family Planning, Priagung Duarsa, Wednesday (Jul. 29), in Karangasem during the medico-technical meeting in Amlapura.

Young marriage occurs even at the age of 15 years to 19 years. “Young marriage rate occurred at the age of 15-19 years is quite high, but I do not remember the exact numbers,” he said.

Young marriage, he said, is also prone to cause maternal mortality. In fact, the maternal rate in Karangasem is still high, even the highest in Bali.

It is said that early marriage has something to do with infant birth defect or infant mortality and maternal mortality because young marriage does have a high risk. It happens because reproductive organ at an early age has not fully developed, so that it is not ready to give birth. “Early marriage is certainly not ready physically and mentally, including the economic readiness of the household. On that account, early marriage is also prone to result in household tempest or broken home,” he said.

To mature the age of marriage among the generations of Karangasem, said Priagung Duarsa, his party has a reproductive health education program to schools, including the provision of counseling information center for teenagers.

Besides, it will also be held generation planning program to schools that aims to prevent early marriages. (013)

English-speaking UDG participants get training

AMLAPURA - Participants of the Utsawa Dharma Gita (UDG) or Dharma song festival for the category of Hindu sermon (dharma vacana) in English language were simultaneously nurtured starting on Wednesday (Jul. 29) in Karangasem. The sermon in English language was held for the first time.

It was announced by the Head of the Karangasem Culture and Tourism Agency, I Wayan Purna,

last Monday. In addition to participants of English-speaking sermon, at the same time is also fostered the other competitions such as memorizing sloka (Sanskrit verse) for children and adults. Participants of the training consist of 79 children and adults. They are directed by 42 coaches such as the artist Ida Nyoman Sugata, Ida Wayan Jelantik Oka and humanist Dewa Gde Catra. “Development of the

UDG participants is meant to make preparation for the UDG event of the Bali provincial level next September,” said Purna.

Division Head of the Customary Affairs of the Tourism and Culture Agency, Wayan Witrawan, said that the sermon in English is something new or the first time to be held in the UDG Bali next September.

In the meantime, the coach of the English language sermon, I

Gusti Komang Kawi, an English teacher at the SMPN 1 Manggis junior high school, said that the implementation of sermon in English language is based on consideration that Hinduism is a religion professed by people around the world.

As for Bali, it has also become a tourist destination visited by travelers from around the world, including those from India and Malaysia making a pilgrimage to

For North Korea, Iran-style nuclear deal not an option

issues. Other than targeting teachers facing difficulties or obstacles in conducting research or making paper, the education clinic will also intensively supervise the implementation of the student orientation term (MOS) alleged to still hold activities complicating new students.

“Related to the student orientation, so far there have been no things considered to have deviated from the existing provisions. However, there are still difficult tasks requested by seniors to younger class during the orientation,” he concluded. (kmb28)

Young marriage rate increases, maternal mortality high

Besakih. Besides, many foreigners also come to Bali to know more about Hinduism. On that account, English-speaking sermonizer must also be prepared.

“Karangasem has also initiated a spiritual tourism. More and more foreigners come to Karangasem. Surely when they ask for an explanation on Hinduism, we must be ready even in foreign languages, especially English,” said Kawi. (013)

13

PYONGYANG — If any hopes have been raised that the progress between the United States and Iran to halt Tehran’s development of nuclear weapons could bring change in Pyongyang, North Korea has gone out of its way to thwart them.

AP Photo/Khin Maung Win

Released prisoners on a police truck wave to their relatives and colleagues at entrance of Insein Prison, Thursday, July 30, 2015, in Yangon. Nearly 7,000 prisoners in Myanmar, including some former military intelligence officials who had been purged by their army colleagues, have been given presidential pardons.

Myanmar pardons China loggers among nearly 7,000 prisoners

YANGON — More than 150 Chinese workers sentenced to life in prison for illegal logging were freed in Myanmar on Thursday under a massive presidential pardon that included nearly 7,000 prisoners.

Others who were freed included former military intelligence officials purged by their army colleagues more than a decade ago, and at least a handful of journalists and social activists.

An Information Ministry statement said 6,966 prisoners, including 210 foreigners, were being freed across the country “on humanitarian grounds and in view of national reconciliation.” No official lists of pardoned prisoners are issued, so the names usually come from the prisoners themselves or their families. The majority are common criminals.

The pardons issued by President Thein Sein were timed to coincide with a Buddhist religious holiday and come ahead of a November general election. The polls have triggered criticism that the government is backsliding on political reforms it promised upon taking power in 2011, after almost five decades of repressive military rule.

Past governments have released political prisoners as a way of easing criticism from abroad.

Those released included 155

Chinese workers, all but two of whom received life sentences earlier this month in connection with illegal logging in northern Myanmar. Their jail terms drew much ire in China, which is a top ally of Myanmar. The punishment seemed largely to serve as a warning not to make business deals with Myanmar ethnic rebel groups, as the Chinese logging company was believed to have done.

China’s Foreign Ministry said Myanmar authorities had notified Chinese officials that the 155 would be handed over to their custody on Friday.

Despite close ties, there are significant tensions between China and Myanmar. Chinese economic penetration is big and highly visible in northern Myanmar, and some large infrastructure and mining projects have drawn charges of being insensitive to the environment and local concerns.

China is also seen as providing a safe haven for some Myanmar ethnic rebel groups, with whom Myanmar’s government wants to reach cease-fire agreements.

Others who were pardoned included eight former senior military intelligence officers, who since 2004 have been serving jail terms of 80 years or more, according to their families. (ap)

In a flurry of public comments since the deal, the North has been blunt: Its nuclear weapons are not a bargaining chip; it is already a member of the nuclear club; and if Washington wants to talk, it must recognize the North as such or put an immediate end to its hostile policies toward Pyongyang. Clearly, the differences between North Korea and Iran are vast.

North Korea has already gone down the negotiations road and come out on the other end with a small but potentially threatening nuclear arsenal. North Korea is also still technically at war with the U.S. and has a powerful rival and U.S. ally, South Korea, along with tens of thousands of U.S. troops right across the Demilitarized Zone. Each year, U.S. and South Korea hold massive war games in preparation for a possible invasion from the North, or, as Pyongyang sees it, an invasion of the North. The biggest issue of all, however, could simply be that it is not in the DNA of North

Korea’s leaders to flip-flop.

Pyongyang’s desire for a nuclear defense against the far superior U.S. forces probably originates with the country’s founder and first president, Kim Il Sung. For the current leader, Kim Jong Un, his grandson, reversing that course would be an unprecedentedly bold break with the past and bring into question the portrayal of the ruling Kim dynasty as infallible.

When North Korean leaders ponder the option of giving up their nuclear weapons — if they ever seriously do — the benefits Iran will likely reap from its deal with the United States are probably not foremost on their minds.

More likely, they recall the fate of Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi, who abandoned his nuclear program and ended up being deposed, hunted down and killed by rebel forces after months on the run. Though one didn’t directly lead to the other, Gadhafi’s fate is seen in Pyongyang as a potent cautionary tale.

Without referring to the Iran talks, Kim Jong Un told veterans gathered last week in Pyongyang for the 62nd anniversary of the armistice that ended the fighting in the 1950-53 Korean War that peace has yet to come to the Korean Peninsula. He held fast to the North’s constant warnings to its people that they must be ready for another, final showdown with the United States. He also said the North’s possession of nuclear weapons has dramatically shifted the balance of power.

“Our force at present is not what it was in the 1950s, when we had to fight with rifles in our hands against the U.S. imperialists armed to the teeth,” he said in the address, which was repeatedly broadcast on television and carried in full in the North’s state-run newspapers. “We now possess such a force as to fight any form of warfare of the choice of the United States. We have a might powerful enough to deter the United States from unleashing a nuclear war.” (ap)

AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File

FILE - In this July 28, 2015 file photo, North Korea’s ambassador to the United Nations Jang Il Hun speaks during a new conference in New York.

12

International

Friday, July 31, 2015

Bali News

International

Dollar up on Fed rate talk, Asia markets mostly rise

With the mood on global markets a little more upbeat than at the start of the week, oil prices edged up although concerns over a supply glut are keeping a lid on rises.

Tokyo jumped 1.08 percent, or 219.92 points, to 20,522.83 as the yen weakened against the

greenback and top firms including Nintendo reported strong earnings.

Sydney rose 0.81 percent, or 45.3 points, to close at 5,669.5 thanks to a pick-up in iron ore prices.

Shanghai suffered a late sell-off to end 2.20 percent lower, dropping 83.40 points to 3,705.77, while

Hong Kong followed the losses to close down 0.49 percent, or 121.47 points, at 24,497.98.

Seoul dropped 0.91 percent, or 18.59 points, to 2,019.03, hurt by selling in heavyweight Samsung Electronics after it reported disappointing earnings.

After a two-day policy meeting, the Fed said in a statement that the world’s top economy had expanded “moderately” in recent months and the jobs market had

strengthened, but it noted continued “soft” business investment and exports.

It also said inflation was below target, though it put much of that down to falling energy prices and to cheaper imports caused by the strong dollar.

While it gave no more clues about its plans for raising interest rates, analysts said the wording suggested September was now a strong possibility for a rate rise.

On Wall Street, the Dow rose 0.69 percent, the S&P 500 gained 0.73 percent and the Nasdaq advanced 0.44 percent. The gains were the second in a row after US stocks suffered a five-day losing streak.

“The Fed statement was similar to the last and it was a very modest upgrade to previous language,” said Raiko Shareef, a markets strategist at Bank of New Zealand in Wellington. (afp)

Galaxy S6 fails to reverse profit decline at Samsung

SEOUL — Samsung Elec- while operating income dropped earlier this month. It generated compared with 4.4 trillion won a tronics suffered a fifth straight 4 percent to 6.9 trillion won, in 2.8 trillion won operating in- year earlier.

The only bright spot came drop in quarterly earnings as line with its earnings preview come from the mobile business the Galaxy S6 failed to reverse its declining fortunes in global smartphone sales.

The company’s overall earnings drop during the April-June quarter was 8 percent but it reported a much bigger decline of 38 percent in the mobile division’s income. The sharp profit drop in the mobile business came despite its ambitious start to the quarter with the launch of two flagship smartphones: the Galaxy S6 and the S6 Edge featuring a curved side display.

“Total sales of the S6 and S6 Edge during the second quarter were below expectations,” Park Jinyoung, a vice president at Samsung’s mobile communications team, said on a conference call Thursday.

The decline in the mobile profit was smaller than the previous quarter’s nearly 60 percent plunge, but it extended the mobile division’s losing streak.

Samsung’s sky-high growth in the smartphone industry came to a sudden stop in 2013 as bigger iPhone models lured buyers from Samsung phones and Chinese phone makers squeezed its sales in China.

Samsung’s April-June net income was 5.8 trillion won ($5 billion), down 8 percent from 6.3 trillion won a year earlier. A FactSet survey of analysts predicted AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon 5.6 trillion won of net income.

An employee of Samsung Electronics Co. watches a mobile phone near an advertisement of Sales fell 7 percent over a Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge smartphone at a Samsung Electronics shop in year earlier to 48.5 trillion won Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, July 30, 2015.

from sales of components powering smartphones. A robust performance at its semiconductor department helped narrow the overall profit decline. Operating income from its semiconductor division surpassed the 3 trillion won mark for the first time in several years.

Samsung pinned high hopes on the S6 and S6 Edge phones when they were introduced in April. So much so that local media dubbed them the “Lee Jae-yong phone,” indicating that they were overseen by the Samsung chairman’s son, Lee Jae-yong. He is a vice chairman at Samsung who is widely expected to succeed his ailing father.

But sales of the flagship models fell short, dealing a blow to the 47-year-old heir apparent who is under pressure to demonstrate he is capable of leading the Asian consumer technology giant at a time of serious challenges.

The company was hit by two problems with its Galaxy S6 series. The regular version of the phone, the Galaxy S6, wasn’t as popular as expected, while it could not keep up with demand for the S6 Edge model, which features a display that curves on both sides that is more difficult to produce.

Market research firm IDC said Samsung, still the world’s largest maker of smartphones, was the only top five smartphone vendor that lost market share during the second quarter, falling to 22 percent, from 25 percent a year earlier. (ap)

5

Bali bids farewell to Consul General of India

BUSINESS

HONG KONG - The dollar pushed higher on Thursday after the Federal Reserve upgraded its outlook on the US economy, fuelling talk of a September interest rate hike, while Asian shares were mostly up after a Wall Street rally.

Friday, July 31, 2015

DENPASAR - In an elegant ceremony at Gedung Wiswa Sabha Utama on 27 July 2015, the Balinese community led by the Governor of Bali, Made Mangku Pastika and Ibu Ayu Pastika, along with the prominent members of the Indian community led by Ambassador of India to Indonesia and Timor-Leste, H.E. Mr. Gurjit Singh, and the members of the Bali Consular Corps, bid farewell to Mr. A.S. Takhi and Mrs. Gurinder Kaur Takhi, who are expected to depart Bali early next month on their next assignment.

IBP/Sosiawan

Egg war, a tradition to awaken Tri Kaya Parisudha concept

BANGLI - Lately a number of people often express their sense of excitement by dissipating. Sometimes, this behavior often results in new problems leading to personal grudges. Apparently this matter does not happen to people at Kayubihi village, Bangli. Their joy in life is expressed through the tradition known as Egg War as organized on Wednesday (Jul. 29).

Chief of Kayubihi customary village, I Wayan Sadia, said that the tradition poses a heritage passed down from generation to generation. It is implemented on the Ngusabha Pausa or Kelod. This tradition undergoes similar condition to the Mapeed Ngiring Tangas tradition that has not been held for 22 years due to cuntaka or temporary impurity of the village and construction of several temples at local village. “It has become a tradition of local village. However, it has long not been implemented due to impurity of local village and the construction of several temples. This can just be realized after being dormant for 22 years,” he explained.

Associated with the name of the tradition, explained Sadia, the egg war is not throwing eggs, but using a ball made from young coconut or palm leaf sizing a small child’s fist.

The egg war is organized in a series of Nyunding procession meaning to express people’s excitement having been endowed with prosperity.

In addition, when the mutu-

ally throwing action begins, the public is not allowed to be angry or revengeful. “This tradition is intended to implement the Tri Kaya Parisudha (good thought, speech and deed) concept. When throwing, all the participants may not say rude, may not get angry and may not be revengeful. After the event, it must still be applied,” he said.

Before the throwing action begins, all the participants, namely Jero Truna and Pamuit village and Uduhan village must say prayers first at Pausa Temple located in the east of Kayubihi meeting hall. After the prayers, participants are divided into two camps and move toward the front area of Pausa Temple. It is the time for distributing eggs to participants and the war immediately begins.

In the procession, firstly, Jero Truna is defeated and driven back to Sepat Sikut Temple (north of Pausa Temple). Secondly, customary villagers pushed customary youth to location in the south of the meeting hall. Ultimately, both groups undergo purificatory rite at Pasiraman and Dalem Pingit Temple.

Sadia added that after the purificatory rite some participants of the war trigged themselves with young coconut leaf headdress and sarong.

After that, all the participants make kawisan gift delivery tradition to widows living at the customary village. Interestingly, prior delivering the gifts, the participants must dance. (sos)

Recalling the pivotal role played by A.S. Takhi in building bridges between the India & Bali, both Governor Pastika & Ambassador Gurjit Singh were effusive in their recognition and praise for the yeoman’s service by the first Consul General of India in Bali in raising the level of connectivity between peoples of both the countries. The Governor wished them well for their future endeavours. He was also appreciative of the role played by the Consul General Takhi & the Indian community in developing a harmonious and prosperous Bali. The Governor also sang an evergreen Hindi song, the Bahasa Indonesia version of which has been popular all over Indonesia and of which the Governor is highly fond of, as he hummed the same during his youthful days.

The Ambassador acknowledged that Consul General Takhi has indeed carried out his man-

date in remarkable manner not only in the island of Bali but also in several other provinces in eastern Indonesia. He particularly referred to the huge success of Sahabat India Festival held in different locations in eastern Indonesia and particularly in universities & schools in this region. The Ambassador thanked the Balinese community for their emphatic support to the Consul General and his team in strengthening the friendship between two countries.

Earlier, during his farewell address, Consul General Takhi conveyed his greetings to the Balinese community on the Galungan & Kuningan celebrations.

He profusely thanked the Governor and his entire administration as well as the entire Balinese community for their consistent support and encouragement. He also expressed his thanks to the provincial & regional adminis-

trations across 15 provinces in eastern Indonesia covering the islands of Bali, Lombok, Sulawesi, Maluku, Papua, East & South Kalimantan which form the consular districts of the Consulate General of India in Bali. He appreciated the assistance received from the universities, schools, socio-cultural institutions, art & cultural personalities and the general public at large across eastern Indonesia, in a show-off enormous goodwill for India, with which Indonesia shares civilizational relations.

Bali had record participation in the first International Day of Yoga celebrations held on June 21, 2015 & both Ambassador Gurjit Singh and Consul General A.S. Takhi conveyed their appreciation & thanks for the wholehearted support of the Balinese community to this excellent initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India. (r)

IBP/Courtesy of Consulate India

6

Friday, July 31, 2015

W

International

International

RLD

US official: Plane debris in Indian Ocean same type as MH370 SYDNEY — A sea-crusted wing part washed up on an island in the western Indian Ocean may be the first trace of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 since it vanished nearly a year and a half ago, and a tragic but finally solid clue to one of aviation’s most perplexing and expensive mysteries.

Air safety investigators — one of them a Boeing investigator — have identified the component found on the French island of Reunion as a “flaperon” from the trailing edge of a Boeing 777 wing, a U.S. official said. Flight 370, which disappeared March 8, 2014, with 239 people on board, is the only 777 known to be missing.

“It’s the first real evidence that there is a possibility that a part of the aircraft may have been found,” said Australian Transport Minister Warren Truss, whose country is leading the search for the plane in a remote patch of ocean far off Australia’s west coast. “It’s too early to make that judgment, but clearly we are treating this as a major lead.”

Flight 370 had been traveling from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, but investigators believe based on satellite data that the plane turned south into the Indian Ocean after vanishing from radar. If the wing part is from the Malaysia plane, it would bolster that theory and put to rest others that it traveled north, or landed somewhere after being hijacked.

The wing piece is about 2 meters (6 feet) long. Investigators have found a number on the part, but it is not a serial or registration number, Truss said. It could be a maintenance number, which may help investigators figure out what plane it belongs to, he said.

A French official close to an investigation of the debris confirmed Wednesday that French

law enforcement is on Reunion to examine it. A French television network was airing video from its Reunion affiliate of the debris.

U.S. investigators are examining a photo of the debris. The U.S. and French officials spoke on condition that they not be named because they aren’t authorized to speak publicly.

Flaperons are located on the rear edge of both wings, about midway between the fuselage and the tips. When the plane is banking, the flaperon on one wing tilts up and the other tilts down, which makes the plane roll to the left or right as it turns.

The piece could help investigators figure out how the plane crashed, but whether it will help search crews pinpoint the rest of the wreckage is unclear, given the complexity of the currents in the southern Indian Ocean and the time that has elapsed since the plane disappeared.

A massive multinational search effort of the southern Indian Ocean, the China Sea and the Gulf of Thailand has turned up no trace of the plane.

The last primary radar contact with Flight 370 placed its position over the Andaman Sea about 370 kilometers (230 miles) northwest of the Malaysian city of Penang.

Reunion is about 5,600 kilometers (3,500 miles) southwest of Penang, and about 4,200 kilometers (2,600 miles) west of the current search area.

It was well understood after the aircraft disappeared that if

digging through piles of debris in search of at least 11 more people.

Continuing rain was hampering the rescue. The highway linking the village with Pokhara, the main city in the region, was blocked at several places, delaying rescuers.

Bad weather also prevented helicopters from flying.

Another five bodies were pulled out of nearby Dudhe village on Thursday, where two bridges were washed away.

11

INDONESIA Number of tourist arrivals in Papua increases

JAYAPURA - The number of tourist arrivals in Papua through the provincial city of Jayapura continues to increase every year, according to Mayor of Jayapura Benhur Tommy Mano.

“In line with the several tourism events in Papua, the number of tourist arrivals has continued to increase during the past four years,” Mano remarked in Jayapura on Thursday.

He noted that the number of foreign tourist arrivals in Papua in 2014 constituted 7,268 foreign tourists and 66,137 domestic tourists.

Mano further explained that the increase in the number of tourist arrivals was an outcome of the efforts made by the Jayapura Culture and Tourism Office to intensively promote the local tourism attractions.

“In order to develop the tourism attractions in Papua to make it a tourist destination in eastern Indonesia, the local authorities

continue to work closely with the tourism ministry and other relevant institutions for holding the tourism events,” Mano affirmed.

He remarked that the local authorities annually organize events such as the Humboldt Bay Festival, Baliem Valley Festival, and Lake Sentani Festival to promote the local culture and tourism attractions. (ant)

Foreign yachts participating in Sail Indonesia arrive in Kupang

Reunion 1ere via AP

In this image taken from video, police officers looking over a piece of debris from a plane, Wednesday, July 29, 2015, in Saint-Andre, Reunion. there was any floating debris from the plane, Indian Ocean currents would eventually bring it to the east coast of Africa, said aviation safety expert John Goglia, a former member of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board. But the debris is unlikely to provide much help in tracing the ocean currents back to the location of the main wreckage, he said.

“It’s going to be hard to say with any certainty where the source of this was,” he said. “It just confirms that the airplane is in the water and hasn’t been hijacked to some remote place

Landslides bury Nepal villages, killing at least 20 people KATHMANDU — Landslides in a mountain area of Nepal buried three villages Thursday, killing at least 20 people, authorities said.

Nepal’s National Emergency Operation Center said the landslide was triggered by heavy rainfall in the village at Lumle, about 200 kilometers (125 miles) west of Kathmandu, where rescuers pulled out 14 bodies.

An Associated Press cameraman saw police and army rescuers

Friday, July 31, 2015

One more person was killed in the neighboring Baglung district, where the death toll was expected to rise.

Heavy monsoon rains in Nepal often trigger landslides in mountains and flooding in southern plains.

The devastating earthquake in April that killed nearly 8,900 people had set off many landslides and officials fear that the heavy rainfall would trigger more. (ap)

and is waiting to be used for some other purpose. ... We haven’t lost any 777s anywhere else.”

In a statement Thursday, the prefecture of Reunion emphasized that the source of the debris has not been identified, nor has it been definitely found to be from a Boeing 777. Reunion authorities have asked France’s aviation investigative agency, known as the BEA, to coordinate with international investigators, notably the Malaysian and Australian authorities. A BEA official said there were no current plans to send a team from mainland France to Reunion. The

official was not authorized to be quoted publicly.

Malaysian Deputy Transport Minister Aziz Kaprawi, however, said the debris was “almost certain” to be from a Boeing 777 plane, and that a Malaysian team of four experts was leaving Thursday night for Paris, where he said the wing fragment would ultimately be taken to be examined.

“The shape and size of the flaperon is similar to that of a Boeing 777. It will take less than two days to verify if it is so and whether it is from MH370,” Aziz said. (ap)

KUPANG - Seven yachts carrying some 35 foreign participants arrived at Tendys beach, Kupang, to take part in the annual international maritime event of Sail Indonesia.

“On Tuesday evening, (July 28), seven yachts arrived with around 35 foreign tourists aboard,” Marius Ardu Jelamu, the head of the East Nusa Tenggara tourism and creative economy office, stated on Wednesday.

On July 26, two yachts with some 10 to 15 foreign tourists had also

landed on the beach, he noted.

The province is hoping to welcome a total of 44 yachts that will take part in Sail Indonesia. These yachts will also sail to other tourist destinations in Indonesia.

Thus, until August 4, some 200 foreign tourists from the United Kingdom, Australia, the United States, the Netherlands, and some Asian countries, among others, are estimated to arrive in East Nusa Tenggara, he remarked.

The East Nusa Tenggara authori-

ties have planned several activities, such as a gala dinner and sightseeing tours to greet and entertain the tourists.

From Kupang, the yachts will sail to Labuan Bajo, Alor, Rote, and other tourist destinations in the province.

This year’s Sail Indonesia event is called Sail Tomini as the peak ceremony will be held at Pangi Beach located in Tomini Bay, Parigi Moutong District, Central Sulawesi, on September 19, 2015. (ant)

Portuguese government rests on its laurels ahead of election

LISBON — Portugal’s center-right coalition government hopes its record overseeing the country’s recovery from the brink of bankruptcy will be enough to get it re-elected.

The Social Democratic Party and Popular Party took office after Portugal received a 78 billion euros ($85.5 billion) bailout in 2011 during Europe’s financial crisis. The leftof-center Socialist Party had been in power for the previous six years.

A general election is scheduled for

October, and Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho said at the launch of the governing parties’ joint manifesto late Wednesday that “those who rectify the past hold the keys to the future.”

He promised “diligent and steadfast” government but offered no major policy initiatives.

Austerity measures designed to reduce government debt, including steep tax hikes and cuts in public services, have been deeply unpopular. (ap)

REUTERS/Nyimas Laula

A model of a Garuda Indonesia plane stands inside Garuda ticket office in Jakarta, Indonesia July 29, 2015. Indonesian flagship airline PT Garuda Indonesia Tbk swung to a net profit in the first half of 2015 from a loss a year earlier, sending its shares up more than 7 percent on Wednesday.

Uighur jailed over attempt to join militants

JAKARTA - An Indonesian court Wednesday jailed a Chinese Uighur for six years after he was caught trying to join an Islamic extremist group led by the country’s most wanted militant.

Ahmed Bozoglan was arrested last September on the rugged central island of Sulawesi as he and three other members of the mostly Muslim ethnic minority attempted to meet militant Santoso, leader of a group known as the Eastern Indonesia Mujahideen.

The three others were jailed for six years each earlier this month.

Santoso’s group, which hides out in the jungle in an area known as a militant hotbed, is considered one of the few remaining extremist outfits that pose a serious threat in Indonesia and has been accused of deadly attacks on police.

Santoso has also pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group.

Presiding judge Houtman Tobing said Bozoglan, 28, was guilty of an “evil conspiracy” for seeking to join the Islamic militant group and had also breached immigration laws by entering Indonesia using a fake Turkish passport.

“The defendant’s deeds caused

anxiety and fear,” Tobing told a court in the capital Jakarta.

Bozoglan was also ordered to pay a fine of 100 million rupiah ($7,400) or spend another six months in jail.

Indonesia is home to the world’s biggest Muslim population of about 225 million. It has suffered a string of Islamic militant attacks in the past 15 years, including the 2002 Bali bombings that left 202 people dead.

However, a crackdown in recent years has largely dismantled the most dangerous networks.

The Uighur minority come from the northwest Chinese region of Xinjiang, where the group say they face cultural and religious repression.

Many are believed to have fled the restive region in recent years, sometimes travelling through Southeast Asia in the hope of resettling in Turkey.

Many Turks are sympathetic towards the Uighurs, who have cultural ties with Turkey and speak a Turkic language. There were protests in Turkey when around 100 members of the minority were sent back to China from Thailand this month. (afp)

10

Destination

Friday, July 31, 2015

The Lembongan

SEMARAPURA - Nusa Lembongan retains its own uniqueness so that it can continue to develop into a tourist destination.

Local communities are competing to build various accommodations ranging from home stay to hotel and villas. However, who will think that most of the land use for tourism purposes is not on the basis of private ownership as happened to the area of mangrove

forest at Jungutbatu village.

“Formerly it was a forest area. Then, people cultivated seaweed here and probably the village is far from here to bring the crops so that we find respective place here. In other words, the forest land is opened after cutting it down. People call it ‘who acts fast, he can win. Until now the mechanism still goes on,” said a member of the Jungutbatu Rural

International

Development Agency, Gede Adnyana.

According to him, the buildings for tourism purposes at Jungutbatu are established on the backfilled land belonging to the Ministry of Forestry. Local people cannot submit the rights to use. So, it is only taken advantage as it is today with the permission from village authority. Moreover, there is no written consent.

“It is not directly managed by village, but we collect the levy each month. Actually it is backfilled land owned by the Forestry,” he explained. Adnyana worries if status of the state land can kindle a conflict over

Sports

International

Friday, July 31, 2015

7

the land considering the people building the accommodation facilities in the area have been inspected by the government of Klungkung.

Customary security guard (pecalang) of Segara Ped Nusa Penida, I Nyoman Widana, said that the utilization of the state forests for tourism purposes is mostly done by local residents. He does not deny if there are some people making collaboration with people from outside Lembongan. “So far, there has been no land conflict. I think it does not harm because it opens job opportunities for local villagers,” he said. (kmb)

AP Photo/Leo Correa

In this July 14, 2015 photo, beachgoers wade into the waters of Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. An Associated Press analysis of water quality found not one water venue safe for swimming or boating in Rio’s waters.

Olympic teams to swim, boat in Rio’s filth

RIO DE JANEIRO — Athletes in next year’s Summer Olympics here will be swimming and boating in waters so contaminated with human feces that they risk becoming violently ill and unable to compete in the games, an Associated Press investigation has found.

IBP/File Photo

An AP analysis of water quality revealed dangerously high levels of viruses and bacteria from human sewage in Olympic and Paralympic venues — results that alarmed international experts and dismayed competitors training in Rio, some of whom have already fallen ill with fevers, vomiting and diarrhea.

It is the first independent comprehensive testing for both viruses and bacteria at the Olympic sites.

Brazilian officials have assured that the water will be safe for the Olympic athletes and the medi-

cal director of the International Olympic Committee said all was on track for providing safe competing venues. But neither the government nor the IOC tests for viruses, relying on bacteria testing only.

Extreme water pollution is common in Brazil, where the majority of sewage is not treated. Raw waste runs through open-air ditches to streams and rivers that feed the Olympic water sites.

As a result, Olympic athletes are almost certain to come into contact with disease-causing viruses that

in some tests measured up to 1.7 million times the level of what would be considered hazardous on a Southern California beach.

Despite decades of official pledges to clean up the mess, the stench of raw sewage still greets travelers touching down at Rio’s international airport. Prime beaches are deserted because the surf is thick with putrid sludge, and periodic die-offs leave the Olympic lake, Rodrigo de Freitas, littered with rotting fish.

“What you have there is basically raw sewage,” said John Griffith, a marine biologist at the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Griffith examined the protocols, methodology and results of the AP tests.

“It’s all the water from the toilets and the showers and whatever people put down their sinks, all mixed up, and it’s going out into the beach waters. Those kinds of things would be shut down immediately if found here,” he said, referring to the U.S. Vera Oliveira, head of water monitoring for Rio’s municipal environmental secretariat, said officials are not testing viral levels at the Olympic lake, the water quality of which is the city’s responsibility.

The other Olympic water venues are under the control of the Rio state environmental agency.

Leonardo Daemon, coordinator of water quality monitoring for the state’s environmental agency, said officials are strictly following Brazilian regulations on water qual-

ity, which are all based on bacteria levels, as are those of almost all nations.

“What would be the standard that should be followed for the quantity of virus? Because the presence or absence of virus in the water ... needs to have a standard, a limit,” he said. “You don’t have a standard for the quantity of virus in relation to human health when it comes to contact with water.”

Olympic hopefuls will be diving into Copacabana’s surf this Saturday during a triathlon Olympic qualifier event, while rowers take to the lake’s water beginning Wednesday for the 2015 World Rowing Junior Championships. Test events for sailing and marathon swimming take place later in August. (ap)

MOSCOW — The Russian Basketball Federation was suspended Wednesday by FIBA, meaning it could miss the European Championship that doubles as an Olympic qualifier. The suspension comes after two years of infighting at the federation, which culminated last month when a Russian court ordered new elections for all senior federation posts.

An earlier court ruling overturned the federation’s 2013 presidential election result, in which Yulia Anikeeva defeated former WNBA player Svetlana Abrosimova, who alleged there were many breaches of election rules.

The federation posted a letter on its website from FIBA, addressed to Anikeeva, saying Russia’s suspension resulted from a lack of “unity and stability” at the federation.

Basketball’s governing body said in a statement that the federation has been “unable to resolve longstanding institutional and legal issues.”

“As a consequence, the RBF forfeits its rights as a member of FIBA, and its teams and officials may not participate in official competitions or activities,” FIBA said.

Russia’s men’s team won a bronze medal in 2012 under David Blatt, who has since left to coach

the Cleveland Cavaliers. Longtime top player Andrei Kirilenko retired from the NBA this past season.

The European Championship is in September. Russia is scheduled to open play against Israel on Sept.

5.

FIBA said the Russian federation could report on its situation at an upcoming board meeting in Tokyo on Aug. 8-9.

“It is FIBA’s hope that the situation be resolved by this date so that the suspension may be lifted to allow for the healthy development of basketball in Russia and the participation of Russian national teams in FIBA events,” FIBA said. (ap)

Russia suspended from basketball by FIBA for infighting

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8

International

Friday, July 31, 2015

Sp rt

Paris Saint-Germain beats Manchester United 2-0

CHICAGO — Paris Saint-Germain claimed the International Champions Cup with a 2-0 victory over Manchester United on Wednesday night at Soldier Field.

Off the field, PSG might be on the verge of scoring another victory over the Red Devils. Following the game, PSG manager Laurent Blanc said his squad is close to finishing a deal with Manchester United for talented midfielder Angel di Maria, who didn’t make the trip to the U.S. for the four-match series.

“As Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain are very big clubs, negotiations can be difficult,” Blanc said through a translator. “But I feel negotiations are close to the end.”

The transfer fee could be as high as $71.7 million for di Maria, who spent last season with Manchester United after the Red Devils picked him up from Real Madrid for an even larger fee.

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal wouldn’t confirm that a deal is imminent. “I don’t answer that question,” van Gaal

said. “I don’t know. We’ll announce something when it’s done. It is not done. It’s a process. I want to interfere with nothing.”

Without di Maria, Manchester United’s attack sometimes sputtered, while Paris Saint-Germain was able to hold on after goals from midfielder Blaise Matuidi and forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the first 34 minutes. The victory, before 61,351 spectators, brought PSG the trophy for the series of summer exhibitions. They tied the New York Red Bulls with 10 points on 3-0-1 records, but took the tiebreaker on goal differential.

“There’s a huge quality to this tournament, but we can’t forget there’s an official match (against Olympique Lyonnais in the French League) to win in a few days in Montreal.” That match is Saturday.

Matuidi opened the scoring in the

BUENOS AIRES - Argentine football great Diego Maradona said on Wednesday he wants to fight the “mafia” responsible for the corruption scandal that has rocked FIFA, but he

stopped short of saying he wants to be the next president of global soccer’s governing body.

“I have to fight the mafia that still remains inside FIFA. I have to fight

25th minute. Matuidi ran into the penalty area, fended off defender Phil Jones and sent a slow roller past charging goalkeeper David De Gea. Van Gaal found fault with De Gea on that play. “They created chances only on personal errors,” Van Gaal said. “They can score out of these kind of errors, and they can finish the game.”

Ibrahimovic and Maxwell, the Brazilian defender, played a brilliant give-and-go for PSG’s second goal in the 34th minute. Ibrahimovic came down the center, fed Maxwell on the left 25 yards out and took a return feed on the 6-yard line for an easy score.

PSG goalkeeper Kevin Trapp was forced to make only three saves, the best of which came from midfielder Andreas Periera in the 76th minute.

Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata had a goal wiped out by an offside call and misfired on another sure change. His 17-yard shot in the

AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski

International

Friday, July 31, 2015

Asia football chief praises Platini as potential FIFA boss KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Michel Platini’s chances of becoming the new president of FIFA received a boost Thursday when the Asian Football Confederation chief praised

22nd minute was negated after he was ruled offside.

In the 55th minute, Mata failed to connect on a shot from the right doorstep that would have cut the Red Devils’ deficit in half.

In the 35th minute, Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney sent a rebound wide after Memphis Depay was saved from 10 yards out.

Periera’s chance in the 76th minute came as Manchester United was pressing the attack. His point-blank one-hop header was stopped by Trapp on the left side of the goal box.

Manchester United beat Club America 1-0 in its opener, then rolled to 3-1 victories over San Jose and FC Barcelona. PSG beat SL Benfica and Fiorentina before losing to Chelsea on penalties. De Gea was replaced

by Sam Johnstone in the Manchester United goal for the second half. (ap)

him as “a unique candidate” and urged his member nations to unite behind a single candidate.

AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa said Platini “would bring stability and a smooth transition to normality for FIFA in this difficult situation” but stopped short of formally endorsing the Frenchman to replace the outgoing Sepp Blatter as head of the corruption-

ROME - Arsenal’s Polish international goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has joined Serie A side AS Roma on loan for the season, both clubs said on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old helped the Premier League side win the FA Cup last season, one of just 29 appearances in all competitions in 2014-15.

The Pole’s departure follows Arsenal’s signing of Czech international Petr Cech from cham-

pions Chelsea, with Szczesny already losing out last season to Colombian David Ospina in the pecking order.

Roma said Szczesny, who has made 181 appearances for Arsenal since his senior debut in 2009 as a 19-year-old, had signed a one-year contract on Wednesday after successfully completing a medical in Rome.

“I’ve come here to win games and trophies with AS Roma and

I believe that the team is strong enough to do so,” the Pole, who joined Arsenal’s academy from Legia Warsaw in 2006, told Roma TV. “I think there’s great potential. I know the faces of the players and I know their names, so hopefully I will settle in very quickly.” Arsenal said the loan move was subject to the completion of regulatory processes. (rtr)

Maradona says he wants to fight FIFA ‘mafia’

REUTERS/Marcos Brindicci

Former Argentine soccer player Diego Maradona gestures from a balcony as he attends the Argentine First Division soccer match between Boca Juniors and Quilmes at La Bombonera stadium in Buenos Aires July 18, 2015.

those who have for a long time stolen from inside FIFA,” Maradona told local television channel America.

Asked whether he would run for the FIFA presidency, the 54-year old replied ambiguously: “I really want to be in FIFA.” In late May, federal prosecutors in New York indicted nine soccer officials, most of whom held or had held FIFA positions, and five sports media and promotions executives in schemes involving $150 million in bribes over a period of 24 years.

Prosecutors said their investigation exposed complex money laundering schemes, millions of dollars in untaxed income and tens of millions of dollars in offshore accounts held by the soccer officials.

Maradona has launched scathing attacks on the ruling elite of FIFA, and in particular its head Sepp Blatter, who announced in June that he was quitting over the bribery scandal.

Blatter was not charged by U.S. justice officials and denies any misconduct.

Maradona has long accused Blatter of running FIFA like a criminal organization and expressed delight in seeing U.S. authorities hitting several of FIFA’s top former and current officials with corruption charges. He used to bemoan that his warnings were being ignored.

“Now in my favor, I am walking in step with the yanquis,” Maradona said in the interview, using Spanishlanguage slang for Americans. “And these yanquis are serious,” he added.

Maradona was one of soccer’s most gifted players and led Argentina to a World Cup victory in 1986. But his dazzling career was blighted in later years by drug addiction, alcoholism and controversial incidents both on and off the soccer field. (rtr)

REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

Former FIFA vice president Chung Mong-joon poses for photographs after an interview with Reuters in Seoul, South Korea, July 30, 2015. Chung, one of the most influential figures in Asian football, said on Thursday he is entering the race to replace Sepp Blatter as president of the sport’s world governing body.

stained world body.

The AFC backed Blatter in this year’s presidential election despite the fact his challenger Prince Ali bin Hussein came from an AFC member nation; Jordan.

Former FIFA vice-president Chung Mong-joon of South Korea has also signaled his intention to stand in the Feb. 26 election. (ap)

Szczesny moves from Arsenal to AS Roma

Paris SaintGermain midfielder Blaise Matuidi reacts after scoring against Manchester United in the first half of an International Champions Cup soccer match on Wednesday, July 29, 2015, in Chicago.

South Korea’s Chung running for FIFA president SEOUL - Former FIFA vice president Chung Mong-joon, one of the most influential figures in Asian soccer, said on Thursday he is entering the race to replace Sepp Blatter as president of the sport’s world governing body.

Chung, the 63-year-old billionaire scion of South Korea’s Hyundai industrial conglomerate, told Reuters in an interview he would make a formal announcement next month in Europe, which he called “the centre of world football”.

“I am going to stand as a candidate for the FIFA presidency,” he said, acknowledging he had a tough fight ahead of him. “It’s not easy, but people don’t want to be part of corruption. They want to be part of the solution.” “We cannot leave FIFA in this kind of disgrace.”

Chung said he did not yet have the required backing of five FIFA federations that would allow him to stand, but he was confident of getting the support he needed.

“I hope to have more than five nominations,” he said, adding he had received assurances of support from within CONCACAF on a recent trip to the United States.

CONCACAF is the ruling body for football in North and Central America and the Caribbean.

CONTINUITY ... AND CHANGE

Images via Reuters / Jeremy Lee Livepic

Arsenal’s Wojciech Szczesny applauds their fans

9

While UEFA chief Michel Platini, 60, appears to be the strong favourite to succeed Blatter, with four of the six FIFA confederations reportedly backing him, Chung said the Frenchman was not the right person for the job.

“He’s a good person, I like him very much, but if you ask me if this is a good time for Michel to become

president of FIFA, right after Sepp Blatter, I don’t think this is good news for FIFA and I don’t think it’s good for Michel either.”

While Chung was outlining his plans to become Asia’s first FIFA president, the region’s football chief Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim gave a ringing endorsement to Platini, “a unique candidate who would bring stability and a smooth transition to normality for FIFA in this difficult situation.”

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has been a staunch supporter of Blatter, and Chung said it was beyond its mandate to back a non-Asian candidate. “Asian people did not elect them to that post to recommend another continent’s person for that kind of job,” he said.

Chung, who headed the Korea Football Association from 1993 to 2009 - during which time South Korea co-hosted the World Cup finals with Japan - lost his seat on FIFA’s executive committee in 2011 to then-Blatter ally Prince Ali bin Al Hussein of Jordan.

While there have been growing calls for an influx of fresh faces at FIFA, Chung said his departure from the governing body four years ago made him the perfect candidate.

“We need new blood at FIFA, but we also need continuity and change. The fact that I left four years ago was a kind of blessing.”

“I understand FIFA very well, I also have the experience of running a national federation. Michel does not have that kind of experience, so I think I am qualified to invite change while preserving the strength of FIFA at the same time.” (rtr)

8

International

Friday, July 31, 2015

Sp rt

Paris Saint-Germain beats Manchester United 2-0

CHICAGO — Paris Saint-Germain claimed the International Champions Cup with a 2-0 victory over Manchester United on Wednesday night at Soldier Field.

Off the field, PSG might be on the verge of scoring another victory over the Red Devils. Following the game, PSG manager Laurent Blanc said his squad is close to finishing a deal with Manchester United for talented midfielder Angel di Maria, who didn’t make the trip to the U.S. for the four-match series.

“As Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain are very big clubs, negotiations can be difficult,” Blanc said through a translator. “But I feel negotiations are close to the end.”

The transfer fee could be as high as $71.7 million for di Maria, who spent last season with Manchester United after the Red Devils picked him up from Real Madrid for an even larger fee.

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal wouldn’t confirm that a deal is imminent. “I don’t answer that question,” van Gaal

said. “I don’t know. We’ll announce something when it’s done. It is not done. It’s a process. I want to interfere with nothing.”

Without di Maria, Manchester United’s attack sometimes sputtered, while Paris Saint-Germain was able to hold on after goals from midfielder Blaise Matuidi and forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the first 34 minutes. The victory, before 61,351 spectators, brought PSG the trophy for the series of summer exhibitions. They tied the New York Red Bulls with 10 points on 3-0-1 records, but took the tiebreaker on goal differential.

“There’s a huge quality to this tournament, but we can’t forget there’s an official match (against Olympique Lyonnais in the French League) to win in a few days in Montreal.” That match is Saturday.

Matuidi opened the scoring in the

BUENOS AIRES - Argentine football great Diego Maradona said on Wednesday he wants to fight the “mafia” responsible for the corruption scandal that has rocked FIFA, but he

stopped short of saying he wants to be the next president of global soccer’s governing body.

“I have to fight the mafia that still remains inside FIFA. I have to fight

25th minute. Matuidi ran into the penalty area, fended off defender Phil Jones and sent a slow roller past charging goalkeeper David De Gea. Van Gaal found fault with De Gea on that play. “They created chances only on personal errors,” Van Gaal said. “They can score out of these kind of errors, and they can finish the game.”

Ibrahimovic and Maxwell, the Brazilian defender, played a brilliant give-and-go for PSG’s second goal in the 34th minute. Ibrahimovic came down the center, fed Maxwell on the left 25 yards out and took a return feed on the 6-yard line for an easy score.

PSG goalkeeper Kevin Trapp was forced to make only three saves, the best of which came from midfielder Andreas Periera in the 76th minute.

Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata had a goal wiped out by an offside call and misfired on another sure change. His 17-yard shot in the

AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski

International

Friday, July 31, 2015

Asia football chief praises Platini as potential FIFA boss KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Michel Platini’s chances of becoming the new president of FIFA received a boost Thursday when the Asian Football Confederation chief praised

22nd minute was negated after he was ruled offside.

In the 55th minute, Mata failed to connect on a shot from the right doorstep that would have cut the Red Devils’ deficit in half.

In the 35th minute, Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney sent a rebound wide after Memphis Depay was saved from 10 yards out.

Periera’s chance in the 76th minute came as Manchester United was pressing the attack. His point-blank one-hop header was stopped by Trapp on the left side of the goal box.

Manchester United beat Club America 1-0 in its opener, then rolled to 3-1 victories over San Jose and FC Barcelona. PSG beat SL Benfica and Fiorentina before losing to Chelsea on penalties. De Gea was replaced

by Sam Johnstone in the Manchester United goal for the second half. (ap)

him as “a unique candidate” and urged his member nations to unite behind a single candidate.

AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa said Platini “would bring stability and a smooth transition to normality for FIFA in this difficult situation” but stopped short of formally endorsing the Frenchman to replace the outgoing Sepp Blatter as head of the corruption-

ROME - Arsenal’s Polish international goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has joined Serie A side AS Roma on loan for the season, both clubs said on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old helped the Premier League side win the FA Cup last season, one of just 29 appearances in all competitions in 2014-15.

The Pole’s departure follows Arsenal’s signing of Czech international Petr Cech from cham-

pions Chelsea, with Szczesny already losing out last season to Colombian David Ospina in the pecking order.

Roma said Szczesny, who has made 181 appearances for Arsenal since his senior debut in 2009 as a 19-year-old, had signed a one-year contract on Wednesday after successfully completing a medical in Rome.

“I’ve come here to win games and trophies with AS Roma and

I believe that the team is strong enough to do so,” the Pole, who joined Arsenal’s academy from Legia Warsaw in 2006, told Roma TV. “I think there’s great potential. I know the faces of the players and I know their names, so hopefully I will settle in very quickly.” Arsenal said the loan move was subject to the completion of regulatory processes. (rtr)

Maradona says he wants to fight FIFA ‘mafia’

REUTERS/Marcos Brindicci

Former Argentine soccer player Diego Maradona gestures from a balcony as he attends the Argentine First Division soccer match between Boca Juniors and Quilmes at La Bombonera stadium in Buenos Aires July 18, 2015.

those who have for a long time stolen from inside FIFA,” Maradona told local television channel America.

Asked whether he would run for the FIFA presidency, the 54-year old replied ambiguously: “I really want to be in FIFA.” In late May, federal prosecutors in New York indicted nine soccer officials, most of whom held or had held FIFA positions, and five sports media and promotions executives in schemes involving $150 million in bribes over a period of 24 years.

Prosecutors said their investigation exposed complex money laundering schemes, millions of dollars in untaxed income and tens of millions of dollars in offshore accounts held by the soccer officials.

Maradona has launched scathing attacks on the ruling elite of FIFA, and in particular its head Sepp Blatter, who announced in June that he was quitting over the bribery scandal.

Blatter was not charged by U.S. justice officials and denies any misconduct.

Maradona has long accused Blatter of running FIFA like a criminal organization and expressed delight in seeing U.S. authorities hitting several of FIFA’s top former and current officials with corruption charges. He used to bemoan that his warnings were being ignored.

“Now in my favor, I am walking in step with the yanquis,” Maradona said in the interview, using Spanishlanguage slang for Americans. “And these yanquis are serious,” he added.

Maradona was one of soccer’s most gifted players and led Argentina to a World Cup victory in 1986. But his dazzling career was blighted in later years by drug addiction, alcoholism and controversial incidents both on and off the soccer field. (rtr)

REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

Former FIFA vice president Chung Mong-joon poses for photographs after an interview with Reuters in Seoul, South Korea, July 30, 2015. Chung, one of the most influential figures in Asian football, said on Thursday he is entering the race to replace Sepp Blatter as president of the sport’s world governing body.

stained world body.

The AFC backed Blatter in this year’s presidential election despite the fact his challenger Prince Ali bin Hussein came from an AFC member nation; Jordan.

Former FIFA vice-president Chung Mong-joon of South Korea has also signaled his intention to stand in the Feb. 26 election. (ap)

Szczesny moves from Arsenal to AS Roma

Paris SaintGermain midfielder Blaise Matuidi reacts after scoring against Manchester United in the first half of an International Champions Cup soccer match on Wednesday, July 29, 2015, in Chicago.

South Korea’s Chung running for FIFA president SEOUL - Former FIFA vice president Chung Mong-joon, one of the most influential figures in Asian soccer, said on Thursday he is entering the race to replace Sepp Blatter as president of the sport’s world governing body.

Chung, the 63-year-old billionaire scion of South Korea’s Hyundai industrial conglomerate, told Reuters in an interview he would make a formal announcement next month in Europe, which he called “the centre of world football”.

“I am going to stand as a candidate for the FIFA presidency,” he said, acknowledging he had a tough fight ahead of him. “It’s not easy, but people don’t want to be part of corruption. They want to be part of the solution.” “We cannot leave FIFA in this kind of disgrace.”

Chung said he did not yet have the required backing of five FIFA federations that would allow him to stand, but he was confident of getting the support he needed.

“I hope to have more than five nominations,” he said, adding he had received assurances of support from within CONCACAF on a recent trip to the United States.

CONCACAF is the ruling body for football in North and Central America and the Caribbean.

CONTINUITY ... AND CHANGE

Images via Reuters / Jeremy Lee Livepic

Arsenal’s Wojciech Szczesny applauds their fans

9

While UEFA chief Michel Platini, 60, appears to be the strong favourite to succeed Blatter, with four of the six FIFA confederations reportedly backing him, Chung said the Frenchman was not the right person for the job.

“He’s a good person, I like him very much, but if you ask me if this is a good time for Michel to become

president of FIFA, right after Sepp Blatter, I don’t think this is good news for FIFA and I don’t think it’s good for Michel either.”

While Chung was outlining his plans to become Asia’s first FIFA president, the region’s football chief Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim gave a ringing endorsement to Platini, “a unique candidate who would bring stability and a smooth transition to normality for FIFA in this difficult situation.”

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has been a staunch supporter of Blatter, and Chung said it was beyond its mandate to back a non-Asian candidate. “Asian people did not elect them to that post to recommend another continent’s person for that kind of job,” he said.

Chung, who headed the Korea Football Association from 1993 to 2009 - during which time South Korea co-hosted the World Cup finals with Japan - lost his seat on FIFA’s executive committee in 2011 to then-Blatter ally Prince Ali bin Al Hussein of Jordan.

While there have been growing calls for an influx of fresh faces at FIFA, Chung said his departure from the governing body four years ago made him the perfect candidate.

“We need new blood at FIFA, but we also need continuity and change. The fact that I left four years ago was a kind of blessing.”

“I understand FIFA very well, I also have the experience of running a national federation. Michel does not have that kind of experience, so I think I am qualified to invite change while preserving the strength of FIFA at the same time.” (rtr)

10

Destination

Friday, July 31, 2015

The Lembongan

SEMARAPURA - Nusa Lembongan retains its own uniqueness so that it can continue to develop into a tourist destination.

Local communities are competing to build various accommodations ranging from home stay to hotel and villas. However, who will think that most of the land use for tourism purposes is not on the basis of private ownership as happened to the area of mangrove

forest at Jungutbatu village.

“Formerly it was a forest area. Then, people cultivated seaweed here and probably the village is far from here to bring the crops so that we find respective place here. In other words, the forest land is opened after cutting it down. People call it ‘who acts fast, he can win. Until now the mechanism still goes on,” said a member of the Jungutbatu Rural

International

Development Agency, Gede Adnyana.

According to him, the buildings for tourism purposes at Jungutbatu are established on the backfilled land belonging to the Ministry of Forestry. Local people cannot submit the rights to use. So, it is only taken advantage as it is today with the permission from village authority. Moreover, there is no written consent.

“It is not directly managed by village, but we collect the levy each month. Actually it is backfilled land owned by the Forestry,” he explained. Adnyana worries if status of the state land can kindle a conflict over

Sports

International

Friday, July 31, 2015

7

the land considering the people building the accommodation facilities in the area have been inspected by the government of Klungkung.

Customary security guard (pecalang) of Segara Ped Nusa Penida, I Nyoman Widana, said that the utilization of the state forests for tourism purposes is mostly done by local residents. He does not deny if there are some people making collaboration with people from outside Lembongan. “So far, there has been no land conflict. I think it does not harm because it opens job opportunities for local villagers,” he said. (kmb)

AP Photo/Leo Correa

In this July 14, 2015 photo, beachgoers wade into the waters of Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. An Associated Press analysis of water quality found not one water venue safe for swimming or boating in Rio’s waters.

Olympic teams to swim, boat in Rio’s filth

RIO DE JANEIRO — Athletes in next year’s Summer Olympics here will be swimming and boating in waters so contaminated with human feces that they risk becoming violently ill and unable to compete in the games, an Associated Press investigation has found.

IBP/File Photo

An AP analysis of water quality revealed dangerously high levels of viruses and bacteria from human sewage in Olympic and Paralympic venues — results that alarmed international experts and dismayed competitors training in Rio, some of whom have already fallen ill with fevers, vomiting and diarrhea.

It is the first independent comprehensive testing for both viruses and bacteria at the Olympic sites.

Brazilian officials have assured that the water will be safe for the Olympic athletes and the medi-

cal director of the International Olympic Committee said all was on track for providing safe competing venues. But neither the government nor the IOC tests for viruses, relying on bacteria testing only.

Extreme water pollution is common in Brazil, where the majority of sewage is not treated. Raw waste runs through open-air ditches to streams and rivers that feed the Olympic water sites.

As a result, Olympic athletes are almost certain to come into contact with disease-causing viruses that

in some tests measured up to 1.7 million times the level of what would be considered hazardous on a Southern California beach.

Despite decades of official pledges to clean up the mess, the stench of raw sewage still greets travelers touching down at Rio’s international airport. Prime beaches are deserted because the surf is thick with putrid sludge, and periodic die-offs leave the Olympic lake, Rodrigo de Freitas, littered with rotting fish.

“What you have there is basically raw sewage,” said John Griffith, a marine biologist at the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Griffith examined the protocols, methodology and results of the AP tests.

“It’s all the water from the toilets and the showers and whatever people put down their sinks, all mixed up, and it’s going out into the beach waters. Those kinds of things would be shut down immediately if found here,” he said, referring to the U.S. Vera Oliveira, head of water monitoring for Rio’s municipal environmental secretariat, said officials are not testing viral levels at the Olympic lake, the water quality of which is the city’s responsibility.

The other Olympic water venues are under the control of the Rio state environmental agency.

Leonardo Daemon, coordinator of water quality monitoring for the state’s environmental agency, said officials are strictly following Brazilian regulations on water qual-

ity, which are all based on bacteria levels, as are those of almost all nations.

“What would be the standard that should be followed for the quantity of virus? Because the presence or absence of virus in the water ... needs to have a standard, a limit,” he said. “You don’t have a standard for the quantity of virus in relation to human health when it comes to contact with water.”

Olympic hopefuls will be diving into Copacabana’s surf this Saturday during a triathlon Olympic qualifier event, while rowers take to the lake’s water beginning Wednesday for the 2015 World Rowing Junior Championships. Test events for sailing and marathon swimming take place later in August. (ap)

MOSCOW — The Russian Basketball Federation was suspended Wednesday by FIBA, meaning it could miss the European Championship that doubles as an Olympic qualifier. The suspension comes after two years of infighting at the federation, which culminated last month when a Russian court ordered new elections for all senior federation posts.

An earlier court ruling overturned the federation’s 2013 presidential election result, in which Yulia Anikeeva defeated former WNBA player Svetlana Abrosimova, who alleged there were many breaches of election rules.

The federation posted a letter on its website from FIBA, addressed to Anikeeva, saying Russia’s suspension resulted from a lack of “unity and stability” at the federation.

Basketball’s governing body said in a statement that the federation has been “unable to resolve longstanding institutional and legal issues.”

“As a consequence, the RBF forfeits its rights as a member of FIBA, and its teams and officials may not participate in official competitions or activities,” FIBA said.

Russia’s men’s team won a bronze medal in 2012 under David Blatt, who has since left to coach

the Cleveland Cavaliers. Longtime top player Andrei Kirilenko retired from the NBA this past season.

The European Championship is in September. Russia is scheduled to open play against Israel on Sept.

5.

FIBA said the Russian federation could report on its situation at an upcoming board meeting in Tokyo on Aug. 8-9.

“It is FIBA’s hope that the situation be resolved by this date so that the suspension may be lifted to allow for the healthy development of basketball in Russia and the participation of Russian national teams in FIBA events,” FIBA said. (ap)

Russia suspended from basketball by FIBA for infighting

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W

International

International

RLD

US official: Plane debris in Indian Ocean same type as MH370 SYDNEY — A sea-crusted wing part washed up on an island in the western Indian Ocean may be the first trace of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 since it vanished nearly a year and a half ago, and a tragic but finally solid clue to one of aviation’s most perplexing and expensive mysteries.

Air safety investigators — one of them a Boeing investigator — have identified the component found on the French island of Reunion as a “flaperon” from the trailing edge of a Boeing 777 wing, a U.S. official said. Flight 370, which disappeared March 8, 2014, with 239 people on board, is the only 777 known to be missing.

“It’s the first real evidence that there is a possibility that a part of the aircraft may have been found,” said Australian Transport Minister Warren Truss, whose country is leading the search for the plane in a remote patch of ocean far off Australia’s west coast. “It’s too early to make that judgment, but clearly we are treating this as a major lead.”

Flight 370 had been traveling from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, but investigators believe based on satellite data that the plane turned south into the Indian Ocean after vanishing from radar. If the wing part is from the Malaysia plane, it would bolster that theory and put to rest others that it traveled north, or landed somewhere after being hijacked.

The wing piece is about 2 meters (6 feet) long. Investigators have found a number on the part, but it is not a serial or registration number, Truss said. It could be a maintenance number, which may help investigators figure out what plane it belongs to, he said.

A French official close to an investigation of the debris confirmed Wednesday that French

law enforcement is on Reunion to examine it. A French television network was airing video from its Reunion affiliate of the debris.

U.S. investigators are examining a photo of the debris. The U.S. and French officials spoke on condition that they not be named because they aren’t authorized to speak publicly.

Flaperons are located on the rear edge of both wings, about midway between the fuselage and the tips. When the plane is banking, the flaperon on one wing tilts up and the other tilts down, which makes the plane roll to the left or right as it turns.

The piece could help investigators figure out how the plane crashed, but whether it will help search crews pinpoint the rest of the wreckage is unclear, given the complexity of the currents in the southern Indian Ocean and the time that has elapsed since the plane disappeared.

A massive multinational search effort of the southern Indian Ocean, the China Sea and the Gulf of Thailand has turned up no trace of the plane.

The last primary radar contact with Flight 370 placed its position over the Andaman Sea about 370 kilometers (230 miles) northwest of the Malaysian city of Penang.

Reunion is about 5,600 kilometers (3,500 miles) southwest of Penang, and about 4,200 kilometers (2,600 miles) west of the current search area.

It was well understood after the aircraft disappeared that if

digging through piles of debris in search of at least 11 more people.

Continuing rain was hampering the rescue. The highway linking the village with Pokhara, the main city in the region, was blocked at several places, delaying rescuers.

Bad weather also prevented helicopters from flying.

Another five bodies were pulled out of nearby Dudhe village on Thursday, where two bridges were washed away.

11

INDONESIA Number of tourist arrivals in Papua increases

JAYAPURA - The number of tourist arrivals in Papua through the provincial city of Jayapura continues to increase every year, according to Mayor of Jayapura Benhur Tommy Mano.

“In line with the several tourism events in Papua, the number of tourist arrivals has continued to increase during the past four years,” Mano remarked in Jayapura on Thursday.

He noted that the number of foreign tourist arrivals in Papua in 2014 constituted 7,268 foreign tourists and 66,137 domestic tourists.

Mano further explained that the increase in the number of tourist arrivals was an outcome of the efforts made by the Jayapura Culture and Tourism Office to intensively promote the local tourism attractions.

“In order to develop the tourism attractions in Papua to make it a tourist destination in eastern Indonesia, the local authorities

continue to work closely with the tourism ministry and other relevant institutions for holding the tourism events,” Mano affirmed.

He remarked that the local authorities annually organize events such as the Humboldt Bay Festival, Baliem Valley Festival, and Lake Sentani Festival to promote the local culture and tourism attractions. (ant)

Foreign yachts participating in Sail Indonesia arrive in Kupang

Reunion 1ere via AP

In this image taken from video, police officers looking over a piece of debris from a plane, Wednesday, July 29, 2015, in Saint-Andre, Reunion. there was any floating debris from the plane, Indian Ocean currents would eventually bring it to the east coast of Africa, said aviation safety expert John Goglia, a former member of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board. But the debris is unlikely to provide much help in tracing the ocean currents back to the location of the main wreckage, he said.

“It’s going to be hard to say with any certainty where the source of this was,” he said. “It just confirms that the airplane is in the water and hasn’t been hijacked to some remote place

Landslides bury Nepal villages, killing at least 20 people KATHMANDU — Landslides in a mountain area of Nepal buried three villages Thursday, killing at least 20 people, authorities said.

Nepal’s National Emergency Operation Center said the landslide was triggered by heavy rainfall in the village at Lumle, about 200 kilometers (125 miles) west of Kathmandu, where rescuers pulled out 14 bodies.

An Associated Press cameraman saw police and army rescuers

Friday, July 31, 2015

One more person was killed in the neighboring Baglung district, where the death toll was expected to rise.

Heavy monsoon rains in Nepal often trigger landslides in mountains and flooding in southern plains.

The devastating earthquake in April that killed nearly 8,900 people had set off many landslides and officials fear that the heavy rainfall would trigger more. (ap)

and is waiting to be used for some other purpose. ... We haven’t lost any 777s anywhere else.”

In a statement Thursday, the prefecture of Reunion emphasized that the source of the debris has not been identified, nor has it been definitely found to be from a Boeing 777. Reunion authorities have asked France’s aviation investigative agency, known as the BEA, to coordinate with international investigators, notably the Malaysian and Australian authorities. A BEA official said there were no current plans to send a team from mainland France to Reunion. The

official was not authorized to be quoted publicly.

Malaysian Deputy Transport Minister Aziz Kaprawi, however, said the debris was “almost certain” to be from a Boeing 777 plane, and that a Malaysian team of four experts was leaving Thursday night for Paris, where he said the wing fragment would ultimately be taken to be examined.

“The shape and size of the flaperon is similar to that of a Boeing 777. It will take less than two days to verify if it is so and whether it is from MH370,” Aziz said. (ap)

KUPANG - Seven yachts carrying some 35 foreign participants arrived at Tendys beach, Kupang, to take part in the annual international maritime event of Sail Indonesia.

“On Tuesday evening, (July 28), seven yachts arrived with around 35 foreign tourists aboard,” Marius Ardu Jelamu, the head of the East Nusa Tenggara tourism and creative economy office, stated on Wednesday.

On July 26, two yachts with some 10 to 15 foreign tourists had also

landed on the beach, he noted.

The province is hoping to welcome a total of 44 yachts that will take part in Sail Indonesia. These yachts will also sail to other tourist destinations in Indonesia.

Thus, until August 4, some 200 foreign tourists from the United Kingdom, Australia, the United States, the Netherlands, and some Asian countries, among others, are estimated to arrive in East Nusa Tenggara, he remarked.

The East Nusa Tenggara authori-

ties have planned several activities, such as a gala dinner and sightseeing tours to greet and entertain the tourists.

From Kupang, the yachts will sail to Labuan Bajo, Alor, Rote, and other tourist destinations in the province.

This year’s Sail Indonesia event is called Sail Tomini as the peak ceremony will be held at Pangi Beach located in Tomini Bay, Parigi Moutong District, Central Sulawesi, on September 19, 2015. (ant)

Portuguese government rests on its laurels ahead of election

LISBON — Portugal’s center-right coalition government hopes its record overseeing the country’s recovery from the brink of bankruptcy will be enough to get it re-elected.

The Social Democratic Party and Popular Party took office after Portugal received a 78 billion euros ($85.5 billion) bailout in 2011 during Europe’s financial crisis. The leftof-center Socialist Party had been in power for the previous six years.

A general election is scheduled for

October, and Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho said at the launch of the governing parties’ joint manifesto late Wednesday that “those who rectify the past hold the keys to the future.”

He promised “diligent and steadfast” government but offered no major policy initiatives.

Austerity measures designed to reduce government debt, including steep tax hikes and cuts in public services, have been deeply unpopular. (ap)

REUTERS/Nyimas Laula

A model of a Garuda Indonesia plane stands inside Garuda ticket office in Jakarta, Indonesia July 29, 2015. Indonesian flagship airline PT Garuda Indonesia Tbk swung to a net profit in the first half of 2015 from a loss a year earlier, sending its shares up more than 7 percent on Wednesday.

Uighur jailed over attempt to join militants

JAKARTA - An Indonesian court Wednesday jailed a Chinese Uighur for six years after he was caught trying to join an Islamic extremist group led by the country’s most wanted militant.

Ahmed Bozoglan was arrested last September on the rugged central island of Sulawesi as he and three other members of the mostly Muslim ethnic minority attempted to meet militant Santoso, leader of a group known as the Eastern Indonesia Mujahideen.

The three others were jailed for six years each earlier this month.

Santoso’s group, which hides out in the jungle in an area known as a militant hotbed, is considered one of the few remaining extremist outfits that pose a serious threat in Indonesia and has been accused of deadly attacks on police.

Santoso has also pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group.

Presiding judge Houtman Tobing said Bozoglan, 28, was guilty of an “evil conspiracy” for seeking to join the Islamic militant group and had also breached immigration laws by entering Indonesia using a fake Turkish passport.

“The defendant’s deeds caused

anxiety and fear,” Tobing told a court in the capital Jakarta.

Bozoglan was also ordered to pay a fine of 100 million rupiah ($7,400) or spend another six months in jail.

Indonesia is home to the world’s biggest Muslim population of about 225 million. It has suffered a string of Islamic militant attacks in the past 15 years, including the 2002 Bali bombings that left 202 people dead.

However, a crackdown in recent years has largely dismantled the most dangerous networks.

The Uighur minority come from the northwest Chinese region of Xinjiang, where the group say they face cultural and religious repression.

Many are believed to have fled the restive region in recent years, sometimes travelling through Southeast Asia in the hope of resettling in Turkey.

Many Turks are sympathetic towards the Uighurs, who have cultural ties with Turkey and speak a Turkic language. There were protests in Turkey when around 100 members of the minority were sent back to China from Thailand this month. (afp)

12

International

Friday, July 31, 2015

Bali News

International

Dollar up on Fed rate talk, Asia markets mostly rise

With the mood on global markets a little more upbeat than at the start of the week, oil prices edged up although concerns over a supply glut are keeping a lid on rises.

Tokyo jumped 1.08 percent, or 219.92 points, to 20,522.83 as the yen weakened against the

greenback and top firms including Nintendo reported strong earnings.

Sydney rose 0.81 percent, or 45.3 points, to close at 5,669.5 thanks to a pick-up in iron ore prices.

Shanghai suffered a late sell-off to end 2.20 percent lower, dropping 83.40 points to 3,705.77, while

Hong Kong followed the losses to close down 0.49 percent, or 121.47 points, at 24,497.98.

Seoul dropped 0.91 percent, or 18.59 points, to 2,019.03, hurt by selling in heavyweight Samsung Electronics after it reported disappointing earnings.

After a two-day policy meeting, the Fed said in a statement that the world’s top economy had expanded “moderately” in recent months and the jobs market had

strengthened, but it noted continued “soft” business investment and exports.

It also said inflation was below target, though it put much of that down to falling energy prices and to cheaper imports caused by the strong dollar.

While it gave no more clues about its plans for raising interest rates, analysts said the wording suggested September was now a strong possibility for a rate rise.

On Wall Street, the Dow rose 0.69 percent, the S&P 500 gained 0.73 percent and the Nasdaq advanced 0.44 percent. The gains were the second in a row after US stocks suffered a five-day losing streak.

“The Fed statement was similar to the last and it was a very modest upgrade to previous language,” said Raiko Shareef, a markets strategist at Bank of New Zealand in Wellington. (afp)

Galaxy S6 fails to reverse profit decline at Samsung

SEOUL — Samsung Elec- while operating income dropped earlier this month. It generated compared with 4.4 trillion won a tronics suffered a fifth straight 4 percent to 6.9 trillion won, in 2.8 trillion won operating in- year earlier.

The only bright spot came drop in quarterly earnings as line with its earnings preview come from the mobile business the Galaxy S6 failed to reverse its declining fortunes in global smartphone sales.

The company’s overall earnings drop during the April-June quarter was 8 percent but it reported a much bigger decline of 38 percent in the mobile division’s income. The sharp profit drop in the mobile business came despite its ambitious start to the quarter with the launch of two flagship smartphones: the Galaxy S6 and the S6 Edge featuring a curved side display.

“Total sales of the S6 and S6 Edge during the second quarter were below expectations,” Park Jinyoung, a vice president at Samsung’s mobile communications team, said on a conference call Thursday.

The decline in the mobile profit was smaller than the previous quarter’s nearly 60 percent plunge, but it extended the mobile division’s losing streak.

Samsung’s sky-high growth in the smartphone industry came to a sudden stop in 2013 as bigger iPhone models lured buyers from Samsung phones and Chinese phone makers squeezed its sales in China.

Samsung’s April-June net income was 5.8 trillion won ($5 billion), down 8 percent from 6.3 trillion won a year earlier. A FactSet survey of analysts predicted AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon 5.6 trillion won of net income.

An employee of Samsung Electronics Co. watches a mobile phone near an advertisement of Sales fell 7 percent over a Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge smartphone at a Samsung Electronics shop in year earlier to 48.5 trillion won Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, July 30, 2015.

from sales of components powering smartphones. A robust performance at its semiconductor department helped narrow the overall profit decline. Operating income from its semiconductor division surpassed the 3 trillion won mark for the first time in several years.

Samsung pinned high hopes on the S6 and S6 Edge phones when they were introduced in April. So much so that local media dubbed them the “Lee Jae-yong phone,” indicating that they were overseen by the Samsung chairman’s son, Lee Jae-yong. He is a vice chairman at Samsung who is widely expected to succeed his ailing father.

But sales of the flagship models fell short, dealing a blow to the 47-year-old heir apparent who is under pressure to demonstrate he is capable of leading the Asian consumer technology giant at a time of serious challenges.

The company was hit by two problems with its Galaxy S6 series. The regular version of the phone, the Galaxy S6, wasn’t as popular as expected, while it could not keep up with demand for the S6 Edge model, which features a display that curves on both sides that is more difficult to produce.

Market research firm IDC said Samsung, still the world’s largest maker of smartphones, was the only top five smartphone vendor that lost market share during the second quarter, falling to 22 percent, from 25 percent a year earlier. (ap)

5

Bali bids farewell to Consul General of India

BUSINESS

HONG KONG - The dollar pushed higher on Thursday after the Federal Reserve upgraded its outlook on the US economy, fuelling talk of a September interest rate hike, while Asian shares were mostly up after a Wall Street rally.

Friday, July 31, 2015

DENPASAR - In an elegant ceremony at Gedung Wiswa Sabha Utama on 27 July 2015, the Balinese community led by the Governor of Bali, Made Mangku Pastika and Ibu Ayu Pastika, along with the prominent members of the Indian community led by Ambassador of India to Indonesia and Timor-Leste, H.E. Mr. Gurjit Singh, and the members of the Bali Consular Corps, bid farewell to Mr. A.S. Takhi and Mrs. Gurinder Kaur Takhi, who are expected to depart Bali early next month on their next assignment.

IBP/Sosiawan

Egg war, a tradition to awaken Tri Kaya Parisudha concept

BANGLI - Lately a number of people often express their sense of excitement by dissipating. Sometimes, this behavior often results in new problems leading to personal grudges. Apparently this matter does not happen to people at Kayubihi village, Bangli. Their joy in life is expressed through the tradition known as Egg War as organized on Wednesday (Jul. 29).

Chief of Kayubihi customary village, I Wayan Sadia, said that the tradition poses a heritage passed down from generation to generation. It is implemented on the Ngusabha Pausa or Kelod. This tradition undergoes similar condition to the Mapeed Ngiring Tangas tradition that has not been held for 22 years due to cuntaka or temporary impurity of the village and construction of several temples at local village. “It has become a tradition of local village. However, it has long not been implemented due to impurity of local village and the construction of several temples. This can just be realized after being dormant for 22 years,” he explained.

Associated with the name of the tradition, explained Sadia, the egg war is not throwing eggs, but using a ball made from young coconut or palm leaf sizing a small child’s fist.

The egg war is organized in a series of Nyunding procession meaning to express people’s excitement having been endowed with prosperity.

In addition, when the mutu-

ally throwing action begins, the public is not allowed to be angry or revengeful. “This tradition is intended to implement the Tri Kaya Parisudha (good thought, speech and deed) concept. When throwing, all the participants may not say rude, may not get angry and may not be revengeful. After the event, it must still be applied,” he said.

Before the throwing action begins, all the participants, namely Jero Truna and Pamuit village and Uduhan village must say prayers first at Pausa Temple located in the east of Kayubihi meeting hall. After the prayers, participants are divided into two camps and move toward the front area of Pausa Temple. It is the time for distributing eggs to participants and the war immediately begins.

In the procession, firstly, Jero Truna is defeated and driven back to Sepat Sikut Temple (north of Pausa Temple). Secondly, customary villagers pushed customary youth to location in the south of the meeting hall. Ultimately, both groups undergo purificatory rite at Pasiraman and Dalem Pingit Temple.

Sadia added that after the purificatory rite some participants of the war trigged themselves with young coconut leaf headdress and sarong.

After that, all the participants make kawisan gift delivery tradition to widows living at the customary village. Interestingly, prior delivering the gifts, the participants must dance. (sos)

Recalling the pivotal role played by A.S. Takhi in building bridges between the India & Bali, both Governor Pastika & Ambassador Gurjit Singh were effusive in their recognition and praise for the yeoman’s service by the first Consul General of India in Bali in raising the level of connectivity between peoples of both the countries. The Governor wished them well for their future endeavours. He was also appreciative of the role played by the Consul General Takhi & the Indian community in developing a harmonious and prosperous Bali. The Governor also sang an evergreen Hindi song, the Bahasa Indonesia version of which has been popular all over Indonesia and of which the Governor is highly fond of, as he hummed the same during his youthful days.

The Ambassador acknowledged that Consul General Takhi has indeed carried out his man-

date in remarkable manner not only in the island of Bali but also in several other provinces in eastern Indonesia. He particularly referred to the huge success of Sahabat India Festival held in different locations in eastern Indonesia and particularly in universities & schools in this region. The Ambassador thanked the Balinese community for their emphatic support to the Consul General and his team in strengthening the friendship between two countries.

Earlier, during his farewell address, Consul General Takhi conveyed his greetings to the Balinese community on the Galungan & Kuningan celebrations.

He profusely thanked the Governor and his entire administration as well as the entire Balinese community for their consistent support and encouragement. He also expressed his thanks to the provincial & regional adminis-

trations across 15 provinces in eastern Indonesia covering the islands of Bali, Lombok, Sulawesi, Maluku, Papua, East & South Kalimantan which form the consular districts of the Consulate General of India in Bali. He appreciated the assistance received from the universities, schools, socio-cultural institutions, art & cultural personalities and the general public at large across eastern Indonesia, in a show-off enormous goodwill for India, with which Indonesia shares civilizational relations.

Bali had record participation in the first International Day of Yoga celebrations held on June 21, 2015 & both Ambassador Gurjit Singh and Consul General A.S. Takhi conveyed their appreciation & thanks for the wholehearted support of the Balinese community to this excellent initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India. (r)

IBP/Courtesy of Consulate India

4

Bali News

Friday, July 31, 2015

International

Friday, July 31, 2015

International

Hundreds of illegal NFE institutions found in Tabanan

TABANAN - Increasingly widespread indications of illegal non-formal education (NFE) in some areas of Tabanan get special attention from the Tabanan Education Council. As planned, in the near future the Education Council will conduct a monitoring against the education institutions feared to harm learners.

Chairman of the Education Council, Wayan Madra, recently said that there are at least hundreds of NFE with unclear license. They mostly proliferate in urban areas like in the town of Tabanan.

“We do not prohibit the existence of non-formal education.

But at least, the clarity related to the institution must be able to be accounted for. Thus, the learners

will not be harmed. Moreover, we have seen they have amounted to hundreds of institution,” he said.

He pointed out that many teachers open courses or tutoring beyond school hours and charge certain amount of fee beyond school tuition. Not infrequently, the students that do not attend the courses or extra lessons are often sequestered during the lesson at

school.

“It’s not good, and should be corrected. There is tendency that teachers more easily give the way to resolve questions during the course or tutoring, while school hours posing formal education are often not maximized,” he explained.

Not only that, the other large NFEs also mushrooming along Jalan Bypass Soekarno will also be targeted. In the next monitoring, the education council wants to know the extent of the correlation between the educational institutions to relevant agencies such as

the Education Agency, especially in terms of reporting. “Do not let the Agency Head sign certificate but having no correlation to the Education Agency,” he said.

If in the monitoring his party gets findings, the Education Agency will make recommendation to the Education Agency for immediate action. “We recommend closing the illegal educational institutions,” he said.

As has been known, the Educational Council as the originator of the Education Clinic in Tabanan County is recently aggressive to handle a wide variety of education

IBP/File

The newly married couple carry out ceremony

AMLAPURA - Early marriage or young marriage rate in Karangasem is high. This young marriage triggers high rate of maternal mortality in Karangasem.

It was announced by the Head of Women Empowerment and Family Planning, Priagung Duarsa, Wednesday (Jul. 29), in Karangasem during the medico-technical meeting in Amlapura.

Young marriage occurs even at the age of 15 years to 19 years. “Young marriage rate occurred at the age of 15-19 years is quite high, but I do not remember the exact numbers,” he said.

Young marriage, he said, is also prone to cause maternal mortality. In fact, the maternal rate in Karangasem is still high, even the highest in Bali.

It is said that early marriage has something to do with infant birth defect or infant mortality and maternal mortality because young marriage does have a high risk. It happens because reproductive organ at an early age has not fully developed, so that it is not ready to give birth. “Early marriage is certainly not ready physically and mentally, including the economic readiness of the household. On that account, early marriage is also prone to result in household tempest or broken home,” he said.

To mature the age of marriage among the generations of Karangasem, said Priagung Duarsa, his party has a reproductive health education program to schools, including the provision of counseling information center for teenagers.

Besides, it will also be held generation planning program to schools that aims to prevent early marriages. (013)

English-speaking UDG participants get training

AMLAPURA - Participants of the Utsawa Dharma Gita (UDG) or Dharma song festival for the category of Hindu sermon (dharma vacana) in English language were simultaneously nurtured starting on Wednesday (Jul. 29) in Karangasem. The sermon in English language was held for the first time.

It was announced by the Head of the Karangasem Culture and Tourism Agency, I Wayan Purna,

last Monday. In addition to participants of English-speaking sermon, at the same time is also fostered the other competitions such as memorizing sloka (Sanskrit verse) for children and adults. Participants of the training consist of 79 children and adults. They are directed by 42 coaches such as the artist Ida Nyoman Sugata, Ida Wayan Jelantik Oka and humanist Dewa Gde Catra. “Development of the

UDG participants is meant to make preparation for the UDG event of the Bali provincial level next September,” said Purna.

Division Head of the Customary Affairs of the Tourism and Culture Agency, Wayan Witrawan, said that the sermon in English is something new or the first time to be held in the UDG Bali next September.

In the meantime, the coach of the English language sermon, I

Gusti Komang Kawi, an English teacher at the SMPN 1 Manggis junior high school, said that the implementation of sermon in English language is based on consideration that Hinduism is a religion professed by people around the world.

As for Bali, it has also become a tourist destination visited by travelers from around the world, including those from India and Malaysia making a pilgrimage to

For North Korea, Iran-style nuclear deal not an option

issues. Other than targeting teachers facing difficulties or obstacles in conducting research or making paper, the education clinic will also intensively supervise the implementation of the student orientation term (MOS) alleged to still hold activities complicating new students.

“Related to the student orientation, so far there have been no things considered to have deviated from the existing provisions. However, there are still difficult tasks requested by seniors to younger class during the orientation,” he concluded. (kmb28)

Young marriage rate increases, maternal mortality high

Besakih. Besides, many foreigners also come to Bali to know more about Hinduism. On that account, English-speaking sermonizer must also be prepared.

“Karangasem has also initiated a spiritual tourism. More and more foreigners come to Karangasem. Surely when they ask for an explanation on Hinduism, we must be ready even in foreign languages, especially English,” said Kawi. (013)

13

PYONGYANG — If any hopes have been raised that the progress between the United States and Iran to halt Tehran’s development of nuclear weapons could bring change in Pyongyang, North Korea has gone out of its way to thwart them.

AP Photo/Khin Maung Win

Released prisoners on a police truck wave to their relatives and colleagues at entrance of Insein Prison, Thursday, July 30, 2015, in Yangon. Nearly 7,000 prisoners in Myanmar, including some former military intelligence officials who had been purged by their army colleagues, have been given presidential pardons.

Myanmar pardons China loggers among nearly 7,000 prisoners

YANGON — More than 150 Chinese workers sentenced to life in prison for illegal logging were freed in Myanmar on Thursday under a massive presidential pardon that included nearly 7,000 prisoners.

Others who were freed included former military intelligence officials purged by their army colleagues more than a decade ago, and at least a handful of journalists and social activists.

An Information Ministry statement said 6,966 prisoners, including 210 foreigners, were being freed across the country “on humanitarian grounds and in view of national reconciliation.” No official lists of pardoned prisoners are issued, so the names usually come from the prisoners themselves or their families. The majority are common criminals.

The pardons issued by President Thein Sein were timed to coincide with a Buddhist religious holiday and come ahead of a November general election. The polls have triggered criticism that the government is backsliding on political reforms it promised upon taking power in 2011, after almost five decades of repressive military rule.

Past governments have released political prisoners as a way of easing criticism from abroad.

Those released included 155

Chinese workers, all but two of whom received life sentences earlier this month in connection with illegal logging in northern Myanmar. Their jail terms drew much ire in China, which is a top ally of Myanmar. The punishment seemed largely to serve as a warning not to make business deals with Myanmar ethnic rebel groups, as the Chinese logging company was believed to have done.

China’s Foreign Ministry said Myanmar authorities had notified Chinese officials that the 155 would be handed over to their custody on Friday.

Despite close ties, there are significant tensions between China and Myanmar. Chinese economic penetration is big and highly visible in northern Myanmar, and some large infrastructure and mining projects have drawn charges of being insensitive to the environment and local concerns.

China is also seen as providing a safe haven for some Myanmar ethnic rebel groups, with whom Myanmar’s government wants to reach cease-fire agreements.

Others who were pardoned included eight former senior military intelligence officers, who since 2004 have been serving jail terms of 80 years or more, according to their families. (ap)

In a flurry of public comments since the deal, the North has been blunt: Its nuclear weapons are not a bargaining chip; it is already a member of the nuclear club; and if Washington wants to talk, it must recognize the North as such or put an immediate end to its hostile policies toward Pyongyang. Clearly, the differences between North Korea and Iran are vast.

North Korea has already gone down the negotiations road and come out on the other end with a small but potentially threatening nuclear arsenal. North Korea is also still technically at war with the U.S. and has a powerful rival and U.S. ally, South Korea, along with tens of thousands of U.S. troops right across the Demilitarized Zone. Each year, U.S. and South Korea hold massive war games in preparation for a possible invasion from the North, or, as Pyongyang sees it, an invasion of the North. The biggest issue of all, however, could simply be that it is not in the DNA of North

Korea’s leaders to flip-flop.

Pyongyang’s desire for a nuclear defense against the far superior U.S. forces probably originates with the country’s founder and first president, Kim Il Sung. For the current leader, Kim Jong Un, his grandson, reversing that course would be an unprecedentedly bold break with the past and bring into question the portrayal of the ruling Kim dynasty as infallible.

When North Korean leaders ponder the option of giving up their nuclear weapons — if they ever seriously do — the benefits Iran will likely reap from its deal with the United States are probably not foremost on their minds.

More likely, they recall the fate of Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi, who abandoned his nuclear program and ended up being deposed, hunted down and killed by rebel forces after months on the run. Though one didn’t directly lead to the other, Gadhafi’s fate is seen in Pyongyang as a potent cautionary tale.

Without referring to the Iran talks, Kim Jong Un told veterans gathered last week in Pyongyang for the 62nd anniversary of the armistice that ended the fighting in the 1950-53 Korean War that peace has yet to come to the Korean Peninsula. He held fast to the North’s constant warnings to its people that they must be ready for another, final showdown with the United States. He also said the North’s possession of nuclear weapons has dramatically shifted the balance of power.

“Our force at present is not what it was in the 1950s, when we had to fight with rifles in our hands against the U.S. imperialists armed to the teeth,” he said in the address, which was repeatedly broadcast on television and carried in full in the North’s state-run newspapers. “We now possess such a force as to fight any form of warfare of the choice of the United States. We have a might powerful enough to deter the United States from unleashing a nuclear war.” (ap)

AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File

FILE - In this July 28, 2015 file photo, North Korea’s ambassador to the United Nations Jang Il Hun speaks during a new conference in New York.

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Friday, July 31, 2015

Fashion

International

Converse rolling out first Chuck Taylor update in 98 years

NEW YORK — Converse Chuck Taylor All Star fans rejoice! Your favorite sneaker is receiving its first construction update since debuting 98 years ago.

The idea behind the All Star II is comfort, Converse said in a statement Thursday.

The update is made of durable Tencel canvas, as opposed to the cotton kind, with higher tech shock absorption in Nike Lunarlon for the footbed.

There’s foam padding inside at the ankle, nonslip padded tongues and perforated micro-suede liners along the interior sides.

For the exterior, the iconic circle patch is embroidered on and eyelets will be colored to match the shoe. In addition, the sole is slightly higher than traditional Chucks.

The easily recognizable rubber toe cap will remain.

The new shoe goes on sale July 28 in black, white, red and blue. (ap)

Bali News

International

Friday, July 31, 2015

3

Australian Ambassador visits Bali

DENPASAR - Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Paul Grigson commences a three-day visit to Bali on Thursday to meet political leaders and members of the Indonesian and Australian business, arts, and alumni communities.

AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File

Jane Birkin asks Hermes to take her name off croc handbag

Converse via AP

PARIS — British singer Jane Birkin has asked Hermes to take her name off the crocodile-skin versions of the iconic Birkin handbag, after being contacted by animal rights group PETA over “cruel” slaughtering practices.

A PETA video from June shows several reptiles at a Texas farm that supplies crocodile skins to Hermes left twitching in a bloody ice container to die after being shot with a captive bolt gun and cut with a knife.

Birkin said in a statement obtained Wednesday that she was “alerted to the cruel practices ... to make Hermes handbags carrying my name” and has “asked Hermes to de-baptize the Birkin Croco until better practices in line with international norms can be put in place.”

The Birkin bag was created in 1984 by Hermes in honor of the famed singer and ex-girlfriend of Serge Gainsbourg, and is, still today, one of the world’s most exclusive luxury items.

The bag is beloved by stars such as Victoria Beckham and comes in calf, ostrich, lizard as well as crocodile. It can cost between $10,000 and over $100,000, with waiting lists to buy it famously stretching into the years.

PETA said it takes three crocodile belly skins to make one handbag. In their expose, at the Lone Star Alligator Farms, PETA shows abattoir employees referring to live crocodiles and alligators as “watch straps.”

No publicly listed phone number for Lone Star Alligator Farms in Winnie, Texas, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) east of Houston, could immediately be located Wednesday.

Steve Lightfoot, a spokesman for the Texas Parks & Wildlife Depart-

ment, which regulates the commercial production and harvesting of alligators in Texas, said that Lone Star Alligator Farms has a current permit and is operating legally.

PETA filed a complaint on Feb. 25 with the TPWD seeking revocation of Lone Star Alligator Farms’ permit, which the agency declined to do following an unannounced facility inspection March 2 by several state game wardens.

“Our folks did indicate this site was fairly impeccable as far as the conditions, the record-keeping,” Lightfoot said.

The game wardens found some minor code violations, related to height of a structure and one alligator with a mild bacterial infection, leading to misdemeanor citations, Lightfoot said.

“We don’t have any issues with Lone Star Alligator Farms,” Lightfoot said Wednesday about the status of the company.

The PETA investigation, however, found “filthy conditions” at the facility, said Kathy Guillermo, a senior vice president for the animal rights group.

“Our investigator in Texas spent most of the day standing in knee deep, filthy, putrid water that had as many as 55 alligators in it, when according to the state’s own statute it should have no more than six,” Guillermo said.

Contacted by The Associated Press, Hermes said it “respects and shares (Birkin’s) emotions” and was “shocked by the images recently broadcast.” An investigation, it says, is underway.

While the fashion powerhouse acknowledges that the Texas farm supplies it with crocodile skins, Hermes says they aren’t used specifically for the Birkin bag. Hermes also uses croc for watchstraps and other bags. (ap)

Grigson’s visit to Bali is aimed to develop business opportunities in the tourism sector.

According to the media release, during the visit, Ambassador Grigson will meet Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika and Prince of Ubud Ida Tjokorda Putra.

“Australians have a special fondness for Bali, and with almost a million Australians visiting each year, it is an island full of warm memories, largely due to the friendly nature and generosity of the Balinese people,” Grigson remarked.

The Australian ambassador to Indonesia will also visit the Konservasi Sawah Foundation, supported by the Australian ConsulateGeneral’s Direct Aid Program (DAP).

Founded in 2013, the Konservasi Sawah Foundation works to conserve land and generate economic opportunities for Balinese farmers.

An Ambassador’s Award will also be presented to Chairman and Managing Director of the Bali Hai Group Richard Chandler in recognition of the company’s success in the tourism sector over the last 25 years. (r)

IBP/Net

Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Paul Grigson commences a three-day visit to Bali on Thursday to meet political leaders and members of the Indonesian and Australian business, arts, and alumni communities.

Coffee plant of Pupuan must be preserved TABANAN - Pupuan belongs to one of the coffee producers whose quality cannot be denied. The robusta coffee of Pupuan has even become a national champion for the best coffee quality. Despite having potential, the robusta coffee of Pupuan still requires certification so that its selling price can be increased.

By all means, the increase in the selling price will certainly have an impact on the welfare of farmers and the preservation of coffee plants in Pupuan.

The Head of the Tabanan Forestry and Plantation Agency, Roemi Liestyowati, explained that currently the process of certification is still go-

ing on. By teaming up with academicians from the Udayana University, the study on the type and soil nutrient in Pupuan will be carried out. Examination of soil nutrients is considered important because Pupuan robusta coffee has unique characteristic of the same kind in Indonesia. “Pupuan robusta coffee has slightly different

IBP/Wira

Pupuan belongs to one of the coffee producers whose quality cannot be denied. The robusta coffee of Pupuan has even become a national champion for the best coffee quality.

color and distinctive fragrance. So, we need more researches on the specifications,” said Roemi.

The certification will assure quality of coffee produced, so that it directly increases the selling price. Thus, the increase in farmers’ income will make them more prosperous. Indirectly, it will also prevent land conversion and the coffee plantations can be preserved.

Moreover, the coffee plant is one of the vertical plants functioning to absorb and store water in Tabanan.

“Coffee plant in Tabanan becomes one of the plants functioning as water absorbent so that no drought will occur at downstream. On that account, the coffee plant needs to be preserved,” said Roemi. The area of coffee plantation in Pupuan alone reaches approximately 7,800 hectares.

In the meantime, Chairman of the Association of the Pupuan Coffee Productive Business Unit, Wayan Dira, explained that Pupuan robusta coffee has started to be interested by Korean exporters. As evidence, his party already delivered six containers of coffee to Korea, Wednesday (Jul. 29). “Actually the exporter requested ten containers. However, we can only meet the demand gradually,” he said.

Regarding the certification, added Dira, robusta coffee is currently under process, while the Arabica coffee has been certified for the area of 100 hectares. He

acknowledged that the certification indicates if the quality of coffee produced is guaranteed. Of course, it will have an impact on the selling price of the coffee. To that end, he hoped the government to assist and facilitate farmers in the certification process. (kmb24)

2

International

Friday, July 31, 2015

Bali News

The Hindus pray in Tanah Lot

White Burley tobacco cultivation hampered by seedlings

IBP/File

Piodalan at Tanah Lot Temple flooded by pilgrims and travelers TABANAN - Thousands of Hindu pilgrims thronged the Tanah Lot Temple at Kediri, Tabanan to attend a series of piodalan or temple birthday, Wednesday (Jul. 29). In addition to Tanah Lot Temple, similar ceremony also took place at the Batu Bolong and Penataran Temple equally located at Tanah Lot. Operations Manager of Tanah Lot attraction, I Ketut Toya Adnyana, explained that other than being crowded by pilgrims, the Tanah Lot tourist attraction is also thronged by travelers. Aside from the Tanah Lot attraction, they also get interested in the procession of temple birthday taking place at three temples located in the area of Tanah Lot. “The convoy of pilgrims increases the beauty of Tanah Lot. Not infrequently, travelers are hunting the rare moment to capture some pictures,” he said.

Tourist arrival continued to increase by the afternoon. Moreover, travelers mingled with the pilgrims

on the shoreline to capture the amazing moment. “This piodalan ceremony even adds to the tourist attraction. On that account, many travelers are waiting for the ceremony in order to enjoy the tourist area of Tanah Lot,” said Toya.

To help smooth the ceremonial process and traffic of pilgrims, all parties at the Tanah Lot attraction are deployed and assisted by customary youth of Beraban village.

“They pay devotional work in turn and already started it on Sunday (Jul. 26),” said Toya. According to him, each customary hamlet at Beraban customary village deploys their customary youth to pay devotional

work at the Tanah Lot Temple.

The birthday ceremony at the Tanah Lot Temple itself has been held from one o’clock in the morning, Wednesday (Jul. 29) officiated over by temple priest of Beraban customary village. Peak of the crowds habitually happens at one o’clock in the afternoon till night. In the meantime, one day earlier, Tuesday (Jul. 28), was held the purificatory rite for the deities to north spring of the Tanah Lot Temple. The ceremony was held at three o’clock in the afternoon to purify all the sanctified effigies and ritual paraphernalia to be used in temple birthday on the following day. (kmb24)

SINGARAJA - White Burley tobacco cultivation in Buleleng is still experiencing serious obstacle. Farmers starting to get interested in developing this cigar ingredient tobacco face difficulty to get supplies of seedling in this season. Nevertheless, approximately 50 hectares of land have been planted with White Burley tobacco spreading across Sawan, Buleleng and Sukasada subdistrict.

Some farmers have started the planting of seedlings since the beginning of May 2015. In this year’s planting season, farmers have trouble in getting supplies of White Burley tobacco seedlings.

Farmers only rely on the supplies of seedlings from the maker in Banyuwangi, East Java. In the meantime, local farmers have never tried to produce seedlings independently. Actually, if they produce seedlings independently, it can alleviate their operational costs.

It is evidenced by the price of tobacco seedling prepared in Banyuwangi reaches IDR 150,000 each. Due to long distance, the delivery of seedlings from Banyuwangi has a risk of death if to be planted in Buleleng. In addition, in this planting season the farmers in Buleleng lack of seedling supply. Of the 50 hectares of land available, only 30 hectares can be filled with the seedling supply from Banyuwangi.

In the meantime, the seedlings need for 20 hectares of land are met by the independent nursery made by local farmers facilitated by the Buleleng Forestry and Agriculture Agency.

The Division Head of Plantation, Nyoman Partayasa, with permission from the Head of the Buleleng Plantation and Forestry Agency, Ketut Nerda, admitted at his office last Wednesday that farmers in the region still find difficulty in obtaining supplies of White Burley tobacco seedlings. He added that farmers have actually been taught and facilitated about the techniques and the tobacco seeds have been prepared by the agency. However, since farmers have the habit of buying seedlings ready to be planted, the independent preparation of seedlings has not been done optimally. By independent nurseries in the area, farmers can reduce their operating capital. In addition, the death risk of the seedlings during the planting time will be prevented. Over this condition, lately through group counseling to farmers the agency has strived to sensitize farmers related to self-production of the White Burley tobacco seedlings.

“Farmers still rely on the purchase from Banyuwangi. Due to high demand in this year’s planting season, we finally lack of seedlings.

This problem may not happen again and we will strive to sensitize farmers to produce their seedling independently,” he said.

On the other hand, Partayasa said that the development of White Burley tobacco in Buleleng these days is constantly increasing. It is in appropriate with the data from 2013 where farmers just made a pilot project on two hectares of land.

In 2014, the acreage increased to 17 hectares and this year increases again to 50 hectares. The addition of this land area shows that farmers are keen to cultivate White Burley tobacco. Besides, farmers have also proved that in terms of price this tobacco is quite expensive namely around IDR 37,000 per kg. Other than having relatively good price, the production cost is also much cheaper than that of Virginia tobacco. He cited that one hectare of land only needs production cost as much as IDR 35 million.

In the meantime, the total production reaches 1.5 tons per hectare, so that farmers get total sales revenue worth IDR 55.5 million.

Then, when it is reduced with the production cost worth IDR 35 million, farmers obtain profits as much as IDR 20.5 million. “The production cost is low because tobacco is dried by drying and does not need an oven and LPG stove. This hefty profit encourages our farmers to develop it and the demand of manufacture is also high, so that this opportunity must be captured by our farmers,” added Partayasa. (kmb38)

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

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

Activities

International

15

Friday, July 31, 2015

Club Bali Suites @ Legian Beach new look

LEGIAN - “Just imagine that we are dealing with slovenly, smelly, messy and uncomfortable people, it is inconvenient, right?” It is revealed by Sales Manager of Club Bali Suites @ Legian Beach, Indriani Kusuma while giving a grooming training.

IBP/kmb

As a 4+ star accommodation, the Club Bali Suites @ Legian Beach recently held a grooming training program for all employees.

This activity is positively welcomed and fully supported by the General Manager, Wahyu A. Bayuaji.

Indriani conveyed that grooming training aims to equalize the performance of employees in accordance with international hotel standards. “As tourism players dealing directly with guests, the appearance is very important to support professionalism at workplace,” she explained friendly.

In the future, the Club Bali Suites @ Legian Beach claimed as the best family accommodation in Legian area will also hold a Beauty Class to broaden the insight of the employees in applying beauty care and accessories. “Elegant, neat and fragrant appearance does not only reflect good corporate image, but also increases the added value and confidence for everyone,” she said.

PROFILE

André Kretschmann

GM of The Legian Bali

LEGIAN - The general manager who opened the iconic Chedi Muscat for GHM in 2003 is returning to the luxury hotel group’s fold this month as he takes charge of The Legian Bali.

André Kretschmann moves to the acclaimed 68 all-suite resort with its 11-villa sister property in Seminyak – The Club at The Legian – after six years as an area general manager for the Cheval Blanc Group across Southeast Asia, the Middle East and the Indian Ocean.

From 1995 to 2005, Kretschmann was a mainstay at GHM, where he managed properties in Jakarta, on Phuket, in Oman and on Sri Lanka.

“André spent a good deal of his career with us at GHM, and really helped define the image of a GHM manager,” said GHM President Hans R. Jenni, who co-founded the group with Adrian Zecha in 1992.

On the verge of its 20th Anniversary, The Legian endures as one of the most highly regarded hotels on Bali, typically landing among top-3 or top-5 lists of the island’s 1,000plus hotels. The resort was also recently inducted into TripAdvisor’s

Hall of Fame after being awarded with the popular travel review site’s Certificate of Excellence for five consecutive years.

Under the watch of Kretschmann’s predecessor, the hotel opened a new, 30-metre infinity lap pool just above the famed sands of Seminyak, renovated its three-bedroom oceanfront beach house, opened up

new streams of natural light into the hotel rooms and refurbished the spa and wellness facility.

Kretschmann’s career in hospitality took flight in his native Germany in the late 1970s. In the mid-1980s, he moved abroad to London and then Paris before relocating to Asia where he’s worked for the past 20 years.

IBP/Courtesy of GHM

Balinese Temple Ceremony

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

The dedication or inauguration day of a Temple is considered its birth day and celebration always takes place on the same day if the wuku or 210 day calendar is used. When new moon is used then the celebration always happens on new moon or full moon.

The day of course can differ the religious celebration of a temple lasts at least one full day with some temple celebrating for three days while the celebration of Besakih temple, the Mother Temple, is never less than 7 days and most of the time it lasts for 11 days, depending on the importance of the occasion.

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

In front of important shrine one sees, besides these umbrellas soars, tridents and other weapons, the “umbul-umbul”, long flags, all these are prerogatives or attributes of Holiness. In front of the Temple gate put up “Penjor”, long bamboo poles, decorated beautifully ornaments of young coconut leaves, rice and other products of the land. Most beautiful to see are the girls in their colorful attire, carrying offerings, arrangements of all kinds fruits and colored cakes, to the Temple. Every visitor admires the grace with which the carry their load on their heads.