Edisi 31 Desember 2015 | International Bali Post

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Thursday, December 31, 2015

In this image released by Universal Pictures, Bryce Dallas Howard, from left, Chris Pratt, Nick Robinson and Ty Simpkins appear in a scene from the blockbuster hit, “Jurassic World.”

Blockbusters propel 2015 domestic box office to record $11B Universal Pictures via AP

LOS ANGELES — It’s been a record-breaking, $11 billion year at the movies. Box-office tracker Rentrak said Tuesday that the industry has already reached the benchmark and is expected to end the year with an unprecedented $11.1 billion in ticket sales in the U.S. and Canada.

The previous record of $10.9 billion was set in 2013.

This year heralded numerous record-breaking releases, in-

cluding “Fifty Shades of Grey,” which set a record for February opening-weekend attendance, and “Furious 7” did the same in

‘Glee’ actor arrested in US for child porn possession

LOS ANGELES - US actor Mark Salling, best known for his role on the musical comedy series “Glee,” was arrested in Los Angeles on Tuesday for alleged possession of child pornography, police said.

Police specialized in investigating Internet crimes against children searched the home of the 33-year-old Salling in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Sunland early Tuesday and took him into custody, police spokesman Ricardo Hernandez told AFP. Salling -- who played bad boy Noah Puckerman on the Fox series -- was later released on $20,000 bail, and must appear in court January 22.

Celebrity news website TMZ reported that authorities had found more than 1,000 images of “child sexual exploitation” on Salling’s computer. Police also seized mobile phones and other electronic devices from the home, TMZ said.

A spokesman for the actor did not reply to AFP requests for comment on the case. (afp)

April. Opening in June, “Jurassic World” scored the biggest debut weekend ever, until it was bested this month by “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”

“Hollywood built the perfect box office beast in 2015, with one hit movie after the next,” said Rentrak analyst Paul Dergarabedian in a statement. (ap)

WEATHER FORECAST 23 - 32 Dps

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Thursday, December 31, 2015 Widespread flooding hits Missouri, Illinois with rivers still rising Page 6

Leicester, Man City draw 0-0; Arsenal top going into 2016 Page 8

The source confirmed a story in the movie business journal The Hollywood Reporter, which said the film will be directed by French actress and director Fanny Ardant.

The novel, written by Jean-Daniel Baltassat, is set in the Soviet Union of the 1950s, centering on a young artist who is commissioned to create a monument to Stalin but faces scrutiny by the KGB, the Reporter said.

The film will be produced by a French-Portuguese company, Leopardo Filmes, while the Moscow-based studio Mosfilm will provide costumes and props.

Depardieu, 67, is one of France’s most successful actors, winning huge praise for his roles in “Cyrano de Bergerac,” “Les Miserables,” “Jean de Florette” and other films. He is best known abroad for the romantic

Thank You and Happy New Year 2016

FRANKFURT, Germany - Global economic growth will be “disappointing and patchy” in 2016, the head of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, wrote in an article published in the German business daily Handelsblatt on Wednesday.

Rising interest rates in the United States, the economic slowdown in China, the persistent fragility of the financial system in a number of countries and the effects of low oil prices on producer countries “all mean that global growth in 2016 will be disappointing and patchy,” Lagarde wrote.

“And the medium-term outlook has clouded over, too, because low productivity, ageing populations and the fallout from the global financial crisis are putting the brakes on growth,” she continued.

The US Federal Reserve rang in the end to an era of ultra-cheap money by raising its key interest rates earlier this month. “The Fed is treading a tightrope: normalising interest rates, while at the same time seeking to avert any risk of disturbance on the financial markets,” Lagarde said.

Generally speaking, outside the highly developed economies, “other countries are better prepared than in the past for higher interest rates,” she wrote.

“Nevertheless, I’m worried about their ability to absorb shocks” that could be triggered by tighter monetary policy, Lagarde cautioned.

“A lot of countries have taken on more debt, much of which is denominated in US dollars,” she argued.

“Rising interest rates and a stronger dollar could push companies into insolvency and banks and governments could become infected,” she warned. (afp)

REUTERS/Jason Redmond/Files

comedy “Green Card.”

But he has repeatedly made headlines in his country of birth for stirring controversy and backing unpopular causes. Depardieu was given Russian citizenship by presidential decree in 2013 after publicly criticising France’s high taxes and taking up residence abroad.

In separate interviews this year, he has praised Belarus President

We, the International Bali Post would like to apologize becuase we will not be published on Friday, January 1, 2015.

Global growth to be ‘disappointing and patchy’ in 2016

Depardieu to play Stalin in new film

PARIS - Larger-than-life French actor Gerard Depardieu is to play Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin in a forthcoming movie, his press representative said Tuesday.

Depardieu -- made a Russian citizen by Kremlin strongman Vladimir Putin -- will feature in a screen adaptation of a 2013 novel called “Le Divan de Staline” (Stalin’s Sofa), the representative said.

Not Published

Alexander Lukashenko -- lashed for rights abuses by monitoring groups -- as “a nice guy” and described the United States as “a people who have constantly destroyed others.”

“They fought each other, destroyed the Indians, after that they perpetrated slavery, then there was the civil war.

After that, they were the first to use the atomic bomb... No, I prefer being Russian,” he reportedly said. (afp)

News can also be heard in “Bali Image” at Global Radio FM 96.5 from 9.30 until 10.00 am. Listen to Global Radio FM at http://globalfmbali.listen2myradio.com or live video streaming at http://radioglobalfmbali.com and http://ustream.tv/channel/ global-fm-bali.

Government lacks attention to HIV/AIDS

THE GOVERNMENT needs to pay more attention to HIV/Aids in Bali, said Chairman of the Kerti Praja Foundation (YKP), Prof.

Wirawan.

AusAID funding to Indonesia will be reduced in 2016 and support form the Global Fund will be

terminated, therefor the YKP needs to find other sources of funding so that they can continue their work addressing HIV1Aids, prevention and treatment services.

Currently the YKP receives occasional funding from the Double T Tour, KPA Denpasar, KPA Badung, Rotary Club, Rotary Club Canggu

and Rotary Club Nusa Dua. Although antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) and reagents are supplied by the government, the fee for being examined to see if one qualifies for theses drugs, does cost a hefty IDR 500,000. The operational costs of the YKP foundation reach up to IDR 30 million per month.

The cost of paying for medical personnel such as doctors and nurses as well as outreach workers requires its own funding that is not covered by the government despite the crucial role that they play in dealing with the front lines of people living with HIV/AIDs. Wirawan explained that that

outreach officers are the spearhead of his foundation as they do everything from distributing condoms to high risk groups, to counselling and VCT, accompanying patients to their medical appointments and assisting them in taking their medication.

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Thursday, December 31, 2015

International

COVER STORY

Activities

Thursday, December 31, 2015

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Funds ...

From page 1

Head of the Bali Health Agency, Ketut Suarjaya, said that IDR 2 billion worth of Bali’s regional budget has been allocated for HIV/AIDS programs, with IDR 1.84 billion being handed over to KPA Bali. Around IDR 190 million’s worth of the state budget has also been allocated for AIDS/HIV programs. “Donations from the Global Fund are not certain,” he said.

The funds from the state budget are to be used for purchasing antiretroviral drugs, reagents, drugs to treat other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), for surveilling the national situation and to cover costs for meetings etc.

The Provincial budget is to be used for surveilling the activities of high risk groups in Bali and also for general meetings. All ARV drugs are supplied to HIV/AIDS patients in Bali and throughout Indonesia, by the central government. “So far there has never been a lack of AVRs although once there was a delay in delivery that caused a shortage, but fortunately there was just enough to cover everyone in need,” explained Suarjaya.

According to the Bali Health Agency, outreach officers can be paid using the budgets allotted the District and Municipal AIDS prevention commissions (KPA), though village funds, and a request for funding cab also be made to Bali’s Provincial government.

Bali is ranked as having the fourth largest number of people with Aids in Indonesia, with 4,811 cases. East Java has the most cases: 12,352 cases, followed by Papua’s 11,841 cases and Jakarta’s 8,019 cases. Data regarding AIDS cases in Bali that has been compiled since the first case emerged in 1987, shows that there is an increase in the number of case of AIDS on the island.

Currently in 79 percent of cases, the transmission of the AIDS virus happens through heterosexual, sexual encounters. The next highest risk activity in sharing needles. National data also recorded that of the 240 million inhabitants of Indonesia, 6.7 million men purchased sex from there men in 2-20 percent of cases and that there approximately 230,000 female sex workers in Indonesia.

Men purchasing sex is the key factor in AIDS transmission as it is first passed to their wife and then to children born subsequently. (may)

IBP/File Photo

Bali is ranked as having the fourth largest number of people with Aids in Indonesia, with 4,811 cases. East Java has the most cases: 12,352 cases, followed by Papua’s 11,841 cases and Jakarta’s 8,019 cases.

IBP/File Photo

There is still a lack of public awareness about the importance of early detection of HIV/AIDS as people are apparently afraid of being tested in case they test positive for the deadly disease.

Lack of public awareness about HIV/AIDS

THERE is still a lack of public awareness about the importance of early detection of HIV/AIDS as people are apparently afraid of being tested in case they test positive for the deadly disease.

Chairman of the AIDS Mitigation Commission (KPA) for the district of Gianyar, A.A. Gde Suardana, revealed that there is increasingly greater risk of contracting HIV when involved in high risk types of activities that are increasingly common in today’s society.

HIV/AIDS is primarily transmitted though unprotected sex but also though needle sharing (mostly amongst drug users) and people between the ages of 20-39 are the most at risk group. In some areas of Bali, the HIV/AIDS cases have been discovered in teenagers

who engage in unprotected sex and/or intravenous drug use.

If things go on like this, he said, our nation could lose our next generation to the deadly disease. The AIDS mitigation comity is therefore calling on people who have engaged in high risk behaviour, to have themselves tested. Both clinics and hospitals in Gianayar provide such services. The identity of people who want to be tested is kept confidential, so people should not hesitate to be tested.

It is also advised for people to seek counselling before be-

ing tested to make sure that they are mentally prepared to deal with the results.

“The identity of patients is kept confidential so there is no need to worry about others knowing. These free exams are provided as part of an effort to prevent the spread of this virus through early detection and treatment,” said Suardana.

The number of HIV/AIDS cases in Gianyar is still alarming with 936 reported cases as of September 30th, 2015. The district of Gianyar is ranked fourth in Bali in terms of the number of people known to be suffering form HIV/AIDS after Badung, Buleleng and Denpasar.

According to data from the Bali Health Agency, there are

12,516 case of people with HIV/AIDS in Bali and Bali is ranked fourth in Indonesia.

Head of the Gianyar Education Agency, Dewa Gde Alit Mudiarta, said that the district of Gianyar is making HIV/ AIDS awareness, prevention and treatment a priority. though such activities as the establishment of the student groups caring for AIDS and Drugs (KSPAN) in every junior and high school.

Also, through the commemoration of World AIDS Day, The AIDS mitigation commission hopes that public awareness about the hazards of this deadly disease can be improved and expects that the campaign to increase awareness will continue. (kmb25)

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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.

Blood donation at H Sovereign Bali KUTA - In celebration of thei first anniversary, on Thursday (Dec.10), the H Sovereign Bali carried out social activities with the theme ‘Inspiring First.’ Activities included ‘Care & Green’ that involved disseminating of information about the hazards of plastic waste to students at SDN 1 Tuban and SDN 4 Tuban elementary school, a group cycling activity as well as a blood drive that was held in cooperation with the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI).

The blood drive started at nine o’clock in the morning and involved hotel staff and the general public checking their blood pressure and hemoglobin, giving blood. There was also an optometrist on site to check people’s eyes and Bali Pink Ribbon gave consultation about how to check for breast cancer.

S u p ported

by Kalbe Farma, these ac-

tivities were held as a way to sensitize people to their surrounding environment as well as to evoke a sense of togetherness and caring for others in need. A total of 22 -5 liter bags of blood were collected.

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Thursday, December 31, 2015

Health

International

International

Treat ‘normal’ blood pressure to save lives

PARIS - Millions of lives could be saved by giving blood pressure-lowering drugs to people at risk of heart attack and stroke, even if they have normal pressure, researchers said.

Based on an analysis of 123 medical trials involving more than 600,000 people over two decades, the team called for an urgent review of existing treatment guidelines.

“Our findings clearly show that treating blood pressure to a lower level than currently rec-

ommended could greatly reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease,” said study lead author Kazem Rahimi of the University of Oxford.

This could “potentially save millions of lives.”

Blood pressure is recorded as two numbers, written as a ratio,

for example 140/90 mmHg (millimetres of mercury -- the blood pressure unit).

The number on top is the “systolic” pressure inside the arteries when the heart beats, and the other the “diastolic” pressure between beats, when the heart is at rest and refilling with blood.

According to the American Heart Association, a “normal” pressure is less than 120/80, and becomes high from 140/90.

The study found that every 10 mmHg reduction in systolic blood pressure reduced the risk of heart attack by about a fifth, of stroke and heart failure by about a quarter, and the risk of death from any cause by 13 percent.

“Importantly, these reductions in disease were similar across a wide range of high risk patients... irrespective of whether their blood pressure was already low (less than 130 mmHg) to begin with,”

they wrote.

People at high risk include those with a history of heart or artery disease, stroke, diabetes or heart failure.

The researchers urged a revision of blood pressure guidelines, including those of the European Society of Hypertension which recently relaxed its recommended treatment level for high-risk patients from 130 to 140mmHg of systolic pressure.

“Our results provide strong support for lowering blood pressure to systolic blood pressures less than 130 mmHg,” wrote the team.

High blood pressure is the leading cause of heart disease and stroke, said the study authors, affecting more than a billion people worldwide and killing about 9.4 million every year.

The benefits of lowering sustained high pressure are well established, but it has not been clear whether people with “normal” pressure levels would also benefit from treatment.

University of Sheffield cardiologist Tim Chico, who was not involved in the study, stressed that the benefits of treatment for a person with “normal” blood pressure would depend on the individual’s other risk factors for heart disease and stroke.

“For example, if you are already at a low risk, reducing this by 20 percent isn’t all that important, and probably isn’t either cost-effective or desirable,” he said via the Science Media Centre.

“However, if you are at high risk (such as if you already have cardiovascular disease, diabetes or smoke) then a 20 percent reduction in risk makes a big difference and saves a lot of lives.”

Anna Dominiczak, editor of the American Heart Association’s journal Hypertension, said she would call for a debate on blood pressure guidelines based on the study findings. (afp)

Environment, not ’bad luck’, mainly to blame for cancer PARIS - Environmental factors such as sunshine and tobacco smoke cause more cancers than random DNA mutations, researchers have affirmed -- contesting another team’s conclusions that “bad luck” was mainly to blame.

The study, published in the journal Nature, was conducted to challenge a controversystirring paper carried by US-based Science in January, which said unavoidable errors in gene coding was the main cancer cause.

The latest work -- based on several mathematical analyses of cancer data -- found “strong evidence” that random errors that occur during DNA replication contributed “only modestly” to the development of many common cancers.

Seventy to 90 percent, in fact, were caused by environmental factors such as ultraviolet radiation, the team found.

Other experts not involved in the study cautioned against reading too much into the results.

“Their analysis supports conventional thinking around cancer formation and development, and casts doubt on the idea that some cancers are relatively independent of how you live and what you’re exposed to,” Andrew Maynard of Arizona State University wrote in a comment.

But the findings were not definitive, he said, and were based on a number of assumptions that may have influenced the conclusions.

Giles Hooker from Cornell University in New York, said the findings were based on a “very simplified model of cancer mutation” and the numbers “should at best be regarded as ballpark estimates.”

“By using only the lowest risk cancers and assuming that mutation rates are the same for all tissues, the study maximises the risk attributed to environmental factors,” he wrote.

“However, we don’t know how tissues differ in their intrinsic mutation rates.”

Paul Pharaoh, a cancer epidemiology professor at Cambridge University, pointed out there were different levels of internal and external risk for different cancer types.

The results, he said, “do not tell us any-

thing about the absolute risks of any given cancer.

“These findings do not have any implications for cancer treatment, but they do tell us that most cancers would be preventable if we knew all of the extrinsic risk factors that cause disease.”

The Science study had caused much debate for suggesting that “bad-luck” DNA mutations could explain about 75 percent of cases for many types of cancer -- meaning they could not be prevented by a healthy lifestyle.

The World Health Organization’s cancer agency at the time “strongly disagreed” with the study’s findings, which it said could have “serious negative consequences” for cancer research and healthy behaviour. (afp)

Bali News

Thursday, December 31, 2015

3

Governor issues a circular take down gang billboards and banners

DENPASAR - Despite being unable to dissolve mass organizations (gangs), Governor of Bali, Made Mangku Pastika, finally took measures by issuing a circular requesting that the regents and the mayor to decrease the number of billboards, banners and other media that represent mass organizations.

Tanah Ampo cruise pier

IBP/File Photo

Cruise pier unfinished, PHRI Karangasem disappointed

AMLAPURA - Statement of the Minister of Transportation, Ignasius Jonan, about the fate of the Tanah Ampo cruise pier makes the ears of tourism businesspeople in Karangasem hot. One of them is the Secretary of the Indonesia Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) Karangasem, Wayan Kariasa, Tuesday (Dec. 29), where he was deeply disappointed with the attitude of the Minister Jonan. Actually, all the elements of Karangasem community hope the dormant project spending hundreds of billions can be resolved to open a new entrance to Bali tourism.

Kariasa deplored why the new Minister of Transportation said if the location is not ideal. Actually, since the beginning of the study by the Ministry of Transportation stated that the location is feasible for a harbor. If he currently considered it infeasible, the investment worth hundreds of billions over the years to realize the Tanah Ampo cruise pier will certainly be in vain. Kariasa asked Minister Jonan to read again the studies. Since the beginning of the Tanah Ampo cruise pier construction, almost all elements of society very much hoped the remaining unfinished workmanship can be accomplished. “Certainly we hope the Tanah Ampo cruise pier does not become a fishing ground,” said Kariasa.

Continuation of the Tanah Ampo cruise pier, said Kariasa, was also highlighted in the tourism evaluation meeting of the PHRI inviting various elements of society and stakeholders of the local government at Candidasa, Tuesday (Dec. 29). In the meeting, in order to boost the tourism development of Karangasem in the future, the

Tanah Ampo cruise pier must be absolutely completed. There is no reason to surrender. The matter of feasible or not feasible has been answered by the studies of central and local government before the Tanah Ampo cruise pier is worked on. Thus, it is time to continue and not to stop it.

“We continue to encourage the pier in order to be accomplished,” affirmed Kariasa. His institution hoped that the newly elected regent of Karangasem can urge the completion of the Tanah Ampo cruise pier as soon as possible. The new regent with his ranks is expected to establish a good communication with central government. Thus, the central government can still approve the process through its completion.

Tanah Ampo cruise pier is a promising entrance for Karangasem tourism amid the situation having been saturated with tourism in the city of Denpasar and Badung.

Previously, Ignasius Jonan when making a visit to Padangbai Harbor on Monday (Dec. 28) said that the ministry will no longer disburse funds to repair the Tanah Ampo cruise pier at Manggis subdistrict.

The location is considered not ideal so that it is not feasible to be proceeded. With such environmental condition, Kariasa assessed the pier construction spending IDR 200 billion can be resumed provided that it can be made a breakwater.

However, the location is considered impossible for the making of good breakwater. If it is enforced, it can spend budget up to trillions of rupiahs. It does not include further construction to extend the pier into the sea to enable cruise ships to dock directly. (kmb31)

“It has been sent to all the regents. Yes... hopefully it will be immediately responded to by the regents because the most important is that people settle down and be peaceful,” said Acting Spokesperson of Bali’s provincial government, I Ketut Teneng, in Denpasar recently.

Teneng added that the Governor’S circular was issued based on recommendations by the provincial apparatus, interfaith concord forum (FKUB) and some community leaders during a recent joint security meeting that was held in relation to Christmas and New Year. A meeting to which none of the leaders of the mass organizations were invited.

“Yesterday, no gang representatives were invited so as to avoid any clashes from breaking out again.

Later, the respective regents and the mayor will disseminate the information to the public,” he added.

He denied that the issuance of the circular had anything to do with the billboards that express the rejection of the Benoa Bay Reclamation Plan that have been posted up by the Baladika group. He asserted that the issuance of the circular is purely caused by the violent clashes that occurred between members of different gangs recently.

“If all mass organizations start install them (billboard and banner— Ed), could kindle retaliatory actions that would only make things worse in terms of disrupting comfort, peace, and beauty. The issuance of the circular is purely meant to keep the peace,” affirmed Teneng.

population is over capacity with 1,000 inmates, whereas it only has the capacity for 300 inmates.

“The Suwung landfill is an appropriate location for the relocation of the prison as the land area is large enough and is located far enough away inhabited areas,” said Pastika who added that the 30 hectare Suwung landfill belongs to the Ministry of Forestry and was

lent to the Province of Bali to be used as a landfill. There is still land available for building a new prison, he said.

“I ask that the new prison development be able to accommodate at least 1,500-2,000 inmates and be equipped with a modern security equipment,” he said.

Pastika asked the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights to prepare the prototype and the necessary budget for the construction of the new prison, so that the development plan can be discussed at the legislative level as soon as possible. (kmb32)

Relocation of prison

Based on press release from the Public Relations department of the Bali Provincial Government, Governor of Bali Made Mangku Pastika received the audience of the Director General of Corrections, Ministry of Law and Human Rights, I Wayan Kusmiantha Dusak, at his office, on Monday (Dec. 28). During their meeting, Pastika suggested that Kerobokan Prison be relocated to the Suwung landfill. The prison’s

IBP/Eka Adhiyasa

Despite being unable to dissolve mass organizations (gangs), Governor of Bali, Made Mangku Pastika, finally took measures by issuing a circular requesting that the regents and the mayor to decrease the number of billboards, banners and other media that represent mass organizations.

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Thursday, December 31, 2015

Bali News

Avoid the use of hazardous substances

BBPOM tests food at Denfest

DENPASAR - Celebration of the eighth Denpasar Festival (Denfest) which is now taking place offers a variety of cuisines.

To avoid the use of hazardous ingredients and substances in the food, the Denpasar Agency of Drug and Food Control (BBPOM) examined some samples of food sold in the event. It is meant to determine the quality of food products sold to the public.

Based on the commitment, the BBPOM directly tested some foods sold by merchants, Tuesday (Dec. 29). “We perform food supervision and take all the samples sold in the Denpasar Festival and immediately perform laboratory tests,” said the Division Head of the BBPOM Certification and Consumer Information Services, Desak Ketut Andika Andayani.

At least 74 types of food are taken for laboratory tests. The 74 food products tested consist of satay, sausages, cendol, salad seasonings and so forth. From the results of the laboratory tests all the food products sold in the Denpasar Festival contained no dyes and preservatives as well as hazardous substances.

Although there are no foods containing dyes or preservatives, her agency still appealed to all merchants to maintain the quality and hygiene of the food products on sale. She also said that the food on offer in the Denpasar Festival proved that the government of Denpasar has made supervision. Besides, the merchants have known about the hazards of coloring agents and preservatives. To that end, her agency hoped the quality of food must be maintained by merchants.

Secretary of the Denpasar Festival Committee, Made Saryawan, said that before the event was opened the committee has appealed to the merchants to maintain the quality of food products on offer because the security of visitors must be considered.

Further, he added that before the Denpasar Festival was opened the government of Denpasar has also made a selection by making cooperation with the Indonesian Chef Association (ICA) Bali. They made the selection in terms of quality, hygiene, health and food packaging. (kmb12)

The Denpasar Festival

IBP/Wawan

District police chief holds coordination meeting on New Year’s security Jembrana Police, Djoni Widodo, was intentionally made to coordinate their respective role and function so that the traffic, especially at the Gilimanuk Harbor, can run smoothly.

The coordination meeting was also at-

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China finds storm caused sinking of cruiser that killed 442

BEIJING — Chinese authorities blamed freak weather for the capsizing of a cruise ship that killed hundreds earlier this year, but also recommended that the captain be further investigated and representatives of the shipping company and local authorities be punished for management flaws, state media announced Wednesday.

Anticipation of crowdedness at Gilimanuk NEGARA - To anticipate queue at Gilimanuk on the New Year’s holiday, a number of relevant agencies attended coordination meeting at Jembrana Police headquarters.

The coordination meeting led by the Chief of

Thursday, December 31, 2015

International

International

tended by the Gilimanuk harbor master, Nyoman Daelon, Operations Manager of ASDP Gilimanuk, Sugeng Purwono, representative of the Transportation Agency, chief of SAR Jembrana and other relevant agencies.

The meeting done by Jembrana Police Department to anticipate the traffic during new year.

IBP/Olo

Chief of Jembrana Police, Djoni Widodo, wanted to avoid queue again and emphasized that security is not the task of the police only.

But it is also the participation of various parties in accordance with their respective duties.

The appeal before and after the New Year’s holiday is that all freight vehicles are banned to cross for five days. Circular of the Minister of Transportation No.48/2015 concerns with the Traffic Management and Prohibition of Freight Transport Operation during the New Year’s period, according to him, includes trucks to container trucks, while the vehicles transporting food, fuel and gas are still allowed.

The circular mentions that freight vehicles are banned to operate for five days from Wednesday (Dec. 30) to Sunday (Jan. 3).

Other than for smooth traffic, the focus is also on the security of Gilimanuk, especially for the entrance examination by intensifying the security through the increase of personnel.

Business Manager of the River and Lake Crossing Transportation (ASDP) Indonesia Ferry for Gilimanuk Harbor unit, Sugeng Purwono, said that related to the circular of the Minister of Transportation, he will make coordination with the Ketapang Harbor. However, the most important is that the service users need to divert their time to cross so as not to come together and cause accumulation.

The ASDP has alerted 37 vessels to serve the Ketapang-Gilimanuk crossing. (kmb26)

The disaster on the Yangtze River on the evening of June 1 killed 442 people and left just 12 survivors. The Eastern Star was carrying many elderly tourists on a 10day cruise from Nanjing in China’s east upstream to Chongqing.

The official Xinhua News Agency said the Cabinet’s investigation team concluded that the Eastern Star was brought down “by strong winds and heavy rains” associated with a downburst, a strong downdraft that is “a very rare weather phenomenon.”

The conclusion backs up the initial finding that the disaster was caused by strong winds, although passengers’ relatives have raised questions about whether the ship should have continued its voyage despite a weather warning.

Xinhua said the investigation team found that 36 local government and Communist Party officials and seven people from the shipping company should be given administrative punishments for flaws in management, which would likely include demotions and firings.

The seven included the captain

and the officer in charge at the time, who died in the disaster. The investigation found the pair responded inadequately to the emergency and had not properly ascertained the threat posed by the dire weather conditions, Xinhua said.

It recommended that the ship’s captain, Zhang Shunwen, have his license revoked and his contract terminated, and that his case be sent for further investigation to determine whether he should face criminal charges.

The captain was arrested after he was rescued from the river, with investigators looking into why he chose to sail into the storm instead of dropping anchor. Investigators had also been expected to focus on alterations made to the ship. A government agency had earlier cited the ship for safety violations.

Qin Meiping, who lost her 73year-old father and 49-year-old brother, questioned whether the modifications to the vessel had been safe.

“If you blame it on the weather, why were the other two boats that were also traveling at that time safe?

Kim Kyung-Hoon / Reuters.

Rescue workers carry a body from the ship, which capsized after being caught in a cyclone.

Why was this boat modified three times before? Were the modifications done properly?” asked Qin, who said she has had “tears in my eyes every day since” the sinking.

“We are not experts, but is the report by the experts the truth?”

She pointed to other deadly disasters in China in the past year, including a stampede in Shanghai on

New Year’s Eve 2014, explosions at a chemical warehouse in Tianjin and the toppling of a mountain of construction waste that buried a large area in Shenzhen.(ap)

Philippine priest rebuked for riding hoverboard during Mass

AP Photo/Aaron Favila

A Filipino Catholics choir hold hands as they sing during the first of nine daily dawn Masses before Christmas day at the St. Peter Parish in suburban Quezon city, north of Manila, Philippines on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2015.

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Roman Catholic Church officials have reprimanded a priest for riding a hoverboard and singing a song during Christmas Eve Mass. The Diocese of San Pablo, south of Manila, said the Rev. Albert San Jose apologized for his action, which was caught on video and widely shared on YouTube.

The video shows the priest in a white cassock gliding up and down the church’s aisles on the two-wheeled electric scooter while singing a Christmas song. Some members of the surprised congregation applaud as he pivots and moves backward.

The performance came just before the final blessing in the Mass at the church in Binan city in Laguna province.

“That was wrong,” the diocese said in a statement late Tuesday, emphasizing that celebrating the Mass is the church’s “highest form” of worship and “demands utmost respect and reverence.”

“It is not a personal celebration where one can capriciously introduce something to get the attention of the people,” it said. The priest could not immediately be reached for comment.

Philippine church officials have urged priests to live simply and humbly as they minister to the poor in the Asian bastion of Catholicism, especially under the leadership of Pope Francis, who is known for his frugal lifestyle.(ap)

12

International

Thursday, December 31, 2015

BUSINESS

Regional selling picked up as crude resumed its decline ahead of closely watched US oil stockpiles and production data, keeping alive concerns about demand and the strength of the global economy.

“Risk sentiment is very much subject to crude oil prices,” Hiroyuki Yamamuro, an analyst at Ueda Harlow, told Bloomberg News.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index was down 0.41 percent, while Shanghai lost early gains to slip 0.10 percent in afternoon trading.

Seoul lost 0.25 percent by the close, Singapore was down 0.36 percent and Taiwan fell 0.17 percent.

But Tokyo’s benchmark Nikkei 225 ticked up 0.27 percent on Ja-

Thursday, December 31, 2015

pan’s last trading day of the year.

The index climbed more than nine percent in 2015 to rank among the world’s top-performing major markets, outpacing most of its rivals in the US and Asia-Pacific.

Japan’s financial markets will close Thursday and reopen on January 4 after the New Year’s holiday.

Meanwhile, Sydney finished 1.00 percent higher, Wellington closed up 0.43 percent and Shenzhen gained 0.87 percent.

“We’ll keep on being moved by

the oil price,” said Chihiro Ohta, general manager of investment information at SMBC Nikko Securities.

“We’ll have to keep being aware of this for the first three months or the first half of next year as well.”

The broad decline in Asia followed a tech-driven rally on Wall Street, where a brief rise in crude prices and upbeat US data lifted the mood.

Amazon closed at a new record of $693.97, up 2.8 percent, rising for a second day after Monday an-

Accumulation of waste minimized

SEMARAPURA - The Klungkung Sanitation and Landscaping Agency (DKP) ascertained to transform the landfill at Sente hamlet, Dawan into a park. This plan has been outlined in the regional budget 2016 by backfilling nearly a half of the Sente landfill by soil and planted with grass and other plants. This program will start at the beginning of 2016 to conjure up the Sente landfill into green area so that it will no longer look dirty.

nouncing record holiday sales of its premium delivery service.

Meanwhile, the US Conference Board’s index of consumer confidence rose to 96.5 in December from 92.6 the prior month.

The report offered an upbeat view on the world’s top economy following the Fed’s interest rate hike announcement this month.

The Dow jumped 1.10 percent Tuesday, while the S&P 500 gained 1.06 percent and the Nasdaq ended 1.33 percent higher. European equities also rose. (afp)

In Russia, recession takes a bite out of the holiday feast

MOSCOW — For most Russians, it’s not New Year’s without a Salad Olivier, a dish meant to augur prosperity. This year, soaring food costs mean the tradition can also be a painful reminder of how rapidly many Russians’ wealth is fading amid recession and Western sanctions.

The mix of chicken, potatoes, peas, carrots and mayonnaise which was introduced by a Belgian chef in the 19th century, and shed richer ingredients like grouse and crayfish amid food shortages under the Soviets - will cost 35 percent more to prepare this year. The stiff rise, reported by the federal statistics office, comes amid the deepest economic downturn in President Vladimir Putin’s 15 years in office.

The economy has been in decline for a couple years due to sanctions and a slump in the price of Russia’s valuable oil exports. But this New Year’s Eve will arguably be the first in more than a decade when Russians are feeling the pain of recession at the table.

“Before, you could buy jewelry or expensive perfume for the New Year,” says 65-year old Nikolai Skomorokhov, who retired this month. “This time, it’s about the bare minimum. We’re mostly spending on the celebration.”

Skomorokhov, who is visiting his daughter and grandchildren in Moscow for the holidays from his hometown of Valdai in the northwest, says the usual items he would buy for the holiday became 30 to

40 percent more expensive over the year, causing him cut down on spending.

The national currency, the ruble, has fallen about 20 percent against the dollar this year, on top of a 40 percent slide in 2014, pushing up the price for imported goods.

A Russian ban on Western food imports, imposed in retaliation for U.S. and European economic sanctions, has further hurt supply, pushing up prices.

Official consumer price inflation was around 12 percent this year, but New Year’s shopping shows a much higher rate.

The rise in the cost of a Salad Olivier, which is sometimes used informally as a benchmark for the cost of living since it contains several staple ingredients, is indicative of a rise in food costs. Groceries for a typical holiday dinner for two including vegetables, sausage, cheese, pickles and chicken would cost 5,790 rubles ($80) this year, 28 percent higher than a year ago.

“This year, Russians are celebrating without much joy because the year has been tough,” says Marina Krasilnikova, a researcher at the polling agency Levada. “People are growing less confident in the economic situation of the country.”

Retail sales were down 13 percent in November compared with a year earlier, the sharpest decline since 2000, the economic development ministry said in a report this week. In recent years, as Russia’s oil-fueled economy was stagnat-

5

Sente landfill designed to be a park

Asian market rally fizzles on oil price retreat

TOKYO - Most major Asia-Pacific stock markets turned lower Wednesday as another retreat in oil prices dented buying sentiment, but Tokyo ended on a high note as one of the best-performers of 2015.

Bali News

International

The Regent of Klungkung I Nyoman Suwirta, far left, is visiting the Sente Landfil

IBP/Dewa Farend

The Head of the DKP Klungkung, A.A. Kirana, said that his agency is still waiting for decomposition or fermentation of the waste for two months. After that, the waste at Sente landfill will be backfilled so that it can become a planting medium. “The waste will be backfilled with soil with a thickness of about 20 cm. As a result, the waste is no longer visible,” he said when confirmed, Tuesday (Dec. 29).

The landfill area of 0.98 hectare will be half-backfilled in the south to the west. It will be planted with grass so that becomes a field of grass. Further, the DKP Klungkung will invite school children to plant trees. “We make this Sente location into a landfill of education. We’ll invite school children to plant trees so that the landfill looks green,” he described while adding that the waste backfill is a program to capture the smelling methane gas at the Sente landfill so that it will no longer pollute the surrounding air.

Related to the Sente landfill, the DKP Klungkung still attempts to realize the MoU being discussed with the government of Bangli. In addition, the DKP will also undertake the procurement of two incinerators to burn waste. Furthermore, his agency will revive the integrated waste processing (TPST) at every village that will be used to manage domestic waste. “With this program, we expect the three programs can resolve waste problem in Klungkung district,” he added.

Agung Kirana added that the waste management will also give a positive value to the surrounding community.

In 2016, his party has a program to deliver methane gas into people’s homes. Well managed methane gas can be used for cooking. “Let’s wait until it ferments, then we first examine the methane gas that can be used for some households,” he explained while adding that he will make coordination with local village officials. (dwa)

Thousands of Klungkungers -mostly Ministry of Law and Human Nusa Penidians, are still illiterate Rights transfers 40 inmates To prevent clashes

AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko

A young couple takes a photo at a shop window illuminated to mark the upcoming New Year and Orthodox Christmas celebrations in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2015. For most Russians, it’s not New Year’s without a Salad Olivier, a dish meant to augur prosperity. This year, soaring food costs mean the tradition can also be a painful reminder of how rapidly many Russians’ wealth is fading amid recession and Western sanctions. ing, retail sales were supporting the economy. Not anymore.

“Unlike during the 2008-2009 crisis, the food consumption has fallen as dramatically as the consumption of durable goods in 2015,” the ministry’s report said,

adding that Russians are cutting down on food as the prices rise.

Worries about the economy featured prominently in Putin’s annual news conference earlier this month, when journalists from state-owned media, not known for

asking tough questions, grilled the president about falling incomes and living standards. Yet the majority of Russians tend not to blame Putin, whose popularity remains buoyed by the annexation of Crimea in 2014, but his government. (ap)

DENPASAR - The Ministry of Law and Human Rights continues to take steps towards avoiding violent clashes amongst gang members, like the ones that took place in and around Kerobokan Prison recently. One step being taken is do prison transfers.

With the assistance of Bali Police officers, 40 inmates were transferred to Madiun and Porong Prisons in Surabaya, with 20 inmates being sent to each prison.

Division Head of Corrections at the Bali Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Nyoman Putra Surya Atmaja, confirmed to journalists that prisoners from

prisons in Bangli, Klungkung and Karangasem had been moved. “The 40 prisoners that were transferred are sentenced to five years and over,” he added.

“Essentially, the prisoners who were transferred are influential ones that formerly occupied block C of Kerobokan Prison,” said Atmaja.

He also confirmed that there are still concerns about problems occurring in these four prisons and detention house. Concerns are centred around the issue of the overpopulation of the prisons, as well the negative influence of certain prisoners. (kmb37)

SEMARAPURA - The district of Klungkung’s literacy rate is still relatively low. According to the Klungkung Education Agency’s data, there are 4,000 people who are either illiterate or have not attended school - 40 percent of whom are live in Nusa Penida.

Head of the Klungkung Education Agency, Nyoman Mudarta, when contacted on Tuesday (Dec. 29), said that the literacy rate is based on statistical data that has not been updated for 2015. A team of statisticianss, and sub-district heads and village apparatae are presently working on it. “So far we only have data for the subdistricts of Dawan and Nusa Penida,” he said.

To increase the literacy rate in Klungkung, the Education Agency organized a central government program for 100 participants, so that they can learn to read, write and do basic arithmetic. On Monday December 28th, the participants who are mostly parents, took their final exam for basic functional literacy at SDN 3 Paksebali

elementary school in Dawan. “After passing the exam, the participants receive a certificate of literacy, certifying that they are literate,” explained Wayan Watra, Division Head of Non-Formal and Informal Education, at the Education Agency.

For 2015, the central government assigned Klungkung a quota of 1,000 participants, 900 of whom were from Nusa Penida and 100 of whom were from Paksebali. “They worked in groups of ten people,” said Watra.

The regent of Klungkung, Nyoman Suwirta, and the Head of the Education Agency, Nyoman Mudarta, came to monitor the implementation of the exam. After the exam, the regent encouraged the participants to always continue improving their knowledge and also said that they should always encourage their children to study hard. “The government is committed to making sure that all of the participants in the program learn to read, write and count,” confirmed Suwirta. (kmb)

6

Thursday, December 31, 2015

W

RLD

Widespread flooding hits Missouri, Illinois with rivers still rising

Rain-swollen rivers across Missouri were still rising on Wednesday, with widespread flooding forcing the evacuation of hundreds of people, closing part of a major interstate highway and threatening to wash out scores of structures. At least 13 people have died in Missouri since the weekend, when days of downpours from a massive winter storm system triggered the worst flooding in two decades, Governor Jay Nixon said.

“It’s very clear that Missouri is in the midst of a very historic and dangerous flooding event,” Nixon said during a Tuesday news conference.

Several major rivers and tributaries in Missouri and Illinois were poised to crest at record levels, the National Weather Service said.

Some of the rivers would continue to rise until Saturday.

At the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, about 20 miles (32 km) north of St. Louis, residents of the towns West Alton and Arnold were told to evacuate on Tuesday. Flooding in the middle portion of the Mississippi River and its tributaries may reach the

highest levels in recorded history, the forecasting site AccuWeather said.

The U.S. Coast Guard closed a five-mile (8 km) stretch of the Mississippi River near St. Louis to all vessel traffic due to hazardous conditions. The National Weather Service forecast the Mississippi River at the Chester, Illinois, river gauge about 60 miles (100 km) south of St. Louis would crest at 49.7 feet (15.1 meters) on Friday matching the 1993 record.

The floodwaters have forced the closured of roadways and highways, including a portion of Interstate 44, a major highway that runs from west Texas to St. Louis,

the Missouri Department of Transportation said on Wednesday.

Sewage has been flowing into the fast-rising Meramec River near St. Louis since Monday, when floodwater disabled a sewer treatment plant, the St. Louis PostDispatch reported.

In Illinois, some inmates were moved out of the Menard Correctional Center, a maximum security prison on the banks of the Mississippi River, and sandbags and drinking water were prepared in anticipation of flooding in lower level cell blocks, Illinois officials said in a statement. Governor Bruce Rauner on Tuesday issued a state disaster proclamation for seven counties to help with response and recovery.

Nixon called out the National Guard to direct traffic away from closed roads in his state and urged people not to drive in flooded areas.

Most deaths in flooding occur when cars are swept away. (ap)

REUTERS/Kate Munsch

Submerged roads and houses are seen after several days of heavy rain led to flooding, in an aerial view over Union, Missouri December 29, 2015. A storm system that triggered deadly tornadoes and flooding in the U.S. Midwest and Southwest pushed north on Tuesday, bringing snow and ice from Iowa to Massachusetts and another day of tangled air travel.

International

Libyans probing Gadhafi son’s case leave Lebanon amid threat

BEIRUT — A Lebanese security official says members of a Libyan fact-finding mission who came to Beirut to investigate the case of a detained son of their country’s late dictator Moammar Gadhafi have left amid security concerns.

The official says authorities advised the Libyan Justice Ministry delegation to leave Lebanon after relaying an unspecified threat to its safety. The delegation left Lebanon on Tuesday. The official did not elaborate.

He spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

Hannibal Gadhafi remains in Lebanese custody after unknown captors delivered him to authorities earlier this month. He is being questioned about the disappearance of top Shiite cleric Moussa alSadr while on a visit to Libya in 1978.

The Libyan delegation came to request Gadhafi’s extradition for crimes committed during his father’s rule. (ap)

International

11

Thursday, December 31, 2015

Indonesia calls off search for ferry wreck victims

JAKARTA - Authorities called off the search Tuesday for a dozen people still missing after a ferry sank in central Indonesia with the loss of 78 lives, the latest maritime accident in the archipelago.

AP Photo/Abdel Magid al-Fergany, File

FILE - In this undated file photo made available Sept. 25, 2011, Hannibal Gadhafi, son of the recently ousted Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, watches an elite military unit exercise in Zlitan, Libya.

Turkish prosecutor: police foil New Year’s eve attack

ANKARA — Turkish police on Wednesday detained two suspected Islamic State militants who were believed to be planning suicide attacks during New Year celebrations in central Ankara, officials said.

The two men were detained in a raid on a cell house in the lowincome Mamak neighborhood of Ankara, where police also seized a suicide vest armed with a bomb, an explosive device that was fortified with ball bearings and metal sticks and placed inside a back-pack as well as bomb-making equipment, according to the Ankara Chief Prosecutor’s office.

The two Turkish nationals, identified by their initials M.C. and A.Y., were being questioned by anti-terrorism police.

The prosecutor’s office said the men had staked out possible locations in Ankara, where they could carry out the attacks. The state-run Anadolu Agency, quoting unnamed police and judiciary officials, said the would-be-attackers were planning to detonate the bombs at two locations near bars and a shopping mall near Turkey’s central Kizilay district during the celebrations.

“They were caught before they

had the opportunity to take action,” the prosecutor’s office said.

The private NTV news channel, quoting security sources, said the two had “frequently” moved in and out of Syria and that security officials had been monitoring their movements for the past month.

In October, two suicide bombers detonated bombs outside Ankara’s main train station as people gathered for a peace rally. The attack killed more than 100 people and was Turkey’s deadliest. The prosecutor’s office said the attack was carried out by a local cell of the Islamic State group.

More than 30 people were also killed in a IS suicide attack in the town of Suruc, near Turkey’s border with Syria, in July.

Earlier this year, Turkey agreed to take a more active role in the U.S.-led battle against the IS group.

Turkey opened its bases to U.S. aircraft to launch air raids on the extremist group in Syria and has carried out a limited number of strikes on the group itself.

It has also moved to tighten security along its 900-kilometer (560mile) border with Syria in a bid to stem the flow of militants. (ap)

Sixty-six bodies have been recovered and 12 people are missing and presumed dead after the vessel went down in rough seas on December 19 in a gulf off Sulawesi island after being pummelled by massive waves.

Forty survivors were rescued soon after it sank.

“We have not found anyone today and there has been no sign we will find anyone else, so the operation has been officially called off,” search and rescue agency head Bambang Soelistyo told AFP. Soelistyo said the agency has asked local fishermen and sailors to notify authorities if they found any more people.

Boats and aircraft had scoured the gulf for 10 days but not found any bodies since the weekend.

A total of 118 passengers and crew were on board the boat when it ran into trouble, with survivors describing massive waves smashing into the vessel before the engine died and the order was given to abandon ship.

The Indonesian archipelago of more than 17,000 islands is heavily dependent on ferry services but safety standards are poor and accidents common. (afp)

AP Photo

Body bags containing the bodies of the victims of a ferry that sank off Sulawesi Island last Saturday are laid on the deck of a rescue ship in the Gulf of Bone, Indonesia, Thursday, Dec. 24, 2015. Authorities called off the search Tuesday for a dozen people still missing after a ferry sank in central Indonesia with the loss of 78 lives, the latest maritime accident in the archipelago.

Muslim women hail female-only motorbike taxis

JAKARTA - Female motorbike taxi drivers in headscarves zig-zag through heavy traffic in the Indonesian capital Jakarta, the latest two-wheeled transport service for women making a dent in the male-dominated world of ride-hailing apps in the Muslim nation.

A flurry of new motorbike taxi options have in the past year appeared in the metropolis of 10 million, led by popular service Go-Jek, giving Indonesia’s growing middle class a greater choice of transport to get through some of the world’s worst traffic jams.

The services -- many inspired by ride-sharing app Uber and ac-

cessible on smartphones -- are a challenge to traditional motorbike taxis in Indonesia, known as “ojeks”, which are ubiquitous but have drawn criticism with their dishevelled, dangerous drivers and unpredictable pricing.

Several services with women drivers entered the market in 2015 after years of growing piety in Indonesia, which has the world’s biggest Muslim population, and amid heightened safety concerns following reports of attacks on women by male motorbike taxi drivers.

They are in part designed with religious sensitivities in mind, as an increasing number of Muslim women wear headscarves and fol-

low strict interpretations of Islam that forbid close contact with the opposite sex, except between married couples.

“The need for transportation for women is huge, especially in big cities where rates of crime and sexual harassment are very high,” Evilita Adriani, co-founder of motorbike taxi company Ojek Syari, told AFP. Popularly known by its nickname “Ojesy”, it is the service that aims most clearly at devout female passengers, requiring its drivers to be Muslim women wearing headscarves and loose-fitting clothes.

Ojesy drivers can currently only be hailed by a phone call or

through mobile messaging service WhatsApp, but the service is also developing an app that was being tested out this month.

The service, which began in Indonesia’s second-biggest city Surabaya in March before expanding across the main island of Java, only accepts female passengers or children.

“I feel more comfortable sharing a ride with a fellow Muslim woman,” said Nurlaila, a Surabaya housewife who goes by one name.

She uses the service to take her children to school -- a common practice in the country where whole families often travel squashed together on a motorbike.

“Thank God for Ojesy.”

The company says business is booming -- after starting in March with Adriani as its only driver, it now has 350 drivers.

Other motorbike taxi companies vying for a stake in the female market include app-based service LadyJek, whose drivers dress in pink jackets and helmets, and Sister-Ojek, a start-up that began operations earlier this year with capital of just $100.

Indonesia stands out for the number of motorbike taxi services aimed at women that it boasts, with female drivers relatively rare in many developing nations where the mode of transport is popular. (afp)

Former separatist fighters surrender in Aceh

BANDA ACEH - More than 100 former separatist fighters in Indonesia’s Aceh province who hid out in the jungles and allegedly committed serious crimes have surrendered, an official said Tuesday.

The fighters, led by notorious excombatant Nurdin bin Ismail, were a splinter faction of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), which fought for years against Jakarta’s rule before striking a peace deal in return

for an autonomy offer in 2005.

Ismail’s group claimed to be fighting against the new leaders of the western province -- also former independence fighters -- whom they said were not running Aceh for the benefit of the people, but rather for a small circle of cronies.

While supporters painted Ismail as a “Robin Hood” figure who used stolen funds to help those neglected by the authorities, critics said he led

an armed group allegedly responsible for crimes including the kidnap and killing of military personnel.

On Monday Ismail and about 120 of his men handed themselves in and surrendered 15 guns and ammunition to the authorities.

The group agreed to the move after intense communication with authorities in the past two months, the head of the national intelligence agency said, adding the government

was still considering whether to grant them an amnesty.

“They did not ask for money nor jobs, but asked that we pay more attention to victims of the conflict, especially the orphans and ex-fighters,” said agency head Sutiyoso, who goes by one name.

“If this is granted, then they will end their fight. Their request is fair.”

An estimated 15,000 people

were killed during almost three decades of fighting between rebels and the Indonesian government. Both sides finally agreed to a peace deal after a devastating quake-triggered tsunami in 2004 killed tens of thousands in Aceh.

The province has largely been peaceful since the peace deal, but many ex-fighters say they have been left behind and are living in poverty. (afp)

10

Destination

Thursday, December 31, 2015

IBP/File Photo

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International

Monument of Puputan Klungkung

SEMARAPURA - A great nation is the one that can appreciate the merits of its great heroes. It is a string of words becoming the motivation of the government of Klungkung in building the monument of Puputan Klungkung. This monument is meant to commemorate and appreciate the merits of the heroes who have died and been willing to sacrifice their body and soul in maintaining the dignity of the homeland occupied by colonialist.

Exactly located downtown of Semarapura, the towering monument of 28 meters high and in a phallus and yoni-shaped gives a sacred impression. The entire building is made from black stone so that it is in tune with the meaning of Hindu philosophy of Puputan or all-out war conducted by the best natives to Klungkung kingdom with their subjects. Located in the heart of Semarapura town, it is very easy to find it either from the Denpasar-Besakih route or from Candidasa. It is also within walking distance from the Kertha Gosa, shopping center, traditional market and government offices.

Puputan Klungkung Monument is a memorial of a historical event occurred on Tuesday Umanis, April 28, 1908, where in the monument area has occurred an all-out war indicating a bitter struggle against the efforts of the Dutch colonists to still occupy the motherland of Indonesia. The peace-loving people of Klungkung respect and uphold the nobility and purity of blood spilled under the leadership of a king that ruled at the time and followed the loyal knights that have been killed due to the attack of bullets of the Dutch. As a small part of Indonesia, Klungkung region was able to respect and uphold the heroism and patriotism through all out war.

Klungkung Monument in the form of lingam and yoni established on the area of 123 square meters is equipped with four gazebos at the corners of the courtyard, while at the bottom of the phallus lies a very large room in the form of square building with four entrance gates located on the four sides, namely from the east, south, west and north.

Height of the monument from the pedestal to the top of the phallus reaches 28 meters.

In the building / room downstairs with the phallus there is a kind of octagonal dome building on 19 pieces of lotus flowers. This wholly reflects the date of April 28, 1908. As part of the education on history, the monument room is also equipped with a diorama depicting the struggle of the people of Klungkung with the king. And as an expression of respect for the Puputan Klungkung, the commemoration is carried out every year.

Thursday, December 31, 2015

International

Horford leads Hawks to 121-115 win over the Rockets

HOUSTON — Al Horford had 30 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Atlanta Hawks to a 121-115 victory over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night.

Atlanta trailed by 19 early in the game before rallying for the victory.

Kent Bazemore added 26 points and Paul Millsap and Jeff Teague both had 22 as the Hawks won for the seventh time in eight games.

Dwight Howard led Houston with 30 points and 16 rebounds, while James Harden had 26 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.

Atlanta took a lead late in the fourth quarter and employed the hack-a strategy, intentionally fouling Howard and Clint Capela repeatedly. The strategy was largely successful until Howard made a free throw to take the lead with just over two minutes remaining. Atlanta then scored the final nine points of the game to steal the road victory.

Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook scored 27 points and Kevin Durant added 26 to lead the Thunder to a 131-123 win over the Mil-

waukee Bucks. Enes Kanter added 23 points while rookie Cameron Payne had a career-high 16 for the Thunder.

Westbrook and Durant both scored more than 20 points for the 25th time this season as Oklahoma City overcame an early eight-point deficit to win for the 11th time in its last 14 games.

Khris Middleton scored a careerbest 36 points to lead Milwaukee.

In New York, Carmelo Anthony scored 24 points and Derrick Williams added 18 to lead six Knicks in double figures and end a four-game losing streak with a 108-96 win over the Detroit Pistons.

Jose Calderon added 15 points, Kyle O’Quinn had 12, Robin Lopez scored 11, and Kristaps Porzingis finished with 10.

Ersan Ilyasova led the Pistons with 19 points. Marcus Morris and

Reggie Jackson each had 17. Williams scored 16 of his points in the final quarter, hitting 5-of-6 shots from the field.

The Memphis Grizzlies beat the Miami Heat 99-90 after Marc Gasol scored seven of his 23 points in overtime. Zach Randolph added 17 points for Memphis. Mike Conley and Jeff Green had 16 apiece, and Mario Chalmers scored 12 points.

Gasol would add eight rebounds, six assists and four blocks, including a pair of rejections in the closing minutes.

In Denver, LeBron James scored 34 points on the eve of his 31st birthday and Iman Shumpert added a season-high 16 as the Cavaliers beat the Nuggets 93-87.

Kevin Love had eight points and 14 rebounds to help Cleveland finish off a four-game West Coast swing with a 2-2 mark. The Cavaliers rested Kyrie Irving on the second night of a back-to-back as he works his way back from a fractured left kneecap. (ap)

Magnussen told McLaren seat was his for 2015

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AP Photo/David J. Phillip

Houston Rockets’ James Harden (13) loses the ball after being fouled as Atlanta Hawks’ Al Horford (15) defends during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2015, in Houston.

Kevin Magnussen has confirmed recent stories suggesting that former McLaren team-mate Jenson Button was on the verge of retirement in 2014, claiming that he had been told the second seat at the Woking team

was his for last season.

Speaking to Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet, Magnussen admitted to being disappointed by McLaren’s decision to reach a contract extension with Button after it ap-

peared that 2009 world champion was on the verge of ending his F1 career, but also conceded that his final outings in 2014 had not necessarily been the best advert for his own abilities as McLaren pondered the best choice of team-mate to Fernando Alonso.

“I was told that it was my seat,” the Dane insisted, “I cannot remember it exactly but, at the end of the season, I was told that I did not need to worry.”

Although the 2014 season was not as bad as the most recent campaign for McLaren, it was hard for both Button and Magnussen to make an impact on the top three, leading the Woking giant to pursue a reunion with Alonso for 2015. The identity of the Spaniard’s teammate went all the way to the wire before Button was confirmed, the Briton having been pictured in an emotional conversation with team boss Ron Dennis following the seasonending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Ironically, Magnussen made one final McLaren appearance as substitute for the injured Alonso in the Australian Grand Prix, but the Dane ended 2015 by splitting with the team in order to explore other opportunities.

“Of course it was hard to get to know that I did not get the seat, but I did not doubt that I would come back, so it was not as big a problem as one might have thought,” Magnussen continued, “But it was hard to begin with the launch, where I had just been told. Then you stand there as a test driver, while Jenson

stands with Fernando. It took a while before it sank in and the reality dawned on me.”

The Dane, FRenault 3.5 champion in 2013, confessed that, while Button was putting together a strong end to 2014, his own performances may not have been the most convincing for a young driver trying to prolong his F1 career.

“If I could go back and do it all again, I would do some things differently in the last two races,” the 23-year old confirmed, “They were the only two bad races I ran, and it’s just a pity that they were the last two, but I was very much under pressure.

“I took some stupid choices with the set-up and strategy, which meant that I lost a lot. I bet with the set-up because I really wanted to beat him, but I went too much compromise on my car for the race, I got a bad start, slipped a lot on the tyres and, in Abu Dhabi, I panicked because now I had [fallen] too far back. I pushed too much so, in the middle of the stint, I had destroyed my tyres and had to pit too early.

“It was a domino effect when one is under pressure - if you have make a bad choice, it’s really easy in an F1 car to get into a really bad run. Jenson had his two best races at the end.

He ran really well – but he had a helmet ready that said goodbye. He had thrown in the towel and just ran with his heart. He drove to have fun and enjoy the last two races as he believed 100 per cent that he was done in F1. He drove without stress or pressure...” (rtr)

8

Thursday, December 31, 2015

Thursday, December 31, 2015

Sp rt Former Newcastle goalkeeper Pavel Srnicek dies at 47

PRAGUE — Pavel Srnicek, a former Czech Republic goalkeeper who also played for Newcastle, died Tuesday, nine days after collapsing while running. He was 47.

Sparta Prague, where Srnicek had been goalkeeper coach since 2011, said the former Premier League player died at a university clinic in the eastern city of Ostrava.

Srnicek made 150 appearances for the Magpies from 199198 and was part of the Newcastle squad that finished runner-up in the Premier League in 1996. He recently published a book “Pavel Is a Geordie” about his years with Newcastle.

Srnicek played for his country 49 times between 1994 and 2001 and was a backup goalkeeper at the 1996 European Championship, where the Czechs reached the final. Srnicek also played for English clubs Sheffield Wednesday, Portsmouth and West Ham. (ap)

Moenchengladbach signs Jonas Hofmann from Dortmund DORTMUND — Borussia Moenchengladbach has signed attacking midfielder Jonas Hofmann from Bundesliga rival Borussia Dortmund.

The move becomes effective on Jan. 1, the opening day of the midseason transfer period. Neither club gave financial details of the transfer. Hofmann signed a contract through mid-2020.

Hofmann made seven appearances for Dortmund in the first half of the season and scored one goal.

Moenchengladbach has several injured attacking players, including Patrick Herrmann and Andre Hahn.

Hofmann’s debut for Moenchengladbach could come against his old club when the two sides meet Jan. 23 in the first round after the Bundesliga’s winter break. (ap)

AP Photo/Rui Vieira

Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero appeals to the referee after being tackled by Leicester’s Gokhan Inler during the English Premier League soccer match between Leicester City and Manchester City at the King Power Stadium in Leicester, England, Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2015.

Leicester, Man City draw 0-0; Arsenal top going into 2016

LEICESTER — Leicester relinquished first place in the English Premier League heading into 2016 after drawing 0-0 with Manchester City in an entertaining stalemate on Tuesday.

AP Photo/Martin Meissner, file

FILE - In this July 9, 2013 file photo, Borussia Dortmund’s Jonas Hofmann poses during a team photo shooting for the new Bundesliga season 2013/2014 in Dortmund, Germany.

Arsenal leads Leicester — the surprise team of the season — on goal difference, with third-place City three points behind after half of the league campaign.

Raheem Sterling was a danger in the first half for City at King Power Stadium, forcing Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel into three saves, while striker Jamie Vardy wasted the home side’s best chance by blazing over when clear on goal.

City finally managed to keep a

clean sheet without injured captain Vincent Kompany (calf) — who was ruled out for up to four weeks by manager Manuel Pellegrini after the game — but hasn’t won away in its last six attempts.

“I don’t think in December that you’re going to win the title,” Pellegrini said. “At the end of January and the first week of February, maybe we can see more who are finally the teams which will be involved in the fight.”

After a loss at Liverpool on Saturday, Leicester’s title credentials were questioned by some, especially as it was battling relegation all of last season. But Claudio Ranieri’s side silenced their doubters with another superb performance, holding its own against many pundits’ favorite for the championship.

“This league is very crazy . nobody wants to win the league. It’s very strange,” Ranieri said. “We’re the basement and the other teams are a villa with a swimming pool. It’s not easy for us but we want to fight with everybody. “It’s a miracle what we’re doing.” (ap)

Get 10% discount by cutting this add

9

8

Thursday, December 31, 2015

Thursday, December 31, 2015

Sp rt Former Newcastle goalkeeper Pavel Srnicek dies at 47

PRAGUE — Pavel Srnicek, a former Czech Republic goalkeeper who also played for Newcastle, died Tuesday, nine days after collapsing while running. He was 47.

Sparta Prague, where Srnicek had been goalkeeper coach since 2011, said the former Premier League player died at a university clinic in the eastern city of Ostrava.

Srnicek made 150 appearances for the Magpies from 199198 and was part of the Newcastle squad that finished runner-up in the Premier League in 1996. He recently published a book “Pavel Is a Geordie” about his years with Newcastle.

Srnicek played for his country 49 times between 1994 and 2001 and was a backup goalkeeper at the 1996 European Championship, where the Czechs reached the final. Srnicek also played for English clubs Sheffield Wednesday, Portsmouth and West Ham. (ap)

Moenchengladbach signs Jonas Hofmann from Dortmund DORTMUND — Borussia Moenchengladbach has signed attacking midfielder Jonas Hofmann from Bundesliga rival Borussia Dortmund.

The move becomes effective on Jan. 1, the opening day of the midseason transfer period. Neither club gave financial details of the transfer. Hofmann signed a contract through mid-2020.

Hofmann made seven appearances for Dortmund in the first half of the season and scored one goal.

Moenchengladbach has several injured attacking players, including Patrick Herrmann and Andre Hahn.

Hofmann’s debut for Moenchengladbach could come against his old club when the two sides meet Jan. 23 in the first round after the Bundesliga’s winter break. (ap)

AP Photo/Rui Vieira

Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero appeals to the referee after being tackled by Leicester’s Gokhan Inler during the English Premier League soccer match between Leicester City and Manchester City at the King Power Stadium in Leicester, England, Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2015.

Leicester, Man City draw 0-0; Arsenal top going into 2016

LEICESTER — Leicester relinquished first place in the English Premier League heading into 2016 after drawing 0-0 with Manchester City in an entertaining stalemate on Tuesday.

AP Photo/Martin Meissner, file

FILE - In this July 9, 2013 file photo, Borussia Dortmund’s Jonas Hofmann poses during a team photo shooting for the new Bundesliga season 2013/2014 in Dortmund, Germany.

Arsenal leads Leicester — the surprise team of the season — on goal difference, with third-place City three points behind after half of the league campaign.

Raheem Sterling was a danger in the first half for City at King Power Stadium, forcing Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel into three saves, while striker Jamie Vardy wasted the home side’s best chance by blazing over when clear on goal.

City finally managed to keep a

clean sheet without injured captain Vincent Kompany (calf) — who was ruled out for up to four weeks by manager Manuel Pellegrini after the game — but hasn’t won away in its last six attempts.

“I don’t think in December that you’re going to win the title,” Pellegrini said. “At the end of January and the first week of February, maybe we can see more who are finally the teams which will be involved in the fight.”

After a loss at Liverpool on Saturday, Leicester’s title credentials were questioned by some, especially as it was battling relegation all of last season. But Claudio Ranieri’s side silenced their doubters with another superb performance, holding its own against many pundits’ favorite for the championship.

“This league is very crazy . nobody wants to win the league. It’s very strange,” Ranieri said. “We’re the basement and the other teams are a villa with a swimming pool. It’s not easy for us but we want to fight with everybody. “It’s a miracle what we’re doing.” (ap)

Get 10% discount by cutting this add

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Destination

Thursday, December 31, 2015

IBP/File Photo

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International

Monument of Puputan Klungkung

SEMARAPURA - A great nation is the one that can appreciate the merits of its great heroes. It is a string of words becoming the motivation of the government of Klungkung in building the monument of Puputan Klungkung. This monument is meant to commemorate and appreciate the merits of the heroes who have died and been willing to sacrifice their body and soul in maintaining the dignity of the homeland occupied by colonialist.

Exactly located downtown of Semarapura, the towering monument of 28 meters high and in a phallus and yoni-shaped gives a sacred impression. The entire building is made from black stone so that it is in tune with the meaning of Hindu philosophy of Puputan or all-out war conducted by the best natives to Klungkung kingdom with their subjects. Located in the heart of Semarapura town, it is very easy to find it either from the Denpasar-Besakih route or from Candidasa. It is also within walking distance from the Kertha Gosa, shopping center, traditional market and government offices.

Puputan Klungkung Monument is a memorial of a historical event occurred on Tuesday Umanis, April 28, 1908, where in the monument area has occurred an all-out war indicating a bitter struggle against the efforts of the Dutch colonists to still occupy the motherland of Indonesia. The peace-loving people of Klungkung respect and uphold the nobility and purity of blood spilled under the leadership of a king that ruled at the time and followed the loyal knights that have been killed due to the attack of bullets of the Dutch. As a small part of Indonesia, Klungkung region was able to respect and uphold the heroism and patriotism through all out war.

Klungkung Monument in the form of lingam and yoni established on the area of 123 square meters is equipped with four gazebos at the corners of the courtyard, while at the bottom of the phallus lies a very large room in the form of square building with four entrance gates located on the four sides, namely from the east, south, west and north.

Height of the monument from the pedestal to the top of the phallus reaches 28 meters.

In the building / room downstairs with the phallus there is a kind of octagonal dome building on 19 pieces of lotus flowers. This wholly reflects the date of April 28, 1908. As part of the education on history, the monument room is also equipped with a diorama depicting the struggle of the people of Klungkung with the king. And as an expression of respect for the Puputan Klungkung, the commemoration is carried out every year.

Thursday, December 31, 2015

International

Horford leads Hawks to 121-115 win over the Rockets

HOUSTON — Al Horford had 30 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Atlanta Hawks to a 121-115 victory over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night.

Atlanta trailed by 19 early in the game before rallying for the victory.

Kent Bazemore added 26 points and Paul Millsap and Jeff Teague both had 22 as the Hawks won for the seventh time in eight games.

Dwight Howard led Houston with 30 points and 16 rebounds, while James Harden had 26 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.

Atlanta took a lead late in the fourth quarter and employed the hack-a strategy, intentionally fouling Howard and Clint Capela repeatedly. The strategy was largely successful until Howard made a free throw to take the lead with just over two minutes remaining. Atlanta then scored the final nine points of the game to steal the road victory.

Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook scored 27 points and Kevin Durant added 26 to lead the Thunder to a 131-123 win over the Mil-

waukee Bucks. Enes Kanter added 23 points while rookie Cameron Payne had a career-high 16 for the Thunder.

Westbrook and Durant both scored more than 20 points for the 25th time this season as Oklahoma City overcame an early eight-point deficit to win for the 11th time in its last 14 games.

Khris Middleton scored a careerbest 36 points to lead Milwaukee.

In New York, Carmelo Anthony scored 24 points and Derrick Williams added 18 to lead six Knicks in double figures and end a four-game losing streak with a 108-96 win over the Detroit Pistons.

Jose Calderon added 15 points, Kyle O’Quinn had 12, Robin Lopez scored 11, and Kristaps Porzingis finished with 10.

Ersan Ilyasova led the Pistons with 19 points. Marcus Morris and

Reggie Jackson each had 17. Williams scored 16 of his points in the final quarter, hitting 5-of-6 shots from the field.

The Memphis Grizzlies beat the Miami Heat 99-90 after Marc Gasol scored seven of his 23 points in overtime. Zach Randolph added 17 points for Memphis. Mike Conley and Jeff Green had 16 apiece, and Mario Chalmers scored 12 points.

Gasol would add eight rebounds, six assists and four blocks, including a pair of rejections in the closing minutes.

In Denver, LeBron James scored 34 points on the eve of his 31st birthday and Iman Shumpert added a season-high 16 as the Cavaliers beat the Nuggets 93-87.

Kevin Love had eight points and 14 rebounds to help Cleveland finish off a four-game West Coast swing with a 2-2 mark. The Cavaliers rested Kyrie Irving on the second night of a back-to-back as he works his way back from a fractured left kneecap. (ap)

Magnussen told McLaren seat was his for 2015

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AP Photo/David J. Phillip

Houston Rockets’ James Harden (13) loses the ball after being fouled as Atlanta Hawks’ Al Horford (15) defends during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2015, in Houston.

Kevin Magnussen has confirmed recent stories suggesting that former McLaren team-mate Jenson Button was on the verge of retirement in 2014, claiming that he had been told the second seat at the Woking team

was his for last season.

Speaking to Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet, Magnussen admitted to being disappointed by McLaren’s decision to reach a contract extension with Button after it ap-

peared that 2009 world champion was on the verge of ending his F1 career, but also conceded that his final outings in 2014 had not necessarily been the best advert for his own abilities as McLaren pondered the best choice of team-mate to Fernando Alonso.

“I was told that it was my seat,” the Dane insisted, “I cannot remember it exactly but, at the end of the season, I was told that I did not need to worry.”

Although the 2014 season was not as bad as the most recent campaign for McLaren, it was hard for both Button and Magnussen to make an impact on the top three, leading the Woking giant to pursue a reunion with Alonso for 2015. The identity of the Spaniard’s teammate went all the way to the wire before Button was confirmed, the Briton having been pictured in an emotional conversation with team boss Ron Dennis following the seasonending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Ironically, Magnussen made one final McLaren appearance as substitute for the injured Alonso in the Australian Grand Prix, but the Dane ended 2015 by splitting with the team in order to explore other opportunities.

“Of course it was hard to get to know that I did not get the seat, but I did not doubt that I would come back, so it was not as big a problem as one might have thought,” Magnussen continued, “But it was hard to begin with the launch, where I had just been told. Then you stand there as a test driver, while Jenson

stands with Fernando. It took a while before it sank in and the reality dawned on me.”

The Dane, FRenault 3.5 champion in 2013, confessed that, while Button was putting together a strong end to 2014, his own performances may not have been the most convincing for a young driver trying to prolong his F1 career.

“If I could go back and do it all again, I would do some things differently in the last two races,” the 23-year old confirmed, “They were the only two bad races I ran, and it’s just a pity that they were the last two, but I was very much under pressure.

“I took some stupid choices with the set-up and strategy, which meant that I lost a lot. I bet with the set-up because I really wanted to beat him, but I went too much compromise on my car for the race, I got a bad start, slipped a lot on the tyres and, in Abu Dhabi, I panicked because now I had [fallen] too far back. I pushed too much so, in the middle of the stint, I had destroyed my tyres and had to pit too early.

“It was a domino effect when one is under pressure - if you have make a bad choice, it’s really easy in an F1 car to get into a really bad run. Jenson had his two best races at the end.

He ran really well – but he had a helmet ready that said goodbye. He had thrown in the towel and just ran with his heart. He drove to have fun and enjoy the last two races as he believed 100 per cent that he was done in F1. He drove without stress or pressure...” (rtr)

6

Thursday, December 31, 2015

W

RLD

Widespread flooding hits Missouri, Illinois with rivers still rising

Rain-swollen rivers across Missouri were still rising on Wednesday, with widespread flooding forcing the evacuation of hundreds of people, closing part of a major interstate highway and threatening to wash out scores of structures. At least 13 people have died in Missouri since the weekend, when days of downpours from a massive winter storm system triggered the worst flooding in two decades, Governor Jay Nixon said.

“It’s very clear that Missouri is in the midst of a very historic and dangerous flooding event,” Nixon said during a Tuesday news conference.

Several major rivers and tributaries in Missouri and Illinois were poised to crest at record levels, the National Weather Service said.

Some of the rivers would continue to rise until Saturday.

At the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, about 20 miles (32 km) north of St. Louis, residents of the towns West Alton and Arnold were told to evacuate on Tuesday. Flooding in the middle portion of the Mississippi River and its tributaries may reach the

highest levels in recorded history, the forecasting site AccuWeather said.

The U.S. Coast Guard closed a five-mile (8 km) stretch of the Mississippi River near St. Louis to all vessel traffic due to hazardous conditions. The National Weather Service forecast the Mississippi River at the Chester, Illinois, river gauge about 60 miles (100 km) south of St. Louis would crest at 49.7 feet (15.1 meters) on Friday matching the 1993 record.

The floodwaters have forced the closured of roadways and highways, including a portion of Interstate 44, a major highway that runs from west Texas to St. Louis,

the Missouri Department of Transportation said on Wednesday.

Sewage has been flowing into the fast-rising Meramec River near St. Louis since Monday, when floodwater disabled a sewer treatment plant, the St. Louis PostDispatch reported.

In Illinois, some inmates were moved out of the Menard Correctional Center, a maximum security prison on the banks of the Mississippi River, and sandbags and drinking water were prepared in anticipation of flooding in lower level cell blocks, Illinois officials said in a statement. Governor Bruce Rauner on Tuesday issued a state disaster proclamation for seven counties to help with response and recovery.

Nixon called out the National Guard to direct traffic away from closed roads in his state and urged people not to drive in flooded areas.

Most deaths in flooding occur when cars are swept away. (ap)

REUTERS/Kate Munsch

Submerged roads and houses are seen after several days of heavy rain led to flooding, in an aerial view over Union, Missouri December 29, 2015. A storm system that triggered deadly tornadoes and flooding in the U.S. Midwest and Southwest pushed north on Tuesday, bringing snow and ice from Iowa to Massachusetts and another day of tangled air travel.

International

Libyans probing Gadhafi son’s case leave Lebanon amid threat

BEIRUT — A Lebanese security official says members of a Libyan fact-finding mission who came to Beirut to investigate the case of a detained son of their country’s late dictator Moammar Gadhafi have left amid security concerns.

The official says authorities advised the Libyan Justice Ministry delegation to leave Lebanon after relaying an unspecified threat to its safety. The delegation left Lebanon on Tuesday. The official did not elaborate.

He spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

Hannibal Gadhafi remains in Lebanese custody after unknown captors delivered him to authorities earlier this month. He is being questioned about the disappearance of top Shiite cleric Moussa alSadr while on a visit to Libya in 1978.

The Libyan delegation came to request Gadhafi’s extradition for crimes committed during his father’s rule. (ap)

International

11

Thursday, December 31, 2015

Indonesia calls off search for ferry wreck victims

JAKARTA - Authorities called off the search Tuesday for a dozen people still missing after a ferry sank in central Indonesia with the loss of 78 lives, the latest maritime accident in the archipelago.

AP Photo/Abdel Magid al-Fergany, File

FILE - In this undated file photo made available Sept. 25, 2011, Hannibal Gadhafi, son of the recently ousted Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, watches an elite military unit exercise in Zlitan, Libya.

Turkish prosecutor: police foil New Year’s eve attack

ANKARA — Turkish police on Wednesday detained two suspected Islamic State militants who were believed to be planning suicide attacks during New Year celebrations in central Ankara, officials said.

The two men were detained in a raid on a cell house in the lowincome Mamak neighborhood of Ankara, where police also seized a suicide vest armed with a bomb, an explosive device that was fortified with ball bearings and metal sticks and placed inside a back-pack as well as bomb-making equipment, according to the Ankara Chief Prosecutor’s office.

The two Turkish nationals, identified by their initials M.C. and A.Y., were being questioned by anti-terrorism police.

The prosecutor’s office said the men had staked out possible locations in Ankara, where they could carry out the attacks. The state-run Anadolu Agency, quoting unnamed police and judiciary officials, said the would-be-attackers were planning to detonate the bombs at two locations near bars and a shopping mall near Turkey’s central Kizilay district during the celebrations.

“They were caught before they

had the opportunity to take action,” the prosecutor’s office said.

The private NTV news channel, quoting security sources, said the two had “frequently” moved in and out of Syria and that security officials had been monitoring their movements for the past month.

In October, two suicide bombers detonated bombs outside Ankara’s main train station as people gathered for a peace rally. The attack killed more than 100 people and was Turkey’s deadliest. The prosecutor’s office said the attack was carried out by a local cell of the Islamic State group.

More than 30 people were also killed in a IS suicide attack in the town of Suruc, near Turkey’s border with Syria, in July.

Earlier this year, Turkey agreed to take a more active role in the U.S.-led battle against the IS group.

Turkey opened its bases to U.S. aircraft to launch air raids on the extremist group in Syria and has carried out a limited number of strikes on the group itself.

It has also moved to tighten security along its 900-kilometer (560mile) border with Syria in a bid to stem the flow of militants. (ap)

Sixty-six bodies have been recovered and 12 people are missing and presumed dead after the vessel went down in rough seas on December 19 in a gulf off Sulawesi island after being pummelled by massive waves.

Forty survivors were rescued soon after it sank.

“We have not found anyone today and there has been no sign we will find anyone else, so the operation has been officially called off,” search and rescue agency head Bambang Soelistyo told AFP. Soelistyo said the agency has asked local fishermen and sailors to notify authorities if they found any more people.

Boats and aircraft had scoured the gulf for 10 days but not found any bodies since the weekend.

A total of 118 passengers and crew were on board the boat when it ran into trouble, with survivors describing massive waves smashing into the vessel before the engine died and the order was given to abandon ship.

The Indonesian archipelago of more than 17,000 islands is heavily dependent on ferry services but safety standards are poor and accidents common. (afp)

AP Photo

Body bags containing the bodies of the victims of a ferry that sank off Sulawesi Island last Saturday are laid on the deck of a rescue ship in the Gulf of Bone, Indonesia, Thursday, Dec. 24, 2015. Authorities called off the search Tuesday for a dozen people still missing after a ferry sank in central Indonesia with the loss of 78 lives, the latest maritime accident in the archipelago.

Muslim women hail female-only motorbike taxis

JAKARTA - Female motorbike taxi drivers in headscarves zig-zag through heavy traffic in the Indonesian capital Jakarta, the latest two-wheeled transport service for women making a dent in the male-dominated world of ride-hailing apps in the Muslim nation.

A flurry of new motorbike taxi options have in the past year appeared in the metropolis of 10 million, led by popular service Go-Jek, giving Indonesia’s growing middle class a greater choice of transport to get through some of the world’s worst traffic jams.

The services -- many inspired by ride-sharing app Uber and ac-

cessible on smartphones -- are a challenge to traditional motorbike taxis in Indonesia, known as “ojeks”, which are ubiquitous but have drawn criticism with their dishevelled, dangerous drivers and unpredictable pricing.

Several services with women drivers entered the market in 2015 after years of growing piety in Indonesia, which has the world’s biggest Muslim population, and amid heightened safety concerns following reports of attacks on women by male motorbike taxi drivers.

They are in part designed with religious sensitivities in mind, as an increasing number of Muslim women wear headscarves and fol-

low strict interpretations of Islam that forbid close contact with the opposite sex, except between married couples.

“The need for transportation for women is huge, especially in big cities where rates of crime and sexual harassment are very high,” Evilita Adriani, co-founder of motorbike taxi company Ojek Syari, told AFP. Popularly known by its nickname “Ojesy”, it is the service that aims most clearly at devout female passengers, requiring its drivers to be Muslim women wearing headscarves and loose-fitting clothes.

Ojesy drivers can currently only be hailed by a phone call or

through mobile messaging service WhatsApp, but the service is also developing an app that was being tested out this month.

The service, which began in Indonesia’s second-biggest city Surabaya in March before expanding across the main island of Java, only accepts female passengers or children.

“I feel more comfortable sharing a ride with a fellow Muslim woman,” said Nurlaila, a Surabaya housewife who goes by one name.

She uses the service to take her children to school -- a common practice in the country where whole families often travel squashed together on a motorbike.

“Thank God for Ojesy.”

The company says business is booming -- after starting in March with Adriani as its only driver, it now has 350 drivers.

Other motorbike taxi companies vying for a stake in the female market include app-based service LadyJek, whose drivers dress in pink jackets and helmets, and Sister-Ojek, a start-up that began operations earlier this year with capital of just $100.

Indonesia stands out for the number of motorbike taxi services aimed at women that it boasts, with female drivers relatively rare in many developing nations where the mode of transport is popular. (afp)

Former separatist fighters surrender in Aceh

BANDA ACEH - More than 100 former separatist fighters in Indonesia’s Aceh province who hid out in the jungles and allegedly committed serious crimes have surrendered, an official said Tuesday.

The fighters, led by notorious excombatant Nurdin bin Ismail, were a splinter faction of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), which fought for years against Jakarta’s rule before striking a peace deal in return

for an autonomy offer in 2005.

Ismail’s group claimed to be fighting against the new leaders of the western province -- also former independence fighters -- whom they said were not running Aceh for the benefit of the people, but rather for a small circle of cronies.

While supporters painted Ismail as a “Robin Hood” figure who used stolen funds to help those neglected by the authorities, critics said he led

an armed group allegedly responsible for crimes including the kidnap and killing of military personnel.

On Monday Ismail and about 120 of his men handed themselves in and surrendered 15 guns and ammunition to the authorities.

The group agreed to the move after intense communication with authorities in the past two months, the head of the national intelligence agency said, adding the government

was still considering whether to grant them an amnesty.

“They did not ask for money nor jobs, but asked that we pay more attention to victims of the conflict, especially the orphans and ex-fighters,” said agency head Sutiyoso, who goes by one name.

“If this is granted, then they will end their fight. Their request is fair.”

An estimated 15,000 people

were killed during almost three decades of fighting between rebels and the Indonesian government. Both sides finally agreed to a peace deal after a devastating quake-triggered tsunami in 2004 killed tens of thousands in Aceh.

The province has largely been peaceful since the peace deal, but many ex-fighters say they have been left behind and are living in poverty. (afp)

12

International

Thursday, December 31, 2015

BUSINESS

Regional selling picked up as crude resumed its decline ahead of closely watched US oil stockpiles and production data, keeping alive concerns about demand and the strength of the global economy.

“Risk sentiment is very much subject to crude oil prices,” Hiroyuki Yamamuro, an analyst at Ueda Harlow, told Bloomberg News.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index was down 0.41 percent, while Shanghai lost early gains to slip 0.10 percent in afternoon trading.

Seoul lost 0.25 percent by the close, Singapore was down 0.36 percent and Taiwan fell 0.17 percent.

But Tokyo’s benchmark Nikkei 225 ticked up 0.27 percent on Ja-

Thursday, December 31, 2015

pan’s last trading day of the year.

The index climbed more than nine percent in 2015 to rank among the world’s top-performing major markets, outpacing most of its rivals in the US and Asia-Pacific.

Japan’s financial markets will close Thursday and reopen on January 4 after the New Year’s holiday.

Meanwhile, Sydney finished 1.00 percent higher, Wellington closed up 0.43 percent and Shenzhen gained 0.87 percent.

“We’ll keep on being moved by

the oil price,” said Chihiro Ohta, general manager of investment information at SMBC Nikko Securities.

“We’ll have to keep being aware of this for the first three months or the first half of next year as well.”

The broad decline in Asia followed a tech-driven rally on Wall Street, where a brief rise in crude prices and upbeat US data lifted the mood.

Amazon closed at a new record of $693.97, up 2.8 percent, rising for a second day after Monday an-

Accumulation of waste minimized

SEMARAPURA - The Klungkung Sanitation and Landscaping Agency (DKP) ascertained to transform the landfill at Sente hamlet, Dawan into a park. This plan has been outlined in the regional budget 2016 by backfilling nearly a half of the Sente landfill by soil and planted with grass and other plants. This program will start at the beginning of 2016 to conjure up the Sente landfill into green area so that it will no longer look dirty.

nouncing record holiday sales of its premium delivery service.

Meanwhile, the US Conference Board’s index of consumer confidence rose to 96.5 in December from 92.6 the prior month.

The report offered an upbeat view on the world’s top economy following the Fed’s interest rate hike announcement this month.

The Dow jumped 1.10 percent Tuesday, while the S&P 500 gained 1.06 percent and the Nasdaq ended 1.33 percent higher. European equities also rose. (afp)

In Russia, recession takes a bite out of the holiday feast

MOSCOW — For most Russians, it’s not New Year’s without a Salad Olivier, a dish meant to augur prosperity. This year, soaring food costs mean the tradition can also be a painful reminder of how rapidly many Russians’ wealth is fading amid recession and Western sanctions.

The mix of chicken, potatoes, peas, carrots and mayonnaise which was introduced by a Belgian chef in the 19th century, and shed richer ingredients like grouse and crayfish amid food shortages under the Soviets - will cost 35 percent more to prepare this year. The stiff rise, reported by the federal statistics office, comes amid the deepest economic downturn in President Vladimir Putin’s 15 years in office.

The economy has been in decline for a couple years due to sanctions and a slump in the price of Russia’s valuable oil exports. But this New Year’s Eve will arguably be the first in more than a decade when Russians are feeling the pain of recession at the table.

“Before, you could buy jewelry or expensive perfume for the New Year,” says 65-year old Nikolai Skomorokhov, who retired this month. “This time, it’s about the bare minimum. We’re mostly spending on the celebration.”

Skomorokhov, who is visiting his daughter and grandchildren in Moscow for the holidays from his hometown of Valdai in the northwest, says the usual items he would buy for the holiday became 30 to

40 percent more expensive over the year, causing him cut down on spending.

The national currency, the ruble, has fallen about 20 percent against the dollar this year, on top of a 40 percent slide in 2014, pushing up the price for imported goods.

A Russian ban on Western food imports, imposed in retaliation for U.S. and European economic sanctions, has further hurt supply, pushing up prices.

Official consumer price inflation was around 12 percent this year, but New Year’s shopping shows a much higher rate.

The rise in the cost of a Salad Olivier, which is sometimes used informally as a benchmark for the cost of living since it contains several staple ingredients, is indicative of a rise in food costs. Groceries for a typical holiday dinner for two including vegetables, sausage, cheese, pickles and chicken would cost 5,790 rubles ($80) this year, 28 percent higher than a year ago.

“This year, Russians are celebrating without much joy because the year has been tough,” says Marina Krasilnikova, a researcher at the polling agency Levada. “People are growing less confident in the economic situation of the country.”

Retail sales were down 13 percent in November compared with a year earlier, the sharpest decline since 2000, the economic development ministry said in a report this week. In recent years, as Russia’s oil-fueled economy was stagnat-

5

Sente landfill designed to be a park

Asian market rally fizzles on oil price retreat

TOKYO - Most major Asia-Pacific stock markets turned lower Wednesday as another retreat in oil prices dented buying sentiment, but Tokyo ended on a high note as one of the best-performers of 2015.

Bali News

International

The Regent of Klungkung I Nyoman Suwirta, far left, is visiting the Sente Landfil

IBP/Dewa Farend

The Head of the DKP Klungkung, A.A. Kirana, said that his agency is still waiting for decomposition or fermentation of the waste for two months. After that, the waste at Sente landfill will be backfilled so that it can become a planting medium. “The waste will be backfilled with soil with a thickness of about 20 cm. As a result, the waste is no longer visible,” he said when confirmed, Tuesday (Dec. 29).

The landfill area of 0.98 hectare will be half-backfilled in the south to the west. It will be planted with grass so that becomes a field of grass. Further, the DKP Klungkung will invite school children to plant trees. “We make this Sente location into a landfill of education. We’ll invite school children to plant trees so that the landfill looks green,” he described while adding that the waste backfill is a program to capture the smelling methane gas at the Sente landfill so that it will no longer pollute the surrounding air.

Related to the Sente landfill, the DKP Klungkung still attempts to realize the MoU being discussed with the government of Bangli. In addition, the DKP will also undertake the procurement of two incinerators to burn waste. Furthermore, his agency will revive the integrated waste processing (TPST) at every village that will be used to manage domestic waste. “With this program, we expect the three programs can resolve waste problem in Klungkung district,” he added.

Agung Kirana added that the waste management will also give a positive value to the surrounding community.

In 2016, his party has a program to deliver methane gas into people’s homes. Well managed methane gas can be used for cooking. “Let’s wait until it ferments, then we first examine the methane gas that can be used for some households,” he explained while adding that he will make coordination with local village officials. (dwa)

Thousands of Klungkungers -mostly Ministry of Law and Human Nusa Penidians, are still illiterate Rights transfers 40 inmates To prevent clashes

AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko

A young couple takes a photo at a shop window illuminated to mark the upcoming New Year and Orthodox Christmas celebrations in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2015. For most Russians, it’s not New Year’s without a Salad Olivier, a dish meant to augur prosperity. This year, soaring food costs mean the tradition can also be a painful reminder of how rapidly many Russians’ wealth is fading amid recession and Western sanctions. ing, retail sales were supporting the economy. Not anymore.

“Unlike during the 2008-2009 crisis, the food consumption has fallen as dramatically as the consumption of durable goods in 2015,” the ministry’s report said,

adding that Russians are cutting down on food as the prices rise.

Worries about the economy featured prominently in Putin’s annual news conference earlier this month, when journalists from state-owned media, not known for

asking tough questions, grilled the president about falling incomes and living standards. Yet the majority of Russians tend not to blame Putin, whose popularity remains buoyed by the annexation of Crimea in 2014, but his government. (ap)

DENPASAR - The Ministry of Law and Human Rights continues to take steps towards avoiding violent clashes amongst gang members, like the ones that took place in and around Kerobokan Prison recently. One step being taken is do prison transfers.

With the assistance of Bali Police officers, 40 inmates were transferred to Madiun and Porong Prisons in Surabaya, with 20 inmates being sent to each prison.

Division Head of Corrections at the Bali Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Nyoman Putra Surya Atmaja, confirmed to journalists that prisoners from

prisons in Bangli, Klungkung and Karangasem had been moved. “The 40 prisoners that were transferred are sentenced to five years and over,” he added.

“Essentially, the prisoners who were transferred are influential ones that formerly occupied block C of Kerobokan Prison,” said Atmaja.

He also confirmed that there are still concerns about problems occurring in these four prisons and detention house. Concerns are centred around the issue of the overpopulation of the prisons, as well the negative influence of certain prisoners. (kmb37)

SEMARAPURA - The district of Klungkung’s literacy rate is still relatively low. According to the Klungkung Education Agency’s data, there are 4,000 people who are either illiterate or have not attended school - 40 percent of whom are live in Nusa Penida.

Head of the Klungkung Education Agency, Nyoman Mudarta, when contacted on Tuesday (Dec. 29), said that the literacy rate is based on statistical data that has not been updated for 2015. A team of statisticianss, and sub-district heads and village apparatae are presently working on it. “So far we only have data for the subdistricts of Dawan and Nusa Penida,” he said.

To increase the literacy rate in Klungkung, the Education Agency organized a central government program for 100 participants, so that they can learn to read, write and do basic arithmetic. On Monday December 28th, the participants who are mostly parents, took their final exam for basic functional literacy at SDN 3 Paksebali

elementary school in Dawan. “After passing the exam, the participants receive a certificate of literacy, certifying that they are literate,” explained Wayan Watra, Division Head of Non-Formal and Informal Education, at the Education Agency.

For 2015, the central government assigned Klungkung a quota of 1,000 participants, 900 of whom were from Nusa Penida and 100 of whom were from Paksebali. “They worked in groups of ten people,” said Watra.

The regent of Klungkung, Nyoman Suwirta, and the Head of the Education Agency, Nyoman Mudarta, came to monitor the implementation of the exam. After the exam, the regent encouraged the participants to always continue improving their knowledge and also said that they should always encourage their children to study hard. “The government is committed to making sure that all of the participants in the program learn to read, write and count,” confirmed Suwirta. (kmb)

4

Thursday, December 31, 2015

Bali News

Avoid the use of hazardous substances

BBPOM tests food at Denfest

DENPASAR - Celebration of the eighth Denpasar Festival (Denfest) which is now taking place offers a variety of cuisines.

To avoid the use of hazardous ingredients and substances in the food, the Denpasar Agency of Drug and Food Control (BBPOM) examined some samples of food sold in the event. It is meant to determine the quality of food products sold to the public.

Based on the commitment, the BBPOM directly tested some foods sold by merchants, Tuesday (Dec. 29). “We perform food supervision and take all the samples sold in the Denpasar Festival and immediately perform laboratory tests,” said the Division Head of the BBPOM Certification and Consumer Information Services, Desak Ketut Andika Andayani.

At least 74 types of food are taken for laboratory tests. The 74 food products tested consist of satay, sausages, cendol, salad seasonings and so forth. From the results of the laboratory tests all the food products sold in the Denpasar Festival contained no dyes and preservatives as well as hazardous substances.

Although there are no foods containing dyes or preservatives, her agency still appealed to all merchants to maintain the quality and hygiene of the food products on sale. She also said that the food on offer in the Denpasar Festival proved that the government of Denpasar has made supervision. Besides, the merchants have known about the hazards of coloring agents and preservatives. To that end, her agency hoped the quality of food must be maintained by merchants.

Secretary of the Denpasar Festival Committee, Made Saryawan, said that before the event was opened the committee has appealed to the merchants to maintain the quality of food products on offer because the security of visitors must be considered.

Further, he added that before the Denpasar Festival was opened the government of Denpasar has also made a selection by making cooperation with the Indonesian Chef Association (ICA) Bali. They made the selection in terms of quality, hygiene, health and food packaging. (kmb12)

The Denpasar Festival

IBP/Wawan

District police chief holds coordination meeting on New Year’s security Jembrana Police, Djoni Widodo, was intentionally made to coordinate their respective role and function so that the traffic, especially at the Gilimanuk Harbor, can run smoothly.

The coordination meeting was also at-

13

China finds storm caused sinking of cruiser that killed 442

BEIJING — Chinese authorities blamed freak weather for the capsizing of a cruise ship that killed hundreds earlier this year, but also recommended that the captain be further investigated and representatives of the shipping company and local authorities be punished for management flaws, state media announced Wednesday.

Anticipation of crowdedness at Gilimanuk NEGARA - To anticipate queue at Gilimanuk on the New Year’s holiday, a number of relevant agencies attended coordination meeting at Jembrana Police headquarters.

The coordination meeting led by the Chief of

Thursday, December 31, 2015

International

International

tended by the Gilimanuk harbor master, Nyoman Daelon, Operations Manager of ASDP Gilimanuk, Sugeng Purwono, representative of the Transportation Agency, chief of SAR Jembrana and other relevant agencies.

The meeting done by Jembrana Police Department to anticipate the traffic during new year.

IBP/Olo

Chief of Jembrana Police, Djoni Widodo, wanted to avoid queue again and emphasized that security is not the task of the police only.

But it is also the participation of various parties in accordance with their respective duties.

The appeal before and after the New Year’s holiday is that all freight vehicles are banned to cross for five days. Circular of the Minister of Transportation No.48/2015 concerns with the Traffic Management and Prohibition of Freight Transport Operation during the New Year’s period, according to him, includes trucks to container trucks, while the vehicles transporting food, fuel and gas are still allowed.

The circular mentions that freight vehicles are banned to operate for five days from Wednesday (Dec. 30) to Sunday (Jan. 3).

Other than for smooth traffic, the focus is also on the security of Gilimanuk, especially for the entrance examination by intensifying the security through the increase of personnel.

Business Manager of the River and Lake Crossing Transportation (ASDP) Indonesia Ferry for Gilimanuk Harbor unit, Sugeng Purwono, said that related to the circular of the Minister of Transportation, he will make coordination with the Ketapang Harbor. However, the most important is that the service users need to divert their time to cross so as not to come together and cause accumulation.

The ASDP has alerted 37 vessels to serve the Ketapang-Gilimanuk crossing. (kmb26)

The disaster on the Yangtze River on the evening of June 1 killed 442 people and left just 12 survivors. The Eastern Star was carrying many elderly tourists on a 10day cruise from Nanjing in China’s east upstream to Chongqing.

The official Xinhua News Agency said the Cabinet’s investigation team concluded that the Eastern Star was brought down “by strong winds and heavy rains” associated with a downburst, a strong downdraft that is “a very rare weather phenomenon.”

The conclusion backs up the initial finding that the disaster was caused by strong winds, although passengers’ relatives have raised questions about whether the ship should have continued its voyage despite a weather warning.

Xinhua said the investigation team found that 36 local government and Communist Party officials and seven people from the shipping company should be given administrative punishments for flaws in management, which would likely include demotions and firings.

The seven included the captain

and the officer in charge at the time, who died in the disaster. The investigation found the pair responded inadequately to the emergency and had not properly ascertained the threat posed by the dire weather conditions, Xinhua said.

It recommended that the ship’s captain, Zhang Shunwen, have his license revoked and his contract terminated, and that his case be sent for further investigation to determine whether he should face criminal charges.

The captain was arrested after he was rescued from the river, with investigators looking into why he chose to sail into the storm instead of dropping anchor. Investigators had also been expected to focus on alterations made to the ship. A government agency had earlier cited the ship for safety violations.

Qin Meiping, who lost her 73year-old father and 49-year-old brother, questioned whether the modifications to the vessel had been safe.

“If you blame it on the weather, why were the other two boats that were also traveling at that time safe?

Kim Kyung-Hoon / Reuters.

Rescue workers carry a body from the ship, which capsized after being caught in a cyclone.

Why was this boat modified three times before? Were the modifications done properly?” asked Qin, who said she has had “tears in my eyes every day since” the sinking.

“We are not experts, but is the report by the experts the truth?”

She pointed to other deadly disasters in China in the past year, including a stampede in Shanghai on

New Year’s Eve 2014, explosions at a chemical warehouse in Tianjin and the toppling of a mountain of construction waste that buried a large area in Shenzhen.(ap)

Philippine priest rebuked for riding hoverboard during Mass

AP Photo/Aaron Favila

A Filipino Catholics choir hold hands as they sing during the first of nine daily dawn Masses before Christmas day at the St. Peter Parish in suburban Quezon city, north of Manila, Philippines on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2015.

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Roman Catholic Church officials have reprimanded a priest for riding a hoverboard and singing a song during Christmas Eve Mass. The Diocese of San Pablo, south of Manila, said the Rev. Albert San Jose apologized for his action, which was caught on video and widely shared on YouTube.

The video shows the priest in a white cassock gliding up and down the church’s aisles on the two-wheeled electric scooter while singing a Christmas song. Some members of the surprised congregation applaud as he pivots and moves backward.

The performance came just before the final blessing in the Mass at the church in Binan city in Laguna province.

“That was wrong,” the diocese said in a statement late Tuesday, emphasizing that celebrating the Mass is the church’s “highest form” of worship and “demands utmost respect and reverence.”

“It is not a personal celebration where one can capriciously introduce something to get the attention of the people,” it said. The priest could not immediately be reached for comment.

Philippine church officials have urged priests to live simply and humbly as they minister to the poor in the Asian bastion of Catholicism, especially under the leadership of Pope Francis, who is known for his frugal lifestyle.(ap)

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Thursday, December 31, 2015

Health

International

International

Treat ‘normal’ blood pressure to save lives

PARIS - Millions of lives could be saved by giving blood pressure-lowering drugs to people at risk of heart attack and stroke, even if they have normal pressure, researchers said.

Based on an analysis of 123 medical trials involving more than 600,000 people over two decades, the team called for an urgent review of existing treatment guidelines.

“Our findings clearly show that treating blood pressure to a lower level than currently rec-

ommended could greatly reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease,” said study lead author Kazem Rahimi of the University of Oxford.

This could “potentially save millions of lives.”

Blood pressure is recorded as two numbers, written as a ratio,

for example 140/90 mmHg (millimetres of mercury -- the blood pressure unit).

The number on top is the “systolic” pressure inside the arteries when the heart beats, and the other the “diastolic” pressure between beats, when the heart is at rest and refilling with blood.

According to the American Heart Association, a “normal” pressure is less than 120/80, and becomes high from 140/90.

The study found that every 10 mmHg reduction in systolic blood pressure reduced the risk of heart attack by about a fifth, of stroke and heart failure by about a quarter, and the risk of death from any cause by 13 percent.

“Importantly, these reductions in disease were similar across a wide range of high risk patients... irrespective of whether their blood pressure was already low (less than 130 mmHg) to begin with,”

they wrote.

People at high risk include those with a history of heart or artery disease, stroke, diabetes or heart failure.

The researchers urged a revision of blood pressure guidelines, including those of the European Society of Hypertension which recently relaxed its recommended treatment level for high-risk patients from 130 to 140mmHg of systolic pressure.

“Our results provide strong support for lowering blood pressure to systolic blood pressures less than 130 mmHg,” wrote the team.

High blood pressure is the leading cause of heart disease and stroke, said the study authors, affecting more than a billion people worldwide and killing about 9.4 million every year.

The benefits of lowering sustained high pressure are well established, but it has not been clear whether people with “normal” pressure levels would also benefit from treatment.

University of Sheffield cardiologist Tim Chico, who was not involved in the study, stressed that the benefits of treatment for a person with “normal” blood pressure would depend on the individual’s other risk factors for heart disease and stroke.

“For example, if you are already at a low risk, reducing this by 20 percent isn’t all that important, and probably isn’t either cost-effective or desirable,” he said via the Science Media Centre.

“However, if you are at high risk (such as if you already have cardiovascular disease, diabetes or smoke) then a 20 percent reduction in risk makes a big difference and saves a lot of lives.”

Anna Dominiczak, editor of the American Heart Association’s journal Hypertension, said she would call for a debate on blood pressure guidelines based on the study findings. (afp)

Environment, not ’bad luck’, mainly to blame for cancer PARIS - Environmental factors such as sunshine and tobacco smoke cause more cancers than random DNA mutations, researchers have affirmed -- contesting another team’s conclusions that “bad luck” was mainly to blame.

The study, published in the journal Nature, was conducted to challenge a controversystirring paper carried by US-based Science in January, which said unavoidable errors in gene coding was the main cancer cause.

The latest work -- based on several mathematical analyses of cancer data -- found “strong evidence” that random errors that occur during DNA replication contributed “only modestly” to the development of many common cancers.

Seventy to 90 percent, in fact, were caused by environmental factors such as ultraviolet radiation, the team found.

Other experts not involved in the study cautioned against reading too much into the results.

“Their analysis supports conventional thinking around cancer formation and development, and casts doubt on the idea that some cancers are relatively independent of how you live and what you’re exposed to,” Andrew Maynard of Arizona State University wrote in a comment.

But the findings were not definitive, he said, and were based on a number of assumptions that may have influenced the conclusions.

Giles Hooker from Cornell University in New York, said the findings were based on a “very simplified model of cancer mutation” and the numbers “should at best be regarded as ballpark estimates.”

“By using only the lowest risk cancers and assuming that mutation rates are the same for all tissues, the study maximises the risk attributed to environmental factors,” he wrote.

“However, we don’t know how tissues differ in their intrinsic mutation rates.”

Paul Pharaoh, a cancer epidemiology professor at Cambridge University, pointed out there were different levels of internal and external risk for different cancer types.

The results, he said, “do not tell us any-

thing about the absolute risks of any given cancer.

“These findings do not have any implications for cancer treatment, but they do tell us that most cancers would be preventable if we knew all of the extrinsic risk factors that cause disease.”

The Science study had caused much debate for suggesting that “bad-luck” DNA mutations could explain about 75 percent of cases for many types of cancer -- meaning they could not be prevented by a healthy lifestyle.

The World Health Organization’s cancer agency at the time “strongly disagreed” with the study’s findings, which it said could have “serious negative consequences” for cancer research and healthy behaviour. (afp)

Bali News

Thursday, December 31, 2015

3

Governor issues a circular take down gang billboards and banners

DENPASAR - Despite being unable to dissolve mass organizations (gangs), Governor of Bali, Made Mangku Pastika, finally took measures by issuing a circular requesting that the regents and the mayor to decrease the number of billboards, banners and other media that represent mass organizations.

Tanah Ampo cruise pier

IBP/File Photo

Cruise pier unfinished, PHRI Karangasem disappointed

AMLAPURA - Statement of the Minister of Transportation, Ignasius Jonan, about the fate of the Tanah Ampo cruise pier makes the ears of tourism businesspeople in Karangasem hot. One of them is the Secretary of the Indonesia Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) Karangasem, Wayan Kariasa, Tuesday (Dec. 29), where he was deeply disappointed with the attitude of the Minister Jonan. Actually, all the elements of Karangasem community hope the dormant project spending hundreds of billions can be resolved to open a new entrance to Bali tourism.

Kariasa deplored why the new Minister of Transportation said if the location is not ideal. Actually, since the beginning of the study by the Ministry of Transportation stated that the location is feasible for a harbor. If he currently considered it infeasible, the investment worth hundreds of billions over the years to realize the Tanah Ampo cruise pier will certainly be in vain. Kariasa asked Minister Jonan to read again the studies. Since the beginning of the Tanah Ampo cruise pier construction, almost all elements of society very much hoped the remaining unfinished workmanship can be accomplished. “Certainly we hope the Tanah Ampo cruise pier does not become a fishing ground,” said Kariasa.

Continuation of the Tanah Ampo cruise pier, said Kariasa, was also highlighted in the tourism evaluation meeting of the PHRI inviting various elements of society and stakeholders of the local government at Candidasa, Tuesday (Dec. 29). In the meeting, in order to boost the tourism development of Karangasem in the future, the

Tanah Ampo cruise pier must be absolutely completed. There is no reason to surrender. The matter of feasible or not feasible has been answered by the studies of central and local government before the Tanah Ampo cruise pier is worked on. Thus, it is time to continue and not to stop it.

“We continue to encourage the pier in order to be accomplished,” affirmed Kariasa. His institution hoped that the newly elected regent of Karangasem can urge the completion of the Tanah Ampo cruise pier as soon as possible. The new regent with his ranks is expected to establish a good communication with central government. Thus, the central government can still approve the process through its completion.

Tanah Ampo cruise pier is a promising entrance for Karangasem tourism amid the situation having been saturated with tourism in the city of Denpasar and Badung.

Previously, Ignasius Jonan when making a visit to Padangbai Harbor on Monday (Dec. 28) said that the ministry will no longer disburse funds to repair the Tanah Ampo cruise pier at Manggis subdistrict.

The location is considered not ideal so that it is not feasible to be proceeded. With such environmental condition, Kariasa assessed the pier construction spending IDR 200 billion can be resumed provided that it can be made a breakwater.

However, the location is considered impossible for the making of good breakwater. If it is enforced, it can spend budget up to trillions of rupiahs. It does not include further construction to extend the pier into the sea to enable cruise ships to dock directly. (kmb31)

“It has been sent to all the regents. Yes... hopefully it will be immediately responded to by the regents because the most important is that people settle down and be peaceful,” said Acting Spokesperson of Bali’s provincial government, I Ketut Teneng, in Denpasar recently.

Teneng added that the Governor’S circular was issued based on recommendations by the provincial apparatus, interfaith concord forum (FKUB) and some community leaders during a recent joint security meeting that was held in relation to Christmas and New Year. A meeting to which none of the leaders of the mass organizations were invited.

“Yesterday, no gang representatives were invited so as to avoid any clashes from breaking out again.

Later, the respective regents and the mayor will disseminate the information to the public,” he added.

He denied that the issuance of the circular had anything to do with the billboards that express the rejection of the Benoa Bay Reclamation Plan that have been posted up by the Baladika group. He asserted that the issuance of the circular is purely caused by the violent clashes that occurred between members of different gangs recently.

“If all mass organizations start install them (billboard and banner— Ed), could kindle retaliatory actions that would only make things worse in terms of disrupting comfort, peace, and beauty. The issuance of the circular is purely meant to keep the peace,” affirmed Teneng.

population is over capacity with 1,000 inmates, whereas it only has the capacity for 300 inmates.

“The Suwung landfill is an appropriate location for the relocation of the prison as the land area is large enough and is located far enough away inhabited areas,” said Pastika who added that the 30 hectare Suwung landfill belongs to the Ministry of Forestry and was

lent to the Province of Bali to be used as a landfill. There is still land available for building a new prison, he said.

“I ask that the new prison development be able to accommodate at least 1,500-2,000 inmates and be equipped with a modern security equipment,” he said.

Pastika asked the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights to prepare the prototype and the necessary budget for the construction of the new prison, so that the development plan can be discussed at the legislative level as soon as possible. (kmb32)

Relocation of prison

Based on press release from the Public Relations department of the Bali Provincial Government, Governor of Bali Made Mangku Pastika received the audience of the Director General of Corrections, Ministry of Law and Human Rights, I Wayan Kusmiantha Dusak, at his office, on Monday (Dec. 28). During their meeting, Pastika suggested that Kerobokan Prison be relocated to the Suwung landfill. The prison’s

IBP/Eka Adhiyasa

Despite being unable to dissolve mass organizations (gangs), Governor of Bali, Made Mangku Pastika, finally took measures by issuing a circular requesting that the regents and the mayor to decrease the number of billboards, banners and other media that represent mass organizations.

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COVER STORY

Activities

Thursday, December 31, 2015

15

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Head of the Bali Health Agency, Ketut Suarjaya, said that IDR 2 billion worth of Bali’s regional budget has been allocated for HIV/AIDS programs, with IDR 1.84 billion being handed over to KPA Bali. Around IDR 190 million’s worth of the state budget has also been allocated for AIDS/HIV programs. “Donations from the Global Fund are not certain,” he said.

The funds from the state budget are to be used for purchasing antiretroviral drugs, reagents, drugs to treat other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), for surveilling the national situation and to cover costs for meetings etc.

The Provincial budget is to be used for surveilling the activities of high risk groups in Bali and also for general meetings. All ARV drugs are supplied to HIV/AIDS patients in Bali and throughout Indonesia, by the central government. “So far there has never been a lack of AVRs although once there was a delay in delivery that caused a shortage, but fortunately there was just enough to cover everyone in need,” explained Suarjaya.

According to the Bali Health Agency, outreach officers can be paid using the budgets allotted the District and Municipal AIDS prevention commissions (KPA), though village funds, and a request for funding cab also be made to Bali’s Provincial government.

Bali is ranked as having the fourth largest number of people with Aids in Indonesia, with 4,811 cases. East Java has the most cases: 12,352 cases, followed by Papua’s 11,841 cases and Jakarta’s 8,019 cases. Data regarding AIDS cases in Bali that has been compiled since the first case emerged in 1987, shows that there is an increase in the number of case of AIDS on the island.

Currently in 79 percent of cases, the transmission of the AIDS virus happens through heterosexual, sexual encounters. The next highest risk activity in sharing needles. National data also recorded that of the 240 million inhabitants of Indonesia, 6.7 million men purchased sex from there men in 2-20 percent of cases and that there approximately 230,000 female sex workers in Indonesia.

Men purchasing sex is the key factor in AIDS transmission as it is first passed to their wife and then to children born subsequently. (may)

IBP/File Photo

Bali is ranked as having the fourth largest number of people with Aids in Indonesia, with 4,811 cases. East Java has the most cases: 12,352 cases, followed by Papua’s 11,841 cases and Jakarta’s 8,019 cases.

IBP/File Photo

There is still a lack of public awareness about the importance of early detection of HIV/AIDS as people are apparently afraid of being tested in case they test positive for the deadly disease.

Lack of public awareness about HIV/AIDS

THERE is still a lack of public awareness about the importance of early detection of HIV/AIDS as people are apparently afraid of being tested in case they test positive for the deadly disease.

Chairman of the AIDS Mitigation Commission (KPA) for the district of Gianyar, A.A. Gde Suardana, revealed that there is increasingly greater risk of contracting HIV when involved in high risk types of activities that are increasingly common in today’s society.

HIV/AIDS is primarily transmitted though unprotected sex but also though needle sharing (mostly amongst drug users) and people between the ages of 20-39 are the most at risk group. In some areas of Bali, the HIV/AIDS cases have been discovered in teenagers

who engage in unprotected sex and/or intravenous drug use.

If things go on like this, he said, our nation could lose our next generation to the deadly disease. The AIDS mitigation comity is therefore calling on people who have engaged in high risk behaviour, to have themselves tested. Both clinics and hospitals in Gianayar provide such services. The identity of people who want to be tested is kept confidential, so people should not hesitate to be tested.

It is also advised for people to seek counselling before be-

ing tested to make sure that they are mentally prepared to deal with the results.

“The identity of patients is kept confidential so there is no need to worry about others knowing. These free exams are provided as part of an effort to prevent the spread of this virus through early detection and treatment,” said Suardana.

The number of HIV/AIDS cases in Gianyar is still alarming with 936 reported cases as of September 30th, 2015. The district of Gianyar is ranked fourth in Bali in terms of the number of people known to be suffering form HIV/AIDS after Badung, Buleleng and Denpasar.

According to data from the Bali Health Agency, there are

12,516 case of people with HIV/AIDS in Bali and Bali is ranked fourth in Indonesia.

Head of the Gianyar Education Agency, Dewa Gde Alit Mudiarta, said that the district of Gianyar is making HIV/ AIDS awareness, prevention and treatment a priority. though such activities as the establishment of the student groups caring for AIDS and Drugs (KSPAN) in every junior and high school.

Also, through the commemoration of World AIDS Day, The AIDS mitigation commission hopes that public awareness about the hazards of this deadly disease can be improved and expects that the campaign to increase awareness will continue. (kmb25)

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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.

Blood donation at H Sovereign Bali KUTA - In celebration of thei first anniversary, on Thursday (Dec.10), the H Sovereign Bali carried out social activities with the theme ‘Inspiring First.’ Activities included ‘Care & Green’ that involved disseminating of information about the hazards of plastic waste to students at SDN 1 Tuban and SDN 4 Tuban elementary school, a group cycling activity as well as a blood drive that was held in cooperation with the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI).

The blood drive started at nine o’clock in the morning and involved hotel staff and the general public checking their blood pressure and hemoglobin, giving blood. There was also an optometrist on site to check people’s eyes and Bali Pink Ribbon gave consultation about how to check for breast cancer.

S u p ported

by Kalbe Farma, these ac-

tivities were held as a way to sensitize people to their surrounding environment as well as to evoke a sense of togetherness and caring for others in need. A total of 22 -5 liter bags of blood were collected.

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Thursday, December 31, 2015

In this image released by Universal Pictures, Bryce Dallas Howard, from left, Chris Pratt, Nick Robinson and Ty Simpkins appear in a scene from the blockbuster hit, “Jurassic World.”

Blockbusters propel 2015 domestic box office to record $11B Universal Pictures via AP

LOS ANGELES — It’s been a record-breaking, $11 billion year at the movies. Box-office tracker Rentrak said Tuesday that the industry has already reached the benchmark and is expected to end the year with an unprecedented $11.1 billion in ticket sales in the U.S. and Canada.

The previous record of $10.9 billion was set in 2013.

This year heralded numerous record-breaking releases, in-

cluding “Fifty Shades of Grey,” which set a record for February opening-weekend attendance, and “Furious 7” did the same in

‘Glee’ actor arrested in US for child porn possession

LOS ANGELES - US actor Mark Salling, best known for his role on the musical comedy series “Glee,” was arrested in Los Angeles on Tuesday for alleged possession of child pornography, police said.

Police specialized in investigating Internet crimes against children searched the home of the 33-year-old Salling in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Sunland early Tuesday and took him into custody, police spokesman Ricardo Hernandez told AFP. Salling -- who played bad boy Noah Puckerman on the Fox series -- was later released on $20,000 bail, and must appear in court January 22.

Celebrity news website TMZ reported that authorities had found more than 1,000 images of “child sexual exploitation” on Salling’s computer. Police also seized mobile phones and other electronic devices from the home, TMZ said.

A spokesman for the actor did not reply to AFP requests for comment on the case. (afp)

April. Opening in June, “Jurassic World” scored the biggest debut weekend ever, until it was bested this month by “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”

“Hollywood built the perfect box office beast in 2015, with one hit movie after the next,” said Rentrak analyst Paul Dergarabedian in a statement. (ap)

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Thursday, December 31, 2015 Widespread flooding hits Missouri, Illinois with rivers still rising Page 6

Leicester, Man City draw 0-0; Arsenal top going into 2016 Page 8

The source confirmed a story in the movie business journal The Hollywood Reporter, which said the film will be directed by French actress and director Fanny Ardant.

The novel, written by Jean-Daniel Baltassat, is set in the Soviet Union of the 1950s, centering on a young artist who is commissioned to create a monument to Stalin but faces scrutiny by the KGB, the Reporter said.

The film will be produced by a French-Portuguese company, Leopardo Filmes, while the Moscow-based studio Mosfilm will provide costumes and props.

Depardieu, 67, is one of France’s most successful actors, winning huge praise for his roles in “Cyrano de Bergerac,” “Les Miserables,” “Jean de Florette” and other films. He is best known abroad for the romantic

Thank You and Happy New Year 2016

FRANKFURT, Germany - Global economic growth will be “disappointing and patchy” in 2016, the head of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, wrote in an article published in the German business daily Handelsblatt on Wednesday.

Rising interest rates in the United States, the economic slowdown in China, the persistent fragility of the financial system in a number of countries and the effects of low oil prices on producer countries “all mean that global growth in 2016 will be disappointing and patchy,” Lagarde wrote.

“And the medium-term outlook has clouded over, too, because low productivity, ageing populations and the fallout from the global financial crisis are putting the brakes on growth,” she continued.

The US Federal Reserve rang in the end to an era of ultra-cheap money by raising its key interest rates earlier this month. “The Fed is treading a tightrope: normalising interest rates, while at the same time seeking to avert any risk of disturbance on the financial markets,” Lagarde said.

Generally speaking, outside the highly developed economies, “other countries are better prepared than in the past for higher interest rates,” she wrote.

“Nevertheless, I’m worried about their ability to absorb shocks” that could be triggered by tighter monetary policy, Lagarde cautioned.

“A lot of countries have taken on more debt, much of which is denominated in US dollars,” she argued.

“Rising interest rates and a stronger dollar could push companies into insolvency and banks and governments could become infected,” she warned. (afp)

REUTERS/Jason Redmond/Files

comedy “Green Card.”

But he has repeatedly made headlines in his country of birth for stirring controversy and backing unpopular causes. Depardieu was given Russian citizenship by presidential decree in 2013 after publicly criticising France’s high taxes and taking up residence abroad.

In separate interviews this year, he has praised Belarus President

We, the International Bali Post would like to apologize becuase we will not be published on Friday, January 1, 2015.

Global growth to be ‘disappointing and patchy’ in 2016

Depardieu to play Stalin in new film

PARIS - Larger-than-life French actor Gerard Depardieu is to play Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin in a forthcoming movie, his press representative said Tuesday.

Depardieu -- made a Russian citizen by Kremlin strongman Vladimir Putin -- will feature in a screen adaptation of a 2013 novel called “Le Divan de Staline” (Stalin’s Sofa), the representative said.

Not Published

Alexander Lukashenko -- lashed for rights abuses by monitoring groups -- as “a nice guy” and described the United States as “a people who have constantly destroyed others.”

“They fought each other, destroyed the Indians, after that they perpetrated slavery, then there was the civil war.

After that, they were the first to use the atomic bomb... No, I prefer being Russian,” he reportedly said. (afp)

News can also be heard in “Bali Image” at Global Radio FM 96.5 from 9.30 until 10.00 am. Listen to Global Radio FM at http://globalfmbali.listen2myradio.com or live video streaming at http://radioglobalfmbali.com and http://ustream.tv/channel/ global-fm-bali.

Government lacks attention to HIV/AIDS

THE GOVERNMENT needs to pay more attention to HIV/Aids in Bali, said Chairman of the Kerti Praja Foundation (YKP), Prof.

Wirawan.

AusAID funding to Indonesia will be reduced in 2016 and support form the Global Fund will be

terminated, therefor the YKP needs to find other sources of funding so that they can continue their work addressing HIV1Aids, prevention and treatment services.

Currently the YKP receives occasional funding from the Double T Tour, KPA Denpasar, KPA Badung, Rotary Club, Rotary Club Canggu

and Rotary Club Nusa Dua. Although antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) and reagents are supplied by the government, the fee for being examined to see if one qualifies for theses drugs, does cost a hefty IDR 500,000. The operational costs of the YKP foundation reach up to IDR 30 million per month.

The cost of paying for medical personnel such as doctors and nurses as well as outreach workers requires its own funding that is not covered by the government despite the crucial role that they play in dealing with the front lines of people living with HIV/AIDs. Wirawan explained that that

outreach officers are the spearhead of his foundation as they do everything from distributing condoms to high risk groups, to counselling and VCT, accompanying patients to their medical appointments and assisting them in taking their medication.

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