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I N T E R N A T I O N A L 16 Pages Number 488th year

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

DPs 23 - 32WEATHER FORECAsT

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Not PublishedWe, the International Bali Post would like to apol-ogize in advance because we will not be published on Wednesday, March 9, 2016 due to Nyepi Day.

Happy Nyepi Day

EU hopeful Turkey will curb migrant route to Europe

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Messi scores 2 as Barcelona strike force reaches 100 goals

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.listen2my-

radio.com or live video streaming at http://radioglobalfmbali.com and http://ustream.tv/channel/global-fm-bali.

WASHINGTON - Nancy Rea-gan, the former actress who was fiercely protective of husband Ron-ald Reagan through a Hollywood career, eight years in the White House, an assassination attempt and her husband’s Alzheimer’s disease, died on Sunday at age 94, the Rea-gan library said.

Michael Reagan said on Twitter he was saddened by his stepmoth-er’s death. “She is once again with the man she loved,” he wrote.

Reagan became one of the most influential first ladies in U.S. history during her Republican husband’s presidency from 1981 to 1989,

Her husband, who affectionately called her “Mommy” while she called him “Ronnie,” died in 2004 after a long struggle with Alzheim-er’s, the progressive brain disorder that destroys memory.

As Nancy Davis, she was a Hol-

lywood actress during the 1940s and 1950s and married Reagan, a prominent film actor, in 1952. She then served as first lady of Califor-nia during her husband’s stint as California governor from 1967 to 1975 before moving into the White House after his decisive victory over incumbent Democratic Presi-dent Jimmy Carter in 1980.

Her most publicized project as first lady was the “Just Say No” anti-drug campaign. After her husband developed Alzheimer’s disease, she became an advocate for discovering a cure. She was diminutive and publicly soft spoken but Nancy Reagan’s strong will, high-tone tastes and clout with her husband made her a controversial figure during his presidency.

As Reagan’s wife, political part-ner and adviser, she became one of America’s most potent first ladies,

alongside the likes of Franklin Roosevelt’s wife, Eleanor, Wood-row Wilson’s wife, Edith, and Bill Clinton’s wife, Hillary.

“I see the first lady as another means to keep a president from becoming isolated,” she said in 1985. “I talk to people. They tell me things. And if something is about to become a problem, I’m not above calling a staff person and asking about it. I’m a woman who loves her husband and I make no apolo-gies for looking out for his personal and political welfare.”

Tiny and frail in her later years, Reagan devoted her time to caring for her ailing husband at their home in Los Angeles’ exclusive Bel Air enclave. She was always a stickler for protocol and detail and stoically presided over the former president’s weeklong funeral and celebration of his life in June 2004. (rtr)

The animated story about a rab-bit who joins the police force ranks as the biggest Disney Animation launch (though not the best Pixar debut), outstripping “Frozen,” the 2012 blockbuster that bowed to $67.4 million. With no major fam-ily film opening until “The Jungle Book” lands on April 15, “Zooto-pia” is well positioned to be the de facto choice for moviegoers with children for the next month.

“There’s an absence of competi-tion,” said Dave Hollis, Disney’s distribution chief. “We are set up to have a big, big run.”

Disney did not release a budget, but most animated films cost in excess of $100 million. “Zootopia” screened in 3,827 locations.

Overseas, where “Zootopia” has been playing for three weeks, the film added another $63.4 mil-lion to its haul, pushing its global total to $232.5 million. The film continues a sterling comeback run for Disney Animation, which had reached a creative and commercial nadir in the early aughts with the likes of “Home on the Range” and

“Treasure Planet.” Since Pixar’s Ed Catmull and John Lasseter took the reins following Disney’s 2006 acquisition of their company, the animation arm has roared back to life, fielding hits such as “Frozen,” “Tangled,” and “Wreck It Ralph,” and winning Oscars.

“They brought a focus on qual-ity,” said Hollis. “They recognize that quality is the best business plan.”

Beyond the bunnies, Gerard But-ler managed to wash out some of the sour taste in his mouth after “Gods of Egypt” flopped spectacularly. “London Has Fallen,” the Scottish actor’s followup to “Olympus Has Fallen,” opened solidly to $21.5 million from 3,490 locations for a second place finish. That does, however, trail the first film’s $30 million debut.

Focus Features fielded the pic-ture, which carried a $60 million price tag. It played older, with more than 76% of the audience clocking in over the age of 25, while men made up 60% of ticket buyers. (rtr)

Disney’s ‘Zootopia’ opens big with $73.7 million debut

LOS ANGELES - Disney’s “Zootopia” scored the fourth biggest March opening ever, debuting to $73.7 million over the weekend.

REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

The characters of Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde pose at the premiere of “Zootopia” at El Capitan theatre in Hollywood, California February 17, 2016. The movie opens in the U.S. on March 4.

Former U.S. first lady Nancy Reagan dies at 94

REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/Files

U.S. President Barack Obama clasps the hand of former first lady Nancy Reagan after he signed the Ronald Reagan Cen-tennial Commission Act in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House in Washington in this June 2, 2009 file photo. Nancy Reagan, the former actress who was fiercely protec-tive of husband Ronald Reagan through a Hollywood career, eight years in the White House, an assassination attempt and her husband’s Alzheimer’s disease, died on March 6, 2016 at age 94.

“This is a very special year be-cause we have this phenomenon – a tourism attraction created by God,” I Gde Pitana, the government’s head of foreign tourism, said. “We are very lucky”. For many in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, the experience will be deeply spiritual, with Is-lamic leaders urging the faithful to perform special eclipse prayers.

“Our Prophet Mohammed said the prayer signifies the greatness of Allah, who created this wonderful phenom-enon,” said Ma’ruf Amin, chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council, the country’s top Islamic clerical body. But some of Indonesia’s tribespeople – up

to 70 million of the country’s 250 mil-lion inhabitants are indigenous peoples – are fearful of the phenomenon.

Members of the Dayak tribe in one part of Borneo island, known for their elaborate tattoos and cos-tumes, will be performing a ritual to ensure it does not last too long. The Balian Ba Ampar-Ampar involves traditional music, chanting mantras and giving offerings of flowers and incense to ensure the sun, the source of life, does not disappear.

The total eclipse will sweep across 12 of Indonesia’s 34 provinces, which stretches about 5,000km (3,000m) from east to west, before heading across the Pacific Ocean. Partial eclips-

es will be visible in northern Australia and parts of Southeast Asia.

The moon will begin moving across the sun on Indonesia’s main western island of Sumatra at around 6:20 am (2320 GMT Tuesday), before the eclipse sweeps across Sulawesi and Borneo, then moves over the Malukus and heads out into the ocean. One of the most popular events for foreign tourists will be a festival close to Palu, in Sulawesi, while traditional dances and other performances are taking place right across the ethni-cally diverse archipelago.

DENPASAR - Land cover in Bali in the form of public green open space

(RTH) such as city parks and pub-

lic private open space is recorded to reach 38.7 percent. However, it is different from forest cover only reaching 22.7 percent or lower than the minimum require-ment of 30 percent. Many forests are no longer pure, even have got perforated due to conversion and encroachment.

“Have a look at the current forests. The protected forests in the border of Singaraja-Negara, for instance, have got perforated.

Land conversion has widely oc-curred, whether it is used by so-ciety, encroachment and so forth. Actually, the forests in Bali are no longer pure,” said the Member of Commission III of the Bali House of Representatives, Ketut Kariyasa Adnyana, when confirmed.

Kariyasa added that the destruc-tion of forests in the upstream has proved to have caused many disas-ters such as landslides and floods. While in urban areas, not few green belts have been infringed to be used for residential and industrial area and modern shops. It is in-separable from the delays of Bali in arranging the spatial planning.

Forests...Continued on page 2

Debt on forests reaches IDR 6 billion per person

AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim, File

FILE - In this Jan. 26, 2009 file photo, an Indonesian girl look up through an x-ray film sheet to watch an annular solar eclipse in the sky as people gather in Anyer Beach, Banten province, Indo-nesia. The rare and awe-inspiring spectacle of a total solar eclipse will unfold over parts of Indonesia and the Indian and Pacific Oceans on Wednesday, March 9, 2016, weather permitting.

Thousands flock to Indonesia for total solar eclipse

About 10,000 foreign visitors and 100,000 Indonesian tourists are expected to view the spectacle, and special events have been organised across the country, from a festival featuring live bands to dragon boat races. Hotels in the best viewing spots filled up weeks ago and in one city officials have had to find extra space for tourists on boats.

International2 Tuesday, March 8, 2016 15International Activities

Bali News Tuesday, March 8, 2016

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 pos-sesses. 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 is-land celebrated the same Holiday, such as at Galungan, Kuningan, Nyepi day, Saras-wati 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 cel-ebration 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 some-times 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 bam-boo poles, decorated beautifully orna-ments of young coconut leaves, rice and other products of the land. Most beauti-ful 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.

Balinese Temple Ceremony

Founder : K.Nadha, General Manager :Palgunadi Chief Editor: Gugiek Savindra Editors:Agus Toni, Daniel Fajry, Mawa, Sueca, Sugiartha, Yudi Winanto Denpasar: Dira Arsana, Giriana Saputra, Subrata, Sumatika, Asmara Putra. Bangli: Suasrina, Buleleng: Dewa kusuma, Gianyar: Manik Astajaya, Karangasem: Budana, Klungkung: Dewa Farendra. Jakarta: Nikson, Hardianto, Ade Irawan. NTB: Agus Talino, Izzul Khairi, Raka Akriyani. Surabaya: Bambang Wilianto. Office: Jalan Kepundung 67 A Denpasar 80232. Telephone (0361)225764, Facsimile: 227418, P.O.Box: 3010 Denpasar 80001. Bali Post Jakarta, Advertizing: Jl.Palmerah Barat 21F. Telp 021-5357602, Facsimile: 021-5357605 Jakarta Pusat. NTB: Jalam Bangau No. 15 Cakranegara Telp. (0370) 639543, Facsimile: (0370) 628257. Publisher: PT Bali Post

Take Mum for a stroll by the beach and dinner under the stars or relaxing by the infinity pool overlooking the Indian Ocean. Choose from three signature resort experiences at The Mulia, Mulia Resort & Villas – Nusa Dua, Bali, that has recently been added to Gold List 2016 by Condé Nast Traveler USA as The World’s Favorite Beach Resorts. Featuring The Mulia, an all-suite beachfront boutique resort with impeccable service, Mulia Resort with a various range of facili-ties and activities to keep the family busy, while mum can sneak away to Mulia Spa or spend quality time by the lush garden and private pool overlooking the Indian Ocean at Mulia Villas. Children will have the opportunity to create hand crafted art as a gift to their beloved Mum, at Mulia Kidz.

Then continue her celebration with gourmet jour-ney, that Mulia is renowned for. Choose from the most popular Sunday Brunch on the island at Soleil, or bring her around the world through the International palates of The Cafe.

You could also treat her like an Imperial Empress with Chinese royalty dishes at Table8 or last but not least a theatrical Teppanyaki performance at Edogin Japanese restaurant. Mulia Deli has also prepared a selection of hand crafted sweets, from Mum Forever cake, to a personalized chocolate bag in any model or any confections that she would love.

After all the pampering for Mother, close it on a relaxing note with Mulia Spa experience that has re-cently been voted as one of the Best Spa’s in the World by Condé Nast Traveler USA. Bond together over our Therapeutic Touch treatments with the Mother and Daughter Spa Get Away, or make her Queen for A Day with a relaxing Balinese Massage and the Exquisite Golden Caviar Facial.

Or give Mum the ultimate pampering that she can choose at her leisure. With a Mulia Gift Card the pos-sibilities are endless from a combination of relaxing holidays, to dining indulgence or a spa retreat. For more information, please visit www.themulia.com/dining or call (62-361) 3017777.

Thank Her with Endless Love at The Mulia, Mulia Resort & Villas – Nusa Dua, Bali

A Mother’s love is boundless and timeless. you have known her heart beat before you even knew the world, and now is the moment we can take some extra time to appreciate her for the endless love we have received. There are millions of ideas to appreciate your mother but none quite as luxurious as a dining and pam-pering holiday at The Mulia, Mulia resort & villas – Nusa Dua, Bali (www.themulia.com).

AT the night of Pengerupukan in a series of Nyepi, the security will be focused on the ogoh-ogoh parade at almost every village in Bali, especially in Denpasar. Police also assign most of their forces to secure the annual agenda from clash. At this time, there is also an issue on radicalism and Bali becomes one of the targets.

“Security on day one before and after the celebration is more tightened because vulnerability can occur at these times. Places of worship must get the attention so as not to disturb the implementation of the four abstinences,’ said the aca-demician Prof. Dr. Rai Setiabudhi, Sunday (Mar. 6).

To anticipate it, added Prof. Rai, the most important thing to do is making coordination with interfaith, community, traditional and youth leaders. Similarly, it also make the role of pecalang (custom-ary security guard) more effective and must always coordinate with formal security forces, namely police and the military.

According to him, the closed security is very important in order to prevent the acts of radicalism network and terrorists. “It is nec-essary and should be given special attention. We should not be negli-gent in this case because there is possibility of radical groups to use this opportunity and target sources of electricity, municipality water-

works and other public facilities. So, the security needs to be tight-ened,” said Rai.

To realize the order and peace in implementing the four abstinences, Rai insisted that it is not enough to rely on the security forces and the government, but the whole society should care and participate in maintaining the security in their respective environment.

Chief of North Kuta Police, I Wayan Arta Ariawan, revealed that coordination and synergy with the Indonesian Military (TNI) must further be increased, especially security on Nyepi. “We continue to work together on security from melasti to Nyepi. So far, there is no report on critical points of conflict on the Pengerupukan,” said Arta.

He has mapped the areas prone to friction during the ogoh-ogoh parade namely the area of Dalung and traffic light of Padang Luwih, Kerobokan, Padonan Brawa and Kerobokan Prison. Vulnerability due to the effect of alcohol con-sumption such as fights and snatch-ing is also anticipated. He has com-mitments with hamlet chief to ban alcohol consumption, supervise and secure the activities at their hamlet as well as villages. “In addition to preventing inter-group friction, we also keep the environment from intruders or the action of radical group. We have combed routinely people’s settlements,” he said.

Commander of the 1611/Badung Military District, M. Leo Pola Ar-diansa, asserted that if undesired thing happens such clashes between residents related to the celebration of Nyepi, if requested by police, his institution just needs to con-tact the Company A of the 900/Raider Infantry Battalion, Cavalry Company, Kepaon military barrack and other military headquarters. “There are troops stationed in all the headquarters with a complete weapon. If necessary, it just needs calling,” he said.

As for the action in anticipating radicalism, he continued, the team of intelligence and intelligence unit continue to monitor the movement of the group. “The members of our intelligence agency always update information and so far it is still favorable,” he added.

He appealed that during the melasti procession to the beach all the communities should maintain safety on the road, and the pecalang with other security forces must remain in compliance with traffic rules. Then, when parading ogoh-ogoh, people are expected to do it orderly and the role of traditional leaders is expected to get involved in the implementation.

“Please avoid consuming alco-holic drinks before carrying the ogoh-ogoh, and comply with the predetermined routes,” he said.

Then, on the peak of Nyepi, resi-

“The process of physical development is faster than the planning so that many green belts have been transformed into industrial estates, modern shops and housing. Not to mention the paddy fields are now transformed into many hotels and villas because farmers have no guarantees. They prefer selling to leasing their farmland,” he explained.

Kariyasa called this phenomenon will become a time bomb for Bali. He is pessimistic that the government is able to enforce the rules having been agreed. Currently the development in Bali prefers featuring investors to preserving nature. Although the presence of investors can absorb a lot of labor, over time it will inevitably result in saturation.

“If it stays like this, we are confident the future of Bali will be severe. ‘Bali goes green’ will just become a slogan. Moreover, the local budget for environmental

affairs is too small,” he said. The Head of the Bali Environment Agency (BLH),

Gede Suarjana, mentioned that each person has a debt of about IDR 6 billion to forest during his or her lifetime. The debt must be paid by planting trees and making sure the trees are alive. One person is equivalent to 2,500 square meters or at least needs to plant 40 to 60 trees.

“The debt is based on arithmetic calculation if we inhale oxygen at hospital costs IDR 80,000 per hour multiplied by 24 hours and multiplied by 365 days with the life expectancy of 72.1 years, and then it is equal to IDR 6 billion per person,” he said. Suarjana added there must be a commitment, courage and behavior to plant trees for the survival of nature. Particularly in Bali, forest cover only reaches 22.7 percent and cannot increase unless there is a purchase of land for the making of forest. (kmb32)

IBP/Wawan

The ogoh-ogoh from Bajar Ubung. At the night of Pengerupu-kan in a series of Nyepi, the security will be focused on the ogoh-ogoh parade at almost every village in Bali

Beware of day one before and after NyepiProne to conflict and action of radical group

dents are expected to maintain reli-gious tolerance well in accordance with the agreement of the Harmony Interfaith Forum (FKUB). “For the

Hindus, please carry out the four abstinences, while the non-Hindus should maintain and improve reli-gious tolerance,” said Leo. (rah)

forests...From page 1

IBP/File

The number of the forest

3Tuesday, March 8, 201614 InternationalInternational Bali NewsScience Tuesday, March 8, 2016

CAPE CANAVERAL - A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket blasted off from Florida and thrust a com-munications satellite into orbit on Friday, but the launch vehicle’s reusable main-stage booster was destroyed when it failed to land itself on an ocean platform, the company said.

It marked the fourth botched at-sea return landing attempt for Elon Musk’s privately owned Space Exploration Technologies, though a Falcon main-stage rocket did achieve a successful ground-based touchdown after soaring back to Earth from a less demanding launch in December.

The latest try occurred after four SpaceX launch delays stretching back to Feb. 24.

On Friday, the 23-story-tall Fal-con 9 bolted off its seaside launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station as scheduled at 6:35 p.m.

EST/2335 GMT. A half-hour later it completed the chief goal of its mission, putting the Boeing-built satellite, owned by Luxembourg-based SES SA, into orbit more than 25,000 miles (40,600 km) above Earth.

On its way up, the rocket’s first-stage booster separated as planned, turned around and headed toward a platform floating about 400 miles (645 km) off Florida’s east coast. The rocket found its target, but its velocity proved too great to allow for a safe landing on the drone barge.

“Rocket landed hard,” Musk, the founder and chief executive officer of SpaceX, said in a Twitter message more than an hour after blastoff. “Didn’t expect this one to work ... but next flight has a good chance.”

The ability to safely and reliably return the rocket’s main stage to a

landing pad at sea has been a key hurdle in Musk’s quest to develop a relatively cheap, reusable launch vehicle.

The rocket flying on Friday faced a particularly challenging mission to deliver the 12,613-pound (5,721 kg) satellite into an orbit more than 100 times higher than where the International Space Station flies.

The speed required to achieve that feat meant the rocket was going too fast to even attempt a ground landing.

SpaceX came close to nailing an ocean touchdown in January after blasting off from California to deliver a climate-monitoring satellite into orbit. The returning main-stage rocket settled itself on a platform in the Pacific Ocean, but a stabilizing landing leg failed to latch, causing the booster to keel over and explode. (rtr)

The lizard is some 75 mil-lion years older than the previ-ous record holder, according to researchers at the Florida Mu-seum of Natural History, who an-nounced the finding this week.

It was found decades ago in a mine along with other ancient, well-preserved reptile fossils, but the U.S. scientists were able to analyze the finds only recently.

“It was incredibly exciting to see these animals for the first time,” Edward Stanley, a mem-ber of the research team, said on Saturday. “It was exciting and startling, actually, how well they were preserved.”

Scientists believe the chame-leon-like creature was an infant when it was trapped in a gush of sticky resin while darting through a tropical forest in what is now Myanmar, in Southeast Asia.

The creature’s entire body, including its eyes and colorful scales, is unusually well-pre-served, Stanley said. The other reptiles trapped in the amber, including a gecko and an arctic lizard, were also largely intact.

Small reptiles have delicate bodies and typically deteriorate quickly, he said. Being encased in solid amber helped to lock the specimen together.

Stanley and other researchers used high-resolution digital X-ray technology to examine the crea-tures and estimate the age of the amber without breaking it.

The discovery will help re-searchers learn more about the “lost ecosystem, the lost world” to which the creatures belonged, Stanley said, and it may help researchers learn more about the creatures’ modern relatives.

“It’s kind of a missing link,” Stanley said. (rtr)

Fossilized lizard, 99 mln years old, is a clue to ‘lost ecosystem’FLORIDA - A fossilized lizard found in Southeast Asia

preserved in amber dates back some 99 million years, Florida scientists have determined, making it the oldest specimen of its kind and a “missing link” for reptile researchers.

Various lizard specimens are shown preserved in an-

cient amber from present-day Myanmar in Southeast Asia, in this handout photo

provided by the Florida Museum of Natural History

on March 5, 2016. REUTERS/David Grimaldi/Florida Museum of Natural History

SpaceX launches communications satellite but botches sea landing

REUTERS/Joe Skipper/Files

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida, in this December 21, 2015 file photo. A SpaceX Falcon rocket thrust a com-munications satellite into orbit March 4, 2016, before the reusable main-stage booster turned around, soared back toward Earth and was destroyed when it failed to land its self on a platform in the ocean, according to the company.

AMLAPURA - Bukit Village in Karangasem, is one of the villages in Bali where not everyone follows the same religion. Bukit Villages comprises 13 hamlets. The majority of residents of 8 of the Hamlets are Hindus while the majority of residents of the 5 other Hamlets are Muslim. Their difference in beliefs however has not led to divisions amongst this population. The harmony amongst the people here can be seen during the Hindu celebration of Nyepi , for example. Bukit village has its own special way of weaving together harmony amongst its people. Followers of both religions take part in the holidays and events of the others’ religion, thus ensuring that com-munication between Hindus and Muslims is well maintained.

The inauguration of At-Taqwiim Islamic School (Madrasah Tsanawiyah, MTs) in Kampung Anyar Hamlet -for example, was organized by the Mus-lim community but the Hindu community also took part in the event. There was even an artistic collaboration involving sekaa gong, Balinese dancing, rebana playing and the reciting of holy prayers from the Al’Quaran. In fact this collaboration received the appreciation of the head of the Ministry of Religion’s Regional Office in Bali, A.A Gede Muliawan.

Bukit’s new Village Head, Wayan Putu Suyasa, admitted that maintaining harmony within a community made up of people from different religions has its own challenges. Maintaining harmony requires a process by which mutual tolerance is nurtured in order to allow peace to reign. Suyasa con-firmed that members of both religions have already agreed to show mutual respect for each other during the celebration of Nyepi. The Muslims will not work, leave their homes or light any lamps or fires, but they will be allowed to pray in some of the local Mesjids like Masjid At-Taqwiim. “So in order to respect the Hindus who are performing Nyepi, we will sholat (pray) without using the loud speakers” he explained. Given the fact that Bukit village has adherents of different religions, Suyasa said that people here are very much aware of the need for tolerance.One Muslim resident named Erno, said that tolerance in Bukit Village is tightly woven into the social fabric. He said that the Muslims here know and understand very well about the four abstinences that Hindus carry out for Nyepi, for instance. (kmb)

Head of Buleleng’s Industry and Trade Agency, I r Made Arnika, explained that three dif-ferent Agencies are working on the campaign: The Industry and Trade Agency, The Sanitation and Parks Agency (DKP) and the Environment Agency (BLH). The first step that they have taken is to bring the three agen-cies together to discuss how to get leaders and businesses in the Town of Singaraja are on board with the project.

“We will be inviting leaders and merchant representatives to coordinate about how to start ap-plying the ‘charging for plastic bags’ concept. However we are also waiting to see how pilot projects in other parts of Bali are doing -how things work on the ground and how the public is

reacting”, said Arnika last Sun-day (Mar. 3).

He added that Bulelengs Indus-try and Trade Agency is already prepared to start an awareness campaign, and that in order to ensure that things run smoothly, they will still be coordinating with the two aforementioned agencies. “We will be working together with the two other agen-cies first, so that we are not alone in trying to get the word out to the public” he said.

The Government of Buleleng has been intensifying their anti-plastic campaign. Apart from changing the way people think and act, they also aim to improve the general level of hygiene by having people care and take care of the beauty of Buleleng.

“Charging people for plastic

bags is part of our Plastic Free Buleleng program that will put into full effect on March 30th through by-law Number 1, 2013 regarding garbage management” explained Arnika.

Meanwhile Head of Bulelelng’s Sanitation and Parks Ageny, I Ny-oman Genep, made improvements to the supporting infrastructure for garbage collection last year, so that the public no longer need to be confused about where to dispose of garbage. “We often disseminate information to the public about supporting facilities -whether it be through written materials, radio announcements or billboards. This helps people to more quickly understand about the plastic free program that the government has proclaimed” con-cluded Genep. (kmb34)

SEMARAPURA - Pehikan Beach in Batukandik Village, Nusa Penida is not very well known yet even though this beach has some truly charming marine biota. The manta ray that can be spotted here, have made this area better known amongst divers than beach goers. Divers, however are not alone in appreciating Pehikan Beach as many local fishermen are also big fans of this spot.

Local resident, I Gede Sudarta said that Pehikan Beach is best known for its charming marine biota such as the magnificent manta ray that like to hand here. Giant oceanic sunfish, known locally as mola-mola can also be found swimming about the waters here, he said. It is therefore not surpris-ing that so many divers plunge into the ocean here everyday. According to Sudarta, Pehikan Beach is different than many other beaches in the area in that the shoreline is quite rocky with very little sand. “ There is some sand, like in Tembeling, but few tourists come here because there are no guide”, he explained.

There s also a 170 meter high cliff here though it is not as sharp an incline as the one at Guyangan. Sudarta added that, locals consider this 3.5 hectares beach to be the best spot for fishing. Locals also use the area below the cliff for doing sports like playing volleyball, soccer and such.

While the entrance to the beach, at the top of the cliff is a sacred area. Local holyman Mangku Wayan Suasta explained that Dewi Gangga (Hindu Goddess that cleanses away sins) resides in Pantai Pehikan at the Pancoran Temple. This temple is connected to Pura Ratu Gede Papak Badeng Temple, Suwehan Temple and Pura Sekar Kuning Temple. Normally Balinese Hindus should pray at Sekar Kuning Temple before coming to pray at Pancoran Temple and then pray at Ratu Papak Badeng Temple that is governed over by Goddess Seakr Kuning. After that, adherents will pray at Suwehan Temple and finally at Sekar Kuning Temple that is ruled by the Goddess Sekar Kun-ing and also by the Queen of the South Seas

Batu Jineng is visible from Pehikan Beach and local legend has it that someone once tried to take a piece of black coral from Batu Jineng but a giant octopus enveloped his small traditional boat (jukung). (dwa)

Government officials and others coordinate how to start charging shoppers for plastic bags

SINGARAJA - A plastic bag awareness campaign is being organized in the Regency of Bule-leng by three Regional taskforces (SKPD). For the last few weeks, a few major shopping centers have already started charging customers for plastic bags.

IBP/kmb34

Ir Made Arnika

Rocky Pehikan BeachKnown for its Charming Marine Biota

Nyepi HolidayHarmony amongst the people of Bukit Jaga Village

Bali News International4 Tuesday, March 8, 2016 13InternationalTuesday, March 8, 2016

PESHAWAR - Pakistani mili-tants said a suicide bombing at a court on Monday in which at least 10 people were killed was revenge for the hanging of a man convicted of the 2011 killing a prominent liberal politician who had called for reform of blasphemy laws.

Police said the bomber had intended to enter the court in the northwestern town of Shabqadar, near the Mohmand ethnic Pashtun region, and set off his explosives when guards challenged him.

“The suicide bomber was trying to enter the judicial complex and he blew himself up when the police stopped him,” said police official Saeed Wazir.

Television news footage showed extensive damage including the charred remains of at least two vehicles.

Senior police official Sohail

Khalid told Reuters two police per-sonnel, as well as four women and two children were among at least 10 people killed. Nearly 30 people were wounded.

The Pakistani Taliban’s Jamaat-ur-Ahrar faction claimed respon-sibility for the attack in the town, about 150 km (90 miles) northwest of the capital, Islamabad.

Group spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan said in an emailed statement the bombing “was especially done as vengeance for the hanging of Mumtaz Qadri”.

Qadri, a bodyguard-turned-assassin, was executed last week for killing Salman Taseer, the then governor of Punjab province, after he had called for reform of blasphemy laws that mandate death for insulting Islam or its prophet.

Human rights groups say the

laws can be abused by people try-ing to settle scores or involved in feuds and members of Pakistan’s religious minorities are vulner-able to unfair treatment under the legislation.

The laws are at the heart of an ideological clash between reform-ers and religious conservatives in Pakistan.

Hard-line religious leaders have declared Qadri a hero and Ehsan said his faction would continue to attack courts.

“The Pakistani courts give deci-sions against the laws revealed by Allah, and convict and hang in-nocent people,” Ehsan said in his statement.

Pakistani Taliban militants have been waging an insurgency against the state since 2007, in a bid to impose a strict interpretation of Islamic law. (rtr)

The Japanese submarine, which is used for train-ing, and the destroyers will arrive in the Philippines in April. The escort vessels will later sail to Vietnam’s strategic Cam Ranh Bay base on the South China Sea, the source said.

“It sends a message. It is important for Japan to show its presence,” the person with knowledge of the plan said on Monday. He asked not to be iden-tified because he was not authorized to talk to the media.

A Japanese Ministry of Defence spokesman declined to comment on any submarine visit but said the navy normally conducted training voyages in March and April.

“But we are still in the planning stage so are unable to provide details,” he said.

The visits were first reported by Japanese media, including the Sankei newspaper, on Sunday.

Asked about the visits, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said Japan occupied the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea during World War Two so China was on “high alert” for Japan’s military moves there.

“The cooperation of relevant countries should benefit regional stability and should not be directed at third parties or harm another country’s sovereignty or security interests,” he told a daily news briefing in Beijing.

Of the countries bordering the South China Sea, the Philippines and Vietnam are most opposed to China expanding its influence in the region by building bases on reclaimed islands.

The Philippine military had not received any of-ficial notification of a visit by a Japanese submarine, a military spokesman said, though a visit to the Subic Bay naval base was expected.

“Informally, we know a Japanese submarine is vis-iting Subic in April,” said the Philippine spokesman, Brigadier-General Restituto Padilla. (rtr)

Japanese submarine to visit Philippines

REUTERS/Thomas Peter/Files

Officers stand aboard a Soryu submarine of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) during a fleet review at Sagami Bay, off Yokosuka, south of Tokyo in this October 15, 2015 file photo.

TOKYO - A Japanese submarine will visit the Philippines for the first time in 15 years, along with two warships that will then sail on to Vietnam, in a show of support for nations op-posed to Beijing’s ambitions in the South China Sea, a person familiar with the matter said.

Pakistani militants say blast at court that kills 10 was revenge

AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad

A Pakistani soldier walks past damaged vehicles at the site of a deadly suicide bombing in Charsadda, Pakistan, Monday, March 7, 2016. The suicide bomber attacked the entrance to a court in the town of Shabqadar northwestern Pakistan on Monday, killing many people, police said.

NEGARA - Creativity of young people in Jembrana in the making of ogoh-ogoh or papier mâché demon seems to be increasingly encouraged. When compared to last year’s condition, the number of ogoh-ogoh for this Pengeru-pukan increases. According to the record, the number of ogoh-ogoh increases from 532 pieces to 604 pieces.

Data on the number of ogoh-ogoh are presented by figures of each village to police station. Chief of Jembrana Police, Djoni Widodo, when met last week stated that police will be backing up the security in a series of Nyepi so that it can run safely and peacefully. Ac-companied by Operation Division Head of the Jembrana Police, I Ketut Sukarta, he mentioned that on the Pengerupukan district police alert 620 personnel at vil-lages. “The number of ogoh-ogoh this year increases. In addition to personnel of district police, the security also involves pecalang or customary security guard,” said Djoni.

According to him, each subdistrict

police have been instructed to come down to villages to make coordination with community leaders and religious leaders.

From the information compiled, other than ogoh-ogoh competition centered on Jalan Sudirman Negara, ogoh-ogoh parade will be held in Melaya subdistrict. In addition, police will also conduct creating condition operation to raid al-coholic drinks.

Ogoh-ogoh competition will be held again this year. Each customary village through its chief will select two best at their customary village. Then, they will be selected by assessment team to be competed against the ogoh-ogoh from other villages. Furthermore, then winner representing subdistrict will be assessed in the district. Selected ogoh-ogoh in the competition will be paraded on Jalan Sudirman on the Pengerupukan day. Customary youth clubs were also emphasized to make the ogoh-ogoh from eco-friendly materials and prohibited the use of cork or styrofoam. (kmb26)

As observation last Sunday, vehicles have been coming to Gilimanuk from early morning. Among them, there were coming in groups and simultaneously so that it was then decided to open three ticket counters instead of one or two counters on normal days. Some users claimed to be slightly wor-ried about the incident of sinking ship last week. Nevertheless, they encouraged to return home by ferry because it is the most inexpensive transportation.

From 07:00 in the morning, the condition at harbor entrance booth was unlike the normal days. One of the motorists, Wardoyo, 35, ad-mitted to intentionally depart early from Denpasar so as to return home to Jember, East Java. He estimated to arrive at Gilimanuk in the morn-ing when the sunlight is not too hot. So, he could arrive at home village in the afternoon. He did not go home alone, but together with friends. Approaching the Nyepi where the Gilimanuk Harbor is closed, many migrants from outside

Bali are estimated to come out of Bali via Gilimanuk Harbor.

Operations Manager of the Gili-manuk Harbor, Sugeng Purwono, when asked for his confirmation on Sunday afternoon said the in-crease in the number of vehicles coming out of Bali reached 100 percent. They were dominated by motorcycles, and it is predicted to increase within the next two days. “The increase reaches 100 percent compared to normal days. Prob-ably it will increase tomorrow,” said Sugeng.

Excluding the sinking Rafelia II ship, the harbor authorities have been alerted 22 ships at the jetty MB 1 to MB 3 and pontoons. On the other hand, at the LCM dock has been alerted a total of 12 ships.

In accordance with Circular, the crossing services in Bali Strait will be closed, including at Gilimanuk Harbor. According to Sugeng, Gili-manuk will be closed on Wednesday (Mar. 9) from 05:30 a.m. and will be re-opened on Thursday (Mar. 10) at 06:00 a.m. (kmb26)

More and more motorcycles start to leave Bali

NEGARA - Hundreds of motorcycles already started to throng the entrance gates of Gilimanuk Harbor on Sunday morning (Mar. 6). Most of the ship passengers are migrants returning home by utilizing the holiday of Nyepi in Bali. Harbor authorities at Gilimanuk mention the number of vehicles com-ing out of Bali reached 100 percent over normal days.

IBP/olo

Hundreds of motorcycles already started to throng the entrance gates of Gilimanuk Harbor on Sunday morning (Mar. 6). Most of the ship passengers are migrants returning home by utiliz-ing the holiday of Nyepi in Bali.

604 ogoh-ogoh to be paraded on Pengerupukan

IBP/olo

Creativity of young people in Jembrana in the making of ogoh-ogoh or papier mâché demon seems to be increasingly encouraged. When compared to last year’s condi-tion, the number of ogoh-ogoh for this Pengerupukan increases.

Bali News Tuesday, March 8, 2016 5InternationalTuesday, March 8, 201612 International

BUSINESS

The Greater Houston United Way has warned member chari-t ies to expect a possible 10 percent cut in grants. The Pink Ribbon Project, which for two decades had an annual budget of about $1 million to promote breast cancer advocacy and re-search, is blaming a loss of major donors as a reason for why it will close its doors in May.

Oil prices ended last week at just under $36 a barrel. Falling profits, spreading layoffs and the uncertainty about the duration of the downturn has wiped out usu-ally reliable donors left others unable to maintain previous levels of generous support, the Houston Chronicle reported Sunday (http://

bit.ly/1YiN7Oo ).“We have lost some of our major

donors, or they may have scaled back significantly,” said Kristi Okwuonu, executive director of the Pink Ribbon Project. “Where they gave us $30,000 before, they may only be able to give us $3,000. That happening multiple times made us take a hard look at our sustain-ability.”

The budget squeeze has affected larger nonprofits as well. Although their survival might not be in doubt, they are being forced to cut programs and services they see as essential to their missions, and the demand for which may grow in tougher times.

“We are definitely feeling it,”

said Elise Hough, president of Easter Seals of Greater Houston. “I have had several of our big donors tell us that 2016 is going to be our worst year, so get ready.”

In November, Hough said, the organization made tough decisions to streamline as much as possible, to cut positions and not fill open ones. The nonprofit also combined services and went a second year without raises.

Martin Cominsky, CEO of Inter-faith Ministries of Greater Houston, said his next budget could be as much as $1 million short of last year’s.

“Our economy in Houston is resilient, but there is no way around it when a big sector is hit that hard,” said Cominsky, whose organization runs the Meals on Wheels program for seniors and another program devoted to refugee services.(ap)

BEIJING — Asian stocks were mixed Monday after Beijing cut its growth target for the cooling Chi-nese economy and promised more market-opening reforms, with mar-kets in mainland China rising while Hong Kong’s benchmark fell.

KEEPING SCORE: The Shang-hai Composite Index advanced 0.3 percent to 2,884.29 and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng lost 0.2 percent to 20,148.59. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 shed 0.4 percent to 16,939.76. Sydney’s S&P ASX 200 rose 0.9 percent to 5,196.40 and Seoul’s Kospi added 0.3 percent to 1,961.16. Taiwan, New Zealand fell and Singapore were lower.

CHINESE GROWTH CUT: Pre-mier Li Keqiang lowered Beijing’s official growth target this year to 6.5 to 7 percent from last year’s “about 7 percent” and promised more market-opening reforms. The ruling Com-munist Party is trying to promote more self-sustaining growth based on domestic consumption, reducing reliance on trade and investment. The steady decline in China’s economic growth over the past five years has sent shockwaves through its trading partners, dampening demand for industrial components and raw ma-terials. In an address Saturday to the country’s legislature, Li promised to open oil, power, telecoms and other state-dominated industries to private competitors, though he failed to say whether foreign companies would be allowed in. To stimulate slowing growth, Li said the government will boost deficit spending.

ANALYST’S TAKE: “Instead of a specific target, setting a growth range reflects the (Chinese) govern-ment’s desire for policymaking flex-ibility as they push for longer-term

economic reforms,” DBS Bank economists said in a report. They noted Li also abandoned Beijing’s target for trade growth after exports fell far short of last year’s official goal. “Amid a weak global outlook, China may also be wary of setting an ambitious trade forecast on concerns it might raise expectations that Bei-jing would boost exports via yuan depreciation.”

WALL STREET: Stocks ended up for the week after data on unex-pectedly strong hiring, construction spending and manufacturing sug-gested the U.S. economy is doing fairly well. Mining companies made the biggest gains as metals prices climbed. On Wall Street, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 0.4 percent and the Standard & Poor’s 500 index gained 0.3 percent. The Nasdaq composite index edged up 0.2 percent.

U.S. JOBS: The Labor Depart-ment reported employers added 242,000 jobs in February, more than previously estimated. Its data showed construction, retail and health care companies are still hiring more workers. Energy companies also rose with the recovering price of oil. More people also looked for work.

ENERGY: Benchmark U.S. crude gained 60 cents to $36.52 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract jumped $1.35 on Friday to close at $35.92. Brent crude, used to price international oils, added 69 cents to $39.41. On Friday, it gained $1.65 to $38.72 per barrel.

CURRENCY: The dollar de-clined to 113.64 yen from Friday’s 113.71 yen. The euro edged down to $1.0993 from $1.1000.(ap)

REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin

Signage shows prices at the Boiler gas station in the West Siberian city of Kogalym, Russia, January 25, 2016. Basic unleaded petrol is priced at 33.2 roubles ($0.41) per litre.

Oil collapse hurts Houston nonprofits in nation’s energy hub

HOUSTON — The oil downturn has many Houston non-profits scaling back as donations plunge in the nation’s energy capital.

Asian stocks mixed after China cuts growth target

AP Photo/Vincent Yu

A man walks past an electronic board showing Hong Kong share index outside a local bank in Hong Kong, Monday, Feb. 15, 2016. Japanese stocks rocketed Monday, leading most Asian markets higher after dismal growth data raised hopes for more stimulus for Asia’s second biggest economy, weakening the yen.

SINGARAJA - Penimbangan Beach is known as a coastal region rich in green turtle population. It is inseparable from the coastal envi-ronment staying to have fine and black sandy plain. Such beach con-dition enables the protected marine animal to breed conveniently.

Unfortunately, many irrespon-sible people are suspected of steal-ing the eggs of green turtle in the nests. Allegedly, they take the eggs at night and generally they have known the holes in the sand used as egg nest of the green turtle.

As information compiled by Bali Post in the field on Sunday morning (Mar. 6), the green turtle population sits in particular sea depth. If from mainland landscape, the population of green turtle is ranging from coastal area on Jalan Pantai Indah, Baktiseraga village, Buleleng subdistrict to the area of Segara Penimbangan Temple. Overlay of the beach has smooth and black sand. The sandy land is often used as the nest of green turtle that will lay eggs. Generally, the

former holes of green turtle nest are difficult to identify. Only particular people with special expertise in the field can identify it.

A local fisherman, I Made Wisata, familiarly called Pak Kadekan when met Sunday morning said that from the information acquired Penimban-gan Beach have many green turtle populations. The coastal mainland with black sand has become the location for the herd of green turtle to bury their eggs.

However, lately he suspected certain people of having intentionally taken the eggs of the green turtle on Penimbangan Beach. They are alleged to have known very well about the seasons of green turtle to nest and the holes having contained the eggs. “This fine black sand is best favored by green turtle to bury their eggs. I have never found it, but many say that someone already took the turtle eggs here. They know well if the holes in the sand contain turtle egg,” he said.

To preserve the ecosystem of green turtle on Penimbangan Beach, he hoped relevant agency and private

sector can help fishermen carry out the rescue measures for green turtle eggs. Moreover, after finding 130 eggs of green turtle on Wednesday (Feb. 24) he worried that the egg becomes the target of irresponsible persons or predator attacks. Cur-rently, the egg nest has been fenced and equipped with paranet roof so that sunlight does not penetrate di-rectly into the nest. Fishermen also guard the nest in turn until they en-tirely hatch. “If possible, we need the help to conduct surveillance to green turtle nest so that it is not disturbed by rogue elements deliberately wish-ing to take the eggs,” he said.

Currently, the 130 eggs of green turtle are being bred in a simple manner estimated to hatch up to 45 days after the discovery. The officials from the Fisheries and Marine Resources of Buleleng and Bali Province observed at the cap-tive location and planed to provide assistance for hundreds of eggs to hatch and the hatchlings will be released into their natural habitat. (kmb38)

Chief of the (STT) Santhi Yowana customary youth club, Desak Ayu Santiari Dewi, said on Sunday (Mar. 6) that although it is entering rainy season, tourist visit to the Kuning waterfall do not recede. Average tourist visit to the waterfall is more than 50 people each day from midday to the afternoon. “Visitors are local people and those from outside Bangli,” he explained.

Considering most of the trails to Kuning waterfall remain dirt road and have not been hardened with concrete it is quite slippery during rainy season. All this time, he always reminds visitors to be careful when crossing the pathway. It is meant to anticipate any unwanted incidents.

“Actually, it is not so slippery. Nevertheless, we still urge visitors to be careful on the way heading for the waterfall,” he said.

As is known, the Kuning waterfall is one of the waterfalls existing in Bangli. All this time, the waterfall managed by the Santhi Yowana customary youth club has a fairly heavy water flow. Swift flow plus pristine surrounding environment becomes the main attraction for visitors.

Although the waterfall has been frequently visited by tourists, it is not equipped with adequate facilities. The trail to waterfall is still partially in the form of land. Besides, the pathway has not been fully equipped with safety fence. This condition requires travelers to be more careful while visiting the object during rainy season. (kmb40)

Rain has no impact on tourist visit to Kuning waterfall

IBP/Suasrina

Kuning Waterfall in Bangli Regency

Allegedly many turtle eggs stolen on Penimbangan Beach

IBP/Mudiarta

The turtle conservation area in Penimbangan Beach

BANGLI - Recent rainy season hitting Ban-gli and surrounding areas does not influence tourist visit to Kuning waterfall. As evidence, though the Bangli region is frequently flushed by rain, the tourist visits to the waterfall located at Tamanbali village, Bangli is still crowded as usual.

Tuesday, March 8, 2016 Tuesday, March 8, 20166 11International International

From page 1

INDONESIAW RLD

“I would like to stress that the political support for Palestine should be coupled with concrete steps and actions, which will be included in the Jakarta Declaration,” she noted. The Jakarta Declaration is one of the documents, which will be produced by the Fifth Extraordinary Summit of the OIC. It contains concrete steps that will be taken for Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Syarif.

The foreign minister reaffirmed that the Palestinian issue could not be solved by only one state. To this end, the OIC summit is expected to come up with a joint solution, which reaffirms the principle position and commitment of OIC member coun-tries in supporting the Palestinian independence and the settlement of the Jerusalem issue.

Earlier, at the opening of the OIC ministerial meeting, the Indonesian foreign minister had reaffirmed the importance of the OIC extraordinary summit to support Palestine. “The longer we wait, further will be the

delay in the restoration of the basic rights and freedom of the Palestinian people,” remarked Retno.

The foreign minister also ex-plained Indonesias commitment to contributing donation worth US$1.5 million annually for several years ahead to assist the Palestinian people. The Indonesian government has contributed US$1 million to Palestine through the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA).

The Fifth Extraordinary Summit of the OIC was opened on Monday. Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) greeted the participants. In the company of Minister Marsudi and Minister/State Secretary Pra-tikno, President Jokowi welcomed the heads of state/government of Algeria, Egypt, Oman, Gambia, Ye-men, Jordan, Sudan, Palestine, Libya, and Pakistan.

Also present at the opening cer-emony of the second day of the sum-mit were former president Megawati

Soekarnoputri and former vice presi-dents, Try Sutrisno and Boediono.

During the opening ceremony, Palestines President Mahmoud Ab-bas and OIC Secretary General Iyad Meen Madani will also deliver their speech.

President Jokowi is also scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with the presidents of Pakistan and Sudan and to receive courtesy calls by the Libyan prime minister, the Iranian foreign minister, chairman of the council of State of Oman, Saudi Arabian foreign minister, and deputy prime minister of Qatar.

The Fifth OIC Extraordinary Sum-mit meeting, being held in Jakarta from Sunday to Monday on Palestine and Al-Quds, is being attended by more than 500 members of delegations from 49 OIC member countries, two observer countries, and five represen-tatives of the UN Security Councils permanent members, and the UN special envoy in the Palestinian-Israeli Negotiations Quartet.(ant)

JAKARTA - Indonesia and Afghanistan have agreed to continue diplomatic training cooperation by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) here on Sunday.

“This is not new cooperation as we have trained a lot of Afghan diplomats in Indonesia,” Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi said after signing the MoU with her Afghan counterpart, Salahuddin Rabbani, on the sidelines of the fifth Extraordinary Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Summit at the Jakarta Convention Center.

Since 2011, Indonesia has signed 44 cooperation programs with Afghanistan to train 353 diplomats, Retno said.

Relations between the two countries have also become stron-ger with the establishment of Indonesian Islamic Center (IIC) in Ahmad Shah Baba Mina area, Kabul, Afghanistan, in 2014, she said.

The presence of the IIC will hopefully contribute to peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan and encourage cooperation between Islamic academics and ulemas in the two countries to promote the understanding of moderate Islam, she said.

“The Indonesian Islamic Center is one of the icons of Indonesia-Afghanistan friendship and a symbol to disseminate the message of Islam as rahmatan lil alamin (a blessing for the universe),” she said.

Indonesia has also invited Afghanistan to join the ministerial international conference “Bali Process” to be held later this month. The conference will discuss people-smuggling and trafficking in persons and other transnational organized crimes.

Meanwhile, Minister Salahuddin Rabbani praised Indonesia which has helped organize the fifth Extraordinary OIC Summit themed “United for a Just Solution”, with emphasis on the settle-ment of Palestinian and Al Quds Al Syarif (Jerusalem) issues.

“This Summit is very important to build unity and solidarity among Islamic states for the sake of Palestinian independence,” Salahuddin said.

Indonesia and Afghanistan also have close cooperation in handling the issue of irregular migration, including the issue of asylum seekers and refugees.

Afghanistan participated in the fifth Bali Regional Ministerial Conference (BRMC) on people smuggling held on April 2, 2013, and Jakarta Declaration Roundtable Meeting on Addressing the Root Causes of Irregular Movements of Persons held in Jakarta on November 27-28, 2015.(ant)

JAKARTA - The People’s Conscience Party (Hanura) of Indonesia called for a specific law against members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community to curb their presence in the country.

Amid huge discrimination against the community, Hanura secretary-general Berliana Kartakusumah said that the law should provide for sanctions, rehabilitation and restrictions on LGBT, reported Jakarta Post.

“Being LGBT is an infectious and dangerous disease. LGBT must be banned, like we banned communism and drug trafficking.”Jakarta Post quoted him as saying.

LGBT community in Indonesia faces major social and state pressure after psychiatrists declared them to be mentally disordered people while clerics declared them haram or forbidden according to Islam.

Recent reports have shown cases of rising discrimination against the LGBT community. (ant)

Garry Lotulung/Pool Photo via AP

Indonesian President Joko Widodo, right, shakes hands with Palestinian President Mahmoud Ab-bas after delivering their closing remarks at the end of the extraordinary Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit on Palestinian issues in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday, March 7, 2016.

Support for Palestine must be through concrete steps, actions: FM

JAKARTA - The support offered by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to Palestine should be followed by concrete steps and actions and not just in the form of political support, stated Foreign Minister Retno L.P. Marsudi. The Indonesian foreign minister made the remarks while delivering a report on the results of the ministerial meeting on Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Syarif at the Fifth Summit of the OIC here on Monday.

Indonesia, Afghanistan agree to continue diplomatic training cooperation

Hanura demands law against LGBT in Indonesia

LONDON - The former head of a prominent British business lobbying group, who quit his post because he supports Britain’s exit from the European Union, accused Prime Minister David Cameron of scare-mongering in comments published on Monday.

British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) director general, John Longworth, resigned late on Sunday af-ter he breached the group’s neutral stance on the in-out referendum to be held on June 23 by saying that the EU was incapable of mean-ingful reform and Britain could have a bright economic future outside the bloc.

After his resignation was announced, Longworth criticised Cameron, who argues Britain’s national security and economic stability would be at risk if it votes to leave the 28-country trading bloc.

“It is highly irresponsible of the government of the country to be ped-dling hyperbole,” Longworth told the Daily Telegraph newspaper in an interview published on Monday.

“If the government keeps peddling the line that it will be a disaster if we leave, which it actually won’t be, they are going to put the country in a position where it will be damaged if we do.”

BCC president Nora Senior announced Longworth’s resignation say-ing his personal views on the referendum were “likely to create confusion regarding the BCC’s neutral stance”.

Longworth’s comments mark the latest spat in what is becoming an increasingly divisive battle over the country’s future in the EU. Polls show public opinion is finely balanced and the issue has split senior members of Cameron’s cabinet, pitting him against popular London Mayor Boris Johnson.

The Sunday Telegraph had earlier quoted an unnamed friend of Long-worth saying Prime Minister David Cameron’s office had put pressure on the board to suspend him, prompting a backlash from ‘Out’ campaigners who said the government was trying to silence those who favour leaving the bloc.

Johnson, the ‘Out’ campaign’s most high-profile backer, said it was “scandalous” that Longworth had been forced to step aside for what he said was a “a passionate optimistic view”.Conservative lawmaker and former Defence Secretary Liam Fox, who is also campaigning for ‘Out’, said it was inappropriate to use “the apparatus of the state” to put pressure on those expressing their personal views. (rtr)

They also voiced concern, tinged with embarassment, that increased Turkish cooperation coincides with a crackdown on media freedom that runs counter to cherished European values.

Prime Minister Ahmet Davu-toglu said the half-day meeting would also address Ankara’s bid to join the European Union and he hoped for a “turning point”, adding that Turkey was indispensable for the EU, just as Europe was for Turkey.

With tens of thousands of migrants stranded in Greece by closing borders, the summit will formally declare closed the Balkan route from Greece to Germany, diplomats said.

Leaders will pledge help to Athens cope with the backlog and seek assurances that Turkey, with NATO naval back-up in the Ae-gean, will stop people smugglers putting migrants to sea.

“I hope we will make a step

forward to achieving these goals today but that will take difficult negotiations so it may take a while to get a result,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel said.

Merkel and Dutch Prime Min-ister Mark Rutte, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, spent five hours talking with Davutoglu in Brussels until 2.45 a.m. to try to nail down com-mitments to halt the migrant flow after more than one million people - mostly Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans - entered Europe last year, most ending up in Germany.

“I am sure these challenges will be solved through our cooperation and Turkey is ready to work with the EU,” Davutoglu said. “Turkey is ready to be a member of the EU as well. Today I hope this summit will not just focus on irregular migration but also the Turkish accession process to the EU.”

Merkel, who faces a possible

political backlash against her welcome for the refugees in three regional elections on Sunday, requested the emergency summit to show voters the EU is acting to resolve the crisis.

Her finance minister, Wolfgang Schaeuble, said on Sunday that Berlin had major doubts about whether Turkey should become a member of the EU.

Before the summit, EU officials told Davutoglu of their concerns about human rights after the Turk-ish government seized control of a critical newspaper, top-selling daily Zaman.

European Parliament President Martin Schulz said he had told the Turkish premier that media freedom was “a non-negotiable element of our European identity” and they had differed sharply. The migrant crisis meant the EU needed to work with Turkey even if it was in “total disagreement” with its policies, he said. (rtr)

REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

Greece’s Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras arrives at an EU-Turkey summit in Brussels, as the bloc is looking to Ankara to help it curb the influx of refugees and migrants flowing into Europe, March 7, 2016.

EU hopeful Turkey will curb migrant route to Europe

BRUSSELS - EU leaders expressed guarded optimism before a summit with Turkey on Monday that Ankara was finally ready to act to curb a flood of migrants crossing illegally into Europe.

REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth

British Chambers of Commerce director general John Longworth speaks at their annual meeting in central London February 10, 2015.

UK business chief resigns, accuses PM Cameron of EU exit hyperbole

Ternate in the Malukus has prov-en such a popular eclipse-viewing spot that officials have had to find extra accommodation in boats after the city’s 1,500 hotel rooms filled up, local tourism chief Anas Ceno-ras said. Scientists are also flocking to Indonesia. A four-member team from Nasa is heading to Maba, a small town in the Maluku Islands where the total eclipse will occur for around three minutes, one of the longest times it can be seen.

The last total solar eclipse oc-curred on March 20, 2015, only visible from the Faroe Islands and

Norway’s Arctic Svalbard archi-pelago. Total eclipses occur when the moon moves between the Earth and the Sun, and the three bodies align precisely.

As seen from Earth, the moon is just broad enough to cover the solar face, creating a breath-taking silver halo in an indigo sky. For many astronomers it is the ultimate experience. “Anybody who has an opportunity should go and watch the solar eclipse – it is a life-changing experience,” said Nat Gopalswamy, a Nasa astrophysicist coming to Indonesia for the event. (ant)

Thousands...

Tuesday, March 8, 2016DestinationTuesday, March 8, 201610 InternationalInternational

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Gugiek : 08123840500/

Eka : 081338519538

B.BP.141.03.16.0000079

Brazilian Aussie BBQ lookingfor Passador,Bar Captain,Barten-

der,Cashier,Waitress able Speak English Send full CV to

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BIRMINGHAM - Britain’s Andy Murray won a gripping five-set match against Japan’s Kei Nishikori to secure a 3-1 Davis Cup win for the champions and a quarter-final with Novak Djok-ovic’s Serbia.

Murray, whose heroics helped clinch the title against Belgium last year, was pegged back after taking the first two sets, but eventually prevailed against the world number six 7-5 7-6(6) 3-6 4-6 6-3 in four hours and 54 minutes.

It was Murray’s first event back on court since the birth of his daughter, but any doubts over his fitness were dispelled as he once again carried Britain’s hopes almost single-handedly, winning three matches, including the doubles, in three days.

“I am lost for words at this stage; he (Murray) is a man of steel, isn’t he?” Britain’s captain Leon Smith said.

“What Andy managed to do was astonishing since he hasn’t played since the Australian Open final.”

After his exertions, Murray said he was keen to get back to his family.

“It’s (wife) Kim’s first Mother’s Day, so it will be nice to get to see her this evening. I’ll try to get back for bath time and to put her to sleep -- the baby, not Kim.”

Murray has been dogged by the shadow of Fred Perry for much of his career, but victory over Nishikori allowed him to put another Perry milestone be-hind him.

Having become the first British

man since Perry to win a grand slam and then Wimbledon, Mur-ray surpassed the former great by improving his unbeaten streak in Davis Cup singles and doubles rubbers to 14.

The win was the joint-longest match of Murray’s career along with his 2012 U.S. Open final triumph against Novak Djokovic, who he will now face in the quarter-finals in Serbia in July.

World number one Djokovic was also involved in an epic tussle on Sunday and took almost five hours to beat Mikhail Kukushkin in five sets.

That drew Serbia level at 2-2 against Kazakhstan before Viktor Troicki finished off the tie by beat-ing Aleksandr Nedovyesov in the deciding rubber. (rtr)

The victory was the second in two days for overall World Cup leader Hirscher, who took the giant slalom title with a race to spare on Saturday, and his 10th Crystal Globe.

The Austrian is also set to secure a fifth successive overall crown because closest challenger and technical special-ist Kristoffersen, 21, can only catch him if he enters the speed events for the first

time.Hirscher, 27, will be the first male

skier to win five overall championships in a row, although Austrian great Annemarie Moser-Proell managed it in the women’s World Cup in the 1970s.

Kristoffersen took the slalom title from Hirscher, winner for the past three seasons, however and leads the standings

by 111 points with only 100 remaining to be won.

“This is maybe the first time in a really long time I had to work really hard with myself and I felt the pressure a little bit,” said the Norwegian, his country’s first slalom World Cup title winner since Kjetil Andre Aamodt in 2000. (rtr)

More Murray heroics as Britain beat Japan

Action Images via Reuters / Andrew Boyers Livepic

Great Britain’s Andy Murray celebrates after winning his match against Japan’s Kei Nishikori.

Kristoffersen takes men’s slalom World Cup title

REUTERS/Antonio Bronic

Henrik Kristoffersen of Norway speeds down.

SLOVENIA - Austrian Marcel Hirscher was the race winner but young Nor-wegian Henrik Kristoffersen took his first men’s Alpine skiing slalom World Cup title after finishing second in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, on Sunday.

SINGARAJA - While Gitgit is the most visited waterfall in Bali and Aling-Aling is the most fun waterfall, the Sekumpul waterfalls are often considered the most beautiful in Bali. Sekumpul means “a group of”, and there are 7 waterfalls here on the north side of Bali (further east of Lovina) that you can view. The drive is long and it takes a whole day, but you’ll barely meet other visitors there and the pure serenity that awaits you is unforgettable!

To get closer to Sekumpul waterfall, you need to do a bit of trekking. There were quite a lot of steps to go down (probably almost 400-ish). Then we had to cross a river and trek through the jungle a tiny bit, before we finally arrived at the base of the twin waterfall.

From the blank bale, seen Sekumpul very pretty in the distance. That makes this waterfall is different from most waterfalls, Sekumpul not just made up of one or two waterfalls. There are at least seven waterfalls are located separate and apart, you can see from the blank bale. Seven wa-terfalls scattered in the high cliffs and surrounded by green trees soothes the eye. Seventh waterfall has a shape and a different height. Absolutely amazing. Not one did, when Niagara Sekumpul crowned as the most beautiful waterfall in Bali. (IBP/net)

Sekumpul Waterfall

98 InternationalTuesday, March 8, 2016 International Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Sp rt

It was the fourth goal, scored by Suarez after Messi’s earlier brace, which brought up the scoring cen-tury, keeping the trio on track to beat the record of 122 set by them last season.

Messi scored with a great run in the 41st and added a penalty in the 76th, leaving Barcelona with an eight-point advantage over Atletico Madrid, which won 3-1 at Valencia to keep pace with 10 games to go.

Real Madrid remained 12 points behind Barcelona after trashing Celta Vigo 7-1 on Saturday with four goals by Cristiano Ronaldo.

“We are where we are thanks to our hard work,” Barcelona coach Luis Enrique said. “Now we enter the decisive stages of the season and we are fighting for titles but there are still a lot of points left. There are no guarantees that we will keep playing at this level. We

will not get distracted by those saying that we have already won the league.”

Messi is enjoying his best form of the season. The five-time world player of the year has scored 15 goals in the last 10 matches, and eight in the past four, staying on course to win his eighth league title with the Catalan club.

Munir El Haddadi opened the scoring in the eighth minute after a cross by Suarez, who netted his league-leading 26th goal in the 84th.

It was Barcelona’s 11th straight win in the league. It hasn’t lost in 36 consecutive games in all competi-tions. The last defeat for Enrique’s squad was a 2-1 loss at Sevilla in the seventh round in October.

“Our motivation is to keep this lead until the end and win the title,” Barcelona defender Javier

Mascherano said. “We know there is still a lot of league left and any setback could give a chance to our opponents to move closer. It’s a good advantage but we have to keep playing like this and avoid mistakes.” It was the fourth loss in a row for Eibar, which remains in eighth place in the standings.

Messi netted his 20th league goal with a remarkable run from near midfield that culminated with a low shot into the far corner. The Argentine star cleared two defend-ers before striking from inside the area.

He calmly converted the penalty kick prompted by a hand ball inside the area, sending his shot into the middle of the goal as the goalkeeper dived away. Messi had scored a hat trick in the 5-1 rout of Rayo Val-lecano on Thursday.

Munir, replacing suspended Bra-

zilian striker Neymar, had opened the scoring with an easy goal from close range after a low cross by Suarez.

Suarez scored the fourth goal after sneaking the ball between the legs of a defender and firing a low shot from inside the box. The Uruguay striker hadn’t scored in three matches following a run of seven straight games with at least one goal.

Suarez had missed the last two penalty kicks awarded for Barce-lona, which is the team with the most penalty calls in its favor in the league this season with 14. Suarez, Messi and Neymar scored 122 times last season to surpass the 118 goals netted by Real Madrid strik-ers Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain in 2011-12.

Atletico Madrid defeated Valen-cia with goals by French forward Antoine Griezmann in the 24th, substitute striker Fernando Torres in the 72nd and midfielder Yan-nick Carrasco in the 85th. Russian

striker Denis Cheryshev scored Valencia’s goal in the 28th.

Gary Neville’s team was trying to win for the sixth time in seven games in all competitions. It was Valencia’s second consecutive home loss in the league, dropping it to 11th in the standings.

Earlier Sunday, 10-man Real Betis defeated visiting Granada 2-0 to move further from the relegation zone. Betis defender Juan Manuel Vargas was sent off with a second yellow card in the 53rd.

Granada, 18th in the 20-team standings, had to use defender Cristiano Biraghi in goal in second-half injury time. That was after goalkeeper Andres Fernandez got a red card for touching the ball outside the area, a foul that led to Betis’ final goal.

Athletic Bilbao won 2-0 at Sport-ing Gijon to move to sixth place and leave its opponent second-to-last on the table, while 10th-place Real Sociedad drew last-place Levante 1-1 at home.(ap)

RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazil coach Dunga dropped veteran midfielder Kaka and added Liverpool striker Roberto Firmino for World Cup quali-fying matches against Uruguay and Paraguay. According to the Brazilian football confederation, Orlando City’s Kaka suffered a thigh injury during a training session in the United States.

The match against Uruguay on March 26 will be played in Recife, which is near the epicenter of the Zika epidemic. Almost 45,000 tickets have already been sold. Brazil then plays at Paraguay on March 29 in Asuncion.

Firmino scored Sunday in Liver-pool’s 2-1 win against Crystal Palace in the Premier League. “This is my best moment at the club,” Firmino said.

After four games, Brazil is in third place in the 10-team South American group with seven points.(ap)

WEST BROMWICH — Manchester United was made to pay for Juan Mata’s early sending-off in a 1-0 loss to West Bromwich Albion on Sunday that damaged its ambitions of Champions League qualification from the Premier League. Mata collected two yellow cards in three minutes to leave his side with 10 men from the 26th minute and United couldn’t hold on, with Salomon Rondon scoring the winning goal in the 66th at The Hawthorns.

The loss ended United’s run of four straight wins in all competitions and left the team sixth in the standings — three points behind fourth-place Manchester City, which has a game in hand.

United initially coped well with Mata’s first-ever Premier League dismissal but failed to seriously threaten West Brom goalkeeper Ben Foster.

West Brom finished the stronger and secured its first home win over United in the Premier League era when Sebastien Pocognoli crossed from the left toward Rondon, who controlled the ball and slammed a left-footed shot into the corner from eight meters. “(The red card) changed the game because you have one less man in attacking areas, which affected us on the break especially,” United captain Michael Carrick said. “They were not causing us many problems but took their chance.”

Mata collected his first yellow card for blocking a quickly taken free kick by Darren Fletcher, a former United player. Fletcher was then tripped by Mata as he attempted to run clear from his own area, earning the Spain playmaker his first-ever Premier League dismissal. The 27-year-old Spaniard joined Chelsea in 2011 and moved to United in 2014.

“We have played 60 minutes with 10 versus 11, and this is the fifth match in 14 days,” United manager Louis van Gaal said. “It’s very difficult to play against 11 players (in this situation). I think it’s the reason why we lost.” West Brom moved to 39 points, one adrift of the target manager Tony Pulis has set the team. “As you’ve seen this year, results have been off the radar (in the Premier League),” Pulis said. “Let’s get 40 points. I think that’s definitely safe.”(ap)

PARIS — Seven-time champion Lyon thrashed Guingamp 5-1 to move back to third place while Mar-seille’s poor home form continued as struggling Toulouse secured a 1-1 draw at the Stade Velodrome on Sunday in the French league.

A week after Lyon ended leader Paris Saint-Germain’s 36-match unbeaten run in the league, France striker Alexandre Lacazette con-firmed his return to the form that made him the league’s top scorer last season with a brace. Rachid Ghezzal and Maxwell Cornet also scored and an own goal from Reynald Lemaitre completed the rout. Mevlut Erding scored for Gu-ingamp after Ghezzal’s opener.

Lyon, which struggled with consistency earlier this season but has found the right balance since coach Bruno Genesio’s appoint-ment during the Christmas break, is now trailing second-place Monaco by six points after the Principality side drew 2-2 at Caen on Friday. Runaway leader PSG has a 23-point lead.

Marseille has yet to find the spark that Genesio brought to Lyon. The southern club has failed to win at home in the league since September — a run of 12 matches — and is languishing in 13th place in the standings, eight points off the Champions League places.

Wissam Ben Yedder put the visitors in front in the 55th minute with a left-footed angled shot and Marseille leveled 15 minutes from time when Steven Fletcher’s effort took a deflection off Toulouse’s

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Babett Peter scored on a penalty kick in the 82nd minute, helping Germany rally with two second-half goals in beating England 2-1 Sunday in the SheBe-lieves Cup.

Ranked fifth, England led the world’s No. 2 team 1-0 at halftime on a goal by Toni Duggan. She scored on a header in the ninth minute off a pass from Alex Greenwood into the corner past keeper Laura Benkarth.

Germany tied it off an own goal

in the 76th minute. Sara Dabritz’s kick went off went off Gilly Flaherty and deflected between keeper Karen Bardsley and the post. When Claire Rafferty was called for a penalty in the box, Peter scored on the ensuing kick, putting the ball to the right of a diving Bardsley.

Now 2-0, Germany will play the top-ranked U.S. (2-0) in Boca Raton, Florida on March 9 as the cup wraps up. England (0-2) will play France (0-2).(ap)

FC Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, left, is tackled by SD Eibar’s Ivan Ramis Barrios, during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between SD Eibar and Barcelona, at Ipurua stadium, in Eibar, northern Spain, Sunday, March 6, 2016.

Messi scores 2 as Barcelona strike force reaches 100 goals MADRID — Lionel Messi continued his impressive form by scoring two goals in Barcelona’s

4-0 win over Eibar in the Spanish league on Sunday, as the strike force of Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar reached a total of 100 goals this season in all competitions.

AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos

Action Images via Reuters / Carl Recine

Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino

Brazil drops Kaka, adds Firmino for World Cup qualifying

United pays for Mata red card in 1-0 loss at West Brom

AP Photo/Rui Vieira

Manchester United’s Juan Mata leaves the pitch after being shown a red card for a second book-able offence during the English Premier League soccer match between West Bromwich Albion and Manchester United, at the Hawthorns in West Bromwich, England, Sunday, March 6, 2016.

German women score 2 goals in 2nd half to beat England 2-1

Lyon routs Guingamp 5-1 in French league

AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani

Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette, up, challenges for the ball with Guingamp’s goalkeeper Jonas Lossl, left, during the French League One soccer match between Lyon and Guingamp in Decines, near Lyon, central France, Sunday, March 6, 2016.

Brazilian midfielder Somalia and went in.

Toulouse’s new manager Pascal Dupraz did not travel to Marseille after a mild cardiac episode and was replaced by assistant coach Mickael Debeve. Toulouse remains in 19th place, nine points from safety.

“It’s time for us to stop burying our heads in the sand,” said Mar-seille ‘keeper Steve Mandanda. “When you’re unable to win at home or to take the points like to-day, there is nothing to hope for.”

Ousmane Dembele later scored the first hat trick of his career as Rennes rose to fifth place with a 4-1 thrashing of Nantes in the western derby.

The 18-year-old French forward

opened the scoring almost imme-diately with a shot in the top left corner in the first minute. Kamil Groscki then connected with a long ball from captain Romain Danze to make it 2-0 after 15 minutes.

Dembele doubled his tally seven minutes when he surprised ‘keeper Remy Riou with a floating free kick. The striker completed his hat trick at the end of a swift counterattack just before halftime. He sped down the left flank, dribbled past Lorik Cana in the box and beat Riou with a right-footed low shot. Adryan Ol-iveira Tavares pulled one back for Nantes in the 60th before Rennes was reduced to 10 men when Gio-vanni Sio was sent off for a second yellow card.(ap)

98 InternationalTuesday, March 8, 2016 International Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Sp rt

It was the fourth goal, scored by Suarez after Messi’s earlier brace, which brought up the scoring cen-tury, keeping the trio on track to beat the record of 122 set by them last season.

Messi scored with a great run in the 41st and added a penalty in the 76th, leaving Barcelona with an eight-point advantage over Atletico Madrid, which won 3-1 at Valencia to keep pace with 10 games to go.

Real Madrid remained 12 points behind Barcelona after trashing Celta Vigo 7-1 on Saturday with four goals by Cristiano Ronaldo.

“We are where we are thanks to our hard work,” Barcelona coach Luis Enrique said. “Now we enter the decisive stages of the season and we are fighting for titles but there are still a lot of points left. There are no guarantees that we will keep playing at this level. We

will not get distracted by those saying that we have already won the league.”

Messi is enjoying his best form of the season. The five-time world player of the year has scored 15 goals in the last 10 matches, and eight in the past four, staying on course to win his eighth league title with the Catalan club.

Munir El Haddadi opened the scoring in the eighth minute after a cross by Suarez, who netted his league-leading 26th goal in the 84th.

It was Barcelona’s 11th straight win in the league. It hasn’t lost in 36 consecutive games in all competi-tions. The last defeat for Enrique’s squad was a 2-1 loss at Sevilla in the seventh round in October.

“Our motivation is to keep this lead until the end and win the title,” Barcelona defender Javier

Mascherano said. “We know there is still a lot of league left and any setback could give a chance to our opponents to move closer. It’s a good advantage but we have to keep playing like this and avoid mistakes.” It was the fourth loss in a row for Eibar, which remains in eighth place in the standings.

Messi netted his 20th league goal with a remarkable run from near midfield that culminated with a low shot into the far corner. The Argentine star cleared two defend-ers before striking from inside the area.

He calmly converted the penalty kick prompted by a hand ball inside the area, sending his shot into the middle of the goal as the goalkeeper dived away. Messi had scored a hat trick in the 5-1 rout of Rayo Val-lecano on Thursday.

Munir, replacing suspended Bra-

zilian striker Neymar, had opened the scoring with an easy goal from close range after a low cross by Suarez.

Suarez scored the fourth goal after sneaking the ball between the legs of a defender and firing a low shot from inside the box. The Uruguay striker hadn’t scored in three matches following a run of seven straight games with at least one goal.

Suarez had missed the last two penalty kicks awarded for Barce-lona, which is the team with the most penalty calls in its favor in the league this season with 14. Suarez, Messi and Neymar scored 122 times last season to surpass the 118 goals netted by Real Madrid strik-ers Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain in 2011-12.

Atletico Madrid defeated Valen-cia with goals by French forward Antoine Griezmann in the 24th, substitute striker Fernando Torres in the 72nd and midfielder Yan-nick Carrasco in the 85th. Russian

striker Denis Cheryshev scored Valencia’s goal in the 28th.

Gary Neville’s team was trying to win for the sixth time in seven games in all competitions. It was Valencia’s second consecutive home loss in the league, dropping it to 11th in the standings.

Earlier Sunday, 10-man Real Betis defeated visiting Granada 2-0 to move further from the relegation zone. Betis defender Juan Manuel Vargas was sent off with a second yellow card in the 53rd.

Granada, 18th in the 20-team standings, had to use defender Cristiano Biraghi in goal in second-half injury time. That was after goalkeeper Andres Fernandez got a red card for touching the ball outside the area, a foul that led to Betis’ final goal.

Athletic Bilbao won 2-0 at Sport-ing Gijon to move to sixth place and leave its opponent second-to-last on the table, while 10th-place Real Sociedad drew last-place Levante 1-1 at home.(ap)

RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazil coach Dunga dropped veteran midfielder Kaka and added Liverpool striker Roberto Firmino for World Cup quali-fying matches against Uruguay and Paraguay. According to the Brazilian football confederation, Orlando City’s Kaka suffered a thigh injury during a training session in the United States.

The match against Uruguay on March 26 will be played in Recife, which is near the epicenter of the Zika epidemic. Almost 45,000 tickets have already been sold. Brazil then plays at Paraguay on March 29 in Asuncion.

Firmino scored Sunday in Liver-pool’s 2-1 win against Crystal Palace in the Premier League. “This is my best moment at the club,” Firmino said.

After four games, Brazil is in third place in the 10-team South American group with seven points.(ap)

WEST BROMWICH — Manchester United was made to pay for Juan Mata’s early sending-off in a 1-0 loss to West Bromwich Albion on Sunday that damaged its ambitions of Champions League qualification from the Premier League. Mata collected two yellow cards in three minutes to leave his side with 10 men from the 26th minute and United couldn’t hold on, with Salomon Rondon scoring the winning goal in the 66th at The Hawthorns.

The loss ended United’s run of four straight wins in all competitions and left the team sixth in the standings — three points behind fourth-place Manchester City, which has a game in hand.

United initially coped well with Mata’s first-ever Premier League dismissal but failed to seriously threaten West Brom goalkeeper Ben Foster.

West Brom finished the stronger and secured its first home win over United in the Premier League era when Sebastien Pocognoli crossed from the left toward Rondon, who controlled the ball and slammed a left-footed shot into the corner from eight meters. “(The red card) changed the game because you have one less man in attacking areas, which affected us on the break especially,” United captain Michael Carrick said. “They were not causing us many problems but took their chance.”

Mata collected his first yellow card for blocking a quickly taken free kick by Darren Fletcher, a former United player. Fletcher was then tripped by Mata as he attempted to run clear from his own area, earning the Spain playmaker his first-ever Premier League dismissal. The 27-year-old Spaniard joined Chelsea in 2011 and moved to United in 2014.

“We have played 60 minutes with 10 versus 11, and this is the fifth match in 14 days,” United manager Louis van Gaal said. “It’s very difficult to play against 11 players (in this situation). I think it’s the reason why we lost.” West Brom moved to 39 points, one adrift of the target manager Tony Pulis has set the team. “As you’ve seen this year, results have been off the radar (in the Premier League),” Pulis said. “Let’s get 40 points. I think that’s definitely safe.”(ap)

PARIS — Seven-time champion Lyon thrashed Guingamp 5-1 to move back to third place while Mar-seille’s poor home form continued as struggling Toulouse secured a 1-1 draw at the Stade Velodrome on Sunday in the French league.

A week after Lyon ended leader Paris Saint-Germain’s 36-match unbeaten run in the league, France striker Alexandre Lacazette con-firmed his return to the form that made him the league’s top scorer last season with a brace. Rachid Ghezzal and Maxwell Cornet also scored and an own goal from Reynald Lemaitre completed the rout. Mevlut Erding scored for Gu-ingamp after Ghezzal’s opener.

Lyon, which struggled with consistency earlier this season but has found the right balance since coach Bruno Genesio’s appoint-ment during the Christmas break, is now trailing second-place Monaco by six points after the Principality side drew 2-2 at Caen on Friday. Runaway leader PSG has a 23-point lead.

Marseille has yet to find the spark that Genesio brought to Lyon. The southern club has failed to win at home in the league since September — a run of 12 matches — and is languishing in 13th place in the standings, eight points off the Champions League places.

Wissam Ben Yedder put the visitors in front in the 55th minute with a left-footed angled shot and Marseille leveled 15 minutes from time when Steven Fletcher’s effort took a deflection off Toulouse’s

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Babett Peter scored on a penalty kick in the 82nd minute, helping Germany rally with two second-half goals in beating England 2-1 Sunday in the SheBe-lieves Cup.

Ranked fifth, England led the world’s No. 2 team 1-0 at halftime on a goal by Toni Duggan. She scored on a header in the ninth minute off a pass from Alex Greenwood into the corner past keeper Laura Benkarth.

Germany tied it off an own goal

in the 76th minute. Sara Dabritz’s kick went off went off Gilly Flaherty and deflected between keeper Karen Bardsley and the post. When Claire Rafferty was called for a penalty in the box, Peter scored on the ensuing kick, putting the ball to the right of a diving Bardsley.

Now 2-0, Germany will play the top-ranked U.S. (2-0) in Boca Raton, Florida on March 9 as the cup wraps up. England (0-2) will play France (0-2).(ap)

FC Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, left, is tackled by SD Eibar’s Ivan Ramis Barrios, during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between SD Eibar and Barcelona, at Ipurua stadium, in Eibar, northern Spain, Sunday, March 6, 2016.

Messi scores 2 as Barcelona strike force reaches 100 goals MADRID — Lionel Messi continued his impressive form by scoring two goals in Barcelona’s

4-0 win over Eibar in the Spanish league on Sunday, as the strike force of Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar reached a total of 100 goals this season in all competitions.

AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos

Action Images via Reuters / Carl Recine

Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino

Brazil drops Kaka, adds Firmino for World Cup qualifying

United pays for Mata red card in 1-0 loss at West Brom

AP Photo/Rui Vieira

Manchester United’s Juan Mata leaves the pitch after being shown a red card for a second book-able offence during the English Premier League soccer match between West Bromwich Albion and Manchester United, at the Hawthorns in West Bromwich, England, Sunday, March 6, 2016.

German women score 2 goals in 2nd half to beat England 2-1

Lyon routs Guingamp 5-1 in French league

AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani

Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette, up, challenges for the ball with Guingamp’s goalkeeper Jonas Lossl, left, during the French League One soccer match between Lyon and Guingamp in Decines, near Lyon, central France, Sunday, March 6, 2016.

Brazilian midfielder Somalia and went in.

Toulouse’s new manager Pascal Dupraz did not travel to Marseille after a mild cardiac episode and was replaced by assistant coach Mickael Debeve. Toulouse remains in 19th place, nine points from safety.

“It’s time for us to stop burying our heads in the sand,” said Mar-seille ‘keeper Steve Mandanda. “When you’re unable to win at home or to take the points like to-day, there is nothing to hope for.”

Ousmane Dembele later scored the first hat trick of his career as Rennes rose to fifth place with a 4-1 thrashing of Nantes in the western derby.

The 18-year-old French forward

opened the scoring almost imme-diately with a shot in the top left corner in the first minute. Kamil Groscki then connected with a long ball from captain Romain Danze to make it 2-0 after 15 minutes.

Dembele doubled his tally seven minutes when he surprised ‘keeper Remy Riou with a floating free kick. The striker completed his hat trick at the end of a swift counterattack just before halftime. He sped down the left flank, dribbled past Lorik Cana in the box and beat Riou with a right-footed low shot. Adryan Ol-iveira Tavares pulled one back for Nantes in the 60th before Rennes was reduced to 10 men when Gio-vanni Sio was sent off for a second yellow card.(ap)

Tuesday, March 8, 2016DestinationTuesday, March 8, 201610 InternationalInternational

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Sardine Restaurant LookingFor Hostess,Waitress,Female

Bartendres,Gardener,Musk SpeakEnglish,Jl.Petitenget 21 Mail:

sardine@sardinebali.com/733617

Place Your Add Here

It is for Job Vacancy, Property, Selling or Buying

Please contact

Gugiek : 08123840500/

Eka : 081338519538

B.BP.141.03.16.0000079

Brazilian Aussie BBQ lookingfor Passador,Bar Captain,Barten-

der,Cashier,Waitress able Speak English Send full CV to

gm@kutatownhouses.com withSubject Position Applied

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BIRMINGHAM - Britain’s Andy Murray won a gripping five-set match against Japan’s Kei Nishikori to secure a 3-1 Davis Cup win for the champions and a quarter-final with Novak Djok-ovic’s Serbia.

Murray, whose heroics helped clinch the title against Belgium last year, was pegged back after taking the first two sets, but eventually prevailed against the world number six 7-5 7-6(6) 3-6 4-6 6-3 in four hours and 54 minutes.

It was Murray’s first event back on court since the birth of his daughter, but any doubts over his fitness were dispelled as he once again carried Britain’s hopes almost single-handedly, winning three matches, including the doubles, in three days.

“I am lost for words at this stage; he (Murray) is a man of steel, isn’t he?” Britain’s captain Leon Smith said.

“What Andy managed to do was astonishing since he hasn’t played since the Australian Open final.”

After his exertions, Murray said he was keen to get back to his family.

“It’s (wife) Kim’s first Mother’s Day, so it will be nice to get to see her this evening. I’ll try to get back for bath time and to put her to sleep -- the baby, not Kim.”

Murray has been dogged by the shadow of Fred Perry for much of his career, but victory over Nishikori allowed him to put another Perry milestone be-hind him.

Having become the first British

man since Perry to win a grand slam and then Wimbledon, Mur-ray surpassed the former great by improving his unbeaten streak in Davis Cup singles and doubles rubbers to 14.

The win was the joint-longest match of Murray’s career along with his 2012 U.S. Open final triumph against Novak Djokovic, who he will now face in the quarter-finals in Serbia in July.

World number one Djokovic was also involved in an epic tussle on Sunday and took almost five hours to beat Mikhail Kukushkin in five sets.

That drew Serbia level at 2-2 against Kazakhstan before Viktor Troicki finished off the tie by beat-ing Aleksandr Nedovyesov in the deciding rubber. (rtr)

The victory was the second in two days for overall World Cup leader Hirscher, who took the giant slalom title with a race to spare on Saturday, and his 10th Crystal Globe.

The Austrian is also set to secure a fifth successive overall crown because closest challenger and technical special-ist Kristoffersen, 21, can only catch him if he enters the speed events for the first

time.Hirscher, 27, will be the first male

skier to win five overall championships in a row, although Austrian great Annemarie Moser-Proell managed it in the women’s World Cup in the 1970s.

Kristoffersen took the slalom title from Hirscher, winner for the past three seasons, however and leads the standings

by 111 points with only 100 remaining to be won.

“This is maybe the first time in a really long time I had to work really hard with myself and I felt the pressure a little bit,” said the Norwegian, his country’s first slalom World Cup title winner since Kjetil Andre Aamodt in 2000. (rtr)

More Murray heroics as Britain beat Japan

Action Images via Reuters / Andrew Boyers Livepic

Great Britain’s Andy Murray celebrates after winning his match against Japan’s Kei Nishikori.

Kristoffersen takes men’s slalom World Cup title

REUTERS/Antonio Bronic

Henrik Kristoffersen of Norway speeds down.

SLOVENIA - Austrian Marcel Hirscher was the race winner but young Nor-wegian Henrik Kristoffersen took his first men’s Alpine skiing slalom World Cup title after finishing second in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, on Sunday.

SINGARAJA - While Gitgit is the most visited waterfall in Bali and Aling-Aling is the most fun waterfall, the Sekumpul waterfalls are often considered the most beautiful in Bali. Sekumpul means “a group of”, and there are 7 waterfalls here on the north side of Bali (further east of Lovina) that you can view. The drive is long and it takes a whole day, but you’ll barely meet other visitors there and the pure serenity that awaits you is unforgettable!

To get closer to Sekumpul waterfall, you need to do a bit of trekking. There were quite a lot of steps to go down (probably almost 400-ish). Then we had to cross a river and trek through the jungle a tiny bit, before we finally arrived at the base of the twin waterfall.

From the blank bale, seen Sekumpul very pretty in the distance. That makes this waterfall is different from most waterfalls, Sekumpul not just made up of one or two waterfalls. There are at least seven waterfalls are located separate and apart, you can see from the blank bale. Seven wa-terfalls scattered in the high cliffs and surrounded by green trees soothes the eye. Seventh waterfall has a shape and a different height. Absolutely amazing. Not one did, when Niagara Sekumpul crowned as the most beautiful waterfall in Bali. (IBP/net)

Sekumpul Waterfall

Tuesday, March 8, 2016 Tuesday, March 8, 20166 11International International

From page 1

INDONESIAW RLD

“I would like to stress that the political support for Palestine should be coupled with concrete steps and actions, which will be included in the Jakarta Declaration,” she noted. The Jakarta Declaration is one of the documents, which will be produced by the Fifth Extraordinary Summit of the OIC. It contains concrete steps that will be taken for Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Syarif.

The foreign minister reaffirmed that the Palestinian issue could not be solved by only one state. To this end, the OIC summit is expected to come up with a joint solution, which reaffirms the principle position and commitment of OIC member coun-tries in supporting the Palestinian independence and the settlement of the Jerusalem issue.

Earlier, at the opening of the OIC ministerial meeting, the Indonesian foreign minister had reaffirmed the importance of the OIC extraordinary summit to support Palestine. “The longer we wait, further will be the

delay in the restoration of the basic rights and freedom of the Palestinian people,” remarked Retno.

The foreign minister also ex-plained Indonesias commitment to contributing donation worth US$1.5 million annually for several years ahead to assist the Palestinian people. The Indonesian government has contributed US$1 million to Palestine through the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA).

The Fifth Extraordinary Summit of the OIC was opened on Monday. Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) greeted the participants. In the company of Minister Marsudi and Minister/State Secretary Pra-tikno, President Jokowi welcomed the heads of state/government of Algeria, Egypt, Oman, Gambia, Ye-men, Jordan, Sudan, Palestine, Libya, and Pakistan.

Also present at the opening cer-emony of the second day of the sum-mit were former president Megawati

Soekarnoputri and former vice presi-dents, Try Sutrisno and Boediono.

During the opening ceremony, Palestines President Mahmoud Ab-bas and OIC Secretary General Iyad Meen Madani will also deliver their speech.

President Jokowi is also scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with the presidents of Pakistan and Sudan and to receive courtesy calls by the Libyan prime minister, the Iranian foreign minister, chairman of the council of State of Oman, Saudi Arabian foreign minister, and deputy prime minister of Qatar.

The Fifth OIC Extraordinary Sum-mit meeting, being held in Jakarta from Sunday to Monday on Palestine and Al-Quds, is being attended by more than 500 members of delegations from 49 OIC member countries, two observer countries, and five represen-tatives of the UN Security Councils permanent members, and the UN special envoy in the Palestinian-Israeli Negotiations Quartet.(ant)

JAKARTA - Indonesia and Afghanistan have agreed to continue diplomatic training cooperation by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) here on Sunday.

“This is not new cooperation as we have trained a lot of Afghan diplomats in Indonesia,” Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi said after signing the MoU with her Afghan counterpart, Salahuddin Rabbani, on the sidelines of the fifth Extraordinary Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Summit at the Jakarta Convention Center.

Since 2011, Indonesia has signed 44 cooperation programs with Afghanistan to train 353 diplomats, Retno said.

Relations between the two countries have also become stron-ger with the establishment of Indonesian Islamic Center (IIC) in Ahmad Shah Baba Mina area, Kabul, Afghanistan, in 2014, she said.

The presence of the IIC will hopefully contribute to peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan and encourage cooperation between Islamic academics and ulemas in the two countries to promote the understanding of moderate Islam, she said.

“The Indonesian Islamic Center is one of the icons of Indonesia-Afghanistan friendship and a symbol to disseminate the message of Islam as rahmatan lil alamin (a blessing for the universe),” she said.

Indonesia has also invited Afghanistan to join the ministerial international conference “Bali Process” to be held later this month. The conference will discuss people-smuggling and trafficking in persons and other transnational organized crimes.

Meanwhile, Minister Salahuddin Rabbani praised Indonesia which has helped organize the fifth Extraordinary OIC Summit themed “United for a Just Solution”, with emphasis on the settle-ment of Palestinian and Al Quds Al Syarif (Jerusalem) issues.

“This Summit is very important to build unity and solidarity among Islamic states for the sake of Palestinian independence,” Salahuddin said.

Indonesia and Afghanistan also have close cooperation in handling the issue of irregular migration, including the issue of asylum seekers and refugees.

Afghanistan participated in the fifth Bali Regional Ministerial Conference (BRMC) on people smuggling held on April 2, 2013, and Jakarta Declaration Roundtable Meeting on Addressing the Root Causes of Irregular Movements of Persons held in Jakarta on November 27-28, 2015.(ant)

JAKARTA - The People’s Conscience Party (Hanura) of Indonesia called for a specific law against members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community to curb their presence in the country.

Amid huge discrimination against the community, Hanura secretary-general Berliana Kartakusumah said that the law should provide for sanctions, rehabilitation and restrictions on LGBT, reported Jakarta Post.

“Being LGBT is an infectious and dangerous disease. LGBT must be banned, like we banned communism and drug trafficking.”Jakarta Post quoted him as saying.

LGBT community in Indonesia faces major social and state pressure after psychiatrists declared them to be mentally disordered people while clerics declared them haram or forbidden according to Islam.

Recent reports have shown cases of rising discrimination against the LGBT community. (ant)

Garry Lotulung/Pool Photo via AP

Indonesian President Joko Widodo, right, shakes hands with Palestinian President Mahmoud Ab-bas after delivering their closing remarks at the end of the extraordinary Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit on Palestinian issues in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday, March 7, 2016.

Support for Palestine must be through concrete steps, actions: FM

JAKARTA - The support offered by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to Palestine should be followed by concrete steps and actions and not just in the form of political support, stated Foreign Minister Retno L.P. Marsudi. The Indonesian foreign minister made the remarks while delivering a report on the results of the ministerial meeting on Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Syarif at the Fifth Summit of the OIC here on Monday.

Indonesia, Afghanistan agree to continue diplomatic training cooperation

Hanura demands law against LGBT in Indonesia

LONDON - The former head of a prominent British business lobbying group, who quit his post because he supports Britain’s exit from the European Union, accused Prime Minister David Cameron of scare-mongering in comments published on Monday.

British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) director general, John Longworth, resigned late on Sunday af-ter he breached the group’s neutral stance on the in-out referendum to be held on June 23 by saying that the EU was incapable of mean-ingful reform and Britain could have a bright economic future outside the bloc.

After his resignation was announced, Longworth criticised Cameron, who argues Britain’s national security and economic stability would be at risk if it votes to leave the 28-country trading bloc.

“It is highly irresponsible of the government of the country to be ped-dling hyperbole,” Longworth told the Daily Telegraph newspaper in an interview published on Monday.

“If the government keeps peddling the line that it will be a disaster if we leave, which it actually won’t be, they are going to put the country in a position where it will be damaged if we do.”

BCC president Nora Senior announced Longworth’s resignation say-ing his personal views on the referendum were “likely to create confusion regarding the BCC’s neutral stance”.

Longworth’s comments mark the latest spat in what is becoming an increasingly divisive battle over the country’s future in the EU. Polls show public opinion is finely balanced and the issue has split senior members of Cameron’s cabinet, pitting him against popular London Mayor Boris Johnson.

The Sunday Telegraph had earlier quoted an unnamed friend of Long-worth saying Prime Minister David Cameron’s office had put pressure on the board to suspend him, prompting a backlash from ‘Out’ campaigners who said the government was trying to silence those who favour leaving the bloc.

Johnson, the ‘Out’ campaign’s most high-profile backer, said it was “scandalous” that Longworth had been forced to step aside for what he said was a “a passionate optimistic view”.Conservative lawmaker and former Defence Secretary Liam Fox, who is also campaigning for ‘Out’, said it was inappropriate to use “the apparatus of the state” to put pressure on those expressing their personal views. (rtr)

They also voiced concern, tinged with embarassment, that increased Turkish cooperation coincides with a crackdown on media freedom that runs counter to cherished European values.

Prime Minister Ahmet Davu-toglu said the half-day meeting would also address Ankara’s bid to join the European Union and he hoped for a “turning point”, adding that Turkey was indispensable for the EU, just as Europe was for Turkey.

With tens of thousands of migrants stranded in Greece by closing borders, the summit will formally declare closed the Balkan route from Greece to Germany, diplomats said.

Leaders will pledge help to Athens cope with the backlog and seek assurances that Turkey, with NATO naval back-up in the Ae-gean, will stop people smugglers putting migrants to sea.

“I hope we will make a step

forward to achieving these goals today but that will take difficult negotiations so it may take a while to get a result,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel said.

Merkel and Dutch Prime Min-ister Mark Rutte, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, spent five hours talking with Davutoglu in Brussels until 2.45 a.m. to try to nail down com-mitments to halt the migrant flow after more than one million people - mostly Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans - entered Europe last year, most ending up in Germany.

“I am sure these challenges will be solved through our cooperation and Turkey is ready to work with the EU,” Davutoglu said. “Turkey is ready to be a member of the EU as well. Today I hope this summit will not just focus on irregular migration but also the Turkish accession process to the EU.”

Merkel, who faces a possible

political backlash against her welcome for the refugees in three regional elections on Sunday, requested the emergency summit to show voters the EU is acting to resolve the crisis.

Her finance minister, Wolfgang Schaeuble, said on Sunday that Berlin had major doubts about whether Turkey should become a member of the EU.

Before the summit, EU officials told Davutoglu of their concerns about human rights after the Turk-ish government seized control of a critical newspaper, top-selling daily Zaman.

European Parliament President Martin Schulz said he had told the Turkish premier that media freedom was “a non-negotiable element of our European identity” and they had differed sharply. The migrant crisis meant the EU needed to work with Turkey even if it was in “total disagreement” with its policies, he said. (rtr)

REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

Greece’s Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras arrives at an EU-Turkey summit in Brussels, as the bloc is looking to Ankara to help it curb the influx of refugees and migrants flowing into Europe, March 7, 2016.

EU hopeful Turkey will curb migrant route to Europe

BRUSSELS - EU leaders expressed guarded optimism before a summit with Turkey on Monday that Ankara was finally ready to act to curb a flood of migrants crossing illegally into Europe.

REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth

British Chambers of Commerce director general John Longworth speaks at their annual meeting in central London February 10, 2015.

UK business chief resigns, accuses PM Cameron of EU exit hyperbole

Ternate in the Malukus has prov-en such a popular eclipse-viewing spot that officials have had to find extra accommodation in boats after the city’s 1,500 hotel rooms filled up, local tourism chief Anas Ceno-ras said. Scientists are also flocking to Indonesia. A four-member team from Nasa is heading to Maba, a small town in the Maluku Islands where the total eclipse will occur for around three minutes, one of the longest times it can be seen.

The last total solar eclipse oc-curred on March 20, 2015, only visible from the Faroe Islands and

Norway’s Arctic Svalbard archi-pelago. Total eclipses occur when the moon moves between the Earth and the Sun, and the three bodies align precisely.

As seen from Earth, the moon is just broad enough to cover the solar face, creating a breath-taking silver halo in an indigo sky. For many astronomers it is the ultimate experience. “Anybody who has an opportunity should go and watch the solar eclipse – it is a life-changing experience,” said Nat Gopalswamy, a Nasa astrophysicist coming to Indonesia for the event. (ant)

Thousands...

Bali News Tuesday, March 8, 2016 5InternationalTuesday, March 8, 201612 International

BUSINESS

The Greater Houston United Way has warned member chari-t ies to expect a possible 10 percent cut in grants. The Pink Ribbon Project, which for two decades had an annual budget of about $1 million to promote breast cancer advocacy and re-search, is blaming a loss of major donors as a reason for why it will close its doors in May.

Oil prices ended last week at just under $36 a barrel. Falling profits, spreading layoffs and the uncertainty about the duration of the downturn has wiped out usu-ally reliable donors left others unable to maintain previous levels of generous support, the Houston Chronicle reported Sunday (http://

bit.ly/1YiN7Oo ).“We have lost some of our major

donors, or they may have scaled back significantly,” said Kristi Okwuonu, executive director of the Pink Ribbon Project. “Where they gave us $30,000 before, they may only be able to give us $3,000. That happening multiple times made us take a hard look at our sustain-ability.”

The budget squeeze has affected larger nonprofits as well. Although their survival might not be in doubt, they are being forced to cut programs and services they see as essential to their missions, and the demand for which may grow in tougher times.

“We are definitely feeling it,”

said Elise Hough, president of Easter Seals of Greater Houston. “I have had several of our big donors tell us that 2016 is going to be our worst year, so get ready.”

In November, Hough said, the organization made tough decisions to streamline as much as possible, to cut positions and not fill open ones. The nonprofit also combined services and went a second year without raises.

Martin Cominsky, CEO of Inter-faith Ministries of Greater Houston, said his next budget could be as much as $1 million short of last year’s.

“Our economy in Houston is resilient, but there is no way around it when a big sector is hit that hard,” said Cominsky, whose organization runs the Meals on Wheels program for seniors and another program devoted to refugee services.(ap)

BEIJING — Asian stocks were mixed Monday after Beijing cut its growth target for the cooling Chi-nese economy and promised more market-opening reforms, with mar-kets in mainland China rising while Hong Kong’s benchmark fell.

KEEPING SCORE: The Shang-hai Composite Index advanced 0.3 percent to 2,884.29 and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng lost 0.2 percent to 20,148.59. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 shed 0.4 percent to 16,939.76. Sydney’s S&P ASX 200 rose 0.9 percent to 5,196.40 and Seoul’s Kospi added 0.3 percent to 1,961.16. Taiwan, New Zealand fell and Singapore were lower.

CHINESE GROWTH CUT: Pre-mier Li Keqiang lowered Beijing’s official growth target this year to 6.5 to 7 percent from last year’s “about 7 percent” and promised more market-opening reforms. The ruling Com-munist Party is trying to promote more self-sustaining growth based on domestic consumption, reducing reliance on trade and investment. The steady decline in China’s economic growth over the past five years has sent shockwaves through its trading partners, dampening demand for industrial components and raw ma-terials. In an address Saturday to the country’s legislature, Li promised to open oil, power, telecoms and other state-dominated industries to private competitors, though he failed to say whether foreign companies would be allowed in. To stimulate slowing growth, Li said the government will boost deficit spending.

ANALYST’S TAKE: “Instead of a specific target, setting a growth range reflects the (Chinese) govern-ment’s desire for policymaking flex-ibility as they push for longer-term

economic reforms,” DBS Bank economists said in a report. They noted Li also abandoned Beijing’s target for trade growth after exports fell far short of last year’s official goal. “Amid a weak global outlook, China may also be wary of setting an ambitious trade forecast on concerns it might raise expectations that Bei-jing would boost exports via yuan depreciation.”

WALL STREET: Stocks ended up for the week after data on unex-pectedly strong hiring, construction spending and manufacturing sug-gested the U.S. economy is doing fairly well. Mining companies made the biggest gains as metals prices climbed. On Wall Street, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 0.4 percent and the Standard & Poor’s 500 index gained 0.3 percent. The Nasdaq composite index edged up 0.2 percent.

U.S. JOBS: The Labor Depart-ment reported employers added 242,000 jobs in February, more than previously estimated. Its data showed construction, retail and health care companies are still hiring more workers. Energy companies also rose with the recovering price of oil. More people also looked for work.

ENERGY: Benchmark U.S. crude gained 60 cents to $36.52 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract jumped $1.35 on Friday to close at $35.92. Brent crude, used to price international oils, added 69 cents to $39.41. On Friday, it gained $1.65 to $38.72 per barrel.

CURRENCY: The dollar de-clined to 113.64 yen from Friday’s 113.71 yen. The euro edged down to $1.0993 from $1.1000.(ap)

REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin

Signage shows prices at the Boiler gas station in the West Siberian city of Kogalym, Russia, January 25, 2016. Basic unleaded petrol is priced at 33.2 roubles ($0.41) per litre.

Oil collapse hurts Houston nonprofits in nation’s energy hub

HOUSTON — The oil downturn has many Houston non-profits scaling back as donations plunge in the nation’s energy capital.

Asian stocks mixed after China cuts growth target

AP Photo/Vincent Yu

A man walks past an electronic board showing Hong Kong share index outside a local bank in Hong Kong, Monday, Feb. 15, 2016. Japanese stocks rocketed Monday, leading most Asian markets higher after dismal growth data raised hopes for more stimulus for Asia’s second biggest economy, weakening the yen.

SINGARAJA - Penimbangan Beach is known as a coastal region rich in green turtle population. It is inseparable from the coastal envi-ronment staying to have fine and black sandy plain. Such beach con-dition enables the protected marine animal to breed conveniently.

Unfortunately, many irrespon-sible people are suspected of steal-ing the eggs of green turtle in the nests. Allegedly, they take the eggs at night and generally they have known the holes in the sand used as egg nest of the green turtle.

As information compiled by Bali Post in the field on Sunday morning (Mar. 6), the green turtle population sits in particular sea depth. If from mainland landscape, the population of green turtle is ranging from coastal area on Jalan Pantai Indah, Baktiseraga village, Buleleng subdistrict to the area of Segara Penimbangan Temple. Overlay of the beach has smooth and black sand. The sandy land is often used as the nest of green turtle that will lay eggs. Generally, the

former holes of green turtle nest are difficult to identify. Only particular people with special expertise in the field can identify it.

A local fisherman, I Made Wisata, familiarly called Pak Kadekan when met Sunday morning said that from the information acquired Penimban-gan Beach have many green turtle populations. The coastal mainland with black sand has become the location for the herd of green turtle to bury their eggs.

However, lately he suspected certain people of having intentionally taken the eggs of the green turtle on Penimbangan Beach. They are alleged to have known very well about the seasons of green turtle to nest and the holes having contained the eggs. “This fine black sand is best favored by green turtle to bury their eggs. I have never found it, but many say that someone already took the turtle eggs here. They know well if the holes in the sand contain turtle egg,” he said.

To preserve the ecosystem of green turtle on Penimbangan Beach, he hoped relevant agency and private

sector can help fishermen carry out the rescue measures for green turtle eggs. Moreover, after finding 130 eggs of green turtle on Wednesday (Feb. 24) he worried that the egg becomes the target of irresponsible persons or predator attacks. Cur-rently, the egg nest has been fenced and equipped with paranet roof so that sunlight does not penetrate di-rectly into the nest. Fishermen also guard the nest in turn until they en-tirely hatch. “If possible, we need the help to conduct surveillance to green turtle nest so that it is not disturbed by rogue elements deliberately wish-ing to take the eggs,” he said.

Currently, the 130 eggs of green turtle are being bred in a simple manner estimated to hatch up to 45 days after the discovery. The officials from the Fisheries and Marine Resources of Buleleng and Bali Province observed at the cap-tive location and planed to provide assistance for hundreds of eggs to hatch and the hatchlings will be released into their natural habitat. (kmb38)

Chief of the (STT) Santhi Yowana customary youth club, Desak Ayu Santiari Dewi, said on Sunday (Mar. 6) that although it is entering rainy season, tourist visit to the Kuning waterfall do not recede. Average tourist visit to the waterfall is more than 50 people each day from midday to the afternoon. “Visitors are local people and those from outside Bangli,” he explained.

Considering most of the trails to Kuning waterfall remain dirt road and have not been hardened with concrete it is quite slippery during rainy season. All this time, he always reminds visitors to be careful when crossing the pathway. It is meant to anticipate any unwanted incidents.

“Actually, it is not so slippery. Nevertheless, we still urge visitors to be careful on the way heading for the waterfall,” he said.

As is known, the Kuning waterfall is one of the waterfalls existing in Bangli. All this time, the waterfall managed by the Santhi Yowana customary youth club has a fairly heavy water flow. Swift flow plus pristine surrounding environment becomes the main attraction for visitors.

Although the waterfall has been frequently visited by tourists, it is not equipped with adequate facilities. The trail to waterfall is still partially in the form of land. Besides, the pathway has not been fully equipped with safety fence. This condition requires travelers to be more careful while visiting the object during rainy season. (kmb40)

Rain has no impact on tourist visit to Kuning waterfall

IBP/Suasrina

Kuning Waterfall in Bangli Regency

Allegedly many turtle eggs stolen on Penimbangan Beach

IBP/Mudiarta

The turtle conservation area in Penimbangan Beach

BANGLI - Recent rainy season hitting Ban-gli and surrounding areas does not influence tourist visit to Kuning waterfall. As evidence, though the Bangli region is frequently flushed by rain, the tourist visits to the waterfall located at Tamanbali village, Bangli is still crowded as usual.

Bali News International4 Tuesday, March 8, 2016 13InternationalTuesday, March 8, 2016

PESHAWAR - Pakistani mili-tants said a suicide bombing at a court on Monday in which at least 10 people were killed was revenge for the hanging of a man convicted of the 2011 killing a prominent liberal politician who had called for reform of blasphemy laws.

Police said the bomber had intended to enter the court in the northwestern town of Shabqadar, near the Mohmand ethnic Pashtun region, and set off his explosives when guards challenged him.

“The suicide bomber was trying to enter the judicial complex and he blew himself up when the police stopped him,” said police official Saeed Wazir.

Television news footage showed extensive damage including the charred remains of at least two vehicles.

Senior police official Sohail

Khalid told Reuters two police per-sonnel, as well as four women and two children were among at least 10 people killed. Nearly 30 people were wounded.

The Pakistani Taliban’s Jamaat-ur-Ahrar faction claimed respon-sibility for the attack in the town, about 150 km (90 miles) northwest of the capital, Islamabad.

Group spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan said in an emailed statement the bombing “was especially done as vengeance for the hanging of Mumtaz Qadri”.

Qadri, a bodyguard-turned-assassin, was executed last week for killing Salman Taseer, the then governor of Punjab province, after he had called for reform of blasphemy laws that mandate death for insulting Islam or its prophet.

Human rights groups say the

laws can be abused by people try-ing to settle scores or involved in feuds and members of Pakistan’s religious minorities are vulner-able to unfair treatment under the legislation.

The laws are at the heart of an ideological clash between reform-ers and religious conservatives in Pakistan.

Hard-line religious leaders have declared Qadri a hero and Ehsan said his faction would continue to attack courts.

“The Pakistani courts give deci-sions against the laws revealed by Allah, and convict and hang in-nocent people,” Ehsan said in his statement.

Pakistani Taliban militants have been waging an insurgency against the state since 2007, in a bid to impose a strict interpretation of Islamic law. (rtr)

The Japanese submarine, which is used for train-ing, and the destroyers will arrive in the Philippines in April. The escort vessels will later sail to Vietnam’s strategic Cam Ranh Bay base on the South China Sea, the source said.

“It sends a message. It is important for Japan to show its presence,” the person with knowledge of the plan said on Monday. He asked not to be iden-tified because he was not authorized to talk to the media.

A Japanese Ministry of Defence spokesman declined to comment on any submarine visit but said the navy normally conducted training voyages in March and April.

“But we are still in the planning stage so are unable to provide details,” he said.

The visits were first reported by Japanese media, including the Sankei newspaper, on Sunday.

Asked about the visits, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said Japan occupied the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea during World War Two so China was on “high alert” for Japan’s military moves there.

“The cooperation of relevant countries should benefit regional stability and should not be directed at third parties or harm another country’s sovereignty or security interests,” he told a daily news briefing in Beijing.

Of the countries bordering the South China Sea, the Philippines and Vietnam are most opposed to China expanding its influence in the region by building bases on reclaimed islands.

The Philippine military had not received any of-ficial notification of a visit by a Japanese submarine, a military spokesman said, though a visit to the Subic Bay naval base was expected.

“Informally, we know a Japanese submarine is vis-iting Subic in April,” said the Philippine spokesman, Brigadier-General Restituto Padilla. (rtr)

Japanese submarine to visit Philippines

REUTERS/Thomas Peter/Files

Officers stand aboard a Soryu submarine of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) during a fleet review at Sagami Bay, off Yokosuka, south of Tokyo in this October 15, 2015 file photo.

TOKYO - A Japanese submarine will visit the Philippines for the first time in 15 years, along with two warships that will then sail on to Vietnam, in a show of support for nations op-posed to Beijing’s ambitions in the South China Sea, a person familiar with the matter said.

Pakistani militants say blast at court that kills 10 was revenge

AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad

A Pakistani soldier walks past damaged vehicles at the site of a deadly suicide bombing in Charsadda, Pakistan, Monday, March 7, 2016. The suicide bomber attacked the entrance to a court in the town of Shabqadar northwestern Pakistan on Monday, killing many people, police said.

NEGARA - Creativity of young people in Jembrana in the making of ogoh-ogoh or papier mâché demon seems to be increasingly encouraged. When compared to last year’s condition, the number of ogoh-ogoh for this Pengeru-pukan increases. According to the record, the number of ogoh-ogoh increases from 532 pieces to 604 pieces.

Data on the number of ogoh-ogoh are presented by figures of each village to police station. Chief of Jembrana Police, Djoni Widodo, when met last week stated that police will be backing up the security in a series of Nyepi so that it can run safely and peacefully. Ac-companied by Operation Division Head of the Jembrana Police, I Ketut Sukarta, he mentioned that on the Pengerupukan district police alert 620 personnel at vil-lages. “The number of ogoh-ogoh this year increases. In addition to personnel of district police, the security also involves pecalang or customary security guard,” said Djoni.

According to him, each subdistrict

police have been instructed to come down to villages to make coordination with community leaders and religious leaders.

From the information compiled, other than ogoh-ogoh competition centered on Jalan Sudirman Negara, ogoh-ogoh parade will be held in Melaya subdistrict. In addition, police will also conduct creating condition operation to raid al-coholic drinks.

Ogoh-ogoh competition will be held again this year. Each customary village through its chief will select two best at their customary village. Then, they will be selected by assessment team to be competed against the ogoh-ogoh from other villages. Furthermore, then winner representing subdistrict will be assessed in the district. Selected ogoh-ogoh in the competition will be paraded on Jalan Sudirman on the Pengerupukan day. Customary youth clubs were also emphasized to make the ogoh-ogoh from eco-friendly materials and prohibited the use of cork or styrofoam. (kmb26)

As observation last Sunday, vehicles have been coming to Gilimanuk from early morning. Among them, there were coming in groups and simultaneously so that it was then decided to open three ticket counters instead of one or two counters on normal days. Some users claimed to be slightly wor-ried about the incident of sinking ship last week. Nevertheless, they encouraged to return home by ferry because it is the most inexpensive transportation.

From 07:00 in the morning, the condition at harbor entrance booth was unlike the normal days. One of the motorists, Wardoyo, 35, ad-mitted to intentionally depart early from Denpasar so as to return home to Jember, East Java. He estimated to arrive at Gilimanuk in the morn-ing when the sunlight is not too hot. So, he could arrive at home village in the afternoon. He did not go home alone, but together with friends. Approaching the Nyepi where the Gilimanuk Harbor is closed, many migrants from outside

Bali are estimated to come out of Bali via Gilimanuk Harbor.

Operations Manager of the Gili-manuk Harbor, Sugeng Purwono, when asked for his confirmation on Sunday afternoon said the in-crease in the number of vehicles coming out of Bali reached 100 percent. They were dominated by motorcycles, and it is predicted to increase within the next two days. “The increase reaches 100 percent compared to normal days. Prob-ably it will increase tomorrow,” said Sugeng.

Excluding the sinking Rafelia II ship, the harbor authorities have been alerted 22 ships at the jetty MB 1 to MB 3 and pontoons. On the other hand, at the LCM dock has been alerted a total of 12 ships.

In accordance with Circular, the crossing services in Bali Strait will be closed, including at Gilimanuk Harbor. According to Sugeng, Gili-manuk will be closed on Wednesday (Mar. 9) from 05:30 a.m. and will be re-opened on Thursday (Mar. 10) at 06:00 a.m. (kmb26)

More and more motorcycles start to leave Bali

NEGARA - Hundreds of motorcycles already started to throng the entrance gates of Gilimanuk Harbor on Sunday morning (Mar. 6). Most of the ship passengers are migrants returning home by utilizing the holiday of Nyepi in Bali. Harbor authorities at Gilimanuk mention the number of vehicles com-ing out of Bali reached 100 percent over normal days.

IBP/olo

Hundreds of motorcycles already started to throng the entrance gates of Gilimanuk Harbor on Sunday morning (Mar. 6). Most of the ship passengers are migrants returning home by utiliz-ing the holiday of Nyepi in Bali.

604 ogoh-ogoh to be paraded on Pengerupukan

IBP/olo

Creativity of young people in Jembrana in the making of ogoh-ogoh or papier mâché demon seems to be increasingly encouraged. When compared to last year’s condi-tion, the number of ogoh-ogoh for this Pengerupukan increases.

3Tuesday, March 8, 201614 InternationalInternational Bali NewsScience Tuesday, March 8, 2016

CAPE CANAVERAL - A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket blasted off from Florida and thrust a com-munications satellite into orbit on Friday, but the launch vehicle’s reusable main-stage booster was destroyed when it failed to land itself on an ocean platform, the company said.

It marked the fourth botched at-sea return landing attempt for Elon Musk’s privately owned Space Exploration Technologies, though a Falcon main-stage rocket did achieve a successful ground-based touchdown after soaring back to Earth from a less demanding launch in December.

The latest try occurred after four SpaceX launch delays stretching back to Feb. 24.

On Friday, the 23-story-tall Fal-con 9 bolted off its seaside launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station as scheduled at 6:35 p.m.

EST/2335 GMT. A half-hour later it completed the chief goal of its mission, putting the Boeing-built satellite, owned by Luxembourg-based SES SA, into orbit more than 25,000 miles (40,600 km) above Earth.

On its way up, the rocket’s first-stage booster separated as planned, turned around and headed toward a platform floating about 400 miles (645 km) off Florida’s east coast. The rocket found its target, but its velocity proved too great to allow for a safe landing on the drone barge.

“Rocket landed hard,” Musk, the founder and chief executive officer of SpaceX, said in a Twitter message more than an hour after blastoff. “Didn’t expect this one to work ... but next flight has a good chance.”

The ability to safely and reliably return the rocket’s main stage to a

landing pad at sea has been a key hurdle in Musk’s quest to develop a relatively cheap, reusable launch vehicle.

The rocket flying on Friday faced a particularly challenging mission to deliver the 12,613-pound (5,721 kg) satellite into an orbit more than 100 times higher than where the International Space Station flies.

The speed required to achieve that feat meant the rocket was going too fast to even attempt a ground landing.

SpaceX came close to nailing an ocean touchdown in January after blasting off from California to deliver a climate-monitoring satellite into orbit. The returning main-stage rocket settled itself on a platform in the Pacific Ocean, but a stabilizing landing leg failed to latch, causing the booster to keel over and explode. (rtr)

The lizard is some 75 mil-lion years older than the previ-ous record holder, according to researchers at the Florida Mu-seum of Natural History, who an-nounced the finding this week.

It was found decades ago in a mine along with other ancient, well-preserved reptile fossils, but the U.S. scientists were able to analyze the finds only recently.

“It was incredibly exciting to see these animals for the first time,” Edward Stanley, a mem-ber of the research team, said on Saturday. “It was exciting and startling, actually, how well they were preserved.”

Scientists believe the chame-leon-like creature was an infant when it was trapped in a gush of sticky resin while darting through a tropical forest in what is now Myanmar, in Southeast Asia.

The creature’s entire body, including its eyes and colorful scales, is unusually well-pre-served, Stanley said. The other reptiles trapped in the amber, including a gecko and an arctic lizard, were also largely intact.

Small reptiles have delicate bodies and typically deteriorate quickly, he said. Being encased in solid amber helped to lock the specimen together.

Stanley and other researchers used high-resolution digital X-ray technology to examine the crea-tures and estimate the age of the amber without breaking it.

The discovery will help re-searchers learn more about the “lost ecosystem, the lost world” to which the creatures belonged, Stanley said, and it may help researchers learn more about the creatures’ modern relatives.

“It’s kind of a missing link,” Stanley said. (rtr)

Fossilized lizard, 99 mln years old, is a clue to ‘lost ecosystem’FLORIDA - A fossilized lizard found in Southeast Asia

preserved in amber dates back some 99 million years, Florida scientists have determined, making it the oldest specimen of its kind and a “missing link” for reptile researchers.

Various lizard specimens are shown preserved in an-

cient amber from present-day Myanmar in Southeast Asia, in this handout photo

provided by the Florida Museum of Natural History

on March 5, 2016. REUTERS/David Grimaldi/Florida Museum of Natural History

SpaceX launches communications satellite but botches sea landing

REUTERS/Joe Skipper/Files

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida, in this December 21, 2015 file photo. A SpaceX Falcon rocket thrust a com-munications satellite into orbit March 4, 2016, before the reusable main-stage booster turned around, soared back toward Earth and was destroyed when it failed to land its self on a platform in the ocean, according to the company.

AMLAPURA - Bukit Village in Karangasem, is one of the villages in Bali where not everyone follows the same religion. Bukit Villages comprises 13 hamlets. The majority of residents of 8 of the Hamlets are Hindus while the majority of residents of the 5 other Hamlets are Muslim. Their difference in beliefs however has not led to divisions amongst this population. The harmony amongst the people here can be seen during the Hindu celebration of Nyepi , for example. Bukit village has its own special way of weaving together harmony amongst its people. Followers of both religions take part in the holidays and events of the others’ religion, thus ensuring that com-munication between Hindus and Muslims is well maintained.

The inauguration of At-Taqwiim Islamic School (Madrasah Tsanawiyah, MTs) in Kampung Anyar Hamlet -for example, was organized by the Mus-lim community but the Hindu community also took part in the event. There was even an artistic collaboration involving sekaa gong, Balinese dancing, rebana playing and the reciting of holy prayers from the Al’Quaran. In fact this collaboration received the appreciation of the head of the Ministry of Religion’s Regional Office in Bali, A.A Gede Muliawan.

Bukit’s new Village Head, Wayan Putu Suyasa, admitted that maintaining harmony within a community made up of people from different religions has its own challenges. Maintaining harmony requires a process by which mutual tolerance is nurtured in order to allow peace to reign. Suyasa con-firmed that members of both religions have already agreed to show mutual respect for each other during the celebration of Nyepi. The Muslims will not work, leave their homes or light any lamps or fires, but they will be allowed to pray in some of the local Mesjids like Masjid At-Taqwiim. “So in order to respect the Hindus who are performing Nyepi, we will sholat (pray) without using the loud speakers” he explained. Given the fact that Bukit village has adherents of different religions, Suyasa said that people here are very much aware of the need for tolerance.One Muslim resident named Erno, said that tolerance in Bukit Village is tightly woven into the social fabric. He said that the Muslims here know and understand very well about the four abstinences that Hindus carry out for Nyepi, for instance. (kmb)

Head of Buleleng’s Industry and Trade Agency, I r Made Arnika, explained that three dif-ferent Agencies are working on the campaign: The Industry and Trade Agency, The Sanitation and Parks Agency (DKP) and the Environment Agency (BLH). The first step that they have taken is to bring the three agen-cies together to discuss how to get leaders and businesses in the Town of Singaraja are on board with the project.

“We will be inviting leaders and merchant representatives to coordinate about how to start ap-plying the ‘charging for plastic bags’ concept. However we are also waiting to see how pilot projects in other parts of Bali are doing -how things work on the ground and how the public is

reacting”, said Arnika last Sun-day (Mar. 3).

He added that Bulelengs Indus-try and Trade Agency is already prepared to start an awareness campaign, and that in order to ensure that things run smoothly, they will still be coordinating with the two aforementioned agencies. “We will be working together with the two other agen-cies first, so that we are not alone in trying to get the word out to the public” he said.

The Government of Buleleng has been intensifying their anti-plastic campaign. Apart from changing the way people think and act, they also aim to improve the general level of hygiene by having people care and take care of the beauty of Buleleng.

“Charging people for plastic

bags is part of our Plastic Free Buleleng program that will put into full effect on March 30th through by-law Number 1, 2013 regarding garbage management” explained Arnika.

Meanwhile Head of Bulelelng’s Sanitation and Parks Ageny, I Ny-oman Genep, made improvements to the supporting infrastructure for garbage collection last year, so that the public no longer need to be confused about where to dispose of garbage. “We often disseminate information to the public about supporting facilities -whether it be through written materials, radio announcements or billboards. This helps people to more quickly understand about the plastic free program that the government has proclaimed” con-cluded Genep. (kmb34)

SEMARAPURA - Pehikan Beach in Batukandik Village, Nusa Penida is not very well known yet even though this beach has some truly charming marine biota. The manta ray that can be spotted here, have made this area better known amongst divers than beach goers. Divers, however are not alone in appreciating Pehikan Beach as many local fishermen are also big fans of this spot.

Local resident, I Gede Sudarta said that Pehikan Beach is best known for its charming marine biota such as the magnificent manta ray that like to hand here. Giant oceanic sunfish, known locally as mola-mola can also be found swimming about the waters here, he said. It is therefore not surpris-ing that so many divers plunge into the ocean here everyday. According to Sudarta, Pehikan Beach is different than many other beaches in the area in that the shoreline is quite rocky with very little sand. “ There is some sand, like in Tembeling, but few tourists come here because there are no guide”, he explained.

There s also a 170 meter high cliff here though it is not as sharp an incline as the one at Guyangan. Sudarta added that, locals consider this 3.5 hectares beach to be the best spot for fishing. Locals also use the area below the cliff for doing sports like playing volleyball, soccer and such.

While the entrance to the beach, at the top of the cliff is a sacred area. Local holyman Mangku Wayan Suasta explained that Dewi Gangga (Hindu Goddess that cleanses away sins) resides in Pantai Pehikan at the Pancoran Temple. This temple is connected to Pura Ratu Gede Papak Badeng Temple, Suwehan Temple and Pura Sekar Kuning Temple. Normally Balinese Hindus should pray at Sekar Kuning Temple before coming to pray at Pancoran Temple and then pray at Ratu Papak Badeng Temple that is governed over by Goddess Seakr Kuning. After that, adherents will pray at Suwehan Temple and finally at Sekar Kuning Temple that is ruled by the Goddess Sekar Kun-ing and also by the Queen of the South Seas

Batu Jineng is visible from Pehikan Beach and local legend has it that someone once tried to take a piece of black coral from Batu Jineng but a giant octopus enveloped his small traditional boat (jukung). (dwa)

Government officials and others coordinate how to start charging shoppers for plastic bags

SINGARAJA - A plastic bag awareness campaign is being organized in the Regency of Bule-leng by three Regional taskforces (SKPD). For the last few weeks, a few major shopping centers have already started charging customers for plastic bags.

IBP/kmb34

Ir Made Arnika

Rocky Pehikan BeachKnown for its Charming Marine Biota

Nyepi HolidayHarmony amongst the people of Bukit Jaga Village

International2 Tuesday, March 8, 2016 15International Activities

Bali News Tuesday, March 8, 2016

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 pos-sesses. 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 is-land celebrated the same Holiday, such as at Galungan, Kuningan, Nyepi day, Saras-wati 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 cel-ebration 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 some-times 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 bam-boo poles, decorated beautifully orna-ments of young coconut leaves, rice and other products of the land. Most beauti-ful 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.

Balinese Temple Ceremony

Founder : K.Nadha, General Manager :Palgunadi Chief Editor: Gugiek Savindra Editors:Agus Toni, Daniel Fajry, Mawa, Sueca, Sugiartha, Yudi Winanto Denpasar: Dira Arsana, Giriana Saputra, Subrata, Sumatika, Asmara Putra. Bangli: Suasrina, Buleleng: Dewa kusuma, Gianyar: Manik Astajaya, Karangasem: Budana, Klungkung: Dewa Farendra. Jakarta: Nikson, Hardianto, Ade Irawan. NTB: Agus Talino, Izzul Khairi, Raka Akriyani. Surabaya: Bambang Wilianto. Office: Jalan Kepundung 67 A Denpasar 80232. Telephone (0361)225764, Facsimile: 227418, P.O.Box: 3010 Denpasar 80001. Bali Post Jakarta, Advertizing: Jl.Palmerah Barat 21F. Telp 021-5357602, Facsimile: 021-5357605 Jakarta Pusat. NTB: Jalam Bangau No. 15 Cakranegara Telp. (0370) 639543, Facsimile: (0370) 628257. Publisher: PT Bali Post

Take Mum for a stroll by the beach and dinner under the stars or relaxing by the infinity pool overlooking the Indian Ocean. Choose from three signature resort experiences at The Mulia, Mulia Resort & Villas – Nusa Dua, Bali, that has recently been added to Gold List 2016 by Condé Nast Traveler USA as The World’s Favorite Beach Resorts. Featuring The Mulia, an all-suite beachfront boutique resort with impeccable service, Mulia Resort with a various range of facili-ties and activities to keep the family busy, while mum can sneak away to Mulia Spa or spend quality time by the lush garden and private pool overlooking the Indian Ocean at Mulia Villas. Children will have the opportunity to create hand crafted art as a gift to their beloved Mum, at Mulia Kidz.

Then continue her celebration with gourmet jour-ney, that Mulia is renowned for. Choose from the most popular Sunday Brunch on the island at Soleil, or bring her around the world through the International palates of The Cafe.

You could also treat her like an Imperial Empress with Chinese royalty dishes at Table8 or last but not least a theatrical Teppanyaki performance at Edogin Japanese restaurant. Mulia Deli has also prepared a selection of hand crafted sweets, from Mum Forever cake, to a personalized chocolate bag in any model or any confections that she would love.

After all the pampering for Mother, close it on a relaxing note with Mulia Spa experience that has re-cently been voted as one of the Best Spa’s in the World by Condé Nast Traveler USA. Bond together over our Therapeutic Touch treatments with the Mother and Daughter Spa Get Away, or make her Queen for A Day with a relaxing Balinese Massage and the Exquisite Golden Caviar Facial.

Or give Mum the ultimate pampering that she can choose at her leisure. With a Mulia Gift Card the pos-sibilities are endless from a combination of relaxing holidays, to dining indulgence or a spa retreat. For more information, please visit www.themulia.com/dining or call (62-361) 3017777.

Thank Her with Endless Love at The Mulia, Mulia Resort & Villas – Nusa Dua, Bali

A Mother’s love is boundless and timeless. you have known her heart beat before you even knew the world, and now is the moment we can take some extra time to appreciate her for the endless love we have received. There are millions of ideas to appreciate your mother but none quite as luxurious as a dining and pam-pering holiday at The Mulia, Mulia resort & villas – Nusa Dua, Bali (www.themulia.com).

AT the night of Pengerupukan in a series of Nyepi, the security will be focused on the ogoh-ogoh parade at almost every village in Bali, especially in Denpasar. Police also assign most of their forces to secure the annual agenda from clash. At this time, there is also an issue on radicalism and Bali becomes one of the targets.

“Security on day one before and after the celebration is more tightened because vulnerability can occur at these times. Places of worship must get the attention so as not to disturb the implementation of the four abstinences,’ said the aca-demician Prof. Dr. Rai Setiabudhi, Sunday (Mar. 6).

To anticipate it, added Prof. Rai, the most important thing to do is making coordination with interfaith, community, traditional and youth leaders. Similarly, it also make the role of pecalang (custom-ary security guard) more effective and must always coordinate with formal security forces, namely police and the military.

According to him, the closed security is very important in order to prevent the acts of radicalism network and terrorists. “It is nec-essary and should be given special attention. We should not be negli-gent in this case because there is possibility of radical groups to use this opportunity and target sources of electricity, municipality water-

works and other public facilities. So, the security needs to be tight-ened,” said Rai.

To realize the order and peace in implementing the four abstinences, Rai insisted that it is not enough to rely on the security forces and the government, but the whole society should care and participate in maintaining the security in their respective environment.

Chief of North Kuta Police, I Wayan Arta Ariawan, revealed that coordination and synergy with the Indonesian Military (TNI) must further be increased, especially security on Nyepi. “We continue to work together on security from melasti to Nyepi. So far, there is no report on critical points of conflict on the Pengerupukan,” said Arta.

He has mapped the areas prone to friction during the ogoh-ogoh parade namely the area of Dalung and traffic light of Padang Luwih, Kerobokan, Padonan Brawa and Kerobokan Prison. Vulnerability due to the effect of alcohol con-sumption such as fights and snatch-ing is also anticipated. He has com-mitments with hamlet chief to ban alcohol consumption, supervise and secure the activities at their hamlet as well as villages. “In addition to preventing inter-group friction, we also keep the environment from intruders or the action of radical group. We have combed routinely people’s settlements,” he said.

Commander of the 1611/Badung Military District, M. Leo Pola Ar-diansa, asserted that if undesired thing happens such clashes between residents related to the celebration of Nyepi, if requested by police, his institution just needs to con-tact the Company A of the 900/Raider Infantry Battalion, Cavalry Company, Kepaon military barrack and other military headquarters. “There are troops stationed in all the headquarters with a complete weapon. If necessary, it just needs calling,” he said.

As for the action in anticipating radicalism, he continued, the team of intelligence and intelligence unit continue to monitor the movement of the group. “The members of our intelligence agency always update information and so far it is still favorable,” he added.

He appealed that during the melasti procession to the beach all the communities should maintain safety on the road, and the pecalang with other security forces must remain in compliance with traffic rules. Then, when parading ogoh-ogoh, people are expected to do it orderly and the role of traditional leaders is expected to get involved in the implementation.

“Please avoid consuming alco-holic drinks before carrying the ogoh-ogoh, and comply with the predetermined routes,” he said.

Then, on the peak of Nyepi, resi-

“The process of physical development is faster than the planning so that many green belts have been transformed into industrial estates, modern shops and housing. Not to mention the paddy fields are now transformed into many hotels and villas because farmers have no guarantees. They prefer selling to leasing their farmland,” he explained.

Kariyasa called this phenomenon will become a time bomb for Bali. He is pessimistic that the government is able to enforce the rules having been agreed. Currently the development in Bali prefers featuring investors to preserving nature. Although the presence of investors can absorb a lot of labor, over time it will inevitably result in saturation.

“If it stays like this, we are confident the future of Bali will be severe. ‘Bali goes green’ will just become a slogan. Moreover, the local budget for environmental

affairs is too small,” he said. The Head of the Bali Environment Agency (BLH),

Gede Suarjana, mentioned that each person has a debt of about IDR 6 billion to forest during his or her lifetime. The debt must be paid by planting trees and making sure the trees are alive. One person is equivalent to 2,500 square meters or at least needs to plant 40 to 60 trees.

“The debt is based on arithmetic calculation if we inhale oxygen at hospital costs IDR 80,000 per hour multiplied by 24 hours and multiplied by 365 days with the life expectancy of 72.1 years, and then it is equal to IDR 6 billion per person,” he said. Suarjana added there must be a commitment, courage and behavior to plant trees for the survival of nature. Particularly in Bali, forest cover only reaches 22.7 percent and cannot increase unless there is a purchase of land for the making of forest. (kmb32)

IBP/Wawan

The ogoh-ogoh from Bajar Ubung. At the night of Pengerupu-kan in a series of Nyepi, the security will be focused on the ogoh-ogoh parade at almost every village in Bali

Beware of day one before and after NyepiProne to conflict and action of radical group

dents are expected to maintain reli-gious tolerance well in accordance with the agreement of the Harmony Interfaith Forum (FKUB). “For the

Hindus, please carry out the four abstinences, while the non-Hindus should maintain and improve reli-gious tolerance,” said Leo. (rah)

forests...From page 1

IBP/File

The number of the forest

Page 6

I N T E R N A T I O N A L 16 Pages Number 488th year

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

Price: Rp 3.000,-

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

DPs 23 - 32WEATHER FORECAsT

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Not PublishedWe, the International Bali Post would like to apol-ogize in advance because we will not be published on Wednesday, March 9, 2016 due to Nyepi Day.

Happy Nyepi Day

EU hopeful Turkey will curb migrant route to Europe

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Messi scores 2 as Barcelona strike force reaches 100 goals

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.listen2my-

radio.com or live video streaming at http://radioglobalfmbali.com and http://ustream.tv/channel/global-fm-bali.

WASHINGTON - Nancy Rea-gan, the former actress who was fiercely protective of husband Ron-ald Reagan through a Hollywood career, eight years in the White House, an assassination attempt and her husband’s Alzheimer’s disease, died on Sunday at age 94, the Rea-gan library said.

Michael Reagan said on Twitter he was saddened by his stepmoth-er’s death. “She is once again with the man she loved,” he wrote.

Reagan became one of the most influential first ladies in U.S. history during her Republican husband’s presidency from 1981 to 1989,

Her husband, who affectionately called her “Mommy” while she called him “Ronnie,” died in 2004 after a long struggle with Alzheim-er’s, the progressive brain disorder that destroys memory.

As Nancy Davis, she was a Hol-

lywood actress during the 1940s and 1950s and married Reagan, a prominent film actor, in 1952. She then served as first lady of Califor-nia during her husband’s stint as California governor from 1967 to 1975 before moving into the White House after his decisive victory over incumbent Democratic Presi-dent Jimmy Carter in 1980.

Her most publicized project as first lady was the “Just Say No” anti-drug campaign. After her husband developed Alzheimer’s disease, she became an advocate for discovering a cure. She was diminutive and publicly soft spoken but Nancy Reagan’s strong will, high-tone tastes and clout with her husband made her a controversial figure during his presidency.

As Reagan’s wife, political part-ner and adviser, she became one of America’s most potent first ladies,

alongside the likes of Franklin Roosevelt’s wife, Eleanor, Wood-row Wilson’s wife, Edith, and Bill Clinton’s wife, Hillary.

“I see the first lady as another means to keep a president from becoming isolated,” she said in 1985. “I talk to people. They tell me things. And if something is about to become a problem, I’m not above calling a staff person and asking about it. I’m a woman who loves her husband and I make no apolo-gies for looking out for his personal and political welfare.”

Tiny and frail in her later years, Reagan devoted her time to caring for her ailing husband at their home in Los Angeles’ exclusive Bel Air enclave. She was always a stickler for protocol and detail and stoically presided over the former president’s weeklong funeral and celebration of his life in June 2004. (rtr)

The animated story about a rab-bit who joins the police force ranks as the biggest Disney Animation launch (though not the best Pixar debut), outstripping “Frozen,” the 2012 blockbuster that bowed to $67.4 million. With no major fam-ily film opening until “The Jungle Book” lands on April 15, “Zooto-pia” is well positioned to be the de facto choice for moviegoers with children for the next month.

“There’s an absence of competi-tion,” said Dave Hollis, Disney’s distribution chief. “We are set up to have a big, big run.”

Disney did not release a budget, but most animated films cost in excess of $100 million. “Zootopia” screened in 3,827 locations.

Overseas, where “Zootopia” has been playing for three weeks, the film added another $63.4 mil-lion to its haul, pushing its global total to $232.5 million. The film continues a sterling comeback run for Disney Animation, which had reached a creative and commercial nadir in the early aughts with the likes of “Home on the Range” and

“Treasure Planet.” Since Pixar’s Ed Catmull and John Lasseter took the reins following Disney’s 2006 acquisition of their company, the animation arm has roared back to life, fielding hits such as “Frozen,” “Tangled,” and “Wreck It Ralph,” and winning Oscars.

“They brought a focus on qual-ity,” said Hollis. “They recognize that quality is the best business plan.”

Beyond the bunnies, Gerard But-ler managed to wash out some of the sour taste in his mouth after “Gods of Egypt” flopped spectacularly. “London Has Fallen,” the Scottish actor’s followup to “Olympus Has Fallen,” opened solidly to $21.5 million from 3,490 locations for a second place finish. That does, however, trail the first film’s $30 million debut.

Focus Features fielded the pic-ture, which carried a $60 million price tag. It played older, with more than 76% of the audience clocking in over the age of 25, while men made up 60% of ticket buyers. (rtr)

Disney’s ‘Zootopia’ opens big with $73.7 million debut

LOS ANGELES - Disney’s “Zootopia” scored the fourth biggest March opening ever, debuting to $73.7 million over the weekend.

REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

The characters of Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde pose at the premiere of “Zootopia” at El Capitan theatre in Hollywood, California February 17, 2016. The movie opens in the U.S. on March 4.

Former U.S. first lady Nancy Reagan dies at 94

REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/Files

U.S. President Barack Obama clasps the hand of former first lady Nancy Reagan after he signed the Ronald Reagan Cen-tennial Commission Act in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House in Washington in this June 2, 2009 file photo. Nancy Reagan, the former actress who was fiercely protec-tive of husband Ronald Reagan through a Hollywood career, eight years in the White House, an assassination attempt and her husband’s Alzheimer’s disease, died on March 6, 2016 at age 94.

“This is a very special year be-cause we have this phenomenon – a tourism attraction created by God,” I Gde Pitana, the government’s head of foreign tourism, said. “We are very lucky”. For many in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, the experience will be deeply spiritual, with Is-lamic leaders urging the faithful to perform special eclipse prayers.

“Our Prophet Mohammed said the prayer signifies the greatness of Allah, who created this wonderful phenom-enon,” said Ma’ruf Amin, chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council, the country’s top Islamic clerical body. But some of Indonesia’s tribespeople – up

to 70 million of the country’s 250 mil-lion inhabitants are indigenous peoples – are fearful of the phenomenon.

Members of the Dayak tribe in one part of Borneo island, known for their elaborate tattoos and cos-tumes, will be performing a ritual to ensure it does not last too long. The Balian Ba Ampar-Ampar involves traditional music, chanting mantras and giving offerings of flowers and incense to ensure the sun, the source of life, does not disappear.

The total eclipse will sweep across 12 of Indonesia’s 34 provinces, which stretches about 5,000km (3,000m) from east to west, before heading across the Pacific Ocean. Partial eclips-

es will be visible in northern Australia and parts of Southeast Asia.

The moon will begin moving across the sun on Indonesia’s main western island of Sumatra at around 6:20 am (2320 GMT Tuesday), before the eclipse sweeps across Sulawesi and Borneo, then moves over the Malukus and heads out into the ocean. One of the most popular events for foreign tourists will be a festival close to Palu, in Sulawesi, while traditional dances and other performances are taking place right across the ethni-cally diverse archipelago.

DENPASAR - Land cover in Bali in the form of public green open space

(RTH) such as city parks and pub-

lic private open space is recorded to reach 38.7 percent. However, it is different from forest cover only reaching 22.7 percent or lower than the minimum require-ment of 30 percent. Many forests are no longer pure, even have got perforated due to conversion and encroachment.

“Have a look at the current forests. The protected forests in the border of Singaraja-Negara, for instance, have got perforated.

Land conversion has widely oc-curred, whether it is used by so-ciety, encroachment and so forth. Actually, the forests in Bali are no longer pure,” said the Member of Commission III of the Bali House of Representatives, Ketut Kariyasa Adnyana, when confirmed.

Kariyasa added that the destruc-tion of forests in the upstream has proved to have caused many disas-ters such as landslides and floods. While in urban areas, not few green belts have been infringed to be used for residential and industrial area and modern shops. It is in-separable from the delays of Bali in arranging the spatial planning.

Forests...Continued on page 2

Debt on forests reaches IDR 6 billion per person

AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim, File

FILE - In this Jan. 26, 2009 file photo, an Indonesian girl look up through an x-ray film sheet to watch an annular solar eclipse in the sky as people gather in Anyer Beach, Banten province, Indo-nesia. The rare and awe-inspiring spectacle of a total solar eclipse will unfold over parts of Indonesia and the Indian and Pacific Oceans on Wednesday, March 9, 2016, weather permitting.

Thousands flock to Indonesia for total solar eclipse

About 10,000 foreign visitors and 100,000 Indonesian tourists are expected to view the spectacle, and special events have been organised across the country, from a festival featuring live bands to dragon boat races. Hotels in the best viewing spots filled up weeks ago and in one city officials have had to find extra space for tourists on boats.