I N T E R N A T I O N A L
I N T E R N A T I O N A L
16 Pages Number 98 7th year
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Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Beyonce shuts down the Met Gala in peekaboo Givenchy
NEW YORK — Rihanna shut down the Met Gala’s red carpet in a regal yellow coat. And then came Bey. Dressed lavishly by Chinese designer Guo Pei, Rihanna clutched her fur-trim frock closed and dragged a mammoth train up the grand staircase Monday during one of fashion’s biggest nights of the year.
She was a latecomer, but Beyonce was even later, wearing a peekaboo custom Givenchy Haute Couture by Riccardo Tisci adorned with multicolored crystals and stones. Her high ponytail and barely there ensemble were playful counterpoints to Rihanna’s swirls of royal gold and matching headpiece. The evening, aimed at raising millions for the museum’s Anna Wintour Costume Center, was inspired by the Met’s new exREUTERS/Lucas Jackson hibit, “China: Through the Looking Glass.” Singers Jay-Z and Beyonce arrive at the Metropolitan Mu- While some in the parade of celebrity guests seum of Art Costume Institute Gala 2015 celebrating the embraced the East-leaning theme, others opening of “China: Through the Looking Glass,” in Manhat- looked more ready for the Waldorf than the highly anticipated Met Gala. (ap) tan, New York May 4, 2015.
Britney Spears teams up with Iggy Azalea NEW YORK - Britney Spears, whose career has been full of both commercial success and criticism, has recorded a song with a younger kindred spirit, Australian rapper Iggy Azalea. Entitled “Pretty Girls,” the single officially came out Monday and a video was promised in a week’s time after the audio file leaked over the weekend. A flirtatious party anthem that appears designed for crowded bars, “Pretty Girls” is driven by a synthesized rhythm line -- a hallmark of producers The Invisible Men, who were behind Azalea’s hit “Fancy.” “All around the world, pretty girls / Wipe the floor with all the boys / Pour the drink, bring the noise,” the two women sing in unison. Spears, 33, said she had approached Azalea through their managers. “I love her work and I had the idea to do a real ‘Girl Power,’ fun, Valley Girl video,” Spears told radio host Ryan Seacrest. Spears became a sensation in the late 1990s, re-
viving the genre of teeny-bopper pop, but she also found herself a favorite target of the tabloid press and late-night comedians. “Pretty Girls” is Spears’ first release since her 2013 album “Britney Jean,” which had mixed success. She has been performing a residency since 2013 in Las Vegas, where she recently injured her ankle in an onstage fall. Azalea saw her career soar with her debut album “The New Classic” but she faced strong criticism over her style, notably the white Australian’s adoption of an accent that is identifiably African American. Azalea, who has mostly taken a step back from Twitter after heated feuds, pleaded with her nearly five million followers over the weekend to wait for the official release of “Pretty Girls.” The song is the latest high-profile work to be leaked, with albums by Madonna and Bjork recently finding their way online before the official release. (afp)
Juliette Binoche to play Pearl Buck
LOS ANGELES - French actress Juliette Binoche will play the role of Nobel literature laureate Pearl S. Buck in a film about her life, showbiz magazine Variety reported Monday. The film, called “Pearl”, will be financed by China Film Group and directed by Roxanne Messina Captor. Filming is scheduled to begin next year in the Chinese province of Zhejiang, in the city of Shanghai and in Prague, Variety said. Buck won the Pulitzer prize in 1931 for her novel “The Good Earth” about the hard life of Chinese peasants, and garnered the Nobel in 1938. Buck spent much of her life in China, first as a missionary and then as a writer. She returned to the United States in 1934. Binoche won an Oscar for her role as a nurse in the 1996 film “The English Patient”. (afp)
Fox renews ‘The Simpsons’ for 2 more seasons
LOS ANGELES — “The Simpsons” will keep the satire coming for at least two more seasons. Fox said Monday it has renewed the animated series for its 27th and 28th seasons, which will carry it to a total of 625 episodes. The tale of Springfield and the Simpson family is TV’s longestrunning scripted nighttime series. “The Simpsons” cast includes Dan Castellaneta as dad Homer — with his trademark “d’oh!” — and Julie
Kavner as mom Marge. The network’s announcement included a boast from Homer that his doughnut addiction helped him outlast David Letterman, Jon Stewart and Dr. McDreamy from “Grey’s Anatomy.” The award-winning comedy has proved a money machine, spawning merchandise, a big-screen movie, video games and a Universal Studios Ride. (ap)
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Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Thailand’s 87year-old king makes rare appearance Page 6
Sanchez nets 2 as Arsenal beats Hull 3-1 in Premier League Page 8
Remote home of leprosy patients could open door wider
Page 13
Australian travelers still visiting Bali
MANGUPURA - The execution of two of “Bali Nine” convicts has not had an impact on the number of Australian tourists visiting Bali, even though Australia withdrew its ambassador and through social media has been urging its citizens to boycott Indonesia. A number of tourism companies say that tourists from kangaroo country have shown little to no signs of begin affected by the issue. “Do far there is no apparent effect related to tourist demands” said Chairman of the Association of the Indonesia Tour and Travel Agencies (ASITA Bali Chapter), Ketut Ardana on Tuesday. According to him, ASITA has not received any reports of Australian travellers cancelling their trip to Bali. This tiny island remains the main destination for Australians to spend their holidays. “So, I think that if there are any impacts, they are only temporary,” he said. Apart from the fact that Bali is geographically close to Australia, said Ardana, it is also a much cheaper place for people to spend their holiday than in their own country. “The cost of holidays in Australia is much
higher than in Bali and besides there are also many things here that they cannot find back home,” he said. Ardana explained that the average length of stay for Australian travelers is about 10 days, and the amount of money spent on food and accommodations is around USD 1,500 to USD 2,000. “Australian guests do not necessarily eat in luxury hotels, but can in fact eat anywhere like roadside stalls for example,” he said. Chairman of the Indonesia Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI Badung Chapter), IGN Rai Suryawijaya, is also optimistic that the enforcement of Indonesian law that led to the execution of two Australian citizens, will not have an impact on tourism. “Where else are Australians going to spend their holidays if not in Bali? It is cheaper for Australians to visit Bali than it is for them to visit
other countries, including their own country,” he said. Suriawijaya added when promoting Bali tourism in Australia, citizens there responded positively to Indonesian promoters, and many claimed to not know anything about the execution of two of their countrymen. “No long ago, we were promoting Indonesian tourism in Australia and were very much welcomed. I think that the only people boycotting Bali are the victims family members because we have seen little change in the number of Australians choosing Bali as a destination,” he said. Therefore, the PHRI is asking tourism players not to worry that the tension between Indonesia and Australia will have an impact on tourism in Bali. “We support the government of Indonesia’s stance (on the execution—Ed), we are a sovereign country. Bali continues to be a favourite tourist destination for travelers from many countries, including Australia,” he said. He argued that there are factors that bind Australia and Indonesia,
one of which is trade. “If Australia forbids its citizens from visiting Indonesia, our government can also take action by not importing products from Australia,” he advised. Chairman of the Bali Tourism Board (BTB), I.B. Ngurah Wijaya, agrees said that the execution of convicts, Andrews Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, has not become a serious concern for travelers from Australia. They are still choosing Bali as the main destination, even though their country’s authorities have issued a number of warnings. “The Australian government has repeatedly issued warnings to its citizens who are considering taking their holidays in Bali. However, the travel warnings and advisories are never obeyed by its citizens, who still visit Bali and still consider Bali as their second home,” said Wijaya - owner of the Segara Village. He argues that the Island of the Gods will remain a primary destination for Australians to spend their holidays. Other than offering cheap prices and geographic proximity,
Australian travelers also love the hospitality of Balinese people. “Tourism relies on the relationships between human beings. So, in addition to being cheap, Balinese people are also friendly and sociable is another reason why Australians choose to visit Bali,” he concluded. The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) of Bali also notes that between January and March 2015 Australia accounted for 25.06 percent of tourists or 946,011 people, which puts Australian tourists in the top position for providing tourists to Bali. The second position was occupied by travelers from China( 20.31%), followed by those from Japan (6.26%), Malaysia (4.76%) and South Korea (4.16% ). (kmb27) News can also be heard in “Bali Image” at Global Radio FM 96.5 from 9.30 until 10.00 am. Listen to Global Radio FM at http:// globalfmbali.listen2myradio.com or live video streaming at http://radioglobalfmbali.com and http:// ustream.tv/channel/global-fm-bali.
FOX via AP
This photo provided by Fox shows a scene from “The Simpsons,” airing on Sundays. Fox said Monday, May 4, 2015, it has renewed the animated series for its 27th and 28th seasons, which will carry it to a total of 625 episodes.
The execution of two of “Bali Nine” convicts has not had an impact on the number of Australian tourists visiting Bali.
IBP/Yudi Karnaedi