Edisi 24 Oktober 2014 | International Bali Post

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 211 6th year

Price: Rp 3.000,-

Entertainment

Friday, October 24, 2014

Renee Zellweger : “I’m living different, happy life”

In this march 2, 2014 file photo, Bradley Cooper arrives at the Oscars in Los Angeles. Cooper will star in the Broadway revival of “The Elephant Man,” 14-week run opening on December 7 at the Booth Theater with previews starting on November 7.

WEATHER FORECAST 23 - 32 Dps

Brazil race hinges on fickle lower middle class

Page 6

Associated Press

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

Friday, October 24, 2014

Real beats Liverpool 3-0 Ronaldo scores 70th

Page 8

Nigeria truce is shaky, no news of abducted girls

Page 13

LOS ANGELES — Renee Zellweger says she looks different because she’s “living a different, happy, more fulfilling life.” The 45-year-old Oscar winner issued a statement to People magazine late Tuesday after she became a trending topic on Twitter, with many fans claiming the actress had become “unrecognizable.” Her appearance at a Hollywood event earlier this week sparked widespread Internet chatter. Zellweger’s most recent acting credit was in 2010, and she says, “People don’t know me in my 40s.” She said she has concentrated on her health and personal development in recent years and is “thrilled that perhaps it shows.” Zellweger said she might look different, but “who doesn’t as they get older?!”

How Cooper will stay limber for ‘Elephant Man’

Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File

Associated Press

NEW YORK — Bradley Cooper will contort his limbs into uncomfortable positions for eight shows a week when he begins his run in the Broadway revival of “The Elephant Man.” That means he’ll need to take extra care of his body to stay limber. “I have an inversion table. That’s a new thing, it goes like that,” Cooper said while using hand motions to show the up and down tilting of his body on the table. He’ll use it twice a day and have a chiropractor nearby. The play by Bernard Pomerance, which premiered at the Booth Theatre in 1979, shows some two dozen snapshots in the life of the grotesque Joseph Merrick, tracing his journey from an abused circus freak to a curiosity of London’s high society. Cooper won’t use prosthetics, opting instead to imply

disfigurement through facial expression and twisted posture. Cooper, an Academy Award nominee, already knows the physical demands of portraying the character onstage from a short run at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in 2012. “I got to research the real guy and I just fell in love with who he was a human being, as a man,” Cooper said. “It’s been a wonderful, eye-opening experience into that world of the late 1800s in London and Leicester and what he went through.”

Cooper became fascinated by Merrick’s life after seeing the 1980 film version by David Lynch, which he cites as the catalyst for wanting to pursue a career in acting. But he wasn’t acquainted with the stage production until much later, when he was studying at the Actors Studio Drama School in New York. “It wasn’t until grad school where we had to choose a thesis and I came across Bernard Pomerance’s play,” Cooper said, adding that Merrick had loomed large for him growing up: “I probably thought about him maybe every day since I was 12, so I took a shot at it and it seemed to feel like a fit.” But the actor has had a busy schedule over the past few years, so it took a little more than a whim for him to thread the boards for the play’s 14-week Broadway run starting Nov. 7.

REUTERS/Issei Kato

Japan’s new Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yoichi Miyazawa attends a group interview at his ministry in Tokyo October 23, 2014. Japan was stung Thursday by its third political scandal in a week after the country’s new industry minister -- whose predecessor resigned in disgrace over misspending -- admitted that his underlings had spent office cash at a sex bar.

AP Photo/Dan Steinberg, File

In this Nov. 20, 2010 file photo, actress Renee Zellweger arrives at “CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute” awards show in Los Angeles. Zellweger says she looks different because she’s “living a different, happy, more fulfilling life.”

New Japan minister hit by S&M bar scandal

Agence France-Presse

TOKYO - Japan was stung Thursday by its third political scandal in a week after the country’s new industry minister -- whose predecessor resigned in disgrace over misspending -admitted that his underlings had spent office cash at a sex bar. The new revelations deal another serious blow to the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe which was already facing a public backlash over its bid to turn Japan’s shuttered nuclear reactors back on and its stalling plans to revive the economy.

As news of the sex-bar scandal broke Thursday, industry minister Yoichi Miyazawa, a Harvard graduate and former top bureaucrat in the finance ministry, distanced himself from the affair, saying he wasn’t present at the sex club in the city of Hiroshima. But he acknowledged that some

staff at his political office had billed 18,230 yen ($170) as entertainment expenses during a visit in September 2010, Jiji Press news agency said. “I came to know of that through a media report, and it was true,” Miyazawa told reporters in Tokyo on Thursday. “It is also true that I myself was not there,” he added. The venue’s shows depict women being tied up with ropes, and male customers are allowed to take part in the show by whipping them, according to blog posts written by

club visitors. It was not immediately clear if Miyazawa -- a nephew of late prime minister Kiichi Miyazawa and a cousin of Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida -- would step down. “(Miyazawa) will handle the case properly,” said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohishide Suga, the government’s top spokesman, in the only comment from Abe’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party. Double resignations On Tuesday, Miyazawa was tapped to replace industry minister

Yuko Obuchi, who stepped down over claims she misspent political funds, while Justice Minister Midori Matsushima also quit after days of allegations that she had misspent money in what opponents insisted was an attempt to buy votes. The double resignations earlier this week marked the first significant problem for Abe since he swept to power in December 2012, ending years of fragile governments that swapped prime ministers on an annual basis. Continued on page 6

2

International

Friday, October 24, 2014

Bali News

Golden triangle of Tabanan tourism

Great income, small promotional budget Bali Post

IBP/Mudiarta

Management of the city tour package can actually be optimized and has commercial value to be sold to foreign travelers. However, due to less optimal promotion, the enthusiasts of the city tour package are still quite minimal.

Promotion of city tour package less intensive

Bali Post

SINGARAJA - Management of the city tour package can actually be optimized and has commercial value to be sold to foreign travelers. However, due to less optimal promotion, the enthusiasts of the city tour package are still quite minimal. Besides, the tourist visit to Northern Bali is very short, so the tourism businessman cannot offer their tour packages including the city tour. A local tour guide, I Gede Buana Wijaya, from Menyali village, Sawan subdistrict when asked for his response related to the city tour package management on said that the potential of the city tour supporting objects owned by Singaraja could be considered quite complete. He pointed out the existence of Buleleng Palace having historical value of Buleleng and Bali in general and the architectural style of the building originating in the Dutch period was very interesting to be known by foreign travelers. Likewise, the Northern Bali Historical Preservation Museum and Gedong Kertya storing many palm-leaf manuscripts on the history, aspect of human life, art and culture of Bali could also become an interesting option when travelers visited Buleleng. “In terms of the supporting objects, it has been enough. Actually, they can lure travelers to visit our region,” he said. Potential and supporting objects for the city tour package, continued

Buana, had not been optimally managed. This happened due to less maximal promotional efforts by relevant agencies. Promotion was a prominent factor in managing tourism at this time to inform the attractions to foreign travelers. “Probably, the promotion is still lacking. Moreover, the city tour package belongs to a quite special interest and only certain travelers get interest in the package. So, the promotion becomes an important capital and must be done by relevant agencies and private sector,” he explained. Other than the promotional support, according to Buana, most foreign travelers spending holidays at Lovina and surrounding areas had short time visit. Even, from his experience, the length of stay of travelers in Buleleng was one or two nights only. Such condition complicated the tourism players to offer tour package including the city tour package. Besides, most foreign travelers had purchased the city tour package at the hotel where

they stayed. “Foreign travelers typically has short time visit and the city tour package has usually been purchased at hotel. So, as a local tour guide we cannot offer the package. When getting guests, the package on offer guests is the package tour to natural tourist attractions and several temples like the Beji Temple and Jagaraga Temple,” he added. To note, lately the Dutch heritage buildings in the town of Singaraja have began to be included in the city tour package. Unluckily, only few foreign travelers chose this package while on vacation in Northern Bali. Other than lacking for interested visitors, the Dutch heritage buildings are also in apprehensive condition due to poorly maintained. Relevant agencies argue if they have difficulty in maintaining the historical buildings as most of them still belong to individual property or remain to be an asset of higher government and have not been handed over to local government. (kmb38)

TABANAN - Next year, Tabanan County will launch a Gerbang Wisata (tourism development movement) program. With this program, the government will give attention to the development of tourism in Tabanan. The Head of Tabanan Tourism and Culture Agency, I Wayan Adnyana, explained if the program could be realized, his party would develop the golden triangle tourism including the Tanah Lot, Lake Beratan and Jatiluwih. To make the program successful, it required the promotion and supporting facilities. Unfortunately, despite being the largest regionally generated revenue provider in Tabanan, the promotional budget of Tabanan tourism was still considered small. Adnyana continued that although the income from tourism mainly the areas belonging to the golden triangle increased and the tourist visit also increased, it did not necessarily mean

Activities

International

that it did not need any promotion. “Promotion is very important to keep reminding and getting to know that we have a tourist destination,” he said. Promotional fund of Tabanan tourism, according to Adnyana, was only about IDR 120 million. It was a small amount when compared to the other regions. Karangasem, for instance, allocated a larger promotional fund to make an overseas promotion. “Meanwhile, in Tabanan we cannot attend all the domestic invitations,” said Adnyana. To realize the golden triangle of tourism, according to Adnyana, was needed to repair the facilities, infrastructure and health facilities. He hoped it could be realized with the implementation of the tourism development movement program. “So, this tourism development program is expected to further encourage the golden triangle tourist destination,” said Adnyana. His party would also add Jatiluwih to the existing tour package consisting of Bedugul, Alas Kedaton and Tanah Lot. (kmb24)

IBP

GIANYAR - Maya Ubud Resort & Spa sits between the Petanu River valley and the verdant rice fields of Peliatan. With 108 luxury guestrooms and private pool villas, it is around a one hour drive from Bali’s international airport. Dining alternatives include Maya Sari for all-day dining; Asiatique offers regional cuisine of Thailand, Japan, China, India and Indonesia, and a teppanyaki counter. The River Café has a menu that includes healthy spa cuisine and snacks, delicious pasta and pizzas. Bar Bedulu is a breezy bar off the main lobby. The open-air Purnama Theatre presents professional cultural dance performances and dinner. The Spa At Maya is nestled along the river and has private double and single treatment pavilions, offering revitalizing treatments that refresh body and soul. Recreation facilities include two swimming pools, tennis court,

golf putting green, yoga pavilion and gym, village trekking, nature excursions and mountain biking. A shuttle bus links Ubud township. Among the many recreation facilities at Maya Ubud are two swimming pools, tennis court, golf putting green, yoga pavilion and gym. Activities include nearby village trekking, nature excursions and mountain biking. A complimentary shuttle bus service between the resort and Ubud township is available on the hour from 9.00 am through 5.00 pm every day. Maya Ubud believes that corporate responsibility for sustainable development is long term profitability.

8 Sep Kajeng Kliwon Pamelastali/ Watu Gunung Runtuh

7 Oct Sabuh Mas

Pura Kehen Bangli Pura Wira Bhuana Magelang Jawa Tengah Pura Padang Sakti Denpasar Timur Pura Payogan Agung Ketewel Sukawati Gianyar Pura Gaduh Dauh Puri Denpasar Pura Masceti Tampak Siring Pura Dalem Ularan Tatasan Kaja Denpasar Pura Siwa Tohjiwa Penebel Tabanan Pura Luhur Giri Slaka Alas Purwo Banyuwangi Pura Sada Kaba-kaba Kediri Tabanan Pura Gunung Lebah Ubud Pura Puseh Ketewel Sukawati Pura Dalem Cemara Serangan Denpasar Pura penataran Agung Bhatara Tiga Sakti Besakih Pura Meru Cakra Lombok Pura Lempuyang Madya Karangasem Pura Penerejon Kintamani Bangli Pura Pulaki Buleleng Pura Gunung Lebah Ubud Pura Thirta Negari Karangasem Pura Thirta Empul Tampak Siring Pura Penataran Agung Tegalalang Pura Luhuring Akasa Cemenggaon Sukawati Pura Desa Denjalan Batuyang Batubulan Pura Puseh Werdi Agung Sulawesi Utara Pura Pasraman Suci Renon Denpasar Pura Penataran Bumi Agung TMII Jakarta Pura Luhur Waisnawa Buleleng Pura Ulun Danu Songan Batur Kintamani Pura Agung Surya Bhuana Jaya Pura Papua Pura Gumang Bugbug Karangasem Pura Taman Sari Busung Biu Busung Biu Buleleng

8 Oct Pagerwesi Dan Purnama Sasih Kapat

13 Oct Kajeng Kliwon Uwudan

Pura Labang SinduJiwa Ubud

18 Oct Tumpek Landep

Pura Penataran Agung Maha Gotra Tirta Harum Sri Srengga Nyalian Banjarrangkan Klungkung 30 Sep Paid-Paidan Pura Dalem Seme Jawa Marga Tabanan

Pura Pasek Tangkas Dalang Tabanan Pura Pasek Gelgel Sayan Bongkasa Abian Semal Pura Watu Gunung Bima Pura Agung Jagat Karana Surabaya Pura Aditya Jaya Rawa Mangun Jakarta Timur Pura Pemekasan Banyuning Timur Buleleng Pura Agung Wira Lokha Natha Cimahi Jawa Barat Pura Kawitan Bendesa Aban Baturning Mambal Abiansemal 5 Oct Banyu Pinaruh 6 Oct Soma Ribek

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

IBP/Courtesy of Maya Ubud

Calendar Event for September 28 through October 28, 2014

4 Oct Hari Saraswati

People flocked at Tanah Lot, Tabanan. Next year, Tabanan County will launch a Gerbang Wisata (tourism development movement) program. With this program, the government will give attention to the development of tourism in Tabanan.

15

Maya Ubud Resort and Spa

1 Oct Urip 2 Oct Patetegan 3 Oct Pengeradanan

IBP/File Photo

Friday, October 24, 2014

Pura Jati Jembrana Pura Kawitan Batu Gaing Bangli Pura Tirta Wening Surabaya Pura Desa Lingga Wana Abang Karangasem

Pura Mutering Jagat Dalem Sidakarya Sidakarya Denpasar Pura Pasek Gelgel Pedungan Denpasar Pura Agung Pasek Tangguntiti Tabanan Pura Agung Pasek Selemadeg Tabanan Pura Pasek Tangkas Kediri Tabanan Pura Kerta Banyuning Barat Buleleng Pura Dalem Tenggaling Sangguan Singapadu Pura Kawitan Arya Wangbang Pinatih Peguyangan Singaraja Pura Bujangga Waisnawa Jembrana Pura Taman Bubuan Seririt Singaraja Pura Penataran Pande Dalem Batur Mengwi Pura Dalem Pingit Tegalalang Pura Ida Ratu Pande Besakih Pura Penataran Agung Pinatih Tulikup Gianyar Pura Kumuda Saraswati Ubud Pura Batur Arya Sudimara Tabanan Pura Dalem Majapahit Marga Tabanan Pura Linggih Pajenengan Ida Dalem Tarukan Cemenggaon Sukawati 19 Oct Redite Umanis Ukir Pura Sanggah Gede Dukuh Sagening Tegal Tugu Gianyar 22 Oct Buda Cemeng Ukir Pura Pajenengan kawitan Arya Tauman Gelgel Klungkung Pura Pasar Agung Besakih Pura Pasek Bendesa Pasar Badung Legian Kuta Pura Gde Gunung Agung Munggu Badung 23 Oct Tilem Sasih Kapat 24 Oct Hari Bhatara Sri 28 Oct Anggara Kasih Kulantir dan Kajeng Kliwon Enyitan

Balinese Temple Ceremony Every Temple and Shrine has a special date for it annual Ceremony, or “ Odalan “, every 210 days according to Balinese calendar, including the smaller ancestral shrine which each family possesses. Because of this practically every few days a ceremony of festival of some kind takes place in some Village in Bali. There are also times when the entire island celebrated the same Holiday, such as at Galungan, Kuningan, Nyepi day, Saraswati day, Tumpek Landep day, Pagerwesi day, Tumpek Wayang day etc. The dedication or inauguration day of a Temple is considered its birth day and celebration always takes place on the same day if the wuku or 210 day calendar is used. When new moon is used then the celebration always happens on new moon or full moon. The day of course can differ the religious celebration of a temple lasts at least one full day with some temple celebrating for three days while the celebration of Besakih temple, the Mother Temple, is never less than 7 days and most of the time it lasts for 11 days, depending on the importance of the occasion. The celebration is very colorful. The shrine are dressed with pieces of cloths and sometimes with brocade, sailings, decorations of carved wood and sometimes painted with gold and Chinese coins, very beautifully arranged, are hung in the four corners of the shrine. In front of shrine are placed red, white or black umbrellas depending which Gods are worshipped in the shrines. In front of important shrine one sees, besides these umbrellas soars, tridents and other weapons, the “umbulumbul”, long flags, all these are prerogatives or attributes of Holiness. In front of the Temple gate put up “Penjor”, long bamboo poles, decorated beautifully ornaments of young coconut leaves, rice and other products of the land. Most beautiful to see are the girls in their colorful attire, carrying offerings, arrangements of all kinds fruits and colored cakes, to the Temple. Every visitor admires the grace with which the carry their load on their heads.

14

Fashion

Friday, October 24, 2014

International

Fashion icon mourned in Dominican homeland

Associated Press

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — Designer Oscar de la Renta was mourned Tuesday in the Dominican Republic as a native son who brought glamour and prestige to a largely poor country better known for baseball and beaches than elegant evening wear. The death of the style icon Monday at his home in Connecticut came as Dominican designers, some mentored and inspired by de la Renta, gathered in the capital for their country’s Fashion Week, for which he provided advice over the years and where he showed off designs in 2010. “In some way or another everyone who works in fashion, especially being Dominicans, identifies with him,” said Leonel Lirio, one of the country’s most prominent designers. “We all wanted to be him one day; we wanted to have the same style as him.” To Lirio, de la Renta was an artistic inspiration, someone whose designs were both functional and beautiful. “To Oscar de la Renta, fashion wasn’t vanity, it was an intrinsic aspect of society, of the history of every nation,” he said in an interview with The Associated Press. De la Renta was born in the Dominican Republic in 1932 and left

the Caribbean country at age 18. At the time of his death, he maintained a home in the exclusive resort community of Punta Cana, where he played host to celebrities such as singer Julio Iglesias and former U.S. President Bill Clinton. He was known for contributing frequently to charity and providing assistance to the government, such as when he designed the uniforms for the National Police in 1999 at no cost. In 2012, when he opened a new boutique in Punta Cana, he donated the proceeds of the initial sales to a school for low-income kids and he worked with Vice President Margarita Cedeno, the former first lady of the Dominican Republic, on a program that helped the poor gain job skills and income by designing dresses, some of which were on display this week. Before his death, organizers of Fashion Week planned to petition the government to name a street for de la Renta. “It’s not just an

AP Photo/Christian Escobar Mora, File

FILE - In this Oct. 15, 2009, file photo, models wear creations by Dominican Republic’s Oscar De la Renta from his 2010 Spring-Summer “Resort” collection at the Cali Exposhow 2009 in Cali, Colombia. The designer, who died Monday, Oct. 20, 2014, at 82, shaped American couture half a century ago when it emerged as a serious rival to European fashion designers. homage; it’s an act of justice,” said Socrates McKinney, artistic director for the event. The campaign seems likely to gain traction in the country where de la Renta enjoyed wide respect. President Danilo Medina declared that Wednesday would be an official day of mourning in the country for the designer and

announcing that a government delegation, led by his wife, would attend the funeral in the U.S. Medina said via Twitter that the designer has been “a great defender of the national interests” with his art and contributions to social programs. “His departure leaves a hole that is impossible to fill,” Medina said. “Rest

in peace, Oscar.” Vice President Cedeno wore a gown designed by de la Renta as she spoke to reporters on Monday night, recalling his participating in various charitable efforts in the country over the years. “Today, we cry at your departure, but we honor your memory,” she said later on Twitter.

Kimono’s evolution reflects changing Japan Associated Press

NEW YORK — It’s difficult to imagine a more eloquent symbol of Japan than the deceptively simple, T-shaped kimono. Traditional yet ever changing, the kimono (“thing to wear,” in Japanese) has evolved dramatically over the past 150 years. Its story encompasses the evolution of weaving, dyeing and embroidery techniques, as well as Japan’s aesthetic, social and even political history. “Kimono: A Modern History,” on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art through Jan. 19, 2015, is a tour de force in textiles. As you enter the galleries, you see an elegant red kimono that a wealthy woman donated to a temple, where it was recycled and patched together to make a kimono for an aging priest. “There’s a wonderful paradox there, and it’s a sort of introduction to the story of the kimono,” said John Carpenter, curator of Japanese art, who organized the exhibit with Monika Bincsik, also of the museum’s Asian Art department. Based on the book of the same

AP Photo/Courtesy The Metropolitan Museum of Art

name by Japanese textile expert Terry Satsuki Milhaupt, who died in 2012, the show is dedicated to Milhaupt’s memory and coincides with the posthumous publication of her book (Reaktion Books) earlier this year. The exhibit consists of over 50 kimonos, half on loan and half from the museum’s own collection, as well

This photo provided by courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art shows Child’s Kimono with Pine, Bamboo, Plum Blossoms, and Fans, Japan, Meiji period, late 19th-early 20th century, made with ikat-patterned plainweave bast fiber (asa). The kimono is included in the exhibition, “Kimono: A Modern History,” on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art through Jan. 19, 2015.

as almost 200 fabric samples, screens, scrolls, lacquer works, ceramics, illustrated books and other objects. It includes glittering, gold-embroidered, 18th century Noh robes; cartoon-like, monster-faced, firefighter kimonos done with free-hand resist dyes in reds and yellows on indigo; political propaganda kimo-

nos printed with startling symbols of war; children’s kimonos — including one cherished by Frank Lloyd Wright; and, finally, contemporary pieces featuring the futuristic shibori pleats of Issey Miyaki, and the rips and angular shaping of Yohji Yamamoto. Highlights also include three breathtaking kimonos made by designers designated as National Living Treasures by the government of Japan. The exhibit begins in the Edo period (1615 to 1868), when the design, material and style of garments reflected a person’s role as samurai, farmer, craftsman or merchant. In addition to the grand textiles embroidered in gold that one might expect, there are thick, quilted firefighters’ robes decorated with bright designs depicting heroes and mythical beasts. Farmers’ robes, meanwhile, were mostly of recycled fabric scraps woven together, or patchwork jackets. At this time, the kimono was an everyday garment. But its design and function were to change. In the Meiji period (1868 to

1912), when Japan looked to Western countries in a quest for rapid modernization, the textile industry — and the kimono — were transformed. Japanese began using Western woolen and velvet materials, while Japanese silks became popular in the West. Japanese also began using Western chemical dyes and new weaving technologies, combining them with traditional stencil-dyeing techniques to create kata-yuzen, a sophisticated, stencil paste-resist dyeing technique. As Western design concepts increasingly influenced Japanese kimonos, they became bolder and brighter, while Japanese design began inspiring 19th century Western artists and designers. A young girl’s silk kimono decorated with a pattern of wisteria flowers and trellises was acquired by Wright on a visit to Japan in around 1905. Its modernity is striking, and it likely inspired some of the architect’s subsequent works. “It almost looks architectural, and you can see how it inspired him,” Carpenter said.

Bali News

International

President exercises caution in finalizing cabinet lineup Antara

DENPASAR - President Joko Widodo, or Jokowi, is adopting a cautious approach in selecting the members for his cabinet lineup after the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) gave yellow and red marks to his prospective ministers. “I think President Jokowi is being very careful in selecting members of his cabinet lineup, so that he can pick prospective ministers who are clean from corruption. This is a positive step,” political observer Nyoman Subanda stated on Thursday. He noted that there is a general public impression that Jokowi was slow in announcing his cabinet ministers. On several occasions since his inauguration as president on Monday, Jokowi said he would soon announce his cabinet structure. “Jokowi said he would soon make public his cabinet ministers’ lineup, yet until four days, today since he was inaugurated on Monday, he has not yet announced it,” remarked Nyoman Subanda, who is also the dean of the social and political faculty of the National Education University of Denpasar. As a result of the delay, there are public and political speculations even if the president has the prerogative in deciding his aides who will be carrying out development. “However, it is a correct step for the president to adopt prudence in selecting ministers, so that his government will be better and free from corruption,” he affirmed. He pointed out that the uncertainty of the announcement would, of course, affect the viewpoint of the people who had given their vote to the JokowiJusuf Kalla pair. “I hope the president would soon announce the structure of his cabinet ministers in accordance with what he had stated during his inaugural speech at the Parliament building,” he stated. In the meantime, political observer from the Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University (UIN) Pangi Sarwi Chaniago noted on Wednesday that President Jokowi must remain firm and not succumb to external pressures while constituting his cabinet. “The failure in announcing the cabinet lineup tonight (October 22) was allegedly due to sharp differences (among the parties), a fact that cannot be denied. Therefore, President Jokowi must use his authority

correctly,” Chaniago remarked on Wednesday. He also expressed hope that President Jokowi would not be constrained by political parties with vested interests who had supported him during the presidential election. “Ideally, all affairs related to the cabinet lineup should have been completed as per the president’s own prerogative without any intervention from others,” he noted. “Jokowi should live up to the high expectations of the people by announcing the cabinet lineup post haste,” the political observer further remarked. Jokowi was officially inaugurated as the seventh president of Indonesia at the plenary session of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) on Monday (October 20). With the oath-taking ceremony, Jokowi was officially installed as president of Indonesia. His predecessors were Sukarno, Suharto, B. J. Habibie, Abdurrahman Wahid, Megawati Sukarnoputri, and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Friday, October 24, 2014

Textile exports down 5.98 percent

Antara

DENPASAR - Bali earned US$77.31 million from the exports of textile and textile products (TPT) in the first 8 months of the year, down 5.98% from the same period last year, the Bali Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) said. Head of the regional BPS office Panasunan Siregar said here on Thursday the export volume shrank 6.99 percent to 50.5 million pieces in the first 8 months of this year from 54.29 million pieces in the same period in 2013. TPT is one of six export com-

modities among products of cottage industries in Bali. Five other such export commodities are canned fish, components of finished houses, plastic handicraft, footwear and bags, Siregar said. Non knitted finished wear prod-

Food self-sufficiency

President has expressed his intention to make the country self-sufficient in food. “I hope all parties support the food selfsufficiency program. I also hope that farmers work hard to realize it,” the president said in a teleconference with farmers in Bali, who were led by the Chairman of the Bali Organic Fertilizer Association, I Gede Sutapa. He noted that all farmers in the country should work hard to attain food self-sufficiency because Indonesia still imports a lot of food products. “So far, we still meet people’s food requirements with imports, including that of sugar, corn, rice and wheat flour,” he added. The president further stated that he hopes all Indonesian farmers are able to meet their need for foodstuffs domestically in future. “I hope we are able to meet the demand domestically within three to four years,” he said. Furthermore, Gede Sutapa expressed hope that the president pays attention to farmers’ needs for top seeds and fertilizers, among other agricultural requirements. “We, as a farmers group, hope President Jokowi pays attention to farmers’ needs for raw materials for agriculture. We need an ample supply of seeds to increase food self-sufficiency,” he pointed out.

3

IBP/File Photo

Some 2.4 million foreign tourists visited Bali from January to August 2014, up 15.5 percent from 2.1 million from the same period last year.

Bali receives 2.4 million foreign tourists up Antara DENPASAR - Some 2.4 million foreign tourists visited Bali from January to August 2014, up 15.5 percent from 2.1 million from the same period last year. Bali still has its magical power that could lure foreign visiters, Dewa Rai Budiasa, a tourism industry observer, said on Tuesday.

Of the total number, 624,803 tourists or 25.76 percent came from Australia. The number of Chinese tourists was 389,622, or up 47.36 percent from 264,409 people in last year’s same period. Malaysia was third in the list with 137,060 tourists, an increase of 14.07 percent.

ucts are high in demand in the United States, Australia and Britain, he said. Non knitted finished wear has also been exported to other countries including Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, the Netherlands, France and Brazil.

4

Friday, October 24, 2014

Bali News

International

International

W

Bali to host ISGF Conference 2017

RLD

Antara

DENPASAR - Indonesia is set to host the International Scout and Guide Fellowship (ISGF) World Conference 2017 in Bali. “We are proud that Indonesia was chosen to host the ISGF Conference,” the Chairperson of Adult Scout Association (Hipprada), Haryono Suyono, said.

Cagcag woven clothes develop

Regeneration needed to preserve the tradition cagcag looms long kept at home are now beginning to be used again. “Unlike in the past, nowadays the thread (raw material) is easily obtained and the products are saleable, so that we do not feel tired working for days,” said Ketut Sunari, 43, an

artisan of songket cagcag woven cloth from Sangkaragung village, Jembrana subdistrict. This mother of two children felt the difference in the results compared to the previous crisis because she could get earnings from the craft works. The

IBP/Surya Dharma

One of the craft products of Jembrana, cagcag woven cloth, now develops back by degrees. The craftsmen dominated by women groups begin to feel the effects of the traditional weaving production after years of crisis.

woman having been involved since the age of 7 years never had difficulty to get any threads and market the products. Her craft business was quite small. Even, she originally ran it as a side job. However, since her husband died in an accident, she relied on the revenue from woven clothes with the original motif of Jembrana. At Sangkaragung village, almost all the housewives have cagcag weaving skills. In the last crisis, many housewives left the craft work and chose to work in the fields or take odd works. All the wooden cagcag looms handed for generations are still kept but some have been damaged. Since the Sangkaragung village becomes the center of cagcag weaving craft, the looms seems to regain its new life. Even, some housewives make the new one. “My loom has been tens of years old and I have used this from the past time,” she said while weaving the ordered cloth. Cagcag songket is indeed much different from the other kind of songket clothes and requires persistence in the workmanship. A piece of songket cagcag cloth along two meters (maximum) will take at least three days to complete. However, it belongs to the clothes with easy motif like the lunar, stellar, casting flower motif and so on. Not surprisingly, the price of the weaving cloth can reach IDR 800,000 to IDR 1.2

million. “Now, the old motifs are favored back and the use also varies. It is not only for kamben alone,” she said. Although the price of raw material increases, it does not make the craftsmen disappointed because the marketing of their product is also encouraging. However, amidst the production beginning to develop, the tradition remains to leave a concern, namely regeneration. The current situation is much different from the past time where every girl began to get involved in this manual craft. Even, for her school expenses, she relied on the sales of weaving clothes. Now, with the modernization, it is difficult to accustom girls to get involved in this weaving work. To preserve the weaving tradition, regeneration should be done. “At the moment, many women of my generation and local women remain to live this (cagcag) weaving tradition. Later, we also need regeneration,” she said. For marketing, the Sangkaragung village has now owned a gallery posing the assistance of one of the banks. Local weavers are helped from the matter of marketing to working capital. She hoped that the typical weaving handicraft of Jembrana could continue to develop. Thus, when people call the name of Jembrana, they will immediately remember the cagcag weaving cloth as an icon or souvenir. (olo)

AP Photo/Olamikan Gbemiga File

FILE - In this file photo taken Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2014, people demonstrate calling on the Nigerian government to rescue girls taken from a secondary school in Chibok region, in the city of Abuja, Nigeria.

Nigeria truce is shaky, no news of abducted girls Associated Press

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria — Days after Nigeria’s military raised hopes with the announcement that Islamic extremists had agreed to a cease-fire, Boko Haram is still fighting and there is no word on the fate of the 219 schoolgirls held hostage for six months. Officials had said talks would resume in neighboring Chad this week, but there was no confirmation that those negotiations had resumed by Wednesday. The official silence raises many questions, especially since Boko Haram’s leader Abubakar Shekau has not confirmed that a truce has been agreed. Relatives of the girls abducted from a boarding school in northeastern Chibok town said they are confused but trying to be hopeful. “Things are still sketchy with lots of holes and varying statements,” Allen Manasseh, a brother of one of the missing schoolgirls, told The Associated Press by telephone. Manasseh said he relentlessly scours the news headlines to find out when his sister, Maryam, may return home.

Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Aminu Wali on Tuesday said “I can say with some optimism, cautious optimism, that were are moving toward a situation where we’d be able to, in the very near future, to be able to get back our girls.” Wali spoke at a news conference in Berlin of “the possibility of having total cessation of hostilities.” Despite the cease-fire announced by the military on Friday, the Islamic insurgents have attacked two villages and a town in the northeast and raised their flag in a fourth village. People who escaped this week from Bama, a town in a part of northeastern Nigeria where Boko Haram has declared an Islamic caliphate, say hundreds of residents are being detained for allegedly breaking the group’s strict version of Shariah law.

Residents who got out of Bama said so many people have been detained by Boko Haram that the local jail is overcrowded and houses are being used as makeshift prisons. Many young men have been forced to join Boko Haram, and those who refuse are killed, said those who ran away. People are jailed after brief “trials” for infringements like smoking cigarettes, said Amina Bukar, a middle-aged woman who said she hiked through the bush for five days before reaching Maiduguri, the Borno state capital 75 kilometers (nearly 50 miles) away. Food is running short since shops have been looted by Boko Haram, said Bukar. “Water also is very scarce, sometimes you line up (at the communal tap) for 24 hours,” she said. In Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, dozens of activists continue a daily protest ritual at Unity Fountain, using the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls to demand that the government and military ensure the release of the students.

13

US journalist leaves hospital after Ebola recovery

Associated Press

He explained that ISGF, which is an international organization like Hipprada, organizes the world conference every three years. As many as 101 countries participate in it. In the 27th international conference held from October 10 to 15 in Sydney, Australia, this year, Indonesia was chosen as the host of the 28th ISGF World Conference. However, the exact date of the event has yet to be decided. According to Suyono, the world conference could serve to boost Indonesia’s tourism sectors. “We decided to make Bali the gateway for the participants (of the conference) as the island is very famous abroad,” he stated. Suyono added that Hipprada had proposed to organize pre- and post-conference events to promote the potential of Indonesia’s tourism sectors. “Pre-conference events, such as meetings, can be organized in the villages in Bali. These can provide participants the opportunity to experience the local culture and activities,” Suyono noted. Similarly, post-conference tours can be arranged to popular tourist destinations such as Borobudur Temple in Magelang IBP/Suryawan in Central Java, Prambanan Temple in Yogyakarta, and Raja Indonesia is set to host the International Scout and Guide Fellowship (ISGF) World Conference 2017 in Bali. Ampat in West Papua.

One of the craft products of Jembrana, cagcag woven cloth, now develops back by degrees. The craftsmen dominated by women groups begin to feel the effects of the traditional weaving production after years of crisis. The former

Friday, October 24, 2014

OMAHA, Nebraska — An American video journalist who recovered from Ebola at a Nebraska hospital left the facility Wednesday afternoon and is heading home to Rhode Island, a hospital spokesman said. Ashoka Mukpo, who contracted the virus while working in Liberia as a freelance cameraman for NBC and other media outlets, was released from the Nebraska Medical Center’s biocontainment unit around 9 a.m. He spent several hours meeting with staff members who treated him and left the hospital complex in the afternoon, spokesman Taylor Wilson said. Wilson told The Associated Press that Mukpo, 33, would fly to Rhode Island on Wednesday evening but he was unable to provide details about those travel plans. Hospital officials said Tuesday that Mukpo’s blood had tested negative for the Ebola virus. Dr. Jeffrey Gold, the University of Nebraska Medical Center chancellor, read a statement earlier Wednesday in which Mukpo expressed his thanks to the Nebraska hospital medical staff. “After enduring weeks where it was unclear whether I would survive, I’m walking out of the hospital on my own power, free from Ebola,” Mukpo said in the statement. He also joked about the nurses introducing him while he was in isolation to the Runza sandwich — a regional favorite involving hamburger, cabbage and onion

baked inside the bread. The journalist arrived at the hospital Oct. 6 and was the second Ebola patient to be treated there. The first, 51-year-old Dr. Rick Sacra, has also recovered. In his statement, Mukpo thanked Dr. Kent Brantly, who provided blood for a transfusion. Brantly, who caught Ebola while caring for patients in Africa and was treated in Atlanta, also donated blood to Sacra. Such transfusions are believed to help Ebola patients because antibodies in the blood of a survivor can help fight off the virus. Mukpo also received IV fluids, similar to Sacra’s treatment. But Mukpo received an experimental Ebola drug called brincidofovir that was different from an experimental drug given to Sacra. Asked if that difference is why Mukpo spent less time in the Nebraska isolation unit than Sacra, one doctor noted that Mukpo’s age likely played a role. “He’s about 20 years younger than Dr. Sacra,” said Dr. Phil Smith, medical director of the biocontainment unit. “It might have also had something to do with the amount of virus he had in his system. But I think his age was a big factor.” Mukpo said he plans to write about his experience. “I feel profoundly blessed to be alive, and in the same breath aware of the global inequalities that allowed me to be flown to an American hospital when so many Liberians die alone with minimal care,” he said in the statement.

AP Photo/The World-Herald, Sarah Hoffman

Dr, Angela Hewlett,, left, and Shelly Schwedhelm, right, Director of Emergency, Trauma and Preparedness, look on as Dr. Phil Smith, speaks to the media regarding Ebola patient Ashoka Mukpo, Wednesday, Oct 22, 2014 in Omaha, Neb.

12

International

Friday, October 24, 2014

Manufacturing moving from China to US WASHINGTON - Large manufacturers are increasingly moving production back to the United States from China, according to a new report by The Boston Consulting Group released Thursday. In the third annual survey of US-based senior executives at manufacturing companies with annual sales of at least $1 billion, the number of respondents who said their companies were currently reshoring to the US from China increased 20 percent from a year ago. After watching the US bleed jobs for years as manufacturers offshored production to China, “now we’re watching a switchback,” Harold Sirkin, a co-author of the BCG research, told AFP. The Boston-based global management consulting firm said the online survey was conducted across a wide range of industries, from electronic and computer equipment to transportation machinery, petroleum refining, apparel and food products. Almost all of the decision mak-

ers work for companies that manufacture in the US and overseas and make products for both US and non-US consumption, BCG said, without identifying the companies. The overall survey drew 252 responses. The number of executives who said their companies would “consider” moving production back to the US from overseas in the near future climbed by about 24 percent. More than half -- 54 percent -- of the respondents said they were interested in reshoring production to

the US, roughly the same percentage as a year ago. More than 70 percent cited better access to skilled labor as a reason to move production to the US, more than four times as many who cited it for moving production away from the US. For goods that would be sold in the US, nearly 80 percent gave shorter supply chains and reduced shipping costs as a motive for reshoring. In addition, 71 percent said it was easier to do business in the world’s largest economy and about 75 percent said the move provided local control over manufacturing processes and improved quality and yield. “These findings show that not only does interest in repatriating production to the US and creating American jobs remain strong but also that companies are acting on

those intentions,” Sirkin said in a statement. Looking at plans for shifting production in five years, respondents said that an average 47 percent of total production would be in the US, a seven percent increase from last year’s responses. Cutbacks in China were projected to be sharp, down to 11 percent of total production capacity, a decrease of 21 percent from the 2013 survey. Declines were also predicted for Mexico (-5.0 percent), Western Europe (-19 percent) and the rest of Asia (-22 percent), whereas a 23 percent increase was seen for the rest of the world. The survey found the United States has topped neighboring Mexico as the most likely destination for new capacity to serve the US market. Tied roughly even last year,

at 26 percent each, this year 27 percent of executives cited the US, while 24 percent favored Mexico. A strong majority of respondents -- 72 percent -- plan to invest in additional automation or advanced manufacturing technologies in the next five years, saying that would allow them to cut costs, boost competitiveness and allow the to benefit from being closer to suppliers and customers. “The US is strongly positioned to benefit from manufacturers that seek to increase regionalization, especially as automation costs decline,” BCG said. The future looked brighter for employment, too. Fifty percent of the executives expected US manufacturing jobs growth of at least five percent in the next five years, compared with 17 percent who anticipated net job losses.

US billionaire’s hedge fund dumps Sony stake Agence France-Presse

TOKYO - US billionaire Daniel Loeb, who last year failed in an attempt to spin off a key part of Sony, has sold his shares in the struggling firm, saying “more urgency will be necessary” to get it back on track. Loeb’s Third Point hedge fund in 2013 pushed for Sony to hive off up to 20 percent of its successful US-based entertainment division, which includes a Hollywood studio and music label, to make it more profitable. However, Sony rejected the proposal, which had grabbed international headlines and was widely portrayed as a clash of corporate cultures, pitting a hard-charging foreign billionaire against one of the bedrocks of Japan’s staid corporate sector. While no details are available, Loeb -- who is known for his aggressive style in stoking change at target firms -- said last year that Third Point had amassed the largest stake in the firm. Third Point said in a statement dated October 21 that despite profit warnings, a worse-than-expected electronics environment and slow macroeconomic reforms in Japan, it still generated nearly a 20 percent return on its investment. “While, regrettably, the company rejected our partial spin-

out suggestion, they made some changes that were consistent with our goals,” it said, pointing to cost-cutting and improved transparency. It added that Sony chief Kazuo Hirai’s team “deserves credit for transitioning away from personal computers this year and improving television profitability in 2015. They have also improved investor transparency”. However, it said Sony still has “a long way to go and we continue to believe that more urgency will be necessary to definitively turn around the company’s fortunes”. Sony shares slipped 0.62 percent to 1,897.0 yen in Tokyo on Thursday morning. The once world-leading consumer electronics giant warned last month it would book a net loss of 230 billion yen ($2.14 billion) in the fiscal year to March -- more than four times its earlier forecast -- blaming a downturn in its mobile phone business. The company also said it would cut the smartphone unit’s global staff by 15 percent -- about 1,000 jobs -- and not pay dividends for the first time since its shares started trading in Tokyo in 1958. Sony has cut expectations for sales in the money-losing smartphone business, which has been hit by weaker-than-expected results in emerging markets, as battles

Friday, October 24, 2014

5

Many unlicensed breeders in Bangli

BUSINESS Agence France-Presse

Bali News

International

Bali Post

BANGLI - Awareness on the part of livestock entrepreneurs in Bangli County about adhering to the recommendations of the Environment Agency (BLH) on farm permits remains minimal. So far, there have been only 6 farm companies in Bangli that have received the Environment Agency recommendation. This condition was recognized by the Head of the Environmental Impact Management, Bangli Environment Agency, Gusti Laksana. Although he did not know the exact number of breeders in Bangli, nor the number of unlicensed breeders, based on his observation so far, it appears that many large farms are managed by people who have not received a recommendation by the Environment Agency for the farm permit.

IBP/File Photo

AP Photo/Richard Drew

The Sony Xperia Z3v smartphone, available through Verizon, is connected to a Sony PS4 Remote Play during a demonstration at a media event in New York, Thursday Oct. 9, 2014. S billionaire Daniel Loeb, who last year failed in an attempt to spin off a key part of Sony, has sold his shares in the struggling firm, saying “more urgency will be necessary” to get it back on track.

priced devices in China, as well as Central and South America. Sony will lay off several hundred workers in China as sales of its

Agency to the licensed breeders, who do not manage their waste properly, like the dairy farm in the region of Kubu. Until now, the waste of livestock producing dairy has been disposed of in a dry river bed, without being processed first thus , polluting the environment. “The waste should betreated before being disposed of,” he said. Laksana added that the impact of the dairy cow waste would be felt when rainy season arrived. The river currently filled with livestock dung would be taken downstream by the water flow. Laksana said that responding to such conditions, his party has often reprimanded guilty parties, including by imposing administrative sanction. Unfortunately, these were not always effective. Since the infringing parties have remained stubborn, the Environment Agency plans to re-evaluate the licensing process and license renewal will be tightened. (ina)

Awareness on the part of livestock entrepreneurs in Bangli County about adhering to the recommendations of the Environment Agency (BLH) on farm permits remains minimal.

Kertagosa proposed to become a national cultural heritage Bali Post

global rivals including Samsung and Apple. A report this week said Sony has decided to exit the market for low-

“Many farms are still unlicensed. To my knowledge, only six breeders that have the recommendation of the Environment Agency for the farm permit,” he explained. The breeders who do have a permit, said Laksana, consist of large farms which spread across a number of subdistricts in Bangli. He explained that the breeders who own over a certain number of livestock should submit a request to the Environment Agency. According to the rules and regulations of Bali and Nusra and the Regent Regulation issued in 2013, pig breeders raising more than 125 heads should submit a request to the Environment Agency. Meanwhile, the minimum number of broilers is 1,500 heads, laying chicken (1,000 heads) and dairy cows (20 heads). His party has sent letters of reprimand to the unlicensed breeders. Similar letters have also been sent by the Environment

low-priced phones in the country slow, Japan’s top-selling Yomiuri newspaper reported, citing unnamed sources.

SEMARAPURA - Kertagosa was proposed as national cultural heritage. With a historical background, the functions and values contained therein, the proposal was considered feasible to be realized. Such proposal became one of the long-term solutions of the five-point solutions offered by the Indonesian Hindu Dharma Students Unity (KMHDI) in its view to the legislators. The proposal also got a serious response from the Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation (BPCB). Section Head of Protection, Development and Utilization of the BPCB Bali, NTB and NTT, Komang Ani Purniti, said that the proposal could be considered. If the local government was serious to the proposal, it could be followed up by establishing a team of national cultural heritage registration. In addition, it should also immediately form an expert team of the cultural heritage that would determine which cultural heritage would be appropriate for Kertagosa, whether the county, provincial or national cultural heritage. With this designation, later on the access to perform a thorough restoration could be quickly done, unlike in the recent years having been carried out partially. With

the status as cultural heritage, the principle of restoration would also refer to the principles of restoration to cultural heritage as stipulated in the Law No.11/2010 on Cultural Heritage. However, Ani Purniti asserted the amount of budget did not depend on the classification of the cultural heritage. However, according to her, it was adjusted to the need of the cultural heritage itself. Then, local government just needed to propose it to central government so that the restoration could be done thoroughly. “With the status as the national cultural heritage, as well as our pride in Bali, it has become a part of the national cultural heritage,” she said. Actually, Kertagosa was formerly said to have been listed as a cultural heritage in the BPCB on December 9, 2011. However, with the issuance of the new rule of the Law No.11/2010, the authority to register the cultural heritage was then under the authority of each Regent / Mayor of the local government. Ida Dalem Semaraputra who was also present last Monday asked the government to seriously undertake a thorough restoration to the Kertagosa. His party supported any efforts as long as it was based on the intention to preserve the ancestral heritage of Balinese society. The Head of Klungkung Cultural

IBP/File Photo

Kertagosa was proposed as national cultural heritage. With a historical background, the functions and values contained therein, the proposal was considered feasible to be realized.

Advisory Council (Listibya), Dewa Alit Saputra, invited all the elements of Balinese society to encourage the conservation effort of Kertagosa. Thus, the misunderstanding on the historical site would not lead to deviation and eventually did not harm

the heritage values as happened to the Agung Kentel Gumi and Goa Lawah Temple in Klungkung. “Kertagosa is older than any other world cultural heritages existing in Bali. Why can it (Kertha Gosa) not become a cultural heritage?”

he said. He hoped the government would not hesitate to team up with the Cultural Advisory Council and the experts in cultural heritage, so that the historical site would not be getting damaged due to inappropriate technique of restoration. (gik)

6

Friday, October 24, 2014

W

RLD

International

Gaza rebuilding slowed by trickle of aid, rivalry Associated Press

AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo

In this Oct. 20, 2014 photo, a youth tries to get a glimpse of Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff who’s running for reelection with the Workers Party at a rally for Rousseff in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Brazil race hinges on fickle lower middle class

Associated Press

RIO DE JANEIRO — The political debate boiled in Lena’s Salon in Rio’s Cantagalo slum, as patrons argued about who should win Sunday’s presidential election. In one corner, owner Lucia Helena Silva was loudly arguing for President Dilma Rousseff and her Workers’ Party, waving a hot straightening iron. A customer, primping her carefully coiffed hair, was having none of it, insisting that center-right opposition candidate Aecio Neves would revitalize Brazil’s pallid economy. “No way! You’ve got to vote for Dilma,” said Silva. “Who has improved the lives of people in this slum? Who has shrunk the distance between us and the rich?” The tightest and most unpredictable presidential election since Brazil’s return to democracy three decades ago is now in the hands of lower middle class voters like those debating in Lena’s Salon, who represent 35 percent of the electorate and remain torn about which candidate they’ll back just days before the ballot. Which camp such voters ultimately fall in has wavered over the final days of the campaign. Last week, a survey by the Datafolha polling group said the lower middle class favored Neves 52 percent to 48 percent. Four days later, a poll by the same firm said they had flipped and were supporting Rousseff 53-to-47, largely because of aggressive Rousseff ads arguing that she’s the better steward of the economy. The margin of error in both polls was two percentage points. A Datafolha survey released Wednesday confirmed the confi-

dence in Rousseff’s handling of the economy, showing a huge shift in voter sentiment from a poll in June. Four months ago, 64 percent of respondents said inflation would get worse, but now only 31 percent think it’ll heat up. The percentage of people who said the economy would improve jumped to 44 percent from 26 percent in June. The optimism has surprised many, considering that since the June poll Brazil entered a technical recession and inflation jumped above the government’s own ceiling target of 6.5 percent, despite attempts to lower it by imposing price controls on gasoline and electricity. Observers said the only explanation was Rousseff’s aggressive campaign to convince voters that times are still good and that she’s looking out for their economic interests, whereas Neves, long hit with charges of elitism, would care only about the rich. Eliane Cantanhede, one of Brazil’s best-known political commentators who writes for the newspaper Folha de S.Paulo, said Rousseff has the natural incumbent’s advantage of being able to better shape the debate and control the focus of the campaign. “Dilma’s marketing is the big winner here,” said Cantanhede. “She’s got an economy that won’t grow over 0.5 percent this year, the worst among emerging-market nations, but her campaign puts forth the notion that everything is fine and

many people are buying it.” One ad featured popular former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Rousseff’s mentor who chose her to succeed him in 2010, telling supporters at a rally that Neves would govern only “for bankers.” Another ad ominously asks: “Do you remember how your life was during the opposition’s government?” — referring to the economic turbulence Brazil faced when Neves’ Social Democracy Party held the presidency in 1995-2003. “Did your family have jobs? Did you have your own house? Did you have a car? Did you take trips on planes?” The message that only Rousseff and the Workers’ Party can secure those gains was at the heart of the debate that played out in the Cantagalo beauty salon and is being repeated across Brazil. To shop owner Silva, it is thanks to policies pushed by Rousseff’s Workers’ Party during its 12 years in power that millions of Brazilians like her have been lifted out of poverty. But Adna Marcos, sitting in a yellow salon chair, said that while the Workers’ Party’s welfare programs are great, the country now needs economic growth. “We need somebody who can control inflation,” said Marcos. “We need improvements in public services that the Workers’ Party hasn’t managed. They did their part in helping the poor advance; we’ve improved, but we need new leadership to expand even more.”

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Several dozen tons of cement bags stored in a warehouse are one of the few tangible achievements so far of a $2.7 billion plan to rebuild war-wrecked Gaza Strip. The program was launched with high expectations at an international conference in Cairo on Oct. 12, but has run into obstacles, including wrangling between the rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah for control in Gaza and what officials say has been a trickle of promised aid. Hardest hit by delays are tens of thousands of Gazans living in communal shelters or the ruins of their homes since the summer war between Israel and the Islamic militant Hamas destroyed or damaged some 100,000 homes. “We are waiting and waiting,” said Samer al-Khaisy, 29, who lives with his wife and three pre-school daughters in one room of his damaged apartment, with holes in the wall covered by plastic sheets. Getting cement, steel and gravel from Israel into Gaza is a major challenge because of a blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt in 2007 after Hamas seized the territory from Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Hamas has since ceded some control to a Palestinian unity government that reports to Abbas and is to lead reconstruction. The United Nations, in turn, devised a system under which Israel would gradually ease a ban on selling building materials to Gaza, with U.N. monitors keeping track of shipments in Gaza to make sure they are not diverted by Hamas for military use. So far, Israel has only delivered about 400 tons of cement in a single shipment, prompting allegations of politically motivated foot-dragging from Palestinian Cabinet Minister Mamoun Abu Shahla. But a U.N. official said the holdup is mostly technical and that he expects more deliveries once the Palestinian government has vetted more Gaza importers of construction material and potential buyers. Twelve importers have met the security requirements so far, including setting up CCTV cameras in their warehouses, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the program with the media.

From page 1

New Japan... They were also a blow to Abe’s proclaimed bid to boost the profile of working women in Japan, while commentators said his administration could be in trouble if their replacements did not have solid reputations. The industry ministry oversees the energy sector and is the face for Tokyo’s attempts to convince a sceptical public on the safety of re-starting stalled nuclear power plants -- more than three years after the Fukushima atomic crisis. All of Japan’s 48 operational nuclear reactors are currently switched off. But Tokyo has been pushing to return to a source that once supplied more than one-quarter of Japan’s energy, as heavy energy import bills weigh on the country’s trade balance. Meanwhile, Abe’s bid to kickstart Japan’s long-laggard economy has stumbled after his government raised sales taxes in April to help pay down a massive national debt. Abe himself was forced to resign in 2007, only a year into his first premiership after several of his ministers were hammered by political scandals. Then farm minister Toshikatsu Matsuoka, one of Abe’s cabinet members, hanged himself in 2007 after becoming embroiled in a scandal over political spending. Former state minister for regulatory reform Genichiro Sata, another key Abe lieutenant, stepped down over questions about his political spending. Last year, Sata resigned from a party post after a magazine said he had gone on paid dates with a female university student. The publication ran pictures of him emerging from a love hotel with the woman.

International

Friday, October 24, 2014

11

INDONESIA Air quality improves in South Sumatra

Antara

PALEMBANG - The emergency status, which was announced several weeks ago in the South Sumatra province, has been revoked on Thursday following a decrease in haze. “The haze, which had disrupted people’s activities and the safety of transportation, is decreasing significantly. The air quality in South Sumatra is back to normal level. Hence, we revoke the emergency status today,” local Chief of the Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) Yulizar Dinoto stated on Thursday. He explained that the haze in South Sumatra had decreased as a result of the efforts taken by the central and local government to extinguish hundreds of hotspots that were detected in the area. Apart from deploying related officials to put out the forest fires, the local disaster mitigation agency also used helicopters in the South Sumatra area to conduct cloud seeding operations. As of now, the efforts to extinguish the forest fires are still ongoing as several hotspots have been detected in the area.

People gave free-mask to motorists due to haze problem. The emergency status, which was announced several weeks ago in the South Sumatra province, has been revoked on Thursday following a decrease in haze.

Fashion industry ready to compete internationally Antara

ANTARA FOTO/ Teresia May

A model showcased the Biyan Wanaatmadja’s design at Bazaar Fashion Festival 2014. Association of Indonesian Fashion Designers (IPMI) Chairwoman Sjamsidar Isa has said the fashion industry in the country has been ready to compete at international level.

JAKARTA - Association of Indonesian Fashion Designers (IPMI) Chairwoman Sjamsidar Isa has said the fashion industry in the country has been ready to compete at international level. “The ongoing Fashion Festival at the Jakarta Convention Center from October 22-26, 2014 is organized by Bank Mandiri to show that the fashion industry in Indonesia is developing well and ready to compete with international fashion industry,” Sjamsidar said on Thursday. She noted that the trend show this time is the realization of IPMI desire to develop the fashion industry to encourage the country’s economic gyration. “The components of industry in Indonesia should be integrated to strengthen the business to business, and business to customers relations,” she remarked.

ANTARA FOTO/Feny Selly

A fan killed in match violence Agence France-Presse SOLO - A football fan was killed at a match on the main island of Java when hundreds of angry supporters stormed the pitch and attacked vehicles outside the stadium, police said Thursday. Violence erupted during Wednesday’s match between Persis and visiting Martapura FC in the city of Solo, with fans mainly targeting police. Eight officers and six civilians were also injured in the clashes, which started inside the stadium before moving outside, where an angry mob set a police motorbike alight and damaged cars and buses. Persis supporters stormed the pitch towards the end of the game, when the score was level at 1-1, with police saying they were unhappy after the referee stopped the match early because missiles were being thrown at the linesmen. At first, the fans jostled police seeking to protect the referee and players, before brawls erupted. Authorities later found the body of a fan with a chest wound, Solo police official Arif Joko told AFP, adding it was not clear how the injury was inflicted or who was responsible. Both sides are in Indonesia’s Premier Division, one notch below the top-flight Super League. Violence is not uncommon at matches in the nation of 250 million people where football is wildly popular and fans are vehemently loyal to their local club. However, serious injuries and deaths are rare.

10

Friday, October 24, 2014

Destination

Learn to cook in Ubud

IBP

GIANYAR - Ubud is known as the art center of Bali, and that includes the art of cooking. Ubud offers a full variety of cooking courses, ranging from the village family-style up through high-end fusion, from a half-day to full week programs. Here are several cooking classes that you can take during your holiday in Ubud. 1. Pulu Bali Cooking Class You will be made to feel at home in this traditional family house at Tengkulak, right in Ubud, as you try your hand at traditional Balinese cooking. Teacher will accompany you to the traditional Sukawati market to source fresh herbs and spices, fresh vegetables and cuts of meats. Your expereince starts with traditional coconut oil processing while you learn to make a simple offering using bamboo weaving. Spices and vegetables are picked from the herbal garden to create a number of traditional Balinese dishes, including a yummy dessert. 2. Paon Bali Cooking Class The focus at Paon Bali is clearly food and cooking, but it differs from other cooking schools by integrating teaching about local ingredients and cooking styles into a village cultural experience. This excursion into ordinary life in the village is delightful, and has the ability to translate the picturesque village idyll into the reality of daily life – planting rice in your

sawah, making your family’s daily offerings, and producing oil from your coconuts so the cook in your family can produce the most magical flavors. The experience starts at the Ubud traditional market in the morning and then moves up to the family kitchen and garden in Laplapan village, just north of Ubud. This is excellent for older children and adults, and even

old-hat visitors will learn something new. You can choose meat or vegetarian dishes, and they offer free pick up in Ubud. 3. Casa Luna Cooking School The Casa Luna Cooking School is the most comprehensively structured of all the courses in Ubud

International

and after a full week of classes you will have a good understanding of not just Balinese ingredients and cooking techniques, but the role of ritual and religion in Balinese food, too. Take one class or all – there is a different, unique menu offered each day (daily except Saturday, check the schedule on their website for details), with market visits included

Sports

International

7

Federer opens Basel campaign in style, Nadal progresses

in Tuesday and Thursday classes. Friday is beginners day, so if you have only one day to dabble in Balinese cooking, this is probably the best day for you. Sunday excursions to East Bali to visit palm sugar and salt-makers is a unique opportunity to see a different side of Balinese life, and would make an interesting tour by itself. Classes are limited in size and are very popular during June, July and August – make sure you book well in advance. 4. The Mozaic Culinary Workshop Mozaic is Ubud’s completely justified claim to culinary fame (Miele Guide #6 in Asia’s Finest Restaurants 2010/2011; Top 50 Restaurants in Asia, 2009) and they have added a Culinary Workshop to complement it. This is more like a Bali Disney World for Foodies. They offer recreational classes for tourists that highlight the innovative use of fresh local ingredients. This is not all rocket science – workshops can be tailored to all different skill levels. Visiting Chefs from around the world might offer beginning and advanced classes. If you are traveling with a group of Foodies, the Workshop’s beautiful open kitchen, living and dining area make a fabulous “cooking class and dinner” combination, or a very special Chef’s Table private dinner. You get a very cool booklet of recipes to take home. Definitely book in advance.

Friday, October 24, 2014

Reuters

Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File

FILE - In this Oct. 11, 2014, file photo, Earvin “Magic” Johnson addresses the audience after receiving the Brass Ring Award for his humanitarian efforts at the 2014 Carousel of Hope Ball at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Magic Johnson ready to assist tech in diversity Associated Press

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Retired Los Angeles Laker Magic Johnson became famous for dishing out assists to his teammates during his Hall of Fame basketball career. Now, as an entrepreneur focused on minority markets, he says he is ready to help Silicon Valley hire more blacks and Latinos to diversify the technology industry’s largely white and Asian workforce. Johnson believes his own Beverly Hills, California-based company could connect major technology employers with more AfricanAmerican and Hispanic engineers if they call upon him. Magic Johnson Enterprises provides financing and consulting for businesses seeking to operate in cities with large minority populations. “We have to make sure the Apples and Googles of the world get together with others who know what they are doing and who can make a difference, whether it’s myself or somebody else,” Johnson told The Associated Press Wednesday. He made his remarks after appearing at a Silicon Valley conference put on by software maker Intuit Inc., one of many technology companies that have recently released reports confirming their payrolls consist primarily of white and Asian men. The lack of diversity has em-

barrassed an industry that prides itself on its progressive thinking and meritocratic policies. Google, Apple and Facebook have all vowed to take steps to create workforces that look more like the overall population. Silicon Valley has a lot of ground to make up. At Intuit, AfricanAmericans make up just 4 percent of the workforce while Latinos represent 6 percent. It’s even worse at Google and Facebook, where just 2 percent of the U.S. staff is black. Cutting across the U.S. in all industries, 12 percent of the workforce is black and 14 percent is Hispanic. “We think it’s important that our employee base reflects the customers we serve, and we aren’t where we need to be,” Intuit CEO Brad Smith said Wednesday. “Magic’s offer? I won’t be surprised if we take him up on it. He is clearly a brilliant man and he understands

how to (diversify).” Besides running his own company, Johnson also is co-owner of the Los Angeles Sparks in the Women’s National Basketball Association, which has the best diversity record among professional sports leagues, according to recent study by The Institute for Diversity and Ethics. Johnson also is part of a group that owns the Los Angeles Dodgers in Major League Baseball. Johnson, 55, was mentioned in the racially charged remarks that led to the NBA’s ouster of Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, who denigrated Johnson as a bad role model for children because he had HIV. More recently, Johnson criticized Atlanta Hawks ownership and management for derogatory comments about blacks. Unlike those situations, Johnson isn’t interpreting the Silicon Valley’s diversity issues as a sign of blatant discrimination. “When you think about the leaders of these (technology) companies, they know they have to do something,” Johnson said. “It’s just a matter of understanding who to reach out to, who to partner with and then making sure that everybody wins. It’s time to do it.”

Roger Federer began his pursuit for a sixth Swiss Indoors Basel title with an explosive 47-minute 6-2 6-1 victory over Gilles Muller on Wednesday after Rafael Nadal reached the quarter-final with a 6-1 6-1 win against Pierre-Hugues Herbert. Top seed Federer hit 12 winners in a 24-minute first set and the Swiss 17-time grand slam champion continued his domination in the second set without losing a single point on his serve. Such has been his form since falling as low as world number eight in March that the 33-year-old could end the season top of the rankings. “It was a very easy match. He couldn’t do anything on my serve. He was struggling with the return,” Federer told reporters. “I’m happy I had a quick match, because I have a lot of matches in the coming weeks. Gilles’ game completely fell apart and his level dropped. It was a great first round for me.” Nadal, playing through appendicitis, was equally impressive, needing just 57 minutes to dispatch France’s Herbert. The former world number one, who could miss the seasonending ATP World Tour Finals next month depending on surgery, broke his opponent’s serve five times in a second seamless victory in three days. “I’m still very tired during the matches,” Nadal told a press conference. “But physically I’m improving. I feel much better than a few days ago. “I’m surprised that I advanced that easy to the quarterfinals. I didn’t expect that before the tournament.”

REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann

Roger Federer of Switzerland reacts after winning against Gilles Muller of Luxembourg at the Swiss Indoors ATP tennis tournament in Basel October 22, 2014.

8

International

Friday, October 24, 2014

International

Sp rt Real beats Liverpool 3-0

Ronaldo scores 70th

Associated Press

German sides continue to score for fun, as Borussia Dortmund romped to a 4-0 win at Galatasaray the day after Bayern Munich’s magnificent 7-1 in Roma and Schalke beat Sporting Lisbon 4-3. Bayer Leverkusen also underlined the Bundesliga’s fine form in Europe, beating Zenit St. Petersburg 2-0 on Wednesday. By contrast, it was a bad night for Italian champion Juventus, which slumped to a surprise 1-0 defeat at Greek side Olympiakos. At Anfield, all eyes were on Ronaldo but it was Karim Benzema — usually Ronaldo’s favorite goal supplier — who out-scored his more illustrious teammate. The France forward grabbed the other two goals in a devastating 18-minute first-half spell that silenced the home crowd. On this form, it is hard to bet against defending champion Madrid at least reaching the final, if not securing an 11th European crown. “We are fighting very hard to repeat our success of last season,” said Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti, whose team has won its last eight matches in all competitions — scoring 35 goals. “We are playing well and have a huge desire to make that happen again.” Ronaldo’s goal, a superbly-taken flick, put Madrid ahead in the 23rd minute, and took him to 20 goals in just 13 games this season. He also moved to within one goal of former Madrid star Raul Gonzalez’s record tally in the Champions League. He is one ahead of great rival Lionel Messi, who scored one and made one in Barcelona’s 3-1 win against Ajax on Tuesday, before being taken off to rest him ahead of Saturday’s massive game against Ronaldo’s Madrid. Benzema headed in the second in the 30th minute before pouncing from close range. Liverpool clearly misses Luis

Suarez, who scored 31 league goals last season before joining Barcelona, and Balotelli doesn’t seem to be an able replacement — at least not yet. Since joining from AC Milan continued, he has only scored once in 10 games and, to make matters worse, as he was substituted at halftime he even swapped shirts with his marker, Pepe, while walking to the dressing rooms. “It’s not something I stand for,” an angry Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said. “If you want to do that, for me you do that at the end of the game. It’s something I’ll deal with.” Liverpool, with three points from three matches, is locked with FC Basel and Ludogorets for second place. Ludogorets got a first ever win by a Bulgarian side in a Champions League group thanks to a 91stminute winner from defender Yordan Minev. Arsenal and Dortmund scrapped for top spot last season, and the odds again look in Dortmund’s favor. Striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice inside the first 20 minutes, Marco Reus made it 3-0 before the break and substitute Adrian Ramos completed the rout late on to give Dortmund nine points. “We were focused, had no problems in defence and our fast breaks were very dangerous,” Dortmund’s World Cup-winning German defender Mats Hummels said. Although Arsenal is not dominating games, it is at least showing resilience. After rescuing a point with an injury-time goal from Danny Welbeck in a 2-2 draw against Hull last weekend, this time it was Gibbs and Podolski who gave coach Arsene Wenger a happy ending to his 65th birthday. “We are in a strong position now,” Wenger said. “It is down to us now and we have to win our home games.”

9

Champions League group still complicated Reuters

MADRID - Atletico Madrid must not let down their guard after Wednesday’s thumping Champions League win at home to Malmo, coach Diego Simeone said. Last season’s beaten finalists struck five times in the second half at the Calderon to hand the Swedish side a 5-0 drubbing and move to the top of their pool, level with Olympiakos Piraeus on six points from three matches. However, Group A is a tight one with Italian title holders Juventus on three points along with Malmo and Simeone said progress to the last 16 is by no means guaranteed. “It’s complicated,” Simeone said at a news conference after Atletico midfielder Koke had shone for the Spanish

PARIS — Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 70th Champions League goal and Mario Balotelli again failed to deliver as Real Madrid cruised to a 3-0 win at Liverpool on Wednesday to take complete control of Group B with a third straight win. While Tuesday night’s 40-goal bonanza never looked like being matched, there was still drama elsewhere as Arsenal scraped a 2-1 win at Anderlecht with late goals from defender Kieran Gibbs and forward Lukas Podolski — a peripheral player this season.

Friday, October 24, 2014

champions with a goal and three assists. “We have to treat each match as if it’s our last, nothing has been decided yet,” added the Argentine. “The teams with fewer points, like Juventus, have home games coming up which will lift them. We have to maintain our intensity and be very careful.” Atletico’s latest European success was their 19th win in their last 21 home matches in UEFA competition, their only defeat a 2-0 reverse to Rubin Kazan in the Europa League round of 32 in February 2013. Last season, they won five and drew one of six home games on the way to the final of Europe’s elite club competition, where they were beaten 4-1 by Real Madrid after extra time. Malmo coach Age Hareide

conceded that Atletico had been much the superior side and said it would be tough now for his team to secure third place in the group and qualify for the Europa League, Europe’s second-tier club competition. “We had the same intentions in the second half as the first but maybe we were lacking in energy,” Hareide, whose side secured a second consecutive Swedish title this month, said. “Now we will analyse the game and see if we can play better at home,” added the former Norway defender, who had playing stints at English clubs Manchester City and Norwich City. “If we don’t win the next match it’s going to be very tough.” Malmo host Atletico on Nov. 4, when Juventus are at home to Olympiakos.

AP Photo/Andres Kudacki

Atletico’s Antoine Griezmann, left, celebrates with his coach Diego Simeone after scoring during the Group A Champions League soccer match between Atletico de Madrid and Malmo at the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014.

Before Man United match

Chelsea facing striker crisis Reuters

LONDON - Chelsea face the prospect of having veteran Didier Drogba as their only fit striker for their visit to Manchester United on Sunday in what is usually one of the standout matches of the Premier League season. Jose Mourinho’s league leaders will definitely be without their ninegoal top scorer Diego Costa, who has a hamstring problem. Frenchman Loic Remy is also a doubt after injuring himself while scoring Chelsea’s opening goal in their club record 6-0 Champions League victory over Maribor on Tuesday. Drogba, 36, came off the bench after 16 minutes to replace Remy and scored from the penalty spot for his first goal since returning to the club following a two-year spell away. He is Chelsea’s only fully fit REUTERS/Phil Noble

Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo (L) celebrates after scoring a goal against Liverpool during their Champions League Group B soccer match at Anfield in Liverpool, northern England October 22, 2014. Third-place Anderlecht, which has one point, sensed victory after Honduras midfielder Andy Najar gave the Belgian champion a 1-0 lead with a powerful header which

wrong-footed Arsenal’s thirdchoice goalie Emiliano Martinez in the 71st minute. But Gibbs equalized in the 89th with a low volley and Podolski,

who was close to leaving Arsenal during the offseason, followed up from close range in stoppage time after a cross from the impressive Alexis Sanchez got deflected.

AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth

Chelsea’s Didier Drogba celebrates after scoring during the Champions League Group G soccer match between Chelsea and NK Maribor at Stamford Bridge stadium in London Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2014.

regular first team striker, but Mourinho could include 17-yearold Dominic Solanke in the squad for the visit to Old Trafford, after the teenager came on as a late substitute to make his senior debut against Maribor. “We know Solanke’s talent is there, but he is in the phase of being far from (complete),” Mourinho told reporters on Tuesday before adding, “I am on a day off tomorrow, I don’t want to talk about injuries, I don’t want to hear from the doctor.” Chelsea will be seeking to extend their unbeaten run from the start of the season to 13 matches and seven straight wins in all competitions against a Manchester United side that are sixth in the table after an indifferent start under new coach Louis van Gaal.

United Problem

They avoided defeat at West Bromwich Albion on Monday when Daley Blind scored in the 87th minute of a superb game at The Hawthorns to salvage a 2-2 draw. United, however, also have a problem in attack with captain Wayne Rooney suspended, following his sending-off against West Ham United on Sept. 27.

Yet United defender Luke Shaw cannot wait to face the London side. “I think you can safely say this is one of the biggest games in world football. I really hope I am part of it, I want to show people what I can do in games like this.” Whatever the outcome Chelsea will stay top of the pile as they are five points clear of champions Manchester City with the first quarter of the season nearly completed. Chelsea have 22 points after winning seven and drawing one of their opening eight games, with City in second place followed by the unlikely pair of Southampton on 16 points and West Ham fourth on 13. City travel to West Ham after a miserable couple of days in a bleak and cold Moscow, where the confidence they have shown in the Premier League disappeared as they flopped once more in Europe. City, who beat Tottenham Hotspur 4-1 last Saturday, allowed a 2-0 lead to slip against CSKA Moscow, who came back to draw 2-2 and leave City’s progress to the knockout rounds of the Champions League in the balance.

8

International

Friday, October 24, 2014

International

Sp rt Real beats Liverpool 3-0

Ronaldo scores 70th

Associated Press

German sides continue to score for fun, as Borussia Dortmund romped to a 4-0 win at Galatasaray the day after Bayern Munich’s magnificent 7-1 in Roma and Schalke beat Sporting Lisbon 4-3. Bayer Leverkusen also underlined the Bundesliga’s fine form in Europe, beating Zenit St. Petersburg 2-0 on Wednesday. By contrast, it was a bad night for Italian champion Juventus, which slumped to a surprise 1-0 defeat at Greek side Olympiakos. At Anfield, all eyes were on Ronaldo but it was Karim Benzema — usually Ronaldo’s favorite goal supplier — who out-scored his more illustrious teammate. The France forward grabbed the other two goals in a devastating 18-minute first-half spell that silenced the home crowd. On this form, it is hard to bet against defending champion Madrid at least reaching the final, if not securing an 11th European crown. “We are fighting very hard to repeat our success of last season,” said Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti, whose team has won its last eight matches in all competitions — scoring 35 goals. “We are playing well and have a huge desire to make that happen again.” Ronaldo’s goal, a superbly-taken flick, put Madrid ahead in the 23rd minute, and took him to 20 goals in just 13 games this season. He also moved to within one goal of former Madrid star Raul Gonzalez’s record tally in the Champions League. He is one ahead of great rival Lionel Messi, who scored one and made one in Barcelona’s 3-1 win against Ajax on Tuesday, before being taken off to rest him ahead of Saturday’s massive game against Ronaldo’s Madrid. Benzema headed in the second in the 30th minute before pouncing from close range. Liverpool clearly misses Luis

Suarez, who scored 31 league goals last season before joining Barcelona, and Balotelli doesn’t seem to be an able replacement — at least not yet. Since joining from AC Milan continued, he has only scored once in 10 games and, to make matters worse, as he was substituted at halftime he even swapped shirts with his marker, Pepe, while walking to the dressing rooms. “It’s not something I stand for,” an angry Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said. “If you want to do that, for me you do that at the end of the game. It’s something I’ll deal with.” Liverpool, with three points from three matches, is locked with FC Basel and Ludogorets for second place. Ludogorets got a first ever win by a Bulgarian side in a Champions League group thanks to a 91stminute winner from defender Yordan Minev. Arsenal and Dortmund scrapped for top spot last season, and the odds again look in Dortmund’s favor. Striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice inside the first 20 minutes, Marco Reus made it 3-0 before the break and substitute Adrian Ramos completed the rout late on to give Dortmund nine points. “We were focused, had no problems in defence and our fast breaks were very dangerous,” Dortmund’s World Cup-winning German defender Mats Hummels said. Although Arsenal is not dominating games, it is at least showing resilience. After rescuing a point with an injury-time goal from Danny Welbeck in a 2-2 draw against Hull last weekend, this time it was Gibbs and Podolski who gave coach Arsene Wenger a happy ending to his 65th birthday. “We are in a strong position now,” Wenger said. “It is down to us now and we have to win our home games.”

9

Champions League group still complicated Reuters

MADRID - Atletico Madrid must not let down their guard after Wednesday’s thumping Champions League win at home to Malmo, coach Diego Simeone said. Last season’s beaten finalists struck five times in the second half at the Calderon to hand the Swedish side a 5-0 drubbing and move to the top of their pool, level with Olympiakos Piraeus on six points from three matches. However, Group A is a tight one with Italian title holders Juventus on three points along with Malmo and Simeone said progress to the last 16 is by no means guaranteed. “It’s complicated,” Simeone said at a news conference after Atletico midfielder Koke had shone for the Spanish

PARIS — Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 70th Champions League goal and Mario Balotelli again failed to deliver as Real Madrid cruised to a 3-0 win at Liverpool on Wednesday to take complete control of Group B with a third straight win. While Tuesday night’s 40-goal bonanza never looked like being matched, there was still drama elsewhere as Arsenal scraped a 2-1 win at Anderlecht with late goals from defender Kieran Gibbs and forward Lukas Podolski — a peripheral player this season.

Friday, October 24, 2014

champions with a goal and three assists. “We have to treat each match as if it’s our last, nothing has been decided yet,” added the Argentine. “The teams with fewer points, like Juventus, have home games coming up which will lift them. We have to maintain our intensity and be very careful.” Atletico’s latest European success was their 19th win in their last 21 home matches in UEFA competition, their only defeat a 2-0 reverse to Rubin Kazan in the Europa League round of 32 in February 2013. Last season, they won five and drew one of six home games on the way to the final of Europe’s elite club competition, where they were beaten 4-1 by Real Madrid after extra time. Malmo coach Age Hareide

conceded that Atletico had been much the superior side and said it would be tough now for his team to secure third place in the group and qualify for the Europa League, Europe’s second-tier club competition. “We had the same intentions in the second half as the first but maybe we were lacking in energy,” Hareide, whose side secured a second consecutive Swedish title this month, said. “Now we will analyse the game and see if we can play better at home,” added the former Norway defender, who had playing stints at English clubs Manchester City and Norwich City. “If we don’t win the next match it’s going to be very tough.” Malmo host Atletico on Nov. 4, when Juventus are at home to Olympiakos.

AP Photo/Andres Kudacki

Atletico’s Antoine Griezmann, left, celebrates with his coach Diego Simeone after scoring during the Group A Champions League soccer match between Atletico de Madrid and Malmo at the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014.

Before Man United match

Chelsea facing striker crisis Reuters

LONDON - Chelsea face the prospect of having veteran Didier Drogba as their only fit striker for their visit to Manchester United on Sunday in what is usually one of the standout matches of the Premier League season. Jose Mourinho’s league leaders will definitely be without their ninegoal top scorer Diego Costa, who has a hamstring problem. Frenchman Loic Remy is also a doubt after injuring himself while scoring Chelsea’s opening goal in their club record 6-0 Champions League victory over Maribor on Tuesday. Drogba, 36, came off the bench after 16 minutes to replace Remy and scored from the penalty spot for his first goal since returning to the club following a two-year spell away. He is Chelsea’s only fully fit REUTERS/Phil Noble

Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo (L) celebrates after scoring a goal against Liverpool during their Champions League Group B soccer match at Anfield in Liverpool, northern England October 22, 2014. Third-place Anderlecht, which has one point, sensed victory after Honduras midfielder Andy Najar gave the Belgian champion a 1-0 lead with a powerful header which

wrong-footed Arsenal’s thirdchoice goalie Emiliano Martinez in the 71st minute. But Gibbs equalized in the 89th with a low volley and Podolski,

who was close to leaving Arsenal during the offseason, followed up from close range in stoppage time after a cross from the impressive Alexis Sanchez got deflected.

AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth

Chelsea’s Didier Drogba celebrates after scoring during the Champions League Group G soccer match between Chelsea and NK Maribor at Stamford Bridge stadium in London Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2014.

regular first team striker, but Mourinho could include 17-yearold Dominic Solanke in the squad for the visit to Old Trafford, after the teenager came on as a late substitute to make his senior debut against Maribor. “We know Solanke’s talent is there, but he is in the phase of being far from (complete),” Mourinho told reporters on Tuesday before adding, “I am on a day off tomorrow, I don’t want to talk about injuries, I don’t want to hear from the doctor.” Chelsea will be seeking to extend their unbeaten run from the start of the season to 13 matches and seven straight wins in all competitions against a Manchester United side that are sixth in the table after an indifferent start under new coach Louis van Gaal.

United Problem

They avoided defeat at West Bromwich Albion on Monday when Daley Blind scored in the 87th minute of a superb game at The Hawthorns to salvage a 2-2 draw. United, however, also have a problem in attack with captain Wayne Rooney suspended, following his sending-off against West Ham United on Sept. 27.

Yet United defender Luke Shaw cannot wait to face the London side. “I think you can safely say this is one of the biggest games in world football. I really hope I am part of it, I want to show people what I can do in games like this.” Whatever the outcome Chelsea will stay top of the pile as they are five points clear of champions Manchester City with the first quarter of the season nearly completed. Chelsea have 22 points after winning seven and drawing one of their opening eight games, with City in second place followed by the unlikely pair of Southampton on 16 points and West Ham fourth on 13. City travel to West Ham after a miserable couple of days in a bleak and cold Moscow, where the confidence they have shown in the Premier League disappeared as they flopped once more in Europe. City, who beat Tottenham Hotspur 4-1 last Saturday, allowed a 2-0 lead to slip against CSKA Moscow, who came back to draw 2-2 and leave City’s progress to the knockout rounds of the Champions League in the balance.

10

Friday, October 24, 2014

Destination

Learn to cook in Ubud

IBP

GIANYAR - Ubud is known as the art center of Bali, and that includes the art of cooking. Ubud offers a full variety of cooking courses, ranging from the village family-style up through high-end fusion, from a half-day to full week programs. Here are several cooking classes that you can take during your holiday in Ubud. 1. Pulu Bali Cooking Class You will be made to feel at home in this traditional family house at Tengkulak, right in Ubud, as you try your hand at traditional Balinese cooking. Teacher will accompany you to the traditional Sukawati market to source fresh herbs and spices, fresh vegetables and cuts of meats. Your expereince starts with traditional coconut oil processing while you learn to make a simple offering using bamboo weaving. Spices and vegetables are picked from the herbal garden to create a number of traditional Balinese dishes, including a yummy dessert. 2. Paon Bali Cooking Class The focus at Paon Bali is clearly food and cooking, but it differs from other cooking schools by integrating teaching about local ingredients and cooking styles into a village cultural experience. This excursion into ordinary life in the village is delightful, and has the ability to translate the picturesque village idyll into the reality of daily life – planting rice in your

sawah, making your family’s daily offerings, and producing oil from your coconuts so the cook in your family can produce the most magical flavors. The experience starts at the Ubud traditional market in the morning and then moves up to the family kitchen and garden in Laplapan village, just north of Ubud. This is excellent for older children and adults, and even

old-hat visitors will learn something new. You can choose meat or vegetarian dishes, and they offer free pick up in Ubud. 3. Casa Luna Cooking School The Casa Luna Cooking School is the most comprehensively structured of all the courses in Ubud

International

and after a full week of classes you will have a good understanding of not just Balinese ingredients and cooking techniques, but the role of ritual and religion in Balinese food, too. Take one class or all – there is a different, unique menu offered each day (daily except Saturday, check the schedule on their website for details), with market visits included

Sports

International

7

Federer opens Basel campaign in style, Nadal progresses

in Tuesday and Thursday classes. Friday is beginners day, so if you have only one day to dabble in Balinese cooking, this is probably the best day for you. Sunday excursions to East Bali to visit palm sugar and salt-makers is a unique opportunity to see a different side of Balinese life, and would make an interesting tour by itself. Classes are limited in size and are very popular during June, July and August – make sure you book well in advance. 4. The Mozaic Culinary Workshop Mozaic is Ubud’s completely justified claim to culinary fame (Miele Guide #6 in Asia’s Finest Restaurants 2010/2011; Top 50 Restaurants in Asia, 2009) and they have added a Culinary Workshop to complement it. This is more like a Bali Disney World for Foodies. They offer recreational classes for tourists that highlight the innovative use of fresh local ingredients. This is not all rocket science – workshops can be tailored to all different skill levels. Visiting Chefs from around the world might offer beginning and advanced classes. If you are traveling with a group of Foodies, the Workshop’s beautiful open kitchen, living and dining area make a fabulous “cooking class and dinner” combination, or a very special Chef’s Table private dinner. You get a very cool booklet of recipes to take home. Definitely book in advance.

Friday, October 24, 2014

Reuters

Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File

FILE - In this Oct. 11, 2014, file photo, Earvin “Magic” Johnson addresses the audience after receiving the Brass Ring Award for his humanitarian efforts at the 2014 Carousel of Hope Ball at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Magic Johnson ready to assist tech in diversity Associated Press

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Retired Los Angeles Laker Magic Johnson became famous for dishing out assists to his teammates during his Hall of Fame basketball career. Now, as an entrepreneur focused on minority markets, he says he is ready to help Silicon Valley hire more blacks and Latinos to diversify the technology industry’s largely white and Asian workforce. Johnson believes his own Beverly Hills, California-based company could connect major technology employers with more AfricanAmerican and Hispanic engineers if they call upon him. Magic Johnson Enterprises provides financing and consulting for businesses seeking to operate in cities with large minority populations. “We have to make sure the Apples and Googles of the world get together with others who know what they are doing and who can make a difference, whether it’s myself or somebody else,” Johnson told The Associated Press Wednesday. He made his remarks after appearing at a Silicon Valley conference put on by software maker Intuit Inc., one of many technology companies that have recently released reports confirming their payrolls consist primarily of white and Asian men. The lack of diversity has em-

barrassed an industry that prides itself on its progressive thinking and meritocratic policies. Google, Apple and Facebook have all vowed to take steps to create workforces that look more like the overall population. Silicon Valley has a lot of ground to make up. At Intuit, AfricanAmericans make up just 4 percent of the workforce while Latinos represent 6 percent. It’s even worse at Google and Facebook, where just 2 percent of the U.S. staff is black. Cutting across the U.S. in all industries, 12 percent of the workforce is black and 14 percent is Hispanic. “We think it’s important that our employee base reflects the customers we serve, and we aren’t where we need to be,” Intuit CEO Brad Smith said Wednesday. “Magic’s offer? I won’t be surprised if we take him up on it. He is clearly a brilliant man and he understands

how to (diversify).” Besides running his own company, Johnson also is co-owner of the Los Angeles Sparks in the Women’s National Basketball Association, which has the best diversity record among professional sports leagues, according to recent study by The Institute for Diversity and Ethics. Johnson also is part of a group that owns the Los Angeles Dodgers in Major League Baseball. Johnson, 55, was mentioned in the racially charged remarks that led to the NBA’s ouster of Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, who denigrated Johnson as a bad role model for children because he had HIV. More recently, Johnson criticized Atlanta Hawks ownership and management for derogatory comments about blacks. Unlike those situations, Johnson isn’t interpreting the Silicon Valley’s diversity issues as a sign of blatant discrimination. “When you think about the leaders of these (technology) companies, they know they have to do something,” Johnson said. “It’s just a matter of understanding who to reach out to, who to partner with and then making sure that everybody wins. It’s time to do it.”

Roger Federer began his pursuit for a sixth Swiss Indoors Basel title with an explosive 47-minute 6-2 6-1 victory over Gilles Muller on Wednesday after Rafael Nadal reached the quarter-final with a 6-1 6-1 win against Pierre-Hugues Herbert. Top seed Federer hit 12 winners in a 24-minute first set and the Swiss 17-time grand slam champion continued his domination in the second set without losing a single point on his serve. Such has been his form since falling as low as world number eight in March that the 33-year-old could end the season top of the rankings. “It was a very easy match. He couldn’t do anything on my serve. He was struggling with the return,” Federer told reporters. “I’m happy I had a quick match, because I have a lot of matches in the coming weeks. Gilles’ game completely fell apart and his level dropped. It was a great first round for me.” Nadal, playing through appendicitis, was equally impressive, needing just 57 minutes to dispatch France’s Herbert. The former world number one, who could miss the seasonending ATP World Tour Finals next month depending on surgery, broke his opponent’s serve five times in a second seamless victory in three days. “I’m still very tired during the matches,” Nadal told a press conference. “But physically I’m improving. I feel much better than a few days ago. “I’m surprised that I advanced that easy to the quarterfinals. I didn’t expect that before the tournament.”

REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann

Roger Federer of Switzerland reacts after winning against Gilles Muller of Luxembourg at the Swiss Indoors ATP tennis tournament in Basel October 22, 2014.

6

Friday, October 24, 2014

W

RLD

International

Gaza rebuilding slowed by trickle of aid, rivalry Associated Press

AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo

In this Oct. 20, 2014 photo, a youth tries to get a glimpse of Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff who’s running for reelection with the Workers Party at a rally for Rousseff in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Brazil race hinges on fickle lower middle class

Associated Press

RIO DE JANEIRO — The political debate boiled in Lena’s Salon in Rio’s Cantagalo slum, as patrons argued about who should win Sunday’s presidential election. In one corner, owner Lucia Helena Silva was loudly arguing for President Dilma Rousseff and her Workers’ Party, waving a hot straightening iron. A customer, primping her carefully coiffed hair, was having none of it, insisting that center-right opposition candidate Aecio Neves would revitalize Brazil’s pallid economy. “No way! You’ve got to vote for Dilma,” said Silva. “Who has improved the lives of people in this slum? Who has shrunk the distance between us and the rich?” The tightest and most unpredictable presidential election since Brazil’s return to democracy three decades ago is now in the hands of lower middle class voters like those debating in Lena’s Salon, who represent 35 percent of the electorate and remain torn about which candidate they’ll back just days before the ballot. Which camp such voters ultimately fall in has wavered over the final days of the campaign. Last week, a survey by the Datafolha polling group said the lower middle class favored Neves 52 percent to 48 percent. Four days later, a poll by the same firm said they had flipped and were supporting Rousseff 53-to-47, largely because of aggressive Rousseff ads arguing that she’s the better steward of the economy. The margin of error in both polls was two percentage points. A Datafolha survey released Wednesday confirmed the confi-

dence in Rousseff’s handling of the economy, showing a huge shift in voter sentiment from a poll in June. Four months ago, 64 percent of respondents said inflation would get worse, but now only 31 percent think it’ll heat up. The percentage of people who said the economy would improve jumped to 44 percent from 26 percent in June. The optimism has surprised many, considering that since the June poll Brazil entered a technical recession and inflation jumped above the government’s own ceiling target of 6.5 percent, despite attempts to lower it by imposing price controls on gasoline and electricity. Observers said the only explanation was Rousseff’s aggressive campaign to convince voters that times are still good and that she’s looking out for their economic interests, whereas Neves, long hit with charges of elitism, would care only about the rich. Eliane Cantanhede, one of Brazil’s best-known political commentators who writes for the newspaper Folha de S.Paulo, said Rousseff has the natural incumbent’s advantage of being able to better shape the debate and control the focus of the campaign. “Dilma’s marketing is the big winner here,” said Cantanhede. “She’s got an economy that won’t grow over 0.5 percent this year, the worst among emerging-market nations, but her campaign puts forth the notion that everything is fine and

many people are buying it.” One ad featured popular former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Rousseff’s mentor who chose her to succeed him in 2010, telling supporters at a rally that Neves would govern only “for bankers.” Another ad ominously asks: “Do you remember how your life was during the opposition’s government?” — referring to the economic turbulence Brazil faced when Neves’ Social Democracy Party held the presidency in 1995-2003. “Did your family have jobs? Did you have your own house? Did you have a car? Did you take trips on planes?” The message that only Rousseff and the Workers’ Party can secure those gains was at the heart of the debate that played out in the Cantagalo beauty salon and is being repeated across Brazil. To shop owner Silva, it is thanks to policies pushed by Rousseff’s Workers’ Party during its 12 years in power that millions of Brazilians like her have been lifted out of poverty. But Adna Marcos, sitting in a yellow salon chair, said that while the Workers’ Party’s welfare programs are great, the country now needs economic growth. “We need somebody who can control inflation,” said Marcos. “We need improvements in public services that the Workers’ Party hasn’t managed. They did their part in helping the poor advance; we’ve improved, but we need new leadership to expand even more.”

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Several dozen tons of cement bags stored in a warehouse are one of the few tangible achievements so far of a $2.7 billion plan to rebuild war-wrecked Gaza Strip. The program was launched with high expectations at an international conference in Cairo on Oct. 12, but has run into obstacles, including wrangling between the rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah for control in Gaza and what officials say has been a trickle of promised aid. Hardest hit by delays are tens of thousands of Gazans living in communal shelters or the ruins of their homes since the summer war between Israel and the Islamic militant Hamas destroyed or damaged some 100,000 homes. “We are waiting and waiting,” said Samer al-Khaisy, 29, who lives with his wife and three pre-school daughters in one room of his damaged apartment, with holes in the wall covered by plastic sheets. Getting cement, steel and gravel from Israel into Gaza is a major challenge because of a blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt in 2007 after Hamas seized the territory from Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Hamas has since ceded some control to a Palestinian unity government that reports to Abbas and is to lead reconstruction. The United Nations, in turn, devised a system under which Israel would gradually ease a ban on selling building materials to Gaza, with U.N. monitors keeping track of shipments in Gaza to make sure they are not diverted by Hamas for military use. So far, Israel has only delivered about 400 tons of cement in a single shipment, prompting allegations of politically motivated foot-dragging from Palestinian Cabinet Minister Mamoun Abu Shahla. But a U.N. official said the holdup is mostly technical and that he expects more deliveries once the Palestinian government has vetted more Gaza importers of construction material and potential buyers. Twelve importers have met the security requirements so far, including setting up CCTV cameras in their warehouses, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the program with the media.

From page 1

New Japan... They were also a blow to Abe’s proclaimed bid to boost the profile of working women in Japan, while commentators said his administration could be in trouble if their replacements did not have solid reputations. The industry ministry oversees the energy sector and is the face for Tokyo’s attempts to convince a sceptical public on the safety of re-starting stalled nuclear power plants -- more than three years after the Fukushima atomic crisis. All of Japan’s 48 operational nuclear reactors are currently switched off. But Tokyo has been pushing to return to a source that once supplied more than one-quarter of Japan’s energy, as heavy energy import bills weigh on the country’s trade balance. Meanwhile, Abe’s bid to kickstart Japan’s long-laggard economy has stumbled after his government raised sales taxes in April to help pay down a massive national debt. Abe himself was forced to resign in 2007, only a year into his first premiership after several of his ministers were hammered by political scandals. Then farm minister Toshikatsu Matsuoka, one of Abe’s cabinet members, hanged himself in 2007 after becoming embroiled in a scandal over political spending. Former state minister for regulatory reform Genichiro Sata, another key Abe lieutenant, stepped down over questions about his political spending. Last year, Sata resigned from a party post after a magazine said he had gone on paid dates with a female university student. The publication ran pictures of him emerging from a love hotel with the woman.

International

Friday, October 24, 2014

11

INDONESIA Air quality improves in South Sumatra

Antara

PALEMBANG - The emergency status, which was announced several weeks ago in the South Sumatra province, has been revoked on Thursday following a decrease in haze. “The haze, which had disrupted people’s activities and the safety of transportation, is decreasing significantly. The air quality in South Sumatra is back to normal level. Hence, we revoke the emergency status today,” local Chief of the Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) Yulizar Dinoto stated on Thursday. He explained that the haze in South Sumatra had decreased as a result of the efforts taken by the central and local government to extinguish hundreds of hotspots that were detected in the area. Apart from deploying related officials to put out the forest fires, the local disaster mitigation agency also used helicopters in the South Sumatra area to conduct cloud seeding operations. As of now, the efforts to extinguish the forest fires are still ongoing as several hotspots have been detected in the area.

People gave free-mask to motorists due to haze problem. The emergency status, which was announced several weeks ago in the South Sumatra province, has been revoked on Thursday following a decrease in haze.

Fashion industry ready to compete internationally Antara

ANTARA FOTO/ Teresia May

A model showcased the Biyan Wanaatmadja’s design at Bazaar Fashion Festival 2014. Association of Indonesian Fashion Designers (IPMI) Chairwoman Sjamsidar Isa has said the fashion industry in the country has been ready to compete at international level.

JAKARTA - Association of Indonesian Fashion Designers (IPMI) Chairwoman Sjamsidar Isa has said the fashion industry in the country has been ready to compete at international level. “The ongoing Fashion Festival at the Jakarta Convention Center from October 22-26, 2014 is organized by Bank Mandiri to show that the fashion industry in Indonesia is developing well and ready to compete with international fashion industry,” Sjamsidar said on Thursday. She noted that the trend show this time is the realization of IPMI desire to develop the fashion industry to encourage the country’s economic gyration. “The components of industry in Indonesia should be integrated to strengthen the business to business, and business to customers relations,” she remarked.

ANTARA FOTO/Feny Selly

A fan killed in match violence Agence France-Presse SOLO - A football fan was killed at a match on the main island of Java when hundreds of angry supporters stormed the pitch and attacked vehicles outside the stadium, police said Thursday. Violence erupted during Wednesday’s match between Persis and visiting Martapura FC in the city of Solo, with fans mainly targeting police. Eight officers and six civilians were also injured in the clashes, which started inside the stadium before moving outside, where an angry mob set a police motorbike alight and damaged cars and buses. Persis supporters stormed the pitch towards the end of the game, when the score was level at 1-1, with police saying they were unhappy after the referee stopped the match early because missiles were being thrown at the linesmen. At first, the fans jostled police seeking to protect the referee and players, before brawls erupted. Authorities later found the body of a fan with a chest wound, Solo police official Arif Joko told AFP, adding it was not clear how the injury was inflicted or who was responsible. Both sides are in Indonesia’s Premier Division, one notch below the top-flight Super League. Violence is not uncommon at matches in the nation of 250 million people where football is wildly popular and fans are vehemently loyal to their local club. However, serious injuries and deaths are rare.

12

International

Friday, October 24, 2014

Manufacturing moving from China to US WASHINGTON - Large manufacturers are increasingly moving production back to the United States from China, according to a new report by The Boston Consulting Group released Thursday. In the third annual survey of US-based senior executives at manufacturing companies with annual sales of at least $1 billion, the number of respondents who said their companies were currently reshoring to the US from China increased 20 percent from a year ago. After watching the US bleed jobs for years as manufacturers offshored production to China, “now we’re watching a switchback,” Harold Sirkin, a co-author of the BCG research, told AFP. The Boston-based global management consulting firm said the online survey was conducted across a wide range of industries, from electronic and computer equipment to transportation machinery, petroleum refining, apparel and food products. Almost all of the decision mak-

ers work for companies that manufacture in the US and overseas and make products for both US and non-US consumption, BCG said, without identifying the companies. The overall survey drew 252 responses. The number of executives who said their companies would “consider” moving production back to the US from overseas in the near future climbed by about 24 percent. More than half -- 54 percent -- of the respondents said they were interested in reshoring production to

the US, roughly the same percentage as a year ago. More than 70 percent cited better access to skilled labor as a reason to move production to the US, more than four times as many who cited it for moving production away from the US. For goods that would be sold in the US, nearly 80 percent gave shorter supply chains and reduced shipping costs as a motive for reshoring. In addition, 71 percent said it was easier to do business in the world’s largest economy and about 75 percent said the move provided local control over manufacturing processes and improved quality and yield. “These findings show that not only does interest in repatriating production to the US and creating American jobs remain strong but also that companies are acting on

those intentions,” Sirkin said in a statement. Looking at plans for shifting production in five years, respondents said that an average 47 percent of total production would be in the US, a seven percent increase from last year’s responses. Cutbacks in China were projected to be sharp, down to 11 percent of total production capacity, a decrease of 21 percent from the 2013 survey. Declines were also predicted for Mexico (-5.0 percent), Western Europe (-19 percent) and the rest of Asia (-22 percent), whereas a 23 percent increase was seen for the rest of the world. The survey found the United States has topped neighboring Mexico as the most likely destination for new capacity to serve the US market. Tied roughly even last year,

at 26 percent each, this year 27 percent of executives cited the US, while 24 percent favored Mexico. A strong majority of respondents -- 72 percent -- plan to invest in additional automation or advanced manufacturing technologies in the next five years, saying that would allow them to cut costs, boost competitiveness and allow the to benefit from being closer to suppliers and customers. “The US is strongly positioned to benefit from manufacturers that seek to increase regionalization, especially as automation costs decline,” BCG said. The future looked brighter for employment, too. Fifty percent of the executives expected US manufacturing jobs growth of at least five percent in the next five years, compared with 17 percent who anticipated net job losses.

US billionaire’s hedge fund dumps Sony stake Agence France-Presse

TOKYO - US billionaire Daniel Loeb, who last year failed in an attempt to spin off a key part of Sony, has sold his shares in the struggling firm, saying “more urgency will be necessary” to get it back on track. Loeb’s Third Point hedge fund in 2013 pushed for Sony to hive off up to 20 percent of its successful US-based entertainment division, which includes a Hollywood studio and music label, to make it more profitable. However, Sony rejected the proposal, which had grabbed international headlines and was widely portrayed as a clash of corporate cultures, pitting a hard-charging foreign billionaire against one of the bedrocks of Japan’s staid corporate sector. While no details are available, Loeb -- who is known for his aggressive style in stoking change at target firms -- said last year that Third Point had amassed the largest stake in the firm. Third Point said in a statement dated October 21 that despite profit warnings, a worse-than-expected electronics environment and slow macroeconomic reforms in Japan, it still generated nearly a 20 percent return on its investment. “While, regrettably, the company rejected our partial spin-

out suggestion, they made some changes that were consistent with our goals,” it said, pointing to cost-cutting and improved transparency. It added that Sony chief Kazuo Hirai’s team “deserves credit for transitioning away from personal computers this year and improving television profitability in 2015. They have also improved investor transparency”. However, it said Sony still has “a long way to go and we continue to believe that more urgency will be necessary to definitively turn around the company’s fortunes”. Sony shares slipped 0.62 percent to 1,897.0 yen in Tokyo on Thursday morning. The once world-leading consumer electronics giant warned last month it would book a net loss of 230 billion yen ($2.14 billion) in the fiscal year to March -- more than four times its earlier forecast -- blaming a downturn in its mobile phone business. The company also said it would cut the smartphone unit’s global staff by 15 percent -- about 1,000 jobs -- and not pay dividends for the first time since its shares started trading in Tokyo in 1958. Sony has cut expectations for sales in the money-losing smartphone business, which has been hit by weaker-than-expected results in emerging markets, as battles

Friday, October 24, 2014

5

Many unlicensed breeders in Bangli

BUSINESS Agence France-Presse

Bali News

International

Bali Post

BANGLI - Awareness on the part of livestock entrepreneurs in Bangli County about adhering to the recommendations of the Environment Agency (BLH) on farm permits remains minimal. So far, there have been only 6 farm companies in Bangli that have received the Environment Agency recommendation. This condition was recognized by the Head of the Environmental Impact Management, Bangli Environment Agency, Gusti Laksana. Although he did not know the exact number of breeders in Bangli, nor the number of unlicensed breeders, based on his observation so far, it appears that many large farms are managed by people who have not received a recommendation by the Environment Agency for the farm permit.

IBP/File Photo

AP Photo/Richard Drew

The Sony Xperia Z3v smartphone, available through Verizon, is connected to a Sony PS4 Remote Play during a demonstration at a media event in New York, Thursday Oct. 9, 2014. S billionaire Daniel Loeb, who last year failed in an attempt to spin off a key part of Sony, has sold his shares in the struggling firm, saying “more urgency will be necessary” to get it back on track.

priced devices in China, as well as Central and South America. Sony will lay off several hundred workers in China as sales of its

Agency to the licensed breeders, who do not manage their waste properly, like the dairy farm in the region of Kubu. Until now, the waste of livestock producing dairy has been disposed of in a dry river bed, without being processed first thus , polluting the environment. “The waste should betreated before being disposed of,” he said. Laksana added that the impact of the dairy cow waste would be felt when rainy season arrived. The river currently filled with livestock dung would be taken downstream by the water flow. Laksana said that responding to such conditions, his party has often reprimanded guilty parties, including by imposing administrative sanction. Unfortunately, these were not always effective. Since the infringing parties have remained stubborn, the Environment Agency plans to re-evaluate the licensing process and license renewal will be tightened. (ina)

Awareness on the part of livestock entrepreneurs in Bangli County about adhering to the recommendations of the Environment Agency (BLH) on farm permits remains minimal.

Kertagosa proposed to become a national cultural heritage Bali Post

global rivals including Samsung and Apple. A report this week said Sony has decided to exit the market for low-

“Many farms are still unlicensed. To my knowledge, only six breeders that have the recommendation of the Environment Agency for the farm permit,” he explained. The breeders who do have a permit, said Laksana, consist of large farms which spread across a number of subdistricts in Bangli. He explained that the breeders who own over a certain number of livestock should submit a request to the Environment Agency. According to the rules and regulations of Bali and Nusra and the Regent Regulation issued in 2013, pig breeders raising more than 125 heads should submit a request to the Environment Agency. Meanwhile, the minimum number of broilers is 1,500 heads, laying chicken (1,000 heads) and dairy cows (20 heads). His party has sent letters of reprimand to the unlicensed breeders. Similar letters have also been sent by the Environment

low-priced phones in the country slow, Japan’s top-selling Yomiuri newspaper reported, citing unnamed sources.

SEMARAPURA - Kertagosa was proposed as national cultural heritage. With a historical background, the functions and values contained therein, the proposal was considered feasible to be realized. Such proposal became one of the long-term solutions of the five-point solutions offered by the Indonesian Hindu Dharma Students Unity (KMHDI) in its view to the legislators. The proposal also got a serious response from the Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation (BPCB). Section Head of Protection, Development and Utilization of the BPCB Bali, NTB and NTT, Komang Ani Purniti, said that the proposal could be considered. If the local government was serious to the proposal, it could be followed up by establishing a team of national cultural heritage registration. In addition, it should also immediately form an expert team of the cultural heritage that would determine which cultural heritage would be appropriate for Kertagosa, whether the county, provincial or national cultural heritage. With this designation, later on the access to perform a thorough restoration could be quickly done, unlike in the recent years having been carried out partially. With

the status as cultural heritage, the principle of restoration would also refer to the principles of restoration to cultural heritage as stipulated in the Law No.11/2010 on Cultural Heritage. However, Ani Purniti asserted the amount of budget did not depend on the classification of the cultural heritage. However, according to her, it was adjusted to the need of the cultural heritage itself. Then, local government just needed to propose it to central government so that the restoration could be done thoroughly. “With the status as the national cultural heritage, as well as our pride in Bali, it has become a part of the national cultural heritage,” she said. Actually, Kertagosa was formerly said to have been listed as a cultural heritage in the BPCB on December 9, 2011. However, with the issuance of the new rule of the Law No.11/2010, the authority to register the cultural heritage was then under the authority of each Regent / Mayor of the local government. Ida Dalem Semaraputra who was also present last Monday asked the government to seriously undertake a thorough restoration to the Kertagosa. His party supported any efforts as long as it was based on the intention to preserve the ancestral heritage of Balinese society. The Head of Klungkung Cultural

IBP/File Photo

Kertagosa was proposed as national cultural heritage. With a historical background, the functions and values contained therein, the proposal was considered feasible to be realized.

Advisory Council (Listibya), Dewa Alit Saputra, invited all the elements of Balinese society to encourage the conservation effort of Kertagosa. Thus, the misunderstanding on the historical site would not lead to deviation and eventually did not harm

the heritage values as happened to the Agung Kentel Gumi and Goa Lawah Temple in Klungkung. “Kertagosa is older than any other world cultural heritages existing in Bali. Why can it (Kertha Gosa) not become a cultural heritage?”

he said. He hoped the government would not hesitate to team up with the Cultural Advisory Council and the experts in cultural heritage, so that the historical site would not be getting damaged due to inappropriate technique of restoration. (gik)

4

Friday, October 24, 2014

Bali News

International

International

W

Bali to host ISGF Conference 2017

RLD

Antara

DENPASAR - Indonesia is set to host the International Scout and Guide Fellowship (ISGF) World Conference 2017 in Bali. “We are proud that Indonesia was chosen to host the ISGF Conference,” the Chairperson of Adult Scout Association (Hipprada), Haryono Suyono, said.

Cagcag woven clothes develop

Regeneration needed to preserve the tradition cagcag looms long kept at home are now beginning to be used again. “Unlike in the past, nowadays the thread (raw material) is easily obtained and the products are saleable, so that we do not feel tired working for days,” said Ketut Sunari, 43, an

artisan of songket cagcag woven cloth from Sangkaragung village, Jembrana subdistrict. This mother of two children felt the difference in the results compared to the previous crisis because she could get earnings from the craft works. The

IBP/Surya Dharma

One of the craft products of Jembrana, cagcag woven cloth, now develops back by degrees. The craftsmen dominated by women groups begin to feel the effects of the traditional weaving production after years of crisis.

woman having been involved since the age of 7 years never had difficulty to get any threads and market the products. Her craft business was quite small. Even, she originally ran it as a side job. However, since her husband died in an accident, she relied on the revenue from woven clothes with the original motif of Jembrana. At Sangkaragung village, almost all the housewives have cagcag weaving skills. In the last crisis, many housewives left the craft work and chose to work in the fields or take odd works. All the wooden cagcag looms handed for generations are still kept but some have been damaged. Since the Sangkaragung village becomes the center of cagcag weaving craft, the looms seems to regain its new life. Even, some housewives make the new one. “My loom has been tens of years old and I have used this from the past time,” she said while weaving the ordered cloth. Cagcag songket is indeed much different from the other kind of songket clothes and requires persistence in the workmanship. A piece of songket cagcag cloth along two meters (maximum) will take at least three days to complete. However, it belongs to the clothes with easy motif like the lunar, stellar, casting flower motif and so on. Not surprisingly, the price of the weaving cloth can reach IDR 800,000 to IDR 1.2

million. “Now, the old motifs are favored back and the use also varies. It is not only for kamben alone,” she said. Although the price of raw material increases, it does not make the craftsmen disappointed because the marketing of their product is also encouraging. However, amidst the production beginning to develop, the tradition remains to leave a concern, namely regeneration. The current situation is much different from the past time where every girl began to get involved in this manual craft. Even, for her school expenses, she relied on the sales of weaving clothes. Now, with the modernization, it is difficult to accustom girls to get involved in this weaving work. To preserve the weaving tradition, regeneration should be done. “At the moment, many women of my generation and local women remain to live this (cagcag) weaving tradition. Later, we also need regeneration,” she said. For marketing, the Sangkaragung village has now owned a gallery posing the assistance of one of the banks. Local weavers are helped from the matter of marketing to working capital. She hoped that the typical weaving handicraft of Jembrana could continue to develop. Thus, when people call the name of Jembrana, they will immediately remember the cagcag weaving cloth as an icon or souvenir. (olo)

AP Photo/Olamikan Gbemiga File

FILE - In this file photo taken Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2014, people demonstrate calling on the Nigerian government to rescue girls taken from a secondary school in Chibok region, in the city of Abuja, Nigeria.

Nigeria truce is shaky, no news of abducted girls Associated Press

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria — Days after Nigeria’s military raised hopes with the announcement that Islamic extremists had agreed to a cease-fire, Boko Haram is still fighting and there is no word on the fate of the 219 schoolgirls held hostage for six months. Officials had said talks would resume in neighboring Chad this week, but there was no confirmation that those negotiations had resumed by Wednesday. The official silence raises many questions, especially since Boko Haram’s leader Abubakar Shekau has not confirmed that a truce has been agreed. Relatives of the girls abducted from a boarding school in northeastern Chibok town said they are confused but trying to be hopeful. “Things are still sketchy with lots of holes and varying statements,” Allen Manasseh, a brother of one of the missing schoolgirls, told The Associated Press by telephone. Manasseh said he relentlessly scours the news headlines to find out when his sister, Maryam, may return home.

Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Aminu Wali on Tuesday said “I can say with some optimism, cautious optimism, that were are moving toward a situation where we’d be able to, in the very near future, to be able to get back our girls.” Wali spoke at a news conference in Berlin of “the possibility of having total cessation of hostilities.” Despite the cease-fire announced by the military on Friday, the Islamic insurgents have attacked two villages and a town in the northeast and raised their flag in a fourth village. People who escaped this week from Bama, a town in a part of northeastern Nigeria where Boko Haram has declared an Islamic caliphate, say hundreds of residents are being detained for allegedly breaking the group’s strict version of Shariah law.

Residents who got out of Bama said so many people have been detained by Boko Haram that the local jail is overcrowded and houses are being used as makeshift prisons. Many young men have been forced to join Boko Haram, and those who refuse are killed, said those who ran away. People are jailed after brief “trials” for infringements like smoking cigarettes, said Amina Bukar, a middle-aged woman who said she hiked through the bush for five days before reaching Maiduguri, the Borno state capital 75 kilometers (nearly 50 miles) away. Food is running short since shops have been looted by Boko Haram, said Bukar. “Water also is very scarce, sometimes you line up (at the communal tap) for 24 hours,” she said. In Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, dozens of activists continue a daily protest ritual at Unity Fountain, using the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls to demand that the government and military ensure the release of the students.

13

US journalist leaves hospital after Ebola recovery

Associated Press

He explained that ISGF, which is an international organization like Hipprada, organizes the world conference every three years. As many as 101 countries participate in it. In the 27th international conference held from October 10 to 15 in Sydney, Australia, this year, Indonesia was chosen as the host of the 28th ISGF World Conference. However, the exact date of the event has yet to be decided. According to Suyono, the world conference could serve to boost Indonesia’s tourism sectors. “We decided to make Bali the gateway for the participants (of the conference) as the island is very famous abroad,” he stated. Suyono added that Hipprada had proposed to organize pre- and post-conference events to promote the potential of Indonesia’s tourism sectors. “Pre-conference events, such as meetings, can be organized in the villages in Bali. These can provide participants the opportunity to experience the local culture and activities,” Suyono noted. Similarly, post-conference tours can be arranged to popular tourist destinations such as Borobudur Temple in Magelang IBP/Suryawan in Central Java, Prambanan Temple in Yogyakarta, and Raja Indonesia is set to host the International Scout and Guide Fellowship (ISGF) World Conference 2017 in Bali. Ampat in West Papua.

One of the craft products of Jembrana, cagcag woven cloth, now develops back by degrees. The craftsmen dominated by women groups begin to feel the effects of the traditional weaving production after years of crisis. The former

Friday, October 24, 2014

OMAHA, Nebraska — An American video journalist who recovered from Ebola at a Nebraska hospital left the facility Wednesday afternoon and is heading home to Rhode Island, a hospital spokesman said. Ashoka Mukpo, who contracted the virus while working in Liberia as a freelance cameraman for NBC and other media outlets, was released from the Nebraska Medical Center’s biocontainment unit around 9 a.m. He spent several hours meeting with staff members who treated him and left the hospital complex in the afternoon, spokesman Taylor Wilson said. Wilson told The Associated Press that Mukpo, 33, would fly to Rhode Island on Wednesday evening but he was unable to provide details about those travel plans. Hospital officials said Tuesday that Mukpo’s blood had tested negative for the Ebola virus. Dr. Jeffrey Gold, the University of Nebraska Medical Center chancellor, read a statement earlier Wednesday in which Mukpo expressed his thanks to the Nebraska hospital medical staff. “After enduring weeks where it was unclear whether I would survive, I’m walking out of the hospital on my own power, free from Ebola,” Mukpo said in the statement. He also joked about the nurses introducing him while he was in isolation to the Runza sandwich — a regional favorite involving hamburger, cabbage and onion

baked inside the bread. The journalist arrived at the hospital Oct. 6 and was the second Ebola patient to be treated there. The first, 51-year-old Dr. Rick Sacra, has also recovered. In his statement, Mukpo thanked Dr. Kent Brantly, who provided blood for a transfusion. Brantly, who caught Ebola while caring for patients in Africa and was treated in Atlanta, also donated blood to Sacra. Such transfusions are believed to help Ebola patients because antibodies in the blood of a survivor can help fight off the virus. Mukpo also received IV fluids, similar to Sacra’s treatment. But Mukpo received an experimental Ebola drug called brincidofovir that was different from an experimental drug given to Sacra. Asked if that difference is why Mukpo spent less time in the Nebraska isolation unit than Sacra, one doctor noted that Mukpo’s age likely played a role. “He’s about 20 years younger than Dr. Sacra,” said Dr. Phil Smith, medical director of the biocontainment unit. “It might have also had something to do with the amount of virus he had in his system. But I think his age was a big factor.” Mukpo said he plans to write about his experience. “I feel profoundly blessed to be alive, and in the same breath aware of the global inequalities that allowed me to be flown to an American hospital when so many Liberians die alone with minimal care,” he said in the statement.

AP Photo/The World-Herald, Sarah Hoffman

Dr, Angela Hewlett,, left, and Shelly Schwedhelm, right, Director of Emergency, Trauma and Preparedness, look on as Dr. Phil Smith, speaks to the media regarding Ebola patient Ashoka Mukpo, Wednesday, Oct 22, 2014 in Omaha, Neb.

14

Fashion

Friday, October 24, 2014

International

Fashion icon mourned in Dominican homeland

Associated Press

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — Designer Oscar de la Renta was mourned Tuesday in the Dominican Republic as a native son who brought glamour and prestige to a largely poor country better known for baseball and beaches than elegant evening wear. The death of the style icon Monday at his home in Connecticut came as Dominican designers, some mentored and inspired by de la Renta, gathered in the capital for their country’s Fashion Week, for which he provided advice over the years and where he showed off designs in 2010. “In some way or another everyone who works in fashion, especially being Dominicans, identifies with him,” said Leonel Lirio, one of the country’s most prominent designers. “We all wanted to be him one day; we wanted to have the same style as him.” To Lirio, de la Renta was an artistic inspiration, someone whose designs were both functional and beautiful. “To Oscar de la Renta, fashion wasn’t vanity, it was an intrinsic aspect of society, of the history of every nation,” he said in an interview with The Associated Press. De la Renta was born in the Dominican Republic in 1932 and left

the Caribbean country at age 18. At the time of his death, he maintained a home in the exclusive resort community of Punta Cana, where he played host to celebrities such as singer Julio Iglesias and former U.S. President Bill Clinton. He was known for contributing frequently to charity and providing assistance to the government, such as when he designed the uniforms for the National Police in 1999 at no cost. In 2012, when he opened a new boutique in Punta Cana, he donated the proceeds of the initial sales to a school for low-income kids and he worked with Vice President Margarita Cedeno, the former first lady of the Dominican Republic, on a program that helped the poor gain job skills and income by designing dresses, some of which were on display this week. Before his death, organizers of Fashion Week planned to petition the government to name a street for de la Renta. “It’s not just an

AP Photo/Christian Escobar Mora, File

FILE - In this Oct. 15, 2009, file photo, models wear creations by Dominican Republic’s Oscar De la Renta from his 2010 Spring-Summer “Resort” collection at the Cali Exposhow 2009 in Cali, Colombia. The designer, who died Monday, Oct. 20, 2014, at 82, shaped American couture half a century ago when it emerged as a serious rival to European fashion designers. homage; it’s an act of justice,” said Socrates McKinney, artistic director for the event. The campaign seems likely to gain traction in the country where de la Renta enjoyed wide respect. President Danilo Medina declared that Wednesday would be an official day of mourning in the country for the designer and

announcing that a government delegation, led by his wife, would attend the funeral in the U.S. Medina said via Twitter that the designer has been “a great defender of the national interests” with his art and contributions to social programs. “His departure leaves a hole that is impossible to fill,” Medina said. “Rest

in peace, Oscar.” Vice President Cedeno wore a gown designed by de la Renta as she spoke to reporters on Monday night, recalling his participating in various charitable efforts in the country over the years. “Today, we cry at your departure, but we honor your memory,” she said later on Twitter.

Kimono’s evolution reflects changing Japan Associated Press

NEW YORK — It’s difficult to imagine a more eloquent symbol of Japan than the deceptively simple, T-shaped kimono. Traditional yet ever changing, the kimono (“thing to wear,” in Japanese) has evolved dramatically over the past 150 years. Its story encompasses the evolution of weaving, dyeing and embroidery techniques, as well as Japan’s aesthetic, social and even political history. “Kimono: A Modern History,” on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art through Jan. 19, 2015, is a tour de force in textiles. As you enter the galleries, you see an elegant red kimono that a wealthy woman donated to a temple, where it was recycled and patched together to make a kimono for an aging priest. “There’s a wonderful paradox there, and it’s a sort of introduction to the story of the kimono,” said John Carpenter, curator of Japanese art, who organized the exhibit with Monika Bincsik, also of the museum’s Asian Art department. Based on the book of the same

AP Photo/Courtesy The Metropolitan Museum of Art

name by Japanese textile expert Terry Satsuki Milhaupt, who died in 2012, the show is dedicated to Milhaupt’s memory and coincides with the posthumous publication of her book (Reaktion Books) earlier this year. The exhibit consists of over 50 kimonos, half on loan and half from the museum’s own collection, as well

This photo provided by courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art shows Child’s Kimono with Pine, Bamboo, Plum Blossoms, and Fans, Japan, Meiji period, late 19th-early 20th century, made with ikat-patterned plainweave bast fiber (asa). The kimono is included in the exhibition, “Kimono: A Modern History,” on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art through Jan. 19, 2015.

as almost 200 fabric samples, screens, scrolls, lacquer works, ceramics, illustrated books and other objects. It includes glittering, gold-embroidered, 18th century Noh robes; cartoon-like, monster-faced, firefighter kimonos done with free-hand resist dyes in reds and yellows on indigo; political propaganda kimo-

nos printed with startling symbols of war; children’s kimonos — including one cherished by Frank Lloyd Wright; and, finally, contemporary pieces featuring the futuristic shibori pleats of Issey Miyaki, and the rips and angular shaping of Yohji Yamamoto. Highlights also include three breathtaking kimonos made by designers designated as National Living Treasures by the government of Japan. The exhibit begins in the Edo period (1615 to 1868), when the design, material and style of garments reflected a person’s role as samurai, farmer, craftsman or merchant. In addition to the grand textiles embroidered in gold that one might expect, there are thick, quilted firefighters’ robes decorated with bright designs depicting heroes and mythical beasts. Farmers’ robes, meanwhile, were mostly of recycled fabric scraps woven together, or patchwork jackets. At this time, the kimono was an everyday garment. But its design and function were to change. In the Meiji period (1868 to

1912), when Japan looked to Western countries in a quest for rapid modernization, the textile industry — and the kimono — were transformed. Japanese began using Western woolen and velvet materials, while Japanese silks became popular in the West. Japanese also began using Western chemical dyes and new weaving technologies, combining them with traditional stencil-dyeing techniques to create kata-yuzen, a sophisticated, stencil paste-resist dyeing technique. As Western design concepts increasingly influenced Japanese kimonos, they became bolder and brighter, while Japanese design began inspiring 19th century Western artists and designers. A young girl’s silk kimono decorated with a pattern of wisteria flowers and trellises was acquired by Wright on a visit to Japan in around 1905. Its modernity is striking, and it likely inspired some of the architect’s subsequent works. “It almost looks architectural, and you can see how it inspired him,” Carpenter said.

Bali News

International

President exercises caution in finalizing cabinet lineup Antara

DENPASAR - President Joko Widodo, or Jokowi, is adopting a cautious approach in selecting the members for his cabinet lineup after the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) gave yellow and red marks to his prospective ministers. “I think President Jokowi is being very careful in selecting members of his cabinet lineup, so that he can pick prospective ministers who are clean from corruption. This is a positive step,” political observer Nyoman Subanda stated on Thursday. He noted that there is a general public impression that Jokowi was slow in announcing his cabinet ministers. On several occasions since his inauguration as president on Monday, Jokowi said he would soon announce his cabinet structure. “Jokowi said he would soon make public his cabinet ministers’ lineup, yet until four days, today since he was inaugurated on Monday, he has not yet announced it,” remarked Nyoman Subanda, who is also the dean of the social and political faculty of the National Education University of Denpasar. As a result of the delay, there are public and political speculations even if the president has the prerogative in deciding his aides who will be carrying out development. “However, it is a correct step for the president to adopt prudence in selecting ministers, so that his government will be better and free from corruption,” he affirmed. He pointed out that the uncertainty of the announcement would, of course, affect the viewpoint of the people who had given their vote to the JokowiJusuf Kalla pair. “I hope the president would soon announce the structure of his cabinet ministers in accordance with what he had stated during his inaugural speech at the Parliament building,” he stated. In the meantime, political observer from the Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University (UIN) Pangi Sarwi Chaniago noted on Wednesday that President Jokowi must remain firm and not succumb to external pressures while constituting his cabinet. “The failure in announcing the cabinet lineup tonight (October 22) was allegedly due to sharp differences (among the parties), a fact that cannot be denied. Therefore, President Jokowi must use his authority

correctly,” Chaniago remarked on Wednesday. He also expressed hope that President Jokowi would not be constrained by political parties with vested interests who had supported him during the presidential election. “Ideally, all affairs related to the cabinet lineup should have been completed as per the president’s own prerogative without any intervention from others,” he noted. “Jokowi should live up to the high expectations of the people by announcing the cabinet lineup post haste,” the political observer further remarked. Jokowi was officially inaugurated as the seventh president of Indonesia at the plenary session of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) on Monday (October 20). With the oath-taking ceremony, Jokowi was officially installed as president of Indonesia. His predecessors were Sukarno, Suharto, B. J. Habibie, Abdurrahman Wahid, Megawati Sukarnoputri, and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Friday, October 24, 2014

Textile exports down 5.98 percent

Antara

DENPASAR - Bali earned US$77.31 million from the exports of textile and textile products (TPT) in the first 8 months of the year, down 5.98% from the same period last year, the Bali Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) said. Head of the regional BPS office Panasunan Siregar said here on Thursday the export volume shrank 6.99 percent to 50.5 million pieces in the first 8 months of this year from 54.29 million pieces in the same period in 2013. TPT is one of six export com-

modities among products of cottage industries in Bali. Five other such export commodities are canned fish, components of finished houses, plastic handicraft, footwear and bags, Siregar said. Non knitted finished wear prod-

Food self-sufficiency

President has expressed his intention to make the country self-sufficient in food. “I hope all parties support the food selfsufficiency program. I also hope that farmers work hard to realize it,” the president said in a teleconference with farmers in Bali, who were led by the Chairman of the Bali Organic Fertilizer Association, I Gede Sutapa. He noted that all farmers in the country should work hard to attain food self-sufficiency because Indonesia still imports a lot of food products. “So far, we still meet people’s food requirements with imports, including that of sugar, corn, rice and wheat flour,” he added. The president further stated that he hopes all Indonesian farmers are able to meet their need for foodstuffs domestically in future. “I hope we are able to meet the demand domestically within three to four years,” he said. Furthermore, Gede Sutapa expressed hope that the president pays attention to farmers’ needs for top seeds and fertilizers, among other agricultural requirements. “We, as a farmers group, hope President Jokowi pays attention to farmers’ needs for raw materials for agriculture. We need an ample supply of seeds to increase food self-sufficiency,” he pointed out.

3

IBP/File Photo

Some 2.4 million foreign tourists visited Bali from January to August 2014, up 15.5 percent from 2.1 million from the same period last year.

Bali receives 2.4 million foreign tourists up Antara DENPASAR - Some 2.4 million foreign tourists visited Bali from January to August 2014, up 15.5 percent from 2.1 million from the same period last year. Bali still has its magical power that could lure foreign visiters, Dewa Rai Budiasa, a tourism industry observer, said on Tuesday.

Of the total number, 624,803 tourists or 25.76 percent came from Australia. The number of Chinese tourists was 389,622, or up 47.36 percent from 264,409 people in last year’s same period. Malaysia was third in the list with 137,060 tourists, an increase of 14.07 percent.

ucts are high in demand in the United States, Australia and Britain, he said. Non knitted finished wear has also been exported to other countries including Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, the Netherlands, France and Brazil.

2

International

Friday, October 24, 2014

Bali News

Golden triangle of Tabanan tourism

Great income, small promotional budget Bali Post

IBP/Mudiarta

Management of the city tour package can actually be optimized and has commercial value to be sold to foreign travelers. However, due to less optimal promotion, the enthusiasts of the city tour package are still quite minimal.

Promotion of city tour package less intensive

Bali Post

SINGARAJA - Management of the city tour package can actually be optimized and has commercial value to be sold to foreign travelers. However, due to less optimal promotion, the enthusiasts of the city tour package are still quite minimal. Besides, the tourist visit to Northern Bali is very short, so the tourism businessman cannot offer their tour packages including the city tour. A local tour guide, I Gede Buana Wijaya, from Menyali village, Sawan subdistrict when asked for his response related to the city tour package management on said that the potential of the city tour supporting objects owned by Singaraja could be considered quite complete. He pointed out the existence of Buleleng Palace having historical value of Buleleng and Bali in general and the architectural style of the building originating in the Dutch period was very interesting to be known by foreign travelers. Likewise, the Northern Bali Historical Preservation Museum and Gedong Kertya storing many palm-leaf manuscripts on the history, aspect of human life, art and culture of Bali could also become an interesting option when travelers visited Buleleng. “In terms of the supporting objects, it has been enough. Actually, they can lure travelers to visit our region,” he said. Potential and supporting objects for the city tour package, continued

Buana, had not been optimally managed. This happened due to less maximal promotional efforts by relevant agencies. Promotion was a prominent factor in managing tourism at this time to inform the attractions to foreign travelers. “Probably, the promotion is still lacking. Moreover, the city tour package belongs to a quite special interest and only certain travelers get interest in the package. So, the promotion becomes an important capital and must be done by relevant agencies and private sector,” he explained. Other than the promotional support, according to Buana, most foreign travelers spending holidays at Lovina and surrounding areas had short time visit. Even, from his experience, the length of stay of travelers in Buleleng was one or two nights only. Such condition complicated the tourism players to offer tour package including the city tour package. Besides, most foreign travelers had purchased the city tour package at the hotel where

they stayed. “Foreign travelers typically has short time visit and the city tour package has usually been purchased at hotel. So, as a local tour guide we cannot offer the package. When getting guests, the package on offer guests is the package tour to natural tourist attractions and several temples like the Beji Temple and Jagaraga Temple,” he added. To note, lately the Dutch heritage buildings in the town of Singaraja have began to be included in the city tour package. Unluckily, only few foreign travelers chose this package while on vacation in Northern Bali. Other than lacking for interested visitors, the Dutch heritage buildings are also in apprehensive condition due to poorly maintained. Relevant agencies argue if they have difficulty in maintaining the historical buildings as most of them still belong to individual property or remain to be an asset of higher government and have not been handed over to local government. (kmb38)

TABANAN - Next year, Tabanan County will launch a Gerbang Wisata (tourism development movement) program. With this program, the government will give attention to the development of tourism in Tabanan. The Head of Tabanan Tourism and Culture Agency, I Wayan Adnyana, explained if the program could be realized, his party would develop the golden triangle tourism including the Tanah Lot, Lake Beratan and Jatiluwih. To make the program successful, it required the promotion and supporting facilities. Unfortunately, despite being the largest regionally generated revenue provider in Tabanan, the promotional budget of Tabanan tourism was still considered small. Adnyana continued that although the income from tourism mainly the areas belonging to the golden triangle increased and the tourist visit also increased, it did not necessarily mean

Activities

International

that it did not need any promotion. “Promotion is very important to keep reminding and getting to know that we have a tourist destination,” he said. Promotional fund of Tabanan tourism, according to Adnyana, was only about IDR 120 million. It was a small amount when compared to the other regions. Karangasem, for instance, allocated a larger promotional fund to make an overseas promotion. “Meanwhile, in Tabanan we cannot attend all the domestic invitations,” said Adnyana. To realize the golden triangle of tourism, according to Adnyana, was needed to repair the facilities, infrastructure and health facilities. He hoped it could be realized with the implementation of the tourism development movement program. “So, this tourism development program is expected to further encourage the golden triangle tourist destination,” said Adnyana. His party would also add Jatiluwih to the existing tour package consisting of Bedugul, Alas Kedaton and Tanah Lot. (kmb24)

IBP

GIANYAR - Maya Ubud Resort & Spa sits between the Petanu River valley and the verdant rice fields of Peliatan. With 108 luxury guestrooms and private pool villas, it is around a one hour drive from Bali’s international airport. Dining alternatives include Maya Sari for all-day dining; Asiatique offers regional cuisine of Thailand, Japan, China, India and Indonesia, and a teppanyaki counter. The River Café has a menu that includes healthy spa cuisine and snacks, delicious pasta and pizzas. Bar Bedulu is a breezy bar off the main lobby. The open-air Purnama Theatre presents professional cultural dance performances and dinner. The Spa At Maya is nestled along the river and has private double and single treatment pavilions, offering revitalizing treatments that refresh body and soul. Recreation facilities include two swimming pools, tennis court,

golf putting green, yoga pavilion and gym, village trekking, nature excursions and mountain biking. A shuttle bus links Ubud township. Among the many recreation facilities at Maya Ubud are two swimming pools, tennis court, golf putting green, yoga pavilion and gym. Activities include nearby village trekking, nature excursions and mountain biking. A complimentary shuttle bus service between the resort and Ubud township is available on the hour from 9.00 am through 5.00 pm every day. Maya Ubud believes that corporate responsibility for sustainable development is long term profitability.

8 Sep Kajeng Kliwon Pamelastali/ Watu Gunung Runtuh

7 Oct Sabuh Mas

Pura Kehen Bangli Pura Wira Bhuana Magelang Jawa Tengah Pura Padang Sakti Denpasar Timur Pura Payogan Agung Ketewel Sukawati Gianyar Pura Gaduh Dauh Puri Denpasar Pura Masceti Tampak Siring Pura Dalem Ularan Tatasan Kaja Denpasar Pura Siwa Tohjiwa Penebel Tabanan Pura Luhur Giri Slaka Alas Purwo Banyuwangi Pura Sada Kaba-kaba Kediri Tabanan Pura Gunung Lebah Ubud Pura Puseh Ketewel Sukawati Pura Dalem Cemara Serangan Denpasar Pura penataran Agung Bhatara Tiga Sakti Besakih Pura Meru Cakra Lombok Pura Lempuyang Madya Karangasem Pura Penerejon Kintamani Bangli Pura Pulaki Buleleng Pura Gunung Lebah Ubud Pura Thirta Negari Karangasem Pura Thirta Empul Tampak Siring Pura Penataran Agung Tegalalang Pura Luhuring Akasa Cemenggaon Sukawati Pura Desa Denjalan Batuyang Batubulan Pura Puseh Werdi Agung Sulawesi Utara Pura Pasraman Suci Renon Denpasar Pura Penataran Bumi Agung TMII Jakarta Pura Luhur Waisnawa Buleleng Pura Ulun Danu Songan Batur Kintamani Pura Agung Surya Bhuana Jaya Pura Papua Pura Gumang Bugbug Karangasem Pura Taman Sari Busung Biu Busung Biu Buleleng

8 Oct Pagerwesi Dan Purnama Sasih Kapat

13 Oct Kajeng Kliwon Uwudan

Pura Labang SinduJiwa Ubud

18 Oct Tumpek Landep

Pura Penataran Agung Maha Gotra Tirta Harum Sri Srengga Nyalian Banjarrangkan Klungkung 30 Sep Paid-Paidan Pura Dalem Seme Jawa Marga Tabanan

Pura Pasek Tangkas Dalang Tabanan Pura Pasek Gelgel Sayan Bongkasa Abian Semal Pura Watu Gunung Bima Pura Agung Jagat Karana Surabaya Pura Aditya Jaya Rawa Mangun Jakarta Timur Pura Pemekasan Banyuning Timur Buleleng Pura Agung Wira Lokha Natha Cimahi Jawa Barat Pura Kawitan Bendesa Aban Baturning Mambal Abiansemal 5 Oct Banyu Pinaruh 6 Oct Soma Ribek

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

IBP/Courtesy of Maya Ubud

Calendar Event for September 28 through October 28, 2014

4 Oct Hari Saraswati

People flocked at Tanah Lot, Tabanan. Next year, Tabanan County will launch a Gerbang Wisata (tourism development movement) program. With this program, the government will give attention to the development of tourism in Tabanan.

15

Maya Ubud Resort and Spa

1 Oct Urip 2 Oct Patetegan 3 Oct Pengeradanan

IBP/File Photo

Friday, October 24, 2014

Pura Jati Jembrana Pura Kawitan Batu Gaing Bangli Pura Tirta Wening Surabaya Pura Desa Lingga Wana Abang Karangasem

Pura Mutering Jagat Dalem Sidakarya Sidakarya Denpasar Pura Pasek Gelgel Pedungan Denpasar Pura Agung Pasek Tangguntiti Tabanan Pura Agung Pasek Selemadeg Tabanan Pura Pasek Tangkas Kediri Tabanan Pura Kerta Banyuning Barat Buleleng Pura Dalem Tenggaling Sangguan Singapadu Pura Kawitan Arya Wangbang Pinatih Peguyangan Singaraja Pura Bujangga Waisnawa Jembrana Pura Taman Bubuan Seririt Singaraja Pura Penataran Pande Dalem Batur Mengwi Pura Dalem Pingit Tegalalang Pura Ida Ratu Pande Besakih Pura Penataran Agung Pinatih Tulikup Gianyar Pura Kumuda Saraswati Ubud Pura Batur Arya Sudimara Tabanan Pura Dalem Majapahit Marga Tabanan Pura Linggih Pajenengan Ida Dalem Tarukan Cemenggaon Sukawati 19 Oct Redite Umanis Ukir Pura Sanggah Gede Dukuh Sagening Tegal Tugu Gianyar 22 Oct Buda Cemeng Ukir Pura Pajenengan kawitan Arya Tauman Gelgel Klungkung Pura Pasar Agung Besakih Pura Pasek Bendesa Pasar Badung Legian Kuta Pura Gde Gunung Agung Munggu Badung 23 Oct Tilem Sasih Kapat 24 Oct Hari Bhatara Sri 28 Oct Anggara Kasih Kulantir dan Kajeng Kliwon Enyitan

Balinese Temple Ceremony Every Temple and Shrine has a special date for it annual Ceremony, or “ Odalan “, every 210 days according to Balinese calendar, including the smaller ancestral shrine which each family possesses. Because of this practically every few days a ceremony of festival of some kind takes place in some Village in Bali. There are also times when the entire island celebrated the same Holiday, such as at Galungan, Kuningan, Nyepi day, Saraswati day, Tumpek Landep day, Pagerwesi day, Tumpek Wayang day etc. The dedication or inauguration day of a Temple is considered its birth day and celebration always takes place on the same day if the wuku or 210 day calendar is used. When new moon is used then the celebration always happens on new moon or full moon. The day of course can differ the religious celebration of a temple lasts at least one full day with some temple celebrating for three days while the celebration of Besakih temple, the Mother Temple, is never less than 7 days and most of the time it lasts for 11 days, depending on the importance of the occasion. The celebration is very colorful. The shrine are dressed with pieces of cloths and sometimes with brocade, sailings, decorations of carved wood and sometimes painted with gold and Chinese coins, very beautifully arranged, are hung in the four corners of the shrine. In front of shrine are placed red, white or black umbrellas depending which Gods are worshipped in the shrines. In front of important shrine one sees, besides these umbrellas soars, tridents and other weapons, the “umbulumbul”, long flags, all these are prerogatives or attributes of Holiness. In front of the Temple gate put up “Penjor”, long bamboo poles, decorated beautifully ornaments of young coconut leaves, rice and other products of the land. Most beautiful to see are the girls in their colorful attire, carrying offerings, arrangements of all kinds fruits and colored cakes, to the Temple. Every visitor admires the grace with which the carry their load on their heads.

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 211 6th year

Price: Rp 3.000,-

Entertainment

Friday, October 24, 2014

Renee Zellweger : “I’m living different, happy life”

In this march 2, 2014 file photo, Bradley Cooper arrives at the Oscars in Los Angeles. Cooper will star in the Broadway revival of “The Elephant Man,” 14-week run opening on December 7 at the Booth Theater with previews starting on November 7.

WEATHER FORECAST 23 - 32 Dps

Brazil race hinges on fickle lower middle class

Page 6

Associated Press

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

Friday, October 24, 2014

Real beats Liverpool 3-0 Ronaldo scores 70th

Page 8

Nigeria truce is shaky, no news of abducted girls

Page 13

LOS ANGELES — Renee Zellweger says she looks different because she’s “living a different, happy, more fulfilling life.” The 45-year-old Oscar winner issued a statement to People magazine late Tuesday after she became a trending topic on Twitter, with many fans claiming the actress had become “unrecognizable.” Her appearance at a Hollywood event earlier this week sparked widespread Internet chatter. Zellweger’s most recent acting credit was in 2010, and she says, “People don’t know me in my 40s.” She said she has concentrated on her health and personal development in recent years and is “thrilled that perhaps it shows.” Zellweger said she might look different, but “who doesn’t as they get older?!”

How Cooper will stay limber for ‘Elephant Man’

Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File

Associated Press

NEW YORK — Bradley Cooper will contort his limbs into uncomfortable positions for eight shows a week when he begins his run in the Broadway revival of “The Elephant Man.” That means he’ll need to take extra care of his body to stay limber. “I have an inversion table. That’s a new thing, it goes like that,” Cooper said while using hand motions to show the up and down tilting of his body on the table. He’ll use it twice a day and have a chiropractor nearby. The play by Bernard Pomerance, which premiered at the Booth Theatre in 1979, shows some two dozen snapshots in the life of the grotesque Joseph Merrick, tracing his journey from an abused circus freak to a curiosity of London’s high society. Cooper won’t use prosthetics, opting instead to imply

disfigurement through facial expression and twisted posture. Cooper, an Academy Award nominee, already knows the physical demands of portraying the character onstage from a short run at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in 2012. “I got to research the real guy and I just fell in love with who he was a human being, as a man,” Cooper said. “It’s been a wonderful, eye-opening experience into that world of the late 1800s in London and Leicester and what he went through.”

Cooper became fascinated by Merrick’s life after seeing the 1980 film version by David Lynch, which he cites as the catalyst for wanting to pursue a career in acting. But he wasn’t acquainted with the stage production until much later, when he was studying at the Actors Studio Drama School in New York. “It wasn’t until grad school where we had to choose a thesis and I came across Bernard Pomerance’s play,” Cooper said, adding that Merrick had loomed large for him growing up: “I probably thought about him maybe every day since I was 12, so I took a shot at it and it seemed to feel like a fit.” But the actor has had a busy schedule over the past few years, so it took a little more than a whim for him to thread the boards for the play’s 14-week Broadway run starting Nov. 7.

REUTERS/Issei Kato

Japan’s new Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yoichi Miyazawa attends a group interview at his ministry in Tokyo October 23, 2014. Japan was stung Thursday by its third political scandal in a week after the country’s new industry minister -- whose predecessor resigned in disgrace over misspending -- admitted that his underlings had spent office cash at a sex bar.

AP Photo/Dan Steinberg, File

In this Nov. 20, 2010 file photo, actress Renee Zellweger arrives at “CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute” awards show in Los Angeles. Zellweger says she looks different because she’s “living a different, happy, more fulfilling life.”

New Japan minister hit by S&M bar scandal

Agence France-Presse

TOKYO - Japan was stung Thursday by its third political scandal in a week after the country’s new industry minister -- whose predecessor resigned in disgrace over misspending -admitted that his underlings had spent office cash at a sex bar. The new revelations deal another serious blow to the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe which was already facing a public backlash over its bid to turn Japan’s shuttered nuclear reactors back on and its stalling plans to revive the economy.

As news of the sex-bar scandal broke Thursday, industry minister Yoichi Miyazawa, a Harvard graduate and former top bureaucrat in the finance ministry, distanced himself from the affair, saying he wasn’t present at the sex club in the city of Hiroshima. But he acknowledged that some

staff at his political office had billed 18,230 yen ($170) as entertainment expenses during a visit in September 2010, Jiji Press news agency said. “I came to know of that through a media report, and it was true,” Miyazawa told reporters in Tokyo on Thursday. “It is also true that I myself was not there,” he added. The venue’s shows depict women being tied up with ropes, and male customers are allowed to take part in the show by whipping them, according to blog posts written by

club visitors. It was not immediately clear if Miyazawa -- a nephew of late prime minister Kiichi Miyazawa and a cousin of Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida -- would step down. “(Miyazawa) will handle the case properly,” said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohishide Suga, the government’s top spokesman, in the only comment from Abe’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party. Double resignations On Tuesday, Miyazawa was tapped to replace industry minister

Yuko Obuchi, who stepped down over claims she misspent political funds, while Justice Minister Midori Matsushima also quit after days of allegations that she had misspent money in what opponents insisted was an attempt to buy votes. The double resignations earlier this week marked the first significant problem for Abe since he swept to power in December 2012, ending years of fragile governments that swapped prime ministers on an annual basis. Continued on page 6