Bali

First Bali-POM Citilink Flight lands

The arrival of the Indonesian regular commercial flight marks the formal opening of a regular international route between Bali and Port Moresby, with two flights scheduled per week.

This milestone comes as a result of the 2013 Air Service Agreement between the two governments, which allowed for commercial airlines from both countries to operate between their destinations.

Previously, Air Niugini operated weekly flights from Port Moresby to Bali, but they were discontinued in 2018 due to operational reasons.

Bali extends airport closure as eruptions cause lahars

Governor Made Pastika said the evacuation period for people living within 10km of the crater could easily last as long as a month.

Indonesia's disaster management agency said the evacuation had so far been orderly and without panic.

Mount Agung has been hurling clouds of white and dark grey ash about 3000m into the atmosphere since the weekend and lava is welling up in the crater, sometimes reflected as a reddish-yellow glow in the ash plumes.

Its explosions can be heard about 12km away.

Bali evacuees surge as volcano threat grows

Spewing steam and sending tremors through the area, the volcano's alert status was raised to the highest level last week.

Since then, tens of thousands of villagers have been urged to abandon their homes beneath the menacing volcano.

The national disaster management agency has housed evacuees in tents, school gyms, and government buildings in neighbouring villages.

While there are plentiful stocks of food, water, medicines, and other supplies, evacuees fear they are in for a long wait that could disrupt their livelihoods.

Bali statue of Hindu god Wisnu to be world's largest

Twenty-five years and around $100 million in the making, the enormous copper and brass sculpture is of the Hindu god Wisnu astride the mythical bird Garuda.

After years of planning, re-designs, cash shortages and stop-start construction, sculptor Nyoman Nuarta says the project should be finished next September.

And the final phase — the fitting of the sculpture's skin to the concrete and steel skeleton — is well underway.

The copper and brass claws of Garuda are finally gripping an enormous, purpose-built, concrete pedestal.

Australian teenager Jamie Murphy arrested in Bali over drug claim

Jamie Murphy, 18, was detained at the Sky Garden nightclub at Kuta beach in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

His lawyer claimed forensic tests proved a white powder, allegedly found on Mr Murphy, was not an illegal substance.

News Corp Australia reported police now believed the powder was paracetamol.

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NZ man gets 15 years prison in Indonesia in drug smuggling

Antony de Malmanche was arrested in December at Bali's airport with 1.7 kilograms (3.9 pounds) of methamphetamine in his baggage.

The Denpasar District Court ruled Tuesday that 53-year-old Malmanche was guilty of violating the country's anti-drug laws.

The panel of judges also fined Malmanche $300,000 or an additional three months in prison.

Indonesia has extremely strict drug laws and convicted smugglers are often executed. More than 140 people are on death row, mostly for drug crimes.