Florida – 10 pemain Inter Miami mampu mengalahkan Toronto FC 4-3 pada laga 32 besar Leagues Cup 2024 . Pada laga ini, The Herons juga tak diperkuat oleh Lionel Messi. Inter Miami menghadapi Toronto FC pada laga 32 besar Leagues Cup 2024 di di Chase Stadium, Florida, Jumat (9/8/2024) pagi WIB. The Herons tampil tanpa Lionel Messi yang cedera.
Meski demikian tuan rumah tetap mampu tampil menekan. Hasilnya, Inter Miami bisa unggul ketika laga baru berjalan tiga menit.
Mattias Rojas terbebas di sisi kanan kotak penalti. Ia melepas sepakan mendatar keras yang bersarang ke pojok kanan gawang Toronto FC.
Inter Miami menggandakan keunggulan di menit ke-11. Diego Gomez mencatatkan namanya di papan skor lewat sepakan dari luar kotak penalti.
Tertinggal dua gol, Toronto berusaha bangkit. Mereka mendapat hadiah penalti di menit ke-15. Lorenzo Insigne yang maju sebagai eksekutor menjalankan tugasnya dengan baik.
Namun hanya lima menit berselang, Inter Miami kembali mencetak gol untuk menjauh. Luis Suarez terlepas dari pengawalan.
Ia dengan tenang menchip bola untuk memperdayai Sean Johnson. Inter Miami unggul 3-1 di menit ke-20.
Inter Miami harus bermain dengan 10 menit sejak menit ke-27. Hal ini terjadi usai David Martinez mendapat kartu merah. Martinez yang jadi orang terakhir melakukan pelanggaran tepat sebelum lawan masuk kotak penalti.
Toronto kembali mendapat hadiah penalti di menit ke-41 akibat pelanggaran Jordi Alba. Insigne sekali lagi bisa mencetak gol dari titik putih.
Skor 3-2 untuk keunggulan Inter Miami bertahan hingga turun minum.
Selepas jeda, Inter Miami yang bermain dengan 10 orang bisa mencuri gol di menit ke-59. Rojas mencetak gol keduanya di laga ini dengan indah. Tanpa mengontrol bola, ia melepas tembakan ke pojok kanan gawang dari luar kotak penalti.
Toronto belum mau menyerah. Mereka menipiskan ketinggalan saat sundulan Prince Owusu mengenai punggung Noah Allen hingga tercipta gol bunuh diri di menit ke-79.
Toronto berusaha mencetak gol penyama kedudukan di sisa laga. Namun, upaya mereka tak membuahkan hasil.
Inter Miami menang 4-3. Kemenangan ini mengantarkan Luis Suarez dkk ke-16 besar.
Ayah Dini Sera, Ujang Suherman (kanan) bersama adik Dini Sera, Alfika Risma (kiri) mendatangi DPR RI, Jakarta, Senin (29/7/2024). ANTARA/Bagus Ahmad Rizaldi
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Keluarga korban kasus Ronald Tannur, ayah dan adik dari Dini Sera Afrianti mengikuti audiensi dengan Komisi III DPR RI di Kompleks Parlemen, Senayan, Jakarta, pada Senin, 29 Juli 2024. Ayah Dini yakni Ujang Suherman dan adik kandung korban, Alfika Risma, mendatangi gedung DPR dengan didampingi kuasa hukumnya, Dimas Yemahura Alfaruq.
Saat audiensi itu, Alfika membawa karton bertuliskan “Justice for Dini Sera” agar mendapatkan keadilan atas kematian kakaknya. Alfika mengaku memperjuangkan hal itu karena Dini meninggalkan seorang putra bernama Desta.
“Saya mohon kepada bapak pimpinan Komisi III untuk membantu terus kasus ini hingga selesai agar keluarga saya mendapatkan keadilan,” kata Alfika dikutip dari Antaranews, Senin, 29 Juli 2024.
Mewakili keluarga, Alfika pun ingin agar pelaku yang menyebabkan kakaknya meninggal mendapat hukuman yang setimpal. Dia juga berharap para hakim yang mengadili perkara itu bisa ditindak seadil-adilnya.
Wakil Ketua Komisi III DPR RI Habiburokhman mengatakan seluruh anggota Komisi III merasa prihatin terdapat kasus ini. Dia pun mengatakan pihaknya akan sama-sama mencari solusi permasalahan ini. Adapun rapat audiensi ini dihadiri oleh para pimpinan Komisi III DPR RI dan seluruh perwakilan fraksi partai politik, meski digelar di masa reses.
“Terkait kasus ini saya pikir secara garis besar pendapat semua anggota Komisi III sama, kami sama-sama prihatin terhadap kasus ini, dan kami ingin mencari solusi,” ucap Habiburokhman.
Di samping itu, Fraksi Partai Kebangkitan Bangsa (PKB) disebut telah memberhentikan Edward Tannur, ayah Ronald Tannur, dari fraksi di DPR sekaligus sebagai kader partai. Hal ini buntut dari vonis bebas yang diterima Ronald Tannur dalam kasus penganiayaan dan pembunuhan terhadap Dini Sera.
“Saudara Edward Tannur sebagai orangtuanya sudah dinonaktifkan dari partai juga sekaligus dinonaktifkan dari fraksi dari DPR RI,” ucap anggota Komisi III DPR RI dari fraksi PKB, Heru Widodo dalam rapat audiensi DPR bersama keluarga korban.
Heru juga menegaskan pihaknya tidak akan mentolerir apapun kepada keluarga tersangka. Dia memastikan partainya tidak akan memberi perlindungan untuk mantan kadernya.
Sebelumnya, Ronald Tannur sebenarnya telah ditetapkan sebagai tersangka oleh Polrestabes Surabaya, Jawa Timur. Kepolisian menjerat Ronald dengan Pasal 338 KUHP tentang pembunuhan karena diduga telah menghilangkan nyawa kekasihnya, Dini Sera Afrianti.
Selain itu, Ronald juga dijerat dengan Pasal 351 dan 359 KUHP tentang penganiayaan dan kelalaian dengan hukuman maksimal 12 tahun penjara. Tim penyidik pun mengungkapkan bahwa penganiayaan berujung penghilangan nyawa itu terjadi setelah pasangan kekasih itu menghabiskan malam di sebuah tempat hiburan, kawasan Surabaya Barat.
Namun, majelis hakim Pengadilan Negeri (PN) Surabaya, Jawa Timur, justru memvonis bebas Gregorius Ronald Tannur dari segala dakwaan ihwal kasus dugaan penganiayaan dan pembunuhan terhadap kekasihnya, Dini Sera Afrianti.
Ketua Majelis Hakim Erintuah Damanik menyatakan, Ronald tidak terbukti secara sah dan meyakinkan telah melakukan pembunuhan maupun penganiayaan yang menyebabkan korban tewas.
“Terdakwa tidak terbukti secara sah dan meyakinkan sebagaimana dalam dakwaan pertama pasal 338 KUHP atau kedua Pasal 351 ayat (3) KUHP Atau ketiga Pasal 359 KUHP dan 351 ayat (1) KUHP,” kata Hakim Erintuah di Surabaya, Rabu, 24 Juli 2024.
Hakim menilai terdakwa masih berupaya melakukan pertolongan terhadap korban pada masa kritis. Terdakwa disebut sempat membawa korban ke rumah sakit untuk mendapatkan pertolongan.
“Membebaskan terdakwa dari segala dakwaan jaksa penuntut umum,” kata Erintuah. Hakim pun memerintahkan jaksa penuntut umum segera membebaskan terdakwa dari tahanan segera setelah putusan dibacakan.
Jakarta – Setiap tempat makan dan restoran sejatinya punya patokan harganya masing-masing. Kawasan tempat wisata saat momen liburan, rest area, hingga banda biasanya yang mematok harga yang cenderung mahal. Namun, ada beberapa tempat yang menawarkan makanan dengan harga yang sangat tinggi. Sebagian orang yang mengeluh tempat tersebut punya harga makanan yang terlalu manal, yang bisa menguras kantong lho.
Saking mahalnya tak jarang orang ada yang protes dan membagikannya ke sosial media. Tak heran, beberapa tempat makan sempat viral karena masalah harga.
Lokasi yang Makanannya Punya Harga Terlalu Mahal Dari catatan detikFood, berikut adalah tempat yang disebut punya harga makanan yang terlalu mahal:
1. Makan di Kawasan Wisata Seorang pria menceritakan pengalamannya makan di sebuah restoran di kawasan wisata Situ Cileunca, Pangalengan, Jawa Barat.
Melalui video di YouTube, pria bernama Rudiman dan kawannya memesan 11 porsi ayam bakar dan goreng. Ketika ditotal, dirinya mendapatkan tagihan Rp 440.000.
Mereka juga memesan menu lain, seperti karedok, jengkol, ikan asin lengkap dengan minuman. Menu-menu sederhana tersebut totalnya mencapai Rp 915.000. Melihat totalan tersebut, dirinya pun merasa restoran tersebut menggetok harga.
Momen tersebut juga dibagikan channel YouTube Mang Dragon TV pada (09/01/2021). Videonya viral dan ramai ditanggapi netizen, setelah dibagikan ulang oleh akun Instagram @wisatapangalengan (10/01/2021).
Klasifikasi Pihak Restoran Pemilik restoran juga telah memberikan klasifikasinya, melalui unggahan di Facebook Abahnazeni yang dibagikan di Grup Pangalengan Lembur Kuring.
Menurut pihak restoran, kemungkinan Rudiman memesannya lewat jasa calo dan tidak langsung ke restoran sehingga harganya mahal.
“Kang Arip ini beli dari penjual jasa/calo. Kita buka ya hara standar jajanan warung nasi yang ada di Situ Cileunca. Untuk harga makanan Rp 25.000 per porsi,” katanya.
Pemilik restoran tersebut juga mengatakan, pihaknya telah menghubungi wisatawan untuk memberi klarifikasi secara langsung.
“Dari pihak pembeli makanan yang bernama Arif gak mau datang ke sini, dan kita mau datangi pun dia gak mau kasih alamat,” ungkapnya ketika Dihubungi detikcom (11/01/21) lalu.
Karena kasus ini, Abahnazeni memutuskan mengambil jalur hukum untuk menyelesaikan masalah ini. Menurutnya, masalah ini bukan salah dari warung makan, melainkan si wisatawan yang memesan makanan lewat calo.
“Saya sudah ngadain pengacara, untuk kesalah pahaman ini dan dari pihak wisata mau bawa ini ke jalur hukum,” tutup Abahnazeni.
2. Makan di Rest Area Seorang wanita bernama Nila Latarissa membagikan pengalamannya di akun TikTok. Dalam video, ia membagikan sebuah foto struk makanan dari salah satu restoran di rest area pada 05/07/2022.
Dalam video, ia membagikan sebuah foto struk makanan dari salah satu restoran di rest area. Kala itu, Nila dan lima orang lainnya makan di rest area Tol Jagorawi Km 10 yang ada di daerah Cipayung, Jakarta Timur.
Mereka memesan beberapa porsi makanan, seperti nasi gulai kikil, ayam goreng, soto daging,nasi ikan kembung, dan soto Kudus.
Harga makanan yang dipesannya dibanderol mulai dari Rp 10.000 – Rp 45.000 per porsinya. Jika, ditotal makan di restoran rest area itu Nilai perlu membayar Rp 495.000.
Menurutnya restoran tersebut melakukan getok harga, karena harga tersebut dianggapnya terlalu tinggi.
3. Nasi Padang di Bandara Harga nasi Padang yang dianggap mahal juga ditemukan di Singapura. Salah satu netizen bernama Udaya kecewa, membagikan pengalamannya memakan nasi Padang di Jewel Changi Airport, Singapura.
Dari struk yang dibagikan, diketahui dirinya mengunjungi ke gerai Padang Lezat di food court di Bandara Jewel Changi pada 28/04/2023 lalu. Ia memilih nasi putih dengan ayam goreng, ikan bilis, sayur tumis pare dan kacang panjang. Ketika ia melihat struk dia pun kaget, karena untuk seporsi nasi Padang itu ia harus membayar SGD 13 atau sekitar Rp 156 ribu (kurs 12.000 per 11/07/2024).
Dari ceritanya, dirinya hanya diarahkan untuk memesan dan memilih lauknya. Ia mengaku kalau pegawai di gerai di sana tidak memberikan informasi harga sama sekali.
4. Nasi Padang di Taman Safari Taman Safari Indonesia yang berlokasi Cisarua, Bogor, memang dikenal jadi destinasi wisata keluarga saat liburan. Tak hanya untuk melihat dan berinteraksi dengan para satwa, di sana juga banyak penjual makanan.
Namun, salah satu pengunjung terkejut karena ada nasi Padang di sana yang harganya mencapai Rp 120.000. Alasan seporsi nasi Padang tersebut punya harga selangit, adalah karena setiap lauk dan komponennya dihitung satuan.
Misal, tambahan sayur singkong dan sambal cabe ijo masing-masing dibanderol Rp 8.000. Ada juga sayur nangka yang dihargai Rp 15.000 per sendoknya. Kalau dilihat, porsi yang diberikan memang biasa saja.
Sayangnya, tidak diketahui dengan pasti siapa yang memposting dan kapan foto kejadian tersebut terjadi.
5. Makan Mie Instan di Kafe Pengguna Facebook bernama Derrel Surbakti, juga sempat membagikan bon tagihan setelah ia makan di sebuah kafe. Kala itu, dirinya makan di kafe bernama Poesaka Boenda, Siosa, Sumatra Utara pada 06/07/2023.
Lewat akun Facebooknya, ia menyebut memesan 3 gelas kopi susus aren, 2 es jeruk, 4 nasi goreng dan 1 mie instan goreng telur dengan harga Rp 25.000.
Setelah ditotal dengan PPN dan service charge, dirinya mendapat tagihan Rp 419.210. Unggahan Derrel pun langsung viral dan ramai ditanggapi netizen.
Banyak netizen yang setuju, kalau untuk menu-menu sederhana seperti itu harga yang dipatok terlalu mahal.
“Service charge itu menambah beban banget menurut saya. Sudah bayar service charge belum tentu pelayanannya excellent, kadang malah dijutekin,” tulis salah satu netizen.
Sementara itu, ada juga yang menganggap bahwa harga tersebut standar yang ditawarkan kafe-kafe kekinian. Terlebih, kafe itu menawarkan pemandangan perbukitan yang indah.
“Wajah aja sih, kalau gue cek emang kafenya bagus kayak nawarin pemandangan bagus juga. Tapi emang rata-rata harga makanan kafe ya segitu,” ujar netizen lainnya di kolom komentar.
Ngomongin kuliner, harga makanan seringnya jadi pertimbangan utama. Jadi, sebaiknya sebelum memesan makanan kalian bisa lihat menu atau tanya dulu ke pelayan berapa harganya ya.
Lombok seringkali disebut-sebut sebagai salah satu pulau tropis terbaik di Indonesia. Setelah Bali, Pulau Lombok selalu menjadi tujuan favorit bagi wisatawan, baik domestik maupun mancanegara.
Nah, buat kamu yang berencana berlibur ke Lombok, Kami telah merangkum rekomendasi tempat wisata di Lombok yang memikat dan wajib banget kamu kunjungi!
1. Pantai Seger Kuta
dilombok.com
Tak hanya Bali, Lombok juga punya Pantai Kuta, lho. Pantai ini merupakan bagian dari kawasan wisata Mandalika yang berada di Lombok Tengah.
Selain menikmati pantai yang ciamik, kamu juga bisa mendaki bukit di sekitar Pantai Seger di kawasan ini. Pemandangan dari atas bukit adalah hamparan pasir putih Pantai Kuta.
Pantai Seger bisa diakses dari Bandara Internasional Lombok dengan kendaraan bermotor. Jaraknya sekitar 21 kilometer.
2. Taman Wisata Pusuk Sembalun
instagram.com/Adhy_nata
Taman Wisata Pusuk Sembalun berlokasi di kawasan lereng Gunung Rinjani, Desa Sembalun Bumbung, Kabupaten Lombok Timur. Spot wisata ini menyuguhkan semacam gardu pandang dengan pemandangan unik di ketinggian sekitar 1.250 meter di atas permukaan laut.
Sejauh mata memandang, kamu akan dimanjakan dengan hijaunya hutan dan pegunungan. Selain menyegarkan, tempat ini juga Instagramable banget, lho.
3. Pantai Tanjung Aan
instagram.com/rrveld
Pantai Tanjung Aan berada di Lombok Tengah bagian selatan. Pantai ini sangat terjangkau, karena hanya berjarak sekitar 15 menit dari pusat Kota Mataram
Pantai Tanjung Aan menawarkan panorama yang sangat memesona. Pasirnya putih dan halus, airnya pun jernih kebiruan. Gak heran kalau pantai satu ini sanggup menyegarkan mata dan pikiranmu.
4. Rumah Pohon Gangga
instagram.com/yudapurnawirawan
Rumah Pohon Gangga memiliki konsep serupa dengan Taman Wisata Pusuk Sembalun, yakni gardu pandang yang berada di ketinggian. Rumah Pohon Gangga berada di Desa Gangga Mumas, Lombok Utara.
Di tempat ini kamu juga bisa memanjakan matamu dengan pemandangan serba hijau. Lokasinya yang dekat dengan air terjun juga jadi satu hal yang menambah keelokan Rumah Pohon Gangga.
5. Bukit Selong
instagram.com/muhajirefendy
Bukit Selong atau Bukit Beleq berlokasi di Desa Sembalun Lawang, Kecamatan Sembalun, Kabupaten Lombok Timur. Dari atas Bukit Selong, kamu akan dimanjakan dengan pemandangan yang sangat yakni bukit-bukit yang indah, serta hamparan sawah yang berwarna-warni.
6. Air Terjun Madu
instagram.com/nublieabie
Tak jauh dari Bukit Selong, kamu bisa sekalian menyambangi Air Terjun Madu. Lokasinya masih di daerah Sembalun, tepatnya di Desa Bilok Petung, Kecamatan Sembalun, Kabupaten Lombok Timur.
Ketinggian air terjun ini mencapai sekitar 20 meter. Airnya segar dan berwarna hijau kebiruan. Dari kejauhan, air terjun ini telah memancarkan keindahannya, sehingga menjadi magnet tersendiri bagi wisatawan.
7. Aik Nyet Sesaot
lombokgaleri.com
Aik Nyet Sesaot merupakan Taman Wisata Hutan yang berada di Dusun Aik Nyer, Desa Sesaot, Kecamatan Narmada, Kabupaten Lombok Barat. Spot ini cocok buat kamu yang ingin melipir sejenak dari keramaian dan rutinitas, karena tempatnya belum banyak dikunjungi orang.
Mata air di tempat ini sangat bening dan menyegarkan. Selain itu, air yang mengalir di antara batu-batu besar juga menambah keindahan spot ini.
8. Pantai Tangsi
indonesia.tripcanvas.co
Pantai Tangsi dikenal juga sebagai Pantai Pink, karena pasir pantainya yang berwarna pink atau merah muda.
Penyebab karena tercampurnya pasir putih dengan serpihan karang berwarna merah yang hancur terkena ombak dan bercampur dengan pasir. Lokasinya nyaris di ujung selatan Pulau Lombok, atau sekitar 2,5 jam dari pusat Kota Mataram.
9. Air Terjun Tiu Teja
instagram.com/frrmnsyh_
Air Terjun Tiu Teja terletak di Desa Santong, Kecamatan Kayangan, Kabupaten Lombok Utara. Air terjun dengan ketinggian 40 meter dan lebar 10 meter ini cocok untuk kamu yang merindukan ketenangan dengan panorama alam hijau. Kondisinya masih sangat asri dengan ditumbuhi tumbuhan hijau dan lebat.
10. Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, dan Gili Air
instagram.com/explorelombok
Rasanya kurang afdal kalau mengunjungi Lombok tapi belum main ke Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, dan Gili Air. Yap, ketiga pulau kecil ini memang sangat ikonik banget di Lombok. Ketiganya menawarkan hamparan pasir berwarna putih, air lautnya yang jernih, serta udaranya yang segar.
Di Gili Trawangan, kamu juga bisa menikmati beberapa pesta kembang api, serta pertunjukan menyambut tahun baru. Gili Meno cocok buat kamu yang mendambakan kesunyian dan ketenangan karena pulaunya paling sunyi.
Sedangkan, di Gili Air, kamu bisa menikmati taman air alami yang menakjubkan dengan lima titik spesial seperti Air Wall, Air Slope, Frogfish Point, Segaluh, dan Malang Reef.
Ketiga pulau ini pun terbilang mudah diakses. Kamu hanya tinggal menyeberang dari Pelabuhan Bangsal dengan waktu tempuh sekitar 45 menit.
Itulah beberapa tempat wisata di Lombok yang bisa kamu kunjungi. Mau ke mana dulu kita?
Siapa yang tidak menginginkan koleksi foto Instagram yang indah dan memuaskan secara visual sekaligus menampilkan petualangan yang menakjubkan? Bagi mereka yang merencanakan perjalanan liburan ke Bali, 15 destinasi ini akan menjamin foto-foto yang Sobat Pesona ambil menjadi sangat indah!
1 | Banyumala Twin Waterfall
Tidak hanya terkenal dan sering dikunjungi seperti berbagai tujuan wisata lainnya di Bali, Banyumala Twin Waterfall masih terjaga kelestariannya. Air terjun yang menakjubkan ini berada di jalan tepi kawah antara Munduk dan jalan utama dari Singaraja menuju Denpasar. Definisi “nothing worth having comes easy”, sesuai dengan sulitnya pendakian untuk mencari dan mencapainya, tetapi Sobat Pesona akan terpuaskan ketika sampai pada lokasi ini. Sepanjang perjalan Sobat Pesona akan dikelilingi dengan hijaunya pepohonan, bebatuan dan sungai hingga Sobat Pesona mencapai air terjunnya. Kunjungi Banyumala Twin Waterfall untuk waktu relaksasi, dimana lokasi ini sangat cocok untuk bersantai selama liburan!
2 | Campuhan Ridge Walk
Selain pesona ombaknya, Bali juga populer dengan wisata alam yang menakjubkan. Satu hal yang harus Sobat Pesona kunjungi adalah Campuhan Ridge Walk. Terletak di Ubud yang modern dan ramai, jalur pendakian lembah pegunungan yang indah ini jelas merupakan tempat yang terbaik untuk melepas penat dan menghirup udara segar.Di sepanjang perjalanan Sobat Pesona akan menempuh jalur perbukitan yang terbentang sepanjang 9 kilometer, Sobat Pesona akan ditemani oleh pemandangan lereng bukit yang paling menakjubkan dan lembah hijau Sungai Wos. Jika Sobat Pesona beruntung dan cuacanya cukup baik, Gunung Agung yang gagah menjulang di antara perbukitan dapat terlihat jelas. Lokasi ini memang benar-benar bisa menambah petualangan Sobat Pesona di Bali jadi indah dan menakjubkan!
3 | Pura Gunung Kawi
Sumber foto @mj.away
Salah satu situs arkeologi paling paling unik di Pulau Bali adalah Pura Gunung Kawi yang terdiri dari koleksi relief kuno yang diukir di atas permukaan tebing batu. Dengan mengunjungi situs ini, Sobat Pesona akan disuguhi pemandangan Sungai Pakerisan yang menakjubkan serta halaman Pura yang bernuansa Pura Hindu kuno dengan sentuhan modern. Pura ini mudah ditemukan dan merupakan destinasi yang penting untuk ditambahkan ke rencana perjalanan Sobat Pesona di Bali. Sebelum memasuki situs, Sobat Pesona akan menaiki anak tangga, dan akan ditawarkan vas dari tanah yang berisikan air suci dimana Sobat Pesona perlu memercikkannya air ke diri sendiri sebelum memasuki kompleks Pura. Pengalaman yang sangat eksotis ini, pantas mendapat tempat khusus dalam bucket list Sobat Pesona! Jadi tunggu apa lagi? Segera kunjungi Pura Gunung Kawi!
4 | Taman Budaya GWK
Sedang mencari ide perjalanan yang kaya akan budaya, dengan monumen bersejarah yang megah, atraksi tarian tradisional yang eksotis, dan acara yang penuh adrenalin dalam satu perhentian? Nah, Sobat Pesona tinggal mengunjungi Taman Budaya GWK. Saksikan berbagai keindahan tarian Bali seperti tarian Kecak yang eksotis, tarian Legong yang megah, serta banyak tarian lainnya yang memukau ditampilkan di sini. Jangan lupa untuk bersantai di sisi Kolam Teratai GWK sambil mengamati kemegahan patung Garuda Wisnu Kencana yang menjulang setinggi 120 meter dan dibangun selama 28 tahun. Perjalanan seru seperti ini pastilah akan membuat liburan Sobat Pesona menjadi tak terlupakan.
5 | Handara Golf Course Gate
Sumber foto @sam_kolder
Gerbang ikonik ini juga bisa menjadi salah satu tempat yang paling menarik untuk konten Instagram Sobat Pesona! Dengan pemandangan hijau yang indah dan suasana yang damai, tak heran jika orang banyak mengunjungi Bali akan menyempatkan untuk datang ke sini. Selain gerbang tradisional Bali yang megah dan eksotis, manjakan mata dan hiasi foto Sobat Pesona dengan pemandangan siluet bukit hijau yang menakjubkan. Buat kagum juga teman-teman Sobat Pesona dengan foto keren di Handara Golf Course Gate!
6 | Pantai Kelingking Nusa Penida
Sumber foto @annabeerends
Bali memiliki pantai yang menakjubkan dan sangat terkenal di seluruh penjuru dunia karena keindahan alamnya. Pantai Kelingking akan membawa Sobat Pesona ke pengalaman di tingkat yang jauh lebih tinggi. Sebagai salah satu tempat yang paling menakjubkan di Bali, Pantai Kelingking layak dimasukan ke dalam daftar tempat yang wajib Sobat Pesona kunjungi di Bali. Lokasi ini tersohor dengan tebing yang membentuk T-Rex juga pantai indah yang bagai surga tersembunyi. Jalan menuju lokasi ini beberapa berupa tebing-tebing yang curam dan belum memiliki pengamanan yang maksimum, sehingga Sobat Pesona perlu berhati-hati dan memperhatikan tiap langkah serta mengikuti peraturan yang ada. Sobat Pesona akan terpana menyaksikan pemandangan yang menakjubkan dimana perairan biru yang jernih membingkai tebing T-Rex yang ikonik. Sobat Pesona juga dapat melihat pantai tersembunyi di antara tebing-tebing yang hanya dapat diakses secara sangat hati-hati melalui jalan kecil menyusuri anak tangga yang cukup curam.
7 | Pura Luhur Lempuyang
Sumber foto @charlene22
Tempat favorit Instagramable berikutnya adalah Pura Luhur Lempuyang. Destinasi ini adalah Pura gunung kuno yang terletak di Bali Timur. Pura ini diyakini telah berdiri sebelum sebagian besar Pura Hindu di Bali berdiri, serta terletak di 1.175 meter diatas permukaan laut. Ketinggian yang dapat dicapai dengan menaiki anak tangga yang mencapai lebih dari 1.700 buah, dengan banyak spot menarik di sepanjang jalannya, termasuk beberapa Pura yang lebih kecil. Bagi Sobat Pesona yang mencari petualangan dan menyukai pendakian dicampurkan dengan pengalaman melihat situs arkeologi yang eksotis, tempat ini tidak boleh dilewatkan. Tetapi tidak perlu khawatir! Untuk Sobat Pesona yang kurang menyukai hiking, tetap dapat menikmati pemandangan yang menakjubkan dari kaki gunung. Pemandangan eksotis, tradisional, bersejarah dan menakjubkan, sangat sempurna untuk membuat liburan yang tak terlupakan!
8 | Pura Ulun Danu Bratan
Sumber foto @sergeykbn
Sebuah landmark terkenal yang indah dan bersejarah, Pura Ulun Danu Bratan adalah destinasi wisata yang sangat populer bagi turis lokal maupun mancanegara. Terletak di posisi strategis di jalan yang menyambungkan Bali Utara dan Selatan. Pura ikonik ini dikelilingi perairan yang tenang bagaikan cermin yang seakan-akan membuat Pura ini melayang. Pura ini telah menjadi spot berfoto favorit bagi banyak orang mulai dari yang menggunakan kamera Polaroid, kamera Digital, hingga era kamera smartphone untuk foto Instagram sekarang ini. Walaupun daya tarik utamanya adalah Pura terapung, tetapi seluruh kompleks Pura sendiri akan memberikan pengalaman bersejarah dengan atmosfer yang menenangkan yang tidak ingin Sobat Pesona lewatkan!
9 | Tanah Lot
Sumber foto @nastasiaspassport
Salah satu destinasi yang sangat penting di Bali adalah Tanah Lot, Pura Hindu kuno yang eksotis terletak di atas karang yang menantang deru ombak. Terkenal karena posisi lepas pantainya yang unik yang menjadikan Tanah Lot sebagai salah satu lokasi paling menakjubkan untuk memandang matahari terbenam. Tanah Lot merupakan tempat ikonik yang harus Sobat Pesona tuju untuk pengalaman Bali yang seutuhnya. Tanah Lot merupakan salah satu destinasi paling populer bagi para wisatawan karena situs ini menawarkan semua keunikan kebudayaan Tradisional Bali. Sobat Pesona juga dapat memilih banyak suvenir dan membawa pulang sebagian Bali ke rumah! Mulai dari topeng, tas dan banyak suvenir tradisional lainnya.
10 | Terasering Tegalalang
Sumber foto @samisfierce
Terletak strategis di Ubud yang ramai dan populer, Terasering Tegalalang menawarkan pemandangan persawahan yang megah. Terasering ini menawarkan lukisan alam yang memukau bagi para pengunjungnya, dimana hamparan persawahan menghijau di antara perbukitan yang segar. Pemandangan pepohonan yang rimbun yang menjulang dari hutan di sekitaran, juga sangat cocok bagi Sobat Pesona yang ingin tenang bersantai menghirup udara segar dan terbebas dari keriuhan perkotaan. Sebuah tempat yang pasti akan membuat kenangan indah untuk Sobat Pesona!
11 | The Bali Swing
The Bali Swing menjadi tempat yang sangat populer dan hype sebagai spot yang Instagramable. Di sini terdapat beberapa ayunan yang berada di ketinggian yang bervariasi sambil menghadap ke lembah pohon palem indah yang berpadu dengan gemercik sungai yang menyejukkan. Suasana hutan Bali yang asri di sekitar lokasi ini, pasti bisa memikat hati Sobat Pesona. Pastikan untuk mengunjungi di waktu yang tepat karena antusiasme terhadap tempat ini dan pemandangan yang menakjubkan tentunya menarik banyak pengunjung. Hal yang wajib dilakukan juga adalah memastikan untuk datang pada kondisi cuaca terbaik, juga pada saat golden hour. Datanglah pagi hari dan dapatkan cahaya lembut untuk menghasilkan foto yang terbaik! Selamat bergaya!
12 | Tirta Empul
Terletak di Desa Manukaya di bagian tengah Bali, kompleks Pura yang memikat mata dan air suci dari gunung ini adalah situs warisan budaya nasional yang memiliki latar legenda mengenai kisah kebaikan melawan kejahatan. Tirta Empul yang berarti ‘mata air suci’ sebenarnya adalah nama sumber air yang terletak di dalam Pura. Mata air ini mengalir ke berbagai pemandian tempat memurnikan diri, dan kolam-kolam ikan yang mengelilingi batas luar Pura, sebelum akhirnya mengalir ke Sungai Tukad Pakerisan. Lokasi ini cocok untuk Sobat Pesona yang tertarik pada sejarah, mitos dan legenda Bali. Momen upacara adat juga termasuk prosesi yang menakjubkan untuk disaksikan.
13 | Tirta Gangga Water Palace
Terkenal karena taman airnya yang megah, Tirta Gangga telah menjadi salah satu tujuan utama bagi penggemar estetika untuk datang dan berfoto disana. Seperti kompleks pemandian lainnya, taman ini terdiri dari taman tropis, kolam berendam, juga kolam ikan. Ada juga air mancur yang dikelilingi oleh rumput yang dipotong rapi dan dihiasi dengan batu loncatan, patung indah, dan taman tropis. Lokasi destinasi ini, terletak di desa Ababi, sekitar 75 km sebelah timur Denpasar. Perpaduan antara suasana ketenangan dan arsitektur tradisional Bali yang amat menarik, akan membuat koleksi foto liburan di Instagram Sobat Pesona lebih inspiratif.
Dalam foto @beatrizazzevedo, Foto dan Edit oleh @thegingerwanderlust dan @lorenzowanderlust
14 | Pura Uluwatu
Memiliki nama asli Pura Luhur Uluwatu, Pura ini adalah salah satu dari 6 Pura utama yang diyakini sebagai pilar spiritual Bali. Pura Uluwatu juga terkenal karena lokasinya yang luar biasa. Berdiri megah di atas tebing curam sekitar 70 meter diatas permukaan laut. Sulit untuk tidak mengakui Pura Uluwatu sebagai salah satu tempat di urutan teratas untuk menikmati matahari terbenam dengan pemandangan langsung menghadap samudera Hindia, sambil diiringi pertunjukan tari Kecak yang membahana. Tampilan menakjubkan ini akan membuat gambaran yang sempurna di Instagram Sobat Pesona! Jangan lupa untuk datang sebelum jam matahari terbenam ya!
Sumber foto @mindz.eye
15 | Wanagiri Hidden Hills Lookout
Destinasi yang terletak di bagian Utara Bali ini, nampaknya sudah sering ini muncul di unggahan Instagram banyak orang. Wanagiri Hidden Hills Lookout memiliki atraksi populer yaitu sarang burung raksasa, ayunan, dan lokasi pandang yang mengarah langsung ke danau. Ada berbagai spot foto yang bisa Sobat Pesona pilih untuk mendapatkan banyak foto keren untuk Instagram. Kira-kira dibutuhkan perjalanan selama satu setengah jam untuk mencapai destinasi ini dari Canggu. Pastikan sampai ke tempat ini sebelum matahari terbenam, sehingga Sobat Pesona sempat menyaksikan pemandangan matahari terbenam yang tidak akan terlupakan.
Jakarta – Kemenangan atas Filipina memastikan Indonesia melaju ke putaran ketiga Kualifikasi Piala Dunia 2026 zona Asia. Garuda lolos sebagai runner-up Grup F di bawah Irak. Bermain di Stadion Utama Gelora Bung Karno, Selasa (11/6/2024), skuad asuhan Shin Tae-yong menang 2-0 berkat gol tembakan jarak jauh Thom Haye pada menit ke-32 dan sundulan Rizky Ridho pada menit ke-56.
Tambahan 3 poin membuat Indonesia finis di posisi dua klasemen Grup F dengan 10 poin dari enam laga, hasil tiga kemenangan dari sekali seri. Posisi Merah Putih takkan bisa disalip Vietnam yang baru meraih 6 poin dari lima laga, terlepas hasil mereka melawan Irak yang akan digelar Rabu (12/6) pukul 01.00 WIB.
Indonesia akan menjalani putaran ketiga pada September 2024 – Juni 2025. 18 negara yang lolos dibagi ke dalam tiga grup, masing-masing berisi enam tim. Dua tim teratas lolos langsung ke Piala Dunia, sedangkan peringkat 3-4 akan menjalani putaran empat untuk memperebutkan sisa dua tiket langsung.
Keberhasilan menapak ke putaran tiga juga memastikan Indonesia lolos langsung ke Piala Asia 2027 yang akan digelar di Arab Saudi. Sedangkan Vietnam dan Filipina yang tersisih dari Kualifikasi Piala Dunia akan beralih mengikuti putaran ketiga Kualifikasi Piala Asia demi raih sisa enam tiket yang tersedia.
Klasemen Grup F usai Indonesia mengalahkan Filipina 2-0
Israeli forces have reportedly reached the centre of the southern Gaza city of Rafah and seized a strategically important hill overlooking the nearby border with Egypt.
Witnesses and local journalists said tanks were stationed at al-Awda roundabout, which is considered a key landmark.
They also said tanks were on Zoroub Hill, effectively giving Israel control of the Philadelphi Corridor – a narrow strip of land running along the border to the sea.
The Israeli military said its troops were continuing activities against “terror targets” in Rafah, three weeks after it launched the ground operation there.
Western areas of the city also came under intense bombardment overnight, residents said, despite international condemnation of an Israeli air strike and a resulting fire on Sunday that killed dozens of Palestinians at a tented camp for displaced people.
The Israeli military said it was investigating the possibility that the fire was caused by the explosion of weapons stored by Hamas in the vicinity.
It also denied reports from local health and emergency services officials on Tuesday afternoon that tank shells had hit another camp in al-Mawasi, on the coast west of Rafah, killing at least 21 people.
Reuters news agency cited local health officials as saying the blast occurred after Israeli tank shells hit a cluster of tents in al-Mawasi on Tuesday. An official in the Hamas-run civil defence force also told AFP there had been a deadly Israeli strike on tents.
Videos posted to social media and analysed by BBC Verify showed multiple people with serious injuries, some lying motionless on the ground, near tents and other temporary structures.
There was no clear sign of a blast zone or crater, making it impossible to ascertain the cause of the incident. The location – verified through reference to surrounding buildings – is between Rafah and al-Mawasi, and lies south of the IDF’s designated humanitarian zone.
The IDF said in a statement: “Contrary to the reports from the last few hours, the IDF did not strike in the humanitarian area in al-Mawasi.”
Israel has insisted that victory in its seven-month war with Hamas in Gaza is impossible without taking Rafah and rejected warnings that it could have catastrophic humanitarian consequences.
The UN says around a million people have now fled the fighting in Rafah, but several hundred thousand more could still be sheltering there.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) began what they called “targeted” ground operations against Hamas fighters and infrastructure in the east of Rafah on 6 May.
Since then, tanks and troops have gradually pushed into built-up eastern and central areas while also moving northwards along the 13km (8-mile) border with Egypt.
On Tuesday, they reportedly reached the city centre for the first time.
The al-Awda roundabout, which is only 800m (2,600 ft) from the border, is the location of major banks, government institutions, businesses, and shops.
One witness said they saw soldiers position themselves at the top of a building overlooking the roundabout and then begin to shoot at anyone who was moving.
Video posted online meanwhile showed tank track marks on a road about 3km west of al-Awda roundabout and 300m from the Indonesian field hospital, which was damaged overnight.
The UN says around a million people have fled Rafah since the start of the Israeli ground operation in the city
Earlier, residents told the BBC that tanks seized Zoroub Hill, about 2.5km north-west of al-Awda roundabout, after gun battles with Hamas-led fighters.
The hill is highest point along the Egyptian border and its seizure means the entire Gazan side of the border is now effectively under Israeli control.
Zoroub Hill also overlooks western Rafah, where residents said there had been the heaviest air and artillery strikes overnight since the start of the Israeli operation.
A local journalist said the bombardment forced hundreds of families to seek temporary shelter in the courtyard of a hospital, while ambulances struggled to reach casualties in the affected areas.
At dawn, thousands of people were seen heading north, crammed into cars and lorries and onto carts pulled by donkeys and horses.
“The explosions are rattling our tent, my children are frightened, and my sick father makes it impossible for us to escape the darkness,” resident Khaled Mahmoud told the BBC.
“We are supposed to be in a safe zone according to the Israeli army, yet we have not received evacuation orders like those in the eastern [Rafah] region,” he added. “We fear for our lives if no-one steps in to protect us.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) did not comment on the various reports but put out a statement saying that “overnight troops operated on the Philadelphi Corridor while conducting precise operational activity based on intelligence indicating the presence of terror targets in the area”.
“The activity is being conducted as efforts are continuing to be made in order to prevent harm to uninvolved civilians in the area,” it added.
“The troops are engaging with terrorists in close-quarters combat and locating terror tunnel shafts, weapons, and additional terrorist infrastructure in the area.”
The IDF has told civilians in eastern Rafah to evacuate for their own safety to an “expanded humanitarian area” stretching from al-Mawasi, a coastal area just north of Rafah, to the central town of Deir al-Balah.
Israel’s prime minister said the killing of civilians in an air strike and resulting fire in Rafah on Sunday was a “tragedy”
On Sunday night, at least 45 people – more than half of them children, women and the elderly – were killed when an Israeli air strike triggered a huge fire in a camp for displaced people near a UN logistics base in the Tal al-Sultan area, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
Hundreds more were treated for severe burns, fractures and shrapnel wounds.
The IDF said it was targeting two senior Hamas officials in the attack, which happened hours after Hamas fighters in south-eastern Rafah launched rockets towards the Israeli city of Tel Aviv for the first time in months.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a “tragic incident” had occurred “despite our immense efforts to avoid harming non-combatants” and promised a thorough investigation.
IDF chief spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said on Tuesday that the strike had targeted a structure used by the Hamas commanders which was away from any tents, using “two munitions with small warheads”.
“Following this strike, a large fire ignited for reasons that are still being investigated. Our munitions alone could not have ignited a fire of this size,” he said.
Rear Adm Hagari added that investigators were looking into the possibility that the fire was caused by the explosion of weapons or ammunition stored in a nearby structure, and played what he said was an intercepted telephone conversation between two Gazans suggesting that. The audio recording could not immediately be verified.
Sam Rose of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, Unrwa, told the BBC from western Rafah that the killing of so many civilians could not be dismissed as an accident.
“Gaza was already one of the most overcrowded places on the planet. It is absolutely impossible to prosecute a military campaign involving large-scale munitions, strikes from the sky, the sea, the tanks, without exacting large-scale civilian casualties,” he said.
“It seems like we are plumbing new depths of horror, bloodshed and brutality with every single day. And if this isn’t a wake-up call, then it’s hard to see what will be.”
Last week, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered Israel to “immediately halt its military offensive, and any other action in the Rafah Governorate, which may inflict on the Palestinian group in Gaza conditions of life that could bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part”.
Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza to destroy Hamas in response to the group’s cross-border attack on southern Israel on 7 October, during which about 1,200 people were killed and 252 others were taken hostage.
At least 36,090 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
A popular thing to do in Wuzhen is pose for photos dressed in traditional hanfu clothing
With the Chinese economy facing massive challenges, there have been concerns over its growth potential, at least in the immediate future.
Yet a key exception is emerging in the form of domestic tourism.
Last week’s five-day public holiday to mark labour day saw 295 million trips made within China, according to figures from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. This was 28% higher than pre-pandemic figures recorded in 2019.
The Transport Ministry’s figures are also staggering: 92 million rail trips; almost 10 million air trips and 1.25 billion highway journeys.
However, this comes as international arrivals continue to lag, with foreigners currently entering China at barely 30% of 2019 levels. Why the disparity?
The beautiful historical river town of Wuzhen, a short drive from Shanghai, is considered one of China’s top visitor sites for travellers of all types. When we arrive the little pathways and old bridges which cross narrow waterways are filled with visitors.
A popular thing to do in Wuzhen is to pose for photos dressed in traditional hanfu clothing – as if you have really been transported back hundreds of years.
Two women in their 20s, friends since high school, are visiting from Jilin Province in the north east. After arriving, they spend an hour getting their hair done in an elaborate imperial-era style – and they are full of praise for Wuzhen’s classical beauty.
We ask if, following the post-Covid opening up, many of their family and other friends have been travelling much? “Of course, after the pandemic, we’re all visiting other places.”
Nearby a local man who is selling ice-creams also says tourist numbers are “not that bad lately”.
As good as before Covid? “Almost the same,” he replies.
Shopkeeper Wang Ying, who sells traditional snacks, echoes this sentiment with a big smile on her face. “Business is going well, and it’ll only get better.”
Wuzhen is considered one of China’s top visitor sites
All this will be seen as good news for the Chinese government. It’s been saying that a push on domestic consumption can counter the significant faltering portions of the economy.
Major players in the once-mighty property sector are struggling to stay afloat, local government debt continues to rise, and persistent youth unemployment has left highly qualified university graduates uncertain of their future.
Amid all these challenges, the Communist Party has set a target of “around 5%” GDP growth for this year. Apart from the fact that analysts have long questioned the veracity of the country’s official growth figures, economists are also asking how such a target can be reached, in any genuine sense, in 2024 without significant extra stimulus.
One lifeline could be a more buoyant travel scene which could bring broader business opportunities and greater service industry employment.
Schubert Lou, chief operating officer at travel agency Trip.com, told the BBC: “We’ve seen very strong domestic travel demand with search volumes in hotels up 67% compared to last year, and flight volumes up 80%.”
Tourism industry consultant Peng Han from Travel Daily is following the investment trail to see how the business community really views the possibilities in the sector.
“With famous international hotel brands – like Intercontinental, Marriott and Hilton – you just have to look at their growth in China in 2023,” he says. “Then check the performance goals for these large hotel groups in 2024 which have also been set relatively high. This shows that they are very optimistic about the growth potential of the Chinese market.”
But, while the volume of local travellers might be up, Mr Peng does point to the problem of per capita consumption which remains persistently low.
He says general uncertainty about the Chinese economy is putting more emphasis on saving, so people are looking for good value options. They are going on holidays and paying for things but doing so much more frugally.
This is where an increase in big-spending foreigners could help. But they are simply not travelling to China in the numbers they used to.
In 2019, nearly 98 million international visitors came to the country. Last year it was only 35 million – including business trips, students and the like. Mr Lou describes the domestic versus international market as “uneven”.
For many in the tourism industry here specialising in services for foreign travellers, “uneven” would be an understatement. Three years of harsh Covid prevention measures drove down arrivals from other countries, but that alone can’t account for the current situation.
Huang Songshan, the head of the Centre for Tourism Research in the School of Business and Law at Australia’s Edith Cowan University, blames this weakness in part to “the shifting geopolitical landscape globally”.
China’s culture and heritage has traditionally been a big draw for tourists
In the peer-reviewed East Asia Forum, he pointed to a 2023 survey carried out by the Pew Research Centre, writing that, “Most individuals in Western nations hold unfavourable views towards China. The Chinese government’s tightening grip on societal regulations could potentially cause discomfort for foreign travellers in China.”
Official travel advice from some governments echo this sentiment, at times quite harshly.
Washington warns potential travellers to “reconsider travel to Mainland China due to the arbitrary enforcement of local laws, including in relation to exit bans, and the risk of wrongful detentions”.
Australia advises “a high degree of caution” warning that “Australians may be at risk of arbitrary detention or harsh enforcement of local laws, including broadly defined National Security Laws”.
The political environment has also taken a toll on flight availability and price. This is especially the case with connections to and from North America. Last month’s 332 scheduled round trips between China and the US contrasts with 1,506 in April 2019.
As a result, finding a seat on a direct flight can be extremely difficult and those that are available are very expensive.
President Xi Jinping made a speech at a dinner on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference in San Francisco last November addressing this point. “Today, President Biden and I reached important consensus,” he told the crowd.
“Our two countries will roll out more measures to facilitate travels and promote people-to-people exchanges, including increasing direct passenger flights, holding a high-level dialogue on tourism, and streamlining visa application procedures. We hope that our two peoples will make more visits, contacts and exchanges and write new stories of friendship in the new era.”
Washington has since increased the number of Chinese airline flights permitted to land – but only from 35 per week to 50. It is still well short of the 150 weekly trips pre-Covid.
The Biden administration is coming under pressure from unions and US airlines to not increase this any further because, they argue, Chinese airlines have an unfair advantage over them as they have state support; don’t face the same onerous Chinese regulations; and, crucially, can fly over Russian airspace, making trips shorter and cheaper.
A letter to the US government from the Chair of the House Committee on China, Mike Gallagher, and the committee’s top Democrat representative, Raja Krishnamoorthi, reads: “Should the US-China passenger carrier market expand without the US government addressing these significant issues, US aviation workers, travellers and airlines will pay a hefty price tag.”
Mr Lou says the frequency of international flight connections is definitely having an impact.
“What we are seeing right now, based on civil aviation data, is that inbound flight capacity won’t get back to even 80% of 2019 [levels] by the end of 2024.”
Then there are other potential turnoffs for those considering travelling in China, like the country’s state-of-the-art phone app payment and booking systems which work very smoothly for Chinese citizens and residents, but which can be an enormous headache if you have just arrived.
There are certain sites, transport options, and purchases which can only be accessed via Chinese electronic apps which are, at times, only available in Chinese.
Professor Chen Yong at Switzerland’s EHL Hospitality Business School is an authority on the economics of tourism in China. He thinks that hurdles relating to payment and booking apps can pose a real problem.
“Technologies such as social network websites, online maps, payment apps, among others, which foreigners have long been accustomed to using, are either unavailable or inaccessible when they travel to China,” he says.
“On the other hand, there are Chinese alternatives to these technologies that remain inaccessible to foreigners due to language barriers and differences in user habits. We need to bridge this divide because it affects the tourist industry badly.”
Back in Wuzhen, the presence of international travellers is much smaller than in years gone by, but there are still a few foreign faces in the crowd.
An Italian couple says the process of linking up to and using China’s payment apps was a challenge but that it was not insurmountable, though they add, with a laugh, that it is “much, much, much easier” if you have a Chinese friend to help you.
Chinese officials have acknowledged that the foreign traveller numbers have been low but they are trying to turn this around
Eliseo, from California, says he has had problems making payments to small vendors who don’t accept credit cards and really no longer deal with cash. Another hurdle for him has been his bank at home which has blocked some payments, flagging them as potentially fraudulent coming from China.
Chinese officials have acknowledged that the foreign traveller numbers have been low but they are now trying to turn this around.
One way they’re attempting to attract more foreign visitors is by increasing the number of countries whose citizens don’t need a visa to enter. Trip.com says this resulted in an almost immediate increase in passenger arrivals from Southeast Asia.
In 23 Chinese cities, transit passengers from more than 50 countries are also able to stay for a few days visa free if they have an onward ticket. In Shanghai, hotels above a three-star level have been told that they should prepare to deal with international credit cards and an initial batch of 50 taxis have also started accepting them.
However, Professor Chen says “it would be too optimistic to envision a long-term growth in China’s inbound tourism”.
“The key is to establish a culture that puts service providers in the shoes of foreign tourists. They should imagine themselves being a foreigner who can’t speak or read Chinese and who doesn’t have a Chinese mobile number, payments apps and so on.”
He says that the culture around this can’t be changed overnight.
Yet, in places like Wuzhen – where the local travellers have already returned – the tourism companies are hoping that incredible sites like theirs will eventually be too much for foreigners to resist as well.
BBCInfluencers like Ranting Gola (left) and Sham Sharma are using their social media presence to promote political parties
Just weeks before the first ballot was cast in this year’s Indian election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was at an event in Delhi rubbing shoulders with people known by names like BeerBiceps and Curly Tales.
The event – an awards show, congratulating some of the country’s top social media stars on their work – was an acknowledgement of the power of the influencer which a few years ago may have seemed unimaginable.
And as politicians prepared to battle it out for India’s billion votes, these influencers were being lined up to play a crucial role in reaching the young, the disinterested and the disillusioned.
But even as some celebrate social media’s democratisation of the media – a place where any one can share their views freely – others paint a darker picture, one where threats are rife, and the truth can be set aside for the right pay cheque.
A decade ago, you would have struggled to find anyone calling themselves an “influencer”.
But now, says Vinay Deshpande, co-founder of Rajneethi, a political management consultant firm, “it’s become a profession”.
“I know teenagers who are doing this part-time to earn pocket money.”
Pocket money underplays the earning potential somewhat, however. At the lower end, people can charge around 2,000 rupees ($24; £19) a day, but top influencers can pull in about 500,000 rupees for a post – equivalent to the monthly salary of someone in top-level management.
The creator of the Ranting Gola channel revealed to the BBC that political parties and election management firms have offered as much as “100,000 to 500,000 rupees for a single campaign”.
It is no small amount – but then, it could turn the tide in a candidate’s favour.
Mr Deshpande says they have helped an opposition candidate win an assembly election by pushing out content through a curated list of local influencers with a small but active following.
“Social media content is powerful and can influence the way a person feels about an issue,” Mr Deshpande says. “It gives social currency to a belief or opinion – but this can lead to a lack of critical thinking about an issue,” he adds.
Preethi Aggarwal, 25, is one of those who turns to apps like Instagram, YouTube and Twitter to help her understand the news.
Like thousands of others, Ms Aggarwal follows a bunch of “political influencers”, or people who talk about politics on social media to “really understand what’s going on”.
“News can get boring and complicated sometimes. I think these people [influencers] make it fun and easier to understand,” she says, adding the context and their own perspective help her form her opinions.
But the problem is, whose perspective is she getting?
PMO India / YouTubePM Modi congratulated Ranveer Allahbadia (left, known as BeerBiceps) and other influencers at a recent event
YouTuber Samdish Bhatia reveals numerous politicians have reached out to him, especially in the months before this election, offering him millions of rupees to interview them.
“But they wanted me to share questions in advance or get the video approved before it’s published,” he says, adding that he declined the offers because he “likes to maintain editorial control”.
The particular trend for longer form, slightly chummy interviews – where politicians get to show off their human side – is particularly vulnerable to management, says Joyojeet Pal, an associate professor at the University of Michigan.
“Many of these interviews are carefully managed by politicians,” Mr Pal says.
But even if they aren’t, a gentler style of questioning can also blur the line between interview and promotion, says Mr Pal.
“If your questions aren’t holding power to account, then the interview just becomes a platform for easy publicity.”
But for Mr Pal, this is just one of the problems he sees with politics on social media.
In a recent research paper, he examined some of India’s top influencers and who they interviewed, finding BJP leaders were featured more often than opposition leaders.
His research also found an overall drop in the number of accounts posting content critical of the incumbent government in recent years, while the amount of pro-BJP content had increased.
“This hints at a growing hesitancy among people to be openly critical of the government whereas there seems to be more confidence in putting up polarising content or content that supports the government’s ideologies,” Mr Pal says.
“And this is dangerous for democracy,” he adds.
Getty ImagesEven in the most remote areas, Indians have access to a mobile phone and internet
Influencers supporting the opposition certainly suggested they were working in a hostile environment.
A number who post content that’s critical of the government declined to speak to the BBC for this piece citing fear of repercussions by the government. They also run their channels under pseudonyms to keep their identities secret.
The Ranting Gola told the BBC that she has often received comments that are abusive or threatening because of the videos she posts and that her Instagram account has been disabled numerous times, even though the platform hasn’t given her a clear reason for doing so.
She also only spoke to the BBC on the condition that her name not be revealed.
The BJP government has denied allegations that it has clamped down on dissent and free speech.
But even pro-BJP YouTuber Sham Sharma told the BBC that freedom of speech could be a problem in India:
0:52YouTuber Sham Sharma talks about the positives and perils of sharing his views online.
But even given these concerns, opposition parties are using the same influencer system to reach voters in what they say is a difficult environment.
“The mainstream media has been taken over by the BJP,” alleges Supriya Srinate, who heads social media for the Congress party.
“Our funds have been frozen; we have no money to advertise,” she adds, referring to action taken by India’s tax department weeks before the elections. Congress leaders have accused the government of political vendetta, but the government has denied the allegation and said that the federal department was doing its job independently.
Influencers, Ms Srinate argues, are a good way to reach voters as a result of these alleged hurdles, explaining the Congress has been working with “volunteers” who believe in the party’s ideology and want to share its work on social media.
Ankit Lal, former political advisor of the opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), agrees that influencers have helped democratise the publicity landscape.
Akash Banerjee, a former journalist who runs the YouTube channel, The DeshBhakt, argues that influencers are also able to push boundaries more than the traditional media can.
He cites the video ‘Is India becoming a dictatorship?’ – made by popular content creator Dhruv Rathee, who is based in Germany – which takes on the government directly, and has been viewed about 24 million times on YouTube so far. The government hasn’t reacted to the video yet.
“After the video, the term ‘dictatorship’ has popped up more in conversations, and this is something that has never happened before,” Mr Banerjee says.
“Our job as influencers may not be to open the window and check if it’s really raining, but we owe it to the nation to take a look outside the window and let people know if dark clouds are approaching and that they can do something about it by voting.”
Getty ImagesThe Dali was a ‘clearly unseaworthy’ ship with ‘an incompetent crew’, the city of Baltimore argued in a lawsuit filed Monday
Baltimore has sued the operators of the container ship that hit and destroyed one of the US city’s main bridges last month, killing six people.
The city says the Dali was “clearly unseaworthy” and accuses its owners and manager of negligence.
The ship’s Singapore-based owner and manager have already asked a court to limit their liability.
The region is reeling from the closure of its busiest maritime transit port after the span collapsed on 26 March.
“None of this should have happened,” attorneys representing the Baltimore mayor and city council argued in a federal lawsuit.
The city is asking the US District Court of Maryland for a jury trial to hold the defendants fully liable.
Naming the Dali’s owner, Grace Ocean Private Limited, and its manager, Synergy Marine Private Limited, the suit alleges the Francis Scott Key Bridge’s collapse was a direct result of their “gross negligence, and recklessness, and as a result of the unseaworthiness of the Vessel”.
On 1 April, Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine petitioned the same federal court in Maryland to cap its responsibility for the incident.
Citing a pre-Civil War maritime law, the pair of companies estimated their liability for the vessel and the cargo’s value at $43.6m (£35m).
Monday’s court filing from the city of Baltimore rebuts that number as “substantially less than the amount that will be claimed for losses and damages arising out of the Dali’s allision with the Key Bridge”.
The path taken by the cargo ship – which was exiting the Port of Baltimore under the Key Bridge – is “no stranger to large freighters”, the city’s representatives wrote.
They said the vessel “had been experiencing an inconsistent power supply” that was either not investigated or not fixed.
“The Dali left port anyway, despite its clearly unseaworthy condition,” said the lawsuit.
The filing also says the Dali was manned by “an incompetent crew that was inattentive to its duties” and “lacked proper training”.
Contains upsetting scenes.Tracking data shows the path of the Dali container towards the bridge
On Friday, port officials opened a third temporary channel for boats to enter and exit the corridor, but these channels can only sustain about 15% of pre-collapse commercial activity.
A fourth channel, that will allow most traffic back into the port, is expected to open by the end of the month.
Darrell Wilson, an attorney who represents Synergy Marine and is also handling media inquiries on behalf of Grace Ocean, told the BBC it would be inappropriate to comment on the litigation while federal investigations into the collapse were ongoing.
New drone video shows close-up view of debris from the Baltimore bridge collapse
Six construction workers who were fixing potholes died when the bridge collapsed. Two of the bodies have yet to be recovered.
Workers are still extracting thousands of tonnes of debris from the water and from atop the stationary Dali, whose original schedule would have seen it arrive at a Sri Lankan port on Monday.
Apart from two of the ship’s pilots, 21 crew members – almost all of whom are of Indian origin – remain on the ship. There is no timeline yet for when the crew will disembark or head back to sea.
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BBCInfluencers like Ranting Gola (left) and Sham Sharma are using their social media presence to promote political parties
PMO India / YouTubePM Modi congratulated Ranveer Allahbadia (left, known as BeerBiceps) and other influencers at a recent event
Getty ImagesEven in the most remote areas, Indians have access to a mobile phone and internet
Getty ImagesThe Dali was a ‘clearly unseaworthy’ ship with ‘an incompetent crew’, the city of Baltimore argued in a lawsuit filed Monday
