
Three men from India, Singapore, and China have been deported from Bali and blacklisted from entering Indonesia after being caught working on tourist visas. The Indian and Singaporean men were running yoga classes in Buleleng Regency, while the Chinese citizen was installing production machinery and training employees in Karangasem Regency. Anak Agung Gde Kusuma Putra, head of the Singaraja Immigration Office, stated that tourist visas cannot be used for work or activities inconsistent with their intended purpose. Immigration officials are conducting random visa checks and increasing supervision of foreign nationals. The Smartraveller website advises that it is illegal to work, conduct research, or volunteer on a tourist visa, including creating or posting online content for payment or commercial purposes. Breaching visa conditions can lead to fines, deportation, or a lifetime ban from Indonesia. Locals are encouraged to report suspected visa breaches to Indonesian Immigration.
This summary was generated from a story originally published by Bali news.

Preferred Hotels & Resorts has expanded its global portfolio by adding four new hotels in Bali, increasing its total number of member properties in Indonesia to five. The newly added hotels are Ametis Villa Bali in Canggu, Nuju Uluwatu in Uluwatu, Samsara Ubud in Ubud, and The Meru Sanur in Sanur. These additions bring the group's South-east Asian portfolio to 25 properties across seven countries. Christine Tan, area managing director, Southeast Asia, Preferred Hotels & Resorts, stated that these properties enhance the diversity of their regional portfolio and offer more choices for travelers in Asia-Pacific. The four properties represent various segments of Bali's hospitality market, including private villas, boutique retreats, and beachfront resorts, and participate in the I Prefer Hotel Rewards program.
Must readArtist Vincent Leroy's "Eccentric Lenses" installation in Munduk, Bali, offers a dynamic optical experience. This kinetic sculpture uses Fresnel lenses that interact with the wind, continuously altering the perception of the surrounding landscape. Each lens pivots on an off-center axis, creating an illusion of languid drifting and constantly generating new configurations. As the lenses rotate, they cause the mountains, fields, and sky to appear inverted and fractured, making the stable vistas fluid and ever-evolving. The artwork explores a unique rotation paradigm where centers shift, creating an uncertain axis, and allows the landscape to seem animated as it is projected through the shifting lens surfaces. The installation provides countless perspectives, with the horizon subtly shifting and natural features constantly rearranging, especially as daylight fades and the lenses scatter light. "Eccentric Lenses" aims to open dialogues between constructed and natural worlds, inviting viewers to reconsider their perspectives within the environment.

The Oregon Zoo has placed a rare female Bali myna, also known as the Bali starling, in its public Vollum Aviary. This species, the official bird of Bali, Indonesia, is listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Poaching and habitat loss drastically reduced its wild population to just six birds in 2001, with fewer than 100 adults estimated to remain in their native habitat today. The female myna arrived at the Oregon Zoo in November 2023 through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Species Survival Plan. She previously raised a chick with an older male, and after the male's death, she was moved to the Vollum Aviary. Nicole LaGreco, who oversees the zoo's bird population, highlighted the importance of this public display in raising awareness about the species and the threats it faces. Poaching for the illegal pet trade is the primary threat, as the bird is highly prized and holds significant national symbolism in Bali. The Wildlife Trafficking Alliance, in partnership with the International Fund for Animal Welfare, works to discourage keeping wild animals as pets. Oregon residents can report suspected illegal animal sales to the Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division hotline.